March 2019 – Insider Irene

Colorful pockets of Joy on the Cheap in Granada Hills, CA – Cheat Day Edition!

Published on March 29, 2019 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

For the past two months I’ve incorporated healthier foods into my diet and have been very selective on the carbs I’d consume. So when I heard of Hopia, a popular Philippine moon cake-like pastry I crossed my fingers that they’d be worth the calories *SPOILER* (They were!) and with an adorable name like Hopia Like It – it seemed fitting to try it out. NOTE: I didn’t eat the entire dozen, but totally would have!

The bakery is situated along a busy street in Granada Hills, and patrons would need to find street parking. Once my friend and I found a spot we headed in and were eyeing all the rainbow color of pastries. They had all sorts hopias with different fillings, but I gravitated towards the colorful ones. At a little over a dollar for one or $10 a dozen, I decided to bring a box to a work event and they did not disappoint. Everyone LOVED them! Flaky on the outside and sweet, chewy goodness on the inside.

Hopia Were Here! (Play on words – Hope you were here) tehehe…

Personally I loved the Ube (Purple) and the Buko Pandan (Green), but you really can’t go wrong with any of them. I guess the one downside of this discovery is that it’s so far away from home. There are two Los Angeles locations (below) so if you’re heading towards the Reagan Museum or passing through these little savory or sweet treats will be a hit with anyone at your final destination.

Hopia Like It – Granada Hills

17705 Chatsworth St
Los Angeles, CA 91344

Hopia Like It – Winnetka

20171 Saticoy St
Winnetka, CA 91306

Which flavor would you be most interested to try? Yellow Mungo (yellow mung bean), Purple Ube, Guava (filled with guava jam), Nutella, Baboy (the original flavor filled with onion & peanuts), Buko Pandan (young coconut and pandan leaves extract)? Comment below!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Getting up close and personal with the Hollywood Sign – check!

Published on March 27, 2019March 29, 2019 by Insider Irene2 Comments

I’ll be honest I hate hiking with a passion. I had a really traumatic experience back when I lived in the East Coast and since then I forbade the “H” word into my vocabulary. Fast forward 8 years – a group of friends wanted to make a trek up to the Hollywood sign and because I was A) planning to be in the Hollywood area that day B) I needed to differentiate my exercise regime and C) seeing the Hollywood Sign up close and personal was a bucket-list item – it seemed that all the stars aligned for me go for it.

Bright and early in the morning the group of us tied our tennis shoes and wore layers of clothes before heading up. While most people hiked on foot, there were a handful who were on horseback which was pretty cool to see.

The 6.5 mile hike (round-trip) is a moderate hike for sedentary folks like myself, and while I probably won’t jump to do this hike again anytime soon I am glad that I did it and can share some cool photos! If you’re planning to hike to the sign – plug in this address (2927 Canyon Drive, Los Angeles, CA). There are two small parking lots, but they do get crowded so I did street parking before you enter the gate.

What’s on your bucket list?

XOXO

Rockstar

Enjoying Keto Diet Friendly Food at Silva’s Fresh Eatery and Churrascaria in Santa Ana, CA

Published on March 22, 2019March 22, 2019 by Insider Irene4 Comments

One of my goals for 2019 was to limit my refined carbs intake and focus on protein and veggies; however it’s been a challenge to find a restaurant that fits a more keto-friendly diet and is also both affordable and tasty. Yet, located less than a mile away from South Coast Plaza, Silva’s Fresh Eatery & Churrascaria (3672 S Bristol St, Santa Ana CA 92704) meets all the criteria and for a very reasonable price!

Nested in a strip mall Silva’s is a casual, but trendy buffet with authentic Brazilian faire and traditional and fusion cocktails. My friend and I ordered a caipirinha – a rum based beverage with lime and fruit and it was very refreshing. We then headed towards the salad bar to check-out their offerings. I loved that they use locally sourced organic veggies and how brightly colored everything was. The turmeric cauliflower and roasted broccoli were very simply prepared, but acted as perfect accompaniments to the protein offerings. I also tried some freshly fried Pao De Queijo (Cheese rolls) and while they weren’t on my “approved” keto-diet list, they were uh-mazing and I have no regrets poppin’ two – they were so, so good!

