New York City! Part 3.

Early to bed, early to rise...more like late to bed, early to rise, to make the most of our time in New York!  As I look back upon our trip, a month after we've gotten back, it reminds me all over again, how much we did while we were there!  Even though I would have loved another week or two, we really accomplished a lot!

Our third day started out with a subway ride for Rachel and I past Greenwich Village, and then walked a few blocks to DO Cookie Dough Confections.  It's been very popular since it's opening a few months ago (made sense since it's right by NYU) so we wanted to be sure we wouldn't have to wait in line too long.  Just a few people ahead of us gave us time to decide on what we wanted.  I tried a couple things but ended up choosing the Salty & Sweet which was incredible.  I ate the leftover when I got back to LA and I wish I had gotten a bigger scoop. We took our DO to Washington Square Park where we sat and people-watched, including seeing Paul Rudd with one of his kids on a Field Trip to the park.  So many field trips, so many birds, so much fun.

Washington Square Park and Cookie Dough for Breakfast!

White Roses at the 9/11
Memorial signify that
person's Birthday.

After our early dessert we walked to SoHo where the scenery and people changed; definitely more upscale, even the shops.  We had Brunch reservations at Balthazar (I think the gals from Sex & The City went there) and it was beautiful.  They had a whole wall of wine and got us seated right away.  Rachel and I split the Avocado Toast with a Poached Egg and Tomato & Jalapeño Salsa and also Scrambled Eggs in a Puff Pastry with Asparagus and Mushrooms.  Both of them were delicious and decadent, and after the DO, my tum was filling up fast.  Talk about a neat place to check out!  I actually would have loved to have stayed to have a cocktail or coffee but there was more to do!

St. Patrick's Cathedral

That afternoon, Sam, Rachel and I made our way to the 9/11 Memorial.  It was really overwhelming to be in the presence of all the lost souls.  I didn't even try to hold back tears but found it really strange that so many people were taking photos at the Memorial and smiling.  I understand it's a tourist attraction but it just felt wrong.  Sam had done the tour recently so she was able to fill us in on all the info for the Memorial and I was glad to learn more about it.  Rachel had afternoon plans so Sam and I walked over to St. Patrick's Cathedral.  I stopped at every Saint, and took a few moments at the one that Mom prayed to most recently, St. Jude, the patron Saint of Hopeless Cases.  The Church was stunning and I know how happy she would be that I had gone to see it.  I was on my own after that so I took a stroll and totally got lost trying to find the Subway, but it was actually really fun because I was able to explore and had to figure it out myself.  Once you realize it's a grid and Avenues go North/South and Streets go East/West, it's much easier.  

Everyone had things planned for the evening so I decided it was the perfect night to take myself out for a fabulous steak Dinner.  After talking to the locals, everyone agreed on Keen's Steakhouse.  I actually walked there from the Hotel, sidled up to the bar, got myself a seat and ordered a glass of wine, the Potato Leek soup and a Filet Steak cooked Medium Rare with a side of Glazed Carrots.  The steak was good but I'm not sure if it would get into my Top 5.  BUT this will be one of my favorite dining experiences for a long time because a gentleman sat down next to me.  As Howard and I started chatting I found out his wife was from Little Shoot, Wisconsin, she is the love of his life, and he can't believe how lucky he is every day that they are spending the rest of their lives together.  We spoke about our parents, he lost both of his, I talked about Mom, and I felt like I made a new friend.  He suggested I join him in drinking a glass of Scotch (I had recently found that I actually like one) so I said the only one I like is Glenfarclas 25 but that I was happy with my wine.  He promptly ordered two, saying he liked that one but Bunnahabhain 25 was his favorite.  I like the Glenfarclas because it's a little sweeter, really smooth, a clean finish and ZERO peatiness.  After I finished the first one, he said I had to try his favorite (and let's be real, we all know how Lyndsey does when she drinks whiskey - if you don't, I get really sassy, start to swear like a sailor, and there's usually a badass side that comes out); I tried to decline but there was no saying no to my new friend, Howard.  

The Filet at Keen's Steakhouse in Manhattan

At this point, I knew we had reservations at Please Don't Tell, a Speakeasy in the East Village, so all the gals, and Rachel's cousin, Evan, met us over at Keen's, and joined us for a drink while I finished my Scotch.  I definitely still would choose Glenfarclas over the Bunnahabhain as that one had a stronger more complex flavor that lingered.  Howard was so generous and I'm so glad to have met him and look forward to my next visit to New York and grabbing Dinner with his whole family.  Our crew got over to Please Don't Tell just in time for our reservation.  You enter through a Hot Dog Shop into a back room and they escorted us to a nice big booth.  I ordered a Negroni that I sipped the entire time I was there and never finished.  I blame the Scotch!  Everyone else ordered specialty cocktails or beer and also some Tater Tots.  There needs to be more places like this in Los Angeles!

