I seem to be taking a lot of photos of my “table settings” these days. I will admit, I also take a lot of photos of the food I’m serving too!

There are four elements that I believe are necessary to set a “pretty” table.

a) Flowers

b) Vases – I won’t tell you how many I own or where I store them seeing as I live in a 950 sql condo but let’s just say “I’m creative”. LOL

c) Napkins – again, I won’t tell you how many I own.

d) Placements – see comment above

Here’s a few ideas:

a) A Silver Theme: The inspiration for this table setting came from my from mom who bought me the placemats from Bowring 

a) A green and brown combo: The inspiration for this table setting came from the napkins. Expensive but worth it. The brand is called Paviot and can be found at stores like All the Best Fine Foods and Summerhill Market.

b) An orange/red/brown combo…again the inspiration came from the Paviot Napkins.

c) This was my table setting from Chanuka. ..the inspiration for this table came from the runner which I picked up for $3 at a dollar store. 

e) A red/white theme. …the inspiration for this table came from the placemats that I bought on a trip to Barcelona. They were cheap and easy to pack! Scored.As you can see I love setting my table and I love entertaining.

I have a feeling I will do a blog post about some of my favourite serving dishes too. I have a few. LOL

 

 

1. My dinner at U-Feast at Campagnolo. I’m not kidding this restaurant had been on my bucket list for years. Thrilled that I was able to finally taste this dish.

2. ANYTHING at Bar Raval. However some of my favourites include the foie gras or this salad.

3. My job allows me to eat some amazing cheese so of course that’s a highlight! Specifically this 5 yr Old Cheddar Cheese, that was a Grand Prix winner in 2015.

4. The food at the CNE. This is one event I won’t ever miss.

5. Sweet Jesus! If you haven’t tried this soft serve then you really need to go there in 2016. Stat.

6. My trip to Italy. All I did was eat amazing food…everywhere. I had this particular charcuterie board for 5 EUROS, three times!!

7. My Trip to Israel. Again, all I did was eat.

8. The seafood tower at Harbour Sixty Steakhouse. It’s not cheap but definitely worth it. Sadly the dining room is  so dark that I have no photos of the seafood tower even though I’ve been twice this year.

9. The fish that I caught on JP Fishing Charter that was served to me just a few hours after I caught it at Molly & Oj’s Restaurant in Erieau, Ontario.  Nothing beats FRESH fish.

I hope to continue to eat fabulous food in 2016 and look forward to sharing my food adventures with you as well.

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My last blog post was called “My Bags Are Packed and I’m Ready to Go”. This blog post is called “A Week of Bliss” which means I had a SPECTACULAR vacation.

Here’s what I would like to share about Karisma Resorts and specifically El Dorado Maroma in  Mayan Riviera.

THE PROPERTY:

The words lush, manicured, and immaculate all come to my mind. The best thing about this property was the fact that there’s only 90 rooms so that means everything is close by. There is no such thing as a 10 minute walk to get to the pool or a restaurant or the lobby. It’s all just steps away from your room. Yes – I’m a sloth and I’m proud of it!!

THE ROOM:

The room was SPACIOUS, SPOTLESS and CONTEMPORARY. No outdated “Spanish” themed rooms! YAY.

THE FOOD:

I seriously never thought the word gourmet and all inclusive could be said in the same breath. Well, it’s possible. There were 6 restaurants to choose from and all of them were excellent. Presentation, quality of ingredients and freshness were evident in every dish. Plus each restaurant was tastefully decorated (modern and contemporary).

BOOZE:

Grey Goose Vodka was available EVERY DAY….ALL DAY. Do I need to say more? LOL. There was even a tequila tasting one afternoon by the pool. However I had this drink everyday (ok maybe twice a day). It’s called: MANGO JALAPENO, which included the following ingredients: Tequila anejo, lime, sugar, orange liquor, mango and jalapeno. OMG what a combo.

