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Fast forward to today and I’ve changed. I became so interested into food and culture so much that I made it a goal to try to experience it all through traveling. The more mature me wanted to revisit Los Angeles and eat my way through it.

This past weekend Rose and I packed up for what would become one refreshing gastronomic adventure. Here’s a small slice of what to expect.

With only a few days to spend, we had to make the most of our time. Not only did we have a taste of a Los Angeles’ staples like Roscoe’s and Pink’s, but also a look into the more serious foodie scene. Our few days there were enough to make us nod and say, “We have to go back.” There’s more to follow in the days ahead with our full insight on the spots we visited.

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Neneng’s Buko Pie Shop was located by itself with a small crowd outside. We made a quick stop and picked up two pies to try out.

Inside each buttery slice of buko pie was plenty of thick cuts of coconut meat, tucked inside a flaky crust. If Neneng’s buko pie was this good, I could only imagine how delicious the other buko pies taste.

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This sizzling platter of pork bits is a classic Filipino appetizer or pulutan. You may have seen the episode of No Reservation’s Philippines where Anthony Bourdain made a visit to Aling Lucing’s restaurant. While out on my adventures in the Philippines, I made sure that I was going to stop by Angeles City in Pampanga to try Aling Lucing’s sisig. Aling Lucing is crowned the original sisig queen of the Philippines for inventing the dish. Sisig usually is made by combining pork meat, pig ears, liver, onions, chili peppers, vinegar, and soy sauce. All of the ingredients are served on a hot platter. Hence the name sizzling sisig.

Just writing about this reminds me about the first time I tried sisig. At first I wasn’t aware of what components made sisig. All I knew is that it tasted good. When a cousin told me it was made out of parts of a pig’s head, I didn’t even flinch. Being thirteen and having someone break the news to you like that about one of your favorite foods, can be quite the surprise. By then I reached the point where my young mentality told me, it’s all about flavor, not what it’s made out of. There are so many foods out there that taste delicious, but are made from things that we think are unusual.

I’ve had sisig from many places, but Aling Lucing’s sisig has to be the best sisig I’ve tried. You are getting plenty of pork meat with lots of fatty pieces of pork face and onions to go along. One of the best things about sisig is hearing the sizzling and crackling sounds it emits from the hot platter. There was plenty of that going on here. It’s enough to get your mouth to water.

The flavor combination that Aling Lucing uses for her sisig gives just a bit of sweetness to this savory dish. Having the crunchy and soft textures of the pork, mixed with its robust flavors was very addicting. Our first trip here was so good that we returned back for a second time.

You don’t even have to travel to the Philippines to sample this popular dish. Most Filipino restaurants in your neighborhood will have it on their menus.

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You can eat the fruit plain, but I like making a quick refreshment out of it. Just take the flesh from the apple and mix it with ice, milk, and sugar. Simple!

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Rose shared her stories of oyster feasts that they had when she visited the Philippines. It makes me want to experience it first hand. How could you say no to these…

Just give me some lemons and Tabasco sauce and I’m ready to chow down.

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Those who want to harvest their own salt can purchase plots land. My Mom was able to buy a plot of land in Pulupandan, where the salt we photographed is from.

When the ocean is at high tide, salt water travels down a canal into ponds. You bring a pale to the pond and gather up sea water to bring back to your plot of land where you pour it over a layer of plastic tarp. Once you let the sun evaporate the water, you are left with beautiful white sea salt.

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Butterscotches are mini cakes topped with small chunks of peanuts sealed in colorful plastic wrap. Every province in the Philippines has their own twist to Butterscotch. The ones that I sampled were from Bacolod.

This is only one of the few updates we have featuring food from the Philippines. With Rose back from her trip, there is so much we want to share.

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Combine a stroll, a barbecue, fishing, basketball courts, and boating. You get all of this and more at Lake Elizabeth in Fremont, CA. This spot is a great place if you are looking for an outdoor place for relaxation and fun. There’s so much that you can do at this park.

We were able to enjoy great barbecues at Lake Elizabeth. There are places where picnic tables are set up next to pits so that you can get your grilling on. If barbecuing isn’t in your plans, you can take a walk around the lake. Its good for exercise and to enjoy the scenery. You even might want to take your kids out here so that they can enjoy the playgrounds.

If you have a boat, you can come take it out on the lake too or just hop into one of the rentable boats and pedal your way around. We weren’t kidding when we said there’s plenty to do at Lake Elizabeth. Here’s what the City of Fremont said was available:

We’re sure you’ll find at least one thing to do here.

It’s a spot for dates because…
The list of things to do at lake Elizabeth is countless. If you’re planning on having an outdoor date for two, Lake Elizabeth should be your prime choice.

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Lombard Street is America’s most crooked road. Driving through Lombard Street is an exciting place in San Francisco. I was some anxious going up the hill to get there. That anxiousness was replaced by excitement and happiness when reaching the top. Here, you can see a great view of the city.

There are people walking down the road with smiles of their faces. You will see a lot of people taking pictures of the great view. Driving down the Lombard Street allows you to see the houses and different blooming flowers. I can say that Lombard Street is one of my wonderful experiences in San Francisco.

It’s a spot for dates because…
Why not enjoy spending time in a world renowned location. After driving through Lombard St. you can head off to the North Beach District for food or drinks.

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