One of the dirty little secrets of being a food writer and incorrigible foodie is that it is a necessity to cyberstalk all of the chefs and food industry people I know on social media to see what and where they eat. Recently, some North County chef friends gathered for a tete a tete in Little Italy…
La Valencia Hotel – They’re Back!
With average life expectancies approaching immortality and 90 year old ex-presidents jumping out of airplanes these days, it’s almost un-remarkable when an 89 year old decides to not only re-invent herself, but take the lead in an industry and a region that is replete, if not saturated, with masters of their craft and dedicated professionals…
In the Land of Oz…
Back when I was first old enough to go into bars (sometime deep into the last century), I remember them as being a bit seedy, with free food out for the patrons during happy hour. It wasn’t great food, usually sandwich fixin’s, but it was good enough to fill you up and make you thirsty…
“House of Dreams”
Yumeya, meaning “House of Dreams” is a family owned and operated sake house in the tradition of those commonly found in Japan. In the case of this family, they hail from the Osaka region, widely hailed as the foodie nexus of the country. Word on the street has it that one should arrive at around…
Collabo-Who?
There is no greater way to forge friendships replete with trust, common experience, shared sacrifice and spilled blood, sweat and tears than to work together with others toward a goal that cannot be achieved in any other manner than through collaboration. When that collaboration includes great food, copious laughter, unfettered truth, shared passion and a…
There’s Magic in the Air at LTH!
They do exist, you know. The magical, artistic, creative beings that leave us shaking our heads in wonderment. The people who can sing the National Anthem a capella before they clear their throat in the morning. Or, that can sketch the entire world in full color detail on a napkin with a dull, blue crayon. …
I Love POH-kay, San Diego!
Friends being what they are, (apparently most of mine are degenerates in some fashion), it was only a matter of moments after posting a teaser on Facebook that a friend pointed out that the I Love Poke Festival, when “Poke” is not properly designated with an accent mark of some sort, could take on a…
Welcome to the Revolution!
Busy schedules and hectic lives being what they are, it’s always nice to have an alternative in the dining scene where you can multi-task — get in some family time, grab some dinner, have a beer or glass of wine, browse through a museum and learn more about our nation’s formation…Whoa, back up a second…
Pascal Besset and Angel’s Salumi – “When One Has Tasted It, He Knows What the Angels Eat”
When you hear the guy who makes your favorite salumi and prosciutto tell you that the difference in flavor between one leg of an animal and a leg on the other side is caused because said animal sleeps on the same side all the time and doesn’t get up to go to the bathroom, you know…
Le Papagayo “The Parrot”…Worth Repeating!
As we skipped lightly across Pacific Coast Highway in Leucadia on a not too busy Friday evening, the light beat of country music serenaded our steps…Wait…What? Country music? Were we in the right place? Le Papagayo, “The Parrot”, home of some of the best Mediterranean and Latin inspired food on the North County Coast? Every…