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Directly from the Foodportunity Press Release:

Foodportunity celebrates summer’s arrival with chefs, cookbook authors and the food community

Food networking event to be held June 25 and connect Seattle’s vibrant food community; Fonté Micro Coffee Roaster to sponsor

Seattle, Wash. May 30, 2012 - Foodportunity, a series of networking events for food professionals, will take place on Monday, June 25 from 6 – 9 p.m. at Tom Douglas’ Palace Ballroom, 2100 5th Ave.

A group of local chefs and authors will be available for questions and conversations about their books (hot off the press) in the Palace Ballroom lounge between 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Thierry Rautureau of Chef in the Hat: Rover’s & Luc, and Rover’s cookbook
Alice Currah of SavorySweetLife.com, and Savory Sweet Life cookbook
Michael Natkin of Herbivoracious.com, and Herbivoracious cookbook
Jess Thomson of Jessthomson.wordpress.com, Pike Place Market Recipes, Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts
Cynthia Nims of Monappetit.com, Gourmet Game Night, and Salty Snacks

Tom Douglas, recipient of the 2012 James Beard Foundation award for Outstanding Restaurateur, will provide his Palace Ballroom facilities to host the event and serve a selection of appetizers. Additional participating restaurants showcasing and serving bites at the event includes Lark, McCracken & Tough Restaurants, RN74, Copperleaf Restaurant & Bar, Dinette, Ray’s Boathouse and many others. More participating restaurants and companies can be found at www.foodportunity.com.

Foodportunity, created by Seattle event planner and food blogger Keren Brown, is open to food journalists, bloggers, public relations professionals, restaurateurs, farmers, companies and all food-passionate people.

The event will be sponsored by Fonté Coffee, one of the finest independent coffee roasters in the Pacific Northwest. Fonté sources the top one percent of coffee beans from around the world and ships them to a worldwide clientele. Fonté also operates a European bistro-style Café & Wine Bar, across from the Seattle Art Museum located just steps away from the Pike Place Market.

Early admission is $25 (including booking fees; $32 at a later date), which includes appetizers from restaurants and companies. Tickets can be purchased through http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/244390 .

The first 40 Foodportunity ticket-holders to send an email to info@foodportunity.com will get a seat at the 8:30 p.m. “speed networking” session led by Rachel Belle, reporter on KIRO FM’s Ron & Don Show, and host of daily segment “Ring My Belle.”  For showcasing information, contact: kerenlovestocook@gmail.com.

Directly from the RN 74 Press Release:

BON ANNIVERSAIRE! RN74 CELEBRATES ITS FIRST ANNIVERSARY WITH A FLAVORFUL FLAIR

Enjoy a Month-Long Party Featuring a Tasting Menu of the Restaurant’s Most Popular Dishes. RN74’s popular grilled Gruyere cheese sandwiches are served with tomato soup.

SEATTLE (May 31, 2012) – RN74 is celebrating its first birthday in Seattle beginning Friday, June 1 with a tasting menu and wine pairings featuring the restaurant’s most popular dishes served over the past year (see below). In addition, the restaurant will offer food and beverage specials in the bar and lounge throughout the evening of Wednesday, June 13 for $5.74, including a selection of charcuterie, gougeres, Brandade and fritters with Romesco. Not to be missed are the Puget Sound’s freshest oysters at $1.74 per for a briny treat.

“I’m so proud to have brought RN74 to Seattle, in my home state of Washington,” enthuses RN74 owner Michael Mina. “It’s been a pleasure highlighting the bounty of the region and pairing Chef Seis’ spectacular menu with the wines of Burgundy and beyond.”

Chef Mina and Wine Director Rajat Parr will host two chef dinners at the restaurant the evening of Thursday, June 14. The first seating begins at 5 pm, the second at 8 pm and each will include six courses with wines paired by Parr. Prix Fixe tickets are $245 and seating is limited. Menu details are available at http://michaelmina.net/restaurants/locations/rnwa.php, and reservations may be made by contacting Special Events Coordinator Faith Eadson at 206.456.7612 or by email at feadson@rn74.com.

If amazing food and wine are not reason enough to celebrate, RN74 is also hosting a Blind Tasting Wine Contest from 3 to 10 pm on June 13.  Sommeliers Jeff Lindsay Thorsen, Chris Tanghe and Luke Wholers will create individual wine flights for $10 per flight designed to both excite and challenge the palate with prizes of Speigleau Bordeaux or Burgundy wine glasses, wine cork screws and gift certificates for Wine Director Rajat Parr’s book, “Secrets of the Sommeliers.”

Finally, everyone ordering the Tasting Menu in June will automatically be entered to win a Night of Luxury Pour Deux featuring limousine service to Woodinville, complimentary tasting and tour of Delille Cellars and Efeste, dinner and sommelier selected wine pairings at RN74, and a bed and breakfast overnight package at Four Seasons Seattle with an Elliott Bay view room.

For details and more, please visit http://michaelmina.net/restaurants/locations/rnwa.php.

Directly from the Artusi Press Release:

ARTUSI ANNOUNCES FESTIVITIES FOR FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY JUNE 6-10

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE LAUNCH OF OUTDOOR SEATING, ALL-HOURS HAPPY HOUR, HOUSEMADE SLUSHIES AND A CHANCE TO WIN GIFT CARDS

(Seattle, WA) May 31, 2012–The corner of 14th Avenue and Pine Streets on Capitol Hill is the lively home of ARTUSI, the casual cocktail and dining companion of Spinasse, its award-winning Northern Italian sibling restaurant. In its first year, ARTUSI has gained a reputation as one of the city’s most innovative and notable cocktail destinations, receiving the nod from Difford’s Guide in the excellent CLASS Magazine (“What to Drink and Where to Drink it”), who listed ARTUSI among their picks for “Seattle’s 12 Best Bars.” ARTUSI was also included in the Seattle Weekly’s “Seattle’s 10 Best Drink Menus” and received a call-out from The Seattle Times in their “Best Bites of 2011.”

From Wednesday, June 6 through Sunday, June 10, ARTUSI will celebrate their first year with an array of revelry options beginning with the opening of their new outdoor seating on Pine Street where up to 20 guests can enjoy al fresco cocktails and bites, weather permitting.

Additionally, through June 10, ARTUSI will make their Happy Hour available during all hours of business, not just early and late. Those looking to experience a cocktail highlighting bitters, Amaro or Italian liqueurs should consider heading to ARTUSI for a delicious spring beverage off of a newly revealed menu, as well as the chance to win a $100 gift card (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday) or a $250 gift card (Saturday, June 9 only). On those days guests who purchase a cocktail will receive an ARTUSI coaster with their drink and one lucky person will find special symbol on theirs that will win them a gift card for use at ARTUSI or Spinasse (one coaster per person, per visit).

In addition to the new shaken or stirred cocktails that will be revealed that week, ARTUSI will unveil their new slushy machine that the bar’s excellent bartenders will use to create a daily, blended and crushed iced beverage ideal for enjoying outside for what Seattleites hope will be a very hot summer.

About ARTUSI
With its contemporary design, ARTUSI features hand-made paper light fixtures, old concrete floor and contemporary, hexagonal tile on the horseshoe-shaped bar. A long series of plywood panels with a mural painted by Chef Stratton rings the room and weaves into the back bar. ARTUSI is located at 1535 14th Avenue in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.  With seating for 50, the bar is open from 5 pm to midnight Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. ARTUSI is closed on Tuesdays.  www.artusibar.com (206) 251-7673.  Follow them on Twitter @artusibar and on Facebook at Artusi.