Westchester Magazine's 5th Annual Wine and Food Festival

Restaurants Announced!

Westchester Magazine’s 5th Annual

Wine & Food Festival June 3^rd- 6^th

Westchester County - New York

Chefs Begin to Line Up for Burger & Beer Blast and Grand Tasting Village!

Westchester Magazine’s 5th Annual Wine & Food Festival, to be held June 3^rd - 6^th, will feature more than 100 of the County’s top restaurants over the course of four days.  

As one of the premier culinary gatherings in the Northeast, the Festival draws more than 4,500 people from across the New York Metro area and beyond. The event will also feature 150 world-class wines selected by the experts at Zachys of Scarsdale.

“The buzz surrounding Westchester Magazine’s 5th Annual Wine & Food Festival has continued to grow since we began five years ago. This year’s theme is farm-to-table, giving our participating restaurants the opportunity to spotlight some of their favorite locally sourced seasonal ingredients,” said Ralph Martinelli, Publisher of Westchester Magazine. “We are pleased to welcome back many of our favorite chefs along with numerous trendsetting new restaurants to our lineup.”

Burger & Beer Blast

This extremely popular event will be held at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla on Thursday, June 4 from 6:00-10:00 p.m. Participating restaurants will feature top-rated burgers from a wide array of restaurants from all corners of the county. The 2015 lineup includes:

• 5 Napkin Burger (opening soon in Yonkers) 
• 42 Restaurant and Events (White Plains)
• 105-Ten Bar & Grill (Briarcliff Manor)
• An American Bistro (Tuckahoe)
• AJs Burgers (New Rochelle)
• Beascake’s Bakery (Armonk)
• Brother Jimmy’s BBQ (White Plains)
• Bull and Barrel Brew Pub (Brewster)
• Cedar Street Grill (Dobbs Ferry)
• Coals Pizza (Bronxville and Port Chester)
• Dan Rooney’s Café & Bar (Yonkers)
• Emma’s Ale House (White Plains)
• Good-Life Gourmet (Irvington)
• Le Jardin du Roi (Chappaqua)
• License 2 Grill (Thornwood)
• Memphis Mae’s (Croton-On-Hudson)
• MP Taverna (Irvington)
• MTK Tavern (Mt. Kisco)
• Nonna’s Brick Oven Pizzeria & Restaurant (Peekskill)
• Peekskill Brewery (Peekskill)
• Piper’s Kilt (Eastchester)
• Rye Roadhouse (Rye)
• Thyme Restaurant (Yorktown Heights)
• Westchester Burger Co. (White Plains)
• X20 Xaviars on the Hudson (Yonkers)

Specialty food trucks will also be featured including the Souvlaki Truck, Road Hog, Jimmy’s Soft Serve, Walter’s Hot Dogs and Dough Nation. Additionally, beer will also be provided by Manhattan Beer Distributors and live music will set the tone for an exciting evening!

Grand Tasting Village

Entirely new this year, the Grand Tasting Village will also take place at Kensico Dam Plaza on Saturday, June 6 from 12:00-5:00 p.m. Chef Demos will be held at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. Guests can revel in the best of Westchester’s food and wine scene with a special focus on farm-to-table including a first-ever Mini Farmers’ Market. Among the participating restaurants to date are:

• Amore Cucina & Bar (Scarsdale)
• Brother Jimmy’s BBQ (White Plains)
• BLT Steak (White Plains)
• Blue Moon Mexican Café (Bronxville)
• Cafe of Love (Mt. Kisco)
• Campagna (Bedford)
• Cathy’s Biscotti (White Plains)
• Chocolations (Mamaroneck)
• Clock Tower Grill (Brewster)
• Coffee Labs Roasters (Tarrytown)
• Cooper’s Mill (Tarrytown)
• Crabtree’s Kittle House (Chappaqua)
• Dan Rooney’s Café & Bar (Yonkers)
• Dolphin Restaurant (Yonkers)
• Fifty Two Soups
• Good-Life Gourmet (Irvington)
• Iron Horse Grill (Pleasantville)
• Ladle of Love (Mt. Kisco)
• L’inizio (Ardsley)
• Lola’s Mexican Kitchen (White Plains)
• Mambo 64 (Tuckahoe)
• Nonna’s Brick Oven Pizzeria & Restaurant (Peekskill)
• One Twenty One Restaurant (North Salem)
• Penny Licks Ice Cream (Irvington)
• Polpettina (Eastchester and Larchmont)
• Red Plum (Mamaroneck and White Plains)
• RiverMarket (Tarrytown)
• Ruth’s Chris Steak House (Tarrytown)
• Sonora (Port Chester)
• Texas de Brazil (Yonkers)
• TRUCK Restaurant (Bedford)
• Wolfert’s Roost (Irvington)
• Zuppa Restaurant (Yonkers)

