Salt Restaurant & Bar, Marina Del Rey

Working in an office all day long has really been bogging me down because I’m constantly indoors, and I don’t leave until the sun is already gone. So come the weekend, the ONLY thing I want to do is be outside in the sun. So for Valentine’s Day this year, I knew exactly where I wanted to go, and that is Salt. This perfect, not-so-little spot is nestled right on the water. I had been here before a few years back and enjoyed it thoroughly then. This time I wanted to surprise my husband with this little outing because I knew he’d love it just as much as I did.

Salt is located inside the Marina Del Rey Hotel. If you go past the lobby you’ll come right to the bar with the restaurant surrounded by the harbor. It has such a picturesque view with the water and all the docked boats. We enjoyed sitting there, watching the sail boats and fishing boats pass by, sipping on their signature cocktails.

We started off with what has to be one of the best Caesar salads I’ve had. Romaine lettuce, with capers, pine nuts, and grana padano cheese. I don’t know if it was the fact that I hadn’t had dairy in 1.5 months or what, but either way, it was delicious and I wish I ordered the bigger size.

Next, we went with the oysters, our guilt-free protien choice when we want to splurge and spoil ourselves without breaking the calorie bank. Did I mention we were supposed to be on a diet during this visit?? Yea, that didn’t go so well…read on.

The Tuna nicoise salad was another solid healthy option. Lovely presentation too.

I don’t typically order salmon when I go out, maybe it’s because it’s something I can easily make at home. But I was kinda feeling it on this day. A major switch from the beef and chicken I’ve been having recently. This was filling and great for sharing between the two of us, combined with the other entree we got. The salmon was an ora king salmon, paired with a zuchini ratatouille, caper vinaigrette and what I believe was an avocado based sauce. How perfect is this backdrop??

This next dish, we all but devoured. It’s the loco moco, a Hawaiian dish made here with a steak hache. Steak hache is high quality steak that is minced and then formed back into a steak. This was topped with a mushroom gravy (divine!) and served with a side of white short grain rice and a sunny side up egg. Again, it was devoured.

At the very least, you should go there for coffee and dessert. We went with the pumpkin cheesecake. Ooh my…so unique and delicious. I was clearly not wanting to be bothered by anyone while eating this cheesecake. I feel like that picture is a vibe.

We literally spent three hours here, eating and then later enjoying our coffee. I would recommend this place for a cute brunch with the girls, sunday funday, mother’s day, special occasions, or simply just to treat yo self. I highly suggest you come during the day and enjoy the outdoors. While they do supply blankets, you should also consider bringing a jacket too and dressing in layers cuz I went from hot to cold. We had an absolutely fantastic time. Can’t wait to bring the parentals next. Thanks for reading! Comment below if you’ve ever had waterfront dining like this before.

This Is My Substitute to Alcohol and Soda...

What do you guys think of the current CBD craze? It feels like everywhere I look there is some form of CBD and I found myself a little overwhelmed and confused while choosing which products to integrate into my life and routine. One of the biggest questions I had at the beginning of my CBD journey was: are all CBD products made equal? What I found out… absolutely not. 

In my search for pure, high quality CBD products free of chemicals, pesticides, sugars, and additives I found Present CBD-Infused Sparkling Water. Keep reading to hear all about my experience with this amazing drink!

OOk before I tell you more about Present, let me back up a bit. What is CBD anyways? To be honest I wasn't totally sure myself until I did a little research. CBD is a naturally occurring component of the cannabis plant. The cannabis plant has two species: hemp and marijuana. The CBD in Present comes from 100% organically grown hemp, which means it is free of pesticides and the soil is free of harmful toxins (major plus!). 

I noticed right away that drinking Present before bed helped me wind down from the day and get a better night of sleep. Actually, some of the best sleep I’ve ever had! The 20 mg of full spectrum CBD in Present helps me fall asleep faster and stay in a deeper sleep for most of the night which has really increased my productivity during the day. 

What I specifically love about Present is that it’s a great alternative to drinking alcohol and soda. The taste is so amazing that I almost feel like I'm drinking something that is bad for me, but Present actually has zero sugar, zero calories, and zero sodium! After trying Present sparkling water, I really don't know why anyone would reach for soda. (Yes, it’s seriously that good!) 

While drinking it, I also noticed the knot of tension in the pit of my stomach slowly melting away. Within minutes, I was no longer stressing over my long list of to-do's. Instead, I was simply in the moment and in an overall better mood. My favorite way to enjoy Present is rewarding myself with a can after a long day of work while watching my favorite shows. I swear, there's nothing better than winding down like that after a long day! It's the same concept of having a night cap but without any guilt, hangover, or bloating the next day. 

I tried 3 different flavors: natural, lemon lime, and blood-orange. All three are incredibly delicious, but my favorite has to be lemon-lime! You can drink them straight out of the can, or turn them into a fun mocktail by adding crushed berries, a fresh wedge of lemon or lime, or even by adding some stevia for a sweet, natural treat. 

