Mano a Vino - Eat, Drink, Write - Great Wine, Food, Beer and Places

National Root Beer Float Day Cocktail Recipes

It is less than a week until one of my favorite holidays, National Root Beer Float Day on August 6th.

It is a day to recall my fond memories of sipping ice cold floats at drive-in restaurants we loved to frequent. That great part of Americana is mostly gone. But we keep the tradition going by whipping up sparkling floats at home with a new twist.

  

Found by chance, exceptional Vietnamese cuisine at Co Ba Restaurant NYC

We were in New York City for the opening party of a young artist we know. The gallery was blazing hot and not just from the warm weather we were having. The advant-garde art and the surging attendance of beautiful young people was fascinating but the heat and hunger lead us to seek out a cool place to eat.

We wandered down Eighth Avenue in Chelsea all the way to 19th Street and found nothing that really caught our eye. That strip was once a mecca of great restaurants but has gotten very tired. We decided to head west and try Ninth Avenue.

As you know on Ninth Avenue you can find almost any cuisine with many great restaurants on every block north of 42nd Street up into the 50's. But many great restaurants are now also opening on the lower parts of Ninth. We were very pleased to find this very appealing new Vietnamese restaurant on the North West corner of 19th and 9th. It is called Co Ba.

The Vintage Caper Recommended Reading for Wine Lovers

Peter Mayle has a great new book for those who love to learn about wine. The "A Year in Provence" author is back and engages you in an intriging tale of wine and whoodunit. Great summer read.

Don George of Nathional Geographic Travelel says: “The wine case has enough twists and turns to propel the plot along, but the star of this caper is the vineyard-veined, lavender-scented, sun-showered, garlic-seasoned setting itself: pure Provence.”

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AMC Mad Men Season Premier Cocktails

We just can't wait for the Mad Men Season Premier tomorrow.  

It is going to be a great season worthy of many toasts.

Here is our cocktail line up for tomorrow.

Mini Martinis - Their Time Has Come

Here is a perfect response to our times.

Looking to save some money, yet have some fun?

Want to cut back a little on your alcohol and calorie consumption?

Still want to make a splash at your next party?

Mini Martinis are your answer.