Palos Verdes Pastoral 2023
🌿 🦋 🦉 🌼 “Go Wild for the Peninsula” 🌼 🦉 🦋 🌿
Nestled amidst the pristine beauty of the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California, Terranea Resort, a world-class coastal haven, was the stage once again for the annual garden-to-table gala that marries a heavenly dining experience with environmental consciousness.
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC) is a non-profit organization passionately dedicated to safeguarding the Peninsula’s open spaces and natural landscapes. Since 1988, the Conservancy has preserved more than 1700 acres of natural land.
Terranea Resort, sprawled across 100 acres of picturesque terrain, continues to be the ideal venue for this splendid affair. Offering breathtaking vistas of the ocean, it was the perfect setting for an event that combined gourmet delights, wonderful wines, entertainment, and philanthropy.
The fundraiser featured fine cuisine, a signature cocktail, and wine that enchanted the palate and elevated the spirit. As the sun set over the Pacific, attendees of this magnificent soirée found their hearts and minds aligned with a purpose: to ensure that the Palos Verdes Peninsula remained a pastoral masterpiece for generations to come.
The Menu
The Signature Cocktail
Golden Hour
Canapés
Cured Scallop, Palos Verdes Mandarin, Burgundy Mustard, Dashi
Charcoal Potato and Desert Yam, Peanut Dust and Maple
Chile Shrimp with Black Lime Butter
Heirloom Carrot and Crying Tiger
Cucumber Cup, Avocado Purée, Lump Crab, Passionfruit
Spiced Chicken Skewer, Seeded Plantain
Music
LA Harpist Minta Spencer
The Power of Botanicals
Hummingbird Heart Co.
Wellness Exhibit
The Spa at Terranea
Dinner
Duet of Soup & Salad
Acorn Squash Bisque
Pumpkin Seed Oil
Beets and Berry Salad
Freekah, Avocado, Blackberries, Blueberries, Heirloom Beets, Sunflower Seeds
Main Course
Short Rib Wellington
Buckwheat Crust, Wild Sage Jus
California Seabass
Black Walnut Wild Rice, Sea Urchin Sauce
Dessert Course
Orange Blackberry Crémeux
Mirror Glazed Orange Crémeux, Apricot Infused Foam,
Blackberry Sorbet, White Milk Chocolate Crumble
Wines
Cambria Estates Pinot Noir
Domaine Nico Brut Rosé
J.Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay
Maison Mirabeau Pure Rosé
Szigeti Sparkling Gruner Veltliner
J.Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet
Zenato Wines Lugana (Trebbiano)
Catalina View Chardonnay Reserve
Riboli Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
🌸 Decor-Styling-Flowers 🌸
Palos Verdes School Gardens provided the beautiful flower/vegetable/herb displays and tabletop decor. (pvschoolgardens.org)
🐝 🦉 Go Wild For The Peninsula 🦉 🐝
Go Wild For The Peninsula is the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy’s campaign to fund the creation and restoration of a 96-acre coastal wildlife corridor that connects coastal land to the contiguous Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
The Land Conservancy is the leader in protecting the Peninsula’s historic coastline – conserving natural land with beautiful views for people to enjoy and restoring healthy ecosystems with native plants for beauty and for wildlife.
Establishing the wildlife corridor will require extensive habitat restoration and fire risk mitigation work to help an array of endangered, threatened, and sensitive species like the Palos Verdes blue butterfly, the El Segundo blue butterfly, the Monarch butterfly, songbirds such as the coastal California gnatcatcher, and rare local species like the cactus wren, raptors and owls, along with countless other birds and land mammals such as the grey fox.
Removal of Invasive Plants
In addition to saving this coastal land, the Campaign supports the removal of invasive, fire-prone plants using goats, organized volunteer crews, and skilled landscape contractors to prepare the land for native plant seedlings. Mustard – the beautiful yellow flowers that cover the hillsides for a couple of weeks per year – poses the biggest risk for fire on the peninsula! (Read more about wild mustard on the peninsula and a recipe for Foraged Mustard & Shrimp Soup here.)
Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly Sanctuary 🦋
As a historic home site for the nearly extinct Palos Verdes blue butterfly – the rarest butterfly in the world – the preservation and restoration of this land will provide a sanctuary for the safe reintroduction of this endangered species among wildflowers and coastal sage scrub plants that will also support a diverse array of imperiled species.
Goat Grazers
The Conservancy employs 300 goats to graze on overgrown weeds, effectively eliminating invasive species like fennel, ice plant, mustard, and acacia. These quiet and tidy weeders have been assisting the Conservancy since 2009, clearing invasive plants efficiently.
In just one day, goats can clear an acre, a task taking a human crew two or three days. Moreover, their droppings act as natural fertilizer, enriching the topsoil. (Read more about goats on the peninsula and a recipe for a Charred Goat Cheese Salad here.)
Go Wild with Native Plants
The Conservancy’s native plant nursery cultivates native plants, specifically coastal species of the Peninsula’s flora adapted to the local environment. Land restoration involves a deliberate strategy to replant and rejuvenate the area, enabling native wildlife to thrive and repopulate.
The Conservancy grows 60 different species from collected seeds, with the help of dedicated volunteers, annually planting nearly 23,000 seedlings in the Nature Preserve lands.
💚 Thank You 💚
I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to Louise and Diana for their kind invitation to return to Terranea to capture this wonderful event with my camera.
I would also like to extend my appreciation to Pat, our dedicated photographer’s assistant – for her artistic flair, meticulous attention to detail, and tireless effort.
Special thanks go to Terranea’s Executive Chef Andrew Vaughan and Executive Pastry Chef Pierino Jermonti and their exceptional teams for the professionalism, invaluable assistance in setting the stage, and for presenting such visually striking and delicious cuisine.
💚 Lori Lynn
Note: Excerpts written with the help of PVPLC.org.