pebble beach | pebble beach food & wine 2019

I had the pleasure of staying at The Inn at Spanish Bay for one night in one of their newly-remodeled rooms. This resort is the central location for Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival which took place April 11-14 of this year. I was lucky enough to attend the first two days of this event.

The king-sized bed was pretty comfortable.
It was really windy and cold that day so the windows had condensation on them so there really was no view of the ocean unless we opened the windows.
The fireplace was so cozy! It has a timer on it so you can leave it on before you go to bed.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwVjWGlnll3/

VIP Opening Night Reception @ The Inn at Spanish Bay [+$495]

The opening night was very exciting. Barilla held their Pasta World Championship qualifying round & I was able to witness 8 chefs cooking their dishes for the judges. I was able to photograph & sample them as well! The winner was chosen to be the US representative for the World Pasta Championships which will be taking place in Paris this October.

The Barilla competition in the Grand Ballroom @ The Inn at Spanish Bay

For more info about the competition + contestants please click here.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwKsRH2HXnv/
The Grand Ballroom also had various wine + food vendors for tasting as well.
Right outside the Grand Ballroom was this Driscoll’s display.
Kettle One’s fairly new botanical line was also at the opening event.

Friday, 4/12 Lexus US Chef’s Table Lunch @ Pebble Beach Equestrian Center [+$250]

There were cooking demos, wine seminars, lunches, dinners, after parties that were taking place in the Pebble Beach area all weekend. Each event was located in different areas of Pebble Beach, at different times. There were many different options to choose from but I knew I wanted a lunch & dinner for sure!

I was lucky enough to snag a seat at the Chef’s Table’s Lunch with the Lexus Master Chefs: Ludo Lefebvre, & Dean Fearing.

This event was about a 15 minute drive from The Inn at Spanish Bay. Parking was readily available & free so that was a plus!

The event started at 12 with wine & passed small bites. The actual seated lunch started 30 minutes afterwards.
The prettiest setting + decor!

The event was an open kitchen concept with rows of communal tables. I was able to get up close & take photos of these talented chefs plating their dishes. My favorite dish was the Cast Iron Seared Lockhart Quail by Chef Fearing + the Fourless Chocolate Cake by Chef Ludo. AMAZING!!

The Master Chef himself, Ludo Lefebvre plating his flourless chocolate cake course.

Scroll through my Instagram post below to see the menu & the four course lunch. Of course, there was a wine paired with each course.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwLmLRvH7iI/

Cooking Demonstration: Aviary Live From Pebble Beach @ The Inn at Spanish Bay [+$150]

The Aviary, which is known for their innovative cocktails in Chicago was having a “cooking” demo of their cocktails. I haven’t been back to Chicago in so long but I really did want to check out The Alinea Group restaurants & cocktail lounges so I thought it was the perfect demo to check out before dinner.

The Aviary team demo-ed the cocktails + we were able to taste them. They also gave us the coasters to take home.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwQzrNwHqDs/

Dinner: Big Bottle Party – Bubbles, Burgundy & Bordeaux @ Casa Palmero Board Room [+$1250]

The Big Bottle Party took place at Casa Palmero Board Room. The space was decorated beautifully & I was excited to try all the food + wine.

They passed hors d’oeuvres & bubbly for the first 30 minutes. I really enjoyed the potato croquette by Chef Antonia.
The menu. Truly a BIG BOTTLE PARTY!

My favorites of the night were the seafood tostada by Chef Antonia, & the fideos a la tumbada by Chef Gonzalo Guzman of Nopalito in SF. The tostada had well-balanced flavors & the seafood tasted really fresh. The angel hair pasta had a nice kick!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwTffamHtNN/

I had a lovely time at PBFW this year & hope that I can make it back next year. I wasn’t able to stay for the Lexus Grand Tastings on Saturday + Sunday. I think those events are what most people stay for so they can have a taste of food created by 30+ celebrity chefs + over 300 different wines from all over the world. Maybe next year!

Thank you Barilla Pasta & Dawn McCoy for providing this amazing opportunity!

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NY | March Photo Diary

went to NYC last weekend.

it was such a short trip but better than nothing i say!

we stayed @ the W in Midtown. booked it through booking.com

i found a great last minute deal [under $200/night].

 the decor is somewhat dated. and i could not find a usb plug anywhere. it can be quite noisy; you can hear the cars honking and new yorkers love to honk their horn all day!  but i think the noise in unavoidable in this busy city.

the staff is nice & accommodating.  for the price, i thought it was worth it. if you don’t mind a little noise then i think this is a good place to stay. the hotel is located close to the subway, so it is not hard to get around.

inside the lounge area of the w.

waiting for the metro

grand central terminal

fearless girl in front of the charging bull #wallstreet. i heard this installation is on display until april 2, but they are trying to make it a permanent statue.

photo diary isn’t complete without food photos, right?

here are a few highlights:

had sushi zo in NY.

it’s my favorite place in LA & so we had to try their NY location. overall it was a great meal but i was sad that they did not have the uni-ika spaghetti nor abalone. they now have an location in Bangkok as well. what about the bay area?!?!

black on black on black [black sesame on black chocolate cone + @oreo] #nyceats #softswerve #icecream #newyork #hjtravelgram

A post shared by Hee Jin L. [SF Bay • LA] (@hungryhungryheejin) on

it was too short of a trip. i must go back soon!

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The Standard DTLA

Happy 2017!!

I had a terrible experience with @Airbnb this past trip to LA.

When I got to the rental, someone was already staying there.

End result: could not find a last minute replacement through them. I had three dogs with me so that made the task extra difficult.

Luckily, discovered that The Standard is pet friendly [& they stay for free!].

there is valet and two self parking lots behind the hotel. the lower level is cheaper by a few dollars.

when I was there it was $20 for valet, $15 for one of the lots & $10 for the other.

the back of the hotel. there is a small seating area with a fireplace and foosball.

the ‘huge’ room

420-square-foot, king platform bed, tons of natural light, open plan room with soaking bathtub, sitting area, extra closet space, and extra-long desk.

the shower/tub divides the room & bathroom. there is a separate room with toilet.

next to this tub is where the tv/minibar/closet space is. Overall, very roomy for a couple and their two small dogs + medium-sized dog. 🙂

The hotel is surprisingly pretty quiet. You may hear doors shutting and an occasional siren, though. But that’s just expected in LA.

Hopefully, next time I can try the 24/7 restaurant, Hermanos coffee shop, and maybe even the salon. I’ve been to The Rooftop (but it’s been ages!) which has nice views, music, and drinks.

They have a thing called “Standard Time” where you can pick your check-in/out time (for a small fee).

I’ll probably skip the Airbnb next time (I’ve had WAY too many horrible experiences) and just book a room here next time.

#NotSponsoredJustGrateful

got to enjoy walking around DTLA near the hotel.

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The Standard Hotel DTLA

550 South Flower Street

Los Angeles, CA 90071

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