San Miguel de Allende: What to Eat

Happy October! I welcomed my favorite season in Mexico and it was the best decision. I am sharing with you my travel guide for all things to eat in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.

The beauty that is Guanajuato was simply unforgettable. I knew San Miguel was going to be a looker but little did I know just how gorgeous it is. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to get there but it's worth it. I flew into Mexico City then from there, had another hour-long flight to Leon and then a 1.5 hour shuttle drive from Leon airport to San Miguel.

Mexico

I stayed at a reputable bed and breakfast, Casa de la Noche and I highly recommend it! The owners and management were very hospitable and made me feel at home. Not to mention, the building itself is an oasis and the epitome of Mexican beauty. Like most buildings here, you would never know just how big and far back they go from the outside but don't be fooled because you will be pleasantly surprised.

Mexico

Mexico

I ate a home-cooked desayuno (breakfast) every morning outside in the patio (sometimes moved inside because mornings were chilly!). There was always fresh fruit, yogurt and homemade granola, fresh juice and a daily hot option. From huevos rancheros, chilaquiles to scrambled eggs - all delicious.

Chilaquiles

Mexican eggs

Picking up a pastry every morning from local panaderias became routine and it made me the happiest. Not going to lie, I ended up at Panio most days because they are the BEST. Not sure what could be better than enjoying a pan dulce with coffee in the garden, especially the concha vanilla. I love and miss it.

Concha vanilla

Although my bed and breakfast had good coffee, I ventured out to enjoy the best coffee in SMA, Lavanda Cafe. They are known for their lavanda cafes and lattes - pour overs and lattes infused with real, fresh lavender. I tried one of each and they are magical. This place was hoppin' everyday and I now know why.

Lavanda latte

Lunches and dinners were a mix of planned bigger meals to random findings and street food. Here is a list of the must-eats:

1. Luna Rooftop Bar at Rosewood Hotel for tapas and cocktails

2. Moxi at Hotel Matilda for full plates

3. Don Taco Tequila for vegan Mexican

Tapas

Sea bass

Don Taco Tequila

I ate some amazing Mexican street food, including chicken gorditas, tacos and burritos. Heads up - the burritos are half the size of American burritos (not a bad thing) and are crazy cheap. I had a burrito for $0.50 one day. Granted, that was a snack but still, food prices in Mexico are very reasonable.

Gordita

You know I got my fill of desserts too. Churros weren't even a question but I really dug this helado de coco (coconut ice cream) at Dolphy's.

Helado de coco

There were so many more places to eat and explore but I had a short 3 days so until next time, Mexico. I hope this guide is helpful and that you get the opportunity to check out San Miguel de Allende some day. The scenic views were incredible and people were friendly and accommodating. I left with a full heart and tummy.

This post is not sponsored. 

My Trip to York with Stonewall Kitchen

Stonewall Kitchen hosted my visit. I was not compensated for my time. 

Where do I get started? I have to say, this trip to York, Maine was one of the best blogging trips I have taken to date. What made it so special was the unforgettable hospitality from the Stonewall Kitchen crew (hi Margaux!). The most gracious, kind-hearted, passionate people (Maine does that to you). I have been coming to Maine every summer since I was born and it will forever be my #1 place to de-stress. How can you not be calm with these gorgeous views??

Cottage

York

Stonewall Kitchen asked myself and a few other fun-loving ladies (miss you guys!) to come to York for a couple of days of learning what goes on behind the scenes at Stonewall's corporate headquarters. I have been a long-time fan of Stonewall and the company continues to amaze me. Firstly, the amount of hard work and passion they pour into this company is astonishing. They're literally doing everything and I respect that. Did you know the founder used to hand write the product labels? They actually made a font out of his handwriting (which they now use, but how cool).

Bloggers

If you're unfamiliar with Stonewall, they have become way more than delicious jam - Wild Maine Blueberry, you rock my socks. They are whopping out new product at record speed and no plans to slow down anytime soon. From delicious crackers, pancake mix, sriracha aioli and even hand soap, they are killing it!

We spent our first evening chatting and had a wonderful dinner at Stage Neck Inn. I got the halibut with crispy potato pancake and local, seasonal veg.

