By:
Gloria Consolacion
T.Cressler
Editor:
Black
Tie
International
Magazine
Last
year
November/December
I traveled
to
Europe
to cover
the
Entrepreneur
Expo and
Black
Tie
Evening
Gala.
The
Gala event
was held
at the
Intercontinental
Hotel in
London,
and
featured
many
famous
individuals,
including
Bill
Walsh,
Bill
Clinton,
and Tony
Robbins.
This
Spring,
I was on
the road
again -
on
another
European
adventure!
My
first
stop was
the old
world
city of
Vienna
to
attend
their
wine
festival.
Seeped
in
history
and
culture,
visiting
Vienna
is like
traveling
back in
time. I
stayed
at the
Intercontinental
Hotel –
an
establishment
that
embraces
the
finest
traditions
of
hospitality
and
service.
The
staff,
as
always,
could
not be
more
friendly
and
accommodating.
www.intercontinental.vienna.com
The
day
after my
arrival,
I met
with my
Austrain
friend,
Robert
Lester.
We drove
about
forty-five
minutes
outside
of
Vienna
to the
town of
Feuersbrunn
to
attend
the wine
festival.
Our
first
stop was
to see
Toni
Bauer, a
third
generation
wine
maker,
and
Gudrun
of the
Anton
Bauer Wines.
It was
nice to
see Toni
and
the lovely Gudron
- both
of them
are
always
friendly
and very
hospitable.
We also
enjoyed
the
company
of
Toni's
sister,
Sieglinde
Bauer
and her
daughter
Sonja
Bauer,
and Krisztina
Cerny
and
her husband Karl
Cerny,
who is
the
President
of
Videojet
Technologies
Suisse
Gmbh.
We were
served
the best
wines
and food.
Anton
Bauer
wines are
one of
my
favorite
Austrian
wines. To
check
out
where to
purchase
Anton
Bauer
Wines in
the
United
States,
go to
www.antonbauer.at.
I
also
enjoyed
meeting
other
guests
that
were
attending
the wine
festival. We
made a
pack to
get
together
in New
York
City
sometime
soon. We
also
enjoyed
listening
to a
live
band
called
TR& B
Acoustic
Power Soul.
They
sang
both
American
and
English
songs to
the
delight
of the
guests.
Next on
the
schedule
was,
with visit
with
Chef
Toni
Morwald,
who owns
several
hotels
and
restaurants that
are
situated
right in
the
heart of
the
Austrian
wine
country.
Chef
Morwald had
been in
business
for
twenty-five
years, Chef
Morwald
cooked
us an
special
dinner,
a
large quail
with
special
mushrooms
that
grew in
the wild
called
morrels, I watched
his
expert
hand
prepare
the food
for us.
It
was beautiful
and
delicious, and
it was
served
with
the
wines of
Anton
Bauer.
The
superb gourmet
food that
is
prepared
by Chef
Morwald
attracts
tremendous
numbers
of
visitors.
They
get lot
of
tourist
from all
over Europe
and
other
parts of
the
world. It
is a
place to
visit
and
relax
with the
beautiful
fresh
air.
Make
sure to
add The
World of
Morwald when
you
plan your
next
trip to
Europe.
They are
also part
of the
wine
festival and
they
have
interesting
and
informative
guided
tours. Check
their
websites
for a
list of
their
different
restaurants
and
hotels. To
make your
reservations
go to
www.moerwald.at
The
following
day we
went
to another wine
tasting
in a
restaurant
called
Heuriger.
The chef
is
Harald
Brunner,
who is
an old
friend
of
Robert
Lester.
When we
got
there we
met the
friendly
Johanna.
She owns
the
restaurant
with her
husband,
Johannes
Gebeshuber.
They
also
owns a
winery
called
Spaetrot. By
the time
we sat
down,
they
already
started
to serve
us
different
types of
wines to
taste.
Chef
Brunner
brought
us
different
types of
appetizer
to go
with the
different wines.
And,
after
these
dining
delights,
Johannes
invited
us to
visit
their
winery.
The
winery
is
housed
by a
beautiful old
building
that
is almost 200
years
old.
Spaetrot
is
translated
as “late
red.”
The
winery
selects only
the
healthiest
and
ripest selected
grapes and
picks
them
with
gentle
hands. Following
the
visit to
the
winery,
we went
back at
the
restaurant,
and
the ever
friendly
and
smiling
Chef
Brunner
cooked
us
several
gourmet
dishes. And
both
Johannes
and
Johanna
were so
gracious
in
serving
us the
different
wines
that
paired
with the
different
gourmet foods.
So
everything
was
delicious.
So make
sure to
add this
place to
visit
during
the wine
festival
on the
first
weekend
of May.
