Rincon De Guyabitos, Los Angeles

Rincon De Guyabitos

735 S Atlantic Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90022

We all occasionally need to get our car fixed, and my recommendation is to go to East Los Angeles, specifically on  Atlantic Blvd. The reason being is you will most likely be spending a fraction of the cost.  I’m tellin you, it is soo cheap compared to going to big name places.  And if you do find yourself out there, chances are you’ll probably have to wait a while for your car to be fixed. If you’re waiting for your car to get fixed, chances are you’ll probably get hungry. Unfortunately, most eateries out there look pretty sketchy.  This is where I come in.   I can assure you that Rincon De Guyabitos, although shabby looking, was actually really good.  Yes, I know it’s really weird that I ordered a burger when I probably should have ordered Mexican food, but I couldn’t help myself. It sounded pretty good and I was craving it from the get-go.  It totally satisfied my craving.  The salsa on the other hand…..man Oh man that was THE spiciest salsa I think I’ve ever eaten. I love spicy food, but this was on another level.  All I could do was laugh because I’m sitting across from someone, and neither of us could speak to each other for a good 15 minutes because our mouth was on fire.  So worth it though, and it has my stamp of approval.

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Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco

Fisherman’s Wharf

San Francisco

If you ever get a chance to go up to San Francisco, Fisherman’s Wharf is an absolute must!  They have some of the best seafood around, but I think their most popular main attraction is the clam chowder in the bread bowl.  My personal fave though is the oysters!! I absolutely LOVE them, especially when they’re nice and cold with a little bit of lemon, salt, and horseradish. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!  I had an amazing time on my visit.  And on your way, don’t forget to stop in Gilroy where its garlic-lover’s heaven!  You  can smell the garlic right when you exit the freeway.  We stopped at one of the local garlic stores and bought a whole bunch of goodies including a garlic peeler, garlic mustard, and even garlic chocolate ice cream!

Couldn't help but capture this beautiful display walking the streets of San Fran

Another cutesy display I just had to snap a picture of

Bread Bowl with warm soup and crab/lobster salad

I'm happy as a clam

Best in show!

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Le Diplomate Cafe, Irvine

Le Diplomate Cafe

4237 Campus Drive

Irvine, CA 92612

So, most of you may know that my favorite sandwich place is Bay Cities Deli, but this next sandwich in particular is pretty darn good too.  Although, it’s not nearly as creative.  Le Diplomate Cafe is located near the UC Irvine campus, and is apparently a very popular place among college students.  What makes all their sandwiches so good is their garlic sauce.  I swear, garlic makes everything taste better.  But to be perfectly honest, if you ask me, I’d say their garlic sauce is really nothing more than just mayo and fresh pressed garlic (which anyone can make!).  Not something you want to eat very often, but good enough that we drove 25 min one way just to have it. That’s a true foodie right there! I have to admit it was worth it to have once, but certainly something I can make at home next time.

Garlic Chicken Sandwich

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Marmalade Cafe, Sherman Oaks

Marmalade Cafe

14910 Ventura Blvd.

Sherman Oaks, CA

http://www.marmaladecafe.com/

I had been to this restaurant a few times before at the Calabasas location, and usually for breakfast, but this time I had the opportunity to try the food at the Sherman Oaks location to celebrate my friend’s graduation.  I have to admit, I was really pleased with it.  I felt like eating something simple so I went with the Turkey Melt, and I’m very happy I did. It was filled with enough meat and the cheese, avocado, and bacon added just the right touch.  Also, a very interesting twist to a classic were the Portobello mushroom fries. Soo soo good! Man o man, I loved the texture of it. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.  I have to learn how to make these at home.  The atmosphere is classy and great for an afternoon brunch or a nice date in the evening. Overall its a great place that can accommodate many different appetites because they’ve got different options to choose from like breakfast, salads, hamburgers, pastas, classics, seasonal items, etc. Try it!

1/2 Sandwich and soup

Classic Eggs Benedict

Fish & Chips (with portobello mushroom fries as a substitute to regular fries)

Portobello Mushroom Fries

Three Cheese Ravioli

Turkey Melt

Love, aka Cutest baby everrr!

CoCongrats Marie, Love youuuu!ngrats Marie, Love youuuu!

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Moonshadows, Malibu

Moonshadows

20356 Pacific Coast Hwy

Malibu, CA

http://www.moonshadowsmalibu.com/

Went here for date night and absolutely loved it!  Although the dinner was amazing, I would totally go back just to have drinks while gazing at the ocean.  It’s incredibly romantic to sit outside and watch the ocean while sipping on some wine. We tried a few white wines and decided on a Viognier. The food was great all around. We ordered the Flash Fried Calimari, a great appetizer because it was delicious, crispy, and great for sharing.  The scallops were ever so delicately seared and they just melted in your mouth, almost no chewing necessary.  We also had the Grilled Pacific Swordfish which was a great choice because it was a thick cut and had an amazing buttery sauce that went perfectly with the spinach and mashed potatoes. For dessert…the souffle for dessert with the spiced coffee sauce and hazelnut ice cream. I mean, Hello!?  How can you go wrong with that.  The whole evening was just magical.

Flash Fried Calimari: Chipotle Aioli Sauce

Pan Seared East Coast Seared Scallops: Fresh Tomatoes, Frisee, Shitake Mushrooms, Lemon Dressing

Grilled Pacific Swordfish: Baby Carrots, Sautéed Spinach, Yukon Gold Mash Potatoes, Lemon Caper Beurre Blanc

Valrhona Chocolate & Gianduja SoufflÉ Cake: Spiced Coffee Sauce & Hazelnut Ice Cream

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Poquito Mas

For a casual Mexican dining experience, check out Poquito Mas. For a burrito filled with tons of vegetables, try the Nature Grill Burrito which has fresh grilled eggplant, mushroom, zucchini, red and green bell pepper, red and white onion with black beans, Jack cheese, fresh salsa and a touch of roasted red bell pepper sour cream.  We ordered this with steak and “wet” style. Split between 2 people, it did the job.

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Indian treats on an Indian beach

One of my favorite parts of my trip to India was my visit to the beach.  It was like going to a carnival.  There’s tons of people scattered around, and so many food stands with typical carnival food like snow cones, cotton candy, and corn on the cob.  I only wish I had more pictures!

Me in my Indian getup

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Miami in a Night

The plan: Get to Miami. Rent a car. Party. Get back to the airport by 6 am. And yes, we did it.  We arrived at Miami, quickly rented out a car which was troublesome at first because a lot of the companies were sold out.  Got ready at the airport since we had to pick up our bags anyway.  Then had a fantastic dinner on the main strip.  Did the whole bar hopping at Nikki Beach. Then actually walked down to beach where some of us were actually daring enough to go in the water that late at night (not me).  Then back to the airport it was to catch our plane to Dominican Republic. No need to get a hotel either. Did the whole thing all over again on the way back. Now THAT’S how you do a layover lol.

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