Journalism

There’s No Stopping the Hennessy Fanatic

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

It’s been eight years since Hennessy fanatic, Don Henny, began his Hennessy collection. With a total inventory of 387 bottles, he shows no signs of stopping, and it’s not just bottles he proudly displays everywhere in his home in Belgium. This enthusiast grabs anything Hennessy he can get his hands on.

Henny, whose real name is Olivier, began drinking cognac 10 years ago, and immediately fell for the different flavors. Not long after, he found himself storing Hennessy bottles. He started off sticking to his regulars, like the VS, VSOP, XO, and Paradis, and every once in a while, would buy something special, and that’s what fueled his collecting. “I buy different bottles weekly,” Henny says. “I collect everything from Hennessy. I’ve even got the logo painted on a wall in my house.”

Don' Henny's Hennessy collection.

Don’ Henny’s Hennessy collection.

His loyalty remains with Hennessy because of their many attractive bottle designs and various tastes. Though it’s difficult to choose, his favorite bottles are Private Reserve 1865, the XO Grande Champagne, and the Napoléon. Read More

The History of the White Lady

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

Light and luscious, the White Lady was all the rage in America during the early 20th century. Because this classy cocktail shares a similar make up to other members of the sour family, it’s often referred to as a gin margarita or a gin sidecar.

The White Lady was first shaken up by Scottish barman, Harry Macelhone. He created the cocktail at his own bar, Harry’s New York Bar, in Paris, in 1919. The concoction was made up of 1/6th Brand, 1/6th Crème de Menthe, and 2/3rd Cointreau. In 1930, a famous and well respected American cocktail barman, Harry Craddock, of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, had the White Lady’s recipe published in the Savoy Cocktail Book. Craddock listed the drink as a cocktail crafted with dry gin, Cointreau, and lemon juice. His version is accepted as the standard recipe today, and as far as documenting goes, the Savoy Cocktail Book takes credit for the pearly beauty. In the 1930s, the White Lady was favored so much that a pre-bottled version of it was sold.

There are several other early incarnations of a cocktail named the “White Lady” but, according to Tanqueray Global Brand Ambassador, Angus Winchester, “They are generally undrinkable.” Read More

New Mobile App Reads Emails Aloud

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for ElectronicProducts.

For most people, it’s not easy to keep up with the flood of email they receive on a daily basis. And it’s not just business employees who are expected to keep on top of them. There are moms and dads busy with kids, daily commuters who have to keep their eyes on the road, and students buried in projects and essays, all juggling various tasks and drowning in emails.

To address this issue, Talkler Labs, LLC, recently launched Talkler, a hands-off, voice-controlled mobile app that reads emails aloud when you’re on the go. It is iOS compatible and suitable only for iPhone and iPod touch, and optimized for iPhone 5 and the fifth-generation iPod touch.

The Talkler mobile app by Talkler Labs reads emails aloud. Image via talkler.com.

Many employees are expected to check their email multiple times per day. As a result, it’s estimated that about 90 million Americans use their mobile phones in order to keep up with the constant accumulation of inbox messages. Read More

Handy Mobile App Allows Users to Access Their Computer Via Mobile Device

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for ElectronicProducts.

No matter where you are in the world, VNC Viewer can get you to your computer when you need it. VNC Viewer connects your iOS or Android device to a computer running VNC-compatible server technology to allow you to take control of your at-home system even when you’re miles away. View your computer’s desktop, access your personal data, change settings, run applications, and get hold of your keyboard and mouse just as if you were sitting comfortably at your desk.

Image from remote-screen.com

Image from remote-screen.com

VNC Viewer has many core features. Navigating is made simple by scrolling, dragging, and selecting using standard touch, tap, and drag gestures. Read More

Penguin Encounter

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I submitted to Long Island Trends for their February edition.

If you and the kids are looking for a cool and educational day trip on Long Island, be sure to visit the Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center this weekend to get up close and personal with some playful African penguins.

Penguin Encounter

Photo credit: Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center

Located at the heart of Riverhead, the Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center is the home to thousands of sea-dwelling creatures that come in many shapes and sizes. The Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center is also home of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, an organization dedicated to protecting marine life and coastlines. The organization is recognized as the only authorized marine mammal and sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation center in the state of New York. Read More

Seal Hikes on Long Island

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

If you’re on Long Island looking for a fun and educational day trip for the whole family, or you simply want to enjoy the outdoors with some friends, head out to Montauk Point State Park for a seal hike this weekend.

Presented by The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the seal hikes run from November to May, when thousands of seals can be spotted sunning themselves on rocks or swimming along the frigid coast.

Image via cresli.org.

Image via cresli.org.

The seal hikes are led by outdoor educator, environmental consultant, and founder of the Long Island Nature Organization, Mike Bottini. He’ll guide you through a scenic two and a half mile adventure where you’ll be able to view seals and learn about their behavior, population trends in the Long Island region, and various interesting facts. Seals may not be the only wildlife you’ll come across, since Long Island is the home to many species of birds. Read More

One World Coffees

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

One World Coffee Beans

oneworldcoffees.com

Driven to take on the world each morning, my brother, Eric DiGiose, and a good friend of his, Derek McLeod, wondered, “When did the morning coffee become a trenti-mocho-choco latte?” After years of sipping on sub-par coffee, drenched in extra cream and loaded with sugar, the two of them began to brew up something real.

One World Coffees is sourced directly from farmers. Their coffee beans aren’t mass grown, processed, or held in storage, but are slow-roasted and shipped fresh within 24 hours. One World Coffees isn’t another company selling “gourmet” coffee, but, as Eric and Derek say, “It’s a revolution.” It’s coffee the way it should be.

