So It Goes ♡ : Food

Lemonade, Please!

So here on the blog I basically talk about anything and everything but my favorite topic to talk about is FOOOOODDD. Lately, I have been trying to be more health conscious because my health hasn't been all that good. A lot of my friends have talked about Lemonade, which is a typical trendy, healthy type of place, I mean what would you categorize it? LOL.

Anyways I've always seen pictures of the food online and it just looks super appetizing. So I though hey why not. I went to the Lemonade in Toluca Lake, it was on a corner and looked pretty quite but that didn't stop me from going in. They had several selections but my boyfriend and I chose to get the a la carte. ( You basically pick anything from the dishes they provide and pay the price of a scoop of food). I got the Orecchiette Pasta, Mexican Chili Roasted Butternut Squash, Soba Noodles and a a side of poke on the side. My bf got two of the same items as I did and some Roasted Broccoli. He also got a poke, not too sure which one it is but it had coconut in it. We decided to get the truffle mac and cheese ( which is what they are known for besides the lemonade of course) and a roasted turkey BLT.
The lemonade of choice: watermelon rosemary and green tea, something something ( it's not on their online website). And of course a chocolate chip cookie for dessert.

So how was the food you may ask. My personal favorite items were the sandwich, mac and cheese, watermelon rosemary, and the cookie. I think the food was ok but thats because I'm not a huge fan of cold foods or healthy foods at that. Plus, I personally think that each item can really add up fast. The pricing ranges from 2-4 dollars and of course if you get the a la carte menu you pay per item. The poke was ridiculously expensive. As you can see from the picture its a cup of poke for 9 dollars, do you know what I can get for 9 dollars at a damm poke store, a shit load. This meal cost about $69.00 so I think its pretty expensive for "fast food."

I guess overall it was good experience but the hype surrounding this store is unreal. You can get a really good meal at Cheesecake Factory for around the same price. I suppose if you are health conscious or you just want to say you've been to Lemonade ( like me, lol) I would definitely give it a try. Just remember, everyone has different taste buds. What's good to me may not be good to you!

xoxo,

Ann

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, by wcupcake

Food

Everything Oahu

Hey you! First off I would like to thank you for tuning into my blog. I don't blog much so it's great to have an audience here and there lol.

Anyways, this post is going to be a guide to some of the most amazing points of interest the island of Oahu has to offer! I will make this as easy for you as possible because lets just say this is going to be one long post. First, I'm going to mention some of the "must go" food places and then we will get to places that you just have to visit. As I am writing out this post I will also italicize things I think are good to consider. I also have a review of the hotel I stayed at here and I will add a couple pictures I took here and there. So lets get started.

One night I was looking on Expedia.com for trips I could take with my mom. I tend to do this often because sometimes you can find inexpensive trips that usually go for a steep price. I decided either between Bora Bora or Hawaii but was still indecisive. However, as time got closer to the departure date it was going to be more expensive so a good affordable trip for me was Hawaii. I bought my package from Expedia and flight, hotel, and car came in the bundle. I do recommend getting a bundle because it is going to be cheaper than going to the brick & motor.

FLIGHT

The flight I took was Delta and although I've only flew Delta once I don't remember the experience like I did this one. Usually when you fly with company they sit you together on the same row. However, my flight was different. I had the opportunity to pick seats online but there were minimal selections so I thought I would wait and have an agent select it for me. Boy was I wrong. They literally don't care who comes with you they won't sit you next to each other. I notice a lot of people on my flight didn't sit next to the person they came with, which for some reason is just awkward to me. My mother sat in the row behind me for both flights. The seat selection online was also minimal but I'm not too sure how their algorithm works so lets just stop the rant here.

CAR

I rented a car through Expedia as well. The website gave several companies and rates. I ended up choosing Enterprise. I suggest reviewing companies online through Yelp before booking. I wanted to book the cheapest one but read reviews on Yelp and it was not worth it. I paid a little more and got myself THE CUTEST Chevy Spark. ( This was such a great and fuel efficient car). I thought it was a two door at first but this is a four door and is actually more spacious than it looks. I used the car for 4 days and only put $20 dollars to fill it up.

WHERE TO EAT

Here's the part I'm most excited about. THAAA FOOD. I had a huge list of food places I wanted to go within my 5 day stay and I'm happy to say that I went to all of them and more. Yes typical fat foodie lol. Okay so the first day I went to North Shore specifically for one thing SHRIMP.

