Hillary Eaton

Originally appeared on BRIDES

Travel / December 26, 2016

The Eco-Friendly Guide to the Ultimate Napa Weekend

Just because you want to be eco-friendly doesn’t mean you can’t have an amazing bachelorette road trip with your best ladies to celebrate the end of singledom — Especially in Napa Valley. From the latest electric cars that make it possible to drive long distances without recharging, to a growing eco-friendly wine movement, restaurants supporting local organic farmers, and no shortage of top notch spas boasting eco-friendly products, Napa Valley is the perfect place to enjoy a bit of luxury and make some wine filled memories with your best friends — all while leaving the smallest environmental footprint.

Originally appeared on THRILLIST

Eat / December 26, 2016

All The Best Cheap Eats By UCLA

Ah fall, that magical time of year when college students flock back to campus for yet another year of hungover, pajama-clad lectures in pursuit of that super-useful liberal arts degree. But it’s not all fun and games. The start of another school year means it’s also time to fall back into broke-college-kid mode and save your money for the important things in life… like student loans. 

Luckily for those that bleed blue and gold, the area surrounding UCLA is a veritable cornucopia of delicious cheap eats, making that whole responsible adult thing all the easier when it comes to your wallet. Here are the best places for Bruins (or anyone else hanging around Westwood) to save money and still eat well.

Originally appeared on BRIDES

Travel / August 10, 2016

5 Reasons Why Portugal Is The Best Honeymoon Destination Right Now

In the world of travel, Portugal is one of the hottest vacation destinations right now and for good reason. From its rich history to its unparalleled wine and food scene, picturesque beaches, and lush mountain regions, Portugal has the makings of a truly unforgettable honeymoon. Check out the five reasons you need to pick Portugal for the most magical trip of your lifetime below and get planning before the secret’s out.

Originally appeared on LA Weekly

Make / August 10, 2016

The Best Cocktail in Los Angeles

When it comes to getting your drink on, there is no shortage of amazing bars that make up the burgeoning cocktail scene that we have in Los Angeles. With unparalleled takes on classic cocktails, small-batch spirits, farm-fresh ingredients and bartenders who push the boundaries of what we know, L.A. is a cocktail city to be reckoned with. So whether you’re on the lookout for a speakeasy-style space to sip a Sazerac, a cocktail made from cannabis oil or a full-blown omakase experience, these bars have just the drink you’ve been looking for. 

 

Originally appeared on Best Hotel Restaurants in L.A.

Travel / August 10, 2016

10 Best Hotel Restaurants in L.A.

If you’re the type of person who plans trips around food (guilty) or you’re just looking to give yourself a dose of that good vacation vibe, a hotel with a solid restaurant might be just what you need. Luckily for tourists and locals alike, L.A. has no shortage of phenomenal hotels in which to unwind and taste the city’s unparalleled food scene. From Roy Choi’s homage to hot pot at the Line in Koreatown to Michael Hung’s delightful riff on American cuisine at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills, these spots are bona fide culinary destinations as much as they are great places to stay the night. If you’re planning a trip around a Sunday brunch or just looking for a romantic date night on the town, here are 10 places to check out — and maybe even check into for the weekend. 

Originally appeared on LA Weekly

Travel / August 10, 2016

Where to Find the Best Breakfast Sandwiches in L.A.

From each perfectly orange oozing yolk, to every smoky bite of bacon or herb-flecked sausage between a piece of toast or warm brioche bun, eating a truly great breakfast sandwich can become something of a spiritual experience.

That’s especially true in Los Angeles, a city with no shortage of outstanding breakfast sandwiches to satiate your most basic first-meal-of-the-day desires. From a fried clam–and-bacon sandwich to an homage to the McMuffin, here are 10 delicious options to start your day off right. 

Originally appeared on MUNCHIES

Explore / August 10, 2016

This Chef’s Culinary Incubator Is Changing the Way Chefs Develop Restaurants

It’s a common problem in the restaurant industry: Poorly matched partnerships between chefs and financiers can pose issues—and even sink restaurants before they open—when the two sides don’t see eye-to-eye.

Alvin Cailan of LA’s egg sandwich mecca EggSlut discovered this firsthand in the course of opening EggSlut Grand Central Market. “That was the time I really needed to grow [from the food truck] into a brick-and-mortar spot and didn’t have the money,” he tells me. “So I sought out partners that could help, not realizing what the consequences were for creating such a relationship.”

Originally appeared on LA Weekly

Explore / August 10, 2016

The Fijian Version of Ceviche Is a Tropical Powerhouse of Coconut, Lime and Chili

Helmed by Aussie chef Louis Tikaram, West Hollywood hot spot E.P. & L.P. has brought L.A. the type of modern Asian cooking that is often categorized as “pan-Asian.” But in this case, the cuisine would be more aptly described within the context of its origin: Australia.

Tikaram’s cooking comes from a country culturally steeped in — and immensely populated by — central and Southeast Asian immigrants. It’s a melting pot where different cultures and cuisines collide with native traditions and flavors.

At E.P. & L.P., that regional diversity is combined with California’s unparalleled fresh produce and reflected in dishes such as abalone with hand-ground curry paste and Thai aromatics, wood-grilled lamb neck with lettuce, herbs and chili jam, and succulent octopus with farmers market greens. It makes for a unique dining experience that draws inspiration from Asia and Australia as much as it does Los Angeles itself. 

Originally appeared on MUNCHIES

Eat / August 10, 2016

How This Pastry Chef Is Reinventing Asian Desserts

There are certain desserts that some pastry chefs fall back on at a typical modern Asian restaurant. We all know them: the lychee sorbets, tropical fruit tarts, and matcha cheesecakes of the world. If I never see another chocolate spring roll it will still be far too soon.

There are usually two pitfalls for such dessert menus. If you’re lucky, you might find a few watered-down versions of more traditional desserts, the chef likely hoping to temper some of the flavor profiles some diners may be unfamiliar with, like mung bean, anko (red bean paste), ube (purple yams), and the like. Otherwise you’re likely to see desserts that incorporate Asian flavors pushed through the sieve of French technique, a formula that seems to be used as an excuse to not innovate further.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Enter Zen Ong, the head pastry chef of LA’s modern Asian hotspotE.P. & L.P., who is turning out finessed desserts that are as carefully thought-out, unique, and delicious as their savory counterparts by chef Louis Tikaram.