Syracuse, New York, offers $1 deals for March Madness

by Jessica Festa on

In celebration of Syracuse University Orange’s #1 seed in March Madness, the city is featuring a “1 for 1 All the Way” campaign, offering a variety of $1 deals. Twenty-two local hotels, restaurants, spas, museums and theaters are offering discounts for the Orange’s run through the NCAA Tournament. To receive all promotions, just mention “1 for 1 All the Way.” Check out some of the top deals below, or go to Visit Syracuse for a complete list and more information.

Hotel Skyler

Recently opened is Hotel Skyler (pictured right), once a temple and then a theater until it was turned into a hotel. Now, it’s an eco-chic LEED Platinum Hotel that offers a mixture of retro and metropolitan style with “organic comfort.” In honor of March Madness, the property is offering visitors who purchase two nights at the “best available rate” to get a third night for $1.

The offer is valid until April 10, 2012, on new reservations only. Call 1-800-365-4663 or 315-476-4212 to book. Lakeland Winery

Lakeland Winery was the first custom winemaking facility in New York and offers wine tours, classes and even the chance to make your own wine and label. Throughout March, the winery will be selling select bottles of red and white wine for $1.

Hours are Monday to Friday, 4:00 to 8:00 a.m., and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Jefferson Clinton Hotel

Located in Armory Square, the Jefferson Clinton Hotel (pictured right) is an eco-friendly property and a member of the Historic Hotels of America. It was originally built in 1927 as an upscale hotel, but had to shut down after the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Under new management, the accommodation was able to reopen in June of 2001 and has been a Quality Award Winner for the past six years, as well as the Hotel of the Year in 2003. For March Madness, they’re offering guests who stay two nights a third night for $1.

Deal available until May 1, 2012, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday arrivals. Black out dates include April 19, 20, 21, 27. Call 315-425-0500 to book.

Belladerma Wellness Spa

Belladerma Wellness Spa is a boutique day spa that offers personalized service and treatments. To help celebrate March Madness, the spa is offering a deal on their UltrasonicFacial – buy one for $75, get one for $1. The treatment involves cleansing sound waves that bolster cell repair and muscle tone. The treatment is followed by an arm and hand massage, as well as a moisturizing mask.

Available until May 1, 2012. Call 315-751-1439 to book.

Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center

The mission of the Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center is to “inspire people’s understanding that the history we share as a community is the foundation for our future together.” Visitors will learn about the beginnings of central New York, transportation, architecture, agriculture and more through exhibits like “Agriculturally Speaking,” “Birth of a County” and “Crossroads of New York.” Through March, the historical association is offering the following deals:

  • Syracuse China Standards- Buy one at $10, get a second for $1.
  • CD’s direct from the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra collection- Buy them for $1 each.
  • Syracuse China Approved Sample Plates- Buy one at $15, get a second for $1.
  • OHA Signature DVD’s- Buy one at $19.98, get a second for $1.

Limit one deal per item, per customer.

Elsbeth Rose

A boutique clothing store, Elsbeth Rose sells fine women’s clothing and accessories in classic and urban styles. Their most popular location is in Armory Square, where you will find dresses, pants, tops and accessories by designers such as Ronen Chen and Isda. This is the location you’ll want to stop in during your March Madness visit as they are offering the chance to buy one Alternative Tee Shirt and get a second of equal value for $1.

Available until the end of the NCAA tournament.

Empire Brewing Company

Established in 1994, the Empire Brewing Company is a bohemian downtown bar and grill that also houses an award-winning brewery. For the eco-conscious, the venue uses only local ingredients, and even won a Snail of Approval Award from Slow Food for its efforts. In honor of March Madness, Empire Brewing Company is offering 16 ounce pints of house-made brews for $1.

Deal available during Syracuse University men’s basketball NCAA Tournament games.

1060 Restaurant

1060 Restaurant is an easy-going restaurant with an upscale feel. The venue uses locally sourced ingredients to create a menu of American and international cuisine, like Greek-style vegetarian pitas, mesquite-smoked pulled pork sliders, and Atlantic salmon. Until April 10, the restaurant will be honoring March Madness by offering $1 domestic beers.

Cheese festival season has sprung: the best in the West

by Laurel Miller on

Spring, as they say, has sprung. In farmstead and artisan cheese parlance, that means pastures are currently abound with calves, lambs, and kids (of the goat variety), and the first milk of the season is in. That’s why March is the kickoff month for cheese festivals, especially on the West Coast because of its more mild climate. The following just happen to be some of the nation’s best.

