Brunch 05.24.2014 - Pre-Revamp Cuban Goodness

Habana, Costa Mesa

Happy Sunday Kittens!  It's been a while and I've missed you.  Honest!

Over the last seven weeks, I've been focusing on revamping my eating and exercise habits.  As is probably pretty obvious from the radio silence, it's been rather time-consuming.  And working out six days a week and keeping up with a social life is really tiring to boot!

Just before I started this overhaul, I had a fantastic Brunch with my dear friend Stephanie.  The two of us have been Brunching for a while now and Habana in Costa Mesa is one of our favorite spots!  (It's also great for dinner!)

photo credit

Habana is a fabulous Cuban restaurant at the LAB in Costa Mesa.

While the LAB (or Anti-Mall) is quite the Hipster draw, it has a great little story and is most definitely worth a visit.

We really can't recommend Habana highly enough!

Deciding on a dish to order can be difficult as everything is SO tasty, so I suggest starting off with a glass of sangria while you peruse the menu.  I can personally vouch for their tastiness and truly, you may want to consider going with a pitcher!

After ordering your sangria and deciding on your food, take a moment to appreciate your surroundings!  I mean who doesn't love a good chandelier?

Or four?

The skylight adds something really special to this space and the lights on the chandeliers make it glow at night.  You just can't beat the ambiance here!

For my meal, I ordered the Caribbean Egg Benedict which was a bit small, but amazing nonetheless!  Crab and polenta in a Benedict?  Heaven!  Though if I'm in the mood for something sweet the next time I find myself here, I will definitely be ordering the Plantain Pancakes!  I've been eyeing them for a while...

Stephanie ordered the Skillet of Polenta & Egg with Patata Brava Hash.  I'm not exactly sure what Patata Brava Hash is, but I'm told it was quite tasty in addition to being an impressive sight.  Stephanie LOVES their Cubano Monte Cristo, and while it's usually her go-to when we Brunch here, she decided to branch out this time.

 On our way out, after a fabulous Brunch, I took a moment to appreciate the patio.

While it's a very nice patio, I do really prefer sitting inside.  While it's a choice that you will need to make for yourself, I don't think you'll be disappointed with either decision.

Perhaps you'll keep Habana in mind the next time you are tasked with deciding on a Brunch spot?  It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

¡Happy Brunching Gatas!
XOXO!!

Brunch 05.03.2014 - A Mug-Themed Birthday Celebration

La Creperie, Long Beach

Good Sunday Morning To You Kittens!

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of meeting up with some of my fabulous ladies for Brunch to celebrate the birthday of one of the most amazing people I know, Stephanie.  I was so excited since we don't all get together very regularly and I was also very excited for the venue.  Stephanie chose La Creperie in Long Beach and while I've been there a few times (even to celebrate my own birthday), it's been a few years.  Like many of you, I'm sure, I very much enjoy a good crêpe and sample them whenever the opportunity presents itself.  Admittedly, those opportunities are rather rare, but I can tell you with certainty that if you are in the mood for a good crêpe (and then some), this is definitely a place to keep in mind!

Located on 2nd Street in Long Beach, this little gem is located in the Belmont Shore neighborhood.  While this area is filled with tons of cute shops and eateries, La Creperie is definitely a standout!  The atmosphere is very Parisian Bohemian with murals painted on the walls, large chandeliers, plenty of mirrors, and a piano.  Another cool aspect is the window where you can watch the crêpes being made!

The large window to the left of the bar is the crêpe viewing window.  So much fun to watch as you pass by! 

Stephanie and Alicia and a lovely chandelier.

The second chandelier was above our heads.

I've always loved the mirrors and the conversation area created by the couches behind Lisa.  Seriously, how fabulous is this place?  Oh, but wait...it gets better!

After we all settled in, we ordered Mimosas, Bellinis, and Bubbly with pomegranate juice.  And toasted the birthday girl.  Cheers!  Santé!!

We caught up and laughed and enjoyed each other's company and before long, our food arrived.  I don't think I've ever been here and had someone unhappy with their order.  Pretty good endorsement if you ask me.  Check out their menus here and prepare to get hungry!

Here is my Al Mare Crêpe.  For some reason it's not listed as part of their online menu, but it is filled with mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, cheese, and shrimp in a lobster sauce.  A-Mazing!!  My favorite thing on their menu!

Lisa ordered the mussels which come with their fabulous garlic fries.  Holy Moly!  So much garlicy goodness happening here!

