Wine, Basketball, And the Globalization of the Game
Event Description
The 2024 Olympics in Paris showed off how sports unify the globe. Among them, basketball stands out as a worldwide phenomenon, epitomized by international stars such as Denver’s own Nikola Jokic, who has dominated the NBA stage. As the influence of international basketball players has grown, so too has the embrace of global cuisine and wine. Beyond their prowess on the court, players are increasingly diversifying their interests, notably gravitating towards wine—investing in, learning about, and even cultivating their own vineyards.
Join us for a conversation on the global influence of sports, fine wine, and cuisine with Baxter Holmes, the first sports journalist to win a James Beard Foundation Award. He will be joined by Paul Feinstein, renowned food and travel writer, author of “Italy Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by Italia,” and a producer on the acclaimed food and travel show “From Scratch” with David Moscow.
Enjoy a special wine tasting by Blanchard Family Wines during the networking reception!
Location: Buell Public Media Center (2101 Arapahoe St.)
Event Agenda:
5:45 p.m. | Doors open
6:00 p.m. | Registration, networking, & special extended reception with food, wine, and Negronis
6:55 p.m. | Speaker program followed by audience Q&A
8:00 p.m. | Book Signing, Italy Cocktails by Paul Feinstein
8:15 p.m. | Evening concludes
Tickets:
Includes hors d’oeuvres and drinks
$35 General
$20 WorldDenver Members
$10 Young Professional Members
Be sure to log into your account to access your member pricing!
About Our Speakers
Baxter Holmes
Senior ESPN Writer, James Beard Award Winner
Baxter Holmes is a Senior Writer for ESPN, where he’s worked since the fall of 2014. He focuses on in-depth projects, features and investigations around the NBA. He has been in his current role for five years. Prior to that, he covered the Los Angeles Lakers, including Kobe Bryant’s final two seasons. Before joining ESPN, he spent two years covering the Boston Celtics for The Boston Globe. And before that, he worked as a sports reporter for The Los Angeles Times for three and a half years. He was hired by The Los Angeles Times after attending the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated with a B.A. in Journalism.
Holmes is the first sports media person to win a James Beard Foundation Award for his 2018 ESPN The Magazine feature on the NBA’s obsession with PB&J. That story also won a 2018 New York Press Club award for Food Writing. He’s also been short-listed for a Louis Roederer International Wine Writing Award for his feature about San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and his passion for food and wine.
Paul Feinstein
Food & Travel Writer, Producer, “From Scratch” with David Moscow
Paul Feinstein has been writing and editing in Los Angeles and around the world for more than 20 years. He has written travel guides to LA, Bangkok, Tokyo, Florence, Vancouver, and Barcelona and has written for myriad publications including the BBC, Travel + Leisure, Fodor’s Travel, TIME, Zagat, and more.
Paul is the author of the award-winning Italy Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by Italia published by HarperCollins imprint Cider Mill Press and is the creator of the comic book A.R.C. published by Image Comics. Paul also co-wrote Ricettario Volume 1, a sourdough cookbook with world famous chef, Daniele Uditi.
In addition to his writing credits, Paul is also a producer on the food/travel show From Scratch.
An avid traveler, Paul has been to more than 60 countries, lived in Israel, went to cooking school, and is particularly obsessed with Italy and Japan.
Note: As a nonpartisan convener of global affairs programming, WorldDenver provides an unbiased forum for experts, world leaders, diplomats, and representatives from the public and private sectors to share their expertise and views on a broad spectrum of issues that matter to the world. We aim for our events to inspire curiosity and further reading, discussion, and civic engagement among our members and the Denver community on the global issues that we present.
Organizer
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The 2024 Olympics in Paris showed off how sports unify the globe. Among them, basketball stands out as a worldwide phenomenon, epitomized by international stars such as Denver’s own Nikola Jokic, who has dominated the NBA stage. As the influence of international basketball players has grown, so too has the embrace of global cuisine and wine. Beyond their prowess on the court, players are increasingly diversifying their interests, notably gravitating towards wine—investing in, learning about, and even cultivating their own vineyards.
Join us for a conversation on the global influence of sports, fine wine, and cuisine with Baxter Holmes, the first sports journalist to win a James Beard Foundation Award. He will be joined by Paul Feinstein, renowned food and travel writer, author of “Italy Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by Italia,” and a producer on the acclaimed food and travel show “From Scratch” with David Moscow.
Enjoy a special wine tasting by Blanchard Family Wines during the networking reception!
Location: Buell Public Media Center (2101 Arapahoe St.)
Event Agenda:
5:45 p.m. | Doors open
6:00 p.m. | Registration, networking, & special extended reception with food, wine, and Negronis
6:55 p.m. | Speaker program followed by audience Q&A
8:00 p.m. | Book Signing, Italy Cocktails by Paul Feinstein
8:15 p.m. | Evening concludes
Tickets:
Includes hors d’oeuvres and drinks
$35 General
$20 WorldDenver Members
$10 Young Professional Members
Be sure to log into your account to access your member pricing!
About Our Speakers
Baxter Holmes
Senior ESPN Writer, James Beard Award Winner
Baxter Holmes is a Senior Writer for ESPN, where he’s worked since the fall of 2014. He focuses on in-depth projects, features and investigations around the NBA. He has been in his current role for five years. Prior to that, he covered the Los Angeles Lakers, including Kobe Bryant’s final two seasons. Before joining ESPN, he spent two years covering the Boston Celtics for The Boston Globe. And before that, he worked as a sports reporter for The Los Angeles Times for three and a half years. He was hired by The Los Angeles Times after attending the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated with a B.A. in Journalism.
Holmes is the first sports media person to win a James Beard Foundation Award for his 2018 ESPN The Magazine feature on the NBA’s obsession with PB&J. That story also won a 2018 New York Press Club award for Food Writing. He’s also been short-listed for a Louis Roederer International Wine Writing Award for his feature about San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and his passion for food and wine.
Paul Feinstein
Food & Travel Writer, Producer, “From Scratch” with David Moscow
Paul Feinstein has been writing and editing in Los Angeles and around the world for more than 20 years. He has written travel guides to LA, Bangkok, Tokyo, Florence, Vancouver, and Barcelona and has written for myriad publications including the BBC, Travel + Leisure, Fodor’s Travel, TIME, Zagat, and more.
Paul is the author of the award-winning Italy Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by Italia published by HarperCollins imprint Cider Mill Press and is the creator of the comic book A.R.C. published by Image Comics. Paul also co-wrote Ricettario Volume 1, a sourdough cookbook with world famous chef, Daniele Uditi.
In addition to his writing credits, Paul is also a producer on the food/travel show From Scratch.
An avid traveler, Paul has been to more than 60 countries, lived in Israel, went to cooking school, and is particularly obsessed with Italy and Japan.
Note: As a nonpartisan convener of global affairs programming, WorldDenver provides an unbiased forum for experts, world leaders, diplomats, and representatives from the public and private sectors to share their expertise and views on a broad spectrum of issues that matter to the world. We aim for our events to inspire curiosity and further reading, discussion, and civic engagement among our members and the Denver community on the global issues that we present.