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!

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!