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We could all incorporate a little extra something into our daily heath routine to give ourselves a boost. In this video, David Wolfe, nutrition and health pioneer, makes one of his favorite smoothies. “Goji Bonanza” is loaded with antioxidants, essential minerals and amino acids and is super hydrating. It takes 5 minutes to make and tastes incredible. Here is the recipe. ‍ Fly High Goji Berry Superfood Bonanza 4 cups of your favorite liquid (water, hot/cold tea, coconut water) 3 tbs goji berries 3 tbs cacao powder 1 tbs cacao nibs 1 tbs maca 1 tbs goji berry extract powder (optional) 1-2 tbs honey 1 tbs hemp seeds 1 small pinch celtic salt 1/4 fresh aloe -vera gel (optional) Directions Blend all ingredients in a high performance blender until smooth. Sprinkle goji berries on top of smoothie for garnish.

For our last day focused on healthy additions that can improve your life, we zoom-in on a drink that will boost your immune system and prepare you to combat the undoubted colds and flus preparing to hunt you down this winter. Immunity is so very important as it is our defense against the elements. With lack of sleep, no exercise and poor eating habits – our immunity is challenged often. Here is a recipe for a cappuccino made with a slew of powerful herbs that will turn your life around ‍ Reishi Cappuccino 1/2 teaspoon of reishi 1/2 teaspoon of he shou wu 1 tablespoon cacao powder 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 pinch of cinnamon sweetener of choice (manuka honey or agave) Directions Blend ingredients in blender until desired consistency. Drink warm.

1920 was a good year in New Orleans, due partially to the fact that the palace of Creole fine-dining was founded – Broussard’s . Over the years, the establishment has earned a reputation as one of the best in the city – an elegant and refined atmosphere to enjoy any meal of the day. Here, Executive Chef Neal Swidler, makes his diner’s enjoyment a priority and their experience with his food an even higher priority. Sunday brunch is famed at Broussard’s. As a recent diner at the restaurant, I spent a lazy Sunday afternoon enjoying the meal. Wait staff in jackets and trousers attended my table, a nice surprise at 11:00 in the morning on a Sunday. Immediately after being seated, I was sipping a cappuccino and pouring over the enticing menu. If you’re up for mimosas, the restaurant offers a $12 per person bottomless mimosa option during brunch. I stuck to coffee because I thought it would pair better with the meal I had in mind.  Each dish was more decadent than the next – raspberry mascarpone-stuffed pain perdu, Southern fried chicken and waffles, gulf seafood cake, citrus avocado salad and barbecued shrimp and grits. My God. I’m lucky I don’t live in this city – because I might not make it past the age of 50 with all of these temptations before me. I chose my selections, and waited for them to arrive. Fork and knife in-hand, I systematically devoured each bite, as elegantly as possible of course (I was in Broussard’s after all). At the end of the meal, I was more than satisfied and already planning my next visit. Broussard’s is a definite “must” in New Orleans – you just shouldn’t miss it.

Finding good sushi in Croatia might seem like it would be a challenge, but that assumption is wrong. Sushi Bota , located within the walls of stunning Dubrovnik, has utilized their seafront locale and access to some of the freshest fish on the market to bring delicious Japanese sushi, with a Croatian touch, to diners in the city. The owner of the restaurant is a Croatian man who spends much of his time on the sea. With access of the best fish in the Adriatic and incredible oysters that the restaurant collects from their own private farm roughly an hour away, Sushi Bota is special in the dining scene and makes a delicious impact. I recently spent a lunch at the restaurant, sipping local wines from the Peljesac peninsula and sampling the stunning sushi and fish offered here. I was thoroughly impressed, as a lover of sushi and as someone who has dined at top sushi establishments the world over. I would never claim to be an expert, but Japanese is one of my favorite cuisines, and I eat it often. Sushi Bota is a must for anyone visiting Dubrovnik. Each plate served is beautiful and delicious.

