Santa Barbara :)

I've been living in LA for 8 years (wow) and had never been to Santa Barbara until just a couple weeks ago.  Neil and I were heading to SB to see Sara Bareilles play at The Bowl and decided to make a day of it and do some Wine Tasting, walk around the city, and just enjoy a fun day!

Kalyra Winery

As we made the 70 minute drive from North Hollywood, bagels in hand, we passed through Carpinteria (both curious, we found out that the Chumash Tribe had a carpentry shop, which is where the name came from...I knew it) and when we got to Santa Barbara it was a perfect 72 degrees.  We could see the ocean from our hotel room at the Santa Barbara Inn and decided to hit up the pool before exploring downtown.

I had made a list of a few Wineries to check out using the Urban Wine Trail I found on-line (some were right on the water, others had games to play while you were tasting wines, and others were listed as generous pours) and after researching some of the Wineries settled on Kalyra since they had a dessert wine that was supposed to be amazing.  Some of the wines had a tin/metal flavor but it was because they were fermented in steel (just not our favorites) but we ended up loving the Semillon which had hints of jalepeno and vanilla.  We each bought a bottle and Neil also picked up a bottle of the Orange Muscat because it was perfectly sweet and light.  I'm sure we'll be checking out some of the wineries on our next visit!  Then we walked to downtown since we were in the more industrial area known as 'The Funk Zone' and looked at some of the shops before stopping for a late lunch at Verde.

During our afternoon walk, Neil had scouted an Italian restaurant, Palazzio, where we had a wonderful Dinner.  We sat on the patio and Neil ordered a trio of items that were all delicious, especially his ravioli!  When we finished up, our friendly server packed up some Tiramisu to go since we had to get to the Sara Bareilles concert; she made our visit so special :)

Dinner at Palazzio in Santa Barbara

Unfortunately, we got to the concert at 8:15 pm (our tickets said Sara Bareilles Concert 7 pm) and she was playing with One Republic but since it was listed as her show, and we figured there would be an opener, we thought we would have plenty of time and probably catch the middle of One Republic's set.  Instead, the doors opened at 5:30 pm, she had an opener at 6 pm and she started promptly at 7 pm.  It was so disappointing because after seeing concerts for years, I've never missed a show, or been too late, because the time listed is when the doors open.  We decided not to stay for One Republic out of pure disappointment and walked the whole way back from the Bowl to downtown and tried to make the best of the rest of our evening.  It had really been a beautiful day so it was so frustrating to miss one of our favorite artists perform considering she was playing in LA the next day, but we wanted to force ourselves to get out of town and do something different, and both Neil and I were scheduled to work the next night so we couldn't have even gone to the show, even if we had tickets.

The next day we grabbed breakfast overlooking the ocean in our hotel and then walked around the Pier area and some of the shops.  It was clearly a town for walking as we probably clocked in over 6 miles in 24 hours but even with the clouds it was a gorgeous day and we had a really fun time in Santa Barbara.  

I can't wait to go back and I love that we went during the week so it wasn't as busy or touristy as it could have been.  School was in session so there were still people around but we got to do things at our own pace without feeling rushed or crowded.  Knowing we're only just a little over an hour away makes it so convenient and belonging to a wine club may not be such a bad idea after all :)

Punta Cana! Part 2.

The week my family and I spent in Punta Cana this July consisted of fun tropical cocktails, an assortment of themed restaurants (we got to eat at every single one), with days spent by the beach and pool, and nights laughing and playing games like Catchphrase, Trivial Pursuit, and Loaded Questions!

Tuna Tartare

My Dad and brother, Bobby, arrived on the second day and that night we had reservations for the Japanese Restaurant, Maiko, which I was really looking forward to.  The meal started off with a few different kinds of sushi and some tempura, and then the Habachi was started and we got fish, steak, shrimp, chicken, veggies, and rice.  After our meal we were moved to a different table and served dessert, and also celebrated my 'Belated 30th Birthday.'  It was one of my favorite Restaurants of the trip and I was happy to see my Dad trying sushi and eating shrimp for the first time ever!!  Way to go, Dad!

