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

follow me on facebook !    www.facebook.com/Ionthevalley

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

THE 2015 SOWE (Southern Westchester) MUSIC FESTIVAL WILL FEATURE Two STAGES, 15 TOP NATIONAL AND REGIONAL ARTISTS, BEER, WINE, FOOD TRUCKS, CARNIVAL RIDES, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE. THIS ANNUAL EVENT WILL BE HELD IN HARBOR ISLAND PARK, MAMARONECK, ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2015 AND WILL ATTRACT TEN THOUSAND MUSIC FANS, FAMILIES, RESIDENTS, AND FUN SEEKERS. THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE WHO LOVES MUSIC AND A GREAT TIME.

Some of the food trucks at the venue will be Salsa Fresca, Walter’s Hot Dogs, Artuso Bakery, Pow Burger, Longford Ice Cream, Good Humor, Yum Yum Noodle Bar and others.

There will be a Family Fun Zone with a photo booth, cooking classes, giveaways, games and programs.

Musical artists scheduled to perform are one of the biggest bands of the 1960s Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, ( “A Beautiful Morning”,”Good Lovin”, “Groovin” , “People got to be Free”), David Johansen former member of the 1970s band New York Dolls and solo artist (“Funky but Chic”, “We got get out of this Place”,”Personality Crises”, “Hot, Hot, Hot”.)
Other artists include Steve Forbert (“Romeo’s Tune), Marc Cohn (“Walking in Memphis”), Shawn Mullins (“Lullaby” and “All in My Head”), Willie Nile, Cheerleader, Kaleo, Anderson East, Andrew Belle, Joe D’Urso & Stone Caravan, The Hey Daze, Thirdstory, East Love, and Karma Darwin (winners of a Local Battle of the Bands, curated by 107.1 The Peak)  See the website for times and which stage for the individual performances
.
The Peak airs The SOWE 2015 All Access Radio Hour each Sunday evening, 7pm

Tickets for this event as follows:
General Admission : $48 (kids under 12 free)
VIP Tickets : $85
For more information please visit:
Website: http://www.soweMusicFestival.com

follow me on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Ionthevalley

I recently visited the Ice House on the Hudson in Poughkeepsie for lunch on a beautiful summer day. The restaurant sits directly on the east bank of the Hudson and has amazing views of the river from both the outdoor dining patio or inside the lovely interior with its large windows and exposed brick walls. A brief passing shower interrupted our plans to dine outdoors, so we elected to sit inside.

The oversized windows and 25 foot ceiling bring in a bounty of natural light which enhances the charm of the dining room. There are views of the river, the Walkway over the Hudson pedestrian bridge, and the Mid Hudson Bridge as well. The Ice House has the distinction of being voted the Best Waterside Dining in the HudsonValley by Hudson Valley Magazine and their readers.

We began our meal by sharing edamame in a spicy orange soy glaze, an order of Maryland Crab Cakes with Old Bay Aioli and arugula and “Le Cast” Mac and Cheese with pancetta , truffle and local cheeses. I also sampled a white wine Sangria which was perfect for this summer meal by the river.

Maryland crab cakes
For the entrée, I chose the Lobster Reuben which consisted of lobster tail, cole slaw , seasoning and swiss cheese. This combo was unique and brought a blend of different tastes to the palette.

Another member of our party ordered the Bridge Music Burger which included bacon, cheddar, tomato, garlic and herb aioli on a brioche bun (served with fries). I was told the dish was mouthwatering. Also ordered was the Lobster Roll which was so stuffed with lobster you could not see the roll underneath ! I had to take a bite and can honestly say it was fresh and very tasty.

The last choice of our party was a grilled chicken wrap with lettuce tomato, bacon and cheese. It was ordered with a side salad. The dish was delicious and fresh.
We were all very full but made room for one dessert to share, a Lava Cake served with Vanilla Ice Cream and chocolate ganache. What a nice way to cap off a meal.
I highly recommend this special restaurant for its fine food, fantastic views and its friendly and excellent wait staff. If you are visiting the Mid Hudson region this fall, put the Ice House on your list of places to eat.

Ice House
1 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone # 845-232-5783
http://poughkeepsieicehouse.com/contact.html

Westchester Broadway Theater has just rolled out yet another marvelous stage production, Backwards in High Heels, The Ginger Rogers Musical. Ginger Rogers was one of Hollywood’s most famous dancers and actresses and is best known for her many movies with dancer Fred Astaire.

This show which opened on August 13th is a high energy, dance filled story of Ginger Rogers rise to fame. Starting at age 15 in Texas with her entering a local dance contest, we follow her path through the dance circuit, Broadway, and on to Hollywood and fame. Along the way we learn about her struggles, family life, her relationship with her Mother and her numerous marriages. The story culminates with her winning the Oscar for best actress in 1941.

