Click here for Galcos 2011 Summer Tasting slide show
Three slices of Americana—Galco’s Soda Pop Stop, The Charles Phoenix Test Kitchen and The Southwest Museum– will be brought together under one roof in Highland Park this Sunday for “Summer Soda Tasting 2.” And, as if the ultimate soda pop experience and saving Northeast L.A.’s cultural centerpiece weren’t enough, original members of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention will be on hand as well.
Admission includes tastings of a great many unusual sodas.
Of special note will be the West Coast launch of a line of sodas from Dublin Bottling Works, the bottler that produced cane sugar Dublin Dr. Pepper from 1891 until it was shut down by Snapple Dr. Pepper Group a few months ago.
Galco’s will announce and provide samples of the newest flavor in its White Rose line of soda pop.
Other samplings will include Old Dominion Root Beer, based on a historical recipe from the Library of Congress, and such unusual soda flavors as rose, lavender, elderflower, jasmine and cucumber.
Pop Culture-ologist Charles Phoenix will take the concept of the sugar rush to a whole new, very colorful and even slightly scary level with a creation that he describes thus: “The latest crafty confection concoction cake from the Charles Phoenix Test Kitchen is seven layers of cake each flavored and colored with a different soda pop then stacked and finished with dandy candies and peppered with pop rocks!”
Live music and entertainment will include Don & Bunk, original members of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, as well as The Mele Ohana Ukulele Ensemble, Native American stand-up comic Dakota Black and three Northeast Los Angeles favorites–teenage singing sensation Genesee Hall, The Gregor Walnum Blues Band and Highland Park band Artichoke.
And the most important part: all proceeds from “Summer Soda Tasting 2” will benefit the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition. This includes not only ticket sales. Galco’s owner John Nese is donating proceeds from the day’s sales (soda, candy, beer and wine) to the coalition; so stock the pantry and think ahead about gift-giving needs.
The Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition, comprised of more than 70 community, cultural and preservation organizations, works to keep the Southwest Museum open at its original Northeast Los Angeles site as a fully functioning museum.
Tickets are $12 in advance at www.friendsofthesouthwestmuseum.com or $15 at the door. After the event, plan on dinner in Highland Park. Show your Soda Tasting hand stamp at Italiano’s, Maximiliano, El Arco Iris or Cinnamon, and a portion of the proceeds from your dinner will go to the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition.
Summer Soda Tasting 2
Sunday, July 22
5 p.m.-8 p.m.
Galco’s Soda Pop Stop
5702 York Boulevard
Highland Park
Its exciting to know that there will be line of sodas from Dublin Bottling Works here on the west coast. It’s too bad that Dublin Dr. Pepper is not going to be produced anymore. I believe there will be an auction at the event for the last cases of Dublin Dr. Pepper held at the store. For those who are interested in learning more about Dublin Dr. Pepper before going to the event, I made a web page about the ingredients, nutrition facts, and where you can STILL purchase Dublin Dr. Pepper before it becomes completely out of stock. It is http://www.specialtysodas.com/dublin-dr-pepper-p-46.html. Thanks!