My love for Japan is real. The food, the culture, the architecture and design...everything just comes together so beautifully. On this particular trip around the globe, we only had time to visit Kyoto and Osaka.

Kyoto captivated me as it had on our first visit. The teppanyaki at Mizuki at the Ritz-Carlton, arranged by our friend at the Ritz, was incredible. The salad was beautiful. The lobster, prepared live on the spot, was some of the freshest and tastiest I've ever had.And the steak...Japanese beef is an a league of its own, and our chef at Mizuki prepared it to perfection. We had some great farm to table food, and enjoyed a trip to Nishiki Market. I love stocking up on spices there, and enjoying the fresh produce (especially the strawberries). We also had to stop for some delectable grilled prawns. Of course, there was the obligatory ramen stop.

My first visit to Osaka was a revelation. I love Tokyo, but Osaka is now my favorite large Japanese city. The lights of Dotonbori were something you have to see up close to fully appreciate. The castle is gorgeous. However, Osaka is really about the food, particularly the fantastic beef (although I also had some top notch sushi). 

Only in Southern Japan can you get delicious Kobe beef as street food... a return visit to Osaka cannot come soon enough.

Shanghai is now one of my absolute favorite cities. It captivates the senses in every way imaginable. We stayed at the historic Fairmont Peace Hotel, which was a great base with serious views. Their legendary jazz club is an old-school must visit. Shanghai is a unique mix of old and new...ancient temples and dizzying skyscrapers, modern fashion and classic handicrafts.

The food was as mind-blowing as I expected. Huanghe food street had some of the best dishes in the city. Sizzling prawns was one of my favorite. 

Another culinary highlight was Shouning Lu, or Crawfish Street. Yes, Crawfish Street. It is literally filled with restaurants selling boiled crawfish. I felt like I was back in Louisiana. It was a lively area, and the crawfish was delicious.

Taikang Road was worth a visit for shops and restaurants, including some amazing fruit-infused tea. I picked up some great artisan pieces. 

My only complaint about Shanghai is that five days wasn't enough to truly explore this special place. It's definitely on my list of places I need to revisit in the near future.

As I write this post months after our visit, I am realizing that I can't wait to visit Korea again. The sights, food, and people were really unforgettable.

We started in Seoul, which was as energetic and fun as I expected. The food was beyond...so much better than the Korean food in Los Angeles, which is saying a lot (I thought it was incredible until I had the food in Korea). My favorites included Korean sashimi (different than Japanese sushi but equally good), sea snail soup, and dumplings (Myeondong was the best). Obviously, the barbecue was amazing. Chadljib, suggested by a friend, had the best sirloin and brisket. The seafood in general was all fresh and very tasty. At the fish markets, you can pick out what you like, then go to restaurants inside the market that will cook your purchases to order. The most adventurous thing we tried was live octopus...as in still moving on the plate when we ate it. One we got over it and figured out how to grab the pieces as they moved, it was actually delicious. Of course, everything was washed down with lots of rice wine and Korean beer. The street food was great as well...fried bread filled with warm honey was my personal favorite. The tea houses of Insadong were another highlight.  

Seoul has a lot to offer culturally. We were lucky enough to be there for the close of the Lantern Festival, a beautiful celebration in honor of Buddha's birthday. The shopping is fantastic, at every end of the spectrum. I found a lot of cheap and chic pieces that I'm still wearing.

After Seoul, we traveled to the peaceful seaside town of Sockcho. The laid back vibe definitely agreed with me. Sockcho has an incredible public market with fresh seafood. The fresh grilled fish at 88 Restaurant was no-frills deliciousness. We stayed at minimalistically beautiful Casa Del Aya, owned by a talented friend of a friend who became a new friend. 

From Sockcho, we headed to the ancient city of Gyeongju, which unexpectedly turned out to be another food lovers haven. Thank You Chicken had the best fried chicken...and a friendly group of businessmen paid for our meal. There was yummy sausage from a tiny place run out of the front of a guy's apartment. There were cute bakeries with fig bread and coffee. I enjoyed eating in Gyeongju as much as I did seeing the ancient temples.

Next was Busan, a bustling beach city. Jeju Island followed. A highlight there was Korean style seafood hot pot...definitely a game changer. The markets on the island were amazing, with stalls cooking a variety of delectable dishes. 

