Gelato Paradiso - Taste of Italian Heaven in Laguna

Gelato Paradiso
Originally uploaded by greenbeangirl74

A trip to Laguna Beach is not complete until you traverse down the quaint alleyway to Gelato Paradiso.

That's right, there is an actual white-light strewn alley leading you to this sweet lovers paradise. Be transported to another place.

Coming in from the main sidewalk you pass a restaurant and chocolate shop to get to the sweet aroma of freshly-made waffles wafting from the small shop. But don't stop press on towards the gelato, it is worth it.

Made in a time-honored Sicilian way that maximizes flavor, with half the fat and calories of regular ice cream, their web site says! Can it be true? Perhaps, it's from the imported Italian ingredients, they lose calories on the flight over.

That's right, this italian ice-cream chain says that they actually import some of their ingredients straight from Italy to make sure it is done the same way it has been done for centuries. Does it make a difference? I have no idea but it's delicious and the line of people waiting for their tasty treat must agree. Their flavor list is relatively small but you're sure to find something to please you with flavors ranging from chocolate hazelnut, cookies & cream, espresso, dulce de leche, tiramisu to the sorbetos like limone, mango and strawberry.

Now this decadence comes at a price, the medium size (two scoops) will run you about $5. Not as cheap as frozen yogurt but a taste sensation definitely worth the trip. I had lemon sorbeto and italian cream gelato. The sweet and sour were a perfect pair in my mouth. My friend Gina got pistachio and chocolate almond. She was in gelato heaven.

So go tempt your taste buds at Gelato Paradiso.

E Street Cafe a lucky find

E Street Cafe
Originally uploaded by greenbeangirl74

Wrapping up our whirlwind afternoon in Encinitas Nicole and I decided to stop and hydrate up at this cute cafe on the street where our cars were parked, aptly named E Street Cafe.

It is adorable! Warm and cozy with free wifi, Dell workstations for rent, live music at night, delicious pastries and coffee drinks galore. These aren't just your grandma's coffees instead its a specially selected organic, free trade coffee blended and mixed into your favorite drink. Also on hand are a variety of loose leaf teas.

We were there around 1:30 p.m. and the place was busy but not overly crowded. There was also a great mix of people, not just a bunch of loud teenagers. I know that comment makes me sound old, but you know what I'm talking about.

I had an iced coffee that was delicious. They had a bunch of syrups, even in sugar free, to choose from but I went with it straight. Nicole had a Pellegrino and we shared one of the plethora of desserts, a chocolate chip crumb cake. It was great! Prices were about average for a place of its kind.

I know I would definitely go back.

Rutabagorz

One of the great things about California is that there is a restaurant for every ethnicity, taste, creed, variety and style. From Thai to Ethiopian to French to Vegan to Raw to greasy Diner. You can find it all here. Every craze, fad, tradition and culture is represented. Now, not every one will be a favorite and today was one of those for me.

I'm saying up front that this restaurant is not one I would choose on a regular basis. Instead it was chosen by my friend, who is on a strange diet and can only eat like three things. I respect her dietary needs and we went. With that build up, where did we go, Rutabagorz.

Rutaz, as it is affectionately named, bills itself as a healthy alternative. It is mostly a vegetarian restaurant. Lots of sprouts, vegetables and dishes made with bean curd, soy proteins and sweet potatoes. However, I was surprised to note that most things are drenched in melted cheese, but I guess if you're not eating meat or anything fried, melted cheese is necessary for protein and to get it all down.

Now to say something good, the passion fruit ice tea is delicious. It is smooth with hints of fruit that do not overwhelm.

Rutaz is turning 40 this year so every month the three restaurants will be featuring a dip special for only .40. At the Fullerton location, where I was today, it was the black bean hummus. I must say it was AWESOME. I could eat a gallon of that, so good. They also have really amazing pastries and cookies. When you walk in, it's the first thing you see, a giant case of them taunting you and begging to be eaten. Each one is made on site, and you can taste the difference. The restaurant opened serving only homemade soups and cheesecakes in 1970. It was also among the first to capitalize on the coffee trend and serve espressos in a casual environment that wouldn't kick ya out.

I remember the coffee drinks being delicious, from college. Some are even of the alcohol variety and with those delicious pastries, how can you go wrong? You can't.

I had not been to Rutaz since the early 90s and I probably won't add it into heavy rotation. But if you're in for the healthy variety, want a variety of vegetarian cuisine, I highly recommend it. Their salads are ENORMOUS. They are practically served in a giant mixing bowl.

I think I would have been happier if I had gone with the bbq chicken salad instead of the enchiladas verdes. I don't know why I ordered them. There was hint o' chicken and LOTS of cheese. My friend had a highly customized salad of some variety that you couldn't replicate if you tried. But the great thing about Rutaz is that they will do it for you, occasionally with a small up charge.

There are three Orange County locations: Fullerton, Orange and Tustin. Each one is housed in a reconstituted, historic building. No new construction for Rutabagorz (a twist on the vegetable Rutabega). They believe in using what is already here and want you to feel good about what you eat.

