Category Archives: travel

Where to Eat in Cabo


When we arrived in Cabo we had one goal: eat as much fresh fish and produce as possible.  And, we did.  We scooped up fresh salsa by the chipful, we slathered chunky and smooth guacamole on everything (even eggs at one point) and dined with the fishes.

Before we went to Cabo I did my research, I searched all the travel sites, food sites and blogs, and then I was given the gift of Rick Bayless’ guide to the Baja Peninsula in Food and Wine.  Thank you!  Bayless is the expert, in my mind, for all things Mexican and so his suggestions rose to the top of our list.

First Stop: The Office This is the sister restaurant to one of Bayless’ suggestions, Edith.

What to Expect: Expect a crowd, make a reservation.  This spot is well liked loved by las turistas, and I imagine that is not going to change any time soon.  It is a casual spot, as in wear jeans and you’re over dressed.  The music is playing, your feet are dug into the sand and there is vibrant and bustling energy.

What to Order: We started with some BIG margaritas, and chips and salsa (this is the recurring theme of the trip), then shared a ceviche that was fresh, bright and delicious.  Then we settled in for a second Honeymoon, a special that night, featuring two lobster tails, four prawns, a filet of sea bass, rice beans, and tortillas that were made just a few feet away.  Each bite of the fish was juicy and perfectly cooked.  My favorite was the seabass.

What to Skip: The dessert.  I am really never one to skip dessert, even when I am wearing a bikini the next day, however, this just missed the mark.  Every other dish was so spot on with local flavor and this was a big slab of a banana chocolate cake that we could have found at any Cheesecake Factory around the country.

Why You’ll Love it:

Next Stop, Don Emiliano.

What to Expect: A quieter experience, artfully plated dishes, and unexpected flavors that sing.  This was a great spot to end our trip; al fresco dining – all the tables are outside – and the ambiance of eating in someone’s lovely backyard with our sky dotted with Moroccan lanterns.

What to Order: Do not skip the salad.  We shared a jicama, tomatillo, cactus salad that was incredible.  Bright green and full of flavor this was a salad I only wish we could replicate at home.  For dinner Mark again won the ordering contest with his entree.  Try the short ribs, they are fork tender, and glazed in an aromatic, smoky, rich sauce, and served with orange zested mashed potatoes.

Why You’ll love it: The food is all locally sourced, and while it doesn’t fight the American palate it really stays true to the local flavor, and that includes heat and spice, even in the dessert.  The chocolate tart with salted caramel ice cream had sweet, salty, spicy and savory notes in every bite.

Have you booked your flight yet?  Make your reservations!

Travel in Style


I have shared with you our (*Mark’s) tendency for packing light, but something we haven’t discussed is travel wear.

When I was younger I was happy enough to travel is clothes that were just as well suited for a yoga class or the gym, but now I try to step up my travel attire so that I can step off the plane and be ready for work, vacation, or whatever this new city has in store.

To get to Mexico we flew DCA  – ATL – SJD (Cabo) and I saw a lot of fellow travelers.  One outfit really stuck out to me.

Gray and White Traveler

Spring/Summer: Fringe Edge Scarf at Jane Norman, Classic Short Sleeve Tee by Alexander Wang at MrsH, Iconic Aviators by Ray-Ban at MyTheresa, Wheeled Duffel by LeSportSac at ShopBop, Slim Flip Flop by Havaianas at Need Supply

This is perfect.  I saw a woman wearing something similar to this in the customs line in Atlanta.  I don’t know where she was coming from, but it didn’t matter.  This look could work in New York, Miami, LA, or the Caribbean.  It is flexible for different cities, comfortable for travel, and practical for any airport activity.
I also think it is seasonally adaptable – yes, I endorse white denim (James Hunter Jeans), year round:

Fall: Diamonds by the Yard by Elsa Peretti at Tiffany & Co, Asymmetric Tank Top by Alexander McQueen at Matches, 42nd Street Blazer by Rag & Bone at Barneys, Iconic Aviators by Ray-Ban at MyTheresa, Wheeled Duffel by LeSportSac at ShopBop,  Toe Cap Flats by Chanel via Marie Claire

Winter: Dalmatian Spot Scarf by Sonia Rykiel at Liberty of London, Shirlyn Open-Knit Sweater by Theory at Net-A-Porter, Funnel Neck Coat at Reiss Online, Rachel Frame Wallet by Hobo International at Nordstrom, Leather Riding Boot by Tory Burch at Nordstrom, Rabbit Fur Ear Muff by Moncler at FarFetch

Okay, friends, WHERE ARE WE GOING NEXT?