The Mini Farmers’ Market, which will feature a variety of meats, cheeses, produce and baked goods, will include: John Boy’s Market, Plum Plum’s Cheese, DoReMe Farms, Larchmont Charcuterie and Meredith’s Bakery. And Roaming Pizza will have its food truck on site. Stay tuned! More restaurants are being added each week.

In addition to these events, the Wine & Food Festival will include:

• Wednesday, June 3: Celebrity guest Kathie Lee Gifford will be back to host a special evening of Fashion, Food and Wine at Bloomingdale’s in White Plains.
• Friday, June 5: An Evening with Westchester’s Tastemakers at 42 Restaurant and Events in White Plains will showcase 10 of Westchester’s top chefs at a “dinner by the bite” reception (chefs to be announced soon!).
• Saturday, June 6: Jr. Chefs Academy - Kids in the Kitchen at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester in White Plains will give children ages 7-17 a unique culinary experience.

Westchester Magazine’s 5th Annual Wine & Food Festival proudly supports two local not-for-profit organizations: Friends of Westchester County Parks, committed to the preservation and conservation of 18,000 acres of parks and trails, and the Food Bank for Westchester, dedicated to ending hunger in Westchester County.

Zachys returns as a partner with Westchester Magazine’s 5th Annual Wine & Food Festival. A multi-generational business, Zachys is devoted to promoting the connection between great food and high-quality wines and spirits.

Tickets on Sale Now!  Visit westchestermagazine.com/winefood for complete details.

Westchester Magazine’s 5th Annual Wine & Food Festival brings together the top chefs and wine experts in Westchester County with more than 100 top restaurants and 200 world class wines from June 3-6, 2015. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to the Food Bank for Westchester and Friends of Westchester County Parks. 

The Grog Shoppe for Burgers in Schenectady NY

We recently took a three-day getaway to Schenectady New York to visit our niece Nicole at Union College. We couldn't have picked a better time to go! The Union College Men's Hockey team was competing that weekend for the Frozen Four NCAA Championship in Pittsburgh PA, and the entire campus was in a festive and celebratory mood to commemorate the occasion! And THEY WON!!

One place we always go when visiting is the Grog Shoppe on the corner of Erie Boulevard and State Street in downtown Schenectady.

The Grog Shoppe in Schenectady New York

A typical college town restaurant, the Grog Shoppe is known for their hearty food and appetizers at affordable prices. We've never been disappointed with the food there and always order one of their creative burgers.

A little known fact about the restaurant location and Erie Boulevard in general, is that it was once a section of the Erie Canal System. In 1925 it was filled in and renamed "Erie Boulevard" and is now a major thoroughfare in the downtown district.

On this visit we skipped the appetizers and ordered a couple of the Grog's famous hand pampered (hand formed) half pound freshly ground beef burgers.  Burgers come with chips and a pickle and you can request fries for an additional $.95. That's right! Only 95 cents! (prices April 2014)

Nicole and I both ordered the Grog Burgers with sweet potato fries. The Grog Burger is made with Bacon, Melted Swiss Cheese, a slice of Grilled Pineapple, exotic spices, and their own special sauce, served on a grilled roll. Crazy as a pineapple sounds on a burger it really tastes wonderful adding a subtle sweetness to the dish.

The Grog Burger
Yes, it's as good as it looks!

The Cowboy kept it simple and ordered the New Yorker Burger, made with melted cheese and bacon, with a side of fries.

The New Yorker

The Grog Shoppe serves everything from appetizers to dinners and burgers and deli-sandwiches. It's really got something for everything you're hankering for. Check our their menu HERE.

If you're in Schenectady - be sure to stop in!. It's a kitchy little place and a fun place to visit. Prices are great with burgers around $6.95 and dinners from $11.00 to $19.95.

The Grog Shoppe Dining Room

Off street parking is available next door and they're right across from the Schenectady train station.

The Grog Shoppe

277 State Street

Schenectady, NY 12305

(518) 374-199

Web: http://www.thegrogshoppe.com/index.htm

Foxcroft Blouses - Foxcroft Silver Soiree - NYC and Fashion

A few weeks back I was invited by the BoomBoxNetwork to attend Foxcroft Blouses' (AKA Foxcroft Collection)  Silver Soiree Anniversary Celebration in New York City.