Britni got the Crepe Carbonara which has chicken breast, smoked bacon, and mozzarella in a creamy garlic and Parmesan sauce with pesto.  From what I understand, it was delicious!

 Alicia ordered the Belmont Eggwhite Omlete.  Spinach, mushroom, tomato, feta, and ricotta.  Looked and smelled fantastic!

And then the Birthday Girl's mystery crêpe.  I have NO idea what she ordered.  But if I remember correctly, her plate was licked clean just like the rest of ours, so while I don't know exactly what it was, I have it on good authority that it was delectable.

After we'd finished, we were all in varying stages of food coma, so we took a breather for presents.  This was by far the most interesting present opening that I'd ever seen.  

Let me preface by saying that Stephanie has something of a mug fetish.  She likes coffee mugs and tea cups.  Like she loves them.  A lot.  To be fair, she has a thing for stemware in general, but cups hold a special place in her heart.

So, when I came across these super fun, vintage inspired coffee mugs, I knew I had to get them for her!

 I also found these awesome cocktail napkins!

 I added a bottle of bubbly and thought it was a fun little package!

Evidently, I wasn't the only one who thought of mugs when they thought of Stephanie.  She received a set of these beauties from Anthropologie.

And this beautiful package contained even more mug-y fun!

 Seeing as how Stephanie runs the Darling Loves Dapper Etsy shop, this was beyond perfect!

So every gift that she opened contained a mug!  Seriously, what are the chances??  

Then it was time for dessert.  Stephanie selected the Martinique crêpe which was filled with bananas flambéed in dark rum with brown sugar and butter.  (It was DELICIOUS!!)  I also let our server know that it was Stephanie's birthday, and that we needed two candles.  Britni's birthday is just a few days before Stephanie's and we'd already celebrated, but there were no candles involved, so I thought this was a good time to rectify that little faux pas.  The staff here is absolutely amazing and this was brought to the table.

When in Paris (or a Parisian restaurant)...

J'aime these ladies so much!

 For a multitude of reasons.

Was this a fabulous way to spend a Saturday morning?  

I think so.  And I believe Stephanie would agree.

The moral of this story is to pop into La Creperie Cafe at your next opportunity (but make sure you type the actual 2nd Street address into your navigation since this restaurant was formerly located elsewhere in Long Beach and Google maps directed two of us to the previous location when we simply typed in the name).  Oh, and also mugs are a great gift.  So, I suppose this story actually has two morals.

Happy Brunching, Kittens!  I hope you consider this place the next time you find yourself stumped for a location!

XOXO!!

Eating Clean - Blueberry Banana Spinach Pancakes

Happy Sunday (Brunch Day), Kittens!

For a while now, I've been collecting some really fabulous Brunch recipes.  While there are many wonderful things about living alone, one of the drawbacks is pancakes.  Pretty much any recipe will leave you with 10 or 15 pancakes (and I'm certainly not about to cut the recipe in half and go to a bunch of trouble for 5 pancakes), so I've been trying to host more Brunches at  home so that I can try some of the recipes that I've found and have help eating the yield.

A few weeks ago, I planned a morning of yoga and Brunch for my friend Bridget and myself.  And it was fabulous!  After a lot of stretching and sweating and cursing and somewhat inappropriate groaning (we were working places we didn't even know we had), our relaxed, euphoric selves popped a bottle of bubbly and started making the green pancakes that I've been eyeing for a while.

Fascinated by the idea of a green pancake?  You should be!  I start most days with green smoothies, so I know that the mild flavor of spinach can easily be masked by other ingredients.  I almost thought about this pancake recipe as a green smoothie in fluffy, solid form and was intrigued!  These little babies were so good and I wanted to share the recipe that I found at FitSugar with you.  I deviated from the original recipe slightly (the next time I make them, I'll probably even add more blueberries) and decided to pass on the banana cream sauce from the original recipe as I'm more of a maple syrup kinda girl myself, but if you decide to try these tasty little beauties, do whatever feels right to you.

INGREDIENTS:
-1 cup organic raw baby spinach, tightly packed
-1/2 cup organic blueberries
-1 large (very ripe) banana
-1 cup vanilla almond milk
-1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (I might have used a bit more if I'm being honest)
-1 egg
-1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

(I've been eating as clean as possible and incorporate a lot of organic foods for a while now.  While you can make the choice to go that route or not for yourself, the only non-organic ingredients I used in the pancakes were the banana, baking powder, and salt.)

1.  Put the spinach, banana, blueberries, almond milk, and syrup in a blender and puree.

2.  Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and stir in the egg.
3.  In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients and add to the wet mixture a little bit at a time.  (Or you can be a rebel and simply mix in the dry ingredients without combining them beforehand!)