I've seen so many people rave and rave about Giovanni's Shrimp Truck so I wanted to give it a try on my own. Well folks, I personally don't think its worth the hype. But I'm going to put it on this list as an option.

North Shore

Giovanni's Shrimp Truck: They have 4 main dishes on their menu and a couple other sides. I personally don't think its worth the hype because it didn't live up to my expectation. From reading tons and tons of review on it I thought it was going to be this amazing flavorful dish but it really wasn't. I got their most popular dish which is " Scampi" and " Hot & Spicy" It was OK. I didn't think it was too flavorful but maybe it was just the wrong day. I also ordered Hot & Spicy which for some reason it should be recalled Spicy and Lemony because yeah it was hot but it was overly lemony. I mean overall I think everyone should give it a try because everyone has different taste buds but I asked all my local friends and they also agreed there are better places to get shrimp.
Ono Yo: This yogurt place was across Giovanni's and I'm super excited I went to freshen up my taste buds. They have really good yogurt. You can create your own or pick one of the creations they already have. I got a tropical yogurt they had and I also created one. My mom and aunt both agreed the tropical creation ( I forgot the name) was really good. It contained banana, pineapple, and coconut.
Ted's Bakery:When I walked into Ted's Bakery it was kind of confusing because they only had a few items on displayed and I specifically wanted to get some of their pies but it was no where to be found. However, its actually in refrigerators on the left. They also have food to order. I didn't try it but the pictures on the menu looked really good.
Kahuku Farms: There are fresh fruits for sale on the Kamehameha Hwy. You will see it if you drive along the highway and they have several different fruits packaged in plastic bags for sale. I would go just to take pictures of these Instagram worthy fruits but would not buy because the fruits are literally smooshed into the plastic bags. Can they not. But you need to stop by and have some fried bananas. They are $1 each and they are SO SO SO good.

Wahiawa

Dole Plantation: After visiting North Shore you should stop at the Dole Plantation for some Dole Whip. I've had some the first time I was in Hawaii and I must say it feels like it taste different. This time around I feel like it taste a little more chemically like there are some preservatives in it. Maybe it's just the pineapple strand, who knows. But I think it still taste great.
Wow Wow Lemonade: This Instagram famous place lives up to its name. Have you seen the Aloha Mason jars before? Well here's the place to get them. Often times there are food places that have great marketing campaign but totally taste like shit. Let's be real here we all have experience this. But Wow Wow Lemonade is seriously the BEST lemonade I've tasted. It doesn't taste artificial. I can't explain it but it just taste like how real lemonade should taste like. Please give it a try because you will regret it if you don't. You should also buy a jar with the drink I think it was only $5 extra.

Honolulu

-Leonard's Bakery: We have malasadas in the states too but basically they're just called " donuts." lol. Leonard's is a great place to have these pastries but I do suggest eating them when they are made right then and there. I was so stupid and tried to take some back to the states and boy was it HORRRRIBLE. Things like this are meant to be eaten right away. Sadly I ate only half a malasada and it was just soooooo good.

-Mana Musubi: If you are a spam musubi lover like me I think this place is worth a try. I personally didn't have time to try this place but my friend said it was super authentic and delicious. Plus they always sell out before 11 so I say give it a try. I can't tell you if it's good or not but if they always sell out that says alot!

-Liliha Bakery: I feel like Hawaiians are known for their awesome bakeries. Because this one is another bakery on the list. One word, or two, CREAMPUFFS, yes, go for their cream puffs because they are so delicious. I can't explain the goodness this dessert is. I personally didn't like the coco puff flavor but the matcha flavor was amazing! Their donut croissant was equally as delicious! Highly recommend.

-Sura K.B.B.Q: If you've ever been to Kang Ho-dong Baekjeong in Koreatown in La this is like their sister location. I was craving some KBBQ and wanted to go to this location to see if it was just as good. There are some differences but I mean for some reason it wasn't as good as the one in LA. Nothing can replace that store. TOOOOO BOMB, But if you want to give it a try I say go for it. Their menu is kinda of limited and their side dishes are different.

-ABC Store: Although this is a convenient store it's still a good place to have some spam musubi or packaged lunch. Their musubi isn't all that great but their packaged lunch is quite flavorful and they give good portions for only $7.

-Waiola Shaved Ice: The shaved ice here is unlike any other shaved ice I've been to. I mean I know it's just freaken SHAVED ICE but the texture is super refreshing and just melts in your mouth. Their mochi is also really good.

