Drive through Lighthouse Avenue during the night and you can’t help but notice the dim red lights that peer through Hula’s windows. Step inside and you’ll be greeted by a cozy and relaxed atmosphere with plenty of Hawaiian décor surrounding you. You can’t help but notice the Tiki masks and carvings. How about the food?

By looking at the menu you can get a sense of Hawaiian influence through Hula’s dishes. From fresh seafood to pulled pork, they serve it here. I’ve found that the dishes we’ve ordered were very flavorful. The calamari here is my favorite. You will get thick cuts calamari that is lightly battered along with sticky rice topped with a mango salsa. It is served with a sweet soy based sauce compliments it very well. It is a welcomed change from the calamari I’ve had that came with either aioli or tartar sauce.

The sweet potato fries here also top my list of must orders. They are served with a semi-spicy dipping sauce. They can get very addicting, especially if you are sipping on their drinks. Yes, Hula’s wouldn’t be complete without Tiki inspired drinks. Drinks are served in a Tiki mug that can also be purchased as a souvenir. The last time I was there, I tried out the Dr. Funk, which is a piña colada inspired drink.

With all of the great restaurants in the area, I can say that Hula’s takes a unique twist to the dining experience.

It’s a spot for dates because…
The Hawaiian and Tiki inspired atmosphere can’t be experienced everywhere, so why not enjoy it here?

Sometimes the best trips are on the spur of the moment, which I considered this trip to be. A lazy Sunday afternoon quickly turned into one of the best day trips I’ve experienced. Romel and his girlfriend and Onjie and his wife had plans to visit Napa Valley and invited Rose and I. I couldn’t say no. We quickly gathered our cameras and hit the road.

V. Sattui Winery
First stop, the V. Sattui Winery. It would be my first time to do some wine tasting. I was not disappointed. Armed with Romel’s special Membership Card we were able to enter a private wine cellar. A quick toast to the good days ahead and the festivities began. The wine poured and poured.

The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
Next stop was at CIA at Greystone, a culinary school. This visit made me think about attending a culinary school. It was one of the options I could have chosen in my past. Most of the areas were closed off because of a wedding reception, but we were able to check out the campus store which had plenty of books, kitchen utensils, knives, and spices to see.

Yountville
The final stop was to Yountville, CA, home of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, Ad Hoc, and The French Laundry. It was Onjie and his wife’s anniversary, so a dinner would be the proper way to end the day trip. We tried to go to Bouchon and Ad Hoc for dinner. Unfortunately, we were unable to dine at either because of how busy the restaurants were. There is always next time, plus I know I will definitely be back some day. We ended up dining at Hurley’s. Tasty food along with great people was a great way to end the trip.

In the end, it was very memorable. It is a trip that I will repeat in the near future.

Ingredients
Large White Mushrooms
Roll Sausage or Sausage Links
Parmesan Cheese
Salt
Pepper

Steps
If you only have access to sausage links, you’ll have to remove the sausage meat from the casings. Using a roll of sausage is easier because you don’t have to deal with removing any casings. It makes for less mess a well. To remove the casings from link sausages, just make a slit into the link and squeeze the meat out. You can then set the meat aside in a bowl. If you’re working with a roll of sausage, take some sausage out of the roll and set it aside in a bowl.

Take the sausage you have and season it with a little bit of salt and pepper. Sausages come in all types of special flavors, so you can use those here. My favorites to use are the Spicy Italian Sausages. Feel free to experiment with different flavors. To get a good idea of how much sausage to use, each mushroom requires a small meatball sized portion to stuff the mushroom.

Before you begin stuffing, you will want to remove the stems from the mushrooms. Start rolling up the sausage meat into small meatballs and prepare to stuff the mushrooms. Place the meat into the pit of the unstemed mushroom. Set the stuffed mushrooms into a baking safe dish. You can top each mushroom with some parmesan cheese. Just sprinkle as much as you want on each. After you are done preparing the mushrooms, it’s time to bake them.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and once it’s ready, place the baking dish inside the oven. Cook the stuffed mushrooms for 20-25 minutes or until the sausage is cooked thoroughly. After they’re done, take them out of the oven. They’re best served hot.