I've got to get back to Korea soon, if only to eat. Until then, thank goodness I have Ktown!

I've yet to catch up on blog posts for the last third of our trip, but I wanted to share a wrap up article I wrote for Bebe Voyage. Link is below.

https://www.bebevoyage.com/blog/year-travel-baby-lessons-learned/

I was excited to visit the Philippines. I love Southeast Asia, and I was curious to learn how years of foreign influence (particularly on the part of the U.S.) had meshed with local culture and traditions. What I found was a beautiful melting pot. The Philippines has so much Spanish and American influence, yet it maintains a unique character.

We used Manila as our base. The Fairmont Makati there was incredible. The service and attention to detail was amazing. Manila is not on anyone's lists of great Asian cities, and I understand why. There is a lot of smog, and traffic, and poverty. Then there are wealthy enclaves, like Makati...the contrast is a bit jarring. Still, I really enjoyed the food in Manila. I know it sounds crazy, but my favorite restaurant (the only one we visited twice) was a fried chicken joint at a mall. Bad Bird's umami fried chicken was perfectly fried and seasoned to hit every tastebud. So very good. I should note that the fried chicken is pretty good overall. Filipinos take their fried chicken very seriously.

Before hitting the islands, we left the city to go deep into the country's larger island, to the provinces of North Luzon. The region is most famous for the Banaue Rice Terraces. The terraces were carved into the mountains some 2,000 years ago by indigenous people. They are spectacular to see, but even more breathtaking to stand on. Walking the rice terraces was one of the most memorable travel experiences I've had (particularly because my baby was strapped to me). It's not the easiest trek, but there's a great reward at the end...natural hot springs. 

The entire North Luzon region is very rural. There are very few hotels, mostly "homestays" with a few rooms and meals cooked by the family who owns the property. While I generally prefer more creature comforts, it was interesting to interact with rural Filipinos and learn about their lives. After seeing the Rice Terraces, we headed to Sagada, to see the main attraction there...hanging coffins. The coffins are literally hung from cliffs, on the side of a mountain. 

After a little R and R in Manila, we headed to Boracay. The Coast Hotel absolutely made our Boracay  trip. It's a cute, boutiquey little resort on the beach. We had everything we need...great beach chairs, the perfect-sized pool, yummy food and drinks, and some of the best sunsets I've ever witnessed. 

We went on to Cebu, where we stayed in Mactan. I wasn't blown away by anything there, except one restaurant. Bucket Shrimps in Lapu Lapu had delicious spicy shrimp and pork belly. 

I was much more enthusiastic about our next stop, Bohol. We split our time between the Bohol Bee Farm and a beachfront hotel, but I really preferred the Bee Farm. It's beautiful but unassuming, and the owner is committed to the natural, organic lifestyle. The food was phenomenal. The fresh juices were all really good. I kept ordering the delicious stir fried vegetables with shrimp. The Bee Farm is know for their ice cream, and it didn't disappoint. Avocado and salted honey were my favorite, especially in the house made cassava cone. There is also an in-house actual bee farm, and the wild honey is fantastic.

Overall, I really enjoyed our time in the Philippines. I didn't make it to Palawan this time, so I think another trip is in the cards.

I've been dreaming of visiting Mendoza since I had my first Malbec, probably 15 years ago. The timing just never worked out on previous trips to Argentina (although I always returned with more bottles than I should have). For my birthday, Brandon made arrangements for us to visit.

To be totally candid, it wasn't what I'd expected. Mendoza is a real city, and there are vineyards literally off the interstate. It's not picturesque, like a lot of the other wineries I've visited around the world. However Mendoza grew on me. It has some charms, especially if you leave the central area and explore some of the ancillary wine regions. Lujan de Cuyo is beautiful (Archaval-Ferrer has some great wines). I also enjoyed Bodega Bressia, and we had a fantastic lunch at Bodega Lagarde. The standout there (other than the wine, which they kept pouring) was the tomato done three ways, including a tomato basil ice cream. As I've come to expect in Argentina, the steak was also flavorful and perfectly cooked. 

We discovered Don Mario, a local restaurant with some of the best steak and wine pairings in the area. The culinary highlight of our Mendoza trip was my birthday dinner the last night, at legendary 1884 Francis Mallman. Mailman believes in cooking outdoors over an open flame, and I am now a believer. We had the best octopus I've ever had. The gazpacho, steak, and gnocchi were all incredible. I would go back to Mendoza just to eat there again.

