Monday, September 20, 2010

Santa Monica

Last Monday, I had a lunch meeting in Santa Monica. We ended up going to a place called Enterprise Fish Co. It's located off of Neilson Way in an old brick building that used to be some type of factory or business. I love old buildings and architecture. The interior of the Enterprise Fish Co. is modern and comfortable unlike the ancient brick exterior. The prices are reasonable and the food is delicious. The menu is large with lots of tasty items. I was torn between the coconut shrimp and the chicken sandwich. I ended up ordering the chicken sandwich since it had bacon, and I love bacon...(I know what you are thinking, I got chicken at a seafood restaurant!) My sandwich was exceptional--avocado, toasted bun, crisp bacon, and a spicy aioli sauce= one happy girl!
I am already hankering another chicken sandwich, however, next time I think I will be adventurous and get some seafood, since it is after all a seafood restaurant.

Off to another adventure,

LA Girl

Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Huntington Library


If you are in need of a day to just meander and let your mind wander, I suggest you head on over to the enchanting Huntington Library. Recently, a friend and I wandered throughout the gardens and observed a few exhibits. If you decide to venture out to San Marino and explore the vast gardens, take in the beautiful exhibits, and bask in the opulence of the family's mansion, I highly suggest you wear comfortable walking shoes. This will be an all day adventure (get there when they open) and one that you will want to relive over and over again.

Off to another adventure,

LA Girl









Saturday, June 5, 2010

Recipe for Veggie Enchiladas

Over the last year, I have come up with the perfect veggie enchilada recipe along with a black bean/corn salad. Try it and be amazed!

Enchiladas

1 package of small corn tortillas
2 yellow squash
2 zucchini
1 large yellow onion
1 green onion
1 package (large) of mixed cheese--Mexican
1 medium sized can of Las Palmas Green sauce
--you can put carrots in if you like...
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt or Garlic Powder

Step 1: Wash and cut all of your vegetables. I like to cut the veggies into small slivers, and dice the onion (you need half the onion for the enchiladas). Slice you green onions and put them aside.

Step 2: In a frying pan heat up a little bit of olive oil, then add the zucchini, yellow squash, and yellow onion. Drizzle a little more olive oil and then add some pepper (if you like pepper) and garlic powder/salt. Stir. Turn off the heat when the veggies seem soft.

Step 3: Get a baking pan (a square) and pour a little bit of enchilada sauce on the bottom to coat the pan. Get a bowl of some sort and pour a little sauce in that. You will use it to dip your tortilla in the sauce and then to stuff the tortilla.

Step 4: In your bowl with the sauce, take one tortilla (if they were in the refrigerator--you'll need to heat them in the microwave for 15 seconds in a paper towel, so they won't crumble) and dip both sides in the sauce, then add some veggies from your fry pan (skillet), and cheese. Then roll and place in the baking pan. Do this with all of your tortillas.

Step 5: Cover all of the rolled tortillas with the rest of the sauce and then sprinkle cheese and the green onions on top.

Step 6: Pre-heat the oven to 425 and cook for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Step 7: ENJOY!

Corn/Bean Salad

1 tomato
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
1 red or yellow onion (you can use the other half of the yellow onion for this)
1 red pepper (your choice)
some red wine vinegar

Step 1: Dice the tomato and onion, add them to the black beans and corn, and then 3 tbsp of the red wine vinegar.

