Another fantastic event pulled off by the International Spa Association team! Attended as their guest for the first time last year and loved the experience. Was happy to be invited back again this year and got to try some of the treatments offered onsite by several spas and resorts. Not only is it a great experience meeting spa professionals in a casual setting but you are also in an event space and not at their workplace which gives you a whole other perspective on the folks that take care of your wellness and health, and the opportunity to converse with them at leisure, which might not necessarily be an option when you are at the specific spa or resort. Got to learn about new programs, treatments, industry trends and more. Read on!
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A quick video on my first trip to Legoland, this one in California. Excited to visit and see for myself why families love the resort.
All year round and especially during summer and long weekends, families in the U.S and around the world descend on Legoland in droves. The idea that this was an amusement park crowded with people kept me away for the longest time although a part of me was always curious to see what all the hype was about. All suspicions were laid to rest during a recent overnight stay at the Legoland Hotel during which I also got to visit the waterpark and the amusement park as well as the aquarium. Quite frankly, I’d have loved to spend the weekend there though I only did one night. After my visit, I can see why families with kids head straight for this park but it makes for a fun trip for folks without kids as well.
Celebrate food, wine and culture inspired by international travel when food and wine connoisseurs unite this Sunday as top chefs from Southern California come together in Hollywood for a unique and worldly experience on Madam Tussauds' 6,000-square foot Starlit Rooftop Terrace for Taste of the World 2017.
Sample small bites of creative dishes featured that afternoon and then vote for your favorite at the end of the event in a top chef style battle. Participate in a special Around the World Wine Tasting presented by Quintessential Wines and the best part - mixologists will be on-site creating exciting signature libations. Enjoy live international performances and music by DJ D-dub throughout the afternoon with a special surprise DJ performance and special guest appearances from Witney Carson from Dancing With the Stars, and many more! Enter to win an array of prizes including a Grand Prize Luxury Getaway to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. GENERAL Tickets Include: Admission, Access to enjoy Madame Tussaud's on the day of the event, (1) Raffle Ticket, Food Tastings, Beverage Tastings & Wine Tasting, Live Performances & Music. Ticket Price: $85 VIP Tickets Include: Reserved Seating, VIP Admission, Access to Madame Tussaud's to enjoy on the day of the event, (5) Raffle Tickets, Swag Bag with over $200+ worth of giveaways, Food Tastings, Beverage Tastings & Wine Tasting, Live Performances, Music & (2) Admission Tickets to Madame Tussaud's for a future visit (a $60 Value). Ticket Price: $125 Excited?? Head here to get your tickets now and receive 20% off with discount code DISC20!
The City of Beverly Hills launched their summer City of WELLTH campaign today at Alo Yoga in Beverly Hills to promote the city as a wellness and health destination for locals and travelers alike. WELLTH ambassador Christie Brinkley, author Jason Wachob, yoga teacher Caley Alyssa, chef Matthey Kenney, feng-shui expert Dana Claudat, founder of Bodyism James Duigan, and meditation expert Charlie Knowles were in attendance and spoke to guests on different aspects.
Finally, everything from days 3 and 4 - so glad this is pretty close to home for a quick weekend getaway! Stay tuned for more destination videos, or read all about this experience here - Palm Desert Road Trip
Bacari GDL in The Americana at Brand in Glendale offers a new lineup of “cicchetti,” or Italian small plates. This location features a large wood-fired oven, which is used to make new pastas and pizzas, and the majority of the restaurant’s hot dishes. The menu is almost entirely different from its sister restaurants, but favorites such as the open-faced Bacari Burger and the Mac & Cheese are available here. Additionally, the Glendale restaurant offers a full bar and a straightforward, well-executed craft cocktail menu, alongside an eclectic wine and beer list. Chef Hillel offers some standout dishes - check out the pictures from the intimate dinner event. Any favorites? The malabi was the best for me as it brought back memories of desserts I ate when I lived in Oman :)
Celebrated Japanese art creator Kohei Nawa visited The Broad recently for a limited engagement Spring preview and artist talk at the Oculus Hall arranged by Japan House LA. The place was packed and I can see why! Nawa’s artwork be it paintings, sculptures, performance-inspired pieces or others, go beyond the recognized Japanese themes of manga and anime to offer a new perspective altogether on contemporary art.
No, I have not been but I would love to go, planning as we speak and hope I get to some time soon! Meanwhile though, the folks from the Western Australia Tourism Board hosted a few of us media professionals locally to share more about what’s happening in the area and what should be on your list...
Began the day with a casual yoga class hosted by Stacy Mccarthy of Yoga Namastacy onsite at the Cape Rey Carlsbad. This was originally planned for the outdoors but glad it got moved in – too cold brrrr! Local yoga studio prAna provided some comfy cool yoga gear for the trip too. Especially loved Stacy’s affirmations during the session and nice to have some personal instruction on variations of different poses again given my back issues.
