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Bistro Jeanty, Yountville, California
Bistro Jeanty is a French bistro, located on the main street in Yountville, that captures a little piece of the French countryside. The restaurant opened in 1998, after chef Phillipe Jeanty – who had...
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Robert Mondavi Winery, Napa, California
Robert Mondavi is one of the most recognizable names in Napa because the Mondavi family were pioneers in Napa valley wines. The Robert Mondavi Winery was founded in 1966 with the goal of producing...
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The Fremont Diner, Sonoma, California
The Fremont Diner looks like a greasy spoon type diner that you might drive by on your way from Napa to Sonoma, or vice versa, without giving it too much thought. If you don’t pull in for a bite to...
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Baking Bites’ Napa Road Trip Wrap-Up in #weekwithILX
Thanks to the good people at Acura, I was provided with a very cool 2013 Acura ILX and told that I could take it for an extended test drive recently. Usually, I use my car for running errands around...
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Judging at the 2013 LA County Fair: Ghirardelli Chocolate and Pillsbury Pie...
Last year, I served as a judge for the 2012 Ghirardelli Chocolate Championships at the LA County Fair, and I was happy to be invited back for another round of judging this year – who doesn’t want an...
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Foodie Floats at the 2014 Rose Parade
I started my year with a trip to the Rose Parade, where I was treated to a few foodie-inspired floats in addition to a host of other wonderful floats, marching bands and entries. To get a snapshot of...
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A Visit to Panera Bread’s Small Batch Bakery
The sign that says Panera Bread outside the Church Street bakery in New Haven, Connecticut, is relatively small, and if you don’t look up when you walk in, you might just miss it and think that you...
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A Dinner on Virgin America in First Class
The meals on airplanes these days aren’t what they used to be. When airplanes have food available, it’s usually a snack box of prepackaged crackers, cheeses, cookies and/or a prepared sandwich. It’ll...
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A Visit to Carlo’s Bakery, Hoboken, NJ
If you watch a lot of food-related TV, you have probably heard of the show Cake Boss. The show, which is aired on TLC, is focused on the day to day workings of Buddy Valestro’s bakery in Hoboken, New...
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Judging at the 2014 LA County Fair: Gold Medal Flour Cookie Contest!
Every year, I am privileged to serve as a judge of some of the culinary competitions at the Los Angeles County Fair and this year was no exception. Although I like to try to make several trips out to...
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Leonard’s Bakery, Honolulu, HI
Hawaii is known for many foods. They’re known for having amazing fish, hearty plate lunches, a love for SPAM and lighter-than-air shave ice. They’re also known for malasadas. A malasada is a...
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Rainbow Drive-In, Honolulu, HI
When you are hungry around lunchtime in Hawaii, you want to look for a place to grab a “plate lunch.” Plate lunch is a standard lunch in Hawaii, and it usually consists of a large plate or tray heaped...
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Matsumoto Shave Ice, Haleiwa, Oahu, HI
Shave ice is one of my favorite Hawaiian treats. Unlike “shaved ice,” shave ice is made up of impossibly fluffy ice shavings that melt almost instantly on your tongue. The tiny shavings really hang on...
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Judging at The 2015 San Diego County Fair: Great American Spam Championship
The summer is fair season all across the country. Fairs range from small single-city or town events to large statewide ones, but there are a few constants that remain no matter what type of fair...
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Scenes from LA Times’ The Taste, 2015
Los Angeles Times’ The Taste is a huge annual food festival that showcases Los Angeles chefs and restaurants, as well as other food and beverage brands. The festival is located on the Paramount...
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Lunch at The Three Broomsticks at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
I recently visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. As a fan of the books and films, it was definitely a treat to walk around a full scale Hogsmeade village as it was bustling...
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Celebrating the Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure
As a Southern California native, I visited Disneyland many times growing up and always had a blast, whether I was with my friends of my family. I took many years off of visiting the park, but recently...
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