Friends for life {3 things I learned in Vegas}

3 Things I learned while in Vegas with a friend of 25 years. 

1. Kids run you ragged, but it may not be a bad thing:

            Gym time may be hard to get in but she stays fit by chasing the kids around and has never looked better.  It also preps you for the long days and Vegas nights running on only 6 hours of sleep.  I still require 8+ hours for normal functionality.

2.  I drink too much and she enjoys “grown up" dinners:

            A glass of champagne was pretty much glued to my hand 24/7.  While she was thinking about where and when the next meal was coming, I was more concerned where I was going to get my next glass of champagne.  We were able to get into Giada’s, a new Vegas restaurant and was able to indulge in wine, champs and great food with out her hearing “Mommy, mommy, mommy”.

3.  Britney Spears and French fries will always be part of our life:

            Although we stayed up late, we were not studding our stuff and twerking in the club, but giggling our way into any restaurant at 1am that was still serving up French fries (and champagne).  To my surprise we still know every word to Britney Spears circa 1998-2002 and still remember the dance moves we had made up to “hit me baby one more time” in 1998.

Friends grow up, move away, and move on to have husbands & kids

(Well hopefully) but friends of 20+ years never seem to change.  We can go a month or 2 without actually talking on the phone, but still know exactly what the other is doing on a daily basis. Time spent together is fun whether it’s riding a Ferris wheel or chatting over a good glass of wine, topped of with many belly laughs.  Oh and lastly, I learned we are still irresponsible enough to let our phones die on a daily basis with out any major concern.

great views from the High roller 

Thank you Vegas! until next time. 

-Suz

Seattle {in 3 days}

It has definitely been the summer of travel for us here at Modernlyfe.  I love traveling to celebrate weddings, especially when they are hosted in fun cites.  The husband and I attended a rustic barn wedding outside of Seattle in July, we were able to play in the city for 3 days and really made the most of the fabulous weather they were having.  Are you heading to Seattle this year? Check out the must do's, see's and eat's below.  

Stay:

W Seattle- Great location, hip but also suitable for small families. We were able to walk to all sights and very close to Pike market. Enjoy a night cap at Trace lounge before heading to bed. To book a room visit here.

Transportation:

Seattle is very walkable (when it is not raining.)  We used Uber to and from the airport as well as into Ballard for dinner. 

Explore:

Chihuly gardens and glass- Located right next to the space needle.  Stroll around the museum and take in the vibrate colors of the twisted glass.  His work is famously displayed at the Belligo in Las Vegas as well as the Seattle airport.

In the gardens

Space Needle- A must for first time visitors but once you have taken in the view explore the city by foot. check out tickets here.

Nordstrom- Lets just say this is the location that started it all.

Pike Market- Check out the aisles of fresh fruit and colorful blooms.  If you time it right you might be able to catch a throwing of the fish demo.

Green Lake- Grab your sneakers and hail a cab.  Enjoy a walk or run around this lake with the locals, just 10 minutes away from downtown.

Don't miss:
Capitol hill and Fremont districts. Emerge yourself in the eclectic and historic areas of Seattle.  Grab dinner at one of the new hip restaurants- see eats-

Eats: 

Pink door- Classic old school Italian food, friendly service with a great patio.  Sit inside and enjoy the band of the night while admiring rustic antiques.  Explore the menu here.

Moorse coffee- Need an afternoon pick me up? stop into Moorse, best all around coffee with unique décor.  Don't be surprised if you get a cute design on top of your latte, that is what they are known for.

cutest latte ever

 Staple and Fancy- Ready to leave the tourist area and visit a “local” spot? Take part in the Chefs tasting menu, which consists of 8-10 small plates of off menu items.  Be prepared to relax, eat and leave overly satisfied. TIP* Go early and visit the attached bar next store.  Reserve a table here.

Café champagne-Don't be afraid to sleep in. Cafe Champagne is great for a late breakfast or lunch, enjoy fresh pastries and quiche that would make the French drool.

Biscuit bitch- Great for breakfast or lunch, we were there for breakfast.  Order at the counter and grab a seat, fast friendly service with gluten free options! So tasty I’m still craving it.

best looking gluten free biscuit 

Marjorie- Enjoy dinner on the cute patio, a local favorite with friendly service. *TIP try the non alcoholic  drinks.

Pike place chowder-Noted for the best clam chowder in town.  They offer many tasty chowder options.  Grab a table outside and rub shoulders with visitors and locals alike. It was 80 degrees when we were there and the patio was full that says something.  Don’t forget to get some sourdough bread on the side.

Crab sandwich 

Drinks:

Radiator whisky- Love trying unique bar/restaurants?  make sure to put this on your list.  They showcase unique bourbons and whisky's of course.  Go for the tasting and try 3 flavors, you will not be disappointed.  Located above Pike Market grab a window seat in enjoy the view.  Review the drink menu here.

enjoying a bourbon on the rocks

Purple wine bar- Very close to the W hotel.  Get the night started at the circular bar right in the middle with a flight of wines from around the world.

The tasting room- Great spot to taste local wines, they have games you can play while sipping.

Clearly we had a wonderful time and did not waste a minute, we finished the weekend just outside of Seattle in Cle Elm for Emily and Davids pinterest worthy wedding.

Hope you enjoy your stay.
XoXo
ML 

Lemon & basil hummus

Hope you are enjoying your summer!  We have some great post coming soon. 

I love using seasonal ingredients and what screams summer more then fresh lemons and basil. I am not sure why I did not make this recipe earlier, maybe I just needed to perfect it.   It only takes 15 minutes to whip up! Enjoy it with snap peas, carrots or pita chips. 