8th Annual Oregon Cheese Festival, March 17
Hosted by the Oregon Cheese Guild and Rogue Creamery, this much-loved event features dozens of cheese, beer, and wine makers. General admission is minimal, the sampling is free, and the vibe is laid-back. The festival is held at Rogue Creamery in Central Point, just outside of Ashland in southern Oregon. It possesses the vibe of a giant farmers market, with all of the vendors gathered beneath a giant tent. Events include a “Meet the Cheesemakers” dinner (held the night before), seminars, and tastings, including chocolate and cider.California Artisan Cheese Festival (CACF), March 24-25
What better place for a California cheese festival than wine country? CACF is held every March in Petaluma (located in Sonoma County, about 40 minutes north of San Francisco) and draws over 2,000 attendees who come to taste cheeses from the West Coast, Pacific Northwest, and Rockies. Sign up now to get in on local creamery tours, special lunches, and educational seminars.

On April 7, the inaugural Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival will take place in Seattle. In addition to cheesemakers from across the state, expect Washington food artisans, craft beer and cider producers, and winemakers. The event is a benefit for the Cascade Harvest Coalition, a non-profit dedicated to local food security.

Can’t make the festival circuit? Try taking a class at The Cheese School of San Francisco, which is focused solely on classes and tasting events for professionals and caseophiles alike. With an ongoing curriculum of classes taught by industry professionals, offerings may include everything from “Mozzarella Making” and “Craft Brews & Artisan Beers,” to “Sheep & Syrah” and “Springtime Cheeses and Loire Valley Wines.” This is the place geek out on dairy.

Admittedly, this video isn’t from a cheesemaker in the western U.S.; it comes from renown Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont. But it’s an excellent short clip on how cheese goes from cow to cheese case. Should you be fortunate enough to find Harbison at your local cheese shop, I strongly recommend you pounce upon it, because it’s simply dreamy.



[Photo credit: Kate Arding]

Shock Top beer wants to empty your bucket list before the world ends

by Kraig Becker on

If you believe the doomsayers and the Mayans, then December 21, 2012, will mark the end of the world. That means we have just 287 days left to live and if you are anything like me, you probably still have a lot that you would like to accomplish before we all meet our demise. Fortunately, Shock Top beer has announced The Final Challenge, which will give four lucky winners the opportunity to scratch one last item off their bucket lists before the end arrives.

The Final Challenge is all about doing something epic with our remaining days on the planet. Whether that means climbing Kilimanjaro, parasailing over the Amazon, or jumping out of a plane above the Mojave Desert, Shock Top wants to hear about it and they may even make that last wish come true.

To enter into The Final Challenge simply visit the Shock Top Facebook page and click the “Like” button. From there you’ll have the opportunity to create a challenge of your own, describing in 140 characters or less what it is you would like to do before the end of the world is upon us. You can even invite three of your friends to join you on this excursion and if Shock Top finds the challenge worthy, you could all be whisked away on one last adventure. Contestants are allowed to enter more than once and if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration you can read the challenges that others have posted as well.

In all, four winners will be selected with the first winner announced on March 21. After that, Shock Top will announce another winner about every month running through June. That gives you several opportunities to clear items off of your bucket list before December 21.

So? If the end really is just a few short months away, what is it that you’d like to do?


Special Saint Patrick’s Day beers and where to get them

by Melanie Renzulli on




With St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaching, many microbreweries around the United States are starting to release their special Irish-inspired beers. Red ales, cream ales, and chocolate- and coffee-flavored stouts are making their annual debut, going head-to-foamy-head with the traditional St. Paddy’s Day libation Guinness. Here is a roundup of some of the nation’s St. Patrick’s Day beers and where to get them.Location: Boston
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Special Beer: Harpoon Celtic
What It Is and Where to Get It: The Boston brewery’s popular Harpoon Celtic has been brewed since 2000 and is the de facto seasonal brew for spring. Available in 27 states and counting, Harpoon is best enjoyed at the brewery’s Boston Tasting Room.

Location: Frederick, Maryland
Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery
Special Beer: Lucky SOB Irish Red
What It Is and Where to Get It: This brewery north of Washington, D.C., claims to brew its Lucky SOB Irish Red with “real four-leaf clovers handpicked at the brewery last St. Patrick’s Day.” Ahem. Look for their beer on draft only at pubs in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Washington, D.C., throughout March.

