Restaurants hosting wine dinners typically offer their guests the finest of foods, the lushest of wines and sometimes even a commemorative corkscrew. But very few eateries give their well-soused patrons what they really need: A bed for the night. Who better to remedy the oversight than the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa? The prestigious hotel is offering a series of dinners with American winemakers, limiting ticket sales to 40 seats and 10 overnight packages per event. The first dinner, featuring Oregon pinot wine specialist Ron Lachini, is scheduled for March 19. For more information, call 252-2711.
The Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans wants you to salvage your vintage popcorn popper from the thrift-store bound stack of stuff in the back of your closet. And, while you’re at it, you might as well dig out any cornbread molds and corncob picks you’ve been hoarding. The museum is organizing an exhibit focused on corn in Southern culture, and is busily collecting stories and materials related to ash cakes, hoe cakes, tamales, bourbon and grits—among other tasty expositions of the region’s most cherished grain. If you have an item you believe is fit for display, contact Elizabeth Williams at elizabeth@southernfood.org.
The corner of Coxe and Patton avenues in downtown Asheville has become a rotating tour of global indulgences, with The Thirsty Monk recently opening in the spot vacated by Hookah Joe’s. Specializing in Belgian brews, the Euro-pub has more than a dozen on tap and more some 140 by the bottle, with cheeses and chocolates to match. The bar opens every day but Tuesday at 4 p.m. Call 254-5470 to learn more.
My husband and I had a wonderful wine tasting experience in Alaska on our first cruise. It was also our first wine tasting too. We enjoyed it thoroughly. If you live close to the above restaurants I highly encourage you to try this experience. It is more memorable than you think.
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