Howlin' Ray's.

Being a huge follower of the Food Network, recently I've been seeing a lot of craze over Nashville style hot chicken and I started to wonder what it was. Is it like chicken buffalo sauce? How spicy is it? What makes it special to Tennessee? Apparently, it's a type of chicken different than any type of chicken I've ever had. It's a type of fried chicken that is marinated in a water based blend of spicy seasoning, floured, and fried. It is finally sauced with a paste that is spiced with cayenne pepper. It is usually served on bread as a sandwich, but can also be eaten on its own. And pickles are the perfect thing to combine the flavor of the chicken with. It has been served in Nashville for generations since the 1930s and has recently been gaining more popularity.

A lot of the notoriety of hot chicken came from a restaurant in Nashville called Hattie B's Hot Chicken, and seeing as though I'm not going there any time soon, I made it my mission to find a hot chicken spot in LA. Even KFC has introduced a hot chicken special, but I knew I could get more authentic than that.

That's when I found Howlin' Ray's in LA's Chinatown. Howlin' Ray's is owned and operated by a husband and wife team, Johnny and Amanda, who are passionate about getting the best blend of spices to make top tier hot chicken. When I went to the restaurant, Amanda was there taking customer orders and Johnny was in the kitchen leading a team of chefs to make the chicken. I really enjoyed that they were a part of my experience, it made it seem more personal and authentic.

Howlin' Ray's has 6 different types of sauces for the chicken, each at a different level of spiciness. I'm usually a person who can handle her spicy foods, but when I asked Amanda which sauce she would recommend to me, she said to go with the Medium sauce. I was worried it wouldn't be that spicy, but let me tell you guys, my mouth was on fire eating it! In a totally good way. I ordered the sandwich, which had the chicken, slaw, comeback sauce, and pickles. The comeback sauce was another great accompaniment to the chicken and I used it to dip my crinkle cut fries in too. It didn't hurt also that they kept giving me as many pickle chips as I wanted.

It was to die for! The chicken was perfectly crispy, the slaw gave it the perfect element of crunch, and the sauce and pickles just brought it all home. The portions are also really large. I feel really bad about this, but I couldn't finish my sandwich. Sometimes I sit and think about the parts I left and hate myself for not finishing it haha.

The line can get pretty long at Howlin' Ray's, even on a weekday, which is when I went. I waited in line for about 30 minutes, but I've heard this is actually a short time. So if you're going to give it a try, try to go before or after the lunch rush. It's totally worth any wait you have though!

All'acqua.

Have you ever gone to a Dodger game or a concert at the Greek Theater and came out starving and wondering where you can grab a bite? All'acqua is the perfect place! It's located in the up and coming Atwater Village on the Glendale Boulevard strip, and its Italian name, All'acqua translates to Atwater.

The menu offers Pan-Italian dishes including wood fired pizzas and house made pastas. I went with my girl friend and we love to order a few things from the menu and share them all. It's a great way to experience different things restaurants offer. All'acqua also has a large variety Californian and Italian wines that make this place also great for date nights.

We started off with grilled country bread, which was drizzled with garlic and olive oil. This bread is one of the best breads I've eaten at a restaurant! It isn't complimentary, but for $3, it's a good appetizer.

Next, we ordered the charred asparagus egg fried in bread crumbs and topped with shaved Parmesan cheese. This was by far my favorite item on the menu! The asparagus gives the dish a fresh taste and the cheese and bread crumbs give it a comfort food feel. I couldn't get enough of this.

I'm a huge pasta lover, in fact it's probably my favorite thing to eat, so I had to try one of the house made pasta dishes. We decided to try the spinach and mushroom pasta. The sauce on the pasta was really light, which was nice since we were eating so much. You can taste the freshness of the pasta, which was cooked perfectly al dente.

All the wood fired pizzas on the menu looked so delicious. My girl friend is a little picky with what she eats, so we had to compromise by ordering the prosciutto and arugula pizza. The pizza was fairly large and since we ordered so much food, I was only able to eat one slice. That one slice, however, was amazing. Somehow cooking pizza in a wood fired oven gives it a certain flavor that can't be beat.

We couldn't end the meal without dessert, of course, so we ordered the Bombolini. They were Italian donut holes covered in a Nutella sauce and paired with vanilla gelato. The gelato was super creamy and the juxtaposition of it with the warm donut holes was perefection. It's the most popular dessert on All'acqua's menu, so it's a must have!

Next time you are looking for a night out at a local trendy spot, check out All'acqua in Atwater Village and make a night of it by visiting one of the many surrounding bars after your dinner! 

Odys + Penelope.

