Brew Co in Manhattan Beach, CA

We were heading towards Torrence to return our Toyota Prius V and realized that we had about six hours to kill before catching our flight to Vancouver. So I checked the GPS for a beach that was  around Torrence and LAX and stumbled upon Manhattan Beach, a beachfront City located in SW LA.


All I can say is that Manhattan Beach is BEAUTIFUL. There are many cute boutiques, coffee joints, eateries and pretty houses to look at too. 


We parked our car on the main street, Manhattan Beach Boulevard and headed downhill towards to beach on foot. We were excited to see that there was a pier to enjoy too, so we continued our walk on the Manhattan Beach Pier and appreciated the beautiful view; people swimming, playing volleyball, fishing and of course a Cali must, SURFING! 


After a while, our stomach’s started to grumble and we were ready to get some lunch, so we headed back up the hill on Manhattan Beach Boulevard and came across a couple of restaurants. After checking out a couple of the menus, we decided to take a seat at Brew Co.
Image from Brew Co.

We were seated quickly and had a great view of the beach. Brew Co has a a good variety of choices for food and drinks on their menu. Their appetizer list is great, you can have the typical appy of nachos, calamari, wings or go for some kabobs or filet mignon chili.


They have 11 different kinds of salads to choose from and have lunch and dinner sized portions. I’m not really a salad kind of eater when I go to restaurants, so unfortunately I didn’t try one, but Hawaiian Ahi Salad was tempting.

Yes, they also have sandwiches and burgers, which come with your choice of one side. Gabriel ordered the Hickory Burger: USDA PRIME ground chuck topped with bacon, two onion rings, homemade hickory BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, tomato and lettuce served on a homemade sesame seed bun…with a side of fries. His hickory burger was literally half the size of his head. I still don’t know how heat managed to put that thing in his mouth hahaha.


He really liked his Hickory Burger, said the patty was juicy and was happy that there were more than 2 pieces of onion rings inside!

I ordered the Tex-Mex Chipotle Burger: Seasoned USDA PRIME ground chuck, jalapeno Jack cheese, grilled Anaheim chilies, green leaf lettuce, guacamole, tomatoes, red onions and chipotle aioli on a toasted French roll…with a side of onion rings.


I also enjoyed my meal, but was disappointed that my Tex-Mex Chipotle Burger was not spicy at all. I guess the grilled chilies and chipotle aioli were weak…so I had to pour some Frank’s on it, which is a different kind of heat compared to chipotle and chilies. 

Lots of good local and international beers and wines to choose from too. We obviously went for a pint of beer because it’s the perfect pairing for a burger. We’ll give Brew Co another go next time we are in LA for sure.
BREW CO
124 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA
90266
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La Guelaguetza in Los Angeles, California

Yeah, I know! This weekly  spotlight on the delicious food from various restaurants is making my mouth water too!! Hahaha, I’m going to start calling this segment, the Monday Munchies hahaha.

La Guelaguetza is not only THE LA hot spot for authentic Oaxacan food, but also home to one of the largest selections of Mezcals in the USA! And our local LA friends said to believe the hype, that it was DELICIOSO! So you can kind of get a feel of why Gabriel and I were so excited to finally sit down and eat at La Guelaguetza! 

Bueno, upon arriving, we were warmly greeted and quickly seated. And like any good Mexican restaurant, the complimentary totopos, or “tortilla chips” were served. But to our wonderful surprise, they were served with a side of MOLE (moh-leh), instead of your typical pico de gallo!!!!!! ^.^ Now if you haven’t tried MOLE before, oh mai gawsh you are missing out! 

There were many delicious authentic Oaxacan options on the menu, so we asked our server to recommend a dish that we could share.  He suggested we try the Especial de Carnes, which includes: grilled tasajo (thinly sliced grilled beef), cecina (thinly sliced, salted and partially dried beef or pork), chorizo and Oaxacan string cheese. Served with rice, black beans and green salad. 

