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Intelligentsia - Abbot Kinney

February 14, 2016

To continue on with celebrating John's Birthday, we went to Intelligentsia after our brunch at Gjelina. I find the location in Abbot Kinney much more sophisticated than the one is Pasadena when it comes to flavor. Cappuccinos are always our go-to at a roaster like this. I love the dairy ratio here compared to what I received in Pasadena. I wouldn't say I am a connoisseur, but I am confident to say I am pretty close to one. There were days when we used to have nothing to do but hit up local coffee shops in Los Angeles. Those days of drinking caffeine for fun is something I truly miss... so this was definitely a treat not just for John, but for me as well.

Walking in, you will see a glass filled with baked goods. Go ahead, pick something.

Step up to a barista when you are ready to order and they will be more than happy to get your drink on the way. The smell of fresh ground coffee beans just does something to me that I can't explain. I always find the smell to be intoxicating. I love getting into a car that has the smell of hot coffee sitting in the cup holder. Or that first brew you make when you are trying to get breakfast ready. It's kind of like, potpourri that wakes you up. I love every bit of it.

I like to add a little raw cane sugar to enhance the espresso. Watch it get swallowed up and sucked in like a black hole.

Stir. Love. Enjoy.

1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

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Comoncy - Studio City - Best Breakfast of 2015

November 15, 2015

I got an invitation to visit the new Comoncy Cafe out in Studio City. They have a total of 3 locations: Beverly Hills, Studio City, and Scottsdale Arizona. I was recommended to check the new location since it's larger with more creative innovations on the menu to check out. I would rather head out to Studio City anyways, since LA traffic is never forgivable.

I've never been to Comoncy before, but after seeing their menu, it's something I would check out for a good breakfast. Breakfast is hard to find. Considering how large and populated with restaurants LA county is, it's hard to find that ONE, that can do it all. What I mean by that is, I hate how some cafes serve crappy espresso. Or great coffee, but terrible eggs and bacon. There's never that one place, that I can knock out all birds with one stone. Well Comoncy, I think they've done it.

Best Breakfast of 2015

The spread was pretty simple. And, there are some things that I just can't say no to. John was supportive on pigging out by having another dish to accompany this meal. And, cappuccino is always necessary. Always. At a place like this, it would be a waste to not have espresso. Trust me, it's good.

First thing first. Cappuccino.

Being super stoked about the design, I used one pack of raw cane sugar. Don't be a snob to tell me you drink it straight without sugar. Good for you. But a pack of sugar can really help the notes of the espresso pop. Kind of like putting ice with your whiskey, does that make sense? The espresso was extremely good and better than I expected! Loved how this was something they highly recommended. So good, that we bought some to take home.

A must. I love ordering huevos rancheros, and couldn't keep my eyes off from the menu about it. It's a huge breakfast staple for me, and I assumed it will be good at Comoncy if they had the audacity to put it on their menu! THEY DID NOT FAIL! John was SO sneaky about this too. He took a few big bites, and I had to ask how it tastes before he tells me it's amazing. What a jerk! Like, does he really think I wasn't going to notice half of it missing?! Comoncy rendition of huevors rancheros were : organic eggs over easy, crispy blue corn tortilla, avocado, black beans, and ranchero sauce. Everything was perfect about this dish. I loved the black beans and the contrast it brought to the crispy blue corn tortilla. It wasn't too thick or pasty, but extremely smooth and creamy. The soft over easy eggs with the ranchero, the avocado, and everything all in a bite, made my eyes rolled back. I mean literally I think I went blind for a second. It was like, the huevos rancheros god descended from above and blessed this plate. Super flavorful, but not heavy like the others I've had. I can't say no to this. This is a must when I come back, and something that I recommend to you. Dash some hot sauce, and tell me if you blacked out too.

Their steak sandwich was composed of : Brioche bun, prime sirloin steak, red cabbage slaw, lemon vinaigrette,organic Roma tomato, avocado, and horseradish aioli. Ok, The prime sirloin definitely gives you a run for the money. It was very tender and very flavorful. I had absolutely no trouble at all take perfect bites from this, It may look tiny, but it's loaded with steak and I love how they don't skimp. The brioche bun was fantastic. Flaky and not too eggy like some other ones I've had. I actually love how I could taste the butter in the bun. The lemon vinaigrette is not subtle as well, in the best way I can say it. Everything just married perfectly. Even the tomatoes were freaking delicious. This was one of their many lunch items that they carry. I must come back to devour more.