Halibut

Our full-packed first day included touring the headquarters in York. We met with the R&D team, styling guru team and attended a cooking class held by chef Sanford D'amato. He cooked up some awesome Mexican dishes including a bomb sweet potato soup, steak and chocolate hazelnut tart for dessert.

Food styling

Stonewall kitchen

Steak

We had a little break after our busy morning so Brittany and myself checked out the Wiggly Bridge and proceeded onto the cliff walk for some movement and spectacular views.

Early dinner with some of the girls at York Harbor Inn was all about lobster. I got the lobster cobb and it hit the spot. We then headed to the Wiggly Bridge Distillery to learn about their brewing process and sip on fabulous, locally sourced cocktails. I rarely drink these days but The Bees Knees cocktail was one of the best cocktails I've had in a while.

Lobster cobb

Wiggly Bridge Distillery

Stonewall set up a fabulous fire by the beach and it was magical. I don't know how they get their homemade marshmallows to taste SO good and soft but I'll leave that to the pros. We made s'mores cups (best idea) and I filled my jar with crushed graham, toasty mallow, dark chocolate and sea salt caramel sauce. Heaven in a jar.

S'mores

Our final morning in York, we grabbed coffee and breakfast at the Stonewall Cafe (seriously the cutest). You might've seen on IG already, but this lobster egg sandwich was the best breakfast sandwich I have ever put in my mouth. I was all for being extra that weekend and when in Maine, you take advantage of the best lobster there is! A stroll through the farmers market and some York beach exploring made for the perfect morning. A couple of  hours later, we took in the beautiful views surrounding Nubble Lighthouse and got ourselves more lobster. Lobster rolls and french fries, enough said.

Lobster rolls

Nubble Lighthouse

This trip and Stonewall will always have a special place in my heart. Many thanks to the BEST and kindest hostess, Margaux, for showing us what York has to offer. I hope to come back soon!

My Weekend in DC

Grand Cru Wine & Bistro

Breakfast Sandwich

Chaia

Vegerarian Tacos

Baked & Wired

Baked & Wired

Central Michel Richard

Central Michel Richard

Central Michel Richard

I spent last weekend eating and walking my way through DC while visiting my sister. I have made several trips in the past to one of my favorite cities, but this time around was a true food adventure. Did I mention it was HOT? Exploring in 97 degree weather was just a tad bit uncomfortable but so worth it!The eating began right after my arrival on Friday evening. We had reservations at Grand Cru Wine & Bistro near where my sister lives in Arlington. We split four starters/salads and I think that's honestly the best way to go at a place like this. Let me just say that the rosemary & parmesan fries were the BEST french fries we both had, hands down. I am still dreaming about how amazing they were - fresh rosemary and parm, lightly fried. Heaven. We also shared the lump crab cakes, potato gnoccchi and heirloom beet salad. The rose I had was one of my new favorites - I need to hunt that sucker down!The next morning, we stopped at Northside Social for breakfast sandwiches before heading out on a sweaty walk across the bridge to Georgetown. This local spot never disappoints. I ordered the smoked salmon, poached egg and arugula on an IPA honey roll. I'm salivating again just thinking about this perfect sandwich. They also have a great tea selection, drinking all the iced beverages lately.We spent the remainder of the morning/early afternoon walking and shopping (and sweating) our way through Georgetown. It's been a while since I've been back but I have to say, I really love this quaint town! Such an amazing food scene with a plethora of shops and boutiques.Once our stomachs told us it was time to eat, Chaia it was! This farm to taco joint was insanely delicious, might have been my favorite from the whole weekend. Fresh, seasonal and local produce on homemade corn tortillas made for some of the best tacos I've ever had. Chaia is vegetarian and can be vegan-friendly. I suggest you go for the taco trio like we did, you get to experience three unique flavor combos (that can be modified). I went for the creamy kale + potato, roasted green bean and zucchini. That creamy kale though HELLO, HEY, HI. Expectations exceeded.We couldn't not go to Baked and Wired while in town, and because I've been anxiously awaiting to go. We split the Smurfette (lemon cakecup with blueberries and lemon cream cheese frosting) and Pistachio. It was hard to choose the favorite, both dreamy.We walked around in DC for a little while before dinner at Rasika. The highly anticipated Indian restaurant was nothing short of delicious (and SPICY). We may have ordered some serious spicy items on accident, to the point where the bartender gave us lassis on the house because we were on the struggle bus. The lighting was far too dark for a decent picture but everything was awesome, including the rose!Sunday morning was all about brunch, thanks to a friend who referred us to Central Michel Richard. The French/American Bistro holds an incredible 3-course brunch menu. I seriously wanted to try everything! My first course was watermelon salad with ricotta and pistachio - classic combo that hit the spot.Second, main course was scallion omelet with duck confit and pickled radish. I never order duck but so glad I did. This meal was delicious and don't get me started on that pickled radish!!! I could eat a whole jar of that stuff.Berry macarons called my name for the final dessert course. Small but so, so good. I think someone needed to roll us out of the restaurant. Time for more walking and sweating!My final stop for the weekend was the Union Market. This was my first visit but definitely not my last. You know I love any kind of outdoor/indoor local food market so I was in my happy place. It took us a few laps around to make a dinner decision but we both had our hearts set on TaKorean - a Korean taco grill. We went with the half and half brown rice/greens bowls. I opted with chicken (cooked in Korean seasoning/spices) and spicy kale slaw.

