Ask any seasoned New Yorker and they will inevitably tell you that Fall is THE BEST time of the year to be in the city. I think that most people are big fans of Fall, regardless of residency, but New Yorkers seem to be passionate about it. The colors, the cuisine, the wardrobe, Hocus Pocus marathons and PUMPKIN EVERYTHING – these are some of the things we love about Fall. It’s also such a great transition (oh, “the ENERGY!”). First of all, there’s NYFW (new york fashion week, duh). New Yorkers love Fall so much that they kick it off by focusing on Spring. Winter isn’t even given a thought here (we’re still in denial). In a few short weeks, we go from relentlessly complaining about the heat to relentlessly complaining about the snow. I just want to have my pumpkin spice cake and eat it too! With Fall, I can! Unless I’m in anyway connected to #NYFW, because then I can’t have anything to eat at all. (Exception to the exception: I can have something to eat during #nyfw but only if that something is avocado toast from Jack’s Wife Freda and I post a staged and filtered Instagram photo along with it.) Anyways, I digress. Fall is truly the best time of the year in New York!

That said, like any season, all good things must come to an end. Some of you may have noticed my lengthy absence this summer (just say yes, you most certainly did… wink;)) and perhaps you have been wondering where the hell I was. Well, the answer is, all over the effing place for a bajillion different insanely exciting reasons. Here are the highlights:

While I was away I happened to finish school, celebrate another year on this planet, visit my first New York emergency room and stuffed my face with every delicious thing I could find... Who gains weight during bikini season?! Well, I do and I’m ok with that. It was worth every last bite!

a brief run down of summer:

Thanks to one of Robert’s dearest friends, I had the amazing opportunity to meet one of the most legendary and inspirational figures in the culinary world, Chef Thomas Keller. Known throughout the culinary world as “Chef”, he single handedly set the bar for American cuisine. Visiting his legendary restaurant The French Laundry, in Yountville, California has been a dream of mine for so long and this summer I was able to not only meet the great Chef at his New York gem Per Se, but I had the privilege of also dining at the French Laundry in August. It was truly a full circle moment for me and I will never forget it.

with Chef, in the kitchens of Per Se.

an array of Colgin wines.

menu and table setting at Amex's Per Se dinner.

just expressing an opinion.

sweets.

kitchen tour.

hanging on every last word!!

meeting the fabulous Ann Colgin.

outside of The French Laundry.

the famous blue door.

i can make this!

my favorite dish, pearls & oysters, served first at Per Se & French Laundry.

the lobstah.

and again, with very full bellies.

a peek at the new kitchen under construction.

sense of urgency.

inside the very busy temporary kitchen.

top moment!!

My experiences at Per Se and French Laundry sandwiched my completion of culinary school, where, ironically, we cooked Thomas Keller’s recipes on my last day. I had the privilege of making these salmon cornets, which were served at the Amex Per Se dinner in June and at our French Laundry dinner in August. Who made it best?!?

salmon tartare with sweet red onion creme fraiche served in a cornet.

the cornet batter.

spreading the cornets.

preparing for the oven.

freshly rolled cornets, leaving me with very sensitive finger tips!

salmon tartare.

cooling cornets, ready to be filled.

prep area.

Now, what brought us to French Laundry in the first place? After starting and building his company from an idea with his best friend, my wonderful husband sold his baby this summer and since then, we have been busy exploring next steps. I cannot fully express how proud I am of him and how exciting the past few weeks have been for us. We have been traveling all over the country for friends, new business opportunities, and we’re also remodeling our house in North Carolina, which brings me to another point on the transition of this Fall. In just a few short weeks, our time in New York will be coming to an end and we will be making North Carolina our home base.

So, in the past few weeks, I have come full circle in many ways: Per Se to French Laundry, New York back to North Carolina, and from “an endless pursuit in creativity” to having an actual purpose once again! I still plan to share endless rants on great restaurants with you all and perhaps even some recipes, once I get into a kitchen that’s bigger than a New York taxi. Until then, we’ll be busy living up our last few weeks here in the city!

In a last ditch effort to eat up everything in NY, I am throwing in my knives for the month and tackling my dining wish list. Anything you want to see in particular? Shoot me an email and give me some requests!

Onto the next thing!