Tibetan Aid Project Blog

Thank you to everyone who made the third annual New York event such a success! The evening was full of memorable moments and unmatched generosity.

Photo by Lyn Hughes

Chefs Eric Ripert, Alfredo Ayala, Michael Laiskonis, Jennie Lorenzo, Michel Richard and Yosuke Suga not only dazzled the guests with course after exquisite course, but also demonstrated their warmth and good humor during the opening ceremonies. Chef Ripert also delighted the guests with a promise to hold the event in the downstairs dining room next year. Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker sparkled as the emcees for the night, providing a professional, yet intimate, ambiance for the duration of the evening. And of course, all of us at TAP are truly touched by the generous contributions of the guests, both toward our auction and toward our Fund a Library Campaign.

Proceeds directly enable the Tibetan Aid Project to continue our mission of rebuilding, preserving and perpetuating Tibet’s cultural and spiritual heritage for the benefit of the Tibetan people and all humanity.

Also be sure to read Joel Ozersky’s post from New York Magazine’s Grub Street, “Eric Ripert and Friends Cook for Tibet”.

To find more information on upcoming events, such as Taste & Tribute San Francisco, visit Tibetan Aid Project.org

Having received three stars from the Michelin Guide, four stars from the New York Times, and a Zagat rating of 28, Le Bernardin is a restaurant that needs no endorsement. Denver food critic Jason Sheehan said it best: “A dinner here is measured not against dinners at other restaurants in the neighborhood, in the city, in the world. Here, a meal is judged against the accumulated meals of a lifetime….Truly, if you have one meal in a place like this in your life, you are fortunate. Two and you’re charmed…”

That is why the Tibetan Aid Project is humbled, ecstatic, overjoyed, and, not least of all, grateful for Chef Eric Ripert’s incredible generosity in offering his restaurant for Taste & Tribute New York for three years in a row. The scene is set for an unforgettable evening: world-class food and wine, exciting auction items, and inspiring presentations by long-time supporters of Tibet’s people and heritage. Best of all, proceeds directly support the production and distribution of traditional texts to Tibetans in the Himalayan region.

So, from all of us at the Tibetan Aid Project, thank you Chef Eric Ripert. Your warm heart and giving spirit is matched only by your ability to prepare a delectable meal!

Gary Ashley was the winner of our Taste & Tribute San Francisco 2007 live auction item for a trip abroad, encompassing a bit of historic London as well as the beautiful English countryside. Gary and his friend Debby Black stayed at a luxury hotel in the heart of Westminster and then spent 5 nights in a charming bed & breakfast, Bolhays, in Salisbury. The owners of Bolhays have generously donated again to this year’s Taste & Tribute New York and we are pleased to be able to post these excerpts from Gary and Debby while they were enjoying their travels, to whet the appetite for future bidders!

“Our hotel in London was a 5-minute walk to Buckingham Palace, so the first afternoon we took a stroll by there, through St. James Park, and around Westminster.

Thursday morning, we took the train to Kew and spent the morning at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Quite an amazing place, especially after the crowds of London. There is the famous Palm House that you always see in photos - a huge Victorian greenhouse absolutely stuffed with exotic palms and other tropical plants, and there is a somewhat smaller but more beautiful waterlily house [where the photo is from].

After Kew, it was back to London and inside Westminster Abbey. Lots of famous people buried there, and it was interesting to walk around and read the names. Most of the old English kings, up through Winston Churchill and Sir Laurence Olivier. Beautiful stained glass windows, but sadly no photography allowed inside.

Friday morning was devoted to a whirlwind tour of the British Museum. All the things collected during the British Empire: marble sculptures from ancient Greece and Rome, all sorts of Egyptian artifacts, Maya and Aztec stuff, asian art, you name it, it’s there.

Then it was off to Waterloo Station to catch the train to Salisbury. A 90-minute ride through the green English countryside brings you to Salisbury, a gem of a town. You can easily walk across it in a half hour, yet it has a massive cathedral that is now 750 years old. We’re staying in a fabulous Victorian bed and breakfast run by two widowed sisters, which is like staying in a private home run by your grandmother. Wonderful. You awake to the smell of fresh bread baking, and have a wonderful English breakfast to start the day.

Saturday in Salisbury, we went to see Stonehenge, a few miles outside of town. These days, tourists are allowed to only circle around the outside from a distance, but I learned that if you book far enough in advance (months) that it is sometimes possible to get special access inside. This means showing up early in the morning before Stonehenge is officially open, and so before the regular tour buses start going back and forth. Stonehenge was nearly deserted at that hour, which was magical. It had been threatening rain, but the sun came out just as we arrived and it turned into a glorious spring day. We got to walk around inside the stones without there being a big crush of tourists. Driving back, we went through the Avon Valley, which is quaint, beautiful English countryside along the River Avon. After lunch at a local pub, the rest of the day was spent touring Salisbury Cathedral, completed in 1258.

Unlike Westminster Abbey, Salisbury cathedral lets you take as many photographs as you wish, except for inside the Chapter House where the Magna Carta is kept. Truly awe-inspiring, as I am sure was the intent.