Step 2: Refrigerate for a couple of hours

Step 3: Enjoy

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Solvang/ Port San Luis/ Morro Bay/Monterey/San Simeon/ Cambria

After an early morning start, we began our vacation by stopping off for a few pastries at a lovely little bakery called The Danish Mill Bakery & Coffee Shop in Solvang. I had an apple danish which was tasty and ordered some apple bread to go. After our small breakfast snack, we walked around Solvang and then drove around some of the back roads. I highly recommend exploring wherever you go.After Solvang, we headed to Avila Beach, which has the most amazing lunch spot on the planet! I have been here multiple times and keep coming back, not only for the clam chowder bread bowl, but for the view! The Inn in Port San Luis is a must! Here's the view from out table out of one of the long picture frame windows. Below is our table! That's what you eat on top of!
After driving to Morro Bay and checking into our hotel, we decided to go on a walk along Embarcadero. Morro Bay is a touristy sea-side village that offers great shops, souvenirs, and delicious food. We ended up eating at one of our favorite restaurants, Tagnazzini's. If you get there before 5pm, you can still order off of the lunch menu, which is great, however, it's best to get there after 5pm if you want more of a selection of fresh seafood.The second day of our trip we drove up to Monterey and went to the aquarium. Always, always, always get your tickets online! That way you don't have to wait in the long line outside. The penguins were so cute! The jellyfish were incredible (as you can see by the picture posted below), oh and don't forget to go to the petting area so you can pet a stingray too!For lunch, we wanted to try something new... We had been to Bubba Gumps and a couple of other places over the years. We walked forever and when we got to Massaro Santos (a place I had found online)--it was closed! So we walked all the way back and ended up at the Fish Hopper on Cannery Row. I have to say it was great! The only thing I didn't like is that they put a party of two in a table meant for one. As far as food goes, I had the open-face crab sandwich which was very delicious and filling.
After walking around Cannery Row we drove on the 17 mile drive (which is always a must) and took hwy 1 back to Cambria. We stayed at a little inn on Moonstone Drive. That night for dinner we went to a little old restaurant called the Sea Chest. It opens at 5:30pm, is pricey (but worth it), does not accept credit cards, and guess what? You have to get there before 5:30 because there was a line out the door at 5:28. We were able to get in and get a table, but make sure you get there early. Our waitress wasn't too great, but the rest of the staff were quick and helpful. I had swordfish with potatoes, and I sampled some of the calamari steak. Everything was perfect. The picture below is the road for the 17 mile drive. It's been paved and painted recently (it was never cardinal and gold before!) Fight on!!
The third morning we went back to Port San Luis in Avila Beach and ate breakfast at Fat Cats. Every summer we start craving Fat Cats. I always get the cinnamon bun with a side of bacon. It is beyond good, it is OUTSTANDING!
For lunch that day we went to another one of our favorites: Moonstone Bar and Grill. They have great sandwiches and ice tea. Try to sit on the patio if the weather is warm enough, otherwise indoors is the perfect option.At 1:40 we took the garden tour at Hearst Castle, which was fabulous as always. Make sure you take one or two tours if you are in the area. I have been on all of them over the years, and keep going back (to my second home--I wish!).

Off to another adventure,

LA Girl

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Galen Center

I forgot to post this a while ago! If you are ever around SC, try the Galen Center for lunch. It is so good, but beware it is a little pricey. Great sandwiches, burgers, and specials of the day. The staff is very friendly and if you are lucky...you might get a chance to sit in one of the long booths with a computer! hahaha.

Off to another adventure,

LA Girl

Central Coast

Next week, I will be blogging from Central California about restaurants, shops, and attractions!

:) LA Girl

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Mastro's Ocean Club


Images courtesy of http://assets0.likeme.net/18408/large/mastro_s_ocean_club.png.jpg and http://assets1.likeme.net/49989/large/mastros.jpg.jpg.


If you are near Crystal Cove, you must try Mastro's Ocean Club (they have Mastro's in LA too). The view is breathtaking and the food is even better. In case you were wondering, the iced tea is flavored! and that gets one bonus point right there :)

I ordered the mahi mahi which came grilled with 3 sauces: a tartar, an olive tapenade, and a cocktail sauce. For side dishes, we ordered cream of spinach and the BEST ever...lobster mash potatoes. These mashed potatoes are amazing--they come with chunks of lobster! They are quite expensive though, but they are worth getting, to experience the flavors.

