Step Out for Stepping Stones with Wine, Brews, and Bites

Update:  unfortunately, Step Out has been postponed.  We’ll give you more info when we get a new date.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk is a fun place to be, especially if you’re a kid…or a kid at heart.  They have an amazing amount of exhibits for children all the way from birth to 7 and up, they provide educational classes, they are always up to something new like Dinosaur Revolution, they have tons of events, and they are a favorite stop for schools.  Fun like this isn’t easy to provide, so that’s why Stepping Stones is holding their 8th Annual Step Out Wine & Food Tasting fundraiser.  This vital (and tasty) event is being held in partnership with our friends over at the Young Professionals Network of the Business Council of Fairfield County.  Here are all the details for you:

Taste of the Nation New Haven 2013 Vows No Kid Hungry

No Kid Hungry.  That’s the rallying call of Share Our Strength, an organization put together to wipe out childhood hunger.  And, with about 105,000 (13%) of children under 18 in Connecticut being food insecure, you can see how important this organization is.  One of their major fundraisers across the country is called Taste of the Nation that feature local food, chefs, and drinks.  And, we just so happen to be lucky enough to have a Taste of the Nation taking place at The Omni Hotel at Yale in New Haven on 5/22 from 6-9 for regular ticket holders ($85) or 5-9 for VIP ticket holders ($150).  The money will not only benefit Share Our Strength, but it will also benefit Christian Community Action, Connecticut Food Bank, End Hunger Connecticut, and the local chapter of No Kid Hungry Connecticut.  So, not only will you be helping to end childhood hunger, but you’ll also have some great music, treats, and drinks.  Here are the details:

• Honorary Chef Chair Chef Jacques Pepin will be on hand.
• The Elizabeth Dellinger/Tony Dioguardi Duo will be entertaining all our guests in the Grand Ballroom.
• VIP Tickets holders can listen to an Evening Of Song with Tanya Leonard with Derek Monahan on guitar.
• Restaurants will be delighting…
  • 116 Crown
  • Barcelona
  • Bella Bella Gourmet
  • Box 63 American Bar & Grill
  • Bridgewater Chocolate
  • Briq Restaurant
  • Brownson Country Club
  • Caseus Fromagerie Bistro
  • Cask Republic
  • Chocopologie
  • Claire’s Cornercopia
  • Cooking Matters
  • Fig Cooking School
  • Gelato Giuliana
  • Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill
  • Heirloom @ The Study
  • Ibiza
  • Ibizia Tapas Wine Bar
  • John Davenport’s
  • La Cuisine Cafe, Market & Catering
  • MIKRO Beer Bar
  • Oaxaca Kitchen
  • Parallel Post at the Trumbull Marriott
  • Savvy Tea
  • Shake Shack New Haven
  • SONO Baking Company
  • Thali & Thali Too
  • The Farmer’s Cow
  • Wheelers Market-Café & Restaurant
  • Willoughby’s
  • Winvian (VIP only)

Greenwich Library Book Sale Weekend Party, Food Truck Takeover + More

After we had moved into our new place in Greenwich in December, one of the first things we did was head over to The Greenwich Library on West Putnam Avenue.  We got our library cards and explored.  We saw thousands upon thousands of new books, DVDs, CDs, magazines, computers, help desks, an art gallery, and even an art loan program.  Plus, we loved just gathering up our CDs and books on Ireland and checking ourselves out…nice and simple.  Having all of these great features, hosting awesome events and programs, and keeping up the library isn’t easy at all, so The Greenwich Library is hosting a Book Sale Weekend from May 17-19.  Books (and more) will be on sale including audiobooks, biographies, children’s books, DVDs, cookbooks, fiction, romance novels, young adult literature, and more.  Here are the Book Sale Weekend details:

May 17, 5-8 pm:

Special Book Sale Preview Party for $100.  That gets you early access to the books that are on sale and let’s you in on a fun party with food from Burke Catering, Barcelona, and Whole Foods Market Greenwich.  And, yes, there will be drinks…espresso NEAT will be pouring coffee and espresso, there will be wine and liquors from Horseneck Wines & Liquors, and there will be plenty of drinking of the library’s signature “Book-tini” cocktail.  Guests will also get a chance to meet with antique book appraiser Ken Gloss who is a frequent appraiser on Antiques Road Show.  Ken will appraise up to five books and documents for free as part of your entrance fee, plus you’ll be able to hear Ken talk about “Is There Value in Your Old and Rare Books?” in the Cole Auditorium.  Tickets can be purchased by going here https://greenwichlibrary.ejoinme.org/booksalepreviewparty or contacting Sarah Falvo at (203) 622-7957.

