Food Tour: San Sebastian & Porto

I know it has been almost a year since I’ve written. It has been weighing heavily on me and I had been mentally beating myself up for having taken this long to write again. I got a new contract/work client and that has consumed most of my year, and sadly, it has taken me away from my passion project. Such is life. Gotta make money to live. But also, I really needed to take a mental health break and do some internal healing.

Anyways, ever since last year’s Euro trips, I had been craving another adventure. Decided to take a much needed vacay and ended up in San Sebastian, Spain and Porto, Portugal. I fell in love with Portugal last year because of my visit to Lisbon. During that trip, I also visited Lagos, but was unable to fit in Porto and it had been on my mind ever since. Then I was inspired by my boss to order a glass of port wine for dessert when we were out at a team dinner back in May. Having that glass of port that night was such a lovely way to end dinner. That moment really solidified my decision to choose Porto as part of my next trip. I mean, I was looking for an excuse to return to Portugal anyway and I had to have port directly from where it came from! Then the reason I decided to add San Sebastian to the trip was because I went on a date to Wolfgang Puck’s Merois in The Pendry Hotel on Sunset and had the most delicious Ube Basque Cheesecake (sidenote: Merois also has a really delicious chocolate vanilla pop on their poolside menu). That cheesecake stayed on my mind for days afterwards. I had to return to Merois three additional times to have more. So of course, that meant I had to travel to the Basque region of Spain to have the original burnt Basque cheesecake! Plus, San Sebastian is known for its concentration of Michelin star restaurants and pintxos (tapas), which is perfect for a food lover like myself.

And now here I am. Back in Los Angeles with post-vacay blues. It was really fun, but it wasn’t easy to coordinate the two cities together. I flew into Paris for a layover, hopped onto another plane to Bilbao, and then took a 1.5 hour bus ride to San Sebastian. To get to Porto, I took a 1.5 hour bus ride back to Bilbao and flew to Madrid for a layover before finally arriving in Porto. It took me awhile to commit to this trip mainly because of the layovers and buses involved. I prefer direct flights to destinations. I didn’t want to deal with the hassle. But a lot of places worth visiting are not the easiest to get to.

San Sebastian was really charming. I stayed at two different hotels. I like to experience different neighborhoods and I also like to break up the cost of accommodations by staying at a really nice place and then somewhere a bit more budget friendly. I stayed at Sansebay and Lasala Plaza Hotel. Both were great locations by the wharf, but of course, Lasala was the better stay. This luxury boutique hotel has a rooftop pool and my room had a balcony with a beautiful view of the port and the beach. Staff was so friendly and helpful. I didn’t like the narrow pillows though and I would recommend you ask to switch it out.

What I loved most about San Sebastian was going pintxos bar-hopping! Some of the restaurants were a little chaotic though, so I would recommend going on the earlier end. These light bites were so affordable. What was even more shocking is that wine is only about $3 euros! Cheaper than ordering water! My pintxos meals with wine were sometimes only $16 euros total. Pintxos were generally $2-$6 each. Larger plates were relatively more expensive like $14-$20 euros each. I really enjoyed Ganbara (an Anthony Bourdain recommendation) and Sirimiri for pintxos. I stopped by La Vina, where the original burnt Basque cheesecake was invented, and I didn’t really love it. It was a bit too creamy for me. So maybe I prefer the updated variations of it more than the original.

I also wanted to take advantage of trying a Michelin star restaurant in San Sebastian because it’s so much less expensive in Europe than in the USA. I tried my first 2-star Michelin restaurant Amelia and it was definitely an experience. People were presenting me with dishes and talking me through each one in length, serving me, and approaching me from all angles. Out of nowhere, someone would appear from behind me and in front of me at the same time to switch out utensils and plating or to ask me something. This made it very difficult to take all my photos and videos in peace lol. It was a little too much attention for me, personally. In terms of the food, I must admit, I didn’t enjoy it. I had high expectations because it was supposedly seafood focused with Italian and Japanese influences, cuisines that I love. While there was definitely a lot of fresh seafood, it wasn’t served with flavors that matched my preference. The only Italian dish was the cheese ravioli with chunks of chopped oysters in the sauce, which to me is such an odd pairing. Their lobster dish had very generous portions and I usually love lobster, but it tasted like raw poached lobster without much flavor even though it was served in a sauce. Perhaps the flavors were too delicate and subtle for my palate. I really enjoyed the champagne and dessert though, but there wasn’t a dish that really stood out to me. They kept offering me additional items verbally without showing me a menu so I had mistakenly thought these additional items were included, but they were all extra charges. So be careful. This was a pretty expensive 16-course meal. I went for lunch and couldn’t eat again until the next day. I was uncomfortably too full!

My favorite meal in San Sebastian was at Old Town Coffee House. This may sound odd, but I LOVED their breakfast toast called The Lot. It had avocado, crushed tomato, Iberian ham, black sesame, touch of lime, olive oil, with garlic-parsley sauce on sourdough bread. I’m not usually a bread person, but I enjoyed all the bread I had in San Sebastian. Their tomatoes are so flavorful. In the U.S., I feel like a lot of tomatoes are bland. Plus, the Iberian ham! So good! I didn’t know the difference between Iberian ham, prosciutto, and Serrano ham, but now I do. You know Iberian ham in the U.S. is $150/lb?!?! Insane. I loved the toast so much that I came back the next day for more and it was still just as good.

On my last night, I stopped by The Blind Pig for a cocktail. Loved the charming vibe of this speakeasy. Beautiful cocktails served with wasabi seaweed chips. I really liked these chips and I need to find them here!

