moroccan hammam review

Earlier this year, I had the (mis)fortune of experiencing a full body scrub at a public hammam (bathhouse) in Marrakesh. Hammam is very similar to the better known Turkish bath or Korean spa, in which one essentially gets naked, steamed and scrubbed to emerge with glowing soft skin. Whether in the Far East or the Middle East (or in this case, North Africa), this bathing ritual at a hammam is both a communal and common cultural experience. It’s not like going to an American or European spa, an occasional luxurious indulgence where one is pampered and soothed in privacy.

savon noir

a day of art and food in downtown los angeles (moca, pompeii, kazunori sushi and grand central market)

(Los Angeles, CA).  I recently had the most lovely Saturday with my husband in Downtown Los Angeles.  We wanted to see the Andy Warhol "Shadows" exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and the Pompeii exhibit at the California Science Center.  Since both exhibits were located in DTLA, we decided to squeeze in both exhibits in one day (and get some tasty grub while we were at it)!  

travel zen on tuesday - venice

Yes - it's another picture of Venice.  I can't help myself - it's such a beautiful place!

how to take the ferry between spain and morocco

View of the sun setting over Southern Spain from Tangier.

Given that Tarifa, Spain and Tanger (the Moroccan spelling for Tangier), Morocco are only about an hour (via fast ferry) from each other, it's really easy to visit both countries without spending a ton of money on airfare. Note, however, that if the water is too choppy, the officials at Tarifa and Tanger could shut down their respective ports. In that case, you will have to take a slightly longer ferry ride between Algeciras in Spain and Tanger Med in Morocco. 

That being said, I took the ferry between both countries and found it a fairly easy and cheap way to visit both countries. I hope this post will assist you in your next ferry journey between these two countries.

happy hour at bp oysterette (on 3rd street)

(Los Angeles, CA).  There are few things I like better than a good happy hour.  Not only should the prices be good, but the quality of the drinks and food have to remain high and consistent, and the vibe of the joint has to be fun and welcoming.  So when a friend told me that a local restaurant had $1 Oysters at their happy hour, I had to give it a try!

BP Oysterette is a seafood joint and I had previously eaten at the Santa Monica location and it was good but wasn't great enough for me to revisit.  However, I was happy that they opened a sister restaurant near 3rd and Fairfax, especially with a special happy hour menu (see below).

restaurant review: superba snack bar

Inside Superba.

One early November Saturday, my friends and I met for brunch. It was a beautiful sunny and warm Los Angeles November so we decided to check out Superba Snack Bar in Venice Beach.

This is what I thought:

wine skin review

I assumed I would be buying wines, olive oils and/or vinegars on my trip to Italy and I didn't want an "accident" to wreak havoc in my luggage, so I looked into buying something to protect my purchases in transit.  After reading a bunch of reviews on amazon.com, I decided to buy Wine Skins (about $8 for a 2-pack).  It is basically bubble wrap in the shape of a bottle which you can seal securely so that your bottle won't break - or if it does (argh!) - at least the spill won't ruin your luggage.

So did it work?

travel zen on tuesday - marrakesh, morocco

Where is this place?

how to travel by train in morocco

Traveling by train in Morocco is fairly easy. It is a relatively cheap and easy way to get around the country.

The Marrakech train station.

Below are helpful notes to get you through train travel around this beautiful country.

restaurant review: el segundo sol in las vegas

(Las Vegas, Nevada).  After many years of going to Las Vegas, I'm less inclined to go to the fancy, famous restaurants from around the world that decide to open up a Vegas branch mainly because they tend to be poor substitutes for the originals.  Now I try to find local or more casual eateries because there's no point in my mind in paying a Vegas premium for subpar food.

On my recent quickie trip to Vegas, we didn't really plan out our meals.  Instead after a long morning of outlet shopping, we decided to pop into a Mexican place that one of my travel companions had gone to before.   It was a pleasant surprise to find a casual, affordable eatery on the strip.  El Segundo Sol is located in the humongous mall across from the Wynn.  However, don't let the very touristy locale discourage you.  The food and service are both lovely if you enjoy straightforward, fresh and tasty Mexican cuisine.

restaurant review: tar & roses

The facade.

I have eaten a few times at Chef Andrew Kirschner's Tar & Roses restaurant in Santa Monica over the past few years. But, it has been a while since I have been there. So, on one warm (it's Southern California after all) evening in early November 2014, Mr. Sazy Rock and I decided to go back to T&R for a dinner meeting with a business associate. 

For the most part, I have always enjoyed my meals at T&R. This most recent visit was no different. 

On to the meal...

hotel review: sls hotel in las vegas

(Las Vegas, Nevada).  The SLS Vegas Hotel is another addition to the long ever-growing list of new hip hotels in Las Vegas.  It reminds me of a slightly more casual version of the Cosmopolitan hotel.  Before I go into more detail, I will say that the hotel is very very "LA" which is probably more exciting for people who don't actually live in LA (like me).  That being said, it is a fun, contemporary hotel but there are definite pros and cons.

travel zen on tuesday: vines and grapes in los olivos, california

Wine tasting is one of my favorite activities - but sometimes it's nice to just enjoy the beautiful peace amidst the vines.  Take a little break and enjoy your day!

getting to know the usa: new orleans

Fleur de lys, a New Orleans symbol.

