Los Angeles, CA Restaurant Blog

This is definitely one place you must go! Calling Eastside Luv a bar would not do it justice. Eastside Luv brings a familiar East Los Angeles Chicano theme to a wine bar; a fusion of two distinct worlds that were always meant to meet.

Although small in size, Eastside Luv stimulates your senses from the moment you step in the door. The wine bar's wallpaper is made of replicas of early 20th century Mexican films. Chandeliers are made out of lowrider beads. Best of all, the booths are covered in cloth that is reminiscent of fabric mostly found in lowrider cars.

Eastside Luv supports local artists by showcasing their artwork. Painters showcase their art on the walls throughout the wine bar. Poets have an "open-mic" night where they can read their latest work. Patrons can partake in "Mariachi-oke" night where Vicente Fernandez is heard throughout the "joint". If you are not into "open-mic" night, the weekly cabaret shows might make you change your mind. Be sure to say hi to Juan Carlos (pictured) at the bar when you go.

A video short of Eastside Luv can be found by clicking here.

If you are ever in the Glendale area, be sure to visit Frida Mexican Cuisine on South Brand Street. This restaurant was very modern with large, stylish columns strewn throughout the eating area. The food, of course, was delicious. Frida serves authentic Mexican cuisine such as the tacos de cochinita pibil I tried (see photo). The modern style of the place and the food weren't the only things I liked about this restaurant. They had plasma TVs turned to my favorite sporting event - international soccer!

This is a great hang out place to let loose after a long day of hard work. The bar is excellent and the staff friendly. Keep it in mind if you are ever in the Glendale or Burbank, California area.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Although not technically a restaurant, this well-known taqueria is well worth the trip to East Palo Alto. Three Brothers Tacos, located in my hometown of East Palo Alto, California, has been around since I was a child (a testament to their good food!). Originally located where the exit to Ikea now stands, the taqueria is now located on University Avenue, in the heart of "EPA".

My favorite dish is the "Torta al Pastor" or "Sandwich, Shephard Style." What makes this torta unique, is it's fresh ingredients including a substantial serving of avocado (my favorite fruit. Yes, it's a fruit.) You can find other dishes at Three Brothers that are unique to the gastronomy of Michoacan, a Mid-Western state in Mexico. These dishes include Morisqueta (pork over rice with beans and chili), and enchiladas, Michoacan style (tortillas fried in tomato sauce with fried potatoes and chicken on the side, sprinkled with fresh grated cheese.)

If you are in a hurry, Three Brothers Tacos also has a taco truck (pictured above) that is always parked on the corner of Bay Road and Pulgas Avenue during business hours.

Please click here for BooRah's profile of the taqueria.

Redwood Shores, CA, has a secret that is well known among its locals. The secret is Mistral Restaurant and Bar. Hidden among Oracle and other Redwood Shores businesses, it is not the best placed restaurant in the world, but well worth the search.

Mistral offers Mediterranean Cuisine with an American flair. The restaurant is situated on the Redwood Shores lagoon which makes it a great spot for a romantic dinner with your significant other. The Oak Fire Baked Paella is a must for seafood lovers! Give it a shot and let us know what you think.

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Headed to Mexico City? Be sure to head over to Villa Maria in the city's Polanco neighborhood. Villa Maria offers quality regional Mexican food in a great setting. As you drive up to the restaurant, complimentary valets will greet you and direct you up a flight of stairs to the restaurant. You will arrive to the sound of Mariachi music and quick friendly service. (Click here to see a video of the mariachi and of the ambiance.)

This restaurant is highly recommended not only because of their authentic food and music but also because of the restaurant's unique atmosphere. You will find many phrases on the walls throughout the restaurant that are meant to produce a laugh. One such phrase states, "Potatoes and great mother-in-laws are only produced while covered in dirt." This is a serious restaurant that doesn't take itself as such. This only helps to assure you have a great time.

In early April, my fiance and I were thinking about where we could go for the long Memorial Day weekend. After much deliberation, we settled on the Napa and Sonoma Valley regions of Northern California. We ultimately chose a hotel in Sonoma because the town is much less crowded than Napa, yet offers a lot of the charm and beauty found in Napa Valley.

We chose to stay at The Lodge at Sonoma, part of the Marriott Renaissance chain of hotels, because of the hotel's proximity to the historic Sonoma Plaza and highway 29, Napa Valley's main corridor.

You must visit the hotel spa when you stay at this hotel. The Raindance Spa includes massage rooms, outdoor mineral water pools and a relaxation room. Although massages are a bit pricey, they include day use of spa amenities which makes it worth the price.

