Maritimes, Canada

 There are few places in the world that go on full display for Fall. The Canadian Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) are, in my humble opinion, on the top of that list. From breathtaking coastlines to vibrant autumn colors to some of the best seafood I've ever eaten, these Eastern provinces of Canada make a perfect fall destination.

First stop: Halifax, Nova Scotia. After dropping off bags at the hotel, I rushed out to try my first Atlantic lobster. Restaurants such as Hart & Thistle Gastropub and Salty's, located at the harbour, serve up  delicious lobster, Haddock grilled to perfection in cedar wood sheets,  excellent Chowder, Seafood casserole and a great selection of locally-brewed beers.

Another night, we found ourselves at Five Fishermen, a well established Halifax restaurant, which has an unlimited mussel and salad bar. We had lobster stuffed scallops paired with a glass (or more) of Seyval blanc. Nova Scotia produces some really good white wine. Don't miss out on buying a few bottles to take home with you. For a sweet-tooth craving, head to Sugah! They serve hand-paddled ice cream with any mix-ins of your choice in neat, little chinese take-out boxes. I tried the strawberry ice cream with rum cake and it was delish!

Next stop: Cape Breton to catch the fall colors. At Cheticamp, a primarily Acadian town, you can try a great harbour-front meal with mussels, crab, grilled cod and sole. Everything we had at the Harbour restaurant was fresh from the sea and cooked with simple ingredients to compliment the natural taste of the seafood. Fresh meals coupled with the breathtaking views of Cabot trail, and good hiking make for a perfect vacation spot.

Next, we went to the legendary setting of Anne of Green Gables: Prince Edward Island. Lush and green with beautiful old-fashioned homes, PEI is picture-perfect. We dined at Claddagh in downtown PEI where we had the freshest oysters, Lobster gnocchi with lobster cream sauce and lobster & scallop sausages. Personally, for me, Claddagh will go down as one of my most memorable meals ever.

A quick stop to see the Hopewell Rocks meant an overnight stay in the tiny town of Alma. While there, we went to Tides Restaurant where we had some of the freshest scallops: Scallops au gratin and Sambuca scallops.

At the end of the week, we just kicked back and hung out at pubs sipping on Nova Scotian wines, beers & Caesers (Clamato juice, tobasco sauce, worcetershire, celery salt & vodka on ice). Be sure to see a Ceilidh (Celtic music party) before wrapping up your time with the beautiful  & bountiful Canadian Maritimes.

Sydney, Australia (Part II)

Sydney truly is one of the most multi-cultural cities I've ever been to. It is difficult to believe how diverse the food is until you're actually there. One of the most popular is Thai food. Spice I am in Surry Hills (small place, BYOB) and Let's eat Thai in Marrackville are among the most respected. Serving appetizers like curry puffs to standard staples like Green curry with Thai eggplant and pork blood jelly to some really authentic dishes like Ka nom jeen (fermented rice vermicelli with fish curry sauce). I highly recommend multiple trips to these restaurants. You won't regret it.

Other popular cuisines include Malaysian food. Malay Chinese in the CBD is always overflowing with people, serving delicious Laksas (a spicy vermicelli coconut curry noodle soup served with meat of your choice). Mamak is another great choice serving up absolutely delicious Roti canai, Nasi lemak (rice soaked in coconut cream served with roasted peanuts, hard boiled egg, hot spicy sauce and optionally chicken or beef) and Kari ayam (Classic chicken curry cooked with freshly ground spices and chunky potatoes). The Malaya restaurant at Darling Harbour offers a good dining experience with appetizers like Roti Jala (lacy and net like pancakes) and other fabulous curries.

Never forgetting the plethora of Chinese food available in and around China town. The Yum Cha (also known as Dim Sum) with delicious dumplings and tea is a popular brunch choice. You can watch fresh noodles being made at restaurants like China Noodle House and Seabay.

If none of the above tickles your fancy, there's Brazilian, Spanish, Lebanese, Indian, and much, much more. You can never get bored of the food and all the choices this global city has to offer.