LA invades Please Don't Tell in the East Village

After PDT, Rachel, Giana, and I walked to Times Square from our Hotel (it was about 10 blocks or so) in search of a fun bar to grab one last cocktail before the night was over.  We were living it up for each and every moment because we may not ever have this opportunity again.  We found a bar and I got a Fruity Martini while G and Rach got beers.  It was us and a group of guys in the bar and they bought us a round of shots so at that point, we knew it was time to head back to the Hotel.  We still had one day left in New York and another action-packed time ahead of us!

Thanksgiving in LA and Dad's Visit!

We're already into December but a little wrap-up about the week of Thanksgiving is always on time!  My Dad came to visit me and it was his first time flying solo.  He's always flown with my Mom, and the last time he came out here, he was with my brother and my brother's girlfriend.  I was very proud he was able to do it all on his own!

Dad got into town on Wednesday so I picked him up at the airport and we headed straight to Karaoke!  We had a fun night there and Thursday morning was all prep for our Thanksgiving Dinner at Kristina & Alex's.  I was making a Corn Succotash for the first time and my Orange Bourbon Cranberries.  Dad actually measured everything out for the Cranberries and stirred them while I prepped the Succotash.  I was very impressed with his ability to help me in the kitchen AND stay out of my way.  Oops ;)  My Succotash turned out great and Dad even ate it with all the random veggies I put in it, so I knew it was good.  We headed over to Kristina's that afternoon with Rutherford in tow (he got to spend the night playing with Ringo), we all and enjoyed a meat and cheese hour complete with cheese and summer sausage from Wisconsin that Dad had brought with him.  There was Butter Chardonnay among so many other beautiful wines, Champagne, and then Dessert Wine for later.  Our Dinner was a true feast with a Sunchoke Salad, Creamed Spinach, my Succotash, Mashed Potatoes and Stuffing, Turkey, Beef Wellington, Cranberries and more.  We all had to take a break before eating Pie for dessert!  Alex's friend, Jim, played some songs on the guitar for us, and we spent the rest of the night chatting about music, the old times and fun.  It was such a lovely Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Vibes

On Friday, Anthony had gotten us tickets to the LA Auto Show so we spent all afternoon walking around the show and checking out the cars.  We did some research for a new car for me.  Of course, now the Honda Accords are getting great gas mileage, I apparently got the lemon year of 2010.  In the running is the Mazda 6 Grand Touring, Chevy Malibu Hybrid, and the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.  I decided against the Lexus since the mileage is way too low, and while I like the BMW, I didn't necessarily feel like it was 'my' car when I sat in it.  I still need to go and test drive all of them but it was a great way to check them all out in a short time frame.  To top it all off, as we were walking to the other section of the show, I recognized an actor from my favorite Netflix show, 'Wentworth.'  I said his name out-loud, not thinking it could really be him, and he turned around so I had to think quick, and of course, started blurting out random information as Dad complimented his accent (he's Australian) and then we took a photo.  I was stoked; Luke McKenzie was so humble and friendly, and just an all-around nice guy.  That was really all I could talk about for the next hour, so Dad and I finished up at the show and came back home for Dinner.  I had specifically got a Blue Apron order for us that week.  It was a NY Strip Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Lemon Broccoli.  I also did a Carrot Souffle.  We went to Blind Barber for some after-dinner drinks and Dad found a new whiskey thanks to Daniel!  I may have to get him a bottle of Four Roses for Christmas!  We went and got Hawaiian Shave Ice and Dole Whip at this place on Sawtelle that Rachel had introduced me to and got settled in for the night to watch a movie.

My home-made steak dinner!

Saturday it was raining in LA, a rare thing for Dad to experience and we stopped at a couple Guitar Shops and also the Harley place in Marina Del Rey.  That night we went to Ruth's Chris for Dinner which was a nice treat.  We definitely ate well the week of Thanksgiving!  After Dinner, I had to head to work at Bar Lubitsch and it was a Saint's & Sinner's reunion with Mike, Carolyn (our new Bartender there) and I behind the bar.  Dad was kept company by some regulars and around midnight I went out and got him all settled in an Uber back to my apartment.  At the end of the night, a guy approached me and asked if that was my Dad I had gotten the Uber for.  I said yes, and he said, he has two daughters and he hopes that one day, they take care of and show that much concern for him, as I had done for my Dad.  Seriously started to tear up right there in the bar; such a sweet compliment!

