Connie "Winnie Bago" C.'s Profile

With a motto like "EAT - DRINK - WHISKEY," I didn't need to actually taste anything to be sold.

I was staying in The Loop, so Logan Square was a bit of a trek, but it was one well worth it. The evening was perfect for sitting outside, and we were lucky to score a table as they don't take reservations. We started our meal with some craft cocktails. For you whiskey lovers, they have an impressive collection of 148 selections. You can also appreciate their other unique offerings, which include unusual spirits and biodynamic, small batch wines.

While the guy sitting next to me was enjoying a juicy bacon cheeseburger with a side of beef fat fries (be still my clogged heart) tempted me to order the same, the two of us petite girls decided to order 3 dishes to share: chanterelle agnolotti, pork belly confit and slow roasted cauliflower. We attempted to order a side of beef fat fries, but sadly, they cannot do sides of it. I was sort of crushed by that. Luckily, all 3 dishes were amazing, so it made up for the lack of beef fat fries. If you're a vegetarian, I'd highly recommend the cauliflower, as it is an entree portion.

There's a uber hipster vibe going on here - you can even book a room upstairs in their Ace Hotel-like digs. I also loved that they left us with a postcard that showed that they don't take themselves too seriously. Now, which yelper actually called bone marrow & wild boar "YUCKY" - blasphemous!

I battled the Herb Grilled American Lobster and it won by a giant claw. I'm pretty sure even a 200lb man would find that 2.5 pound crustacean difficult to manage. The garlicky butter it was grilled in was awesomesauce, and I'm certain it is the only way to go if you're here for the lobster. Oh, how I wanted to finish Mr. Herb Pinchy, especially since that one claw cost $20. Yes, be prepared to fork out $$$$ for one - it ended up being $75!

If you're not a fan of seafood, there are other tasty options, including the roasted half chicken that my guy ordered. He polished his plate, especially the chive whipped potatoes. I had a bite and it was indeed the bomb dot com.

Be sure to make reservations - this popular landmark destination at the entrance of the Santa Monica Pier is a hotspot for tourists and locals alike. Try to get a table by the windows facing the ocean - your date will be impressed. The views are lovely, especially if you're there in time to catch the sunset. If you have to wait, their bar is a fun area where the cocktails pack a punch and the crowd is friendly.

Come here hungry, put on that silly plastic bib and I dare you to finish that whole lobster!

A fabulous brunch is what you'll get at The Penthouse. And you might also happen to do some Brunching With The Stars. After all, Sunday Funday in Santa Monica isn't complete without celebrity sightings. We happened to be BWTS with Brooke Burke, David Charvet and their cute kiddos.

If you can score a table by a window facing west, you'll get an incredible view of the ocean. The large canopied booths are perfect for parties of 5-7. If a table isn't available, grab a seat at their large oval bar.

While I can't speak for anything but brunch, I can say that the food was really tasty and very reasonable considering its swank location on the 18th floor of The Huntley Hotel. Between the three of us, our bill came out to just over $100 which included mimosas.

Loved the complimentary mini fried donuts/beignets that we also watched getting made. The crab cakes were all crab - so delicious. My mushroom and aged gruyere omelette was cooked perfectly as were the potatoes. Everyone enjoyed their dishes and polished their plates.

Service was served with a smile, and they were accommodating to every request. No air of pretentiousness which is refreshing, especially at a luxe hotspot like this.

Konichiwa, amigos!

Brought to you by the gregarious Joseph Manzare (the man behind Tres Agaves and Zuppa) and chef Masaki Sasaki, the old Midi spot has been transformed into a sushi bar that serves Toyko-style sushi, robata grilled dishes, seasonal sake and an impressive line up of 80 tequilas - me likey. If only there were some street tacos on the menu too, that would be the perfect marriage of Japanese and Mexican.

While only one of us had sake from a cool can (Funaguchi Kikusui), the rest of us enjoyed Japanese beer - nice to see Orion beer from Okinawa as a selection. Joe came over to chat it up with us towards the end of our meal, which included an array of nomtastic small plates and nigiri, and shared a bottle of Espolon tequila with us.

The tables are pretty tiny and uncomfortable if you're not a petite person, so I'd suggest asking for a seat at the sushi bar or the elevated counter by the kitchen. Although sharing plates will be harder there, at least you won't feel constricted and wish you were a Japanese schoolgirl.

Sushi + sake + tequila = a guaranteed fun time!

Brought to you by the folks behind Palo Alto's Creamery, Reposado and Gravity, Scratch is a fine destination for upscale American comfort food. It's a much needed addition to the predominantly Asian Castro St. The interior is modern and sleek, spacious yet warm. It's a great spot for groups and for impressing dates.

We had a team lunch here during the week. Because it's such a large space, the place was not completely full, but it was definitely lively. The menu was reasonably priced, with lots of options to satisfy everyone. Since I was having Miami withdrawals, I had the Cuban sandwich with perfectly fried fries which I really enjoyed. Other winners among our group included their burger, shrimp pasta and ahi salad.

Their horseshoe shaped bar at the entrance seems like a great spot to spend happy hour, and I'd love to check out their dinner menu too. I really hope they do well and put an end to the curse which has seemed to make the spot a short lifespan for a lot of restaurants. I'm glad Castro can finally scratch off the need for contemporary American food!

Situated behind LACMA's famed "Urban Light" sculpture is the recently opened Stark Bar, which is a fab addition to the museum. Even on a chilly night, you'll still feel nice and toasty while lounging in the open-air bar. They've got heat lamps surrounding the uber hip mid-century mod lounge furniture. Ray's is the restaurant connected to it - both named after the late great producer of films like Steel Magnolias and Funny Girl.

