Taking the “Bait” at Bait and Hook NYC

By: Anne M. Raso

The moderately priced Bait & Hook Seafood Shack recently took over this prime location from the much-missed Meatball Factory (reviewed here about a year ago). We loved the DIY genuine "seafood shack" appearance right down to the men and ladies' room, which looked like they were made of leftover supplies from a construction site down by the Jersey Shore. The lobster trap hanging from the ceiling as well as other nautical touches make Bait & Hook both casual and cozy.

Lobster trap hanging from the ceiling

Sweet Surprises at Francois Payard's FP Patisserie Preview Party

By: Finance Foodie

Last Monday night, renowned pastry chef Francois Payard held an opening party for his return to the Upper East Side with his brand new concept, FP Patisserie. Located on 3rd and 74th, this shop offers not only a variety of Payard's well known decadent desserts, but also French bistro style savory options - much like his old haunt, Payard Patisserie & Bistro. I had a chance to check this place out during my visit to NYC - so here's sneak peak of what to expect!

Champagne - a staple for any party! 

New York City Wine and Food Festival Day 2: Brunch with Paula Deen

By: Finance Foodie 

[Continued from Day 1]

The last day of my New York Wine and Food Festival weekend went out with a bang - as in brunch Ms. Paula Deen, aka the queen of southern comfort food. Being from the south, my mouth salivated as I glanced at the menu, which featured Paula's favorites from south of the Mason-Dixon line.

New York City Wine and Food Festival 2012 Day 1: A Toast with Charles Krug

By: Finance Foodie 

Charles Krug was Napa Valley’s first winery, established in 1861. The creation of the Family Reserve Generations wines was a fortuitous experiment by Marc back in 1991. The Family Reserve Generations wines are among the most sought after in the Charles Krug – Peter Mondavi Family portfolio. During Day One of my New York Wine and Food Festival weekend, I had the pleasure of tasting eight vintages of this elegant wine, starting with the first masterpiece from 1991.

You had me at hello....

Party All Fall: Carlos Santana's Tequila and Kohl's Spring Preview

By Anne M. Raso

[Continued from Party All Fall Part 1]

Carlos Santana is a man with a whole empire these days, and it includes custom guitars, lady's shoes and more. Most recently, he hooked up with Casa Noble tequila as an owner and there was a small, private event thrown in his honor at the uber exclusive Core Club in Midtown. Santana's decision to become an owner is most definitely not about making money as much as it is giving employment to hundreds of people who would normally be struggling. These employees do everything from harvesting the agave nectar to putting the silver labels on the classy bottles and the guitar legend seems to be about the most caring boss around. In case you are not familiar with this luxury brand, Casa Noble is premium 100 per cent blue agave tequila and is one of only three organic tequilas available.

Casa Noble Tequila

Party All Fall: Led Zeppelin Celebration Day to the World Yacht's Beauty Brunch

By: Anne M. Raso

Fall party season must be in ramp mode, for I have been to quite a diversity of parties lately -- ranging from the World Yacht's Beauty Brunch for the Cause Cruise to the Kohl's Spring Preview Bash. In this two part series, I'll give you all the scoop on what's been going on around town!

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Goodies!

Raising a Glass to Mohegan Sun's First Annual Sun BrewFest

By: Finance Foodie

For all those beer aficionados, or those who just love a good brew on the weekend, the Mohegan Sun’s first annual Sun BrewFest last weekend was the place to be. Attendees got to sample over 100 beers, including microbrews, imports, domestics, limited edition batches and malt liquors from across the country. Revelers also got a first hand opportunity to chat with brew masters to understand their brewing methods and techniques - not too shabby at all for a $20 per head admission price!

The Oranges: A Conversation With Hugh Laurie About His Unusual On-Screen "Squeeze" And More!

By: Anne M. Raso

There are a lot of TV shows set in NJ these days from Jerseylicious to The Jersey Shore to The Real Housewives Of New Jersey--so it comes as no surprise that a bunch of movies set in NJ are starting to come out The Oranges is a dark comedy about two families in the West Orange, NJ area that have been friends for decades. When one family’s rebellious daughter (played by Leighton Meester) returns home for Christmas and has an affair with one of the father figures in the clan (played by Hugh Laurie), it forces everyone to think twice about what happiness really means to them. We obviously can't give away any spoilers here but you can see this quirky comedy soon enough--it starts it's limited run this Friday. (And if you are wondering if it was really shot in West Orange--no! It was shot in New Rochelle, NY, which looks very similar; director Julian Farino wanted to take advantage of the generous tax breaks NYC gives production companies that film there.)

The Cast of The Oranges