Met Luke McKenzie at the LA Auto Show!

Sunday was more low-key.  I had been fighting a cold so I took a nap while we were watching a movie.  That night Dad and I met up with Giana and her parents at C&O in Venice for an Italian Dinner!  It was so nice to get our families together since they have so much in common, especially about their love for motorcycles.  On Monday, Rutherford went into surgery for his 'snip snip' and they also fixed his Umbilical Hernia.  It was nice to have Dad here to keep me calm since the second I dropped him off I started to cry.  Dad and I had Brunch at Overland Cafe and found out his flight was delayed so we'd be able to spend a couple more hours together.  We picked up Rutherford on the way home, and he was very out of it, so we just hung out with him and Dad got packed up so I could take him to the airport.

We had such a great few days together, just me and Dad.  It really was our first time hanging out together in LA since Mom was always with him when he'd visit.  Mom would come out on her own a couple times a year which I loved, so it'll be a new tradition that Dad and I will do now.  I may have to get him in the Kitchen more often too.  He's already excited about me coming home next week so we can have a Wine and catch-up night.  I'm really excited to be going home for Christmas the Holidays. Plus, Rutherford is going to have a new friend to meet, and me too, but that's a story for another day :)

Check out my new blog above with more pictures from Dad's visit!

Family in LA! Part 2.

Not only did we have Weddings and Baptism's to celebrate, but our Independence on top of it all!

Since Monday was 4th of July we spent part of the morning by my Aunt Linda's with the kids who were playing in the pool and got to say goodbye to everyone, since people were starting to head back home.  Dad and I did a little grocery shopping later on and decided to BBQ at my place with some Brats, drink some beers, and then watched the fireworks on my rooftop!  Rutherford was such a good little boy the entire weekend.  He was quiet in the Hotel, was so social around all the people and kids, and the fireworks didn't even phase him.  Dad, Bobby, and Melissa were so impressed by all the firework shows we were able to see from my roof, we counted at least 10 different shows.  It's been the way I've watched the fireworks for the last few years!

Dad and I at the Petersen Museum!

For Tuesday I had planned a whole day for Dad and I!  I got us tickets to the Petersen Automotive Museum including the Vault Tour which is a must if you're going to the Museum.  We saw cars that Richard Rollins from 'Fast & Loud' owned, Rita Hayworth's gorgeous classic Cadillac, the first ever cars that were built and how they were improved over the years, and armored cars that Richard Nixon or the Dalai Lama had been in!  There were so many neat cars and I'd see a car and say that was my favorite, and then I'd see something else.  Although a Ferrari has always been my dream car, after doing a Driving Simulator I think I love the new Ford GT.  It's got a similar body shape to a Ferrari but it's just as incredible, more affordable, and definitely easier to get.  Dad really enjoyed the tour too!  I gave us a few hours to spend there but we could have stayed longer if we didn't have Dinner reservations at Mastro's in Beverly Hills to get to before sunset!  I had a table set up for us at the Mastro's Penthouse but Dad and I had a drink at the bar before we sat down for Dinner.  We started with a Wedge Salad, and then got Mashed Potatoes and Snap Peas with our Filet, and they brought Chocolate Cake and their famous house-made Whipped Cream with it!  I ordered a glass of wine with my Steak and was able to blind taste and guess which one it was based on the region; it was a really proud moment for me!  Everything was delicious and it was a really fun day, just being my Dad and I.

Dinner at Mastro's with Dad to celebrate Father's Day and my Birthday :)

I knew that week with everything that was going, plus everyone in town, was going to be crazy but as soon as everything began and family was arriving it all fell into place.  I definitely missed my Mom and wish she could have been there with all of us; I know she would have had a blast and things will never be the same without her here but she is definitely proud of all of us and is smiling down on us and the fact that we all held it together!  We celebrated in honor of her.  Being with family makes it so much harder when they're not around but we're all so much closer that I know it's only a couple months and we'll be seeing each other again!

The 5th Anniversary of my 28th Birthday! Part 2.

Birthday Cookies from Dad!

