Sprinkles

Shima 0 comments 10.12.2015

For today’s, “Tourist in my own city,” I visited Los Angeles’ famous cupcake shop,

Sprinkles Cupcakes.

Anyone who knows me, knows I have a huge sweet tooth and love of chocolate. I’ve personally never been crazy about cupcakes, until I tried Sprinkles!

Upon walking into Sprinkles, you’ll notice that the front door is closed tightly. I asked an employee why this was and she explained that the door remains closed so that the room can maintain its temperature so that the cupcakes stay fresh and moist.

The room isn’t very large, but there is a strategic method in ordering your cupcakes. About four-to-five parties, dependent on size can fit in the room. While the party in front of you is selecting their cupcakes, one can inspect all the varieties and decide on what they will be choosing.

There are so many options to choose from including  banana, carrot, black and white, chocolate marshmallow, coconut, dark chocolate, chai latte, lemon, cuban coffee, etc. Keep in mind, however, that cupcakes vary location to location and flavors are listed on the website per location,

A single cupcake cost $3.75 while a dozen is $42.00.

Founder and pastry chef, Candace Nelson, opened the world’s first cupcake bakery, Sprinkles Cupcakes in 2005. The first location was the one I visited today in Beverly Hills.

Next door, there is a Sprinkles Ice-cream shop where delicious creations are made. A cupcake not sweet enough for you? You can purchase a scoop of Sprinkles’ tasty ice-cream on top of a cupcake.

Ice-cream flavors include banana, butter pecan, mint chip, red velvet, and more.

According to the Sprinkles website, the cupcakes are handcrafted from “the finest ingredients, including sweet cream butter, bittersweet Belgian chocolate, pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, fresh bananas and carrots, real strawberries and natural citrus zests.”

The cupcakes are topped with their trademark of modern dots, chocolate sprinkles from France, or designed with seasonal sugar decorations. During the holidays, you’re sure to find unique flavors such as gingerbread for the month of December.

The cupcake shop is also well-known for their adorable dog cupcakes. The small cupcakes are designed specifically for your favorite four-legged friend and were a hit with my dogs.

Since the opening of Sprinkles, many businesses have tried to compete with the bakery. According to The Washington Post, “”most cupcake bakeries take their inspiration from Sprinkles.”

Today, Sprinkles Cupcakes can be purchased in several states including Arizona, Tennessee, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, and New York. Furthermore, there are numerous locations in California including The Grove, La Jolla, Newport Beach, and Westlake Village.

 I think one of the neatest parts of Sprinkles Cupcakes is that they have a Cupcake ATM! Yes, you read that correctly. In select locations, one can purchase a cupcake or cookie from Sprinkle’s ATM machine which is in front of the store. The ATM is perfect for late-night cravings. Several locations that have the ATM include the Beverly Hills location and Las Vegas.

Today, Sprinkles Cupcakes include cupcakes, ice-cream, dog cupcakes, and cookies. For those unable to visit a shop, you can order items directly from their website-including ice-cream!

Special features include cupcakes and cookies for pickup, cupcakes and cookies for delivery, ice cream & cookie dough shipping, and retail shipping.

I highly recommend Sprinkles Cupcakes for special events from office parties, weddings, to birthday parties. The cupcakes are delicious and tasteful.

For more information on finding Sprinkles Cupcakes locations or an ATM near you, please visit their website here.

Corazon

Shima 0 comments 04.12.2015

For today’s “Tourist in my own city,” I visisted Rolling Hills Estates’ new restaurant, Corazon.

This may sound silly, but I typically judge a Mexican restaurant in the first few minutes based on their SALSA! I personally have no tolerance for spicy, but I do love a good salsa that is mild enough for me to eat and spicy enough for me to feel a kick.

Corazon did not disappoint.

Corazon Mexican Kitchen, located at 767 Deep Valley Dr., Rolling Hills Estates has a trendy, yet welcoming atmosphere.  The restaurant opened earlier this year in June, but I finally had some time to get in there and I wanted to share my experience.

