What do you get when you combine 1400 cupcakes, delicious recipes, a team of talented folks, a week of photography, 50 lbs of butter and sugar and plenty of code and technology?

Food Network’s Cupcakes! App, and folks let me tell you how incredible the entire experience was. This app for the iPad contains more than 100 cupcake and frosting recipes, and if I was a glutton I’d tell you I actually tasted most of them. But I’m not (wink wink) and I only tried 99 or so, give or take one or two.

Now that the app is out it’s such a delight to sit back and scroll through the recipes and watch the videos, but there was quite a bit of work that goes into making an application of this magnitude. Lots of meetings, plenty of discussions, and that’s just before we even set foot into the studio to begin the main photography. Once we were in our groove it became a wonderful yet serious endeavor, with dozens of cupcakes baked, frosted and decorated, sets constructed, frames animated, images approved, and so on. This doesn’t even count the amazing design work that happened after photography, and trust me when I say this as I’m sure I could be biased: it’s one fantastic  application.

And the recipes? Solid and thorough, tested like crazy from the Food Network kitchens in New York. One day I’ll even share with you my favorite cupcake from the entire app (hint: it’s savory, not sweet!). But first you’ll need to buy the app from itunes. You’ll love it.

Until then how about some behind the scenes images?

A messy studio is a productive studio. Well, that’s what I kept saying as we began to be overrun with these sweet treats. And props. And surfaces. Since shooting this we’ve expanded the studio, thank goodness. But there is something fun about being up to your eyeballs in cupcakes, even if the powers-that-be kept their eyes on you so that you wouldn’t eat them.

Here we are working on one of the animations from the application. Have you seen it? I still chuckle every time, it’s adorable. And the cupcakes are delicious. I keep saying there’s a skinny elf in this image over on the computer but really, that’s just Armando who came in from NYC to assist and save the day on numerous occasions. I love you, Mando!

Look, it’s the elf again. The application not only contains recipes but tips and tricks about frosting as well as having the right gear on hand to create many of the cupcakes. Here’s an extreme overhead shot.

Adam works on another animation, this time featuring candy bees and a hive made out of cupcakes. Quite possibly my favorite bit of the application.

For a week the studio became a fine-tuned cupcake factory (we even installed a 3rd oven!), and batches of cupcake cooled throughout the studio. It was quite a sight to see.

Here’s Alexis, Adam’s assistant extraordinaire. I asked her to perform double duty and hand model for one of these scenes. You couldn’t ask for a better person to work with, we love her so much. She doesn’t even slap me when I print out photos of her from facebook and stick them to the kitchen ceiling. Not yet, at least.

More cupcakes awaiting their close up!

You know you’re fancy when you’re building custom-made props and boxes for cupcakes, right? Of course, them gems deserved nothing less. And when you can’t find exactly what you need you make it yourself, no?

And lastly, here are a few more screen shots from the app. You can buy yours from the iTunes store here. Thanks so much to Deb and Mory and everyone at Food Network. A very special thanks to the design team for making such a beautiful and intuitive application, it’s an honor to be involved! Now go eat a cupcake!

Friends, I want to tell you a few things.

First, that glorious photo of me was taken by the amazing Gabriel Goldberg. A beautiful man who only photographs beautiful people and celebrities. Gabriel, I want to say thank you for lowering your standards by agreeing to photograph me.

Second, there is an event coming up where I will discuss the worlds of photography and social media, and it should be rather fun.

Third, the copy for this program was written by my friend and fellow Texan Kim Phipps, and please note that I would never under any circumstances refer to myself as a superstar. NEVER. Ugh! Dork? Yes. Weirdo? Yes. Funky fresh? Perhaps. But “superstar” should be reserved for those with fan clubs or discussion of Karen Carpenter songs. NOT ME. Now that I have that out of the way, let’s continue.

This event, put on by the American Society of Picture Professionals, takes place Saturday, May 19th from 9:30am to 1pm in Culver City, California. The ASPP is a community of image experts committed to sharing experiences and knowledge throughout the industry, and I’m really looking forward to a robust discussion about social media and food photography with everyone. I have absolutely no intention of standing before a crowd for 3 1/2 hours so I will be preparing a song and dance number from NBC’s recent smash “Smash”. My god I love that show.

