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Malibu Vibes
No Cali trip is complete without a trip to the coastal beach city of Malibu in the Santa Monica Mountain region of Los Angeles County. Whether beachy, chic, or casual, whatever you crave, one can find it in Malibu. If your heart craves a Mediterranean climate with a laid-back feel, look no further. Head to Malibu! Make your first stop, Malibu Farm Restaurant, on the pier.
Malibu Farm Restaurant is a superb farm-to-table restaurant, which sits at the entrance of the Malibu Pier. Every visit is a delightful treat! My son ordered the colorful spotlight tacos trio during this early January lunch, consisting of three colorful flour tortillas, topped with sizzling skirt steak, butternut squash, and grilled chicken. The sizzling skirt steak taco contained radishes, pickled onion, cabbage, corn, black beans, cheese, and salsa Rojo. The butternut squash taco was filled with a combination of butternut and spaghetti squash, along with spicy habanero salsa, scrumptious. The chicken taco had a weird but oh so delicious combination of grilled chicken, shredded brussel sprouts, corn, cheese, black beans, with salsa verde on a colorful red tortilla. I ordered the Build your Own Fish Taco, and it was divine. Warning, the Build Your Own Fish Taco is a big plate. The plate arrives with a big, beautifully seared branzino fillet, shredded cabbage, cucumber tomato pico, pepper jack cheese, cilantro crema, and a grilled melody of carrots, broccoli, grilled fresh corn, and cauliflower served with three colorful fresh warm tortillas. Every morsel was scrumptious! To quench your thirst, try the fresh Mint Lemonade.
By the way, if you desire to sit above the waves directly on the ocean, head straight to the end of the pier and dine at the Malibu Farm Cafe. Both the restaurant and cafe are owned by founder/chef Helene Henderson, who farms some of the lovely beautiful, delicious vegetables that don the tables of both entities.
The atmosphere for both locations is casually relaxed, with a hint of upscale chic in the restaurant. The cafe is counter service and serves beer and wine with no reservations. The restaurant offers table service with full-service alcohol and accepts dinner reservations. Visit Malibu Farm at 23000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California.
Tocaya Modern Mexican
One Saturday morning, while visiting not-so-sunny southern California during the holiday season, the family journeyed to Tocaya Modern Mexican in Studio City. Tocaya is located in a hip new modern picturesque outdoor shopping mall comprising nice restaurants, specialty boutique shops, and Erewhon Market, similar to the original Whole Foods design.
Tocaya is a swank, modern, chic, upscale take on Mexican Baja food. Inside, the restaurant’s back extends into an outdoor living room patio with beautiful seating outfitted in tones of blue, green, and neutral beiges, rattan, and tons of greenery. The food ranges from Mexican-inspired bowls, burritos, tacos, quesadillas, delicious cinnamon churros, and an array of waters, glass bottled sodas, wines, and beers. It is the first bar I have visited that advises consumers that alcohol use can lead to cancer and birth defects.
I ordered the Spicy Cilantro Verde Bowl containing a beautifully arranged array of avocado, diced cucumbers, seasoned chickpeas, marinated kale, cilantro-lime rice, and delicious spicy cilantro Verde sauce. The chef recommended vegan chicken and vegan mozzarella with the order, but I declined those choices. By the way, the spicy cilantro Verde sauce is absolutely scrumptious and banging with bold flavors. My family munched on the breakfast burrito filled with cage-free eggs, black bean purée, a trio of colorful peppers, caramelized onions, poblano peppers, beef chorizo, jalapeño Jack cheese, and tomatillo salsa, all combined in a flour tortilla. My two-year-old grandson thoroughly enjoyed his chicken quesadilla with cilantro lime rice; this is the first time he ate nearly every morsel of his food. We rounded our breakfast out with the yummy cinnamon waffle churros with a dipping sauce.
Tocaya definitely lives up to its name; it is the talk of the town amongst hipsters throughout the west. Visit Tocaya locations in Studio City, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Scottsdale, Venice Beach, La Jolla, Hollywood, Century City, Tempe, and Phoenix.
