This time of year was always bittersweet for us. The summer was winding down and those carefree, lazy afternoons become numbered. However there was something energizing about beginning a new school year. Maybe it was the excitment of picking out new fall clothes, backpacks and a hot pink Jem Trapper-Keeper (we were partial to Smurfs and Snorks as well). Now we've traded in our colorful binders for the standard issue white with the handy clear sleeve. But just because we are no longer students doesn't mean we can't go back to school. Actually, school just got a whole lot more interesting. more ›

The Abora 3 itself is “old school” to say the least. Built of 12 tons of bundled reed by the Aymara-Indians in Bolivia, the Abora III was shipped to Liberty Harbor, New Jersey to be prepared by Gorlitz and his crew. more ›

The world of wine and spirits has historically been a male-dominated arena – from the old-school sommeliers in bowties and silver tastevins around their necks to the grand chateaus passed down from father to son. However, this ancient industry has evolved and grown to cater to its bellowing fan base. No longer only a boys’ club, women have become a driving force in the production, service and consumption of wine. Forget the notion of girls sipping chardonnay and white wine spritzers – we, ladies, can grow the grapes, make the wine and serve it up, too. And it’s plain to see at Annisa, an intimate West Village restaurant, in our own Manhattan. more ›

Yesterday, the funeral of mob figure Vincent "The Chin" Gigante was held on Sullivan Street. The newspapers report that it was a very low-key affair. The NY Post reports only "hundred mourners - and some undercover officers" were on hand. The NY Times suggests it may have been less lavish because "transit strike for one, and Mr. Gigante's preference for a low profile for another." The Daily News wrote, "Mostly, the funeral of the legendary Mafia boss Vincent (Chin) Gigante was a quiet reminder of an Old World Greenwich Village that is disappearing day by day." more ›

It might be hard to get to a theatre in time to see any of these picks, but here goes. Even with our fairly averse attitude toward holiday-specific performances, it’s hard not to notice that the current crop of shows is pretty heavy on the fractured fairytale side of things. Except for kids, there’s almost no straightforward telling of a Christmas- (or other holiday) related story. We’re not complaining, but it does make it harder to pick out something as the zaniest take on the genre. Broken Watch Theatre Company’s A Broken Christmas Carol (a 21st century, NC-17 version) and the Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre Company’s Christmas Carol, Oy Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa, Happy Ramadan (a version “with Old World accents and New World inclusiveness” – Scrooge would not approve) show that Dickens’s story is still the go-to touchstone for holiday theatre. Maybe because it’s so omnipresent, we can’t help but be a bit more drawn to Jeffrey Solomon’s one-man Santa Claus is Coming Out (or, How the Gay Agenda Came Down My Chimney) which is playing three nights at Queens Theatre in the Park. Solomon takes on a dozen plus characters in this reprisal of mockumentary about the jolly red guy with the giant belly. Oh, if the people howling about a “war on Christmas” could see all this now…not that they’d expect much more from us NYC heathens, of course. more ›

It's all about the latest addition to the Batali/Bastianich empire in this morning's food news. The big one (and we mean really big -- 24,000 square feet between the dining area and the kitchen): Del Posto. Frank Bruni at the Times gives us fair warning of what to expect: more ›

March 16th: International Chocolate Panel. The folks at the at 92nd Street Y are putting together a panel discussion and a fantastic-sounding tasting of chocolate from around the world. The panel, moderated by author and culinary historian Alexandra Leaf, includes Stephanie Teuwen, special events producer for the Chocolate Show, Clay Gordon, chocolate critic and founder of the New World Chocolate Society (sign us up for that one!), Francois Payard, chef-owner of Payard Patisserie & Bistro, and Bill Yosses, executive chef of Joseph’s Citarella. Tickets are $45 and can be bought online. 7:30 PM, 1395 Lexington Avenue (92nd and Lexington), (212)415-5500. more ›

So you've made it through another Valentines Day -- whether you shared a romantic evening with your sweetie-pie or drank your sorrows away with some spicy shiraz, it's time to move on, as there are some food and wine events this week that need your attention: more ›

There’s been much debate about Old World vs. New World wines - which wines are better, the role of tradition, the opportunity for scientific advancements – Gothamist could go on forever, but we will not. To us it’s not a choice and either style can be fabulous based on what we are looking for at any moment in time. What interests us is the back story, the untold story of how the two worlds came together to save wine as we know it today (insert overture to “West Side Story” here). more ›

We New Yorkers have been through a lot recently. First the Republican National Convention - bringing thousands of slow walking tourists to our city and most recently the UN meetings - can anyone explain why it takes 26 cars to move the President two blocks? more ›