All joking aside, I really do hope you can make it. Since this focuses on food photography and social media, it would be great to meet and hear your story about social media and how it connects us all, too. And we can talk about food photography, which is always something I could do for hours and hours until Adam tells me to wrap it up and stop talking.

And yea, he’ll be there too so you can ask some food styling questions if you have them!

Click on over to Eventbrite to register for this event and I really do hope to see you there!

This is a story about winter citrus. More specifically, it’s a story about finding a day to play in a photo studio, complete with beautiful props and gorgeous styling. It’s a story dedicated to free form (there are no recipes here!), to abundant light, to taking it slow and easy during the new year, but mostly it’s a story about bright happy little fruit that inspires me.

As we enter another year (and I blog another year longer), I always come to citrus in January. Maybe because citrus represents the best of what the world has to offer. Maybe it’s the fruit’s inherent sparkle, the zing it brings to all things sweet and savory. Maybe because it’s not necessarily fleeting, but like a good strong friend that makes you smile because you know it has your back. Am I anthropromorphizing too much? Indeed I am. But I can’t help it. I guess I’m just tapping into the thousands and thousands of years that we have embraced lemons, limes, and oranges, and they are as much a part of our world as the air that we breathe.

It’s also a story about the things we like to make using citrus.

I develop a certain kind panic when I realize I’m out of lemons in my kitchen. Next to garlic, some sea salt and a few good knives, I feel like I should always have lemons on hand just in case. A quick search of my archives reveals why: lemon cupcakes, lemondrops (the adult cocktail, thankyouvermuch), lemon roasted just-about-anything, vinaigrettes, sparking sodas, my list goes on. Swap the lemon for a pomelo or blood orange and I’ll keep going. I can’t stop. The following ideas and recipes are ways we love to use citrus at home. And like I mentioned before, there are no recipes, and I hope that’s ok with you. Consider these images as starting points for future kitchen excursions. It’s January, we should all take it easy for just a little while longer, don’t ya think?

Mini Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Yes, I am starting with dessert first. Begin with lemon or vanilla cupcakes, scoop out a tiny bit of the center, pipe in lemon curd and top with Italian meringue. Torch the top ever so slightly. Devour like a madman. Oops, that was me, sorry.

 Raw Vegetable Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

You can feel the crunch now, can’t you? Raw, crisp veggies and a handful of garbanzo beans drizzled with  a vinaigrette made with lemon juice, champagne vinegar, shallots, olive oil, Dijon mustard, a teensy amount of grated lemon peel, a pinch of sugar. It could not be easier. And you know how I feel about pre-made dressings and vinaigrette. Why would you when this is just so easy? Bonus points: you can use this as a dip and on sandwiches and subs.

Lemon Meringue Cake

Hey, this looks familiar, don’t it? That’s right. A buttercake is layered with lemon curd, once again topped with meringue and torched. It was as delicious as it was pretty.

Pink Lemonade

Pink lemonade is your standard lemonade with a splash of cranberry juice for color. It’s how it gets its pink. I’m all for it, but I like to add a small amount of grapefruit juice for tartness and – in the tiniest amount possible – a pinch of sea salt. Too much ruins it, just a tiny bit adds some depth. You must have plenty of ice. Must.

 Oven Roasted Trout

Sliced lemon wedges, sprigs of thyme, sea salt, whole trout. Dinner is served. And as a whole fish kind of guy it’s moments like this when I value a really great relationship with a fishmonger. Although I’m no stranger to getting out there and catching it myself. Lemon and fish is a natural combination but you know what’s a better combo? This dish and my mouth.

Lemon Roasted Chicken

Oh, you beautiful bird, you. The stuff simple and easy dinners are made of. We always roast our chicken with slices of lemon (with larger halved lemons inside the cavity), shallots, salt, pepper, and just about any kind of fresh herb you have on hand. You can make it even better by making a gravy from the lemony pan drippings. And you see those potatoes? They’re roasted red potatoes topped with ricotta and lemon zest. Roast first, give ‘em a squeeze to break them open, top to your heart’s content. Literally a perfect dinner.