Location: Durango, Colorado
Brewery: Steamworks Brewing Company
Special Beer: Irish Car Bomb
What It Is and Where to Get It: Blended with Irish cream and Jameson whiskey during its second fermentation, Irish Car Bomb is “named for the beer’s effect not as a political statement.” Yeah, right. At any rate, the first cask of 2012’s Irish Car Bomb brew will be tapped at 3 p.m. on March 16.

Location: Lake George, New York
Brewery: Adirondack Pub and Brewery
Special Beer: Mocha Stout
What It Is and Where to Get It: Adirondack Brewery uses organic cocoa and ground Caffe Verro coffee in its rich stout. Look for Adirondack beer at restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley.

Location: Cleveland
Brewery: Great Lakes Brewing Company
Special Beer: Conway’s Irish Ale
What It Is and Where to Get It: This eco-friendly Cleveland brewery makes the “malty” Conway’s Irish Ale for the St. Patrick’s Day crowd. Great Lakes Brewing Company beers are available throughout Ohio and in 13 other states.

Location: Brooklyn
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Special Beer: Dry Irish Stout
What It Is and Where to Get It: Brooklyn Brewery’s unfiltered Dry Irish Stout is brewed the traditional way, meaning that they use flaked raw barley rather than nitrogen to give the beer its foamy head. Dry Irish Stout is on tap at the Brooklyn Brewery’s Tasting Room as well as a few other restaurants and pubs in NYC and Brooklyn.

Location: Bend, Oregon
Brewery: Three Creeks Brewery and Silver Moon Brewing
Special Beers: O’Cosci Stout from Three Creeks Brewery; Shamrock Green Bridge Pilsner and O’Shawnigan’s Irish Red from Silver Moon Brewing
What It Is and Where to Get It: The central Oregon town of Bend has no fewer than 10 microbreweries along its Bend Ale Trail. Two of those breweries, Three Creeks Brewery and Silver Moon Brewing, produce St. Patrick’s Day beers, which are available on draught from the breweries’ tap rooms.

Location: Chico, California
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Special Beer: Knightro – Celtic Festival Beer
What It Is and Where to Get It: Sierra Nevada beers are sold throughout the United States but you can only get the brewery’s small batch Knightro stout – and 14 other limited-edition beers – at its Chico Taproom and Restaurant.

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Brewery: Arbor Brewing Company
Special Beer: St. Pat’s Strong Stout
What It Is and Where to Get It: Arbor Brewing Company brews St. Pat’s Strong Stout, which has a “chalky, Turkish coffee palate” for the holiday. Also available each March at the ABC Brewpub are Espresso Love Breakfast Stout and a vegan-friendly Blackheath Sweet Stout.

Photo Flickr/miamism

10 St. Patrick’s Day alternatives to Dublin, Ireland

by Jessica Festa on

While travelers often think of Dublin, Ireland, as the must-visit place for St. Patrick’s Day, there are many other excellent destinations all over the world to celebrate the festivities. To help you decide where to spend March 17 this year, check out this list of ten excellent St. Patrick’s Day destinations.

New York

I’ve attended St. Patrick’s Day in New York many times and can honestly say it is something everyone should experience at least once in his or her life. Their annual parade down 5th Avenue (shown above), which will take place this year beginning at 11AM at 44th Street, has been happening since 1762 and is said to be the largest in the world. Although the parade does not allow floats, it is a festive event with over 150,000 marchers coming out to participate each year. For those who want a little culture and history, take a walking tour of the former “Little Ireland” in the Lower East Side, which in the 19th century had more Irish residents than Dublin. At night, choose what kind of atmosphere you’d like to enjoy. Whether in dive bars, Irish pubs, dance clubs, or upscale lounges, there are a myriad of specials and parties going on in every neighborhood of the city.

If you’d like to celebrate St. Patty’s in New York but want to stay away from the crowds and high prices, travel up to the state capital of Albany and partake in their annual “Kegs and Eggs” celebration. I’ve gone four years in a row and can vouch that it is definitely a festive time. Warning: This is only for those who are looking to get sloppy. The bars open at 7AM and before that you can find myriad parties happening from 3AM on. You can also enjoy their 62nd annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, which will take place this year on March 17 at 2PM starting at Quail Street and Central Avenue.Holyoke, Massachusetts

While many people assume Boston is where the party’s at, Holyoke actually boasts having the second largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the entire United States. In fact, last year they had over 400,000 attendees as well as notable visitors like Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough and the Irish Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Collins. This year, the procession will take place on March 18 and is expected to be just as big, if not bigger. The city is also well-known for its annual St. Patrick’s Day Road Race (this year will be their 37th one), a 10K running event where participants dress up in green and show their Irish pride through sport.

