At the Griffith Observatory


And so on Sunday my little sister, two of her daughters, and I headed towards Griffith Park in Los Angeles to re-visit the Griffith Observatory, a place that we had not visited in over 30 years. My sister told me that she is really liking visiting these places and that she enjoys when I go cause we to spend so much time together.

Oh yes, we did have a long walk up the hill.

Now for those of you that never been there, the observatory is not only free to the public but it's actually a must visit place. Not only do you learn about our solar system and our stars but you also experience a close encounter with nature. The observatory sits on top of the hill and from it you can see the Los Angeles skyline, Hollywood and if you really open your eyes you also see the ocean.

And of course we had to have the famous Hollywood sign behind us.

Her turn. We thought the Hollywood sign wouldn't even show but it did.

The telescope.

My nieces stealing my show.

I was lucky enough to be there when the sun was setting down and you know how much I love sunsets. Give it a few minutes and then you see the city on a whole different level as it comes alive with millions of lights.

L.A. sunset.

We left and headed towards the car which we had to park a good mile down the hill as the parking lots were all full and still hundreds of people were heading up with little lanterns in hand just to see where they were stepping. The observatory closes late but even if you don't go inside just viewing the city from the parking lots is totally worth the trip.

This is what you can see from the top of the hill.

By this time hunger had already set in and I suggested (please don't be surprised) to go eat tacos. We were going to find a restaurant in Los Angeles but my niece, the one that stayed behind said she would meet us so we decided to go back to West Covina and ate at the now famous (at least through my tales) Rambo's Tacos. For me if I don't go to Rambo's at least once while in that area I'll come back feeling like something was missing.


Ummm que rico!

I really, really, really enjoyed my time there with my sister and my nieces. They always go out of their way to make me feel welcome and to bribe me to come back soon. We cram so much in just a few hours but then again that's what vacationing is all about.

Have a few minutes the follow this link, my sister puts out these really nice slide shows and this one pretty much has the whole weekend in it.

CLICK HERE!
Thanks to my California familia for the great time and I'll see some of you soon.

Weekend in Cali. Part III


Saturday morning was pretty nice. I got picked up by my lovely niece and she took me to the closest Mimi's Cafe for breakfast. This particular one was in the City of Whittier. It was cloudy when we left but by the time we got a table and were sitting down it started pouring outside. If you never been to a Mimi's Cafe make an effort to go. Not only the food has always been great every time I've been there but the ambiance is wonderful.

Isn't she lovely?

We spent a couple of hours there and then we headed back to my sister's. I then decided to go visit my brother in law and his family. I called and he said he would only be there for another ten minutes and then he was going to Sacramento to do a job. So I booked it and got there just in time to say goodbye.

I had promised my niece that the next time I went there I would take her out so after picking her up from a job interview we started the hard task of deciding on where to go. Half an hour later and we still had no planned destination so I suggested to call my niece again the one that took me out for breakfast for suggestions. She immediately said just go to Downtown Disney. Ha, that was easy.

We decided on a quick stop to my sister's to pick up her camera and while there also invited yet another niece of mine. First she said no as she was catching up with homework and stuff but fortunately decided to go with us. So half an hour later she was ready and we were on our way.


My dates and I arriving at Downtonw Disney.

It had been over 30 years since I last was in the Disney area so I thought that was the perfect place for us to go. We were all hungry so the first stop was for food. We went to the Rainforest Cafe and what a good decision that was, this place was fun and the food was good.


Food time!

Back at my sister's it was a sort of take it easy night. We decided to just watch movies and upload all the images we had on the camera to the computer.



They love me, they really love me!

Popover Mania

The first time I had a popover, I remember wondering what kind of magical ingredients could make a breadform so airy and light… Was it yeast? Fairy dust? Unicorn tears?

Turns out, it’s none of the above. Even though popovers might taste like little pillows of heaven, they’re actually quite earthly to make. So easy, in fact, that I’ve been wearing out my new popover pan with a steamy batch almost daily. Yes, my popover obsession is both otherworldly and out of hand. And while I like to savor them, I’m not ruling out a game of Chubby Bunny this Thanksgiving either. Mmmm!


Below is my family’s tried-and-true recipe for popovers, the one I keep coming back to... my golden standard. And as friends have suggested, I’ve also been kicking this basic version up by adding chopped nuts, a pat of soft cheese, or a dollop of strawberry jam to each batter’d cup.

In our world of excess, it’s nice to find a recipe that’s as simple as it is scrumptious. But that doesn’t mean I don’t overindulge in the bad boys below. Happy Turkey Day!

CLASSIC POPOVERS
2 large eggs
1 cup milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour (bread flour works best)
1/8 cup sugar (or less)

Preheat oven to 450. Beat egg, then add milk, melted butter, salt, flour, and sugar. Mix until smooth and well combined. Place popover pan (or muffin tin) in oven to heat for five minutes. Remove pan, spray with cooking spray, and fill cups about 1/2 to 2/3 with batter. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake until popovers are puffed and golden, 15-20 minutes more. Do not open oven door during baking or popovers may fall. Finally, remove popovers and use a knife to knock a small slit in the top of each popover to vent the steam. Return to oven and bake for 5-10 minutes more until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve hot. Makes 6 classic popovers, or 12 using a muffin tin.