PLACES TO GO

There are so many places you have to visit when you go to island of Oahu. I recommend stopping at every scenic point you can stop at because each view is different. Here are some of the destinations that stood out to me.

- Lanikai Beach: The crystal clear water here is simply amazing. I didn't know that there was such beautiful waters so close to the states. The water here reminds me of something you would see in Bora Bora or Maldives. Literally crystal clear water. The beach is very shallow so its good for swimming. Parking is a little hard to find but I recommend going towards the end of the beach. It's def and instagram worthy beach, also I would like to note that each beach entrance is different. Some have brick walls some have flowers lining the pathway. Go to all of them because you won't see the same thing. They are all unique in some way.

Ko Olina: Not many people go on the west side of the island therefore Ko Olina is a nice and peaceful place to get away. I believe the disney hotel is located in Ko Olina. It's like a mini Waikiki on the west side but minus the hustle and bustle. Great place to take a walk and just enjoy relaxing views.
Kalakaua Street: Waikiki has different spots and where I stayed was near Ala Moana, which is a good outdoor shopping mall. But theres also more shopping on this street with a larger selection. It's like a las vegas strip for shopping, all types of store ranging from local designers to high end. This is where the night life is.
Tantalus Lookout: This is an under hype destination so keep it on the low low lol jk. If you don't want to hike some of the amazing hiking trails Honolulu has to offer drive up to this lookout and you'll see the entire city. I prefer going at night time because the city lights are just so stunning to look at. You will not regret it. Sometimes its a little hard to find parking but just try to squeeze your way in!
Hanauma Bay: I wasn't too sure if I wanted to add this to the list but its like a must for all tourist. The water was much clearer years ago but its a great place to snorkel. Although you wont see much because it looks muggy. They have snorkel gear for rent which cost $12. Going early is better so you can rent the snorkel gear all day. Another tip I recommend is buying those underwater shoes, not too sure what its called but stepping on the coral aka hard ass rocks, can hurt your feet a lot.
Makapu'u Beach: As I was driving to Lanikai I stopped at this area to take pictures. You can see the peek of a lighthouse and stunning views of the ocean. Theres also two mini islands that you can see. Just a great place to take in the view, see the rocks and the ocean come together. Really beautiful.
Blue Hawaiian: This is not a place but its a helicopter company. I'm a little bit iffy mentioning this one as well but I wanted to throw it in as an option and cover everything in detail. If you've already visited everything on the list that I mention this is not really going to be worth it. They offer a 45 minute tour of the island from a helicopter which cost about $241. Was it worth it? Yes and no. I feel like if I did the helicopter ride the first day of my trip it would be amazing but since I already went around the entire island I felt like I saw it all already. It still provides you with breathtaking views and a really cool water fall that is close off to the public but I still do recommend going on the first day rather than mid trip or last day.

I hope I covered everything and if theres anything you want to know let me know in the comment sections so I can answer! Here's some more picture of my trip. TTYL

Tantalus Lookout

Helicopter view of Hanauma Bay

Pearl Harbor Memorial, would you believe after all these years it's still leaking oil!

The bakery here are poppin'

Dole Plantation

Ko Olina

xoxo, Ann

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, by wcupcake

Food

Everything San Francisco

The bay area has been calling my name for the longest! The last time I went SF was back in May for my sister's graduation. However, this time I knew it was going to be a better trip because I was going with the people I love the most.My mom, aunts and Josh were all on this trip with me and recapping everything, this trip definitely beats all my other trips.

I wanted to go over where we stayed and some cool places to visit while in the bay area. Also give you some traveling tips I've learned throughout the years. Let's get started!

HOTEL

I stayed at the Grand Hyatt Hotel right in the middle of Union Square. If you are looking for a hotel to stay in the city, I highly recommend the Hyatt because it is literally right behind Union Square. The location of this hotel is prime and it is near all the cool locations.

Check In Time: 4:00 PM

Check Out Time: 12:00 PM

As for an overall rating of the hotel I would give it a 4.1/5. Although I stayed for only 2 nights I do have some pros and cons to this hotel (like I always do with everything in life, ugh!) Immediately after you walk in there are a few staff members waiting to check you into your room. We checked in and had requested an extra bed because we had only booked a king. This was when the service started to get flawed. It took about a good 40 minutes for that bed to come; we had to go down and ask the concierge if he actually booked it. Finally after a long wait the extra bed came to our door. The bed itself were SUPER comfortable. Just the way I like my bed. lol. But accommodation was great.