SERVICE:

I kept joking that there were more staff than guests! Every day our “Personal Concierge” found us by the pool to ensure we were satisfied guests and to answer any questions. Not to mention, the lobby has 4 desks where 4 agents SIT DOWN and check you in. (with a cool towel and a glass of bubbly as well). I was super impressed when a staff person called us the night before we were leaving to ask us if we wanted a wake up call and what time we needed assistance with our bags. They truly do anticipate your needs!!

CONCLUSION:

I would return to this property in a heart beat. However please note: There’s a solid line up of entertainment at at night but the week we were there it wasn’t well attended. Not sure if guests left the property (to visit Playa De Carmen) or just preferred to have dinner and relax in their rooms.

In the event you want to see some great photos, please head over to Instagram  and plug in the hashtag #KarismaExperience or #KarismaResorts

For more information:

Website: www.karismaresorts.com

Instagram: @karismaresorts @eldoradoresorts

Oh ya…I discovered one of my Instagram followers is a travel agent and has visited numerous Karisma Properties (and other properties in Mexico as well). Check out her photos as well: @lorirachelgold.

Hope you had a wonderful vacation as well. Already looking forward to my next vacation which will be either a cruise or another visit to El Dorado. Time will tell!!

 

The other night I dined at 70 Down Restaurant and Lounge, which opened only 3 months ago. They are located at 70 Yorkville – which gave me the perfect opportunity to shop a bit before dining. Always a great combo!

My meal started off with the perfect cocktail that was refreshing and perfectly balanced!!

As soon as I saw the ingredients I knew I had to order it. I was not disappointed. It was so perfect that I had to use all my willpower not to order a second one.

70 Down has positioned itself as “Mediterranean Middle Eastern meets Modern Tapas” .  I kind of like that idea so we embraced it and started off the meal with Moosear (shallot pressed yogurt with Himalayan salt, dressed with micro arugula and thyme leaves). I must admit – I fell in love with this creamy goodness.

We also ordered  Turshy which is the cutest assortment of pickled cucumber gherkins, carrots, eggplant, cauliflower and garlic, garnished with a chili. Another great dish.

The meal continued with Bolani which is a crispy dough crust stuffed with smashed potato and caramelized onion. I was delighted to see that it came accompanied with more of the Moosear (that yummy pressed yogurt).

One of my favorite dishes of the evening was a simple charcoal broiled tomatoes. So simple and so good.

The waitress suggested we try her favourite dish which was The Moroccan Fish Tacos. I can see what it was her favourite.

 

Believe or not, we tried one more dish called Bontu. Who knew that beef and onion dumplings topped with a tomato beef sauce and topped with yoghurt, garlic and mint COULD BE SO GOOD. I MEAN – REALLY REALLY GOOD. (sorry to use caps and shout but I wanted to make a point. Forgive me?).

We finished the evening with Bistrani – a saffron pistachio ice cream with sprinkled with good quality pistachios. It was the perfect way to end the evening.

70 Down is an incredible place to EAT as well as a happening lounge on the weekend. I was more than impressed with the management and Chef Jimmy who took the time to chat with us about their passion for food.

Already looking forward to my next visit!!

For more information:

Website: www.70down.ca

Address: 70 Yorkville Avenue, Toronto

Phone: 416 323 3696

Twitter and Instagram: @70Down

Disclosure: The meal was complimentary however all opinions are my own.

I haven’t been blogging since October 20th but I promise to explain why, when I return to the blogosphere in December.

In the meantime, I’m fortunate to have my blogger friend Elise Burton attend a few events and act as a guest blogger for Momwhoruns!

Here’s her blog post about a recent event she attended at All the Best Fine Foods:

I was lucky enough to attend All The Best Fine Food’s Holiday Cocktail event this evening and it was a lovely way to usher in the holiday season. So many beautiful things to see, smell, eat and drink – it’s hard to know where to begin.

One of my first loves is, and always will be, cookbooks. All The Best has curated a great collection of books from both world famous chefs and local authors that will capture the imagination of both the experienced cook and the novice.

There were dozens of delicious looking hors d’oeuvres being passed but without a doubt, my favourite bite was the antipasto skewer that featured a cube of 3 year old aged Cheddar, a chunk of stellar dill pickle from the folks at Mighty Fine Brine and a piece of delicious Spanish salumi imported by Fermin.