All in all, I thought San Sebastian was charming and cute. Pintxos bar hopping was really fun. The bay is beautiful, but I wouldn’t come here for the beach. The beach is just surrounded by tourists, boats, and buildings. It felt like a beach in the city. San Sebastian is small and there’s not a ton to do. I stayed 3 nights and that might have been too much, but I just felt since it was annoying to get to, might as well stay longer to relax and not have to bop around. I think if you traveled to the surrounding countryside or to Rioja valley for wine tasting, it might be worth it to stay longer. While food was fairly inexpensive, I found that the nicer hotels were more expensive here because it’s a beach-type destination. In addition, I must mention that they have a really good 2-floor Zara, which is 40% cheaper than in the U.S.A. My visit also unintentionally coincided with their regatta celebrations, so old town became like a huge, dirty frat party on my last day with broken bottles and trash everywhere.

Next stop: Porto. I didn’t know what to expect with Porto because I loved Lisbon so much last year. I wasn’t sure it could top Lisbon. From all my research, it seems like there is a rivalry between Lisbon and Porto much like San Francisco and Los Angeles and I think that’s part of the reason it took awhile before I decided it was worth taking a trip to Porto. Again, I stayed at two different hotels—Hotel Moon & Sun and Portobay Flores. Portobay Flores was my splurge (and it was nicer and less expensive than my luxury hotel in San Sebastian although San Sebastian had the better view) and it was fantastic. It’s located in an old historic building (felt like an old castle) that use to belong to a wealthy Portuguese family. It’s based on Rua das Flores shopping street, not far from Ribeira and the bridge. The staff was so attentive and helpful. The hotel scent was seductive. My room had black out curtains, which allowed for the best sleep. The chocolate they left on my bedside during turndown service was delish. I ate the entire jar of complimentary sugar cookies that was on my reading table. I was welcomed with a very generous pour of my choice of welcome drink.

To my surprise, Porto was very congested. So many tourists. There was construction all over the city, which is a huge eye sore at every turn. However, Porto had the most beautiful sunset over the river with a great view from the Ponte Luis bridge and Jardim do Morro. The park was filled with people lounging, picnicking, and enjoying the live music while watching the sunset. That was probably my favorite part of Porto proper. That and probably all the pasteis de natas I ate at Manteigaria. Manteigaria has a few locations. I liked the one at Delta Coffee House by Bolhao Market. You can get some pasteis de natas with a coffee (or my preference, a matcha) with other light breakfast options. I visited the Sao Bento Station (quick walk and visit from the hotel) which also has a Time Out market, stopped by the Bolhao Market (the concierge at Portobay Flores did not recommend I eat there even though some blogs encourage it), visited the Chapel of Souls, shopped on Rua das Flores (there’s a Portuguese tshirt shop called Typographia that I liked along with some great port wine shops) and Rua Santa Catarina, and walked along the touristy Ribeira by the water. I ate at Flow (fun, lively, big), Boa Bao (Asian fusion), Alibi by Yours Porto (small and charming wine bar), Cantina 32 (lively modern boho, across from Portobay Flores), and Elemento (upscale) restaurants. All very good. The Michelin recommended Elemento was a special treat on my last night and it was so delicious. I was impressed. Every dish resonated with my palate and it made me happy. Some other places I would have loved to try are Gruto (Michelin recommended, women run), Mistu, and Say Cheesecake! & Co (for brunch). I went to the highly reviewed and popular Zenith for breakfast one day, but I didn’t really like it. I would have preferred a casual morning bite at Delta Coffee House or the busy cafe near the hotel called Floresta Cafe by the Hungry Biker.

My favorite part of my Porto trip was my day trip to Duoro Valley for wine tasting via BL Heritage tours. BL Heritage tours was a little pricier than the other group tours you would find on Viator or Get Your Guide, but I think it was worth it because it was more intimate. Instead of a big bus group of 20-40 people, it hosted small groups of about 8 people in a luxury van. At some points of the tour, we joined a couple of their other small groups, but for the majority of the day, it was just the seven of us plus the tour guide. The 1.5 hour drive was beautiful. They offered us water bottles. Our tour started with a 1 hour boat ride along the Duoro River. On the boat, we were served a port wine spritz with snacks while being given a history lesson on the origins of port wine. Then we continued onto a beautiful vista point (Casal Deloivos). Our guide gave us pasteis de natas to munch on while we took in the gorgeous views of the valley and posed for pictures. From there we visited our first vineyard Quinta da Foz, where we got a tour of their property along with an outdoor wine tasting. Next, we had lunch at Quinta do Buchiero vineyard and were served a traditional Portuguese meal along with a wine pairing. It was the most beautiful day with the best tour guide and company.

As always, check out my Instagram @loveinmybelly for food pics. Now back to reality and back to work. Where should I go next?

Eating My Way Through Panama

I love to travel every year for my birthday and this year was no different. I decided to do a Yoga Retreat in Panama, which allowed me to check off another country from my list. My birthday was back in November but time has flown by since! Spent one and a half weeks in Panama, then returned to several of my own birthday celebrations, then Thanksgiving, and now suddenly we’re deep into December holiday parties. And this is the reason for my super late post.

Panama is very similar to Costa Rica—mountains, lots of greenery, rainforests, beaches, and a beautiful countryside. The advantage that Panama has over Costa Rica is that the capital has a lot more to do—the famous Panama Canal, Old Town, variety of restaurants, and luxury hotels. I spent a few days in Panama City and was impressed with the food. Some of the restaurants I ate at are Lazotea, Mahalo, Maito, Santa Rita, and Fonda La Que Hay. While Maito is one of Latin America’s 50’s Best, my favorite experience was at Lazotea. Lazotea is set on the rooftop of a building in Panama’s Old Town. Fun ambiance and beautiful view. The dishes were delectible and creative. Their dessert was a show in itself with fresh rose petals freeze-dried at the table and sprinkled on top of a lychee mousse. Check out the reel I made showcasing my night at their restaurant. I also really loved exploring the night life and having drinks at La Pulperia, Casa Casco, Tantalo, Pedro’s Rum Bar, Selina, and Hotel La Compania. I stayed at American Trade Hotel, which is a great hotel conveniently located in the main square of old town. However, I really loved Hotel La Compania down the street. It’s a little pricier, which is why I didn’t end up staying there, but in hindsight, it probably would have been worth it. They have great hotel bar, a delicious restaurant (I had a really good matcha latte and salad there), and a cute courtyard. To see more pictures from my trip, make sure you check out my Instagram.