Cabo San Lucas: Inspired for Home


Mark and I just returned (last week) from a few days in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  It is called el paraiso entre los mares, Paradise between the seas, and it was.
We stayed at the Hilton Los Cabos and enjoy every maragarita, chip loaded with salsa and guacamole, and view.  Luckily, the hotel was designed so that nearly wherever you stood, sat, or lounged (it’s a vacation!) there was a beautiful view.
Now was more pleasant that the view from the hotel lobby’s bar La Vista.

Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort

By now you know my affinity for the Missoni stripe (which this wasn’t exactly, but it is certianly similar).  The bold colors, fabulous patterns, and pops of light really inspired me to bring this fun, festive ambiance home.

Start with a statement making piece of furniture, eye catching lighting, playful colors in the accessories (rugs and pillows), and of course the requisite margaritas glasses.

If this look feels muy bueno to you, here’s the details:

Top, L – R: Capiz Pendant at Pottery Barn,  Spruce Street Chair by Serena & Lily

Middle, L – R: Dash and Albert Negril Stripe Rug at Velocity, DuraClear Margarita Set at WilliamsSonoma, Julius Grass Storage Ottoman by CB2, notNeutral Season Hurricanes at DesignPublic

Bottom, L – R: Ada Watermelon Fabric by CalicoCorner, Magnificat Avocado Fabric by CalicoCorner, Ikat Fret by Robert Allen Fabrics at CalicoCorner, Abyla Pink Linen Fabric at Calico Corner

The best part of travel is the mental souvenir of inspiration, new recipes and new ideas.  More Cabo influence and inspiration to come!

Big Sunglasses, Soon


In a few days this will be me…

Jackie Kennedy via At Its Best, a Kennedy Blog

Drawing by Jordi La Banda

Summer Days


Happy First Day of Summer!  I hope it is an iconic one.

Jackie Kennedy on a boat in Portofino, fifty years ago, as photographed by Mark Shaw.

Jackie Kennedy in Portofino, 1961, Photo by Mark Shaw

Arriving to and Eating in San Francisco


This is the last leg of our California Road Trip – taking the drive from San Luis Obispo to San Francisco with an overnight stop in Monterey/dinner in Carmel and a visit with friends in Sunnyvale (outside of Silicon Valley).

We’re working backwards, so that I can share with you a terrific meal and fabulous recipe for home.

Before heading to the airport we parked along the pier to find a great dinner spot.  We found a perfect pre-travel meal at Plant Cafe Organic.  Mark and I skipped the local wines and instead opted for fresh pressed juices.  Everything was a delight; full flavors, vibrant colors, terrific view.

The stand-out order was my dinner, the Ginger Miso Quinoa Bowl, with shrimp.

I have since made a version of this dish at least four times since returning home.  It is impossible to screw up, and you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t love it.

Ginger Curry Quinoa Bowl Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 4 medium sized carrots
  • 2 medium sized zucchini
  • 1 red, orange, yellow pepper
  • 1/2 lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined or tofu/chicken
  • 1 can of light coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup of teriyaki/soy blend (Soyaki)
  • 1/4 cup of Thai Yellow Curry Sauce (Trader Joe’s)
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 cup quinoa

The recipe uses a lot of vegetables, but there is a lot of room for creativity.  Extra broccoli, no corn? No big deal.

Prepare all vegetables by chopping the onion, mincing the garlic, cutting the corn from the cob and cutting the carrots, zucchini and peppers into 1/2″ spears.

Prepare the pan with a small splash of olive oil and the onions and garlic and cook over medium/low heat.  When the onions have begun to melt add the carrots.

Then add directly to the pot the coconut milk, water, vegetable broth, sauces, seasoning and ginger.  With a gentle hand, mix all of the ingredients.

Add the zucchini and peppers and cover.  The flavors are all working together for a really layered and full bodied bite.  When the vegetables are softened but still firm (after 10 minutes) start the quinoa in a separate pot.

As the quinoa is finishing add the corn to the vegetable pot and recover.  Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes and then turn for 1 minute, or until the shrimp loses it’s grey in favor of a more fashionable (and safe for consumption) pink.

This dish is a breeze to make, cheap to prepare and perfect for the next day’s lunch.

Leftover tip: keep the quinoa separate so that it doesn’t absorb all of the sauce!

