Local Eats

I'm usually not a cupcake kinda girl, but have you every tried My Delight Cupcakery?

I love their logo!

Their cupcakes are super moist and come in really fun flavors! The frosting is amazing. It has a nice whippy texture and not too sweet. Here we have (left to right): carrot cake, cookies and cream, the breakfast (bacon & maple syrup), and the french toast with fresh berries. This is only a few of the many selections they offer. 

With Maya's birthday coming up next week, it made me think of My Delight. We plan to order 3 dozen of the mini ones for the kiddies. Yes, they make miniature cupcakes in the same amazing flavors! J brought home this cupcake for me for my birthday last year! Look how generous they are with the bacon? OH, and they also have bacon bits baked inside the cupcake too! Yes I love bacon, don't judge me....

With heart day around the corner, I'm sure your honey would surely appreciate you if you brought home some of these babies...

My Delight Cupcakery / 1520 N. Mountain Ave., Ontario, CA 91762 / 909-988-4151

Hippie Bowl

The "Hippie Bowl" aka "Buddha Bowl" by Alicia of Bakeaholic looks beautiful, healthy, and easy to make.
Click here for the recipe.

Oinkster, Eagle Rock, CA

We ate at The Oinkster, a fast-casual concept from acclaimed fine-dining chef Andre Guerrero. 

The Oinkster aims to be Los Angeles' antidote to both, expensive gourmet meals and their cheap fast food counterparts.

 Premium sandwiches made with house-cured pastrami or sloooow-roasted pork compete for diners' attention with juicy burgers made from freshly-ground Nebraska Angus beef, first-rate rotisserie-roasted chicken and crispy Belgian fries. 

pastrami sandwich

Fake fast-food cheese are given a pass in favor of scrumptious Gruyere and yummy sharp cheddar, home-made sauces, dressings and spice rubs share the plate with house-made condiments and crunchy veggies. 

beets salad with fried goat cheese

Everything was delicious! We walked off our lunch by taking a stroll through the city. 

Colorado Blvd. 

The Oinkster / 2005 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90041 / 323-255-6465

Pane Bianco, Phoenix Arizona

My favorite lunch spot in Phoenix, Arizona was this joint, Pane Bianco. They make amazing foccacia
sandwiches! The foccacia breads were baked to order in a wood-fired oven, and served with fresh
local ingredients. Yum!
Pane Bianco has been voted best sandwich in Phoenix on several occasions....I'm not surprised.

The decor is just lovely!

They got that rustic, shabby chic thing down!
I just loved the relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff, and heartwarming foods they served.

We couldn't resist! We also bought a loaf of fresh bread to consume later...

Pane Bianco / 4404 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ, 95012 / 602-234-2100

Ice Cream!

So far, Arizona has been amazing!

I knew I would love the desert landscape and the cool pools, but to tell you the truth I wasn't expecting much, in the culinary sense.  I've been blown away by some amazing food here and I have so much to share! Starting with this cute ice cream parlor Churn.

The interior is so cute, with pops of red and grey. I love all the old fashioned candy that you can get here too. 

You know the kind you grew up eating like huge jawbreakers, candy buttons, and pop rocks...

I tried the Vietnamese coffee on a pretzel cone. Yes that's right, a pretzel cone! Brilliant! It was really good! You can't go wrong with sweet and savory! 

They even have a nice area in the back with 'misters' going...You know the thingy that sprays fine mist? Believe me, I learned, misters make a world of a difference in the dry Arizona heat! 

If ever you're in town treat yourself to a heavenly treat from this charming little place. 

Churn / 5223 N Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85012 / (602) 279-8024

Venezuelan cuisine

Have you ever had Venezuelan cuisine?
Oh boy, it's delicious!

Mil Jugos is an authentic Venezuelan restaurant located in downtown Santa Ana.

They cook up some amazing dishes! 

We went for lunch and ordered the Arepas, which are exotic meats in homemade corn bread. 

We also tried the Cachada con queso, which is sweetened corn pancakes with cheese. 

The decor is super cute with colorful walls and native decorations. 

You must order the Jugos to go with your meal as well! Jugos are frothy, slightly icy fruit juices made with real fruits! They have about 20 different flavors. We tried the watermelon, passionfruit, peach, guava, and pineapple. 

So fun and festive in here! 

If you're looking to try something new, swing over to Mil Jugos. They won't disappoint! 

And yes, they do have this swing in their restaurant! 

 Mil Jugos /  320 W. 5th St., Santa Ana / 714-836-4601

Mmmm Sweets!

We love our desserts here! Every night after dinner we always have dessert.
Whether its just a bowl of fresh strawberries or orange wedges, frozen yogurt
or a piece of chocolate, we have something. Once or twice a month J brings
back something special! He loves to do his research and surprise us with a
nice treat. Here's what we've had recently....

apple pastry

L'Amande Bakery is a cute French bakery located in Torrance, CA.
They have amazing croissants...so buttery and flaky. We've tried everything from their ham and cheese, almond, chocolate, raspberry and cream cheese croissants and they were all really good! Their croissants with their fruit preserves are all made in house. I recommend eating breakfast and lunch there as well. Absolutely delicious and they serve great coffee too.

L'Amande Bakery / 2553 Pacific Coast Hwy., Torrance, CA 90505 / 310-326-8980

Strawberry fruit tart

Angel Maid is a local hidden gem! They supposedly have really good cream puffs which I have yet to try! Their strawberry tart was delicious and not too sweet! The strawberries are fresh, the whip cream is homemade, and the crushed pistachios on top was a nice touch. Yum!

photo via Joy Z.

Angel Maid Bakery / 4542 S. Centinela Ave., Los Angeles, CA 900665/ 310-915-2078

If you're craving an authentic "danish" go to Copenhagen Pastry. They are the first authentic Danish pastry shop in Culver City, CA. Their danishes are very moist and delicious! Everyone loves them too.
They have a whopping 5 stars on Yelp! even after 340 reviews. Wow!

They have the cutest storefront too!

Copenhagen Pastry / 11113 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232 / 310-839-8900

Milk chocolate Mendiants

These are creamy discs of Belgian milk chocolate with embedded macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and dried fruit such as cranberries and apricots. Ciel Chocolatier Mediants made the perfect "after dinner" chocolates!

photo via Grace K. 

Ciel Chocolatier is in the strangest location. It is located right along Valley Blvd. in the City of Walnut, which is a major thoroughway for commuters. In a somewhat industrial area, stands this unique chocolate shop.

Ciel Chocolatier / 20615 E. Valley Blvd., Ste. D, Walnut, CA 91789 / 909-869-7800

mmm... Cookies!

From a cute little cookie shop Platine Cookies in Culver City, CA.

Beautiful logo and packaging. 

Bite size lemon cheesecake with homemade graham cracker crust. 

Chocolate pots de creme with black lave sea salt.
Just about the size of a 'sake' cup. 

Platine's signature cookies. 

Platine Cookies / 10850 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232 / 310.559.9933