Podcasts
Hour One: Rossoblu, Bells Up Winery
Hour Two: Bells Up Winery, Cori Solomon, Jeffrey Hansel
Segment One: Show Introduction with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segments Two and Three: Restaurateur & Chef Steve Samson, Rossoblu, DTLA
Segment Four and Five: Bells Up Winery, Newberg, Oregon with Winemaker Dave Specter
Segment Six: When a Major Airline Gets it Wrong with Cori Solomon, President, International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
Segment Seven: Restaurateur & Chef Jeffrey Hansell, Thorny Oyster, Bay St. Louis, Coastal Mississippi
“At Chef Steve Samson’s Rossoblu Dinner isn’t meant to feel rushed. Or loud. Or like the same forgettable meal you had last week. At Rossoblu, it never does. Tucked into Downtown LA’s Fashion District, Rossoblu is a hidden oasis—a place where the city slips away and Italy comes into view. Chef Steve Samson draws from a life between LA and Bologna to create a menu rooted in soulful tradition and the joy of gathering. Think tagliatelle hand-rolled daily, tossed in Nonna Olimpia’s long-simmered ragù. Meats grilled over a nine-foot flame, kissed with nothing but house made herb salt and fire.” Chef Steve Samson takes a break from rolling the pasta to join us. “Dine L.A.” is running now thru Sunday, February 8th, 2026 and Rossoblu is a participating restaurant with a special 3-course Dinner Menu.
“Perched on the side of Oregon’s Chehalem Mountain and overlooking Newberg and the Willamette Valley to the south, Bells Up Winery makes approximately 600 cases annually and offers a small selection of Oregon-grown and produced varietals. All Bells Up wines are sold directly from their tasting room. Today — micro-boutique, un-domaine and open exclusively for one winemaker-hosted tasting experience at a time — Bells Up composes handcrafted, classically-styled Oregon Pinot Noir, Rosé, Pinot Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Schioppettino with grapes sourced exclusively from their estate vineyard and from Summit View Vineyard in Eastern Oregon.” Winemaker Dave Specter joins us pulling the cork on all that is Bells Up Winery.
How should a large USA airline handle a long delay due to a series of announced mechanical issues? Isn’t being transparent with the passengers keeping them informed of the delays key? Well, maybe not… Cori Solomon a wine and travel journalist and President of the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) joins us to chronicle her recent experience journeying from New York to Los Angeles. Yes, be sure to fasten your seat belt and wait, and then wait some more…
“Chef Jeffrey Hansell grew up on the gulf coast of Mississippi, 45 minutes east of New Orleans. Surrounded by the commercial fishing and shrimping industry, his love of fresh ingredients and the local catch inspired him to begin a career in the culinary field. After Culinary School Hansell traveled around the Country working his way through some highly acclaimed kitchens in New Orleans, Birmingham, and Aspen. In 2014 Chef Jeffrey and his wife / business partner opened their first restaurant Oxlot9 in Covington LA and most recently in 2020 opened the restaurant Thorny Oyster in Bay St Louis MS.”
Chef Hansell was briefly in Pasadena right before the 2026 Rose Parade with a delegation from Coastal Mississippi. Mississippi sponsored a float in the Rose Parade. We’ll talk to him about the mouthwatering three course Brunch he prepared for a small group of travel journalists at The Maxwell House.
All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!
“At Chef Steve Samson’s Rossoblu Dinner isn’t meant to feel rushed. Or loud. Or like the same forgettable meal you had last week. At Rossoblu, it never does. Tucked into Downtown LA’s Fashion District, Rossoblu is a hidden oasis—a place where the city slips away and Italy comes into view. Chef Steve Samson draws from a life between LA and Bologna to create a menu rooted in soulful tradition and the joy of gathering.”
“Think tagliatelle hand-rolled daily, tossed in Nonna Olimpia’s long-simmered ragù. Meats grilled over a nine-foot flame, kissed with nothing but housemade herb salt and fire.”
