I spent two months in Asia generally feeling sick. Whether my digestion was up in arms over gluten or bacteria, I had to spend a lot of time with my knees tucked into my chest, lying on my back, hoping the pain and bloating would go away so I could sleep. Or get up. By the time I … [Read more...] about Vietnamese Chau: Rice Porridge and a Scared Stomach
The Urban Garden, Yoga Room, and Local Food at O’Hare Airport in Chicago
I've never been to Chicago, really. But my connection at the airport on my way back to Montreal from Asia was a complete 180 from my experience heading out through JFK in New York. At JFK I missed my connection thanks to the poor organization of the display monitors in the … [Read more...] about The Urban Garden, Yoga Room, and Local Food at O’Hare Airport in Chicago
Stewed Alpaca and Peruvian Fine Dining at Mochica Restaurant in Montreal
It's actually a homestyle Peruvian dish, believe it or not. The alpaca adobo stew above, I mean. Go into the mountains of Northern Peru and you won't find any platings of the dish with edible flowers, balsamic gels and foie gras foams. The people of Piura would give you blank … [Read more...] about Stewed Alpaca and Peruvian Fine Dining at Mochica Restaurant in Montreal
Saigon’s Best Wine Bar: Wine Embassy
In the land of beer and cheap rum that is Southeast Asia, it's sometimes better to not drink at all than drink something awful. ...which is why for two months I barely had a drink. While in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam I went to three rooftop bars and had a couple of overly … [Read more...] about Saigon’s Best Wine Bar: Wine Embassy
Biodynamic Whites and Natural Reds at the RASPIPAV Wine Salon
Last week Raspipav held a wine tasting salon at the Marche Bonsecours. The last time I was in the basement of that building was for Made With Love, an annual very hip cocktail competition. Normally the wine salons happen on the upstairs level of the Marché and have a much … [Read more...] about Biodynamic Whites and Natural Reds at the RASPIPAV Wine Salon
April Showers Bring May Flowers: My new community garden plot and dreaming of spring planting
I just looked at the forecast for the next week. I don't recommend you follow suit. It's supposed to be 17 degrees today! But with rain. Tomorrow? Rain. Saturday? Isolated showers. Sunday? Light rain. Monday and Tuesday? Cloudy...with showers. For goodness sake, how many ways … [Read more...] about April Showers Bring May Flowers: My new community garden plot and dreaming of spring planting
Exquisite La Porte Restaurant in Montreal
"Can we go to that place you sent me last time?" Designing food itineraries for friends and family travelling to Montreal is like giving a kid a firecracker—dangerous and fun. Last time my mom was in town I dropped her off at La Porte for a solo dinner I couldn't stay for, sad … [Read more...] about Exquisite La Porte Restaurant in Montreal
Salt-Grilled Fish, a Night Market and Living Near BTS On Nut in Bangkok, Thailand
The second the woman said "It's near a night market," I was sold. I was sitting in a bamboo shaded rooftop cafe ("on" a rooftop cafe?) in Ton Sai, Thailand, trying to figure out where to stay when I got to Bangkok. A lot of the hostels seemed that they were downtown and a lot … [Read more...] about Salt-Grilled Fish, a Night Market and Living Near BTS On Nut in Bangkok, Thailand
Sustaina and Khun Churn Restaurants: Vegetarian, Organic and Macrobiotic Food in Bangkok
There aren't a whole lot of vegetarian restaurants in Bangkok, despite the amount of Buddhists. There's even less certified organic produce, meat, and dairy. Why would you spend more money? And especially why would you spend it on vegetables? Macrobiotic was the last thing I … [Read more...] about Sustaina and Khun Churn Restaurants: Vegetarian, Organic and Macrobiotic Food in Bangkok
Montreal’s Best New Restaurants
You go away for a couple months and all of a sudden Montreal has a bajillion great new restaurants—all local and sustainable and with biodynamic wine lists, of course. Nudding wrong widdit! as my honorary Newfoundlander of a father would say. All this newness sure makes me think … [Read more...] about Montreal’s Best New Restaurants