Farewell San Diego

Published on February 24, 2014February 23, 2014 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

San Diego. A city filled with adventure, history, scenery, and most of all – great memories! After 10 years, a T.W.O. will be moving from San Diego. These past years has been great in that lots of life time friendships have been made, success stories for the books, wonderful opportunities and a decade filled with happiness. San Diego will be missed, but will be visited very often. If you have never visited San Diego – this is one city you will need to put on the list. Padre and Charger games, Del Mar horse races, beach days, pretty sunsets, delicious restaurants, scenic hikes – it was all experienced. Here is just a re-cap of the past 10 years… Cheers to memories and new beginnings!

Hats Off to Traveling

Published on February 20, 2014February 20, 2014 by T.W.O.2 Comments

If you haven’t already noticed, T.W.O. enjoys traveling. And like most people, we usually get a souvenir (well actually, we should say souvenirs) when we travel! One of those souvenirs has to be a hat. Yes – a hat. It’s an item that we will wear the rest of our trip and get to bring it back home to the States. Beach hat, winter hat, ball cap – doesn’t matter! Here are some of our favorite hats we got a long the way.

Costa Rica:

The Caribbean:

Lake McClure:

Palm Springs/ Stagecoach:

Tahoe:

Angel Games:

Italy:

Spain:

Happy Travels!!!

Del Mar Weekend

Published on February 3, 2014February 2, 2014 by twinswithoriginality1 Comment

T.W.O. loves spending their weekends in Del Mar. This past weekend, we enjoyed morning runs, fresh baked goods, farmers market and home cooked gourmet dinners. Thank you Del Mar for a wonderful weekend!

T.W.O. started Saturday morning off with a long run along the coastline of Del Mar. Our halfway point led us to this beautiful scenery. You would never guess it was winter based on the amount of surfers out in the ocean or the people in light jackets!

Next stop was to a local, family owed bakery called Village Mill Bread Company. The bakery is filled with a variety of organic breads, pastries, donuts, jams, nut butters, desserts and coffees! So whether you need bread for sandwiches, an appetizer, a meal or your sweet tooth- Village Mill has it! Their cinnamon rolls and challah are outstanding- T.W.O. would highly recommend these two! And their coffee is from Bird Rock Coffee Company, which is out of this world. Don’t miss out and stop by Village Mill Bread Company if you are visiting or live in the Del Mar area!

T.W.O. absolutely loves farmers markets. Whether they are oversees or in the United States, we will never pass up visiting a farmers market. This past Saturday, we decided to go to the Del Mar Farmers Market, which happens every Saturday from 12-4pm. It’s on the smaller side compared to other San Diego famers markets, but definitely does not lack on quality! From produce, fresh seafood, flowers, nuts, authentic cuisines- Del Mar Farmers Market has it! Just make sure to bring cash!

To complete a great weekend, T.W.O. decided to take in the beautiful views Del Mar has to offer. Looking north, you see the coastline leading up to Orange County; looking south, you see the shores of La Jolla. It’s so picturesque- we have not complaints!

Del Mar- you are just a great city! Thank you!

Goodbye San Francisco, Hello Southern California

Published on January 6, 2014January 5, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

After nine and a half years, it was time for T.W.O. to be back in the same city. We went to college in different cities – San Diego and Santa Barbara- and then we began our careers in different cities – San Diego and San Francisco. Five and a half years of living in San Francisco, K will be now moving back to the sunny, sandal wearing, coastal part of California. San Francisco was a great chapter and this post will be dedicated to some of the best moments K had in San Francisco. Along the way friends were made, goals completed, became Vice President of the Walk to Work Club, volunteered, experienced city living, shared many laughs, captured many moments with the camera and most importantly learned more about myself. I am truly going to miss my family and my friends that still live back in SF, but I know that I will be visiting. You can take the girl out of the city, but you can’t keep her from visiting! Cheers to memories that will stay with me forever!

The Views Bay to Breakers

Fleet Week

Union Street + North Beach Festival

Bay Area Sporting Events

Friends + Family

Ciao Ciao San Francisco!

Imagery Estate Winery

Published on November 18, 2013November 17, 2013 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Imagine the Parthenon. Imagine a great wine. Imagine a great atmosphere. Imagine combining the 3 into one place- that place being Imagery Winery. Imagery Estate Winery is located in Sonoma County and is owned by the Benzinger family. This winery is not only known for it’s great wine, but also the art on each bottle of wine. Each varietal has a unique designed label that changes each year and includes a picture of the Parthenon. The Parthenon is sometimes not easy to find, so it makes a great game of “Where’s Waldo!” Renowned contemporary artists from around the world design the artwork for Imagery’s wine labels.

