Dazzling Flavors in the “American Rivera”

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Pit stop! The first leg of our road trip to sunny Santa Barbara began with saucy ribs and blue cheese tri tip salad from Salinas City Barbeque. Hands down, the most gorgeous combination of meat and seasonal veggies that we’ve ever seen. Pro tip: Never start a long journey on an empty stomach. Ok, back…

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Peacocks and Pit Stops at Casa De Fruta

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Anyone roadtripping from the south valley along Pacheco Pass toward I-5 has stopped at Casa de Fruta, the farm stand-turned oasis hidden among the rolling California hills. Home to waving palm trees and colorful blue peacocks, Casa de Fruta was founded back in the early 1900s by a family of orchard farmers who evolved the…

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Barbareño – Flavor Stories of Santa Barbara

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When the mild California winter finally breaks around Easter, and the sun warms our faces on afternoon walks, we emerge from our cooped up tiny house existence for a celebratory stay-cation in Santa Barbara. It’s not summer yet; not time for long holidays in exotic places far away from home. No, we venture just a few hours…

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Cruising the Mexican Riviera Aboard Norwegian

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Surfing through cruise deals online one day in March, we stumbled across an amazing early bird offer from Norwegian Cruise Line – four tickets for the price of two, for a week-long Christmas cruise to the Mexican Riviera, making port in Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Vallarta. What a steal! And completely worth the…

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Homeroom Mac + Cheese in Oakland

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Some of the best restaurants begin with the simplest of dreams and menus, wouldn’t you agree? Such is the case for Homeroom Mac + Cheese in Oakland, CA. Founded by a former lawyer-turned-restaurateur, Homeroom is the women-owned, schoolhouse-themed macaroni and cheese restaurant you never knew you needed in your life. Every meal begins with the…

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Fine Dining in Yosemite National Park

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Venturing to Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains of east-central California is an all-day event, well-worth the drive from the Central Coast. We visited on a whim one Wednesday in the early fall, marveling at the sheer size of everything – the giant sequoia trees, towering granite cliffs, and delicate misty waterfalls. After…

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In-N-Out Burger – A California Icon

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Yes, this is a blog post about a fast food restaurant. No, this isn’t just any fast food place. It’s In-N-Out Burger! I love all the palm trees here in California. They represent the breezy, sunny lifestyle we live everyday, which is probably why they are In-N-Out Burger’s symbol of choice for its iconic yellow,…

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Tasty Tapas at Prova California Table

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“Prova” – Italian word meaning “to try” or “to taste” (provamorganhill.com) From the same Michelin star chef who brought you elevated Mediterranean soul food cuisine at Odeum comes Prova California Table in the heart of downtown Morgan Hill, California. Brandon and I visited this airy spot on our wedding anniversary this year, on a quiet Tuesday…

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Lolla – Local, Organic, Seasonal

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Sourcing locally so you can eat seasonally. (lollasjb.com) Here’s something to ponder – what business would you start in a corner space with fantastic natural light, but extremely limited square footage? If you’re Sarah Griss, you open Lolla. Sarah and her brother took over this tiny storefront following a melange of tenants spanning back decades,…

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Sanseveria – Keep Calm and Eat A Bagel

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Sanseveria Bagelsalon stands for classic bagels and bagels with a twist. What are bagels? Never heard about it?! They are a kind of American ‘sandwich’, richly invested according to our Burgundian lifestyle! We serve you in a unique vintage living room concept. This makes young and old a genius in the ‘Sanseveria‘. – sanseveria.be How cute is this place?? At…

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