San Pedro is not really a destination which has held much interest for Westsiders or even those who live in other beachside communities. It’s been many years, perhaps even a decade since we’ve visited the city other than to board a cruise at the port. However, this past Saturday evening was the exception. Cirque du Soleil had a new show called Amaluna at its port and that was our motivation for our visit.
It took about 40+ minutes for us to get there on a Saturday night. I used google maps to figure out which restaurants were in close proximity to the event and decided on Pappys’s Seafood which seemed very reasonably priced and was walking distance. I called and made a reservation because San Pedro is not quite linked to any traditional online reservations apps like Open Table, Resy or Yelp.
We found free parking half a block away, walked in, checked in with the hostess and were seated immediately. I had read that the building was previously a post office. It was quite beautiful, bright, open and spacious. The restaurant had tall ceilings and two walls had floor to ceiling windows. Our server was fantastic and all of the runners and busboy were equally responsive.
We started with a Titos martini and Moscow mule.
For dinner, we both ordered sea bass. My husband ordered garlic butter, roasted red potatoes and salad while I ordered mine with chimichurri, fries and salad.
My husband also ordered two additional sides of Cole slaw and Mac n cheese. My husband said that my fish was better than his but not having tasted his I cannot personally confirm. What I will say is that the chimichurri sauce was recommended by our server but having eaten at South American restaurants, the sauce did not seem authentic. However, the fish was tender and it was quite herbaceous so I cannot complain. The mac n cheese had a crusty top layer from the breadcrumbs but the cheese flavor was light and not overpowering. The salads, Cole slaw and fries were fine but nothing extraordinary. All in all, it was a fantastic deal for the amount of food with a full bar experience. The prices were comparable to a California Fish Grill but in a much more interesting and lively setting.
From our dinner location, we walked about 10 minutes to the tent for Amaluna. Signs were everywhere. We walked along the path where people can workout on machines of their choosing. As we were walking, we saw swarms of cars stuck in traffic, attempting to find parking for the show. Anticipating the traffic jam, I had planned our arrival so that we could have an enjoyable, leisurely dinner with time to walk it off before the show.
We meandered down the path and made it to the entrance. Embarrassingly, there was a bit of a hiccup when we inadvertently cut in front of a long line of people waiting to take photos under the Amaluna archway. We apologized profusely for our error in judgment and lack of observation.
We entered the tent and looked to see if there was a line for the interior poster of Amaluna and luckily there was not. There was somebody on staff who was volunteering to take our photo so we took her up on her offer.
Afterwards, we headed to the shop as I wanted to buy a shirt to commemorate our visit. We bought a magnet as well and then lined up to our door to head to our seat.
We had been given the opportunity to upgrade a week or so before the event. I’m a Cirque member and perhaps that’s why they reached out to me. We previously had seats in the back section but were afforded the chance to move to the third row for an additional $40 per ticket saving us about $60 if I had chosen those seats initially.
We chatted a bit with our neighbors to the left of us and found out they’re Vietnamese. Since Saigon aka Ho Chi Minh city is on our list of places to visit we picked their brains a bit. During our conversation, I shared that I was born in the Philippines to the husband and he admitted that he was a refugee for a year confined to one of the Philippines’ islands. In that moment, I was whisked to all the horrific war documentaries about the Vietnam war, how they were forced to live in tunnels and how strong and tenacious the Vietnamese people were, living in darkness and in relative silence, surviving the horror that occurred above ground. With that one sentence, I was transported in time and place and though obviously I wasn’t personally responsible for what transpired, I felt sadness and regret for what he and his fellow refugees endured.
Amaluna also offered a similar experience but more along the lines of a philosophical time travel. The storyline was introduced as a coming of age story. As with any tale of the like, there are conflicts, struggles and obstacles to overcome. Though Amaluna whisked you to another time and to another place, it is recognizable but from a distant past. Yet, because history repeats itself, the emotions remain timely and relevant.
Interspersed in the storyline were the standard Cirque du Soleil displays of strength and athleticism, balance and breath. In this performance, the focus was primarily on gymnasts rather than trapeze artists, clowns and anorexic contortionists. Though in one of the last acts, there were 2 women and 1 man who looked severely petite, most of the performers looked muscular and strong which was refreshing.
I had veered away from watching Cirque’s last few offerings because it became as formulaic as a Danielle Steele novel. Fortunately, Amaluna offered much more than the standard template and that is why this performance will stand out amongst the rest, though admittedly “O” in Vegas is still my number one pick of all their shows and I’ve seen quite a few shows in the last 25 years.
