Valley Of Plenty: The French Laundry

Picture this. A perfect, California blue sky. A bright, shining sun. Mountains surrounding a valley like a frame with not a tall building in sight. And yes, grapes, vineyards and wineries as far as the eye can see. There's not much to not like about Napa Valley. It seems to offer the idyllic, carefree life that most of us yearn for but never get around to, and does so in the most spectacular of surroundings. Add to that an unheard concentration of some of the best restaurants anywhere and Napa almost starts to sound like paradise. I feel like every trip up there will make me want to come back for more - a cause certainly helped this time by a long-awaited visit to the French Laundry.

It Takes A Village: Recette

When I first moved to New York, I never understood why everyone wanted to live in the West Village. The buildings were all old, the apartments were small and dingy, there was usually no air-conditioning for the summer and you were almost guaranteed a three or four floor walkup on your way back home each night. No, apartments in the Village were not for me and I ended up picking a nice, luxury high-rise in Midtown, replete with all the amenities I could think of. All these years on, I'd probably still do the same - I am a sucker for the "modern" apartment - but at least now I can see the charm of living in the neighborhood encompassed by Houston and 14th Street on the west side of Manhattan. There are gorgeous tree-lined streets, cobblestone pathways, small stores selling everything you could possibly think of and quaint cafes and restaurants on almost every corner that would make living in the area quite interesting to say the least. You're likely to come across some amazing finds just walking around the streets of the Village, and Recette is just one of those restaurants.

The Dreaded Steakhouse: Cut Beverly Hills

A visit to a steakhouse is the ultimate nightmare for a vegetarian, and one that ends up recurring quite often, especially when it comes to work events. I'm not sure I fully understand why, but the steakhouse is definitely the bastion of corporate dining. Maybe it's the aura associated with an expensive steak dinner or maybe it's just the fact that it is the safe choice to make (no one really wants to have to make a client pick between "pad thai" and "pad kee mao" now, do they?). I have seen many a good vegetarian give in and go along for the ride - some actually even blame the constant required visits for their ultimate switch over to eating meat. I, however, am not too fond of making a meal out of mashed potatoes and creamed spinach and have diligently avoided any steakhouse excursions, regardless of who was doing the inviting.