Why to Go: The Santa Ynez Valley has more than 100 wineries which feature some great white and red wines (more than just Pinot Noir- if you saw Sideways, you’ll know what I’m talking about). Even if you are not a wine lover, you’ll enjoy the ... Read More »]]> Santa Ynez, California has become one of my new favorite obsessions on the west coast. The Santa Ynez Valley is located in northern Santa Barbara County (about a two hour drive north of L.A) and is the heart of Santa Barbara’s Wine Country. If you’ve seen the movie Sideways, then you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Why to Go:
The Santa Ynez Valley has more than 100 wineries which feature some great white and red wines (more than just Pinot Noir- if you saw Sideways, you’ll know what I’m talking about). Even if you are not a wine lover, you’ll enjoy the landscape of rolling hills and farms. The Santa Ynez Valley is naturally beautiful beyond words or pictures. Need I say more?

When to Go: Really any time of year is good to visit…this is California, my jet setters! Winter months are chillier and the grapes are off the vine, but the rates are cheaper. Spring, Summer & Fall are obviously warmer and when you can see the vineyards are their peak…it’s up to you!

Where to Go: Santa Ynez Valley has six towns, all cute and quaint in their own way:                                                                                                                                                   Los Olivos: Where I recommend you stay. It has art galleries, boutiques, restaurants and wine tasting rooms.
Solvang: A Danish-inspired town (see picture above) that truly looks and feels like you are in Holland in Europe. There are Danish bakeries and restaurants, shops, museums, wine tasting rooms, and dozens of places to stay.
Santa Ynez: Really sweet little turn-of-the 20th century village that reminds you of what life was like back in the old west. There are a couple of restaurants, inns and boutiques here.
Buellton: Big town that you can almost just drive through and not stop to check out, other than The Hitching Post restaurant which was featured in the movie Sideways.
Ballard: A really small town with only two restaurants, a bed & breakfast, and a little red schoolhouse which is still used.
Los Alamos: With only a seven-block long main street, this town also has a western feel, a historic train depot, shops and restaurants.

Where to Stay:
We rented a house through Home Away. It was located in the town of Los Olivos and was absolutely perfect in every sense of the word. The house was close enough to town that you could walk and it had an infinity pool…so nice! If that’s not for you and you prefer to stay in a hotel rather than someones home, then the place I suggest to stay in Los Olivos is at the Fess Parker Inn. In Santa Inez, I would say to stay at the Santa Ynez Inn.If staying in Solvang is something you want to do, I would recommend staying at either the Wine Valley Inn & Cottages…Or the Hadsten House Inn & Spa. I’ll have more on the wineries we visited, where to eat and where to shop in the Santa Ynez Valley in the coming days!

Written By: Lori McNally of Chic Galleria Magazine

Holy Cow ... Read More »]]> When I typically think of Los Angeles, California, I think of sunshine, beautiful people and healthy food. All of this seems to be true, but let me tell you, the people of Los Angeles also know a thing or two about fast food/comfort food spots! Whether you are cruising down Santa Monica Boulevard, the Sunset Strip, Robertson, Melrose or Hollywood, you will quickly notice that there is no shortage of burger joints. There’s Jack-in-the-Box, Apple Pan, Umami, Hole-in-the-Wall, Burger Joint, Pinks…you get the idea! But, one of my all time favorite’s is In-N-Out Burger!!!

Holy Cow (no pun intended:-) this place rocks! The first one opened up way back in 1948, so it’s pretty safe to say that they seem to know what they are doing when it comes to burgers. So naturally, I stopped off for one when I was there. (Now I’m kicking myself for not having more!) Their cheeseburger is made from a 100% pure beef patty, and is topped with lettuce, tomato, onion (if desired), one slice of American cheese, and their special sauce (tastes similar to the sauce on a Big Mac).

Yes, they have fries, but I say you can leave them out as the burger is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good! But don’t go there and not order a milkshaketo wash it all down…(chocolate or vanilla)…both delish!

A bit further away from the downtown area (in Chinatown to be exact) is Philippe’s (pronounced Phil-ee-peez).

This is one of the oldest restaurants (1908) that specializes in the French Dip sandwich!

