Ms. Pearl and I went off to Downtown, which to me is the new and upcoming spot to hit. They have more restaurants to try, more cool pop-up stores, and have truly cleaned up the street level. So don't be afraid to park your car and explore.

We started our adventure on the Westside of town, where we had a very nice pour of Far Niente Chardonnay at The Beverly Wilshire Hotel. We decided to use my favorite app Wayz to make our adventure Downtown as quick as possible.

Our first stop, one of Jonathan Gold's picks, was Guerrilla Tacos, owned by Wes Avila. I have to say, the taco truck scene has quieted down quite a bit. But this outrageous taco truck blew my socks off. We arrived at 12:30 and they were already sold out of the lambshank and lobster tacos. So we had a choice of a beer battered salt cod taco and a butternut squash taco with a sour grape relish that was to die for. We started with the amazing quesadilla that had an almond chile salsa and a fried egg on top. Truly these were some of the best tacos I've ever had in my life. And lo and behold, they cater. Don't even try it... I'm hiring them first.

Right nearby is an amazing store called Alchemy Works.

Nearby is also Matteo, a wonderful linen line I am sure you have all heard of. At this warehouse location, you can find some extremely beautiful linens for a discounted price.

After a little retail therapy, we thought we would drop in and visit our friend John Secretan, who opened his fourth location for Zinc Café and Market. It is located on Mateo Street, which is known as the new Arts District Downtown.
Wow, wow, wow...
It is a really sophisticated, cool, spacious location for Zinc. They have a full bar, pizza oven, a lovely outdoor patio space, and plenty of parking. Our friend was there, and when he saw Ms. Pearl and I, a big smile crossed his face as he welcomed us with open arms. 

We of course did a little shopping and had to hit the freeway home. We punched in Wayz and unfortunately headed back to the OC.

Check out our day below!

FMI: http://anaheimpackingdistrict.com
Anaheim Packing District is located at 440 S Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92805

This past Tuesday, I took my tech girl Shelby out on the town to check out some of the best spots for happy hour in Laguna Beach. We went to some great new places, judged some pours, and even bought a bottle of wine!

We started our late afternoon jaunt at Laguna Wine, Coffee, and Specialty Foods. We first got distracted with their amazing selection of wine glasses, olive oils, and gifts. This OCWino got excited over their collection of Riedel Wine Glasses, and overjoyed when I found a beer stein with a wine glass inside.

After checking out the shop, we moved over to their wine tasting section. The store has something that could only be described as a wine tasting vending machine. First you can purchase a $10, $20, or $50 card. You enter the card into either the white or red side of the machine, and make a selection of which wine within the case you would like to sample. Place a glass underneath a spout, press your chosen button, and have a perfect amount of wine to taste dispensed. Each wine varied in price slightly, but we were able to sample about 6 wines for $20. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, quick to offer suggestions based on our palette preferences and show us their estate wines.

Our favorites included Butter, a nice chardonnay, Meomi, a pinot noir, and Neyers, an aromatic merlot. I decided to purchase a bottle of the Neyers since the bouquet and taste were both incredible.

Next stop was the newly opened Tortilla Republic and Margarita Bar, located on South Coast Hwy. The restaurant has two other locations in West Hollywood and Hawaii. We first came to the bar with the expectation for Happy Hour pricing. However we learned their happy hour menu was still getting developed and would be released in the coming month. However we were content ordering their wonderful margaritas and appetizers despite the extra dinero.

The friendly bartenders made a whole range of margarita specialties for us ranging from our favorite Sweet Chile Margarita, a spicy Jalapeño, the "Perfect", Cucumber Lavender, Spicy Pomegranate, and Hydration, which blended in coconut water. We got all our margs made skinny to cut back on sugar and calories. These drinks were not strong, so we were able to try a lot and save room for the great food.

To counter the tequila, we ordered many reinforcements. First, we started with a salsa tasting, which included a salsa mesa, salsa de tomatillo fresca, and salsa de payaya habenero. Armed with a basket of freshly baked chips, we finished the colorful and flavor packed dips easily. 

Next came the Flautas de Pollo. Our bartender recommended them and we were not disappointed. Initially, I remarked how they were too beautiful to eat. However after our first bite, we dove in and demolished the delicious and savory treat.

We ended our mexican feast with a Queso Fundito. We weren't exactly sure what the dish would be, but since it had the words cheese and fun in it, we assumed it would be awesome. The ramekin filled with hot spiced cheese and fresh tortillas did not disappoint.

It was hard for us to leave to catch the sunset since our bartenders were so fun, especially Mark who gave us free drinks! 

Disaster struck as we hit The Deck for sunset. Just as we sat down at the bar, an overhead seagull left a present on my freshly blown out do! People say it is a sign of good luck, but that unexpected surprise could have come a day earlier!

The Deck wasn't too crowded as it can be on the weekends, but it was a great place to watch the sunset, drink a final cocktail, and make new friends at the bar with Laguna locals. An OC musician, Kevin Miso, serenaded the patrons with the sounds of Jack Johnson, John Mayer, and some other beach-y classics. Overall, a great bar for a beach town.

As we finished our night, we headed back to Shelby's home in North Laguna, and enjoyed a slice of Gina's pizza, a final pour, and great conversation with her family.

FMI on Laguna Wine Coffee and Specialty Foods, click here
FMI on Tortilla Republic, click here
FMI on The Deck, click here

Some things are so close, yet they feel so far away. I love to venture out a little bit. Off the 405 freeway and Harbor Blvd, there is The OC Mix. My friend and I went up there on Friday to tool around up there and see what exciting things we could encounter. It's like a giant warehouse filled with stores consisting of spice stores, cheese stores, olive oil and wine stores. 