 I try to have a girls' night with my best friend, Natalie, every month or so, and she's the perfect date, because she always wants to try out new places and sample and share a few things off the menu, which is exactly what I like to do! Last week, she and I ventured to the restaurant Odys + Penelope on La Brea for a night out.

Odys + Penelope is a churrasco (grilled meat) style restaurant, known for their wood fired smoker and open grill in the heart of the restaurant. Most of their menu items are focused around smoked ingredients and are fired in the wood oven. The restaurant is run by Quinn and Karen Hatfield, who are also behind The Sycamore Kitchen. The design inside is very minimal, but it somehow gives it a certain charm. I especially liked that they had a long wall shelf of firewood, ready to be put into the wood fire oven.

We got to the restaurant a little earlier than our reservation, so we started out by having a couple of drinks by the bar. I'm really into mixed whiskey or bourbon drinks, so I ordered this drink that was comprised of bourbon, blackberries, bitters, and amaro. I think the drinks are seasonal so my drink may not always be on the menu, but judging by the taste I had of my friend's drink, you won't go wrong ordering any of them.

So we began ordering a few starters. First, was the fried wild mushrooms with Persian garlic sauce. To be honest, I anticipated these being more crispy than they were. They were still really tasty, but a bit soggy. I absolutely could not get enough of the Persian garlic sauce. Coming from a Persian-Armenian background and knowing a lot about Persian food, I have no idea what makes this sauce Persian, but who cares? It was delicious! The dried, candied lemon garnishes were also actually really tasty.

My girl and I can never say no to fries, so we ordered some of those too. They were seasoned with za'atar, a Mediterranean spice that's really tangy and lemony. We both like dipping our fries in ranch, but the yogurt aioli that was paired with the fries was a really great compliment to them.

I think my favorite appetizer we had was the warm cheese puffs served with a smoked tomato romesco sauce. Oh my God! They were a fluffy, cheesy pastry that was made even better by dipping it into the sauce. I strongly recommend these as a starter. We actually considered ordering another serving of them :X

For our main dish, we shared the slow grilled tri-tip with charred broccoli and O+P béarnaise sauce. The meat was so tender and the béarnaise was the perfect add on to it. I also could not stop eating the broccoli. Natalie had to stop me, because little did I know, the best part of the meal was coming up.

What can I say about this chocolate rye pie? I'll start by saying Karen Hatfield, who is a renowned pastry chef, is behind it so you know it's going to be good. Second, this dessert was named on the list of top 10 desserts in LA by EaterLA. Finally, my honest opinion...it was definitely one of the best desserts I've had! It was super chocolatey and warm, so it was a great contrast to the cold malted ice cream on its side. The peanut crumble on top was also like icing on the cake of this amazing dessert.

Rosé Wishes and Lavender Dreams

A few weeks ago, I ventured to the LA County Museuem of Art to check out the acclaimed Rain Room exhibit (which was awesome, by the way!). Since I didn't have a ticket to the exhibit I had to be put on stand by for a ticket holder to not show up. In the meantime, I trekked the other exhibits at the museum, but still had time so I decided to get a drink at the cute little restaurant on site, Ray and Stark's Bar.

Now, I'm not necessarily into really fruity drinks, I tend to go for the drinks with bourbon, but one item on the cocktail menu immediately caught my eye...the Rosé Wishes and Lavender Dreams! I love lavender and rosé and thought it would be an interesting combination together, and quite honestly, how could anyone not love the name of the drink? I bet even Robin Leach would love to try this. The drink consisted of sparkling rosé wine, lavender syrup, vodka, and lemon.

I've been to a lot of bars in LA and have had some really great drinks, and I can honestly say that this drink at Ray and Stark's Bar is one of my top 5 favorite cocktails in LA! It has a hefty amount of vodka in it as well, but with the flavors of the rosé, lavender, and a splash of lemon, you can barely taste it. It feels like you're drinking a fancy soda. Fair warning: the drink really creeps up on you...you can barely taste the vodka, but trust me, it's there!

I don't live super close to LACMA and I can't be going there every time I feel like having this drink so I attempted to make it at home, and it actually came out quite successfully! If you can't make it to LA and want to try this drink, I'm bringing it to you with this quick recipe. Make adjustments where you wish (i.e. the amount of vodka), but either way, you are sure to love it! I, personally, couldn't find sparkling rosé, which the bar used, so I just used a Love Noir non sparkling rosé wine.