Sunday was a trip to Bath, a hour’s train ride towards Bristol. This is an old town famous for the Roman baths, sited on natural hot springs. The town was built pretty much all at the same time, and so the architecture is fairly homogeneous and uniformly lovely. After a tour of the excavated Roman baths, we “took the waters” by sampling the mineral water from the spring - quite warm, but not too bad. Then through Bath Abbey, which is beautiful although not as impressive as Salisbury cathedral.

Today, it has been pouring cats and dogs all morning. It wouldn’t be England without rain to keep the bright green, I suppose. I just lay in bed this morning listening to the rain. What happens later today all
depends…we were going to try to go to Stourhead, but that needs good weather. Otherwise, it may be a day to rest and write. . .”

From Debby Black, regarding their stay at Bolhays. . .

“Bolhays Bed & Breakfast is a delightful place to stay in Salisbury, England. This charming Victorian townhouse is run by two equally charming sisters who were both helpful and friendly but never intrusive. Along with our very comfortable rooms, my friend and I had the bright and pleasant front parlor for our use for our five day stay. The breakfasts were delicious with freshly baked bread every morning to go with a large choice of fruits, eggs, bacon, fish, etc.

The town center, with scores of great places to shop and eat, is only a few blocks away, as is the famous Salisbury Cathedral. The rail station is also within walking distance. Stonehenge is some miles out of town by bus. But if you arrange in advance and go by car or taxi you can buy tickets for an hour’s access within the stone circle before the rest of the tourists arrive. We did so, and it was a wonderful morning.

Five days at this bed & breakfast was almost too short.”

Thanks to Gary and Debby for sending along these bits of correspondence, a huge thanks to our generous donors, and for a complete list of this year’s exciting auction items, please visit our website.

Photo Exhibit: Meditations on Tibet

Opening Reception: June 20, 6-9pm

Exhibition: June 21-July 18, by appointment only

48 Great Jones St., New York, NY 10012, between Bowery and Lafayette

You are invited to join the Tibetan Aid Project for the opening reception of an exhibition of Tibetan photos at photographer Greg Hale’s New York studio. This exquisite exhibit is part of the Tibetan Aid Project’s gala Taste & Tribute New York celebration.

Hale is a sensitive photographer who has beautifully documented his journey through Tibet. His collection features both color and black & white photographs. The reception and show are open to the public. If you would like to attend the reception, please RSVP by June 13th to 800-33-TIBET. To schedule an appointment to view the show after June 20th, please call Greg Hale at 917-592-3014.

There are plans for the exhibition to travel to San Francisco later this year. For details please contact Tibetan Aid Project at 800-33-TIBET.

We are pleased to partner with an incredible company, Zhena’s Gypsy Tea, adding their beautiful gift bags to our San Francisco Getaway Auction Items, at our 2008 Taste & Tribute New York, on June 19.

Zhena’s Gypsy Tea works toward social justice, humanitarian causes and sustainable business, with products that are organic and fair trade. . . even the packaging is environmentally sound and completely recyclable- using pretty tins rather than plastic packaging. Workers harvesting in the tea fields are provided with “healthcare, guaranteed maternity leave, childcare, education, better working conditions and autonomy. . . “proving that business is the most powerful force in the world to shift the global economy into abundance for all.”

Raw materials are purchased from impoverished communities at “a Fair Price along with a Fair Trade Premium to shift the local economies into sustainable economies. This ensures that we in turn have sustainable human relations and sustainable supply chains.”

As seen in many magazines and online publications. . . Zhena’s amazing products are the culmination of compassion, effort and mindful work. . . which run parallel to the vision and practices of the Tibetan Aid Project, and one of the reasons we are so pleased that they have chosen to donate to this year’s event.

For more information about Zhena’s mission and products visit her website or go to Tibetan Aid Project’s Donor page under ‘Events’.

. . .translating from Latin to “Food of the Gods.”

At our 2008 event Taste & Tribute, New York, we are pleased to offer this delectable treat to our guests and chefs due to the generosity of the socially conscious company, Travel Chocolate. Containing anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties, dark chocolate is a delectable source of many essential minerals and B Vitamins, and containing the highest level of antioxidants in a natural food, this incredibly heart- healthy treat boosts the immune system, has anti-depressant and anti-stress properties, as well as creating feelings of bliss and well-being. Add to all of this a wonderful cause, amazing food and stimulating company, and you have our June 19th event at Le Bernardin in Manhattan.

The beautiful boxes that Travel Chocolate has provided will also be paired with our eight auction travel lots, are handmade in Nepal using native materials, and filled with an array of treats which of course includes the luscious dark chocolate, that is completely organic. We are happy to work with a company whose mission is “to provide premium fair trade chocolate products with a positive societal impact focusing on improving farmers’ working & living conditions, eradicating child labor, providing education, and restoring the earth’s waterways.”

Travel Chocolate is committed to a high standard of sustainability, eco and ethical responsibility, which is directly in line with the work of the Tibetan Aid Project and our focus on operating in a compassionate way.

