The 2nd Chance Prom

Not everyone enjoyed going to the prom.  But now there is a second chance to do it right.  The 2nd Chance Prom will be throwing a high-class shindig at Samuel's Grande Manor, on October 15th, to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  There are few opportunities to pull out your fancy tuxes, party dresses, and sparkly tiaras, and this looks like it could be a fun night of entertainment for a good cause.

Here is a summary from the 2nd Chance Prom website...

Our Mission: To give everyone a 2nd chance at one of the most memorable experiences in a lifetime, their Prom! 

Maybe you didn’t make it to your first Prom?  Perhaps you met the love of your life after High School?  Or maybe your first Prom wasn’t all you had hoped it would be?  Well we are giving you that 2nd chance to come out and dance the night away with someone you really care about.

Time to get that dress you dreamed of, and put on that fancy tuxedo for a night of wonderful memories just waiting to be made.  At this Prom you can legally drink, as well as setting your own curfew.  So once more it’s time to build up the courage and find that special someone and ask those famous 8 words: ”Would you go to the Prom with me?” 

And speaking of “finding” that special someone; with your support of this wonderful event, you can help us “find” a cure for Juvenile Diabetes.  With every ticket sold you will be helping a great cause.  So come on out or help our cause, and dance the night away at The 2nd Chance Prom. This is a formal event for ages 21 and up.

For more information on tickets, visit http://www.prombuffalo.com

Niagara Wine Trail : Wine & Culinary Festival

The Niagara Wine Trail Wine and Culinary Festival will feature wine tasting from a dozen American Niagara wineries, on Saturday July 31th and Sunday August 1st, at Lewiston's ArtPark.
In addition to wine tasting;  seminars, cuisine from local restaurants, shopping, a Plein Art show, and live music is planned for both days.

Hours for the event are Saturday: Noon - 8:00PM   and Sunday: Noon - 6:00PM.

Tickets the day of the festival are $25 each, and designated drivers are admitted free of charge.
Tickets include a one-day wine tasting pass and a keepsake wine glass. Tickets can be purchased at the gate during the event, or pre-sale tickets can be purchased through the wine trail website or ArtPark for $5.00 less.


You can find more information on the event at
http://www.niagarawinetrail.org

How To Open A Bottle Of Wine With Your Shoe... (Yes. Really.)

Let's imagine you are somewhere with some friends, a bottle of wine, and...
wait...  no corkscrew.

Or, let's imagine a romantic interlude, the beach at sunset, and that bottle you thought had a twist-off-cap, actually has a cork.

While the likelihood of it happening is pretty slim, (Boy Scout motto: BE PREPARED,)  it is always good to know this little parlor trick.

The video is in French, but you'll get the idea.
(Not sure if this will work with 4-inch heels.)

Brush Up On Your Flemish And French, Because The Belgian's Are Coming To Blue Monk

It's no secret that Buffalonians appreciate their beer.  From light-style pilseners, hoppy ales, and hearty stouts - Buffalo quaffs a large amount, and now a better quality of beer, than ever before.  So it is a bit of a surprise that it has taken quite so long for a real Belgian beer bar to grace Buffalo's streets.  But that is about to change with the highly anticipated opening of Blue Monk, on Elmwood Avenue, in Buffalo.


Belgium is a very small European country - about the size of the state of Maryland - and yet it comprises the most numerous and varied collection of high-quality beers in the world. And yet, Belgium has over 400 beer brands and counting.
From popular pale pilseners like Stella Artois, to flavorful ales like Chimay, Belgian beer's are steeped in history.  Many of Belgium's brewing’s origins go back to the Middle Ages, when monasteries and abbeys began producing beers with wild yeasts.  From simple "table-beers" to complex lambics that are double-fermented (think champagne) and bottled with corks, there is a Belgian beer for everyone's taste.

So local beer aficionados were buzzing when word got out that Mike Shatzel, owner of Cole's, was opening Blue Monk bar and restaurant, on Elmwood Avenue.  Just north of Ferry Street, the eagerly anticipated renovation of the 40-year-old tavern that once housed local-dive-bar Merlin's, should wrap up in the next few weeks, and be open by late summer.

With an old wood bar, hardwood floors, and distressed walls, Blue Monk hopes to exude a comforting European ambience. Overhead doors - instead of windows - at the front of the bar will open to the street during warm weather, to allow for an al fresco dining experience.

Blue Monk will have over 24 draft lines, more than half of which will be dedicated exclusively to Belgian beer, with the remainder pouring artisanal craft beer such as NY's Ommegang, and local ales from Flying Bison, Ellicottville & Southern Tier.  A special tower will be devoted to Delirium Tremens, one of the world's most popular "cult" beers.  A selection of hard-to-find bottled ales and lagers will round out the beer menu.

A short classic cocktail menu is also being planned, and a highly focused wine list will feature boutique wines from small producers, carefully chosen to pair with the inventive GastroPub menu being developed by executive chef Dino DeBell.  DeBell, a NickelCity Chef, and former chef at the Park Lane, Hutch’s, Tempo, Toro and Cole's, is developing a menu based around beer, with Belgian, French, German, and English touches.  Moules en biere (mussels in beer,)  frittes (double-fried french fries) with mayo and sauces, and a variety of local sausages, will top the list of Belgian classics - while gourmet burgers, healthy salads, and inventive dishes such as soy-glazed pork belly, will round out the menu.


Coming Soon
Blue Monk
727 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo NY