Food Heaven

Have you heard about this book!

Phaidon who produces beautiful books, just published it (2013). Do you see how they've printed on the book edge as well--it goes all the way around. Inside, the pages are clean, no fuss and loaded with information.

It's just about restaurants. Here's an excerpt from the preface: 

we sent questionnaires to an international line-up of leading chefs, asking them to tell us where they go for breakfast, where they eat late at night, where they think is a bargain, and which high-end restaurants they like to go to for a treat.

Organized by geographic region -- Oceania, Asia, Europe, Africa, North America and South America -- you can travel the globe or stay somewhere near home to judge one of these establishments for yourself. The U.S. restaurants are in large cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. And with a large selection in Europe you know what that means: this book is coming with me (in spite of the heft) and I will share what I find.

The book as well as the on line synopsis indicate there is an iPhone and iPad app. Until they are available I will travel with the hardback version of Where Chefs Eat. 

Update: Thanks for the info from Adrián. The iPhone and iPad apps are due out in early February.

A Good Book

A dear friend gave me a fantastic book to help me prepare for and make the most of my travels. The title is Writing Away. It's a lovely little guide to journaling about your adventures. The author, Lavinia Spaulding, provides oodles of hints and ideas to make your journal fun and layered. Because of this book I started blogging prior to my trip rather than waiting until the the plane takes off.

While on the topic of books here are a couple of reads to wet your travel appetite.

• Paris, My Sweet takes you through a year+ with Amy Thomas  as she works and lives in Paris sampling pastries and chocolates along the way.

• The Shoemaker's Wife  is by Adriana Trigiani and if you haven't read anything by her, you must go now, and read Big Stone Gap. Yes, it's a mushy love story but it's smart and fun and set in the Blue Ridge mountains. I can almost imagine the fall leaves crunching under my shoes now as I think about it. The Shoemaker's Wife is more of an epic novel spanning the lives of several characters, but no less captivating or endearing. I've added a chalet in the Italian alps to my travels because of this book.