Candied Citrus Cake

Something that couldn’t be easier but with fantastic citrus flare. A traditional butter cake with candied lemon, orange, and blood orange slices with spoonfuls of syrup.  To candy the citrus slices, boil and rinse three times to reduce bitterness then simmer in a mixture of equal parts sugar and water for 45 minutes, until translucent. Arrange cooled slices on top of the cake and spoon over the syrup.

Lemon Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

What? Yet another sweet treat? That’s right. Because we were inspired by citrus sweets while at the studio we didn’t mind going into sugar-overload. Just use common sense, please. These cupcakes use plenty of lemon juice and zest in the cake, with just a very simple vanilla buttercream on top along with some happy sprinkles. Bright and happy, just like I like my desserts.

 How do you like to use citrus?

Many thanks to my gorgeous better half who styles with such grace and flair. Thanks to Found Vintage Rentals for the amazing furniture props. I live for these creative playdates! All photos and prop styling by yours truly.

Well folks, we’re about to say goodbye to another year and I can’t think of a better way to ring it in than with a new banner! You know I like to update things now and then, and just the other day we finished a big citrus story at the studio for ourselves (yes, self-assignments are important!) and as I was looking around at the bowls of lemons and oranges I thought it’d make a bright happy new banner. Full confession: I’ve resorted to bright bowls of lemons before for my header banner. I just can’t help it. Clearly I’m not above repeating myself.

This year I thought of doing something a bit different using some of my favorite ceramics from Mud Australia. Yes, I’ve also been on quite an Australian kick. At any rate, I painted a surface a very light blue and arranged the assorted blue bowls from our collection.

WOULD YOU LOOK AT THOSE BLUES? I’m drooling. After I had them where I wanted them I  placed some happy little lemons, oranges, kumquats and leaves inside them and snapped away.

I opened everything in photoshop to make sure it was where I needed it to be. I updated the type for 2012 and voila! done!

From me and Adam to you and your family….we are wishing you a very happy and healthy 2012! What a year it’s been!

All these 15+ hour trips to Asia and it’s been less than 3 hours away this whole time?

Alright, ok, please don’t get out a map to prove me wrong. I’m being silly and I realize that nothing can compare to actually spending time eating from Hawker Stalls in Singapore or exploring a fish market in Busan.

Well, almost nothing.

I recently spent 2 days eating in Richmond, British Columbia as part of the Explore Like A Local Sweepstakes put on by Travel + Leisure and the Canadian Tourism Commission. They asked if I’d like to eat my way through any city in Canada and write about my experience in hopes of exciting others enough to enter to win my itinerary. I picked Vancouver – an easy trip up the West Coast of North America which would allow me to maximize my travel time. Part of this Vancouver experience would be visiting Richmond, British Columbia’s 4^th largest city and nestled directly next to Vancouver. While it’s no secret that Asian blood must run through my Latino veins (from where it comes from I have no idea!) but what I wasn’t prepared for was this town easily becoming one of my most favorite places on the planet.

Richmond, you rock.

To understand the food in Richmond you must have a quick lesson on demographics and history. Don’t worry, it’s quick. Richmond began to see many immigrants from Hong Kong and throughout Asia after World War II, with a great number flowing in during the 1990s. Currently, Richmond is 65% Asian, 49% of those are Chinese. You’ll find other Asian cultures as well, particularly Southeast Asian as well as a mix of other cultures from all over the world. But this predominately Chinese makeup means restaurants, stores, shops and markets all cater to an Asian population, and visiting and eating is pure heaven for a guy like me.

What you won’t find in Richmond is a central Asian neighborhood, a place that announces itself with a banner or red arches as a gateway to a Chinatown. Here Chinese culture here is woven into every aspect of living, reflected not only in its citizens but also through signage and everyday life. I have never felt more like a visitor in Asia than I did in Richmond, and considering I was still standing in North America my mind was blown away.

Then there’s the food. Oh my goodness, the food.  The New York Times said Richmond has “the best Chinese food outside China” and I’m not going to disagree. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my trips to Asia it’s this: food must be of a certain quality, taste good, be made and served properly…there are definitely standards. Richmond was no different. Each restaurant I visited seemed to outdo the last as I sampled Hong Kong-style comfort foods, Malaysian noodles, a Shanghainese dim sum as well as glorious food courts within 2 distinct Asian malls.

With my Tourism Richmond guide Stacey Chyau we headed to a few places to eat and it eventually became clear that I just couldn’t get enough of Richmond.

