Larry Lipson - Costa Rica wine correspondent
He's been the Daily News restaurant critic for 50 years, but Larry Lipson has finally called it quits: "Sure, there have been editors who have leaned somewhat heavily on me - especially during one period when I was the only restaurant critic/writer in America featured in a newspaper seven days a week." Talk about knowing the restaurant scene in LA.
Violet Grgich - Grgich Hills Estate Co-proprietor; VP of Operations & Sales -
Violet’s passion for wine began at an early age, as she literally grew up accompanying her father in the vineyards and cellar. She spent her summers at the winery, doing everything from bottling line work to laboratory analysis and working in the tasting room. Attending the University of California, Davis, Violet earned a BA in music while taking classes in biology, chemistry, and enology. After graduation, she returned home to Grgich Hills to continue her education in the wine business, learning about daily operations of the winery from Mike. She received her Master of Music in harpsichord at Indiana University, and then joined the winery full-time in 1988. She’s now responsible for daily management of the winery, as well as sales and marketing. She says that she has the ideal job: “I believe that wine is part of a healthy, happy and long life. Wine brings people together and makes them happy, which makes my job extraordinarily fulfilling.” Involved with every aspect of the wine business, Violet enjoys wearing many different hats, often at the same time. She explains, “My dad insisted that in order to lead the winery I needed to work at every single position, starting at the bottom.” Violet continues to enjoy learning something new each day and following her grandfather’s and father’s philosophy of “Every day do something just a little better.” Violet is pleased that the next generation has joined the winery: Noel Grgich Shipman, her son born in 2005, accompanies her on sales trips, and enjoys every minute of it.
Nancy Gardella, Exec Dir - Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce (MVCC)
The MVCC is unique in many ways, in that we are both the local Chamber of Commerce and also the local Visitors and Convention Bureau. We are also one of only six Regional Tourism Councils sanctioned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Martha's Vineyard, New England's largest resort island, was formed by glacial action 10,000 years ago and lies 7 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, USA. The Island is roughly triangular-shaped with its base the straight south shore. It is 9 miles wide and 23 miles long at its furthest points; the total land area is approximately 100 square miles. Martha's Vineyard has a total of 124.6 miles of tidal shoreline. There are six towns on the Island of Martha's Vineyard; three up-island towns, Aquinnah (formerly known as Gay Head), Chilmark, and West Tisbury; and three down-island towns, Vineyard Haven (also known as Tisbury) Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. The terms "up-island" and "down-island" are nautical terms referring to longitude on a map. To get here you can come by sea or by air. There are no land routes, bridges or tunnels connecting us to the mainland. Most travelers arrive via one of the numerous ferries that service our harbors. A lesser but growing number use the Martha's Vineyard airport as their point of entry traveling via Cape Air or chartered flight or via private plane. The leisurely ferry ride or flight from the mainland will prepare you for a wonderful change of pace. The sound of the ocean, the magnificent beaches and almost endless stretches of field and forest will complete the transition. So come to the Vineyard, and see why so many people believe this is truly a magical place.
Ivano Toscani - GM Anchor Bar - - Buffalo, NY
On a Friday night in 1964, Dominic Bellissimo was tending bar at the now famous Anchor Bar Restaurant in Buffalo, NY. Late that evening, a group of Dominic's friends arrived at the bar with ravenous appetites. Dominic asked his mother, Teressa, to prepare something for his friends to eat. They looked like chicken wings, a part of the chicken that usually went into the stock pot for soup. Teressa had deep fried the wings and flavored them with a secret sauce. The wings were an instant hit and it didn't take long for people to flock to the bar to experience this new taste sensation. From that evening on, Buffalo Wings became a regular part of the menu at the Anchor Bar. The phenomenon created in 1964 by Teressa Bellissimo has spread across the globe. Although many have tried to duplicate Buffalo Wings, the closely guarded secret recipe is what makes Frank & Teressa's the proclaimed "Best Wings in the World."