Discovering New Worlds at the 2014 @LACountyFair

Discovering New Worlds at the 2014 LA County Fair

By Erin

*Disclosure: I was invited out to attend the media night for purposes of this post. All thoughts and opinions remain my own as I’ve had a lifelong love for the LA County Fair!* 2014_LACF_4color It’s that time again everyone! Time for Southern California’s biggest end-of-summer bash, the L.A. County Fair, which starts TODAY! This year the fair is back, with so much to explore from Aug. 29-Sept. 28, the fair is bigger and better than ever! Besides all the yummy food I will show you in a bit, the fair lights up the night with Luminasia A larger-than-life Chinese lantern display, that takes the ancient art form of lantern making to a whole new level. Luminasia takes fair-goers through a whole new world filled with colorful replicas of iconic landmarks such as the Great Wall of China, the Hollywood Sign, and the Eiffel Tower. Giant dragons, flowers and a pagoda also roam the land. These lanterns were handmade by nearly 50 artisans who traveled more than 7,000 miles from Zigong, China to transform the hillside into an evening attraction that is bound to take your breath away. This is Luminasia’s first-ever appearance in California and is the jewel of the evening attractions at the fair this year. (*There is an extra charge to enter into the world of Luminasia*) Liminasia LACF

The Eiffel Tower at Luminasia

What Else is New at LACF?

There are so many new and wonderful additions to the fair this year, visitors will be delighted with their new discoveries and treasure their tried and true traditional fair favorites. Kicking off its 92nd anniversary by opening its doors to new worlds of discovery, lighting up the night with oversized custom-built lanterns; where zonkeys and kangaroos roam the land, award-winning beer and wine can be sampled, and world-class entertainment takes the stage again.

Hall of HEROES

See your favorite Super Heroes at the Hall of Heroes in the Cityscape, a thriving metropolis of skyscrapers and super heroes. Celebrate the science behind beloved superheroes of comic books and real-life heroes. Enter the Metropolis and come face to face with Spiderman and Superman or meet one of our local home-town heroes: law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day to protect and serve us to keep us safe.

Mojo’s Wild & Crazy Lagoon

The animals are one of my favorite things about the fair, and you will see many special critters roaming about. I’m most looking forward to the zonkeys, being that they are a part of the equine family. 😉 Then mosey on over to Mojo’s Wild & Crazy Lagoon where you will meet Mojo, a Weeper Capuchin monkey and her friends. They have a new home on the water and are sure to be involved in some monkey business. Other animal friends reside at the Peacock Paradise, Fiona’s Perch, Kangaroo Cove and the Enchanted Village. Take a peak at the sea lions at Beneath the Sea and then read your way through an adventure in America’s Kids, where we are celebrating the exciting worlds of children’s literature. LA County Fair Critters

Just a couple of the interesting and unique critters I met at last years fair. 😉

The FOOD!

My most favorite part of the fair though, has to be the FOOD! 😉 You will be able to satisfy all your favorite food cravings here at the fair – deep-fried, on-a-stick, BBQ, dipped in chocolate and anything else you care to imagine. You could eat here for days at the fair and not once eat the same thing twice. With over 300 choices (including Mexican, Italian, Asian and Greek flavors, along with L.A.’s best food trucks) you will need to come back more than once to try everything! What’s new this year? New this year is: Ramen burgers, Sriracha corndogs, funnel cake corndogs, Tequila-infused pickle poppers, and a complete gluten-free menu.

Chicken Charlie’s New at Chicken Charlie’s this year is the Triple-decker Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger and the Bacon-wrapped Zucchini! LACF Krispy Kreme Hamburger

The Krispy Kreme Triple Decker Cheeseburger! Yikes!!

LACF Chicken Charlie

Bacon Wrapped Zucchini

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Gluten Free Fine Dining at Darren’s in Manhattan Beach!

Gluten Free Fine Dining at Darren’s in Manhattan Beach!

