Village Voice Holiday Guide to Reading

The Union Square Holiday Market is in full swing, the 30,000 lights decorating the Rockefeller Christmas Tree will be lit next week, and even without any snow on the sidewalks, retailers have turned Manhattan into a wonderland of tinsel, snowflakes, wreaths, and garlands. If you're not the kind of person that eagerly awaits the Yuletide, then it's probably time for a drink. Egg Nog or hot buttered rum are always solid options this time of year, but maybe you'd rather just have a glass of wine or a pint of beer. That and a good book.

In the current issue of the Village Voice, I choose and review five new books that any beer geek, wine connoisseur, or cocktail enthusiast will want to add to their library. Titles like To Have and Have Another, Allagash: The Cookbook, and How to Love Wine are all great resources for someone planning to throw a party in the next few weeks, but most people with an interest in ales, spirits, or oenology will find at least one of these books worth reading. I agreed with much of Mr. Asimov's wine manifesto and definitely enjoyed the Hemingway Cocktail Companion by Philip Greene, but I was especially pleased to include a cookbook highlighting craft beer. As far as I'm concerned, a good new beer publication is worth celebrating any time of year. 

Village Voice Winter Guide

While ice carving isn't exactly something I expect to think about (or frankly, see) in the next few months, I do know of a place where curious New Yorkers can go to watch sculptors at work: Walton Fairgrounds in the Catskills. And that's not all. If you happen to be in the mood for a winter seal walk, a dram of locally-distilled whiskey, or even a few hours of curling, I've got suggestions.

This is because I recently complied a travel guide to area winter getaways for the Village Voice. Of course, the cold, bleak days and weeks that fall between Thanksgiving and St. Patrick's Day are also a great time to catch up on your Netflix queue, or you could always stay warm by perfecting your Chocolate Smoked Porter Cake recipe. But if a little adventure starts to sound good after being cooped up indoors with your sunlight-deprived roommates, check out my weekend trip ideas, hop in a car, and head upstate. Oh, and unless you want Mom to worry, don't forget to wear a hat.