Martha Beck Reflection

5 Rules for Lasting Joy (A Reflection On Martha Beck's Guidance For A Joyful Life)

“1. Honesty is the Best Policy

When we speak honestly we need not remember a story, make one up, or feel guilt for not showing up authentically. Nothing’s coming back to bite us because we are being truthful, kind, and real.

2. Give up on Toxic People

It pays to look at the relationships, friendships, and partnerships we’re in right now. Are people dimming our light, taxing our will, hurting our feelings, helping us grow, or showing us new ways to shine? The answers can be difficult to define at times, but chances are, when we truly reflect, we know the truth.

3. Let It Go!

Whether it’s being cut off in traffic or being criticized by a partner who’s in a bad mood, are there things we are carrying through our day that we don’t need to put on our shoulders or carry around? Where can we let go? What can we do today to let go of things, people, thoughts, and feelings that are not serving us?

4. Trust your Gut

We can sometimes ignore the signals our heart and our body might be sending us because we feel we’re being impulsive or silly. However, the strength to trust our gut can lead us to great joys and away from trouble or hardship that comes with “forcing” rather than “allowing”.

5. Your More Powerful than You Know 

What is your super power? What gift do you have to bring into the world? Where do you doubt yourself? What if you allowed yourself to be more fully aware of the ways in which you have the ability to grow, thrive, help others, and light up the world around you? Where have you survived and endured only to find a way to thrive later on? The truth is that our joyful life is not in the future, it is now and it is a direct result of acknowledging the power we have to change our lives, the lives of others, and to change our mind and actions as often as we need to in order to live in joyful service, community, kindness, creativity, and light.
-Martha Beck

Hari and Rubi Arrive

Hi All!

Well…Sandy kicked my butt and in light of recent events, my vacations have been less about adventure and more about the comfort of my tribe! And boy has my tribe grown! Since I last wrote, my husband Scott and I gave birth to 2 beautiful baby girls - Hari Mar & Rubi Dee!

Together, we have travelled to Vermont, Montauk, Mexico and Nicaragua in their brief 1/2 years. We’ve traveled not for the adventure this time around, but only to relax and enjoy their company.

The truth is that sometimes the vacation happens in your back yard or your favorite restaurant and sometimes it happens far away. No matter the location your vaction should always happen with those you love!

As for my new additions: They have created within me a new found love of comfort and ebullience!

Kula and My Maui Surf Retreat

My Maui Adventure (After 30 Years Of Working On My Birthday… I'm Off To Surf & To Celebrate Me!)

After 30 years of hardworking summertime birthdays - I am taking a solo journey to clear my mind and feed my belly... 

There was a point not too long ago when I didn’t know what I wanted to do next. Was I going to run for office? Open another restaurant? Have kids? As my birthday neared these questions seemed more urgent than ever and so off I went on my Maui adventure.
Lightly Salted carried a women’s surf brand called Carve who were offering me the chance to attend a women’s surf retreat in Maui and it was affordable. My husband agreed it would be a great experience and I was definitely ready for some good surf and an adventure as large as my dreams.

My retreat group was made of women of all ages, from 21 to late sixties and I found myself smack-dab in the middle. Some were adept surfers and some were just learning but we were quite a strong, brave, and connected crew. 

It was nice to be pushed and guided to surf. It was divine to be with supportive group of women, in beautiful place with amazing energy. It led me to ask many questions, not the least of which was “Why don’t I live in Hawaii? “

Never one to leave my chef’s hat at home, even on retreat, I found myself savoring the flavors of the food prepared by our retreat chef Peter. He made a chocolate mousse one day and I was enraptured by it. I just couldn’t pinpoint what made it so special. So, Peter taught me to cook it. It was a simple dessert but left me with a lasting memory of the experience of connecting with the person who made it and taught me to do the same. In case you feel like you’re missing out: Aloha mousse is on the menu. (It’s a delectable vegan chocolate mousse made with avocado!)

At the time of the Maui retreat NJ was going through Irene. I honestly began to feel disconnected from it and helpless. My husband, the restaurant and staff, the pets, and everyone else, evacuated. My husband took care of these things, got everyone and everything out, board windows, and Irene didn’t hit New Jersey so badly, thank goodness.

Irene hit me though. I felt strange: I’m sitting there in warm sunshine, surrounded with feminine energy and support, and my husband is going through that. There was a challenge in that feeling, a feeling of wanting to fly home, an inability to do so and a letting go. “I’m here and I can’t go home, so sitting and worrying and not having this experience is not a positive outcome of any of this.” I told myself. 

