The CES of Food Shows: 2017 Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco

By: Irene Yang

Being an engineer in the Silicon Valley, I’ve tried to describe the Specialty Food Association's Winter Fancy Food Show to my coworkers many times. “Big food convention,” “giant snack show,” never quite hit the mark. However, I realized the perfect way to describe the glorious event of the Fancy Food Show: The CES of Food. All the new trends and interesting takes on what America is eating come out in full force in the Moscone Center in San Francisco every January. You didn’t think they could make coffee out of chocolate? Well they did. And it’s vegan. And gluten-free (probably).

Banana Car

Here are some of the best new brands and ideas in food.

Ballin’ in Brooklyn: Like a Local Tours’ Williamsburg Bites Food Tour

By: Finance Foodie

The Mister and I are absolutely obsessed with taking walking food tours as a way to explore new neighborhoods, imbibe in delicious gems while getting some outdoor exercise (yes we are the couple who wear the matching athletic gear walking around town). Since we stayed local this past Labor Day weekend, we decided to take Like a Local Tours’ Saturday Williamsburg Bites Food Tour. In our numerous years of living in Manhattan, we realized we had never been to the hipster hangout across the river! Given that the city traffic pretty much dies during Labor Day weekend, we thought there was no better time to check out the local flavor in this trendy Brooklyn enclave.

Williamsburg Waterfront

Ritzin' It Up In Ft. Lauderdale at Via Luna!

By: Anne M. Raso

Via Luna is a divine modern Italian eatery in the lobby of the sleek but opulent Ritz Carlton in Ft. Lauderdale. Centrally located right along the hottest beach area, diner have the option of eating inside and enjoying the high ceilings and intimate lighting or dining al fresco on the deck of the hotel which is only about fifty to sixty feet from the Atlantic shore line. I had managed to escape the ice cold NYC weather by extending the holiday week between Christmas and New Years--and I wanted to take advantage of the 80 degree weather the best I could--so of course I took an outside table.

Blown Away at Harbour House Restaurant and the Inn at Mystic

By: Finance Foodie

Now that Fashion Week has finally past, I was in desperate need of detox weekend where I could get away from the hustle and bustle and surround myself with the beauty of trees and greenery. Therefore, when the proprietors of the Inn at Mystic invited me to check out the place for the night and have a fresh seafood dinner at their restaurant on site -- well considered me checked in already!

Jill Zarin's Second Annual Luxury Ladies Luncheon: Fabulous Fun In The Hamptons Sun!

By: Anne M. Raso

This past Sunday, reality star/entrepreneur Jill Zarin had a party as fabulous as you might think it would be at her gorgeous contemporary Southampton home. There were giant rubber ducks in the Jacuzzi, burgers on the grill, fantastic hors d'oeuvres being passed and about 35 fashion and tech-forward companies with their merchandise on display.

Scene at the House

Jammin' In Jensen Beach, Florida

By: Anne M. Raso

I make a couple of annual pilgrimages to Jensen Beach, FL to take in the warm weather in a place quieter than Miami. Don't take me wrong--I love Miami and its world-class art deco architecture but sometimes I just want to chill on the beach and not have to go to restaurants that have an hour or more wait time for a table. My favorite way to fly to West Palm Beach (which has the nearest airport to Jensen Beach, at about an hour away) is via Jet Blue. Why do I love Jet Blue? First of all, they have the lowest fares and most flights to the West Palm Beach from LaGuardia Airport and it's not unusual to find rates at $90 each way before taxes and fees. My number two reason is that they do not charge for your first piece of luggage while 90 per cent of other airlines that fly domestically charge $25. Thirdly, they have the best food offerings on the plane. Besides having complimentary Terra Blues blue potato chips, Pop Chips and other trendy snacks, the items that you buy for $6 are generous, especially my favorite, the Beef Up Box. Lastly, for $5 they have movies on board just on the tale end of their initial run and cable TV with dozens of channels (for free). Did I fail to mention along the way that the attendants always come around and ask if you want a second free snack (at least in my personal experience)? LOL!

