To Live and Dine

It's that time again OC! Modern Luxury Orange County's annual To Live & Dine event at Laguna Design Center is back again for 2017 on Thursday, October 26th with a fabulous line-up of restaurants and other exhibitors! 

To Live & Dine honors the city's most distinguished chefs, fine art galleries, home design studios, and specialty furniture. Guests are treated to culinary delights prepared by award-winning chefs, paired with delicious wines and artisanal cocktails all while experiencing the latest in décor and home design.

Tickets are $40 pre-sale and $50 at the door. They also partner with Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County for a portion of the proceeds. 

This year's restaurants who will take part in their famous "Chef's Challenge" include

"A" Market Newport Beach | ADYA | Angelina's Pizzeria Napoletana | AVEO Table + Bar | Bosscat Kitchen & Libations | Centrál Laguna Beach | Driftwood Kitchen | Farmhouse at Roger's Gardens | Five Crowns | Grand Food & Beverage | Habana Restaurant | Hendrix Restaurant and Bar | Lido Bottle Works | Puesto | The Ranch at Laguna Beach | Red O Restaurant| Restaurant Marin | Silver Trumpet Restaurant and Bar | Ten Asian Bistro | The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar

This year's fine art and home design partners include

California Closets | California Style Home Collections | Codarus| Ergo Bedroom | Gina B & Company | J.D. Staron | K.Bau Collection | Lighting Innovation | Perfetto Luxury Interiors | Sutherland Perennials Studio | Westervelt's

Featuring live performances from Two Towns Entertainment, King Salamander and Angelina's Sound, amazing cocktails from DesMaDre Tequila, Castle Brands, The Country Club Restaurant and Skinny Nite Out, and frozen dessert concoctions from SuperCool Creamery! 

All guests must be 21+.

Get your tickets here before it sells out:  toliveanddineoc.eventbrite.com

@modern luxury orange county @laguna design center @Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County @Modern Luxury Interiors California

Taste of Santa Ana!

It's Santa Ana Restaurant Week and the City of Santa Ana, along with the Chamber has all kinds of fun FREE food events planned! Get more info and sign up for these events at the below links...

• 9/27 - COWGIRLS CAFE
  high noon lunch (free lunch for RSVPs in western-wear)

• 9/28 - TORTAS SINALOA
  a taste of Sinaloa with aguas frescas, tortas and Norteño music

• 9/29 - EL TORO CARNICERIA 

if you don't know El Toro, you don't know Santa Ana

AND capping off the week is the fabulous annual event, The Taste of Santa Ana! 

Featuring over 40+ local restaurants, breweries & wineries!  

Presented by the Chamber, the event also features live music, photo booth fun and lots of other fun activities!Tix are $25 for General Admission includes Food tastings, local beer & wine sampling, live music, photo booth and more.

 OR  $65 for VIP includes General Admission plus access to our VIP area that will have a full bar, BBQ food from Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ, and lounge-style seating, all in a covered area. For a limited time you can get $10 off VIP tickets with code SARWVIP and 

$5 off  General Admission with code SARWTOSA

Get your tickets NOW before they sell out! More info & tix here: http://tasteofsantaana.org/

Blinking Owl - OC's First Distillery!

Have you been to Orange County's first ever distillery, Blinking Owl yet? I recently had a fabulous experience visiting to do a tour and tasting of their delicious spirits!

Started late last year, Blinking Owl has been quite busy since opening and has plans to expand their spirits line even further. They currently make a vodka, an orange 🍊 vodka (using OC grown oranges!), an aquavit (my fav!), and a gin. 

The owners have really made a point of trying to do things the old fashioned hard way. They do every process in house from milling and mashing the grain in house, then fermenting and distilling it in house too. 

During the tour they'll take you through the production facility and depending on the time of 
year and day you visit you'll get to see the spirits in various steps. It's quite an impressive facility that appears to run like a well oiled machine. You can also tell that the owner take a lot of pride in what they do and have much affection for what they've put together here - they've even named all the machines including the gorgeous copper stills which is named after the owners' pets! 

We also got a peek at their bourbon aging away. This beauty won't be ready for several years but it's exciting to think that at some point in the future we'll be able to have local OC homegrown bourbon! 

