VIRTUAL GOURMET is the Travel & Food newsletter from journalist/author John Mariani. For Celebrating Act 2 interviews John shares adventures, advice and tips on travel, culture and cuisine based on 40 years of globe-hopping and traversing the US. His motto is, Go Everywhere But Go Prepared!  You can subscribe directly to his newsletter at his website   CLICK HERE to visit his website

What’s With All The Famous Absentee Chefs?

Does anybody really expect to be greeted by a world famous chef at one of the many restaurants in his ...
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Italian Trattoria vs Pizzeria

What can you expect at a good Italian Trattoria…and what’s the difference between that and a Pizzeria? The Virtual Gourmet, ...
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What Defines A French Bistro?

Lots of restaurants in the US use the name, ‘Bistro’, but are they? Celebrating Act 2™’s knowledgeable Food & Travel ...
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Have Italian Wine Laws Become A Farce?

Have Italian Wine Laws Become A Farce? We all know that wine production in places like Italy and France are ...
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Does Today’s Food MEDIA Demonize Food with P.C.?

Since Covid-19 has turned the world of dining upside down we wonder what the Food Media is doing! our expert ...
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How NOT to Get Sick while Traveling!

Who would know better how to avoid getting sick while abroad than world traveler, food and travel writer, John Mariani, ...
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Irish Cuisine?

Why don’t we see Irish restaurants like we do Italian, Thai or other ethnic cuisines? Food and Travel writer and ...
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INSIDE the Virtual Gourmet Newsletter

Publisher and head writer for the popular newsletter on food and travel, The Virtual Gourmet, John Mariani shares the inside ...
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All About Bolognese!…And Lasagna!

Maybe the most popular sauce in the well-loved repertoire of Italian cooking…respected Food and Travel writer, John Mariani, sets the ...
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Favorite Destinations After the Pandemic

Always a mindful traveler, John Mariani still loves the adventure–maybe more so since being restricted by COVID-19. The famous food ...
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All About Pizza

So you think you know about the ubiquitous American food, Pizza? Is it really Italian or was it created in ...
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Now On the Radio: John Mariani

Food and Travel writer and publisher of the newsletter, Virtual Gourmet, John Mariani, turns his hand to a new medium: ...
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How to Save $$ on Vacation Meals

We all know how easy it is to go over budget while on vacation! Travel and Food Writer, John Mariani, ...
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Do Corporate Restaurant Groups Offer Better Quality?

We’ve all seen a high-end restaurant with the name of a famous chef emblazoned upon it, knowing it is one ...
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Fun Quotes On Food & Wine

Whether you want to be pretentious or erudite or just entertaining, it’s always fun to have a famous quote about ...
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Cajun vs Creole Cuisine??

New Orleans is the home to two great regional cuisines: Cajun and Creole …Or is it? What’s the difference between ...
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Best Food Movies

As a food & restaurant writer and publisher of The Virtual Gourmet, John Mariani would of course have an opinion ...
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Champagne vs Sparkling Wine

On holidays many folks will opt to celebrate with Champagne…and certainly it’s considered the standard at weddings and other events ...
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The Movies and Wine Of Francis Ford Coppola

Join this freewheeling discussion about both the wines and movies of celebrated director, Francis Ford Coppola. Lots of interesting facts ...
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Brown Spirits-Whiskey, Scotch, Etc.

What’s the difference between Whiskey, Bourbon and Scotch? Food and travel writer John Mariani, respected publisher of The VIrtual Gourmet ...
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Las Vegas Update

Celebrating Act 2™’s founders, Art Kirsch and John Coleman, ask regular contributor John Mariani, (food and travel writer and editor ...
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Seasonal Wines

We ask our favorite wine and food critic about ‘seasonal’ wines. Are they just marketing hype? And especially about Beaujolais ...
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European Travel Restrictions

Covid-19 has affected the whole world, especially travel. Europe in many ways has fared better than the US, but that ...
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Boston Dining Update

Of course no destination remains the same…and every city’s dining and entertainment scene has been affected by the pandemic restrictions ...
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Reasons NOT to AGE YOUR WINE

The Virtual Gourmet, John Mariani, is always happy to dispel myths about food and wine for our Celebrating Act 2™ ...
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How Italian Food Conquered the World

Ever notice how Italian cuisine seems to be everywhere–and the most popular! Why is that? Food and Travel writer, John ...
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About Detroit!

One of America’s great cities has fallen on hard times–and not just because of COVID-19. Food and Travel expert, John ...
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See The USA…Travel Regionally!

Veteran Food and Travel writer, John Mariani of the Virtual Gourmet newsletter (free), says we don’t have to give up ...
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Eating In Parking Lots

With a new round of restrictions on restaurants due to COVID-19 many places are allowed only to serve food outside ...
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Travel Writing -The Mariani Touch

Writer John Mariani has been writing professionally about Food and Travel–and much more –for well over 20 years. As a ...
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Develop Your Wine Palate- Start Here!

Food and Travel writer, John Mariani talks with Celebrating Act 2™’s Art Kirsch and John Coleman about the idea of ...
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Wine Myths Which Waste Time & Money

Based on his article in Mariani’s Virtual Gourmet newsletter, Food and Travel writer John Mariani shares three of the ten ...
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NYC – Best Food City In the World!

As a professional Food and Travel writer, who is also a regular contributor to Celebrating Act 2, John Mariani has ...
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Love & Pizza – The Book

Yes, we love food–including pizza–and yes, romance often revolves around subtle, sensual acts like eating….Which is one reason why John ...
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Americas Cuisine:The Gift of Immigrants

As America is a land of immigrants, so too our cuisine is as varied and diverse as our population’s origins ...
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How to Read A Wine Label

Like John Coleman, co-founder of Celebrating Act 2™, many of us wine drinkers may know what we like but don’t ...
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The Future of Restaurants After COVID-19

While we all wonder what the ‘New Normal’ will look like after the COVID-19 Crisis ends, many have predicted the ...
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Menu Collection Reflects History & Culture

Food and Travel writer John Mariani has been collecting menus from great restaurants he has reviewed for over 40 years ...
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Great Restaurants Selling Great Wines at Discount!

Can you believe a famous restaurant which can normally sell a great wine from their cellar for well over $100 ...
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Are Small Restaurants Hurting The Most?

Food and Travel writer John Mariani knows the restaurant industry inside and out. Small, local ‘Mom & Pop’ restaurants are ...
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Travel in the Age of COVID-19

What will we do when travel restrictions imposed because of COVID-19 pandemic are relaxed? John Mariani, noted Food and Travel ...
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Get Great Wines at Great Prices, NOW!

Celebrating Act 2™’s Food & Travel contributor, John Mariani, author of the popular weekly newsletter the Virtual Gourmet, explains why ...
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Meet Food & Travel Writer, John Mariani of Virtual Gourmet

Celebrating Act 2™ co-founders, Art Kirsch and John Coleman introduce us to regular Contributor, John Mariani, world traveler, columnist and ...
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Seafood Myths

It seems there’s more myths surrounding seafood than any other cuisine! Which are true and should be heeded and which ...
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