Yo Semite!! --Day 2

To contact us Click HERE
           Breakfast was good. I had a premium breakfast platter with waffles sausage and scrambled eggs. We reached the stables at 8am exact. We were supposed to attend an orientation about how to ride the horses. After a 10 min video about how careful we need to be on our rides that also have brains, we were allotted a mule each according to our weight and age. We were about 10 people in the group. I got the white mule called Buzz. I asked my guide everything I had to so that I didn’t fall off or hurt myself while on the ride. The first thing we noticed was the stink of poop in the stables. A person familiar with horses would find it normal probably, but for us it was not easy. And the last thing announced was that mules are gassy animals!! Ooooh… I was not waiting for that!! As soon as we begun, the one in front of me pooped… well we got used to it as each of the mules either peed or pooped all the way. My husband and I loved the ride! We were just strolling along the trail in a single line. The mules were fabulously trained. Mine diligently followed the one in front of it. That’s all! I didn’t have to do anything. I must say, the next time someone tries to insult you saying you are a mule be proud of it. They are so intelligent! Riding along our 2.8mi trail I could see how calculated the mule’s steps were. Climbing up and down rocky places, following in one line, it was a very good ride indeed. These stable guys definitely make sure we have the best time. The trail led us to the Mirror Lake, which was again dry! The guide said that many years ago a fine hotel was built with car parking for 300 and they had Saturday night parties too. But it was later dismantled since it was tampering a lot with the beauty of the area. We enjoyed the ride thoroughly. It didn’t seem like 2 hours.

Tenaya Lake

                Next we were on our way to toloumne meadows. On the way back we took one last look at the Tunnel view. How amazing it was! So we were heading west on highway 120 also called Tioga Road and on the way we saw the beautiful Tenaya Lake, Toloumne meadows and the Tioga Pass. Tioga Road is so picturesque it only reminded us of the 17mi drive on Hwy 1. Huge mountain sides, valleys, trees, wilderness all over and lakes here and there it made the perfect place for countless hiking trails all the way. Every creek and lake had more than two trails nearby along with picnic spots and camping grounds. We are definitely going back to experience all that but on a cooler day!! Even the sight of burnt Sequoia was looking soo good! Nature is truly unbelievable. Our first stop on Tioga Road was Tenaya Lake. We stepped out onto a shady shore of the lake. Still clear water copper blue reflecting it was looking wonderful! On the other side was the sunny shore with more people and more waves, we could go boating on the lake too. The road then led us to the Toloumne meadows. These meadows were once the base of a huge glacier, some 2000ft thick and 60mi long. It’s a vast meadow today with no trees. And the day we were there, it was mostly sun reflecting off the yellow grass. There is a visitors center explaining the importance of these meadows and how it formed, the butterflies in the meadows and the rocks found in the area, also the trails that they in and around the meadows. After crossing the meadows we finally reached the edge of Yosemite National Park at the Tioga pass. We were at 9943ft elevation. The view of the mountains was spectacular and the road looked like it was built in the sky. We really felt like we were descending from the sky. We had now entered the Inyo National Forest. We could distinctly make out the difference in vegetation, rock and climate! A few spots on the peaks of these huge mountains still had snow too! The descent took us to Hwy 395 where we headed north towards the Mono Lake.

