SoCal Foodie Delight

My first trip to California. Yes, really. I’m 29 and the furthest West I’ve been is Arizona. Well, no longer.

Flying to the West Coast in February had even more allure than I thought – namely because it was 30 degrees when I left my home in Illinois and it was almost 80 degrees when I landed in Orange County. What better way to fight the Midwestern winter than with sunshine?

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What’s the best way to see a new city? To eat.

Sure, Hollywood Boulevard is important, but my stomach is always growling. Luckily, when you roll with a fellow foodie, your priorities are always the same. Here are some of the stops we made over the course of my brief weekend in SoCal. (all addresses are in LA unless otherwise noted)

* In & Out Burger – My first ever! Thanks to local assistance, I knew to ask for both burger + fries “animal style.” Next time will ask for Neopolitan shake.

* Mashti Malone’s ice cream – 1525 N. La Brea – So many wild flavors here .. I chose Rose Saffron

* Olocuilta – 3958 W. 6th – Homemade Salvadorean pupusas here, oddly enough – in Koreatown. The abuela in the back seriously know what she’s doing.

* Cafe Tropical – 2900 W. Sunset Blvd – guava and cheese empanada. Yeah, you heard me.

* @ an undisclosed location – street tacos! $1 a piece and right on the money.

* Lynda Sandwich – 15380 Beach Blvd, Westminster -  banh mi’s for the beach.

* Egg Heaven – 4358 E. 4th Street, Long Beach – outrageous breakfast. Do not miss the super browns loaded breakfast potatoes. I died.

* One of the many Farmer’s Markets for superior produce & snacks – my first brush with an ojo blanco (less acidic grapefruit) and the best oranges I’ve had since Spain.

In-N-Out Burger, animal style

Homemade breakfast

Cafe Tropical, LA

Rose saffron ice cream

Pupusas

How can you argue with a bright orange taco truck?

Street tacos, Los Angeles

Egg Heaven, Long Beach, CA

Other fun stuff
Skylight Books – 1818 N. Vermont Avenue
Griffith Park Observatory -2800 E Observatory Road
(check out their free public star parties!)
Watts Tower – 1761-5 E 107th Street
Dodgers Stadium – 1000 Elysian Park Avenue

Tasty wines
Babble wine (wins best label), Khroma (wins fancy label and cheap local red), Carpe Diem (stole my soul & that of NYTimes winos a few years ago).

Thank goodness for Los Angeles, and Natalie

The monument you can’t miss

“You’ve got to see…,” they say.

“Don’t miss the… (Insert Monument Here.)“

True or not, there are some monuments that have their own claim to fame. It’s what locals point to, and seasoned tourists nod sagely about. As if every city as an unwritten list of things to see before you depart, and it is everyone’s job to point you in the right direction. Paris? Eiffel Tower. New York? Empire State Building. Do they define a city? Not necessarily. I’d just as soon point to Gray’s Papaya or The Strand when advising someone on NYC.

What’s worse is when you finally do see the thing that everyone has been pestering you about and think: well. You could’ve been huddled up in a café somewhere instead of standing outside in the cold waiting for this damn clock to chime. Truth be told, this was my reaction when I’d seen the Mona Lisa live and in person. Who knew that after racing through the Louvre (with the Da Vinci Code playing in my mind) that I would feel disappointed at the finish line?

Personally, I’m more inclined to a) see monuments that have a story or are generally lesser known, b) trust travelers I know to steer me in the right direction, c) do my research so I know what’s a tourist trap and what’s not.

For example, Holly and I loved the Clock Museum (aka The Palace of Time) in Jerez, Spain. It was WAY off the beaten path, super weird and charming. Thank you to whomever wrote that in the Fodor’s guide. I didn’t see what all the fuss was about with the IAmAmsterdam sign in the city of the same name (I was focused on nearby Van Gogh). People flock to the peeing statue (Mannekin Pis) in Brussels, Belgium. The astronomical clock in Prague, Czech Republic draws a crowd at every chime. Worth it? Maybe.

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On my recent trip to California, I was able to visit an awesome monument that I’d never heard of before. Watts Towers, tucked into a small neighborhood in Los Angeles, are a work of art. Visiting my artist friend and LA native Natalie also guaranteed an insider look at the local art scene. She knew the story of the Italian immigrant who had come to California and spent over three decades using found objects to build this unique fortress of art.

