TODAY IS SOMEONE'S BIRTHDAY!!!

Wow! This is incredible....My Birthday is May 3 and already gifts have been showing up at my door.
All I can say is what a treat. These UTTERLY FAB GIFTS are so wonderful, and, have made me so happy I have to SHARE THEM WITH YOU! And, hopefully you will share them with others on their Birthday. Because every day is a special day for someone!

In no special order because each gift touched my heart: The Beatleness Book is utterly sublime!
As a life long Beatles Fan, I was interviewed for this book. And Candy, the Author, even thanks me in the acknowledgments. I simply can not wait to read it. She got me with the cover! www.beatleness.com

Poldark!!!!!! If you haven't seen  this incredible PBS Masterpiece Series yet, I beg you, PLEASE DO! In all of my life I have not seen a finer show. Yes, it's equal to my other favorite Downton Abbey!

This sublime series will hook you in the first five minutes. As busy as I am, I have already watched it twice through. Need I say more? Oh yes, Swooning is required! And I look forward to watching it a third time, and, owning my own copy soon. This one was lent to me as an early gift.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/programs/poldark/

NO birthday celebration of mine would be complete without some fine tea and coffee. New England Coffee didn't let me down. They just sent me a package of their Birthday Cake Coffee. And I could tell simply by the intoxicating aroma it would be incredibly yummy. You have to give this to someone on your coffee lover's list. It's a perfect Birthday gift. I am drinking some now....
www.newenglandcoffee.com

And, last but not least, MAYA GOURMET BAKLAVA! Quite frankly, her pastry is so delicious I don't even know how to describe it. All I can say is I received three boxes today and only one is left. I shared some with a friend, and I indulged in the other. Now I am going for a ten mile walk. But, it was well worth it. For those with discipline, they come in little serving size pieces. www.mayagourmet.com

Happy Birthday to everyone celebrating a birthday today, tomorrow, and every day this year...

WHAT A TREAT!

 This past Thursday evening my kind and wonderful sister, Pam, invited me to The Grand Tasting Event sponsored by North Shore Magazine. What a treat! I have been working real hard gearing up for real life Shark Tank, because this Entrepreneur smells success.

We were excited to try all the culinary delights literally against the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean! The venue took place at the Sea Glass restaurant in Salisbury Mass. I was happy to have a long and overdue night out with my sister. And, what fun we had. When we walked into the enormous room overlooking the sea we were handed the Best Prosecco (Italian Sparkling Wine) we have had…. Gambino Prosecco! I can assure you, if you like Champagne, you will LOVE this. It’s the Prosecco you can’t refuse! It’s like everything you love most in the world liquidizing into one sparkling glass…bubbly, chilled, and fabulous! Salude!

My sis and I walked around feasting on lobster rolls (I wish I could remember the vendor because they sure were extra yummy). We grabbed bunches of shrimp and scallops from Woodman’s of Essex. Seafood doesn’t get any better!  We passed the Davio’s Restaurant table and we just couldn’t say no to their Lobster Risotto.  While I was swooning over my second serving (one was not enough) Pam sampled this new Rum made in Ipswich of all places. It’s called Privateer. It was an instant hit. We highly recommend this sublime and historic brew made with a great deal of integrity right here in New England. May I suggest you try it with mint and blueberries because summer will soon be here...

The food offerings were generous and endless. We had only hit one side of the room but we were already full! We could only admire the homemade asparagus soup, the fresh sushi, the tenderloin, and spicy soft tacos!

After a fit of laughing, like sisters often do, and usually over nothing that is all that funny, just the joy of being together and the history we share, we headed for the desserts. I was eager, but, Pam had to be prodded a bit. Eventually she followed me into the dessert room (yes an entire room of some of the best desserts I have ever had). I spotted the really good Red Velvet Whoopi Pies, but, it was Pam who discovered the 24k gold salted caramels from The Candy Dish. Only three letters can describe the latter, OMG! Truly top notch chocolates. 

Then, that little Renee inside of me gravitated towards Bellavella Handcrafted Cookies. I just stood there coveting all the cakes and cookies.  I felt like a child in a candy store surrounded by so many pretty and irresistible baked goodies. What’s not to love?

When I thought I had had enough, I decided to take a tiny bite of the Maya Gourmet Baklava! This was undoubtedly the finest Greek pasty I have had! Please get some now. Just ask for it at your grocer. It’s my new favorite. Maya Gourmet goes perfectly with the Gambino Prosecco. And, that was our last stop. Back to the delicious and refreshing Italian sparkling wine. We raised our glasses and promised not to eat as much for the rest of the week, or maybe two!

If you hear of any Grand Tasting Events in your area, check them out. It’s really a fun way to share an evening and try new things. And, often part of the proceeds are donated to worthy charities.