Foxcroft is a subsidiary of the The Apparel Group LTD (TAG), who also own and operate Paperwhite, as well as the menswear companies, Maker & Co., Damon, and Enro.

Twenty-five years of great American sportswear - #Foxcroft25!

(L) Post-party - wearing my Foxcroft blouse - (R) Foxcroft25  Silver Soiree- NYC

I was honored beyond belief to be invited! First of all, because the event was limited to 100 of the best social media advocates and influencers in the greater New York City area, and second of all, because it was a fashion event targeted for the boomer generation and a professional market.

The event itself was fabulous! I traveled down with some of my fellow #CTBloggers, Wendy and Greg from Connecticut Bloggers, Natasha from One Woman's Style Evolution, Julie from A Year With Mom and Dad, and Hilary from My Own Blog Review. (Big thank you to Julie for driving and to Greg for navigating!).

The soiree was held in Maker & Co.'s design studio right in the heart of New York's Garment District. We were lucky enough to meet some of The Apparel Group's designers and marketing execs, and it was inspiring and interesting to hear how the clothes we wear are influenced by their travels and experiences. 

Take it from me, the design board for 2014 looks amazing!

Clockwise from top left: The designer's travel picture inspire the colors for the upcoming season,
Wendy and Hilary view the 2014 storyboard while Natasha tweets out some fashion news,
design spools of thread in my favorite preppy colors,
and Natasha and Wendy listen to Maker's designer  Chris Crowley explain the design team process

Before I move on to my fabulous Foxcroft Blouse, I need to also thank the other wonderful sponsors for this evening who gifted attendees with an amazing Swag bag. And a big thank you to Audrey from the BoomBoxNetwork for always supporting the members of GenerationFabulous, two of whom I met that night, Cathy from AnEmpoweredSpirit.com and Jennifer from ConnectWithYourTeens.net, ... and I can't forget Regina from Foxcroft who was so informative, all pictured below.

Thank you to RoC Skincare - Kinesys Sun screen -  Jax Coco Water - FusionIonz wristbands -  Galeos Miso Dressings -  Poo Poo Pourri -  Fresh Wave freshener -  Naugthy Betty napkins . Each of these amazing products deserve an exclusive write-up of their own, so look for future information on them back here on the Home Place Blog!

On to the Foxcroft blouse! 

As soon as it arrived - I knew I loved it and had selected the right color! It's the perfect shade of bright pink that can be worn through multi-seasons.

Spring? Pair it with grey. Summer? Pair it with white or bone. Winter? Pair it with black or navy. Autumn? Pair it with brown. Wear it on days you are looking for that perfect pop of color. Because my typical work attire is business professional, but my personal life is super casual, it's important that items in my wardrobe be multi-functional. This blouse certainly fits the bill.

It can go from work, be it with or without a jacket , and jacket open or closed...

#Foxcroft25

...and then it can transition to denim, for a casual get-together with friends after work at the beach.

#Foxcroft25

Best of all, it still looks great un-tucked...believe me - it's been a longgggg time since I've tucked in a shirt!

The blouse fits great - requires NO IRONING. (Hooray) and launders easily. 

I'd call that a slam-dunk - win * win * win! 

And now it's time to explain where YOU can find Foxcroft!

They're available in the U.S. and Canada at Nordstrom, Von Maur, Lord & Taylor and select Bloomingdale’s. 

Or you can purchase them directly online from Foxcroft at http://www.foxcroftcollection.com/

They run very true to size, and are extremely well made. No hanging threads, slipped stitches, or loose buttons. The blouse is well tailored with seams and darts throughout, so if your torso is square and not curvy you may want to size accordingly. On the day these pictures were taken I was wearing a padded undergarment which did cause slight pulling in the bust area - but on days I wear my typical foundation garments while wearing this blouse, this has never happened.

And in spite of the slight pulling - there were ZERO button gaps...that's a first for me! Thank you to the tailor who designed this blouse with the curvy girl's figure in mind!

Do you have any makers that tailor clothes that fit you well?  

Share the knowledge! I'd love to hear about them in the comments below!
PSST: Home Place uses comment moderation - your comment may not be visible for 24 hours.

For more pictures of the #Foxcroft25 Silver Soiree click HERE

and don't forget to "like" the Home Place Facebook page!

