All this week, Cookie Travel & Lifestyle Editor Yolanda Edwards will share her recent family trip to Tuscany, so keep checking back every day!

Most of us are familiar with Montepulciano as in ?Montepulciano d?Abruzzo? wines, but this is not where that wine comes from it comes from the Abruzzo region, on the eastern coast of Italy). Montepulciano is the Renaissance hill town known for the Vino Nobile of Montepulciano?among many other things. But for us -- two families that really were mostly concerned with having no obligation to do anything but relax, have a great time with our kids, and drink lots of wine and prosecco -- it was a sweet town to meander around, get the most delicious gelato, and buy locally-made copper pots.  It also happened to be a week where the town comes together for a historical festival, called the Bravio dei Botti, where the locals dress in 14th century costume. The event culminates in a wine barrel rolling competition.  One night the whole town turned out for a huge spectacle in the Piazza Grande (the main square at the top of the town), and at 9 pm all the lights went out and the entire town was lit up by candlelight.  Just on the outskirts of town is the most beautiful church ever, San Biagio, and across the road from it, the delightful restaurant La Grotta, where we had my 40th birthday dinner.

Catch up with Yolanda's visits to Terre di Nano and Montichiello. Also, check out more photos after the jump.
 

All this week, Cookie Travel & Lifestyle Editor Yolanda Edwards will share her recent family trip to Tuscany, so keep checking back every day!

Just down the road from the Terre di Nano is one of the smallest walled towns I have ever been to.  It has a café, a small restaurant, and maybe a three shops. It's the kind of town where the locals study a play all winter, and perform it in the summer.  When the play isn?t going on, it is the quietest of towns, and it's magical.  We loved La Porta, the small restaurant, just inside the entrance to the town. They have the best "pici," a thick, hand-rolled pasta and a local specialty, and a fantastic proscuitto melone.  Then it's fun to walk around, see the church, and say "buon giorno" to the friendly women who are sitting at their windows just watching the day go by.

Matthew Hranek | Photographer

Noodles, pasta you name it, if you can twirl it or slurp it my five year old daughter Clara will eat it. It really doesn't matter what its in, broth or sauce. Ethnicity doesn't quite seem to matter either. Italian pasta, Japanese Udon, or Chinese noodle - all good.

I am obsessed with Chinatown. I find it to be the only neighborhood in NYC that is still exciting to me after 18 years. I still discover new delicious things every time I visit. The visits also seem to be more frequent with Clara at my side. Our latest obsession is Food Shing noodle house on East Broadway. It is a hand-pulled Chinese noodle shop and it is dramatic, exotic and delicious. I heard about it in a small article in the New York Times. I cut out the address and put it in my wallet not to forget. We first walked there on a cool day in the fall - perfect soup weather. (Though any weather is soup weather for Clara as long as it is filled with miles of noodles.) We walked in to food Shing and were greeted with stares from most of the Chinese patrons. We found our seats and dug in. I ordered oxtail, Clara had noodles with vegetables. Each cost under $7 for a large bowl of brothy noodles. In the short time we waited for our soups to arrive we witnessed a magical braiding and twisting of dough in the back kitchen. From a huge mound of dough on the counter the dough was gracefully twisted, braided, violently slapped and then SHAZAM - perfect Tagliatelle size noodles appear and are quickly dropped into hot broth with the veg or meat of choice. It is pure magic -  an alchemy of physical perfection. How they turned that plop of dough into that elegant braid of noodles I may never know.   

Clara and I watched and watched in amazement only to be distracted by the bowls of fragrant soup that demanded our attention. We slurped ourselves full and vowed to make this place our own.

Find a Chinatown or Little Italy near your with our nationwide directory.

After seven years in the corporate world, Jackie Flanagan decided to break out on her own and open a women's clothing boutique of interesting, attainable, and not-often-seen styles.
Her grandmother was the inspiration for her shop, Nana. "My Nana has such fashion smarts. I've always looked up to her grace and subtle glamour ... she is the ultimate stylish, savvy shopper."

Five years later, Jackie has a successful U Street boutique, which carries a mix of vintage and new styles by designers like Allison Wonderland, Dagg and Stacey, and House of Spy.
She also has a husband (Joe), and two kids, Lily (3 1/2) and Eddie (10 months).

Here are some of Jackie's favorite things about D.C.:   

Favorite kids' clothing brands: A friend of mine created clothing line [Bruzwear] with an amazing inspiration -- pants with knee pads. They are the perfect pants for Eddie as he careens into every surface now that he's mobile and unstoppable. Another favorite for babies is the Baby Bambu line -- completely comfortable, cute onesies & layette pieces & completely earth-friendly.

