Sweet Frozen Adventures around Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida

May 15, 2015November 20, 20155 Comments

Here’s a peek of my sweet frozen adventures around Disney World & Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. You’ll notice that a couple of the items from Epcot are seasonal since I purchased them at the pop-up Pineapple Promenade during the 2015 International Flower and Garden Festival (March 4 – May 17). But other than that, you can easily get your hands on any of the other sweet treats if you are ever in either park. Nom nom nom. 🙂 Enjoy!

Dole Whip – Sunshine Tree Terrace, Magic Kingdom

Mickey Ice Cream – Food Carts, Disney World

Strawberry Sorbet – L’Artisan des Glaces, Epcot

Violet Lemonade – Pineapple Promenade (Seasonal), Epcot

Dole Whip – Pineapple Promenade (Seasonal), Epcot

Chocolate Chili – Florean Fortescues, Universal Studios

Earl Grey and Lavender – Florean Fortescues, Universal Studios

Coffee and Cherry Garcia – Ben and Jerry’s, Universal Studios

Stacks Pancake House: A little bit of Hawaii in the OC

April 14, 2015August 26, 20151 Comment

I know you can sympathize with me when I tell you how disappointed I was to miss the employee appreciation breakfast my bosses had put together at the office. Not only did I miss an opportunity for free food but apparently I missed a chance to try what was described to me as ‘the most mouth-watering and delicious pancakes’. My coworker could not stop raving about them. Armed with the need to not feel left out, I was determined to try these pancakes for myself! So one random day my coworker and I were craving breakfast for lunch and decided to hunt down the restaurant where our bosses had ordered breakfast from.

Stacks Pancake House

27680 Marguerite Parkway, Suite C
Mission Viejo, CA 92692

Stacks Pancake House has successfully brought Hawaiian influence to the OC. The Mission Viejo location is in a very unassuming location in the middle of a shopping center, but don’t let the outer appearance deter you. The restaurant layout is a casual counter style where you order and pay first then they bring out your food. I was happily surprised to see the Hawaiian influence carried throughout the menu with items such as loco moco, coconut pineapple pancakes, teriyaki, spam, and coconut syrup. They are well-known for their macadamia nut banana pancakes and captain crunch macadamia nut French toast. The only thing that is missing from the menu is Kona Coffee, which I am very surprised that they don’t offer.

The breakfast that we had that day was fantastic. Since I didn’t have a huge appetite, I opted for what I thought would be a small plate, but, as you can see from the photos, clearly was not. I ordered the eggs florentine and my coworker ordered the eggcellent breakfast, both which came with pancakes. As I’m writing this I’m still savoring their pancakes (light, fluffy, and slightly crispy) and utterly regretting that I didn’t opt to try the macadamia nut banana pancakes. Oh well, at least I have a reason to go back.

Eggcellent Combo – scrambled eggs and bacon.

Blueberry and Coconut Syrup. Delicious!

Short Stack

Florentine Scramble – bacon, spinach, onions, and swiss cheese.

Carson Kitchen: A Hidden Foodie Gem in Downtown Las Vegas

April 4, 2015August 26, 2015Leave a comment

Over the past couple of years, downtown Las Vegas has undergone major revitalization to make it a place of:

“…Inspiration, Entrepreneurial Energy, Creativity, Innovation, Upward Mobility, and Discovery…” – downtown project

The old Las Vegas is becoming new again and lucky for us the restaurants it’s attracting are fun, vibrant, and delicious. This past winter, my friends and I decided to check out the new old Las Vegas. On the hunt for coin machines and lunch we stumbled upon Carson Kitchen, a real hidden foodie gem in the downtown area, just a little shy of Freemont Street. When I say this is a hidden gem, it’s no joke, this place is really hard to find! The address has the restaurant listed on 6th Street, but the entrance is actually found in between 6th and Las Vegas off of E Carson Ave.

Carson Kitchen

124 S 6th St, Las Vegas, NV 89101

http://www.carsonkitchen.com

The place itself gives off a very eclectic hipster vibe. There’s a communal table by the bar, rustic tables, exposed beams, semi-open kitchen, industrial lighting, and a rooftop patio. The plates are on the smaller side, meant to be more tapas style – sharable. Being that I visited the restaurant with a group of guys, it was safe to say that no one was interested in sharing. We did order one appetizer, the Wellington Empanadas, which were flaky and juicy, and then each person ordered their own entrée. The decision among the group was unanimous, everyone absolutely loved their food. The burgers were flavorful and juicy, the pizza crispy and balanced, and the mac and cheese was the perfect comfort food. The only thing missing were the coin slots, but it was nice to catch a little break from all the typical Vegas noise.

