Home Place: August 2018

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Labor Day Weekend at MGM Springfield

#NewTraditions For Labor Day Weekend at MGM Springfield

There's so much going on in New England for Labor Day! Why not start some #NewTraditions and spend the weekend at the **NEW** MGM Grand in Springfield Massachusetts!

MGM Springfield
One MGM Way
Springfield MA

MGM Springfield is kicking off its VERY first Labor Day Weekend with legendary entertainment from the ONE AND ONLY Stevie Wonder, a unique Bags & Brews cornhole tournament and the region’s coolest end-of-summer dining and entertainment experiences.

One of the most celebrated and prominent figures in popular music for decades – Stevie Wonder – will take the stage at MassMutual Center with “The Stevie Wonder Song Party: A Celebration of Life, Love & Music” on Saturday, Sept. 1.

The Plaza kicks off its reign as the new neighborhood hotspot beginning Saturday, Sept. 1 at 10 a.m. with the debut of Stretches and Spirits. Presented by local yoga studio Simply Grace, the event combines two centuries-old therapies for the mind, body and soul: beer and yoga. The event will be held on select Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout the month.

On Sunday, Sept. 2, amateur and seasoned cornhole fans alike will converge on The Plaza for the first-ever Bags & Brews Cornhole Tournament from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Competitors will vie for the top prize of $1,000 while trying to qualify for the American Cornhole League’s Championship of Bags. While the tournament spots are sold out, spectators can cheer on the teams with a cold beverage and delicious snack in hand while they enjoy live music on The Plaza.

For pre- and post-event dining or an indulgent meal this weekend, guests can enjoy an Amalfi Coast-inspired meal at Chef Michael Mina’s Cal Mare.

Amalfi Coast Inspired
Cal Mare
MGM Springfield

Or some great refined steakhouse fare at Chandler Steakhouse. Just look at this amazing space!

Chandler Steakhouse
MGM Springfield

For a more casual outing, TAP Sports Bar offers craft beers and elevated bar food in a carefree atmosphere made for socializing, featuring a 10-lane bowling alley, arcade and wall-to-wall big screen TVs airing all the best sports action.

Vintage Furnishings
Taps Sports Bar
MGM Grand

To see and be seen, guests can head to Commonwealth Bar and Lounge for nightlife and sophisticated libations like the Indian Side Car pictured below.

The Indian Side Car at
The Commonwealth Bar and Lounge
MGM Springfield

To learn more about what’s going on at MGM Springfield, please visit MGMSpringfield.com.

MGM Springfield

One MGM Way
Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 273-5000
https://www.mgmspringfield.com/en.html

About MGM Springfield

MGM Springfield covers three city blocks in the heart of downtown Springfield, Mass. Creating 3,000 permanent jobs and igniting a cultural and economic renaissance in a historic New England city, the resort, which combines new construction with revived historic buildings, offers more than 125,000 square feet of gaming space, a 250-room boutique hotel on Main Street, superior spa services, diverse retail and inspired dining headlined by award-winning Chef Michael Mina’s Cal Mare. MGM Springfield also features the seven-screen Regal luxury cinema complex, bowling lanes, a seasonal skating rink and outdoor marketplace displaying local art, events and talent. MGM Springfield opened on August 24, 2018. For additional information, please visit mgmspringfield.com.

Friday, August 24, 2018

Cirque Eloize at Foxwoods - Dinner - Drinks - and the Show

Social Media Promotion : Portions of this post were sponsored

Dinner, Drinks and Cirque Eloize at Foxwoods!

This year Cirque Eloize celebrates twenty-five years of combining the circus arts with other art forms. Their mastery of merging technology with unique and show-stopping acrobatic feats absolutely thrills audiences seeking sensually rich entertainment.

Fox Theater at Foxwoods Marque for Cirque Eloize Hotel

The Marque at The Fox Theater

It's only fitting that they selected Foxwoods Resort Casino to host the premiere showing of their latest creation Cirque Eloize Hotel running August 22 through September 2nd!

Together with my sister Sue and BFF Gayle, we headed up to Mashantucket CT for a 'girls night' out to catch the latest Cirque show at Foxwood's Fox Theater. We decided to make an evening of it, enjoying dinner and some shopping before the show. Foxwoods is also home to Tanger Outlets, so there's plenty of back to school shopping this 'tax free' week. There are ALWAYS great sales to be found at the outlets! I think the Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods just loves giving discounts! We got so many great deals!

Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods Resort Casino

After wearing out our wallets getting some great shopping in, we headed to The Sugar Factory for a bite to eat before the show. The Sugar Factory is known for all day / all night breakfast as well as great sandwich and dinner items on their FUN menu, delicious cocktails, and decadent milkshakes.

