Monthly Archives: October 2018
GBK NYC Wine & Food Festival Official Thank You Lounge #gbkproductions #gbknycwff @GBK_Productions
Photos courtesy GBK Productions
The annual NYC Wine & Food festival is the largest gathering of the nations top chefs, wine & spirits purveyors and personalities in the culinary arts. GBK productions has hosted VIP backstage lounges for major events for years including the Grammy’s, Emmy’s and New York Fashion Week and is the official backstage host here at the two day festival.
A host of brands engage with celebrities, media, and influencers gifting them an array of products ranging from countertop ovens to luxury all inclusive vacations in the caribbean. Offering a relaxing respite from two days of networking the lounge offers snacks and drinks and even a trial run in the Kahuna chair, as seen above with Neil Patrick Harris.
Brand Sponsors included: Brava, Christofle Silver, John Boos & Co, Kahuna Chair, Loacker, Pinnertest, Porto Vino, Spindrfit, Prospek Glasses, The Cup Bearer, Power Air Fryer by Tristar Products, VinGarde Valise, and Warther Cutlery.
Palace Resorts gifted a 4 day 3 night stay at the luxury all inclusive Moon Palace Jamaica in Ocho Rios or the Moon Palace in Cancun. La Corte Dell’ Astore Resort in the heart of Selva di Fasano, Italy gifted a $4500 3 night stay in a luxury suite, paragliding and sailboat experience. Anticalma in Puglia, Italy also gifted a 3 night stay with dinner,considered by many to be the finest dining experience in the area.
Palace Resorts Mexico: Cozumel Palace and The Grand at Moon Palace, world apart and beautifully unique @palaceresorts
Cozumel Palace is a unique resort and is a diver’s dream. A coral reef sits right beyond the property in the warm blue waters where guests can grab complimentary snorkel gear and jump right in. The fish is plentiful and there is a lifeguard that overseas snorkelers. Fun for the entire family and highly recommended. SCUBA diving excursions are available as are night dives.
The intimate resort has 169 suites, each with a double whirlpool tub and balcony. Traveling with the family as we were, we stayed in a loft suite which offers two floors with a bedroom with double beds upstairs and a full bath and a king size bed and full bath downstairs.
The resort is truly all inclusive with top shelf liquor available throughout the resort including an ensuite bar, in our case 2 bars, one on each floor! The dining options are plentiful and the cuisine is refined, a pleasant surprise as one doesn’t always find that in an all- inclusive. MOMO, the Pan-Asian restaurant was our favorite with teppanyaki cooking and fresh sushi, the kind us New Yorkers are used to and rarely find when traveling in the caribbean. Bugambilia’s serves authentic mexican cuisine in a laid back environment and the staff can make a mean margarita. For casual dining try Turquesa for breakfast and lunch buffets and for a-la carte Italian dining. Room service is available for breakfast in bed or cozy romantic dinner on the balcony.
Mexican Show Cozumel Palace
After dinner there is nightly entertainment for the entire family. From live music, singing and dancing to authentic Mexican shows. The lobby bar is open late for a night cap and was the hot spot for drinking and mingling each evening.
The spa is there to pamper the guests, the knowledgable staff is there to plan your dream destination wedding and/or honeymoon and the concierge is there to plan your offsite excursion. Cozumel Palace is a unique and special resort for the entire family.
Getting there: Guests fly into Cancun International airport and take a 40 minute ferry to Cozumel from Playa del Carmen, resort is a 10 minute walk or a very short taxi ride away. The resort helps arrange transfers for guests.
Moon Palace in Cancun has been a mainstay as one of the grandest all-inclusives in Cancun, however with the most recent opening of the Grand at Moon Palace Cancun All-Inclusive everything about this Palace Resort is elevated to new levels.
The accommodations are luxe from grand swimup suites, family suites, garden view suites and the massive Presidential suites.
The dining options are endless with a fine dining middle eastern restaurant Habibi, Cielito Lindo Mexican restaurant, Tavola, an italian trattoria, Jade, a fusion asian restaurant, Le Chateau, an elegant adults only french restaurant, JC Steakhouse, a prime steakhouse requiring reservations and is highly recommended, a Tapas & Vino bar, Boulangerie, a quaint coffee shop, Caribeno, an authentic caribbean eatery, Cusco, a Peruvian restaurant along with food & drink choices at the adults only Unique Day Club, Beach club and much more.
The Grand section alone is a huge property with transport by open air shuttle being the most popular option, especially down to the beach club or if one wishes to venture to another section of moon palace to perhaps experience The Flowrider, a manmade surfing machine.
There is a waterpark at the Grand with thrill rides, a wave pool, a lazy river, tube rides, kids club and of course a bar serving tropical cocktails. Wired a teen club open till midnight with the newest arcade games, video games, and a snack and ice-cream bar. A disco for late night revelers, an adults only pool club with food & bar and DJ pumping music throughout the day as well as a bowling alley. Lounging by a different pool every day was no problem with 9 pools available, many with swim up bars.
Nightly shows are Vegas Style, rivaling many you actually see stateside in Vegas. A huge theatre with bar and snacks service offering everything from trapeze acts, contortionists, gymnasts and a Michael Jackson experience show.
The Grand offers a pampering spa, golf, conference rooms, wedding preparations, offsite excursions. Everything is grander at the Grand Moon Palace Cancun.
La Pulperia NYC: Rustic Latin Cuisine on the Upper East Side
On a balmy september monday evening we ventured into La Pulperia on the upper east side of Manhattan. It was quite lively with a band playing and an energetic crowd gathered around the bar and in the dining area.
Owned and operated by chef/owner Carlos Barroz and Victor Medina, The eatery serves latin cuisine from a variety of countries with a European flair. The menu is heavily seafood based with a terrific raw bar and a crudo tasting not to be missed.
We started with a cocktail recommended by the owner himself. We are rum drinkers so we ordered the Coquito Passion, made with Don Q Silver and Coconut Rum, passion fruit puree, agave nectar and fresh mint. It was very refreshing and not too sweet.
We started our tasting with the salmon brûlée, followed by a crudo tasting, and a portion of tender Alaskan King Crab legs. My meat lover dining companion enjoyed the serving of beef and corn empanadas.
For the main course we had to try one of the house specialties, the crab meat black ravioli. The handmade pasta is filled with fresh crab meat accompanied with cherry tomatoes in a saffron clam sauce. We highly recommend this entree!
The hangar steak is organic from uruguay and is accompanied by five cazuelitas (sides), eggplant chambota, celery root gratin, grilled broccoli rabe, spinach mac & cheese and chimichurri sauce. We had it cooked medium rare and it was very tender and perfectly seasoned.
The chef brought out two desserts to try. We loved the crepes, filled with chocolate sauce topped with bananas, powdered sugar and served with a side of ice cream. The chocolate mousse was light and not too rich, served with fresh fruit and vanilla ice cream.
La Pulperia is located at 1626 Second Avenue New York, NY 10028. (212) 960- 3176 pulperianyc.com
FashionsWeek: Beauty, Fashion, Travel, Tech & Dining By Maya Litovsky 