During my last visit to New Orleans last month, Mr. Sazy Rock introduced me to a local chef and his wife who taught me the proper way of saying "New Orleans." They said it is not pronounced "N'AW-lins" or "New Or-LEENS." Instead, it is pronounced, "New OR-Lens." Whichever you say it (including "NOLA," the acronym for New Orleans, Louisiana), I suspect you will have a great time there.

I have been visiting New Orleans since 2000, when I attended my first JazzFest. I fell in love with the music, the booze and the food. So, I kept coming back. During the aughties, for half that decade, I blocked off my late April or early May for a trip to NOLA. 

This decade, I started going to Tales of the Cocktail, where many of the world's best bartenders and spirit makers converge in the city to learn about cocktail making and, of course, imbibe. I have never seen so many men with facial hair wearing button down shirts with the long sleeves folded just above the elbow to display an armful of tattoos, pants supported by suspenders and heads covered by fedoras. 

This year, I decided to visit New Orleans outside of these events. And, let me tell you, I still had a blast. This recent visit just proved to me that no matter what time of year I visit, New Orleans rocks!

Despite having visited New Orleans many times, I am still getting to know it. Each visit has given me new insights to this beautiful and dynamic city. So, what have I learned so far in getting to know New Orleans?

parking at park 'n fly at lax

(Los Angeles, CA).  I started parking at Park 'N Fly several years ago whenever I was traveling from LAX for work or taking a short weekend trip (especially if I was flying on Southwest).  The lot is adjacent to Terminal 1 (where Southwest is) and is within walking distance so I don't even have to wait for the complimentary shuttle.  It's nice to have the option to just get off your flight, walk to your car and head home.  I will often walk even if I am coming out of Terminal 2 or 3 because I am too impatient to wait for the shuttle.

There are 2 parking options at pnf - self-parking (which is about $15 per day) or valet parking (which is more expensive but you can get your car washed, it's closer to Terminal 1, and they will have the car ready and waiting for you if you call ahead from your gate).

Service is consistently nice and friendly.  But for parking, I'm simply looking for convenience and security.  I've never had any issues with car damage or anything like that (knock on wood).

They used to have a more generous rewards program where you were able to receive free parking days after a few days of paid parking.  (sadness)  But I will still keep parking here because it's still the closest lot to LAX.

Random tip - whenever I park at a huge lot like this one, I will take a picture of my spot so I remember where my car is.  I learned this lesson the hard way at Disneyland after searching for my friend's car for 2 hours.... This one little tip will help you avoid such a monumental waste of time.

where to drink in new orleans

Other than eating in New Orleans, the other activity I enjoy whenever I visit is imbibing. It seems to me that the city is made for it. I mean that they are so serious about drinking that their elected officials wrote a bill designating the Sazerac as the city's official drink, debated it, voted on it, and passed it. 

Also, New Orleans is one of very few American cities that allow people to legally walk around with a cup of alcohol. So, if you haven't finished a drink, you can ask your bartender for a "go" cup, pour your beer or cocktail or whatever alcoholic libation into it, and stroll outside with drink on hand.

That being said, it is not surprising that there are plenty of drinking establishments in this city. I recommend a visit to the following bars (not in any particular order):

local restaurant review: providence

(Los Angeles, CA).   I often feel conflicted when I'm asked about Providence - the high-end sister restaurant of Connie and Ted's (one of my favorite restaurants in LA).  I have only been to Providence a few times and each time the whole experience was lovely.  The service while formal, is always superb, and the food is always beautifully presented and interesting...  but then after I leave, I don't really crave or miss anything I have eaten there.  While the food is always creative it is never amazing for me, which is a problem when a meal at Providence can be quite expensive (about $250 per person with wine).  I feel if you are going to spend such a large sum on a meal, you should be able to think back on the entire experience fondly, but you should really be salivating as you remember the food you ate.  I can honestly say that has never happened for me when I'm thinking of Providence.

travel zen on tuesday - ancient ruins of ephesus (in turkey)

Library of Celsius in Ephesus.

These ruins were amazing and incredibly well-preserved.  It could easily give Pompeii a run for its money.  It is astonishing how advanced the ancient Greeks and Romans were.  They had central heat and public toilets for goodness sakes!

top 5 fried chicken restaurants in new orleans

I have a fried chicken addiction. There, I said it. 

I also love New Orleans. And, I think New Orleans is one of the, if not the, best eating city in the United States. So, although there are plenty of things to eat there, I have taken pains to also eat a lot of fried chicken.

No, this post is not about Popeye's, that national fried chicken fast food chain founded in New Orleans. But, it's about all the other delicious fried chicken places in NOLA. And, there are plenty.

I have been visiting NOLA since 2000 and have been loving the fried chicken (amongst other things) there since then. These are my top five favorite fried chicken places in New Orleans:*