We got access to the Grand Club which was on the 32nd floor. They served breakfast, snacks, finger food and drinks. This was definitely the best part of the hotel. I would always wake up early to go to the club and munch on some smoked salmon. They had a few variety of foods such as muffins, croissants, bagels, eggs, sausages, bacon etc. The view was spectacular, you can see all the stunning points of interest from this floor. If you are wanting to book a room at this hotel I recommend adding the Grand Club access to your bill. So worth it because you can go in any time for drinks and snacks. They open fromm 6 AM to about 9 PM.

PLACES TO EAT

If you know me well you know that I LOVE to eat. I spend most of the time on Yelp just searching for the best places to eat. I have a few favorites every time I go to the Bay area. Some. I a, a die hard fan but some are just worth giving a try.

Gabriel & Daniel's Mexican Grill : I'm not expert on Mexican food but my boyfriend's mom makes the best! However, this comes a close close second! This Mexican grill is located just outside of the bay area in San Mateo County. There are a couple locations but the reason I came across this restaurant was, you guess it, Yelp! I was drawn to the Sour Cream art LOL. I thought " hey why not this looks like a cool place to take pictures " However, the food ended up being SO delicious. It was so flavorful even the guacamole was AHMAZIN!
Sushiritto: I was introduced to this little gem by a blogger friend and every since then I have been HOOKED! I'm sure if you live in the bay area you are used to the long lines and rolled up sushi burritos. Trust me when I say its well worth the wait. My favorite is the Sumo Crunch and the Lava Nachos, yes, you need to get the nachos. But for some reason on this trip the nachos weren't that great. I felt like the tuna wasn't fresh therefore making it less appetizing. But still its worth the try!
Mr. Holmes Bakehouse: The famous " I got baked in San Francisco" sign resides here! If you are a sweet tooth like me you crave a sugar high. But this place will hit the spot. Not only is their store super cute and picture-st but the pastries there are so delicious and not too sugary. Something we can all appreciate. haha

PLACES TO SEE

You can't just stay locked up in a room while visiting San Francisco. There are so many beautiful places to go in the Bay Area, the good thing is, if you love to walk, this is the place to be. Here are some of my favorite places to visit while in San Francisco besides the basic destinations everyone knows.

Kirby Cove: To get a better view of the Golden Gate Bridge I suggest going to this little Cove. You have to drive across the bridge to Marin to get to this place and I kid you not, the view is amazing. You can take cute pictures on the swing and you will not be disappointed.
Sutro Baths: This destination is right along the coast and I like t call it the U.S version of Bondi Icebergs. LOL (of course not as pretty). It's basically a run down saltwater pool. It's right near the beach so it can get a little chili but you can capture some stunning photos here as well!
Greenwich Stairs: I came across this gem by mistake and I am SO glad that I did. While my dad and I drove to fisherman warf and saw these really steep set of stairs and I thought " I need to go see!" I'm so glad I told him to stop because I would never come across these stairs ever again lol. The staircase leads you on a little adventure up to Coit Tower. Along side the staircase there are people's house with magical gardens and just an amazing scenery. You can also see the Oakland Bridge from these stairs and overall it's just a breathtaking view.

TIPS

If you are staying at a hotel, bring your own towel. Even though I stayed at a relatively good hotel I still don't trust those germs that reside in towels. No thank you!
Use a backpack. San Francisco is so congested with people that you never know if there is a pick pocket around you. Also you can store things like water and snacks because you may be walking a lot.
As for the Grand Club Access card. You are given a key card to swipe at the door. They don't ask to see your ID or room number so basically what I did was take my mom and my other aunt in with me. We only had three card keys and there was five of us. So if you have a friend in San Francisco invite them over and have breakfast at the Grand Club.
If you are driving to San Francisco or actually anywhere far I suggest putting a neck pillow and a blanket in your car. Often times it can get really cold or you just may need an occasional nap here or there.
Go to the Chipotle on Keary and Sutter. They hook it up! Never in my life has a chipotle salad been filled up to the cover and a burrito is so big it is almost the size of my face. If you want to get a bang for your buck. This is the place to be.

Hopefully this post helped you with your next trip to the Bay Area. Hope you have fun. Thanks for tuning in. TTYL