Recently in Events Category

As the weather cools, our thoughts turn to beer. Okay, not really. We like beer any time. But the beer gods have bequeathed this a special time of year. 

Liquor.com has launched NYC Cocktail Week for the next two weeks (yes, we've ranted about this before) featuring a number of top cocktail spot such as Death & Co, Clover Club and Rye. Just pop in and ask for the NYC Cocktail Week menu - $20.11 for 2 drinks and an appetizer. Sounds like a good deal to us. Now through June 29.

The hangover is almost gone from the Beard After Parties. Is it us or are the sous chefs getting younger and younger? Congrats to The Modern & Belinda Chang on their win for "Outstanding Wine Service." And thanks for the Bolli.

Rosé season is upon us even if the weather is always so cooperative. The other night we came across an amazing rosé at Dell'Anima (38 8th Avenue) - 1999 Etna Rosato from Calabretta in Sicily. This wine, made from grapes on volcanic Mt. Etna, is aged for 10 years(!), yielding a dark red rosé with a complex, dry finish. A recent release, you can also find it at Astor Wines or $19.97 (photo courtesy Astor Wines). Well worth seeking out.

On April 27, support the relief efforts in Japan at NY Loves Japan: A Sake & Food Fundraising Event taking place at la Venue (269 11th Avenue). Over 100 sakes will be available for sampling, as will dishes from 15 restaurants. 

The Natural Wine Company (211 N. 11th, Williamsburg) is one of a series of restaurants and shops closed by recent fires. Now they're set to reopen tomorrow 2/4 and to sweeten the deal, they will have a tasting of wines from one of Spain's finest wineries, Lopez de Heredia, from 5pm - 8pm.

Fi-Di shop California Wine Merchants (15 Bridge Street, website) is having a big tasting tonight of six different wineries from Napa Valley including highly rated XTANT and Amuse Bouche.

Astor Wines & Spirits (399 Lafayette Street) has a free scotch tasting tonight from 6pm - 8pm. Try four different single malts from the Isle of Jura and Dalmore: Dalmore 12, Isle of Jura Prophecy, Isle of Jura Superstition and Dalmore 18.

Today is Sake Day and Sakaya (324 E. 9th Street) is celebrating with tastings of 6 sakes from one of US' best sake importers, World Sake Imports.

The World Cup starts this Friday in South Africa and NYC is teeming with opportunities to cheer on various national squads. Here are some venues to watch the hopes and dreams of 31 nations die on the pitch (the 32^nd team wins, naturally).

Live games start early, so we recommend taking a few weeks off - no one's gonna miss you...

Germany

LES Biergarten Loreley (7 Rivington Street) serves up beer, sausages and all things German with live showings of the 10am and 2:30pm games (plus early Germany games). Expect rabid German fans and "soccer rolls" featuring the foods of participating nations.

Italy

The Azzurri storm back to defend their title and Scuderia (257 6^th Ave) will share the experience with the world - on an outside screen.

France

Can Les Bleus regain their form sans Zidane? Try Cercle Rouge (241 W. Broadway) or Felix (340 W. Broadway) for all things sacre football. Just don't be surprised if there is a lot of lamenting about how the last Cup went down.

Brazil

Can perennial favorites Brazil pull it off? Esperanto (145 Ave C) has a bonus for the Brazil matches - get shots of cachaca whenever Brazil scores, which should be often enough to get you into trouble, especially when they kick some Kim Jong Il butt on 6/15.

Spain

Boqueria (53 W. 19^th & 171 Spring St) will show the 10am and 2:30pm games live (7:30am games will be aired at Noon, cancel that business lunch). For the first week, get a free order of churros & chocolate or bravas & beer at the 10am games. Cheer on World #2 Spain as they go for their first Cup.

USA

Americans are certainly not discriminating with their sports - cars driving around in circles, overweight men smashing into each other, that sort of thing - but football (aka soccer) has never caught on here. Perhaps this year will be the turning point since the Red, White & Blue got to the finals of a tourney before getting throttled by Brazil. Options include fratty Village Pourhouse with its numerous TV screens and Southern Hospitality with 14 screens and drink specials.

Other Options:

Newbie Sunburnt Calf (226 W. 79^th) will show all games live including the 7:30am matches. $2 buds will help ease the early morning pain. Some of the BR Guest restaurants including Wildwood BBQ (225 Park Ave South) will open 30 minutes prior to the first game and serve special breakfast menus. Double Crown (316 Bowery) will have a do-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar, the ideal way to start a long day in front of the tube. Or just hit up Nevada Smiths (74 Third Ave), the NYC go-to spot for all things football related.

California winemakers gone maverick are featured at two winemaker dinners this coming week.

Tony Coturri's wines have grown on us over the years and he has become the preeminent American organic winemaker. This Tuesday 5/11, he and the Organic Wine Journal will be hosting a nose-to-tail suckling pig dinner at Resto (111 E. 29th St). The meat-acular will be paired with several terrific Coturri wines including the 2006 Estate Zinfandel. $75 excluding tax & tip, reservations at 212-685-5585.

