Long Island Vineyards

7:40am: Snooze.

7:45am: Snooze.

8:00am: "its raining, do you think its canceled?" Snooze.

8:15am: S-"Ron, we gotta go!" R- "if you're not feeling well, i can cancel" S- "no, we gotta go, you said you would" R- "alright, lets doooo this!"

As we boarded the party bus at 9am, the strobe lights had Sara pinching me. I told her if she wasn't sure if it was a dream, she needed to pinch herself!

Nonetheless, we made to Long Island, and after a while, we enjoyed the ride. I think the bagels helped.

The splendor of the vineyards was masked by the inclimate conditions, rain stopping us from being able to wander the vineyards and live out our, er, my, Bollywood daydreams. There was no melody as we ran towards each other, arms outstretched on this green version of god's playland. No, none of that.

The wine was good. Although the local traffic was distracting, particularly the bachelorette parties! But it was fun making jokes and drinking wine on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Sara wasn't feeling well that day, but she certainly felt a little surge after Vineyard #2 (of 3), a few sips in, a few hip hop songs on the bus, and the smiles transpired!

We wouldn't compare the LI Vineyards to their peers in California, by any means, but its a fun afternoon with friends. We just always thought that Vineyards gave out samples wholeheartedly..... damn bachelorette parties!

Pink and Peachy

Donning her hair pulled back with a black bandana, Sara was all smiles with this perfect creation... a labor of hard work and love (perhaps a little too laborious to make again anytime soon!)

The Garden State, indeed.

Ron's first trip to "Meet the Parents" for the second time. Excited to see Sara's homeland and even more so to hang with Fabien and Rachel.

We drove by several of Sara's fondest food memories... from Hunan Wok to The Oldwick General Store... funny memories of baby sitting and chilling emerged... with the back drops of green lands, watching the movement of the stick shift, the hands of time seemed to have floated backwards...

My last memory of picking anything was apples, and I must have been 13 years old. It was a class trip, and it felt warm and unbelievable.

The peach orchard at Melick's Farm in Califon was well organized and easy to navigate. The wooden baskets gave us the a u ra of nostalgia, and the rows of peaches were plentiful. And I quickly realized, I like my peaches like I like my woman - good color, firm minded, soft spoken, but delicate... like Sara :)

We collected our peaches, bagged them and got going! Greeting us at home was a game of corn hole, complete with a shiny new scoring kit... I got whooped by Mr. Mills and Fabien (i'll be back...), but so did Sara.

The night ended with a dinner prepared by Mrs. Mills... As the glass with the American flag was filled with Indian beer, and as the crisp corn on the cob was served with a delicious steak, the funny conversations and sharing of stories felt like New Jersey in its truest spirit, born again in us... word born, NJ!

From the Beginning...

It all started with a night etched in memory, May 8th
At a tasting up north, Courtney & Chris cooked what we ate

Uptown Comfort in full fledge, where are our eyes first met…

Then, hung out the first time, over Arincini and Proscuitto sublime
The atmosphere at Bar Stuzzichini was like fate, and it felt so great
Moving on… to our formal first date…


Allen & Delancey, under candle light and wooded beams

Started our tradition of sharing plates to feed our fancies

Homemade latin dreams, felt like Romeo, at Café Colonial
Off to Brooklyn, thoughts to crack, over a meal at Bar Tabac

Such a thrill at the Blue Water Grill
A late night, thought we'd spark it, at the Spice Market
Eating by the service window, with waiters who knew each plate
No orecchiette at Cafe Steinhof in Park Slope, only gulasch, I hope
As far as mexican food go, dont go to Mexico Lindo
Dishes were just fine, not memorable, wish we skipped the drinks

A little brunch bend at Bar Almond
Get the pastrami & Eggs and Banana Bread
3 courses a trifecta, at Landmarc in Tribeca
We didn’t rescind, a nice meal at Tamarind
The most consistent restaurant in Flatiron, is Mizu Sushi,
Nice hangin out with the fam, there was no tussel,
just good eats at Flex Mussels
Another spot to short list, of the mouth, like Boqueria
Just some of our world, so that it can become so much clearer...