When you plan a visit to Sonoma Valley, consider staying at this hotel. We had a blast. I am positive you will too.

Aaaaah! ** Sigh ** With my master's degree over and done with, I can finally concentrate on my blog! With the economy in shambles many of my fellow graduates are faced with a mountain of loans and a rising unemployment rate (especially here in the San Francisco Bay Area.) With no way to pay these loans, unemployed graduates are forced to come up with new and innovative ways to survive financially. Many graduates are also forced to take jobs that pay the bills, but are not intellectually stimulating. So what can new graduates do to stay relevant in their desired industry?:

1. Continue learning - read books and subscribe to magazines that are relevant to the industry you are interested in.
2. Join - associate yourself with associations and organizations that allow for networking in your industry.
3. Volunteer - Have some stashed benjamins? Consider becoming an unpaid intern at a company you would like to work for.
4. Proofread - If you have not even received a phone call from a recruiter, try to think if there are any issues that might not be apparent to you. Did you misspell anything? Are you including a cover letter? Try having someone else look at your application materials.
5. Expand your horizons - If all else fails, think about other industries that might peak your interest.

Whatever the cause may be, ask for help, do not give up, and give it your best shot. For more on online social networking, check this page out.

Most of those who know me understand that one of my favorite pastimes is dining at great restaurants. This is the inaugural post for restaurants... a topic that I know will be revisited often.

Shalizaar, a Persian restaurant on the San Francisco Peninsula, can only be described as adventurous. Although not a connoisseur of Persian food by any sense of the imagination, I can confidently recommend Shalizaar because of their great food, friendly staff and great ambiance.

Having told my waiter that my fiance and I were new to Persian food, he quickly recommended a few dishes that were good for "beginners." We quickly ordered up a few appetizers, the Kashk-e-Bademjan (pureed eggplant with mint) and Mast-o-Khiar (Persian yogurt with diced cucumbers.) The Kashk-e-Bademjan mixed with sauteed mint went well with the taftoon (Persian flat bread.)

While slowly devouring our appetizers, we scanned the menu and decided to order some kabobs. I played it safe by ordering a shish kabob. My fiance ordered the Joojeh (marinated chicken). I have not had a juicier steak in all my life! The Joojeh was just as succulent.

We finished the meal with another must have Shalizaar dish; Bastani. What makes Bastani so great is that they mix Saffron right into the ice cream! For ice cream lovers, this is a must have! The ice cream alone would have made my day.

The owners of Shalizaar give their guests a wonderful experience. Best of luck to them and their continued success!

Mexico has long been known for its modern and classic architectural beauty. The immediate future of mega construction in Mexico is being threatened, however, by a low in the value of Mexican currency. On Friday, the peso hit a record low, closing at close to fifteen pesos per US dollar. Hopefully the economy recovers soon so that we may be able to one day see these buildings constructed.

Virgin America, Southwest Airlines' first "real" competitor, has announced that they are going to be offering flights to Boston, Massachusetts and Orange County California's John Wayne International Airport. Despite the current economy, this airline continues to expand into large metropolitan cities throughout the United States.

Virgin America offers the thrills and extras that Southwest doesn't. Every passenger gets to experience "mood lighting" (lighting that turns colors depending on the time of day) and order fresh food and movies from a monitor that is placed in front of every seat. Their first-class cabin is equipped with reclining massage seats and "acres" of room to accommodate the big guys like myself.

A quick price comparison between Southwest and Virgin America on a flight from San Francisco International Airport to Washington D.C. - Dulles (search criteria = roundtrip, date, lowest price, non-stop) revealed that the Virgin America was actually sixty dollars less expensive than Southwest ($219.20 vs $280.40.) With these prices and extra "perks" Virgin America is sure to capture a large chunk of the market.

Happy New Year! Sat Jagat Singh, better known as Luis Colina, of Naam Yoga Mexico is the latest "Maestro" to bring this profession to our neighbors south of the border. Even though the internet is widely used throughout Mexico, the ratio of computers to residents is less than that of the United States, making his organization part of the first wave of small companies in Mexico to utilize the internet for marketing purposes.

Based in Mexico City, Naam Yoga Mexico promotes its offering of spiritual guidance, yoga classes and yoga teacher training courses through its website, search engine marketing and through social networking sites such as Facebook. With these tools, Sat Jagat Singh hopes to make yoga education and instruction available to those who would like to learn more about this ancient art form.