I found that there are several areas designated for parties where groups can separate themselves from others to enjoy their privacy. In addition, the restaurant has an outdoor patio and a bar where individuals can enjoy their lunch or a drink.

What makes Corazon differ from other Mexican restaurants is that the ambiance and presentation of the food brings elegance to what many may consider a casual dinner. The restaurant is well-known for their cucumber margarita which Cucumber has cilantro, jalapeño, agave nectar with sweet and sour and Han Teq. Tajin Rim. Furthermore, there is a large selection of beer and Latin American Wines.

Based on my experience, I would rate the restaurant an A+ for their efficient service, friendliness and quality. The meals were brought on a timely manner and our waiter, Jacob,  checked on our large party of 12 often. It also didn’t hurt that our chips, salsa and water were refilled often without mentioning.

For a restaurant as elegant as Corazon, I was very surprised to find that prices were very affordable. Customers can mix and match from a variety of options that is perfect for someone who isn’t very hungry. Some options include a soup and salad, a taco and Mexican salad, or a tamale and salad.

Many of the meals are homemade recipes and as mentioned previously, the salsa is AMAZING! Only suggestion I have, don’t get too full off the fresh tortilla chips and salsa like I did.

To learn more about Corazon and to make reservations, please visit their website here.

For some of their specials, please refer to the photo below.

Surviving the Holidays in the South Bay

Shima 0 comments 29.11.2015

Christmas is one of the most loved holidays. It’s a time where (most) people are in a jolly spirit and make the most memories with their loved ones.

Although many parents love the fact that their children have a two-week break, most fall short of activities to do, leaving their children constantly nagging, “I’m bored.”

Despite the excitement of having time off, we tend to forget all the great activities we can do. Here are some fun ways to celebrate the holidays and the time off- South Bay style.

  Go see Christmas Lights:

It’s not Christmas until you pack the car with your family and friends and visit Candy Cane Lane at 200 Acacia St in El Segundo, CA 90245. Kids can meet Santa and view extravagant light displays, all for free.

Sleepy Hollow Christmas Lights in South Torrance is another great site to visit. The entire neighborhood is involved. I personally love to park my car so that I can walk along the sidewalk. It’s easier to capture photos and neighbors sell delicious treats along the way.

Buy a Christmas tree:

One of the most admired traditions of the holidays for families is buying a Christmas tree. It’s one of the best ways to get the family together, working towards the same goal- finding the best one.  This Christmas, stop by Christmas Tree House and mention “SELL WITH SHIMA” to receive 10% off.

Ice-Skate with Friends:

Ice-skating makes for unforgettable memories. With all the falling, laughing and hot cocoa, you’re sure to have a wonderful time. One of the best parts of ice-skating is trying to keep your balance while taking silly photos with friends.

Head down to Santa Monica’s ICE or LA Live’s outdoor rink this month for some outdoor fun.

Have a Secret Santa Party:

Giving gifts can be a hassle, especially when you’re blessed with a large group of family or friends. Grab a group of friends or cousins and place names into a bowl. Everyone picks a name and keeps it a secret until the gift-exchange date, which you can choose. This is a fun and inexpensive way to celebrate the holidays, all while keeping everyone involved in the fun! A tip: have everyone agree on a budget for gifts.

Bake:

nvite your friends over and have each person bring over their favorite homemade treat. I love sitting around the TV and enjoying warm cookies with a cup of milk with friends.

Visit Big Bear:

Sure, we don’t have snow in Los Angeles. But hop in the car and drive 2 hours to Big Bear and you’ll have fresh snow where you can sled, ski, or snowboard for the day!

Sand Sledding:

Is Big Bear too far? No worries, winter in Los Angeles consists of sleds on sand in Hermosa Beach. Who’s complaining? Sun and Sleds.