Lunch was a dim sum at Shanghai River Restaurant, 7831 Westminster Highway. Marvelous flavors, quite subtle and delicate, with cooks making handmade noodles in the kitchen. Quite possibly the best xiao long bao (soup dumpling) I’ve tasted, with perfect pork filling and enough steaming hot liquid inside to really satisfy. Other highlights included the jelly pork, a slab of gelatin and pork served cold as well as the unsweetened doughnut that’s dipped into slightly sweetened warm soy milk. Fantastic!

Later we headed to the Golden Village neighborhood for a visit to Alexandria Road, also known as Food Street. Get this: over 200 Asian restaurants within a 3-block radius. OVER 200! Yes yes yes yes yes. I’m already planning a trip to return. Our triplicate-dinner began at Cattle Café, 1020-8580 Alexandra Road, for a bowl of Laksa followed by Ginger Deep Fried Chicken Wings. We finished our meal at this bright, modern fun spot with Condensed Milk and Butter Toast. Think French Toast with lotus jam between two eggy slices and dipped in honey and yes, it was as fantastic as it sounds. We also dove into Bubble Waffles before finishing our Hong Kong-style Milk Tea & Coffee, a perfect combo of tea and coffee made with evaporated milk. Definitely East meets West.

Second on our list included a stop at Claypot Hot Pot and BBQ, 105-8291 Alexandra Road. As it began to drizzle and the temperature dropped I could think of nothing better than a stop for Hot Pot. We mixed our condiments into the perfect dipping sauce as we waited for our giant pot filled with two liquids of our choice to arrive. Once on the table it bubbled as we dipped a variety of vegetables and meats like lamb, pork, chicken and crunchy fish skin into the hot liquid. And when I say hot I mean that on both fronts: the spicy liquid was an oily combination of black and pink peppercorns, entire chiles, chile oil and spices that needed to be spicy enough to season your meat once removed. Too much of the hot broth on your food rendered your mouth numb and not much use for a minute or two. When that happened my mouth found refuge in the much milder side of the pot that contained a very simple gingery broth meant for greens and veggies. I really dig this style of communal eating, even if my mouth was temporarily incapacitated!

The third spot on our Dine Around (don’t you just love that term?) was Jade Seafood Restaurant, 8511 Alexandra Road, a beautiful contemporary restaurant located upstairs in a shopping strip. This award-winning spot was packed with an older crowd enjoying a meal and was the perfect place to end the night. The roasted squab really hit the spot.

The next morning I was up bright and early to explore Yaohan Centre and pay a visit to Osaka, a grocery store that specializes in a whole variety of Asian cuisine. Like many Japanese markets, it was a sparkling, glistening superstore but my guides had to pull me away from this:

If there is a sambal, a gojuchang, a soy sauce, a vinegar, a sriracha, a chile paste or sauce that wasn’t on this aisle then chances are it doesn’t exist. Anywhere. This was nirvana right here and I wanted to stuff my suitcase with one of each. But I didn’t.

After our market visit it was off to Aberdeen Centre, 4151 Hzelbridge Way,  for more dim sum at Fisherman’s Terrace. Those who know me know I can’t pass up a congee EVER so luckily I was able to order a bowl to get my morning started.

A Richmond, Chinese food eye-opener? Light pastry wrapped around things like pork and roast beef. Delicately tender noodles. Things that are so exquisite and special I could cry. Flavors with finesse that I’ll obsess over until I return. Most interesting: A smoked salmon slice on top of ambrosia-style salad over a prawn chip with ribbons of Japanese mayo. This West Coast Fisherman’s Terrace original was unique and unexpected.

My last stop in Richmond was Park Place Mall, a very modern old-school Asian mall. Did that make sense? Old school in the sense that it’s what you’d see pre-sparkling modern Asian shopping center. Filled with herbal, tea, clothing and gadget shops, we were here to check out the humble food court, where I met with a representative and learned that the food court limits the type of restaurants located within so that it represents the best of the best: the best curry shop, the best noodle shop, the best dessert shop, the best bbq shop, the best candy shop, you get the picture. And let me tell you: this place had me hungry all over again.