Most of my time was spent in Cambutal, which is a seven hour drive from the city. Cambutal is a small beachside town north of the Panama city, with black sanded beaches and surrounded by mountains. While the town is tiny and quaint, there are many outdoor excursions and adventure options available, such as surfing, horseback riding, hiking, waterfalls, and biking. However, I had the unfortunate bad luck of rain for 5 of the 6 days I was staying at the Sansora Resort in Cambutal. Because it was the end of rainy season, I had expected rain but was thinking it would be more like spurts of rain. I was wrong. It POURED for days nonstop. Not sure if I caught a virus or if it was the constant rain and humidity, but I got sick on my third day in Panama, which made most of the trip quite uncomfortable unfortunately.

Yoga classes were intense and I definitely got a good workout in. Other than that, I didn’t do much else but rest since I was sick. Some people went surfing, hiking, and horseback riding in the rain, but timing for that was limited due to the weather. The food was amazing though. We were served three meals a day and our dinner was a 3-course production. I don’t normally eat that much. I ate very well. So of course, I returned home at least 5 pounds heavier.

The trip wasn’t as relaxing as I had hoped. In addition to the rain and being sick, my only flip flops broke at the beginning of the trip, my clothes were stinky (from the humidity at the beach), I got 20 mosquito bites, 2 gigantic pimples on my face (that lefts scars). I was happy to return home to sunny LA. It’s definitely easy to take what you have for granted. And sometimes you need to leave to appreciate what you have. I don’t think I will be doing anymore yoga retreats for my birthday. I used to love doing them. They have always been a healing and spiritual experience for me. This trip did not feel that way for me (for additional reasons I didn’t mention here). But maybe I don’t need them anymore. Maybe I’ve outgrown them. Who knows. But there will definitely be more travel in my future.

November Birthday in Oaxaca!

Each year, I try to plan a new adventure for my birthday. Usually international with the exception of last year, pre-vaccine. It softens the blow of getting older and helps me reframe the occasion to be a more joyous one. Once September hits, I get that back-to-school fall feeling even though I have not been in school in years. That nervousness of starting a new chapter, not knowing what to expect. That anticipation of the cold and dark winter coming. And that looming birthday, which marks the end of my personal year and forces me reaccess my life. Travel (and vacation) gives me something to look forward to and helps me get my mind off the stresses of adulthood. After such an amazing road trip to Valle de Guadalupe this past June, I decided to return to Mexico and explore Oaxaca. Many Californians like to visit Cabo, Playa del Carmen, and Puerto Vallarta, but I’m not really a beach resort type girl and I’m not a fan of the super touristy spots. I love quaint little towns, countrysides, nature, small little beach destinations, and boutique or unique accommodations.

My friend in Missouri joined me on my annual birthday adventure and we met up in Mexico City. If you’re meeting your friend at the airport in Mexico City, make sure you know your arrival terminal. We arrived at different terminals and it took us awhile to find each other. She had to take the tram from Terminal 1 to meet me in Terminal 2 and it took an hour to wait in line for a taxi. Make sure you purchase a taxi ticket and wait in line first thing. Traffic in Mexico City is pretty bad. Also, another tip. If you travel to Mexico in November, it’s super cold at night! Pack warm clothes. Except for a couple hours in the afternoon, most of the time, we were freezing! I packed mostly dresses! It felt colder than what the temperatures showed.

We only had a couple days in the city so I can’t say we had that much time to really explore the city other than visit some delicious restaurants—Cha Cha Terraza, Contramar, Quintonil, and Gin Gin—and take a boat ride at the Xochimilco canals. Cha Cha Terraza had a fun lively vibe for dinner and drinks on their upstairs terrace. Contramar had great seafood. Gin Gin is a great bar/lounge down the street from Contramar and has really good cocktails and music. Quintonil is super upscale with an option for a tasting menu. Even though Quintonil is a special culinary experience, it was a little stuffy. Indoors. No vibe. No ambiance. It was also expensive for Mexico standards. You could get an amazing meal at a more fun restaurant for half the price or less. We also stopped at Cafe Toscana next door to Buna cafe in Roma North for a snack and glass of wine mid-afternoon one day and both places were really cute.

In Mexico City, we first stayed at the Sofitel in Cuauhtémoc, which felt like downtown. Even though the area is close to Condesa and Roma North, it was very busy and not as nice. We also stayed at The Orchid House Hotel in Polanco, which I loved because it’s small and boutique. Polanco is Mexico City’s upscale neighborhood. It’s quaint, charming, and walkable. I would definitely stay here again. I had previously wanted to stay at Brick Hotel in Roma North, which is also a cute area, but the rooms were all booked. If you prefer the big hotels, but want to stay in Polanco, you could do The W or The Intercontinenal.

From Mexico City, we flew to Oaxaca. It is a short 1 hour flight. And just as I imagined, Oaxaca was amazing! So quaint and charming! Arts and crafts sold by street vendors. Markets with an array of textile, leather handbags, hats, and jewelry. Cobblestone roads. Decorative flags lined the street. Colorful buildings with beautiful exterior artwork. Old churches. Boutique hotels, delicious food, and great cocktails. Every meal we had was better than the last. I was in heaven!

