If you are stranded near Grand Central awaiting your train there is a better option than the downstairs food court. Pershing Square, which is located just under the bridge on the South side of GC, is a nice spot to stop and have a coffee and get away from the crowds. If you are in the mood for something sweet, this mille crepe is a nice light cake made of layers of crepes and whipped cream – perfect for sharing.

At Mario Batali’s New York specialty Italian food store, Eataly, the selection is really incredible. Each section of the market not only has a market but also a restaurant- 11 altogether including the beer garden. There is a salumi counter with a charcuterie and wine bar for an anytime happy hour, a pasta and bread section with a pasta restaurant, a vegetable market with a vegetarian restaurant and a gelateria. One of my favorite sections is the fish market because of the interesting selection and freshness of the fish. Every once in a while I like to pick up a tray of uni for a little appetizer or late snack.

One of the most fun things to do in the souks of Marrakech is to explore the food vendors. Among the hundreds of varieties there is one for oranges, one for dried fruits and my favorite, the vendor of olives. The olives are beautifully arranged in large bowls and neatly arranged in pyramids of brilliant colors.

Maybe one of the best things about warm climates is the ability to grow fresh produce year-round. This was a beautiful pomegranate tree I saw in a Berber village in Marrakech.

Urbanspace is a developer of pop-up spaces for retailers and food vendors / restaurants to set up shop and  sell specialty retail goods and food in the UK and the US. Recently Urbanspace opened a spot in the Meatpacking district with outposts of restaurants like Red Hook Lobster Pound, Momofuku Milk Bar and Roberta’s. I haven’t had a chance to get over to Brooklyn and try Roberta’s hyped pizza yet so I was lucky that it came to me! Mini personal pies are popped in a portable brick oven for just 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Their 4 simple varieties are some of the best pizza I’ve had in a while.

Champagne is a special enough treat by itself but when it is served in a perfectly shaped champagne glass and with a beautiful bucket, it is all the more enjoyable. I thought this bucket was particularly pretty with the flowers as handles. (Thank you AVH!)

Located in an unusual spot in the middle of Port Chester, NY is Tarry Market which is one of Mario Batali’s incredible markets. On a weekend home visiting my parents we decided to make a trip to the market and pick up some of the freshest Italian goods this side of the Mediterranean. This beautiful focaccia bread I found was freshly baked and warm when I picked it up and shaped like a big palm leaf.

It tasted particularly delicious when topped with these incredible marinated artichokes or white anchovies.

Sadly the restaurant where I had the best meal of my life to date has since closed. Les Ambassadeurs in Paris was a truly unparalleled experience. This is a picture of one of the desserts we had which I wanted to post because it is so beautiful and exquisitely crafted. This delicate cage of meringue enclosed treasures of strawberries and mousses.

At a wedding that I was in recently the hors d’oeuvres were delicious at each event throughout the weekend. My particular favorite was this little blue potato filled with sour cream and caviar. Not only was this a delightful combination but the vibrant color was so gorgeous that I had to document it and  of course befriended the waiter so that he would make sure to stop by with each round.

Blue Potato & Caviar

One of the best things about the Hamptons in the summer is the Amagansett farmers market. The market is a gorgeous array of local produce and food from all of the surrounding farmland that makes the scenery out there so beautiful. On saturday morning I woke up at my host’s house to a big breakfast spread including an omelet of fresh zucchini blossoms, chives and creamy cheese. Served with a heavy seeded bread this was a pretty ideal way to wake up!