Back To Basics

Since my mom is in town, we went to one of her new favorites in Los Angeles thats from Manhattan. Fig and Olive is well-known in the city and its Meatpacking location is fun to sit and people watch on the weekends. The concept is great, simple and fresh ingredients with classic pairings and beautiful plating. I also love they they have a whole part of the menu designed to let you taste a little bit of everything. Since part of their title is olive, they have many different types of olive oils for you to try that they bring over and they all have such distinct and bold tastes. I had this amazing fig, prosciutto and gorgonzola with aged balsamic crostini that was just outrageously amazing. Then we tried a few different chicken and lamb dishes that were so interesting and delicious. After a very large meal we decided to walk it off through the streets of the Meatpacking District and do a little window shopping at DVF and Christian Louboutin, just window shopping...

‎"Having a strong desire or being successful does not mean that you are going to feel great all the time. No matter how enlightened I become, I will not be positive all the time. You have to understand the swing of the pendulum. It must swing back and forth. The only other alternative is to sit still in neutral, which is precisely what most people do."
-Thomas D. Whillhite

Amazing Eataly

I officially don't understand how New Yorkers stay skinny with places like this around. Eataly is a gourmet Italian market with four restaurants inside. With a coffee bar, a gelato section, a wine and cheese tasting area and a pasta and butcher counter, theres a ton to choose from. The four restaurants are themed with a vegetarian, meat, seafood and pizza menu. I first went with my mom and sat down and ate at the meat restaurant and had the most amazing ribeye of my life. I then went back with my cousin and some friends and grabbed some cheeses and prosciutto and of course fig jam with a fresh baguette and we sat in Madison Square Park and had a little Eataly picnic. Since then I've been back just to grab an espresso and wander through the aisles of specialty foods, including a whole sections devoted to imported olive oils, where the serious foodies hang out. This is definitely must see place for both tourists and New Yorkers alike.