10. In ‘N ‘Out Burger – OK, this is not high class cuisine, folks, but it IS an LA institution. With a location located just around the corner from LAX, this is the perfect place for a quick refuel after a long flight and an even longer wait for the much-needed rental car. The menu is very limited – burgers, fries and shakes – but it’s a fun introduction to La La Land.

9. Breakfast at Mel’s Drive-In – Again, not fine dining but it’s cheap and cheerful, which makes it perfect for breakfast. The West Hollywood location was the former home of Ben Franks, a restaurant that fed luminaries like the Rolling Stones and Andy Warhol. It’s 50-seat patio facing Sunset Blvd. is a great spot for people watching and soaking up the So-Cal vibe.

8. Peach Ginger Lemonade at, well,  Lemonade – Lemonade captures the L.A. spirit of adventure in food, an appreciation for the freshest seasonal ingredients, and a desire to reinterpret familiar dishes with unexpected twists. The concept is best described as Seasonal Southern California Comfort Food in a fast-casual cafeteria setting. This place caught my eye on hip Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice Beach as I was looking for a cool, refreshing beverage following a leisurely walk through the Venice Canals. In addition to the seven lemonades available (blueberry mint, watermelon rosemary, cucumber mint, peach ginger, old fashioned, blood orange and Arnold Palmer), Lemonade is a comfortable place where locals and visitors enjoy a rotating daily spread of deliciousness: from ruggedly roasted Brussels sprouts to grain salads from around the world to stewed short ribs falling off the bone. Yum! I will definitely be spending more time here the next time I visit.

7. Pineapple mojitos at The Mondrian Hotel – I was lucky enough to have stayed at the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood during my last visit. Home to one of the city’s top tables, Asia de Cuba, and hottest bars, Skybar, this hotel is teaming with celebrities and celebrity wannabes. As guests of the hotel, my friend and I had the pleasure of dining and imbibing poolside each afternoon. While the views of Los Angeles are probably the best in the city and the menu, which is prepared by Asia de Cuba, was great (albeit very pricey), what stood out in my mind were the cocktails, in particular the pineapple mojitos. They were so refreshing, we ordered a pitcher every day!

6. Food trucks galore! – L.A. is the birthplace of the food truck revolution and it is here that you will find the most creative and diverse meals on wheels around. I have to admit, I wasn’t on a mission to track them down so I didn’t see that many. But, the one that stands out in my mind is Cool Haus ice cream sandwiches. For $5, you get to customize your ice cream sandwich by first choosing the cookie (chocolate chip, hot cake, vegan carrot, snickerdoodle, potato chip and skor or red velvet) and then the ice cream (vanilla bean, strawberry, brown butter and candied bacon, mint chip, nutella toasted almond, sea salt caramel, OREO or strawberry mojito sorbet). It even comes wrapped in an edible wrapper so there is no need to waste! The combinations are endless and if I lived in the California heat, I’d be hitting up this truck every second day. The other truck I came across was Baby’s Badass Burgers. The burgers looked delish and I promised myself I would seek this baby out the next time I’m in town.

5. Artichoke Salad at The Ivy – I have been to L.A. many times but never quite made it to The Ivy on Robertson Boulevard, another one of the city’s institutions. Here, you are almost guaranteed to spot a celebrity (which I didn’t) and the paparazzi (which I did). The restaurant is known for its seasonal California cuisine. To be honest, I expected to be disappointed given its touristy nature but I loved my lunch – a beautiful whole artichoke steamed to perfection, filled with fresh greens, sweet tomatoes and paired with a beautiful mustard-like dipping sauce. It was to-die-for delicious. A bit pricey but worth every penny.

4.  Santa Monica Farmers Market (Arizona Avenue, between 4^th and Ocean) – Located in downtown Santa Monica on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, the market is committed to promoting healthful eating and sustainable agriculture in California by providing fresh agricultural products from small farms to urban customers. From artichokes to pistachios, you will find fresh bounty that is indigenous to the beautiful state of California. It is also a great place to people watch.

3. Border Grill – After spending the morning at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, we made our way to Border Grill, a vibrant Mexican cantina co-owned by Susan Feniger of Food Network’s Top Chef Masters.  Located just one block east of the 3rd Street Promenade, this is a casual, inexpensive spot to refuel…and the food is fantastic. My favourite? The Mexican  Chopped Salad, chock full of charred corn, roasted peppers, green chickpeas, avocado, tomato, apple, tortilla chips  and cumin vinaigrette . Add a protein and you’re good to go.

