Each year when celebrations for the Lunar New Year begin in Orange County, I’m reminded of the cultural tour I took of Little Saigon with my friend Monique to learn about Tet traditions during the Lunar New Year. We met at the ABC Supermarket shopping center at Bolsaand Brookhurst in what’s known as Little Saigon […]
Travel
Le Saotico – Paris
After a whirlwind weekend in New York City, Don jetted off to Paris – on business, really – and I to Arkansas for a visit with my mom. His being in Paris reminded me of Le Sâotico , a charming brasserie, practically next door to his office on the rue de Richelieu, that has to […]
Paris Inspired
Indulge me for a bit as I share a few images of Paris, oui? Meandering the narrow streets of Monmartre after ascending the many famous steps to Sacré Coeur, stopping to catch my breath and chuckle at the irony of a satirical poster of DeGaulle as Mickey Mouse, recalling the early morning street protest that […]
Postcard from Paris
Dear Friends, I just “discovered” the Galeries Lafayette Gourmet Food store! While Lafayette Gourmet caters to Parisians, for tourists looking for delectable gifts for foodie friends, it’s a one-stop shopping destination with thousands of food products – a majority by famed French producers: fine chocolates by Jean-Paul Hevin, macarons and pastries by celebrated chocolatier and pastry-maker […]
Girl and the Goat
Before traveling to Chicago earlier this month, I sent a tweet asking for suggestions on where I should chow while visiting the Windy City. I was happy to receive several responses with suggestions for casual and fine-dining: iconic Chicago restaurants (The Pump Room), celebrity chef names (Frontera Grill), wine bar restos (Bin 36) and, of […]
Another Week, Another Adventure
Another week, another adventure… It’s been a hectic three months! Last week I was spending time in my ‘ole stomping grounds – Eureka Springs, AR – a picturesque town nestled in the Ozark Mountains where I grew up and return to often to visit my mom, dad, and sister who live there and seek a […]
Top 5 for Foodies in Brussels
1. The Grand-Place: THE place to be for locals and tourists, and if you have only a day or two in Brussels, this is where you need to start your foodie mission; you can find everything, with the exception of a certain premier chocolatier (see #2), in the streets around the Grand-Place. Brussels’ central square […]
The Haute Couturier of Chocolate
This week’s obsession…. is chocolate, not just any chocolate, but the haute couturier of chocolate, world renowned Pierre Marcolini. Brussels may be known as the international capital of Europe as host of the administrative offices of the European Union and the center of international politics since World War II, but some consider it the Capital of […]
Queen’s Day Soup
It was sheer serendipity that we were in Amsterdam for Queen’s Day on April 30th. What a way to kick-off our week-long bike/barge tour of the Netherlands! Queen’s Day commemorates the (former) Queen’s birthday and is the most widely celebrated national holiday and, with a carnival-like atmosphere, the biggest street party in Amsterdam – much […]
Brussels and Belgian Waffles
Famous for its chocolates and beers, Belgium also lays claim to Brussels sprouts and Belgian waffles: this week’s obsession… What distinguishes Belgian waffles from other waffles is its larger size, lighter batter (a result of using yeast batter instead of pancake batter), and higher grid pattern which forms deep pockets: the better to hold silky, […]