Of course, there was one place inside Parker Place that everyone kept talking about. Non-stop. It seemed to be on everyone’s mind, a favorite of the locals that wasn’t quite a deli or restaurant but more of a butcher shop. I knew I had to investigate.

Ladies and gentleman, I give you the Parker Place Meat & BBQ shop. Also known as the happiest place on earth. Apologies to Disneyland.

OH. MY. GOD. There are no words to tell you just how delicious their Roast Pork is. It’s easily followed by their BBQ Pork. The long lines into this store easily tell you this pork is a local favorite, ordered freshly chopped in a pound or two, taken home and served with steamed rice and a few sides. Each piece of meat is a study in pork perfection: three distinct layers of meat, fat, and crunchy skin (the skin being thicker than you’d expect) resulting in a crackly brittle break that is a blessed contrast to the warm fat. No, I have tasted nothing better than this pork and felt like a glutton for downing more than my fair share so quickly post dim sum meal. You would have done the exact same. Trust me.

For Tourism Richmond click here, for more information about Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, visit their official page at http://www.richmond.ca/home.htm

Coming up: Vancouver

Hi folks! Just a little quick post to tell you know about this month’s Everyday Food Magazine! I’ve got a quick little feature as well as a new favorite holiday side dish that I will be serving this year! It’s Sweet Potato Fries with Brown-Butter Marshmallow Sauce and you can find it on page 33 of the November issue!

There’s also a few extra questions in the ipad version of Everyday Food as well as the blog, You can read it here! As usual the magazine is filled with fantastic recipes appropriate for the season and I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to make the Turkey & Mashed Potato Potpie that is on the cover. Heck to the yes.

A very special thanks to Anna Last and Merritt Watts! And thank you to Monika Dalkin of Fifty One And A Half for the gorgeous handmade platter!

I want to tell you two things, my gentle readers:

1. Yes, this blog has been very light on food and recipes lately. I have been traveling and photographing quite a bit lately and my assignments have been occupying my time all over the place. Sonoma, Central America, Vancouver, Australia, and many points in between. Once I get my feet back on the ground I promise you I will return to recipes and food.
2. I AM THE LUCKIEST FREAKING MAN ON THE PLANET (next to my dad because he’s married to the most amazing mother on the planet).

This post relates to both of my points, particularly #2. Last month I returned to Jordan Vineyard and Winery in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley to spend two and a half glorious days photographing a variety of environments, products and food. It was harvest season, and just between you and me I seem to end up in some rather fantastic spots during that time of year, and no ma’am, I am not complaining. This year was no different.

You may remember when I wrote about working with Jordan Winery last year. You can read about that here. To work with such lovely people in a dream location is a blessing. This year my assignment was similar but incorporated so many new things that Jordan Winery has going on. I photographed a harvest luncheon as well as lots of bottles of wine and gorgeous food, yet my biggest challenge involved photographing a group of cows who did not want their moment in the spotlight.

Sometimes you hear us photographers talk about waiting for the light, sitting patiently for a perfect moment. I sat there waiting for cows. Indeed I did.

Over the course of 2 days, I’d stop by but the cows would not cooperate. I was assured they’d come when food was brought to them but these cows, well, they ain’t dumb. They took one look at me and hightailed it over the hill, Big Mama never missing a moment to look back at me and give me that look THAT ONLY MOTHERS CAN GIVE. AND MOTHERS READING THIS, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT AND DON’T TRY TO PRETEND YOU DON’T BECAUSE I KNOW YOU USE IT ON YOUR KIDS 289,471 TIMES A DAY.

It’s that look that says “You’ve pushed me too far. Keep pushing and see what happens.”

Needless to say I didn’t push. I’m no dummy.

On the last day, my only moment to photograph these beautiful animals, I instructed those around me (including my assistant Rick) to stay far back. The cows were still avoiding me and in one last ditch effort at levity, realizing I may not complete everything I came her for, I desperately addressed the group.

“Ok ladies, work with me on this! I need you to smile, look directly at me, chew slowly but don’t eat it completely, then take another bite but do this like 3 times in a row. Remember to look at the camera! You’re not eating for real, just for the camera! Go slowly, y’all are gorgeous!”

It’s nothing I haven’t said to someone as I coach them in a photo. And you know what happened? That’s right. It worked.

