This intricate plate involved a gossamer tempura treatment of very long, very delicious green beans, cradling two puffs of equally gossamer tempura'd cippolini onions. All of this atop a lagoon of aioli punctuated with brilliant red pickled cabbage. Quite lovely. But...

This year give the gift of chocolate so decadent it should be illegal. My friend Rita, now my official chocolate procuress, gave me a few of these beautiful, red-cellophane wrapped chocolates last week. One bite and my hair stood on end. From the Italian house of...

Made by jewelry artist Faye Augustine, the new bracelet sports the title of Lisa Jensen's forthcoming book, Alias Hook. It adorns her wrist right next to the bracelet commemorating her last book, Sea Witch. Ah authors and their jewelry.....

That would be the succulent, hearty, beautifully-executed pizzas at Pizzeria Avanti, such as this beauty topped with fresh mozzarella, fresh heirloom tomato sauce, basil and housemade Italian sausage. $12 for the pie + $4 for the sausage. What's not to like?

We scored a table at last week's boisterous opening of Bantam pizzeria, where we shared appetizers of pickled carrots and turnips, as well as two house pizzas washed back with delicious Sicilian Nero d'Avola. The Margherita was pretty classic—tomatoes, mozzarella...