Legend has it that a man by the name of Philippe Mathieu invented the French Dip when he accidentally dropped the sliced french roll for the sandwich into the roasting pan filled with juice drippings. The customer, a police officer, said he would take it anyway, and the very next day returned (with some of his friends) for another one the exact same way! You can order it with beef, pork, ham, lamb or turkey. Beef is the classic, and what I ordered.

You can also ask for it single-dipped or double-dipped in the gravy (the way to go if you ask me!) I put just a little bit of their Hot Mustard on it…it’s HOT, but homemade and oh so good! I have to say this was by far the BEST french dipped sandwich I have ever had! All sandwiches cost $5.55, except for the lamb which goes for $6.75.

The atmosphere is fun…it’s sort of a blast from the past with cafeteria-style service and sawdust on the floor! Philippe’s is open everyday (except Thanksgiving & Christmas) from 6AM til 10PM…so you have no excuse but to go the next time you are in Los Angeles. Be prepared to wait…the lines can be long…but it’s worth the time!

Well after all of this meat, you need a little something sweet, right? And have I got the place…Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain in South Pasadena, California.

It’s a South Pasadena landmark, opened since 1915, and located on the historic Route 66. This place is so cute inside…it still looks like it did when it opened; old-fashioned!

You can shop in their pharmacy and store if you need some toiletries or little trinkets to bring home with you, but the reason so many people go here is for the real goodies that you can eat at the soda fountain. You must order their All-American Banana Split! For $7.25, you get HUGE scoops of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream, topped with hot fudge, strawberry and pineapple sauces, and all nestled inside of a split banana!

It’s enormous…that’s why I personally think they call it a split because you have to split it with someone, it’s too big to eat on your own! It was amazing! I also tried one of their Egg Creams for $3.50, an East Coast favorite, that’s made with soda water, milk, and your choice of vanilla or chocolate. (I ordered the chocolate). I have to honestly say I didn’t love it (too watered down)…that was the one thing I would say the west coast should leave to the east coast. But after the banana split, you don’t really need anything else!

The last place I must talk about when it comes to comfort food in L.A. is a place called Urth Cafe.

There are a few locations throughout the city, but the one on Melrose Avenue is the original one, is often frequented by celebrities, and has been on an episode or two of Entourage & The Hills. They have everything from coffee, pastries, and a full breakfast menu, to lunch and desserts as well. Everything at Urth Cafe is fresh and the coffee is organic.

If you go, you must try one of their Spanish Lattes…basically a latte with a kick! This place is great all around!

Written By: Lori McNally of Chic Galleria

Choosing L.A. as a jet-set destination was easy – finding the perfect hotel was not. Of course, the perfect hotel should be a place you look forward to going back to at the end of a long day of shopping, dining, sight-seeing (or whatever else you spent the day doing) – offering a big, comfortable bed lined with crisp, clean sheets of a ridiculously high thread count and lots of plush pillows. But the perfect hotel should also be a place you would be totally content never leaving.

Enter Andaz ... Read More »]]> Where: Andaz West Hollywood Hotel, 8401 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069

Choosing L.A. as a jet-set destination was easy – finding the perfect hotel was not. Of course, the perfect hotel should be a place you look forward to going back to at the end of a long day of shopping, dining, sight-seeing (or whatever else you spent the day doing) – offering a big, comfortable bed lined with crisp, clean sheets of a ridiculously high thread count and lots of plush pillows. But the perfect hotel should also be a place you would be totally content never leaving.

Enter Andaz West Hollywood – conveniently located on the hip Sunset Strip in the heart of West Hollywood for the jet-set crowd. Andaz, an uber-trendy, yet chill hotel invites you to experience it rather than just visit. In keeping with that philosophy, when you stay at Andaz West Hollywood, you are encouraged to explore and share the local culture while enjoying the Andaz service which caters to your individual needs. In fact, the word “Andaz” means “personal style” in Hindi, and that’s exactly what you get – from the minute you arrive right up until the second you (sadly) leave.

Naturally, there was a lot of hype last year about the opening of Andaz West Hollywood. The hotel – the first high-rise hotel on the Sunset Strip – originally opened in the 1960’s as Gene Autrey’s Hotel Continental and was taken over by Hyatt in the 70’s. It quickly became a hot-spot for rock stars (including certain members of Led Zeppelin, The Who and the Rolling Stones) and was often referred to as “The Riot House” or “Riot Hyatt” on account of the wild events that often transpired there. After undergoing a complete renovation, the hotel re-opened as Andaz West Hollywood in January 2009.