We liked the Especial de Carnes, but I honestly don’t know if it was worth the $16. I was disappointed with the store bought tortillas that had clearly been warmed up in micowave…which were advertised on their menu as freshly hand made.
Onto our next dish…a plate of fried CHAPULINES (grasshoppers). Yes, I was feeling adventurous and in need of something high in protein (and crunchy!), hahaha! I had never eaten grasshoppers before, so I figured I might as well check that off my bucket list! We also asked if we could have a sampling of three moles on the side (red, black and coloradito).

When I saw this huge plate of CHAPULINES infront of me, I thought I had lost my mind…forget it, I was about to bail eating those hopping insects…ah, f#CK it, I grabbed one, closed my eyes and started chewing…and chewing….and chewing. Damn, these little grasshopper were dry and crunchy!! Hahaha, mind over matter…forget they’re grasshoppers that have legs and eyes and poop inside….by making TACOS!!

I grabbed a tortilla, spread some mole negro, added some Oaxacan cheese, sprinkled a handful of grasshoppers ontop, rolled it up and took a bite….mmmmmmuch better! I highly recommend eating tacos de chapulines! Hahaha, I had about 5, each time rotating between moles (rojo, negro and coloradito).
La Guelaguetza Restaurant
3014 W Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90006
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Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, California

Before heading to the Ellen show in Burbank, CA our friend Ana Lydia from Cabeza de Coco took us to Bob’s Big Boy, the home of the original double decker hamburger! Oh boy, were we in for a TREAT! This was our first time at the Historic Californian restaurant.

As soon as we opened the door and took a few steps in, we were warmly greeted by the host! He politely asked for our name and number of guests…when we asked how long the wait would be, he told us around 10 minutes and also mentioned that there were a few seats available at the “bar” if we wanted….
YES! I love eating at the bar, especially at diners or places that have that old school vibe, ya know what I mean? Hehehe. So we we quickly seated at the bar…and greeted by our server, Alma (who was GREAT, she told us about the classic car show held every Friday night and the 50s costume contest and classic car show trophy night held the first Saturday of every Month)!

I really couldn’t keep my eyes off of all of the memorabilia and decor in Bob’s Big Boy, it was BEAUTIFUL!!! Directly in front of where I was sitting, there was a two tier glass case with the original model of the first Bob’s Big Boy, different size Big Boy figurines and toy cars from the 1950s. Ah, I wish there were more places with the retro feel of the 50s!! Oh, and I heard that THE BEATLES ate here while they were on tour in the 60s!!

At Bob’s Big Boy you can buy anything from the classic breakfast favorites (pancakes, french toast, belgian waffles, omelettes, etc) to burgers (their FAMOUS BIG BOY burgers, gourmet burgers and sandwiches) and Bob’s Classics Chili Spaghetti. Wait that’s not all, they also have quesadillas, fried chicken, steak, shrimp/fish and Italian spaghetti!! And for those who prefer salads, they have  a couple choices for you too! 

Bob’s Big Boy has a great list of dessert classics from the 50s! Milkshakes, floats, sundaes, pies and cakes! Oh, and the classic Coca-Cola (Vanilla, Cherry and Chocolate).

So what did we order? I ordered “The Original Big Boy Combo” which is their original double-decker hamburger with two all-beef patties on a grilled sesame seed bun with crisp shredded lettuce, American cheese, dressings, an their “special” relish. It is served with french fries and a salad. I got onion rings instead of fries tho 😛 

The dinner salad was a big portion and there were many dressings to choose from. I went with my favorite, Ceasar. It even came with croutons and parmesan!
Original Big Boy Combo: $8.59

And to drink I had to have my favorite classic, a root beer float made with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream and a whole lot of root beer! So much, that it’s served on a saucer for the over-flowing root beer hehehe. 
Root Beer Float $3.59

Check out the original double-decker hamburger and root beer float below!  I ate everything and was one step away from lickin my plate…ahahaha it was THAT GOOD! Everything tasted fresh!!

