Return of the Midweek Hangover: Vitos by the Park

I thought that my discerning, bargain hunting cocktail fans would appreciate knowing that Vito's by the Park has now thoughtfully extended their happy hour till 8pm! Enjoy!

The 1/2 priced apps that they are referring to are:
Formaggio Italiano: Mozzarella cheese battered with Italian bread crumbs and seasonings then lightly fried $6.95


Beef Carpaccio: Thinly sliced filet mignon served with arugula and shaved parmesan cheese $11.95


Goat Cheese & Mushrooms Tart: With tomatoes, Vidalia onions, and roasted fennel finished with blood orange balsamic glaze $9.95


Prosciutto Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp: Served with caramelized citrus sauce $10.95


Roasted Pepper & Gorgonzola Cheese Crostini: Fresh house made focaccia bread layered with prosciutto, peppers, cheese, and finished with red onion jam $9.95


Calamari alla Vito’s: Calamari sautéed with garlic, capers, tomatoes, and red onions in a sherry wine sauce $11.95

Fried Calamari: Rings and tentacles lightly fried with hot cherry peppers and served with cocktail sauce 10.95


Garlic Bread: Italian bread basted with garlic butter and topped with mozzarella cheese $6.25

Cocktail Culture: Ritual and Invention in American Fashion, 1920–1980 (At RISD)

Cocktail Culture: Ritual and Invention in American Fashion, 1920-1980 is the first multi-disciplinary exhibition to explore the social ritual of the cocktail hour through the lens of fashion and design. Organized by the RISD Museum of Art’s Department of Costume and Textiles, Cocktail Culture features stunning fashion apparel from Balenciaga to Schiaparelli, jewelry, textiles, decorative and fine art, film, photographs, and more. More than 220 objects are included, drawn from the Museum’s vast holdings and loans from other museums and private collections.

Related Programs

Cocktail Connected Design/ Sunday, April 17, 2 pm / Chace Center Galleries
Matthew Bird (RISD BFA 1989), owner of The Curatorium and critic in RISD’s Industrial Design Department, considers the design impact of cocktail consumption through barware and home entertaining accessories. Free with museum admission.

Cocktail Fashion/ Friday, May 13, 12:15 pm / Chace Center Galleries
Lorraine Howes, professor emerita of apparel design at RISD, explores fashion trends and styles through from the 1920s to 80s. Free with museum admission.

Film Series: Cocktail Culture on the Silver Screen
Haute couture costumes and lavish sets fill the big screen during monthly screenings of classic and celebrated films highlighting cultural moments considered in the exhibition Cocktail Culture. The films, introduced by Tom Roberts, RISD professor of history, are free and co-sponsored by Cable Car Cinema.

Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston / Thursday, April 21, 6:30 pm
Michael P. Metcalf Auditorium, Chace Center
This documentary chronicles the life and career of Halston the iconic American fashion designer who reigned as the dissolute king of 1970s NYC nightlife. Featuring interviews with clients and friends, including Liza Minnelli, Billy Joel and André Leon Talley. (2009/90 min./not rated)

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie / Thursday, May 19, 7 pm
Michael P. Metcalf Auditorium, Chace Center
In Luis Buñuel's deliciously satiric, Oscar-winning masterpiece, an upper-class sextet sits down to dinner but never eats, their attempts repeatedly thwarted by a vaudevillian mixture of events both actual and imagined. A timeless satire about consumerism and class privilege. (1972/100 min./Parental Guidance suggested)

Funny Face / Thursday, June 16, 6:30 pm
Michael P. Metcalf Auditorium, Chace Center
Fred Astaire plays a fashion photographer, based on Richard Avedon (the designer of the opening title sequence), in this musical co-starring Audrey Hepburn as a newly discovered, reluctant fashion model. (1957/100 min./not rated)

Auntie Mame/ Thursday, July 21, 6 pm
Michael P. Metcalf Auditorium, Chace Center
Rosalind Russell as larger-than-life Mame Dennis, who unexpectedly gains custody of her young nephew Patrick in 1920s New York. As Patrick grows, he learns to live by Auntie Mame’s motto: “Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” (1958/140 min./not rated)

Cocktail Culture Classes/ RISD
Continuing Education offers courses inspired by the stunning fashions on view in Cocktail Culture. Fine Sewing Techniques for Apparel (12 sessions, March 3-May 26, Thursdays, 6:30-9:30 pm) is designed for the sewer who wants to take their skills to the next level. Dressing for Drinking: The Cocktail’s Place in Fashion History (6 sessions, April 7-May 19, 6:30-9:30 pm) focuses on the history of cocktail attire, as well as the accompanying changes in the social landscape through the 1920s to '80s. The Art of Shopping for Vintage Clothing (1 session, Wednesday, May 18, 6:30-8:30 pm) helps students cultivate their own sense of style while gaining valuable skills in buying and collecting vintage clothing and accessories. Museum members receive a 10% discount on Continuing Education classes. Learn more and register.