1-15oz can organic garbanzo beans (drained)

5 Tbs lemon juice (about 2 medium lemons)

¼ Cup organic EVOO 

1 Tbs Tahini (sesame seed paste)

4 cloves of garlic 

3- springs of fresh parsley

3- springs of fresh basil

Pinch of sea salt

*Pinch of Cheyenne pepper (optional adds a little kick)

Rinse and drain garbanzo beans, juice 2 lemons and slice garlic.  Add all ingredients to food processer (garbanzo beans, lemon juice, EVOO, tahini, garlic, parsley, basil, salt and Cheyenne.) Pulse in good processer for about 3 minutes.  If it is a little chunky add more lemon juice or a small amount of EVOO. Dish out garnish and enjoy! 

XoXo

ML

Weekend in San Ynez

We are fortunate to live in Southern California, which means we can take some pretty cool weekend trips.  Last weekend we took a scenic drive up to San Ynez for some wine tasting/drinking with a small group of friends... or maybe large, there were 12 of us.  Accommodations can be a bit limited, be prepared to stay in a bed and breakfast like ForFriendsInn or the largest hotel San Ynez has to offer, the Marriott San Ynez.  We had a comfortable room at the Marriott which offered everything you needed for a quick weekend get away.  Our first group dinner was held at  The Hitching post ll, this home town restaurant had a cameo in the "Sideways" movie back in 2003.  The simple western theme rooms adorned with wall paper and cloth drapery takes you back in time, little county little 70's.  The wait staff is friendly and helpfully when choosing from their many wines.  Come hungry, each entree comes with a starter, and entrees are rather hardy.  Fresh fish specials are always on hand for the non meat eaters or a lighter fare option.  The experience was great and food was even better definitely worth a reservation. 

1.) Our "tasting" day started a little later then usual. Our first stop close to 12:30pm was Zaca Mesa.  A cute farm like winery which started in the 1970's known for their  Rhone like grapes Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier, and Roussanne.  

2.) The next stop was the well know Foxen estate.  The wines were great and on a nice day you could let time pass while enjoying the view of rolling hills.  Foxen uses the term "pioneer" in the most modest way, with ancestors purchasing the land back in the 1800's.  Foxen Tinaquaic is the only dry farmed vineyard in the region.  That being said, they truly only rely on mother nature to nourish the vines, which happen to be the original rootstocks.  Hows that for a little bit of history. 

With limited time, we hurried down to the tasting room mecca of Los Olivios.  We parked in front of Byron, who is well known for their pinots.  The vast vineyard is defiantly one to check out on the next visit, the wines ranked at the top of our list.  Visit their website for special events, rumor has it the big 

5-0 is around the corner Byron wines

No wine tasting is complete with out a sweet snack.  For this last stop we wandered over to Saarloos & Sons satisfying the sweet tooth with mini cupcakes.  The wines are creatively named and promises to appeal to the likes of everyone.  I found that the tasting menu was a bit all over the place not really follow the typical light, medium, bold, sweet routine the palate is use to.  That being said, I really enjoyed tasting here.  The houses decor and large picnic tables and fire pits in the front make it very welcoming.  Staying open late helps as well.  

After a hours of tasting we worked up an appetite for some fabulous food.  Luckily for us The Wine Merchant a rather new kid on the block was just a few blocks away.  They focus on Mediterranean cuisine, options they served from the deli before creating a 5 star dining experience.  Choice from steak, fish and even gluten free pizza *warning* deciding on just one entree may be difficult.  Portions are large you may want to share a few items. Check them out Here

All in all a great weekend with friends!! stay turned for other local weekend stay-cations. 

Xoxo

ML

Foodie Friday: The Bungalow {CDM}

Newport Beach Restaurant Week is in full swing.  Like I mentioned here, we planned to visit many of our local faves.  And Last night, after a quickie happy hour at Wine Gallery (another hotspot), we spontaneously decide on The Bungalow for much needed sustenance.  

The Bungalow is one of those places that has an old school/traditional steak house charm, yet still oozes OC chic-ness that I can't really put my finger on.  The ambiance provides comfort for guests dining in a suit and tie, or leather jacket and cute booties.  They even still give out matchbooks at the hostess stand!

My meal was delish! And $30 for a generous three-course fine dining experience…...I mean, it was practically free! :)

Dinner Menu:

Main Dish: Blackened Wild King Salmon

Dessert: Berries and Ice Cream!  YUM…

There's still time to check out NBRW (ends Sunday!).  Happy eating!

XOXO!

Newport Beach Restaurant Week - Wish List

If you live or work anywhere near Newport Beach, you've probably seen this sign....

This annual affair is minuscule compared to its LA counterpart, DineLA, or even the county's version, OC Restaurant Week; Nevertheless, these 10 days are much anticipated by locals in these parts of OC beach cities.  And our foodie hearts are no exception!

Wile we already frequent many of the participating restaurants, its always fun to see how they bring together the old favorites with new seasonal introductions on the fixed menus.  Its definitely an opportunity to stray from our staples - bruschetta, hummus, cheese plate, and the ever generic cobb salad - and try something new and exciting!  The HARA BARA PALAK KOFTA/SPINACH ROULADE on Tamarind of London's menu sounds adventurous, don't you think!?

Newport Beach Restaurant Week officially starts today, so of course we're well prepared with a list of GO-TOs:

1. Tamarind of London, Newport Coast { Wasn't kidding about the Hara Bara Palak!}
2. Five Crowns, CDM 
3. Summer House, CDM
4. Bambu Restaurant & Lounge
5. Lark Creek, Fashion Island
6. Bayside Restaurant
7. Crow Bar and Kitchen, CDM

So many choices, so little time!  We'll be back with photos and details of everything we devour. 

Happy Weekend!

Xoxo!