Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

After doing research to find an affordable Caribbean trip, I found that Punta Cana is the best way to get the most bang for your buck for a beachy vacation.  Basically for a $1000 we stayed at an all inclusive resort for a trip that lasted 9 days.  The itinerary is what made it so awesome….We landed in Miami, partied all night, got on a plane for Punta Cana, stayed there for 6 nights, flew back to Miami, partied all night again, then came back to Los Angeles.  I had the most amazing time with the most amazing people ever!!!!!!!  I did not want to come home at all!  The hotel we stayed at was pretty comfortable and nice.  There was food and drinks around the clock.  Fine dining at various restaurants.  Soooo worth it!  I will always do the all inclusive if possible.

I highly highly recommend the hotel we stayed at which was the Barcelo Dominican Beach…but beware, make sure you read all the reviews and pick the hotel with the best ones because there were a lot of hotels with similar names that had really horrible reviews.  Reading all the reviews also prepares you for the stuff that can go wrong, for example, them not being able to locate your reservation.  This had happened to people many times before, so I actually made the effort to call the hotel to confirm our reservation and whaddya know…..THEY HAD NO RECORDS OF MY RESERVATION!!!!  So I frantically called Priceline and made sure they sorted it out.  Thank god I had done that or else.  But the bad news is that they still did not have our reservations available when we got there!  So as you can see, there is a lot that can go wrong, so its really important to read as many reviews about a place before you go.  Despite all of that though, the rest of the trip was awesome, and I would still go back to that hotel.  I wish you all the best and hope that you’ll be able to experience somewhere awesome this summer!

Mr. Universe hoopla!

Club Imagine….a club in an actual cave…freakin amazing!

Traditional Dominican food

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Chelo Kabob, Shah’s of Sunset Style

Dude, who brings a freakin tiger to their party??  The Shah’s of Sunset, that’s who.  You may recall this from the episode where Sammy throws a party at his crib.  This was the closest I’ve ever come to standing next to a tiger…and I was pretty scared that any minute now the tiger’s gonna get evoked and break through its cage.  But aside from the tiger…the decor and food were both noteworthy.  Catering was done by Beverly Hills Market.  Presentation was done right.  Of course they had to go with Persian food. Besides the kabob’s, I also loved the appetizers.  Overall I thought they were very professional. As far as the party goes, the food was good, the music was good, the view was awesome, the drinks were flowing, the tiger entertained…duhhh what more can a girl want?

How amazing does this look?

Marissa and Jesse

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Q’s Billiard Club, Los Angeles

Q’s Billiard Club

11835 Wilshire Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90025

(310) 477-7550

http://www.qsbilliardclub.com

FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN!  Wednesday night is Trivia Night where you can gather a group of your friends and compete with other groups of people answering trivia questions.  The winner gets a $100 tab, I think 2nd place gets $75 and third place gets $50.  I swear we were in 2nd place the whole night, then finally ended up in 4th because of the last question.  Grrr. I still had a blast!!! I highly highly recommend. It is soo much fun!  Food wise, for the best bang for your buck, I’d say order the Turkey Burger. It’s filling and delicious.  But beware if you don’t like stinky cheese.

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Art On A Plate: Red Medicine, Beverly Hills

Red Medicine

8400 Wilshire Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90211

www.redmedicinela.com

Beautiful and artistic creations is what you’ll find at Red Medicine. The pictures on their website are absolutely breathtaking.  The visual presentation with the edible flowers and overall creativity are unlike anything I’ve ever had before.  The food itself is Vietnamese inspired, although it is not your traditional Vietnamese food.  I have to admit though, besides the visuals, freshness and creativity, I was not at all pleased with the actual taste of the food. My sandwhich, the Heritage Porkbelly glazed with vinegar and malted barley was unique but I was not a fan of the taste at all.  My friends noodle dish was also very plain because it only had a little bit of chicken and vegetables, and the rest was all cold noodles with no sauce or flavor.