Favorite thing about raising kids in D.C.: It's the city but there is lots of green space so we can enjoy the changing seasons. I especially love that D.C. is such a diverse, international place. You see people from all over the world here and often here different languages spoken in different areas. I love that Lily and Eddie experience different cultures each day.

Favorite restaurant: Open City and The Diner are both great family-friendly choices. You'll always be a winner with the kids with the menu & you'll never feel like you shouldn't bring the kiddos there. It's also a locally-owned business of which I am always trying to support over a chain.

Bakery: Heller's Bakery in Mount Pleasant. There is always a stroller or two out front. The donuts and cakes are yummy. It's just a nice, neighborhood place to get a cup of coffee and a delicious breakfast sandwich.

Coffee shop: I am a sucker for a tea and eclair at Love Cafe (it also happens to be on the same block as the shop).

Must-see spots: The ice skating rink by the sculpture garden on the Mall is a great fall/winter adventure with older kids. Because my husband is a pilot, we tend to enjoy aviation outings, too. There is a fun kids' space called "How Things Fly" in the National Air and Space Museum where Lily "flies" a Cessna ... over & over. Picnics at Gravelly Point Park are also repeat events for us because there's a large field to run around while watching the planes land or take-off directly above you.

Find more D.C. travel ideas in our city guide.

She's MSNBC's chief Washington correspondent. He's a chef and popular D.C. restaurateur. Together, they're not only a Washington power couple, but they're also the proud parents of twins Grace and Henry, 3, and daughter Riley, 3 1/2 months.

Here's Norah and Geoff's must list for families visiting the District:

Family-Friendly Spots in D.C.: Glover Park Community Garden (corner of Tunlaw and 42nd Street, NW) - it is a great place to walk around with toddlers and show them all the vegetable and flower gardens.  We have a plot there where we grow tomatoes, herbs, chili peppers, and greens.  There are a couple of picnic tables at the bottom of the hill which would be a great place to enjoy lunch.  The park is part of Rock Creek National Park, and there are some great family friendly hiking trails just outside the garden.

- Tree Top Toys: This local toy store has a great reading hour every Tuesday at 11 am and many other free events that our kids love.

- Dupont Circle Farmers Market (Sunday mornings): There is so much to see for the kids -- fruits, veggies, flowers, people. Get a croissant and walk around.

- The Philips Collection: [The museum] has great art tours for kids.  My mother is a children's docent - ask for Granny Franny!

- Nationals Park:  The team is developing but the new stadium is amazing, the food is great, and there are cheap seats to be had.  It is a very family-friendly environment, unlike some ballparks. 

- Roosevelt Island: It is off the beaten track.  Bring a picnic lunch and explore.  The twins like the big planes that fly over the island on the way to National Airport.

Best Part of Raising a Family Here: Everything is so close.  Geoff works five blocks from our home.  We can both pop in during the work day and give everyone a hello and a hug.  Our home is near Rock Creek Park which is ideal for hikes. 

Best Family-Friendly Restaurants: I'd be remiss not to mention my restaurants - Lia's in Chevy Chase, Chef Geoff's (the original) in Wesley Heights, Chef Geoff's Downtown (near the White House and Mall), and my newest location in the spring Chef Geoff's in Tyson's Corner. Guests always compliment us on how we manage to appeal both to the kids and adults.  For real casual we also take the kids to 2 Amys for great pizza and Jetties for sandwiches outside on the picnic tables.

Must-See in D.C.: Walk or bike the Mall from Lincoln to the Capitol. Simply beautiful.

We found this lovely photo of the O'Donnell/Tracy clan on mediabistro.com. Check out our D.C. City Guide for more ideas.

Colleen Egan | Associate Web Editor

Politically speaking, D.C. isn't a particularly sweet place. However, this city is serious about its baked goods. As a former Washingtonian, I've spent years conducting field research to find the District's best cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and other sweets. Picking just one is like asking a parent to pick a favorite child (they're all special in their own way!), but I've narrowed it down to my five go-to spots:

1. Baked & Wired: With treats like Soccer Mom Bars and Butter Big Ass cookies, this Georgetown bakery and coffee shop infuses its sweet treats with a little sass. Pick up a few Bee Sting Bars and a cup of joe on your way to a walk along the C&O Canal.

