the thompson beverly hills

Posted on 09/20/2012 by Brittany Sage

I arrived at The Thompson quite early, 8am to be exact. Wade was taking his level 1 sommelier class down the street at The Montage. I couldn’t check in yet so I was let up to the rooftop pool and gym. It was so beautiful and quiet at this hour. No one was around but me and a very sweet staff member I’ll call Carlos. The sun was just starting to peek through the marine layer and sparkle on all of the skyscrapers and houses. There is a 360 degree view of Los Angeles from the roof and at that early hour, with the sparkle and the quiet there was a beautiful innocence about the city that I had never experienced before. I stood up there taking it all in before having Carlos let me into the gym. One thing I loved about The Thompson is that they make great use of their views. There were two walls of windows in the gym that were so distracting, I worked out twice as long as usual! At this point, my stay had been fantastic and I hadn’t even checked into my room yet. I am starting to like this early bird business. As much as I hate getting out of my warm, cozy, husband and cat filled bed, when I am forced to see the sunrise and experience the peacefulness of the morning it is pretty incredible.

After a good, long workout I switched gears, got my bikini on and hit the pool. It started out quiet and relaxing and then a DJ showed up at 11:00 and the pool par-tay began. This is something they do on Sundays throughout the summer. The vibe was good, the music was fun (not obnoxious) and I made some new friends. I ordered spicey tuna tar tar for lunch and it was perfect, fresh, light and just what I wanted. The cocktails were pretty spectacular too. I had a lemon basil concoction that was incredibly refreshing.

A few hours later I got a call that my room was ready. I couldn’t wait to get in there and check it out! (I love hotels!!) I had a King Premium room (thanks Claudia) and it was awesome… small but awesome. I was prepared for this because they have the room square footage on their website. The room also had a nice little balcony with a great west facing view of Los Angeles. I loved the modern decor and the fashion photo by Steven Klein on the wall. The furniture was a little on the worn side but for around $200 a night it is a great value for Beverly Hills. The bathroom was stocked with products by Ren, a company I know and love. At this point, I decided it was time to test out the bed and take a nap until Wade got out of class.

When Wade returned from class we were both ravenous and decided to try the hotel restaurant Caulfields for dinner. We shared a frisée salad with bacon and a poached egg on it (delicious), short rib ravioli (the pasta seemed homemade which is always a plus, and it was delicious but a bit salty), and a cheeseburger (delicious but a tad overpriced at $15). All in all it was a good meal but a bit over priced in an LA, hotel American Bistro kind of way. The decor was cute, relaxed and diner-y and they played good music. Our waiter was especially charming and had an uncanny resemblance to Carlos, the nice guy by the pool in the morning.
We finished off the night with a cocktail at the rooftop bar. They have cozy seating, great drinks, fireplaces and an amazing view of the city of lights. It was the perfect end to the perfect day.

When I got up on Monday I was sad to have to check out. I had gotten pretty cozy pretty fast. Thats easy to do at The Thompson. I packed up, left my bags with the bellman and spent another beautiful afternoon by the pool eagerly awaiting the news from Wade as to wether or not he passed his test. The news finally came, HE PASSED…YAY!!! I had to say goodbye to my fun week-end and the gorgeous rooftop pool. I would definitely come back to The Thompson Beverly Hills and I look forward to staying at one of their other 9 hotels in my travels!

my 13 favorite long beach eats

Posted on 08/23/2012 by Brittany Sage

For those of you who know me, you know that I love to eat and I am extremely thankful for my high metabolism (thanks mom)! People are always asking me where I like to eat, so I decided to put together a list highlighting some of my favorite, casual spots to grab a bite that won’t break the bank. I’m the type of person who, once I find something I love, I usually always order the same thing from that place every time. Sometimes I will start thinking about dinner right after breakfast and the craving will begin. Here, I’m sharing my “go-to” eats from all my LBC faves in no particular order. You can click on the pictures to go to the restaurants websites. I hope this makes your mouth water and inspires you to get out and try something new!

Michael’s of Naples/Michael’s Pizzeria

1) I love a good, super thin crust, traditional Italian style pizza and Michael’s is just that. I usually crave the simple basil, red sauced and mozzerella pizza but I have tried some of the specials and been blown away. The decor is simple, modern and cool and there is a beautiful rooftop bar at Michael’s next door that is a nice stop before dinner or if you are waiting for a table.