Give back:

It’s not the holidays, unless you’re giving back to those who need it most. Try donating items no longer needed to the Salvation Army or donating jackets, umbrellas, and blankets to homeless. My friends and I enjoy making sandwiches and giving it back to homeless in Skid-row. It helps you remember how fortunate we are.

Take silly Christmas photos:

Enough said.

What are some of your favorite local attractions to visit during the holidays?

Christmas Tree House

Shima 0 comments 27.11.2015

Growing up, I remember the excitement and joy I felt when my mom would pull into the Christmas Tree House lot. I’d have a 100 acre smile plastered on my face, eager to see all the beautiful trees.

Christmas Tree House, located at 17520 Prairie Ave Torrance, CA 90504 is special to me because I grew up purchasing my Christmas trees there. I remember jumping out of my mom’s car uncontrollably as I ran through aisles of trees, determined to find THE ONE.

Granted I was so young, but I was convinced that I was the tree-guru and knew everything. The men working always gave me more credit than I deserved and agreed that I was right about “the perfect tree.”

Truthfully, as I’ve grown older, I value all the trees-in different ways. I love the Charlie Brown trees as much as I love the full, bushy ones. Over the years, as I have grown older, I’ve learned more about the variety of trees.

This is because of the knowledge, service and joy the employees have. I wouldn’t have known the difference between a Silver-Tip tree to a Noble one, but they were able to inform me of what makes one unique from the other. I also learned that a 6 ft. tree will take a minimum of 6 years to grow- wow!

Today, the lot has many more features than I remember from my childhood. They have an on-site jumper that is free for all the children to use, popcorn, wreaths, lights, mistletoe, and a small gift shop. In addition, snowmen and reindeer created with real wood are for sale.

The crew of men who cut and place trees on the cars for customers are sharp, polite, and efficient. But best of all, they have the Christmas spirit! It’s clear to see that they’re happy helping and make the entire experience worthwhile.

I’ve had to shop at other lots in the past, such as Home Depot, and it personally didn’t feel the same. I noticed that the employees were more focused on getting me inside their store to purchase new lights than help me pick the best tree.

At Christmas Tree House, they carry Douglas fir, Grand fir, Noble fir, Nordman, Turkish Fir and Silver Tip trees which are well taken care of as every tree on the lot is placed on a stand and in water. If you’re not aware of the difference, I highly suggest asking a member of the crew who will gladly educate you.

The lot opens at 7 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving and remains open until each last one is sold.

My favorite part of having a tree in my house growing up was always the smell. I still remember from a young age coming home to my house smelling like a walk through the forest. I’d read books under the tree, eat popcorn from the huge tins, and then place ornaments on while watching Home Alone 2.

The trees at Christmas Tree House are very affordable and greener than ever and stay smelling fresh until the very last day. I appreciate knowing this ahead of time and that’s why I continue to buy my trees there every year.

I am so grateful for all my family and friends who’ve supported my business this past year and in result, I’ve teamed up with my favorite tree lot to give 10% off to customers who mention

SELL WITH SHIMA.

I hope that the season brings you as much joy as it does for me.

Happy Holidays to all!

To learn more about Andy and the Christmas Tree House, please refer to the website here.

ICE

Shima 0 comments 24.11.2015

For today’s “Tourist in my own city,” I visited Santa Monica’s “ICE.”

Year after year, I would drive pass the outdoor ice rink, promising myself that I would try it one day. Well, this year, after finding a coupon on Groupon, I made it a priority to attend.

ICE at Santa Monica is a little ice skating rink that comes around every holiday season. What makes the rink so fun is that it resides in the beach-side community and is on the corner of 5^th Street and Arizona Avenue in Santa Monica.

According to the downtown Santa Monica website, the rink measures at 8,000 square feet. I visited the rink today when it opened at 2 p.m. I was surprised to find so many young children waiting in line at 1:45. Parents, nannies and children of all ages skated and laughed with joy, even when they fell.