HELLO DECEMBER
Wherever the weekend takes you … enjoy life!
A DAY FOR GRATITUDE
CITY BEACH
CITY BEACH
There is something magical about growing up along the coastline during the 1950s, perhaps because 1957 holds a special place in my heart. Hearing African-Americans in the Hampton Roads area speak on the subject; the mind automatically flashes to Virginia Beach. Still, long before the boardwalk ushered us to into their haven, there was City Beach.
City Beach is a public beach located along the shores of East Beach, an award-winning tony beach community on the Chesapeake Bay. On June 16, 1935, the beach officially opened as a public beach and was annexed to Norfolk in 1959. City Beach was unique to African Americans because it was 11-acres of land on the Chesapeake Bay dedicated to us for family gatherings, crabbing, BBQs, and basking in the sun. I recall spending the Fourth of July at City Beach with friends at the dance hall or walking the boardwalk during the 1970s.
Today, City Beach is officially called East Beach and remains a public beach surrounded by million-dollar homes. When in Norfolk, I reside in East Beach, and recently during a daily walk, I noticed the City of Norfolk placed a historical marker on June 7, 2018, at one of the public walkways leading into the dunes toward the beach.
Learn more about City Beach and East Beach by clicking on the names. Thanks for reading!
5 Top Edible Vineyard Spots for 2021
As summer metamorphoses into fall, memories of summer 2021 on my beloved Vineyard are still fresh in my mind. There is little about the Vineyard that I do not love, so when a friend inquired about my five top spots for this year, it was hard. But, as the great Maya Angelou said: “Love is many things, it is varied, but one thing it can never be is unsure,” so here is what I know for sure:
The Black Sheep 17 Airport Road, Edgartown (508)338-7770. Scrumptious bites and takeaways … everything we took away, including the citrus shrimp, quinoa with veggies, and chicken, and salmon was mouthwatering. “Your Table … Our Food;” dinner is a wrap!
The Fish House 17 Airport Road, Edgartown (508)693-0055. The fresh fish here is the stuff every top chef desires to smell and taste. The two huge slabs of salmon we grilled for dinner were divine. I have not tasted salmon that good in years! Dad always said: If the fish smells, let him be! And, if fresh fish is not your thing, order take-out food. The clam chowder and clam plate are spectacular too!
Stella Salumeria, 6 Circuit Avenue, Oak Bluffs (508)338-7457. The sweet spot for Italian beach and picnic sandwiches plus French baked goods. The gang loved the Italian-inspired sandwiches with chips in the beach cooler. Those sandwiches soothed the soul in our sweet spot at the cliffs.
Mad Martha’s Ice Cream (OB, ED, VH). My favorite iconic ice cream spot for Pistachio and Blueberry ice cream treats, now when one mentions ice cream, my whole family heads straight there while on the island. Vineyard habits are passing down!
Biscuits 28 Lake Avenue, Oak Bluffs (508)693-2033. It must be my New Orleans roots or just a love for shrimp and grits, whatever the reason, Biscuits delivered on a whim.
The Sweet Life Cafe belongs on this list too, but as the dedicated babysitter for date night, I could not partake but heard all the raves about my superb recommendation.
Bon Appetit!!!
A DIFFERENT KIND OF FACE MASK
| TIME FOR A NEW MASK |
Say the word face mask today, and the mind automatically visualizes one that covers for protection. Well, pull off one face mask and put on another.
MIX INGREDIENTS
1 TSP Fresh Lemon Juice;
1/4 Cup Fresh Blueberries;
1 TSP Brown Sugar; and
1/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt.
Whip the ingredients in a blender to form a paste. No blender, no problem, just mash them good in a bowl. You can substitute raw honey for brown sugar. Apply the paste to your face and neck with clean hands or a clean makeup or paintbrush and let it sit for 15-minutes. Wash off with cold water to close pores. Repeat twice a week for brighter radiant skin. Dispose of any unused mask.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
Today we celebrate motherhood and mother’s coast-to-coast.
Honor your Queen with love and appreciation; she sacrificed so much for the seed, you.
“A gracious woman gets honor” (Proverbs 11:16 KJV).
