October 9 – 12, / $40+

Multiple events occurring throughout the city

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In 2003 Serge Lescouarnec began a concierge service that offered him a multi-faceted outlet. One that not only served his affinity for fine wine and cheeses and his career tending to the hectic lives of New Jersey residents, but also rhymed rather appropriately with his name. Thus “Serge the Concierge” was born. Two years later the eponymous company evolved into a blog designed to “softly promote” his business in the northern New Jersey area. In addition, it allows him a chance to expound on his knowledge and opinions regarding an eclectic range of topics. There’s Monday Work Etiquette: where the most recent entry covers a rant on a local telecom service, and before that “The Power of an Apology” (appropriate for a Monday topic). Then there’s Green Day Tuesdays, commenting on nature friendly businesses and ideas. Tokyo Thursdays deal with pretty much anything related to…well…Tokyo, Japan. Serge’s daily musings sometimes cover vinos, other times cover vices. So while his concierge business only handles North Jersey, SergeTheConcierge.com encompasses much, much more than that.

Tell us about your blog: what is the premise, what are your main coverage areas, how did you get started?

‘Serge the Concierge’ was started in March 2005…What got me going was a piece by my friend Debbie Galant of Baristanet. She called me ‘Serge the Concierge’ and when I googled it, I found out that there was a NYPD Blue character and episode with the same name. So I thought to myself, here’s my blog’s name, let’s write…
The original premise was to promote (in a soft way) my New Jersey Concierges business by writing about food, wine, travel, work/life issues. Since then ‘Serge the Concierge’ has taken a life of its own. In the past year I also added set topics such as Monday Work Etiquette (Mondays of course), Green Day (nature friendly ideas and businesses, Tuesdays) and Tokyo Thursdays (on Tokyo and Japan)…
Recent economic hiccups inspired me to dip my toes into how to go ‘from consumed to thrifty.’

At this year’s South by Southwest Interactive conference, I offered a panel discussion on being Just Over 50 and Not Dead Yet or how the online world is not just populated by 20 somethings.

In September of this year, I am planning to spend 3 weeks in Europe (France, Spain and possibly London) and share my discoveries in words, pictures and videos. To make it possible, I am talking to a few sponsors.

Best corny tourist attraction that you secretly love?
Horse carriage ride around Central Park, a touch of romance.

Best neighborhood bar?
Not much of a bar hound, I have to say. My pick would be a place that has a great selection of wines by the glass and Pastis during the summer. Feel free to send me your suggestions.

Best late night joint?
BUN: 143 Grand St at Lafayette St, little plates, great food, small prices.

Last cultural thing that you did (movie, museum, theatre, etc…)?
Nothing in the past couple of months, I have to confess. The closest thing I can think of is the ‘Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri’ tasting on March 3rd. I did get my fill of music at ‘South by Southwest’. Personal picks would be Brooklyn band ‘Earl Greyground’ (loud and proud) and in a different style ‘Lightspeed Champion’ (which reminded me of Prefab Sprout and Martin Stephenson and the Daintees).

Best fancy schmancy restaurant?
Cyrus in Headsburg (Sonoma), not quite New York but great for a week-end escape.

Best place to meet members of the opposite sex?
I am married with children otherwise I would say the cheese counter at Whole Foods…if you have any cheese knowledge that is.

Best place to send a couple on a first date and why?
The ‘New York Botanical Garden’…(weather permitting, not on week-end), you can find some oasis of peace, have a chance to slow down and not be disturbed.

www.sergetheconcierge.com

Have you always wanted a concierge? Do you agree with Serge’s neighborhood picks? Post a comment below and tell us what’s up!

“Wow! That’s wine!” Queens native Bret Birnbaum describes the reaction people have when they first taste the product he and chef David Zablocki are hoping will take the culinary world by storm. Must be another trendy wine, you say? Not exactly. It’s sorbet. Wine sorbet.

Birnbaum and Zablocki decided back in 2002 to combine their respective backgrounds in business and the culinary arts. Initially, they thought of opening a wine bar in Williamsburg. But when Zablocki mentioned the wine sorbets he sometimes offered to his catering clients, a cork popped. The decision was made to ditch the bar, and freeze the wine. Four years later, the Greenpoint-based Wine Cellar Sorbets are being sold in 25 retail outlets throughout the metropolitan area, as well as select hotels and restaurants. It’s an ideal working relationship for these two childhood buddies. Birnbaum handles the business end, marketing the wines and promoting their uniqueness, while Zablocki is in charge of the production process and all gastronomic pursuits.

As with their liquid cousins, the sorbets range from whites, like Rieslings, to heavier, robust reds, such as Cabernets. When Birnbaum presides over tastings, he lines up all seven flavors, from the lightest to the strongest, and suggests people try them all. “It’s like a wine tasting,” he says, adding, “They’re not super sweet, but they’re zero fat and full of flavor.” They also have close to 5% alcohol content. “It’s an adult dessert,” says Birnbaum. Adds Zablocki, “You can definitely catch a buzz if you eat enough.” The sorbets have other things in common with wine, as well. All the artwork on the packaging is hand-drawn and the design resembles wine labels, setting them apart from “regular” sorbets and ice creams. The containers even indicate the vintage of the specific wine used.

The perks of such a venture are obvious. “I get to sample a lot of great wines,” says Chef Zablocki, who also notes that the product is not simply wine-flavored, but in fact made almost entirely of wine. As such, their sorbets will be affected by the vagaries of the wine industry and the different yields from annual harvests. “From season to season, year to year, our sorbets will change. We can never mass-produce our product because wines are never mass-produced. That’s what’s exciting about what we’re doing. It’s a new format for wine and wine lovers.” Making wine sorbets a dessert staple remains the ultimate goal. “No one’s really been doing this,” says Birnbaum. “We want to be the Ben and Jerry’s of wine sorbet.”

Find out where you can try wine sorbet at www.winecellarsorbets.com