Rosé Wishes and Lavender Dreams
Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Lavender syrup (1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 3 tablespoons lavender leaves)
• The juice of 1 medium sized lemon
• 1.5 cups Rosé wine (sparkling or non sparkling)
• 3 shots vodka
• Cocktail shaker
• Jigger 

Directions:

1. Start by making the lavender syrup. Boil 1 cup of water with 3 tablespoons of lavender leaves. Once it has boiled, add 1 cup of sugar until it dissolves in the water. Strain the lavender leaves from the mixture and let cool. 

      2. In a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add 1.5 cups of Rosé wine. **Note: if you're using             sparkling wine, don't shake it in the shaker! Shake the other ingredients first then add the                     sparkling wine after.  

      3. Using a jigger, add 3 shots of vodka to the wine. 

      4. Pour 1 shot of the lavender syrup into the mixture in the shaker. 

      5. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the mixture. 

      6. Seal the shaker and shake the ingredients all together. 

      

      7. Pour the drink into a martini glass and garnish with some lavender leaves. 

      8. Enjoy!  

Cheers! 

The Attic.

Last weekend, I ventured out to Long Beach for an event, and had heard great things about this cute place to eat called The Attic. It's nestled in a nice little area near downtown and has such a homey feel so I decided to try it out.

Walking in was like walking into a backyard barbecue at a friends house. It's really welcoming and cozy. I sat in the patio outside, which had comfy couches and multi patterned tables. It overlooked the street and the weather that day made it a perfect vibe. 

As a lover of Bloody Mary's, I was so excited to see a page full of different types of Bloody Mary's they served. Each one had a different type of garnish on top of it. My boyfriend got the Meaty Man Bloody Mary, which used bacon infused vodka and was garnished with a slider and Slim Jim stuffed olive. I loved mine...the Caprese Bloody Mary with basil infused vodka and a tomato, basil, and mozzarella garnish. They were both to die for. 

The star of the show, though, was what this place is known for...Mac and Cheetos! It doesn't get more decadent than this, people! A glorious cheddar and mozzarella macaroni and cheese topped with hot Cheetos! There are so many add ons you can get to it too. I added some bacon, but kind of regret not getting avocados too. If you're looking for even more decadence, you can even add a fried egg on top of it! 

If you're looking for other comfort food dishes, I also recommend the chicken pot pie. The flaky crust on top of a hearty pot pie is just a feel good meal. 

Honorable mention to the bison burger, which my boyfriend said tasted really good, but I'm just not a huge fan of bison. 

Next time you're out in Long Beach and looking for a great place to comfort your foodie soul, try out The Attic, you won't be sorry! Happy eating! 

Organize 2016.

Since it's the beginning of the year, I really wanted to start fresh and just get rid of the clutter in my life. There are so many things that can be cleaned up and organized, which changes the complete feng shui of your life. Trust me on this, guys...with a life free of clutter, you make room in your life to allow other positive energies to flow in.

For the past 2 weeks, I've been doing a complete overhaul on all my stuff. Cleaning out things that are unnecessary in my life and throwing them out is very therapeutic and I want to share this experience with you all so you can de-clutter too. 

Here are some essential cleanses you can do to start of 2016 right...

1. Cleanse your inbox. 

Delete old emails that you no longer need, like receipts from things you've bought and won't return. Create folders to organize the other needed emails. Don't leave any unneeded emails in your inbox. 

2. Cleanse your purse/wallet. 

For the love of god toss out old papers, gum wrappers, and old makeup out of your bags! You might even find some treasures you've been looking for. 

3. Cleanse your phone albums. 

Let's face it, you took 20 selfies to get the perfect one. You don't need the rest now! Get rid of them and make space in your phone for your next selfie photo shoot. 

4. Cleanse your old papers. 

Ever stack up all your junk mail and other papers, stick them in a corner, and forget about them? Time to get rid of those. Invest in a shredder and shred those papers that you no longer need. Don't forget to recycle! 

5. Cleanse your closet. 

If you haven't worn something in your closet in over a year, it's time to throw it out. H&M has a really good incentive of 20% off when you donate a bag of clothes. There's always Goodwill and other charities too. 

6. Invest in a calendar you enjoy looking at.

Sometimes I get stressed out just looking at my calendar and seeing all the things I need to do. I find that having a calendar that's appealing to the eyes lowers my anxiety. Invest in a cute calendar. I made this one at a craft class at Paper Source. 

In general, cleanse yourself from clutter and negativity this year and see if positive energy doesn't come your way. To make room for a different energy, you need to get rid of old ones. Here's hoping to a stress free, de-cluttered, and positive 2016! 

Zinque.

A few weeks ago, I hustled down to Melrose to check out a really cool Seinfeld pop up exhibit, so since I was already there, I decided to eat dinner at one of the trendy spots around the area. I came across this really cute French bistro type place called Zinque and fell in love with it.

