Giving Tuesday Cocktails for a Cause

This year, we invite you to join us for a virtual cocktail class and live music performance, while supporting VLA’s mission of providing legal services to low-income artists.

The fundraiser will begin with a virtual cocktail class led by expert Rebecca Pinnell, who will take you through how to create two cocktails in your home. All cocktails can also be made without alcohol, so we encourage everyone to attend! After registering for the event, participants will be sent a list of ingredients and will be able to make the cocktails together.

The event will also feature a live Zoom performance by Lyle Divinsky, who started his career playing underground in the New York City subways for 5 years before his self-released album, Uneven Floors, launched him into ears around the globe – reaching number 2 on the UK Soul Charts within weeks. Soon after, he joined the Colorado funk powerhouse, The Motet, which took him to some of the biggest and most historic stages and festivals in the country.

Raffle: In addition to the performance, there will be a raffle to win a 1-Hour Vocal and/or Songwriting lesson with Lyle.

If you cannot attend: Please consider making a donation here to support VLA and the important services we provide to the New York arts community.

For more information about the event please contact VLA Development Director Ariel Phillips at aphillips@vlany.org.

Tickets:

Attorneys:
$40 attorney ticket
$45 attorney ticket + raffle entry
$60 attorney ticket + sponsor an artist ticket (help make this event accessible to all VLA artists)

Artists:
$20 artist ticket
$25 artist ticket + raffle entry

Individual raffle tickets are available for $5 each

Hosted by VLA’s Associate Board
Tatsuya Adachi, Jack M. Browning, Abigail Everdell, Sherli M. Furst, Melissa Goldstein, Kristine S. Hsu, Ava McAlpin, Ryan M. Oringer, Olena V. Ripnick-O’Farrell, Lena Saltos, Jacklyn M. Siegel, Erika M. Stallings, Stacey Foltz Stark, Binni Shah, J. Colby Van Horn, Amanda Weingarten, Max Phillip Zidel.

About Rebecca Pinnell and the Virtual Cocktail Class
Rebecca Pinnell is a cocktail evangelist and has taught over 150 cocktail classes since shelter in place in March. Recently, she was the bar manager at San Francisco’s Bon Voyage!, and previously worked in New York City at Dante.

To celebrate craft cocktails, Rebecca will guide us through making a hot apple or pear cider and a spicy brown sugar margarita. The hot apple or pear cider, made in the likeness of a hot toddy, will be made with a base of hard alcoholic cider, ground spices and a dash of red chili. For this cocktail you can use bourbon, rye, blended scotch, aged rum or reposado tequila. We will make a chipotle brown sugar syrup to pair with grapefruit and lime juice in the spicy brown sugar margarita. Not a fan of spice? Rebecca will explain how to make this cocktail without the chipotle.

All cocktails can be made alcohol-free with a few additional ingredients. Also, if you are not one who drinks cocktails or spirits, please join us with a glass of wine or sparkling water in hand.

After registering for this event, participants will be sent a shopping list detailing ingredients and tools that you can gather to have ready at the start of class. We will be making the cocktails step by step, at the same time together. This virtual class has been designed to be engaging, entertaining, and full of tips on how to continue to make delicious cocktails in your home.

About Musician Lyle Divinsky
Lyle Divinsky is one of those unlikely success stories. Raised in Maine, he cut his teeth underground playing in the New York City subways for 5 years before his self-released album, Uneven Floors, launched him into ears around the globe – reaching number 2 on the UK Soul Charts within weeks + radio play in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Soon after, he joined the Colorado funk powerhouse, The Motet, which took him to some of the biggest and most historic stages and festivals in the country, including Red Rocks, Madison Square Garden, the legendary Tipitina’s in New Orleans and The Fillmore in San Francisco. After 5 years, 2 studio albums, 2 live albums, and over 500 shows, he’s ventured back to his roots, re-launching his solo career (stay tuned for new music)! His anomalous voice and prolific songwriting have truly taken him from Subways to Stadiums.