My husband, Gabriel ordered the “Super Big Boy Combo” which is basically the same double-decker hamburger, just with 50 percent more meat and cheese! Don’t mind his mixture of ketchup, mustard and hot sauce on the plate..lol
Super Big Boy Combo: $8.99

And to drink he had a Rich Vanilla Milkshake made with real ice cream, topped to the rim with whip and a cherry on top! There was also a little extra in the silver tin it was made in to fill up, yuuum! Gabriel says it’s one of the best milkshakes he’s had.
Rich Milkshake: $3.89

Uhm, my mouth has been watering the whole time I’ve been writing this post and now I want a double-decker hamburger and a root beer float!!! But it’s clearly TOO early for that, so I will go back to sleep and dream of being at Bob’s Big Boy eating…what’s in the photos below ahahaha.  Have a great day!! XOX
BOB’S BIG BOY
4211 W Riverside Dr
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 843-9334
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Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, California

Before heading to the Ellen show in Burbank, CA our friend Ana Lydia from Cabeza de Coco took us to Bob’s Big Boy, the home of the original double decker hamburger! Oh boy, were we in for a TREAT! This was our first time at the Historic Californian restaurant.

As soon as we opened the door and took a few steps in, we were warmly greeted by the host! He politely asked for our name and number of guests…when we asked how long the wait would be, he told us around 10 minutes and also mentioned that there were a few seats available at the “bar” if we wanted….
YES! I love eating at the bar, especially at diners or places that have that old school vibe, ya know what I mean? Hehehe. So we we quickly seated at the bar…and greeted by our server, Alma (who was GREAT, she told us about the classic car show held every Friday night and the 50s costume contest and classic car show trophy night held the first Saturday of every Month)!

I really couldn’t keep my eyes off of all of the memorabilia and decor in Bob’s Big Boy, it was BEAUTIFUL!!! Directly in front of where I was sitting, there was a two tier glass case with the original model of the first Bob’s Big Boy, different size Big Boy figurines and toy cars from the 1950s. Ah, I wish there were more places with the retro feel of the 50s!! Oh, and I heard that THE BEATLES ate here while they were on tour in the 60s!!

At Bob’s Big Boy you can buy anything from the classic breakfast favorites (pancakes, french toast, belgian waffles, omelettes, etc) to burgers (their FAMOUS BIG BOY burgers, gourmet burgers and sandwiches) and Bob’s Classics Chili Spaghetti. Wait that’s not all, they also have quesadillas, fried chicken, steak, shrimp/fish and Italian spaghetti!! And for those who prefer salads, they have  a couple choices for you too! 

Bob’s Big Boy has a great list of dessert classics from the 50s! Milkshakes, floats, sundaes, pies and cakes! Oh, and the classic Coca-Cola (Vanilla, Cherry and Chocolate).

So what did we order? I ordered “The Original Big Boy Combo” which is their original double-decker hamburger with two all-beef patties on a grilled sesame seed bun with crisp shredded lettuce, American cheese, dressings, an their “special” relish. It is served with french fries and a salad. I got onion rings instead of fries tho 😛 

The dinner salad was a big portion and there were many dressings to choose from. I went with my favorite, Ceasar. It even came with croutons and parmesan!
Original Big Boy Combo: $8.59

And to drink I had to have my favorite classic, a root beer float made with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream and a whole lot of root beer! So much, that it’s served on a saucer for the over-flowing root beer hehehe. 
Root Beer Float $3.59

Check out the original double-decker hamburger and root beer float below!  I ate everything and was one step away from lickin my plate…ahahaha it was THAT GOOD! Everything tasted fresh!!

