A rainy Newark run, a beach day at Penfield, Firehouse Deli and Chicken Francese in Fairfield, and a long drive to Tampa to move a daughter into her next chapter — food as fuel, family as the point.
What I Ate This Week: Backyard Ribs, Fourth of July Feasts & a Penne alla Nerano (Jun 29–Jul 5)
Smoked ribs with Fireball, a last-minute orecchiette that saved a hot Wednesday night, Shaggy Coos steaks on Tuesday, and a Fourth of July backyard party that had no business being as good as it was.
What I Ate This Week: Sausage Sandwiches, Seafood & a Daughter’s Big Interview (Jun 22–28)
City pizza slices, local oysters in Rowayton, a bank vault burger in NYC & Colony Grill to close — a full week of eating in Fairfield County and beyond.
What I Ate This Week: Farm Runs, NYC Pizza Hunts & a Barcelona Night to Remember (Jun 1–7)
A week of farm runs and risotto in Easton, a NYC pizza tour that finally hit its limit, happy hour with my daughter in midtown, a Barcelona tapas night in Westport, and a bathroom renovation that needed two tries to get right.
What I Ate This Week: NYC Pizza Kicks, Backyard Ribeyes & a Stunning Sunday Lunch in Old Saybrook (May 25–31)
From a failed Joe’s Pizza attempt to oysters at Fresh Salt in Old Saybrook — this week covered NYC pizza spots, a Fairfield taco bar miss, backyard ribeyes from Shaggy Coos Farm, and a waterfront Sunday lunch worth every mile.
What I Ate This Week: Tacos in Newtown, Two-Pasta Nights, and a Rainy Memorial Day Feast (May 18 – May 25)
Tacos and margs in Newtown, NYC barbecue and gelato on a 90-degree day, a two-pasta night with Caraluzzi’s guanciale, a celebration dinner at Spiga in New Canaan for a new job and a Series 7 pass, and a rainy Memorial Day turned indoor feast.
What I Ate This Week: A Vintage Watch, Eataly Pasta, Sinclair Wagyu & Italian Gardens in the Making (May 11 – May 17)
A vintage Italian Swatch arrives. Eataly delivers a perfect Cotto e Pomodoro panino. Massimo’s bacon and egg redeems itself. A Wagyu ribeye at The Sinclair steals the week. Plants from Seven Maples, mulch from Maple Row, the debut of The Sicilian Palmer, and the slow build of a Tuscan-style Italian garden in Easton.
What I Ate This Week: A Cross-Country Drive, A Graduation, and a Steakhouse in Thomasville (Apr 27 – May 3)
A graduation-week road trip from Connecticut to Florida and back. An Italian Combo in Trumbull, La Toscana at All’Antico, tapas at Barcelona, charm and a Philly Toastie in Thomasville, an unforgettable steakhouse dinner at St. James, and birria in Savannah on the long drive home.
What I Ate This Week: Vodka Sauce Mondays, Pizza Nights & A Steak Frites Saturday (Apr 20 – 26)
A week of leftovers that earned their second life, a carbonara lunch in the city, a steak dinner with the in-laws, three pies from Good Old Days, steak frites at Martel in Fairfield, and a Sunday cavatelli takeout from Romanacci.
What I Ate This Week: Ham Sandwiches, Farm Steaks & an MBA Finish (Apr 6 – 12)
Leftovers, a Mighty Quinn’s brisket bowl that ended dinner, Shaggy Coos steaks on the grill, an MBA finish, a flooded basement, and Romanacci saving Friday night. A light week — until it wasn’t.
What I Ate This Week: Flooded Basement, Barcelona Tapas & Orecchiette Sunday (Mar 16–21)
A wild week in Connecticut — from cleaning up a flooded basement to stunning tapas at Barcelona Wine Bar, March Madness wings at Cover 2, and a Sunday orecchiette dinner with Calabrian peppers and Chianti.
We’re Taking My Italian Mom to Sicily for the First Time — Here’s Our 5-Day Plan for Cefalù
We’re taking a group of seven — including my 100% Italian mom who has never set foot in Italy — to Cefalù, Sicily this fall. Here’s our full 5-day plan: an Airbnb in the old town, the best cannoli of cannoli season, fresh seafood dinners, and slow days on one of Italy’s most beautiful beaches.