Visit Los Angeles: Dodger Stadium Tour

My husband thought the Dodger Stadium tour would be a fun outing for the boys—and with a runtime of just 75 minutes, it was an easy addition to our day. Our tour began at 10 a.m. on the top deck, where we took in sweeping views of the stadium and learned about the team’s early days in Brooklyn and their move to Los Angeles.

From there, we made our way down to the fifth floor, which houses an impressive hallway of memorabilia along with the press box. We continued through the trophy room, stepped into the VIP lounge, and eventually descended to field level. While visitors are only allowed onto the warning track, simply standing that close to the field was a thrill in itself.

I won’t give away every detail, but if you’re a Dodgers fan—or just someone who appreciates baseball history—this tour is absolutely worth it.

DODGER STADIUM TOUR

1000 VIN SCULLY AVENUE

LOS ANGELES, CA

Read More

Visit Claremont: Claremont Farmers & Artisans Market

We had some time to kill in the morning, so we were looking for things to do on a Sunday in Clarmeont, and found online that the Claremont Farmers & Artisans Market takes place every Sunday in Claremont Village from 8am to 1pm.   

I always enjoy walking through open markets in other states / countries to see what different or unique offerings I'll come across.

The Claremont Farmers & Artisans Market is small in comparison to a market like the Kapiolani Community College Market, but in terms of the number of vendors, it's slightly more than a market like the Mililani Farmers Market.

Vendors line up on Harvard Avenue, and most of them are selling farm fresh produce - baskets of berries, colorful cauliflower heads, buckets of tomatoes and grapes, and more.

We bought some berries to munch on, and I was hoping there were food vendors or more ready-to-eat foods that I could snack on or bring back for omiyage, but the options were very limited.

It was still a nice stroll through the Claremont Farmers & Artisans Market!

Claremont Farmers and Artisans Market
Harvard Ave N

Claremont, CA 91711
 

Read More

Visit Los Angeles: Diddy Riese

Back in college, my friends and I would visit Diddy Riese late night on the weekends for $.25 cookies and $.25 cartons of milk.

I tried visiting them back in 2019 during a visit to LA, only to be greeted by a sign on the door that they were closed due to equipment malfunction.

On my most recent visit to LA, I was determined to get Diddy Riese cookies!

The line was surprisingly long when I got to the shop, but it moved quickly.

Cookies are now $.75 each, but it's still a bargain!

I got a dozen cookies - 6 each of Chocolate Chip and Candy Chocolate Chip Cookies (the more you buy, the cheaper per cookie it is).

As you wait in line, you can see the cookies being made fresh.  I wasn't able to eat them right away, but they were still delish.

Diddy Riese also offers ice cream cookie sandwiches, brownies, shave ice, and more!

Visit Diddy Riese to satisfy all your cookie cravings at a bargain!

Diddy Riese
926 Broxton Ave 

Los Angeles, CA 90024

Read More

Visit Los Angeles: Kato Restaurant

While in LA, we tried Michelin-starred restaurant Kato Restaurant based on the recommendation of a few colleagues.  Helmed by Chef Jonathan Yao, Kato features a seafood-focused menu with Taiwanese and Asian American influences.

Yellowtail

Sweet Shrimp

Scallop

The first three dishes came out together, and my fave of the 3 was the Sweet Shrimp in a nori cup.

Sea Urchin

The Sea Urchin was my favorite dish of the night.  A donut enveloped sea urchin with brown butter was topped with Iberico Ham.  It was love at first bite, and if I had half a dozen of just the Sea Urchin dish, I would've been totally happy.  

Caviar

My friend loved the Caviar, which was his favorite dish of the night. 

Milk Bread

A loaf of Milk Bread accompanied the Caviar, and I ate nearly the entire loaf of this pillowy-soft bread.  It was so amazing!

Spiny Lobster

The Spiny Lobster was presented in a tempura-like batter which was delicate, but with just enough crunch.

Tilefish

The Tilefish was cooked perfectly, skin and all.

Duck

The Duck was so tender and the best duck dish I've ever tried anywhere, and the A5 Wagyu (supplemental fee) was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Wagyu

Freshwater Eel

The last savory course was a dish of freshwater eel, which was just as delicious as it looked.  It was very tasty, and such a huge serving to end the savories.

Passionfruit, Salted Egg, Hazelnut

The dessert course consisted of a trio of treats.  The Passionfruit was my fave, which had just enough sweetness.  

Sesame cookie takeaway

The menu really reflected Taiwanese staples infused with Chef Jonathan's twists.  Many of the dishes are common on Hawai`i menus in one way or the other, but the wonderful FOH team really helped to explain the dishes or components that we weren't familiar with, giving the backstory of how it's typically prepared in Taiwan, or what the significance was for certain ingredients.

It was a great dining experience!

kato Restaurant
777 S Alameda St Building 1

Suite 114, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Read More

Visit Los Angeles: kodo

One of my favorite random finds in Los Angeles was kodo.  The izakaya / sushi / omakase eatery had just opened up a few months prior, and the service and space was just so warm and inviting.

Tsukune

My favorite dish was the Tsukune.  A seasoned chicken patty was topped with a Jidori egg yolk and served with a yakitori sauce.  So delish!!

Chicken Nanban

I liked the Chicken Nanban, which was tender and juicy, and served with a tartar sauce.  I did think a few pieces were overcooked, but overall, it was a great dish.

Eggplant

I loved the Eggplant, which was super soft and glazed with miso. 

Seaweed Shiso Salad

My friend loved the Seaweed Shiso Salad, which was served with a variety of veggies and a tangy shiso dressing.

If you love sushi, there is an entire sushi menu to choose from.

Jyu-ten Nigiri Nori

The 10 piece nigiri included tuna, hamachi, salmon, white fish, and chef's choice.

Uni and Hotate

There were a couple of desserts offered that I couldn't resist.

Basque Cheesecake

Miso Dark Chocolate Brownie

I loved the luscious Basque Cheesecake. The Miso Dark Chocolate Brownie was a nice combo of sweet and slightly salty, but I found it a little on the dry side.

I highly recommend a visit to kodo, and I hope I get to return the next time I'm in LA!

kodo
710 S Santa Fe Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90021

Read More

Visit Los Angeles: Rappahannock Oyster Bar

We were strolling the Row DTLA and stumbled upon Rappahannock Oyster Bar.

If you love oysters, this is the place to be.  They offer Rappahannock (a sweet oyster) and Olde Salts (a briny oyster).  

The oysters come with lemon, cocktail sauce, and horseradish, and you can add other sauces for extra (kimchi, maple, or awesome, which has Thai flavors).

Rapp Wedge

I'm not an oyster fan, but I did devour the crispy fried oysters that were on the Rapp Wedge.  It was a great salad with red onion, bacon, and tomatoes.  

The oyster bar offers full meals as well, so whether you want just oysters and a cocktail or a nice sit down meal, check out Rappahannock Oyster Bar!

Rappahannock Oyster Bar
777 S Alameda St #154

Los Angeles, CA 90021

Read More