My husband, Gabriel ordered the “Super Big Boy Combo” which is basically the same double-decker hamburger, just with 50 percent more meat and cheese! Don’t mind his mixture of ketchup, mustard and hot sauce on the plate..lol
Super Big Boy Combo: $8.99

And to drink he had a Rich Vanilla Milkshake made with real ice cream, topped to the rim with whip and a cherry on top! There was also a little extra in the silver tin it was made in to fill up, yuuum! Gabriel says it’s one of the best milkshakes he’s had.
Rich Milkshake: $3.89

Uhm, my mouth has been watering the whole time I’ve been writing this post and now I want a double-decker hamburger and a root beer float!!! But it’s clearly TOO early for that, so I will go back to sleep and dream of being at Bob’s Big Boy eating…what’s in the photos below ahahaha.  Have a great day!! XOX
BOB’S BIG BOY
4211 W Riverside Dr
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 843-9334
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Guisados in Los Angeles

When it comes to eating tacos, I admit I’m kind of a snob. I partially blame it on Gabriel (my husband), Pedro and Mariana (bil+sil) for always taking me to the BEST taco joints in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. 

Some of my pre-requisites before buying/eating a taco are:
1) Tortillas must be freshly handmade 
2) Ingredients must be fresh
3) Various salsa options
4) Lots of limes handy
5) FRESHLY made hot sauce, none of this Valentina/Tapatio business
Anyways, when we were in LA, our friend took us to this taco spot called GUISADOS. Oh boy, first thing I noticed when I walked thru the doors of their Boyle Heights location was their huge comal. As I peeked over the counter, I saw the fresh tortillas being cooked, YES YES YES, I was so stoked because I love fresh tortillas hechas a mano! Also noticed that they served aguas frescas de horchata, jamaica, melon and limon! YUM! When we were looking at the menu, the lady at the cash register mentioned that everything was made fresh!!!! ^.^ 

The variety of tacos was good: Steak Picado, Bistek en Salsa Roja, Mole Poblano, Cochinita Pibil, Chicharon, Chuleta, Chorizo, Tinga, Calabacitas, Hongos con Cilantro, Frijoles con Queso, Chiles Toreados, Camarones, Pescado and Quesadilla. Each taco sold for $2.50.

They also had an option called the “Sampler” which is your choice of 6 mini tacos from the list. Gabriel and I both choose the Sampler so we could try some of our favorite kinds of tacos at Guisados for the first time! Let me tell you, I was very happy with my picks:  Mole Poblano, Cochinita Pibil, Chicharon,Tinga, Steak Picado and Bistek en Salsa Roja.  I had my limes and salsa picante handy on the side! And to wash it all down, Gabriel had bolted across the street for a 6 pack of Pacifico…the perfect pairing for tacos is always a cold cerveza 😉

If I had to pick my top two tacos from this experience at Guisados, it would be the Cochinita Pibil and Mole Poblano! Agh, just thinking of them is making my mouth water ahahaa. Guisados is by far THE BEST TACO joint we’ve experienced in Los Angeles.
Boyle Heights
2100 E. Cesar Chavez Ave
LA, CA

Echo Park
1261 W. Sunset Blvd
LA, CA
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Easy, Delicious and Healthy Lunches/ Almuerzos Faciles, Ricos y Saludables

Si me siguen por instagram saben que me gusta comer…MUCHO. Y la verdad es que no me niego nada, pero se que tengo que tener un balance…

En las ultimas semanas/meses me an llegado muchos emails, tweets y mensajes por facebook y twitter preguntado “cual es tu dieta” o “pasame tu dieta” y pues la verdad es que NO TENGO DIETA. 

Mi modo de tener balance en la forma que como es que trato de almorzar un plato grande de frutas y vegetales frescos cuatro dias de la semana. A mi me encanta que el plato este lleno de colores! Como decido que voy a almorzar? Hmm pues algunas veces agarro un poco de todo y otras me decido en un color. 

Por ejemplo, el dia que comi “The Hulk” decidi comer todo verde: pistachios, kiwi, broccoli, peas y prunes. Es poquito seco y crunchy, pero un vaso GRANDE de agua ayuda hehehe.

 El segundo plato, que le puse “Spring into Summer Ensalada” lo hice hayer y consiste de: broccoli, snap peas, mangoes, fresas, cashews y un huevo duro. Le heche un poquito de vinagre balsamic y agrege unas crackers para empujar hehehe.

“HAMPS”: Hummus, apples, mangoes, snap peas y fresas.

