G&G ♥’s

Eating, Drinking & Being Merry, U.S. style:

Dean & Deluca. The best custom, to-go salads, with more than carrots and cucumbers available for the discerning vegetarian. Classical music, gourmet treats, and Buckeyes. Sign me up!
Del Frisco’s. A chain steakhouse, and I don’t care. It is delish.
131 Main. Everyone’s favorite neighborhood eatery. Great appetizers, even greater Dirty Bombay Sapphire Martinis with bleu cheese-stuffed olives
Peninsula Grill. Not a top Food and Wine magazine restaurant for nothing. Get the foie gras truffle butter with your filet mignon. Like they say at KFC, finger-lickin’ good!
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Another chain, yes. But like McDonald’s it’s always good, and always consistent. The bread pudding is so good it’ll make you cry.
Upstream. Excellent seafood and upscale sushi. Even better when eaten on the sofas outside on a balmy summer night.

Eating, Drinking & Being Merry, Australia style:

Bill’s. Modern Australian food. That’s a good thing.
David Jones Food Hall. The Oz equivalent of Dean & Deluca, and then some. Gotta love any gourmet grocery that serves champagne and oysters on the half-shell.
Indian Home Diner, Sutherland. Kebabs. $5 AUD for a Naan-wrapped slice of heaven. Filling, and the best “fast food” ever. One of the few thing the U.S. doesn’t have that Oz does better.

Shopping in the U.S.:

Amazon.com. Nothing rivals Amazon for books, CDs, DVDs, and electronics that you don’t have to bid on! It’s “Buy It Now” all the time. Cause who likes to wait?
Asana Activewear. Yoga/lounge/gym clothing with style and substance.
Costco. You cannot throw a party without Costco’s help. Veuve Clicquot and prawns the size of your palm…for dirt cheap! And for some reason, amazing beef tenderloin, smoked salmon, cheeses, and other delicacies, all at bargain prices. Gotta love Costco.
Eastbay.com. For sexy Shox that you can’t get in the local stores.
Nordstrom. Life is empty (or shoeless) without Nordy’s shoe department. Bonus is that the customer service and return policies rock.
Old Navy. If it’s cotton and spandex, why pay more? Cute stuff so cheap you can wash your car with it!
Target. My home away from home. Nothing like American Target. Trust me on that.

Shopping in Australia:

Becker Minty. An stunning mirage of eccentricity. Gifts, clothing, art, jewelry. Or as they say, the best of everything. Winner of the 2009 Harper’s Bazaar Luxury Reborn Ultimate Award, as well as the Award for Innovation, Retail Space! You must see Becker Minty if you’re in Sydney. You must.
Country Road. J.Crew meets Pottery Barn. Excellent for wardrobe staples like cardigans, dress shirts, and suits. Plus spartan homewares and textiles that are cushy and inviting.
Westfield, Bondi Junction. You need a map to navigate it, but the variety makes it totally worth it. Be sure to grab a bite in the fifth-floor Harbour Room food court…the views are breathtaking.
Witchery. Feminine but sassy clothing. Lovely neutrals and simple prints that would entice even the most devout black-clad fashionista to take a walk on the lighter side.
Wittner. Stylish shoes that are well-made, and still affordable.

More to come. I’m just getting started…