A brand new event featuring food, wine and great live music is coming to the Hudson Valley this fall!  Coming  October 6th-7th,  Catskills Wine and Food Festival is a one-of-kind experience in which guests will be treated to intimate cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs as well as live music, private tastings, a variety of good eats, and an impressive selection of beer, wine, and cider . For the full experience, guests can rent on-site cabins that sleep up to 18 people and stay overnight on the magnificent event grounds, nestled in the beautiful mountains of upstate in New York.

 

This is a very unique event that blends great food, celebrity chefs, craft beer, wine  and a fantastic line up of live music.  All this in a natural setting in the lush natural surroundings of the Hudson Valley.

Celebrity chefs scheduled to appear:

• Alex Guarnaschelli, award winning chef, author and Food Network star
• Marcus Samuelsson, the acclaimed chef behind Red Rooster Harlem Rotisserie and more
• Michael Chernow of Seamore’s (NYC) and co-founder of The Meatball Shop(NYC)
• Bobbie Lloyd of the famed Magnolia Bakery
• Gail Simmons, Top Chef on Bravo network
• Donatella Arpaia, chef and Food Network host
• Josh Capon, award winning chef

and more.

Both days will feature live music from the following :

• Rebecca Perl
• The Revivalists
• Moon Taxi
• Lord Huron

and many more talented performers.

A limited number of general admission two-day passes ($285) and single day tickets ($165) are available at CatskillsFestival.com. These packages include food sampling and wine tastings, access to cooking demonstrations, workshops and live music, access to activities throughout the campground, access to the weekend market — a culinary curation of the Catskills and beyond — and shuttles to and from select hotels in the area. All-access two-day VIP passes ($549) include all general admission events, plus access to a unique VIP Village where VIP attendees can enjoy private dining experiences curated by CWFF celebrity chefs, select open bars, meet & greets with talent, and more!

This is a very special event that can be enjoyed for one day or for both.  So make plans to head to the foothills of the Catskills to immerse yourselves in nature, great food and drink while listening to fantastic live music.

See you there!

For more information:  https://catskillsfestival.com

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On Saturday August 25th at 7pm, the Bedford Playhouse will be screening the drama First Reformed starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried.   Following the film there will be a Q & A session with the films writer and director, Paul Schrader.  This will be a very special evening.

Paul Schrader has a long and distinguished film career starting in the 1970s.  He has written or co-written numerous screenplays including  Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and The Last Temptation of Christ (all directed by Martin Scorsese).   During his career he has directed  18 feature films including American Gigolo,  Affliction, and his latest film First Reformed.

The film released in 2017 and follows a Protestant minister faced with questions of faith and morality while serving as pastor of a dwindling historical church and deals with some very heavy themes.

This should be a fascinating evening of cinema at the newly restored Bedford Playhouse.  The film starts at 7pm

For more information including great upcoming events visit the Playhouse website.

https://bedfordplayhouse.org

 Bedford Playhouse

633 Old Post Road Bedford New York

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Fishkill Farms is hosting  “Peachtopia” 2018 on Saturday August 11th from 10am to 4pm.  Fishkill Farms is located in Hopewell Junction right off I-84 in Southern Dutchess County We attended this event last year and really enjoyed ourselves at this scenic Hudson Valley farm .

Peachtopia marks the height of summer harvest with a bounty of juicy peaches and nectarines to pick as well as an array of certified organic vegetables, herbs and summer flowers. Celebrate this hot sultry summer with live music, delicious foods from the Fishkill Farms Grill AND Farmers & Chefs food truck, peachy desserts and a cold, stone fruit hard cider cocktails. Wagon rides will be running throughout the festival to and from the peach trees, and the corn hole boards and bubble machine will be set up on the hillside. We’ll even have a kids craft setup on the back porch by our chickens!

Pick-Your-Own & Wagon Rides
Pick ripe and juicy peaches and nectarines as well as farm fresh veggies and beautiful flowers. All PYO items are priced by the pound and are available until supplies last. Wagon rides will be running to and from the orchard throughout the duration of the festival and are included in the price of admission.

Food available on site
Fishkill Farms Grill | 11am-4pm

Old fashion crawfish boil featuring crawfish from Hudson Valley Seafood, andouille sausage, corn, cornbread, and potatoes.Mixed Green Salad with roasted spring onions, balsamic peaches & Gorgonzola cheese,Grass-fed hamburgers and cheeseburgers on a brioche bun and more.

