Tag Archives: travel recommendations

Porfirio’s

Posted in Cancun by

When people suggest going to nice, fancy Mexican restaurants, I always balk because, to me, Mexican food should always be cheap, greasy, and come from a hole in the wall type of establishment. Of all the fancy Mexican places I’ve been to, I find they are too commercialized and don’t hold that authentic flavor you find from the cheaper places. Porfirio’s, a gourmet Mexican restaurant in Cancun, was recommended to me by the hotel concierge at the Westin Lagunamar. Since this recommendation was coming from a local, I went against my judgment and decided to give it a try. Boy, did it not disappoint!

The decor of this establishment was perfect for a romantic date. The indoor seating is lighted with candles and dim lighting to set the mood. Outdoors, they have seating on the patio next to the water fountains and dock.To start the night, I tried the Josefina de guayaba (guava) and mango. These drinks were made with mezcal, which is distilled from an agave plant. The liquor definitely showed through the mango but not the guava one. Continue reading →

Dash Japanese Tapas and Sushi

Posted in Peninsula & South Bay by

While Old Town Sushi is all the rage in San Mateo, I discovered Dash Japanese Tapas and Sushi last year. It surely didn’t disappoint. I recently went again and fell in love all over again. The shop is inconspicuously located in the alley of downtown San Mateo next to the movie theater. There’s not much of a wait but reservations are recommended for dinner.

We started with the baked baby scallop with uni. This dish was amazing! The creaminess from the uni was well balance with the scallop and roe.
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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
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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
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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!

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Location: There are various locations but I went to this one
625 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.

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Below is Marina City, my favorite buildings.

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Location: Southeast corner of Michigan Avenue Bridge at Wacker Drive

Chicago Water Tower

Posted in Chicago by

Check out the old water tower that houses a large water pump drawing water from Lake Michigan. Admission is free.You can spot it easily along the Magnificent Mile.

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Location: 806 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

Willis Tower

Posted in Chicago by

Formerly named Sears Tower, Willis Tower was the tallest building in America. Take the time and go up it. Don’t be lame like me and not.

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Location: 233 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606

Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles

Posted in Los Angeles by

Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles has been on my LA bucket list, but without a car in LA, it has forever stayed on the list until my recent visit. I was meeting up with a few friends for drinks at Coco Fresh Tea and Juice down the street when the hunger pains started to settle in. We decided to head over Tsujita LA for some noms.

Normally, there is a long wait at this place (so long that they opened a second location, called the Annex, right across the street), but since it was late at night, we only had to wait 10 minutes.

I got their infamous tsukemen ramen with seasoned soft boiled egg. The noodles are served separately from the broth. The tsukemen style of eating is unique in that you dip the noodles in the fatty and rich broth instead of immersing the noodles in the broth. Halfway through, dump the broth on the noodles and notice the difference in flavors. Add the lime when you want more flavor.

The noodles were fat and perfectly chewy, just the way I like them. The rich broth was porky and fatty. At various times, I would add a squeeze of lime to my noodles, and it transformed the flavor, in a good way.

Location: 2057 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025 (Original) and 2050 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025 (Annex)