We’re fans of the TV show The Amazing Race, the show where contestants race all over the world solving puzzles and doing stunts to win prizes.  Nicole decided she wanted to try something similar and signed us up for The Amazing Los Angeles Race.  Same concept except this race is based right here in LA.  We picked a couple team mates based on their skills and their potential for victory.  We were in it to win it!

We enlisted Kelvin — a math major — for his numerical-analytical-puzzle-solving skills, and Margaret for her native-Angeleno-ness.  We know LA well but we’re transplants and figured we might need someone with a bit more LA experience.

After picking up some “designer” shirts from The Alley in LA’s fashion district we named our team: The Autobots.

I can summarize our LA Race experience by saying we had an absolute great time!  I’m not going to reveal any details (can’t make it easy for you if you try!) but I will say that I enjoyed seeing parts of LA that I hadn’t before and getting a new appreciation for our public transportation system.

We worked hard to solve our puzzles and even broke out sweating as we dashed from one location to the next.  The other teams put up a good fight….but we came out on top.  AUTOBOTS FOR THE WIN!!!!!

Autobots for the win!

During the awards ceremony (ha!), we toasted with beers provided by the folks who put on the race.  Then we headed out for our own celebratory feast.  We ended up at The Original Thai Barbecue in Culver City, one of Nicole’s favorite places to get Thai food.

Margaret scored the Crispy Turkey, a fried turkey leg served with a sweet sauce.

Crispy Turkey

Kelvin went for the Shrimp Pad Thai, a classic noodle dish with shrimp grilled to perfection.

Shrimp Pad Thai

Nicole shunned all untensils and went for the Thai BBQ Ribs.  Finger licking good!

Thai BBQ Ribs

I went for the signature dish, the Thai BBQ chicken.  I try to get other dishes at Thai BBQ but always come back to this well seasoned and nicely cooked quarter chicken served with fried rice.

Thai BBQ Chicken

At the end of our meal we were completely satisfied.  Our bellies were full and our championship egos were bigger than the Staples Center*.  It was a great birthday celebration for Nicole!

The Amazing LA Race

http://www.amazinglarace.com

You can also get discount tickets from Gold Star!

The Orginal Thai Barbeque
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-original-thai-bbq-restaurant-culver-city

10036 Venice Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 559-9711

* Not a clue for the race! LOL

So whether you’re getting up at 6 AM this Friday to watch Brazil play Portugal, or catching up with the late-night replays on Sports Center, there are many places to watch the game and experience some Wolrd Cup cuisine.  Some of the places are partnering with the LA Galaxy to put on viewing parties* with give aways (event tickets and genuine world cup soccer balls!) and apperances by Miss LA Galaxy.  Be sure to bring your vuvuzela!

I suggest starting in Pasadena and working your way south.  You’ve got until July 11!

World Cup Street Food at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena
http://pasadena.langhamhotels.com/restaurants/dining_special_offers.htm#world_cup
1401 South Oak Knoll Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

LA "Dirty Dog" mini Kobe hot dogs...topped with bacon!

• On-going specials through out the tournament including chances for freebies.
• They didn’t pick sides at The Bar in the Langham Hotel of Pasadena.  Instead, they picked the best street foods from several of the participating countries and re-created them with a gourmet spin. They’ve made dishes from South Africa (semi-sweet millet puffs shaped like soccer balls), England (fish & chips fried in duck fat), and my favorite from USA: LA “dirty dogs” — kobe beef hot dogs on pretzel buns w/ Bacon, sweet peppers & onions. Different teams and their foods will be featured each week of the tournament. They’re also giving away some of their items for free. Check their website and follow @LanghamPasadena on twitter for details.

Ye Olde King’s Head British Pub
http://www.yeoldekingshead.com
116 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401

• LA Galaxy viewing party on Thursday, June 24; Saturday, July 3; and quarter-finals on Wednesday, July 7
• Get your “England” jerseys out and order a pint at Ye Olde King’s Head in Santa Monica.  They have enough draft beers on tap to keep you unthirtsy for an entire football match and then some.  In traditional pub-fare fashion, the eats are also covered nicely.  Go for the sampler platter.  With a taste of just about everything on the pub fare menu, you’ll have enough to share with the rest of the crowd…or plenty for yourself!