 My Birthday this year was really tough for me since it was my first one without my Mom.  Usually she would have hidden presents in my room on a previous visit, would call me at midnight in Wisconsin and midnight in LA and wish me a Happy Birthday and check in throughout the day, on top of her singing me 'Happy Birthday' and telling me all about the day I was born.  So in all honesty, I wasn't really looking forward to my Birthday this year.  My Dad sent me cookies which was so sweet and something my Mom would have done, so I was very appreciative of that but it was just a difficult weekend.  I tried to plan a whole day of fun on Sunday with friends to make the most of the day!

Surprise Birthday Party visit from Michael!

I knew I had to get to Church early on Sunday morning to prep for the day and the sun was already beating down and nearly 90 degrees by 10 am.  Since I wanted everything to be ready when the guests arrived, I made a few trips down to the pool with the cooler, the Sangria I made from scratch (thanks to Lee for bringing me a bunch of fruit from the Farmer's Market), my famous salsa, snacks, drinks, and I baked cookies too.  It was definitely a more low-key day and I was kind of glad since it had been such an eventful weekend!  Ashley even made me a beautiful cake, and Khad and Heike came by with Fonuts for everyone!  Throughout the weekend, my friends finally got to meet Rutherford, who even hung out by the pool for a while and Jamie entertained him!  When the sun went down and after the Basketball Championship, we had a Game Night.  Later on, Adam, Claire and I went over to this Carnival that had opened up in the Grocery Store parking lot just up the street.  We rode some rides (it may be the last time I ride the Tilt-A-Whirl for a while), played some games, and had a lot of fun!  It was a great way to wrap up my Birthday Weekend!

Kristina and I had made separate plans for a little Dinner night to ourselves.  I even got a Puppy-Sitter for Rutherford (thanks to Courtney for taking care of him and to Rutherford's new friend, Lola for entertaining him)!  Kristina and I went to Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas, and it was everything Kristina had described:  Rustic and cozy, reminded me of 'Beauty & The Beast,' and the food was top notch.  We started off with some Spicy Tequila Cocktails and Oysters.  Our server picked out a beautiful bottle of Pinot Noir for us that we knew would go great with our steaks.  Before we got to our main we had this Truffle Mushroom Agnolotti which melted in our mouths!  The meal just kept getting better and better; even the pretzel bread with salted butter to start the meal was perfection.  We had this Huckleberry Bread Pudding dessert that just knocked it out of the park and per usual, just getting to spend time with Kristina was lovely. 

Kristina and I at Saddle Peak Ranch in Calabasas :)

Overall, everyone made my 33rd Birthday very special and fun.  Thank you Friends & Family...I'm a very lucky gal <3

The 5th Anniversary of my 28th Birthday!

Having a new puppy, traveling back to Wisconsin twice in a month, celebrating my Birthday, having family in town for a Wedding, and my work schedule has gotten me so far behind in my writing.  I'm playing catch up and writing about my Birthday which happened on June 19th, over a month ago!  I'll get into a little more detail about my feelings about the weekend in part two of my Birthday Blog but I was glad to be busy that weekend!

Wine after a wonderful Dinner...thanks Court <3

Since my Birthday fell on a Sunday this year (it was also Father's Day, and I was born on Father's Day) that meant I took off on Saturday night so I could enjoy a nice weekend with friends.  On Friday, Courtney invited me to this Political Dinner at Craft in Century City in which I met our Secretary of State, some other Politicians and learned about the possibility of the Olympics coming to LA in 2024.  It was a really fun event and Craft has been on my Restaurant Bucket List for a very long time so I was super excited to try some of the food.  There was an Avocado & Tomatillo Salad to start that was out of this world, you can never get enough Avocado and each bite was packed with it...woo!!  We had Asparagus & Mushrooms with our main courses that were Salmon and Flank Steak cooked Medium Rare for the table.  Everything was family style and there was plenty of food to go around, even seconds or thirds!  Not to mention, I found a new favorite Chardonnay (Neyers) and my glass was never empty.  I've noticed I really like the Carneros region which is between San Francisco and Napa/Sonoma in a cool climate and produces really buttery Chardonnays.  No meal would be complete without a couple different desserts that were all delicious!  It was one of my favorite meals I've had, so special thanks to Courtney for kicking off the Birthday Festivities on Friday!

Saturday I started prep for the Sunday Mimosa Pool Party and Sam came over during the afternoon to spend a little time by the pool and just relax before we had Dinner.  Sam, Rachel and I went to Lukshon in Culver City for Dinner and Courtney met us there after an Afterbuzz meeting.  We started with the Hawaiian Butterfish that was fabulous, we wanted more of that in addition to the Crispy Rice Cakes that Jamie and I had had the last time we were there.  We also had the Chaing Mai Curry Noodles that had a nice little kick although, even with another appetizer we were all still hungry.  Thankfully we were going to Blind Barber for my Birthday Party which not only serves cocktails but some of the best grilled cheese I've ever had!