For more information, visit California Great America’s website at www.CAgreatamerica.com.

A new trend has caught the attention of those with a sweet tooth. Frozen yogurt is here and various restaurateurs are taking advantage of the trend with many spots opening up lately. I have been hearing a lot of hype behind fro-yo, short for frozen yogurt. I was able to try frozen yogurt at a Pinkberry in San Diego, CA. Ever since then, I’ve been hooked.

Fortunately, there’s a local fro-yo spot close to where I stay in the Bay Area. It’s called Fro-ggie. They serve frozen yogurt along with various fruit and cereal toppings to go along with your order. If you are unfamiliar with fro-yo, think of it as non fat or low fat soft serve ice cream.

The flavors range from the usual original tart, which is my favorite, to fruit infused ones like pineapple or blueberry. Fro-ggie claims to change up their flavor offers regularly so you’ll have something new to try when they do.

In all, I’ve found it to be a spot that is best suited for an after dinner dessert spot or a change from your regular meet up coffee house. The ambience is simplistic with bright colored pillows on the side couch and photos of frozen yogurt on the wall. You can think of it as a modern ice cream parlor. Also, for those outside of Fremont, CA, just do a quick search for frozen yogurt spots near your area. They should give you the same experience.

It’s a spot for dates because…
Knowing that you can fulfill your sweet tooth cravings by taking a healthier route is good. Treat Fro-ggie as a date spot itself or a way to close your date with some dessert.

Luckily the hotel we’re staying at has free Wi-Fi. We’ll attempt to do some live updates of spots we come across. We’ll keep you posted.

When driving on the highway do you notice yellow bumper stickers on cars that say “Mystery Spot”? Have you ever wondered what a Mystery Spot is?

Located in Santa Cruz, CA, the Mystery Spot is something that puzzles and amazes many. You will find that when you reach the Mystery Spot, you have the opportunity to go on a guided walking tour that will explain it all. The tour guide will first explain the history of the Mystery Spot. Next, you will get to experience the powers of the Mystery Spot. The tour guide will ask for volunteers to demonstrate the first exhibit which involves standing on one of two level surfaces as you face your partner. You then will switch spots and face each other again. If you are shorter than your partner, will you believe me that you will be taller than them when you participate in the exhibit? You have to try it.

Next, the tour leads up into a cabin. Again, the tour guide will show you around the cabin. Note to those who get easily dizzy, be careful. After going through the cabin, you will get a chance to participate in more exhibits. It can get pretty crazy. You can take a look at the pictures. The last picture is an older photo taken that shows you what else can happen. I don’t want to spoil anything else. You really have to experience the Mystery Spot yourself. Plus, you get to take home a free bumper sticker to show off.

It’s a spot for dates because…
You have to bring someone with you for to fully experience the Mystery Spot. If you get a chance to participate in the exhibits, you’ll have plenty of laughs and memories to remember.

The festival will be held in the Yerba Buena Gardens. Take this opportunity to experience the Filipino culture. There will be plenty of food, music, art, and dancing. This event is free. For more information, visit the official Pistahan website: Pistahan Official Website.

Chicken Joy - This word automatically lights my eyes up and makes me picture the Philippines. Every time I go back home to the Philippines, I must make a stop at Jollibee. Over in the Philippines, Jollibee is the leading fast food restaurant. They serve your traditional burger and fries, but the gem here is the fried chicken known as Chicken Joy. The chicken is served with rice and brown gravy. Already, you can tell that Jollibee isn’t your traditional fast food spot.

You don’t have to travel to the Philippines to get a taste of Jollibee. They have expanded their operations and have opened branches in the United States. The Union City, CA branch is the closest to where I live. If you are close to one of their branches, you can try their fried chicken. Another recommendation to try is the spaghetti. They add a twist to the spaghetti, making it Filipino style, which has a much sweeter flavor to it.

Did I mention that the desserts are tasty too? The Peach Mango Pie puts McDonald’s Apple Pies to shame. And if pies aren’t your thing, cool off with some Halo-Halo. So, if you’re short on time and have to grab fast food, Jollibee’s variety in its offerings just might make it your pick.

It’s a spot for dates because…
Jollibee’s menu offerings are a nice change from the traditional fast food spots.