On our way out, after making a 3rd stop at the very clean but very tight portal potties, we headed our and followed the path back to our car parked near the restaurant. Walking alongside us was a very petite, 4’8″ girl with slim legs and straight blonde hair, wearing a denim jacket and black leggings. She looked like a mini version of Reese Witherspoon but as I kept looking at her, I had a sneaking suspicion she was one of the main characters on the show. My husband, having no fear of talking to strangers or celebrities, walked us toward her direction and politely asked if she was one of the cast members which she confirmed she was. I commented on how quickly she was able to change and how sensational she was. For those who are curious, the performer we saw is Anna Ivaseva who I now follow on Instagram. She played Miranda and I’ll stop short of sharing her storyline since the whole show was about her and her journey.
All in all, it was a fantastic evening. Sometimes travel isn’t a physical journey. At times like on Saturday evening, it’s a metaphysical, intellectual and emotional journey. It’s the epiphanies and the takeaways from these snippets in time which help us grow, understand each other a bit better.
Thanks for a great and enlightening evening San Pedro!
Pappys’s Seafood 301 6th Street San Pedro, CA 90731 https://www.pappysseafood.com/menus/
Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/usa/los-angeles/amaluna/buy-tickets
I have driven by Atmosphere and its predecessor many times in the past several years. It seemed more of a breakfast or brunch place but I was surprised that it had a nice dinner offering. In the spirit of trying out new restaurants every week, I made a reservation for this evening and off we went.
When we arrived, we were able to find street parking on Venice half a block away. We entered the restaurant and were immediately greeted by our would-be server, Dennis. The main dining room was a third of the way full so plenty of seats were available. We chose a nice half booth, half table halfway into the dining room.
We started off with a nice glass of Chardonnay and a draft beer.
Our appetizers included a margarita flatbread which was crispy and delicious, a light and piping hot macaroni and cheese and a large delicious helping of a Brussels sprouts salad, sans raisins with crispy bacon on the side. The trio made for a nice welcoming treat to the bohemian vibe of the restaurant.
Our entrees arrived shortly after our appetizers were finished. I ordered the steak and Parmesan fries with mushroom sauce. The steak was quite juicy and tender and the mushroom sauce added a layer of complexity. Sadly, the Parmesan fries were flavorless and were the weakest part of my dinner experience.
My husband ordered a burger and his order came with the garlic fries which were far superior to my order of wimpy Parmesan fries. He seemed to enjoy his burger though admittedly, I didn’t partake so I cannot truthfully vouch for it. However, his plate was practically licked clean so there’s that.
Overall, for the price, ambiance, casual vibe and great service, Atmosphere is a solid choice in a neighborhood which has fancier and budget busting eats like The Mar Vista and Little Fatty which are both fine restaurants but take serious commitment to deal with the large and loud crowds and the much fatter dinner check.
We were quite happy with our unpretentious and delicious dining option and would recommend to all who are looking for a quiet, solid dining experience on the Westside.
Atmosphere Mar Vista
12034 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
https://www.atmospheremarvista.com
Del Frisco’s Grille is a lively, contemporary, hip yet understated restaurant which has replaced the longtime resident, Il Fornaio, on the famed Ocean Avenue across the landmark Santa Monica Pier. It has a very different vibe and offering than its predecessor. It’s casual but refined and yet not stuffy. Perhaps it’s because of its close proximity to the beach and pier or because it’s in the heart of Santa Monica’s tourist area which attracts locals and visitors alike so it behooves them to welcome all to their establishment.
Del Frisco was on my new and noteworthy list on Yelp for quite some time but life happened so we ended taking our time to make our first visit and didn’t head over until the last Friday of April. We luckily arrived early and parked in the Santa Monica mall parking lot, saving us the ridiculous valet prices. The Colorado and 2nd Street parking lot is one block away from the restaurant.
When we arrived and checked in with the hostess, we were immediately seated. That was the beginning of our amazing service by the staff throughout the night. We had a server and she had an assistant. They were so on top of things, we wanted for nothing.
We started our evening toasting to the end of the work week with a Chopin martini and a Chopin Moscow mule. Decent sizes and portions and obviously stellar drinks.
For our starter, we ordered the Cheesesteak Eggrolls which were recommended as one of their most popular items. Truth be told, this is one of those dishes that in theory could be interesting but in execution did not work at all. You could taste the crispy eggroll wrapper, along with the meat and the cheese and drizzled on the plate was the sweet and sour sauce but being Asian and having gone to Asia, the flavor combination is not one which would be applauded in any part of that continent. It was trying too hard to be fusion and it was a flop.
