Food Patrol

I have tried a lot of pizza in my time. I even make my own homemade pizza which is yum. Anthony’s is some of the best I have ever had! Craving is the word to describe this pizza. You will have dreams about this pizza…..

I was lucky to meet this powerhouse in my studio in Soho in the mid 90's. I have been to her restaurants and love her southern food cuisine. I have a piece of her Home Collection in my kitchen that I use all the time. So, I would say I am a big fan of her empire and talent. B's husband, Dan Gasby is very involved in B's empire and has an amazing resume. They work together on shows, magazines and newsletters, radio, Home Collection and Restaurants, just to name a few of their projects.

It was about 8 pm in Bangkok, but things were only just getting started. My friend and I hopped aboard our extra secure “Smiling Tuk-tuk” – ones that actually feature metal mesh on the sides to prevent passing motorcyclists from grabbing your bag or purse -- and zoomed around Bangkok on a night-time culinary adventure organized by Bangkok Food Tours. The experience allowed us to both experience the best local eats of the city's restaurants and night markets – some neighborhoods specialize in certain dishes – and also safely explore the city at night. We stopped at four restaurants/food stands in different neighborhoods, including a dessert specialty place, and we also visited the flower market before ending our evening atop one of Bangkok's coolest roof-top bars, enjoying a Thai beer, while looking out over Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn. 

I have ordered fish and chips through the years all across the country. It is a favorite for me and, I know for a lot of you! It is always a good idea to ask the particular restaurant what fish they are using. The best is sole, flounder, grouper or cod. You do not want the batter too thick, its perfect when there is a flakiness to the batter and not too greasy. The chips are the best when they are fresh cut fries. Many times you also will get a small dish of coleslaw. Last and not least is the tartar sauce, I have had yummy tartar sauce and not so yummy tartar sauce. It should be good so you can dip!

Everyone should visit The Berkshires at least one time in their life. I have visited over 50 times and also had the luxury of living there. The historic downtown of Lenox is a beautiful start to experience the richness of the Berkshires. Tanglewood is very close by and that is a perfect place to enjoy the musical magic here.

Four great places to shop for great food in California, Massachusetts, New York and Florida.

Bourbon Steak is one of South Florida’s favorite and best steakhouses. Michael Mina, celebrity chef, uses his signature methods to make everything you eat, unforgettable. 

After leaving Montreal it was already past lunch time and we began to look for a place to stop and have a bite to eat. We left Quebec and barely had entered Ontario when we decided to take exit 814 off of Ontario 401 (the continuation of Quebec 20) which was the exit for Lancaster, Ontario.

I have some German in my heritage so I love to visit authentic German restaurants wherever I may be. This is really fun to find this family history right in the town of Akeley.

This fabulous chef-owner Daniel has several award winning restaurants. This is one I have been lucky enough to dine at quite a few times. It is set right in the center of Palm Beach, steps away from the ocean and the famous shopping street Worth Ave.The Brazilian Court Hotel is the perfect place to stay in Palm Beach and then you can enjoy this 5 star restaurant each and every day!

Originally from Argentina, the Cea family came to Miami in 1985. They opened this fabulous restaurant in 1993. You feel the moment you walk through the doors, you are in Italy. The father, Arturo and the mother, Carla are always cooking. The three sons Fabian, Gerardo and Marcela are taking care of the rest of the business.

Marco, the owner and Brazilian, brings that charming old world hospitality to this Tuscan style restaurant. You will find him here most of the time and his very large family, including his attractive wife Éclair. His staff is so friendly and attentive to each table. This is a very busy and popular restaurant with 125 seats and offers over 250 vintage wines. There is a full bar too that is now available. In fact Cafe Vico has won the top Best restaurants in South Florida. Even on this busy night, our entire table felt so relaxed, as if we were having dinner in Marcos home. 

Well, guess what – it was time to eat again! All that fresh sea air makes one hungry! So I walked over to the Blue Skye Café where I was able to sit outside and my server Jesse took great care of me. The breakfast was delicious (pictured above) and an added bonus was running into Pat and Don, two locals who come here every morning to enjoy the view, friends and great food. I was lucky enough to sit with them the 2 days I was there and they just proved once again what a delightful and friendly city this truly is. AJ is the manager so be sure to say hello to him as well – he moved here from LA and just loves it.

Well, I think I’m in love – with the Central Coast of California, that is! I recently spent 5 days driving and staying along the Highway 1 Discovery Route. What a blast from the past and I mean that in a very good way!

Once I left Tognazzini’s Dockside, I checked into my accommodations at Harbor Front Suites. Actually, there was no check-in as I was provided with a pass code to enter my condo. It was in a private complex complete with a garage, which also had a code. It was really funny not having a card or keys, as my rental car also was keyless. It’s a new day, Boomers!

Cancun is such a popular place to go on vacation. A lot of boomers spend time there time and time again. Here are two restaurants that serve really good authentic Mexican food.

Chef Mavro was born in Marseilles, the capital of Provence. The moment he arrived over 20 years ago in Hawaii, he knew this was home for him. It was that feeling, the experience he felt immediately. As I researched about this chef, my favorite photo of him is the fruit tree one. It says a lot about him.

On our arrival at camp on Sunday, June 2, it was a warm to hot summer day. Our room was on the second floor of Marlboro North and fortunately we brought a fan to help cool things down. Of course a front moved through and the rest of the week was cool, but for a couple of Southerners cool water and iced drinks were imperative.

Chez L Epicier is nestled in the quaint part le Vieux Montreal which makes it extra special.

Whenever a trip is being planned, there are usually many “wishes” to be fulfilled. One thing for sure is the desire to taste the most fantastic food in the most luxurious settings. Of course, there is fabulous street food, but we’re all about making reservations, dressing up, and enjoying a dining experience for a true foodie!

We’ll journey to many great restaurants in these travels, but let’s start with a couple of my favorites, in my ultimately most favorite place – the French Riviera.  And, we’ll start at the top of a mountain. COLUMBE D’OR in St. Paul de Vence is arguably one of the most famous restaurants in the world. It has appeared in numerous movies, and attracts Royalty, Presidents, Movie stars, and the global uber-rich out for an amazing experience. 

This small, classy restaurant is placed right in the center of St. Helena, right in the middle of the wine country. This charming town is so much fun to stroll through all of the shops, galleries and restaurants. Cook is owned by Jude Wilmoth and Michael Wilmoth (brothers).

I love to report to you places that are special, in an unusual way! I like to use the word a little mysterious to describe this market. I love the boutique feeling of this small 500 square foot space. Everything is the bestest and the freshest ( Blondee wording). They sell out early so make sure you can go early. Their staff always makes you feel so much at home here too!

A snapshot of three cooking schools: Peru Le Cordon Bleu in Lima, Peru; the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont; and Swinton Park in the United Kingdom.

On our way to Beaumont, Texas we stopped at the Louisiana Welcome Center for the usual rest break. While there, I thought to ask the attendant about Cajun restaurants close to I-10 where we could stop for lunch. She gave me a number of brochures and finally came to one on Crawfish Town. She said that she had eaten there herself and that it was very good. This turned out to be very fortuitous advice because my brief comment on Crawfish Town would be simply OMG!