2012: A Year in Review. A Year in FOOD.

So hard to believe another year has flown by and 2013 is almost here! As I was thinking about what kind of year in review post I wanted to write, and flipping through my images from the last year, one thing became apparent. I. Love. FOOD. Maybe more than the average person? Or maybe not, but god, I take a ton of annoying food pictures. So to prove that whipping out my big DSLR camera in a crowded, trendy restaurant wasn't all for naught, here is my year in review. Dish by dish.

JANUARY

Kicked the year off right with skiing and famous Turkey Chili in Deer Valley, Utah. Probably still one of the more memorable bowls of chili I've devoured this year.

FEBRUARY

More skiing, this time in Switzerland. And it wouldn't be Switzerland without a steaming hot skillet full of bubbling cheese and grilled meats. Plus, the egg.

MARCH

One of my favorite nibbles from 2012 was this Tuna Crudo with avocado, vanilla and pineapple, eaten at one of my all-time favorite restaurants Union Square Cafe. The combo sounds weird, but I hope you trust me enough to know that it was not weird. It was EXCELLENT.

APRIL

An anniversary/birthday weekend Out East was made complete by the introduction of this incredible salad to my life. Now, I eat it pretty much every weekend. Fried things on salads are OK in my book.

MAY

Wanna know a good idea? Eating a massive, delicious cheeseburger in a bikini. I found this one in Anguilla and it died shortly after having it's photo taken.

JUNE

This photo makes it seem like I started eating all healthy in June, but these berries were either for a cocktail, or a pie. It's a little foggy. Either way, it was surely delicious. Calories well spent.

JULY

Quite possibly my favorite Southern Delight is this little pink perfection. She's a peppermint sundae all dressed up with hot fudge and we meet every sticky July, same place, same time. Ain't she a beaut?

AUGUST

A wedding in Vermont was the perfect excuse to stop at one of my favorite places in the world, Simon Pearce in Quechee, VT. Those were some pretty stellar late-summer heirloom tomatoes. And that white stuff smeared all over the perfect hand-made earthenware plate? It's just some whipped local goat cheese. NBD.

SEPTEMBER

I just refused to let summer die, so there was seafood being eaten. Constantly. These lobsters were so huge and there were leftovers for omelets. I mean! P.S. This photo has not been doctored in any way. They were beet red. For reals.

OCTOBER

This morsel of organic goodness was eaten while in attendance at a black tie affair. I declined to wear spanx that evening, so there was plenty of room to grow, and for that reason, I ate more than one of these. I'm not sorry.

NOVEMBER

If ever there was a favorite moment in someone's life, it would be when a platter of freshly shucked oysters are lowered onto a table and all is right with the world. That is my moment, people. These were my oysters. Fresh as a teenager, and more delicious than you can imagine. I live for those damn things.

DECEMBER

I have 3 words for you. STONE. CRAB. CLAWS. I have zero photographic evidence, so just take my word for it. I ate as much of it as I could.

So, here's hoping 2013 is just as delicious! Happy New Year!!

Tripnotes: The Californians

As promised (and tardy as usual...), here is a lil' recap of my most recent trip to San Francisco. It really is my favorite city outside of New York, and the only other place I could see myself living. Except for the hills. Those suck. But you know what doesn't suck in SF? The food. And the food at Statebird Provisions did not disappoint. This was some straight up foodie shit. All sorts of crazy combos and Asian twists. It was good. Bon Appetit Restaurant of the Year good. It was a great way to kickoff a supreme vacay.

The next day we strolled around the city, and made a stop to my favorite spot - The Ferry Building. I could spend hours in there. It's my happy place. And can you blame me? Check these FUYU PERSIMMONS, people!! This place is all about good food. And so I am, so it just feels right.

We headed out of the city to Sonoma for leaf peepin' and drankin'. I gotta tell you. There is no prettier time to be in a wine region than mid-Fall. The vines are all crisp and golden, the air is cool and you just get thirstier for red wine. But I am usually thirsty for red wine anyway.

I won't bore you with the deets of each and every wine that was sipped and vineyard that was worshipped. Suffice it to say, if you are planning a trip to Napa, Sonoma or the like, I can give you a list of gorgeous places to drink wine. Responsibly of course, because I can also recommend to you an incredible driver who owns a limo from 1994 with a light-up ceiling.

As a sidenote, in between all the highbrow wine tastings, we managed to squeeze in a wing ding and beer tasting at Bear Republic Brewery in Healdsburg. If you like brewskis and/or spicy hot Buffalo wings then these photos are probably turning you on. Good spot.

The next stop on this eating and drinking tour de force was further up North. We headed towards Tomales Bay, where oysters are born, bred and then devoured. First up...Marshall Country Store; a roadside oyster operation with picnic tables set up along the highway. Nothing fancy here. Just some porta-johns (or a diaper if you're a baby or a lunatic.) and plastic wine-glasses. Sheer perfection!

