Vendors from around the Hudson Valley will be preparing an assortment of culinary treats, drinks and samplings for the Best of Hudson Valley® Party 2015, the sister party to the Best of Westchester Party held every summer. The Party will be held October 15, 2015 in Poughkeepsie from 5:30pm to 8:30pm.

Presented by Hudson Valley Magazine, this annual event showcases the region’s best restaurants, wine and spirits, spas, stores, entertainment, and more!
Don’t miss the chance to be one of more than 1,500 guests who arrive at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel to be entertained, eat great food, taste delicious desserts, and take home gifts from the best local shops and markets.
The Best of Hudson Valley® Party showcases more than 100 winners in categories including: best new restaurant, steak, seafood, wine list, romantic dining, salon/spa, car dealer, radio station and many more. So, it will be a party like no other where the food, drink, entertainment. The winners are selected by readers via an online poll and by editors who do research on each entry in the category.

Your ticket will allow you to sample food and drink from all the winners of this years contest.
Ticket price: General Admission Party Access – $50

To Purchase Tickets: http://www.hvmag.com/Hudson-Valley-Magazine/Best-of-Hudson-Valley-Party/Tickets/

Thursday, October 15, 2015
The Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel and Conference Center
40 Civic Center Plaza Poughkeepsie N.Y.

The Ridgefield Theater Barn is celebrating its 50th Anniversary of bringing community theater to the area. The Theater’s latest production is certainly noteworthy and one you should not miss. The production is called “Calendar Girls”. The play is based on the 2003 movie with the same name starring Helen Mirren.
The story is based on true events and is set in Yorkshire England and involves a group of British housewives who are all members of a charitable women’s institute. When Annie Clarke, one of the women loses her husband to leukemia, the other women in the group decide they must raise money for the leukemia unit of the local hospital. Chris Harper, a friend of Annie’s takes charge of the fundraising effort and convinces the women that they can raise the most money by creating a tasteful calendar for sale in which the women pose nude performing activities such as gardening, playing piano, and baking.

The play is both funny and touching as we see these women bond together in sisterhood for the greater good of raising money for the hospital. There are some wonderful performances by Mindy Goff (Annie Clarke), Jody Bayer (Chris), Beth Brandon (Cora), Charlotte Camillos (Jessie), Rosemary Howard (Celia),Keli Solomon (Ruth), Mary Shuldman (Marie) and the rest of the talented cast. The conclusion is both heart warming and profound and includes participation by the audience which further adds to the appeal of the production.

The theater is quite small and only seats 70 so you have a great seat for a each performance. Seating is cabaret style and is at tables (both round and rectangular) . On the evening performance, the doors open at 7pm and guests bring their own dinner and I observed groups of friends sitting together and dining before the show. Spend a great time with your friends and family at the theater.

Tickets $24
Friday and Saturday at 8pm through October 3
Sunday Matinee September 27th at 5pm
Additional performance : Thursday October 1 at 8pm

Ridgefield Theater Barn
37 Halpin Lane
Ridgefield CT 06877

For information, call 203.431.9850
web http://ridgefieldtheaterbarn.org/

Limani Dining Room

Upon entering Limani you are immediately brought into a state of calmness and tranquility, surrounded by an all white setting and the contrasting and beautiful turquoise water feature in the center of the restaurant. It is quite the contrast from the busy city streets outside. The bar area to the side of the restaurant is soothing as it is bathed in soft blue lighting.

Bar area

In the back of the restaurant is a fresh fish section where you can choose one of the many delicious and fresh catches of the day for your dinner.

Fresh Fish

I was seated in a table in the middle of the restaurant from where I could visually absorb the decor of the restaurant, with its white table cloths, white chairs, and even the curved booths wrapped in white leather. Above the water feature is a mobile or blue and white crystal shaped fish. It is certainly a unique setting in which to dine. Limani will be celebrating its one year anniversary in November and I feel this is a treasure of a dining experience you must experience.
The menu focus is on Greek and Mediterranean food with an emphasis on fresh grilled and baked seafood.

I began my meal with grilled Octopus which was marinated for four hours in white wine, lemon and olive oil.

Grilled Octopus

The octopus is flown in from  far away Tunisia and the delectable taste was immediate. There were capers as well and a light white wine finishing broth. This octopus dish was soft and scrumptious. I cherished every bite and would highly recommend this appetizer as a delicious and healthy start to their meal.

I chose grilled lobster with asparagus for my main course. The lobster was butterflied and grilled to perfection and served with a side of melted butter.

Grilled Lobster

The lobster was so expertly prepared I did not need the additional butter. There were many choices on the menu, but I do love my lobster and I was not disappointed.

