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A Farm to Table Dinner in Big Sur With Outstanding in the Field

February 28, 2020May 22, 2017

“We are Outstanding In The Field: Setting tables at the source of ingredients, serving from farm to table across the country.”

Last year we attended an Outstanding in the Field farm to table dinner on the beach, at the Secret Sea Cove, in Santa Cruz, at the longest dinner table you have ever seen. The sunset unexpectedly turned bright pink as we ate crab and avocado salad, drank buttery Chardonnay and talked with guests from around the world.

What is Outstanding in the Field?

“Since 1999 we have set the long table at rural farms and urban gardens, on mountain tops and in sea caves, on islands and ranches. Occasionally the table is set indoors: a beautiful refurbished barn, a cool greenhouse or a stately museum. Wherever the location, the theme of each dinner is to honor the people whose good work brings nourishment to the table.”

A Pasadena Showcase House of Design Adventure

February 28, 2020April 27, 2017

This is not a sponsored post. I just wanted to share my enthusiasm for architecture and design as well as promoting a worthy fundraising event. This is a HUGE experience in my town of Pasadena, CA.

Pasadena Showcase House of Design 2017 – This year’s Tudor estate looks especially over the top fantastic.

In the article Behind the Scenes: The making of the Pasadena Showcase House of Design written by Bonnie McCarthy of the Los Angeles Times, she offers a detailed behind the scenes peek inside the project. She shares that it is “recognized as one of the oldest and most successful not-for-profit showcase houses in the country and the showcase will see more than 35,000 visitors. It’s a chance for the public to see what’s on the style radar in the months to come and meet and speak with the designers about their work.”

For many years Mom and I would make the drive from Orange County (about 60 miles) to visit the next masterpiece. Ironically, this year’s design house is literally in my neighborhood! I live on one of the “smaller house” tree-lined streets nearby. 🙂

A Sensational Spring Flower Display in Seattle

February 28, 2020April 3, 2017

The rain showers of the Pacific Northwest bring a spectacular spring flower display ~

If you were asked to describe where you would find the best spring flower display, does Seattle come to mind first? It is doubtful. The Pacific Northwest owns the quintessential bad weather rap for constantly raining with never ending gloomy skies. However, that is just a ruse, because I lived there last spring and it was spectacular.

An Empty Nester Foodie Lunch Adventure at Kismet in Silver Lake

February 28, 2020March 29, 2017

It’s Kismet!

Just down the road from the Griffith Park Observatory is a cute little shop with delicious Mediterranean food created by two clever chefs, Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson. I was familiar with Kismet only from reading popular food and wine magazines, as well as a recent glowing review by the Pulitzer Prize winning, food critic, Jonathan Gold of the Los Angeles Times.

Park Hyatt Aviara – The Perfect Destination for Spring Break

February 28, 2020March 23, 2017

Line up ten discerning travelers and each will offer a different idea for the perfect destination for Spring Break. Craig and I are not huge fans of flying to popular beach vacation spots like Mexico or Florida during Spring Break. No offense to the college students, but they travel by the thousands this time of year and I would rather not hang out with them. They probably hope the lounges at poolside are not full of empty nesters either!

Really Fun Things to do with Your Adult Children in Seattle

February 28, 2020March 9, 2017

What are the best things to do with your adult children in Seattle?

First, make sure you create plans that everyone will be happy with and talk about it, negotiate if you have to. Just don’t make it all about Mom and Dad, include everyone’s favorite activities.

Traveling with a young family is entirely different from deciding what to do with your adult children. When the kids are younger, they pretty much have to do what we say and acquiesce to any plans that we make for them. We are the adults and they are the children.

Once these little people grow up, the game changes. Everyone is living on their own paying their own bills (except their cell phones) coming and going as they please and making their own traveling choices. Deciding what to do with your adult children now becomes a bit more of a conversation, not to mention a logistical nightmare sometimes.