In order to obtain fair trade certification from reputable agencies, cocoa producers must not use child labor, not expose workers to harmful pesticides (consistent with organic), not use forced overtime, and pay a fair wage.”

We applaud Travel Chocolate for their commitment to fair trade and organic products, while expressing deep gratitude for their generous contribution that will assist in keeping alive the wisdom and compassion of traditional Tibetan teachings.

Find Travel Chocolate online or through the Tibetan Aid Project’s New York Taste & Tribute 2008 “Events” page.

Prayers for ‘goodness and success in all actions’ are broadcast over the in-progress home of Bill and Janet Regner in the Verde Valley town of Clarkdale, Arizona.

Across the Verde River is Tuzigoot National Monument, a Sinagua Indian ruin that was abandoned about 1400 AD and Tavasci Marsh, the largest freshwater wetlands in Arizona outside of the Colorado River.

Thanks to Bill and Janet Regner for the photos and caption.

The staff of the Tibetan Aid Project always appreciates feedback regarding our annual benefit events. Given that the event’s auction features many travel trips, we’ve decided to share some of the rave reviews we hear after the winners return from vacation! For example, Endy Stark, a long-time supporter of the Tibetan Aid Project, passed on these details of her getaway to the Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa in Sedona, Arizona, a trip won at Taste & Tribute San Francisco 2007:

Our trip to Sedona, Arizona, this April, was delightful and carefree. Way out in the desert lands of Arizona, Sedona is gorgeous, with rare, red rock cliffs, valleys and hills, which we explored by guided jeep and by foot. Natives and other tourists are friendly there, so surrounded by beauty as it is. I kept a vision of the scenery for days after returning home.

The Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa was a new and friendly place for us, styled in beautiful Mediterranean and Spanish design, with an enthusiastic concierge to guide us. The spa was perfect for a romantic and rejuvenating experience, and I enjoyed dinner at the 3-star restaurant, Red. A “peak” experience, to say the least!

Our next benefit event, Taste & Tribute New York, is scheduled for June 21st at Le Bernardin. At this event, guests can look forward to our best year yet of chef delicacies and auction packages to locales around the world. Stay tuned for further trip reviews posted on our Tibetan Aid Project blog!

Passchal is a high fashion handbag company with a conscience. Distressed by the growing size of landfills around the world, Passchal co-founders, Ken and Angela, began by restoring and incorporating discarded rubber from car, truck and tractor tires into handmade handbag designs. Since their debut, Passchal Bags have flown off the shelf and onto the shoulders of celebrities, environmental activists and appreciators of fashion alike. To date, Passchal has collected over 17 tons of discarded inner tubes, converting the otherwise landfill-bound material to classic, chic and, yes, “road ready” bags.

New York Taste & Tribute 2008 attendees will get to experience these “Designs with the Environment in Mind” as each guest will receive one of three models from Passchal’s newest line. The generous designers will be donating the handbags shown in the pictures above. The “Pauline” bag is a retro-classic satchel made with bright red accents; the Passchal Messenger bag is a sleek and sophisticated bag with plenty of storage space; and the Passchal Clutch is glamorous and fun. Each bag is hand-crafted, fitted with the finest trimmings and installed with an automatic and ingenious bag-light. We thank Angela and Ken for their kind donation of over 90 bags, and their continued effort to support and serve the environment and nonprofit initiatives like the Tibetan Aid Project. Environmental friendliness has never looked so good!

Please visit the Passchal Bags and Accessories website or the Tibetan Aid Project’s New York Taste & Tribute 2008 “Events” page.

North America’s first and only luxury alpine resort spa, Perfect Earth Tours Eco Spa & Adventure Retreat, is donating to the upcoming Taste & Tribute benefit event. In June, New York attendees will have an opportunity to bid on a four day trip for two to the Yukon with round trip airfare included from New York. Guests of Perfect Earth Tours will experience accommodations befitting a first class traveler set against the backdrop of Canada’s gorgeous and breathtaking landscape.

Most importantly, Perfect Earth Tours is a company with a conscience. The owners, Mike and Alana, are striving to do their part in leaving the smallest ecological footprint possible; they achieve success by having established a 99% environmentally sustainable Luxury Wilderness Eco Spa & Adventure Retreat - which offers only the finest of the finest in regards to accommodations, spa activities, menus, wildlife viewing, live entertainment and staff. The donated trip will also include a private concert for musical aficionados and for the culinary connoisseurs wine pairings are done by a professional sommelier. Perfect Earth Tours’ motto is simple: Only the best will do. By best they mean luxury travel and spa treatments that simultaneously do not compromise the integrity of the earth.

As global citizens also aspiring to become ever more “green” in our endeavors, as individuals, and as a nonprofit organization, the staff of TAP thanks Perfect Earth Tours for their generous contribution to our event and work. We also thank them for operating under a new paradigm of business that redefines the bottom line. Included above and below are some pictures of what the auction winners may experience on their travels to the land of the Midnight Sun. Enjoy!