This blog is, quite simply, a love affair with food, drink, and travel. Since 2003, VittlesVamp has been my chronicle of what’s edible, sip-able, and worth boarding a plane (or subway) to track down — with all the detours, delights, and occasional disappointments that come with it.

I do my part to keep things lively in New York City: from surprising a favorite Brooklyn bartender with a batch of homemade cookies, to snagging a seat at a hot new Spanish restaurant in the West Village, to unearthing fiery Sri Lankan fare on Staten Island, and even sitting down to a feast in a fish market that doubles as a restaurant in Queens. The city’s a buffet — and I never pass up a chance to dig in.

The adventures stretch further afield: a meze repast at the foot of Lycabettus Hill in Athens, cocktails in Berlin that feel like alchemy, or a trip with friends to Sonoma where wine’s the main character. I’ll even venture to Lancaster, PA, with a gal pal in tow, if it means chasing a perfect pretzel.

Food and drink also weave into real life: from rethinking meals and waste during the pandemic to treating myself to dinner and a stiff cocktail after several days of navigating work insanity (applaud my restraint in not using expletives). Eating isn’t separate from living — it’s often the through-line.

At home, I’m just as likely to throw a five-course dinner party with friends — complete with Saffron-Cardamom-Pistachio Ice Cream or Raspberry-Rosé Sorbet — as I am to simmer chicken broth with brown butter for myself and a special guest or two, or whip up a pasta with tinned fish. And while the stove works hard, it’s the dishwasher that does the heavy lifting. I even named him Sven — strong, silent, and always ready to keep things clean…especially when I get a little dirty.

Alongside all that, I’ve been a lifelong foodie and avid home cook, with VittlesVamp covered everywhere from Grub Street to Gawker to the Washington Post. I’ve had a food column in Gothamist, reviewed cookbooks for WETA’s Book Studio, worked with food-focused outlets like Serious Eats and Foodily, and I currently host podcast interviews with cookbook and food/drink book authors for the New Books Network.

So yes, it really is a love affair with food, drink, and travel — and if the repetition annoys you, a steady stream of oysters and Champagne should quiet me down…eventually.