Don't have an opinion of Gilbert one way or the other, but at a friend's house recently I pulled a copy of "Best American Travel Writing 2007" off the shelf, and it had a piece by her on a walking/eating trip through southern France. It was pretty damn good--very funny and well written.

that's cool. I'm sure if/when she sticks to "here is all the fun I had eating and sightseeing in lovely places," she's in her element. which is frankly I think all most people wanted out of the eat, pray, self-delude thing. just be what you are! people like food and travel porn!