FOOD, MOOD AND ATTITUDE
PITIONA RESTAURANT - OAXACA, MEXICO
Manuel
Banos, chef/owner of Pitiona Restaurant, is “an original and unique one of a
kind person”. He worked for two years as head chef of Casa Oaxaca; then for
three years in San Sebastian, Spain, followed by a stint as a private chef in La
Paz. .Manuel is handsome, charming and single.
(more)
THE RITZ-CARLTON POWERSCOURT RESORT . . .
Imperial Indulgence You Won’t Want to Miss
You may not be to the
manor born,
But you can check into a 5
star manor
that treats its guests
like royalty
(more)
BELFAST JAZZ SCENE
After a whirlwind
breathtakingly beautiful scenic tour of Northern Ireland, I arrive back in
Belfast, and check into The Merchant Hotel. Once a thriving bank with high
vaulted ceilings, this historical building has been renovated into a five star
hotel; it is home to the popular, elegant and lively BERT’S JAZZ BAR
(more)
NYC FOODFILM FESTIVAL PREMIERES “FLORENT… QUEEN OF THE MEAT PACKING”
The documentary: “Florent … Queen of the Meat Market” premiered as a highlight of the week long 4th Annual NYC Food/Film Festival. The evening, a benefit for the Food Bank of New York and the James Beard Foundation, was held at the Altman Building on West 18th Street in the heart of Chelsea. The film, which won the festival’s “best feature film” and “best film made in New York” awards for 2010.spans 23 years in the life of Florent Morellet, a Frenchman who had the vision to open FLORENT, a French style Diner on Gansevoort Street in the Meat Packing District (more)
NIGHT CRUISE AND DINNER TOUR OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
One of the highlights of New York City’s summer schedule of events, and the best bargain in town, are the June, July and August Thursday Night Cruises from Battery Park to Liberty Island. The $35 price of your ticket ($28 for seniors, $15 for children), includes round trip ferry transportation, on island interpretive programs and a full delicious dinner at the Ellis Café, which can be enjoyed on the lawn looking up at her crown or at a patio table overlooking the greatest city in the world (more)
A VOCE
If service is the secret to success,
A Voce Columbus, the newest addition to Time Warner Center’s
roster of fine dining restaurants, has my endorsement. Manager,
Dominique Bell, a well seasoned professional with a great resume of
restaurant management to her credit, is warm and welcoming, and the serving
staff doesn’t miss a beat. With not one, but several enticing mouth watering
menus to choose from, A VOCE COLUMBUS offers a wide variety
of reasonably priced traditional and creative Italian dishes and courses to
choose from. The décor and ambiance is casual but refined; minimalist and modern
with handsome leather table tops (more)
DIZZY'S FOR JAZZ IN NEW YORK
I’ve become a regular at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola . . . one of the greatest jazz clubs in the world . . . with breathtaking views of Central Park (the most famous park in the world), and conveniently located around the corner from where I live. (more)
AN INTERVIEW WITH TODD BARKAN
Todd Barkan,
jazz historian, raconteur, producer and artistic director, has had a
passionate love affair with music for most of his life. He is well suited
for his current gig as the Programming Director of Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola,
a vital component of Jazz at Lincoln Center . . . and one of the best and
most famous jazz clubs in the world. (more)
NEGRO PERUVIAN MUSIC
On the beaches of Peru there is a lost tradition being expressed in the voices and feet of the descendents of slaves. Afro-Peruvians continue to live their heritage in poetry, music and dance, expressing a soul, style and spirit that reflect the joys and pains of their ancestors. In spite of its presence in chic Peru nightclubs, Afro- Peruvian music, also known as Negro-Peruvian music, remains one of the world's best kept cultural secrets—suppressed along with the people who gave them life and nourished them. (more)
The 42nd
Annual Quebec City Summer Festival (presented by
Bell in collaboration with
Molson Dry ) showcases rock, blues,
jazz, hip hop, punk, heavy metal, opera and theatre performances by an
eclectic mix of international stars, emerging artists, a
Cirque du Soleil troupe, and an
amazing wealth of “street art” talent. Staged in venues around the city . .
. from outdoor stages with extravagant state of the art sound and video
effects to a gravely lot, under a highway overpass (
Cirque du Soleil), onto the streets
of the old city, and in intimate clubs and pubs.
Innovative creator
Robert Lepage projects his exciting “
Moulay Image” (a theatrical show that
traces Quebec’s 400 year history) on
a series of drain pipes on the side of old grain silos in the old port.
(more)
FINLANDIA VODKA CUP 2009
The
Finlandia Vodka
Cup is an annual global drink contest
where the best bartenders from around the world meet at the Arctic Circle in
Finnish Lapland to showcase their talents and compete for the global trophy
and the title “ Finlandia Bartender of the Year”… while experiencing the
Finnish way of life, and the pure natural origins of the brand. During
finals, competitors must create a new drink in three categories: Aperitif,
Long Drink and Quick Mix. Points from all three categories, based on
appearance, aroma and taste are then added up, and the bartender with the
highest score wins the coveted title. (more)
VANCOUVER - AN EMERGING CULINARY DESTINATION
LOUISIANA CULINARY TRAILS . . . FROM THE FIELDS TO THE TABLE
Eating my way through the heart of Cajun Country
and spicy goodness … from Lafayette to New Orleans
Louisiana, a cultural gumbo, is all about its people: the foods they grow, the seafood they catch, and the traditional Creole and Cajun dishes they have been cooking for generations. (more)
HILTON HEAD, SOUTH CAROLINA - A GREAT PLACE TO VACATION AND LIVE
Hilton Head Island is one of my favorite places
on the Eastern Coast. On prior visits I have stayed at The Marriot, the Westin
and the Royal Palms, a fractional ownership managed by the Westin. This year, I rented a three bedroom, three bath
tastefully decorated villa with a screened in porch, in the Palmetto Dunes
Oceanfront Resort. (more)