“Over the Rainbow”: Este es uno de mis almuerzos favoritos hehehe. Un bagel con queso, aguacate, kiwi, snap peas, blueberries, manzanas y hummus! 

“Chomper”: La verdad es que este platillo se hico porque era la unico que tenia en mi refrigerador/pantry jajaja. Hummus, zanahorias, snap peas, banana, kiwi y cashews.

No te olvides de seguirme en instagram para estar al minuto con los almuerzos faciles, ricos y saludables que combino!

Above: “The Hulk”
Above: “Spring into Summer Ensalada”
Above: “HAMPS”
Above: “Over the Rainbow”
Above: “Chomper”
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Homegirl Cafe in Los Angeles

You know I love to eat, especially when I am on vacation! You could say that I eat almost anything and everything in sight. Hahaha, seriously you know I’m not lying if you follow me on instagram!

While we were in Los Angeles last month, my friend Ana from Cha Cha Covers introduced us to Homegirl Cafe. We made it right on time for breakfast which ends at 11am.

I love Mexican breakfast, and almost ALWAYS order chilaquiles, either verdes or divorciados (half red/half green). So what are chilaquiles? Chilaquiles is a plate of: fresh tortilla chips topped with either red or green salsa, queso, crema, sliced red onions, and cilantro with 2 eggs sunnyside up and a side of black beans.

At Homegirl Cafe, your chilaquiles come with an option of black beans, homegirl potatoes, or house salad. I obviously went with the the black beans. And the two eggs were also optional, at an extra cost of $3, which I had to fork over.

Overall, I was pretty happy with my plate of chilaquiles from Homegirl Cafe. My only “but”, my egg was a little over done..everything else was FRESH! I ate it all and even licked my plate clean ahahaha. 
Why is it called Homegirl Cafe? Because the women working there are “serving you instead of serving time.” GULP, yes that’s right. Homegirl Cafe is a part of Homeboy Industries, an organization “that serves high risk, formerly gang-involved men and women with a continuum of free services and programs.” Homegirl Cafe is one of “seven social enterprises that serve as job training sites.”
  • HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES/ homegirl cafe
  • 130 W. BRUNO ST.
  • LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
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Chili’s Mexico in Puerto Vallarta

We don’t have Chili’s here in Vancouver, so whenever my husband and I are in the USA or Mexico, we make sure to always hit it up at least once! On our most recent trip to Puerto Vallarta, we were dying for some yummy burgers, so it was obvious where we had to go!

I am a loyal chicken burger eater, so I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Ranch Sandwich. The Ranch sauce is smothered on the buns and the chicken breast usually comes drenched in Frank’s hot sauce , but I like to ask for both sauces on the side so the buns don’t get soggy. This way I can administer how much sauce goes on 🙂

Personally, I love Chili’s Buffalo Chicken Ranch Sandwich, it’s my favorite! My husband loves anything with bacon, so he ordered the Bacon Burger, which was a hit! And my father-in-law ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger! Hi five’s all’round, we were all very happy with our burgers!

Plus the view from this Chili’s in Puerto Vallarta is stunning. You can see the cruise ship arrive and depart from the Bay right before your eyes while enjoying the yummy food. Not only that, but if you are in Chili’s in the evening you can witness  BREATHTAKING sunsets!

The service at this location is fine, nothing outstanding, but not the worst. Food arrived within 15 minutes. 
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Hooters in Mexico City