My Squad...Besties, Bae, and Seester ready for the night!  I'm a lucky gal :)

We all re-grouped at my place, took a shot and then headed to Blind Barber, and spent the night dancing, laughing and chatting with friends.  Of course, there were plenty of shots but this year, I was making it to bar close and remembering the night (thankfully, no one got roofied this year)!  One of the things I love about Birthdays is friends stopping by that you haven't seen in a while, and you get a chance to catch up with everyone.  It's also nice to get all your friends together in one room because it's such a rare occasion with everyone's crazy schedules.  Overall, it was a fun and even slightly tame night but it was great to be surrounded my favorite girls and get to celebrate with friends :)

Part two will be coming at ya soon!

Wisconsin Wedding (Part 1)

I had a really wonderful trip back to Wisconsin a couple weeks ago!  Just a few days before I headed back home, it was hotter in Wisconsin than it was in California but the weather decided to change as soon as I landed and it was definitely Fall back home!  I was able to spend a week with my family, celebrating my cousin Matty and his wife, Becky's Wedding, and just relaxing for a few days. 

The adventure started at LAX on my way back to Wisconsin.  I'm deathly afraid of birds and sure enough a bird got into the airport and flew right onto my arm and scared me pretty good.  Thankfully, as soon as I got on the airplane, I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, listened to some 80's rock, and started looking over my script for 'Thenardier's Inn' since I'm now playing Madame Thenardier in the show!  I started working on my Cockney accent as well as memorizing my lines and songs during the flight; what a perfect way to spend the four hours on the plae.

Congrats Becky & Matty!

Once I landed in Milwaukee, Mom and Dad picked me up and we drove to Elkhart Lake to celebrate with my cousins, aunts and uncles, and Becky's family.  We went out to the Brown Bear, marveled at the expensive Elkhart Lake prices (compared to Plymouth) and all caught up and even got every one to try Hula Hooping!  It's been years since I've done it and I was really happy to see my Mom was really good at it too!  On Thursday it was the Rehearsal at the Church and then we all had a nice Dinner at Becky's family's house complete with a fabulous Italian meal!

Bobby got into Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon with his girlfriend, Melissa, and we all went to the Church in St. Cloud for the Wedding.  Becky's dress was so pretty and the back was beautiful.  Matty looked sharp, dressed in his Naval uniform and obviously so excited to see Becky coming down the aisle.  I loved the Bridesmaid dresses; they were a gorgeous shade of purple.  Monica did one of the readings and I did the petitions and we both felt very fortunate to be a part of Wedding ceremony.  The Reception took place in Elkhart Lake and I was finally able to have my first Old-Fashion of the trip.  Wisconsin is one of the few places I have my Old-Fashions because they are made the best back home :)  The best part of the Wedding (aside from my cousin Tyler's Best Man speech which was heart-warming, special, and hilarious) was all the dancing; even my little second cousins stayed and danced the night away.  Everyone was dancing and having a blast, it was so much fun!

Schamberger's, Wittkopp's, and Wegner's on the Dance Floor with the Groom!

Sunday started out a little slow for me after a night of family and whiskey but we did get to watch the first Packer game of the season which was nice to see at home.  A trip back home isn't complete without a Steak Dinner at St. Anne so we had to go there that night!  Later, we had a game night with my cousins and aunt and uncle and Monica, Tyler's fiance, asked me to be in her Wedding!  I gladly said yes and their Wedding and am thrilled to be a part of the festivities in July 2016.

Check out Part 2 below this!

CUT in Beverly Hills

I can't believe I forgot to write about my incredible Birthday Meal with Kristina just over a month ago, and the last of my Birthday celebrations...at least, as far as I know ;)  She took me to Dinner at CUT in the Beverly Wilshire, which is where the movie, 'Pretty Woman' took place.  It was a dining experience and I love sharing these special moments with one of my best friends.

Dinner at CUT in Beverly Hills with Kristina!

We started the day off by the pool with a little champagne and some snacks!  Jamie joined us too and brought another bottle of Wine to go along with the Sparkling Wine I had ready and waiting for us.  It was a gorgeous day by the pool as we caught up and enjoyed the day.  Soon enough it was time to get all gussied up for Dinner and Kristina did my hair as we watched 'Pretty Woman' just to get re-accustomed to where we would be spending our evening dining.  Then, our Uber picked us up and we were off to CUT.