Mono Lake

               This is a huge salt water lake. The tributaries now feeding the lake have been diverted to feed the Los Angeles water supply and therefore the levels of water of this lake have drastically reduced and the salt content in the water has effectively increased. It is an important part in nature. Many migratory shorebirds use the lake and its surroundings as resting places. They rest on the islands in the middle of the lake that were once volcanoes, thus showing their black rocky surfaces. Due to the lowering of the level of water, the main land is now joined to the island and predators are endangering the birds. These birds feed on the salt water shrimp and alkali flies around the lake.                   We went to the old marina part of the lake. The flies made us avoid the water and there were quite a few gulls feeding in the area. Not many tufa structures in sight but definitely a beautiful picture. We grabbed a quick burger and fries at a place close by headed towards the June lake loop.         
            This loop extends from 395 through mountains along 4 lakes and again intersects 395 after about 15mi. The first lake on our way was Grant lake. Grant lake was huge! It had a campground beside it and a mud road that lead you to parts around the lake. It made a great place to have a quiet time with family. We could rent a boat and go into the lake. The time was perfect. Clear blue skies, and the water looked brilliant! A bright blue and in it was a dog swimming and playing with his fried.Our next stop was at June lake itself. Other lake on the way were Silver lake and Gull lake. Mostly fishing lakes with many many houses surrounding them. They looked like summer houses for the Richie rich. Own houses or rental, with numerous motels too. Anyone could stay in campgrounds and enjoy these picturesque locations. But June lake was one of a kind. STargely enough we didn’t see too many people around it but we had a great time there. The water was most clear and looks lovely with a picnic bench on the beach. Trees all around, houses peeking from on top of mountains,  people boating, It was nature all wrapped in itself!

June Lake

Well, well, well, this time after we didn’t stop except for food. Poor my hubby drove all day. One disappointment was the Hwy. Single lane on either side in many patches it was getting tiring with oncoming traffic glaring lights at us. We came back home all tired out and hit the sack like rock…zzzzzzz!!!!A terrific trip, awesome at every curve, step and depth…

Pookie's Thai

To contact us Click HERE
           A small place amidst offices, by a pond with ducks swimming in the sun, kitchen busy to keep up with its loyal customers, and Mrs.Pookie flashing a smile at all her guests taking orders and serving the most delicious thai food in Westlake Village. That’s the Pookie’s Thai. The place was started 7 years ago and today its our favorite here in LA. The first thing you notice here is the way its hidden amongst offices at The Water Court. Next, the welcoming nature of the place makes you return every week!

Pond at Water court in front of the restaurant

                Our favorite appetizer is ‘Kra Thong Thong’. Wonton cups filled with chicken, peas and carrots served with a hot n sweet sauce. It’s a great way to start your journey into the enticing flavors of Thailand.

Kra Thong Thong

Another popular appetizer is the Wow! Westlake Roll. It looks like salad wrapped in rolls. Tofu, cucumber, basil, cilantro, carrots wrapped in rice sheets and served with a special sauce. It’s a lovely combination that is so refreshing to the palate. The flavor of the basil simply pops out amongst the veggies dipped in the sauce.

WOW! Westlake Rolls

                To accompany your meal try thai iced tea. A pink drink with a hint of tea.

Thai Iced Tea

                On weekdays you can have lunch specials with duck, beef, chicken, everything. But otherwise, here are a few that we relish. Spicy monsoon noodles are my choice for a nice hot and sweet delight. Made of flat noodles, basil, bell peppers, mushroom and beef, chicken or pork it was a splash of flavor for us in this monsoon weather.

Spicy Monsoon Noodles

            Hi, Yo! Silver is a milder choice made of fried silver noodles, shrimp, chicken, sprouts, tomato and egg.

Hi, Yo! Silver

                Now for the fun part. You must be knowing about the famous red and green curries of thai cuisine. Well here, its definitely the best. They are served with white or brown rice, and you cannot stop eating it. We got a special treat when we ordered the green curry last time. Its called jade curry here, and as you might know the curry is made of coconut milk. But what if it is served to you in a coconut itself with fresh coconut floating in the gravy!! Yumm.. I have had nothing so exotic and yummy!

Ruby Curry(red curry)

Jade Curry(green curry)

                Now coming to the rice, my choice is Prapan’s rice. The rice is full of spice, meat, bell peppers, onions and loads of flavor. Try it with one of the curries, it is heavenly!!

Prapan's Rice

                So the next time you go to this place, don’t be scared of trying anything, I guarantee everything is going to be superb!! Enjoy yourself!!