Personally, I LOVE ice-skating but go to larger, indoor rinks like the Toyota Center in El Segundo. Although the rink was fun because of the energizing music and the lack of needing a sweater, it was a little too crowded for my liking. I enjoy skating in large rinks because I don’t have to be too cautious of others whereas in a smaller rink like ICE, you have to be extremely careful.

Furthermore, as weather is always unpredictable in So-Cal, it was a hot day. At 78 degrees, the ice was melting which made for sliding and lots of falls among the crowd. Despite the crowds and slippery ice, I suggest everyone visit ICE in Santa Monica at least once this holiday season.

It’s a nice place to gather with friends, drink some hot cocoa, and make everlasting memories.

The rink’s hours and days of service are as follows:
November 1, 2015 — January 18, 2016

Admission with Skate Rental: $15

General Hours of Operation
Monday-Thursday: 2:00pm – 10:00pm
Friday: 2:00pm – Midnight
Saturday: 10:00am – Midnight
Sunday: 10:00am – 10:00pm

Holiday Hours

Thanksgiving

November 26: 10:00am – 10:00pm
November 27: 10:00am – Midnight

Holiday Break, Christmas Eve 
December  21 – December 24: 10:00am – 10:00pm

Christmas Day
10:00am — Midnight

Holiday Break, New Year’s Eve
December 28 – December 31: 10:00am – 10:00pm

New Year’s Day
January 1: 10:00am – 12:00am

Martin Luther King Day (Last Day of ICE at Santa Monica)
January 18: 10:00am – 10:00pm

Hermosa Beach Farmers’ Market

Shima 0 comments 18.11.2015

Today for lunch, I stopped by the Farmers’ Market in Hermosa Beach to visit my friends at BreadCrumbs Gourmet Sandwiches. I got to meet so many wonderful locals and try delicious organic fruits.

If you’re ever looking for a quick bite, stop by on your lunch break. There is a wide variety of delicious foods to try and you can never get enough of the ocean views. The Farmers’ Market is every Wednesday on the Hermosa Pier between 11-4 p.m.

To see more of the Hermosa Beach Farmers’ Market, please watch my YouTube video here. 

“It’s a sweet, sweet life living by the salty sea…”

Fred Hesse Community Park

Shima 0 comments 16.11.2015

For today’s “Tourist in your own city,” I wanted to share a local park I love.

Although Hesse Park wasn’t a new place for me to visit, I still wanted to play tourist so that I can share with you this awesome place.

Growing up, I spent every Saturday at Hesse Park in Rancho Palos Verdes. My father and his friends would play soccer there while my cousins and I spent several hours playing in the field, playgrounds, and dirt.

Like most parks, there is a playground, walking path, and acres of green field. Yet, Hesse Park remains to be one of my favorite parks due to its serenity. I visited the park today, a lot older than my childhood days, and admired things a little differently.

When I was younger, a good park to me was one in which I could run freely and swing high. Today, I seek to find parks where I can gather my thoughts, read a good book, and possibly take a nap. Hesse Park seems to meet my criteria fully.

he park which is located at 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard is a little different than most parks because of its meeting rooms. Guest can rent out the recreation rooms for events, weddings, and parties. Often times, park visitors can also find brides and grooms capturing their wedding photos in the park.

Some of the features of Hesse Park include baseball fields, picnic areas with barbeques, playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, soccer field, and plenty of walking trails. Stairs along a walking trail will take you “downstairs” to two playgrounds for children, recreational rooms, restrooms, and additional walking trails. Downstairs, which is considered the lower park area includes a sand volleyball court, picnic tables, and plenty of trees.

Above, where the main park area is, one can find a beautiful panoramic view of Catalina Island. The breathtaking ocean view attracts many brides and grooms who come to the park to take their wedding photos.

Fred Hesse, Jr. Community Park remains to be one of my favorite places to explore on any day. No matter the time or day, one can find a shady tree to relax under or a picnic table to have lunch on.

What park did you grow up playing at?

To learn more about Fred Hesse Community Park, please visit the website here.