For dessert we had the butter cake, which is a light (but rich) yellow cake, that came with ice cream and raspberry sauce. Pretty good!

Off to another adventure,

LA Girl

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Village Pizzeria





Picture from: http://annainwanderland.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/pizzeria4.jpg

Like pizza, pasta, and a warm eclectic atmosphere? If yes, then Village Pizzeria in Larchmont Village is for you. The pizza by the slice is HUGE, enough for possibly two dinners. I had the antipasto salad which had olives, feta cheese, ham, salami, and artichoke hearts. The house dressing was delicious. We sat outside on the sidewalk and it was great for people watching and even saw a celebrity come in with her family. So, if you have some time and want to go and explore, I definitely recommend heading over to Larchmont Village and grabbing a slice of pizza!

Off to another adventure,

LA Girl

Sunday, April 11, 2010

French Opulence

Pictures from: http://www.coolhunting.com/images/Bottega-Louie_0.jpg, http://resources.zagat.com/img/buzz/20090428_la_bottega_louie_CT.jpg, http://bottegalouie.blogspot.com/2010/04/torpedo-takes-off.html, https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZBEEo0MIWPoRGKXqGIHPcyC2rUtg5w_HdCGzl3wdMcOqQ97iO7Q5lneWFw_t0pJgkE4J4154qHe1AMxeTjP1WWJwwS51x5Nc5CSX2NeyosHMV6opjKUNrTiWbeXedAAcUP2d8nRioBg/s400/BOTTEGA_LOUIE_MACARONS.jpg

Today was quite the adventure! We left for downtown a little after eleven. My culinary partner and I arrived at our destination, Bottega Louie off of South Grand in less than ten minutes. The easiest place to park is the lost next door off of Grand, it's a $5 flat rate lot. The restaurant is gorgeous both inside and out. You cannot miss it, it is a large white marble tile building with GOLD letters that spell out Bottega Louie across the top of the restaurant. We walked through the large glass door and realized, we were not going to be eating right away. The market (sandwiches, cheeses, macaroons) was buzzing, the bar was completely full, and the gigantic dining area was completely full as well. It took a few minutes with the sea of people to see where it was that we needed to go to request a table (it's the large Napoleon like desk past the bar towards the wood-fire pizza ovens). We were told 25 minutes, so we decided to go for a walk. The walk was relaxing. I enjoyed the architecture that downtown LA has to offer, especially the older hotels that are now apartment buildings. We got back and were seated right away, one table away from a large picture frame window.

I ordered the Torpedo sandwich, which is basically an Italian sub with homemade potato chips and an iced tea of course. The iced tea came with your choice of liquid sugar, an orange slice, a lime slice, and a slice of lemon all presented uniquely on a little white plate. A few minutes later, a server also, brought over a cup of butter and strawberry jam, as well as a small white paper bag. Inside of the bag were two slices of bread. Delicious!

Lunch arrived (the service was a little slow, but that's due to the large volume of clientele--which was fine because I had great company) and it was a feast for the eyes. My sandwich was literally a torpedo, it was huge and required a fork and knife. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was! My tastebuds were more than thrilled. My dining partner had the salad trio which came with a toasted bagel, it seemed to be a popular entree, since most of the people seated near us had ordered the trio as well.

I highly recommend you check out Bottega Louie. Not only is it incredibly beautiful inside (it's like stepping into another world), but the food is beyond exceptional. You might have to wait quite a while, but it's worth the wait, and you can always go explore downtown while you wait.

Off to another adventure,

LA Girl

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Cupcakes


Image from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVQzUmDPhlkpv-IPhf33FWBcBcAUk0VNsYgDF_VCPBA4xUG4E7FdwlW-k_t95-ufPQmDLtdgF44xWQobr-JSMSZGnM-k7sTZkxImScj7fQlL32wEKzb04pYei-k77sJog30EsdnCqneQ/s320/cupcake12.jpg

Saying that I love cupcakes...is an understatement. Recently, I tried to get a few from Sprinkles and it was packed, I mean 35 people out the door packed. Since I was not in the mood to wait in line, I ventured over to Bristol Farms and got a strawberry cupcake as well as a German chocolate cupcake. Both very delicious. The strawberry cupcake was definitely fresher than the German chocolate one. They definitely are not Sprinkles, however, they are tasty and worth trying.