For meats Silva’s had beef, lamb, sausage, chicken, and salmon – so something for everyone, although I loved how moist and juicy the gaucho style sausage was and the leg of lamb was super tender. My friend and I came for dinner and at $26.95 a person seven days a week, the price is a steal for the variety! If you can come during lunch Monday-Friday the price is $22.95! Many other comparable places charge $50 easily!

What’s something you’d never give up eating?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Wandering through the Piñata District and Grubbin’ on Authentic Cheap Street Food

Published on March 20, 2019March 22, 2019 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

Earlier this month my friends and I tried out the Alita Experience, a pop-up escape room in Los Angeles (see that adventure here!) . However, we arrived at downtown LA a tad earlier than our scheduled reservation and decided to explore the area a bit. As we drove through Olympic and Central we saw what looked like a vibrant and festive street fair. Turns out we were in the Pinata District and even on a Sunday it was poppin!

We found free street parking and made our way through the district. There were many shops selling various party favors including candy, decor, and of course pinatas! There were also other miscellaneous vendors selling t-shirts and electronics, yet we were most interested in the food carts/stalls!

There were many stands selling traditional street food and everything smelled soooo amazing. Grandmas were hand-making fresh tortillas, sons and daughters were carving and/or cooking meats and many things were made to order. After browsing though a number of the carts/stalls we decided to dine-in!

I was most interested in the bean and cheese arepe as I saw the woman mold and create each one. That stand also had a self-serve condiment bar with super fresh guacamole with the pits still in the mortar and pestle bowl and a ton of other toppings to customize your base. Man… with the melted cheese, freshly fried dough and textures of all the toppings it was a perfect meal and for a bargain. I think I spent like $3 and because it was the end of the day and they were getting ready to shut down the owner also threw in a free drink (Many stands were closing shop around 5:00pm)! I got the horchata while my friends got lemonade with chia seeds. Two thumbs up and I will definitely be back for both the food and party supplies!

When a piñata pops what kind of candy do you rush to grab? Krackle and Crunch are my go tos!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Breakfast? Snack? Dessert? Nutritious and Delicious Bowls in Huntington Beach, CA

Published on March 15, 2019March 22, 2019 by Insider Irene1 Comment

I’ve been on a search to find other healthy options to incorporate into my diet and as of today I’ve found an incredibly fresh ceviche at Mariscos Jalisco and super flavorful vegetarian food at Ashiwad The Blessing. Unfortunately, both options are more than an hour away from me so when I found Blue Bowl, a nutritious assembly-style bowl joint, minutes away from home I knew I had to check it out.

I was picking up some food across the way and noticed the new shop. It was almost closing time and there were a ton of people inside so I decided to check it out – so glad that I did. The set-up is very similar to an assembly-line where you pick your base and your cup is handed off to other people in the line.

On this trip I decided to go for a small with a pitaya (aka. Dragon Fruit) base with blue chia and freshly ground almond butter. Toppings are unlimited so I loaded up and was super happy with the result. It’s extremely colorful and tasty! Highly recommended and there are two locations.

ORANGE STORE
417 S. Main Street
Orange, CA 92868
Monday-Friday 7:00am-7:00pm
Saturday 7:00am-6:00pm
[ Closed Sunday ]

HUNTINGTON BEACH STORE
18051 Beach Blvd.
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
*Soft Opening Hours:
Monday-Friday 10:00am-7:00pm
Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm
[Closed Sunday]

What kind of toppings would you put in your bowl? nuts? fruit? honey?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Not a game, but a hunt – Alita Experience at Los Angeles, CA

Published on March 13, 2019March 13, 2019 by Insider Irene3 Comments

Does it bother you that I’m not completely human? — Alita. Over the weekend a few of my friends decided to head to “The Alita Experience“, a pop-up escape room that portrayed Iron City and other key movie scenes. We had a 4pm reservation and shortly after checking in we were joined by another guest to make up the robust yellow team.

Once inside we were directed to personalize our badge and head toward The Kansas, the local bar, until escorted to the main play arena. There were 5 other teams (with differing size makeup) and we were instructed to play at the different stations which gave us tasks to complete in order to earn “credits”. Some stations were more athletic oriented and others related to recalling trivia from the movie, and some tasks tested how quickly we could finish an assignment.

After completing the various stations we were directed at the end to place bets for Motor ball. Our team performed admirably and even took home the highest team score! We were awarded a priceless coin at the end and directed to the gift shop, which featured various robot gear.