Let that be your warning. With that said, is there a reason to go there still? The answer is yes, because the appetizers and drinks are incredible and will still be an experience all on its own, I just don’t recommend the entrees.

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My trip to Oahu, Hawaii

Here are some pictures of my trip to Hawaii not too long ago.  I stayed at the Olomana Gardens doing a program similar to WWOOF’ing. If you’re not sure what that is, visit www.wwoof.org.  Its a great way for people to travel if you are on a budget, want to get into farming and organic living, or simply want to live with a family rather than on your own because you get to experience the true culture of the place you are visiting.  This was my second visit to the Olomana Gardens and I had a blast! Every night I ate like a KING because I was making fantastic meals for the whole gang and topping it off with a nice glass of wine or beer. Everyone would pitch in, whether it be side dishes, wine, freshly baked tortillas, etc.  I most definitely left the calorie counting back in LA!  I’m so happy and grateful for all the experiences and most importantly the friendships that I made.  I can’t wait to go back!

The Kitchen, and the great people at Olomana Gardens

My Bedroom, which really was converted from a Van lol

Gorgeous organic papaya freshly picked from the tree

Imagine having a picnic while enjoying this amazing view. Words cannot describe how it felt.

Potlucks are the best! You get a taste of everything!

Our "backyard"

The best spaghetti I've ever made in my life all because of the love and "aloha" that went in it as some called it, also the fresh oregano didn't hurt either ;)

Freshly caught Tilapia!

On the last day of my trip, I spent the whole day making chili guava peach jam :)

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What Kind of Burger Are You?

Fatburger

www.fatburger.com

I was on my way to my favorite burger joint (In N Out), then got persuaded to try something different. It had been a while since I’d been to Fatburger and so I figured I’d go.  I actually really liked it, except I forgot to ask them not to put relish. I don’t like that stuff. I think the most exciting thing was that they had a soda machine with like a million flavors, like Peach Sprite, and Cherry & Lime Lemonade.  The burgers are good too. Real meaty. Real Tasty. Oh and if you’re trying to watch your carb intake, they’ve got a salad version as their “lettuce wrap.”  I guess the advantage of going here as opposed to In N Out  is that you have more options of what you want on your burger like bacon, eggs, mayo, relish, etc., plus their burgers patties are bigger too, of course, their prices are a tad higher.  Still, its good to switch it up sometimes.  What do you think, are you an In N Out fan, or do you prefer other meatier burgers over the taste of In N Out?

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The Penthouse @ The Huntley Hotel, Santa Monica

This next restaurant/lounge is a super fun place to go and one of my favorites in Santa Monica.  I find myself going here quite often because it suits every occasion, whether it be just to get drinks with friends, or celebrate a birthday. But the best feature of The Penthouse is the absolutely GORGEOUS decor.  Overlooking the ocean, it is THE perfect place to go to early in the day for brunch or late enough to catch the sunset and breathtaking views.  The nightlife alone gives it a different feel. We ordered a cabana, had a beautiful dinner, and followed the music to the dance floor.  I ordered the New Zealand Snapper that comes with potato gnocchi and steamed clams.  I have to admit, it was very light and delicate. The fish had a slightly crispy exterior but coated in a delicious white wine and garlic sauce.  The gnocchi was made to perfection.  Of course, the servings are rather small. But if you want the best bang for your buck, order the crab cakes. They’re the best. Everything was of excellent quality. Oh, and apparently I got a little overzealous when they brought my food because I forgot to take a picture of it! Doh!

Braised Short Rib

Brick Pressed Jidori Chicken

Crab Cakes

Cauliflower Gratin

Strozzapreti

Happy Birthday Crissy!

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Casa Del Mar, Santa Monica

Casa Del Mar…what can I say? It is an incredibly elegant and sophisticated hotel with a restaurant on the beach where you can eat or just sit and have drinks.  I can only imagine what it would be like during the day.  It’s a good place to go just for the sake of going.   Beware, it is pricey.  I only wish I had more pictures of the actual restaurant area.  Would I go back? Absolutely.

Happy Birthday Priyanka!

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