Off to the Farmer's Market,

LA Girl

Monday, February 22, 2010

Old Time Hollywood

Last night I went on a little adventure with my mom and step-dad. There is something about Hollywood, (LA in general) that captivates me. Everywhere I look, I see something odd or unique. For instance, I had a drag queen stare me down, yes stare me down. I've never had this happen before... As I was getting out of the car, I looked up and saw an overly made up "woman" glaring at me. I wanted to compliment her on her flashy outfit and purple sparkly lip-gloss, but refrained from doing so. I think maybe she thought I was competition..? She was with an older gentleman, who obviously had no clue that who he was with, was in all actuality a man.

Since it was getting dark, and we were all hungry we decided to go to an old Hollywood staple (est. 1949), Miceli's. My step-dad has been coming here since he was a child, and I have been here at least three times over the years. It's located in a little old brick building that is off a side street off of Hollywood Blvd., past the Pantages and the Museum of Death (which I kind of want to google). Once you grab the handle to the front door, you see a sign "No cellular devices". I admit, this seems odd, being that we are in a smart/cell phone era, however, I am partial to the resistance to technology stance for an hour or so. It makes you feel like you are back in the days before cell phones, when this place was booming with celebs.

The interior of Miceli's is a feast for the eyes. It's old Hollywood, baby, it's the type of place Frank Sinatra would frequent. It is dimly lit, lots of red table cloths, a bar, an indoor balcony seating area, dark wood, oh, and ancient waiters, that have been there since the place opened. All of these details add to the places rustic charm.

Miceli's prides itself on top-knotch pizza and pasta and believe me, they deliver. In the past, I have had the antipasto salad, however, this time I opted for Aunt Angie's beef lasagna, which was very beefy, and very good. We also split a Miceli's special pizza, which had peppers, onions, sausage, pepperoni, and olives. The meal was fantastic, and I hope to go back soon!

Off to another adventure,

LA Girl

Friday, February 19, 2010

Seafood

Dinner at Captain Jacks in Sunset Beach is always AMAZING. The ambiance is incredible with the large fish tanks, the location (right on the water), the nautical theme throughout, and of course the friendly service. I had the charbroiled swordfish and a baked potato. The baked potato was HUGE, abnormally large, the type that should win a blue ribbon at a local fair! The ginormous starch/vegetable came with butter, sour cream, and green onions instead of chives. Perfection! The dinner came with a nice salad that had cherry tomatoes, red cabbage, and carrots. For dessert, we split a piece of mud pie. I would like to say that dessert was the best part, but to be totally honest, I can never decide which part is best, because each part of the meal is equally tasty!

Captain Jacks is a great place for celebratory dinners--since it is a tad pricey. However, if you split a meal, it's still pricey but much more affordable compared to ordering two individual meals. :)

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Lab



Photo Courtesy of the Daily Trojan http://dailytrojan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/news-the-lab-by-Mike-Leebw.jpg