One of my most amazing memories of the trip was a volcano drive we went on. We drove up to a volcano in middle of night, to see stars. We had gone up in dark, so we had no idea where we really were. All we saw were the dark shadows of the people we were with.  As light dawns, it feels insane but you really don’t know what it’s going to look like from where you are.

We watched the sunrise there, had a cup of coffee and then mountain biked down from there. I felt like I was on another planet, all I saw were craters and rocks. The clouds were below me. I felt like I was on mars.

On another excursion we drove the Hana highway, drove around the other side of Maui through lush green, and walked the waterfalls. It was so diverse, so beautiful and I wondered where else could I be at a volcano at 5 am, the beach midday, at a plantation in the afternoon, a luau for dinner, and do all of that all in one day. 

While those adventures are forever in my heart, I find myself warmed by one simple meditation most of all. On the first day of the retreat, during our meditation circle the focus was on the idea of Kula, or community of the heart. This community of the heart struck me and is ultimately how the idea for Kula café came to be. I found myself ready to create an extended community family, to offer Ohana, and to extend Kula to the place I call home.

So, what does Kula look like in practice? Kula looks like Interfaith Neighbors going into the community to give out hot chocolate and coffee and donuts and pastries in the community 1 night a week. It looks like neighbors extending love to neighbors. 

When I came back from Hawaii, I really began to think about what this would mean for me in practice. I knew we needed this front of house component in Asbury that isn’t addressed by culinary schools or other non-profits. I knew there are people who could be working but don’t have confidence skills and training to do it. Why not expand on the Interfaith Neighbors grant and create a café that trains community members and feeds the community itself.

I set out to hire a chef that staff could resonate with, someone who connects with participants in program to help them succeed. I found a chef who was passionate about mission, someone patient. Kula would focus on front of house training (since there were more of those jobs in the community) Kula would have these people learn to do that skill set (building confidence to speak and connect with others).

I found that hospitality was a thread through anything you do: It’s evident in the bedside manner of a doctor, in the patience of a person who sells you your car, the pleasant manner of the realtor, and the empowering insight of someone selling you shoes.

If you develop that communication skill of engaging with another human being, it’s a skillset that can take you anywhere. It’s a big part of growing the community too. Self-confidence is something that a lot of people in the community may not have as a result of many factors and it is something we can teach. It bridges the gap of community of people who are building up or falling behind. It answers a critical question: How do we bring together rather than push away? Connection and bring together rather than pushing people aside are Kula and I knew we could make it a reality every day.

  As the vision became clearer the name fit more and more: The word Kula (community of the heart) would be a great name for this café, it had depth and great meaning. In practice I knew Kula would be a community working together and the inspiration of my Maui trip became reality in its development. I truly love when you go somewhere and are inspired by something that triggers something else for someone else. This chain reaction is not always big, but it’s always impactful.

The Next Mongolian Idol

Mongolia is a dream. Its vast beauty is beyond words and the experiences I’ve had here are some of my most treasured. I must say though, that the most surreal moment of my Mongolian adventure: Making spaghetti and camel meatballs for the staff and enjoying our meal while watching Mongolian Idol!

What an adventure!

I once met a builder who worked in South Jersey named Jalsa. He’s a Mongolian Kalmyck Buddhist. He’d come to Market In The Middle whenever he was in town and encourage me to come to Mongolia. One day, I expressed interest in taking him up on that adventure. Jalsa asked if I’d consider training his staff at a five star off the grid lodge in the Gobi Desert. The lodge had hosted National Geographic employees, researchers, photographers, writers, and scientists. Some would come to research, film, or photograph the desert and use the lodge as a home base. Others would come for the experience of being so far from everyone and everything, to be truly disconnected, to truly and fully reconnect. Whether you’re digging for dinosaur fossils, or a celebrity looking to escape the noise of life, 3 Camel Lodge is the epitome of high-end and off the grid (You can check this breathtaking place out for yourself. It’s called 3 Camel Lodge: https://www.threecamellodge.com/).

I found myself living in one of the gers (the term used for the lodgings that look like tents but are far more like luxury resorts inside) and preparing to teach the staff some new culinary approaches and the art of elevated hospitality. I was excited for my first day and knew that several notable challenges would greet me.  

