Hey, guess what? It’s freaking freezing. Oh, you didn’t hear? Turn on any news station and they’ll tell you alllll about it. If you’re like moi, you probably care less about how cold it is and more about where you can hide out until it’s over. My recommendation? New York City’s Whitman & Bloom. The James Joyce inspired restaurant brightens up an otherwise boring block on 3rd Avenue in Murray Hill, luring in the passerbys with its warm lighting and hip, but unpretentious vibe. Inside, it’s a mix of New York modernity and old European charm, mixing frosted glass and…

Attention all Upper East Siders: I have found the ultimate wine lover's mecca.

If you’ve been with us for awhile, you might have picked up on something: the hubs and I have moved to France. Returning home after our RTW was bittersweet, and not only because the first part of our adventure was over. It quickly turned into another round of goodbyes with all of our most favorite people. And honestly, that was hard enough the first time! The worst goodbye of them all? Saying au revoir to the wino, le duh. Unfortunately, our three week stint stateside didn’t leave much room to visit our beloved New Yorkers. Notice I said New Yorkers,…

– Editor’s Note: Sadly, this location has since closed! Be sure to visit Chef Casella’s other locations around the world. – When I heard the news that my beloved partner in crime and red-headed BFF, the romantic, was making her triumphant return to New York on the same day that my friends Ana from Mrs. O Around the World and Stephane from Four Seasons Doha were visiting, I knew I had to plan something fantastic. Aaaand, cue the inevitable case of panic that every good hostess experiences. It was time to plan an Upper East Side dinner fit for a…