Villa Ruža , sitting perfectly off the coast of Dubrovnik, Croatia on the island of Kolocčep, is a picture-perfect restaurant offering delicious seafood and a setting that will take your breath away. Dubrovnik is full of restaurants, but not every one of them makes an impact. Villa Ruža goes above and beyond to deliver fresh ingredients and traditional Dalmatian recipes that will give you a rounded idea of the fantastic cuisine that hails from this region of the Adriatic. Setting sail on a private boat at sunset, a ride lasting about 30 minutes, you immediately fall in-love with the place before you’ve even set foot inside. As the walled city of Dubrovnik disappears behind you and the sparkling blue Adriatic sea parts to make way for the boat gliding through its waters, you can’t help but take-in the scenery and smell of fresh air around you. Arriving on Koločep is easy. You hop off the boat and walk just a few feet into the stone-clad restaurant with a seafront terrace. I sat on the edge of the sea at a lovely table dressed with white linens. The wait staff here greeted me with a glass of local white wine and smiles for days. Really, they all seemed so happy to have me and it showed in their attentive service and impeccable delivery of that night’s food. Villa Ruža offers a variety of choices on their revolving menus, but seafood is their absolute specialty. How could it not be in this setting? I dined on local oysters, Adriatic fish and calamari. The homemade bread was hard to put down, which is a problem when you’re in a destination that requires you to be in a bathing suit much of the time. The night ended with a delicious walnut and chocolate dessert and a hop back on the boat to return to Dubrovnik. I will never forget how special Villa Ruža made that night for me and it will always stand out as one of my very favorite experiences in Dubrovnik.

Antica Corte Pallavicina is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Polesine Parmense, Italy. The countryside setting in the Emilia-Romagna region is idyllic and beautiful, the perfect place to house this restored villa with guest rooms and renowned eatery. On a recent evening, I enjoyed a fantastic dinner in the intimate dining room presided over by chef Massimo Spigaroli. Walking through the rose gardens and gravel drives around the villa, you can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the beauty of the nature that surrounds this property. Chef Massimo is the owner, creating a small world of Italian hospitality and culinary genius. In the ancient cellars of the villa, culatello,a special cured ham from black pigs, hangs from the rafters, aging for its sale and consumption on the property. You can also visit the villa’s store, purchasing their honey, culatello, olive oil and other homemade products to take home. The evening was perfect here. Dinner included a tasting menu of Italian specialties, focusing on the prosciutto, culatello and cheese the region is known for. The service, which consisted of an army of handsome servers, was fantastic. Antica Corte Pallavicina must be experienced firsthand to fully appreciate its splendor – and, at the end of your time here, you’ll be happy you did.

New York City during the holidays is pure magic, and experiencing holiday tea is an institution – but only the Palm Court at The Plaza Hotel can offer a truly unforgettable experience. The Palm Court was just reimagined and restructured through the eyes of celebrity chef and television personality, Geoffrey Zakarian. The mood (by architect Thierry Despont) and tea menu are both modern, but with a foot planted very firmly in the ‘good old days’. What visitors are left with is a space where you can come to unwind, and spend an afternoon through the holidays and beyond. The Palm Court is not a large space and not a small space, but just the right size. The marble is softened by potted plants and, of course, palms which bring an element of the outdoors in. Sitting in the bustling room during the holidays keeps energy high, even at tea. After being seated, you can choose from the varied tea services to customize your afternoon to your liking. There are three options: The New Yorker Holiday Tea, Champagne Tea and Eloise Sugar and Spice Tea, which is aimed at children. But, all can be enjoyed equally by adults. The tea service here is presented by no less than three people. Tables are attended to perfectly and your every wish, anticipated. On custom silver tiered étagères freshly-made scones, pastries, sandwiches and specialty desserts are served. You might find egg salad or smoked salmon – gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting – peppermint cotton candy – pistachio green tea financiers, the possibilities are endless. But, notice the details. Miniature gingerbread men set against frosted Christmas trees or tiny apple cider cupcakes – delicious. The tea menu is intense at the Palm Court. You can choose from premium selected English, Japanese, Chinese, Indian and other teas that are served in pure form or blended, all loose leaf, of course. If you choose the Champagne Tea, expect a glass or two of Moët & Chandon Brut Rosé Impérial. During the holidays we don’t have time to spare, with all the running around. But, it’s important to take a moment with the ones you love – be it friends or family – to have time where you can be present and filled with joy. The Palm Court offers you a space to do this. Holiday tea here is that moment for me, and I hope to return again soon before the season’s over on January 3rd.