Wellington Empanadas – beef tenderloin, duxelles $10

Butter Burger – boursin, cheddar, lettuce, tomato $14

Jerk Turkey Burger – mango chutney slaw $14

Wild Mushroom – asparagus pesto, cabrales bleu $12

Baked Mac & Cheese – $12

9/11 Memorial Museum NYC Visit

March 30, 2015March 31, 2015Leave a comment

The 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York is impactful. The outside grounds and museum evoke emotion and self-reflection as the memorial is set-up as a homage to the lives that were impacted and remembrance of the events that transpired that day. I didn’t know how I would feel about visiting ground zero, but I’m glad I did. I feel that the memorial is tasteful and nothing short of emotional. For the most part, silence is observed by the patrons and photos are not permitted in certain parts of the museum.

9/11 memorial museum

World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan

Here are a few photos I took of the grounds and inside the museum. Admission is free on Tuesdays after 5pm. Please visit their website for directions and more information: http://www.911memorial.org

Freedom Tower

Inside museum

Reflection Pool

5 Unique Travel Finds in NYC

March 25, 2015April 4, 2015Leave a comment

As much as I love doing the classic cheesy touristy stuff when traveling (i.e. Big Red Bus tours), I usually try to find unique things to do that are more off the beaten path. I don’t know why, but researching and finding unique activities makes me feel like I gain better experiences and end up with more exciting stories. Or at least I’d like to think that I do! 🙂

Here is a list of some unique finds in New York that you might want to check out. Let me know if you end up with any crazy stories!

Large Margarita Pizza

Lombardi’s Pizza

32 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

Their claim to fame is being America’s FIRST pizzeria. I don’t know about you, but the historical value alone is reason enough to check them out. So when I decided to stop and eat here, it was a great surprise that not only is this a historic location, but the pizza is very good as well!

FYI, this place is cash only. If you decide to go in and dine, I’d recommend going with a large pizza. It’s only around $3 more than the regular size and it visually looks almost twice the size (great for photo-ops). Besides, who doesn’t love leftovers??

The High Line

Street level access on W 34th st (between 11th and 12th ave) midtown west

The High Line is a historic elevated freight rail turned public park. Walking this trail offers a unique birds eye view and immerses you into the city as the trail runs through the center of blocks in between buildings. There are various art installations, wall murals, and look-out points along the way, so you don’t forget your camera! The trail runs from West 34th Street in Midtown to Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District, between 10th and 12th Avenues.

Famous apartments

Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment – 64 Perry St, New york, NY 10014

friends Apartment building – 90 Bedford St, New York, NY 10014

Both apartment buildings are conveniently located within walking distance of one another in the Greenwich Village. It’s fun to go hunt for these buildings during the day since there are many little shops and restaurants to see in the area. Carrie’s apartment in the show is located on the third floor of the building. Visitors are able to take photos outside of the property but, since it is a private residence, the stairs are chained off. The Friend’s apartment building is located on the corner of Bedford and Grove St. This is the building where Monica and Joey’s apartments are located. Unfortunately, Central Perk does not exist, but there is a cute little restaurant located in its place.

Cake Decorating Classes at Carlo’s Bake Shop

631 Grove Street, Jersey City, NJ 07030

I stumbled upon this class though Groupon and I’m so glad I did because it was one of the best experiences I had on my trip. The class focused on the basics of working with fondant. It was fun, simple, and not at all overwhelming. Before the class you get to take a mini-tour of the warehouse and at the end you get to take home your apron and cake. I flew home the next day and was able to take the cake with me as a carry-on item. Classes are held at various locations throughout New Jersey, with the Lakawana location being closest to Manhattan.

Fishs Eddy

889 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

If you are looking for fun kitschy souvenirs, I’d recommended checking out Fishs Eddy, an Americana themed kitchenware and gift store. You may be wondering why you would purchase kitchenware as a souvenir (which is the same thing I asked myself when my friend dragged me in there), BUT you’d be surprised with the unique New York/Brooklyn themed finds that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum gift shop actually carries Fishs Eddy items, so just cut the middle man and go directly to the store. I purchased the cutest miniature Statue of Liberty (about 2 inches tall) and my friend fell in love with a Ruth Ginsburg mug. Other fun items for sale include New York/Brooklyn themed tote bags, dish towels, trays, shot glasses, coasters, etc. Go in and have a look. It’s at least a cute location to window shop.