Tag Archives: travel recommendations

Modern Pastry

Posted in Boston by

 While walking around the North End, I kept seeing people hold boxes  with Modern Pastry or Mike’s Pastry on it. I was dying to walk into one of these bakeries but noticed the lines are long. After dinner at Cannolina, I headed over to Modern Pastry across the street and prepared to digest my dinner during the wait. However, I weaseled my way towards the edge of the undistinguishable lines (there really are no lines but a mass of people waiting) and waited 10 mins. During this time, I did my best to narrow down the cannolis I wanted from the menu of picture cannolis flavors on the back wall. I settled on an almond and pistachio cannoli. Stuffed with sweet ricotta, these large cannolis were a meal in itself. It was so tasty that I couldn’t stop myself from finishing it despite how full I was. Next time, I’m headed back to try the Boston cream pie.

Location: 257 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113

Legal Sea Foods

Posted in Boston by

I landed in Boston in the evening, and after a five hour flight, I was starving. Luckily, around the corner from my hotel was Legal Sea Foods. This place first opened in Cambridge, Massachusetts as a low-key restaurant next to the Berkowitz family’s Legal Cash Market and fish market. Word quickly spread about its fresh and quality seafood. Now there have locations throughout the east coast and airports. Despite many locations, the place was packed. It was a 45 minute wait for a table. I walked around the block for a few minutes before heading to the bar to warm up with a glass of wine instead. Shortly afterwards, our table was ready.

The menu was filled with many seafood options cooked in different methods.  I wanted to try all of it from steamers to lobster to the fried mussels. It was hard to choose. Eventually, I decided on the the New England clam chowder, crab cake, baked oysters, and the ciopinno.

The New England clam chowder was perfect. It was creamy, full of clam flavor and whole clam pieces. I was surprised by this since it’s rare to have whole clam pieces. I enjoyed this chowder so much that I wiped the cup clean with bread.

As a crab cake lover, Legal’s signature crab cake was a disappointment. It had bits of apple in it giving the crab cake a hint of sweetness. The crab cake was fried so it had a consistency of a fried dough ball instead of the crunch from a pan seared crab cake. The one good thing was its huge lumps of crab.

As a recommendation from the waitress, we ordered the baked oysters. The oysters were topped with spinach, tomato, cheese, and breadcrumbs. They were cheesy delicious but since the oysters were huge, one baked oyster was filling. I was getting full at this point.

Somehow I managed to save enough room for the cippinno. The cippinno came with a small lobster tail, scallops, shrimp, calamari, littleneck clams, mussels and whitefish all cooked in a white tomato sauce. It was a decent cippinno but nothing decadent.

 If you’re drooling to try Legal seafood, they deliver throughout the continental U.S.

Kerry Park

Posted in Seattle by
In the Queen Anne Hill neighborhood, stop by Kerry Park and enjoy a panoramic view that encompasses the downtown Seattle skyline, the Space Needle, Elliot Bay, West Seattle peninsula, and Bainbridge Island.
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On a nice day, you can spot Mt. Rainier in the back. This wonderful park was gifted by Mr. and Mrs. Albert Sperry Kerry to the city.
     Photo Aug 03, 5 03 27 PM

b. patisserie

Posted in San Francisco by

b. patisserie reminds me of the bakeries you find in Paris. It’s minimalistic designs and delicious pastries will instantly transport you to Paris.

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It’s signature pastry, the kouign amann (pronounced “queen amman”), is a sweet, buttery, flaky croissant. I suggest you go early to snag one of these before they run out!

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The blueberry, peach, almond croissant isn’t your normal croissant. It’s more dense than flaky but the flavor is there. The peach brings out the sweetness of the blueberry but also helps balance it out.

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The passion fruit bostock reminded me of a dense coffee cake.

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(2821 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115)

John Mueller Meat Co.

Posted in Austin by

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The one thing on my Texas bucket list was BBQ. I was starving and drooling while reading reviews of the best BBQ in Austin. They all said to be prepared to wait in line for hours. Not one or two but FIVE. Luckily, but not really, most BBQ joints were closed on Mondays. The only one with good reviews and open on Monday was John Mueller Meat Co. I soon came to learn John Mueller is the heir of BBQ.

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When I arrived, the wait was only 20 mins. For those who have never ordered BBQ in Texas, the cooked meat is sold by the half pound. This can be a pro or con depending on if you order ribs. I followed suit of those in front of me and grabbed an empty tray when I got up to the window. The guy threw down a piece of butcher paper on the tray. He plopped my order of beef rib, brisket, and siracha coleslaw on my tray, and I headed to the next window to pay.

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Pike Place Public Market


When in Seattle, it is a must to check out Pike Place Public Market. This large open farmer’s market is like no other.

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On the far left side at Pike Place Fish Co., check out the flying fish thrown at high speed by the guys transferring fish from counter to the slicers.

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In front of Pike Place Place Fish Co. is Rachel the piggy bank donated by Fratelli’s Ice Cream in 1986. Feel free to feed the pig.

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As you move along the market, you will come across the large, beautiful flower shop. Be sure to stop and smell the roses.

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Once you reach the end of the flower market, don’t think it’s the end. Keep walking along Pike Place and start your foodie adventure at Beecher’s Handmade Cheese. One block further, stop by Piroshky, Piroshky and the original Starbucks for more eats.

(Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA)

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese

Known to the world as one of Oprah’s favorite things, the “world’s best” mac and cheese from Beecher’s Handmade Cheese lives up to its hype. The intense depth of flavor comes from aging the cheese for 18 months. On display at the window, you can witness the cheese making process. Be sure to sample the cheese ranging from the curd to the aged cheese. On your way out, grab a bowl of the mac and cheese or order it online to enjoy when you like.

(1600 Pike Place, Seattle, WA 98101)

Piroshky, Piroshky


I didn’t learn of pirozhkies until this trip to Seattle. They are Russian baked buns with a meat or vegetable filing. They remind me of Spanish empanadas. You can find Piroshky, Piroshky a few stores down from the original Starbucks. Be sure to stop by and grab a mid-day snack. You won’t regret it. 

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There will be small line but it moves quickly. They offer sweet, meat or vegetable pirozhkies. I went twice, and each time, I got a savory pirozhki.

The salmon pate is adorably shaped like a fish. The bread was amazing. Its sweetness balanced the smoked salmon and cream cheese filling.

The beef and onion reminded me of Porto’s potato balls but with a flaky crust.

(Pike Place Market, 1908 Pike Place, Seattle, WA 98101)

Ivar’s Seafood Bar

Posted in Seattle by

Growing up in the Bay Area, my standard of good clam chowder was what they sold at San Francisco’s infamous Fisherman’s Wharf. Boy, did I not know what good clam chowder was until I tried Ivar’s. The creamy, savory clam chowder with its bursting clam flavor and unexpected bacon makes it the best clam chowder I’ve ever had.

The smoked scallops won’t disappoint either. The scallops have a wonderful smoky flavor that balances out the sweet cracker that it’s served on.image

If you aren’t overwhelmed yet by the clams from the clam chowder, order the clam entree. Cooked in white wine sauce, it’s so good that you’ll slurp every last drop. My family kept fighting over this dish that we had to order two to keep the peace.

Fremont Troll


Seattle loves art. So much that the government will fund a good portion of it. On just about every corner you can find some sort of statue or art display. The Fremont Troll was the winning design to the Fremont Arts Council’s plan of rehabilitating the area under the bridge, which was becoming a dump. The troll is holding a real Volkswagen Beetle, while its one eye is a hubcap. When you visit the infamous troll, feel free to climb on the troll. 

(3405 Troll Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103)