Overall, I don't feel the same passion for Mendoza that I feel for Napa Valley, Bordeaux, or even South Africa's wine region. Still, I love drinking a good malbec, so I will most likely return.

There are a lot of places that have been described as the most beautiful in the world. After finally visiting Bariloche, in the Patagonia region of Argentina, I'm sure there is only one real contender. Imagine the most beautiful place you've seen. Bariloche is ten times more beautiful, I promise you. I've been fortunate enough to visit over 50 countries, and I've seen some mind-boggling, gorgeous places. In my mind, nothing compares to Bariloche. I still can't believe it took five visits to Argentina to finally make it there!

The best thing to do in the area is simply take in the staggering view. I suggest doing this at the Patagonia Beer Company. You can sit outside and sip great beer, with some of the most amazing views around.

Like in the rest of Argentina, the food in Bariloche is phenomenal. El Boliche de Alberto had some of the best steaks. However, they are really famous for their chocolate. The chocolates and hot chocolate at world famous Rapa Nui were addictive. I had to get the hot chocolate a second time before flying out.

I can say with confidence that I will never again skip Bariloche. It is heaven on earth, with chocolate to match.

How do I love Buenos Aires? Let me count the ways. On our first trip (13 years ago) Brandon and I so loved the city that we made plans to return six months later. On our second trip, we got engaged, while on a side trip to Santiago during a month-long stay. At the end of that trip, I implored Brandon to stay. Always the practical one, I was willing to leave it all behind for a life of steak and wine, tango  and polo...until Brandon soberly reminded me that we needed to finish law school. We've been a few times since then, but never for longer than a week. When we started planning our year-long adventure, we knew that Buenos Aires deserved more that a few weeks. So we rented an apartment in Palermo for two months. As usual, BA did not disappoint.

We kicked off our stay with a few nights at the Park Hyatt, where we joined their New Year's Eve celebration. It was a great time. 

I was so excited to learn that two of my college girlfriends were in town at the same time. We had dinner at La Cabrera, one of the classic Buenos Aires steakhouses, and a girls' night at one of my favorites, Victoria Brown. A secret bar with with a cafe front, Victoria Brown is a true speakeasy, complete with creative drinks.

Good friends of ours from back home in Los Angeles (who love BA as much as we do), recommended the new steakhouse in Palermo, La Carniceria. They were so right. I went a total of three times during our two months. I also became a fixture at the chef's casual sister restaurant, Chori, which happened to be a two block walk from our apartment. La Carniceria has a smoked provoleta that will change your life. I love the traditional grilled provoleta, but smoking it just takes it to another level. The ribeye is heavenly. I still crave it, months later. Chori has the best chorizo sandwiches in the city, hands down. It also becomes a neighborhood hangout on nights and weekends, sometimes with a resident DJ.

I love BA's Chinatown, and on this visit I managed to find a tiny Koreatown. The food at Una Cancion Coreana was so good. I loved the spicy soup and kimchi, as well as the scallion pancake. It really is a small world...I talked to the owner and found out her mom lives in LA.

Another new find was Floreria Atlantico. One of the 50 best bars in the world, Floreria is cool (you enter through a florist's shop facade and come into the bar through a "secret" door) yet refreshingly unpretentious. The bartenders are amazing. They come up with the best custom drinks based on a few characteristics. The drink menu is also great, if you're not feeling adventurous. Honorable mention goes to Verne Cocktail Club, suggested by my friend Denise. In addition to an adorable drink menu, they have a great selection of cocktails from around the world. Doppelgänger is a newer bar in San Telmo. The drinks are good, but unusually pricey. On a a non-alcoholic note, there was a great juice place around the corner from us. We stopped at the Factory almost every morning to get our greens and fruit in...before days filled with steak, pasta, and copious amounts of wine.

I always love the empanadas. Beef and ricotta with ham are my usual favorites. En La Cocina was great for no-nonsense empanadas. For the famed milanese, I had to try Don Ignacio. The "king of milanesas" clearly knew what he was doing.

For brunch, we tried Cafe Crespin. Brunch for two included poached eggs with ham and hollandaise, hash browns, an English muffin, and an arugula salad. All were delicious.