Big Mama came closer to me, looked directly in the camera, and began eating, taking small bites and repositioning her head after every camera click.

She gave me exactly what I came for, doing the job of a supermodel that has posed for photoshoots for years. Who knows, maybe she has. She never said.

I got my close ups, snapped dozens of photos, put my camera back down and looked at her and said “Thank you. I got what I needed. You are amazing. That’s a wrap!”

The second I said that she turned around, corralled the herd and walked away.

I really had a moment with her.

Speaking of moments, let’s take a look at how I spent my time at Jordan, shall we?

Why am I sad? It’s not because Call Time was 7am because you probably know I’m a SER (that’s Super Early Riser). I was sad because I was freezing!

One big shot involved a beautiful buffet table of amazing food from Executive Chef Todd Knoll. Here I am framing the scene and deciding if I’ll be able to complete it before the light and shadows move. Shooting with natural light means you have to think fast, and if I throw up Photographer Hand Signals like this it will distract everyone from the fact that I am taking sips of wine at 10:38am. KIDDING!!!! I really waited until 11:59am.

I never work without my X-Rite Color Checker Passport. It ensures color accuracy throughout the day as the light changes. What else changes? My waistline, apparently. CHECK OUT THAT BELLY! Ugh. Time for sit-ups.

After we photographed the entire table I went handheld for some details shots. I want you to look at the surroundings. Can you believe how beautiful it is there? Unreal.

Here I am photographing Chef Todd Knoll. Word on the streets is that he used to model back in the day which makes my job that much easier. And I didn’t have to wrangle him like I did those animals earlier.

I’ve earned the reputation as The Most Difficult Person To Work With Ever.* Here I am yelling at everyone. And on the left is my assistant Rick setting up a shot in the dining room. LOOK AT THOSE DOORS. Swoon.

*I’m only kidding. I’m generally easy to work with, I swear. Just DO NOT run your mouth during The Golden Coffee Hour, 6am-7am. Or is it 5am-6am? It’s generally the first hour I wake up. Let’s keep it quiet, y’all. Much appreciated. After that you can talk as much as you want. I know I will.

Here is a video created by Jordan Winery about our Harvest Table shoot. It’s a wonderful glimpse into the process and really exemplifies teamwork. It’s not often that there’s a seamless effort on a shoot, but then that’s Jordan for you. They are amazing and if you ever have a chance to visit them I highly recommend it.

(many of my images appear in the opening collage credits, too!)

Make sure to visit Jordan Winery’s blog, too! Right now there’s a photo contest happening and you should enter. You really should!

Big giant thanks to Lisa Mattson of Jordan Winery and the entire team. You are all so special and I can’t wait to see you again! And thank you to Rick for the BTS photos!

And thank you, ladies!

If you tried texting, calling or emailing me last week chances are you a) never heard back from me or b) reached my voicemail. This was fully intentional as I took some time to head to Palm Springs with the hubby and 3 of the world’s greatest women who just also happen to be our best friends. I purposely unplugged as much as possible, recharged my spirit and spent 5 days just being a lazysonofagun. It’s been exactly 1 year ago since the last time I did anything like this, and I’m continually amazed how a few days with people you love – I mean truly madly love – can erase the crazy from 12 months of everyday life.

Something magical happened when we were together. While my housemates all happen to be powerhouses of blogging and writing, there was an effort made to relax and have fun. We fell into a very relaxed vibe that touched on shoptalk, motivation, sharing dreams and experiences, and aligning goals for the future. No, this wasn’t the booze talking, quite the opposite. We were in a space where dreams were allowed to bubble up to the surface, a place where ideas intersected and became actions. In a sense, we created a salon, to borrow the lovely Brooke Burton’s idea of what our trip became. It also involved wigs. But more on that much later

My re-entry into reality was not only smooth but welcomed, and that’s how you know it went well. I felt as if I learned about my friends and myself this past week as new ideas swirling around and found a home.  As I began to assemble my photo collage I thought I would share the things I learned and am still learning. While it’s not exactly food related I still think it’s worth sharing. I hope you agree!

