I’m passionate about food and cooking. Cookbooks – I have hundreds. I love trying new recipes and experimenting with exotic ingredients. Over the years I’ve attended many a cooking class, often during my travels to learn about ethnic cuisines yet I had never attended one in France. Shame! Now is … Read more
Northern France’s industrial port city of Dunkerque is known for several things: its eponymous battle (the subject of Christopher Nolan’s current film Dunkirk), its classification as part of the quirky “Ch’ti” region (which comes with its own dialects and all), and an absolutely insane iteration of the world’s carnivals that … Read more
Tradition. Innovation. Excellence. – Since 1931, thousands of students have followed these principles at Le Cordon Bleu in London, one of the top culinary arts, wine, and management schools in the world. Located on Bloomsbury Square, the stately entrance radiates grandeur and energy, and students dressed in white aprons with … Read more
If you dream of visiting exotic locales but worry about returning with an extra five pounds you’re not alone. Today’s savvy travelers are focused on keeping healthy and fit when away from their regimes. Relax! Whether you’re a hardcore health buff, a raw-vegan connoisseur or simply want to try different … Read more
A Le Cordon Bleu Cooking Class Experience First, a small confession: I’m not great in the kitchen. I can make a mean apple pie (provided I use a ready-made crust), and my husband calls me the “Soup Queen” (really, I just toss things in a pot and add chicken stock), but … Read more
Every spring and fall, the global fashion hive congregates in Paris and Milan for a much hyped week or so of runway shows, parties, dinners, and celebrity sightings. In the Paris phase of the circuit it’s tough to score access to the shows unless you’re a bona fide fashion editor … Read more
Here are the Top 10 Things To Do In London London’s St. James neighborhood is uniquely situated amidst greenery, with St. James’s Park, Green Park and Hyde Park nearby, as well as Buckingham Palace, the hustle, bustle of Piccadilly, the elegance of Mayfair and West End theaters a short stroll … Read more
“Why would you want to go there? There’s nothing to see!” This was the usual reaction after I announced my plans to travel to Hannover in northern Germany. Truth be told, it wasn’t on my bucket list of must-see cities either, but a good friend kept inviting me and I … Read more
Driving Ireland’s snaking country roads is both a challenge and a thrill. You just never know what you’ll uncover. We had already traversed hundreds of miles and crossed several counties; the awe inspiring 7 estates we toured only fueled the fire to discover more of Ireland’s storied past. We were … Read more
Rock of Cashel I was feeling a wee bit peckish after the early morning arrival of the six hour flight to Dublin from New York so we decided to stop for breakfast on the way to Cashel Rock. At a quaint spot called Over the Bakery near this ancient site, … Read more
There is no such thing as Italian food. The country is made up of twenty regions with distinct characteristics. Every town, every village makes the same dish in vastly different ways, just like they speak different dialects and wear different traditional costumes. Tuscany is arguably most famous for Chianti and … Read more
A glimpse into Germany’s quaint St. Blaisen Christmas market.
Fish, and the waters where they swim, both come to mind when I think of Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city and largest port. Although the waters of the North Sea are 65 miles from this maritime city, it is water that imbues the city with a distinctive, enticing flair. It … Read more
Expect the unexpected in this boutique hotel in Paris. From the decor to the design, it’s all about romance.
It’s not that high I tell myself after committing to be the first to climb a rope ladder to the crow’s nest of a tall sailing ship – my home on water for a week. Not one to break my word (at least not with so many witnesses), I’m secured … Read more