*******

Disclosure: I was invited to the Foxcroft Silver Soiree and received the blouse pictured as a thank you for my attendance. However, all opinions expressed herein are my own.

Day Trip to Port Jefferson from Connecticut on the Bridgeport Ferry

Recently, on what was likely the hottest day of the summer, my friends and I decided to take our annual summer day trip. We like to call ourselves Thelma, Louise, & Louise...but don't worry. No lives were lost - we're a little more low key.

This year, we decided to to take the Bridgeport Ferry to Port Jefferson, New York. 

We compromised on our departure time, we originally thought if we left super-early, we'd arrive in the cool morning hours...but after some thought, we realized we'd arrive there, only to find that nothing was open!

We decided on the 8:30 ferry, departing from Bridgeport, CT. Ferry service runs hourly, on the half-hour. The 2013 prices for a round-trip ticket for a "foot" passenger (no car) is $27.00 ($19.00 for a senior citizen round trip). You can also bring a car over, reservations required, for $54.00 each way (includes driver). There are also week-day specials of $74.00 with car (reservations required) and passengers. Costs may differ according to the size of your vehicle. Check their website for rates HERE.

There is free parking a few blocks from the ferry itself. Note there are two lots, a smaller one, closer to the ferry entrance, and a larger one a few blocks away. We first parked at the large one, and were concerned that there were no other cars there, drove a little closer, and discovered the other lot. The large lot is more of an "overflow" after the smaller one fills early in the morning. There is shuttle service that will drop you directly at the ferry from both parking areas.

clockwise from left, parking information, shuttle van, Bridgeport Ferry Center

And off we went!
Tickets are purchased on board - and when traveling with your car, even if you've already paid online, you still need to check in at the ticket office when you board. When you disembark, your tickets are collected.

Bridgeport Ferry to Port Jefferson

The ferry ride over is just over an hour and it was a beautiful morning. The sun was shimmering and reflecting off the water, and outside on the upper deck the ship's breeze was refreshing.

Bridgeport Ferry Ride to Port Jefferson - Morning Sun

As soon as we arrived, we got our bearings and walked around admiring the beautiful architecture, gardens, flowers, and scenery.

We stopped for a hazelnut iced latte and a mid-morning hydration (it was soooo hot out) at the Messina Market. It was just the pick me up I needed to start looking through some of the quaint little New England shoppes!

Messina Market - Hazelnut Iced Coffee / Latte

We found some cute little stores, but were surprised that many weren't open.  It was a Friday in July...so we weren't sure why. But for the stores that were open, there are some great finds to be found...

Don't you just love all the nautical themed merchandise, the jewelry, the driftwood items, and white washed furniture? I just love the beach cottage look! Someday it will all go in my little dream cottage on the beach. Biggest shopping regret of the day? Not buying those starfish earrings and necklace pictured above from the Kismet Boutique!

Sightseeing in Port Jefferson NY

Then we headed over to the Gourmet Burger Bistro to have some lunch. I know, I know, you're wondering why we're in a seaport and having burgers! Well my pal Thelma doesn't care much for seafood, so were were looking for a restaurant that had a good burger menu, and this looked like the place.

Gourmet Burger Bistro "GBB" - Port Jefferson NY

SCORE! I have to honestly say that we had the best burgers ever, and I've already promised the cowboy a return trip with me, just so he can see for himself!  I ordered the GBB Mini's pictured above, and it was all I could do to finish them! So good and I can't wait to return with the cowboy so we can do a food review!  YUM!!! Here's a link to the GBB Menu: http://www.gourmetburgerbistro.net/files/55837847.pdf

All in all we had a wonderful day! - BUT....

The skies opened up, and I do mean opened up, just as we were heading to the 3:00pm ferry returning to Bridgeport.

Raining in Port Jefferson NY

We got drenched! The good thing? By the time the ship set out to return to Bridgeport, the sun was out again and the warm sea breeze dried us off!

If you have the chance - take the Bridgeport ferry trip to Port Jefferson!

It's a fun and relaxing day!

Enjoy!

Have you been to Port Jefferson?

Did you have a shopping regret?

(Gosh - I just realized I didn't buy ANYTHING)

Where did you stop for lunch?

I'd love to hear about it in the comments below.

Big thanks to my traveling buddies for letting me use their photos! My laptop that holds my photos is not feeling well. Please hope it's not anything serious. But I'll post a link to all my pictures when I can! Thanks for patience.

UPDATE: Link to the Port Jeff pictures on Home Place HERE