One thing to note is that I made the majority of the restaurant reservations about two months in advance. Thinking that it would be warmer in Oaxaca, I chose many outdoor rooftop venues for dinner. While Oaxaca was hot during the day, it was even colder than Mexico City at night. Some of the places had heat lamps but they weren’t always working. On two different nights, a couple restaurants mentioned that they ran out of gas for the lamps, which made eating very uncomfortable. I would recommend dressing very warm or doing the rooftop spots during the day for lunch to enjoy the view.

We dined at Los Danzantes, Tierra del Sol, Casa Oaxaca, Criollo, and The Terrace on top of Hotel Los Amantes. While the food was good at all the restaurants, my favorites were Casa Oaxaca and Criollo. Criollo was where I had my birthday dinner and it was super special! The chef from Mexico City’s world renowned Pujol is part of the Criollo team. The only option at this restaurant is to enjoy their 6 course surprise tasting menu, which included a variety of Oaxacan dishes. Each plate was artfully presented and delicious! Casa Oaxaca was a pleasant surprise for lunch. They have rooftop dining. I loved the fresh table-side salsa, the sweet potato wrapped squash blossoms, the agua chile, and their corn-flan dessert. I had never had a CORN flan dessert before and I loved it! Tierra del Sol has a nice rooftop terrace view. They had really good tacos de lechon with chicharron wrapped up in what looked like a banana leaf. It was so good that we came back the next day on my birthday for lunch! The other dishes weren’t as good but we could have ordered the wrong items since they didn’t have an English menu. One thing I learned on this trip is that I love chicharron on everything! I ordered soup several times while in Oaxaca and it often included chicharron in the soup with Oaxacan string cheese, which is also very delicious. Downstairs in the same building of Tierra del Sol, there’s a little cafe that sells Atole, which is a soothing hot corn and masa based beverage that Oaxacans often drink for breakfast or at night. It comes in different flavors. Try it! It’s interesting and different. I liked it. Los Danzantes also served really good food. That’s where we dined on our first night in Oaxaca. But that Sunday night, it was really quiet. We had tortilla soup, mahi mahi and fresh garden tomato ceviche, and fresh short rib pasta.

Upstairs from Los Danzantes is their partner speakeasy bar called Selva. There’s no sign. The entrance is roped off with a man guarding the doorway. The bar is super charming with prohibition era vibes. Cocktails were pretty and carefully curated. Another bar we enjoyed was Sabina Sabe, which is a lot more casual but has great music and good cocktails. They serve food as well but we didn’t get a chance to try any. The rooftop at Hotel Los Amantes has great views for a sunset drink. They have a small bar downstairs that we liked as well. I think I ordered a mezcal cocktail with pineapple everyday in Oaxaca.

Aside from eating really well, I did a group tour to Hierve el Agua. Helpful tip: exchange your dollars for pesos. You will need it for the entrance fee, for the group buffet lunch, and also for mezcal purchases at the distillery (they have a high minimum for credit card purchases). The tour lasted all day because they include a few stops including a mezcal tasting, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Because of land disputes, we had to take the unpaved, bumpy road up the mountain to get to the pools. Once you get to the entrance/parking lot, you have the option of hiking 45 minutes down to see the petrified waterfalls or just going straight to the pools. Going down was not a huge problem but it was a little exhausting coming back up because of all the steps. It definitely gets you all heated up and ready to jump in the pools. But if you just want to take cute pictures and relax, skip the hike and just go straight to the pools and then you won’t have to worry about packing hiking clothes and sneakers along with your bathing suit and towel. The view was beautiful. Bonus: I made a few new friends on the tour because I went solo. My friend didn’t want to wake up at 7am to join the tour.

My friend and I stayed in 2 different hotels during our time in Oaxaca. The first few nights we stayed at Grana B&B, which is very quaint and quiet and the staff is so accommodating. We had a suite with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, which was nice. Breakfast was included and is made to order and it was delicious. I don’t normally love yogurt but the yogurt was really good! Yogurt anywhere outside of the U.S. is really good, in my opinion. The location was central. We also stayed one night at Hotel Los Amantes, which has the most beautiful rooftop views. Great for sunset drinks and the food was pretty good as well. It’s made up of 2 buildings across from eachother in a central location not far from Grana B&B, with 2 rooftop restaurants, and a small bar downstairs. We stayed in the Cuishe room with 2 queen beds. While the room was nice, the hotel in general is a little loud because of the atrium and rooftop restaurants. But it was convenient to be able to just run upstairs for a cocktail or snack. Breakfast was included there as well and it was pretty good also.

The people of Oaxaca were so welcoming, nice, and helpful. The tourists we befriended were also so friendly. I loved Oaxaca and would definitely visit again! They have direct flights from Los Angeles to Oaxaca on Mexican airlines. I have to say that the best part for me was the food because as you know, I love food! They use grasshopper in a lot of dishes but it’s unrecognizeable. I’m not a huge fan of mole even though it’s a popular dish in this region. Though I did discover that I am a huge fan of chicharron, Oaxacan cheese, and mezcal cocktails. I love their fresh corn tortilla and chips and salsa. I regret that I didn’t get a chance to have churros or hot chocolate while I was in Oaxaca and Mexico City. Check out my Instagram to see all the yummy food I ate!

I can’t wait to see more of Mexico. I want to visit Guadalajara, the town of Tequila, San Miguel, Matzalan, and maybe Puerto Escondido next. This vacation was such a nice reset. I felt like I was fully able to unplug from work and the stresses of life. It has been such a long time since I’ve been on a week long trip that did not involve any sort of work. Weekend road trips don’t count because you get those days off anyways. I’m already looking forward to another vacay. It has been hard for me to focus on work after returning from such a good trip. Plus, we’re right smack in the middle of the holidays. All I want to do is curl up on the couch and watch Christmas movies. This year is flying by too fast. And my post-vacay blues are setting in. I need to plan my next adventure soon. What’s next on your travel list?