Today was just choc a bloc of activities but started the day nice and early with a trip to the Agua Hedionda Lagoon where I kayaked for about an hour. Another friend paddle boarded – would like to try that sometime but unsure of my balance and core strength! The whole time kayaking I said to myself - How awesome to own a place here, just get up and head out on the water…serenity at its best. You can just sit there bobbing on the water in peace while you see crazy traffic up on the highway lol!
Set off for a road trip today, driving along the coast from L.A to Carlsbad, a coastal city in California about 2 hours from Hollywood and less than an hour from San Diego. You’ve probably heard about it because of Legoland and The Flower Fields but I also found out The Chopra Center is headquartered here (yes, of Deepak Chopra fame) and some seriously beautiful coastline as well. I’ve previously been driving here for some editorial work but this is the first time I’ve actually explored the area.
At Canter’s Deli! The famed “L.A diner experience unparalleled” is about a 24-minute walk from my place so it ended up being this Sunday’s brunch spot discovery. Made it in just before the crowd started milling about noon. Don’t be fooled by the bakery and deli areas up front – there is so much more available on their menu through the day because yes, it’s a 24-hour diner! And while it looks pretty big inside with a counter area, dining area and bar area, they still get real busy real quick so expect some amount of waiting around before you are seated. Staff is awesome though (ask for Candice and Greg’s area to be seated - they were so nice!) and the general feel is that of a loved neighborhood joint – I guess that’s expected given the place has been around since 1931.
Next month, lauded seafood authority, Chef-Owner Michael Cimarusti (Providence, Connie and Ted’s) and Cape Seafood’s Culinary Director Brandon Gray will host two intimate cooking classes at Cape Seafood and Provisions, the sustainably-driven fish market on Fairfax Ave., celebrating its one year anniversary in March 2017.
On Thursday, March 2 and Thursday, March 30 from 7 – 9pm, seafood enthusiasts of all skill levels can learn the essentials of fish cookery from L.A.’s master seafood chefs. The classes are kept small and intimate, with a maximum of 10 guests, and cost $100 per person (including the lesson folowed by an intimate dinner tasting with Michael and Brandon).To reserve a spot in the classes, guests can call the shop at (323) 556-2525. This past fall, the team hosted their first-ever seafood cooking class at Cape, spotlighting basic fish butchery, expert tips for selecting the freshest fish, demonstrations for cooking fish (with or without skin), and recipes to try at home, alongside an intimate three-course dinner, enjoying fresh seafood dishes that were expertly prepared before them by Cimarusti himself. Cape Seafood aims to make cooking with fish more approachable, while simultanously incorporating insights about how to shop and look for sustainable seafood. If you are local, you know these classes by Chef Cimarusti will be a fantastic experience! Let me know in the comments below if you attend/about your experience.
*Assistance for copy and images provided by Wagstaff Worldwide*
Yes, its Valentine’s so here’s the obligatory post. Well, not really but reason enough. There’s always a bunch of places in the neighborhood you walk or drive past and think – we should check this out sometime. So today was the right day and time to check out this Thai place I’ve been eyeing since I moved to Hollywood. Called Nong-La, its nestled between a series of businesses on La Brea. The outer area has these green creepers growing over the window rails that makes it look very cozy compared to all the other buildings around. Since I live close by, this was the lunch spot today. Most folks seem to prefer to sit outside on the semi open porch area and it can get pretty noisy real soon so we opted for indoors. Started out with the Thai tea and iced coffee. Both perfectly milky and sweet as expected. For lunch though, despite what looks like a limited menu, there is a reasonable amount of dishes to choose from, even though I stay away from pork/pork products, and they do have a lot of dishes with pork added in the mix. The husband settled for a beef pho bowl while I chose the curry chicken with vermicelli. I thought it would be a smaller portion compared to typical pho bowl sizes but it actually turned out to be the opposite. So yes, there it is, the bowl of curry chicken with vermicelli and sweet potato. Just the right balance of salt and spice, lemongrass and onions. I could savor only half of it though before having to resort to a box to go. Ended the lunch with their caramel flan. Perfect ending to a lovely lunch with lovely company (read:husband).
Well, technically, don’t have to hunt it down since it is such a well-known landmark but more like I had to hunt down a reason to get myself to Huntington. And once I did, I was kicking myself for not having visited earlier. Now I know for a fact that I will have to go back soon to complete my visit. Checked out this venue for a volunteering event today and was completely taken aback by how big it is. I assumed as I entered the gateway that it was but I certainly did not expect so many different gardens and galleries housed within. So yes, there is the library portion of the venue that consists of collections and galleries, research and education but then there are all these gardens as you walk along the way. The Japanese and Chinese gardens were clear favorites and that’s where most of these pictures are from here. Lots of beautiful calming spaces to walk around, enjoy reading, immerse yourself in nature, enjoy the sound of water in the pools…did not imagine all this in there. I certainly had no time for any of the gallery areas or to see the collections so this definitely warrants a return trip to fully experience Huntington at my own pace. Their event calendar is chock full of tons of interesting stuff coming up and they have some good exhibitions lined up in the next few months as well so planning my visit already. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy some of the images, and do share if you have ever been/have any pointers on visiting for me. I suspect I will need a full day to explore!