Ducks in the pond

Useful Links:http://www.pookiethai.com/home.html

Maria's Italian Kitchen

To contact us Click HERE
                Established in 1975 by Maria Alfano, this Italian Kitchen is a blessing to LA. The owners were actually from Hoboken, NJ, but then fell in love with CA on a visit, and opened Maria’s Italian Kitchen. It is now open in 10 different locations in and around LA, serving fresh pasta, breads, pizza, salad, and much more! Here are a few of their lip smacking dishes.            Like most Italian places Maria’s serve complimentary garlic bread. But these are not like any other you might have tasted. Drizzled with oregano and garlic and eaten with olive oil, the bread gives you an intro to what you are about to savor.

Garlic bread

Cheese fries

              As appetizer we tried their formaggio fritti. We weren’t familiar with what to expect but once we tried it, I am sure its something we will always have! Formaggio is a chewy kind of cheese, which is fried with bread crumbs to make it a fritti. The portion had just two rectangular pieces served with fresh marinara sauce and arugula leaves. Oh! What do I tell you about the sauce!! It was the best I ever tasted. You can taste the freshness, the juiciness and the sweetness of the tomatoes and when combined with the frittas, the combo is heaven! We also had cheese fries. These potato fries were drizzled with cheese and had just the flavor to tell you they were different. Frankly, I wouldnt say they are great. They were well done, tasted good but not extraordinary.

Formaggio Fritti

                For the main course, we tried three different varieties just to get the taste of the place. And oh! I forgot to mention, we had a guest this time. You will hear about her in the next few posts too, ‘cause we are having a holiday together. That is why we could try 3 entrees instead of just 2.                One of them was vegetarian lasagna. This lasagna had spinach, portabella mushrooms, grilled zucchini, smoked mozzarella and sautéed broccoli. And of course their fresh marinara too! It was such a mouthful, and so yummy, I am waiting to try it myself some day. It was a large portion though, so unless you are very hungry, you might end up with a doggy bag.

Vegetarian Lasagna

                The other entrée was the Spicy shrimp and Roasted corn Risotto. For those who do not know, Risotto is simply rice cooked in broth of meat/ vegetable till it gets a creamy consistency and served with any kind of meat. The kind we tasted was accompanied by shrimp, corn, and red chilli flakes, sun-dried tomatoes and cream. It’s a treat for those who love seafood and its distinct flavor cause this dish is loaded with it!

Spicy Shrimp and roasted corn Risotto

                The third was ravioli a la marinara. The description on the menu reads “Delicious paper thin pasta pillows of Ricotta stuffed pasta. Light and delicious” And yes, it was just that. Inspite of being just the basic Italian combination, it tasted so special on my palate when the ricotto just melted in my mouth blending with the marinara. Hmmmm… I need to have it right now! And since it was just the right portion, you can enjoy it all you want, just until you can. It wont get too much into you.

Ravioli a la Marinara

                So maria’s Italian Kitchen is my best choice for fresh marinara, and cheese. I bet you will not leave unhappy after eating at this place! Enjoy yourselves….  

Useful links:http://www.mariasitaliankitchen.com/

BJ's Restaurant

To contact us Click HERE

     BJ's is a restaurant that is famous for its beer and food along with a friendly atmosphere to be with friends or family. Here are a few of our favourites @ this amazing place.

    We absolutely love their Santa Fe rolls.Filled with chicken, beans, cheese, and peppers, served with their Santa fe sauce and avocado cream sauce, it feels awesome. You just cant stop eating them and licking the sauce! While the rolls are our staple appetizer, the last time we were there we tried their Best beginners appetizer combo. Oh yes! It was definititely the best for beginners. They have their Santa fe rolls, Avocado egg rolls, Spinach and artichoke dip with nachos, and mozzerella sticks with marinara all in one plate. You get a taste of all their wonderful spices in the kitchen and they suit everyone's taste on the table too! I am a fan of their dips. The spinach and artichoke dip was great!

