Good ‘ol fashion hot dogs. A staple from ballparks to BBQs – hot dogs scream Americana. But have you noticed recently that everyone’s favorite dog has gone gourmet? From gastropub menus to specialty food stores, dogs have gone upscale and have even snatched up some of the best real estate in San Francisco. 

Roving street eats from creme brulee to cookies to cubanos are fighting for the foodservice dollar, bringing the tastiest of bites to you with little to no overhead.

Have you ever looked through the pages of Food & Wine or Bon Appetit and seen the photo spreads of people eating a great meal al fresco. There's a table set up outside in a field somewhere with a colorful striped tablecloth and matching napkins, candles and lights adorning umbrellas and fences and centerpieces made from fresh produce or flowers that look like they were picked that day. The food, of course, is laid out on beautiful platters and garnished just so. The people are smiling and happy and you wonder, "Who are these people? Who eats like that?"

Julie & Julia is a gastronomy pleasure based on a pair of books by two women who never met, but found themselves through the joy of cooking. The film is well done and entertaining – and then there’s the food. I’m still thinking about the delectable chicken smothered in truffles and cream and the gorgeous raspberry Bavarian cream that fell helplessly on the sidewalk in NYC.