Hutchinson Island Condo

Traveling Through The UK, Trafalgar Style! Part Two: Scotland

By: Anne M. Raso

I had a wonderful time in England, traveling through London, Liverpool and York and on the Trafalgar coach on the way from York to Edinburgh--where I spent the remaining three nights of my trip—we made a sobering stop ten miles south of Manchester. Quarry Bank Mill (at Styal, Wilmslow) is owned by The National Trust and is kept as original to the period of 1784 to 1830 as possible. Thousands of orphans and unwanted children lived and worked at mill in exchange for room and board. The guided tour of the Apprentice House to see the close conditions in which the children lived—as well the working machines in the mill that wove cotton fabric and were so loud that most workers went deaf within six months—was heartbreaking. The mill and grounds look beautiful, but knowing what went on inside their walls made all visitors happy for how we live today and how indentured servitude was outlawed shortly after slaves in the US were freed by Lincoln. We had a lovely traditional English lunch in one of the event buildings at the mill, but it was hard to let go of what we just saw. Just three of the mill’s machines turned on was too much for any of us to take for more than a couple of minutes.

View from top of Edinburgh

Traveling Through The UK, Trafalgar Style! Part One: England

By: Anne M. Raso

I was recently lucky enough to take Trafalgar Tours wonderful weeklong holiday in the UK--England and Scotland specifically. The 60-year-old company--currently owned by the highly creative Tollman Family who also run the 16 wonderful, character-laden Red Carnation hotels around the world--give the traveler many options with their tour packages. You can take as many sideline excursions as you want, you can ask for a busy or leisurely travel package--and on top of that, Trafalgar's rep will find packages that match even the cheapest budget. Trafalgar does not include airfare in their packages, but one can get hotel, tours and at least one meal a day in Europe for as little as $1,350 a person/week! Trafalgar predominantly uses four star hotels, but costs are cut for budget travelers but using hotels a little more out of the way but not more than 10 minutes from a town's top attractions.

Kings Arm Pub, York

A Top-Notch Trip To Palm Beach's Brazilian Court Hotel

By: Anne M. Raso

I have always loved Cafe Boulud in New York and always use it to celebrate special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. About 18 months ago, I discovered that they had a location in one of the top boutique hotels in the world, The Brazilian Court which is smack dab in the center of Palm Beach. I reviewed it here back then and admit that I found both the setting and the food even more alluring than the Upper East Side (Manhattan) location. There is just something wonderful about the quietness of the dining room and the way the huge windows look out onto the lushest and most exotic greenery in Palm Beach, including many large Bird Of Paradise plants.

Brazilian Court Courtyard Fountain

High Rolling: Distinctive Experiences on the Las Vegas Strip

By: Finance Foodie

Las Vegas. A city that epitomizes excess and carefree-dom. Where blowing a few grand in one night is brushed off the shoulder like dirt. For those looking to escape after a stressful week at work or just celebrating life, here are three decadent must do experiences that will have you feeling like you're the boss. After all, as they say, living well is the best revenge.

Lights! Camera! Action! - A Tour of Hollywood California from CityPass

By: Finance Foodie

Although I live on the East Coast, have my heart in the South and not so secretly dream of running away to Asia, I find myself drawn to the West Coast more than a few times a year (the fact that practically my entire family lives in that California might have something to do with it). My usual visits consists of filling up on Chinese food, hanging out in Chinatown, and speaking Mandarin loudly to my half deaf grandma.

"Of course we can get married George!"

E=MC Fun: An Educational and Cultural Tour of Houston Texas

By: Finance Foodie

For all my time spent living in Houston, I ironically never took advantage of all the cool museums and "tourist spots" the city had to offer (perhaps it was due to my lack of driving skills or the constant lure of Chinatown and its delicious cuisine). But thanks to the Houston CityPASS, I finally was able to check all these hotspots - and skip the long summertime lines in the process!

City Pass

Triple Play: Triniti Houston's $24 Prix Fixe Lunch is Quite the Deal

By: Finance Foodie

With the culinary triad of sweet, savory and spirits in mind, Executive Chef Ryan Hildebrand (of Vic  & Anthony's fame), along with culinary partners Matt Lovelace and Greg Lowry, banded together to create Triniti, a progressive restaurant featuring New American cuisine.  Having heard fantastic things from my Houston based friends about this one year old resto, I was determined to pay this place a visit during my stopover in Houston this winter break.  Specifically, I wanted to take advantage of their much buzzed about $24 three course prix fixe lunch option (being a no-income MBA student that is pressured to take expensive "soul searching once in a lifetime" trips abroad - one has to save whenever possible).

