Malbec to Bistec: Award-winning Writer Maria Finn Offers Food and Wine Writing Workshop in Argentina

Featuring barrel tastings of Mendoza wine, a cooking class with a top chef,  meals at  top restaurants  and a chance to meet local writers, this workshop will introduce participants both to traditional Argentine food and wine and to the creative gastronomic scene spurred by worldwide interest in Mendoza wines. Participants will learn how to brainstorm story ideas, find unique story angles, craft a query, research topics and interview subjects, with the goal of writing a draft and then a polished article. “Maria Finn’s workshop is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a dynamic culture, in an inspiring landscape of the wine country and the Andes Mountains, and to learn skills that will take your writing to a new level,” said Ellen Hoffman, President of the Mendoza Intercultural Association (MIA), the workshop sponsor.   Base for the workshop will be the Posada de Rosas  (http://www.posadaderosas.com) , a 5-room boutique inn in the center of Mendoza. Posada owners are Americans, writer Ellen Hoffman and artist Riccardo Accurso.  MIA (http://www.mdz-intercultural.org) is a non-profit association formed by Hoffman and Accurso with Argentine partners for the purpose of encouraging intercultural exchange. The workshop will offer a wining combination of learning and fun: •   Group sessions and individual guidance •   Practical experience in writing about topics that capture your imagination in Mendoza •   An opportunity to meet local writers •   Excursions to vineyards, wineries and the Andes—including the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere, Aconcagua •   Wine-tasting, great meals and lively street life The Posada de Rosas, a few minutes’ stroll from Mendoza’s main square, Plaza de Independencia, is close to restaurants, shopping and parks. Its facilities include a garden, terrace and Argentina barbeque. Price of the workshop includes lodging, excursions and most meals, is $2,350.00 double occupancy. Single supplement is $350.00. Registration deadline is September 1. However, space is limited, so early reservations are encouraged. (Airfare is not included.) For more information and to reserve, write to: ellen@mdz-intercultural.org or call her in the U.S. at 304-876-2243. Maria Finn taught for six years in the English department at Hunter College in New York City. Her essays have been anthologized in “The Best Food Writing 2006” and “The Best Women's Travel Writing 2007.” She’s published articles in The New York Times, Gastronomica, Saveur and Food Arts, and has been a finalist for many fiction awards. She is a commentator for the ABC News Now program Exclusiva, covering culture and news from Latin America and Hispanic communities in the United States. Her memoir, “Hold Me Close and Tango Me Home” is forthcoming from Algonquin Books. For more information on Maria, visit her website, http://www.mariafinn.com .


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Small American-owned tour company, specializing in high-end and custom tours in Argentina wine country. Also operates Posada de Rosas, a boutique inn in the center of Mendoza. Tours offer wine tasting, food, art and culture, Andes mountains visits. Along with Argentine partners, the owners are also founders of the Mendoza Intercultural Association, whose purpose is to promote intercultural exchange between the U.S., Argentina and other cultures.

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