I'm a huge fan of French food. What's not to like? Cheese, wine, fresh baguettes, crepes, wine, cheese, wine, cheese, tartes, and did I say wine and cheese? I love French wine and cheese, especially with good bread so I went a little crazy on ordering it here.

I started off with a Rose from Provence. I tend to like my wines on the dry side, but this wine was actually very delicious and paired well with everything else I ordered. My boyfriend, the beer lover, was pleasantly shocked to see his favorite beer, Delirium, on tap!

We started with the Ahi Tuna Tartare with Pesto as an appetizer. The fish was really fresh and it tasted really good with the pesto and fresh parmesan shavings on top. But the best part of this dish was the bread all the tartare was placed on. If you've been to Paris or know anything about French pastries, you know Polaine and Polaine is the best of the best when it comes to bread. Zinque ships out Polaine bread from Paris and it really brings the whole dish together. I honestly don't know how I will go back to eating bread from the grocery store after I had the bread here.

Next was a Quiche Lorraine. This quiche is named after a region in France and had pancetta and Gruyere cheese. It was absolutely divine. It came with scalloped potatoes with more cheese on them...I mean, can you get more French than that?

Because I clearly did not have enough cheese in this meal, I also ordered Baked Camembert Cheese. Baking a soft cheese and getting it all warm and gooey takes a cheese to a whole other level, let me tell you. It's really a must have. It was served with a drizzle of honey on top of the cheese, Marcona almonds, grapes, and wheat bread.

What's a French meal without dessert? I was so full, but I knew I couldn't pass up dessert. Hence this glorious Banana Bread with French Vanilla ice cream. The banana bread was warm and soft and the ice cream on top was just the perfect addition to it. I just love when ice cream slowly melts on top of a warm dessert. Don't make the mistake of not ordering this.

I love checking out new restaurants and bars wherever I go, but I think I will definitely be back here in the future! If only for that Polaine bread :) 

The Broad Museum.

In LA, there are a bunch of beautiful museums to visit where you can see art, look back on history, or learn about a new culture. I've visited a lot of them, but when I heard there was a brand spanking new contemporary art museum opening in Downtown LA, I knew I had to check it out. Especially since entry into the museum is free!

Before opening, the museum teased everyone with its beautiful architecture of the building. It's a super modern look that looks almost like a mesh net(?)...that's what I thought of it anyway!

Upon walking inside, we were instantly greeted with this interesting piece, resembling a stack of plates by Robert Therrien.

Moving over to the left, was this lamp that looks like its sort of melting. This reminded me so much of a prop straight out of a Tim Burton movie.

All the art in this museum was very modern, which I actually really like. I think it allows the audience to use their imagination to delve into the deeper meaning of what the piece is trying to convey. Noting the date and location the artists created the pieces also influences the interpretations of the artwork, so I always make a note to read the placards next to them.

My favorite room by far was the Takashi Murakami Room! Murakami uses his Japanese heritage and American pop culture to influence his works. His art spills into fashion and film as well and has been compared to Andy Warhol.

I also really loved a video piece by Ragnar Kjartansson. I couldn't get any footage of it, just because it wouldn't have done it any justice, really. The piece was a looping video of a group of musicians who rented a dreary cabin in upstate New York. Each musician was set in a different room of the mansion each with different instruments and they all sang and played the same song from their respective rooms. Videos were taken of each room and displayed separately, but became harmonious when they were all played at the same time. This exhibit was totally worth seeing, I would even recommend it before the infamous Infinity Room!

We came across some very random but interesting pieces throughout, like this Double America by Glenn Ligon.

My boyfriend even found some height competition with this Charles Ray number.

I was feeling a little tiny standing next to this Robert Therrien piece.

There were even some Jeff Koons works like these basketballs.

I loved seeing some Roy Lichtenstein artwork as well!

Finally, we saw the infamous Infinity Room! Note that when you go to the Broad, come early and make a reservation to see this! Since everything is free, the museum has to track the number of visitors in the most popular exhibit so by the time we arrived, the reservations for the room were filled and we had to go on a standby list and we couldn't see it until 8:30pm. But it was totally worth the wait (kind of). We had (a full) 15 seconds in the room where you stand on a platform surrounded by water below you and mirrors on the walls. Lights are projected in there to reflect on the water and the mirrors. It really looks like you are in a room of infinite sparkle. My favorite part of it was looking down below me...it felt like I was floating in space!

I really recommend checking this place out guys! It's very different and unique and you can't beat the price.

Fall Fashion and Essentials.

