Although I’m a food, beverage, and travel writer and author, as a kid I was a picky eater, as my parents like to remind me. My love affair with food began in my teens with joining mom in the kitchen, discovering PBS cooking shows, and receiving a gift subscription to Gourmet magazine. Traveling was the next step in expanding my culinary horizons. When I was 22, I spent three months in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. Memorable dishes included Moreton Bay Bugs (slipper lobsters) in Sydney, kokoda and kava in Fiji, poisson cru in Tahiti, meat pies and pavlova in New Zealand, and kalua pua'a and lomi lomi in Hawaii. Since then, I've also traveled to Mexico, France, England, Ireland, and Greece, learning about culture and culinary traditions along the way (if anyone can steer me to a Thessaloniki-style bougatsa in Arizona, I’d be forever grateful!).

Setting up for a TV segment on Channel 12 Arizona Midday

My husband and I lived in downtown Boston at Harbor Towers within walking distance to culinary gems such as Chinatown and the North End (our Little Italy) before moving to Phoenix in 2008. While I miss Boston, I’ve fallen in love with Arizona. From 2008 to 2015, I was the food and cocktail writer for AZ Wine Lifestyle magazine. When it was sold, I became a freelance writer, but wanted another outlet to continue supporting our incredible Arizona talent. Thus, WriteOnRubee.com was launched in to document the people and places I love. I’m not a food critic, so this site is to document my positive experiences. I also cover media events, restaurant openings, travel press trips, a calendar of events, press releases and my gardening hobby.

Filming with news anchor Olivia Fierro of Good Morning Arizona

With a goal of spotlighting our inspiring community, I’ve also written two books. One celebrates our award-winning wine regions, and the other showcases our talented chefs, restaurateurs, and mixologists. My first book, Arizona Wine: A History of Perseverance and Passion,published by Arcadia, was released in September 2019. Learn more about it by clicking the photo below, including how to purchase a personalized signed copy.

My second book, Phoenix Cooks, published by Figure 1 Publishing, gathers recipes shared by some of our city’s finest chefs, mixologists, and restaurateurs, and was released on September 1, 2020. Click on the photo below for all the details.

And a common question - why do I use Rubee? It stems from my many years as a regular in the founding era of a food board called Chowhound.com, where Rubee was the name I chose for posting. I also used it for social media, and I was advised to keep it when starting the website. My intent is to showcase Arizona's fabulous culinary, beverage and agricultural riches and the people behind them, so I just hope I continue to do them justice!

Recognition and Awards

Inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame as 2016 Food Writer of The Year
Winner of the Arizona Restaurant Association’s 2018 Foodist Award for Best of the Best Food Writer
Winner of Favorite Local Food Website 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023: Arizona Foothills Magazine
Winner of Best Food Feed on Instagram 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2024: Arizona Foothills Magazine
Winner of Most Influential in Valley Food 2019 by Arizona Foothills Magazine
Included in azcentral/The Arizona Republic newspaper 2021 Top Phoenix Food Instagrammers.
Featured as one of Arizona’s Local Influencers to Follow on Escape with Vagary in 2022.
Featured in the inaugural 2018 issue of Know - 100+ Women You Must Know and Do Business With by Know Women
Winner of Best Food Blog 2017: Phoenix Magazine Best of our Valley
Featured on Fabulous Arizona as one of seven “Fab Foodies” 2021: fabulousarizona.com/fab-foodies
One of 10 Phoenix Food Instagram Accounts Guaranteed to Make You Hungry
My Instagram recommended as a 2017 travel resource in San Diego Magazine
Featured in Arizona Foothills Magazine December 2016 issue: A Day in the Life of Christina Barrueta
Featured in Voyage Phoenix: Meet Christina Barrueta
Guest contributor for ABC15 Arizona, travel website Mike's Road Trip, and AZLatinos.com
Profiled in 2011 for Phoenix New Times Christina Barrueta's Perfect Food Day
Recognized as a 2010 Phoenix New Times Valley Tastemaker
2008-2015: Writer for Arizona Wine Lifestyle Rubee's Restaurant Spotlight, Happy Hour Highlights, and Cocktail Corner.