The Farm Store will be open all day and includes lots of favorites including  each Ice cream peaches & cream cheesecake crumble and so many other cool items. There are also fresh veggies from the farm local snacks, cheeses, meats, fresh made pies and donuts

Treasury Cider Garden will be open from Noon – 6 pm!
To celebrate the peach harvest, we will also be offering a special hard cider Peach Bellini made with our very own Treasury Cider.  There will be cider tastings and more and enjoy the view over the fields from the cider garden.

Fishkill Farms

9 Fishkill Farm Rd
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533

https://www.fishkillfarms.com/events/peachtopia

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Over the years we have walked by Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield Ct and were curious about dining there. Luckily we were recently invited to have dinner there, and we jumped at the chance.  Located on Bailey Avenue, a side street off of Ridgefield’s quaint Main Street, the restaurant is housed in a small building and is comprised of three separate dining spaces.  The main dining room is an intimate space that is snug and cozy and reminded us of a warm inn in New England.  The second larger space is a former alley that was transformed into a dining room and has a more airy vibe.  Outside on the sidewalk, additional tables and umbrellas add another seating option for guests.

Bailey’s describes itself as a Farm-to table bistro.  While many restaurants may aspire to this title, owner Sal Bagliavio and chef Zach Campion have delivered a menu filled with fresh locally sourced ingredients that is both innovative and refined.

Though Bailey’s does not have a bar, do not despair as wine, beer, and creative cocktails are available. We sampled the delicious Pisco Sour that topped with a foam of aquafaba(juice from chickpeas instead of using whipped egg) which was refreshing and vegan friendly.

Cornbread is delicious and is made with molasses butter. This is a pure comfort food that will satisfy your hunger as you await the first course.

Starters ($12-$16) include both greens and seafood.   The Tomato and Peach Gazpacho with almonds and feta was a light and healthy way to start off the meal.   Farm Greens was a healthy medley of English pea, fava beans, green apple carrots and fermented grape vinaigrette .

We also sampled the Scallops, lightly browned and served with a tabboulah, capers. shitake and a lemon cream.  The Spanish Octopus was also a favorite and is served lightly charred with squid ink, chorizo marmalade, daikon (a radish),and served in a salsa verde. Delicious and light.

Main dishes include burgers, beef, chicken and pork.  We opted for the lobster tail which was fresh and nicely presented sitting atop its opened shell.   Important to remember is that Bailey’s is constantly changing the menu  not only to introduce current farm to table offerings but to give guests the opportunity to return again and again and enjoy new flavors.

Wednesday night offers a 4 course tasting menu at only $40 per person and seems to be a great opportunity to sample the great dishes at Baileys.  There is also a full dinner tasting and lunch tasting menu as well.  Check their website for details and the current menu.  We are certainly happy we finally made it to Bailey’s Backyard and are planning to return again soon.

Bailey’s Backyard

23 Bailey Avenue  Ridgefield Ct    203.431.0796

http://www.baileysbackyard.com

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Montauk, N.Y. is one of the most unique towns in New York State.  Located at the very tip of the south fork of Long Island, Montauk is a fantastic summer vacation spot, steeped in history, great beaches , scenery and surrounded by water.  It’s laid back atmosphere, beaches, surfing and fishing draws visitors each year to this area which is a bit more akin to New England than New York State.

Though there are many options for accommodations, we discovered one that is a quite different.  Montauk Manor is a grand condo/hotel situated on  Signal Hill overlooking Montauk.  Its  architecture  is of a fine English Manor and is in contrast to the rest of the design found here at the end of the island.

 

Built in 1927 the hotel was the grand vision of Carl Fisher who imagined a 5 star resort to rival no other in the country.  It would have the hotel, beach club, a boardwalk,  polo fields, and much more. The hotel and its restaurants would offer the finest of food and amenities. Though the hotel opened to much fanfare, the economic downturn of the Great Depression took its toll on Mr. Fisher’s ambitious plans.

Luckily, the Montauk Manor has survived the long decades and has been totally restored into a beautiful condo/hotel  and the fantastic views from the top of Signal Hill remain.