Rainbow Burger Flight at
Sugar Factory - Foxwoods Resort Casino

After delicious dinner of red velvet pancakes, the 'garbage' salad, and a chicken ceasar crepe, we headed over to the theater with plenty of time to spare to see the show.

Hotel is the story of a bustling hotel and the travelers who come passing through it. The show features an avant-garde stage design, inspired by the the art-deco-esque elegance of the great hotels. Here we see how travelers and staff intersect, collide and juxtapose for a brief time to generate tales and memories. We observe the complicated relationships and group camaraderie of hotel employees. We're allowed to peek into guest quarters as travelers prepare for their days, or experience sleepless and restless nights. Acrobatics, theater, dance and live music, will draw spectators into a colorful, timeless world.

Cirque Eloize Hotel Cast
Foxwoods Resort Casino

The show was fabulous! I can't believe the amazing performances and the acrobatic talents. Best of all, the show is family friendly!

After the show we visited the newly opened Stony Creek Brewery at Foxwoods for a final cocktail before heading back home after a fun night out! Although known for their great craft beers, they also offer cocktail and bar bites at the Foxwoods location.

Stony Creek Brewery at Foxwoods Resort Casino

After a fun night out with my favorite girls, we headed back home with warm thoughts and memories of delicious food, amazing choreography, and sweet cocktails.

Cocktails at
Stony Creek Brewery at Foxwoods

Don't miss out on this amazing acrobatic troupe visiting Foxwoods through September 2nd! Enjoy some great food, libation, and shopping while you're there!

All that remains is for YOU to enter through the lobby door and get swept away by the grandeur, poetry, and magic that is Cirque Eloize Hotel and Foxwoods Resort Casino!

Foxwoods Cirque Eloize DATES

Wednesday, August 22
Preview Night, Only $20! 7:30 PM

Thursday, August 23 7:30 PM
Friday, August 24 2:00 PM 8:00 PM
Saturday, August 25 2:00 PM 8:00 PM
Sunday, August 26 2:00 PM 7:00 PM

Tuesday, August 28 7:30 PM
Wednesday, August 29 2:00 PM 7:30 PM
Thursday, August 30 2:00 PM 7:30 PM
Friday, August 31 8:00 PM
Saturday, September 1 2:00 PM 8:00 PM
Sunday, September 2 2:00 PM 7:00 PM

Click HERE to buy tickets

Fox Theater
Foxwoods Resort Casino

350 Trolley Line Boulevard
Mashantucket, CT 06338
https://www.foxwoods.com/Cirque-Hotel/
Box Office: 1-800-200-2882

About Cirque Éloize

Considered a front runner in contemporary circus, fulfilling the expectations of an audience in quest of meaningful entertainment, Cirque Éloize has conjugated, for now 25 years, circus arts with a wide range of other art forms, as well as with technology. Check HERE to see if they're coming to a town near you!

About Foxwoods Resort Casino

Foxwoods Resort Casino is the premier resort destination in the Northeast. As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods offers a vast array of gaming in seven casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to quick service, world-renowned spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, and exclusive retailers. Perfect for both recreation and business, Foxwoods provides modern and versatile convention and meeting space to infuse new life into any meeting or event. Foxwoods Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a comprehensive look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.

Disclaimer: Portions of this post were sponsored by members of Foxwoods Resort Casino's management and marketing team, however, all the opinions expressed are our own.

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Flinders Lane - Stamford CT - Brunch

Social Media Promotion: Sponsored

Brunch at Flinders Lane in Stamford CT

In the fall of 2017, restaurateurs Chris Rendell and Chris McPherson introduced Flinders Lane to the city of Stamford! Flinders Lane is an Aussie themed restaurant and gathering place that pays homage to the multi-cultural Flinders Lane eclectic food scene found in the owners’ Melbourne Australia homeland.

Menu- Spring 2018
Note: Prices and offering are subject to change

Located on Stamford’s flourishing “Restaurant Row” on Summer Street, Flinders Lane takes up ground floor residence in the newly erected Summer House Luxury Apartments. The restaurant is certainly making its mark on the city with its boldly flavored and ingredient-driven land and sea menu, innovative beverage program, and whimsical and fun décor.

This is a place to enjoy great food - and have a lot of FUN!

Taking its cues from the original Flinders Lane, which Chef Rendell and McPherson opened in New York’s East Village in 2014, the menu incorporates more than just Aussie fare, and embraces today’s international food culture. Whether incorporating Southeast Asian influences or French-inspired techniques, the dishes feature a fresh, honest approach when highlighting the ingredients.