Mediterranean Deep Dish Pizza

 Something you cannot miss eating at BJs are their deep dish pizzas. Try any of them. They are all excellent A crunchy crust and hot chewy cheeze, yummmm... We loved the Southwestern and the Mediterranean. Here is the Mediterranean.

A slice of deep satisfaction!

Pizooki Trio

      Now for the desserts. Their exclusive Pizooki is well worth its popularity. Hot freshly baked cookies with ice cream. You can either have one bigg Pizooki all by youself if you have some space left in your tummy after the delicious pizza, or you can share the Pizooki Trio with your choice of cookies cookie n cream, Chocolate macadamia nut, Chocolate chunk, Peanut butter or oatmeal raisin walnut.






Useful Links:

http://www.bjsbrewhouse.com/

Filippi's flips you over!

To contact us Click HERE

    Famished after a day long stroll in the San diego zoo, we were hunting for some good italian food in Little Italy. We picked Filippi's Pizza Grotto. We are fanatics of italian food, so we were ready to dine in this famous italian deli cum restaurant. We were there on monday evening at 8:30pm, and we had to wait 25min to be seated! So you can imagine how popular it must be! They have other locations all around San diego, and stretching upto Napa too!

   Waiting in line, and observing the deli around me, I counted more than 20 kinds of EVOO(Extra virgin Olive Oil), Wines from all over the world, including their own home brew France ca Chile Flippis. And cheese?? Dont ask me! I couldnt count them....Displayed in the counter, hanging on the counter, there was cheese everywhere! Of course, no italian store can not have pasta! There was loads and loads of pasta everywhere... It was a delight to see almost everything italian in the store.
    
Once you pass the deli and enter the restaurant you know they have been around for  a long long time. The place was full! Tables all over, waiters running all over, 'bottles' hanging from the ceiling everywhere! I later got to know they were bottles of Bell'agio Chianti dry red wine, ordered and autographed by their customers. This place was screaming, 'You are here for SOME experience'!! 



    




We ordered some fresh garlic bread, and then binged into this cheezy, pizza surprise. It was the Vegetarian Special, with loads of cheese smothered all over, mushrooms, onions, tomato and black olives. Ingredients are not so appealing I know!( there was no chicken on the menu) But the pizza was certainly a mouthful. 





     After the pizza, we were ready for more. So we tried their Eggplant Parmigiana in the a la carte (smaller portion) with some lasagna. Yummm... it was perfecto! The pictures may not completely tell you how it tasted, but... neither can I! But if you are any where close to Little Italy in San Diego, do make sure you check out this place. The ambiance itself will bowl you over!

Useful Links:
http://www.realcheesepizza.com/

Filippi's flips you over!

To contact us Click HERE

    Famished after a day long stroll in the San diego zoo, we were hunting for some good italian food in Little Italy. We picked Filippi's Pizza Grotto. We are fanatics of italian food, so we were ready to dine in this famous italian deli cum restaurant. We were there on monday evening at 8:30pm, and we had to wait 25min to be seated! So you can imagine how popular it must be! They have other locations all around San diego, and stretching upto Napa too!

   Waiting in line, and observing the deli around me, I counted more than 20 kinds of EVOO(Extra virgin Olive Oil), Wines from all over the world, including their own home brew France ca Chile Flippis. And cheese?? Dont ask me! I couldnt count them....Displayed in the counter, hanging on the counter, there was cheese everywhere! Of course, no italian store can not have pasta! There was loads and loads of pasta everywhere... It was a delight to see almost everything italian in the store.
    
Once you pass the deli and enter the restaurant you know they have been around for  a long long time. The place was full! Tables all over, waiters running all over, 'bottles' hanging from the ceiling everywhere! I later got to know they were bottles of Bell'agio Chianti dry red wine, ordered and autographed by their customers. This place was screaming, 'You are here for SOME experience'!! 



    




We ordered some fresh garlic bread, and then binged into this cheezy, pizza surprise. It was the Vegetarian Special, with loads of cheese smothered all over, mushrooms, onions, tomato and black olives. Ingredients are not so appealing I know!( there was no chicken on the menu) But the pizza was certainly a mouthful. 





