And the winner is:

Sarah from Both Sides Now!

Sarah – send me an e-mail with your mailing info! Thanks to everyone who entered!

Stay tuned – tomorrow I have another awesome giveaway for you!

I’m starting to get down to the wire with my 11 restaurants of 2011 list! Here’s where I currently stand:

1. Lolita
2. Ponte Vecchio (closed down)
3. Dante
4. Umami Asian Grill
5. Chinato
6. L’Albatros
7. Happy Dog
8. Flying Fig
9. Sokolowski’s University Inn
10. La Cave du Vin
11. Three Birds

Apparently I don’t want to cross Zack Bruell off the list since he still has two restaurants remaining…

This Friday I was able to cross off La Cave Du Vin – thanks to my lovely friend Michelle! She knew I was running out of time in 2011 and kindly offered to help me pair down my list.

(c/o – La Cave Du Vin website)

All of the pictures in this post are from La Cave’s website – because let me tell you – it is VERY dark in there. Which is definitely fun, and gives the whole place a laid back, almost sort of “secret club” vibe – but it is NOT conducive to good pictures.

(c/o – La Cave Du Vin website)

We ate down the street at Pacific East – then headed to La Cave for drinks. I started with a glass of Rosé (from their huge wine list) – and it was absolutely fabulous. I wish I could tell you what it was – but I can’t remember.

(c/o – La Cave Du Vin website)

I wanted to make sure to try both a wine and beer offering, so after my Rosé, I headed over to their beer cooler where they have tons of selection. You just pick your own bottle, and then the bring you the bottle opener and the appropriate glass.

(c/o – La Cave Du Vin website)

I picked a bottle of Three Philosophers (Ale with Cherry Lambic) based on a recommendation from Michelle – and it was TOTALLY. AWESOME. So awesome – in fact – I looked for it at three different stores this weekend to try and buy some for my fridge at home, and I couldn’t find it.

(c/o – La Cave Du Vin website)

We didn’t try any of the appetizers they had to offer since we had eaten right before – but it wouldn’t have mattered.  There’s no way the food could have been a make or break deal. I absolutely loved La Cave, and wish it was closer to my house.  Or maybe not because that would mean I’d go to happy hour a lot more often.  

Bottom line – if you have the opportunity – I highly recommend you stop in to La Cave and grab a drink – you won’t be sorry!

Now who wants to take bets? How many more restaurants can I check off in the last half of December?

PS – Don’t forget you still have about 30 hours to enter the coffee robot giveaway!

Long time, no talk my friends! Sorry about that.  Is it okay if I make it up to you with an awesome giveaway?

Cool, I thought so.

In September – I was invited to attend a blogger dinner, sponsored by Nescafe Dolce Gusto, at The Greenhouse Tavern.

We started with delicious food and drinks (mmmm frites!), and then headed down to watch a live demo by Chef Sawyer on how they make their beef tartare.

It was amazing. Holy, serious, amazing.

Then we headed back upstairs and watched another live demo, this time by the lovely Dolce Gusto girls, and saw how wonderful the coffee robots can be.

As if we already weren’t grateful enough for the delicious food and demos – we each got to go home with a Dolce Gusto machine to test out!

Fact: I love it.

It’s adorable (and not clunky at all on my already small countertop!) – and it makes a ton of different drinks!

Dear Coffee Robot,

I love you. Don’t ever leave me.

Here’s the best part – you can have your very own coffee robot to love forever and always!!!

You can enter to win the above Titanium model by simply:

1. Posting a comment telling me your favorite coffee drink.

2. Tweet the following message: I want to win a Dolce Gusto machine from @greendogwine & @DolceGustoUS #DolceGustoFTW http://bit.ly/rWc7b1

(Be sure to post a comment letting me know you tweeted.)

You can post one comment and one tweet per day. I will randomly select a winner on Wednesday, December 14, 2011. Winners will be notified and need to provide me with their mailing address to receive the machine.

*Disclaimer: I was invited to attend the Foodie Feed-Up event to learn more about Nescafe Dolce Gusto. While there, we were treated to food and a cooking demo from The Greenhouse Tavern, and coffee tastings from Dolce Gusto. Additionally, every blogger was surprised with their own Dolce Gusto machine. As always – the thoughts and opinions in this post are very much my own.