restaurants
wine country on the other side of the world
I’ve already dedicated 3 posts to my odyssey in South Africa but the one subject I’ve yet to broach is the industry that took me to the other side of the world. Although the safari was a-m-a-z-i-n-g and the opportunity to try all the wild game was a food lover’s dream (see previous post)... »
a butter and mayonnaise sandwich
Living in the United States we forget that many other countries preserve the tradition of reserving Sunday as a day of rest. This, of course, means that not only do the Monday-Friday set take Sunday for r&r but that shop keepers, restaurant owners and even gas station attendants lock their doors and take the... »
warthogs and kudu and wildebeest, oh my!
It’s not unusual for a visitor to South Africa to get excited about the wildlife. But I doubt many visitors get the most excited about eating it. For me, a 10-day trip through South Africa’s Cape region was highlighted by the seamlessly never-ending variety of game meats to eat. On my first day, there... »
dinner and a pole dance
As a journalist, I get invited to some unique, media-only experiences. This time, it was dinner and a pole dance. Continuing my Los Angeles tour of gluttony, (the aforementioned meal followed my cupcake eating marathon), I put on my pole dancing gear and headed out for a ladies-only night on the town in Culver... »
on a secret cupcake mission
The day after my day of eating LA with Chef Annette, I met up with Chrysta Wilson, author of Kiss My Bundt and baker extraordinaire for a cupcake reconnaissance mission. As the owner of Kiss My Bundt bakery, Chrysta has to keep up with what the other sweets bakeries around Los Angeles (and around... »
the cupcake tasting notes: 16 cakes, 20 minutes, one opinionated eater
After Chrysta Wilson, creator of the Kiss My Bundt bakery and I returned to her shop from a Beverly Hills cupcake reconaissence mission, (see my previous post on a secret cupcake mission), we lined up our booty (16 cakes from 3 bakeries) like an army of sweet soldiers awaiting battle. In order to taste... »
was it peer pressure or just gluttony?
Chef Annette, my friend and instructor at NYC’s French Culinary Institute, and I met up on Monday, this time in Los Angeles, for another one of our celebrations of regional foods. (Also called an all-day pig out.) The morning began at Little Next Door, a cafe so French you can easily pretend you’re in Nice... »
Dining Around New York Day 2: manhattan’s sexy chefs
Day two of my NY gastronomic odyssey was off to a shaky start. Waking up to coffee and a train ride, my stomach was not ready to cooperate with my quest for the best of Lower Manhattan gastronomy. A bagel and cup of ginger tea later, I was up for a brisk walk but... »
Dining Around New York Day 1: questionable judgement and superior cookies in manhattan
Every couple of years I like to go to NYC to eat. This year’s pilgrimage was a bit more challenging than previous visits. No, it wasn’t for losing favorite haunts to the recession or personal financial crunch. My problem was much more basic. I traveled all the way to New York for dinner and... »
down home dinner with rodney strong
I’ve discovered one plus about having a blog. It gives me a platform to share experiences that may not make their way into an article for months, if ever. Last night I attended a special dinner for the launch of a new cookbook, down home: downtown. Being a cookbook author myself, I really try to... »
