Its road trip time on BMWK! We have the perfect road trip for the food lover who also likes to travel. The east coast’s favorite boardwalk is home to the 2011 Food Network Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival. Some of our favorite celebrity chefs will be serving up some tasty treat and top-secret recipes: Sunny Anderson, Guy Fieri, and our favorite BBQ couple Pat & Gina Neely.
On Thursday July 28th the food and fun starts with the official “Food Network Kickoff Party.” The party goes from 10 pm -1 am poolside at Harrah’s Hotel & Casino. Philly cheese steak lovers will not want to miss Guy Fieri’s “Cheese Steak Battle” on Friday night. Chefs will compete for the title of “best cheese steak” from 9 pm-12 am. Fresh off the grand opening of their new BBQ parlor in NYC, the Neely’s fire up the grill for some mouth watering BBQ along with 15 special craft brews at the “Blue Moon Presents: Brews, Blues & BBQ.” The Neely’s will also participate in the “Chef’s on Stage” event at Circus Maximus Theatre from 5 pm-6 pm. “Cooking for Real” star chef Sunny Anderson will host two meet-and-greet cooking events on Saturday. The first “Sunset Sliders” is from 5 p.m-7 p.m and the “Sweet & Stylish” event takes place from 9 p.m-12 a.m.
While in Atlantic City be sure to enjoy a little gambling at your favorite casino. There’s also great shopping at the Tanger Outlet Mall on Atlantic Avenue. With 95 stores you will be sure to find something for everyone in the family at the Disney store, Guess, Coach, Michael Kors, Ashley Stewart and Nine West company stores. Kids will love the boardwalk’s amusement park, the Atlantic City Aquarium and the “Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum.”
Great deals on hotel rooms are still available. Caesars Palace is offering rooms at $109/per night, Bally’s Casino has rooms for $79 per night and Harrah’s Casino has rooms available at $69 per night. Visit www.caesars.com and www.totalrewards.com for additional hotel deals.
For the complete list of culinary demonstrations/events and ticket prices, please visit: www.acfoodandwine.com .
See you on the drive up I-95!
-The Travelin Diva (Kirstin N. Fuller for Reservations Travel Guide)