back in LA

we returned from our h-moon last night.  there is so much to do in the next few days.  i will leave you with some photos from the trip.  enjoy!

chickens are everywhere on kauai

view from helicopter ride

tangerines the korean lady who makes leis gave us

will's lei

pier at hanalei beach

beach in our backyard

will in taro fields at sunset

koloa fish market.  best poke ever.

another shot of the taro fields.  we had taro smoothie and fried mochi and mochi.

a really large plumeria tree at korean lady's house

fig & ave 57

is the theme of the photos in this post, and the area of the neigbhorhood that I frequent most. Figueroa is the main street which runs through Highland Park. In September, the much-anticipated Antigua Bread Bakery Cafe (not to be confused with Antigua Cultural Coffee House in El Sereno) opened near the corner of Fig and Ave 57. I don't find myself going there a lot. It's nicely set up inside, and I'm glad it came in. It just lacks a little something that I'd look for in a cafe...


At the fruit stands on the NE and SW corners of that same intersection, you can get a whole bunch of fruit cut up for you and sprayed with lime juice right on the spot for just a couple 'o bucks. Yum!

Here are a few more pics, just to give you a feel. This photo was taken from west of Fig, on Ave 57.

Here is the smaller parking lot by the Metro train station.

I took all of these back in October, thus the brightness. I've been trying to take some photos as I ride the Metro, so hopefully those will be coming soon as well.

santa barbara

I have been dating for a year now! Will took me to Santa Barbara for a day to celebrate 365 days of goodness together. On the drive up we found ourselves unwinding as we inched further away from L.A. and enjoyed the breathtaking view of the coast. Lunch was at Ca 'Dario, an Italian restaurant that is known for its ravioli. It was spectacular. Then we headed to Santa Ynez for wine tasting at Sunstone, Gainey and Beckmen. Sunstone was the favorite. They don't use pesticides and their chardonnay was yum. We stopped by the farmer's market in Solvang before going back.

This was the perfect idea for a day trip. It's close to LA and we kept saying how much we liked it and that we should go more regularly. It was quieter, cozier and less commercialized than Napa.

I found the cutest book at Beckmen: Wine Dogs: USA Edition. The book documents dogs that belong to different winemakers. I was ecstatic when I saw that Gus (dog at Beckmen) and Shelby (Sunstone), dogs we met, are both featured in the book. I wish I had a dog. Sigh. {Photo from winedogs}

venezia

After a full day of taking the subway, the bus, the plane and the train, we finally arrived in Venice. Check in time at our hostel had passed so we scrambled to find a place to lay our heads to rest. Using my trusty Rick Steve's guide to Italy, I secured a vacancy at a hotel near the train station, and even bargained down the price. Here are some pics of Venice...

St. Mark's Basilica

Gondola riders

Seafood pasta dinner

We got majorly ripped off at the Venice train station. Long story short, the lady sold us two tickets leaving from a station elsewhere, departing 5 minutes ago, with the printed price on the tix less than what we paid. I didn't go without putting up a good fight. But it was a costly lesson: watch your back, and look at your ticket very carefully before leaving the window.

paris

Paris is a beautiful city! It was our first stop and we stepped off the plane zombie-like, and very grateful to have a cozy and clean place to stay. Here's the view from our hotel balcony.

We arrived in the morning that first day so we kept ourselves awake by packing out the day: Trocadero, Eiffel Tower, and Seine boat tour. View of the city from the Eiffel.

As you can see, it was kinda cloudy. We were surprised by how chilly and rainy it was. Even in early August! Below is the Eiffel at sunset.

The sun set at 10pm so we waited for a few hourse before taking our boat cruise. Here's the Seine river at dusk.

We did not find Paris the friendliest of the cities we visited. However, we were ga-ga over its history, culture and aestheticism. It was a dream to even walk around in it. And the crepes in the street stands were to die for.

cinque terre

I'm back from Europe! I'm still a little jet lagged and I have a post trip let down cold, but I wanted to share a lil' something from the trip. Cinque terre is an area on the west coast of Italy where there are five quaint villages which can be hiked through in one day. We hiked on our second day there as we looked out on the Mediterranean sea and the beautiful oceanside scenery. This area was my fave of the trip. The pic is a view from the hike of the town we stayed in, Vernazza.



And this is the next town over, Corniglia.

wine country

I went to Napa Valley last weekend for wine tasting. It was nice to get away from the city and be in the vineyards. Now I think I can tell a little bit of the difference between wines. I did tons of research on Chowhound so if you want to know wineries that offer quality but free or cheap tastings, or good eats up there, let me know and I'll send you the info. From the wineries we visited, I recommend Cosentino. It's lesser known but great wine with an intimate and friendly atmosphere. Our wine pourer was down to earth and funny. They have a good Sauvignon Blanc and an excellent Cabernet Sauvignon. Also, here are links to the best maps I found of Napa and Sonoma. And this is a map of Napa with a legend. If I ever had one, I think I'd want a wine tasting weekend in Napa for my bachelorette party. ;)

thursday nights

In July and August, Thursday nights will be open with live music at Descanso Gardens. Enjoy jazz or Pasadena POPS rehearsals along with the beautiful gardens for $3.50 (free for members)! I went last week and had a lovely picnic with my Phad Thai and Guiness. It rocked. Then I took a stroll and marvelled at these amazing dahlias, which are currently in full bloom. I love Descanso. I grew up 5 minutes from it, went as a kid and then went every December from 7-12th grade with my orchestra for our holiday tour. But I also like it because most of the gardens consist of trees in their natural environment (i.e. weren't transplanted there). For $70 you can get a couple's membership and enjoy the gardens all year round.