Escape to Valle de Guadalupe

I love road trip adventures and Valle de Guadalupe has been on my list for awhile. But then, you know, pandemic happened. And crossing the Mexican border by car felt a little daunting. I’ve never done it before and didn’t know how it worked. To my surprise, it wasn’t as complicated as I had anticipated and I had the most amazing time! I loved Valle de Guadalupe!

My friend drove her SUV and added Mexico coverage onto her car insurance for an additional $70. From Los Angeles, it took only 2.5 hours to get to the San Ysidro border on a Thursday morning. Prior to crossing the border, we made sure to stop in Chula Vista to fill up on gas and use the restrooms in case there would be any delays at the border. The border crossing was pretty simple and seamless. No one even checked our passports. We drove through easily and quickly.

We took the more common coastal route through Mexico. We passed through 2 toll stations that are $2 usd each, so it was helpful that we brought small usd bills. About 30 minutes from the border is Puerto Nuevo, where we stopped for a seafood lunch oceanside at Villa Ortega. My friend and I shared one combo dish with 2 lobster tails, shrimp scampi, rice, beans, veggies, and tortilla and it cost us $16 usd each. Pretty good deal for lobster by the sea! They served us the freshest, softest giant tortilla ever! It was soooo good! This giant tortilla is still on my mind and I don’t even normally eat tortilla. You can also really taste the corn in the tortilla chips they serve you first. A pit stop for lunch here is a must so definitely make sure you schedule that in!

From Puerto Nuevo, Valle de Guadalupe is about an easy hour drive along the coast and then through mountainsides (not scary though). Once you arrive in Valle, some of the roads are bumpy with potholes and some roads are completely unpaved. The area is still newish and developing but there is still so much beauty. There are many amazing wineries, restaurants, and hotels that are not visible from the main road. Some initially appear obscure off a dirt path, but then behind the trees or gate is an enchanting resort or a luxury glamping site on the other side. There are so many unexpected little treasures like that in Valle. With the exception of the vineyards, resorts, and select areas, the landscape in general was very dry, with cacti and mounds of rocks.

To me, Valle de Guadalupe is a perfect combination of Joshua Tree desert vibes merged with Santa Barbara or Napa Valley Wine country, but even cooler. I am a huge fan of Joshua Tree and deserts in general so this merging of the two vibes really appealed to me. Restaurants and hotels overlook the vineyards with the mountains in the backdrop. Everywhere you went, there was a beautiful view. In California wine country, there are scenic views as well but usually the restaurants and hotels are located in town several miles away from the vineyards and views. In order to enjoy the backdrop of the vineyards in California, you have to be wine tasting and picnicking. But in Valle de Guadalupe, you can enjoy them all day, everywhere you go.

We booked our trip only a week in advance and stayed in the last available exclusive suite at Hotel Boutique Valle de Guadalulpe. The room was nice, clean, and simple. It would have been better if we had a room with a balcony or patio or a direct view of the vineyards but you have to pay extra for that. This resort was lovely and the staff was super friendly. The pina coladas were so delicious. There is a separately operated spa on the property grounds, which has a pool with a direct view of the vineyard but you have to pay for access to it. Our pool was nice but it was centered on the property where the vineyards were not visible. We wanted to get massages at the spa but it was $120 usd, which is about the same price as in California, and the spa day pass was $75. There were a couple other options for massages offsite that were a little less expensive but not necessarily that much cheaper than the U.S. so we decided to forego it all together. The spa on the property does offer yoga classes on the weekends though at a discounted rate of $15 for hotel guests if you want to experience the spa and get a light work out in.

Now, onto the best part of Valle de Guadalupe—the food! You definitely need to make reservations in advance. It seems that people generally eat early. Restaurants are not open that late. Wine country is more of a relaxed and sleepy vibe. All the food in Guadalupe is amazing and definitely a lot less expensive than the U.S. for delicious, elevated seafood meals with wine. Plus, you get large portions for the cost, which was a lot of food for two petite women.

For dinner our first night, we visited Finco Altazano, located off a dirt road behind a guarded gated entry. This large open-air restaurant overlooks the vineyards and has a stable for goats on the property. They have giant life-size wine barrels made for guests to climb up, hang out on, sip wine, and enjoy the views. There is also a huge plot of land next to the restaurant with an arch that looks perfect for a wedding venue. The restaurant served elevated food, fairly reasonable sized plates, with a variety of options in a relaxed, casual, farm-style atmosphere. We ordered all seafood and it was delish and the wine was amazing too. We had their tuna tostada, their grilled octopus in a light sauce, and their catch of the day served with greens. For dessert, we ordered their panna cotta and their basque cheesecake. Everything was delicious but my favorite was their lavender white chocolate panna cotta! It was the most amazing panna cotta I’ve ever had! It is still on my mind and I wish I could have more. Everything about Finco Altazano was so charming and I would definitely visit again. It was my favorite restaurant from the trip.

On our second day, we visited the popular local farmhouse La Cocina Don de Esthela. It’s indoors, cash only, with no air conditioning, and located up a hill off a dirt road. We arrived at 11:30am on Friday and thought we were early for lunch but apparently not. We had to wait an 1 hour and 15 minutes for a table. The host initially quoted 40 minutes, which didn’t sound that bad. But over an hour is ridiculous! The meal was local and very good though. The menu was all in Spanish so we sort of guessed what to order. We got a half portion of the popular plate of the Borrego Tastemado, which I think is a slow cooked shredded beef or lamb dish that comes with tortilla and a side of consomme. The meat was juicy and moist and the consomme was really flavorful. We also ordered a quasotaco with chicharron but the chicharron was too hard for me to chew and I didn’t want to crack my teeth! It was a lot of food and only cost $9 each. While the meal was delicious and inexpensive, I do not think it was worth waiting over an hour for.

