Neighborhood Hollywood Glamour
When I first came across the dear Cafe Audrey, I giggled in delight that there was a coffee destination such as this one in my neighborhood! Delicious sandwiches, soups, salads, pastries, and beverages are served here from extremely friendly staff amidst beautiful black and white decor; all an homage to the exquisite Audrey Hepburn. With Ms. Hepburn as inspiration, how could you go wrong? (Hint**You can’t!!)
First off, the coffee is robust, nutty and smooth. Then, if you’re hungry, pick one of their many options; I love the Roasted Bell Pepper and Goat Cheese Panini (it’s goat cheese! My favorite!), the Curry Tuna Melt, or the Turkey and Swiss Panini (hold the onions and tomatoes for me, please!), and almost everything on their breakfast menu. Many of the breakfast items are made with croissants, what a yummy way to start the day! And according to their website, Cafe Audrey offers a happy hour from 3-6 where for $2 you can buy a cookie and their house coffee with free refills! Recessionista, am I! (=
Cafe Audrey also offers free WiFi (YES!) and incredibly comfy tables and chairs, in the classy black and white style (with accents of red thrown in) that are filled with patrons. In addition to being a divine hot spot, Cafe Audrey supports local musicians by hosting live music events. Cafe Audrey is more than just a scrumptious cafe, it’s part of the community. In a city as large and superficial as Hollywood, it’s a refreshing mini-vacation to relax in a welcoming niche like Cafe Audrey.
**Note from me! I couldn’t help but also be reminded of my dear grandma while here at Cafe Audrey. My grandma’s name was also Audrey and she loved coffee like I love coffee. Must have gotten it from her. She was beautiful, feisty and classy. I’ll hunt down a photo and post it so you can see. (-:
A Quick Southern California Trip Down Memory Lane
Seal Beach. More specifically, Seal Beach Main Street. A 15 minute drive from my childhood home and an area that is happily rooted in a slower era. (And if you’ve seen American Pie 2, the scene where they are driving down the main street of the lake town the guys are visiting is MY Seal Beach! Anyway!) I spent many days and nights down here. Going on dates, hanging out with friends and family; I love being in Seal Beach. I’ll detail more about it in other posts, I promise! I think it’ll be a series! Oooh!
But back to my lunch.
My mom and I spent a lovely afternoon down there, walking, shopping (at Linne’s Boutique, great dresses!!) and sharing lunch at The Beachwood BBQ. In a 1950s style decor, with Tiffany blue walls, black trim, classic photographs on the walls, and seats that face large windows overlooking Main Street, The Beachwood BBQ perfectly fits in with the quaint neighborhood. We ordered the smoked salmon (sooooo fabulous) and sides of the smoked asparagus and creamed spinach. Side note - the yummiest way to eat spinach is creamed spinach! Maybe not the healthiest way, but certainly the tastiest. Hehe! Oh, but if you’re a vegetarian, it is made with bits of bacon for flavor, just FYI. Our dish came with their signature cornbread which was the perfect pairing to soak up the last of the creamed spinach. Though I grew up in “healthy” Southern California, I do love me some true southern-style food! So when you want a little day trip, go to Seal Beach, it’s a relaxing and enjoyable time for everyone!
Next post on Seal Beach will be about one of my fav Mexican food restaurants in the area. Caliente!
Oh, The Farm, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
-your non-fat vanilla iced latte -your overlooking the water seating, just delighful. -your hollandaise sauce -your brunch menu -your regular menu -your everything!!!
Once again, if you haven’t eaten at The Farm yet, get thee to it!!
The Veggie Grill!!!
As a foodie, I think it is wise to explore the entire food spectrum and, thankfully, in recent years, with the popularity explosion of vegan delights (especially in Los Angeles) being a vegan or a vegan-lover-wannabe (like me!) is super easy and YUMMY!!!
There are many places to try a vegan dish and one you MUST try is The Veggie Grill off Sunset Blvd. It’s bright, cheery, and the service is always excellent. Order items like VG-Cheeseburger with the Red Cabbage Slaw as your side (that red cabbage slaw is something wonderful), Uptown Nachos (sooooooo good!!!!), Mac-n-Cheese (zero dairy for our lactose intolerant friends), or for a super tricked out meatless yet meaty sandwich get the All-American Stack with the Sweetheart Fries. They also serve natural sodas, beer and wine! Sit outside on the patio, people watch (always highly entertaining), and chow down on the all-natural plant-based food. Yum! Yum! Yum!
P.S. Secret: I personally choose to believe that when eating vegan calories do not exist. I extend the same freedom to you! ;-)
My Love of Coffee Shops Continued …
Here I go again, but when it’s this good, I must! Swingers restaurant is a fantastic place to eat, unlike any other. To begin, it has the best classic rock music playing from an old time jukebox, the menus are covered in 70s pop culture memorabilia, and they cater to all taste buds with something for everyone - meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. I adore their Swingers Salad with tofu and topped with their homemade balsamic vinaigrette. However they saute their tofu and make their salad dressings is something wonderful.
For you meat lovers, the Swinger Burger is one of the best around; fresh, juicy, and salty, with a toasted bun slathered with a touch of mayonnaise, and just the right size. Also, one of their specials is the spaghetti with turkey meatballs, so fantastic! I don’t like meatballs, but their turkey meatballs are phenomenal!
They have these vegan desserts that taste so good, you would never know they were vegan! Chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon rolls and even cheesecake! Vegan cheesecake! Bliss.
I love their onion rings, their hummus and pita, their coffee, shakes, sodas, cupcakes, french fries, tofu chilaquiles, macaroni and cheese, organic eggs, asian chicken salad (one of their fab specials), tofu saute, veggie burger, stuffed grilled cheese, roasted turkey club … Oh, I think I like almost everything on their menu!
Swingers has two locations: one in Santa Monica and the one I go to off of Beverly and Fairfax. Go, go, go and have a swingin’ good time! ;-D
