The Black Dress Traveler

Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes

Find me a woman on the planet who has not craved seduction by Paris's timeless trifecta of beauty, romance, and food - really, it is the perfect ménage à trois. Many of us may fantasize about  living and loving in the City of Lights but American journalist and art historian Elizabeth Bard's first lunch date at a Parisian cafe with a handsome French man was the catalyst for a romantic and culinary adventure.

In her memoir, Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes, Elizabeth shares the joys and challenges of falling in love with someone from another culture and making the momentous decision to build a life in their country. A lively read (I cuddled up with the book for an entire weekend), Lunch in Paris details Elizabeth's relationship with the charming Gwendal and her adjustment to the Parisian way of life.  I had the pleasure of corresponding with Elizabeth via e-mail and she said, "there's a lot I've discovered in France - not just about effortless chic, but about how we as women can make better choices - pleasure and ambition, love and self."

Peppered with delicious recipes that are easy to execute, Lunch in Paris will leave you hungry for your own romantic adventure and a great meal!

Don't Forget to Pack Some Happy: Travel Tips from Gretchen Rubin (The Happiness Project)

Gretchen Rubin's book The Happiness Project is not just a #1 New York Times bestseller, it is a MOVEMENT. I keep hearing about how this book is really inspiring people to bring the happy back. Rubin describes it as "a memoir of the year I spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happy--from Aristotle to Martin Seligman to Thoreau to Oprah."

One of her tips for happiness is to take a vacation! Recognizing that relaxation is a must, Rubin made "resolutions to Be serious about play, Take time to be silly, Force myself to wander."  Other travel related posts on The Happiness Project blog include 5 Tips for Happiness Reinforced by My Family Vacation and Eight Tips for Items to Carry When Traveling with Kids.

Be happy, take a trip!

Nigella Bites the Big Apple!

Best-selling cookbook author, television star, and world renowned domestic goddess Nigella Lawson had the crowd at Tuesday night's Hudson Union Society event eating out of her hands and hungry for more!

Dressed in a perfect little black dress, the curvy culinary celebrity was in New York City to promote her newest book, Nigella Christmas. More than just a collection of holiday recipes, Nigella's festive book is full of practical advice to keep your holiday meal preparations stress-free so that you can focus on enjoying time with your guests.   

A winning combination of posh and down-to-earth, Nigella proudly proclaimed that she is "spearheading the anti-perfectionist movement."  She continued by explaining that "food is about home cooking" and that most people on their death beds will reminisce about the simple foods of their everyday lives, such as a juicy roast chicken, and not the elaborate creations served in restaurants.

Nigella's talent and passion for food have led her on an incredible journey but her ascent was far from premeditated. "I never planned anything in my life. I loafed from crisis to crisis," she laughed. 

Nigella's talk revealed some basic but important truths about life: be comfortable in your own skin, relish life's unexpected twists and turns, and a pat of real butter makes everything better!

Photo taken by J Hoch.

Little Black Travel Diary: Francine Segan (Food Historian & Author)

Francine Segan

 

 

www.FrancineSegan.com

 

From the dining customs of ancient Greece to America's sweet dessert history, Francine Segan dishes out tasty food facts in her books and lectures. Her most recent book, Opera Lover's Cookbook, was nominated for the prestigious James Beard award. Francine is also the author of Movie Menus, Shakespeare's Kitchen, and The Philosopher's Kitchen. Her expertise and ebullient personality have made Francine an in-demand guest on radio and television for CBS, the Food Network and the History and Discovery channels. An avid traveler, Francine explores the world researching culinary history and the latest food trends. Let's peek inside the Little Black Travel Diary of Francine Segan!

 

 

My first memory of traveling is riding the subway to Brooklyn with my Italian grandma to get a special Sicilian Christmas dessert.  I was so small that I didn’t even have to sneak under the turnstiles, I cleared them by at least a foot.

I never travel without my business cards. Traveling is the best, and most fun, way to network.

 

My favorite destination is Italy, especially Piedmont in the north. It’s still a relatively little known region but with great shopping, art, and fabulous food.

The taste of red wine reminds me of Italy.

My favorite traveling companion is myself

 

Traveling alone is awesome! I get to do whatever I want whenever I want. Plus I have lots of stories to tell my hubbie when I get back. It sure keeps the marriage exciting to take separate vacations once a year.

 

I dream of visiting Istanbul, especially their spice markets.

 

A film, book, or song that awakens my wanderlust is my photo album. Whenever I look at pictures of some place I’ve been, I get a craving to return.

 

My favorite traveling outfit is a pair of black slacks and a fabulous black jacket by Christian Lacroix that I picked up in Cannes on sale. The jacket is wrinkle-proof and easy to dress up or down. 

 

My most unforgettable traveling experience was spending a week at a chocolate plantation in Belize. Raw coco beans tastes nothing like chocolate candy. The process of turning the beans into what we recognize as chocolate is absolutely fascinating. The cacao beans actually have to ferment, just like wine.

 

When I have been away from home for a long time, the thing I miss the most is speaking English and my own cooking.

 

If I could travel back in time, I would go to Ancient Rome. What a hoot to see all those ruins in Rome looking brand new. Plus togas seem very flattering!

 

My travel icon is my best friend in Italy, Angela Traversa. She’s always flat broke, but always traveling. She figures out ways to get cheap airfares and interesting deals. She’s been everywhere and has friends all around the world.

 

My must have beauty product when traveling is Vaseline. It does triple duty. It’s great to take off makeup, but is also a good moisturizer and burn cream.

 

My words of travel wisdom are TRAVEL. Even if it’s just a train ride to a nearby city, get out there. When you’re “traveling” –no matter the destination or duration—you tend to live the time more fully.