The meal kept going as we started with some delicious breads and ordered a fabulous bottle of wine after our Sommelier made some suggestions for us.  Since neither of us had tried Bone Marrow, we decided to be adventurous and order that.  It was served with a mushroom marmalade and parsley salad that you spread over toast.  Next up was the Summer Corn Salad, that was light and refreshing, perfect for Summer.  Kristina wanted to order the Porterhouse which was 34 ounces of steak, Filet and New York Strip, and delivered to us on the bone, and cut right in front of us.  Talk about the presentation!  We also got some Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and a Mushroom Medley.  The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare and it was a meal that was an experience in itself.  The food just kept coming, and everything tasted so good.  They brought out a little dessert plate for my Birthday which was so sweet and also packed the rest of our food to go, including some extra bread since we loved it so much!  The service was impeccable!

Since we were in Beverly Hills we decided to stop by Bouchon to have a glass of Dessert Wine and get some of their perfect macaroons.  Then we hopped into an Uber and decided to stop by Gabe's for some Karaoke and shots...shots, shots, shots.  Thank goodness we were Ubering all night!  When it's a Birthday celebration, the shots just keep coming.

An amazing end to a fabulous Birthday Dinner :)

What an amazing day with Kristina and a Dinner I'll never forget!  I'm not quite sure we'll be able to top this one but I know we certainly won't stop trying.  Thank you Kristina...you're one of the best friends a girl could ask for and I love you <3

Mom & Dad's September Visit to LA! Part 3.

After working while Mom and Dad were in town the first couple of days and then heading on a Road Trip all over the California Coast we finally had a day with nothing to do!  That's a vacation!

I had actually planned on Hiking up in Malibu where we could see the Waterfall near Temescal Canyon but the 90 degree temperature in Culver City deterred any sort of exercise simply because it was way too hot.  Instead, we spent part of the morning by the pool, mostly in the water, just relaxing and enjoying the day!  We had some Lunch and just hung out that day since it was my parent's last day in LA before they left the following morning.  Of course, we would have this week-long heat wave while they were in town and it was in the 60's back home in Wisconsin!

I set-up a Surprise Dinner at Mastro's in Beverly Hills to celebrate my parent's Anniversary just a little early since I wouldn't be able to spend it with them in November.  Kristina had taken me for my Birthday in June and it was one of the best steaks I had ever had so I wanted to be able to share this with my family as well!

Heirloom Tomatoes & Burrata

We were seated upstairs towards the back of the bar but still in ear-shot of the piano player and singer.  When Kristina and I were there it was more mellow music and this was really fun too.  The songs ranged from new and old, sang by the piano player at times, and then a female singer as well.  I really liked it!  Mom and I ended up getting the Blueberry Martini while Dad got his usual Maker's & Coke.  Dad decided on the French Onion Soup while Mom and I split the Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Salad.  I was so impressed with the Soup, it was so yummy and perfectly seasoned.  And for me, you can't got wrong with an Heirloom Salad!  Mom and I were splitting a steak and Dad got his own and we were barely able to finish all of it, with Mom wrapping the rest of hers to go.  Of course, the steak was accompanied by the Snap-peas which Dad even commented, 'Never would I have thought I would be ordering peas at a restaurant' and yet he loved them!  We also got the Garlic Mashed Potatoes that were a little runny but still delicious.  They brought out a Chocolate Cake with 'Happy Anniversary' written on it for dessert.  By the time we were done, we were so full and barely able to make our way back to the car.  Mom said it was the best steak she ever had and Dad said it was one of the best!

Before Dinner at Mastro's in Beverly Hills!

That night we opened one of our Dessert Wines from Daniel Gehr's and also had some of the Port Wine too to cap off a great Dining experience.  We played Spades before heading to bed and then I took Mom and Dad to the airport the following morning to head back to Wisconsin.

I can't believe how quickly the time flies when they're out here visiting, and even though they were here for a week, it felt like just a couple of days!  I'd definitely like to try to make it to Wisconsin this Fall before all the snow comes :)  Thanks for coming to visit Mom and Dad, I love and miss you guys <3

Dinner at BOA in Santa Monica

If you know me, you know I love steak; I am definitely a Wisconsin girl through and through.  Lucky for me, over the course of a month after my Birthday I got to have steak dinner's at three different restaurants with wonderful friends.  On my Birthday I had my first Mastro's experience thanks to my friend, Kristina!  A couple weeks after that Aimee, Andy, and I were able to hit up Ruth's Chris (my previous blog post) for Dine LA, and then a week later, it was catch-up time and Dinner at BOA in Santa Monica with Jamie!