Part of Bologna’s rich heritage is food, especially pasta, and here you can find various establishments which allow you to learn how to make regional pasta specialties like tortellini and tagliatelle. One of these establishments is also a restaurant, “Uova e Farina” , which allows an in-depth look at the work that goes into making fresh pasta. Though easy once you get the hang of it, if I were making homemade pasta for my guests – I don’t think there would be a price high enough to compensate me for my efforts. But once through, the smiling faces of those enjoying your hard work makes it all worthwhile. At Uova e Farina I learned how to make tortellini and tagliatelle using farina and eggs in the traditional manner with a lot of eggs and a lot of elbow grease. Afterwards, I ate my through each helping smothered in a rich Bolognese sauce made by the chef that morning. Delicious.

Brushstroke is not known for sushi, that would be its sister restaurant, Ichimura, which operates in the same space, but separated by a well-placed wall. Instead, the restaurant offers Japanese dishes that nod to both tradition and modern methods of cooking, fusing the old with the new seamlessly. Inside David Bouley’s wooden space (the wood comes from his personal farm in Pennsylvania) you can sit amongst true connoisseurs of cuisine that hails from the land of the rising sun. The Tsuji Culinary Institute of Osaka, who partnered with Chef Bouley here, ensures that every last bite is more delicious and beautiful than the last. Located on Hudson Street in Tribeca, Brushstroke operates out of a medium-sized space. The room is serene but electric with servers bustling back and forth from the open kitchen, explaining each dish to diners before consumption. As each plate arrives, you hesitate at the thought of destroying it – as the presentation is so beautiful. The menu here changes seasonally and there is also a chef-curated Omakase, which sprinkles-in a good deal of sashimi into the experience. On a recent evening, I was delighted to dine at Brushstroke – opting for the season’s Winter menu as well as choosing some items a-la-carte to personalize the meal. The restaurant adopted Kaiseki cuisine, which focuses on seasonal tasting menus that use fresh and in-season ingredients. The Winter menu features coveted ingredients like Japanese pumpkin, blue shrimp, Wagyu beef, lobster, rare mushrooms, salmon, Meyer lemon and more. At the end of the meal at Brushstroke, you are full – but want so badly for the dinner not to end. Selecting from the excellent tea menu – choices ranging from award-winning Japanese Gyokuro to delicious sencha – isn’t easy. I love Japanese green tea and the Gyokuro was calling my name. I paired the tea, served in a beautiful single-serving ceramic pot decorated with Sakura blossoms, with a delicious roasted green tea pudding and soy sauce ice cream with pecan. The meal concluded and, as I left, I realized that Brushstroke does not belong in the same category as the others. It’s one-of-a-kind and an experience that every Japanese-loving foodie should have in their lifetime. It’s truly New York’s best.

