Enjoy unlimited cooking classes and more at the Santa Fe, New Mexico, Harvest Festival

by Jessica Festa on

From November 1-November 23, 2011, people looking for the ultimate experience in food and wine should head over to New Mexico for the Santa Fe Harvest Festival. During the festival, ticket holders are entitled to unlimited cooking classes and discounts on lodging and dining, allowing them to fully experience the hospitality and food culture of the area. The kickoff for the event includes a server relay race, where teams of servers from different restaurants race around The Plaza carrying trays loaded with drinks. There will also be a Chef Showdown, a competition between chefs, as well as Bar Wars!, which will determine who is the #1 mixologist in Santa Fe (and, spectators get to sip their own cocktails at discounted prices).

Are you a fan of sampling food and wine? The Santa Fe Harvest Festival will also feature a Food & Wine Expo which will have more than 50 booths set up for food and wine tasting, culinary demonstrations and exhibits, and book signings by celebrity chefs. The week culminates in a Best of the Fest silent auction and gala dinner.

Need another reason to attend? A portion of the proceeds go to help Cooking with Kids, a nonprofit based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that works to motivate and empower elementary school children to eat healthy through hands-on learning techniques using fresh, affordable foods from different cultural backgrounds.

10 bars in new york city to get a spicy cocktail

by Jessica Festa on

Now that summer is over, light and fruity flavors are going out of season. With the Fall comes the smell of cinnamon, a chill in the air, and the need for some spice. So when the temperature goes down, head over to one of these 10 New York City bars to get your body temperature up with a spicy cocktail.

Mayahuel
304 E. 6th St., East Village

Come here for the Stone Raft Cocktail, a mixture of Tequila, Mezcal, Amontillado Sherry, Agave Nectar, Celery Bitter, and of course, Jalapeños. This cocktail is guaranteed to make you sweat.

Barrio Chino
253 Broome St., Lower East Side

Habañero-lovers should come to this bar for two reasons. First, the Habañero-Infused Grapefruit Margarita which mixes Habañero-Infused Tequila with grapefruit juice and comes in a sugar-rimmed glass. Looking for something a little less sweet? They also have a Habañero-Infused Lime Margarita.

Death and Company
433 E. 6th St., East Village

This place has an two amazing cocktails that are sure to get your heart racing. For those who like their martinis shaken, try the Southern Exposure Cocktail, a mix of Jalapeño-Infused Chinaco Blanco Tequila, Sombra Mezcal, fresh squeezed lime juice, Petit Cane Syrup, fresh red pepper puree, and kosher salt. If you would rather have your martini stirred, opt for the Yama Blanca, which mixes Centinela Reposado Tequila, Jalapeño-Infused Chinaco Blanco Tequila, Blanc Vermouth, and Velvet Falernum.

Fatty Cue
91 S. 6th St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Get the Smokin Bone! A blend of homemade smoked pineapple syrup, Bourbon, lime, a blend of chocolate bitters from Fee Brothers and Bittermans, and, the best part, Tabasco.

The Smith
55 Third Ave., East Village

The name of their heat-inducing concoction, Angry Apple, immediately brings to mind an image of Fall on fire. This fiery recipe mixes vodka, fresh apple, Jalapeño, apple liqueur, and lemon, for a sweet and spicy balance.

Dos Caminos
675 Hudson St., Meatpacking District

The Cosmo, a usually sweet and sugary drink, gets set on fire in the Cosmo Del Diablo, a mix of Skyy Vodka infused with five chiles, pineapple, and passion fruit.

Poco
33 Ave. B, Alphabet City

Most people love a good Margarita, but how about one with a kick to it? The Jalapeño Margarita here is a blend of Jalapeño-infused tequila, house-made sour mix, fresh lime, triple sec, and a splash of orange juice.