One of the evening’s real treats was getting to meet David H. Chow, a talented chocolatier who is really better described as an artist. His featured products were just gorgeous. They combined the finest quality chocolate with both traditional ingredients – hazelnuts, caramel, peanut butter – and non-traditional ingredients – pink peppercorns, buckwheat honey and freeze-dried mango. Yum.

I left this event with endless ideas and inspiration for gifts, decor, cocktails and recipes for the holiday season. Thank you All The Best Fine Foods.

For more information:

All the Best Fine Foods: 1101 Yonge St, Toronto, ON (416) 928-3330

Twitter: @AllTheBestFF

As much as I love to discover new restaurants, I must admit that I really like to eat at home and I also love to entertain.

I swear I have been been sharing my food with friends, since I lived in a dorm at Tel Aviv University. Here’s some photos I dug up for proof.

I continued to have people over on a consistent basis throughout the next few decades.

Food unites people. It encourages good conversation, sharing and laughter, and it facilitates a communal experience. No matter where you are from, Real Canadian Superstore® has all the foods that will make you feel at home. I adore this store for many many reasons!!

Please take a peek at this heart-warming video which showcases how Real Canadian Superstore® has committed to uniting people through all of their favourite tastes of home. They believe that family is the secret ingredient to any special meal, so Real Canadian Superstore® brought food and family together for three deserving colleagues.

I really try to entertain at least every month. Lately I’ve been having fun serving brunch. It’s less stressful than serving a dinner and a bit more relaxed.

Last year, I hosted a ton of wine and cheese parties.

I encourage you to entertain as well. It’s not as hard as it looks and it really does bring people together.

Happy Entertaining.

There’s a festival for everyone – a Hot & Spicy Food Festival, a Rib Festival (or two or three), Toronto’s Festival of Beer,  a Night Market, and many many more. Seriously, there’s no shortage of festivals.

I try to attend as many as I can, seeing as food is a strong interest of mine. It seems as if I’m always on the prowl to eat something different or discover a new product!

Here’s a recap of two food events that I recently attended:

1. Taste of Toronto:

The 2nd annual celebration of everything we love about food, takes place July 2-5 at Fort York. Taste of Toronto features 70 artisanal producers, interactive classes by star chefs and 50 dishes from the some of Toronto’s hottest chefs and restaurants.

This festival should be on your radar as the weather is going to be picture perfect over the next few days.

The big draw for foodies this year is the appearance of Morimoto, Chef Morimoto is known to millions as the star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America—and the big news is the fact that he will be opening a restaurant in Toronto one day soon!

For more information about this event..(hours, admission prices etc) please click here.

2. Restaurantacular

This food festival that is located along Mount Pleasant Road, is a great chance to wander from restaurant to restaurant to enjoy the $2, $4 and $6 amuse bouche, appetizers and small bites they have prepared especially for this event.  Restaurantacular is a chance to try the many great restaurants in this neighbourhood, little bites at time.

I’ve gone two years in a row so I can “eat my way along Mount Pleasant”. It’s a fun, neighbourhood event on a street that is known for their fabulous restaurants and bakeries!

Curious to know if you will be going to any food festivals this coming summer! Please let me know.

 

I recently went to Great Wolf Lodge with my mom and my daughter.  Instead of a “Girls Night Out” it was a “Girls Night Getaway”. ..which included spa treatments, CASUAL CLOTHING and tasty food.

Before we went away, I gave my mom strict instructions not to bring anything fancy as Great Wolf Lodge is all about comfort and convenience. This is the perfect get away where you don’t have to worry about bringing “the right” clothing (some people even go to breakfast in pyjamas).

I also loved the convenience of getting a wrist band.  It acted as my room key.  How convenient is that?    #LOVEIT.

We started off the getaway with a spa treatment. This was certainly a treat!

Take a peek at this little girl who allowed me to take a photo of her getting a spa pedicure!

