When the 23-year-old Florida Winefest welcomes guests the first weekend in April, there will be a catalog of exciting new programs to choose from, including its storied Winemaker & Wine Dinners, the debut of two new Balloon Glow Dinners, a Smokin’ Hot Cigar Dinner and the signature Grand Tasting, Brunch & Charity Auction.

My tip for doing the Forks & Corks Grand Tasting in style? Just don’t come alone—I found this is the yearly event to bring lots of friends.

It was a night of glitz and glamor at Michael’s Wine Cellar. The Forks & Corks French Wine Dinner was hosted by Robert “Bobby” Kacher, featuring wines by Bertrand Ambroise and Philippe Ehrhart. Simply the best!

I’m appreciating the classics and some of the finer things in life this weekend—still looking for a classic dress for Saturday night’s “Prom” and cleansing my palate for a weekend of local chef creations and international wines at Forks & Corks!

You must all remember the box of Cracker Jacks you get at the ball park. Somehow the plastic mystery decoder ring seemed more the exciting than the caramel popcorn shaking inside the box. Well, forget about that old box and think about freshly-made caramel sauce dribbled over hot, air-popped corn and then tossed with a hit of cayenne—and you’ve got the ultimate sweet and savory bite of the week. eat here, the downtown sensation by “Mr. Restaurant” Sean Murphy now offers “Crack-o-Jacks” upstairs at the bar. Warning—it is a wicked treat [...]

The restaurant business is a demanding profession. Long hours, high expectations and a challenging, competitive local market are only a few of the obstacles operators must navigate in order to be successful. Not only that, but a new restaurant needs to establish an identity that sets it apart from other local restaurants. Easily said, but not easily done. Every once in a while a new restaurant comes along with some unique characteristics that quickly distinguish it from the others. The Sarasota location of The Carmel Café & Wine Bar is [...]