Must-Stay Hotel: Cotton House in Barcelona, Spain

The unassuming entrance gives no hint to the gorgeous history meets modern design behind the giant carved wood doors in the Cotton House, a luxury 83 room boutique hotel in the heart of Barcelona. Built in 1879 for a Spanish family before being sold to the Cotton Textile Foundation, the first two floors retain their […]

Dinner at Bâtard – Tribeca, NYC

With a Michelin star you might expect Bâtard to be uptight and stuffy but the laid-back and cheerful atmosphere made for a wonderful meal. Th first course was the delicately textured and sweet scallops with kale, vanilla, herbs and potato mousseline.

Superica – Mex-Tex in Atlanta

Staying true to their Texan roots, the chefs at Superica created a Mex-Tex menu in a beautifully designed space housed in the Krog St. Market food hall. This place has everything, bar, dining room, stage for live music, huge patio with a laid-back vibe. Nods to Texas include Shiner Bock logo mirrors, giant Red Stars, […]

German Breakfast at Ballenberger – Erfurt, Germany

Ballenberger is where you want to be for breakfast in Erfurt. Get the Genißerfrühstuck für 2. Delicious, impossibly cute and across the street from a park for great people watching.

Swedish Breakfast – Andersonville, Chicago

Breakfast at Svea restaurant in the Andersonville neighborhood in Chicago. Full post coming tomorrow.

Bad Wolf Coffee – Get It While You Can

Bad Wolf coffee is a locally owned shop with a menu that changes daily. If you are lucky they will have kouign amann –– an amazingly sweet croissant-like pastry with layers of sugar and butter. Check out my Tastemade videos to see for yourself: Standing room only makes this a spot where conversing in real […]

Dose Market – Chicago

Dose Market is one of my favorite markets in Chicago ––they feature a creative mix of local food, clothing, chefs, artists and designers. The market on Sunday was held during the FX Summit in the beautiful Chicago Cultural Center. It’s a fun way to spend your Sunday, meeting up with friends to discover the Chicago […]

Make Your Reservation Now for Momotaro – West Loop, Chicago

Momotaro has everything you could ever want in a Japanese restaurant, a sushi bar, robata station, izakaya and an extensive sake, wine and drink menu. Great attention is paid the interior design bringing Western influences from the mid-century and combing it with traditional Japanese. You can see this reflected in the furniture, fonts used for […]

Valentine’s Day Ideas – What to Give, Do, Drink and Eat

GIFTS: Funny Valentine cards from Etsy His and Hers highball set. Cheers! Valentine’s Day macarons, who doesn’t like to receive sweets? RM Champagne Salon will send the Chef’s favorite macaron flavors to that lucky someone. Delivered by RM or you can pick-up. EAT: Forgot to make dinner reservations? Check out what is still available in […]

Join the Fun at the Christkindlmarket Chicago – Daley Plaza

It’s Christkindlmarket time in Chicago! Check out my Tastemade video to see one of the best holiday markets in the city. Head down to Daley Plaza for some glühwein, prost! Open through December 24th.