“What sets Rossoblu apart isn’t just the food—it’s how it feels. Tucked-away corners invite conversation. Lights glow overhead. Wine arrives without fuss. Time slows. Even a Wednesday feels worth celebrating – just like in Italy.”
Chef Steve Samson takes a break from rolling the pasta to join us.
“Dine L.A.” is running now thru Sunday, February 8th, 2026 and Rossoblu is a participating restaurant with a special Dinner Menu.
“Perched on the side of Oregon’s Chehalem Mountain and overlooking Newberg and the Willamette Valley to the south, Bells Up Winery makes approximately 600 cases annually and offers a small selection of Oregon-grown and produced varietals. All Bells Up wines are sold directly from their tasting room.”
“If you’re this successful in a career that makes you sick, stressed and miserable… how much more successful would you be doing something you love?” That’s the Bells Up story…
“That’s the question Sara asked Dave almost 20 years ago, following his mental and physical breakdown from more than a decade as a successful corporate tax attorney. This, while watching Sara’s professional mentor battle pancreatic cancer at age 40.”
“The answer, for The Specters, was that life is too short to spend unhappy. So they turned the basement hobby that brought Dave joy — winemaking — into Bells Up Winery.”
“Dave left the legal field, dedicating himself full-time to learning the business of making wine as a professional at Henke Winery while living in Cincinnati, Ohio.”
“After Dave won two different amateur national winemaking competitions with two different wines, they decided to relocate to Newberg, Oregon. In 2013, Dave & Sara established Bells Up Winery and their winemaking dreams took root.”
“Today — micro-boutique, un-domaine and open exclusively for one winemaker-hosted tasting experience at a time — Bells Up composes handcrafted, classically-styled Oregon Pinot Noir, Rosé, Pinot Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Schioppettino with grapes sourced exclusively from their estate vineyard and from Summit View Vineyard in Eastern Oregon.”
Winemaker Dave Specter joins us pulling the cork on all that is Bells Up Winery.
How should a major USA airline handle a long delay due to a series of mechanical issues? Isn’t being transparent with the passengers by keeping them informed of the delays key? Well, maybe not…
Cori Solomon a wine and travel journalist and President of the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) joins us to chronicle her recent experience journeying from New York to Los Angeles ahead of some bad weather.
Yes, be sure to fasten your seat belt and wait, and then wait some more…
“Chef Jeffrey Hansell grew up on the gulf coast of Mississippi, 45 minutes east of New Orleans. Surrounded by the commercial fishing and shrimping industry, his love of fresh ingredients and the local catch inspired him to begin a career in the culinary field. After Culinary School Hansell traveled around the Country working his way through some highly acclaimed kitchens in New Orleans, Birmingham, and Aspen.”
“In 2014 Chef Jeffrey and his wife / business partner opened their first restaurant Oxlot9 in Covington LA and most recently in 2020 opened the restaurant Thorny Oyster in Bay St Louis MS.”
“Chef Hansell was briefly in Pasadena right before the Rose Parade with a delegation from Coastal Mississippi. Mississippi had a float in the Rose Parade. We’ll talk to him about the mouthwatering three course Brunch he personally prepared for a small group of travel journalists at The Maxwell House.”
Podcasts
Hour One: Rossoblu, Bells Up Winery
Hour Two: Bells Up Winery, Cori Solomon, Jeffrey Hansel
Segment One: Show Introduction with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segments Two and Three: Restaurateur & Chef Steve Samson, Rossoblu, DTLA
Segment Four and Five: Bells Up Winery, Newberg, Oregon with Winemaker Dave Specter
Segment Six: When a Major Airline Gets it Wrong with Cori Solomon, President, International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
Segment Seven: Restaurateur & Chef Jeffrey Hansell, Thorny Oyster, Bay St. Louis, Coastal Mississippi