Cheat Day Land MUSEUM
What’s your favorite cheat meal?
Be sure to visit this fun & interactive museum that is here until February 1st.
Category
Tourist in My Own City
Category : Tourist in My Own City
Seaside Heroes Park
In honor of Veterans Day weekend, today’s “Tourist in your own city” visit was to Seaside Heroes Park in Torrance.
This small park honors Army soldiers Cpl. Joseph Anzack, Jr., 20, Cpl. Micah S. Gifford, 27, and Capt. Matthew C. Ferrara, 24.
The three young men grew up in this area, attending Seaside Elementary Calle Mayor Middle, and South High Schools. As boys, they enjoyed scouting, baseball, track and field, wrestling and football but as young men, they all chose to serve our country.
They became members of the United States Army and all made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives while at war in Iraq (Joseph and Micah) and Afghanistan (Matthew).
They died within an eleven month period (December 2006 - November 2007). May everyone who visits this park realizes the sacrifice made by these Soldiers so that we may live in freedom, and may our "Seaside Heroes" be remembered and inspire future generations.
We may not know them all, but we owe them all.
BOWLero
Have you ever walked around your own city and pretended you were a tourist? You’d be surprised how much there is to see and how little you probably know about the place you live. That’s why I’m excited to bring #touristinmyowncity back to my blog. It’s important to take time away from work and just enjoy LIFE.
I will be featuring a local place, restaurant, or nature trail weekly on my blog with a review. Today I visited Bowlero Torrance and was so amazed by the complete remodel.
Make sure you check out the neat arcade that even has Mario Cart, Candy Crush, and Pac Man! If you've had a long day, you wouldn't mind visiting their full-bar with a wood-burning fireplace and pool table.
The alley plays fun, upbeat music and even has TV projectors above every lane! The screens play funny videos, news, and music videos.
It is a great place to host an event, meet with friends after work, go on a date, or family.
Hungry? Consider their five-pound hamburger. This enormous burger will feed 5 of your friends & more!
I will rate this bowling alley 5 stars for its cleanliness, friendly staff, delicious food, and the wide selection of games, bowling balls, and music.
For more information, head to their website here.
HOURS:
Monday
4:00PM - 12:00AM
Tuesday
4:00PM - 12:00AM
Wednesday
4:00PM - 12:00AM
Thursday
4:00PM - 12:00AM
Friday
11:00AM - 1:30AM
Saturday
11:00AM - 1:30AM
Sunday
11:00AM - 12:00AM
Museum of Ice cream
It's been some time that I've been able to play Tourist in my own city. Today, that changed.
My cousin, Kaynaz and I were guests at LA's HOTTEST museum which is currently sold out. The Museum of Icecream is the latest trend, where hipsters, kids, and everyday folks can be a kid again.
As read on the website, the goal of the museum is to allow one to be a kid again. A place where "Ideas are transformed into real life experiences. A place where flavors are mysteries, toppings are toys and sprinkles make the world a better place."
There is no denying the positive energy flowing throughout the museum. I told my cousin that I have never seen a place where people willingly help one another take photos, express happiness, and laughter.
Everyone, from staff to the visitors are on the same page: take the greatest photo imaginable to share.
There are several rooms in the museum that are separated by hallways. Of the many rooms, my favorite was a green, mint room. In this room, a friendly man was offering mochi ice cream with mint chocolate chip ice cream. Delish!
Another fun room is the SPRINKLE pool. One cannot help but jump in and play!
Of the many museums I have been fortunate to visit, this was truly on the top of the list. I rated this museum a 10 out of 10 for bringing out the child in us, a friendly staff and exquisite pieces.
They say Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, but I beg to differ.
The Museum of Icecream is the HAPPIEST place on earth!
Top 5 Mexican Restaurants in SoCal
According to History.com, Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—is a holiday commemorating the date of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations.
In honor of this holiday, I am sharing my TOP 5 favorite Mexican restaurants in the South Bay.
CASA PLAYA
Relaxed, counter-serve eatery dishing up Mexican classics, including burritos, tacos & tortas.
1903 S Catalina Ave, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 791-2272
ORTEGA 120
Creative, contemporary Mexican dishes are served in a down-to-earth, art-filled dining room.
1814 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 792-4120
EL TORITO
Mexican chain featuring burritos, fajitas & a tequila bar in an informal setting.
100 Fishermans Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 376-0547
THE ORIGINAL RED ONION
Since-1967 Mexican eatery dealing in tacos, enchiladas & drinks plus breakfast in rustic house digs.