Other notable SF stops:

  • Sunnyvale, we got to visit with friends who we hadn’t seen since our wedding, who recently moved to Sunnyvale.  We got to meet their adorable daughter, who unsurprisingly found her first boyfriend in Mark.  We walked about the beautiful campus of Stanford University, and understood why if you’re going to do extended studies, you’d want to do it there.  (It is the most beautiful campus I have ever been to. Note to future progeny, I will be happy to visit you there.)
  • Then we moved on to San Francisco we met up with a high school classmate of Mark’s, John Gidding, of HGTV fame. Together we went to Starbelly in the Castro district and then onto Blackbird nearby.  Starbelly is all atmosphere, and very good food.  You walk in and the energy is palpable; young people, v-neck t-shirts, wine and cheese.  The restaurant features upcycled wood and communal tables and a daily changing menu.  We shared the Starbelly domestic cheese plate and salumi.  The presentation was stunning, it was piled high with gorgeous cheeses and meats and dotted with sweet berries and nuts. The emphasis is on fresh and the flavor is delicious.
  • The next day we met a high school friend of mine, Rachel, for  lunch in the city.  We went to the Sentinel.  It is famous for their corned beef sandwich and that is what Mark got and quickly devoured.  Talk about aromas luring you in – this is the lunch spot in SF for an amazing sandwich.

It is easy to see how you could leave your heart in San Francisco, but bring the recipes home with you!

A Missoni Summer


If there is a brand that has always captivated me and garners my adoration all the time it would be Missoni.

The knitwear line most famous for the zig-zag pattern is is an Italian fashion house based in Varese. It is famous for its unique knitwear, made from a variety of fabrics in colorful patterns.

The patterns and colors are are sophisticated for fall collections, but especially playful for summer.  In peaches, aqua, watermelon, honey, gold it was easy to be inspired for a Missoni Summer.

A Missoni (Inspired) Summer:

Yoga that Starts with a Hug


Prior to planning our trip to California I decided we had to visit San Luis Obispo (SLO) – it had been featured on an Oprah episode as the Happiest Place on Earth.  I expected a small town with a farmer’s market, local food, organic food and genuinely nice people.  We found all of those things and more.

The week before we left for California I learned that our favorite yogi and blissologist*, Eoin Finn, would be offering a workshop in San Luis Obispo.   Knowing that this was a road trip, we signed up for the Friday evening class with the plan to roll out on Saturday morning.  By the end of Friday’s class we were hooked and also signed up for the two classes on Saturday.

Me, Eoin and Mark - ready for blissology

This past year we, but Mark especially, really moved forward in the practice of yoga.  At a time when our lives were experiencing a lot of transition; new work, new house, new challenges and triumphs it became abundantly important to find a center ground.  We found that in the practice of yoga.  We typically practice in our living room and always with a Blissology disc led by Eoin and featuring his wife, Insiya.

The workshop took place at m.Body a yoga studio in SLO.  The studio was fantastic, free of mirrors, filled with light and energized by the positive intention of their owners Peter and Tawny Sterios.  If you’re able to “zen-out”  you can do it just about anywhere, but doing it in this space with their garden in view and with some very genuinely awesome people elevated the experience to something really special.

Studio at m.Body in SLO

It is very difficult to explain, even for me, the magnitude of those two days of yoga.  It is very much a you had to have been there to understand it. But I will try…

Yoga started with a hug.

In a room of mostly strangers we hugged each other.  I will admit it was sort of that half-hearted, one armed hug, where you’re not totally comfortable but you do it anyway.

Then for the next two days we bent forward and back, leaned on each other, stumbled, fell, helped each other back up, literally practiced the idea of “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”.

We talked about philosophy and diet,  our physical, mental and emotional limitations.  We talked about family, and love and priorities.  And then it ended.

And then we hugged again.  But this time, with real warmth, two arms wrapped tightly around friends who were strangers.  With wishes of support, for their progress, their ability to accomplish their goals.

Namaste.

* Blissology (TM) (blis-ol-uh-jee) – noun; the art of consciously finding the balance between one’s personal desires and our impact on the web of life.  It is not just a brand but a way of being.  It is a path of interconnectedness and love.

[Origin: 1990 a.d. ; Various conversations with Eoin and his good friends over tasty merlot]

Many, many thanks to Peter and Tawny and Eoin, Insiya and Ananda for being so welcoming and illustrating why even tourists find SLO to be the happiest place on Earth.

A Sweet Drive through Ojai


We left Beverly Hills and headed off to our next stop, San Luis Obispo (*yes, the happiest place on Earth).  As we did the long drive we stopped a long the way, mostly for meals, but also to enjoy some gorgeous scenery.

