Super Super Taqueria

There are bucket lists, leap lists, 30 before 30 lists, the list goes on...

While I don't have one written down, I have certain things in my head that take priority. And this time it was tacos. I had tried two times in 2011 and was unsuccessful. This third time, it was a charm. I get fixated on a place when I read a great review about it online, in a magazine, newspaper or book. And when things are recommended by a friend, they bump up a notch on the list. A year ago, I read about this taco joint in the New York Times feature, 36 Hours in Santa Barbara.


Julia Child's favorite place. In my head, I convinced myself that given the right time and place, this famous chef and I could have, would have been friends. So rightfully so, I bumped up her go-to taco joint in Santa Barbara to the tippy top of my list.

There's a reason for my rationale even if it seems irrational. My appetite for adventure sometimes gets trumped by my appetite and that Sunday morning, I was Hungover, with a capital H. We talked of what we would do that day, ah the joys of a long weekend. That day, taco joint inched ahead of brunch in nearby Montecito and we piled into the car and made La Super-Rica Taqueria our lunch destination before we headed back to LA.

Sarah was a Super-Rica regular and knew exactly what to order and to bring back that spicy salsa to enjoy at home. She introduced us to the owner and he informed us that this was the first day they were open in the new year. What were the odds? Third time's a charm. I told him of my failed attempts and how happy I was to finally see why there was a line around the taqueria on any given day.




For the record, add it to your list, it's worth the hype.
Stay bitten ;)

The Urban Wine Trail

We checked into our bohemian chic hotel, the Canary Hotel, centrally located in town. This was in the charming entrance to the Canary.


The hotel was overbooked and unfortunately, we didn't get our connecting rooms as requested. They were very accommodating and our upgrade was much appreciated- a charming king suite to call home for the night.

We opened up some wine to kick start our day in Santa Barbara and headed to their beautiful roof deck to take in the view before Andrea revealed our afternoon plans.










Last year, we winery hopped, tasting the Pinot Noirs that put Santa Ynez on the map, just a little south of Napa and Sonoma. This year, she planned an afternoon that didn't require transportation. An urban wine trail? This was one trail I wasn't aware of. Wine and trail, fill me up, let's go.


We went from tasting room to tasting room, trying a variety of local wines and olive oils.


The girls enjoying Santa Barbara Winery's tasting room.


Municipal Winemakers was our final stop on the trail. Or at least that's what we remember. Wine tasting will do that to you. At Municipal, their wine club is called Club Awesome. Naturally, Michelle and I purchased t-shirts to wear back in New York.




Headed to Santa Barbara, here's the map to the urban wine trail, all within walking distance!
Stay bitten ;)

12 in 2012

What are the 12 places you want to go to in 2012?

My list is constantly changing, from Seattle to Savannah to Singapore. 12 places, that's pretty ambitious of a list and one that is somewhat out of reach for me. Good thing for Jetsetter. Right now, the folks at Jetsetter have a contest going on and hey, you never know...

Step 1.

Click on this link and vote for my travel resolution.

Step 2.
Chose your own adventure and pick your trip destination.

Step 3.
Tell you friends, tweet, facebook, you know the drill.

Stay bitten ;)

LA Fitness

It was 19 degrees in New York and we had arrived to 75 degrees, sunny weather. Nikki was at work that day so we had to rely on ourselves to navigate the streets of Los Angeles. Rather than taking a taxi or using public transportation, we decided to walk around and enjoy the day by foot. Not everyone drives everywhere in LA!


First stop, fill up on honey hand rolls, a sushi lunch at Izakaya.
Further down the street, we catered to our sweet tooth and picked up coffee and macarons at the gourmet marketplace, Joan's on Third.

Spotted some fun accessories at Alexis Bittar.


Shoe shopped at Fred Segal.


Great print at Blu Dot.


After walking around West Hollywood, Michelle and I headed back to our friends' place. We packed ourselves a little picnic, two glasses of wine and caught the sunset from their rooftop.




When the work day was over, the California girls met up with us New Yorkers for truffle pizza and drinks at Jones Bar.


Stay bitten ;)

Come Fly With Me

It must be the influence of Pan Am but when I fly, I have a romanticized view of jetsetting.


And with a 25% off promo code with Virgin America, we couldn't refuse booking a trip out west over Martin Luther King Day. We enjoyed a cheese plate while the landscape below us changed.



Stay bitten ;)

Wanderlust Wednesday: Whitsunday Islands

It's Australia Day tomorrow and the Australian Open is currently in full swing. This blog started with a trip Down Under, exploring Sydney, Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Today I'm wanderlusting Whitsundays, more than 90 uninhabited islands, that I would have loved to inhabit had we more time.





images courtesy of Lonely Planet

Set sail and stay bitten ;)

A Loss And A Win

On Sunday, football fans experienced a great loss and win. Joe Paterno passed away and the Giants secured their spot in the Superbowl.