Ode to Yogurtland

I have found my new heaven and it is almost healthy.

The other day I met a friend for froyo. Frozen yogurt is the new cupcake. There are a million different places to get it, seriously. There is Pinkberry, Golden Spoon, Cherry on Top and now my new mecca, Yogurtland. It is that good.

To be honest I was hooked when I found out the featured flavor is Red Velvet Cake Batter. OMG! OMG!! Although every flavor is delicious from the Vanilla Cookie Wafer to Coconut, Strawberry, Yuzu Tart, Madagascar Vanilla or Peanut Butter. You can request little sample cups from the cashier and taste to your hearts content. Although they will only give you one or two cups at a time.

Since it is self-serve you can make your own creation unabashedly. I did a base of the vanilla cookie wafer, cheesecake, strawberry and coconut. AH-MAZING!

The other great factor is the topping bar, everything you can think of to put on your frozen yogurt from fresh fruit to candy to crushed graham crackers, oh my.

All of this for .30 an oz. Kid you not! Only .30/oz. This treat is healthier than coffee, I'm sure, and cheaper. I smell a new addiction for me. I have been twice already this week.

So far I have been to the one in Irvine at The Marketplace and the one in Tustin near State College. The one in Irvine is my favorite. Find your nearest location and go!

Cupcake Tour of Los Angeles

Vanilla Bake Shop
Originally uploaded by greenbeangirl74

Cupcakes have made quite the comeback. They are no longer the cake's red-headed stepsister and nor are they relegated to birthday treats for elementary school kids. They are now the romantic lead for bakeries all over the southland.

Perhaps the most famous one is Sprinkles, but it is far from the best. I mean the red velvet are delicious, I can't lie, but I find the other flavors a little dry and lacking in deliciousness. I want to like them but they don't cause any mouthgasms for me.

So Erika consulted Yelp and created a tour schedule for us. Yelpers are very vocal about their cupcakes and that Sprinkles isn't the only sweet spot on the block.

We decided that each place we would try three flavors. The control cupcakes were red velvet and chocolate. The third would be our choice based on the variety offered at each establishment. We were taking our taste testing very seriously. The other essential element was milk.

Our first stop was at the Buttercake Bakery in West Los Angeles on Pico. It is an unassuming storefront along the busy street that you could miss if you weren't looking for it. This place is not suited for loitering, there is little room for sitting. Definitely for take out.

Buttercake has three standard flavors: chocolate, red velvet and buttercream. The variance is the frosting available in seven flavors from cream cheese to cookies-n-cream. Each cupcake is $2.25.

The cupcakes themselves are non-descript. They look like something I would make at home. Nothing special. Not grand. Not ostentacious at all.

On the red velvet the cream cheese frosting was great. Very creamy and flavorful. The cake however was dry as a bone. I went through a pint of milk to wash it all down. The buttercream was ok, frosting a bit too sweet. The chocolate was my least favorite frosting and cake just not that chocolatey or memorable. We decided this was a good baseline for our tour. Also to be fair I've heard that the lemon bars and carrot cake are their real forte.

Next stop was Yummy Cupcakes in Santa Monica on Wilshire. Now this place is obviously dedicated to cupcakes. They don't dabble in anything else. The menu is expansive with daily flavors (198 on the menu, though all not available everyday) and even 45 vegan offerings. Every cupcake comes in three sizes, the mini, classic and jumbo ranging in price from $1.35 to $2.75 and $4. The minis and jumbos are generally special order, but a few on hand everyday.

Cupcake flavors at Yummys are quite unique - apple martini, arnold palmer, buttered popcorn, chocolate chili, cosmopolitan and figgy pudding. We arrived late in the day and many of the fun flavors were sold out, so we stuck to the plan.

Knowing we had another stop we decided to cut the cupcakes in half this time and take some home. There are so many choices we stood and stared at the board for a while. The staff was helpful, made great suggestions and didn't mind that it took us a while to order. Great customer service. My third choice this time was an almond joy, my favorite candy bar.

I have to say, every cupcake was pretty good. The cake was moist. The frosting was creamy, rich and abundant. I think the frosting was at least 3/4" high on each cupcake. Even the classic size is quite generous. These cakes should be shared and eaten slowly over time. They are decadent indeed. I loved all of them. Be sure to check the web site to see what's available on the day you go. This is a perfect stop when you're in Santa Monica.

Our third and final stop was the Vanilla Bake Shop, down the street on Wilshire in Santa Monica. This is an upscale, classy bakery with really cute packaging and decor. You feel like you're in a French pastry shop. It's very cute.

At this point I was in a near sugar coma. I really should have eaten lunch before we started this venture. I was on serious overload. My sweet tastebuds were shorting out. We stopped to drink some water and milk to try and cleanse the palette. We also opted for minis to share.

The cupcakes were good. Not as rich as Yummy's but still good and the shop was so adorable it made for a great experience. We enjoyed sitting there tasting and talking. The eat-in area is small but not cramped. Each table has a flower and the shop is so cute you can't help but love it.

