Carrie S.'s Profile

It was a gorgeous day, so we decided to drive to Venice for a little walk on the Kinney. On our way back to the car, we passed this spot and decided to give it a try. It has a total hipster vibe, which we are not, but that's part of the fun. We had to wait for about 30 minutes, but really, there is no place on earth for better people watching than Venice.

We were seated in the back patio, which is sweet and cozy and has a great ambiance. The service is so-so, I don't think our waitress smiled once, and our drinks were practically thrown on the table, but the food...omg, the food. I had the lamb burger, which is served with an amazing aoili sauce and arugula on a sweet bun and matchstick fries. My husband had the chorizo pizza, which was killer.

If you can get past the wait and the service, this is a great little place. Its a little pricey, but once in a while, things like this are fun.

We were here last night and realized this restaurant has now been open 5 years. That's a pretty good record in PV, where restaurants start with a bang and then fade. Frascati just seems to get better, and they have finally found their groove.

Upscale Italian food in a nice, casual atmosphere. The menu is pretty basic, you'll find all the usual Italian restaurant dishes here, but they always throw something in from left wing for the specials. Last night, the pasta special was a chocolate linguine with zucchini, scallops, grape tomatoes in a marscapone cream sauce that was amazing. My husband went for the lasagna with mushrooms, which was rich and creamy and delicious. The pizzas are sized large for sharing and you have to request the garlic bread, which is prepared special and done to perfection. We always bring our own wine here, I can't remember what the corkage is, but if you are a regular, they usually don't charge for corkage.

This has become a real hot-spot and don't expect to get in without an hour wait on the weekends if you did not make a reservation ahead of time. And when I say ahead of time, that several days ahead of time! It's that good, and that popular! So glad to see a great restaurant thrive on the hill.

Ok, really, who purposely sets out and intends to drive to Stanton? It's just not on the radar. But, some friends had been here several times, loved it and invited us to join them. You get off the freeway, and drive down Beach Blvd., passing seedy motel after seedy motel, straight out of the 50's. The signage is great, but the atmosphere...not so much.

Then you arrive at Park Avenue, which also looks like it straight out of the 50's, but cooler. The inside is totally retro, very dark and very cool. We sat at the bar waiting for our friends, and a martini seemed like the only appropriate action.

Our reservation was actually in the 'garage', not the main restaurant. The host took us through the restaurant, and out the back, where we entered the most beautiful garden - at least a half acre of lawn, several willowy trees with Japanese lanterns hanging from them and tiki torches leading the way down a path to a tall hedge, dotted with lights. You go through the walkway, and enter a gorgeous raised vegetable garden. Apparently, many of the vegetables used by the restaurant are grown right there. WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED THIS GORGEOUSNESS EXISTED? IN STANTON!!!

There is a double double garage, wtih the doors open and dining tables spaced throughout. While the menu in the main restaurant is mostly steaks and chops, the garage menu is mainly Italian. We had a delicious heirloom tomato and burrata cheese appetizer, and a baby artichoke appetizer, both perfection. I wasn't in the mood for pasta, but was over-the-top happy with the cod dish I ordered, which, while served with spinach, wasn't totally overdone and limp. The spinach was just barely sauteed and it was delicious with the cod, which was lightly breaded and sauteed. My husband had a pasta dish, I can't even remember which one because I didn't look up once my food arrived (it was that good).

Dessert was Tiramisu, which I was afraid would be like every other Tiramisu I've had, but was definitely not. It was the most delicious, freshest Tiramisu ever.

The only thing they could improve on is to allow outside wine. Their wine list is a little limited, and I just prefer to bring my own and pay the corkage. But all in all, this place is a gem. I can't wait to go back.

STANTON! Who knew?

I've been a PV walker for years and years (love these hills), and haven't been a member of a gym for almost 25. When I returned to work full time outside the house a year and half ago, I realized that my schedule and fatigue held me back from walking (who likes walking in the dark?) in the evening. I also realized that the chronic pain I was experiencing in my back & hips was greatly alleviated with routine exercise.

After thinking about it for months, I finally stopped by Equinox and joined. When I think about the facility, and what is offered, the monthly price is totally worth it. The hours are great for working professionals and there are still great classes in the evening and on weekends.

The area I dropped a wad of cash on was a pack of Personal Training sessions, which have been a godsend. I've been working out with a trainer 2x week, and he has pushed me (gently) further than I thought I could go, each week increasing the intensity of the workouts (thinking I didn't notice, HA!) and helping me set goals that I can easily attain on my own after our sessions are over.

He unfortunately let me know last week he was leaving the club, but set me up with another trainer, for the remainder of my sessions, that shadowed us for a session to get to know me and my issues. To my immense surprise and amazement, Equinox credited my account 2 more training sessions to help ease the transition. That, right there, is good business sense!