Baguette, Greek Yogurt, berries and organic maple syrup. I've never had yogurt with french toast, and thought this was another success. Fruits and yogurt with sweet maple syrup. What could possibly sound wrong with that? It was also my first time having french toast with baguette, which I didn't mind. Sometimes, brioche could be too heavy. Literally egg on egg. This was very light, but something I would share. The basil really made this dish pop. It was a little touch, but really made this bright and fresh.

At the end of our meal, I've concluded that this was the best breakfast I've had all year, and seems to stay that way for the rest of 2015. I can't wait to come back, and have more dishes. Though the huevos rancheros is going to be hard to pass up.

With that said, I hope you will find a way to make it out for a taste. Their breakfast is ON POINT along with their espressos. Which, I also highly recommend you getting. The brand is Equator and the beans are "Tigerwalk".

I'm hoping more Comoncy cafes will open more locations, as for now, I and we will have to make our trips. Let me know what you think.

STUDIO CITY : 12265 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604 (323) 391-2096

BEVERLY HILLS : 413 N. Bedford Dr.Beverly Hills, CA 90210 (424) 285-8874

SCOTTSDALE: 7301 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (480) 361-1339

Happy eatings!

Daisy

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Autry - American Indian Arts Marketplace

November 10, 2015

John invited me here with him so he can write about his experience at the Marketplace for his assignment. Being extremely supportive after a night of drinking, I decided to go with him. Honestly, he mentioned something about fried bread. But he knew. He knew he got me at fried. Anything fried, you might as well just take my money.

But his assignment was pretty cool. I mean, he was to write about how people from the outside, like me, see Indian art and how it's perceived. Or bystanders who know nothing, but assumes it's categorized as Indian art. A lot that is shown in this marketplace, has a mix of everything. To open, untrained eyes, like mine, I would assume that all items I saw were Indian art. Though it kind of is, a lot of it is inspired and somehow derived from the culture and knowledge.

For example, we came across a vendor who were selling her clay & bronze figures. Her name was Kathleen Wall.

“My personal relationship with my art work starts with the intent of creating a full-circle cultural experience. I embrace the heritage of the people around me and absorb the knowledge that they have to offer. It begins with an emotional response, then a thought, which then becomes my finished piece, expressed through my eyes and hands. That very personal experience is passed on to others.”

— Kathleen Wall

Kathleen Wall was describing how her art was in no way a representation of how her clan looks like. The art of pottery and sculpting these figures is where she was inspired by her grandmother and her heritage. She kept the corn husk, as it is a huge symbol of that. I loved all the details she put in, and her passion really shined through.

As we walked around, we saw a lot of this:

“Hopi katsina figures (Hopi language: tithu or katsintithu), also known as kachina dolls are figures carved, typically from cottonwood root, by Hopi people to instruct young girls and new brides about katsinas or katsinam, the immortal beings that bring rain, control other aspects of the natural world and society, and act as messengers between humans and the spirit world”

— Wikipedia

That's pretty interesting right? Look more about this on Wikipedia here.

Now to the fried bread party.

The dough is fried in canola oil until it's golden brown. I wasn't too hungry since I literally ate a little before this, but the smell of fried dough, you just can't beat it. And honestly, I don't think I can say no to anything fried (don't start pulling the "Annnyyytthhinngg?" joke. GET-OUT!)

For a hefty $10.50, you get this. But just imagine the killer amount of money they are making off of this! $10.50. Fried dough. How much is it to make dough? Go Google that. Now wrap your head in this chili. Exactly. Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and cheddar cheese. Yeah. Will I order this shit again? Yes.

I'm sorry. The fried bread was fluffy and perfectly chewy. What I would do next time, is add more meat for extra $$, add sour cream for extra $$, and Jalapenos for extra $$. Like I said, TAKE MY MONEY.

You can also order this with just their meat sauce or their sweet versions like honey butter. The toppings reminded me of Taco Bell, which doesn't seem too surprising consider this feeling more Tex-Mex. BY THE WAY, they serve Frito Pie. I didn't get it unfortunately, but will do so next time.

My future backyard. Pretty cool huh? This market was a special event and has unfortunately ended last weekend. If you are ever in the Los Angeles area, just check the local museums for events. It's pretty amazing what they can put together since a lot of it is sponsored by big companies.

Stuff like this makes me happy to live in LA.

Now... I must make my own fried-bread-taco bell chili meat sauce-for holiday party. I am a changed woman.

Daisy

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Wine & Dine

Intelligentsia - Abbot Kinney

Comoncy - Studio City - Best Breakfast of 2015

Autry - American Indian Arts Marketplace