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 - Katana

People...if there is one thing that I do well, it is eat. Now I just don't eat anything. I have inherited a palate for the finer foods in life. Luckily, my friends also enjoy similar fare. Enter Katana. I've been hearing about this place for years from Mer. 

This West Hollywood robata and sushi bar is tagged at the "super scene for the super hip". Robatayaki or "robata" is a method of cooking similar to barbecue in which skewered food is slow cooked over hot charcoal. This leaves the meats super tender.

We had the privilege of sitting outside on the front patio on a beautiful LA evening. 

We started with a trio of sashimi. 

This treat was cooked robata. It is Wagyu beef over rice. It literally melted apart in my mouth. 

This is the Hamachi Diced - Yellowtail with diced chiles. 

These lovely skewers are Asupara Niku Maki - Beef Rib Eye wrapped Asparagus with Soy Mirin Sauce.

Maguro Carpaccio - Tuna Sashimi with Wasabi Soy Truffle Oil over Arugula, Avocado and Shaved Parmesan. I learned that this dish was created/inspired by my dear friend. It was fabulous. 

Finally, the Hanabi - Spicy Tuna over a rice cake. We also had the Nama Kaki - Oyster on the half shell with a spicy ponzu. 

Let me tell you something I learned. Sake is always better cold. 

LA looked good on us that night. Thank you Katana for one of the best meals of my life. 

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