Alain Ducasse’s Benoit , in Paris, is one of the city’s best tables – for many reasons. The restaurant was originally opened in 1912 by the Petit family and named after the family’s grandfather – Benoit Matray. The space represents all that is “Parisian” about food and ambiance, selling customers right from the start. But, top that off with incredible food utilizing recipes that have been cooked throughout Paris and other parts of the country for centuries, and you’ve got yourself a stellar offering that even locals are hard pressed to turn down. I was a recent guest at the restaurant on a chilly winter evening. I was the first to arrive to the restaurant and was met by the manager, who sat me at a cozy corner table with a view of the entire place. As I watched customers begin to stream in, I saw that Benoit was not necessarily a secret. It had always been quite a well-known bistro throughout town, but when Michelin-starred Chef Alain Ducasse purchased it in 2005 and added his renowned dash of “je ne sais quoi” – it became more popular than ever. In fact, the restaurant has even opened a branch outside of Paris, in Tokyo. Tables here are charming, decorated with white china featuring large gold “B”s on them as well as painted flowers. In every corner of the space you will see traditional French kitchen decor, wildflower arrangements, baskets of freshly baked bread and servers running about. It’s all so heavenly. Menus change with the season, but adhere to traditional dishes that have been enjoyed in the French kitchen forever. And, the menus’ design is all led by Chef Fabienne Eymard. On any particular night, you might find dishes like: wild rabbit terrine, hen pheasant with duck foie gras and cep mushroom pie, saddle of lamb in cocotte with creamy polenta – and more. Desserts are decadent, really, begging you to indulge in classic vanilla millefeuille or Benoit profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce (which comes from their own chocolate factory). I devoured both. The mood here is unpretentious, chic and casual – one where you can relax and hunker-down with really wonderful, classic French cuisine. I believe it’s one of my new favorites in the city and know that anyone visiting town should make a point of stopping-in.

Chef Samuel Lee presides over his culinary palace like a king over his kingdom. His kingdom, though, is the Michelin-starred Chinese dining room, Shang Palace , inside the stunning Shangri-La Hotel in Paris. Now, whether you’re a fan of Chinese food or not, this experience, in its entirety, will impress you and leave you with a new understanding and appreciation of the art of Cantonese cooking that you might have never thought possible before. I dined recently here, a guest inside a gastronomic heaven. I sat alone, at a corner table, with a view over the entire restaurant. Chinese servers dressed to the nines came to greet me, brining me scented hot towels to cleanse my hands. A glass of champagne was delivered promptly, which I drank, but followed by a premium Oolong green tea, as I wasn’t in the mood for alcohol. A menu was presented and my server walked me through options that really were a path leading me through a colorful journey of traditional Cantonese cooking. Peaking duck, noodle dishes, rice of all varieties – they were all options. The dumplings were, by far, my favorite. Deep-fried prawns with crispy garlic and chili made an indelible impact, and so did the Shangri-La rice inside a lotus leaf. I indulged in many courses here, one after the other. A few of my favorites were the Peaking duck – so sweet and crispy; as well as salmon Lo Hei. I ended dinner with the restaurant’s signature chilled mango cream with pomelo and sago. It was all so delicious. Dinner here was busy, yet quiet. You hardly heard a peep amongst the low decibel chatter from each table. It was refined, elegant and relaxing – a great environment to concentrate of the art of the cuisine before you. Shang Palace is a must for any foodie and you will see how quickly it will become one of your favorite dining experiences – ever.

On an exclusive and hidden terrace in the center of Dubrovnik likes Restoran Dubrovnik , one of the city’s best choices for modern, homemade Dalmatian cuisine. Marko, the chef, has orchestrated a multi-course offering, in a beautiful but casual atmosphere, for those interested in the cooking that originated from this area hundreds of years ago. With Mediterranean influences and ingredients sourced from Croatia’s rich waters, this is the place to choose for a consistently fantastic meal. Restoran Dubrovnik is decorated in white and red, two colors found in the Croatian flag. The airy terrace is lit-up with candles, white table clothes dressed in the best of ways with silver cutlery. Waiters in suits and uniform dance about decanting bottles of local Pelješac wine (delicious), and deboning fish caught in the turquoise waters nearby. For dinner, I suggest leaving it to your server’s suggestions. Specials change daily and will include treasures from both the land and water. As a guest at Restoran Dubrovnik, you’re family – and that shows in every detail.