By Erin

Only a block from the beach and located in the heart of Manhattan Beach, Darren’s features a variety of savory small plates and delicious fine dining options. Set in a posh yet welcoming and relaxed environment, you will feel at home quickly with the extremely friendly staff. Equipped with a full-bar and an extensive wine list, along with seasonal specialty cocktails you are sure to find something to quench your thirst. Darren’s also has a nice Happy Hour and Bar Menu that is perfect for watching the big games on their flat screen TV. When I was invited to come over and give Darren’s a try, I couldn’t resist. The best thing was how accommodating they are at Darren’s. My friend is on a very strict Gluten Free diet, and they made sure everything served was gluten free (unless otherwise stated). Why don’t we take a look around now?

Darrens

 The outside of Darren’s. It’s clearly marked, making it easy to find,which is always nice! 🙂

Darrens Tables

Inside, the tables are very intimate and cozy. I loved how bright and airy it was. Perfect for taking all of my pictures… 😉

Darrens Menus

A peek at the menus here at Darren’s.

Darrens Drinks

We started out with a couple of drinks to get started with. Pictured here is the Bath Water-American Harvest Vodka, St. Germain, Cucumbers, Fresh Basil and Lemon Juice. On the left is the Strawberry Kiss- Stoli Strawberry Vodka, Fresh Lemon, Fresh Strawberries, and a Kiss of sparkling wine. Both were made very strong.

Darrens Drink

A Little bit later we tried this one, called The Bear-Stoli Blue Berry, Fresh Lemon, Fresh Blue Berries, Basil Press. This was my favorite drink. Not quite as strong, with just enough of a fruity sweet taste from the berries.

Darrens GF Crab Cake

The first dish we tried was the Crab Cake-Jumbo Lump Crab, Daikon Sprouts, Soy Dry Mustard Sauce, Sriracha, Sweet Soy Sauce. The Crab Cake we had was a little bit different than what is stated on the menu as this one was made Gluten Free for us and it was VERY delicious!! We had fun trying to figure out all the different flavors it was that we were tasting.

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Inspiration From the Hundred Foot Journey – Le Cordon Bleu Reception

Inspiration From the Hundred Foot Journey

By Erin

*I attended as a guest of Disney, all thoughts and opinions remain my own.* =)

Before the movie came out in theaters, I was spoiled by attending a special casual and intimate dinner reception inspired by The Hundred Foot Journey at the world famous Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Los Angels, California. Being the foodie that I am, this was pure heaven. To be able to see the movie, then get to live it and taste some of the delicious food actually SEEN in the movie. OMG.  Pure Heaven. 😉

100 Ft Journey

It was a feast for the senses, being able to dine on the dishes inspired by The Hundred Foot Journey. Seeing, tasting, and smelling some of the tantalizing dishes that culinary genius Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) cooked up was a real treat. In the film, Hassan and his family are displaced from their native India, who end up settling in the charming and quaint village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val in the south of France. After opening an Indian restaurant called Maison Mumbai which happens to be 100 feet away from the famous Le Saule Pleureur’s  Michelin-starred eatery, a full-on heated battle between the two establishments ensues. Luckily, Madame Mallory recognizes her rival’s (Hassan Kadam) undeniable talent as a chef. What happens next with this rivalry? Who ends up out on top? You haven’t seen the movie yet? Why not? This weekend is the perfect chance to make things right then and go find out! 😉

Appetizers

Our journey at Le Cordon Bleu started with a pleasant arrangement of scrumptious appetizers. This included: Tandoori Chicken Skewers, Petit Quiche Loraine, and a beautiful assortment of assorted Charcuterie and Cheese platter with Curried mustard & Major Grey Chutney. I couldn’t get enough of the Tandoori Chicken skewers and the cheese. It was a great way to start out a new “Food is Memories” moment. 😉

Appetizers 100Ft Journey

Our next stop on our food journey was sampling the entree choices. On the menu was Beef Bourguinon a La Hassan, Chicken Tikka Massala with Saffron Rice and asparagus. Yum! Look at that asparagus! So fresh and tasty, not limp at all! I love my veggies, so I had my fill of asparagus here.

Asparagus

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