Brooklyn Locavore Approved: RoCCA

Photo courtesy of Boomerang Dining

Photo courtesy of Boomerang Dining

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of dining at RoCCA, a quaint Italian restaurant in Glen Rock, NJ. After devouring my meal, practically licking the plate, I was sold that this was the new “it” restaurant. You can imagine my surprise when I later learned it has been around for almost 9 years. Why didn’t anyone tell me about this place before? We’re talking YEARS of missed meals that can never be recouped. Now I’m certainly not an authority on Northern NJ restaurants, but in all honestly (because that’s what you do on blogs…speak honestly to thousands of people you don’t even know) I haven’t been to many that wow me. I LOVE that so many are BYOB, giving us a change to select from our well stocked Brooklyn wine cellar, but often I find the food at these restaurants tend to be mediocre. Nothing creative or extraordinary, and certainly nothing to make a pilgrimage from Brooklyn for. There are a few standouts of course–The Saddle River Inn, Latour, and Esty Street. With both my AND my husband’s family living in NJ, you think I would have gone to RoCCA years ago, but no. I guess they like to save Jersey’s best for themselves.

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Harvest Fest is in the Air

I know, it’s been a while (well, a few days) since I’ve posted, but this weekend has been busy, busy busy. I LOVE Fall. With such beautiful crisp weather outside, do you really expect me to be sitting inside blogging? The weekend started with one of my favorite events of the year: Stone Barns Harvest Festival in Pocantico Hills, NY! Adult and kiddie events all thrown together with Stone Barn’s regular Saturday Farmers Market plus some awesome food vendors like Irving Farms Coffee, Balthazar Bakery and Kelso Brewery!

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My Weekend in Vermont

Nothing like escaping the city to find the real Fall. Leaf peeping, hearty cider, pumpkin spice and maple syrup. I spend last weekend in Killington, VT with my husband and his family. We tried to enjoy the foliage, taking a gondola ride to the top of Killington Mountain, but having such little time, I felt the trip became a whirlwind of eating and drinking. Not necessarily a bad thing.

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What I Drank in Long Island

I’m back! I know, you missed me terribly. I can tell. I just know these things. If you weren’t in Long Island this past weekend, let me tell you, you REALLY missed out. Absolutely amazing fall weather. I wish I had brought a light jacket, but I survived. 70s and breezy, it was just beautiful. But you don’t want to hear about me and the weather, you want to know about the wine.

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North Fork Not Napa

I love Brooklyn, but I love the fall and harvest much more. As we get into September and October, you’ll rarely find me in Brooklyn or any of the five boroughs on the weekend. I try to escape the city as much as possible, get out to the country, see the leaves and enjoy the fresh air. This weekend, we’re off to Long Island.

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