OB’s Pub and Grill
http://obsmb.com/
3610 Highland Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

• LA Galaxy viewing party on Friday, 6/25; Saturday, 6/26; Tuesday, 6/29; and quarter-finals on Friday, 7/2
• Right here in the South Bay, OB’s get’s the prize for being open as early as needed for all of your World Cup viewing.  On their website they say, “Come in for every game, no matter how early or late.”  If you’re there at the butt crack of dawn, wake up with a cup of coffee and the Pork Chops & Eggs — two chops served with 3 eggs and a choice of sides. In late? Stay up with a beer and OB’s Meatloaf, served with mashed potatoes, gravy, and steamed veggies .

Alpine Village
http://www.alpinevillagecenter.com/
833 W. Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90502

• LA Galaxy viewing party on Sunday, 6/27; Saturday, 7/3; and semi-finals on Wednesday, 7/7
• Another South Bay spot, Alpine Village will be showing all of the German matches…as well as those of the USA.  They’ll have beer specials and more men in  lederhosen than you can count!

K.C. Branaghan’s
http://www.kcbranaghans.com
5734 East 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90803

• LA Galaxy viewing party on Thursday, 6/24; Monday, 6/28; Tuesday, 6/29; and semi-finals on Tuesday, 7/6
• You’ll need lots of enery to cheer your team on at 7 AM.  That means eating a breakfast that will stick with your for 90+ minutes of fast paced football action.  At K.C. Branaghan’s, you can get a breakfast that’s bigger than an Irishman’s heart! Their traditional Irish breakfast is served with eggs, banger, sausage, bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and soda bread.

The final match of the World Cup takes place on Sunday, July 11 at 11:30 AM.  Where will you be watching it?

*http://www.lagalaxy.com/worldcupviewingparties

(Photo courtesy of the Langham Hotel.  I took some, but mine turned out crappy! )

Annalise, center, poses with some of the product reps.

On Saturday, June 5, I ventured down to San Diego to attend the Second Annual San Diego Spirits Festival at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel’s Waterfront Park. The festival consisted of many different vendors featuring a variety of spirits including vodka, rum, scotch, tequila, and other miscellaneous types. It was a beautiful day for the festival and the Hilton Bayfront Hotel was a wonderful venue for it.

Pinky Vodka's Pinky Swear

I started off the day with a Pinky Swear from Pinky Vodka which was a mix of orange and cranberry juice, club soda, fresh lime juice and Pinky Vodka. It was a very refreshing drink and a great example of how the vodka mixes well with fruits to bring out the botanical flavors that make Pinky Vodka unique. This was my first time trying Pinky Vodka and I can say that I will be having some more of it! It has such a unique taste and makes a great mixed drink.

My next stop was the Midori booth where I tried the Midori Summer Refresher created by Cent’ Anni Cocktails. It was a mix of Midori, Sky Vodka, Skyy Ginger, pineapple, lemon, basil, and peppermint oil. This was a uniquely flavored drink, but probably my least favorite of the day. It didn’t have as much flavor as a lot of the other drinks that were showcased throughout the day.

I was able to try out a few more vodkas during the day, Svedka Vodka and 2nite Vodka. Of the two, Svedka was my favorite, as they have many four different flavors: Original, Clementine, Citron, and Cherry. We tried the cherry mixed with some Hansen’s lemonade and it made a great cherry lemonade drink. On a hot summer day, this would be a great drink to make; it was refreshing and light!

The Svedka Line Up: (from left to right) Original, Clementine, Citron, and Cherry.

The most unique booth at the festival I feel featured scotch and chocolate pairings, put on by the minds behind Sip Smoke Savor. Their web site focuses on pairings of scotch, chocolate, and cigars; they only featured the first two at the festival.