We got seated at a table outside, literally steps from the beach and ocean at BOA in Santa Monica.  Jamie picked out a wine for us and we started our meal with the Tuna Tartare and Jamie had their table-side Caesar Salad which I tasted and was delicious.  We split the Center Cut Filet Mignon and got a side of Bamboo-Steamed Vegetables which had lemongrass (LOVE that flavor) as well as the Truffle & Parmesan Cauliflower.  I think the Cauliflower could have used more Truffle and Parmesan, but I always want more cheese.  The steak was perfectly-cooked at medium rare and I picked out Creamy Horseradish sauce on the side which just amped the steak up and was awesome!  There was no shortage of food and Dinner wouldn't have been complete without dessert.  We decided on the S'mores which was one of the hi-lights of the meal.  It was a dense fudge cake with a chocolate ice cream, graham cookies, and vanilla fluff.  I really miss vanilla fluff!!

It was so nice to catch up with a good friend and enjoy a great meal together.  We've had some fun food adventures together and this was another new restaurant to add to my list :)

*Just in case you missed it, you can read about my amazing experience at Mastro's here:  Mastro's Birthday Dinner!*

Ruth's Chris for Dine LA!

When Dine LA came to town a few weeks ago I was so busy with acting projects and work I actually didn't have any time to check out any of the new restaurants I had planned on going to.  Thankfully, I was able to squeeze in a late night Dinner at Ruth's Chris in Beverly Hills with Aimee and Andy, after working at Irish Times all day.

Amazing Seared Ahi Tuna!

I had made a reservation but it was packed so we grabbed some cocktails at the bar before getting seated.  I decided on the Strawberry Basil Martini which was so delicious.  It had just the right amount of sweetness, was strong, yet light and refreshing.  It made it all the way to dessert...score!  We started with the Seared Ahi Tuna appetizer which had a mustard, ginger, wasabi glaze, and a great palate cleanser before our meal arrived.  Aimee and Andy had brought some wine from their last trip to Santa Barbara and Solvang so that paired perfectly with our steaks.  I decided on the Summer Corn Chowder for my next course and it was far lighter than I expected, it was more broth-based than creamy which was perfect right before my steak.

We had all decided to get a different side, so I got the green beans and garlic, Andy ordered the mashed potatoes, and Aimee decided on the sauteed mushrooms.  It was nice to get all the veggies and potatoes to accompany our perfectly-cooked steaks.  As it came sizzling on that hot plate, I couldn't wait to dive in!  The steak was really good and hit the spot (not the best I've had at a Ruth's Chris, and after Mastro's for my Birthday, it's going to be hard to top that).  After all the appetizers and sides I was so full that I had to take the other half of my steak home because I wanted to leave some room for dessert.  This dessert was amazing, and I'm not a big cheesecake fan but it was Honey Cinnamon Cheesecake with Chocolate Brittle.  I loved the flavor of the cheesecake!

Dinner at Ruth's Chris with Aimee & Andy!

It was nice to get to enjoy a good meal with great friends and it was Andy's first Ruth's Chris experience, so that was exciting!  I look forward to my next Ruth's Chris steak and I can't wait to have another one of those Strawberry Martini's...a perfect Summer evening in LA :)

Birthday Dinner at Mastro's!

I love food and trying new places and even have a list of my Top 5 Favorite Steaks so I was stoked when Kristina said she was going to take me to Mastro's in Beverly Hills for my Birthday Dinner.  I've been wanting to try Mastro's for a long time but I was also a little nervous, knowing how fancy it was.  Kristina assured me it was a special occasion since we weren't able to celebrate my 30th in style last year like we had planned so we were going all out!

Wine & Martini's

We enjoyed some Rosé before Dinner while we got ready at my place and then took an Uber to Mastro's.  Our table was quaint and close enough to the piano player to hear him singing Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, and The Beatle's songs during Dinner.  Kristina had brought a really nice bottle of red wine so we got that started along with two martini's that had Stoli Blueberry and St. Germaine which were called Fleur de Blu and absolutely delicious.  Kristina suggested we start with Oysters and even though I was a little apprehensive, I was up for the adventure.  They were kumumoto Oysters and served with a healthy side of Horseradish.  I topped all of mine with it and that certainly did the trick as they went down easy with a little clearing of my sinuses.  So yummy!  