Then we SLID into summer and took advantage of the water park, which is a whopping 100,000 square feet. Note: your admission ticket to the water park is included in your hotel fee. #morevalue

As for food: I can spot a fresh buffet a mile away and this buffet was indeed fresh and super tasty. Our personable (and funny) waiter Paul H. ensured that we also had a great laugh or two.

Great Wolf Lodge goes out of their way to accommodate guests with allergies or specific food requirements. When my daughter mentioned that she preferred a salad without cheese, they were quick to say “not a problem, we can make you one”.

Did I mention that I ordered a local beer to go along with my meal? Not only could I drink it with my meal but I was able to walk around with it too. #funfact

Great Wolf Lodge raises the bar to provide guests with a safe and exceptional vacation with plenty of value. As a mom (and a former life guard), I thought these t-shirts sent out a great message that Great Wolf Lodge takes safety seriously!

In the event that you are seeking a summer get away, Mom Who Runs would like to offer you a discount at Great Wolf Lodge of 20% off the best available rate. Please use this code when booking: MWRFUN

• Offer valid for stay dates between June 14, 2015 to July 24, 2015
• Booking cut-off date to make reservations is June 28, 2015
• Blackout dates may be added as availability decreases.

I have no doubt that you will have an exceptional vacation!!

For more information:

Website: www.greatwolflodge.com

Address: 3950 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 7M8
Phone: (905) 354-4888

Twitter: @GreatWolfLodge

Instagram: @GreatWolfLodge

Facebook: www.facebook.com/GreatWolfLodge

Disclosure: My trip to Great Wolf Lodge was complimentary however all opinions are my own.

According to my blog, I haven’t attended the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo since 2010. Here’s the blog post! So I’ve decided it’s about time I return. I’m really looking forward to eating and drinking (my fav combo) and helping them celebrate their 20th Anniversary. This year’s expo offers more than 1500 wines, beers, sprits and gourmet foods to choose from. I took a peek at the exhibitor list and quickly came to the realization that I won’t be leaving the expo hungry or thirsty!

Here’s the details about the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo:

Website: http://www.foodandwineexpo.ca/ ( a great place to buy tickets in advance – HINT)

Hours: 

Friday, November 21, 2014,       2pm-10pm
Saturday, November 22, 2014,  12pm-10pm
Sunday, November 23, 2014,    12pm-6pm

Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building

Hope to see you there. Cheers!!

There’s certainly no shortage of new restaurants in Toronto. This means that my tummy is very happy and very busy too!

Here’s a few that I’ve checked out lately:

a) The Kathi Roll Express: They just opened up their second location at 1753 Avenue Road which is great news as it’s about 2 km’s away from where I live! They offer take out and seating for about 6 people. What did I order? A Kathi Roll,  Chaat Papri, Mango Lassi and More!! ps I’m in love with the Chaat Papri. Please (oh please) order this dish!

b) Schmaltz Appetizing: Have you heard of Fat Pasha? Rose & Sons? Well Smaltz Herring is brought to you by the same guy – Anthony Rose. I adored the name and when I heard they had a “GefilteWich” Sandwich – well I HAD to go. (that’s just the way I roll). I also bought the chopped liver to take home and it got the thumbs up. ps not a restaurant – more of a take out counter.

 c) Loaded Pierogi – once again I love the name and the concept. Talk about COMFORT food at it’s best. This restaurant opens today (Nov 5th) and I have no doubt that they are going to be busy! Bye bye Poutine – Hello Pierogi.

 d) St. Andrew Poultry: This business has been around for decades but recently re-branded and now offer catering, a snack bar, take out and more. I’ve already blogged about it but wanted to blog about it again…that’s how much I love this place. As you can see from the photos, they offer more than just chicken!!

For More Information:

Kathi Roll Express …692 Yonge St or 1753 Avenue Road, Toronto – Twitter: @TKREToronto

Shmaltz Herring…414 Dupont, Toronto – Twitter: @ShmaltzHerring

Loaded Pierogi …9 1/2 Church St, Toronto – Twitter: @LoadedPierogi

St. Andrew Poultry…17 St. Andrew, Toronto – Twitter: @StAndrewPoultry