Now, I am not a scotch drinker, but I do love chocolate, so I wanted to see how these two paired. We were able to try two different scotches with two different chocolates and my favorite was by far the smoky scotch paired with the chipotle flavored chocolate. They were both very unique in flavor yet paired very nicely with each other. If you are a scotch drinker, I would highly recommend this site for their articles on how to pair scotches with chocolates and cigars.

Agwa Coca Leaf Liqueur

There were lots of different booths that I stopped by but the last one, and my favorite, was the Agwa Coca Leaf Liqueur. A versatile liqueur, it can be used to make almost any kind of drink that you want. It is made of the coca leaf and has a flavor that makes a great mixer. I was able to try it three different ways: as a shot, in a traditional mojito, and in a berry mojito. The two mojitos tasted great with the Agwa in them. They also had margaritas, bloody Mary’s and other drinks with Agwa mixed in.

Overall, the day was a great success filled with good people, drinks and food. All of the vendors were informational and I enjoyed hearing about all of the different spirits and how they were unique in their own way. I’m excited to try some of the spirits at home and make my own drinks for the summer!

Agwa Coca Leaf Liqueur takes "Best in Show".

The four day event runs from Wednesday June 2 to Saturday June 5 and combines food, fashion, and the beverages that bring everything together.  Follow this link to the event home page to purchase tickets and get complete details on the parties, fashion shows, and Saturday’s Grand Tasting.

The culminating event on Saturday features bar tender competitions and unlimited tastes of many popular and unique liquors and beverages.  General admission to the Grand Tasting is $50.

Thankfully, the Spirits Festival is not just about yummy mixed drinks.  Each night is capped off with a party where a $10 donation covers admission, hosted bars, and donations to charitable organizations including the San Diego Junior League.

This is one event that is definitely worth the road trip.  If you’re not spending the night, make sure you take a DD!

San Diego Spirits Festival

http://www.sandiegospiritsfestival.com/

The Grand Tasting,  Saturday June 5, 1 – 5:30 PM
Hilton San Diego Bayfront
1 Park Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92101

For details and complete list of restaurants, check out this link to Old Pasadena’s Restaurant Week page.  It lists all participating venues along with the special prices and menus for lunch and dinner.  Among the award winning shops participating, you’ll find The Melting Pot, Sushi Roku, and La Grande Orange.

The dining room inside La Grande Orange, Pasadena.

Compared to the other restaurant weeks I’ve covered, Old Pasadena stands out with two distinct features.

First, it runs a full week including the weekend.  Other restaurant weeks might run from Sunday to Friday, leaving out the presumably busy Saturday night.  For folks like me — living and working in the South Bay — a mid-week trip to Pasadena would be tough at best.  I appreciate the option to dine on Saturday and Sunday.

Second, 10% of event proceeds will benefit Union Station Homeless Services.  How cool is that?!  By offering deals to diners, the participating restaurants are using our appetites to bankroll a well deserving community service.  That definitely gets kudos in my book.

Old Pasadena Restaurant Week 2010
Tuesday, June 1 – Tuesday, June 8

http://www.oldpasadena.org/restaurantweek/

http://www.unionstationfoundation.org/

Most of these events are fundraisers that support organizations and efforts focused on children.  Just think:  as you’re enjoying your wine or bidding in a silent auction, you’ll also be doing your part to help our future. Thanks in advance!

Taste of the Nation Orange County; Friday, April 23 (Coming to LA in June)
http://strength.org/orangecounty
The Island Hotel, Palm Garden
690 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660

• General Admission $75 Price at the door is $85.00.
• VIP $125 (early entry, private champagne reception with the chefs, first peek at the silent auction items, and an upgraded swag bag of fabulous treats.) Price at the door is $135.00.

Savor the finest food, spirits and wine with the OC’s hottest chefs and mixologists, who will donate their time and talent to helping end childhood hunger. One hundred percent of ticket sales go to feeding Orange County’s hungry children.