First was the matter of being “Off-The-Grid”. We would be cooking without electricity as 3 Camel Lodge ran solely on solar power. I’d find myself baking bread when the solar would run out and the ovens would shut off.   I’d need to learn about and make use of local ingredient and what was most accessible because in the desert many ingredients were hard to come by. Finally, I found that those I was tasked with teaching about elevated hospitality did not speak English. I developed a system using a gourmet cookbook, giving each person a name that corresponded to a word in the book (Basil, Chervil, Rosemary, and so on.) and we communicated through food, using the cookbook as a tool.  

The surroundings were surreal and the challenges I experienced truly helped me to grow as a person and as a chef. Hospitality is a feeling and connection you make with clients and staff and so I found the best way to teach this was to have those I worked with experience it. I connected with the staff to allow them to feel a heightened sense of this connection. I knew that upon feeling connected, welcomed, and appreciated, they would bring that feeling to their guests. The truth that I learned from this exercise was that the Mongolian people are full of open arms hospitality and I was only serving to bring that to the forefront of the Lodge’s experience. Perhaps that meant helping the staff to craft an exceptional cocktail for the bar. This cocktail would make the guest aware of the priceless nature of the experience: Each time they smell or taste passion fruit juice, they’ll recall with joy the very moment they first sipped at sunset in the middle of the gorgeous Gobi Desert.

Hospitality is memories, connecting with the server or bartender, engaging with the sights and smells of the surroundings, and making that memory unique and special every time. In truth, there was no re-training of this staff, there was no miracle. I simply discerned what I could hone in on, what things they were already making special, and guided them in heightening the impact of the things they do well.  

We could add garlic to the wok-made bread, include local herbs from green house, make some hummus as appetizer snack because it’s easy to store and recreate.  We focused on that which was affordable, accessible, and memorable. When we realized that an experience could not be what tourists might expect we shifted the story about the experience to make it special and unique to the location. For example, the freezers could not be kept steady enough to make ice but a chilled passionfruit cocktail in the desert was surely more memorable than

Aside from the training of the staff, I had amazing adventures in Mongolia that I won’t soon forget. Jalsa wanted to give back and protect resources from exploitation and so we shared a common bathroom, drank filtered water, and traveled by car through the desert to get to the place because no roads were paved as not to disturb the ecosystem. I tried yak, camel, and horse milk, had a staff dinner complete with spaghetti and camel meatballs, set up a greenhouse so that food would become more sustainably grown year-round at the lodge. I spent thirty days with no communication, making the occasional call back home with a military style satellite phone.

One evening we experienced an Olympic-style talent exhibition: Archery, horse racing, wrestling, even falconeer-ing. There were so many people watching at the lodge that night and it was truly remarkable. Mongolian Idol aside, perhaps the most memorable was my dinner in the desert. Some guests of the lodge and I made an 11-mile camel trek, and as we let the camels graze, we watched them as they walked across the setting sun like something out of a movie.

I spent time with amazing people, my books, and myself. It was a stillness-filled, serene, peaceful, and focused daily meditation. For a Buddhist, the emptiness of the place, the place being void of everything, the place making me feel whole, was indescribable. There were no roads, no lights, and to get to this oasis, one must drive through the desert itself. I permitted myself to be in that uncomfortable place of being with only myself and the countless, limitless stars.

The vast and deep experience I was given in those thirty days made me want to add more of that into my life. There are not, in my mind, many places you can go to get away from light sound and communication. This chance to disconnect is a rare opportunity that I’d encourage others to take advantage of more often.

Haiti

Fulll Moon Over Haiti

When disaster struck Haiti, our local community came together.  

Our dear friend and Haitian Methodist Pastor, Sony Augustine formed a strong relationship with myself as well as the Ministry of Pastors for Haiti, a collective of Haitian ministers in the area (Asbury, Neptune City, Ocean Grove) of diverse religious backgrounds. Asbury Park is home to one of the five largest Haitian populations in U.S. and so it was important to assess what was happening there. This would allow the pastors to report back to congregations, to make connections, and to get relief and aid into country. 

As the token Buddhist, I was grateful for the welcome I received as I entered this particular group. I was infinitely grateful to be a part of these efforts, which would eventually be endorsed by Asbury Park itself.  I made the trip with the Sonny Augustine and Marc Steiner (a photographer and videographer who documented the trip.) You can see more photos here.

In Haiti, there are no institutional safety nets, no governmental safety nets. And so, non-profits become the safety nets. There are religious non-profits, orphanages, missions, and the like. As with anything else, some are great and others … well, not so much. When we went to Haiti, we were filming and touring on the ground to bring back stories: some uplifting some sad. We’re hoping to further the awareness of the good that is being done and all the hard work ahead of us.