May 18, 9 am to 4 pm:

Station Eats Gives Back w/ Their Dog of the Month

Cinco de Mayo doesn’t have to end, especially not at Station Eats.  Starting today until the middle of June, they’ll be featuring their Taco Dog as the Dog of the Month.  Pick your dog (grass fed beef, chicken, or veggie), then they’ll add on tomato salsa, lettuce, shredded cheddar, sour cream, and wrap it up in a warm flour tortilla.  If that’s not spicy enough for ya, just remember that the good guys at Station Eats will be donating 10% of their profits for Taco Dogs to two great causes:  Camp Promise East (giving summer camp experiences to people with muscular dystrophy and ALSTDI (fighting to find a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease).  You can get the Taco Dog at either the New Canaan or Stamford locations, btw.

If you’d like a burger and shake to complement that doggie, then check out these specials starting today:  The Steak House Burger and their Coconut Shake.  The Steak House Burger (we’d had it before, it’s excellent) has cheese, Station Steak Sauce, shaved onions, and tomato.  So, make sure to come by a few times and get your Taco Dog!  Also, why not invite your friends, have family reunions at Station Eats, have your next birthday party, too!  A Taco Dog for everybody!

Derby Day Party at Plan B Burger in Stamford has heart…and bourbon

Gentlemen and gentlewomen, start your, er, horses.  And they’re off…well, off to Derby Day at Plan B Burger Bar in Stamford from 3-7 on May 4.  Yup yup!  You’ll be able to watch the Kentucky Derby at Plan B and get to comment on all the cool horse names such as Charming Kitten, Itsmyluckyday, Fear the Kitten, Frac Daddy, and the number one contender Black Onyx.

But, does anyone really watch the races?  Everybody knows what it’s really about:

Looking spiffy, wearing huge hats that strangely resemble ufos, dressing like a princess (or prince), and drinking lots of bourbon.  And, you’ll be happy to know that at Plan B you’ll be rewarded for your crazy hat and your daper and dressiness with contests.  There’s even going to be a raffle if you can’t find an ugly hat.  But, perhaps one of the sweetest things is that Plan B is giving back to The American Cancer Society.  You’ll be drinking bourbon anyway, so just make sure to order Four Roses straight, on the rocks, or in their mixed drinks such as their Four Roses Mint Julep.

Get a Taste of Westport’s Best Bites and Drinks: 2013

It’s time again for Taste of Westport (we covered this event last year, too).  What’s great about this event is that you get to taste some of the best food that Westport has to offer and you do good at the same time.  Taste of Westport will be on May 2 from 6-9 pm at the Westport Inn and will cost $75 prepaid or $80 at the door.  You can get your tickets easily by going to the purchasing page or calling (203) 226-7895 x144.  Proceeds are being donated to Clasp Homes of Westport and even more will go to Clasp through silent auctions.  Here’s a little bit about Clasp, from their website:  “Our mission is to provide homes and opportunities for people with autism and other developmental disabilities.  We offer high quality personalized services that enhance each person’s independence, dignity, and continued growth.  As a non-profit community organization we are dedicated to increasing public understanding of the people we serve and their ability to be contributing members of the community.”  

Now back to the food…but, we’re not talking about just great restaurants.  Michele’s Pies, the award-winning and Bobby Flay-throwdown-winners, will be on hand.  Plus, there will be lots to drink like Beaver Beer, local Onyx Moonshine, and even more provided by Black Bear Wines & Spirits, Crystal Rock, and Green Farms Spirits.  Here is all the info.

Restaurants

SBC and Garden Catering Raising $ for Local Muscular Dystrophy Camp and ALS Research

Southport Brewing Company

Last year we told you about something special that Southport Brewing Company does.  They have a special “Help Line” that you can ask for.  You’ll get to pick any of their house brews, but just for asking for the “Help Line” you’ll be donating .50 to a charity that they have chosen.

The two charities that they are currently collecting for (.25 per beer goes to each charity) goes until the end of June and are near and dear to us.  The first charity is ALS TDI who is working hard to wipe out ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.  According to their site, “Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to paralysis, due to the death of motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain. There is no known cure for the disease…the average patient survives only 2-5 years following diagnosis.”  The second charity is Camp Promise East who hosts a summer camp each year for people of all ages with muscular dystrophy.  The collection of funds for both charities is going on now until the end of June, so if you’re having some SBC brews, remember to ask for the “Help Line.”  You’ll be helping out big time.

