The week of extravagant dinner parties.        You know how they say that it pays to have friends in high places? Well, it doesn’t get any better than being invited over to dinner at a home that just happens to be owned by a former chef who is best friends with a former [...]

Chicago is this foodie’s kind of town   By Judi Gallagher   What happens when you take great Italian cuisine and blend it with the attitude of a happenin’ steakhouse, add some great Chinese and mix it well with friendly service, clean streets and an all-around big-city feel with small-town spirit? You get an eating [...]

This just in—hot off the panini press.   By Judi Gallagher    Picture this— a grocery store that allows you to belly up to the counter for pizza, salad and pasta or place a take-out order for freshly made homemade minestrone soup and a half dozen cannolis. Now picture that the new Italian market inside [...]

The heck with fireworks—the real excitement was the food.   By Judi Gallagher   Another July 4th has come and gone, but not before our grand fill of fabulous food and company with the ultimate party hosts, Bill and Margaret Wise. A foodie’s dream come true…we had fried chicken, spicy potato salad, a scrumptious corn [...]

To my birthday boy and beating the heat at The Grape.   By Judi Gallagher   This past Friday marked my son Eric’s 21st birthday. Since he is a cook at the Ritz- Carlton, work came first and he could not be home for a dinner celebration, as the holiday weekend is one of the [...]