This spring I was invited down to Houston by some like-minded real foodies for a screening of the movie What’s On Your Plate?, a charming and compelling documentary by two young women about where food comes from. I visit Houston often to see family, but had never taken the time to explore Houston’s farmers markets. This was the perfect opportunity to learn more about Houston’s real food scene.

I fell in love with Seattle the first time I visited in the summer of 1993. I was 25 and it was my first non-business trip by myself. When I plotted out my trip, I foolishly allotted an hour for exploring Pike Place Market. I ended up spending the entire day in this foodie paradise and dropped by each day for the remainder of the trip. When I returned 10 years later, I was equally charmed.

In January, I had the opportunity to attend Edible Institute, a two day conference about sustainable and local food, and the trip became more enticing when I learned it would be in sunny Santa Barbara. When we arrived, we stepped onto the sun-drenched tarmac and, like flowers, turned our faces to the bright sunlight. Ahhh, sunshine.

I’ve been visiting Denver since I was a little kid and I always remember fondly the friendly people, the gorgeous weather and the beautiful mountains. However, until recently I did not equate Denver with great food.

Little did I know that my not quite annual trip to Denver to see dear friends would yield some of the most interesting food I’d had all year. Their food scene is happening and sustainable, local food is front and center.

Most people visit New York City and want to see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building or other tourist points of interest. Not me. I wanted to see what New Yorkers eat when they eat local.

Santa Fe is a soulful place for me. I’ve traveled here often since I was a kid and, upon arriving, my pulse slows down a bit and my breath deepens. It is one of the few places where I don’t feel like I have to have a plan and a busy day usually means I have a spa appointment or dinner reservations.

My friends and I used to spend our days shopping at the mall when I visited them, but now they indulge me by planning our weekends around visiting farmers markets. During a recent trip to Denver, my friend spoiled me by taking me to visit two farmers markets and two neighborhood markets that feature local goods.

When I think of New York City, I think of abundance. You can find anything – any cuisine, any spice, any ingredient. It’s no surprise that you can also find a farmers market any day of the week.

When I visited New York in August, I skipped the morning session of my conference so that I could explore the crown jewel of the cities farmers markets – Union Square Greenmarket. I was there on a Friday so there weren’t quite as many vendors as a Saturday, but there were still sufficient treasures to find.

For my short visit to Buffalo, NY, I consulted Edible Buffalo for guidance on a restaurant and market to visit. They recommended Trattoria Aroma in the Elmwood Village neighborhood, a residential area with a number of restaurants and wine bars a short cab ride from downtown. The restaurant is charming with a bustling bar and a large patio area for al fresco dining.

On May 15th, I had the opportunity to visit Chicago for the opening weekend of the Chicago Green City Market. The market operates year round, but the annual move to the great outdoors requires a celebration. And, quite the celebration it was.