Rooms at the hotel are suite style and available in Studio, and One to Three Bedroom units.  Many have water views.  The two bedroom unit we stayed in (party of 4), included a full kitchen, kitchen table, living area, master bedroom with en suite bath, and loft bedroom with bath.  The suite was modern, updated and tastefully decorated.  Our stay was very comfortable, and the room was quiet.

The hotel does have one restaurant on site, La Fine.   There is an indoor pool and spa, outdoor pool, tennis, putting green , golf driving course, bocce court and  indoor fitness center.   The views from the lawn are beautiful as you can watch the sun set over Long Island Sound.

The charming village of Montauk is two minutes by car and there are plenty of shops and dining options for the visitor.  The beach is just another short drive away depending on what beach you wish to visit.  The hotel also provides a shuttle to and from the beach for you.

If you are looking for an upscale resort experience with old world charm and elegance, then I encourage you to check out Montauk Manor in Montauk. We cannot wait to return!

Montauk Manor

236 Edgemere Street, Montauk, NY

tel 631.668.4400

http://www.montaukmanor.com

 

 

 

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Recently we were fortunate to be part of a media dinner tour of three eateries right in the heart of SoNo (South Norwalk).   Historic Washington Street is humming with a vibrant  energy as the street is line with restaurants, bars, shops and galleries.   Our tour guides were the wonderful people from Norwalk Now and MaxEx Public Relations.  Our three hour tour include newcomer Public Wine Bar, Cask Republic and Saltwater.

Public Wine Bar– a recent addition to SoNo is  Public Wine Bar.  The space is beautifully designed and has an air of casual elegance.   Starters include items running from a Steak Tartar to Grilled Octopus to Pear Argula Salad.    The menu can best be described as Meditterrean with an infusion of New England.   Our culinary tour started with a cocktail, the Public 88 which is the innovative infusion of orchid with Tito’s Vodka and topped with Brut Rose Cava.  A nice light delicious cocktail.

We sampled three delicious items including the Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad over a parmesan risotto cake with truffle vinaigrette which was fantastic.   The Spicy Salmon Tartar was a nice change from the usual Tuna Tartar menu offering and spiced up with a dash of jalapenos, and lemon sriracha vinaigrette.

Entrees included a delicious Chicken and Wild Mushroom Pappardelle, a dish crafted from organic chicken, fresh herbs, truffle oil and a dash of parmesan.  A delightful dish.   We finished with a seafood favorite, Salmon A La Plancha, a nicely grilled piece of fresh salmon served with smashed fingerling potatoes and with a zesty mustard beurre blanc sauce.  We were really impressed with our samplings of this new restaurant and hope to return soon to experience more of their menu and glasses from the wine list.

Cask Republic-  a staple in the middle of  Washington Street, Cask Republic has the warmth and charm of an upscale tavern, but is friendly and casual in its atmosphere.  Housed in a former bank building, the space is warm and has the appearance of a fine club.  The bank vault even remains at the back of the dining room.   Cask has been described as an “elevated tavern” as  cocktails are top notch and fun.  We sample the summery Blue Wave with rum, coconut rum, fresh lime, oj and blue curacao.  I want another right  now!  There is also an extensive wine list, and a rotating list of beers on tap.

We sampled the Stir Fried Cauliflower with sesame seeds and a sesame ginger aioli which was a hit at our table.  The Pesto Mac and Cheese was also a big hit with its combo of pasta, aged Amish cheddar and pesto.  A real nice variation of this comfort food.   Beef empanadas were spicy and delish with a bit of kick from the red chimichurri and the pepper aioli which provided just a bit of heat.

We concluded with the Cask Republic Burger.  Though we rarely order burgers when dining this award winning dish was full of taste thanks to its blend of short rib, brisket and sirloin.  Cask Republic is one of our favorites in SoNo and thanks to their constant updating of the cocktails and menu, it is always fun to return again and again.

Saltwater- We really looked forward to visiting this seafood eatery.  Saltwater has a Nantucket inspired beach feel about it from its beautiful bar area, casual outdoor seating, to its more intimate dining spaces in the back of the restaurant.   The entire interior design of the cool eatery transports you the beach. We started our visit here with a Coconut Mojito, this Cuban classic cocktail set the mood for our last stop on our culinary tour.

PEI Mussels are always a favorite with us and these fresh mussels are purchased daily (as is all the seafood) and served in ver jus ( a juice from unripe grapes) and garlic toast.    The Kale Salad was light and healthy and included beets, carrots, goat cheese, nuts, in a sweet orange vinaigrette dressing.  A nice break in the menu for additional seafood to follow.