736 Bart Earle Way, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274
(310) 377-5660
CORAZON
767 Deep Valley Dr, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274
(310) 377-0580
The Broad Museum
When my client said he wanted over-sized chairs for his dining table, I didn’t think he had this in mind. So, for today’s Tourist in your own city, I thought I would share with you L.A.’s latest hype, The Broad.
The often sold-out museum has guest visiting who’ve reserved tickets at least three months in advance!
The Broad is a new contemporary art museum which opened in September of 2015 and was founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad and located on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. According to the museum’s website, it is “home to the 2,000 works of art in the Broad collection, which is among the most prominent holdings of postwar and contemporary art worldwide.”
The collection of contemporary art at the museum is from the 1950s to present day from the works by more than 200 artists. The museum was created in hopes of “advancing education and engagement through exhibitions and diverse public programming, the museum enriches, provokes, inspires, and fosters appreciation of art of our time.” In result, admission to the museum is free for all!
As an individual who is not very artsy and does not know much about artist and their history, I found myself enlightened to see different kinds of art brought to life in the museum. The art pieces range from paintings to photos to sculptures.
I admire the fact that the museum is large enough where you feel free to roam around. Staff is very friendly and kindly offer to take photos of you next to the art pieces. My favorite piece was by Robert Therrien and was called Under The Table, 1994- which is the large table and chairs. It felt very Alice in the Wonderland.
I also was in awe of the building itself. The Broad was designed to symbolize “the veil and the vault.” When visiting the museum, one will tunnel through the vault- which is a 105-foot escalator taking one straight to the third-floor. In addition, one can take the cylindrical glass elevator that was specifically designed to take one of the art pieces directly to the third floor during creation of the museum.
There are central stairs that wind through the vault, which provides visitors glimpse into the collection storage. The vault was created with 36 million pounds of concreate alone!
Eli and Edye Broad have been creating their collection of postwar and contemporary art for the last five decades. The building of the museum was designed by world-renowned architectural firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler, created a “veil-and-vault” concept.
The collection at The Broad continues to grow as one piece of work is added weekly.
Visitors of The Broad are welcome to take photos for personal use, however, are asked to refrain from using flash, tripods or selfie sticks. During your visit, you can download The Broad’s free app to follow a self-guided audio tour.
Visitors may visit The Shop at the museum located in the lobby which features limited-edition prints, books, memorabilia, and gifts. No food or drinks are allowed inside the museum, however, visitors may enter/exit at any time.
General admission to The Broad is free. However, advance online reservations are highly recommended and available online.
Hours of The Broad:
Monday | Closed
Tuesday and Wednesday | 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Thursday and Friday | 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday | 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Information in creation of this blog was supported by the brochure of The Broad museum which can be picked up during your visit.
Tis’ the Season
For today’s “Tourist in my own city,” I visited one of South Bay resident’s favorite activities to do during the holidays- walk through Candy Cane lane!
If you grew up in the South Bay like I did, you know all about Candy Cane lane and look forward to visiting it annually. It is located in the 5000 block of Sharynne Lane in Torrance, CA.
During the holidays, several streets in South Torrance are decorated elaborately and free to the public for viewing unique lights. Homes in the area between PCH and Calle Mayor are lit up for locals to drive through or park their car and walk.
Personally, I love walking even if it’s a little chilly outside. I love to layer on sweaters and walk through the neighborhoods with family and friends. Residents of the area are often home with company. Many sell items such as hot coca and popcorn in front of their homes.
I love walking the neighborhood to see all the joy the children feel and the awe in their expressions as they see their favorite characters from movies used as décor such as, Frozen.
Many kids will pop their head out of their parent’s car and joyfully shout “Merry Christmas” as they go through the neighborhoods and it is adorable to hear the pure excitement in their voices.
It is nice to see how unique the decorations are from surfing Santa’s to gingerbread men with Hawaiian tshirts. I love how residents use the lights to express their passions such as musical notes, animals drinking from a pond to a house with a large picture of the world expressing world peace.
My favorite house to see each year is quite simply, but the meaning is huge to me. They wrap a large yellow bow over a tree with red, white and blue lights below it with an American flag flying nearby. The yellow bow is a symbol in honor of supporting our troops and it always hits home for me.
No matter how young or old you are, visiting Candy Cane lane is a must during the holidays.
For those unfamiliar with finding Candy Cane Lane, I suggest parking your car at Seaside Elementary located at 4651 Sharynne Ln, Torrance, CA 90505 and walk towards the residential area. Also, avoid entering from PCH. Instead, turn on Calle Mayor or try turning on a side street like Carlow or Susana.
Dress warm and enjoy the lights and fun decorations!
Sprinkles
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
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.