NOTES: 1) I've taken to making the batter right in my large mixing cup, which makes for easy pouring into the pan. 2) Last night I tried using a muffin tin; the popovers cooked much faster and weren't quite as airy. Cook be that I overcooked them a bit, though.

Weekend in Cali... Part II



Friday was spent mostly at my sister's house because she had a job interview (pray she gets the job) so I did a little blogging and rested from the night before. When she finally came back we got ready and left for the City of Monrovia where every Friday night on Myrtle street they have a fair and many vendors sell their products. The restaurants are plenty busy and many of them with live entertainment, from a single guy playing his guitar to a full four and five member band.

The Heart of the Community

Monrovia's Old Town is the heart of the community.

It's where Monrovia began. It's where Monrovia gathers today for civic events, for parades and for the Family Festival street fair and farmer's market...

Every Friday night, from March through to Christmas, thousands of residents and visitors alike mingle at the largest street fair of its kind in the state, with craft and food booths, kiddie rides, a certified farmer's market, live music and more.

Old Town is where the entire region comes for shopping, dining and entertainment in a unique atmosphere.

Myrtle Avenue's shops and restaurants, it's 12-screen movie palace and its small-town ambiance, combined with plenty of free parking, draw shoppers and diners alike. But small businesses thrive above the shops as well, and people live in condos and flats within Old Town, making it a living community, a safe and people-friendly neighborhood.


It was easy to spend some time there and it would have been easier to spend some money too if I had taken any. So many un-needed that I would like to have just for the heck of having them. Yep! Smartest thing to do when you go to places like this is to unload yourself of money before you go. Je, je, je, that could also be called being cheap.



















Lions and tigers and Joe Cools oh my! We came to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Monrovia

As usual the picture snapping was more than enough for me, and with the night being a bit on the cold side it felt good walking around with the jacket zipped all the way up.



















Coolest hats/scarfs if you ask me.

My tocayo Fidel and I.



Scenes from Myrtle street's fair.

A couple of hours later we headed towards The City of Commerce where we met Lucio, Rafa, and the rest of Chely's gang at the restaurant Casa Cabral for some more karaoke. The night went pretty good and as always we had a blast but note to self, DO NOT share your tequila with your light weight sister, enough said. :)

Be smart, just say NO!

Lucio.

Rafa.

Chely y Ana.

My little sister and I.

For the second night in a row we stayed up late or should I say early as we finally came back to my sister's house at 3:00 a.m. in the morning.

Local Holiday Gift Guide

As December approaches, we’re often tasked with finding the perfect holiday or hostess gift. Below is a list of gift ideas that support our fabulous local Houston-area food community. I’ve broken them up into five groups: gifts that give back, ideas for the food lover, cookbooks to catch, drink suggestions, and creative local favorites that just didn’t fit anywhere else. Enjoy!

GIFTS WITH A CONSCIENCE
The Center is a wonderfully inspiring nonprofit that serves Houstonians with mental retardation. Why not gift some of their famous gingersnaps or cheesesnaps for the holidays? Both offerings come in gorgeous tins, no gift wrap required. Similarly, the Brookwood Community for adults with special needs sells fabulous salad dressings, roasted pecans, and jalapeno jelly. All items are wonderful and keep well in the fridge or freezer. Katz Coffee features three flagship cause coffees: Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Friends of Enchanted Rock, and Austin’s Bat Conservation International. Each organization has its own specialty beans, and 50 cents of every pound sold goes directly to that charity. Need something longer lasting? Urban Harvest sells fantastic “I Dig Houston” shirts at its Eastside, Discovery Green, and City Hall farmers’ markets for $15, with proceeds benefiting the gardening community. Or try a donation to the Houston Food Bank. A special card lets them know that a donation was made in their names, and you can tell them the part about how $1 in the hands of the Houston Food Bank can provide a full day of meals for someone in need. HFB also sells coffee mugs, tote bags, and cute holiday ornaments made in the HFB youth programs.


FOOD LOVERS
It’s super fun to troll the farmers’ markets for various things to give to family and friends. How about some of the fantastically earthy olive oil from the Texas Hill Country Olive Company? You could pair it with a fresh baguette from Slow Dough or Angela’s Oven and a hunk of local cheese from the Houston Dairymaids. On the other hand, you could also offer some homemade granola with a tub of creamy goat’s milk yogurt from Swede Farm and some delicious local honey from Bee Wilde. You could always pack up some cured meats from Chris Shepherd at Catalan. Some people might *love* the Gluten-Free Holiday Kit from Gluten Free Houston. Or if you really need to wow ‘em, try a ready-to-bake cheese soufflĂ© from Elizabeth Swift. They are? To. Die. For.


