My extended family has varied food profiles - omnivores, pescatarians, baconterians, and vegetarians. One thing that unites us besides oats is avocados. What has become crazy expensive at cafes is a breeze to assemble - an Avocado Toast Bar. Get your family and friends in the action. Have them over for a Holiday Brunch and try it out. It’s interactive and fun for everyone to create their version - chez nous.

An enduring hobby of mine has been bakery hopping and, even more so, cafes that make tempting baked goods. My friend and I unexpectedly stumbled upon such a place in Christchurch, a stone's throw from the Cathedral. A Pear Chocolate Cinnamon Muffin covered with a dark chocolate frosting sat atop the service counter at our lunch spot. It was the texture that had eluded me. The generous baker gave me the recipe on a hand-written piece of paper, which became the base for the muf

My sixth sense suggested we should get our affairs in order. I thought the dangerous hiking trails would be the reason for worry in the Tusheti National Park on the border of Russia republic’s Chechnya and Dagestan. I was to find out it was due to altogether different circumstances.