BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 2, 2017 33 Dine in Brooklyn week returns BY PATRICK WEINBERG [email protected] “Brooklyn has found its taste buds!” These were the words of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who announced the March dates for Dine in Brooklyn 2017 on Tuesday, February 21 at Brooklyn Borough Hall. The week-long event is sponsored by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Yelp and the NYC Hospitality Alliance, as well as Schneps Communications, which publishes Brooklyn Reporter, The Home Reporter and Brooklyn Spectator. Executive Director of NYC Hospitality Alliance Andrew Rigie says, “This is a great event for the economy, for restaurants and really just great for foodies.” Those foodies Rigie mentioned can dine on prix fixe menus for brunch, lunch and dinner specials at participating restaurants, some of which were on hand at the launch event, serving up samples of their favorite dishes. Bay Ridge’s own Greenhouse Café (7717 Third Avenue) offered samples of Eggplant Parmigiana with three different cheeses. Miti Miti (138 Fifth Avenue), a new Mexican restaurant from the owners of Park Slope favorite Bogota, served Pork Belly Tacos and Crispy Brussel Sprouts with fish sauce vinaigrette, mint and hazelnuts. Other highlighted restaurants included BKW by Brooklyn Winery in Crown Heights, and House of Juice in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. Therapy Wine Bar (364 Lewis Avenue) had a small wine tasting, accompanied by an elegant and decadent dessert featuring white, milk and dark chocolate. Owner Angela Terry said her business is a “great date-night spot” and that their variety of wines, small plates and tapas make it great for sharing. Andrew Hoan, president of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, believes the concept of the event is simple: achieve economic development by eating and drinking, and support these communities in a positive way. “We hope people go to both their favorite places and some new ones. You’re supporting local businesses, which employ people from the local community. We want people to expand their horizons–if you live in Williamsburg, why not try something new in Sunset Park?” Hoan added. The event shows off Brooklyn as an epicenter of world class cuisine, something people no longer need to go to Manhattan to enjoy. “At one time people would come across the Brooklyn Bridge and turn back around,” Adams said. “We want to encourage people to walk around and feel the energy that Brooklyn has to offer.” Dine in Brooklyn 2017 will take place from Monday, March 20 through Thursday, March 30. Prix fixe dinners will cost $28; $15 for lunch; $12 for brunch. For more information and a list of participating restaurants, visit Brooklyn-usa.org/dine-in-bk. BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Patrick Weinberg Representatives of Therapy Wine Bar with a tempting dessert. Local sweethearts on "Rachael Ray Show" BY MEAGHAN MCGOLDRICK [email protected] Two near-newlyweds from Brooklyn got the chance of a lifetime – and the seal of approval from Rachael Ray herself – as they made their small screen debuts in a special Valentine’s Day segment on the star's popular morning talk show. The couple – Dyker Heights native Christina Castronovo and Bensonhurst native Joe Castiglione – met in elementary school before eventually becoming high school sweethearts. The two — who filled out an application to appear on Ray's show — got engaged last summer and, since then, have been planning the wedding of their dreams. There to help with the hard stuff was Ray, who asked the couple before taping to partake in four “dates” specially curated by Jill Andres and Brook Silva-Braga, the married authors of the relationship advice book The Marriage Test: Our 40 Dates Before "I Do.” From there, the two appeared in-studio to discuss their results, and to partake in a fifth "date," a spin on "The Newlywed Game" that took place in front of Ray’s live audience. Before the in-studio filming, Andres and Silva-Braga gave the couple a series of tasks to carry out to determine whether or not they are “on the same page” before taking their vows, including trading credit cards for a day, and going the whole day without A Brooklyn couple gets marriage advice on the show. talking, among others. The experience, the local couple told this paper, was one they will cherish forever. “I think it really hit me the night the production crew came to my house to do the pre-show interviews,” said Castiglione, a Xaverian High School graduate currently attending medical school. “Having the lighting, the multiple cameras and microphones on was just a really cool moment. The challenges were a lot of fun too.” Though, as fun as they were, Castiglione said, they were also important. “They initiated conversations about things like finances and buying a house, despite not being ready, that we probably would not have had otherwise,” he said. “The date challenges were fun, but Photo courtesy of “The Rachael Ray Show” stressful,” agreed Castronovo, a Bishop Kearney High School graduate who currently works at Brooklyn College. “The actual in-studio was awesome as well. Rachael and her staff really went above and beyond to make the experience fun and engaging.” Castronovo called the experience “a breath of fresh air during a money crunching, stressful time.” To top it off, Ray gifted the pair – whose number one issue has been making ends meet – with a honeymoon to Mexico. “An added bonus is the honeymoon,” said Castronovo, “but honestly, the whole experience taught us so much about each other and opened the lines of communication for us to have these necessary discussions about building our future together.”
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