CULTURE & COCKTAILS At The Ben Presents Photographer/Raconteur Bonnie Lautenberg, May 9

Dave Lawrence, President & CEO of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, today announced that this season's third CULTURE & COCKTAILS conversation will again be held live in the beautiful rooftop ballroom of The Ben, located at 251 N. Narcissus Avenue in West Palm Beach.

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

The next scheduled CULTURE & COCKTAILS will be:

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.