Happy Valentine’s Day

We hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day celebrating with the ones you love!

Gelatissimo Is a Love Letter to Italy’s Beloved Frozen Treat

Discover the best gelato in the area at New Canaan's Gelatissimo, a delicious love letter to the beloved Italian treat. Over 66 flavors have been created and are rotated regularly to offer 22 tempting options at a time in this adorable gelato shop. Owned by Nuccia and Andrea Mazzonetto, an Italian-born couple, Gelatissimo uses a traditional family recipe that perfectly recreates the creamy texture and rich, bold flavors of gelato.

Try the bestselling mint chocolate chip for a familiar taste presented Italian-style, or select a fruitier option, like raspberry, for a bright complement to any occasion. Gelatissimo also makes to-die-for gelato cakes, an indulgent yet well deserved dessert to help you celebrate your next occasion. Visit the website for more information and hours of operation.

Gelatissimo
26 Forest Street
New Canaan, CT 06840
(203) 966-5000
http://www.gelatissimoartisangelato.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/gelatissimo-new-canaan

New York Vintners: An Education in Wine

New York Vintners offers an unparalleled wine tasting experience. More than just a wine shop, New York Vintners gives visitors a taste of the good life through its amazing selection of gorgeous wines. Featuring both domestic and imported wines, New York Vintners selects wines with an eye on quality, trading in only the most exquisite varieties and regions available.

New York Vintners is perfect for both connoisseurs and novices to the wine trade thanks to the numerous classes held in store. The place offers classes in wine pairing, focusing on different cuisines and wines to complement them. The shop's selection includes many bottles you'd have a hard time finding elsewhere, and the staff's happy to recommend a bottle to try.

Visit the New York Vintners website to find out more about this wine shop.

New York Vintners
21 Warren Street
New York, NY 10007
(212) 812-3999

www.newyorkvintners.com
www.yelp.com/biz/new-york-vintners-new-york

Tequila Mockingbird: Mexican Food in New Canaan, Connecticut

The owners of Tequila Mockingbird have amassed one of the largest Mexican cookbook collections to be found anywhere, and they work tirelessly to make sure their menu is authentic and delicious. The chef — a trained biochemist — keeps a huge garden to grow fresh herbs during the summer, lending special flavor to their dishes. They even take requests – if there’s a local favorite you encountered while traveling through Central or South America, tell them about it. They might just learn how to make it for you! Some of the most popular stuff that’s already on the menu includes the fish tacos and the chiles relleno, but it’s all good here.

Tequila Mockingbird
6 Forest Street
New Canaan, CT 06840
(203) 966-2222
www.yelp.com/biz/tequila-mockingbird-new-canaan

Watching Your Weight? Don’t Make These Dieting Mistakes!

You might think that you’re on a fairly healthy diet that will eventually lead to your goal weight, but some of your eating habits might actually do more harm than good when it comes to weight loss. Check out these common dieting mistakes to make sure that they’re not a part of your daily routine

  • Eating too fast. By rushing through every meal, you don’t give your body enough time to actually feel full. If you eat slower, you’re more likely to stop eating when you’ve actually had enough.
  • Forgoing meals. Instead of making you lose weight faster, skipping meals actually leads to consuming more calories later in the day. Even if you’re not feeling hungry at meal time, try eating a small snack to keep your appetite regulated.
  • Consuming liquid calories. Many dieters don’t realize just how many calories there are in many common beverages. Drinks like wine, beer, coffee, and even juices can add hundreds of unnecessary calories throughout the day.
  • Eating too-large portions. It’s always smart to measure the portion size of your food before eating it, as it is very difficult to judge the amount of calories simply by looking at a food. You can do this by using a food scale or carrying plastic containers in the recommended sizes.

Diet Mistakes: 6 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight [WebMD]
14 Diet Foods To Avoid [Prevention]
13 Healthy Foods to Avoid For Weight Loss! [Active Beat]
Jillian Michaels: Weight-Loss Tips That Work [Health]

Gelatissimo: Fresh, Authentic Gelato

Stop by Gelatissimo for a sweet treat in New Canaan. The cozy ice cream shop serves up gelato so authentic (and tasty), you might be surprised it's in Connecticut and not Italy. The friendly staff is happy to let you sample a variety of the flavors before deciding which one to enjoy. And there's typically a varied selection, including some rotating, seasonal flavors. It's all adeptly made: smooth yet dense; sweet without overpowering the flavor.

