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Here are some of my favorite moments from my trip to Tuscany! Continue reading

HOT DOUG'S | 3324 N California Ave Chicago, IL 60618 Way overdue - I visited Hot Doug's in a couple months ago and realized that I never posted the pics! This uber famous joint always has a line out the door. We stuffed ourselves silly with duck fat fries and I extravagant dogs. Whaaaat - the Smoked and Spicy Alligator Sausage with Cajun Shrimp Remoulade and Goat Cheese ($8). Outrageous! OMG - the Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Fleu de Sel!!! After one bite I thought to myself "this is the best... Continue reading

Her ancestors would be proud. This little white Pekingnese is wearing an $80,000 diamond necklace. Wowza. Continue reading

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CACAO PRIETO | 218 Conover St New York, NY 11231 I was so excited to finally visit Cacao Prieto in Red Hook Brooklyn! They distill and age a variety of liqueurs and rums made from organic Dominican sugar cane and cacao beans from their own orchards in the Dominican Republic. Sounds pretty amazing, huh? To top off the list, they also make their own chocolates, bonbons and fruit, nut and cacao spreads, jams and caramels. Cacao Prieto also own and distill Widow Jane Whiskey which is made with pure water from the Widow Jane Mine in NY. We tried a... Continue reading

TORI SHIN | 1193 1st Ave, New York, NY 10065 You just need a glimpse of Chomp Chow Chew to you know that izakayas and yakitori is my favorite type of meal. This tiny Japanese restaurant is without a doubt, spectacular. Tori Shin (meaning true chicken in Japanese) specializes in yakitori and offers 40 different unique chicken skewers. The skewers are are cooked over charcoal but not any old charcoal- they use special Kishu "Bichotan" which burns on a lower temperature and makes the meat crispy on the outside and juicy inside. Check out their menu here to get a... Continue reading

Some pics from recent expeditions to Flushing, Queens! NEW WORLD MALL FOODCOURT NAN XIANG DUMPLING HOUSE Continue reading

DUBPies | 211 Prospect Park West (corner of 16th St) Brooklyn, NY 11215 Yum! This handmade, Australian/New Zealand-style meat pie shop knows what they are doing. We tried the New York Shepherds Pie, topped with mashed potatoes. It hit the spot and warmed us up on a cold winter day. Plus, being 5" in diameter, it was the perfect size snack for the three people. Continue reading

I am always drawn to the packaging design of Ichishima's sakes! Of course this is from another trip to Mitsuwa in Jersey. If you can't make it to Mitsuwa's amazing sake selection, another great place is Sakaya in the East Village. They only sell sake and are excellent at recommending new ones to try. Continue reading

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On a recent trip to Mitsuwa I found this in the frozen section and thought I would give it a try! I have no idea what it is called but it had an eggy consistency with minced pieces of squash inside. There wasn't an english description about how to cook it so I cooked them in udon soup. Delicious! Continue reading

There is nothing like a bright pop of color in the gray of winter! Continue reading

KOSSAR'S BIALYS |367 Grant St. New York, NY 10002 Its hard to find a good bialy, even in New York, but I have found the gem of them all at Kossar's. They have been handcrafting bialys, bagels and more for over 65 years (you can view photos of their process, here.) Their bialys are perfect, thin and topped with minced onions-yum! I liked that they make their goods in the store too, this shot of their interior is what you encounter right when you walk in! Continue reading

BUNCH | 11 W 32nd St (between Broadway & 5th Ave) New York, NY 10001 You can't tell from this photo, but these Korean style buns are pretty big..and only $2.50 each! This take-out joint in K-Town makes it convieneant to grab-and-go. Our first mistake was that we only ordered one, devoured it and immediately went back for more. We tried the kimchi bacon (bottom and my favorite), Curry (middle) and pork (top). What I like about them most is that some of them are stuffed them with vermicelli noodles which may seem like a filler but I liked the... Continue reading

A recent find at the Brooklyn Winter Flea, I just wish that my apartment was big enough! Continue reading

HAKATA TONTON | 61 Grove St New York, NY 10014 Several friends have raved about the pig feet dishes at Hakata Tonton, so of course we had to check it out! The food here is described as Kyushu Japanese soul food (Kyushu is the third largest island of Japan.) Besides pork, Hakata Tonton's menu has a lot of collagen which is good for your skin too! You must reserve your table online and still be prepared to wait (the restaurant is tiny.) Unbelievable, the Monfish's Liver with yuzu miso sauce was delicious. It was hard to share with three people... Continue reading

When I created my "August Obessions", I never thought that I would actually recieve one of the items on my wish list! Thank you Mom for giving me this gorgeous faux deer head with sparkling antlers from White Faue Taxidermy. It really gives my apartment a bit of sparkle and... Continue reading

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This year, I want to travel as much as possible. Anytime I explore a new place, my inspiration levels skyrocket through the roof and I feel absolutely refreshed. I took this photo over the summer near Page, Arizona after visiting Antelope Canyon on a hiking roadtrip with a girlfriend. On... Continue reading

CAFE MOGADOR . 101 Saint Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009 I love Cafe Mogador so much because this Moroccan and Mediterranean restaurant piles on the flavor. Normally I skip on brunch because I hate waiting in long lines, but I make an exception for this place. Their Halumi Eggs ($10) with two poached eggs on top of roasted tomato and halumi cheese served with olives, salad and zahatar pita is my all time favorite breakfast dish...ever. The quality of their ingredients are always exceptional and I'm never disappointed with their food. Continue reading

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The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is one of my most cherished places to visit, ever since I was a child. Here are some of my favorite pictures that I took! Continue reading

Small Landscape with Cut Trees, 2005 by Dean Byington On a recent trip to the Art Institute of Chicago, I feel head over heels for this piece on view in the Rarely Seen Contemporary Works on Paper exhibit. The tiny artwork is a collage of photocopies, cut-and-tipped to white paper.... Continue reading