The first thing you’ll notice when you check-in to Andaz West Hollywood is that you don’t actually “check-in”.

Instead, you are warmly greeted by your Andaz Host (who is also your bell attendant and concierge) who offers you a complimentary glass of wine while you take your seat on an over-sized leather couch in the “lobby” (which more closely resembles the stylish apartment one of your hip jet-set friends might own). Just a few minutes later, you are checked-in right from the couch on your Host’s laptop!

Once you have finished your glass of wine, your Host (with your luggage in tow) will show you to your room, pointing out all the details of your contemporary new digs and providing recommendations for the best insider places to eat, drink, shop and otherwise indulge yourself. Your Host will let you know that all snacks and non-alcoholic beverages in the room are complimentary – a pretty amazing deal. You’ll also may be happy to hear that your room is equipped with free wi-fi.

Besides all of these great perks, the second you enter your room you will immediately notice the clean, modern design element, and the spectacular views of either the Hollywood Hills on one side (standard rooms) or the Sunset Strip and downtown L.A. on the other side (available for a $50 upgrade). We were lucky enough to get a room on a high floor facing the Sunset Strip and downtown L.A. If you can, request the same when you visit and you will not be disappointed. While the view at night is pretty incredible, the day-time view is amazing too – it almost feels as though you are floating in the clouds as the world passes you by down below.

And speaking of floating, you must (at least for a short while) leave your room and head to Andaz West Holyywood’s swimming pool- the highest roof-top pool in L.A. There are lounge chairs where you can soak up that good California sunshine, or covered cabanas so you can escape it and enjoy lunch.

The best part of the pool area is the views of the Hollywood Hills. This is why you jet set to L.A. folks!

Of course, if you feel the need to burn off calories and work towards having a celebrity body while in the land of celebs, Andaz West Hollywood has a great gym with all of the amenities you need from elliptical machines and treadmills to free weights.

And hitting the gym is probably a good idea because you will definitely want to check out RH – the hotel’s amazing restaurant featuring the cuisine of Southwest France with a California twist. Executive Chef Sebastien Archambault (who worked under Alain Ducasse and received a Michelin Award for a restaurant he ran in Spain) creates masterpieces in the kitchen along with his culinary team. RH should not be missed, and I’ll have lots more to say about RH tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Bottom Line: Andaz West Hollywood is one of my favorite hotels in L.A. for its style, location, and incredible restaurant. But, what really makes Andaz West Hollywood shine is the hotel staff who finds your “Andaz” (personal style), anticipates your every need and delivers anything and everything your little heart desires!

Rates start at $225 a night. Andaz properties can also be found in London, New York City and San Diego.

Written By: Lori McNally of Chic Galleria Magazine

Ever wonder what happens to all the baggage that airlines loose? I’ll tell you what happens…it ends up in Scottsboro, Alabama at the Unclaimed Baggage Center! Yup! Crazy as it sounds, it’s true. Each day, an average of about 100 pieces or more of luggage are separated from jet setters. The Unclaimed Baggage Center basically buys and resells unclaimed baggage from the airlines and it’s totally legit! Airlines have 90 days to reunite the luggage with the owner, once that time passes, it’s free game for whomever wants it. There is a ton of stuff for sale at ... Read More »]]>

Ever wonder what happens to all the baggage that airlines loose? I’ll tell you what happens…it ends up in Scottsboro, Alabama at the Unclaimed Baggage Center! Yup! Crazy as it sounds, it’s true. Each day, an average of about 100 pieces or more of luggage are separated from jet setters. The Unclaimed Baggage Center basically buys and resells unclaimed baggage from the airlines and it’s totally legit! Airlines have 90 days to reunite the luggage with the owner, once that time passes, it’s free game for whomever wants it. There is a ton of stuff for sale at the Unclaimed Baggage Center. They stock over 7,000 new items each day into the store, and the store is over 40-thousand square feet…so just imagine!

You can buy everything from baby strollers, to snorkels, to digital cameras, perfume, clothing, books, Cd’s, DVDs, sunglasses, fine art, wedding dresses and jewelry! So maybe you want to plan a trip there and see what stuff you can find. Who knows, you might find something that once belonged to you if you’ve ever lost your luggage!