18 SPECIAL FEATURE
18 SPECIAL FEATURE ADVERTORIAL GASTRONOMY Wine, Water & Wonders of Upstate NY Miami Spice Restaurant Program It’s a Matter of Taste Miami spices up diverse foodie offerings The Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation has teamed with the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, Visit Rochester and the Corning Museum of Glass to create an original five-day / four night itinerary, allowing visitors to experience more than just New York City. A visit to the Corning Museum of Glass tracks 35 centuries of glass, and visitors are able to admire amazing glassmaking demonstrations and then make their own glass! The suggested tour then winds through the beautiful Finger Lakes, home to many award winning wineries and shops. The iconic city of Rochester is home to the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film inside the home of Kodak’s founder. Travellers will again enjoy an evening of great dining, music and nightlife. In Niagara Falls, visitors experience the thrill of the Falls aboard the Maid of the Mist and the Cave of the Winds tour. Visitors to the Miami booth at the Brand USA pavilion are learning more about Miami’s “spicier” side. Now in its 14 th year, the Miami Spice restaurant program, organised by the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), offers visiting foodies an affordable and innovative way to indulge at nearly 200 area restaurants for the whole of August and September. With its Art Deco architecture, cultural diversity and stunning coastline, Miami has evolved into one of the world’s premier playgrounds. Greater Miami and the Beaches offers a blend of cutting edge urban chic and old world Florida. Sunny weather year-round, top-ranked beaches and the sparkling waters of Biscayne Bay are the backdrop for a cosmopolitan metropolis pulsing with the rhythms of its eclectic population. Miami’s world-class dining and cuisine has been an increasing tourist draw, with the annual Miami Spice leading the charge amid a year-round roster of unique culinary events – for example, the world’s first festival dedicated entirely to rosé wines and champagne made its way to Miami in January and February 2015. The Miami Spice event kicks off in August. Continuing through September, savvy foodies have countless new opportunities to enjoy cutting edge meals at some of the area’s hottest dining destinations. Unique dining experiences feature chef collaborations bringing together diverse culinary styles and flavors into one dining experience,” said William Talbert III, CDME, president and CEO of the GMCVB. Culinary collaborations bring together some of the area’s most talented chefs to offer an intimate and interactive experience celebrating the culinary artistry of some of Greater Miami and the Beaches’ top toques. In its inaugural year, the Miami Spice Mash-Up dinner series last year was highly successful, bringing food enthusiasts from around the world an exclusive preview of each of the featured chef’s Miami Spice menus, as well as an opportunity to interact with them. As part of Miami Spice, GMCVB has facilitated enticing hotel packages, with Greater Miami’s accommodations scene as diverse as its unique culinary offerings. Visitors can take advantage of special hotel packages at top-end properties that also feature acclaimed restaurants onsite or near their premises. UNIQUE DINING EXPERIENCES FEATURE CHEF COLLABORATIONS BRINGING TOGETHER DIVERSE CULINARY STYLES AND FLAVORS INTO ONE DINING EXPERIENCE In addition, a series of Miami Spice special offers are also available to travelers, including happy hours, brunch specials, half-price wine and more. Guests can also save money with savvy deals from participating Miami Spice Restaurants. Hall 2.1 Stand 200 ITB BERLIN NEWS • Saturday 7 th March 2015 www.itb-berlin-news.com
GASTRONOMY SPECIAL FEATURE 19 ADVERTORIAL Sonoma Valley California Dreaming Napa and Sonoma Valleys Wine and Dine Global Travellers Why not drop by Hall 2.1 at ITB Berlin and discover California’s two world-famous wine regions, the Napa Valley and Sonoma County, offering hundreds of unique wineries and restaurants for discerning gourmet travellers. Both about an hour’s drive north of San Francisco, Napa Valley and Sonoma County boast rolling hills planted with some of the most coveted grapes in the world. Napa Valley reigns as the land of grand estates, expansive tasting rooms, quaint towns and elegant lodgings, many lining the celebrated Silverado Trail. Sonoma County tends to have a more intimate feel, especially heading further north towards the Russian River. Whether they’re in a castle or renovated barn, the hundreds of wineries in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys deserve their gold medals and international accolades. When to visit? Each season has its charms: spring brings brilliant green new grape leaves and lush hillsides; summer warms up, both with events and crowds, so visitors should start the day early to avoid both; fall brings the harvest, when vineyards bustle with workers in the vineyards and the wineries; winter has a cool hush— insiders know this is a time to snag reservations at the region’s Michelin-starred, in-demand restaurants, shop for holiday gifts in gussied-up towns, and relax in peace at luxurious spas. The Napa Valley Wine Train is a perfect way to explore the premier wine region. During the annual California Wine Month in September, passengers can enjoy gourmet menus exquisitely paired with wines from the featured wine luminary as the train winds its way through the valley. Just turned 25, the Napa Valley Wine Train continues to operate faithfully restored antique Pullman rail cars that evoke the spirit of luxury rail travel in the early 20th century. In the heart of the Napa Valley wine route, the Silverado Trail is a country road marked by shady oaks and world-class wines derived from an abundance of wineries. The Silverado Trail is the country-road counterpart to busier Highway 29, which roughly parallels the route. Visitors can drive— or better yet rent a bike and pedal—along this tranquil, scenic route, snugged up against the valley’s eastern hills. The biggest challenge is figuring out where to stop first. Prestigious wineries with Silverado Trail addresses include Joseph Phelps, ZD Wines, and Miner Family Winery, just three of the dozens of wonderful places to sample Napa Valley’s famous cabernet sauvignon and other bigbodied reds. Sparkling wine fans will want to stop at Mumm Napa, where you can sip bubbly in a tasting salon, or reserve a seat on the intimate Oak Terrace. Visitors can take the long, leafy drive onto the manicured grounds of Meadowood Napa Valley for an al fresco lunch at The Grill; or dine at the three-Michelin-starred The Restaurant at Meadowood, known for impeccable service and farm-to-table offerings. Heading west to Sonoma County, the town of Healdsburg is the ultimate fine wining and dining oasis. Around the historic town square, travellers will find tasting rooms filled with beautiful people, boutiques and swanky restaurants glowing at dusk. And then there’s Les Mars Hôtel, which feels more like Louis XIV’s Loire Valley than Sonoma County. What may have once been a sleepy country town at the north end of the Sonoma Valley is now one of the classiest destinations in California wine country. One of the best places to anchor explorations of surrounding Sonoma wineries, Healdsburg has plenty to offer in its own right. Locally grown produce is a feature, with the twice-weekly (June through October) farmers market brimming with fresh, local, and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables. Visitors can also pick up artisanal cheeses and a fresh crusty loaf at the tempting Oakville Grocery; or finish the day with a decadent meal of pork-belly biscuits, Hamachi crudo, and squidink pasta at Chalkboard. … TRAVELLERS WILL FIND TASTING ROOMS FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, BOUTIQUES AND SWANKY RESTAURANTS GLOWING AT DUSK Hall 2.1 Stand 200 ITB BERLIN NEWS • Saturday 7 th March 2015