It was time for our salad and we got an Heirloom Tomato and Burrata and from here on out they split everything for us.  There was so much food I'm surprised they were halved because the portions were huge!  The salad was amazing and I loved how the timing of all of our courses was literally perfect.  We were never waiting and getting hungry but able to enjoy the food, let it settle, and then the next course would show up.  Before we knew it, it was time for the main entree; a beautiful 12 ounce Filet cooked an impeccable medium rare.  We decided on sides of Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas.  The snap peas were the best I have ever had as they popped in your mouth with a sweet but savory flavor and the mashed potatoes were so fluffy and had the perfect amount of garlic and butter.  The steak.  Let me just say, after I took that first bite, I sat back in my chair and sighed...out loud.  It was that incredible!  We savored every last bite and then they packed the leftover snap peas for me to take home.  No Birthday is complete at Mastro's without Birthday Cake so they brought Chocolate Cake with home-made whipped cream.  The whipped cream was so impressive and I loved that there was plenty for each bite of cake.

Dinner at Mastro's...being fancy with Kristina!

After Dinner we went to the bar so I could get us some Dessert Wine to finish off the fabulous dining experience and as some gentlemen allowed me to get to the bar, they overheard Kristina saying it was my Birthday and in typical gentlemanly fashion, ordered us a round, which was very sweet.  I appreciated the gesture and bought them their next round only to have that countered with another Birthday Cake and some Espresso for me.  They all sang Happy Birthday and this time it was an Olive Oil Cake and more whipped cream!  I could not have felt more special being treated by Kristina and being blown away by such an amazing meal :)

Thank you Kristina for introducing me to Mastro's; this is definitely going to be trouble because now I'm already planning my next visit, and next paycheck!  And thanks for making me feel fancy!

A Wednesday of Dine LA and Karaoke

It was the final week of Dine LA last week and I wanted to finish strong with at least one more Lunch and Dinner.  On Wednesday night it was Dinner at Duke's in Malibu and my first time to the restaurant, so something new for me!

I know that Duke's does Brunch on the weekends and also has a great Happy Hour so I was really looking forward to checking out the menu and trying some cocktails.  Because it was Wednesday, they had half off wine and no corkage fee so hooray for bringing a bottle in!  We decided to start with cocktails, one Basil Strawberry Cooler and a Jalapeno Margarita, both of which were delicious and refreshing.  I could have tried a bunch of others and will come back when they've got some Happy Hour deals.  For appetizers we started with Calamari that came with a Lemon Remoulade and Guava Cocktail Sauce as well as the Crab Macnut Wontons that had a Plum Sauce.  The Calamari was perfectly crispy and I loved all the sauces to dip it in but I thought the Wontons were just a little fishy but I'm super sensitive to that.

After opening the wine (Coppola is a wine you can always count on) and getting our entree's I was so excited to dig into my meal and I hadn't even taken a before picture.  I ordered a Filet with a dijon rub, creamed corn, and Yukon gold mashed potatoes.  Everything was so incredible!  The other option we went with was the Mahi Mahi with avocado, grapefruit, a ginger vinaigrette, and jasmine rice.  It was light and I loved the grapefruit and ginger flavors.  Finally, it was time for dessert and a huge piece of Hula Pie, that was macadamia nut ice cream, Oreo cookie crust, hot fudge and whipped cream, in addition to a couple scoops of chocolate ice cream.  It was certainly plenty of food!

Finally had a reason to wear my green pumps!  Wine, cocktails, and amazing Dine LA at Duke's in Malibu :)

One might ask how I can eat that much food and then go dance around and host Karaoke but I just have to thank my Jacoby blood for my love of food, and copious amounts of it.  It was actually a busy night and people got into the 90's theme that was started and I had opened with "Don't Speak" by No Doubt.  I know that 'Ballroom Blitz' by Sweet isn't a 90's song but Wayne's World is a 90's movie and I was channeling Tia Carrere when I was singing it.  What a fun song to sing, and on top of it being my new song, the crowd loved it.  Next up, I slowed it down for a little bit with Jewel's "Foolish Games" and Roxette's "Listen To Your Heart."  It was duet time for "Another Day" from Rent and "Like We Never Loved at All" by Tim McGraw & Faith Hill.  It wouldn't have been a 90's night without a little Britney Spears so I had everyone sing along to "Baby One More Time"to shut it down.

I love when the bar really gets into the music at Karaoke and people like being challenged with a theme.  Everyone did a great job and asked what our next theme night would be!  Now that's the spirit :)