My favorite is The Mixing Glass, a mixologist haven. It supplies curated cocktail ware and knowhow according to their business cards. Owner Gabrielle Dion has set up many bar and cocktail menus around the OC for many years. Her store is a little slice of heaven. She carries some very unique, old, and new bar accessories. 

When I did my radio show on Cinco de Mayo, I decided it would be really fun to do a tequila tasting. So I went to the professional. She introduced me to my favorite tequila, Siembra Azul, which is made in small batches. Everything she carries is very specialized and from small unique distilleries. I dropped in to buy a bottle and say hello from the OC Wino. I can't wait to take one of her monthly cocktail classes.

From there, we went and caffeined out at Portola Coffee, which is known for their decorative latte art. 

We then decided to go across the street and explore Surfas, which is an industrial kitchen/gourmet store. They carry everything to decorate cakes, delicious organic meats, pastas, olive oils, and vinegars. Much to our surprise, they had a cheese bar. We enjoyed a sample of La Tour, a creamy goat cheese, Truffle Hard Cheese, and an aged Gouda. We washed it all down with a nice Sauvignon Blanc. It's one of those stores that inspires you to throw a party, cook, and stock your kitchen. A must to check out. 

Our bellies were semi-full, but going to ARC restaurant across from The OC Mix was next on my agenda. What's unique about ARC is almost everything is cooked in a wood burning oven. 

We sat down to two delicious cocktails. One called Cigarettes and Coffee and the other was called Ethel, a tequila-grapefruit compari and champagne mix. 

Here it goes... the OC Wino's top menu picks at this meat lover's paradise:

Start with the Sautéed Calamari with shishito peppers and new potatoes and the Whiskey and Garlic Meatballs in a delicious marinara sauce served with toast points.

Unfortunately, you can't skip the Wedge salad with the bacon slab. It really is a palette cleanser before you order your burger.
The Duck, Beef, Bacon Burger is cooked in duck fat. Good luck getting your mouth around it for your first bite. It is sinful and must be split between 2-4 people. But it is worth it to sample.

At this stage of the game, dessert is not in my sights. Since tequila is a stomach settler, I decided to have one more Ethel to silence my digestive system.

Diego was our waiter, a Costa Rican who is as nice as can be. All the staff is friendly, encouraging, and gives you a big smile as you sit down at the counter. Eating at the counter is a MUST.

Try it for dinner sometime. They actually serve large pieces of meat to groups of six or more. And do they know how to prepare it. 

Beware, they do not take reservations, so going at an off-time is suggested. If there is a wait and you have to put your name in, go have an oyster or two at his sister restaurant, Shuck. The hostess will call you on your cell when your table is ready. Just an added bonus.

Last Saturday, we decided to take a little adventure. My friend Kevin is a huge foodie. He can find the best sushi, dives, dim sum, bbq, practically everything. He was telling us about going to Little Saigon. So my son Trent, his sister Julie, and I ventured out to Westminster for a day of exploring and culture.

We started out at a really tasty spot called Le Croissant Doré. It is a bakery known for it's fruit tarts. But it has the best beef stew with the most amazing sauce that actually tastes somewhat healthy! They serve it along with their own french bread. It's called Bo Kho. It is made with pieces of meat, tendon, and tripe. Sounds truly disgusting, but it was one of the best stews I have ever put in my mouth!

Since it is a bakery, they are known for their fruit tart cake, but my favorite were the little round creme puffs! We all enjoyed thai iced tea with boba, which pumped us up to continue our adventure.

We decided to walk because it is the best way to get the feel of the culture and be able to see all the funky things when you are in a new location. Somehow we ended up in this fun Asian mall because Trent was looking for a phone case. I swear to god, this mall had everything from Hello Kitty to phone cases to jewelry to buddhas to authentic food stands.

This is when I spotted the eggs. I've had Korean roasted eggs before from the I-Spa and I thought this is what I was buying. I wanted to treat everyone to the awesome delicacy. However I had no clue what I was getting into. 
The egg dish is actually called Balut. You are supposed to drink the juice out of the egg and eat what is inside. We did not know this and just peeled the egg and dove in. The rest is history.

After challenging our bellies, we decided to end the day with the most amazing, relaxing, full body massage at the Bali Foot Spa. For only $20/hr, we all literally went into a trance and the memories of the baby duck egg vanished from our minds.

It was a great day filled with adventure, culture, and culinary experiences. This trip only cost us $45 a piece for all our food, spa services, trinkets, and a hell of a lot of belly laughs.

One of my greatest escapes when I've had a long week or weekend is to go to the I-Spa. As much as I love the luxury of The Montage, Aquaterra at the Surf and Sand, or La Quinta Spa in the desert, I have to say, the I-Spa is the queen bee. It is located in Irvine on Barranca and Jamboree across from The District.

The experience is unbelievable. At first you sweat in scrubs in Himalayan salt rooms, mud rooms, and even a calming cedar room. Cool off in the refrigerated room and finish up before your treatment with delicious Korean fare.

Now you are going to venture down into your treatments. You can't be shy here because it is necessary to strip and become completely naked. Anna, my favorite therapist, scrubs me down with a hard loofah pad for one hour and that cold cucumber mask is so refreshing. Then I get wrapped in Korean salve and get an awesome hair and scalp treatment. After rinsing off, you go down for your massage. They are standing on you, pulling at you, and treating you like a rag doll. But the intensity and the smoothness of your skin after the treatment is phenomenal. This collection of treatments is called the Gold Massage. At $130, it is the best bang for your buck for sure. Plan on spending about 4 hours enjoying the whole adventure.

The staff at I Spa is incredible and are extremely nice. However don't get shocked, or get any ideas, when the therapists come out to work on you in black bras and underwear. If anything, they are trying to get close to your level of buck nakedness.

FMI: http://www.irvinespa.com