Fried Calamari is always a solid staple at many Italian and seafood restaurants, and this calamari served with marinara was light and crispy.   We concluded with Fish and Chips,  with fresh cod beer  battered and served with fries.   Saltwater has a an extensive menu including seafood, pasta and land options.  Since we just had a sampling, we are really looking  forward to visiting again soon

Our three hour culinary tour was a fun and food filled evening, and hopefully will get you motivated to investigate the great dining scene in SoNo.  The area also has the Maritime Aquarium, bike rentals, the Wall Street Theater and more!

Public Wine Bar

http://publicwinebar.com

Cask Republic SoNo

http://caskrepublic.com/norwalk

Saltwater

http://www.saltwatersono.com

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The classic Cole Porter musical Anything Goes has arrived in high style at the Westchester Broadway stage.  This 1934 classic is cast in the traditional Broadway musical mold including a memorable score, numerous dance numbers, great costumes and an elaborate set.   All of these elements are here on the WBT stage and few theaters outside of Broadway can produce a musical of this quality like WBT.  The theater has built a solid reputation by staging productions of classic musicals.  In the past few years, WBT has staged South Pacific, Man Of LaMancha, Show Boat and Annie Get Your Gun.  They are also adept at weaving in to their schedule more modern shows such as Mamma Mia! and Sister Act.   WBT also draws top acting talent with actors who have credits on and off Broadway as well as national tours.

The musical is set on a passenger ship sailing from New York to London.   Here we meet a cast including a nightclub singer, Reno Sweeney (Stacia Fernandez),  a young woman about to be married to save her family from financial ruin, Hope Harcourt (Jackie Raye), her much older British fiancé Lord Oakleigh (Kevin Pariseau) and Hope’s real love interest and ship stowaway, Billy Crocker (Zach Trimmer).  Add to this group, is a gangster on the run and his girlfriend, the mother of the bride to be,  a wall street banker who is a guest at the wedding and the ship’s crew.    A wild ride ensues as the crew seeks out the stowaway and the gangster, Billy tries to win back Hope and stop the wedding, and  Reno steps in to help Billy win back Hope.

The story though written in the 1930s has been updated and altered during the various revivals over the years.    Written in a simpler time, the musical has a simple plot following the boy meets girl/boy loses girl/boy gets girl back formula that is common in literature.

The score by Cole Porter including “Anything Goes” and “I Get a Kick Out of You”  is memorable.  The evening is filled with fine acting and vocal performances from Stacia Fernandez as Reno,  Zach Trimmer as Billy, and a wonderful solo performance of “Goodbye, Little Dream, Goodbye” by Jackie Raye as Hope that was  quite impressive.

What makes Anything Goes shine is the fantastic tap dancing by the ensemble.  Every inch of the square WBT stage is alive with carefully choreographed  tap and dance numbers that liven up the tempo of the show to the delight of the audience.  Credit to Richard Stafford for his fine work with the cast as director and choreographer.

Set design which is always strong at WBT is on display again with a steam ship with several doors, decks and smoke stacks dominating the stage and setting the mood.  Well done by Steve Loftus and his crew.

A special credit goes out to costume designer Keith Nielsen for the fantastic job on all the costumes which capture the period of the 1930s correctly.  The large ensemble of actors (over 20) have multiple costume changes during the performance.

So don’t miss the ship as this show sets sail from the theater on  September  9th (last performance).

For more info and tickets (dinner included in your ticket price)

Westchester Broadway Theater

1 Broadway Plaza Elmsford NY     tel.914.592.2222

https://www.broadwaytheatre.com

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We had heard a lot of buzz about a new Mexican restaurant that had opened recently in Pleasantville. The owners of the successful 105Ten in Briarcliff Manor have launched Mission Taqueria, a new style of Mexican kitchen.  The food is basic in its heritage and roots, but the execution and presentation is thoroughly modern.   A great deal of time was spent developing a menu that is light, clean and healthy, yet full of taste.