Baby, it’s cold outside…

Shima 0 comments 10.11.2015

For today’s “Tourist in my own city,” I wanted to share one of favorite ramen spots.

The weather is becoming chillier and for a lot of South Bay natives, that means it is finally cool enough for a big bowl of ramen!

Asa Ramen, located at 18202 S. Western Ave in Gardena is one of my favorite hole-in-the wall restaurants. Like most ramen restaurants, it is not open all day, however, is open until 1 a.m. for the evening hours.

You can pop in between 11:30-2:30 p.m. for the day or in the evening between 6:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. The restaurant, which has 3.5 stars on Yelp from 570 reviews is a favorite for many locals because of its flavorful soups. I personally like to order the pork-flavored noodles with bamboo.

One Yelp reviewer writes, “I used to come to Asa about once a week when I worked in the restaurant business because they are opened late and the ramen is always so comforting.  After a while, it became my go to spot for ramen, which says a lot because the South Bay has a lot of different ramen shops.  This little hole in the wall is normally pretty consistent, flavor wise and it’s so convenient because it’s never too crowded where we can’t get a table.”'

Indeed, there are numerous ramen spots in the South Bay which makes choosing one difficult. Although the restaurant is not very large, I have never had any trouble with being seated in a reasonable amount of time.

What’s your favorite go-to place when it is cold out?

Domino Effect

Shima 0 comments 04.11.2015

Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s #WCW title belongs to resident of the South Bay for over 45 years, Irene Chalakee,  who opened her home to 26 children and nine adults from Uganda after hearing they needed a place to stay.

Chalakee’s family resided in Torrance for over 45 years but began moving to Oregon two years ago. While at church in Ashland, Chalakee learned about a group of children from Uganda who were traveling across the country to bring awareness of their nonprofit organization, Imani Milele Children Inc.

The choir group consisting of 15 girls and 11 boys began their cross-country tour earlier this year in May, beginning in Florida. The group of children travel across the states in a large bus in hopes of bringing awareness of their country and the orphans back home who are in need of education, consistent meals and health care.

Since moving to Oregon, Irene’s home in Torrance was vacant while completing final repairs. She was planning a trip to visit family in Los Angeles when she learned about the Ugandan children and decided to give the Pastor her phone number and the address of the empty home in Torrance.

Within just a few days and short notice, Irene was preparing to host a group of children and their chaperons. By word of mouth, friends, neighbors, strangers and family, the children were provided with daily meals, toys, games, activities, and clothes. In addition, friends and family helped by bringing over snacks, hosting an ice-cream party, pretend weddings, and bonfires. The local community came together and in result, the children were immensely grateful and happy.

The children experienced going into the ocean for the first time, trying new foods, and celebrating Halloween.

The Imani Milele Children Inc. is a nonprofit organization created in 1989, which rescues children of rape, neglect and abuse and educates the children. The group was created to assist children who were orphaned during the civil war of the 1980’s that affected their country of Uganda in East Africa.

The children were scheduled to perform at St. Lawrence and planned to stay in the city for only  two days. However, because Irene and her family and friends were able to arrange several concerts and performances at nearby churches, campuses, and arenas including El Camino College and the Hills Academy in Torrance, they stayed for over a week. In addition, they performed for West Angeles Church who televised the show to 20,000. During the events, there are photos and stories of the children on display in hopes of finding people who’d like to help the children.

“Everything kind of just fell into place. I called my aunt as soon as I found out and wanted to help her so I made some calls and put it on facebook and everyone just kind of helped,” Jessica Hua explains. Hua is Irene’s niece who lives across the street from the house where the children stayed. Hua helped with many of the activities including painting the girl’s nails, taking them to Krispy Kreme, and rallying locals to help.

While in San Francisco, when their bus broke down and they had no place to shower, the children met two elder ladies (above) who funded their entire trip to Disneyland and even drove in to experience the trip with them. In addition, Skechers donated a brand new pair of sneakers to each member of the choir. The children were ecstatic and to thank Skechers for their generosity, the children sung for the crew.