So last night was a reunion of sorts. My friend Erica, who graduates with us this Spring, but is busy being a career woman at the moment, met up with us at The Lab off of Figueroa for dinner. We arrived at around 7:30 and it was packed. The hostess handed us three clipboards and then told us to sit wherever we could find three seats. So we ventured over to a table that had two other people seated at the other end (it's like family style seating). We sat down and looked over the menu and then realized that the lights from the ceiling that were directly over our side of the table were a little low. Needless to say, it felt like we were going to be having some type of medical examination. So, we moved to the long booth/table and chairs along the far wall. Much better!
The interior is so cool. Marble like tables, metal chairs, long velvet lounge (banquet), pillows, long white tile bar, you can see the communal sinks lit up in the bathroom from the main dining hall. It almost has the feel of a Hollywood night club. Our friendly waitress came over and asked for our drink orders, so I ordered the usual, an iced tea, and it was yummy! A few minutes later, we all placed our orders, 2 chicken quesadillas for the girlies, and one rosemary chicken club sandwich for me. Our dinners arrived after a little while, and we were all pleasantly surprised. My sandwich was heavenly. The rosemary chicken was jam packed with flavor and there was a pesto-mayo combo spread on the soft bread. Delicious. The meal came with shoestring french fries which were equally exceptional.
After great conversation and lots of laughs later we paid our bill which was only $36 with tip and one beer. So not bad at all, and great for a college student's budget.
One piece of advice is, definitely take the Campus Cruiser, because valet parking your car at the Radisson (which is your only option) is $8!

Off to another adventure,

LA Girl

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Santa Moncia by Day, Santa Monica by Night

Alright...back to the restaurant stuff! Yesterday, I celebrated my birthday with a nice lunch at the Pacific Dining Car off of Wilshire and Arizona (I think). I did not know what to really expect, but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. The interior is quite nice, a little rustic looking. Beautiful wall papers and leather booths. The pricing is a bit on the high side. The ice tea, which you should know by now is my drug of choice, was sooooooooooooo good! I started off my meal by splitting the lobster cakes appetizer with my mother, and I have to say, they were filled with plenty of REAL lobster. After the delicious lobster cakes, came my Chinese chicken salad which contained grilled chicken, crispy noodles, and sesame seeds. The dressing was nice and light and definitely not over powering.

Since dinner reservations at The Lobster were set for 5:30, we decided to walk around the 3rd Street Promenade and kill some time. To be totally honest, I am not a big fan of the promenade. It's nice and all and great for people watching, but I don't know, once or twice is enough. As we were returning to our parking structure, we saw (here's a name drop) Val Kilmer get out of his red Chevy Malibu. He looks so different now with the long hair, and older exterior. But I guess we all have to grow up and age at some point, right?

With an hour left before our dinner reservations, we made our way over to the Georgian Hotel off of Ocean Ave. The hotel was first opened in 1933, and has the charm of an old Miami hotel, but more unique. We ordered a few drinks at the bar that is located in the lobby (they have dinner downstairs) and then sat out on the porch/patio, which has views of the ocean. There is not much to see inside, however, if you are fascinated by architecture, then you will love this building.

Finally, we made it over to The Lobster, which has stunning views of the pier and Malibu. I ordered the Mahi Mahi which came on a bed of brown rice with almonds, teriyaki sauce, green beans, and shitake mushrooms. Hands down, this was one of the best meals of my life!

We split the Blackberry Cobbler for dessert and then left for home.

Another great day and night in L.A.,

LA Girl

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Tomorrow...

Is the big day.. The itinerary is as follows: lunch at the Pacific Dining Car, 3rd St. Promenade, Tea at the Georgian Hotel, and dinner at the Lobster. Can't wait for this adventure!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Brentwood

Just got back from the Brentwood Country Mart off of 26th St. in Santa Monica. It's a neat little mall if you want to call it that. It looks like a big red barn! Inside are a number of really cool little shops. The general store has beautiful soaps, scarfs, jewelry, and other enticing trinkets. There is a candy store that has every single type of candy from your childhood, remember airheads!?
I ate at Frida's, which has a few other locations in L.A. You just walk up to the man behind the window (he's in a red barn building too) and order. The enchilada suizas were great, the pigeons that fly around and walk by your feet--not so much. Diesel books is an eclectic store filled with the unusual as well as the usual.
It's definitely a place that's worth stopping by, whether your hungry (next time I am going to try Barney's burgers--they look outrageous!) or in the mood to spend a little cash on some unique items.

Off to another adventure,

LA Girl :)