Check
there
websites
Chef
Brunner www.haraldbrunner.com,
Restaurant
www.heuriger-spaetrot.com the
Winery
www.spaetrot.com.
Next
it was
off
to Ireland.
I went
to
Dublin
for a
few
days.
Then I
went to
Belfast,
and met
by my
friend
Tina
O'Hagan
who
owns
the
hospitality
company
called
Tina O
Hagan
Associates
specializing
in
professional
kitchen
and bar
designs.
Many
castles
in
Ireland
are
upgrading
their
kitchens
and bars
to more
modern
designs
and many
of them
are
clients
of Tina.
An
example
of the
work
done by
Tina O
Hagan
Associates
is the
castle
named
the
Hotel
Leslie.
This is
the same
castle
were
Paul
McCarthy stayed with
his
guests,
and
married
his
second
wife.
The
Hotel
Leslie
is the
only
castle
in
Ireland
owned by
the same
family
since the
1600.
The
late
Prime
Minister
Winston
Churchill
was
related
to the
Leslie
family. Winston
Churchill
mother,
Jennie
Jerome,
was an
American.
So when
you are
in the
castle
you will
see the
christening
dress of
Winston
Churchill
and also
a
picture
of the
young
Winston
with his
brother,
as well
as their
mother.
The
castle
is set
on a
thousand
acres of
Irish
countryside.
It is
now run by
Sir Jack
Leslie
and his
niece
Samantha
Leslie.
I got
the
chance
to meet
them
both.
The
castle
is
a favorite
place
for
couples
to get
married.
And it
is also
a good
place to
relax
and
unwind.
It has
several
living
rooms
and
several
bars.
The
castle has
been
kept
into its
original
state,
except
for the
upgrades
to the
kitchen
and
bars,
and
there
are
private
spa
inside
some of
the
bedrooms.
There is
also a
very
nice
place
for
breakfast
in a
Victorian
room,
surrounded
by
original
paintings
and
overlooking
a garden and lake.
You
can
request
for a
picnic
basket and
eat in
their
beautiful
garden
by the
lake.
And on
the
grounds
of the
castle there
is a
lodge
that
has a
nice restaurant
for
dinner,
and a
bar
downstairs,
and
several
rooms.
Looking
for some
thing to
do? -
You can
go horse
back
riding,
fishing
or watch
a movie
in their
theater.
You can
also go
for a
stroll
in the
woods or
have a
luxurious
massage
in there
Victorian
style spa.
The
Castle
Leslie
is just
80
minutes
from
Dublin, Definitely
a place
to see
and
stay. To
check
out this
wonderful
vacation
spot go
to
www.castleleslie.com.
Another
place
that my
friend
Tina
took me
for
brunch
is the
Lough
Erne
Resort.
This
complex
is where
the G-8
Summit
Meetings
are held
. The
resort’s
head
chef is
Noel
McMeel,
who took
care of
the food
of the
International
Presidents.
During
our
visit,
he made
us
several
types of
delicious, gourmet
food
that was
paired with
several
gourmet
organic
teas.
Chef
McMeel
used to
be a
part of
the Le Cirqe
Restaurants
in
New York.
He just
came out
with an
exciting
recipe
book
that he
will
be launching
in New
York
soon. The
resort
is
surrounded
by lake
and
manicured
golf
course,
and has
a large
conference,
wedding
space,
and spa.
This is
an additional
place to
add to
your
list to
see and
stay.
For more
info
click to
www.lougherneresort.com.
Tina and
I went
to dinner
at the
lodge by
the
grounds
of
Castle
Leslie.
We were
joined by Father Sean
Nolan, Parish
priest
of
Parish
of
Errigal
Truagh in
St.
Joseph's
Emyvale,
Co.
Monaghan
Ireland.
The restaurant
serves
good
food,
and it
is very
cozy.
Sir Jack
Leslie
eat
dinner there,
and
afterwards
entertained
us with
his
piano
playing.
The
following
day we
dropped
by
Father Nolan’s
parish.
There
was a
good
image of
Archbishop
John
Hughes,
who was
originally
from
this
area and
was the
fourth
bishop
and
first
archbishop
of the
Roman
Catholic
diocese
of New
York.
He laid
the
cornerstone
of St.
Patrick’s
Cathedral on
August
15,
1858.
He also
founded
Fordham
University,
formerly
St. John
College.
Father Nolan
gives
art
classes
to the
local
parishioners.
So I
told
father Nolan
that
they
should
continue
there
art
classes, and
in the
future I
want to
promote
their
works in
New
York.
If you
too want
to
support
them,
please
let me
know.
Then
it was
time to
go back
to
Dublin.
