A few months after we met, Lon and I took a four-city trip together. Somewhere between the comforting stews in Budapest and the pastries in Vienna, I fell in love with Lon. This was the guy I could eat every meal with for the rest of my life. He vacationed the same way I did. Sightseeing was more of a means to walking off meals in order to eat more and sooner. By the time we left Munich in a sleeper train, I thought life could not get better as I cuddled with a half-eaten pretzel still larger than my head. We arrived in Paris the next morning and after some croissants, baguettes, and a cappuccino, I could have married him on the spot.
As you know, my endless stomach impressed him and we did get married in 2008. Over the years, our travel has still been centered around food, going to cities to try specific restaurants or certain areas to try their local cuisine. Our honeymoon included the best dish we ever ate in Santorini, Greece not to take away from all the great meals we had in Athens, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Rhodes, and Naples. We were enticed to Chicago by Alinea and Moto, as well as pizza but I ended up liking Chicago for their breakfast places the most. I almost forgot about our taco hunting in Playa del Carmen since the food there was overall the least exciting. Our most insanely packed agenda was probably the road trip from Little Saigon (south of L.A.) to Napa Valley, with intentional plans to visit Yank Sing, The Bazaar by Jose Andres, Manresa, and ending at The French Laundry. We also found adorable little places in Cambria, Big Sur, Carmel, and Monterey along the way. We did the seafood overload in Kennebunkport, Ogonquit, and Portland, Maine right before we found out that we were pregnant…(oh, trip to Vegas)…and then we had Caya.
I still have an ever-growing, super long list of all the places I want to go eat (you can see some on my pinterest “To Travel List”) and Radisson is going to help us and one of you! To celebrate their 50th Anniversary, every day a different blog will be giving away one free night and today, it’s us at FoodMayhem! You can check Radisson’s facebook page every day for their “50 Years, 50 Days, 50 Rooms” promotion to see which blog will be giving away that day.
“50 Years, 50 Days, 50 Rooms” Give-Away: All you have to do is leave a comment here (and a way for me to contact you) telling me what city in North America you’d like to go eat in. For my benefit (has nothing to do with your chances of winning) please elaborate on why, maybe any restaurants you have in mind. Thanks!) Don’t worry, you won’t be bound to that city if you win. Contest ends on Monday, December 10 at 2pm EST. One winner will be selected randomly shortly after.
The winner will receive*:
One free night voucher that is valid for a standard room, double occupancy at any North American Radisson Blu or Radisson hotel of the winner’s choice. The voucher expires one year after issue date.
*Updated on Dec 6th: Since some people are not exactly following the rules with “what city in North America you’d like to go eat in”, I want to clarify ahead of time on how the winner will be chosen. I’m not going to eliminate any comments. They will all be numbered in the order they were posted and then I will use random.org to choose a number. If that comment does not have a city in North America in the comment, it will be disqualified and I will use random.org again to choose another number. I will repeat until I get a qualified comment. If you notice that your comment does not currently qualify and you want to update it, please e-mail me at [email protected][the blog name].com and I will update it for you. I will accept updates up until an hour before the contest ends.
*For participating in Radisson’s “50 Years, 50 Days, 50 Rooms” promotion, Lon and I will be receiving three free nights at a Radisson Hotel in North America of our choice.
The Winner is Roxane! #51 Congratulations!!
*only 81 submissions were in before the deadline
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I’ve always dreamed at having a tasting meal at the Herbfarm in Woodville, Washington.
Their committment to cooking locally as well as seasonaly is something I try to intergrate into cooking for my family and friends.
Thank you!
I always love eating in NYC, what I consider an international food mecca. Each restaurant is even better than the last and you can get practically anything delivered at 2am.
I’d love to spend many, many hours in Seattle’s Pike Place Market! Thanks for the opportunity!
It may not have actually been the best tasting pizza I have ever eaten but in my mind, pizza never tasted so good that night. After a long flight, we touched town in Rome, Italy and headed straight to our hotel. It was getting close to dinner time so we decided we needed to try some authentic Italian pizza. We found the nearest little restaurant and ordered a margarita pizza, a little wine, and bliss. I will never forget my first taste of true Italian pizza.
if money were not a problem, it would have to be nyc. i’ve been there but hubby hasn’t so i’d take him to tavern on the green
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I want to eat at Serendiptiy in NYC because my children have heard me talk about eating there ever since they can remember yet whenever we go, we can not get reservations or the wait is 3 hours which does not bode well with children.
I like New York, but I’d love to return to my home city of Chicago and go back to Frontera Grill which I haven’t been to since it’s opening a long time ago.
I would love a night in NYC! there are so many great restarants. my sister and I ate at a fun one by the show Wicked last April. I don’t remember the name but it was a cowboy style with a mechanical bull and all! the sandwiches were awesome!
I would love to go eat in NYC because there are so many great restaurants there and I’ve only visited once!
I would love to visit Texas and try the food there. I just think it would be a different environment than what I am used to here in NYC.
We’d love to go to Portland Oregon or Charleston SC. Haven’t been to either and would have a great time eating our way around town.
