While Cinco de Mayo does fall on a Monday this year, there are still plenty of restaurants all throughout Connecticut that are offering holiday specials during the week leading up to May 5th and many that are excited to party the day of! I often try to look at the glass half full…full of margarita that is. So let’s all start the week off right by grabbing our friends, throwing on our dancing shoes for the live DJ performances, and proactively calling out of work that Tuesday, because yes, the tequila and beer will be flowing and that’s just a fact. But don’t worry, the tacos, empanadas, dips, and other incredible specials might just be so off the charts that you forget about the drinks and boom! Hangover cured!
(I love George Clooney and all, but you can do much better than Migos.)
Cimaroon-this, by far is the most value driven example of pure agave flavor.
It may be a bit too funky for some, but it is super authentic and full of spice, lime, and herbaceous notes.
Casa Noble Reposado- Aged for one day less than an Anejo, this is attainable luxury in a bottle. They check all the boxes for production, sustainability and investment in the drinking public with good information about how to truly appreciate the spirit. Vanilla, white pepper and bright orange dominate.
Gran Centenario Anejo- oak aging takes away agave flavor, and skill is required to add the notes of candied apple, chocolate and cinnamon while preserving the soul of an agave. This is great for a bourbon lover, and a spoonful on top of your margarita is instant elegance.
Cinco de Mayo is here again, baby! This year the holiday falls on a Sunday, which should be the best news you’ve heard all year because it means you get to celebrate all. weekend. long. Restaurants all across Connecticut are kicking it into high gear this time, with great food, drinks, live music, and prizes! No matter where you are in this wonderful state of ours, you’ll be able to find sick menu specials, fire DJs, and strong margaritas. Get ready to shake your booty this Cinco de Mayo weekend, because we’re all friends here so we can admit – nothing quite makes you dance like a shot (or four) of tequila. Check out what these talented chefs and mixologists have in store this holiday…you won’t be disappointed.
Lori-Ann Marchese is the Head Trainer of Body Construct and a licensed nutritionist. She has a few healthier options for local eats to try this Cinco De Mayo.
Want to celebrate Cinco while keeping your fitness goals? We have hand selected a cocktail and dish from eight amazing CT restaurants with this in mind. Happy eating everyone!
What better way to kick off May than with a Cinco de Mayo FIESTA! Fruity, frosty or frozen Margaritas in a rainbow of flavors, tacos of every shape and size, gobs of perfectly creamy guacamole and…tequila. May 5th just happens to be a Friday this year, so let ‘er rip and party until the piñata hits the ground!
I first met Christian a few years ago at Rooms with a View, a premier charitable design event that takes place annually at Southport Congregational Church. He was tasked with the almost-impossible assignment of transforming a commonplace chapel space into a pop-up dining venue fit for an elegant gala. I was eager to see what this larger than life man (he’s 6”5’!) with an equally as large personality would come up with. When told me that he was going to turn the mundane space into a floral covered café under a starlit sky I thought to myself, “Ok this is really cool,” followed immediately by “How the hell is he going to do that?”
We may be stuck inside, but Connecticut restaurants and caterers are helping us travel south of the border with their Cinco de Mayo packages! Some places like Bartaco and Wakeman Town Farm are bringing the fiesta into your home with virtual events while others are offering delicious cuisine and all the fixings to make your own margaritas! Are you ready to party? If the answer is “si!” check out our guide below.
What if each drop in the ocean of American craft beer landed with a splash of new color? Thousands of breweries, making hundreds of thousands of beers, each rippling and bouncing with individual personality. Beer brewing is an art, yes, but in the process it also supports artists who make their own contribution to what brewers create, and drinkers see. This December, Three Sheets and The 16oz. Canvas will present The Art Of Craft Beer, featuring artists who add color to the craft beer scene of Connecticut.
PRO refrigeration, Sub-Zero’s boldest, most iconic design, was an instant hit when it came on the scene several years ago. Its 48” wide all stainless or stainless with glass refrigerator door designs changed the face of kitchens throughout the country. Now this bold, professional look is finally available in a 36-inch-wide model. This means the stunning PRO look and unparalleled features can fit into almost any kitchen.
“Everything about this new Sub-Zero is spectacular,” explained Marco Barallon, the corporate showroom director for New England’s Official Sub-Zero/Wolf/Cove Showroom and Test Kitchen. “For designers who are looking for a new way to make a stunning kitchen statement, you can create a six-foot-wide food preservation armoire by placing two 36” PRO units side by side – one with a left hinge, the other with a right – with the glass doors, this is like nothing you’ve ever seen in kitchen design. Beyond the show-stopping look, discerning homeowners love the features.”
On Saturday, May 4, 2019, Carson + Spencer is hosting the SONO Cinco de Mayo Bar Crawl! You'll have the chance to hop from bar to bar in South Norwalk in one fun-filled evening. Tickets start at $20.