After that long lunch, we went to Decantos Vinecola for wine tasting. It was not too far from our hotel and located at the end of a dirt road after Baron Balche winery. We wanted to visit both but our lunch took up too much time. Decantos is a large winery with great outdoor space and unobstructed vineyard views. They did not require a reservation in advance but most of the other vineyards do, especially the larger ones. Wine tasting was less than $12 for 3 wine tastings, which you can enjoy on their lawn. They serve cocktails and food here too but we didn’t get a chance to try any of it because there was only so much we could eat and drink in one day. I enjoyed all of the wine I tasted here.It was easy to visit and not crowded at all.

Dinner on our 2nd and last night was at Fauna, located a litte further away at Bruma hotel and winery. The road getting to the restaurant is a dirt road that will bring you to a guarded gate, then you drive along a manicured tree-lined path that leads you to the restaurant set on a small hill above the vineyards. Bruma is upscale and sophisticated and the property feels very exclusive. Fauna was definitely a different experience than Finca the first night. The restaurant itself was smaller. It has shared communal tables and was very lively and packed with loud music. They have indoor seating, patio seating, outdoor seating and bar area seating in the back. It would be a fun destination for a larger group.

The menu options at Fauna were very limited and not descriptive so we weren’t sure what to expect when the dishes came out. There was only one wine option for red, white, and rose but I didn’t really like the one white wine they had. The tiki cocktail I ordered next was simple and a little disappointing as well. We ordered the ceviche, the clams, grilled lettuce, shredded lamb, and the churros. My friend and I were dying for fresh greens because we ate so much meat and seafood but they didn’t have any raw green choices. Even the lettuce we ordered was grilled. The dishes were good and well made but quite large and very hearty, rich, and heavy. Although I enjoyed the meal, nothing really stood out to me. The ambiance was fun but a bit too loud. I’m not sure I would visit this particular restaurant again but I did love the property. As we drove out, we noticed that there was another restaurant on the property underneath the trees called Casa Ocho Wine Garden. I couldn’t find a link for this and I don’t think you need a reservation. We drove up to it and the guard invited us to go take a look but we didn’t because we were too tired and full from dinner. From the outside, it looked really charming with its open-air concept, outdoor tables located underneath the trees, outdoor string lights, and an open grill kitchen. Definitely on my list for next time!

On our last day, Saturday, we dined at Casa Frida for lunch. It is located off the main road. It has multiple restaurants (including an oyster bar), rooftop bar, vineyard, winery, and Airbnb all on its large property. It’s casual but also lively and fun. Apparently, Frida is a popular spot for weekend nights but I’ve heard it might be a long wait to pull into the parking lot to get in. We enjoyed good wine and some great bites for lunch. We ordered a shrimp aquachile in a black sauce (similar to ceviche), tuna crudo, duck quasadillas, and coconut panna cotta. It was a lovely last meal in Guadalupe.

Crossing over the border and coming back to the U.S. was a little more complicated. The traffic was insane near that area. Finding the right lane was so confusing. There is a general lane, ready lane, and sentri (global entry) lane. The roads leading to the border crossing included massive rotaries and loops that made getting to the border a little intimidating. But we survived. Once we made our way to the right lane (which took about 20 min), then it was about a 30 minute wait to get through the border. They checked our passports and we breezed right through. No fees, car check, or questions asked.

I absolutely loved Valle de Guadalupe! More than I thought I would. I did not anticipate it being a blend of Joshua Tree and California wine country and I loved that it was! The unique variety of accommodations, the glamping, the architecture, the design, the views, and the landscape all had so much character and charm. The food was amazing, which is important to me everywhere I travel. I didn’t expect Guadalupe to have such a delicious offering of seafood dishes. The area is still being developed and I think it will blow up in the next few years. Now is definitely the time to visit. It’s closer to Los Angeles than Napa. It’s only an hour further from Los Angeles than Santa Barbara wine country. And it’s more affordable than both those destinations. It was exactly what my soul craved—a getaway, a chance to relax, be present, and recharge. I was so impressed by everything during the entire trip that I felt fully present and in the moment, as I enjoyed every sip of wine, every single bite I tasted, all the vineyards, the breathtaking sunset views, and the moments by the pool drinking pina coladas.

If you plan to visit, here are a few tips. Leave on off days like Thurs-Sat to avoid traffic if you can. It also helps with getting cheaper and available accommodations, as hotels tend to book up fast since it’s not a large area. Add on Mexico coverage through your car insurance. Download an offline google map in case you don’t have Mexico phone coverage or if connection is bad. Get gas and use the restroom before you cross the U.S. border into Mexico. Conversely, use restrooms and don’t drink a lot of water when you approach the border leaving Mexico because you don’t know how long you will have to wait in line to cross over. There will be rest stops between Valle and the border, after Puerto Nuevo. Pack closed-toe shoes such as booties or wedges because you will be walking along dirt paths and your feet will be filthy and probably uncomfortable. I brought flip flops, converses, flat open toe sandals (because they worked with my outfit more but I kind of regretted it), and booties. Bring a hat because the sun is strong and it does get hot. Carry some cash for tolls, tips, and local eateries. Make reservations in advance for restaurants and wineries. Keep in mind that some restaurants and wineries require a deposit online when making reservations. Don’t order too much because some of the portions are large. Give yourself the opportunity to try food at multiple places including the wineries. Research restaurants and winery locations in advance so that you can plan your day out smoothly and not have to drive to opposite ends of the region to visit each place.