Filmmaker Ian Cheney and Screening of Truck Farm- TONIGHT at Trinity College!

​What: The film Truck Farm, a new documentary telling the story of an old truck, a new kind of farming, and the future of food in the American city, will be screened at The Mill. Co-producer Ian Cheney will lead a discussion following the screening.

When: Wednesday, April 13th at 4:30 p.m.

Where: The Mill, Trinity’s student-run art house, 79 Vernon Street on the Trinity campus

Background: Truck Farm takes a look at the quirky world of urban agriculture. Using green roof technology and heirloom seeds, filmmaker Ian Cheney plants a garden on the only land he’s got: the back of his grandfather’s old pickup truck. Once the truck bed begins to sprout, Cheney and the Truck Farm set out to explore the rooftops, barges and windows that represent New York City’s newest edible oases.

The film is a whimsical call-to-farms, featuring nutritionist Marion Nestle, chef Dan Barber, and musical narration by the Brooklyn band The Fishermen Three. Truck Farm premiered in January at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival in California, earning a special Honorable Mention from the festival’s jury.

The Truck Farm project advances the notion that growing a bit of one’s food can be fun, easy and rewarding. The Truck Farm itself has become an icon in New York’s urban agriculture community, and has been featured on NPR and in The Washington Post. The national release of Truck Farm will bring the story of the mobile garden to even more audiences across the country this spring and summer, sparking discussions on urban agriculture and building momentum for school and community garden programs.

In coordination with the release of the whimsical 50-minute film, a Truck Farm fleet will be increased to 25 trucks in 25 cities. Cheney and the original Truck Farm will also tour New York City schools this spring, making truck-side presentations to students on growing and eating healthy food. Photos and select episodes from the film are available at http://truck-farm.com.

Return of the Midweek Hangover: Half Price Bottle Nights

It's a glorious day for wine drinkers in Connecticut! Not only does the CT wine trail open up for business this month, but I have stumbled upon a nice selection of places that are encouraging their patrons to come in on their slower nights to enjoy half priced bottles of wines! It's both a good way to impress a date, and also to try some really interesting wines that you might normally over look. Last night, I enjoyed a marvelous Malbec called Salentin from Argentina. Here are some of my favorites that you should definately check out!

~Barcelona- West Hartford, CT and New Haven, CT. Sunday nights.
~116 Crown- New Haven. Sunday nights.
~Feng Asian Bistro- Hartford, Ct. Sunday & Monday nights.
(bottles under $75).
~Bin 228- Hartford, Ct. Monday nights.
~Esca- Middletown, CT. Monday nights.
~Grants- West Hartford, CT. Monday nights.
~Briccos- West Hartford, CT. Monday nights.
~Bocca Rossa- Hartford, CT. Tuesday nights (bottles under $50).
~The Kitchen Table- New Haven. Thursday nights.

Spring Restaurant Week in New Haven!

New Haven is bringing back the ever popular Restaurant Week from April 3rd-8th 2011. For the spring, a record of 35 restaurants will be offering three course prix fixe meals for lunch and dinner. Pricing is $16.38 for lunch (New Haven was founded in 1638), and $29.00 for dinner. This is a great opportunity to check out the fantastic dining options offered in New Haven CT, and save a ton of money while doing so. The great thing about Restaurant Week is that the prix fixe menu allows you to try out new establishments without breaking the bank.


TIP: Reserve early, especially at the restaurants that are normally very pricey.

The list is plentiful!!!!
116 Crown, Adriana’s, Barcelona, Baccus Enoteca, Basta, Bentara, Bespoke, Cafe Goodfellas, Carmen Anthony, Caseus, Cask Republic, Central Steakhouse, Christopher Martins, Consiglio’s, Geronimo, Heirloom, Ibiza, John Davenport’s, Kudeta, Leon’s, L’Orcio, Miya’s, Mory’s, Oaxaca, Pacifico, Press 200, Red, Scoozi, Soul de Cuba Cafe, Thali, The Kitchen Table, Tre Scalini, Union League, Zaroka, Zinc

Free Tastings at Spiritus

Thursday, March 31st from 4:30 to 7:00 PM &

Saturday, April 2nd from 1:00 to 4:00 PM

2009 Domaine Henri Clerc Bourgogne Blanc White Wine; Chardonnay; Burgundy; $19.99
The small Burgundy village of Puligny-Montrachet produces some of the most amazing and prized chardonnays in the world. Unfortunately too many wine drinkers in the U.S. are prohibited from enjoying these wines due to prices over $50 for village AOC wines, and much more for premier cru or grand cru bottlings. To not experience these wines leaves a huge void in any wine lover's understanding of what wine can be. The best solution I have seen (and tasted) to this dilemma is Henri Clerc's 2009 bourgogne blanc. With highly-regarded negociant winemaker Vincent Girardin conducting the winemaking operations since Monsieur Clerc's retirement in 2002, this wine delivers unbelievable value. The vineyard block known as Les Riaux borders Pulignys AOC vineyards, so with Girardin limiting yields and deploying a deft hand in the cellar, the ripe 2009 vintage offers a glimpse of what all the fuss in Burgundy is about. Pear, gooseberry and acacia mingle with a seductive kiss of spice, all precisely cut with racy acidity and an impressively persistent finish.

