Debra C Argen & Edward F Nesta

Situated along the river in Hoboken, New Jersey, the restaurant Halifax has a cool and contemporary stunning urban vibe that pairs beautifully with Executive Chef Seadon Shouse’s creative, inspired, and exquisite cuisine. Handcrafted cocktails with housemade ingredients, a stellar wine by the bottle list, as well wines by the glass, make Halifax a standout. If Halifax in Hoboken, New Jersey is not yet on your culinary radar of exceptional places to dine, it should be! Bon Appetit!

Could there be any better job than being a spirits’ judge? We lent our spirits knowledge as well as our palates to act as judges for the 25th anniversary of the Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition held on Saturday, November 4, 2023, in the Magnificent Room at The SoNo Collection in South Norwalk, Connecticut! Over the course of four hours, we, along with our fellow judges, tasted products in assigned categories in a blind tasting, with winners …

ker Amy LaBelle of LaBelle Winery in Amherst, New Hampshire makes gorgeous wines full of nuanced flavors. Her LaBelle Winery Americus is a dry red, medium body wine that is a delectable blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, and 50% of the French hybrid grape Noiret. The result is stunning with dark fruit and red berries on the aromatic nose with lushness that follows through on the palate with a slightly spicy lingering peppery finish. Although bold on flavors, Labelle Winery …

There are concerts, and then there are CONCERTS (!), and the concert given by Ranky Tanky with special guest Lisa Fischer at The Quick Center for the Arts in Fairfield, Connecticut definitely fell into the latter category! It was an evening of exceptional Roots, Gullah, and Jazz music that had an appreciative audience on its feet awarding the double Grammy winners with standing ovations throughout the concert on Friday, November 10, 2023.

The Russian River Valley is noted for producing great wines, and 90+ Cellars Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2021 Lot 130 is gorgeous. Richly aromatic with heady aromas of green apple, lemony citrus, tropical fruit, and a light toasty oak finish on the palate, make it delicious to drink on its own or to pair with food. We paired it with Luxury Experience – Salmon in a Beurre Blanc Sauce with Mushroom Wild Rice which brought out the lushness and complex …

We saw the Tony Award winning play Clybourne Park performed at the Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) in Norwalk, Connecticut on opening night, and it is a powerhouse of an impactful play written by Bruce Norris that will have you talking about it, and thinking about it, long after you leave the theatre. Pamela Hill directs the Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner and has a well-chosen cast comprised of Susan Haefner, SJ Hannah, Rae Janeil, Matt Mancuso, Frank Mastrone, Nick …

Cherise Coaches Sings Ella Fitzgerald If you love Jazz, you will definitely want to see First Lady of Song: Cherise Coaches Sings Ella Fitzgerald at the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut. We had the pleasure of attending opening night, Saturday, October 28, 2023, where the talented Cherise Coaches transfixed the audience as she sang the music of the legendary Ella Fitzgerald, the “First Lady of Song.” Joined by her band comprised of Ryan Bennett on drums, Runere Brooks on …

Milano Wine Week 2023 Italian Masterclass Milano Wine Week in New York City is always a highlight of the wine season. We attended two very interesting and informative International Wine Masterclasses for industry professionals at Il Gattopardo restaurant in New York City on October 11, 2023, part of the Milano Wine Week presentations (October 7-15, 2023). Wine education consisted of tasting 8 wines per Masterclass, followed by a delicious lunch buffet featuring Il Gattopardo’s Southern Italian cuisine. Bellissimo!

If you are looking for a delicious lower-alcohol choice, Thompson’s Cider Mill Hard Cider crafted in small batches from a proprietary blend of heirloom and antique apples at Thompson’s Cider Mill in Croton-on-Hudson, New York is a fabulous choice. Their award-winning ciders come in 9-flavors, in dry and semi-dry styles. Thompson’s Cider Mill Hard Cider Antique Apple Blend Semi-Dry, only has 7% alcohol by volume, is delicious to drink on its own and is also delicious in cocktails. In addition …

Autumn is on its way, and our thoughts turn to enjoying heavier-bodied red wines bursting with flavor. Poggio Rosso Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2018 San Felice, Italy is a sensational dry, red wine from the Tuscan region that embodies a great wine. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, followed by 15 months in the bottle, this wine has a cellaring capability of 20-25 years. We opened a bottle 5 years into its …