lifestyle blog

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.

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!

Creamy Polenta with Funghi & Fish

Published on October 15, 2013October 14, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Tired of mashed potatoes? Well T.W.O. has a great alternative side dish to add on your next menu…Creamy Polenta. Check out how to make this easy dish for a gourmet dinner at home.

Ingredients

For the Polenta:

-4 cups vegetable broth, low sodium
-2/3 cup polenta
-1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano

For the Mushrooms:

-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and discarded, sliced
-12 ounces crimini (Baby Bella) mushrooms, sliced
-2 cloves garlic cloves
-1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
-1/8 teaspoon Krazy salt

For the Fish:

-2 filets rock fish
-1 meyer lemon
-Salt
-Pepper
-Oregano

Polenta: In a sauce pan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Reduce the heat and whisk in the polenta. Mix frequently for about 15-20 minutes until the polenta is soft and thick. At this time add the Pecorino Romano. Mix well.

Mushrooms: In a frying pan, heat the olive oil for about 1 minute over medium heat. Add the diced garlic gloves and mushrooms and sauté about 3-4 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and the salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low/medium and cook for about 8-10 minutes. The mushrooms will shrink, so don’t get scared that you are over-cooking them.

Fish: Place the fish on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Marinate the filets with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Turn the oven on to 400 degrees. Put the fish in the oven for about 8 minutes. Once the fish is almost done, turn the oven to broil and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully so you don’t burn the filets.

Presentation:

Place the cooked polenta on a plate. Add the mushrooms on top of the polenta followed by the filet of fish. Note – this dish is best when hot, so make sure your table is set and your guests are seated!

Enjoy!

San Diego County Favorites

Published on October 14, 2013October 13, 2013 by T.W.O.1 Comment

Del Mar Beach

Del Mar is one of the best beaches in San Diego County. It is a great place to bring families, friends and visitors on those hot summer days. Being in a residential area, the beach is lined with beach houses that are nice to look at while taking a mid-day stroll. T.W.O. enjoys bringing a picnic lunch, our paddleball set and a great book to Del Mar beach.

Claire’s on Cedros Bakery & Café

If you are looking for a great place to grab a coffee and pastry, a delicious sit-down breakfast or a tasty lunch…Claire’s on Cedros in Solana Beach is the place to go. Not only is the food fresh and amazing, the building is the only LEED Platinum certified building in San Diego. The atmosphere is casual and inviting for all ages.

Petco Park

Baseball has been apart of T.W.O.’s life since we were born. We have been to many baseball fields in our life, and Petco Park is in the top five favorite stadiums list. Located in the center of downtown San Diego, the stadium has spectacular views and offers many amenities for families and young adults. During the summer months after certain games, there are country concerts. T.W.O. had the chance to go see Dierks Bentley. Yee haw!

Del Mar Horse Races

Opening Day at the Del Mar Horse races is such a fun day. Sun dresses, big hats, linen suits, fedoras, jockeys and horses…who wouldn’t like this? Place your bets now because this is the only track where the surf meets the turf.

Board & Brew (Del Mar)

T.W.O. loves a good sandwich, so when we are headed to the beach we always stop by Board & Brew to pick up lunch. Turkey, avocado with shredded lettuce on squaw bread is a favorite of T.W.O. Board & Brew never disappoints!

Seagrove Park

Don’t want to go to the beach, but want to enjoy the great weather? Seagrove is a great park that has quite the view. T.W.O. enjoys bringing picnic lunches, our family and our dog Libby! It’s a great place to people watch, relax and enjoy the incredible views. If you time it right, you might even be an “uninvited guest” at a wedding!

Rimel’s Rotisserie (Del Mar)

Rimels is a favorite dinner spot for T.W.O. With fresh food that is made from scratch, T.W.O. enjoys the wok bowls and the potstickers. Rimels offers a great environment for small or large parties. There is a big farm fresh table in that back for big group celebrations. If your table isn’t ready, don’t worry because the fire-pits and the outdoor sitting area makes the wait well worth it!

T.W.O. in Madrid

Published on August 26, 2013August 26, 2013 by twinswithoriginality1 Comment

After a plane flight, metro ride, and adventure walking with our suitcases over cobblestone, T.W.O. made it to our first stop in Spain- MADRID!! Ole! Madrid is an amazing city full of history, architecture, exquisite restaurants, friendly people and not to mention, ZARAs on every corner! T.W.O. was in heaven!

T.W.O. was in Madrid for 4 days at stayed at the Vincchi Soho hotel in the heart of the historical area of Madrid. T.W.O. would definitely recommend Vincchi Soho- it is clean, modern, the staff is very friendly and it is in a great location of the city- walking distance to everything!

While in Madrid, T.W.O. explored everything- from plazas to palaces, ZARAs to bull fights, restaurants to mercados, and Rosés to papas fritas. T.W.O loved it all! Here are just some of the highlights of T.W.O.’s adventure in Madrid!

Plaza Mayor

Plaza Mayor was one of the biggest plazas in Madrid. T.W.O enjoyed stopping by this plaza one, two, even three times a day to see this beautiful site.

Mercado de San Miguel

Mercado de San Miguel is a must-see if you travel to Madrid. This mercado is a great spot to head for lunch if you don’t want to deal with a restaurant. Inside the mercado, there are over 30 merchants selling their respective tapas specialties. T.W.O would highly recommend the burrata cheese crostini with pesto and the croquette with cheese and jalapeno.

Palacio Real de Madrid

Palacio Real de Madrid is another site to see in Madrid. Pay the 12 euros and enjoy the breathtaking art and architecture inside the palace. You won’t be disappointed.

Plaza de Santa Ana

Plaza de Santa Ana was T.W.O.’s favorite plaza in Madrid. They spent everyday in this plaza whether is was for breakfast, lunch, dinner or their siesta!

Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas

When in Madrid, go to a bull fight! T.W.O. enjoyed this amazing experience and would suggest everyone see one if they are in Madrid. The art of this sport is spectacular and the local people are so passionate about it. Bull fights typically take place on every Sunday during the summer months.

Lateral

Lateral was T.W.O.’s favorite restaurant in Madrid. It is located in Plaza de Santa Ana (how ironic!). T.W.O. would suggest the stuffed piquillo peppers, goat cheese with caramelized onions, and the patatas bravas.

Strolling around Madrid and Parque del Buen Retiro

T.W.O. enjoyed strolling around Madrid, especially when it involved shopping at Zara! During the stroll, T.W.O. walked through Parque del Buen Retiro. It was absolutely gorgeous and reminded T.W.O. of Central Park in New York City. This park is a nice place to take a picnic, go for a run, or just enjoy an evening walk!

T.W.O. truly enjoyed Madrid and would definitely go back- well actually; they did, for one day! In terms of the future, Madrid will be revisited. It is a great city for everyone- young adults, couples, families and elders! T.W.O. me encantό Madrid! #gemelasenespana