TaKorean

And I couldn't leave without getting some ice cream at Little Baby's Ice Cream pop-up shop. It was the best non-dairy ice cream I have had yet. The Lime Toasted Coconut is a winner. They also have regular dairy-based flavors as well (sister got vanilla bean cardamom).

Little Baby's Ice Cream

Until next time, DC!

Blog Brûlée Recap

My attendance at Blog Brûlée was partially funded by sponsors of the Blog Brûlée. Opinions expressed are my own. I was not compensated for my time.

Where do I begin? Almost two weeks have passed since Blog Brûlée and I remain filled with gratitude and beyond blessed to have attended such a wonderful and jam-packed conference. I feel honored to have been included among so many talented RDs and healthy living bloggers. The weekend left me feeling nothing short of inspired.

First and foremost, I want to thank Deanna, Regan, Robin and Gretchen for hosting the best blogging event I have ever been to. These ladies are the reason Blog Brûléeexists and will forever hold a special place in my heart - thank you for being so passionate about what you do!

Following our shuttle ride from Burlington airport, we arrived at Smuggler's Notch (best place ever) and immediately took in the gorgeous views from our condos. We quickly dropped off our bags and Anne, Sarah, Vicki and myself headed out for a short hike through the trails. If you want to know what true fresh air is, go to VT, your lungs will be happy :)

Smuggler's Notch

Smuggler's Notch

After a delicious welcome reception thanks to some of our sponsors, we kicked things off with a couple of informative presentations and many more throughout the weekend. Below I'll share with you some helpful tips I learned that weekend:

Food Photography: Regan shared with us basic food photography tips using our DSLR. I have had my Canon Rebel for 7+ months now but I am still learning how to use that sucker! Most common photography mistakes:out of focus, dull images, harsh lighting, cropped too tightly, unnatural angles and distraction backgrounds. I am very happy with my progress but there is always something new to learn, so I am always looking to improve my photography skills.

Iphoneography: Deanna shared her tricks to take brilliant photos with our smart phones. All recipes on my blog are shot with my DSLR, but the majority of my Instagram feed is from my iphone. Smart phone apps: Camera + and Snapseed. These two apps are game changers! {Both pictures above use the HDR filter in Snapseed - obsessed!}.

We learned how to make skyr or traditional Icelandic-style yogurt from the master himself, Siggi. You all know how much I love my Siggi's, I'm an ambassador because I can't express enough love for the stuff! Simple ingredients, not a lot of sugar - that is why this is my favorite yogurt, but the fact that it still tastes AMAZING is mind-blowing. "I make yogurt for people who actually like yogurt" - Siggi Hilmarsson.

Siggi's

The food was fantastic the entire weekend, obviously. A lot of local, farm-fresh ingredients and our sponsors really came to impress.

BBQ

Saturday afternoon, we enjoyed a fabulous BBQ lunch. I still have my mind on that GF biscuit and maple butter - oh that MAPLE BUTTER love! Lunch was followed by s'mores that totally hit the spot.

