I love sparkling wine at any time of the year but especially around the holidays. Luckily there is some great sparkling wine to be had at most, if not all, restaurants and bars.

This weekend, amid much holiday fun, I had the pleasure of having a number of glasses of the Taittinger Domaine Carneros Brut. It was relatively full-bodied and quite fruity and round for a sparkler. I truly enjoyed it and it can be found in many stores for around $20 a bottle.

I had it at Bar on Fifth. The Setai is a very chic hotel in an odd neighborhood. It was built by an Italian group and looks very Milanese. I wrote this review of the restaurant in the hotel Ai Fiori when it first opened. The bar on the corner in the hotel is also very nice. Relaxing with jazz on different nights during the week.

Although raised in a household with two Jewish parents, I have been celebrating Christmas, complete with a tree, my entire life. I have my own version of Christmas traditions and love the whole season. These photos are some of my favorite New York trees and holiday displays: Rockefeller Center, Union Square, and Christmas ornaments on Sixth Avenue