Cuisine & Travel

Cuisine & Travel Cuisine and Travel is a site for purveyors of exceptional eats and escapes.

Covering delicious healthy recipes, local Orange County and Southern California Restaurants, Delicious Events, Foodie Finds, and Getaways.

09/04/2026

It was another amazing year at the annual Tastemakers of Orange County in support of OCAPICA
This incredible event takes place every September so be sure to add it to your calendar for 2027. See you next year!

P.s. The tickets are also tax deductible!

09/02/2026

Consider this Rome Itinerary your cheat sheet for enjoying the eternal city without spending half your vacation in lines and crowds.

Picture vacant halls at the Vatican Museum, $24 early morning Underground Colosseum Tickets, near empty Sistine Chapel, a quiet Borghese Gallery, The Spanish Steps to yourself.....and this is in the middle of the summer!

My travel guides and itineraries are always free for my followers so Comment “ROME” 👇

👉 and be sure to follow

08/31/2026

Here’s your first look Levain Bakery in Newport Beach Fashion Island . You have no idea how excited I am to have my favorite cookies right around the corner, but this location will also have fresh baked breads, muffins, sandwiches, and a full barista service. The Cookie Oatmilk Latte is a must try!

Levain will officially be open on Friday, September 4th at 8am and the first 100 guests in line get a free goodie bag!

08/28/2026

Consider this your cheat sheet for doing Rome without spending half your vacation in lines and crowds.

Picture vacant halls at the Vatican Museum, $24 early morning Underground Colosseum Tickets, near empty Sistine Chapel, a quiet Borghese Gallery, The Spanish Steps to yourself..... even in the middle of the summer!

My travel guides and itineraries are always free for my followers so Comment “ROME” 👇

👉 and be sure to follow

08/26/2026

The Trevi Fountain is absolutely beautiful, but nothing made me want to run away from it more than seeing it at 6pm. It was such a night and day difference from visiting at 6am. It’s really hard to enjoy this incredible site when you are surrounded by swarms of people. Waking up early in Rome, especially during the summer is a must!

Comment “ROME” if you’d like my 4-day Itinerary to avoid all the crowds! All of my guides are always free for my followers 💗

Shout out to hotel for the coin and my awesome Vespa tour with .tours

08/26/2026

Rome crowds & heat are on another level and I'll be honest, I am not about that life. I usually like to travel in the off season but sometimes that's not possible which means extra planning is involved. If you want to know how to visit all the major sites with zero crowds, discover fun activities, and beat the summer heat, then this itinerary is for you.

Comment "ROME" For my 4-Day Rome Itinerary to avoid crowds and beat the heat!👇

All of my guides, Itineraries, and tips are always free for my followers so be sure to also follow 👈

08/25/2026

What happens when a Michelin Star French restaurant does Afternoon Tea? Think Maine lobster éclairs, smoked trout roe, gravlax, Parisian macarons, Sicilian pistachio financiers, jewel-like French pâtisserie, and delicate tea sandwiches executed with precision.

When only the best will do, KNIFE PLEAT in South Coast Plaza delivers the most exceptional Afternoon Tea in Orange County!

South Coast Plaza

08/25/2026

If Kusadasi, Turkey, is on your Mediterranean cruise itinerary, this Culture & Cuisine tour with Apasas Travel is a must!

My guide was waiting for me as soon as I stepped off the ship, sign in hand, and we headed directly to Ephesus to get ahead of both the crowds and the afternoon heat. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the ruins, pointing out details and lesser-known areas I would have easily missed on my own. He also took photos and videos throughout the visit, which was such a thoughtful addition to the experience.

After exploring Ephesus, we continued to my guide’s hometown for a food tour focused on authentic Turkish cuisine. We stopped at several local restaurants and bakeries, tasting everything from grape leaves and freshly baked Turkish pastries to regional specialties I never would have discovered on my own. My favorite part? The massive döner piled high with the juiciest carved beef.

I booked directly with Apasas Travel , and communication was excellent from the time I reserved the tour until the day I arrived in port. The entire experience felt personal and well organized, with everything timed perfectly for a cruise stop and plenty of time to return to the ship.

Follow Sondra Barker: Cuisine and Travel 🍽 for more cruise tips and personally vetted excursion recommendations.

Comment “Turkey” and I’ll send you the link to the exact excursion I booked.

🇹🇷

08/24/2026

Underground Colosseum tickets are the hardest tickets to score in Rome, resulting in huge markups from third-party sellers. Recently, thousands of visitors have even had their tours canceled at the last minute.

Getting tickets from the official website can be frustrating and they sell out in seconds, but it’s definitely not impossible!

👉 Comment ROME for my guide on the exact steps I took to get tickets for $24, plus my top troubleshooting tricks.

👉 All of my guides, itineraries, and travel hacks are always completely free for my followers, so be sure to follow for more Rome tips!

08/20/2026

Who's going to tell them?

Cruise ships have a main dining room (MDR) which serves a coursed out menu with multi selections as well as numerous Specialty Restaurants (the best perk with the Princess Premier package!).

Princess Cruises

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Austin, TX

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