“I have smuggled so many ingredients across so many borders, like shallot confit from Thailand, or a new sauce from New Orleans not approved by the FDA.”

Family is at the heart of everything I do.

I just want Beyonce to be the mother of my children.

I’ve never been a big fan of gossip. Being a victim of it, I knew how much it hurt.

I’m always the person who’s taking everyone else’s kid and putting them on my hip, so I’ve kinda always been a mama.

I went straight from high school to ‘Gossip Girl,’ and both were very structured, scheduled environments, so I never had freedom to explore and carve my own path.

I’m so used to being within 10 minutes of my family.

What do you do with your best friend? You do nothing.

I feel shy when people are fussing on me.

If I wasn’t an actress, I’d be a chef. I’d love to open a restaurant.

I didn’t have a boyfriend until I was 17. There were boys at school that I would find out later had a crush on me but I was too shy to talk to them.

I thought it was a fun thing to do, but we stepped outside my brother’s school and he was mortified!

I take a cooking class everywhere I travel. I find it’s the best way to get to know a culture.

My dream as a passionate cook has been to go to Le Cordon Bleu. Never could my most incredible dream have lived up to the experience.

I actually dress up more in my home than I do walking down the street just because it is so much fun to play dress up.

You can’t be an entrepreneur for other people. You can’t start a company for other people.

When I have bad days, I just eat lots of chocolate ice cream and dance to the ‘Lion King’ soundtrack. It’s really odd, but it’s true.

There is magic in this moist world, in how the mind lets go, slips into sleepy water, circles and nuzzles the banks of palmetto and wild iris, how it seeps across dreams, smears them into the upright world, rots the wood of treasure chests, welcomes the body home.

Longitudinal studies following thousands of people across time have shown that most people only begin to gravitate toward certain vocational interests, and away from others, around middle school.

Your past wouldnt frighten me, i said, buckling my seat belt across my lap. Im guessing id be more appalled than anything.

My favorite Twombly is ‘Apollo and the Artist,’ with the big ‘Apollo’ written across it.

You’re mine, angel,” he murmured, brushing the words across my jawbone as i arched my neck higher, inviting him to kiss everywhere. “you have me forever.

The election is not very far off when a candidate can recognize you across the street.

Hang on, did you just call me angel? I asked. If i did? I dont like it. He grinned. It stays. Angel. He leaned across the table, raised his hand to my face, and brushed his thumb along one corner of my mouth. I pulled away, too late.

There’s something very dangerous happening in states across the country.