Mona Lisa Cucina: Food Review…

We decided to venture out of our comfortable surroundings and finally get around to trying an interesting looking Italian restaurant in Huntington Beach.  It’s located in an old mini-mall and is likely the smallest café we’ve been to in years.

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Smoking: Flanken Beef Ribs…

I started my prep about 8:45am.  I learned a few more valuable lessons on this latest smoke-fest.  Our meats of choice were flanken beef ribs (think Korean ribs) and beef back ribs.

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O-Fine Japanese Cuisine: Food Review…

Bella found us another Japanese food restaurant via the Internet after viewing some innovative and striking photos of various dishes.  The restaurant is located in the shopping plaza across from the Montage Hotel & Resort.  It is ultra-modern inside with neon, white faux leather and faux wood grain running rampant.  Early on Bella realizes this establishment is likely Taiwanese owned.

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Villa Nova: Food Review…

I turned 41 today and Bella is taking me to dinner at the restaurant of my choice.  It used to be my tradition to eat at an Italian restaurant on my birthday and I’m attempting to resurrect that tradition today.

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“Holy Cannoli Quest, Part Deux”: San Francisco, CA

 

“In San Francisco, you learn to expect that anything will happen.  It’s out of the ordinary for something unusual not to happen.” – Theresa Smith

 

We’re off for SF for the first time since our mini-honeymoon in July of 2007.  This trip is part business, part pleasure as Bella will be attending the Music Teacher’s Association of California Convention: “The Magic of Music”.  We run into my co-worker Rona who is flying to Vegas for the weekend with her son and husband.  We chat while waiting to go through the security checkpoint.  Unfortunately, our flight out of Orange County’s John Wayne Airport is delayed about an hour.

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