On Thursday 5/13, Steve Edmunds of Edmunds St. John will be hosting a dinner at Belcourt (84 Second Avenue) together with Chambers Street Wines. Four courses will be paired with eight (!) wines, all made in the Rhone style with minimal intervention. $75 all inclusive, reserve by calling Chambers Street Wines at 212-227-1434.

Last night was the usual debauchery post James Beard and once again leading the pack was Daniel Boulud, who is quite the terror with magnums of champagne.

First stop was Bar Boulud for some swanky Pommery and pate. All was mellow until the maestro himself showed, carrying an innocent looking magnum. Before the sedate crowd knew it, he went at it in style, jerking the bottle open and spraying unsuspecting onlookers. Hours later, he appeared again, this time at Eleven Madison Park, where he (owner Best Restaurant) climbed onto a table with Daniel Humm (Best Chef NYC) for a jubilant, end-of-campaign style coronation. The crowd went nuts as they received a double-four star soaking.

In between, there was the packed bar at Marea, with free-flowing prosecco, and Ma Peche, which was oddly sedate and empty fairly quickly. Ma Peche had a keg going and a nice Cremant de Jura, but with the crowds flocking downtown, it was clear the location is not a late night draw. The room itself is unremarkable and the big X in the middle of the room is not exactly a genius move. Has Chang met his Waterloo? Time will tell.

Back to 11 Mad, where the DJ and out of control partiers made it too overwhelming to enjoy. The bubbly was flowing - but only from the jammed bar - and there were beer stations throughout the house. Nice touch, those plastic cups too. Till next year...

Astor Wines (399 Lafayette Street) heads to Spain today for its "Astor Tuesdays" promotion. All Spanish wines are 15% off. Peruse all 123 selections here.

In addition, next Tuesday, Astor Center has an event with renowned Spanish winery Lopez de Heredia. Meet the winemaker and taste some delicious wines - seven will be poured including a 1981 Vina Bosconia G.R. that retails for $110. Tickets are available online.

Spring means the first sakes of the year and they are some of our favorites. These bright, fresh tasting expressions of sake are also unpasteurized, hence the designation "nama," which also means draft. This weekend you can taste four different spring nama sakes at two separate tastings.

The first is at Sakaya (324 E. 9th Street) on Friday - perhaps the finest nama we have ever tasted, Masumi Arabashiri. They'll be tasting this delicious sake from 6pm - 8pm.

The second is Saturday from 3pm - 5pm as Astor Wines & Spirits (399 Lafayette Street). Here you'll be able to try three namas: Harushika Shiboribana Junmai Ginjo Nama, Kamikokoro Toukagen Shiboritate Junmai Nama Genshu (genshu means cask strength) and Shutendouji "Oh-Onj" Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu.

Chambers Street Wines and Louis/Dressner Selections are holding another free mega tasting - this one on Saturday April 24 from 2pm to 5pm at City Hall Restaurant (131 Duane Street, Tribeca). 26 winemakers will be pouring an amazing array of wines - the full list is available on Chambers Street's website.

The store is taking reservations for the tasting - admission is on the half hour. Call 212-227-1434 or email with your preferred time.

Here's a new sake term for you - Hatsushibori. These are fresh, unpasteurized sakes from the first pressing and they appear just as winter begins to wind down. They don't last long, roughly 3 to 4 weeks, so tomorrow from 4pm - 6pm is your chance to taste three of them at Sakaya (324 E. 9th Street).

New York Vintners (21 Warren Street, Tribeca) has three events next week (Feb 1 - 3) centered on biodynamic and organic wine. Events include a vertical tasting of Mooiplaas wines from South Africa and a biodynamic and organic wine tasting,  Tickets for each cost $15 and proceeds benefit Slow Foods. Details on NY Vintner's website.

Aussie drink dens Bondi Road (153 Rivington St) and Sunburnt Cow (137 Ave C) are celebrating Australia Day today with all you can drink booze - 3 hours for $20. Steak sandwiches & burgers ($3) will help soak up the booze.

Not sure how the indigenous peoples of Australia deal with a celebration of the arrival of the British, but as long as they don't run screenings of the Nicole Kidman - Hugh Jackman fiasco Australia, it should be okay. There isn't enough booze in the world to make that film palatable.

A couple intriguing Eating & Drinking events next Monday January 25 -

Astor Center is holding an "Elements of Wine Class" with all proceeds being donated to Haiti relief efforts. Tickets are $75 ($50 with discount code) and fully deductible. More info at Astor Center's website.

Edible Manhattan is holding a cocktail celebration called "Good Spirits" at Almond (12 E. 22nd Street), featuring six chefs paired with six different liquors. Participating restaurants include Gramercy Tavern and Il Buco. More info and tickets ($40) here.

Chambers Street Wines has teamed with Louis/Dressner Selections for a wine tasting benefiting Haiti relief efforts tomorrow from 4pm to 7pm. Taste some excellent wines from Louis/Dressner, Douglas Polaner, Kermit Lynch, David Bowler and Michael Skurnik and make a donation to Partners in Health (if you can't make it, donate online at PIH.org). Suggested donations are $10 per person.

Chambers Street Wines tasting benefiting Haiti relief efforts
Saturday January 16, 4pm - 7pm
148 Chambers Street