10Jun

Edible Brooklyn: Pazzi Pasta in Carroll Gardens

PicMonkeypastapazzi

Pasta is one of  my kids' favorite foods, but I generally try to limit their intake due to its high calorie and high carb content. However, since it's usually on the top of their list, I'm always looking for ways to accommodate their request and I recently found one. It's called Pazzi Pasta, a Southern Italian restaurant in Carroll Gardens, one of my favorite parts of Brooklyn. "Pazzi" literally means "crazy" and I'm not kidding when I call their food crazy delicious! It's rare to find a restaurant that is so intent on using organic, locally grown, Read More

25Mar

A Mother-Son Weekend in the Catskills

TriptoCatskills

My son and I recently spent some time in the Catskills. We basically jumped in our car and headed to the mountains for some R&R and a bit of bonding. He loves to ski, so knowing that was part of our plan was a big motivator for him. The Catskills is an interesting getaway choice because it offers so much to do for both children and adults, and we were both up to the challenge of checking it out. Equipped with a full tank of gas, we set out from Westchester for two days of adventure with a group of writers and their children. Where We Stayed Our Read More

27Nov

Eating Out with Kids in Long Beach, California

parkers lighthouse

Long Beach is full of child-friendly restaurants. On my recent trip with my (picky) tween, we sampled new foods, tried new versions of our existing favorites and munched out on seafood. Here's a selection of where we went: The Attic on Broadway - Housed in an edifice from the 1920s, this family-owned, funky neighborhood eatery is full of local art and a lot of history. I was told that the one of its rooms is even haunted. There's something for everyone on the menu - from mac & cheese and nutella french toast for kids to steak to salad to the Read More

26Nov

Why Take the Kids to Long Beach, California

PicMonkeyLongBeach

If you're looking for a vacation with the kids in 2015 that has good hotels, restaurants, a variety of activities for all ages, good weather (all year long), art, culture, shopping, and more, I have an idea for you. I just got back from a few days in Long Beach, California, and I have to say it was the ultimate getaway with my tween. Located along five and a half miles of beach, half way between Los Angeles and Orange County, Long Beach offers great food, cultural diversity, waterfront dining and a slew of options for families of all shapes and sizes. In Read More

11Nov

A Trip to the New York Wine Country

welliesandwinecollage

  I recently traveled to the North Fork, New York Wine Country, via Cross Sound Ferry. The ferry was a mode of transportation I honestly hadn't considered in the past, but boy, were my expectations surpassed. It was efficient, restful and great value. The trip eliminated hours of driving, and the views from the boat were so impressive. The North Fork, once thought of a long drive on the Long Island Expressway, where you can sit for hours at a time during the summer, became more accessible, and now that I've been there, I can't wait to go back. A Read More

14Aug

A Visit to Maine’s The Lodge on the Cove

lodgeonthecove

We just spent 24 hours at an unexpected treasure of a boutique hotel called The Lodge on the Cove, part of the Kennebunkpost Resort Collection, in Kennebunkport, Maine. Tucked away in a secluded part of this famous seaside town is this simply sublime and stylish resort.  It's also extremely welcoming to families with its spacious rooms, spread throughout a property that edges a tidal cove one mile from the center of town, as well as its activity offerings. The hotel is a  converted motor lodge that re-opened last year. The owners commissioned local Read More

13Aug

A Visit to Essex Culinary Resort & Spa

chefanthony

My family and I just spent a few days at a very unique resort in Vermont called the Essex Culinary Resort & Spa. What is unique about it is not the fact that it's a located in a serene, beautiful of the state and offers a plethora of neither activities nor the fact that the grounds itself are breath taking and quite immaculate. What's unique is that the entire resort is based around cooking. As soon as you walk through the door, you are presented with homemade desserts and that is the just the tip of the iceberg with the serious culinary reality Read More

09Aug

A NYC Find: Ivan Ramen at Gotham Market

ivanramen

This week I had a huge NYC discovery: Ivan Ramen at Gotham Market in midtown. I'd been dead curious to find how a Jewish guy from Long Island, Ivan Orkin, could create a so-called ramen revolution, and even more so to find out how he meshes his Jewish identity into his recipes. Apparently, he got his training in Tokyo, where he created two noodle restaurants that established as a ramen master of his domain, and brought his expertise and knowledge here. So clearly there would be validity to the claims of his being labeled Mr. Ramen King. The Gotham Market Read More

24Jul

The Hundred-Foot Journey, a Tale of Food and Travel

one hundred foot journey

You can't deny the thrill of seeing a film, in this case The Hundred-Foot Journey, that so beautifully weaves together the things you love most in life. About a month ago, Chef did that so skillfully, weaving together food, social media, humor, travel and great story-telling. I left the theater craving Spanish food and was also hungry for more movies with relevance to the times we are living in. It also made me think more about the life of a chef, something I had never really thought about. I was looking for a another chance to do it again. And here Read More

03Jul

Sizzling at Macy’s Culinary Council’s Sizzle Showdown #SP

culinary council

This past weekend I headed to Macy's for the annual Sizzle Showdown, hosted by their very own Culinary Council. It was an extremely hot day in NYC and I wondered how the contestants would duke it out under the sky's scorching sun. There six budding chefs would compete for a grand prize of $10,000 and a trip to Macy's 4th of July Fireworks to be revealed as America's Grilling Guru. I was invited as a guest of Macy's Culinary Council, a national culinary authority comprising some of the nation's leading culinary master. Launched in 2003, MCC's team of Read More