It is finally starting to feel like fall in LA (for now) so it's time to bring out your sweaters and coats! I have high hopes this weather will last if only so we can all start wearing the fashion. I love everything about fall...the fashion, the crisp air, the pumpkin treats, and fall air scents. Anyone agree?

Fall, in my opinion, is the most fashionable season because there are so many pieces you can wear and layer. Your body is a beautiful canvas for layering the best trendy fall pieces and I'm here to talk about the trendiest of trends this fall, whether its fashion, accessories, new designer collections, or scents...these are the essentials for any gal!

1. Backpacks: Ditch your ordinary purse this season and opt for a modern, grown up backpack. When a backpack is leather and possibly adorned with studs and such, it takes a school days nostalgia item to an adult world. This Michael Kors pink/beige backpack is really fun and the zippers add a cool element.

2. Suede Apparel: The 70's are totally back this season and suede is a great representation of the era. Suede takes a look to a sophisticated level, good for work and play! I especially like suede pieces in earthy shades like brown, tan, and this burgundy like this burgundy shift dress from Forever 21.

3. Earthy Scented Candles: Gone are the days of pumpkin and gingerbread scented candles for fall. Change up the scent of your home by using candles with earthy scents rather than fruity or typical holiday ones. This Mahogany Teakwood candle from Bath and Body Works is a perfect woody scent.

4. Marc Jacobs Alice In Wonderland Phone Cases: I am loving Marc Jacobs' new collection of Alice in Wonderland inspired phone cases. There are so many different cases, exhibiting different characters from the movie. This Door Knob character case is my favorite one.

5. Sugar Paper LA for Target: Sugar Paper LA is a really cute stationary store in LA specializing in stationary, gift wrapping, and the like. I was so excited when they brought in a line of products to Target! There are a bunch of really fun gift wrapping supplies just in time for Christmas. All the products have gold accents, which, as you know, is my favorite color accent. This Sugar Paper LA 2016 Planner is so practical, and so pretty to boot!

6. Dark Purple Lips: Berry shade lips scream fall! I'm loving more purple tones, its a cool change from deep red colors. Paired with a fresh face and dramatic lashes, its the perfect look. I'm obsessed with Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream in Bordeaux.

7. Y Necklaces: Y Necklaces are necklaces with a hanging accent that makes the necklace create a Y shape around your neck. I think its super trendy and a great way to bring some attention to your decolletage. It looks amazing worn with a deep cut top. This Vince Camuto Y necklace with crystals has detail to spark interest.

8. Over the Knee Boots: Over the knee boots are kicking booties off the list of fall trends this season. These boots are so chic and pair well with clothes that fit the 70's trend. They look great with dresses and skirts, but just remember not to let the gap between the boots and the hem of your dress or skirt exceed 5 inches. These black suede over the knee boots from H&M are simple yet so, so elegant and fashion forward.

What do you guys think? Are there any other notable trends we can share? Happy fall and happy shopping! 

Vinoteque on Melrose.

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I were looking for a cute little place to have dinner and we stumbled across this place, Vinoteque on Melrose Ave, which I remembered my cousin, Mimi, suggesting to me. It's known for it's amazing wine selection and tapas style meals. For those that don't know, tapas are small plates which are shared among the table. Vinoteque was a good fusion of French and Spanish style tapas.

What I loved the most about this place was the ambience in the outdoor patio where we sat. It was a courtyard area with vines growing all over the walls, a calming fountain in the center, and a projection of a film noir silent movie playing in the background. It was a really nice date spot, but I would also totally come here with a girlfriend and I saw a group of people celebrating a birthday in a secluded cabana.

Make sure to ask about the wines! Most of the wines are French and I had a hard time deciphering what was what so I just ordered one that wasn't so great. Luckily, they allowed me to taste it and order another one since I didn't like it.

We started our meal with truffle fries (of course, my favorite) and the dipping sauce was a type of salsa, which really complemented the fries.

Then we had some fried artichoke hearts and let me tell you...I dreamt about these after eating them, because of how good they were. I have a mind to recreate these babies on my own at home.

Next, we had little mini Croque Monsieurs, which are French ham and cheese sandwiches. They were topped with balsamic vinegar, which really completed the dish. We also had these amazing sliders, which I really enjoyed. It had a tasty combination of sun dried tomatoes, onion jam, and harissa mayo...this was to die for.

Lastly, we ended our meal with the usual tapas dessert...churros! They were mini bite sized churros and were paired with a caramel sauce and boysenberry jam to dip the churros in.

If you're looking for a place to catch up with a friend or to impress your date, Vinoteque is definitely the place!