We began with a tour of Port Au Prince and the outlying area. There we met with e so many people doing so much good there. One of those people, Elizabeth, ran an orphanage to which we would continue to send aid and support after our trip. Through our interactions with people like Elizabeth, we found ourselves profoundly heartened by the strong thread of family in Haitian communities, and by the enduring hope and resilience they exemplify in spite of, or perhaps because of, the decades of political and financial strife in the country.

The food was minimal but the spirit overflowed. The people in their time of need were so generous and welcoming with their hearts. Our trip was full of warmth, connection, community, and love. We returned to our home state feeling exhausted, inspired, renewed. We arranged to send containers of goods, as well as money through outreach agencies in Asbury and across New Jersey. We raised over $40,000 and used the money to ship containers of goods to the people of Haiti, to those whom we considered to be the newest members of our community family.

While it was our efforts to report back to the Haitian communities in New Jersey that brought us to Port Au Prince, we could not help but be caught up in the culture of the island.

On this particular trip we met Charlotte Charles, a local artist who empowers women in her community. Charlotte takes women who are trying to support their families, teachers them art, and helps them to work to earn a living wage. These women create art items for tourists that are sold in gift shops. Charlotte herself is known for intricate and beautiful masks and has developed an artist community of mostly women to support one another.  

Haiti also has a strong Jazz community and the outlet that the arts provide give the people of Haiti a mode of self-expression, a way to get feelings out, and a way to heal and grow. There’s an active artist and creative community there but it can be difficult for these gifted artists to get their pieces to an American audience. Clothing Designer Donna Karan has created Papillion Enterprise Haiti to support local women artisans by providing meaningful work, training, and a living wage. Customers can shop online from this socially conscious collective, knowing they’re supporting women in the process.

The efforts of Charlotte Charles, Donna Karan, and the volunteers and community members we met in Haiti are helping to make a difference on the island. These efforts are serving to send ripples of support, empowerment, and change that will no doubt impact the future of Haiti and the preservation of its artistic and beautiful culture.

When you come back from a place like that so many things become visible in different ways. The truth is that most people may not travel to places like Haiti. But it is place where you could retreat, eat lobster on the beach, and sleep in a clean loving guest house provided by an owner who wants you to have an awesome experience in the place they call home.

I saw many, many, powerful and moving things when I visited Haiti but one visual remains with me as I write this. Every day of my trip I watched people in the place we were staying. I saw that they’d rise in the morning get dressed in fine clothes, and head off to work. Dirt roads or not. Long treks or not. The children would rise early, don well-kept uniforms for school and head off, seemingly unfettered by the utter poverty in which they lived.

 There’s a part of me that becomes strangely envious for a moment when I think of those well-dressed children, men, and women heading out on those early mornings. Here in the U.S. we tend to take simple things for granted (clean clothes, water, bed, electricity, ability to cook our food, flush toilet, remove garbage). The people of Haiti lack a great many of those things in general. Even so, they may very well be stronger, more vibrant, and more creative because they do not have the resources that we do. When I think of those people waking and walking unencumbered by the weight of a “lacking” mentality, I find them to be people trying to do good things with limited resources. I find that this inspires me to do the same. Join us on March 7th at 5pm for the final cut of the documentary from our trip

Thank you!

Spain

Spain: Black Ham And Bars

A whirlwind exploration of southern Spain and Madrid in 6 days!

Six friends, great wine and a grand finish at the oldest documented restaurant in the world!

We started on the southern coast in a kiteboarding town called Tarifa - The Hotel Hurricane offered one of my best meals of the trip - definitely the best dry sherry finished the meal.

You know how you get into your hotel the first night of your trip and you are too tired and lazy to venture out? I used to be jaded on hotel dinning experience, but after opening my own hotel restaurant -Dauphin Grille at the Berkely Hotel in Asbury Park I know I have to keep an open mind.

Well, I must say that our first meal at The Hurricane Hotel was by far one of the top 3 of the trip. The front desk staff was kind enough to lead us to our other top choices for the south coast. We asked them about the hotel on top of the hill - right above the sand dunes El Tesoro. There was no chance of finding this without there help: We’re so grateful because it was truly a memory for the books!

The next night for our second dinner we ventured into the old part of Tarifa and headed to El Curro.
”Oh my God!” I thought as I explored the stand up tapas bars full of lots of pig and port!