History says that the artist eventually abandoned his project, and the neighborhood that was giving him grief. It was almost torn down until it was put to the test – literally – by an engineer, at the request of the Committee for Simon Rodia’s Towers in Watts (composed of community members, artists and activists trying to save the site). Once the structure was determined safe, the city declared it was allowed to stand where it still stands today. A small community arts center, free of admission, tells the artist’s story and the monument itself stretches high into the California sky.

A little story goes a long way, doesn’t it?

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Purple mountain’s majesty

After a long drive west to St Louis I’m parked, shuttled, ticketed, through security and seated at my gate within 20 minutes tops. A girl could get spoiled at these small airports.

Following a layover in Dallas, I’m bound for California. What a switch from the postage stamp landscape of the Midwest. I thrill to the sight of mountains nearly the same as I do to the sight of a city skyline (almost).

My first time on the left coast will be directed by my friend Natalie. I realized the other day when I referred to her as a “friend from Spain” that she is neither Spanish nor have I seen her on American soil. A true example of past lives colliding in the present.      
                     
Requirements for this SoCal newbie include but are not limited to:
* tacos
* breakfast burritos
* avocados
* Spanish
* the Pacific
* sunshine
* wine                                       
* temps above 50
* cheese
* a possible run-in w Lindsay Lohan

We’ll see how I do. My thanks to Abe Lincoln for the day off!

The Quickest 24 Hrs in Houston

I arrived into Houston Hobby on Wednesday night, already wondering what my dear friend Thao would have lined up for dinner. On a quick trip into the city to participate in a Gilman scholarship panel, I had little time to visit my friend and less time to eat.

Anyone who has ever been to Houston knows the culinary landscape at work here. Most people back East are like, “Texas? Are you for real?” To be fair, we are in the middle of a political season, so I get it. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve been coming down to Texas since I met Thao & co. in 2004 and have seen Houston, Austin, Dallas / Fort Worth, San Antonio – and it all tastes good.

In answer to the question, “what do you want to eat?” – I answered “everything.” Thao knows I’ve been sheltered in sad, small Charleston so she texted me a menu for Oporto*. Vamos a tapear! Let’s go for tapas!

If you’re new to tapas – let’s get you acquainted. Tapear (the Spanish verb) translates to “to cover,” but is often used socially in Spanish culture – to get tapas. Originally, tapas were served at pubs and inns to literally cover the drinks of travelers. Pint of beer? Have some cheese. Glass of vino? Snack on some olives. The small-plate culture translated into a phenomenon in Spain and has — thankfully — made it’s way West.

So we dined on Piquillo Pepper Rellenos (peppers stuffed with awesome), Espetada de Carne (wine-soaked beef), and a special that night – Moroccan chicken cigaros (also stuffed with awesome). Wash that down with a Caipirinha and call it a night.

Or … go to nearby Amy’s* for some ice cream. THEN call it a night.

A shout out for a beautiful and outrageously comfortable hotel, the stunning Hotel Indigo* in the Galleria. Any hotel whose hotel smells like cotton candy immediately vaults to the next level among its competitors. (They told us it was an air freshener, but I have my doubts). With beautiful blues and a bed big enough for 4, it was a peaceful place to spend the night, guarded by the brand new dressers that lined the hallways. Also? I don’t know any other hotels who use haikus in their info books.

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Thanks, Houston! Hasta pronto…

Will freeze for cheese

While in town for a regional conference, I was set to schmooze in the city of Madison, Wisconsin. With a capital building stunningly similar to the one in our nation’s capital, I even managed to confuse a few East Coast friends with a Facebook post of the iconic building.

WI not DC

The Madison Concourse Hotel was just a few blocks away, and despite the easy written directions, I had to call for help. Too many one way streets, some construction, half the population on bicycles and several pedestrians in costume. Ah yes … it was Halloween weekend in Madison. With a high of 45 degrees.

The downtown area has so many taverns, shops and restaurants that it’s hard to be disappointed. For a quiet business dinner, we chose Cooper’s Tavern*. This led to a big burger, handmade chips, and a tall glass of Magnar’s cider. After 5 hours in the car, this was much needed. After a hotel breakfast & lunch the next day, dinner (and consequently lunch the next day) was Ian’s Pizza*on State Street, a casual by-the-slice locale. After much deliberation I chose Macaroni & Cheese pizza (you read that right) and for lunch the next day the special was Succotash. Kudos to you, Ian, whoever you are. Our reception that night was hosted at the Shamrock Bar*, just around the corner on Main Street. They were beyond decked out for Halloween and hosted our large group without any trouble, including a late night Electric Slide exhibition, which I missed out on.

