Ever since we returned, I have been raving about the family trip we took to Peru over the holidays. To everyone who inquires, especially other parents, I enthusiastically recommend visiting this fascinating and friendly country. And so it occurred to me that I could use this forum to explain to a larger audience why I think Peru is such a ...
A Weekend in Ann Arbor
It had been just over twenty-four hours since we arrived in Ann Arbor and I simply could not eat or drink another thing. Clearly, I had failed as a professional eater. Bon Appétit has a feature called The Big Fat Weekend where one of the editors spends a weekend eating and drinking his or her way through a city and then writes an article filled ...
Scenes from the Naples Farmers Market
My family just returned from spring break in Naples, Florida. We have been going to Naples since 2004 and we love the area. Southwestern Florida is less developed than some other parts of the state and is filled with natural beauty. There is a protected mangrove swamp near my mother's house that we cross every time we go to the beach. Sometimes we ...
Get Ready for National Agriculture Day
Today’s post is sponsored by Illinois Farm Families, for which I serve as a Brand Ambassador. You can read more about my role as a Brand Ambassador here. Those of us who live in cities and suburbs rarely get a chance to express our appreciation to the farmers and ranchers who raise and grow the food that we eat. Moreover, most of have very ...
What to Do in Santa Fe with Kids
As I mentioned, my family recently returned from a week-long trip to Santa Fe with my mom. My husband loves the Southwest and even tried to convince me to move to Albuquerque after law school. I actually love New Mexico as well, but not quite enough to live there. I could never get used to living in such a dry, desert climate but I do love to visit ...
Great Summer Salad Ideas from Jerusalem
It's July and that means it is time for another Tasting Jerusalem topic. Created by two food writers, Beth from the blog OMG! Yummy and Sarene Wallace from 805 Living magazine, Tasting Jerusalem is a community dedicated to exploring the cuisine of the Middle East using the cookbook Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi as a guide. Each ...
What To Do in Montreal
As I mentioned earlier, my husband and I spent a blissful few days sans kids in Montreal over Fourth of July weekend. He had never visited this historic, cosmopolitan city and I had only been there once, almost thirty years ago, on a trip with my family. We knew very little about Montreal before our trip but were intrigued by the city's reputation ...
Montreal’s Marche Jean-Talon
My husband and I recently returned from a delightful long weekend -- sans kids -- in Montreal. We are both celebrating milestone birthdays this year, and this trip was our joint present to ourselves. We picked Montreal because it combined geographical proximity with Old World charm. I always enjoy opportunities to trot out my college French and my ...
Preserved Lemons for Tasting Jerusalem
It's June and that means it is time for a new Tasting Jerusalem challenge! Created by two food writers, Beth from the blog OMG! Yummy and Sarene Wallace from 805 Living magazine, Tasting Jerusalem is a community dedicated to exploring the cuisine of the Middle East using the cookbook Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi as a guide. Each ...
Chocolate Spice Cookies for Tasting Jerusalem
As some of you may remember, I am participating in a virtual cooking community called Tasting Jerusalem. Created by two food writers, Beth from the blog OMG! Yummy and Sarene Wallace from 805 Living magazine, Tasting Jerusalem is a community dedicated to exploring the cuisine of the Middle East using the cookbook Jerusalem as a guide. Each month, ...
Eating our Curds and Whey
Many of my food and mom blogger friends are raving about the new cookbook Homemade with Love by Jennifer Perillo. Perillo is a professional food writer based in Brooklyn, author of the popular food blog In Jennie's Kitchen, and mom to two daughters. I don't know Jennie personally, and sadly, I missed my chance to meet her when she was in town ...
Farmers’ Market Find: Rangpur Limes
Obviously I'm talking about a Florida farmers' market. You wouldn't be likely to find Rangpur limes at an Illinois farmers' market even in good weather, which it's not right now. No, today's farmers' market find is courtesy of the Saturday morning Old Naples Farmers" Market, which is a must on all of our Naples trips. The Old Naples Farmers' Market ...
Make Eataly Your New York Destination
One of the highlights of my recent trip to New York was the chance to eat and shop at Eataly, Chef Mario Batali's 13,000 square foot shrine to Italian food. Located right off of Madison Square Park and easily accessible by several subways lines -- I took the 6 train downtown from my hotel at Lexington and 51rst and felt like quite the New Yorker ...
San Diego With Kids
Despite being weighed down by sadness over my father's illness, my family embarked on a vacation to California last week. Naturally, it felt strange to focus on something as frivolous as a vacation when my father's condition was so serious. But, as it turned out, the vacation was not frivolous at all. It fulfilled a very real need for my children, ...
Public Relations
If you represent a brand that is interested in working with West of the Loop, be it for a product review, a giveaway or an event, or are interested in becoming a sponsor of West of the Loop, please contact me at westoftheloop@gmail.com. I will get back to you in a timely manner. West of the Loop is just over two years old, but its readership is ...
About the Site
West of the Loop is a blog about the joys (and difficulties) of parenting and feeding our families. I love to cook and entertain and I want to help everyone else feel as confident in the kitchen as I do. To that end, I like to share techniques more than recipes -- although I will post plenty of recipes too! I also love to explore new food and ...