2009 Michael Pozzan Winery Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Red Wine; Pinot Noir; Sonoma; $14.99
A frequent guest speaker at the University of California- Davis, Michael Pozzan has made the study of wine his life. Hand-selecting the most distinctive fruit each growing season, Michael and his winemaker Richard Bruno produce wines of excellent quality at remarkable prices. Their 2009 pinot noir from the cooler Russian River valley is aged for nine months in French oak and features a delicately spicy bouquet. This wine is easy drinking with the fruit, acid, and tannin components expertly balanced. Drink it on its own or pair it with duck confit.

2007 Villa Sant'Anna Chianti Colli Senesi Red Wine; Sangiovese; Tuscany; $19.99
The Villa Sant Anna property is actually a small subset of a larger Tuscan estate in Abaddia di Montepulciano that has been owned by the Simona Ruggeri Fabroni family for the last 200 years. The land is primarily used to grow an assortment of fruits and vegetables and, like many small growers in Chianti, they traditionally sold off their grapes for bulk wine. In 1989 the matriarch of the estate Simona Ruggeri decided it was time to start producing and bottling the estate juice, and with the help of her two daughters Anna and Margherita, the Sant Anna winery was born. The quality of the fruit was superb and that initial attempt was so successful the Ruggeris decided to expand their operation. Since that first vintage, they have purchased new parcels in the Vino Nobile appellation to marry with their Chianti, as well as the finest French oak barrels for aging. Their 2007 Chianti is a traditional-style Italian red with dusty, le athery undertones and a core of warm, brambly berries and fresh acidity only Tuscany can deliver.

2009 Chateau La Croix Blanche Montagne Saint Emilion Red Wine; Bordeaux Blend; Bordeaux; $16.99
The Bordeaux are coming, the Bordeaux are coming! The 2009 vintage has re-ignited interest not seen since the great 2005's. And while prices on the big-name, classified growths have returned to their lofty levels, both consumers and suppliers now realize better than ever before that this world-class, historic region has so much more to offer from smaller estates. I have eagerly yet patiently awaited the 2009's, dismissing a number of early arrivals this winter after uninspired tastings, so I am now excited to have finally found the right wine to introduce you to the vintage. Blending 70% merlot with equal parts cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, fifth generation winemaker Claude Guimberteau tends 50-year-old vines just north of the prestigious Saint Emilion district. His 2009 shows the full-bodied fruit of the harvest with a ripe, fleshy core of black currant and plum with an easy, velvety structure. Pounce on this great value now and look forward to more 2009's arriving later this year.

Easiest Free Parking in Town

Thirty-minute curbside parking is available directly in front of the store (outside of afternoon rush hour from 3:30-6:00). No meter, no hassle! We also offer free parking in the XL Center garage immediately next to our store. Have us validate your ticket and the garage parking is free for sixty minutes. Plus on Saturdays street parking is free all day!

"The End of History"

It is truely strange to imagine what kind of individual thought this one up. But yes, it was an actual product, not a gimmick. The taxidermy models of squirrels and other rodents became beer bottles to package and sell the strongest beer ever made by the company called "Brewdog". Here is a bit of background on it: "The End of History, at 55%, is the final instalment of our efforts to redefine the limits of contemporary brewing. This blond Belgian ale is infused with nettles from the Scottish Highlands and Fresh juniper berries. Only 12 bottles have been made and each comes with its own certificate and is presented in a stuffed stoat or grey squirrel. The striking packaging was created by a very talented taxidermist and all the animals used were road kill. This release is a limited run of 11 bottles, 7 stoats and 4 grey squirrels. Each ones comes with its own certificate of authenticity.In true BrewDog fashion we've torn up convention, blurred distinctions and pushed brewing and beer packaging to its absolute limits. This beer is an audacious blend of eccentricity, artistry and rebellion; changing the general perception of beer one stuffed animal at a time. The impact of The End of History is a perfect conceptual marriage between art, taxidermy and craft brewing. The bottles are at once beautiful and disturbing – they disrupt conventions and break taboos, just like the beer they hold within them."

So there you have it. Very strange...
and certainly offensive to many. But wouldn't you rather know about this than not? I would.


If you are interested in checking out other offerings by this company, their website is: http://www.brewdog.com/beer.