First stop outside of Beverly Hills: Malibu.  We went to Marmalade Cafe, in Malibu.  We ate there on a previous trip, after I had heard it was a favored spot of Jennifer Garner, and so on this trip it was an easy to choose spot to return for a large and filling breakfast.  Marmalade (in Malibu) is decorated in country kitsch, features large breakfasts and is the kind of place where young girls at the table to our left debate the latest tanning treatment and to the right two men discuss who’s hot enough to be cast in their one day film…

For Breakfast: Egg White Frittata for me, Multi-grain pancakes for Mark

On the road again… Toward Ojai and Ventura. Per the recommendation of a friend we veered away from the Pacific Highway towards the smaller towns of Ojai and Ventura. If you, like me, are a fan of ABC’s Sunday night TV, then you may know of Ojai from the Walker Family. When we determined to go that way I became determined to find a place to get the Walker’s favorite snack: a date shake. A conveniently timed bathroom break brought us to Blender’s in the Grass and wouldn’t you know it, they had a date shake. We made our own creation, a banana date shake – and it was to die for and perfect to share on the road.

If you wanted to make a similar creation on your own here is a health-conscious version of this already healthy shake:
* ½ C. skim milk
* 4-6 pitted dates
* 2 C. frozen banana chunks

Our smoothie powered us all the way to what is my favorite spot in California, Santa Barbara.

We have been to Santa Barbara on a previous trip and at that time we really explored the city’s wine culture with multiple stops and taste at wineries. On this trip I feel like we explored and experienced Santa Barbara like locals, and not tourists. We found cute parks when the Ocean meets the real estate, libraries and sweet stores, and art galleries with cafes tucked inside of courtyards.

Next stop, the happiest place on Earth, SLO!

Red O-M-G


Back to Beverly Hills.  After escaping the traffic, it was time for dinner.  To say that we were looking forward to this meal was a major understatement.

We have been a fan of Rick Bayless ever since I saw one of his cooking shows and the variety of ways he made salsas and guacamole.  Bayless is the American master of Mexican cuisine.  He focuses on local flavors and authenticity.

Red O is at 8155 Melrose Avenue and walking in from off the street is like being transported from the busy city street to a gourmand’s playground.  The large restaurant has high ceilings and compartmentalized spaces: a large dining room and enormous bar area with swing seats and of course required of any “hip” scene, communal tables and lounge seating.

Red O via Citybuzz

My way of verifying if I like a space is if it pulls from me the response, “this would be great for a party.” – and it would be.

But, what about the food?  The food is what would make me want to move to that tony little neighborhood of Beverly Hills.

Mark and I started out our dinner like I wish we always could with margaritas and the Yellow fin Tuna ceviche.  The fish was fresh and bright and the flavors were beautifully and boldly accented by the light sweetness of the cucumber and fullness of the avocado.  The avocado addition to the ceviche was brilliant, and a delight to eat with the warm tortilla chips.

To the entrees…  Mark and I are big into sharing, which means that we try to always order completely different entrees.

Red O Chilapachole via HauteLiving

Mark ordered the Chilpachole, which on first glance looks like a bouillabaisse or cioppino dish.  It is described as “velvety seafood broth with chipotle & epazote, Mazatlan shrimp, Viking Village scallops, Carlsbad mussels, striped bass, roasted potatoes and chayote”.    If you’re like me your understanding of those ingredients might be limited to our ocean fare.  Here is what I can tell you: velvety smooth is an understatement.  The soup is a bowl of freshness, the flavors sing, the heat doesn’t overpower, it only emboldens the rest of the ingredients.  Order, share, enjoy.

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo via WeezerMonkey

I had the Camarones al Mojo de Ajo, growing up in Florida there are a few key Spanish words I recall, and yes Camarones, mojo and ajo are top of the list.  What hooked me on this dish was that it included sweet plantains – what had me raving, was how it was presented.    The large portion of shrimp was presented with lightly wilted Bloomsdale spinach in a fragrant and flavorful garlic sauce.  The Veracruz rice and sweet plantains were served in a pyramid shape with the plantains cut into small pieces and hiding in the rice – the result equal flecks of the savory garlic and sweetness of the plantains.  It was love at first bite.

For dessert we shared the Veracruz-style bunuelos on the recommendation of our waitress.  To be fair, we were both very full and up until this point I was keeping Kosher for Passover, but, homemade donuts and a trip to California were reason enough to break all dietary rules.  They were fresh and hot from the oven, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and ready for dipping in the Kahlua hot chocolate sauce and salted caramel ice cream.

The entire experience from first sip to last bite had us saying, Red O-M-G, muy delicioso!