2. Mr. Chow Beverly Hills - I make it a point to hit Mr. Chow every time I visit the city. Sure, it’s touristy (due to the guaranteed sightings of Hollywood’s biggest stars) and you are crammed into tables like sardines but the food is impeccable.  Known for his Beijing Duck and other Chinese delicacies, Chef Eddie Wong has headed up the kitchen for over 30 years. Order off the menu or do as most do (as I did) and let the chef cook for you. It’s a great way to try things you might not normally try and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. The Los Angeles Times says it best: “Mr. Chow remains an impossibly chic spot that draws the rich, famous and well-heeled decades after its debut in Beverly Hills”.

1. Gjelina - If I had to pick one place that’s not to be missed, this would be it, hands down. Located in Venice Beach on hipster-laden Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Gjelina wreaks of understated cool. Go for brunch, as it is has one of the most unique brunch menus I’ve ever seen – sunny duck egg with duck confit-potato hash and grainy mustard; poached eggs with farro, maitake mushroom, roasted squash and sage pesto; crispy fingerlings with truffle oil, herbs and parmesan. Yum!

I am counting down the days to my next visit. My friend and I agreed we’d make this city a yearly girls’ weekend destination. I can only imagine what eating adventures await next time.

To get from Naples to Sorrento and everywhere in between, including Pompeii, you have to take the Circumvesuviana train, which is best described as a Toronto TTC subway from the 1930′s. It is slow, it is hot, it is crowded and it can be a downright painful journey, especially in rush hour. There are approximately 40 stops between Naples and Sorrento and with the train chugging along at a snail’s pace, or even stopping for no apparent reason at all, the ride can take up to an hour and 15 minutes.

When my mom and I decided to take the Circumvesuviana from Sorrento to Pompeii, we packed a lot of patience and looked forward to the adventure. Little did we know we would get a very pleasant surprise along the way.

Three or four stops into our journey, a group of young Italian men came on board with musical instruments in hand (cello, guitar, tamberine, etc.). They serenaded our car with three songs, before moving on to the next. This totally made our day, as it was such a unique and authentic Italian experience.

I remember watching  David Rocco in an episode of Le Dolce Vita where he was shopping in Florence’s famed Mercato Centrale. From that moment on, I knew that if I ever found myself in Florence again, I would make my way there. My mom was such a sweetheart, patiently following me around Italy as I looked for the best food finds.

Dating back to 1874, the Mercato Centrale, which is also referred to as San Lorenzo Mercato, is Florence’s oldest and largest food market. It reminds me of Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market, with its stalls devoted to fresh meat and fish, as well as salumi (cold cuts), cheese, fresh pasta, olive oil, jam, truffle butter and local produce.

Even if you don’t buy anything, it is still worth a look-see. When we dropped by, there was a food tour taking place, olive oil tastings and loads of local produce and meats available for sampling. Next time I visit, I plan to pick up some rustic Italian bread, local cheeses, olives and a bottle of wine and head over to Piazza Santa Maria Novella for a picnic in the sun. Salute!

If you ever have the chance to walk along the streets in any Italian city, pay attention to the shop windows. Here is a little sampling of what you will see. Food porn at its best.

My mom and I easily had one of the best meals in our entire lives in Florence recently. In fact, every time I think about it, my mouth waters and I wish I didn’t live so far away. We discovered it on our third night in Florence and wished we could have eaten there every night. Don’t get me wrong. We enjoyed many wonderful meals during our two week stay in Italy. But, the meal we had a La Cucina del Garga easily stood out amongst the rest.

Located behind the Mercato Centrale of the San Lorenzo district, La Cucina del Garga is a bit off the beaten path on Via San Zanobi.  Owned and operated by Canadian ex-pats, the restaurant welcomes customers through brightly colored doors and a quirky dining room that is decorated with art work by Florentine artists Rapisardi, Vadala, Giambaccio, mamma Sharon and babbo Garga.

All guests are greeted with a glass of prosecco and the simplest yet most delicious bruschetta imaginable. It consisted of focaccia topped with nonna’s secret marinara sauce and little drizzle of olive oil. I could have eaten this all night long and been very satisfied.

Chef Alessandro Gargani’s menu is a mixture of traditional Florentine and Tuscan dishes with a modern, innovative twist. Here’s is what we enjoyed for dinner:

Sauteed baby artichoke hearts with parmagiano reggiano and toasted pistachios

Tagliatelle del ‘Magnifico’ – Fresh fettucine with orange and lemon zest, mint and parmigiano in a cream brandy sauce (my entree)

Strozzapreti con pesto di pistachio di Bronte e pomordini – Fresh twisted penne with pistachios and cherry tomato sauce (my Mom’s entree)

We washed this wondefrul meal down with, what else, a lovely bottle of Chianti.

This restaurant is a must the next time you visit Florence.

La Cucina del Garga, San Lorenzo Market , Via San Zanobi 33, http://garga.it/english.html