Some of Gelatissimo's popular flavors include Vanilla, Pistachio, Hazelnut, and Watermelon, and whatever you choose can be enjoyed in a cone or cup. You can add toppings, too, but you may not want to mask the flavor of this delightful gelato. If you're planning to visit, be sure to stop by the ATM, as Gelatissimo only accepts cash.

Gelatissimo
26 Forest Street
New Canaan, CT 06840
(203) 966-5000
gelatissimoartisangelato.com
http://www.yelp.com/biz/gelatissimo-new-canaan

Valencia Luncheria: Latin American Cuisine in Norwalk

The authentic tastes of Latin America are ready for you at Valencia Luncheria. While “Luncheria” is in its name, the Valencia serves terrific cuisine for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Come in to the Valencia Luncheria in the morning to start your day right, with traditional breakfast platters or Arepas, a Venezuelan corn cake, filled with traditional eggs, cheese and meat, or with interesting flavors like mango and brie. Check out the lunch specials, with soups, salads and platters, or go for a traditional burrito, empanada or sandwich. And it just gets better at dinner, with excellent small plates and large entrees so good; you’ll think that you’re dining in Venezuela! Try the fresh ceviche, always a big hit with the regulars. The atmosphere and service will make you want to come back.

Valencia Luncheria
164 Main St
Norwalk, CT 06851
(203) 846-8009
http://www.yelp.com/biz/valencia-luncheria-norwalk

Cherry Street East Café: Bodacious Burgers

For all of the high-end restaurants in New Canaan, there are just as many old-school neighborhood favorites that get plenty of business. One of the most popular is the Cherry Street East Café, an unpretentious family restaurant that serves up some of the best burgers in town. Since opening in 1977, this place has drawn crowds every day for well-priced comfort food. Locals rave about the wide variety of burgers offered here – try the Brit, with horseradish sauce and Swiss cheese, or the Philly with sautéed onions, peppers and cheddar cheese. Get onion rings on the side – they’re spectacular. If you don't feel like burgers, there’s plenty of other good stuff on the menu. Regulars recommend the Cobb salad with turkey and the fish and chips, but everything’s good.

Cherry Street East Café
45 East Avenue
New Canaan, CT 06840
(203) 594-1515
www.yelp.com/biz/cherry-street-east-new-canaan

Having Everyone Over to Watch the Big Game? Check Out These Football-Themed Recipes!

The only thing better than seeing your team score the winning touchdown? An excuse to indulge in some utensil-free finger foods! These game-changing recipes promise to keep mouths happily snacking during the big football game—when they're not busy yelling at the TV, that is!

Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread [browneyedbaker.com]
Requiring only a loaf of bread, some cheese, garlic, and scallions, this quick and easy recipe is good in a pinch. Simply cut a grid pattern into a loaf of bread, drizzle a garlic-oil mixture over top, then pop it into the oven. After the bread has toasted, remove it from the oven, tuck cheese into all of the crevices, then continue to bake until it's golden-brown. Your guests will get a kick out of pulling the gooey, cheesy bread bites away from the loaf.

Homemade Pretzel Dogs [thefoodcharlatan.com]
This recipe creates the quitessential party snack: pigs in a blanket. These pigs, however, are tucked into made-from-scratch soft pretzel dough for a salty, savory snack your guests will love. Serve them with a bowl of yellow mustard for dipping.

Peanut Butter Football Dip [crazyforcrust.com]
For the football fanatic with a sweet tooth, this dessert dip doesn't disappoint. Cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips are combined to create a decadent dip, which is then molded into a football shape. Serve the dip with mini pretzels for a salty-sweet treat.

Happy Winter!

As sweater weather approaches we hope you all stay warm and cozy this season! What are some of your favorite winter activities?

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