Centro Vinoteca is still riding the wave that is opening buzz. A young 2 months old, the snack happy restaurant from Anne Burrell was busy as can be on a recent Wednesday night. While the restaurant was stuffed with a mixed crowd still glowing with Hamptons tans, the figs were stuffed with gorgonzola and walnuts. Low carbers will love calamari noodles bathed in a light sauce and there is a perfect char on the thick pork chop as well as the crispy bread that comes with that calamari. Nutella mousse for dessert is the best attempt at something creative with Nutella yet. 

Screw the calender. The new way to figure out it is time to put your summer whites away is that Park Avenue Summer, the restaurant that takes the seasonal concept seriously, is in the midst of becoming Park Avenue Autumn. The Avroko designed space is undergoing a transformation that means out with the brights and in with the browns. Don't fret...the menu will change too.

You know you've done it: bought the shots in test tube containers that sit on the counter of the liquor store. Or popped open a bottle of boxed wine  for your Christmas party because being bothered to mix drinks would just defeat the purpose of having fun. Or maybe you upped it one more notch and put out some Arbor Mist?  And you loved every last sip didn't you? Even Rachel Ray puts in more effort than that. But you are no Rachel Ray, this you know.

Well, ready made takes it to a new level now. Metropolitan Martinis flavored martinis packaged in disposable martini glasses with peel back tops (think yogurt tops but there is no reason to be embarrassed if you lick this lid). They come in four flavors: Cosmos, Green Apple, Chocolate and the classic vodka.  Remember the scene in Sabrina where Bogart's dad sits on the jar of olives he keeps in his back pocket? That is so you. 

http://www.mystiquebrands.com to find out where to buy them

It might be a bit late for you to get out of work next week, but if you can and you're into design, specifically restaurant design, then this might be a good way to spend the week. HD Boutique is  a trade show specifically designed for designers:  manufacturers and suppliers come to meet designers and vice versa. And this year David Rockwell is the key note speaker. You know him, or his work at least, from places like the Rosa Mexicano and Serafina restaurants. Not only is he speaking, but fellow restaurant designer Mark Zeff (borough food & drink, night hotel) is holding a seminar with restaurant kingpin Jeffrey Chodorow. Why, you ask? To discuss their plan to make Chodorow's Social restaurants into a restaurants. Get that? they are turning a restaurant concept into an entire hotel! Now that is ambition. you may have to make up a fake design firm to get a ticket, but you gotta bet that will be a good seminar.

http://www.hdboutique.com/hdboutique/3570/index.jsp 

So back to school, back to work, back to reality? Whatever you've got going on , it is safe to say that summer is OVA! Which does kinda suck, but think of all the yummy fall menus that are on the way! Fall in NY, like spring, is a foodie's dream. A whole new crop of veggies and fruits available and for nights when you just can't sip another saketini and really just want to stay home in pjs, you can still eat haute cuisine that doesn't involve General Tso's chicken. Tina Bourbeau (formerly of Nobu and Cello) joins the chefs who do other things network (Tyler Florence for Friday's, Marcus Samuelsson for Starbucks, and somebody does something for Applebees...) with this new project. She has developed the line of Presto Italiano dinners for Fresh Direct and she has created meals that are ready in 4 minutes that include shrimp fettucini with peas and bacon, portobellos with pasta and salsa rosso, and balsamic roasted chicken thighs with red wine and squash. Now for the most part, we are an eat out every night kinda blog, but even we are addicted to gems like Dancing with the Stars and now we've got more than wine and cheese to sustain us during the nail biting, dramatic dancing hour. 

Charlie Palmer's Upper East Side New American has been forced to temporarily shut its doors and the restaurant says it is because of a broken water pipe that flooded the restaurant over the Labor Day weekend. Convenient since 98% of the city is out of town so no photos of said flood are out there.  The restaurant expects to reopen on Monday, September 17th.

Word on the street is that Mario Batali has been given his walking papers by the Food Network. In an effort to turn the network trendy, it seems all actual cooking shows are being cancelled (Dave Lieberman got the boot too) and replaced with entertainment/reality type programming. Because we all really care about drive ins, dives and how the caterer pulled off 300 cream puffs in one hour, right?����¯�¿�½������  When Batali was informed that Molto Mario was not being renewed, he retaliated by quitting his post on Iron Chef. Good for you Mario! Food Network is more like E! these days. Bring back the cooking! The only way it could have worked better is if on the way out Mario sang, "these clogs are made for walking..." Up next for the red haired chef is a stint hosting a show on PBS about the cuisine of Spain. On hand to co-host is the macrobiotic eating actress, Gwenyth Paltrow. Sure, she'll be a big help.