Each month features a new 12 ounce bag of coffee from a different country. There are three plans available to choose from for $17 a month. There’s the Light plan for those of you who like it smooth, the Dark plan for the bold, and the Tour plan for you adventurers out there, with the beans varying from light to dark. If you want to give the beans a try before purchasing, there are sampler bags of five, eight or 10 ounces at reasonable prices.

To start your day fresh, grab a taste of the world at oneworldcoffees.com.

Holiday Arts and Crafts Festival

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I covered for the Center Moriches Tide/The Long Island Advance.

Image by Nicole DiGiose

Wrapped in scarves and buttoned up jackets, close to 1,500 people attended the second annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Festival, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches this past Saturday, November 24th. The festival was held in the gymnasium of the Clayton Huey Elementary School on Main Street in Center Moriches from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The holiday festival included many different stations of arts and crafts, including Christmas ornaments, knitted goods, cosmetics, scented oils, decorative Tupperware, photography, picture frames, and even cupcakes. There was also a Chinese auction, a raffle basket for the Benefit of the American Cancer Society, and a visit from Santa.

“A prime mission of the Chamber is to promote and support local business,” said Arthur Gerhauser, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches. “The more often our residents come to Main Street, the more they will see that the local merchants that support the community can supply their needs at competitive prices.”

Image by Nicole DiGiose

Julie Pratt, president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches said that people enjoy being part of a close knit community. “Center Moriches is a great little community and people love being a part of it.” She and Gerry Sapanaro, treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches, were set on holding the event on November 24th because it was Small Town Business Day, a day for small town business owners to show what they’ve got.

The owner of the family-run business, CommonScents, Pam Penta, showcased her variety of fragrance oils, pure essential oils, perfumes, and colognes. “Everything I sell is pure and there is no alcohol included in anything,” she said. She picked up a small tube of lemon verbena essential oil. “You can add this to bath water or lotion, use it as a perfume, you can add these to anything, even clothes in your dryer and the scent lasts.” Other scents Pam had to offer included peppermint, lavender, strawberry-vanilla, and many other refreshing, natural fragrances.

CommonSense

Image by Nicole DiGiose

An independent sales representative from Avon, Patricia “Trisha” Knez, was proud to display her variety of sparkling jewelry and colorful cosmetics. “Avon has everything,” she said. “I have collectibles, handbags, clothing, makeup, everything, all for rock bottom prices.” She said she’s dedicated to Avon because they’re the single largest supporter of the Breast Cancer Crusade. “I bring in thousands of dollars to the Breast Cancer Crusade every year. Avon is a really good company and that’s why I work with them.”

Image by Nicole DiGiose

Image by Nicole DiGiose

Tracey O’Reilly and her daughter Brenna, from Eastport, and Carly Traynor, from Remsenburg, came to the holiday festival because they enjoy shopping for Christmas gifts. “We love craft fairs and we got to get a Christmas gift for our grandma,” said Carly with a big smile.

Image by Nicole DiGiose

Upcoming events by the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches include the annual tree lighting, on Friday, December 7th at 7p.m. at Neville Park, along with caroling, music, complimentary hot chocolate and cookies, and a visit by Santa. The Holiday Parade sponsored by the Center Moriches Fire Department will be held on Saturday, December 8th at 6p.m., on Main Street.

HV Asylum Haunted Walk

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for LIB Magazine.

If you can work up the courage to be spooked out of your mind this Halloween, check out the HV Asylum Haunted Walk in Coram. Located at the center of the island on the fields of High Velocity Paintball, the HV Asylum is Long Island’s newest and largest haunted attraction.

The haunted walk takes 20 minutes to get through, covering 13 acres of fright. You’ll shriek as werewolves lunge at your feet from the darkness and you’ll quicken your pace as hooded horrors follow you through the trail. Keep focused on your tour guide as you’re led into a gated building and try to ignore the pale, bloodied bride screaming in your face.

This year is the third year High Velocity is opening the gates to their terrifying trails. The haunted walk is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October from 6:30 p.m. to midnight. It’s $25 for those who are daring, and hvasylum.com offers them a $5 coupon. Read More

Rob Roy

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Chilled Magazine.

According to bartending legend, the Rob Roy was created in 1894 by a bartender at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City. The cocktail was named in honor of the premiere of Rob Roy, an operetta written by composer Reginald De Koven. The show was based off the folk hero and outlaw, Robert Roy MacGregor, or simply put, Rob Roy. Both the operetta and the drink were equally successful, but the cocktail has long outperformed De Koven’s famous show.

The recipe for the Rob Roy, which uses Scotch whisky as its primary spirit, mixed with sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters, an addition to the drink, first appeared in The Savoy Book, published by The Savoy Hotel of London in 1930. It mentions the drink’s popularity in Scotland, especially in honor of the fictional Rob Roy, also known as the Scottish version of Robin Hood.

The Rob Roy is similar to the king of cocktails, the Manhattan, but is made exclusively with Scotch whisky instead of rye or bourbon. It’s common to think the Rob Roy stole the Manhattan’s recipe (Rob Roy was a bandit, you know), and is nothing more than a Manhattan made with scotch. Sometimes it’s even referred to as a Scotch Manhattan. Basically, that’s what it is, but that one switch of rye or bourbon for scotch in the mix makes for a whole different taste, as most whiskey drinkers will be sure to point out. For most, the Rob Roy tends to be drier, with a smoky texture, and not as smooth or sweet as the Manhattan, but the Scotch really emphasizes the flavors and aromas of the vermouths. Because it’s got such a strong flavor, the Rob Roy makes for a great afternoon cocktail, on its own, or as an after dinner beverage. Read More