All that aside, we happen to have two enthusiastic grown travelers who are willing (mostly) to do anything that I decide to plan. The fun part is that now they can insert their own experiences and planning skills and our combined efforts turn out some pretty awesome trips.

The four of us took two successful trips together last year and will hopefully be planning one for 2017.

My Best Dinner in Los Angeles, Maybe My Best Ever

February 28, 2020March 6, 2017

I think it was for sure my best dinner in Los Angeles. No contest.

Yes – it’s true. This may have been my Best Dinner in Los Angeles ~ maybe my favorite meal ever. Whoa – BIG statement. Don’t forget that I have been to the French Laundry in Napa and thought that dinner was my favorite. Those are some big shoes to fill.

Trois Mec, roughly translated, means “three guys” in French. So three guys, who happen to be accomplished and now famous Los Angeles chefs, created this one of a kind restaurant. I have known about it since it opened, but this was not an easy evening to put together. We lived in Orange County which is located about 90 minutes to 2 hours each way (only because of typical Los Angeles traffic) plus, the reservation is not easy to get.

It actually isn’t a reservation at all, but a ticket, a golden ticket. Every other Friday, they release about 30 seats for two seatings each night. The meal is pre-fixe and you pay in advance. Sounds a little sassy and daunting doesn’t it?

Where is the best view in San Francisco ? We found it.

February 28, 2020March 1, 2017

Hands down, no joke, the best view in San Francisco ~

Just a couple of days ago, we visited Point Bonita Lighthouse and thought we had enjoyed the best vistas of San Francisco. But once again, our personal local tour guides, Nick and Kylie, have struck San Francisco gold and really showed us the best view in San Francisco! This is a very tall order (pun intended) because everywhere you look, this unique city shows off its beauty. Many of the tall downtown buildings have incredible bars and restaurants on the top floors offering spectacular views.

However, the view from Cityscape is 360 degrees of wonder. Because of the recent perfect weather and crystal clear skies it allowed us to see for miles and miles! No detail was too small and every hill, every bridge, every street light, every street, every landmark and the ocean seemed so close you felt you could touch it.

What to Do on a Sunny Day in San Francisco

February 28, 2020February 27, 2017

A sunny day in San Francisco may not happen as often as we would like. The weather is unpredictable and can be colder in July than in December! I’m certain that you have heard the famous Mark Twain quote “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”. According to several sources I have found he never actually said it! He said something similar to this, but not that exact phrase.

I have traveled to the City by the Bay many times and have experienced every type of weather. But when it is a sunny day in San Francisco, when the skies are bright blue and the sun is happily shining, it is time to make plans and get out of town.

I don’t mean out of town, but rather to travel to the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge and enjoy the spectacular views of the city from the other side of the bay. San Francisco is one of the prettiest cities in the U.S. with its tall buildings, enormous hills, beautiful architecture (old and new) long rocky coastlines and spectacular bridges.

At the suggestion of knowledgeable local residents, our son Nick and his girlfriend Kylie, we drove just a few minutes over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to see the Point Bonita Lighthouse. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and FREE!

Two Girls Ate Breakfast at Sqirl!

February 28, 2020February 23, 2017

A Foodie Adventure in LA – Breakfast at Sqirl

I have a foodie buddy, her name is Keri and I have known her since I was 12. Yep, 12. When we moved back to Pasadena, it gave me the chance to reconnect with some wonderful longtime friends. It feels so food to slip right back into a friendship even after not spending much time together in decades.

Keri and I plan food adventures to try restaurants we have not yet had a chance to visit. She and I have so many things in common that this process is simple. We pick a place, set up a time to visit, try a few dishes and discuss. We even allow a little driving distance because the traffic doesn’t bother us, we always have lots to talk about so the time flies!

Our most recent adventure was to have breakfast at Sqirl. Cute and clever name isn’t it? When I lived in Orange County, this type of trip to LA would have been such a traffic nightmare that I never could have driven to this spot for breakfast. Living in Pasadena is such an advantage when it comes to eating at great places in Los Angeles.