Archive: May 2012

So thanks to another of my fabulous Hollywood tour guests, I found a new cupcake shop in Los Angeles. Big Man Bakes is located downtown, on Main Street, across from Pete’s Café & Bar. I was super excited that they were open on Memorial Day Monday because Matt was buying a car only 2 miles…

I spent some time this week doing research around town and wound up at the Los Angeles Police Museum. On my recent Esotouric Blood & Dumplings adventure, they reminded everyone about it, and I wanted to go while the James Ellroy-sponsored exhibit was still there. If you follow the Black Dahlia , one of LA’s…

It’s fun being in the tour business, especially because the research can be so tasty! Today I paid a visit to the American Tea Room in Beverly Hills and met the owners of this quaint 9-year-old establishment. I tasted limoncello tea as I walked around the room sniffing little ramekins of tea named after Caribbean…

Susan Feniger’s STREET is a well-loved stop on our Hollywood Sites & Bites tour. The Friday and Saturday guests are treated to Susan’s international street-inspired shareable small plates. Laundry Day fritters are often served, representing a tradition from New Orleans. Apparently Mondays are laundry day in the French Quarter and so the cooks prepare a…

Summer is on its way and the beaches in Southern California have never looked so inviting. One of the most beautiful beaches around here is just a few miles south of LAX, known as Manhattan Beach. It is a known fact that the fine, white sand that you love on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii was…

There have been a lot of blogs recently about pizza…first Eater LA hosted Pizza Week, and then Tasting Table announced a new roaming pizza truck. I still have 800 Degrees, Milo & Olive and Stella Rossa on my to-try list. I can check off Pizzeria Mozza, Sotto and Pici Enoteca. But I have to say…

So after visiting Carney’s on Sunset recently, I decided it was time to pay Papaya King in Hollywood a visit. Located on Wilcox Blvd just across from the “You are the Star” mural, Papaya King is a New York City outpost that sells hotdogs and tropical drinks. Sadly, I was the only customer during the…

True story: one day recently a Mini Cooper stopped by as we were prepping the van for a tour, and the driver asked if we were the company who leads the Chocolate tours!? That’s how Elisa, the owner of Sinners and Saints Dessert shop, and I became friends. Clever name, don’t you think? Elisa and…

I recently came across a list of the best spots for afternoon tea in Los Angeles as suggested by Daily Candy. I would agree that The Peninsula Beverly Hills and Jin Patisserie on Abbot Kinney both serve a beautiful tea, though in completely different styles. One often overlooked tea room that I believe deserves mention…

I gathered with some girlfriends to enjoy Sunday Brunch at ZENGO in Santa Monica. Zengo is an artful blend of Latin and Asian flavors, with small plates designed for sharing. From 11:30 to 3:00 on Sundays, diners can enjoy unlimited small plates and brunch cocktails (meaning: all you can eat AND drink for one set price.) Two of our party enjoyed Bloody Marys, while two of us drank the bubbly: mango mimosas and lychee bellinis. Plantains, empanadas, veggie potstickers, pan dulce (pictured) and banh mi sliders were among the delicious dishes we chose off the tantalizing menu. I’m not a sushi fan, but I know I’m in the minority. Mary Elizabeth declared her favorite dish to be the chipotle yellow fin tuna roll, so I included a picture of it here for you sushi lovers. It was a perfect warm…