After that it was onto the slightly more refined (meaning there is an actual toilet) Hog Island Oyster Co. If there was an oyster restaurant beauty pageant, this one would win Sparkle Shine Grand Supreme. She's my fave. The view is unbeatable and the BBQ-ed oysters are to die. Plus, you can grill out and BYOB and BYO-Dog. What could be better? Coincidentally there is also a Hog Island outpost in The Ferry Building. If you can't make it out to the farm, go there!! Please?

See that? It's only the world's greatest lunch from the world's greatest deli, Oakville Grocery. There was also a fleur de sel brownie that was not photographed because it was too beautiful for this world and I ate it instantly. After the sandwich, more wine went into my body. I have no regrets.

So, there you have it. A comprehensive list of where I went and all the foods I ate during my vacation. All in all, it was a relaxing vacation with good food, good wine and some really stellar impressions of California accents ("What ere ewe doing hurr Stooart?"). The moral of the story is, if you find yourself in Northern California, and you're hungry, you have nobody to blame but yourself, ya idiot! Even the fast food is better (talking to you, In n' Out!). Here's to good living, Cali!

California Bound

I’m heading to San Francisco, Sonoma, Napa and Hog Island for my annual California tour of duty. I’ll be back soon with lots of photos of food and most likely a few extra lbs around my mid-section. See you then!

A farewell to Summer...

Well, just like that, Summer has come and gone. This one was especially good, and while it kept me away from the computer (and subsequently, this little blog) I enjoyed every single minute of it. Here's what it looked liked...

So, goodbye Summer. It's been real.

What The Shuck!

It's no secret that I love oysters. Which is why this book is right up my alley. Erin Byers gave up her primo job as the Boston editor of DailyCandy.com to spend a year working on the Island Creek oyster farm.

To say I admire Erin would be an understatement. This chick is living the dream! That's not to say her year at Island Creek was a walk in the park (intense physical labor in harsh Boston winters...ouch.) but if her blog is any indication, the world is her oyster! (har har har...) Can't wait to get my hands on this book. It's the ultimate beach read!

P.S. If you find yourself in Boston, don't miss the Island Creek Oyster Company. A restaurant so good, I'd be willing to brave a Boston winter to live close by.

Tripnotes: Northern California

Earlier this month we were lucky enough to escape the heat in NYC and headed to Carmel, CA for a wedding. The chilly Northern California nights were a welcome relief from the sticky New York temps.



The wedding was lovely and was held at Stonepine Estates, a beautiful equestrian farm with stables and a gorgeous view.







There was dinner, drinks and dancing, followed by a late night dance party set up in the greenhouse, complete with DJ and mini sausage pizzas of course. My kind of scene.



After the wedding festivities were over, it was time to hit the road.



We had planned to drive along the coast, staying with friends in the retro cool town of Pismo Beach, and spend a few days exploring Central Coast wine country.



The drive itself was breathtaking with sweeping views all along the way. The ride was curvy to the say the least, which made stopping off at random points even more enjoyable.



We hit up Post Ranch Inn for a drink on a friend’s recommendation and were not disappointed.



The view was stunning – we even saw a family of whales spouting in the distance!!

I hated to leave the view, but we piled back into the car and were off again.



The setting sun and a beach full of seals made for another appealing pit stop. Whoa. It was like National Geographic, up close and personal.



Each seal was angling for the best spot, and not one was afraid to argue for it.

We reached the town of San Luis Obispo just in time for dinner. No photos to share, since I was starving, but I’d suggest trying the Big Sky Café if you find yourself in the area. Yummy!

The next morning, we were ready to hit the vineyards.



A must visit on our list was Talley Vineyards – a tried and true producer of our favorite Pinot Noir. It’s a heavy favorite in the Fall and Winter months at our house. We’re such big fans, we became members of their wine club – our first one! Woot woot! I’m looking forward to getting shipments from them throughout the year!



Next stop was Baileyana – a new to us winery, but an old favorite of our travel companions. We had wisely packed a picnic, and grabbed a bottle of Baileyana Sauv Blanc to keep our bocce game well-oiled.



Unfortunately, we lost the game. But I think we came out ahead for the day…not too shabby!

We finished the day with dinner at Lido – a French style bistro with outdoor dining and another beautiful view.



Oysters for me, please!!



After dinner, we headed down to the beach to look at sea life.





Starfish and anemones! So cool!

We headed back in to Pismo for a nightcap and some seriously old-fashioned bowling at Pismo Bowl.





This place is stuck in time in the best way possible.



We enjoyed some local beers and confirmed that I am the worst bowler of all time.



Oh well!

The next day we hit Sycamore Springs in nearby Avila Beach for massages. You can book a mineral water hot tub before spa appointments, which we did of course. It was a great way to unwind and the resort was really nice, secluded. Unfortunately, after my massage, I was so relaxed I completely forgot that I had taken off my gold necklace. I left it in my robe pocket and didn’t realize it until I was back at home the next day. Definitely kicking myself for that blunder!!



Despite my forgetfulness, we had a wonderful time exploring Northern California. Between the beaches and wine country, it’s definitely one of my favorite places to visit.



I’m looking forward to getting some more California love when I head to San Francisco in November!



Until then California!! xo.