Category Archives: Foodie Fever

Foodie Fest Encinitas is Tomorrow!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately! I’ve been quite busy trying to fit everything in and I’m finally getting around to doing some product reviews and concert posts (in fact, I’m going to see The Cure tonight). Before I do, I wanted to share pictures from a wonderful event I attended with my good friend Angi last week, which was the Discover SD Foodie Fest Media Party. It was a preview of Foodie Fest Encinitas, happening tomorrow. At the preview, we got to sample a nice little selection of the vendors that will be there, and the event included tunes by The Fab Lushes and a fun little photo booth. Thank you to Tiffany of Delicious Buzz for the invite, and you can find information about the event below. Did I mention Angi won us tickets to KAABOO?!

Cheers and have a great weekend!

Foodie Fest Encinitas

When: Saturday May 21, 2016

Time: 11am to 4pm

Where: The Lumberyard Encinitas

Buy tickets here!

Delicious Kombucha by Living Tea Brewing Co. Loved the blood orange tea. Refreshing!

Favorite main dishes & appetizers of the night: Poke by Mission Avenue Bar and Grill; Vella Cheese Company Dry Monterey Jack Cheese from Gourmet Culinary; Deviled eggs by Local Tap House; Bacon wrapped pork belly drizzled in honey by Barrel Republic; Pork bahn mi by Frazier Farms Market. Yum!

Ah-mazing dessert dishes by Bistro West & delicious caramel by Cheryl’s Caramels!

The Fab Lushes!

Fun at the photo booth!

Angi had the winning raffle ticket for 2 passes to KAABOO! We’re going on Saturday September 17!

The Cheeses of Europe Pop-Up at Fashion Valley

I love attending events that are different from what I’m used to, especially at a place like a major shopping mall. Recently, I attended the media event for “The Cheeses of Europe” pop-up shop held at Center Court at Fashion Valley. It featured several varieties of cheeses from Europe (mainly France), offered at a lower price point. The Cheeses of Europe is presented by The Cheeses of France Marketing Council, and their hope is to build awareness and demand for The Cheeses of Europe in the US and the world through national and regional programs. My favorite cheeses of the sampling were the creamier ones and the salted butters. Although I didn’t purchase any that night, I’m happy to know that these cheeses are available at any local Whole Foods, because I will most definitely be trying some of the fabulous dishes on their recipes page. Without a doubt, The Cheeses of Europe know how to Make it Magnifique!

Wine and champagne was available to try with all of the wonderful cheeses for the evening!

The dishes in this mini-sampling were so delicious!

It was great to check out all of the tasty cheeses with Lilia of Curls and Fashion and Vanessa of Fashion Mixtape. One of my favorite cheeses was that Paysan Breton whipped cheese, and another favorite was the Baked Brie with Chipotle Mango Honey Cilantro Shots from the flight of dishes pictured above (pictured bottom right).

Of course I downloaded the app!

Very High Tea

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my mother-in-law treated me to a wonderful afternoon tea at the Tea Lounge in the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, overlooking the infamous Las Vegas Strip. My first ever afternoon tea was at The Georgian at Harrods in London (post here), and what I love about them is that I can dress up and feel, well, fancy! I made the mistake at my last tea of having lunch prior, so I didn’t get a chance to enjoy all of the lovely bites (I guess I underestimated the heartiness of a finger sandwich or scone). This time around, I was more prepared to take part in their delicious and festive Holiday Afternoon Tea menu. I love black teas, so I had the Mandarin Orange Blend:

This custom black tea blend was picked specifically for Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas. It is an infused blend that will open up your senses and give you a burst of orange and mandarin flavors with light vanilla undertones.

It really was a lovely time, and I highly recommend The Tea Lounge if you’re ever in Vegas. I’ve included more pictures below of our tea and beautiful mini-finger-food-buffet. Cheers!

Such a gorgeous setting, plenty of attention to detail.