Three days and two nights was the perfect amount of time for the trip and I probably could have stayed another night. There are still so many restaurants and wineries on my list that I want to try. I took note of places we drove by that looked really cool. Here is a list of some places I’d like to do more research on and possibly explore next time I visit:

RESTAURANTS:

Casa Ocho Wine Garden in Bruma Hotel - casual outdoor restaurant under the trees

Deckman’s

Animalon - upscale restaurant, requires a deposit when making a reservation

Latitud 32 restaurant - located in El Cielo winery

Adobe Food Truck - casual tapas and wine with outdoor seating

WINERIES:

El Cielo -requires prepayment when making a reservation

Monte Xanic

Xecue Vinecola

ACCOMMODATIONS: (I haven’t researched these so they may be high-end and not budget friendly but definitely worth looking into)

Bruma Hotel

Oeno Hotel

Encuentro Guadalupe Hotel

Lumi Hotel

La Cima del Valle Hotel

For more photos, food pics, and videos from Valle de Gaudalupe, visit me on Instagram. There is a Highlight Reel in my profile of all my Insta stories from the trip. Check it out! I will also be working on a Valle de Guadalupe Reel and will be posting that soon so follow me and be on the look out for it! When you do, please share, like, comment, and support. And subscribe to my blog. I hope my trip inspires you to visit Valle de Guadalupe yourself or to plan your next adventure!

Los Olivos Birthday Trip

For my last three birthdays, I’ve traveled abroad and went on yoga retreats and it has always brought me so much joy. Last year, I spent my entire birthday month in Cambodia and it was incredible. I’m very forunate to have been able to travel abroad as much as I have and explore the world, learn about different cultures, and connect with new people.

This year, my birthday is a little [a lot] different because of all the unexpected challenges of 2020. With all the challenges come new lessons and opportunity for growth. And there were definitely a lot this year! But it didn’t stop me from celebrating or going on my annual birthday adventure. While my adventure was a lot smaller this year, I’m so happy I was able to get away to Los Olivos in wine country for one day and one night with a friend. My birthday was a couple weeks ago in November but I hadn’t had a chance to sit down and share it with you until now.

Los Olivos is only a 2.5 hour drive from Los Angeles. We stayed at the Fess Parker Inn right in the middle of the cute town. Unfortunately because of Covid, the town was quiet and a lot of businesses were closed but I still enjoyed the short getaway. One night at The Fess Parker Inn includes a free bottle of wine in your suite and two free tastings at the Fess Parker Vineyard and Ephiphany Winery. Service at the Fess Parker Vineyard was amazing. They treated me to probably almost 10 wine tastings outdoors on their patio because of my birthday. Afterwards, we took a quick dip in the pool at the inn and enjoyed pre-dinner cocktails and a delicious shrimp appetizer by the fire.

That night, we dined at the new restaurant at the inn called Nella and it was absolutely fabulous. We started dinner with a truffle flatbread, an entire plate of mortadella (it’s my favorite charcuterie meat as well as my friend’s), and mussels. Then we shared a duck entree and ended my birthday dinner with profiteroles and an espresso martini. My belly was very happy and my experience at the Fess Parker Inn and Vineyard was so wonderful.

The next day, we drove through the rolling hills, had our last tasting at Ephiphany, and enjoyed an outdoor lunch at Los Olivos Wine Merchant Cafe before returning to Los Angeles. It was a more low-key birthday than my previous years, but I’m grateful that I was able to do something to bring me a little bit of joy, given the circumstances of the pandemic this year.

Road Trip!

Endings always make me feel sad and nostalgic for what was or used to be. Even if ending something felt right and is the best thing to do. Yes, beginnings can be exciting too but beginnings are unknown and uncertain and always give me a little bit of anxiety.

That is how the end of the year always feels for me. And that feeling usually starts around fall, as we approach my birthday in November which is the end of MY year, and continues into the holidays, and then into New Years—the end of everyone’s year.

In addition to these calendar endings, I am experiencing other endings in my life as well. My year long project with a client has come to an end. Two of my good friends decided to move out of Los Angeles with their families to more affordable cities so that they can save money while working from home during the pandemic. I closed the door on a new and meaningful relationship that started during the pandemic (imagine that!) and initially had so much potential. My therapist is no longer able to accept my health insurance after this month (don’t even get me started on how difficult it is to even find a NEW therapist who accepts your insurance and is accepting new patients).

All of these endings are just too much for my little heart to handle! It’s a lot of change and transition. It hurts. And it’s uncomfortable. And I’m just tired. Tired of it all.

With these endings, I decided to embark on a solo road trip to clear my head. Traveling is usually my go-to for recharging my soul. I do it every November so that I don’t get sad on my birthday. But this year is different. We are in a pandemic and traveling via plane and/or abroad is highly discouraged. My next best option is a road trip. I like road trips but they are definitely more enjoyable with someone. As much traveling as I have done solo, I would much prefer to share all of these experiences. But also, I don’t want to let not having a partner discourage me from exploring the world.

I decided to go to The Grand Canyon. It has been on my list for a long time and I had been waiting to go with someone but I didn’t want to wait anymore. It’s a long drive from Los Angeles, so I broke up the trip by stopping in Vegas on the way there and back. I also stopped at The Valley of Fire, an hour east of Vegas. Both Vegas and Valley of Fire were a lot of fun. It’s easy to distract yourself with a nice bath, cocktails, and room service. I also really enjoyed exploring The Valley of Fire. As a state park, it was much more manageable and not as overwhelming as a national park.

Afterwards, I headed down to The Grand Canyon and I was amazed by the spectacular view. The Grand Canyon is massive but it left me feeling really small and a little sad and alone. There wasn’t as much distraction as there was in Vegas, as the food and accommodations there were pretty basic. My hotel room was freezing. The restaurant nearby where I had to pick up food wasn’t very good and they messed up my order twice so I never got what I ordered and paid for.