2. Furin's: This Washington institution has been baking cakes for more than 40 years (mmm...Black Forest), but the delicious -- and timely -- sugar cookies, like the new Obama and McCain editions, are equally addicting.

3. Hello Cupcake: A new addition to the District, this Dupont Circle cupcake destination has already won a cult following with creations like Vanilla Gorilla (banana cake and vanilla cream cheese frosting) and De Lime in De Coconut (lime cake with coconut cream cheese frosting), plus several vegan and gluten-free selections.

4. Firehook: There might be 11 outposts of this bakery and cafe in the D.C. area, but I'm partial to the Cleveland Park location (just a few blocks from the zoo!), where I can grab an iced coffee and peanut butter cookie and kick back with the Sunday Post in the huge, oasis-like backyard patio.

5. Georgetown Cupcake: The District has reached a state of cupcake mania. In fact, while strolling down M Street with a carrot cupcake in hand, a woman approached me and asked, rather wild-eyed, "Is that from Georgetown Cupcake?!" Billed as the District's "first and only cupcakery," this frosting mecca lives up to the hype.

We found this delicious photo of Baked & Wired cupcakes from Rachel from Cupcakes Take the Cake on Flickr.

As the owner of Circle Boutique in D.C.'s hip 14th Street shopping district, Dinah Simpson became a tastemaker to hip young Washingtonians with her focus on "bringing up-and-coming designers with a funky feel" to the shop, like Built By Wendy, Mike & Chris, and Lover. (We at Going Places can vouch for the amazing-ness of Circle and the incredible pair of Rock & Republic jeans we snagged there.)  "It's a good feeling to see some of the designers we've highlighted over the years in places like Barney's," she says. "I feel we're truly finding those coveted brands."

Just after Circle celebrated its first anniversary, Dinah found out that she was pregnant with her first child, Mercedes, now 3. Then last year she had her second child, son Tonito. "It just make sense...Circle needed to carry kids' clothing," she says. Dinah also didn't need to look far to find customers. "I noticed there were a lot of families in the neighborhood; our shoppers were coming in with strollers, Bjorns, and snugglies. It was perfect!"

Here are a few of Dinah's top picks:

Favorite kids' clothing brands: We have Jeeto, Harajuki, Hola Lola, and Kumquat -- those I love!

Best thing about raising kids in D.C.: The museums are free!

Biggest misconception about the city: That it is not safe.

Favorite family-friendly restaurant in the city: Rice Restaurant

Favorite bakery: CakeLove

Best coffee shop:  Busboys & Poets

Other must-see spots for families visiting D.C.: Malcolm X Park in the summer -- they do Saturday drum beats, and the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin in the spring. There are so many fun things to do in D.C. - and for free!

Find more ideas and activities in our D.C. city guide.

   Matthew Hranek | Photographer

Food and eating (and mom cleaning, which is an entirely different blog subject) are my first significant childhood memories. I think back and conjure up images from my youth: bowls of pasta, massive pots of tomato sauce, smelts frying...

Growing up half-Italian and half-Czech in upstate New York made for fantastic eating opportunities. I was surrounded by a dozen relatives whose lives revolved around the kitchen, and eating and food were cultural and social necessities.

Now that I'm a father, creating that exciting food environment for my daughter is essential. My daughter Clara is five, and it's fortunate that she's not a picky eater. In fact, she's adventurous and curious about flavors, foods and place. I'm lucky to have a new partner with whom I can continue my adventures and make new food memories. We recently were invited to see one of the most amazing kitchens ever. Thomas Keller offered to give our daughter Clara a tour of the kitchen at Per Se in NYC. It's a fantasy land of food prep. I was focused on the deep plastic bins of duck fat and Clara was delighted with the tray of chocolates. It was great - an exciting flurry of activity, with chopping, roasting, simmering, and plating. We had a blast. It was a bit of a Willy Wonka experience for me to see the magic behind the big blue doors. Clara got a goody bag of treats from Thomas and we walked away with a terrific kitchen experience. After that, we had lunch a few doors down at Bar Masa in the Time Warner Center and planned our next adventure.

I would encourage every parent to take a tour of your kids' our your favorite restaurant's kitchen. It's good fun to see how it's all created and how the process of food prep and cooking can be as exciting as the eating part. Our next stop? Chinatown.

Yolanda Edwards | Cookie Travel & Lifestyle Editor

Borough Market is the oldest food market in London (it's been in this location for 250 years) and it's probably the most exciting food court we've ever been in!  It is open as a market Thursday through Saturday, and even though we weren't there on a market day, we STILL loved it!  We started off with probably the best fish and chips ever at Fish!Kitchen and then we had a chorizo sandwich (3.50
pounds -- a bargain in this ridiculously overpriced town).