The next dish was the iceberg lettuce wedge salad. The lettuce was quite crisp but the bacon wasn’t crispy enough to give it that counter crunch. The dressing was good but overall, it was a forgettable experience. Nothing about it stood out.
I ordered the baby back ribs for dinner. The ribs were tender but sadly I have to compare it to Hillstone/Houstons fork tender ribs and these didn’t surpass the former. They were good but not the best. My initial order of Parmesan fries were a dud. There was no seasoning at all on the fries. They weren’t crispy and the Parmesan cheese were just sitting on top. One of the managers came by and I expressed my disappointment so she went into the kitchen and ordered me a fresh batch with a side of truffle oil and the do-over was 10 times better.
My husband ordered the filet trio from the Spring menu. The steak was quite tender.
He ordered the truffle macaroni and cheese as his side dish which was decadent and exemplary. The cheese and truffle soaked through the pasta and the entirety of that dish which made it incredibly rich.
To top off the evening, we ordered the peanut butter chocolate pie which was perfection. It was not sweet but had the gooey texture that only a peanut butter, chocolate combo could create.
Of everything we ate, we would definitely order the truffle mac & cheese again as well as the dessert. Next time, we would likely scale back and try some of the burgers which are a little less expensive and more popular option on their menu.
Our dinner set us back $97 each with tax and tip but truthfully, the quality of the food tasted like it should have cost $65 though admittedly the service was top notch. We will keep all in mind going forward and order accordingly.
Del Frisco’s Grille
1551 Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90401
When I heard about a reasonably priced casual eats opening in Venice, I was hopeful that it would at least be decent in flavor and quality. We chose Easter Sunday to try it out. We initially headed to Astro Doughnuts but they were completely sold out of the PB&J doughnuts and had no fried chicken left so we ventured 7 minutes south to American Beauty.
We parked in the residential neighborhood and walked over to the corner lot. There are only plastic stools and benches for seating and makeshift tables. You order at the window and minutes later, they call your name.
In planning out my order a few weeks prior, I had decided to get a cheeseburger patty on top of the fried chicken patty to capture the best of both worlds. My husband ordered a double cheeseburger and we shared an order of the kale salad and fries.
The kale salad was quite delicious. It probably had a bit more dressing than I would have liked but it was light and the lemon vin was the perfect accompaniment to the crispy croutons and the pecorino cheese interspersed throughout.
My husband thoroughly enjoyed his burger. What made their burger patty unique is the onion mix added to the beef so it gives it an added dimension of flavor and depth.
My double patty, the double turf which I am coining the ggfoodie, was the perfect combination. I had the melted cheesy goodness layered on top of the onion meaty patty sitting atop a crispy breaded chicken breast with the house sauce sitting as a dip at the bottom of the double patty. That was a winning combination. I didn’t bother with the bun because I eat my carbs in fries.
The cole slaw wasn’t our favorite because it was a bit oily and greasy but everything else definitely worked for us.
The Win-Dow at American Beauty is definitely a solid winner and we will be frequenting this casual and cheap eats for many years to come.
The Win-Dow at American Beauty
425 Rose Avenue
Venice, CA 90291
http://americanbeauty.la/menu.html
Christmas 2017 was spent on the beautiful island of Boracay in the Philippines. My husband and I stayed at a hotel which advertised that it had wifi. Unfortunately, that was only partially accurate as wifi was only available either in the bar/restaurant area or while pressed up against the window in our room as that was the closest connection point to the hotel’s router.
As a result of last year’s experience, I began the diligent search for a local rentable wifi router once we decided to visit Cebu for Christmas 2018. I was initially unsuccessful since the most viable options could only be rented from Manila or by buying a SIM card. As I was bringing my laptop and was possibly going to have to work during my holiday, the research to find an acceptable solution became critical. I google searched “rentable wifi router Cebu” and came across Vision Global Wifi’s site. One of the reviews mentioned the router having a strong connection on Mactan Island where I had planned on staying so that piqued my interest. 
I reached out to Vision Global and I received the router via FedEx the day prior to my departure. I opted for the Unlimited Advanced plan which has 1GB of 4G-LTE per day which slows down to 2G speeds with the data usage resetting daily at UK midnight time. I tested the connection to my Apple devices before leaving, but for obvious reasons, the router didn’t work while still in the U.S. However, as soon as we landed on Mactan Island, I turned on the router and voila! I had access to everything I normally would have had I been home!! I was and still am astonished.
The router was incredibly useful during our weeklong trip. I was able to download and send work emails, I sent iPhone messages, used WhatsApp to chat and call, posted on Facebook and on Instagram. It was especially helpful in getting around town. I used google maps to help us walk to and from places on the island, but I also used it to make sure the taxis were taking us in the correct direction. The most impressive function of the router was its ability to let me post on Instagram from Pandanon Island. It was a small island in the middle of the ocean and the router worked!!