They also offer a unique whiskey program where you can make, bottle and age your own whiskey! It's not cheap (starts at $8K) but wow, where else can you say you made your own whiskey and aged it yourself?!

  

You can tell they put just as much thought into the Tasting Room as they did into the production facility. It's not big mind you, but they have a nice long bar on one side which affords a direct view of the distillery behind it and comfy couches and a cozy conversation nook on the opposite side. 

They also have a nice patio off to the side with some long couches and low tables - perfect for groups. This area actually is quite large and could easily be rented for events too.

They offer a tasting of their liquors so you can try them straight to see which is to your liking; or, if straight liquor tasting isn't your thing they also serve several tasty cocktails made exclusively with their spirits in the tasting room of at their gorgeous facility. If you decide you like one of their spirits, you can also buy a bottle to take home! 

Just a tip too - they're getting ready to release an aged gin that's been aged in sweet semillion wine barrels at their anniversary party next month. I got to try a taste and if you're a fellow gin lover you're gonna be blown away by it.

Blinking Owl Distillery is located at 802 E. Washington in Santa Ana

Call to schedule a tour or a tasting: 714/852-3947

or you can also book a tour online: https://blinkingowldistillery.com/

Tour & Tasting is $30 and lasts approximately 45 minutes. 

Tasting Room Hours

Thursday: 5pm-8pm

Friday: 4pm-9pm
Saturday: 2pm-9pm
Sunday: 2pm-6pm

This ain't your Grandma's brunch but she'd probably LOVE it!

Move over divas! There's a new Drag Queen Brunch in town! Happening on the first Saturday of every month at the new location of the House of Blues in Anaheim!

I've been to other drag queen shows and don't get me wrong, they're always fun BUT this was a WHOLE 'nother level of drag queens folks! The first thing you'll notice is the FABULOUS (no other word will apply) host of the show Wiliam - a well known drag queen with a huge following and personality to match! She runs the show and well, it shows! She does a great job of keeping everyone laughing and engaged, while keeping the show running like a well lubed...er oiled machine.

Equally fantastic are the drag queens themselves! The majority of these lovely ladies are from RuPaul's Drag Queen Race and it shows in the level of professionalism and magic they exude- from the costumes to the dancing. This is basically your crème de la crème ladies in drag! Not to mention, they are hilarious and the whole show in general will have you in stitches the entire time you're trying to eat your chicken and waffles!

Which leads me to the food -- cuz this is technically a 'brunch' right? ;) The food is a fabulous buffet brunch style of southern fare including the aforementioned chicken and waffles, a carving station, an omelet station and a long food line of down home comfort food like biscuits and gravy, mac n cheese, jambalaya and of course, your typical breakfast fare like scrambled eggs and sausage, bacon, etc. You pretty much won't be wanting for much with this spread!

If you're looking for something different from the same ole boring brunch with mimosas (and yes, they offer those!) then this is what you've been searching for my friends! I highly recommend you grab your besties, throw on a feather boa (or not) and head over to the new House of Blues in Anaheim on the next first Saturday of the month. You won't be disappointed - William won't let it happen! ;)

HOT TIP: The ladies do accept tips while dancing in the audience so be sure to bring some $1 bills in case you want a little extra attention! They also are available for pictures afterwards - for a $5 fee, but isn's that worth blowing up your instagram? ;) 

House of Blues Anaheim's World Famous Drag Queen Brunch is offered every first Saturday of the month at 11a.m. Ages 18+ only. 

Tickets are $44 and available online at: http://www.houseofblues.com/anaheim/EventDetail?tmeventid=090052F70B5B56D4&offerid=53749

About House of Blues Anaheim:

The new House of Blues Anaheim at GardenWalk, marks the first new House of Blues to be built in the U.S. in a decade. The venue spans 44,000 square feet of space, with live music in four unique entertainment venues all under one roof including the main concert hall, the intimate Parish, the Foundation Room and House of Blues Restaurant and Bar. All four of the entertainment and food spaces offer the most advanced sound system of any House of Blues, and the location will feature live entertainment every night.Their new location is at the Anaheim Garden Walk, 400 W. Disney Way, Suite 337 in Anaheim - you can't miss 'em! 