On our last day, we had brunch with Denise at the Four Seasons restaurant, Elena. It was phenomenal. We used to brunch at the Alvear Palace, but their brunch pales in comparison. Elena's brunch literally had everything. Seafood, pasta, steak, gelato...you name it, it was there and scrumptious. If it wasn't out, you just had to ask. The brunch was inclusive of a half bottle of champagne. The service was impeccable. My only regret is that we didn't go earlier, because we probably would have been there every Sunday.

I'm ready to go back to Buenos Aires as soon as possible. Until then, my taste buds will have to settle for pictures.

I had no idea what to expect of Montevideo. I'd read that it was up and coming, but I'd also heard that it wasn't worth spending more than one day in. We took a chance and spent three nights there. It was definitely worth the visit.

Montevideo is beautiful...architecturally stunning. It's also a bit gritty. I like my cities a little rough around the edges, so I was fine with that. Along those lines, there is some great street art around the city.

One of my favorite stops was the old port market, Mercado del Puerto. It is full of great authentic restaurants, and has the best empanada stand. As we were enjoying a messy but delicious chorizo and provoleta plate, the stall next to our little restaurant caught fire. We had to evacuate before we could enjoy our steak. Luckily, no one was hurt. C'est la vie.

It was Carnaval time in Uruguay, and we got to see one of the nighttime parades. It was a completely different vibe than the other celebrations I've experienced (in Trinidad, the Dominican Republic, and of course New Orleans). It was decidedly more family friendly, and more dance centered. For a quick primer on Carnaval traditions, the Museo del Carnaval is great.

About thirty minutes from Montevideo, there are several vineyards. We visited Bodega Bouza, a gorgeous wine estate. I knew almost nothing about Uruguayan wines prior to our visit, and I left a huge fan. Tannat became my new favorite. 

Considered the national grape of Uruguay, it produces a full-bodied, very drinkable red. It's also supposed to be the best wine for your heart, because of the high antioxidant content. I don't know about the health benefits, but I really enjoy drinking it. I got a few bottles of Bouza's 2015. I highly suggest it if you like dry reds. It is in limited distribution in the states. In my opinion, it's worth seeking out...and Montevideo is more than worth a visit.

Punta del Este is really as beautiful as everyone says. It's the perfect summer getaway, especially for Portenos (my beloved residents of Buenos Aires). 

Friends from Uruguay recommended visiting Jose Ignacio, about a thirty minute drive from Punta. We fell in love with it. Punta is great, but Jose Ignacio is more laid back and less touristy. We spent most of our time at Playa Vik in Jose Ignacio. The resort is on a beautiful beach, and the restaurant serves perfect steaks and sushi.

In Punta, we had dinner at Lo de Tere for Brandon's birthday. It's a bit old-school fancy, but not stuffy. The food is solid. I had an incredible seafood au gratin.

I also very much enjoyed eating chevito sandwiches. A chevito is essentially a filet mignon sandwich with mozzarella, tomatoes, and olives. I usually added bacon and a fried egg...because, why not? Amazing. On my next visit, I'll be going to get a chevito as soon as the plane touches down.

We recently spent some time in St. Maarten/St. Martin, between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It had been a good decade since our last visit, and the island has definitely become more developed. It was still a great time.

Needless to say, the beaches in St. Maarten/St. Martin are beautiful. Definitely reason enough to visit. The good food is just the icing on the proverbial cake.

We rented a beautiful townhouse on the ocean. The views were incredible. We were on the French side of the island, which I prefer. Just outside our condo complex, there was a boulangerie. I loved going to get pain au chocolat and a cafe au lait every morning. It gave me the chance to practice my (rusty) French, and the pastries were delicious.

I don't know how I missed this on previous visits, but the barbecue on the island is amazing. It's not fancy at all...our favorite places were shacks on the side of the road. Getting ribs every morning became a necessity.

Our best meal, by far, was at Temptations. We'd met a few expats living on the island, and they all raved about it. I made a reservation, and we went on our last night there. We were not disappointed. Chef Dino Jagtiani is incredibly personable, and extremely talented. We were lucky enough to meet his kind and funny dad, who happened to be hanging out at the bar. Chef Dino prepared some of his favorite items from the menu, creating a special tasting menu for us. We especially loved the French onion soup, and the short ribs. Temptations also has a fantastic piano player. The overall atmosphere is cozy chic. I'd absolutely come back...to the restaurant and the island.