Wegner Family in Punta Cana :)

For Dinner on our third night we went to the Garden Grill where they had different types of steaks and a huge buffet.  I think I had 3 platefuls of food before my steak even arrived!  The steak was good but not even close to the Rack of Lamb I had the next night at the French Restaurant!  I've never had Lamb before so I was a little nervous but it was absolutely delicious and cooked perfectly.  I also had Lobster Bisque soup that night in addition to an excellent Tuna Tartare.  Because there were 11 people in our group they brought us extra appetizers and entree's so we were able to try everything, which was really cool.  Everyone else tried the Lobster but I stuck with my Lamb and amazing veggies that night.

No Jacoby Vacation would be complete without Family Photos at every possible opportunity so on the night we went to the French Restaurant, while we were all dressed up, we went down to the Beach to get some group photos even though that evening was a little overcast.  Say cheese!

During the day, we'd be by the Beach and grab drinks at the Bar, like Banana Mudslides or Blue Hawaiian's, and they served Hot Dogs so you felt like you were at the Ballpark!  We found a quieter pool a couple days into our vacation where we ended up spending most of the time when we were out in the sun.  They had Sambuca so one afternoon I sipped on that while I floated on a raft :)  The Hotel Staff also brought wild animals around to take pictures with, there were Parrots, Snakes, and even a Spider Monkey!  Of course, I love monkey's so as scared as I was, I got my photo taken with the Monkey! 

Cocktails by the Pool!

Clearly, time flies when you're having fun!

Punta Cana!

After my Birthday in June I had a lot to look forward to including a week-long vacation to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic with my family!  There were going to be 11 of us hanging out (my Mom & Dad, brother, Bobby, my Aunt and Uncle, my 3 cousin's, and their 2 girlfriend's, everyone coming from all over the US) all week long while we sipped Coco Loco's, had incredible meals, and enjoyed the beaches and activities at The Gran Bahia Principe in Punta Cana.

I met my cousin, Tyler, and his girlfriend, Monica, at LAX on Saturday night where we took a red-eye to Atlanta, Georgia, then had a 4 hour layover until we took our next plane ride into the Dominican Republic.  The moment we stepped off the plane it was warm and the airport was packed with people going through custom's and before we knew it, someone was grabbing our luggage and leading us outside.  I literally asked the guy if he was going to kill us, but since he spoke little English he had no idea what I was saying, and Monica was able to make sure we were going to arrive safely at the resort since she's fluent in Spanish.  It was about a half hour ride through the city and country, and very interesting, seeing how expensive gas was, all the resorts along the way, the apartments the residents lived in, and little shops and tourist spots.

As soon as we got to the Resort, everyone met us in the Lobby, we checked in and then headed to the room so we could go down to the beach and pool for a while to get some swim time in.  The water was a beautiful clear blue along a gorgeous sand beach, filled with umbrella's, chairs, and bars.  After swimming we got ready for Dinner and Mom and I made our way to the Lobby to meet everyone, but it was pouring rain outside.  To be honest, that was one of my favorite parts of the trip, it was a warm rain and it was really fun to be walking outside in it (lucky that the rooms had umbrella's in them since it rains nearly every day at some point).  We grabbed a drink at the Lobby then took a shuttle to El Pescador, the seafood restaurant, and once we got seated at our table, they came around with wine, told us to grab our starters at the buffet and then placed our order for Dinner.  This restaurant was my least favorite out of the ones we ate at because I was looking forward to really fresh fish and I was just disappointed with the choices and flavor of my meal and the meals I tried.  The buffet and some of the appetizers were really good but overall, I liked this meal the least.

Becky, Monica, Nicole, and I were ready for some Karaoke!

After Dinner we went to the Sports Bar where Karaoke was going on and since all of us had a few cocktails in us, the girls and I all went up to sing some Karaoke.  I sang 'Baby Love' and had Monica and Nicole as my back-up singers/dancers, and then we got a bunch of girls to sing with all of us, including Becky, Matt's girlfriend, for 'Wannabe' by the Spice Girls.  Since it was so busy in the bar we all went outside and played King's Cup, a fun drinking game, that has different rules for each card, including some strategy and word games.  We had a good time and after a late night snack we all were ready for bed!