4.  Place a skillet over medium heat and spray lightly with cooking spray.
5.  Drop 1/4 cup full of batter per pancake onto the skillet and cook as you would a normal pancake (until it starts to bubble and then flip).

 6.  Makes approximately 12 pancakes.

We had a fabulous Brunch with coffee, beautiful mimosas, cheesy scrambled eggs, our fantastic green pancakes, and some fruit!

The pancakes taste a lot like banana bread, so if that sounds appealing, perhaps these super healthy little green babies are for you!  I'm pretty sure that you won't have as fabulous a pancake helper as I did, but you know, Bridget can't come to EVERYONE'S Brunch.  So, you're going to have to find your own helpful friends.

If you're looking for a new pancake to try, you may want to consider this one.  I highly recommend having these with a few mimosas after some really amazing yoga.  It's a fabulous way to spend a Sunday morning!

Namaste, Kittens!
XOXO!!

Brunch 03.30.2014 - Our Corner Googie Coffee Shop

Pann's, Westchester

Happy Sunday, Lovelies!

Have you ever found yourself just craving diner food?  Some good comfort food?  Perhaps after imbibing a bit too much the night before?  No?  Liar.

There's no shame in the fact that we all stray from the clean eating program that most of us strive for from time to time.  It happens.  We're human.  And even most health professionals will agree that indulging occasionally is important for keeping yourself sane and on track.  So, if you're going to stray, make sure that it's worth it.  

Enter Pann's.

Opening its doors in 1958, Pann's has been deemed "one of the last and best of the iconic futuristic coffee shops designed by the prolific firm of Armét & Davis." by the Los Angeles Conservancy.  Armét & Davis, an architectural firm that was integral in the Googie movement of the 1950's and 1960's, designed numerous buildings in Southern California.  If this style looks a bit familiar, perhaps you're thinking about Johnie's Coffee Shop or the Norm's chain.  The Googie coffee shops have been described as "places where George Jetson and Fred Flintstone could meet over a cup of coffee."  And how fun is that?

This style within the more encompassing Mid-Century Modern style is known for its futuristic aspects.  Unfortunately, this style is really only still seen in kitschy coffee shops and gas stations which are few and far between.  Pann's is still owned by the original Greek immigrant family and in 1993, the second generation owner completely restored the restaurant to its original glory - even going so far as to get the neon sign restored instead of replaced, which goes to show how important preservation is to the family.  And that is something that the Los Angeles Conservancy acknowledged with a coveted Conservancy Award.

photo credit

Alright, Googie history lesson?  Check.  

Moving on...  Brunch.  At a coffee shop?  Yes!

Even if bottomless mimosas weren't being offered, you can never go wrong with All Day Breakfast.

Especially when you have one or two options to choose from.

Bridget and her husband, Mike, have been to Pann's a few times and I have been excited to try it for a while now.  I'm not sure why it took me so long to join them, since it is just down the street from the apartment.  

Two reasons this was a fabulous Brunch.  We never saw the bottom of our mimosa glasses and these biscuits could be the best I've ever had.  Holy Moly, they are AMAZING!  Seriously.  I can't even talk about it. 

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In addition to the biscuits, I ordered Crusted Fresh Salmon Patties with grits.  So, the patties were great, but I learned that while I LOVE cheese grits, I don't like regular grits.  Not at all.  Good to know.

Bridget ordered Uncle Bud's Mississippi Cheese Eggs while Mike had the Country Fried Steak.  Both were very happy with their choices.

And because we were at a diner, we kind of HAD to order pancakes.  I ended up taking them home because they definitely do not skimp on the amount of food they give you, so there was no way we were finishing these.  And even hours later, they were absolutely delicious!

Carbfest?  Yes.  Were we running the risk of taking a nap at the table?  Uh huh.  Was it worth it?  Absolutely!

If Pann's breakfast options are any indication, this is the place to go if you're looking for really great diner food at any hour.  No question.  And the atmosphere?  You can't argue that it's super far out!

Or that they have a fantastic lighting concept.

While this may not be the same diner used in the opening scene in Pulp Fiction as many people claim (that was a second location owned by the family that has since closed called Holly's which was located in Hawthorne), this restaurant is definitely worth a visit!  Make sure you get a biscuit.  Trust me on this one.

I have an awesome Brunch planned for a little later, so I'll let you go so that you have some time to consider where you'll be Brunching today.  Pann's perhaps?

XOXO!!