I finished my meal with a walnut sponge cake accompanied by a scoop of lavender ice cream (Karidopita). The cake was light and airy and was a fine way to top off my meal.

Walnut cake with Lavender Ice cream

Greek Yogurt with Honey

Cappuccino art

I would certainly place Limani high on my list for a night out in New York City. It is located in Rockefeller Plaza and it is right in the heart of all the city has to offer. The service was impeccable from start to finish. The unique and serene interior coupled with the excellent menu will have you returning to dine again. Don’t miss this gem.

Limani
45 Rockefeller Plaza N.Y. N.Y
Phone: 212-858-9200

web:http://www.limani.com

Saturday September 19, 2015, the annual Taste of New Paltz will be held at the Ulster County Fairgrounds in New Paltz, N.Y.   The event is now in its 25th year and provides a venue for local restaurants, farm markets and wineries to show off their specialties.

Tickets are available in advance for $7 per person or at the venue on the day of the show for $10 per person.  Children under 12 are free.  Tickets are good for admission and attendees can then purchase small plate samples from local restaurants for $2 to $3 per sample.

Some of the local  New Paltz restaurants slated to appear this year are The Mohonk Mountain House, Neko Sushi,  P& Gs, McGillicuddys, Main Street Bistro, Moxie Cup, Henry’s at the Farm, Diego’s Taqueria, Tuthill House at the Mill, and more!

Also at the fest will be live music, kids expo, wine tasting from two local wineries, and several local farm markets.  Spend a day in beautiful Ulster County.

Hours :  11 am to 6 pm

Ulster County Fairgrounds

 249 Libertyville Rd
New Paltz, NY 12561

Website: http://www.tasteofnewpaltz.com

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Hudson Valley Wine and Food Festival opens its gates this September 12th and 13th anticipating record attendees eager to taste, test and learn about award winning wines, state-of-the-art distilleries and New York State’s growing and trendy food producers. Wineries, distilleries, craft breweries and food artisans from all over New York State will present their wares while guests will enjoy wine tasting and food sampling as well as the demonstrations by well-known chefs. The atmosphere is enhanced by live music and the great surroundings of the fairgrounds itself. Founded 14 years ago by Hudson Valley-based Wineracks.com, the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest is held in the Dutchess County Fairgrounds Rhinebeck, New York, a beautiful historic town and area only 1hour from Westchester County by car. The Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest is designated as a “New York Farm Market,” which allows the participants to hold tastings and sell by the bottle which is an unusual opportunity for visitors to buy directly from the vintners themselves.

Food artisans and state-of-the-art distilleries enhance the focus of the event as visitors can purchase sampling tickets and really enjoy and taste what the companies have to offer. Every vendor from Crown Maple to Green Mountain Mustard has its own unique story and the festival is a great chance to mingle and linger with these successful entrepreneurs. Purveyors showcase their maple syrup, artisan cheeses, dry and jarred specialty dips and jams, cookies, ice creams, chutneys and apple butters. Distilleries, vineyards and craft beer vendors will have samples available for tasting and purchasing

2015 will be the 14th year for the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest that began at the Greig Farm in Red Hook, New York in 2001. Now taking place at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, N.Y. The fest began as a small wine tasting event, with 22 wineries from across New York and a handful of food vendors has grown to host more than 75 wineries, 5 distilleries and even craft breweries from around New York as well as more than 100 gourmet specialty food, art, craft and home goods vendors. In 2007 the event added a feature area called the Restaurant Showcase that allows guests to sample specialty dishes from some of the region’s best restaurants. 2013 brought even more food with the addition of a Food Truck Corral, highlighted by gourmet food trucks from around the area.

Tickets:
Wine Tasting Ticket ($45 at the gate price)
Includes tasting glass and full access to both events and all wine tasting. Beer & Restaurant Showcase samples are an additional charge. (Age 21 and over )
Beer Tasting Ticket – ($45 at the Gate price)
Includes tasting glass, full access to both events all wine tasting and your first 5 Beer samples. Additional Beer & Restaurant Showcase samples are an additional charge.(Age 21 and over – ID required.)

Regular Admission – $25 at the Gate
Includes free water/soda all day, access to both events & souvenir tasting glass upon exit. THIS IS A NO ALCOHOL TICKET

Event Hours – Saturday 11am to 6pm / Sunday 11am to 5pm
Rain or Shine
Parking is Free
No Pets Permitted

Location:

Dutchess County Fairgrounds
6550 Spring Brook Avenue
Rhinebeck, NY 12572

For more information: http://www.hudsonvalleywinefest.com