Mary-Anne is passionate about cuisines of flavour!  She has traveled to 71 countries (includes more than 30 trips each to India, China, and Thailand). She relates that she always enjoys learning of cultures via the cuisine and of course wandering and tasting in local markets.  Wine is another passion of hers, and she often explores the vast selection of California wines, but also those of other countries.She has a career rich in marketing and merchandising at the VP level for a number of years which included design and sourcing of gourmet cooking and serveware related products, home and garden decorative items, textiles, and furniture among other things in tri-channel venues. Mary-Anne writes articles on cultures and cuisines for various media venues.  She is the Thai Food Editor on Bellaonline.com where over 200 of her authentic wonderful fresh healthy recipes appear.  Feel welcome to ask her questions on Thai and other cuisines of flavour including Ethiopian, Yugoslavian, Greek, Turkish,  Italian,  French, and of course the wonderful California Fusion cuisine of the SF Bay Area where Mary-Anne resides.  She is known for constantly developing new healthy choice recipes including over 90 on Weight Watchers.com.She is a passionate gardener of heirloom tomatoes, chiles, and a multitude of herbs.  Her garden is a virtual plethora of ethnic veggies and herbs.  Mary-Anne and her husband, Steve have 2 grown children, and 4 grandchildren and who all love to cook and enjoy with family and friends.  They have hosted dozens of students over the past 25 years from Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Korea, Indonesia,  Denmark, the UK, and France, as well as having a foster daughter from Vietnam during her high school years.  ???????