Next, we meandered into the Neal's Yard cheese shop, where they explained cheeses to us and gave us lots to taste. Finally, we finished up with a delicious coffee at Monmouth Coffee, where they drip each cup to order -- just like at Blue Bottle in San Francisco!

Tamara Herber-Percy | Cofounder of Mr & Mrs Smith Boutique Hotels

London mom Herber-Percy shares her favorite hometown haunts.

NORTH

For things to do and eat...
Brilliant Kids Cafe

A great place in Kensal Rise to get a tasty home cooked lunch, plus activities next door.

Rose gardens and picnics...
The Garden Cafe in Regents Park
Slap bang in the center of one of the Capital's prettiest parks, it's actually quite a sleek space to enjoy traditional British fare from shrimp cocktails to sarnies. Also, it's only a stroll to Regents Park Zoo and the open-air theater.

EAST

For petting and pottery...
Frizzante at Hackney City Farm
With free-range chickens and a kid's (or "young farmer's") menu, parents will like this spot as much as little ones.

Grabbing fast food isn't my first choice, but it's usually unavoidable while traveling with my family. Can you suggest some healthier, green options?
- Megan Morgan, Columbia, South Carolina

We know how difficult (and expensive!) it is to eat out for every meal when your family's on vacation. Fortunately, some conscientious companies are working to change the artery-clogging, Earth-trashing image of fast food chains. Locally sourced and eco-friendly, here are our five favorite "green" fast food restaurants across the country. The kids will love it and you'll feel good about it, too.

1. Burgerville, USA
Thirty-nine locations throughout Oregon and Washington

In addition to the natural beef burgers (free of antibiotics and hormones), you'll love the milkshakes, which are a mix of velvety ice cream and seasonal berries in the summer and sweet, rich hazelnuts in the winter. Even better, each Burgerville location is powered by wind power, canola oil used for frying is converted to biodiesel, and food waste is composted, not dumped in landfills.

2. Local Burger
Lawrence, Kansas

Ranked as one of the 10 best eco-friendly restaurants by Bon Appetit, Local Burger features grass-fed beef and seasonal organic vegetables. Or, try the quinoa-millet pilaf or a hearty Elk burger (which is actually quite delicious). If you've got a little one, they'll even puree an order of their organic peas and carrots.

"Little can top a summer vacation spent along the scenic shore of Grand Traverse Bay in upstate Michigan. The tart, juicy Michigan cherries that flood the area in the warmer months are amazing alone, but if you're looking for a more indulgent treat, Moomers  (7263 N. Long Lake Rd.) is the place to go. Housed at the Plummer Family Dairy Farm, the rich ice cream is made from the milk from cows like Nancy, C.L., Cookie, Red, and Grandma. Cherries Moobilee (black-cherry ice cream, Michigan cherries, a drizzle of chocolate fudge and bits of homemade brownies) puts Cherry Garcia to shame."
                                                                                                                --Sarah Engler, Associate Editor

"I went to Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, and any Smithie worth her salt would tell you that the best ice cream is found at Herrell's, on Old South Street. On warm weekend nights, the lines can be daunting, but it's worth the wait. The 'Burnt Butter & Sugar' flavor is so satisfying--and addictive! We used to buy pints of it, and keep them in our dorm's mini-fridge to get through late-night study sessions. Now ice cream lovers in other areas of Massachusetts can get in on the action: Herrell's has opened up locations in Cambridge, Allston, and at Mass MoCA in the Berkshires."

                                                                                                          -Elena North-Kelly, Home Assistant

"God, do I love New York City's Grom (233 Bleecker St., 2165 Broadway). It's sad, really, how much of my time is devoted to thinking about their fresh, creamy, flavor-bomb ice creams and when I can have more of them. Last Sunday, my husband and I brought the kids to their shop in the West Village. I went for a double scoop of fresh mint and caramel, the August flavor of the month. The mint is so refreshing (though the absence of chocolate chips was vexing) and the caramel is velvety and yummy with the perfect balance of sugar and salt. The chocolate sorbet, Cioccolato Extranoir and the ice cream, Cioccolato Fondent, are mind-bogglingly delicious. By far, the best I ever had.