10.  Have your own salon
While you’re correct in thinking curlers and perms, I’m referring to the old 17th century term as an event where people gathered to learn more about each other. Sure, they were fussy and ornate and a tad pretentious, but no other word seemed to come to mind for our trip, and trust me, there was nothing fussy nor pretentious about our gathering. But it made me realize how wonderful it felt to be with other food bloggers discussing our craft without limits– no tracks, no panel on ethics or paid posts, no corporate sponsors, no seminars or entry fees. It was a good old-fashioned get-together, something I think should happen much more often. Go for it, I say. Call up your friends and enjoy each other. You’ll learn so much.

9. Silliness Is An Asset
I’m the first to admit I’m silly, loud, obnoxious. But there’s something so refreshing, so liberating about being able to just be silly with your friends. There’s photographic evidence that will most likely surface one day, but here’s an example.

Kids shouldn’t be the only ones who get to play dress up. Are you with me?

8. Make A Non-Agenda. Let it Be.
Step back and take a look at how micro-managed our lives are. Playdates, meetings, errands, deadlines, conferences, book proposals, travel, 9-to-5’s, I could go on. And while we need structure to keep things orderly we can certainly unplug from that grid now and then. And when we do it’s miraculous. Restorative. So give yourself a day, an hour, whatever you can spare to do nothing, to just be. Do that with friends and family and it gets even better.

7. Cooking Together Strengthens You. It Saves Your Wallet.
When you put people that love to cook in one house for a few days you’re bound to create some memorable meals. And we did, all for a significant amount cheaper than dining out. And it was natural, fun, easy, but bonding in a way I wasn’t expecting. I cannot wait to cook again with my friends!

6. Laugh As If Your Life Depends On It. Cuz It Does.
We all know laughing is good for our bodies. And while this does relate to #2 it also goes much further. We laughed until we were cried and melted away the stress of everyday life. Easing blood pressure, increasing brain activity, boosting immunity, releasing endorphins, there’s a reason why they say laughter is the best medicine.

5. Wear Sunscreen
As a child of the 70s (we had bain de soleil commercials, for pete’s sake!) who is now on the precipice of middle age, I’m allowed to wave the finger and tell you to wear sunscreen. No, there are no exceptions. A little sun is fine  but too much? No bueno. Wear it.

4. Appreciate The Silence.
You’d think with all the laughing and silliness that there’d be no moment for peace and stillness. Not the case. You know you are in stellar company when you can just sit with others and read, play on a laptop, stare at the mountains, etc., all in silence. It’s pretty powerful.

3. Tell Your Friends How Much They Matter. Do It Now.
If you are reading this I’m issuing you an order: send an email, make a phone call, text a message, write a postcard — whatever! — to a friend and let them know how important they are to you. Without being morose let me just say that there have been plenty of great people around me lately who have left this planet for brighter pastures and yes, it’s inevitable. It’s life. Please don’t wait to tell someone what they mean to you. Do it today.

2. Close The Laptop. Play A Game.
Curiously enough, the internet went out the last day of our mini-vacation. For a group of connected bloggers this surely spelled frustration but you know what? We were fine. Totally fine. Because a) we had our phones which were mini-computers anyway and b) we made an effort to not spend so much time plastered to an LCD screen. We made sure to bring tons of games (Uno, anyone?) and realized two things:

1. Gaby Dalkin completely turns into an astute, savvy, and competitive card player you’ll be intimidated by. You’ve been warned.

2. No amount of tweeting, facebooking, or checking in will ever compare to sitting face to face at a table with people. Never. Ever. And I’m a social media hound so trust me when I say this. I mean it.

1. Cherish Your Friends. Most Importantly, Be A Friend.
I’ve already begged you to call someone and tell them you love them. But I’m closing out my list because I realized one little thing: to have friends you must be a friend. Make yourself available, listen, look into the eyes of your friend, and be there. Truly be there. You don’t have to say a word, just lend a hand and an ear. Quit talking about yourself, what you’re doing, where you’re going, how “blessed and honored and humbled” you are* and just be there for someone. The rewards are greater than anything else in this world.

*yes, I’m guilty of all of the above.

There is no shortage of quick and tasty food in Seoul and Jeonju. In fact, it’s hard to not stumble into a stand somewhere serving bubbling ddeokbokki or frying up the small disks of hoddeok, the sweet pancakes ready to be consumed on the spot.

I’m not quite sure I can make this point enough regarding street food.

