I was out picking up tomatoes about three weeks ago at the Sunday market when I saw the happiest of sites -- a pile of pears. I asked the ‘Mater Man’ about the unexpected appearance of pears and learned that our odd weather this summer has led to early pears. That’s good news to me, as I love pears in lots of savory dinner dishes. If you consign this crisp fall fruit to no more than a snack, you are missing out a on an entire world of happiness.

East Enders you’ve got a new reason to rejoice: The Original Impellizzeri’s is coming to your neck of the woods. The pizza powerhouse is clearly not content being the preeminent (and by preeminent I mean my absolute favorite) pizza spot in the Highlands, so they’re adding a second store.

That second location is in what is fast becoming the city’s next restaurant row: Holiday Manor. With Mojito and Shiraz already in place and Anoosh Bistro coming this fall and now Impellizzeri’s, Holiday Manor is fast gaining an embarrassment of riches in the food department.