Los Compadres

2) Wade and I always share the mixed molcajete which we call the bubbling cauldron of goodness. It is full of chicken, chorizo, mexican cheese, steak, shrimp and cactus in a salsa sauce. The homemade corn tortillas are super buttery and delicious and the guacamole is perfection. There are two locations: the one on Anaheim has a dining/bar area where the tables are first come first serve and the restaurant area, which, has more atmosphere versus the smaller and less atmospheric location in my neighborhood. However, the food in both locations are equally fabulous.

The Starling Diner

3) I love, love, love this place. The decor is so cute and when I’m there I don’t feel like I’m in Long Beach – more like northern California? Everyone raves about the stuffed french toast at Starling, including my husband. Because, I’m more of a savory gal, my favorite thing here is the BLT Salad with a poached egg on it. Delish! I could eat it everyday. Because it’s a salad it feels healthy but it’s loaded with applewood smoked bacon and the gooey poached egg. Yum!

The Coffee Cup Cafe

4) The Coffee Cup Cafe is my go to place for breakfast. Yes, there is always a wait on the weekends but they do have coffee while you wait. There are also a couple of cute boutiques next door to browse. My favorite dish at The Coffee Cup is Sal’s Enchilada Eggs. Wade laughs at me for loving this because he says it’s bland but I love it. To me, it’s a savory balance of eggs wrapped in corn tortillas with red enchilada sauce topped with sour cream. The breakfast potatoes are exceptional and are not to be missed. My other favorite is the Baja Burrito with veggie chorizo. The portions are “healthy” to say the least. The staff is always efficient, attentive and friendly.

At Last Cafe

5) This is the ultimate comfort food for me. I love the Green Goddess salad, and I always either get the pot roast or the meat loaf. They are both AMAZING! Dessert: I usually don’t do it! Here it is homemade, perfectly delicious and I can’t say no. The cheesecakes are, well, SPECIAL. John, the chef/owner is great and can usually be found chatting up the customers at the end of the night.

Steamed

6) Steamed is a newer place on our radar when we are craving clean, fresh, simple, healthy food but are too lazy to make it ourselves. My go to meal here is the Dang Quesadilla. The atmosphere is really cute and I love that they shop at our local farmer’s market!

Kings Burger and Chicken

7) This is the newest place we have been hitting up. 3 times in less then a week to be exact. The rotisserie chicken is the best in town! Just trust me. For $9 you get a whole chicken, warm tortillas and 2 kinds of fresh salsa. It’s perfect to take home for dinner. Although the chicken makes great tacos, it can be used in many other dishes including salads for lunch the following day. It’s our new favorite thing!

Angelo’s Deli

8) The Torpedo. This sandwich is in a class of it’s own and is a must have! The deli/shop carries all things Italian and is wonderful and adorable. They are always busy and take pride in their work so I recommend calling in your order. It’s the perfect sandwich to take to the beach!

Pho Hong Phat

9) HANDS DOWN, the best Pho in Long Beach. The atmosphere is really simple and sometimes you are at a shared table just like in Vietnam, but the delicious, medicinal broth of this traditionally slow cooked soup keeps us coming back for more. I always get the small #1. The thinly sliced beef starts out rare but cooks quickly in the super hot broth.

Long Beach Fish Grill

10) Honestly, we had passed this place up for years because it doesn’t look like anything special from the road. Things changed after our friends Ed and Carrie ended up trying it and gave it their “foodie” thumbs up. I think they actually said it was “legit” and… they were right. They have a variety of fresh fish cooked anyway you like it. I love the grilled fish tacos with a side of their sweet crisp coleslaw and crazy good garlic bread. The people that work here are super cool and friendly too which is always a plus.

Congregation Ale House

11) Cong (as we like to call it) is right in our own backyard. I love that we can walk there. Even though I am not a Vegan, I go gaga over the vegan apple sage sausage. It is wrapped in a warm, fluffy flat bread of sorts with the most delicious mustard and grilled bell peppers on it. You should seriously give it a try. The Roast Tomato & Garlic flatbread is delicious too. And, the beer selection is, of course, every beer lovers dream come true. I like the casual, order at the counter and take a number vibe.

Number Nine

12) Great food, cool location and a simple, modern decor. I love the cold vermicelli rice noodles (bún) with grilled pork, shrimp and egg roll. A great stop while shopping Retro Row on 4th street or before or after a movie at The Art Theater. There is also a location close to my salon in Hermosa Beach but I haven’t had a chance to check it out (yet).