I’ve made up my mind: I want one traditional English tea set, and this one!

The food was as delicious as it was beautiful.

With my mother-in-law. We enjoyed our afternoon tea with a view!

Cave Tools Kabobs Skewer Set Review: Perfect Party Food!

New Year’s Eve is upon us, which means parties galore! My husband, Deon, is quite the BBQ connoisseur and is known to create some fabulous meals on his Traeger Grill for several parties here right at home, especially during football season. Recently, Deon made amazing kabobs with the Cave Tools Stainless Steel Kabob Skewers Set. He really liked the overall design, especially how the skewers set on the rack (they can be set in eight different positions). He also thought the “built-in-food-slider” was the most convenient part of the skewers, in addition to how easy they were to clean. Above all, the kabobs were evenly cooked and didn’t stick to the grill because the rack sits right atop it. Overall: These are Deon approved! So if you’re looking for a dish that will be a hit for your next party and have a great grill like we do (we have the Traeger Junior Elite Grill), grab this great skewer set from Cave Tools (check out below how fantastic his kabobs turned out). Cheers and see you in the New Year!

To purchase your own Cave Tools Kabob Skewer Set, click the links below AND, you can get 15% off with the following code!

Kabob Set 15% Off: LHWJZQMZ

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0117OY5IA/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&sr=8-32&me=A3IEEDMWTA8OSP&keywords=kabob+set&linkCode=as2&tag=hyacinth17-20

Cave Tools: http://cavetools.com/products/kabob-skewers-rack/?utm_source=Blogger&utm_medium=Review&utm_campaign=KabobSet

FTC Disclosure: I received product in exchange for a product review. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Foodie Fever: Fresh Catch Fish Market & Grill

I’ve been to a few great places to eat recently, and I attended one of my first restaurant openings at the end of April. I went to the media preview prior to the grand opening of a new restaurant in the Hillcrest area called Fresh Catch Fish Market & Grill, along with Zach, my good friend and fellow food enthusiast.

The restaurant is quaint and casual, and our choices for the day were very visible upon entering, both on the board and in the refrigerated display case next to the register. There is such a wonderful variety of options to have your very fresh seafood served up: from tacos & burritos, to grilled in either a salad, sandwich or plated with rice and vegetables. I opted for one of the house specialties, which was the Crab Mac n Cheese, and Zach had the Ahi Tuna in a Cajun crust and soy glaze. The Crab Mac n Cheese was so creamy and had crab in every single bite. The Ahi Tuna was seasoned perfectly and was absolutely tasty. Zach and I had a great time and we each thoroughly enjoyed these amazingly fresh selections!

Thank you Delicious Buzz and Fresh Catch Fish Market & Grill for the invitation and I will definitely be back with my family and friends to enjoy the rest of the menu!

Fresh Catch Fish Market & Grill

3650 5th Avenue, San Diego CA| (619) 295-9590

Instagram: @Fresh_CatchSD | Facebook: FreshCatchMarketGrill | Twitter: @Fresh_CatchSD

(FTC Disclosure: I was offered the opportunity to attend this event as a courtesy, but not necessarily for the purposes of a review. Although I received a courtesy meal for myself and my guest at this event, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.)

"Drink Local, Drink Often": Caffeine Crawl 2015

Last Friday, I was invited by the folks at The Lab to take part in this year’s Caffeine Crawl. As a coffee enthusiast, I was so very excited and invited my fellow coffee connoisseur, Audrey (who used to work in a coffee-house a “back in the day”) to join me on this little adventure. Audrey and I spent many a long night discussing “the world we live in and life in general” at different coffee houses throughout San Diego, so I couldn’t imagine doing a crawl with anyone but her!

We attended the “North Coast Crawl”, which allowed us to take in local coffee spots in the Encinitas area. Our route took us to four different coffee houses, sampling coffee and baked goods in nearly each place. We also received lessons on roasting, coffee producers, ways to brew coffee and even the science of what goes into great cup.