On Saturday, Irene’s brother Herman took four of the children with him to downtown Los Angeles to feed the homeless .  The children also sung for those they gave meals to. In addition, after playing at a beach for their first time in Redondo Beach, the children performed for locals on the pier. Two men were so moved that they bought all the children churros.

Some of the activities the children took part in included dance parties at home, playing dress-up, playing soccer at Colombia park, and acting out a pretend wedding. Gloria Hua, sister of Irene’s donated an old wedding dress to one of the chaperons who had plans on marrying upon returning to Uganda and donated Tux and shoes to another chaperon who was also getting married. The joy of receiving the items resulted in a fake wedding and the kids gathered around, sung, and laughed in honor of the make belief wedding.

The Milele group hosts annual tours in the United States with their children’s choir to bring awareness of Uganda and the children.  The organization began with only three orphans and is now at 3,000 members. Uganda has the youngest population in the world with over 50% of their population being children. By donating $35 a month, a child will have their education, medical and nutrition needs met. One can sponsor the child with the choice of a year minimum or ongoing payments that can be paid by cash, check, or credit card.

On the last night prior to the children’s departure, the Pastor entered the backyard around 11 p.m. when the kids were dancing, writing goodbye letters, and spending the last moments with the family. Irene asked the Pastor if there is anything else the kids needed. She told him, “I can’t help you unless you tell me.”

The Pastor explained that the children slept on floors in Uganda so they’d appreciate coming home to a nice bed. He made several calls and calculated an expense of $55 for the beds and sheets for the 36 members. Irene generously wrote a check for $2,500 and handed it to the Pastor. He decided he would tease the kids by telling him that the neighbors complaint of them being too loud.

The children knelt on the floor, apologizing. He quickly turned the joke around and told them, “There is good news, right here in my hand is a check for a million dollars, and when you go home each of you will have a brand new mattress, pillow and sheets.”

The kids squealed with excitement and began dancing, doing high kicks, picking Irene up, lifting chairs, hugging, crying. He then told them each to pick one of us up one of the family members, and all laughed in joy. Irene was lifted in the air by three children in excitement. Jessica Hua explains, “They were so grateful and it was beautiful to see that it took very little to make such a huge difference in their life.”

The children left last week on Thursday morning at 5:00 a.m. After nine days in the South Bay, they departed  to continue their tour in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas before returning to Florida where they’ll take a flight back home to Uganda. The choir plans on returning to the states for their next tour in early 2017.

Irene’s random act of kindness began a domino effect of good deeds across the South Bay community as locals participated in giving back and brightening the day of the children. Thank you Irene for remaining a wonderful contribution to your South Bay community even miles away.

To learn more about the children and how you can donate, please refer to website here.

All photos were taken and kindly donated by Jessica Hua.

Vista Hermosa National Park

Shima 0 comments 03.11.2015

Although I grew up in Los Angeles, I love finding hidden gems and playing tourist in my own city. One of the best ways to find things to do is to pretend you’re new to the area or a tourist.

Today I found this little piece of heaven in Los Angeles. I absolutely love hiking, picnics, and walking trails. The outdoors have always been my favorite way to stay in shape and I love greenery.

Vista Hermosa Natural Park in Los Angeles is the perfect place to read, have lunch, or just relax. Although surrounded by high-rises and buildings, you’re walking along green grass and feel at one with nature.

The park reminds me a lot of New York and how you see buildings when looking up. The park is very similar, yet comforting because you have benches and puppies all around you to take a break from the chaos.

The park is located at the western gateway to Downtown at 100 N. Toluca Street and is an urban national park. The park has walking trails, streams, picnic grounds, and a playground for kids.

I love finding new places to take my friends and family who visit Los Angeles. It is nice to be able to share with them how awesome the place I live is.

What’s your favorite spot in Los Angeles?