Business Travel Brings Pleasure

I visited San Francisco over the weekend on business (more like a heavy work load) and on the off time had a chance to breathe in the fresh air, admire the architectural delights and eat, of course!

Bread & Chowder

Fisherman's Warf is a tourist's must-do. There, amongst all the eateries, there's Boudin Bakery, a museum, bakery ("bread factory"), market place, restaurant and cafe that honors bread, especially sourdough bread, the most delicious kind. Some of us had clam chowder in a bread bowl and other of my traveling mates had Deli sandwiches and salad, all yummy and good-looking, eaten in their patio, surrounded by tourist next to the sea!

Stiff Drinks & A Pole

After work one night, we headed out to Castro Street and settled into a tiny little nightclub named Jet where the bartenders served us heavily liquor-infused drinks. There, we danced and enjoyed the scenery (gay men are HOT) and once in a while, the pole dancing spectacle put up by some groovy patron.

*I didn't find a picture for JET but this is hilarious.


Italian Disaster

Our last meal in SF was far from good. We went to a restaurant called Mona Lisa, located in Little Italy (North Beach) and chose the place because it was packed and was decorated adorably. The menu featured a great variety in pastas but upon receiving our food and trying it, we discovered that it was bland and boring. I was expecting fire works and left with sadness in my tummy!

Burgers, Latin Vibes, A Date & A Non-Date

I'll Take You Out & Buy You A Burger

We just had another birthday. Mauro, my hot, Colombian, fabulously fantastic friend turned 26! I told the birthday boy I would take him somewhere special. When he asked what we were having for dinner, my answer was a burger and his jaw just dropped. I'm thinking he expected Mickey Ds... Boy was he wrong.

25 Degrees at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood specialized in Burgers. These are no ordinary burgers, they use top-quality ground sirloin and their signature burgers are stuffed with ingredients such as crispy proscuiito, pesto, crescenza, burrata cheese amongst other delights. There's also a section in their menu that allows you to put together your own creation and the bonus, French fries sprinkled with parmesan and parsley that totally rock!

Latin Flava'

On Saturday night, we joined the birthday boy's brother and some friends for a more formal dinner at The Original Cha Cha Cha in West Hollywood. They serve Latin fused meals in a festive environment. We ordered a pitcher of Sangria and drinks with names like Latin lover and Cha Cha Politan. My friend and I shared the Paella Valenciana, overflowing with succulent shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and fish and our friends ordered the Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Mango Chicken. Everything looked and tasted great. That, and the restaurant's decor set the mood for celebration!

The Date

Tinto just opened in West Hollywood, a Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar that stresses upon authenticity and quality. Everything is from Spain, the wines, cheeses, chef and owners! We had a great wine (I'm just mad at not remembering its name), the cheese platter and some tapas.

I have to say I liked the food. My date on the other hand, found it to be bland, except for the cheese platter, which we're both madly in love with! Also, their establishment is rather small (but very cozy, decorated in deep reds, leather and brick) so reservations are strongly suggested.

The Non-Date

Club Owner and friend N accompanied me to the Derby to watch Paris Love L.A. in an intimate performance. I was wonderfully delighted by their performance. Fantastic!

Scandal! Glamour! Sex! The French Pop Culture of 1960’s Paris swings back into life with Paris Loves L.A., Los Angeles’s sensational new revival of the songs of Serge Gainsbourg and Bridgette Bardot. Adele Jacques, French-born singer and actress, plays and sings Bardot with such skill and feminine guile, one finds oneself looking back over their shoulder during the performance, expecting to find Godard shooting in 16m. Together with the pianist, Russell Rinker, and a live, jazz-ensemble of L.A. ’s best session players, Paris Loves L.A. is a paroxysm of French Sexiness and Cocktail Cool. No cigarette required.

-MySpace/ParisLovesLA

Birthdays & Holidays: More Spain, Some Hip Hop

Labor Day Weekend was marked by two birthdays and an extra day of fun (not that my job isn't fun *wink*). So I partied, ate, slept and attempted to get a tan. Here's the summary.

Birthday One: Sirena By The Beach

S wanted to party by the beach for her birthday and we gave her what she asked for. We chose Sangria in Hermosa Beach since it serves dinner and then transforms into a club with 2 DJ's and delicious sangria.

I was impressed with the food, one of my friends ordered a paella rich in flavor and pretty in appearance. I had a tapas sampler consisting of garlic fried shrimp, duck sausage in Spanish broth, toast topped with a Spanish-influenced artichoke spinach dip and calamari. Their sangria was served in a pitcher with glasses of fruit brought to you on the side.

After eating, we lingered by our table until the DJ finished setting up, we then moved to the dance floor where we moved our bodies to hip beats until last call, the sad time when all party goers must go home!

Birthday Two: Some Favorites & Hip Hop Attire

For C's birthday, his two best friends and I gathered at one of my favorite places for Mexican food: Gardens of Taxxco. Following dinner, we headed to the opening of Alife's store Los Angeles. It's awesome to have them in L.A., for Angelenos need cool street wear too! After checking out the store and sipping on some rum based drinks, we crashed Bootie LA and partied there the rest of the night!

Holiday: My Day, Shared A Bit.

On Labor Day, I slept in and stayed in bed reading until 2 in the afternoon. After finally getting out of bed and shaking off the laziness I went to see Super Bad with S, her date and mine.

I expected it to be funnier. No, not to be funnier since it's actually hilarious, but to flow better. At times, it felt slow. Nevertheless, it's an entertaining film that keeps it real allowing its audience to relate to it in one way or another. To me, it's simplicity made it totally awesome!