If you would like to get your hands on Present CBD-Infused Sparkling Water, they currently sell in-store throughout Colorado or you can get it shipped to you anywhere in the U.S. by going to www.drinkpresent.com.

Follow them for more info @drinkpresent! 

#beherebeyou

STK, Los Angeles

I recently had the opportunity to treat my cousins to one of the best meals we’ve had in a while at STK. I was told to go on a Friday and Saturday night to really get an idea of their vibe and I totally know why!! It was like a club, but for adult adults….Meaning you get the music and the ambiance without have to worry about waiting in line, having your drink spilled on you, or being hit on by creepy dudes. Here, you get the space to relax in, fancy drinks, and more importantly, the food!!! Oh, and schedule it early enough and you get to be in bed in time to netflix AND chill.

Really, everything we tried was delicious and as expected, so I really can’t recommend one thing over the other. It all just depends on what you are in the mood for.

What I will say is though the dessert that comes in the cotton candy bubble was my favorite! It tasted like the strawberry shortcake popsicle I used to eat as a child.

I would recommend this place for date night, girls night out, guys night out, birthday celebrations. Not the kind of place you would take your grandparents to, or parents in general if they don’t like loud music. Take them to their outdoor brunch instead.

Price point is also as expected given that it is a steakhouse inside the W Hotel in Beverly Hills. Check them out and let me know what you think! Have you been here already? Anything in particular you would recommend?? Comment it in the comment section!

The Dive, San Diego

One of the best and interesting meals I had in San Diego was at the The Dive. Why, you ask? Well, this was my first experience with steam kettle cooking. To understand what steam kettle cooking is, you kinda just have to see it for yourself. I kinda wish they explained it on their About page but no such luck. So good ol Google it is. According to Sandiegoville.com, “steam kettle cooking uses jacketed stainless steel kettles to cook with steam as it travels through one side of the kettle and moves around the jacket of the kettle, heating the food indirectly and very evenly. A large boiler in the back of the restaurant pumps steam through a network of pipes to heat the kettles. Using steam in this method is known to be approximately six times more efficient than gas or electricity by itself, and each steam kettle unit costs around $3,000 a piece.” I mean, I couldn’t have said it better myself.

As for what to order, literally everything was so good. You can’t go wrong with any of the entrees, but there was one that stood out above all the others and if I’m not mistaken, I believe that was the Dive Chowder. Everything had so much flavor and yes they were seasoned differently. Although, if I had to redo it, I probably wouldn’t order the Gumbo AND the Jambalaya in the same visit. The Boudin balls were cool, and the beignets were fire!! (A MUST order). Good news is they have a new location in Temple City so no need to drive all the way to San Diego to get it. Definitely worth trying so go check them out!

Boudin Balls

Brussels Sprouts

Beignets

Picture with the Owner

Albuquerque Guide

My trip to Albuquerque was very much unplanned and happened with such short notice. With that said, it still ended up being as good as any trip planned weeks in advance. I live in LA, and I'm always trying to find weekend trip destinations. The kind you can just hop in your car and go. Well, I’m happy to let you know that Albuquerque is one of those destinations. It was a 13 hour drive from Los Angeles. We left at 6 am and arrived at approximately 8 pm Albuquerque time.

We arrived on Wednesday evening and left on Friday morning. Technically we only had one full day and I believe that was enough to get a sense of Albuquerque. However, if you do have the time, I think I could spend another 1-2 days and see everything I need to see. I have a feeling I'll be back in Albuquerque this year, that's why I wasn't stressed to see everything this go around. BUT, I've created this guide for you so that you can make the most of your stay in Albuquerque and will continue to update it every time I visit.

Where to Stay:

 If you are looking to stay somewhere outside of the typical hotel/motel situation, try a bed and breakfast instead. We stayed at the Mauger Estates and get this, it was built in 1897!! Over a century old! Its considered an historical landmark! Because everything is so new in LA, I kind of geek out when it comes to historical buildings like this.

 Our room was very quaint yet fully equipped with everything we needed, blow dryer, iron, mini fridge, AC, heater, tv, remodeled bathroom, etc. There are usually homemade baked goods waiting for you upon arrival in the foyer. Continental breakfast is put out at 7:30 am, and hot plates are served from 8:30 am to 9:30 am. If you have a dog, they have a room to accommodate that too! For bookings, visit their website here: https://maugerbb.com/

What To Do:

One thing you absolutely need to know is that Albuquerque, besides becoming world famous for being where Breaking Bad was shot, is also known for their hatch chili's. It's all chili errthang. That's why you may want to pick up some chili related souvenirs.