Our stops were as follows, which started at 2pm and ran until around 5pm. We were very glad we wore flats because there was quite a distance between some of the stops. But we enjoyed it because we discovered so many great places to eat and shop along the way.

North Coast:

Cafe Ipe

Pannikin Coffee & Tea

Lofty Coffee Co.

Ironsmith Coffee Roasters

I hope you enjoy my pictorial account of the crawl below. Keep in touch with Caffeine Crawl through their official site, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter for the latest crawls in your hometown, and remember to hashtag #CaffeineCrawl on Instagram to share the love. Special thanks to Sadie for the invite, to Emily for being our tour guide, and to all the wonderful owners, producers, roasters and baristas for sharing your time and knowledge with us!

Stop 1: Coffee Coffee (aka Cafe Ipe) was our first coffee-house. Roasters Dan & Scott, along with producer Victor and barista Matt, gave us great information on the types of beans they use, how their roasting process works and why their blends make a for a great cup of coffee.

Stop 2: Pannikin Coffee & Tea is a very familiar name in the San Diego area. Owner Shawn and his son Dempsey were on hand with roaster Helena and producer Sam. We were able to try out a new blend that has yet to be served in their cafe. Helena provided some insightful information about coffee that I didn’t know: “The oils in the coffee carry the flavor & the caffeine.”

Stop 3: Because of the distance between Pannikin and the next stop, Lofty Coffee Co., we didn’t get to see the demonstration or get to know the presenters. We did arrive to one of my favorite blends called Guatemala Genesis, served both hot and cold. I loved it so much I bought a bag!

Stop 4: Our final stop was at Ironsmith Coffee Roasters, owned by Matt & Raul. Their shop isn’t quite opened yet, but we still were treated to a “flash brew” where the coffee is shocked, as well as a very informative slide presentation. Stay connected to their Facebook page for their grand opening!

Dontcha love a good “SWAG Bag”? The bag of Guatemala Genesis that I bought at Lofty Coffee Co. is at the top. Can’t wait to grind all of these great coffees!

(FTC Disclosure: I was offered the opportunity to attend this event as a courtesy, but not necessarily for the purposes of a review. Although I attended free of charge, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.)

Smoothieology: My Morning Work Week Routine

I know I have mentioned this in my ClassPass post about how I’m trying to eat healthier in addition to incorporating exercise. But now that I’ve shared how I’m changing up my snacking habits in the last post (additionally, I’m no longer having any sugary snacks and sodas during the week), I also wanted to share exactly how I make my morning breakfast using Smoothieology from the Good Clean Health blog.

I love this guide because takes the guess-work out of making a nutritious smoothie that fits me perfectly. I’ve made several trials drinks, but this is the one that I have had every weekday morning since March 2014. My version looks a bit green, but it really is quite delicious because I make it with selections from the “Optional” section to take the edge of the “rawness” of the smoothie. Not only do I feel better, but I’ve even lost a little weight by cutting out my crazy fast-food morning routine. Let me know how you are changing up your habits for a more healthier you!

Base – 1/2 Can of Coconut Water
Fat – 1 tbsp Almond Butter
Fruits – 4-6 Strawberries & 1 Whole Banana
Vegetables – 2 Handfuls of 50/50 Spring Mix or 1 Handful each of Spinach & Baby Kale (baby kale is better soluble than regular kale)
Optional – 1 tbsp Flax Seed (superfood), 1/2 tsp Cinnamon (spice), 1 packet Stevia (sweetener)

Photos From the lululemon athletica Grand Opening at Fashion Valley

With Dominic in school, I’m finding myself busier than ever, so I’ll be posting several catch up posts. Here are some photos from the lululemon athletica grand opening at Fashion Valley a couple of weeks ago, which included a lovely brunch at True Food Kitchen. After the fantastic meal, we were treated to a sneak peek of the new store, which was full of fashionable ways to get you moving.

