The NY weather is a bit bi-polar lately, but nonetheless, there are FEW places on Earth that have a more beautiful Spring than this city. If you have never experienced a NY Spring, get on a plane asap!

This is a Springy photo, although not in New York, it felt like the right image to post today. I am inspired and excited for the longer days, the colors, holidays, and joys to come. It feels like Spring is giving us another chance to start over, shake off the Winter and its blues, and grow. I shot this in the south of France at a cooking school where they had their own massive garden (one of my secret dreams to grow my own salad)

Welcome Spring both near and far!

4 years ago the James Beard Foundation came up with a fantastic idea to have a Sunday Supper at Chelsea Market. I was fortunate enough to photograph it, and rub elbows with some culinary legends.

Here is Sarabeth Levine and her beautiful dessert! You can also check out more of my photos on James Beard Foundation's Pinterest :)

Doesn't this look like a piece of art? Another gorgeous meal, and pleasing plating to make my job delicious and wonderful.

I give you- Sous Vide Wild Salmon with Baby Root Vegetables, Peas, Breakfast Radishes, Ginger Balsamic, and Lavender Foam (and yes it was amazing!)

Date: March 05, 2012

Location: James Beard Foundation

Dinner: Fine Japanese Cuisine

Chef: Shuji Hiyakawa

Restaurant: Komé / Center Valley, PA & Ooka Japanese Restaurant / Montgomeryville, PA

Welcome Spring! :)

Francois Payard was born.... and then there was Macaron Day NYC. This should be enough to summarize, however as this was my first experience with Macaron Day, I feel the need to chat a bit about it!

For anyone who may not be aware of what Macaron Day entails- here you go :) Participating bakeries and stores throughout NY offer a free Macaron for Macaron Day. You just show up and ask for it- some were giving away any flavor on the menu, while others had some reserved for this special day. I I was determined to get to as many locations as possible as I found out halfway through there was a punch card and prize for visiting 12 locations. I am a sucker for frequent buyer type things and rewards, and as the day was winding down around 4 pm- the participating locations were either sold out or had been sold out for some time! (I must send a big thank you to my friend Maggie Soladay who told me about this in the first place!) It was like a wild goose chase, treasure hunt, and scavenger hunt on the most gorgeous day of the year :)

And so... on the first day of Spring, I truly soaked up the essence of New York and its glorious food culture. Next year I will have better navigation... and cant wait to try the new flavors and possible locations.

From Salted Caramel to Bubblegum to Rose Lychee to Honey Lavender- I bid you adieu.

RUN, DONT WALK, DROP EVERYTHING.... EVERYTHING you are doing, and go see this play. Certifiably the most underrated play I have ever seen and one of the most astonishingly brilliant. I was extremely fortunate to be invited to their blogger night on March 15th, and my guest and I exploded the moment it was over- we couldn't stop discussing it even days after we were still emailing about it.

If you have any remote interest in love, life, relationships, power, dynamic, intimacy... go and see it. The actors both Nina Arianda and Hugh Dancy are out of this world. GO! ! ! ! ! ! I will try to see Venus in Fur as many times as is humanly possible, and will report back- who is with me?

My first trip to Ireland was in 2000, and what a sight to behold... I never quite understood the phrase I heard so often that Ireland had 40 shades of green until I saw and experienced it with my own eyes (btw- they were not exaggerating in the slightest) It has been far too long since I had a European adventure of any kind- and on this St. Patrick's Day I dug up some of my Ireland photos!


In the Irish spirit of love, luck, and enjoying life- Happy St. Patrick's Day to all Irish by blood and Irish at heart :)