California Love - Downtown Vibes & Wedding Bells

So the reason we went to LA was to see our friends Jenny & Greg get married. The wedding took place in Downtown LA, so we stayed nearby. The morning of the wedding we popped a block over from our hotel to Bottega Louie to fuel up on some brunch before the festivities. 

The food was delightful and hit the spot. The unique shining star was the Portobello Fries. They successfully fried a mushroom people! 

We dined on the Smoked Salmon Benedict, Farmers Market Breakfast and Breakfast Flatbread. 

Bottega Louie had a Ladurée vibe but much less intimate. The space was vast with high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows and totally starch white. The colorful desserts popped in the space and were beautiful to the eyes. 

With a bit more time to spare, we headed over to the Ace Hotel for a cocktail. No offense NYC, but I wish our Ace was this awesome. Coffee, food, outdoor spaces and a rooftop pool!

Dress: ASOS / Shoes: Seychelles / Clutch: Clare V. / Sunglasses: Kate Spade / Necklace: Seed

Finally, it was wedding time! Congratulations to Jenny and Greg Weidman. We love you so much! It was an honor to be there to celebrate your special day. 

xoxo

naturally ginger

California Love - Frans Hit Los Angeles

Me and my Fran girl gang, headed to Los Angeles to celebrate the nuptials of an original Fran. We could not wait to soak up some sun and LA vibes. As soon as we hit Cali soil we bolted to the pool. The Ace Hotel Downtown became OUR spot. I'm not going to share the number of times we visited the Ace during our trip but it was close to our hotel and offered outdoor space, quality cocktails and an awesome atmosphere. 

What's a trip to Cali without going to the beach? Who can resist! We ventured to Venice for some sun and surf. So picturesque. 

If you are in Venice you have to check out the Venice Whaler. Located right on the beach before the boardwalk, this bar & grill is so much more than you think. The food is classic bar food kicked up a notch.

Cocktails!!!!

Our meal started with the Tuna Poke Bowl. Definitely not your typical beach bar food. 

The main dishes included the Grilled Cod Tacos, Buffalo Wings (that were free-range and basically a full chicken) and the Venice Burger with Sweet Potato Fries. This burger was covered with blue cheese, arugula and caramelized onions...come on!

Do not miss this spot. Executive Chef Nick Liberato is a genius and a great guy. His menu is creatively crafted and absolutely delicious. 

More to come in this California adventure...

naturally ginger

Hannah's Bachelorette

This supermodel is getting married in less than a week! I'm beyond excited for her and her soon to be husband. As more and more of the people in my life get married, there is nothing better than when they end up with someone you love just about as much as them. I could not ask for better friends and I couldn't wait to celebrate Hannah at her Bachelorette Party. 

We packed into a rental car and headed north for the weekend. We stayed at the most incredible Bed & Breakfast, The Caldwell House. Talk about luxury, each guest room has its own fireplace! After dropping our belongings, we ventured to Brotherhood Winery for a fun wine tasting. 

Established in 1839, Brotherhood Winery refers to itself as America's Oldest Winery. The tasting room offers a variety of tasting flights and if you're interested, you can check out the historical cellar tour. 

Before dinner we headed back to the B&B to open some fancy treats and sip on some bubbly...

We quickly beautified ourselves and headed to Beacon for dinner at The Roundhouse. The location of this restaurant is what it is all about. The food and atmosphere were incredible, but it sits at the center of town on the famous Beacon Falls. The floor to ceiling windows face out toward the falls and the rest of town. 

The food was delicious. We shared a number of appetizers to start - Brussels & Bacon, Housemade Chips with Bacon Dip, Local Polenta and Macaroni & Cheese. 

Entrées included Braised Short Rib of Beef, Herb Roasted 1/2 Chicken, Housemade Gnocchi and North Atlantic Cod. 

And of course we shared a few desserts. This one here is the Chocolate Torte with pistachio and rose sorbet. 

Franship.

Congratulations Hannah & Bryan! I'm so excited for your marriage and the life that is to come!