LA Weekend Discoveries and Happenings

I visited my parents in Santa Monica this past weekend, and like always, the trip was filled with great food, great time outdoors, great time with family, and of course - most important - an Oscars viewing party!

• Nate and I had decided early on that this would be the weekend we would end the Whole30, with me being in LA and him in Austin with friends. A longer recap to come later, but we’ve both ate (and drank) with no restrictions this weekend. I ended Whole30 with a bang with sushi and froyo!

• Speaking of froyo, did you know that a lot of froyo places in LA are serving non-dairy options these days? I ate Menchie’s coconut milk froyo TWICE this past weekend. Supposedly Pinkberry also has a coconut milk one. Adios, Whole30!

• We went bridesmaid dress shopping for my friend Alana‘s wedding at The Grove (near West Hollywood). What a beautiful place to shop! Felt like Disneyland. Three of us bridesmaids and the bride have been friends since elementary school, and it’s incredible that the our friend is going to be MARRIED!

• There’s a sweet spot for getting a table at Sugarfish sushi. Go just a little after 6pm, and you’ll only wait like 20 minutes! At that hour, you’ll get the table when the early dinner crowd ends but before the normal crowd gets there (usually I feel like we wait 1-2 hours). When you eat dinner early, you have time to window shop with the parents afterwards..

• I can’t believe I had NEVER been to Rae’s Diner before. A classic diner very close to my childhood home serves up breakfast all day with lines usually out the door (and featured in many movies). We went to celebrate my grandmother’s 93rd birthday!

• It’s usually hole-in-the-wall places that serve the best tacos. Mahi Mahi Seafood Grill is the most non-descript restaurant from the outside. But even my grandfather saysits some of the best fish tacos he’s ever had. Also introduced him to kombucha this weekend…

• It’s not an Academy Awards party unless it’s at Eric’s. We’ve been attending for years - last year I brought these spring rolls! He didn’t disappoint with steak kebabs and risotto and we ended the night with (too many) girl scout cookies. We thought the show was overall pretty lackluster, but did appreciate how comfortable and effortless Chris Rock’s performance was - sometimes the entertainers are so forced. Between all of us, we had seen a ton of this year’s movies and were generally spot on/happy with the winners. On another note, my favorite dress of the night goes to Rachel McAdams!

• I love tagging along with my parents on their weekend hikes and long bike rides. Nothing like doing the “real” version of Spinning! 😉

• One of my best friends from childhood (Eric’s son) returned home after almost a year of backpacking travels abroad and promptly fell asleep during the Oscars ceremony. He came back blonde, very hungry, and very mature. So glad I was back in LA to welcome him home!

Back to San Francisco and the daily grind today. Til nex time, Southern California!

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