Foodie Heaven on Earth

Have you ever experienced nirvana? That blissful, crazy happy feeling that everything in the universe is perfectly aligned and all is well in the world. That there could possibly even be world peace one day soon.

Visit New York City's Eataly.

I mean really.

Eataly is an amazing mish-mash of everything ever conceived in the Italian culinary world. It's perfectly divine. I literally got weak in the knees upon entry and didn't really even let my feet touch the ground again until my responsible visit-mates gingerly escorted me out.

This little excursion was perhaps the single-most invigorating shopping experience of 2010 for me (well, maybe second to the Italian leather boot shopping...at DSW of course...Italy alludes me to date).

A little slice of Europe under one gigantic roof right here in the United States.

This sign says it best:

There are rows and rows of crimson sauces organized by Italian region...

Not to mention bottle after bottle of glistening, sweet balsamic vinegar and rich, flavorful olive oils just begging to be slathered over a perfect piece of chicken and roasted to perfection.

And can we talk about meat please?

Prosciutto, salami, pancetta, sausage, pork...does it get any better?! (Apologies to any vegetarians reading this. Word to the wise: you may want to reconsider your blog choice. I am a carnivorous carnivore.)

To tide us over until dinner, we pulled up a few stools at "Le Verdure" (one of the many restaurants and food bars house inside Eataly) and positively devoured the daily bruschetta special:

Um, yum.

Of course, we didn't leave without walking through Eataly's pastry department with smells of divine, dark chocolate wafting through the air, their sources just waiting to be devoured by salivating mouths working overtime. 

Now, if only I could find a man that would whisper THESE sweet nothings in my ear...All. Night. Long.