So this is how you picture Canadian wine, eh??
Let's set the record straight about Ontario wine country once and for all, there's a whole lot more to it than ice wine (though that's pretty good, too).
Located so near to Toronto, it's a must-try for any enophile visiting the Great White North. (You should trust me, I'm Canadian.)
Here are 10 tips for touring Niagara-on-the-Lake's best wineries. Oh, and did we mention a haunted bar?
http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Web-2012/Ontario-Wine-Country-10-Touring-Tips/
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Borgias-Inspired Libations: Machiavelli Manhattan?
Is anyone else obsessed with The Borgias?
For cocktail fans like us, we fully realize it's all about Mad Men in terms of drinks slammed per prime-time episode. But frankly, people were throwing them back in Pope Alexander VI's time, too.
Now it's obvious Manhattans were not all the rage during the Renaissance, but we could totally see our hero (Machiavelli, duh!) drinking this variation of our favorite Bourbon-based cocktail: The Prince.
The Prince
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
2 1/2 ounces Bourbon
Dash Angostura Bitters
1 orange twist, for garnish
Pinch of edible gold dust, add for dramatic effect
Elaborate velvet puffy sleeves are not a requirement to consume.
For cocktail fans like us, we fully realize it's all about Mad Men in terms of drinks slammed per prime-time episode. But frankly, people were throwing them back in Pope Alexander VI's time, too.
Now it's obvious Manhattans were not all the rage during the Renaissance, but we could totally see our hero (Machiavelli, duh!) drinking this variation of our favorite Bourbon-based cocktail: The Prince.
The Prince
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
2 1/2 ounces Bourbon
Dash Angostura Bitters
1 orange twist, for garnish
Pinch of edible gold dust, add for dramatic effect
Elaborate velvet puffy sleeves are not a requirement to consume.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Spotted: Top Chef Tiffani Faison, Home on the Range
Guys and dolls...it's been a while. But things have been banging.
Want to know where we've been?
Montana, y'all. AKA Man-tana. That's right New York ladies, the ratio of men to women in Big Sky country is something like 4:1 and the drinking age is seemingly as soon as you can ride a horse. (Which is like, 5 or something.)
That means a lot of eating, drinking and...fire-making.
And while we were not there to let any cowboys take us away, we did have the pleasure of attending the Montana Master Grillers weekend at The Resort at Paws Up (a luxe resort known for glamping) over Memorial Day Weekend, where Top Chefs Tiffani Faison and Ed Lee competed in a Bad Ass Burger Dash, created wine, beer and cider-paired dinners and engaged in highly imaginative karaoke acts. We respectfully chose not to post a video.
We think all that protein inspires greater range. Yeehaw!
Want to know where we've been?
Montana, y'all. AKA Man-tana. That's right New York ladies, the ratio of men to women in Big Sky country is something like 4:1 and the drinking age is seemingly as soon as you can ride a horse. (Which is like, 5 or something.)
That means a lot of eating, drinking and...fire-making.
And while we were not there to let any cowboys take us away, we did have the pleasure of attending the Montana Master Grillers weekend at The Resort at Paws Up (a luxe resort known for glamping) over Memorial Day Weekend, where Top Chefs Tiffani Faison and Ed Lee competed in a Bad Ass Burger Dash, created wine, beer and cider-paired dinners and engaged in highly imaginative karaoke acts. We respectfully chose not to post a video.
We think all that protein inspires greater range. Yeehaw!
Labels:
Burgers,
Competition,
Eating Well,
Food for Thought,
Food TV,
grilling,
karaoke,
LOL,
Montana,
top chef
Thursday, May 12, 2011
The Baby is Baaack! With some Top Secret, Savory Gossip Too...

