This week’s Best Women’s Travel Writing 2010 contributor has circumnavigated the globe in her search for food so spicy, she’d ignite on contact (as she once watched her grandfather do): Alison Stein Wellner. She is the culinary travel guide for About.com, a blogger for Luxist, and has contributed to Business Week, Glamour, Men’s Journal, and Mother Jones, among other publications.
What is “home” for you? Is it a particular place or person or thing?
Home for me is New York City. I was born here, I grew up here, I left for college and stayed away for another eight years after that. I returned six years ago, and the world felt right again. I’m always oriented when I’m in New York in a way that I’ve never felt anywhere else.
In fact, New York isn’t just a home, being a New Yorker is also my identity, far more so 
than any nationality, religion, ethnicity, school, what-have-you. And by this, I don’t mean any stereotype that people have about “New Yorkers,” all black-clad and rude and teetering on impossible heels and clubbing to all hours of the night — which isn’t like any native New Yorker that I know!
When did you first hit the road? How did it go?
I didn’t seriously start to travel until I was an adult. I was not content with this situation, Read the rest of this entry »