After a long bus ride from Guadalajara we finally arrived at Mexico City at 6 in the morning. We stopped into Samborns for some breakfast before we continued our journey of finding a couple important offices in the City…oh boy, we walked around like chickens with our heads cut off for about 10 hours, without stopping for tacos or huaraches. So by the time we arrived at our aunts house it was 5pm and we were STARVING….y que tocamos la puerta y nadie contesta, not even the lady that helps around the home. 
We were so hungry we dragged ourselves (and our luggage!) a couple blocks to the first restaurant we encountered…HOOTERS. Like I said, we were desperate…
I had never been to Hooters before, so I admit that I was a bit intrigued to see how big the hooters were hahaha. Anyways, we were quickly seated and the chicks were all googley eyed over my husband…didn’t let that bother me, I guess that’s one of their specials of the day? 
What did we order?
2 Hooters Burgers: These burgers were disgusting and the only reason we ate them was because we were SO HUNGRY we couldn’t send them back and wait for another. The patty was very bland and dry. Burgers did not come with fries, but a TINY spoonful of potato salad (that was also disgusting).
Curley Fries: Nobody can serve bad curley fries,right? WRONG. Our curley fries came cold and hard as if they had been out all day, bleh. I also think it’s such a RIP-OFF that your burger does not come with fries!!!
Nachos: The worst nachos i have EVER had in my life. Gawsh, just thinking about them makes me want to vomit…I mean just look at that picture. The nachos were stale, the ground beef was bland and tasted awful. The cheese, looked like slices of Kraft Singles that were just thrown on the top.  We didn’t finish this plate…
Not only was the food HORRIBLE, the service was just as bad. The servers were not interested in customers, but each other as they frolicked around playing with each other’s hair and flirting with the manager. The food took approx. 25 minutes to get to our table, and the servers never asked us once if we were enjoying our food. They probably know better than to ask that, right? And to top it all off, we’re pretty sure everything was popped into the microwave to warm up, I mean “cook.” The only good thing about our visit to Hooters were the hoo..pints of beer we drank. Hahaha
Save your taste buds, stomach and wallet! Yes, wallet too because Hooters is expensive for a burger kinda joint. $150 Mexican pesos for a burger with NO FRIES or salad? Come on…
Sucursal San Miguel
Insurgentes Sur No. 2018
Col. San Ángel.
Entre Miguel Ángel de Quevedo y Altavista.
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Coleguita in Puerto Vallarta

En nuestro último viaje a Puerto Vallarta mis papas insistieron demasiado en que fuéramos a comer todos a Mariscos El Coleguita. La descripción que hacían de los platillos era  de una manera casi exagerada, decían que la atención al cliente era excelente y sobre todo hicieron mucho énfasis en los tequilas que te ofrecen al llegar y durante tu estancia, por cortesia de la casa.. al final nos convencieron.. 

Cuando llegamos al lugar, no habían pasado ni 2 minutos cuando nuestro mesero ya estaba presentándose con nosotros, ofreciéndonos caballitos de tequila para abrir el apetito mientras disfrutábamos de una rica brisa, música de trio y Mariachis. Inmediatamente otro mesero se nos acercó ofreciéndonos un caldo de camarón preparado por ellos mismos, haciendo una mancuerna perfecta con los tequiliux. 

Al poco tiempo llegaron nuestros platillos, su presentación era totalmente colorida con porciones grandes, bien servidas y siempre con un toque de frescura al incluir ensalada o verduras frescas en tu platillo. Entre los cuatro platillos que pedimos en esa ocasión, había una combinación de pescado fresco, camarón y pulpo, en diferentes presentaciones como empanizados, a la diabla, al ajo y natural. Solo puedo decir una cosa.. Mis papas no estaban mintiendo ni mucho menos exagerando!  Los platillos eran enormes y sobre todo deliciosos! Y eso no es todo..  al terminar nuestros platos fuertes arribaron los postres! El Coleguita te regala platanitos fritos con Leche condensada (lechera) acompañado de un caballito de licor de café para rematar y cerrar la experiencia con broche de oro. 

Definitivamente mariscos El Coleguita es un ‘must go‘ en tu estancia por Puerto Vallarta, cuentan con tres diferentes locaciones muy bien distribuidas pues se encuentran en la entrada, en la salida y en el corazón de Puerto Vallarta, haciendo este lugar uno de nuestros preferidos! Thanks to mis jefes! Thumbs up pa’ los coleguitas!

Nota: Todos los platillos incluyen un Caballito de Tequila, un Caldito de Camarón y de postre, Platanito Frito y Licor de Café.
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