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2 months ago | 
watchonista.com | David Zivan
By David Zivan Over the past two decades or so, there has been a quiet revolution in the world of wine. I refer here not so much to how it’s made, but to the wider variety of what’s available. Bottles from the Republic of Georgia, now understood as one of the earliest cradles for the drink, have exploded onto wine lists. Croatia produces wines of interest; Plavac Mali, a rich red, has an ever-growing fan base. And Austria?
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Jan 11, 2025 | 
watchonista.com | David Zivan
By David Zivan I remain resolutely neutral on the topic of Dry January. Still, coming out of the holiday marathon, I find myself looking for something a little lighter on its feet – more intrigue, less power – something with a bit of bite, a touch of the unexpected, and versatility. Italy long ago mastered the Aperitif and the spritz, but they needn’t appear on your bar only in the warmer months.
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Oct 26, 2024 | 
watchonista.com | David Zivan
By David Zivan It seems to happen as quickly as the flip of a light switch: suddenly, on the bar cart, I find myself searching more for warmth over refreshment, brown over clear, smooth over sparkling, and red over white. The seasons turn, and I transition from gin and tonic to bourbon on the rocks and stay that way until May (except during winter detours to the Caribbean).
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Sep 22, 2024 | 
lifestylessouthflorida.com | David Zivan
Written by: David ZivanThere is a somewhat legendary story now of LeBron James (then with the Cleveland Cavaliers) organizing a Napa excursion for a couple of busloads of teammates. Their destination was Mayacamas, a top-tier producer with roots dating back to 1889. During a cellar tour, James’ teammates bombarded the winemakers with question after question. Carissa Mondavi, a winemaker herself and the granddaughter of pioneer Robert Mondavi, was present.
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Sep 21, 2024 | 
watchonista.com | David Zivan
By David Zivan A case could perhaps be made for other winemaking regions, but none could surpass Burgundy’s complexity except by the slimmest of margins.
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Jul 18, 2024 | 
playbill.com | David Zivan
The new musical, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, with a book by Taylor Mac and music by Jason Robert Brown, received its world premiere at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre on July 8. Adapting the bestselling 1994 “non-fiction novel” by John Berendt, the new work centers on The Lady Chablis, an important (though secondary) character in the book—which is a sprawling exploration of Savannah, Georgia and a true crime story.
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Jul 10, 2024 | 
lifestylessouthflorida.com | David Zivan
Written by David ZivanYou already know that tequila is the thing to drink this summer- both with sunsets and with celebrations. It’s among the fastest-growing categories in the spirits world not simply because it has been under-appreciated; the agave-based beverage has remarkable depth and range, and mixologists all over the world are only beginning to explore its nuances.
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Jul 10, 2024 | 
playbill.com | David Zivan
Laurie Metcalf is no stranger to world premieres. A list comprising just the highlights would include Domesticated by Bruce Norris (for which she took home the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play), Lucas Hnath’s Hillary and Clinton and A Doll's House, Part 2 (one of her pair of Tony Awards), and November by David Mamet (a Tony nomination).
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Jun 4, 2024 | 
wineandwhiskeyglobe.com | David Zivan
I’d sensed it, but a lengthy article in The New Yorker entitled “A Martini Tour of New York City” confirmed the notion. The classic drink is back. Like it has been, over and over. Sampling the wares at Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel, at Dante in the West Village, and at several hip places in Brooklyn, famed writer Gary Shteyngart fulfilled the requirements embedded in his title in well-soaked fashion, properly noting the importance of garnish and context and temperature.
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Jun 1, 2024 | 
watchonista.com | David Zivan
By David Zivan The Rabbit Hole Distillery sits in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, between Main and Liberty streets – roads otherwise known as Route 60 East- and West-bound – and the location seems perfectly chosen. The striking contemporary building is surrounded by Southern city architecture of an earlier era.