In the movie Alita was willing to give up her heart, her most prizes possession? What item is most valuable to you?

XOXO,

Rockstar

On a Roll with “Tasty Food to Go” in Long Beach, CA

Published on March 8, 2019February 21, 2019 by Insider Irene2 Comments

Generous portions and an affordable price-point makes Cheap Eats one of my favorite cuisines as it’s good for both the tummy and wallet. I recently discovered this little hole-in-the-wall called “Tasty Food to Go” (2015 E 10th St, Long Beach, CA 90804) and loved everything about it except for the parking – the parking is atrocious, but definitely worth the fight for good eats!

Recognized by the OC Weekly and Yelps Top 100 Places to Eat 2017 Edition I had high expectations for this restaurant. On the outside the restaurant is a no frills joint with an exposed kitchen and couple of high top counter space for patrons to nibble on their food, but as you enter you can smell all the aromatics making your stomach hunger for just a bite.

Most guests called in their order, but since it was my first visit I decided to see all their options and ask for recommendations. They make all their items to order and the portions are definitely abundant. My friend and I ordered the Pad See Ew and Crispy Pork and the former was a homerun. I think the crispy pork was a tad over fried in the 2nd entree, but the flavors on the sauce were dynamite! Another customer who was awaiting her order mentioned ordering the papaya salad prepared the traditional way as a must get – so I guess I know what I’ll be getting on my next visit!

Where do you go to get take-out?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Popping some tags on NEW items in Huntington Beach, CA

Published on March 6, 2019March 5, 2019 by Insider Irene2 Comments

Over the weekend I decided to check out a few local thrift shops to find some hidden gems. It was cold and dreary, but that didn’t stop me or other thrifters from scoring some major deals. I started my day at the Assistance League in Huntington Beach (Thrift Shop; 8071 Slater Ave # 145, Huntington Beach, CA 92647) and found this new with tags LulaRoe stripped dress for $8! They usually go for $40+ and I also scored a pair of new slacks (not pictured) for $12 (org. $98). I spent more than I usually do when thrifting, but all the proceeds go towards a variety of philanthropic programs, which is a win-win for me!

LuLuRoe Dress and Banana Republic Jacket with Tags

Next I headed to Cross Roads Trading Company (19021 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach, CA 92648), which is a for profit thrift shop. They had more trendy, day to day type of outfits available, but I found this Banana Republic Navy Blue Suit jacket for half-off their selling price and for a total of $13 – it even had the original tags that said $113 and fit perfectly on me! Score!!

My last pit stop was at the Salvation Army in Fountain Valley (Yelp Page; 16119 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, 92708). This thrift shop has an enormous variety of items ranging from furniture to shoes. Additionally, the pricing is very reasonable and I found this near identical light purple purse to accompany one of my favorite cosplays – Lois Lane. And at $4.50 – it was well worth the splurge.

When you’re window shopping what do you tend to look at? Dresses and jewelry are my favorite!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Gigantic Japanese Sammy’s for Cheap in Fullerton, CA

Published on March 1, 2019February 20, 2019 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

Sandwiches are one of the best creations in the whole world and I was beyond excited when I discovered this hidden gem combined my favorite cuisine (Japanese) in one of the greatest lunch-time forms – the sandwich. I’m surprised that I hadn’t discovered Mr. Katsu (3165 Yorba Linda Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92831) sooner as the price-point is very reasonable and the whole restaurant feel is very up my alley (kawaii and cute kitties galore), yet I’m glad that I did as it’s a fun casual environment to meet up with friends and family. “Sandwiched” in an unassuming plaza, this small mom and pop shop masterfully builds various katsu creations and if you’re up for an Instagram-worthy and tasty meal get ready! The Habanero Pesto Katsu is their most popular item, but as a certified spice wuss I decided to go for The Original ($9) – with Pork Katsu, Cole Slaw and Katsu Sauce. The sandwich is no joke and thick cut of Texas toast with the crunchy slaw and juicy meat works so harmoniously together. They also serve potato puffs which are crunchy on the outside and light and airy on the side – a perfect ball of joy, but be careful when eating it. I popped one in my mouth and just realized that it was freshly fried and almost burned my mouth. It’s super tasty otherwise and it also comes with a side dipping sauce.

What sides do you eat with your lunch?

XOXO,

Rockstar