     After the pizza, we were ready for more. So we tried their Eggplant Parmigiana in the a la carte (smaller portion) with some lasagna. Yummm... it was perfecto! The pictures may not completely tell you how it tasted, but... neither can I! But if you are any where close to Little Italy in San Diego, do make sure you check out this place. The ambiance itself will bowl you over!

Useful Links:
http://www.realcheesepizza.com/

BJ's Restaurant

To contact us Click HERE

     BJ's is a restaurant that is famous for its beer and food along with a friendly atmosphere to be with friends or family. Here are a few of our favourites @ this amazing place.

    We absolutely love their Santa Fe rolls.Filled with chicken, beans, cheese, and peppers, served with their Santa fe sauce and avocado cream sauce, it feels awesome. You just cant stop eating them and licking the sauce! While the rolls are our staple appetizer, the last time we were there we tried their Best beginners appetizer combo. Oh yes! It was definititely the best for beginners. They have their Santa fe rolls, Avocado egg rolls, Spinach and artichoke dip with nachos, and mozzerella sticks with marinara all in one plate. You get a taste of all their wonderful spices in the kitchen and they suit everyone's taste on the table too! I am a fan of their dips. The spinach and artichoke dip was great!

Mediterranean Deep Dish Pizza

 Something you cannot miss eating at BJs are their deep dish pizzas. Try any of them. They are all excellent A crunchy crust and hot chewy cheeze, yummmm... We loved the Southwestern and the Mediterranean. Here is the Mediterranean.

A slice of deep satisfaction!

Pizooki Trio

      Now for the desserts. Their exclusive Pizooki is well worth its popularity. Hot freshly baked cookies with ice cream. You can either have one bigg Pizooki all by youself if you have some space left in your tummy after the delicious pizza, or you can share the Pizooki Trio with your choice of cookies cookie n cream, Chocolate macadamia nut, Chocolate chunk, Peanut butter or oatmeal raisin walnut.






Useful Links:

http://www.bjsbrewhouse.com/

Filippi's flips you over!

To contact us Click HERE

    Famished after a day long stroll in the San diego zoo, we were hunting for some good italian food in Little Italy. We picked Filippi's Pizza Grotto. We are fanatics of italian food, so we were ready to dine in this famous italian deli cum restaurant. We were there on monday evening at 8:30pm, and we had to wait 25min to be seated! So you can imagine how popular it must be! They have other locations all around San diego, and stretching upto Napa too!

   Waiting in line, and observing the deli around me, I counted more than 20 kinds of EVOO(Extra virgin Olive Oil), Wines from all over the world, including their own home brew France ca Chile Flippis. And cheese?? Dont ask me! I couldnt count them....Displayed in the counter, hanging on the counter, there was cheese everywhere! Of course, no italian store can not have pasta! There was loads and loads of pasta everywhere... It was a delight to see almost everything italian in the store.
    
Once you pass the deli and enter the restaurant you know they have been around for  a long long time. The place was full! Tables all over, waiters running all over, 'bottles' hanging from the ceiling everywhere! I later got to know they were bottles of Bell'agio Chianti dry red wine, ordered and autographed by their customers. This place was screaming, 'You are here for SOME experience'!! 



    




We ordered some fresh garlic bread, and then binged into this cheezy, pizza surprise. It was the Vegetarian Special, with loads of cheese smothered all over, mushrooms, onions, tomato and black olives. Ingredients are not so appealing I know!( there was no chicken on the menu) But the pizza was certainly a mouthful. 





     After the pizza, we were ready for more. So we tried their Eggplant Parmigiana in the a la carte (smaller portion) with some lasagna. Yummm... it was perfecto! The pictures may not completely tell you how it tasted, but... neither can I! But if you are any where close to Little Italy in San Diego, do make sure you check out this place. The ambiance itself will bowl you over!

Useful Links:
http://www.realcheesepizza.com/