T.W.O. recently attended Imagery’s Open House event for club members and had a fabulous time! The winery featured their most popular wines, food pairings, barrel tastings, live music and bocce ball! We even got to meet Mr. Benzinger himself as well as the famous local artist, Bob Nugent.

T.W.O. would highly recommend this winery to anyone that is in the Sonoma area! Some of our favorite varietals are the Mablec, Barbera, Sangiovese, and Petite Syrah- all of which complement nicely with any type of meal. So stop imagining this perfect winery and head to Imagery!!

Lemonade – Newport Beach

Published on November 13, 2013November 13, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

A day shopping at Fashion Island, wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a fabulous lunch. T.W.O. + Mom decided to try Lemonade since they have heard so many great reviews about it. And now it’s our chance to give our review….

The Restaurant

The ambience of Lemonade has a clean, fresh, modern feel. The color scheme is yellow and white with some pops of green – sounds freshing, right?! Immediately when you walk into the restaurant, you know you have come to the right place. While waiting in line to order, you get a chance to review the menu. At first, it is overwhelming with the amount of choices on the menu, but we promise you that it is worth it. Once you reach the “food-line” the staff is eager to help you make your decision. If you change your mind based on what you saw being passed to another person, that’s fine! They will get you want you want! Everything looks too good not to try.

The Menu

Lemonade is a casual dinning experience with a menu that has many options for everyone. Salads, soups, sandwiches, poultry, fish, desserts and of course – Lemonade! T.W.O.+ Mom each got something different and we were impressed with our choices. Our favorite picks of the day were the herb grilled chicken, mozzarella, basil pesto, arugula, ciabatta sandwich, the butternut squash, radicchio, scotch bonnet sauce, sriracha pepitas side dish, and the pineapple chicken, green beans, coconut, jalapeno, jerk dressing side dish. The food tasted fresh and had a ton of flavor. The side dishes had a great mix of sweet and spicy and was not drenched in sauces.

T.W.O. is already looking forward to going back to Lemonade and can’t wait to try something new! If you are ever looking for a great casual dining experience, T.W.O. highly recommends Lemonade. There is even one in Dubai! Next trip!?

Cheers,

VJB Vineyards & Cellars

Published on November 8, 2013November 8, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Wine. Pizza Oven. Deli. Gelato. Music. VJB Cellars has it all! Not only is their wine delicious, the atmosphere in their piazza is excellent. T.W.O. has been going to VJB for many years and takes all their visitors to this family-owned Kenwood winery.

Meet the Belmonte’s

Vittorio, Henry and Maria Belmonte are the family members who started this winery. Just about every weekend, you can see at least one of them roaming around the piazza. Like every visit to VJB, Vittorio and the staff greet us with open arms, just as if we were family. When in Italy…or should I say VJB!

The Piazza

The piazza is an open aired patio that is identical to the ones in a small, Italian town. With a pizza kitchen on one end and long tables on the other, it is a great place to enjoy lunch and some wine on a beautiful day. The food is excellent. Pizza, ribs, paninis and sandwiches are all made fresh to order. T.W.O. highly suggests the traditional margarita pizza. If you decide to go to VJB on the weekend, you can expect live music in the piazza. Close your eyes and you will think you are in Italy!

The Deli

What shall we eat?

Ordering our lunch!

The deli has everything from cold meats, fresh salads, and cheese that you can order to go or to enjoy in the piazza. Don’t forget to pick up some of Maria’s pasta sauce on the way out- it is delicious!

The Tasting Room + VJB Wines

Now to taste some delicious wines! Prosecco, Rose, Zinfandel, Montepulciano, Cabernet, Rosso Family Blend, Dante, Sangiovese and Barbara are some of the varietals you will see at VJB. Even though T.W.O. enjoys all of the wines at VJB, their favorites are the Barbara and the Dante.

Gelateria

After an afternoon of live music, pizza and some great Italian wine- why not end it with some gelato! The dark chocolate is phenomenal!!

*This photo was taken on a previous trip to VJB with more of our family!

Cheers to VJB Cellars and a T.W.O. favorite winery. Thank you to the Belmonte Family for welcoming our family to your winery and making us feel like we are at home every time!

A San Francisco Weekend

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

T.W.O. reunited in San Francisco this past weekend and had a great time with friends and family! Below are some highlights of the fabulous three days.

Ferry Building

A marketplace, office space, meeting spot and event space – this building has it all. Not only is the architecture of the building spectacular with its high ceilings and natural light, it is also an iconic building to the city with its 245-foot tall clock tower that was designed after the 12th-century Giralda bell tower in Sevilla, Spain. In the 1930’s, the Ferry Building was the second busiest transit terminal in the world, but with the construction of the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge, it has become less of a transit terminal and more of a marketplace.