Each morning we all went to have Breakfast at the Buffet before we got settled in at the beach for an hour or two.  Monica and I took dance classes in the mornings and I even went for a run down the whole beach one day when it was cloudy, in addition to taking some exercise classes on the beach.  I went swimming every morning, we all played pool games, and I tried to walk everywhere versus using the shuttle, so I was happy to be getting in some form of a work-out every day!

Catching some rays B)

And that was just night one...there's more Punta Cana to come!

What to do in LA!

After being so busy the week before I was excited to have a little more free time this week.  It ended up being a week full of relaxing LA things to do :)

The Getty is one of the main spots to check out if you're visiting from out of town.  It's got incredible views, beautiful gardens, amazing architecture, and ever-changing exhibits.  I could spend hours just walking through the gardens, sitting outside, and taking in the art.  There's no entrance fee to The Getty, you just pay for parking, which went up to $15 since the last time I visited.  There were a couple of new exhibits, a whole section dedicated to Photographer Herb Ritts and there was an Images of Death through the Middle Ages.  The Images of Death Exhibit was interesting, definitely morbid and a little strange, I was happy to move onto a new exhibit and then take a walk around the building to check out the views of LA. I loved the Herb Ritts Exhibit, I just wish that I would have been able to see all of it, but The Getty closes at 5:30 pm so I couldn't finish my walk-through or even get into The Gardens.  What a bummer!  I guess I'll just have to go back soon!

Messerschmidt & Klimt at The Getty...getting my face on!

Dine LA is always one of my favorite times of the year here in LA.  Basically, it's Restaurant Week, where they have Prix Fix Menu's (set appetizer, entree, and dessert) for a set price based on the average price of a meal.  It's still a way better deal than just ordering off the menu and gives you an opportunity to try new things.  I hit up Gaucho Grill which was an Argentinian Restaurant and of course, I still kept it slightly Italian by starting with a Caprese Salad, then choosing a Steak with White Wine and Mushrooms (that also came with mashed potatoes and more vegetables) and then a Chocolate & Caramel Crepe.  The salad was amazing, probably my favorite part of the meal.  The steak was good, but yet again, I've been reminded why I always get the Filet; it's the best, and whatever the steak was, was tough, over-done, and didn't have the flavor.  The sauce and mushrooms were excellent though!  The dessert was ok, just not my thing, but I didn't want flan, and that was the only other choice.  I'm never one for ice cream at a restaurant but since that came with the crepe I actually enjoyed that more.  I would definitely go back again and try other things on the menu but I'd get a Filet if I chose a steak and insist on Medium Rare.

When my Family and I were in California YEARS ago we made our way up the PCH because it was the best and most scenic drive.  Since I moved to LA over 6 years ago, it's very rare for me to drive that way because there's usually traffic and I'm not a big beach person.  I was so glad that I got a chance to do that yesterday because it was perfect!  On Wednesday I actually sat by the ocean and watched the waves come crashing in; it was so peaceful and relaxing and quiet, which is exactly what I needed.  Then on Friday when I drove up the Coast past the beautiful houses, Malibu, restaurants, into the mountains and looked down at the ocean behind me, it was stunning.  Once again, the silence was so peaceful and fresh air was incredible to breathe.  I definitely need to do that more often.  A lot of those restaurants do Happy Hour and getting to take in the sunset with a glass of wine in my hand sounds pretty awesome!

The view from the top of Las Flores Drive

While I'm a dive bar kind of gal; I love feeling comfortable in a place that isn't crowded, has a great bartender, and good people it's a nice change of pace to try new places.  I've been going to The Other Room in Venice for years.  It's a wine and beer bar and while it's pretty quiet during the week it gets packed on the weekends, especially when it's on First Friday's (which is the first Friday of the month and the restaurants do specials and stuff).  As I got there with my group of friends and there was a line already started at 10:45 pm we waited a few minutes and then got in.  There were a couple seats scattered throughout the bar, but not enough for four people so we all kind of split up.  Nowadays, I'm a red wine drinker, but with my brand new white top on, there was no way I was spilling on it the first day I wore it!  I ordered a glass of Riesling and it was one of the best I've ever had!

With work and my excursions this week, I've kept busy and it's been wonderful.  Sometimes it's nice to be a tourist even though I now consider myself an LA resident.