Cuba is a stunningly beautiful country. Havana is vibrant and alive--and sweltering, even in December. The countryside is lush and green. Varadero is one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, with gorgeous blue waters.

The people are warm and exceedingly friendly. I also found them to be surprisingly open about their lives and the Cuban political system.

I wasn't sure what to expect of the food. I had heard from several friends that the food paled in comparison to the Cuban food in Miami. In addition to the best mojitos ever, I thought the food was good--but not as good as Miami I think this is primarily due to lack of access to key ingredients. There were fewer onions and less garlic. Spices and mojo sauce seemed sparse, but we still enjoyed some very good dishes. We tried to avoid the state-run restaurants, where we found the food to be of a lesser quality.

We visited just a few days after Fidel Castro's death. Honestly, most people seemed unfazed by Castro's death. However, there was an increased police presence and a prohibition on alcohol sales and music (yes, music was banned in Cuba) during the week after his death. On the day the prohibition ended, cannon shots rang out every hour. There were 20 cannon shots fired at 7:00 am on the Sunday following his funeral. Internet access is tightly restricted (there are official government wifi spots, and plenty of people selling access to their own hotspots in parks around Havana). Although email and social media is accessible, many other US websites are not. On the day of Castro's funeral, there was a wifi blackout.

Despite the obvious need for more freedoms, reforms in the last few years seem to have had a positive effect. Cuban citizens can own and rent multiple properties, and independent business ownership is encouraged. On the other hand, these developments have created a de facto two class system--there are those in the tourism industry (many of whom have been able to start businesses with money from relatives living abroad) and everyone else. I was most troubled by the government mandated travel limitations. Cubans need government permission to leave their area, even for vacation. The goal is to prevent a mass exodus from the poorer, more rural areas to Havana. A few people explained that poor young men outside Havana often try to join the police force, because it allows them to move to Havana (and stay there). Cuban citizens are able to leave the country for work and short educational exchanges only. I found out that there are ways for those with more money (again, in the tourism industry) to get around these restrictions.

I'd heard about the poverty in Cuba, but its urban areas look like a lot of other poorer Caribbean countries (Dominican Republic comes to mind). In Vinales, the countryside, the standard of living seems to be higher.  While no one is wealthy, except for a few government officials, you do see less open poverty than you do in the United States. I saw more new cars than I expected. I think Americans forget that while we stopped relations with Cuba, other countries continued trading and doing business with them. There are still a lot of classic cars, and the owners take great pride of them. Most of the taxis we rode in were vintage. They were great for photos, but they were loud. 

Ok, that's more than enough social analysis. Now, the food...

I had to start my day with Cuban coffee every morning (either a cafe con leche or a cortadito). My favorite place was the tiny window in our neighborhood, but I also loved the coffee at Cafe el Escorial in Old Havana (priced for tourists though). On a healthier note, the fruits and vegetables were some of the best I've had. There was a great produce market in our neighborhood. We'd go every morning to get fruit, and it was great getting to know the local vendors. Then, there was pan con lechon. These delicious little roast pork sandwiches are so addictive! The sea salt definitely seals the deal. 

Of course, I had to visit the famed Coppelia ice cream parlor in Havana. It is huge, retro, and usually has lines around the block. I loved the colors and the mid-century modern architecture. We actually had it twice...on the same day. There is a smaller soda shop outside the main store. For tourists who don't want to wait in line, the ice cream here is about ten times the price of the ice cream in the main building (about $2.50 USD). The almond flavor was perfection. Once we went inside, we realized what all the locals (and smart tourists) get. Three scoops with toppings for less than a quarter. The cookies on top were delicious! I also loved the peach ice cream.

As a literary geek, I had to visit the Floridita bar. Hemingway's old hangout is definitely a throwback to a different era. Also, the daiquiris are amazing! We were lucky enough to be one of the first people allowed back in, the day the government-imposed mourning period ended. Really, the drinks in Cuba are all fantastic. The mojitos are as good as you would expect. In Vinales, the owner of our case would make me the best mojitos every evening, with mint hand-picked from her garden.

Cuba is truly one of the most interesting places I've ever visited. I hope to go back one day, hopefully when the Cuban people have more rights and freedoms.