Thank you Fashion Valley, lululemon and True Food Kitchen for a lovely morning!

My morning began with a Honeydew Mint Soda and coffee with Stevia at True Food Kitchen. Refreshing!

Everything at the Day Breaker Brunch was fantastic!

Music for the day was provided by Juice Box, follow them on Facebook!

The new lululemon athletica store

Love the messages all around the store. Very inspirational.

Lots of clothing for any activity, from sporty…

to fashionable!

With Eva (California Pix and Eva Davidova Art). She’s so lovely and tall, she had to scrunch down to take a picture with me…notice she’s in Converse and I’m in a heeled boot!

#SDStyleBloggers represent #thesweatlife! (with Tanya of La Bella Tanchi and Eva)

Wine & Chocolate Tasting Event at the Beautiful Pantai Inn

Last Thursday, I was invited to attend a wonderful event for a great cause: Wine and chocolate tasting presented by R.A. Rauch & Associates with Eclipse Chocolate at the Pantai Inn in La Jolla, where the proceeds benefitted The Wounded Warrior Project. Prior to the tasting, I was afforded a tour by sales manager Paula Ruthenberg, who showed me around the Bali inspired hotel grounds and in one of the gorgeous luxury villas. I truly felt I was transported to another place because much of the décor, furnishings and carved art were imported directly from Bali. What a lovely backdrop to the decadence of wine paired with chocolate by Eclipse Chocolate. Thank you Kim Whittemore for the invite and everyone at Pantai Inn for a lovely evening!

The stunning views from the hotel were enhanced by soothing flamenco music by Anthony Garcia.

Entrance to the lobby.

The lobby area.

I love the Balinese details throughout the hotel, including Balinese translations of items around the lobby. Clever!

The entrance of “The Gathering Room” with a magnificent mural painted by artist Ed Piffard.

More from “The Gathering Room” where typically a Continental breakfast is served while overlooking the ocean view. Breathtaking!

Ray and Will of Eclipse Chocolate.

My favorite wine & chocolate pairing of the night was the port dessert wine paired with the Chile Burnt Caramel (pictured above). Separately, each had a tad more sweet and heat than I’m used to. Together, they balanced each other out into this smooth taste sensation.

Ray and Will with Robert Rauch of R.A. Rauch & Associates. Robert Rauch with Pantai Inn owner, Larry Jackman.

Moi! (Photo by Fritz Harmon Photography. All other photos in this post were taken by me.)

Insider Event at Madewell UTC

Last week, the folks at Madewell UTC invited me to have a little Insider Event with a few of my friends to view their new spring looks. Bianca of The Inbetween Girls and Laura of Laura Neuzeth joined me for a fun evening of shopping. I was especially excited about the wonderful new tees that I saw because they’re simple yet chic. Thankfully, this Insider Event provided me with my last haul before my Catholic service of giving up shopping for Lent. So I’ll be “shopping” in my closet and doing quite of bit of re-mixing until Easter. It’s a nice challenge because I want to feel inspired without having to constantly buy something new (although I will admit that it is fun). Thank you Lauryn and Joseph at Madewell UTC for setting up the event, and special thanks to Ashley and Courtney for showing Bianca, Laura and me a great time that evening!

The tee I was going to get, but…

I decided on the following: the linen Paris stencil muscle tee (which runs big, I’m wearing a small) and the Tête-à-Tête tee (seen below in medium, but I could not locate it online). I also purchased the Inlet Cardigan in Colorblock (at the time was on sale for $49.50), Skinny Skinny jeans in cream (on sale for $24), and the Braided Geochain Bracelet in true black (not pictured).

Afterwards, we all had coffee together before Bianca had to leave. Then Laura and I bought more macarons to take home from Lette Macarons La Jolla (their kiosk is pictured below) because we loved them at the event. Now, I’m completely addicted to their macarons, especially the Salted Caramel ones.

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