The kitchen is under the direction of Chef Brad Stewart, who hails from New South Wales, Australia’s beautiful wine country. Brad’s culinary journey is deeply rooted in high-end hotels and resorts throughout New York, DC, Australia, and Thailand.

And quite frankly, I could listen to Chef Brad speak with that great Aussie accent,

ALL. DAY. LONG.

The 80-seat restaurant includes a convivial bar and adjacent high-top and banquette seating. The beverage program stays true to the menu’s international slant and fresh attitude, which includes a wide array of uniquely named cocktails, like the Lillet Rose, the Melbourne CBD, and the Limoncello Collins.

The also have a great draft beer selection!

Here are some of the BRUNCH items we sampled this spring 2018.

We started with some traditional breakfast items.

Berry Wheat Cakes

Poached Egg and Greens
on Avocado Toast

Mushroom Toast

And then we moved on to the appetizer, entree, and sandwich items.

Oysters

Meat Pie of the Day

The Summer Salad Sandwich

The 'Roo Burger

We ended our visit with some amazing desserts. Many are from Chef Brad's family's favorite 'secret recipes'! Uh, hello! Can I be related to the Stewart family so I can have these recipes????

"Mum's" Carrot Cake

Grandma Stewart's
Sticky Bread Pudding

Pavlova

And I couldn't resist a little Aussie Espresso to end the most amazing brunch!

Be sure you visit Connecticut's own "land down under" at Flinders Lane soon! You'll be glad you did!

Flinders Lane Stamford

184 Summer Street
Stamford CT 06901
(203) 323-3137
https://www.flinderslane-nyc.com/location/stamford/

Disclaimer: We were invited to experience brunch by members of Flinders Lane's management and marketing team, however, the opinions expressed are entirely our own.

© Home Place 2018

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

The Big Chocolate Show at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel

THE BIG CHOCOLATE SHOW

From Cacao Bean to Confection,

Chocolate Takes Center Stage in NYC

Friday September 28 – Sunday September 30

Tickets on sale now

The Big Chocolate Show returns to New York City for its third year, Friday September 28 through Sunday 30 at The Wyndham New Yorker Hotel. More than 200 chocolatiers, artisans, chefs, authors, purveyors and experts from around the world will be offering chocolate tastings, live demonstrations, book signings and ticketed master tasting classes to attendees all weekend long at this family-friendly event that includes an Adults Only 21+ area.

Here are some of the offerings that guests can choose from at this year’s Big Chocolate Show:

Legends of Chocolate Awards

Friday, September 28 7 - 10pm

This special industry event kicks off The Big Chocolate Show and Chocolate Week NYC on Friday, September 28^th from 7-10 pm to induct the second Legends of Chocolate class, honoring those whose work impacts our contemporary world of chocolate. The 2018 Legends joining 2017 inductees Ed Sanguine, John Scharffenberger, Juan Carlos Motamayor and Sophie and Michael Coe will be announced on September 5^th.

Decadent Evening of Chocolate & Cocktails

Saturday, September 29 8pm - 10pm

During this two-hour walk-around tasting, hosted by The Cocktail Guru, guests are invited to visit stations stocked with an array of chocolate-friendly liquor brands that are paired with a selection of bespoke desserts and dishes made by NYC's premier chocolatiers and chefs. At the bar, chocolate purists and cocktail lovers can taste through signature lines of chocolates while watching some of NYC's finest mixologists shake, stir and serve custom libations designed to bring out the best in each variety. This event includes unlimited chocolate, pastry, spirit, and cocktail samples.

Learning Experiences

Saturday September 29 and Sunday September 30

Whether a cacao novice or a well-seasoned chocolatier, guests can customize their Big Chocolate Show experience by participating in one of the unique hour-long chocolate pairing sessions, demonstrations or tasting seminars, ranging in size from 15-100 on both Saturday and Sunday. After classes and demonstrations, guests will have an opportunity to mingle and connect with talent including Mona Changaris, Gail Gland, Kathryn Gordon, Zachary Golper, Rhonda Kave, Kristy Leissle, Francois Kwaku-Dongo, Miro Uskokovic, Nick Malgieri and Maricel Presilla and more.