Mezon in Danbury is throwing the biggest party of the year in honor of Cinco! Cocktail competition. Live DJ. Drink specials + delicious food featuring the @eatjustice food truck. Sunday May 5th. Doors open at 7.
Ordinary New Haven will be offering an $8 Margarita Special in honor of Cinco de Mayo on Friday May 3 and Saturday May 4 (the bar is closed on Sundays). The drink special includes Hacienda Blanco Tequila, Blood Orange Shrub, Citrus and Dehydrated Grapefruit Salt.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Bartaco Portchester! From 3:30-6pm, listen to live music by Rick Reyes & The Pasofino Social Club. From 6:30-9pm Tangled Vine will take the set. The night concludes with DJ Teofilis.
The Acoustic Café welcomes the Cosmic Jibaros for their Cinco de Mayo celebration.
Evarito's is celebrating Cinco de Mayo all weekend long! Visit them for happy hour on Friday and then enjoy $7 Margaritas and food specials on Saturday & Sunday. Their Saturday Night party will feature DJ Mercado and Sunday they’ll have Latin Band Quimbombó from NYC.
Denise Davies of D2 Interieurs dishes on great gifts for your Valentine. Let your gifts speak from the heart AND the taste buds. The list has something for everyone, from the chef to the foodie this curated go-to is sure to please even the pickiest Valentine.
The presence of food as edible décor is unexpected and exciting! People eat with their eyes, so before they even take a seat their mouths are watering just looking at your table! Beautiful tablescape design, incorporating food, is the key to these spectacular tables.
Holiday theming and scheming can be a little overwhelming so eliminate the stress with these terrific ideas from a few of our recent events:
Every two years Clarke, New England’s Official Sub-Zero/Wolf/Cove Showroom and Test Kitchen, hosts its Sub-Zero and Wolf Kitchen Design Contest to celebrate the best kitchen designs in the six New England states. On May 10th, Clarke awarded $15,000 in prize money to first and second place winners in three categories: Traditional Kitchen, Contemporary Kitchen and Transitional Kitchen. This year, two of the six awards went to kitchen designers in Connecticut. Veronica Campbell of Deane Inc. received the first-place award for a transitional kitchen, while Gerard Ciccarello of Covenant Kitchens & Baths won second place in the traditional kitchen category.
Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill, Fairfield and New Haven: Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill will be offering “Five Days of Cinco” at its New Haven and Fairfield locations.
Mezon, Danbury: Mezon in Danbury will host its annual Cinco de Mayo block party with $7 plates and drinks, a live DJ, a cocktail competition and more. Doors open at 7pm.
Dos Amigos, Torrington: Karaoke meets Cinco de Mayo at Dos Amigos in Torrington.
CINCO Norwalk Block Party, Norwalk: CTBites, Ken Tuccio, and Don Carmelo's Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar in Norwalk are teaming up for CINCO, a massive Cinco De Mayo Block Party event. The event kicks off at 12pm and it is an all day party four live bands, two culinary competitions and the debut of Evenflow Mexican Lager from No Worries.
Bartaco, Stamford, Westport, West Hartford: Bartaco Westport is kicking off the summer with their Cinco de Mayo fiesta! Visit them for live music, a summer bucket list contest, and surprise giveaways.
Cinco Five Festival, Stamford: The first annual CINCO FIVE FESTIVAL will take place in Stamford on Saturday, May 5 from 3-9pm at Stamford's Mill River Park! There will be food trucks, DJs, and plenty of beer and sangria. 21+.
Every year we eagerly anticipate the joy of great summer weather and dining al fresco but considering some of the complications that come with the territory (irritating insects, aggressive bees and the heat!) it comes as no surprise that the term ‘al fresco’ is borrowed from Italian and actually means "in the cool air." And what better time to dine in the cool air than during the fall season?
Here atThe Local Vaultwe have paired up with CTbites to trade tips on the best way to enjoy the rest of the crisp fall air before we all head inside for the winter. So grab your cashmere sweater and a glass of Chianti and follow along!
In the world of interior design the term “bring the outside in” is well known and well advised in order to create a beautiful and serene home.
The Local Vaultis an online luxury consignor of home décor and furniture offering easy access to a curated collection of high-end furnishings, bridges the gap between brick and mortar and online shopping with its personalized service, it’s like shopping with your best friend.
Eating “in-season” is a major movement in food right now, and it completely makes sense. Why would you want to eat last season’s previously-frozen produce if you can have something picked fresh from the garden instead?
The same principal applies to home décor. There’s a seasonality to it, meaning that certain styles just aren’t right for certain seasons, like wool throw blankets in the summer, for example, or linen when it’s -5 outside. The solution: Think about your home the way you think about your salad bowl (yep, we just made that comparison!). You want to fill it with what feels fresh now.
Here, a few examples to help you fill your home with life this season.