Chili Night Dinner Party

Being the first day of November, T.W.O. deiced to cook chili and cornbread for their small dinner party. In addition to the Fall menu, T.W.O. created a tablescape that gave the small city apartment a cozy feel. It was a wonderful night of good food, views and people. The cornbread recipe can be found HERE and we will be featuring the chili recipe on Thursday.

Golden Gate Bridge Runs

On the weekends, T.W.O. likes to start off the day with a great exercise. It helps that there is a spectacular view along the way! (Well sometimes…if it’s a typical San Francisco morning, you might not see the bridge, yet alone the water.)

Sonoma County Afternoon Drive

Forty-five minutes across the Golden Gate Bridge and you are in wine country! T.W.O. + family took a day trip to get out of the city and enjoy the beautiful scenery, food and wineries. They went to three wineries – VJB Cellars, Imagery and Ram’s Gate. In the next couple of weeks we will be highlighting each winery individually. Stay tuned!

A 25 Mile Bike Tour Over The Golden Gate Bridge

Published on October 30, 2013October 28, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

This past weekend T.W.O.’s family was in town to visit San Francisco. And like most visits, we try to accomplish a new activity. This time, T.W.O. & family decided to rent bikes and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and back. Our 25 mile journey was filled with steep hills, long inclines, great views, perfect weather and wonderful people.

Since some of us didn’t have road bikes, we had to rent hybrid bikes from the local shop on Lombard Street – Bike & View. Book online before going to the shop to pick up your bike…you save $10! T.W.O. highly recommends using Bike & View. The store was located in a convenient location, service was spectacular and the bikes were durable. Each rental comes with a bike lock and helmet. Safety first!

Golden Gate Bridge Crossing

Crossing the GG Bridge on a bike is exhilarating. Being that high up on a bridge with water beneath you while pedestrians and cars are near, gets your heart rate pumping. On the way back, the fog horn was going off which meant that a portion of the bridge was fogged in. Yep, that’s right- we had to ride through a fog bank to get to the other side. Once we crossed, the sun was shining again and it was 10 degrees colder in SF than it was in Marin.

Cavallo Point

Once we dropped down into Sausalito we rode to Cavallo Point to see the hotel and great views this resort has to offer. It’s a great spot to grab brunch or a sunset drink on a clear day.

Sausalito

After leaving Cavallo Point, we rode through the town. The streets were bustling and the restaurants were crowded with people enjoying the beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Fish

Just north of the town center is one of T.W.O.’s favorite lunch spots, Fish. This was a great spot to stop for the halfway point on the ride. Known for their views and seafood, Fish offers a variety of food for everyone’s taste buds. Fish sandwiches, salads, oysters, soups, and hamburgers – you can’t go wrong at Fish. Note – they only take cash, so make sure you hit up the ATM prior to going unless you want to pay the ATM fee onsite.

T.W.O. & family had a great time riding and exploring on Saturday. After 25 miles of some challenging hills (the hill coming out of Sausalito towards the GG Bridge), a great meal and adventures, we all can’t wait to do it again soon! Hopefully with the entire family!

Happy trails ahead!

Howdy Houston!

Published on October 24, 2013October 24, 2013 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Howdy Houston! This past weekend, a T.W.O. boogied on down to Houston, Texas for the Food & Nutrition Conference (FNCE). I spent most of the time in Downtown Houston, which is filled with some good restaurants, stadiums and parks. Get your cowboy boots on and get ready to “T.W.O.-step” it with me in Houston!

Sambuca

A T.W.O. had the pleasure of eating dinner at the famous Sambuca! They have locations in Dallas, Houston, Nashville and Plano. This restaurant is known for its great food, music and dancing. I experienced some great seafood dishes and live classic rock music by FM Live Band. T.W.O. highly recommends this restaurant!

Pappas Bar-B-Q

If you visit Houston, you must go to Pappas Bar-B-Q. All the locals recommended it, so I went! And boy, were our tummies full when I walked out! A T.W.O. would highly suggest ordering the brisket and turkey breast! So moist and tender!

Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse

Got meat? Vic & Anthony’s sure does! A T.W.O. ate a delicious dinner at this recommended steakhouse downtown Houston. The atmosphere reminded us of a Fleming’s or a Morton’s with dim lights and leather chairs. A T.W.O. ordered a roasted beet goat cheese salad, crab cake, and filet and would suggest that all 3 be ordered- especially the crab cake!

Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo

A T.W.O. had the opportunity to attend the FNCE conference in Houston. This conference is catered to food and nutrition professionals and has the latest nutrition science information and foodservice trends. There are over 8,000 attendees and more than 350 exhibitors at this conference. A T.W.O. had a fabulous time exploring the different booths (especially Justin’s and Go Live!) as well as promoting celiac diagnostic testing at the Prometheus Laboratories booth.