My favorite stories are always the ones that feel like an escape. Which is why the ensemble cast from my novel The Honorary Italians needed a weekly diversion. I had an absolute blast dreaming up the delicious escape from the winter doldrums for this motley crew of Minnesotans. It involved an [...]
Anybody else in denial that it's SIX days until Christmas? It made me think of a Facebook post I saw the other day. "We went from December 1st to December 15th in two days." Yep, that's about what it feels like. But that doesn't mean I didn't sneak in some [...]
When I found myself with an abundance of mushrooms last fall (thank you, Costco), I decided to use them in one my favorite ways— with pasta, of course. Will dubbed it the "fall pasta," and dinner was served. As I glanced through the pantry this past weekend to decide what [...]
It's officially two weeks until my favorite holiday...Thanksgiving. And I couldn't be more excited. I love the emphasis on giving thanks. The simplicity of getting together with family or friends (or both) and enjoying a comforting meal together. I love the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and hearing about everyone's various [...]
After two-plus weeks of exploring France, Monaco, and Italy, I still wasn't ready to go home. But if our trip had to end (sigh!), Florence was a pretty sweet and satisfying last stop. Of all the places we visited, Florence was, by far, the most crowded. It's as if every [...]
Aside from the books I brought on the trip (yes, I know Kindles are lighter, but I've tried and failed to enjoy reading that way), I made it my mission to travel light this summer. Which included what souvenirs I chose to bring home. Funnily enough, the limoncello and selection [...]
Until this summer, the closest I'd been to visiting Aix en Provence was dining at one of our favorite spots in Dallas. Lavendou Bistro Provencal. It's what I always imagined a cozy little bistro in Aix would be: a simple menu that's seasonal, accented with fresh herbs, and finished with [...]
Little known fact: When Instagram compiles my "Top 9" photos at the end of the year, there's always a salad—sometimes two—in the mix. Yes, the salad has occasionally ranked above pics from various date nights, vacation snaps, and novels I'm loving at the moment. Apparently, there's a clandestine society of [...]
We all remember my adventure in paella-making a few weeks ago. A trained chef walked us through every step from sautéing of the Sofrito to inviting the Bomba rice to the party at the precise moment. Feeling like it would be no problem to replicate at home, I decided to [...]
When I've got the travel bug and a trip isn't on the calendar for a bit, taking a cooking class is the next best thing. I finally used the gift card I received for my birthday and decided that Spain is where I wanted to visit for the afternoon. We [...]