About House of Blues:
Founded in 1992, House of Blues are located throughout the United States and form the country’s pre-eminent group of intimate music venues. Each features state-of-the-art sound and lighting technology in one-of-a-kind custom designed environments aimed to bring fans as close as possible to the artists. Every location’s restaurant and bar is adorned with signature original folk-art – part of the world’s largest collection – combined with the House of Blues legendary hospitality and tantalizing cuisine.

Taste of Lake Forest!

 
Have you heard of the Taste of Lake Forest?! 

If not, it's about time you did! Every year for the past 5 years the City of Lake Forest has put on a great little event with over 20+ of its best restaurants, and this year's event promises to be the BEST one yet! 





The 7th Annual Shop & Dine Lake Forest Week runs September 17th-24th with the 6th Annual Taste of Lake Forest on Sunday, September 24th from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. at the Foothill Ranch Towne Centre (26612 Towne Centre Drive).
.






Sample a variety of cuisines from participating Lake Forest restaurants for just $10 and vote for your favorite restaurant! Awards will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, along with the Best New Entry category. 




Be sure to get there early as tasting ends at 3 p.m. Raffle prizes include $100 Visa gift cards, restaurant gift cards, and more (maximum 2 raffle prizes per person)! Bring in your Shop & Dine Lake Forest Week Coupon Booklet and receive a raffle ticket for every stamp in your booklet to increase your chances of winning!

The Taste of Lake Forest will take place on Sunday, September 24, from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Foothill Ranch Towne Center (26612 Towne Center Drive).  

NEW Restaurant Review: Reunion in Laguna Beach

Being a big fan of Reunion in Anaheim Hills I was SO excited to be invited to come try out their new location in Laguna Beach. Yes - Laguna Beach, you now have a Reunion Kitchen of your very own!

I have to admit that even with the GPS I actually drove past the new location. Unfortunately, it's a bit hidden on a side street off PCH that leads to a giant Pavilions Grocery Store that faces away from PCH, AND a giant parking lot which was a nice added bonus. ;) There are a few other businesses adjacent to it in this circular strip mall including their sister fast casual Mexican restaurant, Asada - which you can see from PCH so keep that mind in case you can't find Reunion. The signage is a tad on the small side too but it is lit up and the building itself has a beautiful white façade reminiscent of a new England home.

Ruby Red Martini

The inside of the restaurant itself appears a bit smaller than the other location although it still has the iconic spacious welcoming bar in the middle . It also features an open exhibition style kitchen where you can see the Chefs hard at work cooking up your dinner. 

The waitress was super friendly and helpful, as we had tons of questions. I've been to Reunion in AH many times but it had been a little while since my last visit and my +1 had actually never been so it was all new to him. We ended up opting for the ahi tuna poke stack, the beet salad with pecans, the meatloaf sandwich, the fried chicken and biscuit (of course!) and the Cajun tater tots.

Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich

Everything was delicious and cooked very well but I have to say I was most surprised by the meatloaf sandwich! 

At first we were going to order a burger as they all sounded mouthwatering but we found ourselves intrigued by the meatloaf sandwich - and boy, am I glad we opted for it because it turned out to be our hands-down favorite dish! You can really tell the meatloaf was seasoned carefully throughout to make sure each bite was loaded with flavor and that it was cooked in a manner to ensure it stayed super moist. It comes topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato and served perfectly on a bun made of cheesy garlic toast - serious heaven here folks! 

Cajun Tater Tots

The other thing we really loved were the crispy Cajun tater tots - these bad boys are served up piping hot and crispy with a side of sour cream chive dressing, which is good enough to eat with a spoon all by itself! We ate every morsel and drop of this dish.

Roasted Beet & Candied Pecan Salad

I also have to say the salad was pretty stellar - yes, I know beet salad is par for the course these days but the standout on this was the balsamic reduction dressing. The salad itself was a mix of peppery arugula, crispy pecans, sour red onions and of course, a ring of beets around the perimeter. The balsamic reduction dressing had a hint of sweet citrus added to it and was just divine. We asked the waitress what the heck exactly they put in it and she said the Chef's won't give it up! Apparently they know it's THAT good - can't say I blame 'em cuz it really is! ;)

If there was one thing I wasn't that uber impressed with it would have to be the ahi tuna poke stack - it was good mind you, but just nothing special about it. It did have a nice hint of mango but even so, there wasn't anything that made it stand out in my mind. On a high note it was very fresh and the wonton chips they serve it with were outta this world!

Butter Cake

Dessert was a yummy butter cake with a souffle like topper - really unique and tasty! The souffle topper gives it a light airy component you don't usually find in a dense butter cake. Loved it! 

Rosemary's Chicken & Biscuits

If you're looking for somewhere to eat in Laguna or just want to try a new restaurant down that way, I highly suggest you hit Reunion Kitchen - you won't be disappointed!  

Reunion Laguna Beach is located at 610 N. Coast Hwy in Laguna Beach. 

Call 949/226-8393 to make a reservation. 

Praise the Lord & Pass The Biscuits!

I attended the House of Blues Gospel Brunch about 10 years ago at the old location in downtown Disney and I recall it was a rip-roaring hand-clapping good time so when I got invited to check out their new location I was quick to jump at the chance! This was actually my first time at the new location in general since it opened earlier this year and I have to say it's pretty impressive! It feels a lot bigger and much more open than the old location even though it is somewhat of the same set-up with a large open main floor and an upstairs viewing section. I also hear there's a swanky Foundation Room at their new location but I didn't get a peek at it - maybe next time. ;)

Of course, you can't write about the brunch without talking about the food and holy smokes, this is a serious spread they have here folks! It's an all-you-can-eat southern theme (of course!) and features some pretty delicious southern brunch fare like biscuits and gravy, jambalaya, mac n cheese, fried chicken and waffles and of course, for you breakfast purists there's all the standard eggs, bacon, etc. fare. They also offer some really nice stations like a full made-to-order omelet bar and a yummy carving station. 

Oh, and whatever you do, do NOT skip dessert! One of my hands-down favorite items was the decadent white chocolate banana bread pudding - sinfully delicious and a MUST try! Unfortuantely, I didn't get a good enough picture of it to post but it's an iconic dish at HOB's around the world and if you've never tried it you're in for a treat! 

They also offer a $15 bottomless mimosa to add onto your brunch - very worth it as they come around quite often and keep you filled up! All in all, the food was pretty terrific and hit the spot for a Sunday morning indulgence.

Once you've had a chance to get your plate and start into your brunch the show starts - the gospel brunch features a different performer every week and we were lucky enough to be there when the fabulous Divine Connection was on stage.  They were the perfect mix of upbeat fun tunes along with some classic gospel songs. They were also really skilled at getting everyone up and shaking their booties, even getting a contingent up on stage with them to show their stuff! I also saw more than one group celebrating birthdays and even a bachelorette party. It seems like the perfect place for a celebration of any kind and they seemed to do a fabulous job of handling the large parties - make a note for your next celebration! 

 

One thing I also noticed as I looked around the room is EVERYONE was having a great time! I don't think I saw a single somber face in the place although I'm not sure how you could attend the gospel brunch and not leave in a great mood and with a happy tummy!

House of Blues Gospel Brunch is offered every Sunday at 10:30am. 

New location is at the Anaheim Garden Walk, 400 W. Disney Way, Suite 337 in Anaheim - you can't miss 'em! 

Tickets are $45 and available online at: http://houseofblues.com/an aheim/gospelbrunch 

About House of Blues Anaheim:

The new House of Blues Anaheim at GardenWalk, marks the first new House of Blues to be built in the U.S. in a decade. The venue spans 44,000 square feet of space, with live music in four unique entertainment venues all under one roof including the main concert hall, the intimate Parish, the Foundation Room and House of Blues Restaurant and Bar. All four of the entertainment and food spaces offer the most advanced sound system of any House of Blues, and the location will feature live entertainment every night.

 

About House of Blues:
Founded in 1992, House of Blues are located throughout the United States and form the country’s pre-eminent group of intimate music venues. Each features state-of-the-art sound and lighting technology in one-of-a-kind custom designed environments aimed to bring fans as close as possible to the artists. Every location’s restaurant and bar is adorned with signature original folk-art – part of the world’s largest collection – combined with the House of Blues legendary hospitality and tantalizing cuisine.