I would love to visit San Francisco! My Dad has told me about how he would go there for business trips and there was this chocolate shop that he really liked, I would love to go visit!
I have never been to Chicago. There seems to be so many places to go and eat – plus I’d like to try the Radisson Blu
Would love to visit the Grand Canyon (North Rim) in Arizona again and eat lunch or dinner in the Grand Canyon Lodge which overlooks the Northern rim of the canyon. Great photo opportunities! I was at the North Rim this past summer with a tour group but we didn’t have time to eat there.
This is tough…so many places! Probably Vancouver for the Asian foods available. Thanks for hosting the giveaway!
Aww, what an adorable picture of the whole family. And I love your jacket on the top photo! Makes me feel wanderlust again.
The top place I want to go to that I haven’t been to yet is Chicago. I hear great things about the food there — breakfast, hot dogs, pizza, goat tacos, and all. I’d love to go back to San Francisco too, because there’s never enough time to eat all the ice cream and baked goods (though I always try my best). Fingers crossed for vacation 2013.
I’d like to try NYC Pizza in NYC.
I would love to go to New York and try their pizza
Santa Fe, NM. Love me some chilis.
I am from Toronto and would love a to stay in Toronto. Experience my city like a tourist indulging in landmark sites I hardly ever to get visit like the ROM, CN Tower or a Toronto FC game. It may seem kinda silly but how often do we get a chance to pack a bag, take pubic transportation and be at your vacationing destination in less than 30 minutes? I think the highlight of the trip would be a #feastingtour I’d arrange myself of course with restaurant favourites Bestellen, Rock Lobster, La Carnita, Patria and finishing up with a nightcap at the Radisson lobby bar. No travel guide, currency exchanges or jet-lag. My version of a stay-cation.
As much as I love New York for the food, and want to go back to Chicago to try more restaurants, San Francisco is next on my “must try” list. The first reservation I’d make in San Fran would be Incanto, Chris Cosentino’s restaurant.
I would like to stay in Charleston, SC and try some wonderful seafood somewhere.
Montreal. I’ve been many times. I’ve dine at many great restaurants. But there are just too many of them that I still haven’t visited. I’d love to go to Joe Beef since I’ve been salivating over his version of a double down; I’d love to re-visit Chuck Hughes’ Garde Manger because I’ve met him in the flesh now and am enamoured by him and his food. I’d want to hit up Maison du Macaron to have a chouquette dissolve in my mouth like a sweet sin and I’ll make the hike up to Au Pied de Cochon with an AED as my dining companion because that food is worth going into a cardiac arrest for.
Dallas. It has variety of international food restaurants. I personally like the Fogo de Chao, one of the Brazilian steakhouse in the world. 🙂
Oh, I’ve always wanted to go to Kansas City for some of their signature BBQ! I’ve never had it before, but have been quite curious about it for awhile.
I’d like to try Saffron Restaurant in Minneapolis. I’ve tasted their food at a food tasting event and it’s delicious. I’d like more! haha
I live in Northern California and have never been to The French Laundry in Yountville, or to Chez Panisse in Berkeley! [blush]
Me and Eric seem to travel the same way…
If I’m choosing for us, it would be San Fran…so we can eat Dungeness crab over garlic noodles at PPQ (among other things, of course!). But if I’m choosing for you guys, it would be Denver! Though you could always stay with us instead, who needs a hotel room?
I’ve never been to Portland and hear that it is a food truck mecca. If I win I’d love to visit Portland!
Austin for the Tex-Mex AND BBQ!
Radission Martinique in NY so I can catch a Broadway show and some great food at Carmine’s!
I would love to go to Austin Texas, listen to good music and eat good food.
A city on the ocean so I can eat some fresh seafood would be great!
won2xx at gmail dot com
I would have said Portland but we finally got to do that in October….so Napa !!!
I’d love to go to Austin and try out some real Texas BBQ
I would go eat in San Francisco as there is such a huge variety high quality restaurants. Thanks.
I’d love to visit Vancouver, BC. My siblings travelled there for the 2010 Olympics and loved it!
Like Frank above I would get some real BBQ. In the Carolinas. Raleigh maybe.
Nice blog love the recipes.
Montreal is amazing…especially the Christmas Market this time of year.
I’d like to go eat in New York where they have every food imaginable! thank you for the chance to win Raddison!
Toronto is supposed to have an amazing Koreatown and I would just LOVE to indulge in Korean BBQ, kimchi jjiggae, and soju.
Chicago! I want to try the Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
Chicago–for the pizza and Italian cuisine. It’s the one major city in North America that I have yet to visit.
I want to try every Food Truck in Portland, Oregon!
I would love to go to Chicago for some real deep dish pizza. Also would love to try some authentic Mexican at Frontera Grill and Topolobampo.
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Monteal has a great variety of restaurants
I would love to go to New York City to use the voucher as it also has so many different interesting restaurants to chose from!
Radisson Blu in Chicago. I’d like to try a restaurant at the Public.
I took one of the best trips of my life to Chicago and I would love to return!