Also, Johnny Groff's spin classes are probably the best cardio you will ever experience! He takes you through the moves, climbs and sprints with inspiring music, and I've pushed myself harder than I ever thought possible. Take a few towels with you into the class, you'll need them.

The clientele is a little older, which I like, and the people are not obnoxious. Everyone does their own thing, and lets you do yours. It's very low key. The locker room is clean, the towels are usually warm when I grab one, and I've never had to wait for a shower, hair dryer or space on the bench.

So happy I took the plunge, I'm hooked.

We are SO happy there is yet another eatery here on the hill. And as longtime fans of the Chez, had high hopes for Mama Terano.

We weren't entirely let down, but I do think they have some work to do. There is so much potential here, and the menu is actually pretty good and the prices are just right.

I like how most of the pasta dishes have a small and large size, so when paired with a salad, you aren't getting too full, but just right.

The turn off was the atmosphere. They need to dim the lights a little and maybe add tablecloths and butcher paper to the tables, and maybe some artwork on the walls. As it is now, it may as well still be Mike's, but for dinner (a much better dinner).

We will definitely be back, but I really hope they cozy it up a little.

After several recommendations, we decided to try Tashiro. We've been trying to patronize the sushi restaurants in our immediate neighborhood, but heard that the prices were better and the sushi fresher.

My biggest recommendation is to get here early. They don't take reservations, and you just write your name on the pad and they go down the list. Luckily, a couple was just leaving the bar as we walked in and the people in front of us wanted a table. A stream of people arrived after us, and I noticed they were seated just as we were getting our bill.

The sushi was good, but the service was mediocre. Our sushi chef had a scowl on his face the entire time he was serving us; not friendly at all! Pricewise, I thought it was in line with what we've always paid at classier places.

Overall, it was good, but I would'nt be running to return.

We were here for my birthday dinner on a Saturday night with another couple, and I really thought it was just mediocre. The food was good, but the atmosphere and ambiance are almost Cheesecake Factory. It was loud and bright, and the service wasn't very attentive (slow to refill water, etc.). I had the Coconut Shrimp & Steak combo, which was delicious and my husband had the Seared Ahi, which was also great. The serving sizes are very good, and the price is good, it just wasn't the quiet, casual dinner that I was hoping for. Almost diner-ish. If I had lower expectations, I would have been over-the-top on this place.

A friend brought me here for a birthday lunch, and it was really perfect. While yes, it's a little uppity, every once in while, this is nice - a true 'ladies lunch'. The decor is understated and the atmosphere is quiet, you can actually hear yourself think and your companion talk. We were seated right away and the staff was thoroughly attentive the whole time - refilling water glasses replenishing bread, etc. I was going to order the Ahi Tartare, and the waitress let me know that it was a very small dish that had no salad (even though it was listed under salads). She instead suggested the Nicoise salad and said I could order the tuna seared and rare. I was so glad she said that, instead of letting me order a dish and then being disappointed when it came. My friend ordered the Chopped Grilled Vegetable Salad, which I instantly coveted and I must return to order that!

I was also so happy to see that they have a stellar wine collection and a private room which is surrounded by their wine collection. A group of us regularly get together for wine dinners and since we have the tendency to be loud, private rooms are quite nice! I can't wait to return.

A friend & I had a late breakfast here today; we decided to try someplace new (for me) instead of our usual downtown SP eatery, and I was pleasantly surprised.

This is a cozy hole-in-the-wall with a big and delicious healthy menu! Not big on the fried crap, just serious, wholesome, home-cooked food. The service was fantastic - they were attentive without being in-your-face.

I ordered a Cafe Latte, which was gigantic, and no way I could finish- and the Breakfast Wrap, which had eggs, spinach, mushrooms, bacon (maybe more) in a spinach wrap - it was huge and so, so good. I ordered it with fresh fruit, which I expected to be 2 slices of orange and some cut up strawberries, but no, it was a large bowl of cut fresh fruit.

I'm dying to go back.

As mentioned already, this is a beautiful spot. Out of the city and nestled in a canyon, it is out of the way, quiet and relaxing - which was just what we needed. We were here for Thanksgiving week and it didn't seem crowded at all, even though I'm sure it was. We ate Thanksgiving Dinner here, and while it was a buffet, was probably one of the best I've ever had; a great selection of options, very tasty and replenished quickly so there was no waiting for more food.

I was very disappointed in the housekeeping staff though. They left plates and cups in our room for 2 days until I finally put them outside the door (which I hate to do because it looks tacky). My sister (who lives nearby) loaned us some wineglasses so we could have wine in our room, and funny enough, they took those when cleaning on the last day (but still left some plates???)

The beds were too small - we shared a room with one of my sons and my husband and I were squished in a double bed; at this price, why aren't the double rooms equipped with queen beds?

As if that wasn't bad enough, we were short sheeted almost to our knees.

As I said, it's a beautiful place, but at that price, I do expect a bit more.