The Open Kitchen

Room with a View at The Roof on Wilshire Los Angeles

By: Finance Foodie

Offering panoramic views of the Los Angeles skyline and Hollywood Hills, the Roof on Wilshire is The Hotel Wilshire’s innovative rooftop restaurant and bar. Created by celebrity Chef Eric Greenspan (of Foundry on Melrose), the food on the roof can be described as "Vibrant American" with creative twists on classic comfort foods. The restaurant also includes a bar specializing in both classic and signature cocktails to be enjoyed by the warmth of the intimate fire pit or in the shade of a poolside cabana.

Source: Roof on Wilshire

Arriba Arriba: Aruba Cultural Dinner at the Kitchen NYC

By: Finance Foodie

During these winter months,  I often wish for a little warmth to help me escape the freezing wastelands known as the Northeast United States. Last week I got a bit of sun and sand (in the form of heat lamps and table centerpieces, respectively) during the Aruba Artistry and Cultural dinner held at the fabulous event space, Kitchen NYC.

Feel the warmth...

Raising a Glass to Mohegan Sun's First Annual Sun BrewFest

By: Finance Foodie

For all those beer aficionados, or those who just love a good brew on the weekend, the Mohegan Sun’s first annual Sun BrewFest last weekend was the place to be. Attendees got to sample over 100 beers, including microbrews, imports, domestics, limited edition batches and malt liquors from across the country. Revelers also got a first hand opportunity to chat with brew masters to understand their brewing methods and techniques - not too shabby at all for a $20 per head admission price!

From Ringo Starr Art to Steel Pier Amusements: Fun In Frantic Atlantic City

By: Anne M. Raso 

It was an honor to be invited to the grand reopening of the newly renovated (and highly legendary) Steel Pier in Atlantic City. Well, the place has a little father to go because although $21 millions has already been put into the restoration of the Pier—which had everyone from the Three Stooges to the Rolling Stone grace its former satin-curtained stage—the reopening only marked the first phase of the Pier’s grand re-emergence onto the AC cultural scene.

Getting Healthy and Hot in Virginia Beach

By: Finance Foodie

As I look back on my first year of grad school, I must say I’m quite disappointed at how my physical fitness has drastically deteriorated over the past nine months. Blame it on the copious amounts of alcohol, intense interview processes for a summer internship or the 5am pizza indulgences - whatever it may be - my liver, health and weight has definitely suffered as a result.  Therefore, as the summer approaches, I felt it more than imperative to shape up. Not wanting to look like Britney, circa disastrous 2007 Gimme More VH1 performance, I took up the Virginia Beach Tourism Board’s invitation to participate in a health and wellness boot camp and embarked on the two and a half day cleanse last week (I figured the abundant military presence in the city would be extra motivating).

The view from my room

On Location: Away We Go to Legoland Florida!

By: Anne M. Raso

We recently were lucky enough to get to visit Legoland in Winter Haven, Florida--about two hours from West Palm Beach and even less from Disney World. (Let's note here that it's just minutes from Cypress Gardens in case you want to combine two theme parks in one day.) We took Jet Blue from LaGuardia to West Palm Beach because not only do they offer the most flights out of the NYC area to West Palm, but they have many flights under $300 and give you one piece of checked luggage complimentary. The planes always seem to be newer than the other airlines and they have almost as many cable TV networks on their in-flight TVs as most folks do in their homes!

Glorious Gluttony: A Guide to Phoenix Eats and Treats

By: Finance Foodie

Desert character. It can’t be conjured, landscaped or kindled with twinkling bulbs. John Ford knew that. So did Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis L’Amour. Spend a few days in Greater Phoenix and you’ll understand, too. America’s sixth-largest city still has cowboys and red-rock buttes, but is also home to a burgeoning culinary scene. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend a week eating my heart out (all in the name of research!) in this desert town. I ate at restaurants not found in any guide book and visited nightspots known only to locals. And I did this all in what is arguably Phoenix’s dreamiest season: early spring, when cactuses begin blooming and daytime temperatures loll around 70 degrees. So without further ado, here are my top culinary picks from my trip.

Dive In - The Pool at the Arizona Biltmore