COOKBOOK CONNOISSEURS
We’re Houston proud of our local cookbook celebs... Among Robb Walsh’s hometown collection, Sex, Death, & Oysters is pretty much a must-have. Or if you’re thinking of something a little more ethnic, Indo-Houstonian Shubhra Ramineni’s Entice with Spice offers dozens of fantastic Indian-inspired recipes with stunning photos and detailed explanations. Shubhra’s subtitle is “Easy Indian Recipes for Busy People,” and she takes great care to create accessible recipes without compromising the distinct flavors. My old standbys are the Junior League of Houston cookbooks, which offer fabulous meal ideas while giving a little something back to the Houston community (a portion of the books’ proceeds goes to Texas Children’s Hospital). If a magazine’s more your style, My Table has a holiday special: Buy one subscription at regular price ($24 for a one-year subscription of six issues) and get unlimited gift subscriptions at half-off.


SWEET THANGS
Give your friends a trip down Memory Lane with a bag of Fluffernutters from the Fluff Bake Bar. Need more variety? You could also give the super cute cookies from Paulie’s, the gorgeous macarons from Maison-Burdisso, or the sensational cupcakes from Jodycakes. Want something more versatile? Then perhaps a few cinnamon rolls from Sinfull Bakery. If all else fails, a gift card to Hank’s ice cream just might do the trick. Maybe you can get them to sell ya a pint of peppermint!


BEVERAGE IDEAS
For the beer enthusiast, give a grab bag of local brews from St. Arnold’s and Southern Star. St. Arnold’s even offers a super duper Christmas Ale. Plenty of other labels have seasonal offerings, too -- they’re just not brewed right here in your backyard. Tito’s Vodka and Deep Eddy sweet tea vodka are from right up the street in Austin. Or if you’re looking for something a little more tame, try Mexican hot chocolate mix from El Bolillo or a gift card to a local coffee shop, like Antidote or Catalina.


CITY FAVORITES
Howsabout a tshirt from our local favorite burger chain? Customize your Whataburger shirt the same way you customize your burger. Tamales always make great gifts, and Berryhill sells thousands of them over the holidays. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s only, they’ve got the fabulous turkey tamales. Go get ‘em! For something a little more “little guy” local, you could gift a holiday burger challenge: gift cards to local burger shops Hubcap Grill, the Burger Guys, Becks Prime, and more. Include handmade score cards so you can determine the true Burger King for yourself. Or more creatively, give an herb garden starter kit with planters or seeds from Buchanan’s Native Plants.


Got any more local gift ideas? Let me know, and I’ll add ‘em to the list!

Weekend in Cali... Part I

But... Can I rest first?


My little sister and I.

So I am driving down I-10 with the cruise control set at 82 mph and I see some lights approaching fast, I expected a fast European or similar car to pass me instead a freaking Yaris passes me doing like 90 something miles per hour.

Still on the same highway, a different set of lights approach fast, this time it has got to be a Beemer, or Mercedes cause it's coming fast and then, a beat up first generation Chrysler mini van passes me doing nearly a hundred miles per hour, what the heck? Fools starting to make me feel like the slow poke of the road. So on a WTF kindda moment I disengaged the cruise control and just lightly tapped on that gas pedal under my foot and in no time my pony was for the first time seeing the road blur pass it. Yep, it is decidedly fast. Needless to say I left Phoenix at 15 minutes to 5:00 pm and got to La Puente at 9:00 pm, but don't panic I did not become the speed racer of the road, its just that California is an hour behind us.

Almost two hours away from my destination I get a phone call, it's my sister asking where I am? "I just passed Morongo" I told her. Hurry up cause Lucio just called and we are going out. So I got to La Puente and my niece was already waiting for me with a coffee (well almost) and after like a whole minute rest and a dog massage we were ready to hit the town.

When in need of a massage I even hire the dog to do it.

A car honked and we knew our ride was here, the horn had that European sound to it and sure enough a nice shinny white Jaguar S-type was parked in front of my sister's house. Oh wow, "You had me at hello". No I would not trade my ponies for a cat but I would gladly add one of these to my garage.

Picked up in a Jaguar complete with chauffer. What a life!!!


In no time we were in the City of Downey at a restaurant called La Perla del Mar. They had karaoke of course which is why we went there to begin with. After a few beers I felt I was singing good which is too much to say as most of the singers there were very, very good. No amateur night here, almost all the guys and girls there really belted the songs out sounding very good.




























Singing at La Perla.



We left the place at closing time and then headed to put some gas. A Norm's restaurant was across the street and all of a sudden everybody decided that they were hungry... Eh-Q-me weren't we just at a restaurant. lol

Eh-Q-me! I was demoted to pumping gas. The nerve!

Finally got to my sister's house at 5:00 am. I went to bed and not even 5 minutes later my phone's wake up alarm goes off. My sister comes out of the room and asks, "What is that?", Oh it's just my alarm waking me up to tell me it's time for me to get up and go to work.

Ana, Lucio, and Chely.

Chely and Ana.