Author Archives: upstatedowntown

Hudson Valley Foraging: Ramps!

By Christopher Matthews Spring has been a halting, chilly affair in the Northeast this year. Come to think of it, this describes most of the recent springs in our part of the world. But despite the Mud Season’s lack of … Continue reading

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Found @ Omega NYC: Inspiration. Renewal.

By Kathryn Matthews On a cold, damp April Fool’s Day, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers in midtown Manhattan for the kick-off evening of “A Time of Renewal”, a three-day annual … Continue reading

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Saddle Up: Paso Robles Wines + Steakhouse Chow

By Kathryn Matthews Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Paso Robles, a former ranching town turned fashionable winemaking region, can produce wines that go down easy with steakhouse fare. It’s the reason why, on a recent school night, … Continue reading

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Blockbuster Homage from Tablas Creek

By Christopher Matthews At our recent Paso Robles wine dinner at BLT Prime, all four wines poured that evening were excellent, as Kathryn reported, but one wine in particular — the 2007 Tablas Creek “Esprit de Beaucastel” Rouge — simply floored us. Jointly owned … Continue reading

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Simple Sunday Roast Chicken

An easy-to-make and healthy roast chicken Continue reading

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Heirloom Vintages from California’s Centenary Wineries

By Christopher Matthews This April, history is very much on our minds, prompted by the sesquicentennial of the US Civil War, and the 50th anniversary of the first man in space, Colonel Yuri Gagarin. On April 6, history was also the theme at … Continue reading

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Feast on Happy Fowl (not Foul Chicken)

By Kathryn Matthews Early spring in New York can be wet and wild, fluctuating between cold and mild; snow and rain.  The weather is raw, biting, often accompanied by windy lashings. As my body struggles to adjust to a season … Continue reading

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Not Your Average Pinot Grigio

By Christopher Matthews We import more Pinot Grigio into this country than any other varietal wine, almost a quarter of the total, with some 90% of it coming from Italy. Despite our obvious, collective thirst for the grape, however, it has a … Continue reading

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Rain Art Eat

Daniel Borlandelli art exhibit in Chelsea and dinner at Boutique Eat Shop Continue reading

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Charms of an Old Farmhouse: Basement Flood!

By Christopher Matthews As soon as I saw my neighbor’s number appear on my office phone on the morning of  March 11, I knew what had happened: water in the basement! While old farmhouses have a romantic ring, and certainly have their … Continue reading

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