Along the way the audience is treated to fantastic dance performances and a musical score that includes original songs as well as numbers from some of her movies, such as “Let’s call the Whole Thing Off” and “A Fine Romance”.

The musical premiered in 2007 and has been produced throughout the United States. The Westchester Broadway Theatre production features choreography by Jeremy Benton and Amy Van Norstrand. Mr. Benton also directs and stars in the production.
The talented cast includes Darien Crago as Ginger and Jeremy Benton as Fred Astaire. They are very talented dancers and actors and Ms. Crago is full of energy and she is a joy to watch. The rest of the cast includes Avital Asuleen, Erika Amato, Matt Gibson, Sebastian Goldberg, Ryan Steer, Amy Van Norstrand and Jacob Ben Widmar.

All the actors at the Westchester Broadway Theatre are professionals and are members of Actors Equity and many have years of experience including Broadway appearances and national tours of various shows. Dinner is included in your ticket price and is served prior to the show. The show runs about two hours with a 30 minute intermission.
If you are a fan of classic Hollywood musicals, or a fan or great dancing, then do yourself a favor and see this show. Backward in High Heels will be on stage through September 20th.
Westchester Broadway Theatre
1 Broadway Plaza
Elmsford New York 10526

Reservations: Call (914)-592-2222.
Also at: http://www.BroadwayTheatre.com

follow me on Facebook !  https://www.facebook.com/Ionthevalley

The Hudson Valley is located in the perfect spot, especially since the Hudson Valley borders its vibrant neighbor, New York City. I decided to take the train and spend a lovely day in Manhattan. After traveling to Union Square, I lunched with a friend at Max Brenner. Upon entering this popular restaurant, I immediately noticed the chocolate shop in the front and a full working chocolate bar.

Although known for their chocolate and desserts, Max Brenner offers a full menu. I ordered the Grilled Chicken Caesar Waffle Sandwich and my friend ordered the Cheese steak Waffle Sandwich. These are not your typical sandwiches. A crisp waffle is used instead of a mundane slice of bread, enhancing the flavor with each bite. My meal was a house made rosemary-infused waffle with grilled chicken, melting mozzarella, red onion, arugula, asiago crisps and caesar dressing.

My friend enjoyed a savory waffle with thinly-sliced sirloin, caramelized onions and a tasty 5-cheese sauce. He described the Cheese steak Waffle Sandwich as “very juicy and full of flavor.” The meat melted with each bite and the cheese sauce complimented the waffle really nicely. The menu is a decent size. In addition to what we have, Max Brenner offers brunch, along with several other lunch dishes. Our waiter informed us that their burgers and mac and cheese are the most popular items on the menu.
For our beverages, we ordered the 80’s Milkshake and the Peanut Butter Turtle Choctail. Both drinks were served in the unique Alice and Wonderland cup.

After one sip of the 80’s milkshake, I discovered that this is the best milkshake I have ever tasted. This indulgent drink consisted of milk chocolate ganache, vanilla ice cream and a crunchy chocolate shell. The Peanut Butter Turtle Choctail was also heavenly. It was made of dark chocolate ganache, peanut butter, caramel and topped with whipped cream.
Since Max Brenner is renowned for their chocolate, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try dessert. After receiving an entirely new menu just for dessert it was hard to choose just one dish. The menu offers crepes, waffles, fondue, cakes, ice cream and much more. We decided to try the Melting Chocolate True Heart Cake and Shake.

This cake is made with both milk and white chocolate. To make the cake even better, a delicious chocolate sauce was available to pour on top of the dessert. There was also creamy vanilla ice cream, red berries and an iced milk chocolate shot on the side. The iced milk chocolate shot is an example of how Max Brenner goes above and beyond with both their presentation and creative creations with their chocolate. We also had the Chocolate Chunks Pizza. This is a dessert pizza, which has melted milk and white chocolate chunks, crunchy hazelnut bits, bananas, peanut butter and roasted marshmallows. I found the Chocolate Chunks Pizza to be extremely delectable. This pizza was like an entire meal by itself!

After finishing our amazing meal, we checked Max Brenner’s candy store. With so many creative options on the menu, I know that I will want to return soon.

Max Brenner

841 Broadway New York N.Y.

646-467-8803   web:  http://www.maxbrenner.com

follow me on facebook !  https://www.facebook.com/Ionthevalley

\

The Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford is now staging a revival of Godspell, the classic 1970s era off-Broadway musical written by Grammy and Oscar award winner Stephen Schwartz. His credits go beyond Godspell and include Broadway hits Wicked  and Pippin.  He also collaborated with Oscar winner Alan Menken on the scores for such films as Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Enchanted (all Disney films).