It is everywhere.

The sheer number of carts, food stalls and ad hoc restaurants is only matched by the Korean appetite. It seems insatiable and I felt so completely at home. Walk up to any stand or vendor and you’ll most likely be greeted with a smile and an urge to stop and enjoy their offerings. In more crowded markets like Gwangjuang Market in Seoul you’ll even feel the competition for your business as stall operator after stall operator gently pleads for you to have a seat.

You can choose to be overwhelmed or you can choose to tackle it head on. I bet you can’t guess which one we did.

Not to make anyone dizzy, but here’s a quick slightly sped up video of my walk through Gwangjang Market. I don’t think I could even keep track of the amount of food stalls.

Our pop-up has nothing on pojangmacha

See this? Take a food truck, add a tent, some seating, amplify the concept and experience and you have pojangmacha. You can stop in for a bite to eat, drink some soju or makkoli, all relatively inexpensively. I love this.  Will we be seeing pojangmacha pop up in Los Angeles, I wonder?

Not wanting to miss a thing, we made sure to hit the street food not only in Seoul but in Jeonju as well. Walking through the streets, the sights, sounds and smells of Korean food was enough to send me into overload. It was the perfect late night meal.

Plenty of ddeokbukki, one of my most favorite dishes on the planet. It’s sliced rice cake and fish cake cooked in gochujang, the Korean chili paste. It’s warm and spicy, chewy and filling. Our meal also consisted of deep fried vegetables and soondae, Korean blood sausage. If you are a fan of Spanish morcilla you’ll enjoy soondae. We finished it off with pieces of kimbap, Korean rice rolls which I could eat every single day.

You’d think after rolling me back to Seoul I would have had my fill of street fare. Absolutely not. We hadn’t even begun to sample Korean food on a stick.

YES. ON A STICK!

I think I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

There’n even a stick section at the convenience store!

And lastly, I thought I’d close out this post with one of the most beautiful, happiest things the planet has ever seen. A French Fry-Wrapped Hot Dog. On a stick. Yes. I’m crying. Look at it. Love it. It was as every bit of delicious as it should be.

I can’t wait to go back.

Oh Busan, how much did I enjoy you? Thisssssssssssss much. And that’s a lot. Located at the Southern tip of South Korea, Busan is the second largest city in South Korea and one of the largest ports in the world. It’s modern, bustling, shiny, coastal, impressive, and home to the largest single department store in the world known as Shinsegae.  As a retail veteran I find this very important, ya know. And if you’re a shopper you’ll feel as if you’ve died and gone to heaven. But you’ll certainly want to visit Shinsegae’s food court which apparently is so beautiful and grand that I was mesmerized and forgot to grab my camera for photos. BAD PHOTOGRAPHER, BAD! But hey, I had my iphone! But it’s right on par with Harrod’s in London and Le Bon Marche in Paris, if not a bit more orderly and pristine.

If you want it you’ll find it here. There were beautiful wood-fired pizzas, hamburgers, gorgeous pastries, wines, coffee, dumplings, cakes and just about everything else. We sat at a juice bar and had fresh-squeezed juices while doing some amazing people watching. It was faaaannnncyyyy!!!!

All that shopping really took it out of me so we headed back to the Paradise hotel for an evening of rest. The next day I went on an early morning walk once I realized we were right next to the beach. The buildings are so tall, so sparkly, so modern that it’s easy to forget what’s immediately behind them.

I felt like the luckiest man alive as I strolled along the empty beach snapping photos. Blessed with warm soft light and cool temperatures, I shared the path with early morning joggers and bike riders.  I knew I needed my exercise and strength to get me through an afternoon stroll of Jagalchi Fish Market. This is Korea’s largest fish market and I’m not exaggerating when I say it goes on forever. I don’t think we even saw every single stall. It was next to impossible. Located right on the water, Jagalchi is stall after stall of fresh and dried fish with small food stands tucked away between them every few yards. Manned mostly by women, the stalls sold fish I have never seen before, piles of creatures whose names will forever escape me. I tasted things exotic and fishy, sweet and spicy, with a few pieces of shark cartilage through in for good measure. And rather than even try to name all the other things at the market I think it’s best to let the photos speak for themselves.

Next up: Matt makes kimchi! And gets in trouble.