“Will the real black Iberian Ham please stand up!”

The little white town on top of the hill about 45 minutes east of tariff Frontera is definitely worth a day trip

Our adventure also led to one of the best visuals in my memory - Cows under gigantic windmills as far as the eye can see until you come upon the fields of solar power. “What is wrong with America?” I thought as I gazed at this remarkable view.

The next day we headed out for rolling surf and gambas de ajilo at the lazy coastal town of El Palmar. We took in the surf, ate, and laid about. This is vacation after all!

We were then ready for the total private experience in an artsy cabina by the sea - We traveled a bit east along the coast and kept right at the fork by the gas station. Arriving in a little town up the road we hung a right and headed to the sea.

Speaking of the sea: Check out Zahora 

Hacienda Sajorami is the hotel up the road from the surfing beach (the beach cabins after the gas station)

Www.haciendasajorami.com

The only reason we didn't stay here only because we stumbled upon it!

We can’t wait to go back!

Down Under

Hello From Down Under!

We are sitting on the deck of our Gunya Maia rental cabin in Suffolk Park – outside of Byron Bay enjoying a wonderful rich cup of Ashton’s coffee from the Farmer’s Market in Bangalow.

Bangalow is a little artsy town on the top of the hill above Byron and a great little side trip up into the Highlands.

I find myself listening to the birds come alive and smelling the essence of the kaffir lime tree in the yard… and having my first glass of the day, a glass of Byron Bay Ginger Cranberry Necktar. ( Don’t worry: It’s on the list of what to duplicate back home!)

Last evening we sat under the stars – listening to Adele and sampling some of Australia’s wonderful cheeses and wines from the Hunter Valley.

Four of our favorites so far:

Pear Tree – Milk Maids Pinot Gris

The Little Wine Company – Sangiovese Rose

Piggs Peake – House of Sticks Shirz

Tyrrell’s – Lost Block Cabernet 

And there’s something new for me that I must bring back to our little restaurant world:

Labna – a lovely rich and salty Yogurt cheese with the consistency of mozzarella…

WOW!!!!!

If I have to pick one find on this journey – that would be it!

Our first night here was in Palm Beach – a sleepy little community about an hour and a half outside of Sydney. We sat on the deck of this beautiful old stone and wood home enjoying family and friends and the view of the old boat shed.

Marie whipped up a lovely salad and I ventured into the local prawns with a kaffir lime, garlic and sweet chile glaze. What a way to spend an evening!

The weather has been spotty at best so driving into the country and finding lovely products and produce to start the evening’s test kitchen has been the focus of the day. (Looking for the elusive Koala has been right up there on the list. But it is day 6 and not a one in sight!)

Let me tell you – finding an abundance of ingredients to have at any meal is will put you in the poor house in a matter of minutes. These country roads are a “Farm To Table” paradise.

Scott is off working on his prints with Andrew Kidman at his charming little farm up in the hills of Uki. We wondered driving up there, why a surf photographer, filmmaker would live this far out from the coast. Then we arrived only 30 minutes later to find that not only was the drive up from Byron Bay a hop and skip, but the views and aromas could suck any sea faring bloke right in!

My advice? Start by the sea and, when the rain comes in, go to Nimbin for some good old stuck in the 70's happiness. Even the owls cruise in for some action. You know me and the sea don't like to part ways for anything… But when to rain comes - it comes!!!

We headed to the Highlands for some Koala luvin.... The koala pictured here is Constable. He was rescued by the local police- hence the name!

He is blind from the various diseases affecting the Koala and lives at the rescue sanctuary in Lismore.

We saw the Koalas being cared for at the sanctuary. What a wonderful day!!!!

So here we are, smiling big and bellies full, having eaten a wonderful meal on top of the valley at a "Farm to Table" restaurant called Harvest.

What a delicious and amazing adventure it’s been.

Bumpin in the Bayou

Well what a tough month it has been.

We’ve been traveling here and there just to tempt the tummy…

No sooner had we returned from our stormy Mexican fiesta than I jumped right back in the saddle and headed to the French Quarter for food, jazzy blues, history and community support.

The Brad Pitt 9th Ward project is so special - a floating house and all.

I believe that one of these celebrity chef's should take their talents to the hard hit areas so that tourists will venture out of your comfort zone to really support the need. (Are you listening Mr. Pitt, Ms. Spicer, and Mr. Besh?)