We stopped at the Chili Addict which has been around for 33 years! We stopped here to pick up some Chili salsa and hot sauce. Grab a pinon coffee too. Pinon is a type of pine nut that is extremely hard to come by and I'm told only grows in Albuquerque. Sometimes, years will go by without a harvest. Which is why they're a little pricey, but if you want something similar to sunflower seeds, then pick up a bag of roasted pinon.

If you're looking for whole hatch chili's, dry or fresh, pop on over to Chili Konnection. You can get whole dried chili's by the buttload, or ziplog bags of ground chili, various types.

One very popular thing in Albuquerque are breweries, they're everywhere! The owners of the BnB recommended  a place called Marble Brewery. Apparently, they're the first ones to pioneer the brewery movement in Albuquerque. They have beers to please anyone, even myself who's not a very big beer connoisseur, I was really impressed with their unique flavors. Sours are my favorite so naturally their passionfruit was my favorite. The double white was our groups favorite, named after Walter White from Breaking Bad.

Where to eat:

 This is obviously my favorite part because...food. But seriously, the two places we ate at were legitimately awesome!

First off, if you're not here to eat New Mexican food, I can't be friends with you. And yes, New Mexican food is different than Mexican food, and they take this differentiation very seriously so don't get it twisted. At first glance, it would appear to be the same. Both have tamales, burritos, tacos, enchiladas. I asked a local what the difference is, they said that New Mexican food is spicier and more characterized by Native Indian Americans. Personally the difference that I saw was that it definitely was spicier and saucier. The tamales, enchiladas, and burritos were doused in chili sauce. Not to mention the presence of green chili stew was different. Tacos were predominantly hard shell tacos as opposed to the corn tacos you find everywhere in LA. I also did not see quesadilla on any menus either. Also, we don't get sopapillas (more on that later).

 Cervantes

 So let's start with our first legit meal in Albuquerque, and that was at Cervantes. Here, we got the works and pretty much ordered a little bit of everything. I recommend you get EVERYTHING we ordered and I'll tell you exactly what that is...

 Order the Combo Plate #2 which comes with Enchilada, Chile Relleno, beef taco (hard shell, duh). It does not come with the tamale like combo # 1 does, but #1 does not come with the Chile Relleno, so we ordered the tamale a la cart.

 Next, you HAVE TO order the green chili stew. Seriously, you cannot come to NM without trying that. Its just a really delicious tasting stew, pretty hearty in its own right. We ordered the large and shared that between myself and husband. Well really we shared everything we got. So this order is for two people who have a VERY HEFTY appetite.

 Our order also came with a basket of sopapillas, another MUST. These were puffed fried dough in a triangular shape and meant to be eaten with honey. So simple yet so damn delicious. To be honest though, I did end up taking these back to the hotel and ate them with nutella...omg game changer. But try it traditionally first.

Now, because my husband are fat f*cks, we decided to order another plate of enchiladas. For a normal couple, I would recommend stopping right here and you'll be just fine. But everything else, you must order.

Combo Platter #2

Enchilada

Tamale

Chili stew

Frontier Restaurant

Frontier Restaurant is an Albuquerque landmark, often referred to as the "college student restaurant" because it is parked right across the street from the University, and offers really affordable food. Now, I have to admit, hearing that made me thinking it was fatty, greasy, and poor quality. It was anything but those things. I was impressed yet again with delicious NM food all over again. This time we ordered chicken enchiladas, two beef tacos (I wanted a whole one to myself), a carne adovado burrito, green chili stew, and a green chili hamburger.

And of course, you cannot go to frontier without ordering one of their sweet rolls which is essentially a cinnamon roll. The best cinnamon roll I ever had was from the city of Windsor, Canada where I grew up, but this is a classic and it's what they're known for so you kinda gotta get it just for novelty of it. Plus, I don't often see freshly baked cinnamon rolls like I used to so this took me back to my childhood. The only thing missing was the pecans on top (insert crying emoji). P.S. I recommend everything I ordered. But their fries also looked sooooooo good, I just didn't have the heart to order them.

A few other things to note is that they make their own tortillas right in front for anyone to watch which was kinda cool. Also, this place was surprisingly massive! It consisted of three very large rooms. And people would literally line up by the herds which can be disappointing at first because we really didn't want to wait a long time as we were wanting to get on the road, but as soon as I stepped in the line, it was basically my turn. They move REALLY fast!

Overall I was really impressed by the food in New Mexico. It wasn't greasy at all. Everything was super fresh and had a very homemade quality to it. If you ordered everything I ordered at a restaurant in LA, I bet you there will be at least one item that simply is not up to par with everything else. That was not the case here. Both times we went out, I would order everything all over again and definitely recommend you order it as well.

I got a lot of recommendations from you guys. Because this was such a short trip, I couldn't get to everything but I'll definitely be adding to it each time I travel there and will try to hit up new places every time. Hope you enjoyed reading, if you try any of these places or have any other suggestions leave them in the comments section below!