I think everyone should have a place outside of home that feels like home. For lack of a more original idea, I might call it a place where everyone knows your name. Now, in choosing said place, the obvious choice is a locale that not only speaks volumes about who you are and the way you like to live, but also feels as comfortable and cozy as your own living room. I honestly love this place so much that I almost don’t want to share it. A dear girlfriend even hosted a little birthday soiree there for me just this past week…  Read More »

This week I had quite the unexpected treat when I met one of my dearest friends for lunch in Downtown Los Angeles. In the heart of a district in transition, one particularly bright new star is Chef Monica May’s The Nickel Diner on Main Street. Serving up comfort food with a twist in a lovingly restored space reminiscent of a 50′s style diner…  Read More »

I recently had a wow-za lunch at the hip Hotel Guaycura in Todos Santos, Mexico. Just about an hour or so outside of Los Cabos, Todos Santos is a hidden treasure of a little village well-known for its artsy bent. Loads of galleries and craft shops line the main street of the sleepy town where time seems in large part to have stood still for the better part of the last century and a half.  Read More »

On my last trip to New Orleans, I discovered WINO, Wine Institute New Orleans, a slightly off the beaten path little place that offered a great counterpoint to the New Orleans I had already come to know and love…
  Read More »

Katie Cazorla is a girlfriend of mine and we’ve known each other for a while, so when she opened her new nail bar, she invited me out to give the treatments a test run. You might recognize The Painted Nail and owner Katie as the hilarious reality star of ‘The Nail Files’ on TV Guide…  Read More »

Personally I think superlatives are way overused these days. Everything is the best of this, the award-winning that and so forth and so on. But there are times when praise of the highest order is in order and Lausanne’s Le Barbare is…  Read More »

After perusing shops in Dallas’ trendy Bishop Arts District, I turned a corner and discovered a real treasure in Dude, Sweet Chocolate, where chocolatier Katherine Clapner is the creator and purveyor of a bevy of sweet treats that made my waistline quiver with anticipation.   Read More »

Santa Barbara is a small but mightily attractive beach town that has, with its sophisticated, yet unspoiled charms, seduced its fair share of celebs ranging from Oprah and former Vice-President Al Gore to Dennis Miller and Rob Lowe.   Read More »

When it comes to haute cuisine, Dallas has maintained an edge over neighboring Fort Worth for what seems like an eternity. However, the arrival of Ellerbe Fine Foods and Chef Molly McCook in Fort Worth is certainly creating a buzz.   Read More »

In a city like New York, if you’re truly in the know, the burning question is not whether there is a party, but instead which party to attend. However, the even greater question if you’re a straight gal with a gay BFF is where you can both go and have a fabulous night out.   Read More »

You may know sushi but do you know crudo? In Los Angeles, there’s only one restaurant with enough moxie to have a bar devoted to it…  Read More »