Bon Appetea Cafe

Posted in Los Angeles by

Every time I go to San Gabriel Valley a new boba place has popped up. Most are hit and miss but I enjoyed the player in town, Bon Appetea. I got the lychee rose oolong with lychee jelly. It was packed with lychee and rose flavor with a hint of oolong. Perfection!

I also fell in love with the reading nook they created (pictured behind the drink). How adorable is that? There’s also plenty of table seating to the right of the nook for those who want to dine on their small bites. I’ll be back next time to enjoy the reading nook.

Location: 7 S 2nd St, Alhambra, CA 91801

Kirimachi Ramen

Posted in San Francisco by

Decent ramen is hard to find in the financial district of San Francisco but the search is over. Kirimachi Ramen serves up a decent bowl of ramen. The noodles are made fresh daily and have a nice tender bite. They offer a variety of pork and fish tonkotsu ramen.

I generally get the number one but this day the the duck truffle ramen special caught my eye. The ramen was topped with roasted pork, duck, soft boiled egg, fish cake, bamboo shoots and green onions. The duck was cooked perfectly and balanced well with the light broth. You could definitely taste the black truffle oil in the broth. It was flavorful yet not overpowering. The noodles had the perfect chewiness and bite. The egg was perfectly slightly runny. Overall, it was a decent bowl of ramen but the portion was small for what you pay ($18.50 for the special). But keep in mind, nothing good comes cheap in FiDi.

Location: 3 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111

Navigating the World of Japanese Snacks

Posted in Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo by

When I travel, my favorite souvenirs are food. Wherever I travel, I will no doubt come back with cases of snacks. I love to try snacks from different countries because what’s unusual in one country is the norm in a different country. Plus, it allows me to experience different flavor combinations I would never think to go together i.e. butter flavored chocolate.

I tried my best to taste all the snacks, amongst all the meals I ate, but it was a hard feat since there was such a large variety. Japan takes their snacks seriously. Chips, chocolates, and cookies in every flavor combination possible. And then there’s the matcha; it is not JUST matcha. There’s Uji matcha, sakura matcha, matcha with soybean powder, etc. It’s like snacks on steroids. The ones I didn’t have time to try, I brought home to savor. Below is a picture of all the snacks I bought.img_2590
Yes, I fit all the snacks above, 1.5 weeks of clothes, and a bottle of whiskey all in ONE carry on suitcase. I know I’m nuts, but I LOVE my snacks. Here is a breakdown of the snacks I think are worthy of trying:

Continue reading →

Gott’s Roadside

Posted in Napa Valley, Peninsula & South Bay, San Francisco by

Now that summer is in full swing, I love spending my weekends wine tasting in Napa. My first stop before drinking commences is fueling up at Gott’s Roadside. The original is located off of the 29 in Saint Helena on the way to the wineries. However, they also have one in the heart of Napa, at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, and Palo Alto.IMG_2066
Continue reading →

Hiking Up Echo Mountain

Posted in Los Angeles by

“Let’s go hiking,” they said.
“OK,” I said.
“2.5 miles. 5 miles round trip,” they said.
“No biggie,” I said…….

That was until about mile 1, I started to feel the impact of the steep hike on my unfit lungs. This hike, located on the bottom of Angeles National Fores, starts at the intersection of East Loma Alta Drive and Lake Avenue in Altadena. Parking is available on the street but check the signs. The Sam Merrill trail  head starts at the Cobb Estate gate.IMG_2451e
The hike is a steep 2.5 miles upward climb. About half a mile in, you will start seeing the LA skyline.IMG_2417e
Continue reading →

The Pie Hole

Posted in Los Angeles by

the pie holeMany years ago, I went to the Pie Hole and didn’t think much of it. I must have ordered the wrong thing because the earl grey pie here is AMAZING! One bite in and I was in heaveeeennn. Let me introduce you to heaven: flaky crust layered with chocolate cream, earl grey custard, whipped cream and chopped pistachio. Our one slice, amongst five people, was gone in 10 seconds flat.earl grey pie
The pie is cut into six equal slices, and one slice was not enough. I wish I bought the whole pie instead. I highly recommend you do so if you are an earl grey fan because the earl grey custard is to die for. The flavor is strong but the custard and whipped cream makes this pie light and airy. When you try this pie, you can thank me for showing you the way to heaven.earl grey whole pie

Locations : 714 Traction Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90013
6314 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
59 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105
177 N Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866

Garret Popcorn

Posted in Chicago by

Located off of Magnificent Mile, Garret Popcorn offers multiple varieties of popcorn made fresh daily flavored in caramel, cheese, and butter. I grabbed a few bags of these as gifts and they stayed fresh for a few days. Don’t forget to send some my way!

image

Location: There are various locations but I went to this one
625 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

Giordano’s

Posted in Chicago by

Chicago is famous for their deep dish pizza, which consists of a layer of bread, topped with cheese, topped with meat, topped with cheese, and another layer of meat. If you love cheese, then Giordano’s is for you. Sadly I am lactose intolerant so I found it to be mediocre. However, between Lou Malnatis and Giordano’s, I preferrred Giordano’s. I found the cheese to meat/ sauce ratio to be better at Giordano’s.

image

Location: There are various locations but I went to this one.
1340 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605

Drinks at Hancock Tower

Posted in Chicago by

Grab a drink at the Hancock Tower at night to admire the gorgeous view of the city. Be mindful that the drinks are a bit pricey starting at $13.

image

Location: 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise

Posted in Chicago by

When my friends decided to go on a boat tour of Chicago, I didn’t think much of it but ended up loving it. If you love architecture, I highly recommend this. There are several boat tours companies along the river. The one I went on was Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise. The boat brings you down the river and highlights all the architecture built along the river. This is a quicker way of admiring the buildings than walking around the city by foot. You also get a view of where the Chicago fire started.

image

Below is Marina City, my favorite buildings.

image

Location: Southeast corner of Michigan Avenue Bridge at Wacker Drive