5th Annual Riordan Wine Gala; Saturday, April 24, 6 – 10 PM
http://riordanfundraising.com/gala.html
Beverly Hills Country Club
3084 Motor Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90064

• Standard ticket – $50 – Event Admission
• Premium ticket – $75 – Event Admission, plus complimentary two-week membership to the Beverly Hills Country club, free 1-hour personal training session, and free 30 minute massage

The Gala is an annual charity event that directly benefits the Riordan Scholars Program, which supports college-bound high school students interested in learning more about business and developing leadership skills. You’re invited to join us for an evening with a purpose filled with wine tasting, lively music, interactive entertainment, and a silent auction. All proceeds from the event will go to the Riordan Scholars Program.

Orange County California Wine Festival Grand Finale; Saturday, April 24, 2010 1 – 4 PM
http://www.californiawinefestival.com/eventschedule.html#Danatickets
Doheny State Beach
25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive
Dana Point, CA 92629-2923

• $59 in advance.
• $75 at the gate.
• Limited to 3,000.

Your ticket buys unlimited wine and food sampling!  Hit the grassy, palm-lined Doheny State Beach to experience the quintessential California wine tasting event at our Orange County California Wine Festival grand finale. Indulge in this heady, springtime ‘right of pleasure’ and join the afternoon-long celebration — Unlimited tasting of fine wine & foods, plus sun, sea and music. Sip hundreds of vintage California wines, sample dozens of hot and cold gourmet appetizers, artisan breads and cheeses, fresh cut fruits, and for a change of taste, sample local and regional craft brews too.

Honda For Our Children Food and Wine Festival; Sunday, April 25, 2010, 1:30 – 5 PM
http://www.sandpipers.org/events/focmain.html

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Headquarters
1919 Torrance Boulevard, Torrance

• General admission is $150 prior to event and $175 at the door.

Honda presents the 25th annual For Our Children Food and Wine Festival, partnering with Providence Little Company of Mary Foundation and Sandpipers. The Festival is held at the headquarters of American Honda Motor Co, Inc. in Torrance. Guests will experience incredible gourmet foods and fine wines from over 90 restaurants and wineries. The spectacular silent and live auctions feature unique gift items, sports tickets and memorabilia, dining, entertainment and exciting travel packages. Proceeds benefit Providence Little Company of Mary children’s programs and Sandpipers philanthropic programs.  Their Scholarship Program supports 11 new local high school graduates and 28 continuing students with college scholarships totaling $150,000.

Photo Credit

9 out of 10 Mermaids choose Chaya Venice!

While many restaurants come and go, there are a few that stand the test — and tastes! — of time.  The Chaya chain of restaurants is one that has built its staying power on a reputation of good food and good service.

To celebrate 20 years of business at its Venice location and 10 years of business in San Francisco, Chaya is offering a special 3-course lunch menu for $20.10 at all four restaurant locations (Downtown LA, Venice, Beverly Hills, and San Francisco) through the month of April.

Each restaurant will have its own unique anniversary menu which will change on a weekly basis.  Don’t worry about what you mind find on the menu.  You’ll likely see some of their signature dishes along with a few surprises.

One of the main thing that draws me into the Chaya restaurants — besides the amazing crispy calamari — is the awesome decor.  Each location is unique with its own character and flair.  The Venice location has a stunning dining room and a cozy but spacious bar with whimsical paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

Chaya Venice Interior.

If you’re planning a visit, make your reservations by phone or online at www.thechaya.com or www.opentable.com.

Happy anniversary Chaya!

Chaya Venice

110 Navy Street,
Venice, CA‎
(310) 396-1179‎

Photos courtesy of Chaya.

One of the many delectable samples in the Grand Tasting at the 2009 Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival.

With a stellar line up consisting of a who’s-who of celebrity chefs and winemakers, its easy to see why this event has such a big draw.  In addition to the Grand Tasting event, there will also be wine tastings and cooking classes with celebrity chefs.

Last year, I was fortunate to attend the Lexus Grand Tasting event along with several other Foodbuzz Featured Publishers.  I documented that experience in a series of posts to let everyone know just what a great time I had.

