Allow me to share with you a recent trip I took to Tuscany, while never leaving New York City. That’s right…you read that correctly. It happened in NoHo on the corner of East 4th and Lafayette Streets. Enter ASTOR CENTER.
The food and wine pairing event known as “The Italian Culinary Experience” was put together by Casa Vinicola Zonin, Italy’s largest privately held wine company. The cuisine featured was prepared by Mauro Maccioni and his team of chefs from NYC’s very own Le Cirque restaurant. The wines were from the Castello d’Albola and Rocca de Montemassi estates. The pasta was from Delverde.
As you can see by the above photo, it was definitely an experience. Five delectable wines exquisitely paired to a six course meal where the flavors of Tuscany came together in a most wonderful way. An experience where all that seemed to be missing was a breeze coming off of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Yes, it was that good! As the wine continued to flow, and between dishes, we were treated to the story behind Casa Vinicola Zonin.
What’s that? Where can you pick up a bottle…or three? I recommend going down to Spirits of Carmine located on Carmine Street, between Bleecker and Bedford Streets, in the West Village.
Contributed by Orlando Manuel
Jessica Tiare Bowen lives in the juicy Big Apple with her adorable pink-nosed chihuahua, Gillman. He’s the inspiration for her first published children’s book, “Park Avenue Pound Puppy.” The book is the combined result of her two greatest passions: pooches and penning stories.
Her passions include art, urban hikes through Manhattan, drinking coffee with 3 creams and 6 sugars, making extremely detailed itineraries and traveling to far away places, singing along to Broadway shows, Netflix movie nights, discovering incredible treasures at Goodwill and thrift stores, and listening to stories from little people under 7 and big people over 70.
She started her career as New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching elementary school and theater arts at a special education school in the South Bronx for 6 years. She is now a Special Education School Improvement Specialist working in public schools throughout New York City. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the online New York City travel magazine, Used York City. The magazine focuses on finding the best of New York…as used by New Yorkers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and an ASPCA Ambassador.
