I have a love for both live entertainment and music, and musicals combine and deliver on that so well. For me, the confluence of multiple art forms reveals a greater depth that allows me to understand a story on a visceral level. Below are some of the performances that stirred, inspired and entertained me, as well as other live events that made 2024 and 2025 years to remember. Message in a Bottle Message In A Bottle Simply put, I love all things Sting. From his early caree

This is the second installment in my "Pizzapalooza" series, named as such because the term "palooza" means "one that is extraordinarily impressive," as all of the pizzas you will read about in this post were. This post focuses on pizzerias that are located in Southern California. Pizzeria Bianco Pizzeria Bianco The first spotlight is on Pizzeria Bianco, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, located in Los Angeles on the Row. Though now a Southern California staple, Pizzeria

Bello is located in Newport Beach, California. Recognized by Michelin as a "gastronomic retreat," this is a restaurant you don't want to miss. It made my " Greatest Hits " series because I have never had anything short of an excellent meal here. The chef and co-owner of Bello is Sandro Nardone, who comes from a lineage of chefs and farmers so famous, that Pope John Paul II and politicians from Rome would travel to dine at his family's restaurants and homes. Nardone is origi

If you've been following this blog, this is one of several posts (I will link the others at the end) dedicated to noodles. Simply put, I...

California is the largest economy in the United States, the largest sub-national economy in the world and the fourth largest global...

Today we officially celebrate the beginning of summer, the season to enjoy all things in the sunshine. In Italian, "al fresco" means "in...

In the spirit of Lunar New Year, here are three Chinese restaurants located in California that are all worth a visit. Hong Kong East...

Honda-Ya is the eighth installment in my " Greatest Hits " series, featuring exceptional restaurants that have stood the test of time. I cannot count the number of visits I have made to this restaurant. Similarly, I have not counted the number of menu items they offer, but I can tell you that there are more than 200 and each one that I have tried is exceptionally delicious. Honda-Ya Honda-Ya is a Japanese izakaya that was founded in Tustin, California, over 30 years ago. T

In this installment of "In Search of Seafood," I'm taking you on a seafood journey from Southern to Northern California. We will start...

One of the things I am most grateful for is living in close proximity to the ocean. Truthfully, I have always been drawn to any body of...

In my last post , I wrote about three, amazing, Thai restaurants in Southern California. No matter which you choose to visit, or should...

This is the third post in which I am writing about great, Thai restaurants, and I guarantee there will be more to come, because I simply...

Last month, I posted Pasta, Per Favore: Northern California , where I reviewed what are, in my opinion, some of the best, Italian...

Close to one year ago, I wrote a post entitled " Vietnamese, Please " featuring three, outstanding, Vietnamese restaurants in California....

This is the second installment in a series about great, seafood restaurants. Part one featured an exceptional meal I had at OmG (Omakase...

Chaak Kitchen is the newest addition to my "Greatest Hits" series, featuring exceptional restaurants. Chaak, located in Tustin, California, is relatively new compared to previous restaurants I've featured in this series. The restaurant opened strong in 2018, and only continues to get better. Chaak Kitchen Chef Gabbi Patrick and her husband, Ed Patrick, are co-owners of both Chaak, and their first restaurant, Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen, which has been open for nearly 20 years.

Looking for great seafood? Me too. Having lived so close to the beautiful, California coast throughout my life, I have been fortunate...

My California, taco journey has thus far taken me in search of great tacos in Los Angeles, San Diego and the Bay Area. This post is...

Welcome to my 100th post. I did not know what to expect when I started this blog about 18 months ago, but I was excited about the...

This is my third installment in the "Taco Bout It" series. The previous two posts were about great tacos in San Diego and the Bay Area. ...