If you’re thinking of going and need some convincing — or you’re already convinced and just want some more info — check out these summaries:

• Location and Setting – Pebble Beach is a beautiful seaside community and this event takes advantage of it in a major way.  Read this post for an overview of the Lexus Grand Tasting event.

• Food and Beverages – Some much to taste, so little time.  I did my best to get around to all of the expert chefs and beverage vendors that were offering samples.  This is a summary of some of the things I tasted.  Of course, the dishes will be different this time but I will venture to say that they will be delicious.  My advice: if you go to the Grand Tasting, go hungry!

• Wrapping it Up – An event of this magnitude requires some reflection.  Even though the Grand Tasting was one event that was just a few hours long, the impression it left was tremendous.  This post takes a look back with some video and more pictures. Bah! The videos are not working!

Oh, here’s one more thing to help you make up your mind:  Foodbuzz is offering a 15% discount on tickets to ALL events during the festival.  Follow this link to buy your tickets and the 15% discount will already be applied.

Unfortunately, I won’t be attending the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival this year.  I hope you go, though, and have a great time in Pebble Beach.  Cheers!

I had a great time at Pebble Beach in 2009!

Specifically, I’m talking about the Spicy Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup* featured at The Terrace Restaurant located inside the amazingly posh Langham Hotel in Pasadena.

If you’re a fan of any food that is based on pumpkins or squash, you will be delighted with this soup.  Its sweet, slightly spicy, creamy, light, hearty, sooo satisfying…its everything a soup should be!

Here’s a clue to how good it was.  My girlfriend and I tried the soup as an appetizer to our meal.  When it came time for dessert, she had plenty of options to choose from: cakes, pies, pastries, ice creams, and more.  What did she ask for?  Another bowl of soup!

Chef Loren Lawe, the mastermind behind this delectable dish, created the recipe two years ago for a cooking class. It was such a big hit that he added it to the menu at The Terrace. Since then, people have been raving about it.

Typically pumpkin soup is a seasonal thing. You know, something folks have during the winter months to keep them warm and happy. This soup started as a winter menu item but was so well received that its now on the menu year round.

As for the soup, I highly recommend you take a trip to the Langham to try it out.  Yes, the drive to Pasadena is worth it!  In addition to having a great bowl of soup, you’ll be delighted with the beautiful surroundings of the Langham Hotel.  If you go to the restaurant, ask about complimentary valet parking.

If the idea of driving up the 110 has you bummed out, you do have another option.  You can make this soup at home!  Chef Lawe has been gracious enough to share the recipe for his signature soup.  When you make a batch, let me know.  I’ll be glad to stop by and serve as an official taste tester.

Spicy Pumpkin Butter Squash Soup

4 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, chopped
2 teaspons garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
4 cups chopped pumpkin
2 cups chopped butternut squash
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add the onions and garlic. Cook until softened and then add spices.
2. Add pumpkin, squash, and stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Place soup into a blender and blend until smooth.  Place blended soup back into sauce pan on low heat.
4. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, milk, and cream to the soup.  Check the seasoning; if its too spicy, add more cream to lessen the heat.

Here’s a tip that the recipe doesn’t mention but was featured at the hotel.  Just before you serve the soup, top it with a few toasted sunflower seeds and a dash of lemon or pepper infused olive oil.  The seeds add a nice texture and the oil adds a hot or citrusy zing!

*The soup was provided courtesy of The Terrance Restaurant.

Your cooking is terrible.  The upside?  You could be on TV.

This Saturday, March 27 from 10 AM – 3 PM, Food Network will be interviewing the best of the worst for a new season of the show Worst Cooks in America.

If you think you have what it takes (and I mean that in a bad way), then download an application from www.worstcookscasting.com and head over to Burbank on Saturday.

LA Casting for Wost Cooks In America

www.worstcookscasting.com
Saturday, March 27, 10 AM – 3 PM

LA Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel & Convention Center
2500 N. Hollywood Way
Burbank, CA 91505

Photo credit goes to wallyg.