A scoop of ice cream at Grom is $5, but it's worth it -- the Grom brothers, who started the chain in Turin, Italy in 2003, use only the best ingredients they can find like farm-fresh, seasonal fruits, organic eggs, and the best cocoas and coffees from central America. Excuse me while I fall back into another ice cream daydream."
                                                                                                                    - Kelly Alfieri, Web Editor

"Scoop DeVille (1734 Chestnut Street) in Philadelphia has delicious ice cream to begin with, but then you have your pick from an absurd amount of toppings. You can get anything from Rice Krispies to coffee powder on your ice cream. They also sell home made fudge and chocolate, which is always a plus for me." 
                                                                                                -Rebecca Etter, Travel Assistant

"Growing up in Holland, Ohio, Mel-O-Creme (8144 Airport Highway) was as much a part of my summers as Slip-N-Slides and softball games -- and my family stopped there after both! A no-frills seasonal shack (we joke that "capital improvements" are the new picnic tables out back), Mel-O-Creme's appeal derives from the fudge-y deliciousness of the turtle sundae, kiddie cones with rainbow sprinkles and tiny candy sugar "eyes" (still my favorite) and the huge backyard - a favorite evening gathering place. Recently my family introduced a new generation to Mel-O-Creme when we took my niece Addison there for her first ice cream cone. Based on the way she screamed when we tried to take away the drippy mess, I think she's hooked."
                                                                                                   -Colleen Egan, Associate Web Editor

"My all-time favorite way to spend a lazy weekend afternoon in San Francisco has to be browsing amazing local produce while savoring a heaping scoop of Ciao Bella's gelato at the bay-side Ferry Building (One Ferry Building). If I'm feeling sassy, the tart key lime gelato with a nutty graham cracker swirl will hit the spot, but it's tough to pass up the silky chocolate gelato made with Scharffen Berger chocolate that's produced across the bay in Berkeley. A little tip: If you love the chocolate gelato, you should really take the tour of the Scharffen Berger factory. It's delicious. "
                                                                                                                -Monica Perry, Web Producer

"My family spent several summers at our lake house in New Buffalo, Michigan. Just two hours outside of Chicago and nestled into the shores of Lake Michigan, it's a haven for families looking to leave the hustle of the city. Oink's Dutch Treat (227 W. Buffalo St.) was always our favorite stop. The plethora of Pig paraphernalia (1,144 items!) is hilarious, and the Mackinaw Island fudge ice cream (from local favorite Sherman's dairy) is an incredibly decadent fudge ripple ice cream punctuated with chunks of fudge."
                                                                                                                   - Erin Renzas, Web Assistant

Andy Ward | GQ Executive Editor

At Doug's Fish Fry in Skaneateles, NY, the fried fish and the fried potatoes and the fried onions (detecting a theme?) are churned out behind a cafeteria-type of counter. The presentation is simple: paper plates, a good house amber ale in paper cups, baked beans, and slaw. My six-year old daughter, after downing half of a fillet as big as my face, termed it "her favorite restaurant ever." There's a big happy mural of the lakefront covering one wall and a model train that snakes around a track just below the ceiling, popping in and out behind walls, holding all the little ones' attention. And dessert? For a few weeks in summer, you can have a fresh strawberry sundaes that will crush your heart.

Matthew Hranek |  Photographer

Bivalves. Oysters and mussels. Briny and sweet. Dipped in  mignonette battered and fried, steamed open, and served with piles of salty fries. I never thought that my daughter would share my passion for mollusks at such a young age. Clara and I can easily down a dozen oysters together - no bowl of creamy steamed mussels is a challenge. I realized Clara's affection for these tastes early on. We basically had dinner three or four days a week at Cotan, our local Japanese restaurant when we lived in NYC's West Village. Clara always seemed to gravitate to those briny flavors. When I held her in my arms she would dip her tiny fingers into my bowl of seaweed and fish - then they went straight into her mouth without hesitation or repulsion. Cool, I thought.

We made a trip to Normandy in the north of France recently where  the mussels are fresh and plentiful. I taught Clara how to use an empty shell to extract the sweet flesh, flecked with bits of garlic, hints of white wine, and the sea. Heaven. And the fries...oh, the fries. Fried to golden perfection (in good old animal fat!) and washing it down with hard cider - a delicious earthy, sweet addition (none for clara - though she pandered). We had a blast watching the shells pile high, carnage of our feast.

Clara's first oyster was a belon eaten in Paris a few days before. We were at La Coupole, one of those picturesque French bistros known for their steak frites and seafood terraces. It seemed the appropriate (and safest) place to indulge her interest in oysters.