Your student days may be long behind you, but there’s still an excellent excuse to head into the UCLA-centric district of Westwood the next time you’re in Los Angeles: the cookies.

Oh go on, do I have to twist your arm?

Iconic stalwart Diddy Riese---fondly dubbed Diddy’s by those in the know---has been churning out sweet treats since 1983, but it’s the ice cream sandwiches that have reached near-national acclaim. You pick the cookie---choosing a different variety for each side is practically de rigueur---and an ice cream flavor for the filling, and a Diddy’s employee slaps the whole thing together in three seconds flat. The grand total? Just a buck fifty. Including tax.

Please join us in welcoming Catherine Sanderson to The Window Seat. She lives in Paris and is the writer of the popular blog Petite Anglaise.

Many visitors to Paris remain unaware of the existence of the Canal Saint Martin, a waterway constructed in the early nineteenth century to bring fresh water and freight into the French capital.

Flying to Colorado last weekend, I had beer on my mind. (Hey, as long as I kept my watch set to Eastern Time, it was almost an appropriate hour for a drink.) Since the Denver area is home to big-name brewers like Coors, more than 100 craft breweries, and the annual Great American Beer Festival, I thought I'd begin my three-day weekend with an ice-cold glass of local beer.

When I arrived in Boulder, though, I happened upon a tasting that instead turned my attention to wine as I was introduced to the delicious products of Colorado wine country--a place I'd never even heard of before.

Please join us in welcoming Martha Stewart to The Window Seat! This is an abbreviated version of Martha’s first travel column that debuted in the April 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine. This article is a part of the new quarterly travel section and her next piece is scheduled for the August issue, which hits stands July 20, 2009. An abbreviated version of the next travel article will also be featured on The Window Seat so be sure to check back soon.

In the summer of 2008, I decided to travel to England, Ireland, and Poland to visit some of our company’s strategic partners. I also planned to sightsee and to film several segments for my TV show. This is not an unusual scenario. I frequently combine my love of travel with business because I go places that I think most of us would enjoy seeing and experiencing.

Whenever someone asks me how I keep costs down while traveling, a lot of my answers (much like my life) revolve around food: book a hotel where breakfast is included, treat lunch as your main meal of the day, pack a picnic, ask a local shopkeeper or taxi driver for his favorite restaurant. And since this economic downtown began, I’ve been hearing more and more that travelers are choosing to eat at BYOB restaurants.

Bringing your own bottle to dinner is certainly a great way to save cash, and it affords you the added pleasure of exploring local groceries and shopping for local wines. And if you’ve already picked up a bottle or two on your trip, drinking them at a restaurant guarantees you’ll have zero chance of them being confiscated when you try to smuggle them home.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

The Chinese New Year welcomes the Year of the Ox, and according to the Chinese zodiac, the ox represents economic prosperity (let's hope so).  Like all big holidays, celebrating Chinese New Year is right up there with Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah, honoring tradition with family, cultural ceremonies and, best of all, food.

If you’re going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk. Or…shall I say…hike the hike. Since we first launched our children and nature guide to encourage travelers to get outside with their kids, I have been inspired to take advantage of the great outdoors a bit more myself.

I started small, exploring various natural areas of San Francisco. I’ve strolled through The Presidio, an ecological treasure in this bustling city. I’ve walked along the sandy city beaches as the freezing cold waves crashed around my ankles. I’ve even tortured myself in boot camp, taking my mind off my burning buns by soaking up the views of Golden Gate Park as the early morning fog crept through the trees. What an amazing treat to reward my hard work!

This weekend, I decided to step my pursuit for nature up a few notches. My friends and I hiked through Mount Tamalpais State Park. The real motivation: pancakes. I found out about this foodie adventure on Weekend Sherpa, an outdoor enthusiasts guide to Northern California, and have wanted to do it ever since. The adventure starts on one of several trail options and ends at West Point Inn, where they serve a pancake breakfast that Weekend Sherpa describes as “more mom-and-pop than IHOP.”

So apparently the French aren't eating lunch anymore.

I know! I was taken aback too. I'm not sure about you, but I've always pictured Parisian lunches to be long, boozy affairs filled with bread and cheese and lazy conversation in the world's most beautiful language. But with the economy in a downward spiral---yep, the effects are being felt all over the world, not just in the U.S.!---the French are stepping away from multi-course meals &agrave la table and opting for take-out sandwiches, quick salads, and DIY picnics instead.

For decades, the century-old Magneta Grandfather Clock at The Westin St. Francis was a popular meeting spot in San Francisco, bringing to life the phrase "Meet me at the clock." This social tradition died long ago, but Michael Mina hopes for a revival with the opening of his first-ever cocktail lounge, located just off the hotel’s historical lobby.

The CLOCK BAR opens to the public today, but I got a sneak-peek of the posh new venue this past weekend. My takeaway: everything from the décor to the cocktails reeks of style.

Get there early to claim a desirable piece of bar real estate - for no other reason than to catch a glimpse of the eye candy serving up the drinks. Sip on a Chartreuse Swizzle - I tried several of the signature cocktails, but this was my favorite. And order the lobster chopped salad, the lamb tenderloin panini or a charcuterie plate - Daily Candy recommends stuffing your face only after you’ve determined that there are no potential Mack Daddies in the house.

So, what do you say, meet me at the clock?!

Last Wednesday, as California's inland temperatures crawled toward the 100-degree mark, I joined some colleagues on a jaunt to the Napa Valley. Despite dry, smoke-hazed air from all of the state's wildfires, and despite a sun so big and bright it’d scared away all the clouds, I was not going to let anything like a little heatstroke deter me from doing the number-one thing people come to the Napa Valley to do: savor that exalted wine.

The day turned out to be a total treat and the heat barely registered, thanks to the following tips:

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Sierra.