Rosa Mexicano
9 E. 18th St., Union Square

If you want something with just a bit of spice, try the Guayaba Limonada, made with Cruzan Guava Rum, lime juice, and a bit of Habañero-lime syrup. To kick it up a notch, opt for the En Fuego, a spicy mix of Cachaca (Brazilian rum), orange juice, lime juice, and shaken with diced Jalapeños. Ouch!

Prune Restaurant
54 E. 1st St., East Village

With their own special menu just for Bloody Mary’s, this restaurant can make your drink as hot as you like. The Southwest Bloody Mary uses Herradura Anejo Tequila, limes, and smoked chipotle peppers. Or, if you’re in the mood for more of a spicy barbeque flavor, order a Green Lake Bloody Mary, which blends Absolut Vokda, wasabi, and beef jerky.

Gordon Ramsay to host new hotel makeover show

by Jessica Festa on

While mostly known for his angry outbursts on reality cooking and restaurant-themed shows such as Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef, and Kitchen Nightmares, the screaming Scottish chef apparently also has talent in hotel management. While no air date has been set, Gordon Ramsay has been chosen to host a new Fox reality show called Hotel Hell where he will partner with hospitality experts to revive struggling properties around the United States. Apparently, Ramsay has taken college courses in hotel management and has also been in charge of several hotel-based restaurants.

According to Entertainment Weekly, in a statement about the new project Ramsay said, “These are stories that everyone can relate to, because virtually all of us have had a bad hotel experience that’s turned a holiday or business trip into a total disaster. It’s time to put the hospitality industry to the test.”

One man dances in beautiful and remote locations all over the world

by Jessica Festa on




When I first watched this video, “Dance Like Nobody is Watching”, my first instinct was to try to see how many of the places in the montage I recognized. The next time I watched, I became entranced by the talent of Ki’une as he danced and recorded himself in different locations around the world. By my third time watching, my travel itch was feeling like it definitely needed a good scratching.

When I asked what some of the destinations were that he traveled to in order to create this piece, Ki’une responded that he could name about half the regions off the top of his head. Not surprising, since the video encompasses a vast array of locations. Some of these include National Parks such as “Yosemite, Yellowstone, Redwood, Giant Sequoia, Olympic, Cascades, Banff, Badlands and Jasper.” Other regions you may recognize are “Squamish, Vancouver, Toronto, Capilano, Kyoto, Osaka, Quebec City, Hong Kong, provincial parks in Ontario, Oregon Coast, all around California, all around U.S. Midwest, and Kentucky.”

While I can not say for sure what you will feel when watching this video, it would be hard not to feel something. Lissa Rankin, MD, a motivational speaker and founder of Pink Medicine Revolutionary posted on Care2, a healthy living website, “I cried when I watched this video, not just because it was so beautiful, but because it’s such a potent visual reminder of how I define a healthy life. This guy is putting it all out there. He’s living a dream. Taking a risk. Dancing his heart out.”

What will your reaction be?

Montreal man nears end of 11-year walk around the world

by Stephen Greenwood on
After nearly 4,000 days, 53 pairs of shoes and over 46,600 miles across 64 countries on 6 continents, Jean Béliveau is nearing the end of an 11-year trek around the world.

What started as a journey of self-discovery during a mid-life crisis, eventually became a mission to call attention to peace & nonviolence, especially for children around the world.

Setting off with a three-wheeled stroller that carried a “few fundamentals”, Béliveau began by walking through America, Mexico, Latin America, before venturing to Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania and finishing by crossing Canada; from Vancouver to Montreal. Starting with just $4,000, he survived by receiving yearly installments of about the same sum from his wife and depended greatly on the kindness of strangers. The trip will officially come to a close when Béliveau is expected to arrive in Montreal on October 16th, where his wife & two grown sons will be awaiting his return.

Looking ahead, Béliveau says that he plans to write a book with the help of his wife although he will look back on this experience with nostalgia, is excited to have a bed forever. To learn more about his journey, visit Jean’s website.