Garden Catering

And also Garden Catering of Old Greenwich is helping raise money again, too.  They’ll be donating a portion of their sales to the same two charities on May 22 from 2 to 7 pm.  They’ll be donating 10% of all in-store sales and will donate 20% of all gift card sales.  You know what that means?  Yup!  Plenty of birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah, Halloween, Groundhogs Day, and any other holiday where you get presents for the people you love.  Or, maybe you’ll just hoard them for yourself to make that next trip to Garden Catering a bit easier?

10,000 Acts of Kindness, 10,000 Free Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Update:  Cheeseboy gave away nearly 40,000 free sandwiches and honored nearly 17,500 random acts of kindness throughout the Northeast during National Grilled Cheese Month.  They were only planning on giving away 1,000!  

We all probably remember where we were when the attacks of 9/11 happened, where we were when the shootings at Newtown happened, and where we were when we heard the news about the bombings at the Boston Marathon during Patriot’s Day.  While we never forget these moments and we won’t ever forget the people hurt and the friends we lost because of these senseless tragedies, we need to move ahead.  Like the runners, we need to keep racing towards the end, chugging ahead, helping those who fall down along the way.

In that kind of spirit of friendship, devotion, and helpfulness, Cheeseboy (based in Boston) is rewarding people who have done good.  They will be giving away free grilled cheese sandwiches to 10,000 individuals who demonstrate acts of kindness.  This is their way of helping those who give and sacrifice themselves for others.  Just stop by any of their locations (listed below) on Sunday, April 28 from 1-6 pm and get your free grilled cheese sandwich.

Again, we can’t help but think of some of the images of the Boston Marathon.  After the explosion, you’d expect people to run away, but people in uniform and everyday citizens came running in.  They searched for people and put their lives in danger to help out.  It’s important that in times like this that we see the good in each other and see how kindness can help get us through.

Take care everybody.

Dan and Kristien

Local Beer, Restaurants, + More @ A Novel Affair Fundraiser for The Ferguson Library

If you didn’t know, Dan teaches middle school English.  So, it’s no surprise that he values reading, literacy, and the pursuit of knowledge. Hey, life isn’t about just food.  Also, we both value libraries. They educate, they bring the community together, and they move the world ahead. That being said, we are all aware of the money crisis throughout America and we know that libraries often end up on the chopping block. And, being former Stamford residents, we have seen hours cut and worse, but we have also seen people work together to keep the local library system going. For example, local businesses such as Citizens Bank and Pitney Bowes have sponsored Sunday hours at The Ferguson Library.

The three bbq sauces at Bar Q BBQ and Saloon

And, another major source of funds comes from The Ferguson Library’s annual fundraiser, A Novel Affair. This year the food, drinks, music, fun, and auctions are going down on Thursday, 4/25, starting at 6 pm. Tickets are $125 and can be purchased here.  Let’s share with you some of the amazing things that you can look forward to:

Drinks

• Open bar
  

  Conor Horrigan at Half Full Brewery

• Wine and beer tastings from BevMax
• Beer tasting from Charter Oak Brewing Company of New Canaan
• Beer tasting from Half Full Brewery of Stamford
• Beer tasting from Southport Brewing Company of Connecticut

Noms (that’s food in our language) 

Dishing out Compassion: Community Plates Now Rescuing Food in New Haven

Community Plates started January 2011 in Norwalk, rescuing food from restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores that would otherwise hit a landfill.  Then, from there, volunteers would deliver the food to local shelters and food kitchens throughout Fairfield County.  As time went on, the restaurants and stores started to add up, so did the food collected, and so did the volunteers.

The Community Plates mission only grew from there, with them expanding their food rescuing through volunteerism into Columbus, Ohio and Albuquerque, New Mexico.   Getting food onto the plates of the hungry is no easy feat, but the GoRescue app that they developed has made it easier.  In fact, in under two years, they have rescued over one million meals that were transferred to over 300 volunteer drivers who then delivered them to over 40 receiving agencies.  Now New Haven is on board, too, helping the food insecure.  Executive Director Kevin Mullins explains why New Haven was an ideal location:  “We selected New Haven as our next launch site due to the high incidence of food insecurity and proximity to our headquarters in Fairfield County, but those were not the only reasons.  We are about communities helping their own communities, and New Haven has a rich tradition in grassroots organizations which is critical in this first phase as we sign up volunteer food runners, food donors and receiving agencies.  We just knew this was the right place.”