I spent most of March in Istanbul researching the city’s cuisine for National Geographic’s forthcoming culinary guide Food Journeys of a Lifetime – 500 Extraordinary Places to Eat Around the Globe. I interviewed Turkey’s premier chefs (Mehmet Gürs, Defne Koryürek, Umut Özkanca, Şemsa Denizsel, and Elif Yarın) and ate every kind of food imaginable from the most humble street food to the finest haute cuisine. Look for Food Journeys in bookstores this fall.

Yesterday my first blog post for the Guardian went live. I will be writing for their I’ve Been There Blog in the travel section of their website. This first post was about underground archaeological sites in Rome. You can read it here.

Today Kelly of the website Travellious.com interviewed me about my travel habits and experiences and advice I might have for other travelers. You can read it here.

I have been featured in my hometown newspaper for several dinner events I am hosting in NJ this winter. For more, click HERE.

On Monday December 15, I will appear on the History Channel in my fifth episode of Cities of the Underworld. Watch as I lead host Don Wildman through the substructure of Pozzuoli’s Amphitheater where gladiators, condemned criminals, and wild animals were held before being brought onstage for combat and execution.

Today I completed my Master’s program in Cultura dell’Alimentazione e delle Tradizioni Enogastronomiche at the University of Rome. I presented my final project, a website called Parla Food and it was a hit. I will continue to develop the site throughout the winter. It is designed to offer comprehensive information about Italian food and wine, and the culture that surrounds them. (more…)

On Sunday November 9 at 9pm ET/PT, I will appear in the History Channel series Cities of the Underworld. In this episode, I lead host Don Wildman through ancient bone crypts, including a newly discovered cemetery possibly linked to the Sicilian Vespers.

On Thursday, the History Channel launched a huge ad campaign for the third series of Cities of the Underworld. Promos were plastered on the 42nd Street Shuttle in anticipation of the October 26 premier. I will be featured in two episodes (one filmed in Sicily, the other between Rome and Naples), air dates still TBA.

The new Insight Guide to Florence & Siena was released last month. It is a fully illustrated travel resource packed with editorial coverage and a bounty of practical information. Look for the section detailing the development of art in Tuscany from Etruscan times to the 20th century. Purchase the book at Amazon.com .

This month Time Out’s Italy: Perfect places to stay, eat & explore was released. I wrote the chapter on the Langhe region, the enogastronomic paradise in Piedmont known for its nebbiolo-based wines like Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as for its incredible cuisine. I made my first trip to the Langhe back in 2005 with my dad and immediately we were hooked. I have made it a habit to return as frequently as possible to enjoy some of Italy’s best food and wine. You can purchase the book here.