I did
not have
time to
see were
they
built
the
Titanic
in
Belfast
which I
plan to
see on
my
next
trip.
Tina and
I tried
food in
different
restaurants
in
Dublin,
and went
shopping
a little
bit.
When we
get
tired,
we had
afternoon
tea and
some
scones,
while
listening
to the
piano
music at
the
famous
hotel
called
the
Shelbourne. Then,
at my
last
night in
Dublin,
Tina and
I ate at
Clontarf
Castle,
which,
today,
is also
hotel.
I had
a
wonderful
trip
because
of the
nice
people
that I
know,
and new
people
that I
met.
Having
Robert
Lester
and Tina
O'Hagan
as
guides
was
wonderful.
I want
to thank
them for
job well
done.
And I
want to
thank
the good
people
at the
Intercontinental
Hotel in
Vienna
who
always make
me feel
at home,
starting
with the
general
manager
Mr.
Thomas
Legner, the
director
of
marketing
Ms.
Britta
Neuper-Schrenk
and head
concierge
Christian
Plank.
Christian’s
only job
has been
with the
Hotel
Intercontinental
- he
told me
that he
loves
the
opportunity
to help
the
guests.
And
also I
want to
thank
Daniel
Petre
and
Christopher
Fitz for
all the
good
service
that
they
extended
to me
while I
was at
the
Priority
Club
Lounge.
If you
are
traveling
to
Vienna,
Austria
the
general
manager as
I
mention
before of
the
Imntercontinental
Hotel
Vienna
is Mr.
Legner, and
in
Dusseldorf,
Germany
the
general
manager
is Mr.
Ronald
Hoogerbrugge.
Do not
forget
to make
reservations
in these
Intercontinental
Hotels -
they
give you
great
service
and make
you
feel at home.
I
recommend
that
you sign
up for
Priority
Club
Rewards,
so you
can use
the
Priority
Club
Lounge.
They
serve meals
three
times a
day, and
in the
evening,
they
even
have
champagne
cocktails.
And all
the food
they
serve
are
fresh
and
delicious
because
they
have
their
own roof
top
garden!
They
even
have a
beehive
to
collect
honey.
If you
are a
member
of the
Priority
club you
can get
an
upgrade
with
your
rewards.
They
also
have a
conference
room and
free
internet
service
in there
Priority
Lounges.
You can
get your
Priority
Club
rewards
by staying
at any
of these
establishments
located
throughout
the
world:
Intercontinental
Hotel,
Crown
Plaza
and
Holiday
Inn and
many
others.
Please
check
there
websites.
I
will be
planning
a trip
again in
December
to
London,
Vienna
and
Dubai.
And in
May
around
Europe.
Let
me know
by the
end of
November
if you
want to
travel
with me
in May
to the
Wine
Festival
in
Austria then
to Germany,
and to
all the
castles
in
Ireland
and
London. You
will enjoy your
trip more
if
you go
with
somebody
who
knows
the area
and has
contacts.
And, it
is
cheaper
to make
reservations
early.
Keep in
mind,
May is
the
beginning
of there
summer
vacation
season
in
Europe.
This
is
Gloria
T.
Cressler
signing
off. I
will see
you at
our
upcoming
events
and
trips.
For any
questions
and
contacts
for
anything
that you
read
here, or
to join
our
trips,
e-mail
me at
queenglori@aol.com
or
Gloria@blacktiemagazine.com
or call 1-718-803-0022 from 9:00 a.m to 9:00 p.m.
For invitations
to our
events
on Oct.
22 our
Annual
Platinum
Red
Carpet Event
with
Fashion
Shows, Nov.
19
Thanksgiving
event and
Dec. 02
for our
Christmas
Party,
or to
sponsor
our
events,
and to
advertise
in Black
Tie
international
Magazine
and
information
with the
AR-1Supercar,
you can
use the
same
contact
information.
So I hope to hear from all of you soon.
I
thank
those
people
who
helped
me with
this
project:
Gerry
McKeon,
publisher
of Black
Tie
International
Magazine, Robert
Lester
of
Austria,
Germany,
Dubai
and
other
European
countries, Tina
O'Hagan of
Ireland
&
London,
Barry
Brown studios, Herb
Mones, &
Nick
Alessi of
AR-1Supercar.
I also
thank
everybody
who
participated
in this
project
It was
fun
working
with all
of
you. I
will see
you
again
in our
next
trip.
Gloria
T.
Cressler
Editor
Black
Tie
International
Magazine
President
& CEO
Elite
Professional
Networking
Group
P.R., Business
Couch,
Branding&
Event Producer
Company
Member
United
Nations
Associations
Ambassador
Power
Team
International