S'mores

If the meals were that good, you could only imagine the fun snacks we had, including this incredible GF Almond Skillet Granola via California Almonds. Still dreaming about this!!

Granola

To sum up this post, Blog Brûlée was an unforgettable experience, filled with learning, new friendships and great food. Thanks for the warm welcome, Vermont!

I'm Going to Blog Brûlée

“My attendance at the Blog Brûlée is partially funded by Sponsors of the Blog Brûlée, and I received a discounted registration to the event in exchange for writing this post. Opinions expressed are my own. I was not compensated for my time.” 

Hello all! Apologies for the lack of action here lately. As you might have already seen/heard, I've moved to the Big Apple just over a week ago, and things are still a bit hectic (but very good). I am thrilled to be moving into my new apartment and to finally feel settled. The food scene here is anything less than spectacular. I have been eating A LOT...but I also walk A LOT so it all balances out, right? I love eating out more than the next person, but I cannot wait to get into my own kitchen again with simple, nourishing meals/snacks.

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of Blog Brûlée. This small gathering of Registered Dietitians and healthy living bloggers is meant to "provide education and professional development opportunities". A discussion to power rocket your way through the blogging world, with hot topics such as social media strategies, food photography, niche development, monetizing and much more. The weekend will be spent in beautiful VT at Smuggler's Notch. The setting alone will make it such a rejuvenating experience.

I am honestly looking forward to learning about everything that will be discussed at Blog Brûlée, but also to build relationships with like-minded individuals who share an ongoing passion for food and health.

A huge thank you to our wonderful sponsors and speakers who make this experience as unforgettable as previous attendees have stated. And of course, this wouldn't be possible without the incredibly talented Blog Brûlée founders: Regan, Gretchen, Deanna and Robin - you ladies rock!

Stay tuned for a fun follow-up post later this month :)

My Day in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Chapel

Mosaic Stairs

Santa Barbara Christmas

Eggs Norwegian Jeannine's Bakery

Isabella Gourmet Foods

Apotheker's Mallows

Pressed Juicery Freeze

Pressed Juicery

Butterfly Beach

Butterfly Beach

Have you ever traveled somewhere and wished you could make a permanent vacation out of it? Well, that's how I felt about Santa Barbara, CA. I fell in love as soon as I had arrived.It was my last full week in Cali and I wanted to make the most of it. Santa Barbara has been a travel destination ever since I moved to Los Angeles over a year ago. I couldn't get it off the brain! Although it was an extremely short day trip (too short), I would have deeply regretted not going even if it was only for a few hours. And just has I had expected, I LOVED it.Besides all of the local, fresh food (we will get to that in a second), this quaint city extrudes Spanish-style architecture and design - my favorite!White buildings, tan tiles, and those gorgeous mosaic stairways! You can find more of these mosaic tiles all around and I absolutely adore them.I love this time of year when everything is decorated, it gives such a cozy feeling :) Downtown SB did not disappoint!My very first stop was to Jeannine's American Bakery on Figueroa Street in downtown. I had been planning this for months - if you're a foodie, you completely understand. Thanks to Nicole for the fantastic recommendation! I indulged in the Eggs Norwegian, one of my dream brunch eats. I seriously love smoked salmon like nobody's business.After lunch I walked and shopped around for a bit. There is an abundance of local shops and boutiques along with everyday and department stores. One of my favorite local places that I popped into was Isabella Gourmet Foods - a cute specialty foods grocery. I ended up buying these homemade marshmallows, lightly sweetened with honey and made with better-for-you ingredients.I stumbled upon one of my favorite juicers Pressed Juicery. Did you know that they now serve Freeze? A vegan soft-serve that is basically their juices blended and frozen. I had a sample and it is seriously delicious! Love this chart showing the comparison of ingredients among other leading froyo chains. Pressed Juicery please come to the east coast!!I always grab the Roots 3 whenever I find them. The beets and ginger combo is just too good! This is a great immune system supporter, along with consumption of other whole foods :)I ended my Santa Barbara trip with a visit to Butterfly Beach to take in the beauty and calmness of the ocean. This is one of the prettiest beaches I've been to in Cali. A great way to reflect on the day and what's to come. I am hoping to come back some day and spend more time in this near perfect town. Until next time Santa Barbara!

Where is your favorite vacation spot?