With our kids at camp, my husband and I took a quick trip to Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. There is a lot to see and do (and eat) in this part of Western Canada! Living in Chicago, among the things I miss most are the mountains and the ocean. So, when planning a trip, if I can include some mountains and ocean views, all the ...
Belize with Kids
Looking for a convenient, tropical, family-friendly destination where English is the native language and you can find adventure around every corner? That's Belize. Grab your piece of the jewel! Over the winter holiday, my family ventured to Belize, a tiny Central American nation east of Guatemala and south of Mexico, for a week of sun and ...
Food Swap in Philly and NYC
I'm back home from a wonderful week in California, which I spent promoting Food Swap, seeing friends, eating fabulous food (Tartine, Mourad, Wise Sons deli among others), checking out the new San Francisco MoMA, and attending my third International Food Bloggers Conference (IFBC). (Did you happen to catch my appearance on "Good Day Sacramento" on ...
Food Swap in Orlando
I'm going back out on the road tomorrow to do two book events in Orlando, Florida! On Saturday morning, at 10 am, I will be participating in a mini food swap and signing copies of Food Swap at Bookmark It, Orlando's premier independent bookstore. Bookmark It is located in the East End Market, a neighborhood market and cultural food hub inspired ...
San Francisco with Kids: Where to Eat
San Francisco may be home to twenty-something tech millionaires and celebrities who are known for being off-beat (think the Robin Williams and Sean Penn), but it is also a surprisingly family-friendly destination — especially if your family likes to eat. My family recently spent a few days in the Bay Area as part of a California spring break ...
Peru with Kids
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 Visit to Lima’s Surquillo Market
My family just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Peru. We visited Machu Picchu and other Inca ruins, the Andean city of Cusco and Peru's capital, Lima. We were astonished by the complex buildings of the Incas, touched by the warmth of the Peruvian people and delighted by the delicious food we ate. It was one of the best trips of my ...
A Visit to Stockholm’s Östermalms Saluhall
Whenever I travel, one of my favorite things to do is visit food markets. From Seattle's Pike Place Market to Montreal's Marché Jean-Talon, I have visited some amazing temples to gastronomy. So naturally, when my family visited Sweden, and its capital Stockholm, Östermalms Saluhall, the city's famous food hall, was the site I most wanted to see. A ...
Winter at the Naples Farmers Market
My family is in Naples, Florida for our annual vacation. Over the decade that we have been coming to this part of the country, we have identified a number of enjoyable activities and sights beyond just the beach and the pool. One of my favorite activities, to no one's surprise, is the Saturday morning trip to the Third Street South Farmers Market ...
Cookie Exchange: Key Lime Meltaways
I'm just back from our annual Thanksgiving jaunt to Florida, and of course, now that my beloved Oak Park Farmers Market is closed for the season, the only farmers market that I get to visit is the Saturday morning Third Street South Farmers Market in downtown Naples. My favorite stall at the Naples Farmers Market sells unusual varieties of citrus ...
Where to Eat at Pike Place Market
As I mentioned in my last post, I attended the International Food Bloggers Conference last weekend in Seattle. One of the best things about the conference was, of course, its location. Food lovers flock to Seattle for its abundant local ingredients, its world-renowned chefs and for the sprawling, chaotic Pike Place Market. The Pike Place Market ...
Costa Rica with Kids
My family just returned from an amazing week in Costa Rica. We stayed on the Papagayo Peninsula in the province of Guanacaste, which is located in northwestern corner of the country. Costa Rica was the tropical paradise we had hoped it would be. The Pacific ocean beaches were stunning with fine sands, blue water and gentle surf. The landscape ...
Two Tropical Drink Recipes
After spending one of the afternoons of our tropical, Costa Rican vacation in a wine-tasting class -- albeit a wine-tasting class in a open lobby overlooking the beach -- you might think we were done with improving ourselves. But no! As soon as my sister-in-law and I heard that our resort also offered a Mixology class, we immediately signed up ...
Wine Tasting in Paradise
My family is on vacation in Costa Rica this week with my mother and my brother and his family. I have traveled to some of the great cities of Europe, Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean and I can safely say that Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been. And the Costa Rican people that we have met have been, to a person, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...