If you know me and football, you'll know that I'm surrounded by it but not sure what exactly is going on. While watching the Giants game with my girlfriends on Sunday, we realized that someone should be filming a sh*t girls say video right then and there.

How did I manage to go to a Big 10 University and come out with little to no knowledge of the game of football? While the answer could rhyme with tailgate or bar tab, it's probably because Penn State was always more than just football for me. There was nothing like the feeling of walking into a stadium of 100,00+ people for the first time. And there was nothing that compared to the Nebraska game of my sophomore year. But what rivaled blue and white for me were the relationships I formed there, whether it was within the walls of the design studio or in the house where I lived with the best roommates who made staying in just as much, if not more, fun than going out.

It was the quintessential Americana college experience that I had always envisioned for myself. It was that and much much more. And despite the tragedy that preceded Joe Pa's passing, his legacy now tainted, I'm reminded of his career as our coach and his contribution to the university of a foundation built on pride, integrity and the higher standards he held for us to aspire to.

Whenever I question my capabilities or what lies ahead for me, I remind myself of his words, because I believe these words to be true, for me and for you.

"Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things."


Stay bitten ;)

Wanderlust Wednesday: Anguilla

Sometimes you wake up and want to trade your flannel in for a sarong and by sometimes, I mean almost every winter morning. Having just spent the long weekend in California, today I'm wanderlusting to visit another friend in a different warm location.

Remember Jenna from my Pork Day experience? It's winter in Maine and during the restaurant's off season, she's currently private cheffing at the Viceroy in Anguilla, modern luxury at its best.


Can I get a friends and family rate? I wouldn't mind kicking up my feet by this pool.



photos courtesy of the Viceroy

Stay bitten ;)

putting rad in the radar xii

It's been a while since I've done one of these.

1. Instagram. Ashley and Doug introduced me to this iphone app. It's free! You can apply the filters after the photo is taken. And I feel like I'm sharing that photo with a smaller crowd than facebook. I'm not the only one who thinks this app is groovy.

2. Morris Food Truck, the next best thing since sliced bread. Only better because it's artisanal sliced bread with cheese. The bread is from Balthazar, the cheese from Murray's, and the recipes from an old friend from college. Having worked at Per Se and in France, Mike has parked his culinary skills right down the street from my office on Tuesdays. Click here to follow his truck on twitter to see where they're parked daily, what the special sandwich is and while you're at it, treat yourself to the raclette or the gouda, it's very gooda.


3. Coachella. This lineup says it all.

Start up your Coachella playlists on Spotify.

4. In New York, there's always new restaurants popping up. The folks from Joseph Leonard revamped Fedora and while I like to try new places, when I find something really good, I'll make a habit of returning. And they've got me hooked. To top it off, Fedora has an intimate private dining space that was perfect for celebrating my silver fox of an uncle. Just walk thru the kitchen, down the stairs and you're transported to a private wine cellar, making for one memorable meal.




Next on my list:
Red Farm

5. Over the holiday season, there was an excess of sweets in the office. But of all the treats I snacked on in between meals, I enjoyed the treats Stéphane brought back from Brussels. I was spoiled and grateful for the chocolates from Belgium, the 'punitions' from Poilane in Paris and the stroopwafels from the Netherlands. Coincidentally, that week the New York Times had a feature on Brussels and chocolate. Next time you're Brussels bound, be sure to make a stop at Pierre Marcolini.

6. Get all proper for the Opera. A group of us went to see Madame Butterfly at Lincoln Center. It was fun to play dress up for the night and feel like well-cultured adults.

Opera not your thing? There's a new discount ticket program for 21-35 year olds. Click here and you can request tickets for the acclaimed play WarHorse for $30. Make your parents jealous and impressed at the same time.

7. I started off 2012 by winning a pile of money. Please let this be an indication of the year to come. And for the rest of you, play this drinking game, just replace the coins/chips with dollars.




Stay bitten ;)

Wanderlust Wednesday: Iceland

Wanderlust is defined by Wikipedia as a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world. It's the middle of the work week and I'm usually struck with wanderlust convenient at 3pm, when Jetsetter sales go live.

So every Wednesday, I'll take you to a place that's on my list from the seat of my desk. A little dream outside the walls of my cubicle and who knows, maybe you'll get there before I do.

First up: Iceland. I'll get to you one day, for a long weekend or a week if I'm lucky.



This girl spent a summer hiking throughout Iceland. Brave and adventurous, she's inspired me to put Iceland higher in the ranks on my list of places I want to visit, along with the New York Time's list for 2012.

When I get there, I'd like to stay here.





photos courtesy of Jetsetter.com

And I'd like to experience Iceland with others. I've watched 27 hours and now, I'm sure to keep good company when I travel. Plus, Jon Krakauer put it best in Into the Wild, happiness is only real when shared.

Stay bitten ;)