Though they abide by the KISS method (keep it simple, silly) of cocktails their drink menu is pretty complex. You'll find cocktails named after Mr. Stark's films on the menu like Little Annie and Owl & Pussycat. The Ginger Rogers was a popular drink amongst our group - the mojito-like cocktail is made of gin, freshly squeezed lime juice, ginger, mint and ginger ale. If you're hungry, there's a nice little bar bites menu with tasty flatbreads.

Stark Bar is great if you're just looking to have a chill night out with a date or a group of friends. Because the bar closes at 11pm, you'll want to make it a pre-party spot or just call it an early night after some yummy cocktails.

Afternoon tea at Tres is made for the foodie fashionista. The glamorous and sexy restaurant in the chic SLS Hotel is so fabulous, it's no wonder all the Beverly Hills housewives flock here. And on top of that, there's the food porn. I don't know how they do it, but the culinary geniuses there managed to make me lust over the tiniest bites of food perfectly plated on a three-tiered cake stand.

My lovely gal pal had her bridal shower here, and it was definitely one of the swankiest bridal showers I've ever been to. We enjoyed our sweet and savory treats and cups of tea on sleek marble high tables, and when it was time to unwrap gifts, we moved out to the hotel's gorgeous lounge area out front.  The staff was very accommodating, and made sure our party was well taken care of throughout the afternoon.

I won't leave out the details about the food porn... but of course photos speak louder than words, so check out the pics. Here's what we had:
* Mini guac cones & lox cones
* Saffron pate de fruit and raspberry pipettes
* Dark chocolate tablets with fleur de sel & white chocolate with pink peppercorn
* Hazelnut volcano cookie  
* Almond orange tart
* Mint chocolate "After Eight" with fresh mint leaf
* Financiers
* Beet macaron with goat cheese
* Smoked salmon with coconut sliders & foie gras with quince sliders
* Creme fraiche filled steamed buns topped with caviar
* Cucumber stuffed with goat cheese and topped with tomato caviar
* Wafer thin PB&J sandwiches
* And last, but definitely not least - everyone's favorite crackling candy: chocolate-covered Pop Rocks

Needless to say, it was like a party in my mouth. Everything was so fun to eat. A buffet brunch was also out, and I'm sure that was just as amazing.

Ahh, I'm in lurve thanks to Jose Andres. Now I just have to figure out to become a 90210 housewife so I can continue my affair here!

Yeah, I could get used to living the suite life at Staples!

The concept of having a club inside a sports arena is quite a novelty, so of course, I jumped at the opportunity to catch a Clippers game here with fellow yelpers. Like any LA hotspot, getting in was not a breeze. After talking to various people working the list, going through the Southwest VIP entrance into the arena, up the elevator to suite level C and through velvet ropes, we made it into the swanky lounge.

The view was amazing, though you really had to have the ledge seats or bottle service to fully enjoy it. We managed to snag some little leather stools next to a table and caught the last few minutes from there.

Drinks and food are way overpriced, but so is everything about the place. The $24 plate of chicken lettuce wraps was big enough for at least 4 people and the $15 mojito packed a strong punch, so I guess you could say they were worth it. If you plan on buying a few drinks and some food, you should definitely get ledge seats, as they cost $40 in food/drinks. I'm not sure what the total cost of tickets and cover charge was, but it wasn't cheap either.

An upscale dress code is enforced, which means no sneakers, sandals, jerseys, hats, etc. Basically, this is Staples' version of Drai's and you need to look like a baller.

There's also a DJ that spins club beats during halftime and for an hour after the game is over, so you can shake your money maker on the dance floor. In short, you won't be watching much of the game from up here.

Located on the top floor of the grand Ritz-Carlton tower at LA Live, WP24 (Wolfgang Puck on the 24th Floor) offers beautiful panoramic views of Downtown LA and tasty contemporary Asian cuisine.

We came in for some bar bites and drinks before the Clippers game across the street and really enjoyed the sexy and sleek atmosphere. It was the perfect spot for some fancy pre-gaming.

The bartenders were friendly, and although our food took a while to come out, it was all very tasty. I'd recommend getting their pork belly baos, tiny dumplings and spare ribs. Portions are a bit small and carry a hefty price tag, but the ambiance alone makes it all worthwhile.

Gjelina oozes hipster cool. And the food is mouthgasmic to boot. Best described as rustic new American, they try to use locally grown, organic and sustainable ingredients when possible. If you can score a hard-to-get reservation here, make sure you order the following:

*Mushroom toast with créme fraiche and truffle oil: OMG, I went straight to truffle heaven when I took a bite into this.

*Wood roasted cauliflower with garlic, chili, parsley & vinegar: Perfectly cooked with a nice kick!

*Pork meatballs with tomato sauce: The meatballs were delicious, and we polished off all the sauce with the crostini.

*(For dessert) Butterscotch pot de creme with salted caramel and creme fraiche: So velvety smooth and creamy, it was divine.

*(For drinks) The Long Walk Home: Their version of sangria - so yummy! As they only have a beer & wine license, they only serve two cocktails - this one and a champagne cocktail.

I didn't get a chance to try their pork belly, but it's also one of their really popular dishes. As my friend and I weren't too hungry, we stuck with the small dishes, but their pizzas and entrees all sounded and looked delicious. I'll definitely be back to try more off the menu, and if it's warmer out, we'll sit out on their patio (we were too wimpy and moved inside this time)!