Overall I would say that Yummy's was my favorite but Vanilla Bake Shop ranks up there as well. Really three very different experiences, all depends on what you're in the mood for.

Huntington Gardens

One of my favorite places to visit in all of Southern California is The Huntington Library and Gardens. I have been at least 100 times over the years, if not more, and am amazed every time.

Driving down Allen Ave from the 210 you enter the grounds through a massive black, elaborate gate, greeted by a friendly security guard and with a wave of his hand granted entrance to the massive 600-acre estate full of every kind of flower, climate, tree, and herb. It is a true urban escape. You forget that you're 30 minutes from LA. You can pretend you're an honored guest of the Huntington's as you wander over their expansive lawn, read in a secluded cluster of trees on a hidden bench or let your kids run free.

Incredibly beautiful, peaceful and serene this former estate of Henry and Isabella Huntington was built to focus on their massive art, books and landscaping passions. Gardens include: Rose, Japanese, Chinese, Camellia, Shakespeare, Childrens, Jungle and Palm. Click here to see what's in bloom.

There are continual exhibits, rotating collections and perennial favorites on display in one of the several on-site galleries including the Huntington Art Gallery, Virginia Steele Scott Gallery, and Boone Gallery. Favorite events every year is the Shakespeare Festival, Plant Sales, Flower Shows, and countless lectures to enrich your historical, horticultural brain.

One of my most favorite things is having tea in this beautiful setting. A buffet approach, this is a great way to start or cap off your trip to the gardens. It's a bit pricey, $24.95 plus the cost of admission. It is worth the treat! The tea is competitively price for tea in the Pasadena area.

You can visit the gardens for free on the first Thursday of the month, with prior reservation. Otherwise, as of 2010, it costs $15 M-Th and $20 on weekends. Members always get in for free. It is so worth it!

Disney Soda Fountain

No trip to the El Capitan is complete without dessert at the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store located next door.

It was was an old-fashioned parlor experience with quintessential Disney friendliness. The menu has a plethora of sundaes, malts, shakes, freezes, floats, and cones served with a variety of syrups, sauces and toppings. All made with homemade ice cream brought in once a week from Dewars in Bakersfield. It is creamy, rich and delicious. It reminds me of what ice cream should be - no ice or skim milk.

I had the hot fudge sundae with walnuts. It was delicious. You know the ice cream was quality because it didn't melt under the weight and heat of the hot fudge. It stayed cold throughout.

Janine had the enchanted sundae. A mixture of strawberry ice cream and marshmellow creme. She loved it. Fernanda had a cookies-n-cream shake. The serving was gigantic. There was enough there for two. Colleen had a rootbeer float. They serve the ice cream on the handle of the frosty cold glass so that it gradually drips into your drink. She said it was fantastic.

The menu also includes sandwiches, salads and waffles if you need a light lunch or dinner. I would go for the ice cream though. It is soooo worth it.

6834 Hollywood Blvd.Hollywood, CA 90028 Phone: 323-939-9024 Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Blue Bayou

Tina, Janine, Lisa and I took advantage of our Disneyland passes and headed into the park to lunch at the Blue Bayou, inside the Pirates of the Carribean attraction in New Orleans Square.

I was afraid we were going to be distracted by those screamers, music and general noise from the ride but honestly I didn't hear anything. The ambiance was great. Dimly lit with overhanging lanterns it is cozy.

They are famous for their Monte Cristo sandwiches and au gratin potatoes. So that's what Tina and I ordered. Janine had the Jambalaya. Lisa ordered the pork chops. Average entree price for lunch is $21 - 32 dollars. Although many told us the food was just okay.

I hated my entree. It a deep-fried sandwich that had little to no meat on it. It was all dough and very dry. I guess that's why you're supposed to use the jelly, but I don't like ham and jelly. It was odd.

Janine didn't like hers either. The jambalaya had undercooked rice and was too spicy for her, even though she asked if it was mild when she ordered it. We were going to suffer through it until our waitress came to the table and asked us how our meal was. We all looked down at our plates. Should I say something? Should I not? So I eeked out, "the potatoes are great."

Everyone laughed. Then she asked, "Do you want something else? We're happy to exchange it for you." So we did. I ordered the tesoro chicken and Janine had the Mahi Mahi. We were much happier with our second choices.

Desserts on the other hand were extraordinary. We figured we were already spending a ridiculous amount of money to eat there we might as well have dessert. Lisa and I shared a Flying Dutchman Cookie Boat. Tina and Janine had the creme brulee trio. Our waitress kindly pointed out that both the treasure chest for the creme brulee and the mast on our ship were edible. But as Tina point out, "Just because its edible it doesn't make it good." Stick to the chocolate for sure.

Overall a delightful experience with very fun people. The service was excellent. I don't think I feel the need to go again, but if I did I'd just have an appetizer and some dessert. And if you have an annual pass don't forget to show it - you get a discount.