Sorry dolls, but there's been a lot of wining and dining (and whining) going on here at City City. After all, it is our job to Bang Bang.
Between the Austria Uncork'd event, Destination: Charleston and Santa Monica (check out WineMag.com), we've been pretty tied up. We'd like you all to know that for the past 3 months we've been slaving away over a fabulous, top-secret, Top 100 restaurants issue over at Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
In August, our Editors will reveal our top 100 picks for winos--oops!--i meant wine lovers (and best restaurants for beer lovers, and best spots for spirits lovers). You know who you are!
So let the countdown begin. You will be surprised, entranced, and seduced into splurging at some of these spots. Also, follow me on twitter @lexisips. Because you're thirsty, admit it.
Labels:
extended absences,
gastronomic gossip,
travel,
Wine Enthusiast
Friday, January 28, 2011
Best Bar You'll Probably Get Kicked Out Of

Jennifer Aniston is always working out (compulsively, *shudder*) at the gym downstairs when she stays here. Rob Pattison and Kristen Stewart make out over spaghetti (Disney style) at Locanda Verde next door. And now you're trying to sip cocktails behind the glass door, through the lobby, to the left, at this unnamed bar with a killer fireplace that nobody wants you to know about.
If you're lucky, you're sitting on a plush couch in the chillest space possible, reserved for major, stadium-filling and slightly aging rockstars roasting before the flames like marshmallows, eyeing inappropriately their cohorts and miscellaneous, underdressed glitterati. So don't mess this one up, okay?
Order the fig cocktail and you won't be sorry.
Greenwich Hotel
377 Greenwich Street
International Meats

I know you bitches are hungry...feast your eyes here.
Labels:
eye candy,
meat,
Unfortunate mixed metaphors
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Where is the Hawaiian Sweet Bread?
After returning from a nice (albeit rainy) trip to Cali to see the familia, I was reminded of a Left Coast fave: King's Hawaiian sweet bread.

After putting two rolls of the stuff into my purse (lol) for the flight, I realized that this product is seriously addictive.
Once you start eating it, seriously, you kind of can't stop. So I searched four delis and three major grocery stores, and so far I've come up empty handed. Where can you find Hawaiian sweet bread in NYC? I mean really, is this too much to ask in a city where you can get whatever you want whenever you want?
It doesn't even have to be the King's bread. I would take the Lord Privy Seal of Hawaiian bread if that makes it easier to find.

After putting two rolls of the stuff into my purse (lol) for the flight, I realized that this product is seriously addictive.
Once you start eating it, seriously, you kind of can't stop. So I searched four delis and three major grocery stores, and so far I've come up empty handed. Where can you find Hawaiian sweet bread in NYC? I mean really, is this too much to ask in a city where you can get whatever you want whenever you want?
It doesn't even have to be the King's bread. I would take the Lord Privy Seal of Hawaiian bread if that makes it easier to find.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Goldfinger's Lair? Tzigan, New York

There seems to be enough gold in new MePa club Tzigan to potentially settle the national debt.
Tzigan, which is an obscure reference to a band of gypsies, is located on the lower level of Villa Pacri, below the Italian-bistro hybrid resto, La Gazzetta. And it is a room decked out in gold, gold and more gold. So much gold, in fact, that we're concerned it may be Goldfinger's underground lair. Only a villanous creature intent on world domination could dream up such a space!
Tzigan is the type of place where a certain supermodel might throw a diamond-encrusted cell phone at her foolhardy assistant--only to be blinded by the bling all around and awkwardly miss, shattering another celeb's Lalique-bottled, 25 year old Scotch. Not that we witnessed such a scandal at Tzigan. But we're just saying, it could happen at a place like Tzigan.
Here's more on Tzigan, courtesy of amNY.
Labels:
amNY,
celebrity hangout,
Club review,
cocktails,
over-the-top
Wine Horoscope

Palm readers. Frightening fortune tellers (like the one pictured here). The bizarre machine in that weird Tom Hanks movie, BIG.
There's no need to resort to extremes, people. You can figure out what the stars have in store for you--especially if it relates to drinking.
I wrote a highly controversial "Wine By Sign" article for WineMag.com. Sheesh...I really got a lot of crap for that one. But I have to say, it was surprisingly accurate for readers.
Click here to read your wine horoscope.
Does it resonate for you? Or does it drive you to the drink?
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