Classes and tastings include: Chocolate & Coffee Tasting: Understanding the Roast; From Zero to 100: Tasting Cacao Percentages; Fine Flavors: How to Perfect Your Wine & Chocolate Pairing Skills; Futuristic Food: 3-D Chocolate Printing Experience; Chocolate Lollipop Making; Sips & Sweets: A Craft Cocktail & Chocolate Pairing Primer; Hand-Dipped Truffle Making; Learn to Temper Chocolate Like a Pro; Single Origins: A Tasting of Specialty Spices and Chocolate; Holy Molé! Learn to Make Tamales; Indoor S'mores Workshop; Cooking with Cacao: Savory Recipes Using Sweet Chocolate; Aloha Chocolate: A Hawaiian Chocolate Tasting; and The Straight Pour: How to Perfectly Pair Whiskey & Chocolate

Adults Only 21+ Area

New this year! Explore the cocktail side of cacao. Enjoy unlimited wines, beer, spirits samples and music during daytime activities all day long in the interactive Adults Only 21+ Zone.

Acclaimed Advisory Council & Presenters

The Big Chocolate Show is guided by a Steering Committee of esteemed chocolate professionals, chefs and chocolate innovators, and authors including Bernard Pacyniak, Michael Laiskonis, Caroline Lubbers, and Kristy Leissle, charged with providing guests the most unique class concepts and curated experiences.

“Whether it’s enjoying the health benefits of dark chocolate’s antioxidants, learning to pair whiskey and chocolate, having a front row seat to a private pastry arts class, witnessing a chocolate confection being made on a 3D printer, or satisfying your inner chocoholic, we’re thrilled to offer our guests new chocolate experiences that wow their minds and palettes this year.” said show producer and the President of Big Event Company and Wizard Studios, Matthew Saravay, “The Big Chocolate Show continues to grow, not only in size, but in the countless ways the cacao bean transforms itself into a thing of beauty and taste.”

Through ticket packages, chocolate lovers can customize their Big Chocolate Show experience by stopping by the show for a few hours, a full day or the whole weekend.

Legends of Chocolate Awards: A limited number of VIP tickets to this exclusive industry event are available for the general public. Adults only, $75.
All Access Weekend Pass: Designed for the serious chocolate enthusiast, who want to eat drink and enjoy chocolate for the weekend, this pass includes: Legends of Chocolate Awards Ceremony, all four (4) Big Chocolate Show sessions, Decadent Evening of Chocolate & Cocktails, Adults Only 21+ Zone and four (4) Tasting Classes. Tickets: $276.
Day Pass Make a day of it! The day pass is for the chocolate lover who wants a taste of everything and includes: morning and afternoon sessions and two tasting or pairing classes and special access to the Adults Only 21+ Zone on either Saturday or Sunday. Adults, $88
Individual Session Tickets: This ticket is for the chocolate lover who wants to take in a world of chocolate in a few hours. Session tickets are available for either morning or afternoon sessions on either Saturday or Sunday. $25 per adult, $15 per child under 12.
Family Pass: This pass for the chocolate loving family who wants to experience a world of chocolate for during a morning or afternoon session on Saturday or Sunday. $70.

About The Big Chocolate Show

Launched in 2016, by The Big Events Group, the Big Chocolate Show is a two-day multisensory chocolate experience committed to assembling the best of chocolate – from cacao to bar and beyond – under one roof An opportunity to meet chocolatiers, artisans, chefs and experts from around the world and taste and purchase chocolate of all percentages, flavors, origins and creations, the show is rounded out by live demonstrations on the main stage, book signings with authors and pastry chefs and a variety of ticketed master tasting classes.

Twitter - TheBigChocShow
Instagram - thebigchocolateshow
Facebook – TheBigChocolateShow

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Cirque Éloize 25 Year Anniversary at Foxwoods Resort Casino

Cirque Éloize - A Special Celebration at Foxwoods

For its 25th anniversary, Cirque Éloize once again presents a touching, poetic, one-of-a-kind creation. This amazing acrobat troupe is a driving force of Quebec culture and a leader in the contemporary circus world. For 25 years Cirque Éloize has brought together the circus arts with other art forms as well as technology to thrill audiences seeking sensually rich entertainment.

Photo Source: Cirque Eloize

Acclaimed by over three million spectators, its creations iD, Cirkopolis and Saloon have been performed over FIVE THOUSAND times in over 500 cities all over the world.

And how lucky are we here in Connecticut?? Foxwoods is hosting the WORLD PREMIERE of Cirque Eloize Hotel!

Hotel is the story of a place and the travelers who come passing through it. A stopover where lives intersect, collide and juxtapose for a brief time to generate tales and memories. Acrobatics, theatre, dance and live music, will draw spectators into a colorful, timeless world. Avant-garde stage design, inspired by the elegance of the great hotels, will carry the narrative, complete with cinematographic projections and magical effects. All that remains is to enter through the lobby door and get swept away by the grandeur and poetry of Hotel.