Throwback Thursday to the weekend near the end of this summer when my dear friend Caitlin Bajo and I journeyed back in time to the days of mud shows, powdered faces, Shakespeare, and of course the most important beverage of it’s time: wine. The New York Renaissance Faire is a destination for many historically jazzed travelers looking for a fun daytivity to share with parents, children, and LARPERS alike.
The New York Renaissance Faire
Tuxedo Park, NY
http://www.renfair.com/ny/
The festival runs August 1st through September 27th, 2015 and has theme weekends with a plethora of special events to make your experience truly histrionic. Caitlin and I managed to go on ooooh lala “romance weekend” where couples were invited to renew their vows and corseted bawdy love was in the air. Don’t pause for too long or Robin Hood may attempt to steal your heart or at least tempt you to join him on the pub crawl.
What trip to The Renaissance Faire is complete without matching feather bows for our festival hair?
While noshing on my period specific turkey leg and steak on a stick I thought of no better way to spend the afternoon than to take a tutorial on wine from an aptly dressed “monk”. The class lasts an hour and gives a tasting of five wines where you choose your favorite and get to take away a full glass of your top choice. Our leader showed us how to appropriately pair dark chocolate with red wine and schooled us on the value of the perfect pinot. Pretzels in between pours is a must as the sharp saltiness cleans your palate and prepares you for the next flavor explosion. Fun fact, pinot noir grapes are the most likely to actually lower your cholesterol. Don’t forget to refrigerate your wine after you open it, just like food can spoil so can your favorite vino.
Notice our fearless instructor in action. He works at The Brotherhood Winery just a stones throw away whose spiced holiday wine is a seasonal dream. He has made it an exciting retirement career where he has singlenadedly managed to retrain his palate. One of the selections that we swished around in our mouths was a drink we often hear the name of but don’t get the chance to try….mead. Sweet as honey, we raised our glasses and toasted in a truly triumphant medieval kinda way.
Don’t forget to hit up the joust at the end of the day! Whether you’re looking for something quirky, fun, or just want to pay homage to snacks from the 1600s The New York Renaissance Faire is worth the trip. Not convinced? Just check out this sweet list of eats: http://www.renfair.com/ny/thefaire/food.asp.
Hopefully, the fairy dust you buy at the adjacent tent will instantaneously make Dave’s minieth donuts zero calories.
