Photos: CULTURE & COCKTAILS At The Ben Welcomes 120+ Music Fans

Dave Lawrence, President & CEO of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, welcomed more than 120 music fans to last week's CULTURE & COCKTAILS At The Ben.

Check out photos below!

The theme was IN TIME, IN TUNE, a musical conversation with #1 Billboard jazz vocalist Deborah Silver, 12-time GRAMMY nominated songwriter Dennis Lambert, and Emmy nominated pianist Copeland Davis, who both performed and served as moderator. The evening was jampacked with incredible pop performances interspersed with juicy show biz anecdotes. The audience loved it, laughing a lot, applauding often, while gently swaying to favorite tunes such as Let Me Entertain You, Nightshift, Autumn Leaves, and What the World Needs Now. The piano was generously provided by Piano Distributors in Jupiter.

The final two CULTURE & COCKTAILS conversations in 2022 will be:

Monday, May 9 - 5 to 7 pm

(Postponed from January 10)

WASHINGTON TO WARHOL

A Revealing Conversation with

Bonnie Lautenberg, an esteemed photographer, writer, philanthropist, and businesswoman. She is the widow of former U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (Dem., NJ), who got to know many of the nation's leaders from Clinton to Biden. Her portrait series How They Changed Our Lives: Senators as Working People is in the Library of Congress archives, and her work is featured in the Eli Broad Collection and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History. She is currently co-producing a musical based on the life of pop icon Andy Warhol, along with music manager Steve Leber, director Trevor Nunn, and writer/composer Rupert Holmes.

Moderator: Carol Rose, Editor of The Palm Beach Daily News

Monday, November 7 - 5 to 7 pm

(Postponed from February 7)

FOODIES

A Tasty Conversation with

+ Chef Lindsay Autry, co-partner and founder of The Regional Kitchen & Public House in West Palm Beach. She has held positions in restaurants on the East Coast and in Mexico, made headlines as a finalist on Bravo's ninth season of Top Chef, and was a three-time James Beard nominee (2018, 2019, 2020) for Best Chef: South. Autry describes her cuisine as soulful, embracing Mediterranean flavors with a blend of her Southern roots.

+ Chef Pushkar Marathe, Executive Chef at Stage Kitchen & Bar in Palm Beach Gardens. Born in India, his culinary roots originate in the rich tapestry of flavors from his homeland. His early culinary training was in Switzerland and has held cooking positions in restaurants in the Caribbean, the Middle East and around the United States.

+ Chef Lisabet "LB" Summa, Executive Chef at Elisabetta's Ristorante in Delray Beach and West Palm Beach. After working in restaurants in Chicago and South Florida, she became the culinary catalyst for the 18 restaurants of the Big Time Restaurant Group. Summa is one of the few women in the U.S. restaurant industry who is both a senior culinary operations executive and restaurant owner.

Moderator: Libby Volgyes, Award-winning Food & Restaurant Photographer

Note: Admission to each of this season's CULTURE & COCKTAILS At The Ben is $75 per person in advance; $85 at the door, $125 for VIP Seating, and FREE for Supporter, Contributor, Patron, and Business Arts Partner level members of the Cultural Council. RSVP to Debbie Calabria at 561.472.3330 (or visit www.palmbeachculture.com/cocktails).

Free valet parking will be provided for each CULTURE & COCKTAILS, with additional paid parking available in the nearby parking garages on Banyan Blvd.

The 2022 season of CULTURE & COCKTAILS is generously sponsored by The Roe Green Foundation, Roe Green, Founder; Donald M. Ephraim Family Foundation; Milton and Tamar Maltz; PNC Bank; Jean Sharf; Scott Teich, Teich Wealth Management of Raymond James; The Gardens Mall; Palm Beach Media Group; Piano Distributors; Palm Beach Daily News; Legends Radio; and PR-BS, a Boca-based public relations firm.

Please Note:

All proceeds from CULTURE & COCKTAILS go to support the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County's mission to champion, engage, and grow the arts in Palm Beach County. For membership information, please contact Debbie Calabria at 561.472.3330.

Also:

Topics and speakers are subject to change depending upon the availability of scheduled participants.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the only organization solely dedicated to supporting arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida's Cultural Capital®. In its sustaining effort to foster growth of the cultural sector, the Council provides support services to cultural organizations and creative professionals, administers public and private grant programs, advocates for cultural funding, enhances local arts education, and promotes cultural tourism.

The Council serves as a venue highlighting works by Palm Beach County visual and performing artists at its headquarters in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Downtown Lake Worth Beach. The building is also home to the Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store featuring items by local artisans; the Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center; and the outdoor Project Space, offering the best view of the building's iconic Martin Luther King Jr. mural by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra.

The Council is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays (12 to 5 pm), and limited capacity, with special guidelines to ensure the health and safety of all guests and staff. Facial coverings and social distancing are recommended at the Council and its outdoor project space at all times.

For more information, including a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in Palm Beach County, please visit www.palmbeachculture.com.

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