One sunny Friday afternoon in San Antonio when the weather was warm but not too hot, two ladies went to lunch. They grabbed a table for two right next to the water shaded with an over-sized umbrella and began to browse the menu. Those two ladies were my Noni and I and it didn’t take very long to decide what we’d be eating for lunch that day. Boudro’s on the River is a Texas bistro that feels more like a French bistro. Like most restaurants along the riverwalk, there’s indoor and outdoor seating to cater to all weather and it has an almost upscale feeling to it. The cafe tables are elegant, like the nice cafes on the streets of Paris, and the waiters wear classic outfits and treat you as if you’re eating at the best fine dining establishment…

Fort Worth is one of those cities that you can return to often without tiring of it. Smaller in size than the cities I’ve become used to, it’s welcoming, there is plenty to do, and it’s gorgeous. In fact, it’s one of my favorite places to visit. From Sundance Square to the Stockyards, there is plenty to do and new things to explore every time you visit. It feels safe and the people are friendly. If you are a first time visitor, I have a few things you should know before arriving that will be helpful during your visit. From transportation to the layout of the city, keep reading for five things you should know before visiting Fort Worth, Texas…

Who doesn’t love a little Cajun food with a dessert of beignets? Something about the New Orleans-style cuisine is homey and comforting, exactly what you need while visiting Denver in February. Before heading up to the mountains, my friends and I had a day in Denver to explore with each other which means brunch was on the itinerary. After research, and arguments of course, we settled on Sassafras American Eatery in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. A few blocks away from the Molly Brown House Museum, Sassafras serves up Southern-style comfort food with beignets that, according to my friend, rival that of Cafe du Monde in NOLA. They had great reviews, something on the menu for each of us and, most important, a ton of different drink options…

It’s no secret that Texas is one of my favorite places to visit. Having family in the Dallas-Fort Worth area makes it easy to visit often plus, I always enjoy spending time with them. They’re a fun crowd to hang around with and we're always discovering new places together. My home base while visiting is almost always Irving. A cousin of mine lives in the city and it’s the perfect location to get around the DFW area. The airport is 15 minutes away, there are lots of different ways to get to both Dallas and Fort Worth, and there are plenty of things to do. It might seem counterproductive to stay outside of a big city but if you have a few days and want to equally explore both Dallas and Fort Worth, Irving is a great option and it might even save you a few bucks!

Holy November! You guys, this month went out with a serious attitude. We had Winter Storm Brian come through Sunday night and around 5am Monday morning the power went out. During this power outage, there is a small chance my laptop got fried but it’s oddly the only thing in the house effected and it was on a surge protector. So chances are it just decided to die on me for no reason. So when the power finally came back on in the late morning, which also happens to be the time I found out about my dead computer, I had to dive into new laptop research…

Happy almost Thanksgiving! The laziness kicked in big time this week which is why this post is a few days late. Monday was productive but it all started to go downhill yesterday when I realized that the week was halfway over. I’m ready for overindulgence (again), Gilmore Girls marathons and the Broadway performances in the Macy’s parade tomorrow. Anyone else? On another note, do you ever notice that many of the people that host holidays are often the hardest to shop for? Unless your family goes potluck style with their holidays, it can be tricky to figure out what to bring to contribute or at least to thank the host…

It’s the weekend! While I’m working a sweat up in the kitchen preparing brunch and dinner for a whole day’s worth of Friendsgiving activities, I hope you’re taking it easy this morning catching up on some Food Network. I’m kind of sad because today is the last farmers market series recipe! I was really bummed that our local market ended earlier in the season. I haven’t had a chance to get to one of the closest farms so the journey sadly ends here. However, I will most definitely be bringing the series back in the late spring once the produce starts growing in…

The holidays are some of the busiest travel times of the year. It’s rare that families end up in the same area where everyone can go back to their own beds each night. With that said, it’s not uncommon for people to stay with friends or family members during the season. I have yet to host a guest that I didn’t want back but I have heard horror stories from other people. It inspired today’s post sharing tips to be a gracious guest AND host. Why host, you ask? I am sure most of us have experienced at least one home we’ve stayed in that was super uncomfortable. Not everyone is a great guest and not everyone is a great host. We could all use reminders on how to be better at both, especially during a time of year that’s more stressful than usual. Don’t worry, though. I’m not here to lecture on what not to do. I’m here mostly to encourage positive interactions and experiences so that everyone has a wonderful holiday…

As an Italian, the sweet table at holidays rivals that of our dinner table. I come from a family of bakers and not just average bakers, great bakers. Pie making, pastry wielding bakers. Bakers that make me feel incompetent with a whisk and mixer. In case you haven’t caught on, I’m not a baker. Sure...I can whip out a muffin or two, brownies and easy one-bowl creations. But I hate to measure and I certainly don’t have the patience for butter to soften. Have you noticed that any recipe I’ve shared that uses butter in baking, it’s always melted? Simply put, I don’t have the patience for baking. When I need to make desserts, I want them to be easy and brainless. That’s what inspired me to come up with a few recipes for other people like me this holiday season who are not born bakers and would rather whip up a pot of Coq au Vin than measure out perfectly portioned cupcakes. Starting with these scrumptious Apple Hand Pies that take a shortcut for the hard part…

Happy November! I hope All Hallow’s Eve went without any ghoulish surprises this year and was lots of fun. Now that November is here, fall is in its final few weeks. The leaves are falling rapidly, the colors have changed, and the weather has turned much more brisk. It’s delightful! With four weeks left until Thanksgiving and four weeks between T-Day and Christmas, now is the time to plan a last-minute fall getaway. With limited time to spare, a getaway that’s closer to home makes much more sense. For those of you Chicago-based or Midwest-based, I have five late fall getaways to put on your calendar. It’s a great time to travel to any of these locations because the height of tourist season is over. Rates are dropping and crowds are thinning. Take this as an opportunity to explore each of these Midwestern destinations at your own leisure…

Colder weather calls for cozy get togethers. If there’s one thing Chicago knows how to do well (other than take advantage of summer), it’s survive winter and the colder months. We’re a social city! We like going out for brunch and meeting friends for a cocktail after work. Five months of bitter cold won’t keep us hibernating...well, not the entire time at least. We can appreciate a good occasional hibernation. For those colder months when the tips of your fingers start to turn blue and your nose goes numb, the cozier spot to meet up, the better. Cozy, by definition, means “enjoying or affording warmth and ease.” In my words, that translates to a fireplace, casual and/or comfortable seating arrangements like couches or comfy chairs, and a warm drink with alcohol optional…

The Fort Worth Stockyards offers a rare glimpse into the Wild West circa 1880. Old railroad tracks are everywhere, brick roads are not uncommon, and the spirit of old Texas is alive and well. There’s a sense of local pride in the stockyards, probably because they are still used today for their original purpose back in 1866. Fort Worth became known as Cowtown in the mid to late 1800s. It was the last town cattle were brought through before hitting the railroads for transportation. Later, meatpacking facilities moved to the Fort Worth area with the expansion of the railroad and a space for selling cattle was created. The business nearly died with the railroads but the city has created an organization to preserve the history of the Stockyards. This has created a unique and immersive experience into the world of Fort Worth during the height of its success…