While traveling on business or leisure, I take any opportunity to try something new, whether it is a new airline, hotel or type of food. Lately, I’ve been trying to incorporate the new foods I experience around the world into my everyday life. For example, I threw a birthday party this weekend. I invited some of my close friends over for a small celebration. It was a milestone birthday, so I wanted to serve my friends some of the best tastes I’ve experienced on my travels. With a little research and knowledge, I found just what I wanted. The main highlights — and party favorites — were, without a doubt, the sparkling wine and the beautiful spread of salumi and cheese from NYC restaurant Salumeria Rosi, the best place around for these specialties. I knew I wanted high-end bubbles to celebrate, but I didn’t want to spend on a case of high-end Champagne. I opted for a sparkling wine from the Bourgogne region, an area with the same climate as Champagne in France. They also use the same sparkling techniques when making the wines. I chose Rose Cremant de Bourgogne sparkling wine. It was so well received, one case was barely enough. In searching for the wine, I went to several wine stores in the city, ending up at Sherry-Lehman, whose experts pointed me in the right direction. It was fun to go in and base my decision on my travels. I learned from the experts as well, making the whole experience a lot of fun. I recommend a case of sparkling wine, a visit to Sherry-Lehman and goodies from Salumeria Rosi next time you want to throw a memorable party. — Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher