T.W.O.

Biarritz

Published on September 24, 2013September 24, 2013 by T.W.O.1 Comment

France for the day? Why not!?! T.W.O. took a day trip from San Sebastian to Biarritz to check out Europe’s Surf Capital. This luxurious French beachtown is about forty-five minutes from the border of Spain and is located on the Bay of Biscay. Biarritz is filled with tourists and surfers of all ages. Here are some of the highlights of T.W.O.’s quick visit!

Transportation

T.W.O. took the Alsa bus from San Sebastian to Biarritz. It was a great way to see all the small towns and experience “crossing the border” from Spain to France. As soon as we crossed the border into France, the bus stopped and the French police came on board to check our passports. Good thing T.W.O. brought those with us!!! En route, we saw the French coastline, two different campsites filled with retro looking trailers, beaches, bakeries, road bikers and a bountiful of hydrangea plants.

City of Biarritz

Biarritz is a great place to shop, eat and go to the beach. T.W.O. strolled around the city, stopping in stores along the way and bought linen snow-leopard scarves to keep warm. It was overcast in the morning and the summer attire T.W.O. was wearing was not doing it for them. FRENCH SOUVONIEUR…CHECK! T.W.O. noticed that a lot of people didn’t speak English and T.W.O. doesn’t speak French, so there was some communication issues. Au revoir, not hasta luego! Just kidding….T.W.O. got the feeling that people didn’t want to give them the time of day sinceT.W.O. was not speaking French. Other than that, T.W.O.‘s France experience was great!

Farmers Market

T.W.O. stumbled upon a framers market in the center of town. The market was divided into two sections: one section with fresh produce stores and bakeries and the other section with fish and meat stores. The fish and meat side was smelly, so T.W.O. spent less time there! Farmers markets in different countries are so amazing. The produce, baked goods and deli selection are very different from what you would find in the US. The cheese display in Biarritz was plentiful and it was hard to walk away from the sample section. T.W.O. probably ate about ½ pound of cheese in 20 minutes. Any opportunity T.W.O. gets to go to a farmers market, even if it is just to look around, T.W.O. will go out of their way to make the trek.

Lunch

Fresh Salads and a view! After about 2 hours, T.W.O. finally found a restaurant that had an English menu and a great view. (Good things take time, right?)

Beach

The beach in Biarritz was filled with travelers from all over the world. T.W.O. met some new friends from Scotland. They travel to Biarritz every year for a long weekend to enjoy the serenity and small beach town atmosphere. The water was on the colder side, but refreshing to cool T.W.O. down from the hot sun. Yes – the clouds burned off and T.W.O. was able to get their tan on!

The Famous Farmers Market Tote

T.W.O. was in search for the perfect farmers market tote and the mission was accomplished in Biarritz. Down the street from the farmers market, there was a cooking supply store (like a Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma, etc.) that had a ton of the market totes stacked up in all different sizes and colors. Once calmed down from the excitement, T.W.O. happily purchased the tote that was dreamt about for months. (More on this tote in a future post.)

You can’t go to France without getting a baguette and pastry, so T.W.O. ended the day trip with these two things. T.W.O.enjoyed their snacks in a small park, while waiting for the bus back to San Sebastian.

Au Revoir Biarritz!!!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Published on September 20, 2013September 19, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Friday Night Pizza night!

T.W.O. had some leftover chicken in the refrigerator, so why not make a BBQ Chicken Pizza?!

Ingredients:

– Pizza Dough
– Cornmeal
– Flour
– Chicken breast, shredded
– BBQ sauce
– 1/2 cup olives, sliced
– 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
– 1/4 cup cilantro, diced
– 1/2 cup red onions, diced
– 2-3 cups mozzarella

Roll out the pizza dough on a floured/ cornmeal surface. Once the dough is evenly rolled out, transfer the dough to the pizza stone. Next take the BBQ sauce and spread it on the dough, making sure you reach all the edges.

Then, add your mozzarella! Take the sliced olives, mushrooms, cilantro and red onions and spread it on the cheese. In a bowl, mix the shredded chicken breast and BBQ sauce. Once mixed, put the chicken on the pizza.

Let the pizza rise for about 15 minutes while the BBQ is heating up. Note – you don’t want to put the stone on a cold BBQ. The temperature should reach a medium-high heat before placing the pizza on. Watch the pizza closely; you don’t want your crust to burn! It should take about 15-20 minutes, depending on your grill.

Bon Appetite!

Flour + Water (San Francisco)

Published on September 19, 2013September 19, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Flour + Water is a Italian restaurant located in the Mission District of San Francisco. All their pasta is homemade, just like they do in Italy. The Neapolitan style pizza is a fan-favorite as well as the whole animal utilization in their dishes. The menu is constantly changing to capture the season’s best vegetables. T.W.O. had a chance to eat here in August and enjoy their tasting menu. Note – please do not read this while you are hungry….you will be starving after!

Summer Tasting Menu

crispy trotter with eggplant, almond, confit shallot & pickled mustard seed

2012 Bisson, Glera, Marca Trevigian, Veneto

teleme scarpinocc with aceto balsamico

2011 St. Michael-Eppan, Pinot Bianco, Schulthauser, Alto Adige DOC

fennel tortelli with whey, bufala & pollen

2010 Vigneti Massa, Timorasso, Derthona, Colli Tortonesi DOC, Piemonte

salmon tortellini with tomato, crème fraîche & preserved lemon

2011 Poggio dei Gorleri, Ormeasco di Pornassio DOC, Peinetti, Liguria

carrot farfalle with braised hen, charred scallion & carrot top gremolata

2011 Montalbera, Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato DOC, Piemonte

bomboloni with tarragon crema & strawberry

2012 De Forville, Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Piemonte

The atmosphere of the restaurant is rustic, artistic and inviting. T.W.O. enjoyed sitting at the community farm-fresh table at the front of the restaurant. There are private tables near the back, along with a bar that looks like a great place to enjoy a glass of wine as you wait for your table. The atmosphere is great for a group, a date or even friends catching up, especially with the great playlist they have on!

Flour + Water does takes reservations, but if you forget and just walk in, there is usually a wait time of over an hour. The foodies will line-up at 5 o’clock waiting for the gastronomical experience….consider T.W.O. one of those people!

Pamplona

Published on September 16, 2013September 15, 2013 by T.W.O.3 Comments

When you hear the word Pamplona, what do you think? First guess- “Running of the Bulls.” Correct? Okay, T.W.O. thought so! While in Spain, T.W.O. had the chance to experience the weeklong festival celebrating San Fermin, patron Saint of Navarra for one day. Actually, lets clarify….a couple hours!

Getting to Pamplona from San Sebastian isn’t hard, but making a day trip of it can be a little bit challenging if you wanted to see the run at 8am. (The first train that arrives is at 8:30am, which is already too late to see the run.) The solution….car service! T.W.O. travelled to Pamplona in style with a private driver. Arriving in Pamplona around 7am, T.W.O.’s first mission was to get the gear…the white capri pants and the red scarf. CHECK! Next, T.W.O. luckily had some family friends that were saving a spot on the last turn before going into the bull ring so they were able to see the run from the first row. Well, behind the barricades that housed the police and medics…so second row. CHECK!

The town was lively, full of “hydrated” people roaming/ stumbling the streets of Pamplona. Ambulances lined the city streets… re-assuring, right? Balconies were filled with spectators, anticipating the run as we watched them hoping the balcony didn’t collapse. Needless to say, it was quite the scene!

8am…..GO TIME! It was the fastest 30 seconds of T.W.O.’s life, watching people run for their lives….Some making it, others eating it on the cobblestone and the rest jumping over the barricades to escape the large beasts. The bulls wore bells around their neck, so the runners heard them coming. Torro! Torro! Torro!

It was a trip well-made and T.W.O. was glad that they can say they “ran with the bulls”.

Ole! Ole!

Wine Cork Place Card Holders

Published on September 12, 2013September 10, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Having a dinner party with assigned seating? Can’t decide on how to display your guests’ name? Well T.W.O. has the perfect solution for you! All those wine corks you are “saving” for a special occasion can finally come in handy. It’s as easy as one…T.W.O.…three!!

What you will need:

– Name Tags (T.W.O. printed the name tags on Avery template pages)
– Wine Corks
– X-Acto Knife or Swish Army Knife

Step 1: Design and print out your name tags.

Step 2: Using your knife, cut a ½ cm deep line into the cork (lengthwise).

Step 3: Place the name tag in the slit and make sure it’s secured. *

Voilà!

Now that’s an easy DIY project! Happy designing!!!

* If the wine cork place card isn’t standing upright, shave the bottom of the cork to create a flatter surface.

San Sebastián

Published on September 10, 2013September 10, 2013 by T.W.O.1 Comment

It’s one of Europe’s best beaches, home to the gastronomic lifestyle of pintxos and one of T.W.O’s favorite cities in Spain. San Sebastián (SS) is located on the northern coast of Spain in the Basque region near the border of France. T.W.O. enjoyed 5 nights in this beach town and took day trips to Pamplona to watch the Running of the Bulls and to Biarritz to check out the surf capital of Europe.

Accommodations:

T.W.O. stayed in the Iztueta Apartments located on Miramar, which is the street overlooking La Concha beach. Jon, the owner, was very friendly and helpful in recommending local attractions and restaurants. The selling point of this apartment was the location and view. T.W.O. enjoyed many sunsets on their balcony with rosé and cheese while looking at La Concha beach. Being so close to the water, T.W.O. would fall asleep to the waves breaking onto the shore….doesn’t get any better than that!

Pintxos Bars:

Bar Zeruko: A MUST! T.W.O. went here their second night in SS and was a little bit intimated at first by the ordering process. They quickly learned that there was a second menu that you could order from; and that is what they did! T.W.O. highly recommends getting the steak (served on slate) and the papas fritas (French fries).

Atari Gastroteka: T.W.O. didn’t only visit this place once; they usually ended the pintxos bar hopping here every night! Located right across from the church, this place has it all. Great cupas riojas (glass of red wine), pintxos and cute servers! T.W.O. highly recommends the tomato salad and the arroz del día (rice of the day).

A Fuego Negro: Known for their burger pintxos, this place had a great atmosphere. T.W.O. stumbled upon this little gem trying to avoid a rainstorm and was very impressed with it’s menu. You can walk in or make reservations for the tasting menu. T.W.O. love the record-style menus!

La Playa

La Concha: is the larger of two beaches in San Sebastian and is more protected from the open sea. Many fishing boats are anchored here, so it makes for a beautiful setting. T.W.O. spent most of their time on this beach since it was right across from their apartment. They would grab some fresh bread, turkey, and cheese and a bottle of rosé and head to the beach for a couple hours. Of course there was a gelato break here and there! The beach was backed with people from all over the world, which made for great people watching! Some had their bathing suits on, some didn’t! The water was the perfect temperature to cool off in the 80 degree weather. As the day grew longer, the tide came up and then it became a party on the beach! Your sand neighbors became your friends!

La Zurriola: This beach is located east of the old town and river. Known as being the surf spot of SS, this beach has more waves and less people. If you want a quieter beach with a ton of Aussies and locals, come here!

The Old Town

The town itself is filled with shops, bakeries and mercados. T.W.O. enjoyed strolling through the streets and exploring the shops. The panaderías (bakeries) were plentiful and delicious! T.W.O. found the best goat cheese in a local mercado that they can’t seem to find here in the US.

Hike to statue of Christ

An easy hike, T.W.O. ventured to the statue of Christ one morning before the heat. The statue is located on top of the mountain between the two beaches. If you want great photos of the city, take the hike! There were many look-out points along the way to capture shots of the city. Beware of the wild-life….wild cats were roaming around! The old canons near the castle still exist, which is pretty spectacular to envision that those were once used to protect the city. Make sure to bring water; there are no water fountains along the way.

T.W.O. absolutely loved spending time in San Sebastián and would highly recommend this city to anyone. T.W.O. hopes to come back one day and visit their favorite spots again.

Happy Travels!

T.W.O.’s Favorite Orange County (OC) Spots

Published on September 5, 2013September 4, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

31^st Street, Newport Beach

For many years, T.W.O. has been riding their beach cruises to this street’s beach front to soak up the sun. It’s a great place to catch-up on your summer book read, gossip magazine news and a little game of smash ball. Generally, this beach spot is not too crowded so you don’t have to worry about finding a place to sit.

Balboa Island

This island is famous for its Balboa Bar, which is a chocolate dipped frozen banana. It’s THE BEST in the WEST! Other than these gastronomical gems, Balboa is a great place to stroll along the board walk and enjoy the sun! And if you have young children, the island offers a Fun Zone and a Ferry Boat that will definitely keep your children on Cloud 9!

Sugar Shack

Located on Main Street in Huntington Beach, the Sugar Shack is a restaurant that T.W.O. and their family have been going to for breakfast every Christmas Eve. The eggs, pancakes, hash browns and the hot chocolate are highly recommended. The restaurant is also known for its hamburgers and Turkey Dinners on Wednesday nights.

Fashion Island

Where the shopping bags meet the surf! In T.W.O’s opinion, there is no better way to spend the day shopping than in an outdoor shopping mall that has views of the ocean. The center has many of T.W.O.’s favorite stores- Norstrom’s, Bloomingdales, Macy’s, Trina Turk, Rebecca Taylor, Elie Tahari, Kate Spade,Nike, and the list goes on! One of T.W.O.’s favorite spots to dine for lunch while shopping is True Food Kitchen, which has the most amazing salads!

Crystal Cove Shake Shack

Shake Shack is a great place to cool down with a shake and enjoy the views of the Pacific Ocean. This small little hut is located on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) near Laguna Beach that is worth stopping at! They are most famous for their date shake creation. So take your next date here and share a date shake!

Cannery, Newport Beach

A local favorite, The Cannery is a wonderful restaurant that is known for its gastronomical, fresh seafood. Whether you go for brunch, lunch dinner, or drinks, this waterfront spot will not be a disappointment. They also offer a fantastic happy hour from 4-6:30 PM daily!

TK Burger, Newport Beach

At the beach and craving a hamburger? T.W.O. would highly recommend that you make your way to TK Burger. This spot is filled with locals because they know that it is the best burger you can get in town with sand on your feet. All their food is fresh- never frozen and cooked to order. They also have locations in Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Anaheim Hills and Santa Ana.

Happy Exploring!

The Traveling T.W.O. Journal

Published on September 3, 2013September 3, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Travel journals have been around since the beginning of time. The pioneers kept journals while traveling to the West to document their hardships, sightings and experiences to the new unexplored land. Many of these journals have been used to learn more about history and many were lost in the rough, leaving unanswered questions. Today, T.W.O. has adapted the same concept with their travels around the world.

Before every big trip, T.W.O. buys a journal to document their memories and capture their favorite quotes and experiences. The journal selection process is important; you just can’t select a book with paper in it. Below are some requirements that are needed:

– Hard cover
– Memorable quote or picture on the front, depicting the trip
– Wire ring binding
– 70+ pages

The main idea of the travel journal is to write about each day’s activities so that you can remember everything years later. Hotel and restaurant names, shopping stores and city neighborhoods are all noted in the book.

T.W.O. uses the travel journal to suggest places to friends and family traveling to the same destination. The most important part of the book is the “scrapbook” section, which has restaurant business cards, post cards, wine bottle labels, maps and anything else that comes across the way during T.W.O.’s travels. (There is even a smudge of chocolate from a croissant T.W.O. had in Paris in the travel journal!) Scotch tape is important to bring along so you can tape the items into the book that same day.

At the end of the trip, T.W.O. recaps their favorite memories and quotes. T.W.O. finds it important to document these experiences as soon as you can because as time goes own, details are forgotten. And just like the pioneers, these journals will be passed to future generations. From wagons, to cars, to trains to planes, we will see what the next century brings!

Happy Travels!!!!

San Francisco’s Off the Grid Presidio Picnic

Published on August 28, 2013August 22, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Every Sunday, dozens of gourmet food trucks, bakeries, and fresh produce stands gather in San Francisco’s Presidio for one of the largest public picnics T.W.O. has ever seen. There is live music, vendors walking around with wagons selling Bloody Mary kits, wine, beer and champagne and the best free entertainment-people watching! T.W.O. brought along a picnic basket, blanket and of course, a bottle of Rosé for a lovely afternoon sitting in the sun, while enjoying great company with family and 300 of their closest friends! Below are some photos of T.W.O.’s Presidio Picnic adventure!

(Click the mosaic to see a slideshow of the photos)

Zucchini Noodles

Published on August 27, 2013August 27, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

When in Rome, you eat pasta. When cooking with T.W.O, you make zucchini noodles! This is such an easy dish that can be transformed into a snack, a summer salad or an entrée. The most important part of this dish is the peeler….a julienne peeler! You can find it at SUR LA TABLE or even TARGET.

Zucchini Noodles

Ingredients:

– 4 zucchini
– 1 clove garlic, diced
– 1 lemon; juiced
– Olive oil
– Krazy Salt

After washing the vegetables, place the zucchini flat on a cutting board. Hold with one hand the top of the zucchini that is furthest from you, while holding the zucchini peeler in the other hand. The key to creating “noodles” is to peel the zucchini using only one stroke. From top to bottom, peel the zucchini in a straight line. This will form your perfect “noodles”. Continue until the zucchini is all peeled.

Place all the “noodles” in a bowl and add lemon juice, diced garlic, olive oil and Crazy Salt to your desire. Let the noodles marinate for about 10 minutes.

Once the “noodles” have marinated, squeeze the excess juice out of the “noodles” so your meal isn’t soggy. Now comes the question….What can I do with these “noodles?” T.W.O decided to make a summer salad. To make this, you will need the following ingredients:

Summer Salad

– Zucchini noodles
-8 to 10 mini balls of fresh mozzarella
-1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
– 4 Tablespoons fresh basil
-Balsamic vinegar to drizzle

Add the mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil to the noodles. Finish the dish by drizzling the noodle mixture with balsamic vinegar. Now it’s time to enjoy this tasty, light summer salad poolside!