New Orleans, Louisiana

As one of the sexier St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, New Orleans takes on the holiday with a bit of a Mardi Gras twist, with the throwing of beads and the re-use of Fat Tuesday floats. To give it a St. Patty’s spin, Irish stew ingredients like potatoes, cabbages, carrots, and onions are also tossed from the floats into the crowd. What many people may not know is New Orleans actually has a large Irish population and, in the southern United States, holds the largest entry port for Irish immigrants. In fact, St. Patrick’s Day festivities in this city date all the way back to the 19th century.

Newfoundland, Canada

This island off the coast of mainland Canada is one of only two places outside of Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as a public holiday. Beginning in the 17th century, Irish people immigrated to Newfoundland and set up small villages and communities, which are now known as the Irish Loop. The area has a very strong Irish culture making St. Patrick’s Day celebrations span over 10-days. Visit the popular Irish pub O’Reilly’s for a pint of Guinness and tons of events, or wander to any of the other local bars, all of which are sure to be celebrating to their fullest extent.

Sydney, Australia

One of the best St. Patrick’s Days I’ve ever experienced was in Sydney, Australia, and I highly recommend that everyone find someway to at least enjoy one St. Patty’s Day in your life aboard a Sydney Harbour St. Patty’s Day booze-cruise. For about $75, you get three hours of unlimited drinks and food as well as a live DJ, festive games, and free admission to Cargo Bar in Darling Harbour. On March 18, you can also enjoy a giant St. Patrick’s Day parade, which is followed by a party in Hyde Park with Irish music, cultural dancing, and ethnic food stalls.

Dubai, Middle East

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the Middle East may sound odd to some people, but Dubai actually really gets into the holiday, thanks to the Dubai Irish Society. This is also a great alternative to Dublin for people who would rather drink green beer on a beach than in the freezing cold. The Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers is a 5-star Irish owned and operated hotel that not only flies an enormous Irish flag from their 11th floor, but also serves green beer and cocktails while lighting up the venue in festive colors. They also feature Irish dancing and cultural events. For a more laid back St. Patty’s experience in Dubai, head over to the Irish Village for live Irish music, family activities, and a buffet of Irish food fare.

Birmingham, United Kingdom

Not only is Birmingham cheaper than London, it boasts a bigger celebration overall. Thought to be one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day festivals in the world, the holiday lasts for five days and is jam packed with cultural and festive fare. Be sure not to miss the official launch party on March 9, which features Irish music, dancing, and a delicious buffet as well as the parade on March 11, which will take place at 11AM from Camp Hill.

Montserrat, Caribbean

Who wouldn’t want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the Caribbean? Montserrat is one of the only two regions in the world outside of Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as a public holiday and holds a rich Irish heritage. This, along with the coastline’s uncanny resemblance to Ireland’s, has given Montserrat its nickname, “the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean.” The territory boasts a full week of activities including festive parades, concerts, themed nightlife, and celebratory dinners.

Seoul, South Korea

Thanks to the Irish Association of Korea, St. Patrick’s Day is a festive event in Seoul. There is usually a massive parade (2001-2010 had a parade, 2011 just had an enormous festival), as well as a festival that includes Irish dance, music, and sports. Open air concerts, Gaelic football matches, and Irish jigs will get you hyped up during the day, while at night, the bars and clubs take on a St. Patty’s ambiance with festive decor, drink specials, and theme parties.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

March is a great time to visit Buenos Aires, not only because the weather is perfect, but because the city is alive with St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Argentina is actually home to the fifth largest Irish community in the world; however, most do not take part in the wild parties thrown for the holiday. If you’re looking to wear green and stay up all night drinking beer, head downtown to Reconquista Street where the dancing doesn’t stop until 8AM. Moreover, if you want a more cultural experience, many of the city’s churches hold events for the occasion.


[photos via Kelly McCarthy, Allen Gathman, Jessieonajourney, bongo vongo, Eustaquio Santimano]