The story is adapted from parables in the Gospels of St. Matthew and Luke and it set in a modern, gritty urban setting, not the Holy Land. And though the underlying theme has religious undertones, the story emphasizes universal themes of honesty, forgiveness, kindness, redemption and love for your fellow man. It is a tale of morals that any one of any faith can appreciate. The story is held aloft by a wonderful score including such hits as “Day by Day” and “By My Side”

This version is not stuck in 1971 but has been updated to 2015 with references to the Kardashians, Donald Trump and even Obamacare. The humor of these references helps break the seriousness of some of the scenes.  The story is further lightened by the excellent and lively ensemble of actors who sing and dance their way with high energy through the performance. In one of the numbers, cast member Devon Perry shows off her skills by playing piano on stage.

The  talented company includes of Actors Equity performers includes  Kareema Castro, Xander Chauncey (as Judas), Josh Kenney, Greta Kleckner, Nicholas Park, Devon Perry, Nathan Andrew Riley, Gilbert Sanchez (as Jesus), Corinne Scott, Sarah Smithson, Karley Willocks and Jonathan Stahl.

Dinner is included with your ticket price and is served before the performance.  The show runs through August 9th 2015

For tickets and reservations:

Call (914)-592-2222. Also at:  www.broadwaytheatre.com

Westchester Broadway Theatre

1 Broadway Plaza

Elmsford, NY 10526

Come and celebrate the Best of Westchester Party, hosted by Westchester Magazine.

This fun filled event will have Westchester’s best offerings, from top restaurants to the finest services in the entire county. This annual gathering takes place at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle on Wednesday, July 22nd. This exciting night will feature samples from restaurant winners in numerous categories and services such as salons offering mini massages! Other catagories include best cinemas, best golf course, museums, galleries, best contractors, landscapers, bath and kitchen designers, boutiques, best book stores and more. The Best of Westchester Party is an evening you don’t want to miss. Dance, socialize, sample great foods and meet the 348 winners at this grand gathering.

For purchasing tickets and more information:

http://www.westchestermagazine.com/Westchester-Magazine/Best-of-Westchester/Tickets/

I recently visited Terra Rustica Due, located in Mount Kisco, New York. This is a new Italian Restaurant with the same owners as Terra Rustica, located in Briarcliff Manor. Although I have never been to the Briarcliff Manor location, I thoroughly enjoyed Terra Rustica Due. This is a fantastic new restaurant for Italian-food-lovers to try! Upon walking in the restaurant, I noticed the classic molding with curved settees and hand painted tables, not to mention a dark wooded bar.

As a seafood fan, I was pleased with the multitude of fresh seafood dishes available on the menu, from Tilapia Con Puree Di Broccoli to Seafood Pasta. I was told by the manager that all the seafood served is “extremely fresh”. If seafood isn’t your favorite, there are plenty of other dishes available on the menu. Terra Rustica Due prides themselves with their homemade pasta. There is a variety of pasta dishes available on the menu to try! In addition there were several innovative salad dishes on the menu, each with a unique assortment. The Insalata Di Crescione was served beautifully in a parmesan cheese basket.
For our meal we began with a family size dish of Rollatini Di Melezane. This eggplant rollatini was baked in the restaurants pizza oven, allowing for a heavenly taste.

As another appetizer we ordered two salads, Insalata Di Crescione and Insalata Di Frissee. The Insalata Di Crescione was gorgeously presented in a parmesan cheese basket with watercress, roasted walnuts, corn, pears and gorgonzola inside the basket. The Insalata Di Frissee was a scrumptious salad accompanied with apples, roasted pecans, goat cheese and cherry vinaigrette dressing. This is a fresh light tasting salad, perfect for the summer months. My husband had Lobster Ravioli in a pink cream sauce for the entrée.

I enjoyed the Zuppa Di Pesce, this beautifully presented entrée consisted of clams, mussels, calamari, scallops, and shrimp in a light marinara sauce.  My daughter ordered the Petto Di Pollo Con Scamorza. This chicken dish is comprised of diced zucchini, portabella mushrooms and topped with fontina cheese, in a white wine roasted chicken sauce, served with mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes. As a side we enjoyed Penna Alla Sisina. This wonderful penne pasta was accompanied with fresh tomato sauce with diced eggplant and fresh mozzarella cheese.

Although we were quite full, we could not miss out on dessert! To complete our dinner, we had flan, a nice way to finish a great meal.

TERRA RUSTICA DUE

77 South Moger Ave Mt. Kisco, New York 10549

Ph: 914 666 7005

http://www.terrarusticaristorante.com