Staying connected while traveling can be a challenge but not if you use Vision Global’s services. One word of caution: the router does get warm if it’s on for an extended period of time. When not in active use, I turned off both the router and my iPhone to preserve the battery life of both. Luckily, I wasn’t attached to my phone during my holiday because after all, what would be the point of traveling if not to see and enjoy the sights?
Compared to other rentable wifi providers, Vision Global is very reasonably priced and has fantastic and prompt customer service. I plan on using their routers for my future travels and will absolutely be recommending their services to everybody I know who plans on staying connected while abroad. Thanks Vision Global!
Vision Global Wifi
https://visionglobalwifi.com
I am always on the hunt for delicious, inexpensive eats close to home. I set the filter on my Yelp app to find these hidden gems and one that piqued my interest was technically one city over from Culver City in Palms.
Shawarma Land sits on Venice Blvd. and is adjoined to a Turkish market behind it. Though the actual restaurant is accessible from the street, the sidewalk is painted red so one would either have to park on the side street, at the next block where street parking is allowed on Venice or in the back lot and walk through the market. They have a decent covered outdoor patio which offers a few tables and they also have a few tables inside the restaurant. It’s very casual. You place your order at the counter and they call your number.
I’ve now eaten at Shawarma Land twice, once eating onsite and today I called in my order. The same girl helped me both times. I’m not sure if the gentleman in the back is of any relation to her but they work together seamlessly. Both times, I ordered the shawarma plate but asked for a 50/50 split of chicken and beef. Just like my initial visit, today’s meal was delicious and filling. The photo only shows the top layer of meat which covered a bottom layer of rice. Both types of meat were juicy and flavorful and there was a sheen of oil on the rice possibly from the natural juices of the chicken and the beef penetrating the kernels of rice. Included with the plate was a nice helping of hummus and a cucumber and green salad. For $10.99 which ended up being $12.06 with tax, it was a very generous amount of food. I gave 2/3 of it to my husband and we were both quite full and satisfied.
For an incredibly inexpensive and filling meal, I cannot recommend Shawarma Land enough. It offers great value, massive portions and delicious quality food.
Shawarma Land
10821 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
If Barbara Jean was a real woman, she would be saucy, a bit edgy and complex but composed and well put together. Chef Jason Fullilove offered a bit of sassy mixed with a flavor explosion of sumptuous goodness.
We started off with the chicken and egg salad which was a ying and yang of crisp fresh shaved cabbage contrasted with the chewy cranberry and the moist shredded chicken. It had a light citrusy dressing which was perfect for the mixed textures of the dish.
The buttermilk biscuits were dense, a bit gritty and grainy but combined with the sweet warm honey and the softened butter they whisked you back to home, to your childhood at your mom’s kitchen after she had given you a pat on the back for a job well done at school.
After that “Ratatouille” moment, our experience was followed with the orecchiette pasta which had a tart but tasty tomato emulsion at the base of the plate giving it another layer of flavor on top of the already delicious combo of mushrooms, peas and pecorino. It was an Italian Mother’s dream.
In direct contrast was the shrimp and grits which is what I imagine southern dreams are made of because the shrimp were quite large, sweet on the outside but juicy and tangy in the inside. The grits were perfectly cooked and subtly flavored.
My favorite part of the meal, the star of the show, was the fried chicken. As my husband said, it was far superior to Honey’s Kettle which is mass produced. Clearly, these are fighting words but I would have to second his opinion. It was evident that great care and respect was paid to memorialize what fried chicken should taste like. The batter and the skin were light, crispy and seasoned with herbs which were visible with each bite. The meat was ridiculously tender and juicy. I was in fried chicken heaven. If I could choose my last meal, the fried chicken by Chef Jason Fullilove would be it.
Not to be outdone by this 5 Star meal at a 2 Star location was the dessert which had a bit of cream cheese frosting combined with a bit of fruit bread and sweet nut layers mixed into each bite.
Everybody should sprint through the door at this new Culver City eats because it’s ridiculously delicious, inexpensive considering the quality of the food and Chef Jason Fullilove is an absolute dream, so talented, cool and collected. We are so happy Barbara Jean moved into town and hope that Chef Jason will want to make Culver City his home.
Madly in love with @barbarajeaneats and @cheffullilove! The BEST food and chef in Culver City!! A 5 star foodie experience for 2 star price!!
Barbara Jean,
4114 Sepulveda Blvd, Ste E
Culver City, CA 90230
Grace Gambin
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