The space is in an older building that has been transformed by designer Andrew Kotchen into a clean, uncluttered,  modern, and urban space.  The effect of this  design is to create a space where  the food and craft cocktails take center stage. Booths line the walls, pub tables are placed in the middle of the restaurant and two cozy tables for four reside by the front windows.  The bar is a colorful area with a honeycomb backsplash in blue which is repeated in tile on the bar front and floor.  The taps are unique and bring a touch of old Mexico into the modern design language of the interior.

The menu of traditional Mexican dishes has been updated to reflect the notions of lighter, cleanand healthy fare.  The usual heavy cheeses and sauces are thankfully missing and replaced with  a menu with an emphasis on blending fresh ingredients in a healthy manner.  The effect for us is that we left the restaurant satisfied and not weighed down.

We enjoyed some unique and fresh dishes such as the Guacamole served with a light topping of queso fresco, house made chips, pomegranate and toasted pumpkin seeds.  Very interesting take on the classic guacamole staple.

The Mexican Street Corn was another nice opener and is lightly grilled ear of corn (cut in two) and served with a lime aioli, and chili powder.    The Pumpkin seed hummus was a unique dish in taste and presentation and instead of chips was served with a fresh cut veggie crudite.

For our mains we enjoyed the Tuna Poke Tostadas, a healthy dish with Hawaiian poke (tuna) served on small tostadas,  and topped off with a fresh slice of avocado.  Loved this dish!

 

 

While there are main entrees including chicken and steak, we opted to check out the Taco menu with seafood, meat and veggie options.  We enjoyed the California Dreamin’  Brussel Sprout Tacos ($14) (great for healthy eaters and vegetarians),  The Shrimp($17), fresh grilled shrimp served with a mango salsa.  The Lobster Frites ($19)  were also a must try with poached lobster, and a pepper and chipotle aioli and topped with potato threads .  All healthy, light and delicious and devoid of the heaviness so frequently seen in Mexican restaurants.

While dining you would be remiss not to mention the list of craft cocktails, and wide range of beers available on tap.

Mission Taqueria has brought to the Westchester dining scene an eatery merging the best of authentic Mexican foods in a modern and healthy fashion

 

Mission Taqueria

472 Bedford Road Pleasantville, NY     tel. 914.741.5285

https://www.missionpleasantville.com

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A hysterical comedy has come to the stage at the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport Ct.  ” A Flea in Her Ear” is a brilliant and hilarious play about the subjects of marriage, suspicion, infidelity, and mistaken identity.   This high energy production had the audience laughing the entire performance.

 

The play was written by Georges Feydeau in the early 20th Century and adapted by David Ives from the original book and wonderfully directed by Mark Lamos, the artistic director of the Playhouse.   Set in Paris in 1907 the play is about a Parisian wife (Elizabeth Heflin) whose faithful husband a well to do owner of an insurance company has suddenly lost his romantic appetite for his wife.   Along with her good friend, Lucienne(Antoinette Robinson), they devise a plot to see if her husband is cheating on her.  They send him a scented note from a female admirer and ask him to meet her at a local hotel of ill repute.

While her husband, Victor (Lee E. Ernst) is intrigued by the letter and the amorous advances of this mystery woman, he passes on the offer and sends his friend  Tournel (Stephen Pelinski) to meet her instead.  The high energy and physical comedy that is Flea in Hear Ear is about to unfold in Act Two of this three act play.  Act Two moves from the home of Victor and his wife to the hotel with its many doors and passages.  Lee E. Ernst assumes another role as the drunken Bell Hop Poche, whose appearance turns the play upside down.  Calamity ensues as the ladies plans become unglued and Lucienne finds herself being pursued by her angry husband Don Carlos (Michael Gotch), an eccentric and mad Spainiard.  The play finally returns to the apartment in Paris of Victor and his wife Raymonde, where the crazy mixed up events of the evening are finally resolved.

A successful comedy depends on a great script, comedic timing, excellent actors and of course a director who can bring all these elements together. This production of A Flea in Her Ear has all those elements.   The set design was fantastic and the high artistic quality we expect from Westport.  Kristen Robinson did a wonderful job with capturing the feel of  early 20th Century Paris.  Costume Designer Sara Jean Tosetti crafted a wonderful array of period costumes for the actors.  This is a play you cannot miss!

This very comical play will grace the Westport stage until July 28, 2018.  Tickets start at $30.

For more information and tickets.

Westport Country Playhouse

25 Powers Court  Westport Ct.  tel.203.227.4177

https://www.westportplayhouse.org     

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