Kitty Deschanel | Food, Wine, and Travel Adventures Across the USA

A New Mexico tradition, the  Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown is an annual event you don't want to miss. It's green chile season. Here in the Land of Enchantment, where every food order comes with the question "red or green," that's a big deal. If you're reading my site and have never been to NM (such a shame), think of this as a virtual visit. New Mexico does green chile bigger and better than anywhere else.  Can you smell the chile wafting through the air? Mmmm. An important milestone in the life of any New Mexican, we recently drove to Albuquerque to celebrate Olive's first green chile roast. (No kids, you know.) No gloves! You're a real New Mexican when you finish peeling and bagging 25 pounds of Hatch green chile and worry that you should have bought a second case. Update: We went back for a second case. We also tried to get a cute photo of Olive inside the Hatch Green Chile box. She wasn't having it. Here in New Mexic...

My husband's parents recently gifted us a fancy assortment of cheese from a goat farm near their home. Soon after, a certain someone said he hates goat cheese and wanted nothing to do with it. More for me! I turned the goat cheese into dip, which I served with tortilla chips and buttery crackers. That same someone who hates goat cheese? Yeah, he pigged out on the dip. Later, when I combined the leftover dip with milk to create a flavorful dressing, the goat cheese hater enjoyed a gigantic salad covered in it. Oh, and this same person who would never, ever eat goat cheese may have also made himself a sandwich on two different occasions, substituting my goat cheese dip in place of mayonnaise both times. So, you know... You're not fooling anyone, Sexy Nerd! Anyone expecting this to taste like 'fondue au Chocolat' is going to be surprised. Goat Cheese Dip Recipe Original Recipe Source: Farm Bell Recipes at Chickens in the Road Combine t...

Don't miss out. The wine event we look forward to all year is THIS WEEKEND. That's right - it's time for the Taos Summer Wine Festival ! 2019 is the third year of this annual dining and lifestyle experience and I promise you will have the time of your life. You'll probably even get to see a hummingbird moth and yes, they are as cool as they sound. Last year, a Taos ski gondola whisked each diner up the mountain to a scrumptious lunch. This is an upscale, luxury weekend getaway (at an affordable price!) in the gorgeous Taos Ski Valley. For about $250 per person, you'll enjoy gourmet dining (with wine pairings!) at some of New Mexico's top restaurants, a whole-hog BBQ party, yoga (with wine!), chocolate tasting (with wine!), stargazing through the largest telescope in the state (with wine!), and the option to enjoy many other premium activities (Horseback riding! Guided hiking! Fly fishing! Rock climbing!) at no extra cost. Did I mention there will be win...

Don't you love stepping into a luxury suite? You can't beat a hotel room that makes you feel like you’re enveloped in elegance. By incorporating certain elements, you can enjoy this same experience every time you enter your home.  From Marriotts and Hiltons to five-star boutiques, every hotel offers different amenities and perks for their guests, but they all adhere to the same basic interior design rules to create a calm and consistent feel.  Whether you’re ready to style your whole home like a bed-and-breakfast or just want to focus on one specific space, these ideas will help create the relaxing feel that is popular in hotels around the world.   It need not cost a lot - r earrange, refresh, and re-frame the way you think about your house and what you already have. Now that these interior design secrets from hotels are out, y ou'll be living like Eloise at The Plaza! 1. White Linens Nothing feels quite as luxurious as slipping into bed at night in a ...