Listen: Lykke Li - I Know Places (Live on the Moon)

Here is a music monday song from Lykke Li - one of my favorite artists! We're going to see her at the Wiltern tomorrow night!  

Do: Hike the Kalalau Trail, Na Pali Coast, Kauai

Today I wanted to share with you the beautiful Na Pali Coast! The above picture was taken during our Jack Harter Helicopter Tour (which we also highly recommend). You can only access this amazing terrain by foot (or view it from boat or helicopter), as there are no roads that lead you through this magnificent beauty.

J and I only did the first leg (2 miles each way) of this incredible hike (total 11 miles each way) to  Hanakapiai Beach; but if we had more time, we would have loved to do the next stretch (another 2 miles) to the waterfall. Nonetheless, we were plenty wiped out from the trek we did! It was definitely more strenuous than any of the hikes we've done in LA (see "Do" for reviews of local hikes) and over the course of our hike, there was sun, clouds, rain, dry path, puddles and river crossings!  I can see why people recommend bringing two pairs of shoes (water and regular hiking); though I hiked pretty comfortably in my Keens.

Must Eat: Shrimp Trucks in Oahu

We're back from Hawaii, but I still have so many great eats and things to do from our trip to share! For the rest of the week, I'm going to continue to post some of our Hawaii highlights, before switching the focus back to local LA :)

The North Shore of Oahu is famous for its shrimp trucks near the town of Kahuku, an area known for shrimp aquaculture.  Giovanni's Shrimp Truck is one of the most popular trucks with 773 reviews on yelp with an average of 4 stars.  We opted to try the less popular (67 reviews) but 4.5 star rated "Famous Kahuku Shrimp Truck" . As you can see from the photos, the shrimp was juicy and packed with flavor. They are shelled so the best way (in my opinion) to eat them is to suck the marinade off the shells, peel, then dip again in sauce and eat. It's messy, but worth it!

Listen: Beach Fossils - Youth

A new tune for music monday!

Must Eat: Shave Ice in Hawaii - feat. Matsumoto's in Oahu

Aloha!  Over the next week, I'll continue to share some of the highlights from our Hawaii vacation (Oahu and Kauai). When possible, I'll suggest some equivalent food or activity options in the LA area. :)  

"Shave Ice" is a must eat when you are in Hawaii.  This refreshing and thirst quenching treat can be found everywhere- in coffee shops, mom and pop stores, stands, etc.  Hawaiian shave ice is sort of like what we call "snow cones". However, unlike snow cones, shave ice is not ground ice, but is very finely shaved ice so that the flavors are completely and evenly absorbed.  In Hawaiian, you can find dozens of flavors, many of them unique and tropical - such as pineapple, lychee, passionfruit...with ice cream or other toppings such as red bean or condensed milk.

Listen: Hawaii by Meiko

Aloha!  A beautiful song by Meiko for music mondays.....

Must Eat: Roy's in Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii (branches also in LA!)

Yes, FJLA is in HAWAII!!! :) One of the (many) perks of living in Los Angeles, is how easy it is to vacation in Hawaii.  In less than 6 hours, we made it to Oahu on a non-stop flight. We are here to relax, and of course, to take in some good eats and sights while we're here! 

Cook: Gingersnap Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches

It's a sunny Friday in LA, and I just came home from work, ready for not just the weekend, but for our trip to Hawaii!  I decided to make myself a little treat.  Always up for an adventure,  I took two bit sized gingersnap cookies from Trader Joes, and put a dollop of the salted caramel ice cream from Sweet Rose Creamery. It is pretty cute, isn't it? Then, I took a bite.

Yum. One of the best flavor combinations ever.  If you don't have a Trader Joe's or access to salted caramel ice cream, use your favorite cookie and ice cream flavor and make your combo! I'd love to hear some of your creations (post comments below!)

Must Eat: Waterloo & City, A British Gastropub in Culver City

 Several friends highly recommended this place, so we decided to give it a try.  If you're looking for a fabulous beer selection, and hearty "gourmet" british fare, this is the place. The food was excellent, though I should warn you - it's all a bit rich, and you will leave very full!

Listen: Ghostland Observatory - Stranger Lover (CD VERSION)

Last night, I went to the Ghostland Observatory concert at Club Nokia. It was another amazing show! Prior to the show, I had read a bunch of reviews on how awesome the laser show was - I was a bit skeptical, but they delivered. It was the most amazing rock/laser show I've ever seen!!! I got home a bit late, so will upload some pics later. I think this is the last date they have in LA this year, so if you're interested in them you'll either have to see them somewhere else or wait until they come around next year.  Here is one of their songs for music monday....

Must Eat: MB Post

A couple weeks ago, I drove down to Manhattan Beach to meet up with a friend I hadn't seen for over a decade. Since she lived in South Bay, we wanted to choose something that was in between.  I suggested we try MB Post after getting an email from Urban Daddy about this a new restaurant by former Water Grill chef David Le Fevre.

Cook: Fried Goat Cheese and Beet Spring Salad

I love the beets, and the convenience of trader joe's ready to eat baby beets.  Last week, I wanted to try a new salad using beets, and found this fantastic recipe by sophistimom!  Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients and multiple steps. This is actually a pretty straightforward recipe. This salad is absolutely delightful and worth the effort. 

Fried Goat Cheese and Beet Spring Salad (slight modifications by FJLA), Serves 4

You will need: 

• salad greens (I used a package of spring mix)
• a package of Trader Joe's ready to eat baby beets , sliced
• fried goat cheese  
• balsamic honey vinaigrette

Do: Wear Sunscreen

We get a lot of sun in Southern Cali - this is a pretty powerful PSA that reminds us all of the importance of wearing sunscreen! 

Drink: Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea

Today's post is short and sweet.  Intelligentsia actually lives up to all the hype!!!  They make one of our favorite mochas in the world. Strong yet smooth, velvety, rich, not too sweet...  Yummmmmm. 

Intelligentsia 

1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd

Venice, CA. 90291

310-399-1233

Listen: Papercuts - Do You Really Wanna Know

It's Music Monday again! I am not exactly sure what all the lyrics are... but I find this song to be a perfect dreamy song for spring. So fun!

Hike: Temescal Canyon Loop Trail with abundant spring wildflowers!

This is the first hike that J and I did Los Angeles.  We went last summer, when we first moved to LA.  It was very sunny day, and quite hot. I remember thinking it was a great hike - it has quite a steep climb for the first half (which is a good workout!) and the views are fantastic, especially on the top of the ridge. The second half (all downhill) is very relaxing.  :)

My friend Stacy came to visit from NYC and we wanted to do a shorter hike (1 1/2-2 hours, 3-4 miles), so I suggested we do the Temescal Canyon Loop. Wow - what a difference it is to hike in the spring when all the wildflowers are blooming and the waterfall is flowing!!! I was so busy taking photos of the beautiful flowers and ocean view while hiking, that I somehow missed seeing the clown snake (poisonous) that Stacy told me slithered right by my feet!!!  Don't worry, as long as you are careful and wear hiking shoes or sneakers, I think it is a pretty safe hike. :)