I found myself wanting to leave immediately. I felt anxious to get back to Vegas and to return home. I felt uncomfortable. Uncomfortable with all of the changes in my life. Uncomfortable with this fucking year of 2020. Running off to Vegas and Arizona did not solve my problems. Not that I thought it would. But I thought it would maybe do something to ease my mind and heart. And I’m not sure that it did. I was anxious the entire time and did not sleep well at all. But I did check two new places off my list and that’s pretty incredible. I did a long road trip by myself through three states and that’s pretty impressive.

Then I remembered that it is in your discomfort and pain that you grow and find a deeper connection to who you are and your purpose. This is something I must have loosely heard or read from Oprah or another motivational speaker in some format. While driving back to my hotel room from The Grand Canyon on my last night after watching the sunset, I thought, maybe I just need to sit in this discomfort and surrender to the pain and see what happens versus trying to control it, manage it, change it, or distract myself from it. Just let the pain sit there and pass through. I can handle it, right? I’ve been through these things before. But it never gets any easier.

Maybe that was the sole purpose of this road trip for me. Not to ease my mind and heart, but to learn how to surrender to the discomfort and pain. Observe my feelings and thoughts. Find inspiration for change. Learn and grow from these uncomfortable feelings. This doesn’t mean wallow in my sadness and stop doing things to feed my heart and soul (well, maybe just for a day or two or even a week). It just means stop placing all my focus on the pain and confusion by trying to find immediate solutions in order to rush through it or resist or avoid feeling it. And just maybe then, the pain will pass through quicker and answers will organically appear to me sooner. This is all just part of the process. You can’t have the good without the bad. The depth and understanding without the hardship. So here it goes, again.

Lost in Death Valley

I have been working a lot recently and feeling a little stressed and overwhelmed. I have been craving a little adventure. I love the desert and Death Valley had been on my list for awhile so I thought it would be the perfect little roadtrip that I needed to reset. And I am so grateful that I finally got the opportunity to visit!

Death Valley is a far drive (5 hrs from LA) and there’s even more driving once you get there, but it’s totally worth it. I advise staying within the park (we stayed at The Ranch at Death Valley) to limit the amount of driving you would need to do and packing lots of snacks and food (and wine or whiskey) for your day trips, hikes, and picnics. Death Valley is so unique in that it has many contrasting sites and terrain. We walked along the rim of Ubehebe crater, hiked through Mosaic slot canyons, walked over salt flats under the blazing sun, climbed up a giant rock along Golden Canyon to enjoy a little picnic with a view, trekked down a mountainside at Zabriskie Point to find the perfect isolated spot to enjoy whiskey and charcuterie while watching the sunset, stargazed in the middle of nowhere, drove through a long windy road to see the colorful mountains of Artist’s Palette, hiked to Darwin’s waterfall, attempted to sand surf (it didn’t work lol), and ran up and down the massive Mesquite sand dunes. There were so many more places in Death Valley that I would have loved to have seen or spent more time at but we couldn’t fit it all in with all the driving involved. But in the 2 nights and 3 days we spent there, we did manage to see a lot! I was definitely a little achy and exhausted by the end of the trip, but it was worth it. I had the best time!

Eating My Way Through Cambodia

Recapping my adventure in Cambodia for my last blog post was not easy to do. I had so much to share and I didn’t even get to share with you all the food I ate! I had watermelon juice almost everyday, binged on noodle soup and rice porridge for breakfast, ate the freshest fruit in Cambodia (dragon fruit, coconuts, mango), devoured chicken skewers with lime pepper sauce, ordered green mango salad every chance I got, drank fruity martinis, and had the best crabs of my life.

The best thing I ate on my trip would have to be the crabs I had at Kimly Restaurant in Kep on the coast. It was made with fresh green peppercorn grown in the Kampot region of Cambodia. It’s a little messy to eat but it’s so delicious! You can’t get this anywhere else unless you are growing your own peppercorn. The crabs are fried with the peppercorn straight on the sprig, unlike the peppercorn we are used to seeing which has been boiled and dried. I visited La Plantation to get a personal tour of a pepper plantation. It was really interesting learning about how peppercorn is grown.

I stayed in Kep for only 1 night but went to Kimly for crabs twice during my stay. I’ve had these crabs before, 7 years ago when I was last in Cambodia and it’s still just as good as I remembered. There is also a little shack on Rabbit Island (an island off the coast of Kep that I visited last time) that serves delicious crabs as well.

At the beginning of my Cambodia trip, I took a cooking class where I learned how to make fish amok. This is one of the most popular dishes among tourists. But it’s not something that I’ve grown up eating. My mother has never made this for me. I didn’t even know what it was until I visited Cambodia for the first or second time 13 years ago. I’ve tried making this dish myself a couple times in Los Angeles, but I never thought it tasted quite right and wondered if maybe I was doing it wrong. However, after taking the cooking class and trying the dish at several restaurants around Cambodia, I think that it is simply not a dish that I like all that much. I originally wanted to include this dish in my cookbook but I think I need to leave it out because my heart just isn’t in it…yet.

Noodle soup and rice porridge are 2 of my favorite Cambodian comfort foods. I ate them almost everyday at restaurants and also at my cousin’s house in Phnom Penh. After having eaten that much of it at so many different locations around Cambodia, I have to say that I think my version of it is pretty good, if not better. This trip has definitely boosted my confidence in my own cooking, which makes me feel that all the work I put into the last year has been worth it :)

During my trip, I found myself really enjoying chicken skewers with lime-pepper sauce. It’s a sauce I don’t make very often because I grew up having my mom’s preferred sauce—sweet fish sauce. But in Cambodia, lime-pepper sauce was often served with grilled meats and was so delicious. I’m going to try making this sauce more.

As I ate my way through Cambodia, I was inspired by all the food I ate, the wet markets, the street food vendors, and the dishes I saw on restaurant menus. I will definitely be adding some more recipes to my cookbook and can’t wait to start cooking again!