Sheila Shah’s Blog: Dinner Honoring Didier Cuvelier and Jean-Bernard Grenie

They say the perfect pairing of wine and food can be likened to the  perfect marriage. But at Jackie Applebaum-Sheanin’s and Stephen  Sheanin’s dinner party, at their well appointed Beverly Hills  residence, honoring visiting vino victors, Didier Cuvelier and Jean-Bernard Grenie, the host and hostess added a 3rd ingredient into the  mix – the perfect pairing of guests – which in turn, blended together,  made for the perfect dinner party.

The prospect of a fun fete, fine  wine and cuisine (impressively and meticulously prepared by the  hostess herself) drew an eclectic mix of LA’s glitterati and foodies  alike, from Jamie McCort and Michael and Terri Smooke, to Vicki Pepper  and Haute Cuisine King, Mark Peel (who quipped to Ms Applebaum that  there was a place for her in his kitchen anytime) accompanied by his  witty wife, Daphne Brogdon, who, as it turned out, had shared the  small screen with another guest, fellow TV Guide network personality,  Carly Steel.

The true stars of the evening, however, were the wines –  from Chateau Le Crock – Saint Estephe 2003, to Chateau Leoville-  Poyferre – Saint Julien 2005 – by the time the piece de resistance  arrived, Jackie’s decadent Chocolate Pyramid dripping with Raspberry  sauce – there had undoubtedly been more wine drinking than tasting,  which made for a very merry evening!

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Sheila Shah takes the lead in the gritty film, Mafia, opposite Ving Rhames. Directed by Ryan Combs, the film also stars Robert Patrick and Pam Grier and is set for release in early 2012. The actress can also be seen in the action drama, Crossroads, also starring UFC fighter/stuntman Roman Mitichyan. Shah performs her own stunts in the film.

In 2007, Shah relocated from Toronto to Los Angeles to pursue acting and landed her first role as an FBI Agent in the 2008 feature film Saw V directed by David Hackl. Her debut was soon followed by another horror/thriller film The Tortured starring Erica Christensen and Jesse Metcalfe. Growing up in Montreal and Toronto, this multi-talented performer won the title of Miss Iran of Canada. Shah holds a Degree in Chemistry, with Post Graduate studies in Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs. She is fluent in English, French and Farsi, and also holds an Arts Degree in Merchandise Marketing from The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

The sister of twin brothers, one with cerebral palsy, Sheila hopes to create awareness for the disease. As an official Ambassador for the March of Dimes organization, one of her goals is to spearhead unique fundraising events, calling for nationwide support to find a solution to this neurological disease, improve the quality of life for those already afflicted, and further research and education.

Follow Sheila on Twitter @SheilaShah2