Open Sesame

13) The best Lebanese food in town. I always get the lentil soup which is full of flavor and perfect on a cold, winter day. They do meat-on-a-stick better than anyone else in the city! I also love the little Lebanese pizzas and the falafel pitas. They have the best mini pickles in them and the garlic sauce a.k.a. “garlic crack” is a must, however, be prepared to stink for the rest of the day!

PF Chang’s

*14) Ok, #14 is a bonus. I am sure you weren’t expecting to see PF Chang’s on the list, but it is, and here’s why. Somehow, Wade and I, ended up here on our first official date so it holds a special place in my heart. We love to sit at the bar and order lettuce cups, edamame dumplings, and a bunch of side dishes like garlic spinach and shanghai cucumbers (that are just $3.95 for the small sides). We also love the orange peel chicken. It’s pretty sweet and not the healthiest thing on the menu but hey, sometime you’ve just gotta do it! The food is always consistent and brings us back to where it all began!

There are so many awesome places popping up all the time that its hard to keep up. If you have a favorite spot in Long Beach or elsewhere, please leave a comment and tell me about it! Happy eating!

integratron

Posted on 07/25/2012 by Brittany Sage

I’ve been intrigued by The Integration ever since I first read about it on one of my many trips to the desert.

The current owners, who prefer to be called “stewards”, offer both public and private sound baths which are believed to have a healing effect on the body, mind and central nervous system.

The Integratron is located in Yucca Valley about 2 1/2 hours from LA. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself while we were driving through the middle of nowhere – the desert. It looked like a scene from Breaking Bad. Finally, The Integratron appeared in all it’s white domed glory. I was pleasantly surprised at how cute the grounds were surrounding it. Restrooms, a fire pit, lounge chairs, sofas, water-misters and hammocks. Everyone we encountered that worked there was super friendly!

We purchased our $15 tickets for the public sound bath and made our way into the dome. The bottom level is sort of like an Integratron museum. There are numerous articles, clippings and models helping to shape a picture of how The Integratron came to be. It’s basically the byproduct of Tesla design and telepathically transmitted alien technology. Hmmm… next, we climbed upstairs to the sound chamber. There were a bunch of mats and blankets and pillows laid out, however, you are encouraged to bring your own. The domed room was beautiful and full of great energy. Because there were no nails or screws used to construct this wooden sound temple, its like being inside of a giant, acoustically perfect cello.

It filled to capacity (45 people) quickly and we got started right away because it was beginning to get very hot outside (105° F). Everyone laid down on their mats ready to feel the magic. I was worried that I might feel like we were all about to drink “the purple Kool-Aid”. Fortunately, that never happened – I felt completely relaxed and peaceful. Our guide began playing 9 different quartz crystal bowls which all made different sounds, tones and vibrations. She said, “The brain and nervous system love that kind of sound!”

As I laid there, I felt completely relaxed, as though my mind had detached from my physical self. About halfway through, Wade and I touched hands and I felt a surge of energy charge through my body from his. It was a truely unique experience. For the rest of the day, I felt centered, rejuvenated and relaxed. I would love to stop by for another sound bath the next time we find ourselves heading to the desert which I find magical in itself.

Next, we headed back across highway 10 to Palm Springs to stay at the newly remodeled Spanish style Los Arboles Hotel. It was charming and quiet with a lovely courtyard pool and jacuzzi. We spent the rest of the day there lounging around and had a tasty Mexican feast at their restaurant El Marisol. *This time of year is off season in the desert. If you can stand the heat you can get some great deals on hotels!

The next day, as we headed out of town, we couldn’t help but stop and take pictures of the new Marilyn Monroe statue in the center of town! It was huge and quite spectacular with the desert landscape in the background.

Spoiler alert…she is wearing panties!

We also stopped by some modern furniture and vintage shops. They are great out there! I love that Palm Springs is close enough for us to get out of town for just a night! Until next time…

au revoir foie gras

Posted on 07/02/2012 by Brittany Sage

I sampled this delicious trio of foie gras last week at Redd in Yountville, Ca. I can only describe it as meat butter or meat sorbet. It was heavenly! As a former vegetarian I have forever struggled with my feelings on foie gras but I feel that the California ban (that went into effect yesterday) is “an intrusion on culinary freedom.” There are far worse things going on in other food/meat industries that should be addressed (and that’s all I’m going to say about that). For more information on the ban check out the LA Times article here.