One of the best parts of living in a large city like Los Angeles is the opportunity to visit so many museums, not necessarily all free but definitely easily accessible. On my last visit to The Broad, I totally did not realize that the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) was right across the street (if you can believe it)! But I did intend on visiting and glad I finally found the time. Here are a few things to know before you go...
While Chinese New Year is celebrated on the 28th this year, the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills set the ball rolling with a fantastic performance by artists from the Charming Beijing Variety Show. The theater itself is a renowned venue and the show has gathered appreciation over the last few years with locals and the community. If you don’t believe me, you should have seen the long lines ahead of the show at the entrance!
A spot I've been planning on trying for a while - one of those that I've driven past but never eaten at. Decided to change that today. Met with a friend for a dinner catch up and tried the Dine L.A. specials at Connie & Ted's . I do love a good lobster roll and fantastic desserts are an easy way to my heart so this one was a winner all the way. Added to my fave list!
Met with a friend to check out the Dine L.A. special at Birch for dinner. See the images in the gallery for a quick visual review. Everything was delicious - can't complain. Was impressed though with the cocktail featuring turmeric - seems like an unlikely ingredient for an evening libation. And the dessert was certainly the crowning glory. Will be back!
Last year, it had been only three months since I had moved to L.A and I didn't quite make the most of the dineL.A. experience much as I would have liked. So this year, I marked my calendar in advance... dineL.A. is back with a bang, friends! If you like checking out restaurants new and old, trying different cuisines and getting the inside scoop on what local area chefs are up to then the prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner offered during this event are a no-brainer. Here are some of my top picks for your consideration. Some of these are new to the event, some returning and some are part of their Exclusive Series but I hope you make time to enjoy a little of everything! This is by no means an exhaustive list - check their website for all the details:
The Cannibal Butcher & Bar (new) Plan Check Santa Monica (new) Paley (new) Georgie (new) Spring (new) Erven (new) ink. (new to the Exclusive Series) Patina (Exclusive Series) a.o.c. Border Grill I know I am headed to Birch for sure so watch out for reviews. A few others on my radar include Plan Check Kitchen + Bar featuring Mexican and American comfort classics complemented by Asian flavors, such as dashi, ponzu, and kalbi beef. Each meal begins with an amuse bouche of Spicy Crab & Crispy Shallot Deviled Eggs followed by a selection of plates such as Kalbi Beef Salad and Tuna Tartare. You can read my review of their DTLA location here! Another is acclaimed L.A. Chef Michael Cimarusti’s Connie and Ted’s which I am planning to visit as well. This is his ode to New England seafood located in the heart of West Hollywood, and some of the menu items that caught my eye include Ed’s Portuguese Fish Stew and the Blondie! What are your top picks? Are you headed out for dineL.A? I am all ears on recommendations and your reviews so leave me a comment below...
If you know me well, I am always on the lookout for suggestions and recommendations of where to travel to next. This list of offerings from Rothschild Safaris had me all excited. I hope to experinece one of these this year but meanwhile, take a look at some of the destinations on this list. I have bene to some but not all ... time to get working on getting myself there!
This from just days 1 and 2 - you can see it was a blast! Stay tuned for more, or read all about the experience here - Palm Desert Road Trip
I try to have a somewhat ready calendar of my travel plans for the year, every year. Some years are great and some not so much but I’ve had a reasonable amount of travel the last few years, for work and pleasure, mostly within the U.S and slowly but surely expanding my horizons to international destinations. The earlier part of this year is actually looking a tad bit lighter with a few U.S locations but here’s what is in store for now:
January – New York City February – Carlsbad, CA March - Michigan April - Virginia May – Costa Rica June – Poland/Buenos Aires July - India August - Vermont September - Hawaii October – Greenville, S.C November - Quebec December – Yucatan Of course, there is always leeway for my travel plans to change so check out the editorial calendar link in my About page to stay abreast of my travels. Better yet, sign up for the newsletter to get more on where you can travel to next and my ideas for what you can experience there, Cheers! Have your travel plans laid out for 2017? Share a link in the comments below, maybe our paths will cross this year!
Heard only great things about The Broad since it opened doors late 2015 and had a tough time getting tickets initially but made it today just after they celebrated their first anniversary so here’s the scoop!
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