Post presentation day I met with relocated East Coast friends and launched a beautiful weekend. While we enjoyed several epic home-cooked meals (see: pumpkin pancakes), we did have the opportunity to venture out to some new locations, including the Dane County Farmer’s Market*, which I have since renamed to “Happiest Place on Earth.” Move over, Disney.

The Dane County Farmer’s Market is endless. It encircles the capital building in a riot of color and smells; from budding mums in reds and golds to long stalks of green sprouts, to the smell of baking bread and grilling cheese. Our friends guided us through the vendors, pointing out their favorites. We needed no encouragement to navigate the free samples, which were everywhere. Cheese curds, salsas, homemade breads. One vendor encouraged me to take a ground cherry out of the basket, just to give it a taste.

The cheese curds are in a league all their own. Endless dairy vendors are here on the square competing for your attention, and they’re all about the squeak. What? Squeaky cheese? I’d heard of stinky cheese, but not the squeaky kind. Welcome, my friends, to Madison. Best known for their debut in poutine (fries + gravy + curds), a farmer informed me that the curds are best eaten fresh, soon after they’re swept from the milk. Within 12 hours or so, they’re ready to take a turn to Colby Jack cheese. While I missed the fried version, you bet your ass I’m going to go find it, and soon. My GA did send me on a mission, after all.

Stuffing our faces with hot, spicy cheese bread, we made the rounds wide-eyed and stomachs slowly filling. A stop at nearby Barriques* Cafe was just what we needed to sit down, warm up and clear our heads. Later, while the girls went thrifting in the Halloween crowds on Atwood Avenue, I stopped off at Daisy Cafe & Cupcakery* for a cup of joe and a chance to catch up on all the indie papers. This also includes almost falling asleep on the couch in the corner.

On my final morning in Madison, we dined at Johnson Public House*, a mecca for coffee lovers. The preparations at the bar are intense: beakers, filters, timers, beans, carafes and piping hot water. Our breakfast sandwiches took a long time to arrive but the reward was worth it: a gooey mozzarella, egg and tomato with pesto on wheat was .. perfect. Sitting in a cozy armchair watching the coffee connoisseurs was peaceful, and delicious.

Before leaving the city behind, I had to swing into the Chocolate Shoppe* to test my cooler and satisfy my sweet tooth. I packed up a pint of Espresso Oreo to go, and I’m happy to say it made it home after 5.5 hours in the car. It was well attended by the sheep’s milk feta and cheese curds that also mysteriously made their way into the bag. Needless to say, a five hour drive is nothing if it means a dairy-cation as delicious as this.

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* [H] Madison Concourse Hotel: 1 W Dayton Street, #608-257-6000 / http://concoursehotel.com/
* Cooper’s Tavern: 20 West Mifflin Street, #608-256-1600 / http://www.thecooperstavern.com/
* Ian’s Pizza: 100 State Street, #608-257-9248 / http://www.ianspizza.com/html/stateStreet.html
* Shamrock Bar: 117 West Main Street, #608-255-5029 / http://www.yelp.com/biz/shamrock-bar-madison
* [+] Dane County Farmer’s Market: On the square / http://dcfm.org/about-the-market/
* Barriques: 127 W. Wash Ave, #608-268-6264 / http://www.barriquesmarket.com/our-cafes/west-washington/
* Daisy Cafe & Cupcakery: 2827 Atwood Avenue, #608-241-2200 / http://daisycafeandcupcakery.com/
* Johnson Public House: 908 East Johnson Street, #608-347-0483 / http://johnsonpublichouse.com/
* The Chocolate Shoppe: Various locations / http://www.chocolateshoppeicecream.com/

[+] The Dane County Farmer’s Market is reported to be the largest producer-only farmers’ market in the country! Over 160 vendors attend each Saturday. It is also, blissfully, a year-round gig. The DCFM will move indoors in two weeks, celebrating two winter sessions in community centers, until it’s warm enough to come back to the square. Two thumbs up for an awesome, green, local endeavor.