Moving On…

New Orlean's isn't big on wayfaring but they sure are friendly and kind with directions. Southern hospitality is always lovely.

So here are some of my top spots from this trip:

Cafe Dumonde - Our first morning treat came from the ever bustling shop ( a little bit of a tourist trap but for good reason…) 800 Decatur St. on the river in the Quater. Great coffee and beingets and that's it - who needs anything else to start your day

Lola's - Best paella and the most mouth watering, buttery smooth chocolate cake i ever have wrapped my tongue around… 3312 Esplenade (A little bit of a drive but well worth it - Have the Sangria!)

Atchafalaya Restaurant - The best meal of our trip - Fried green Tomatoes. Awesome Bloody Mary with pickled beans and ockra 901 Louisiana Ave - over by the Garden District off Magazine Street

The Gumbo Shop- for a quick lunch of traditional gumbo. 630 St Peter's St. (By the church and there is one of the oldest bars on this street Pat Obrien's and the Old Absinthe House)

Try a Sazerac - my new favorite cocktail !!!! Rye and bitters, splash of pernod to season the glass, a little sugar, twist of lemon and 3 ice cubes.

Bayona- The best I had in my quest… Beautiful courtyard and great staff 430 Dauphine St

The last few “musts” for any trip to the Bayou:

Go to Frenchman St for music any night there are bars and music venues bumpin!

Get your hair done at Urban Angel on Magazine St for a great color and cut .....

Shop on Magazine St for anything fun and funky or sweet.....

Fried alligator at Cochon

Spicy grilled pork ribs with watermelon pickle with Cochon

Root beer float with Catdaddy Moonshine at Cochon

Barbecue shrimp over grits with a uniquely wonderful etouffe type sauce - Dick and Jenny's

Buffet lunch at Matt and Naddie's

Charcuterie plate at Dantes

Pickled Peanuts at Dante's

Meat Loaf at Ignatius

Fried Chicken and potato salad at Willie Mays Scotch House

Praline Bacon at Elizabeth's

Coffee at Croissant d'or

Muffuletta and off beat food items at Central Grocery

THE CRESENT CITY FARMER"S MARKET - support the community wherever you are or go....

Best Sazerac at Atmosphere

Best Sazerac the Swizzle Stick Bar

Best restaurant tee shirts - Lucy's Retired Surfer's Bar or the Cochon "corn star"

Best Local Art - Jackson Square

My favorite stop for bloody's in the afternoon - Pirates Alley

Favorite late night - D.B.A. or anything on Frenchman Street and don’t forget Vaughn's on Thursdays

Favorite dive bar - Buffa's on Esplenade

Favorite wine shop/bar - W.I.N.O.

The Best Shoe store ever: Trashy Diva on Chartres St.

Best thrift shopping: Bargain Center on Dauphine and the other Bywater shops

Hotel i wish I stayed at: Loft 523

Best Salon (and you know that's what really get's me to the Bayou) - Urban Angels on Magazine

Insider Tip: If you want the real deal last call spot go to Buffa's on Esplenade but do it before the bartenders tip the bottle al little too hard but this was our last night cap spot every night and they remember your libation of choice when you walk in the door. Nothing fancy!!!!

Port of Call Best burgers even though I don't eat them - I could tell by the crouds, the referals and the cases of empty meat on the street every night. Located on Esplenade across from our hotel

Melrose Mansion - ask for the honeymoon suite and you will experience the most beautiful nights sleep without breaking the bank.

Places We Wish We Tried On This Trip

Saturn Bar - we tried and tried and will try again

Upperline and Restaurant Patois - heard the chef's hit up the Tuesday markets!!!!!

Gautreau's

Mandina's

My favorite spot which I missed this trip -Atchafalaya - they don't get the press they deserve!!!!

Lola's Chocolate cake - still hoping for the recipe!

Elizabeth's for prailine bacon breakfast - 601 Gallier st. in Marigny

Mat & Naddie's is like something we would open if we ventured south - 937 Leonidas St on the river way down by Tuelane

Brigtsen's and Dante's on dante street - referred by many

Cochon… Unfortunately, the chef and his side kick's were the most impersonal and uninviting people I met on the trip so we opted out and went to August for a truly opulent and romantic meal.

We did support the Cresent City Farmer's Market at a benefit food tasting with Alice Water's - as my staff refer's to me as ghetto waters for my like minded view on food and life and community service, It was a fullfilled dream before I die to meet her . She was everything and more and I am still bubbly over the experience....