Budapest Parliament building Nina and John in Budapest Budapest Parliament building Castle HillSculpture at Castle HillCastle Hill Fountain at Castle Hill FELIX Bar&RestaurantSparkling wine toast at FELIX
Last night we took a night time tour of the Buda section of Budapest with a local tour guide hired by Viking. It was amazing. The tour was two hours in length and included three stops with wonderful opportunities for photo taking. First, we enjoyed a sparkling wine toast at the restaurant Felix which is located in the historic section of town. Next, we enjoyed a thirty-minute walking tour of the castle neighborhood. This included the Sandor Palace where the President of Hungary lives.We then ended the evening with a stop at the embankment near the Parliament building area for some great photo taking.
I was advised by others to order from the international menu and I am so happy that I followed this advice tonight!
Tonight’s Dinner MenuVeal Salad Beet GoulashHungarian Dessert with Walnuts
Our dinner was really delicious and interesting. John and I both ordered the identical items tonight and agreed that the goulash was the best version we ever tried. We sat at a table for 6 with two couples from Chicago.
My husband and I planned and booked our first Viking River cruise last year. We opted for Viking’s Grand European Tour which starts in Budapest and ends in Amsterdam. It’s a 15-day cruise and we added 2 additional days in Amsterdam.
Today, we started out at 2:45 AM to make sure we were at the San Diego airport in plenty of time. I am so very grateful and lucky to have such an incredible friend. My childhood bff actually volunteered to pick us up and to drive us to the airport!
We were concerned about potential problems because of the federal government’s shutdown but it has been smooth sailing so far. Both our San Diego and Chicago flights left on time. The airport in Munich is downright pleasant and attractive. The German efficiency we have experienced so far is terrific.
We briefly checked out one of the duty-free shops in Munich and discovered that the airport store sells Lindt Dubai-style chocolate bars for more than what I pay for them in my local grocery stores in San Diego.
I will be posting daily updates during our 15-day cruise and 2 additional days in Amsterdam.
The map of our river cruise we start today Chicago was uneventful but definitely needs an overhaul – dated & crowdedWe flew Lufthansa from Chicago to Munich and then from Munich to Budapest The soft pretzels in Munich John’s first beer in Germany The most amazing sparkling apple juice
Over the years, I have heard so much about Frogtown and the Los Angeles River. Recently, my husband and I opted to sign up for one of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s tours of the area – also known as the Elysian Valley. The tour of the area was done in partnership with Friends of the Los Angeles River. Our tour met at the Lewis MacAdams Park, named after the founder of the Friends of the Los Angeles River. MacAdams, who passed away in 2020, was a huge advocate for restoring the river to a more natural state. The park and surrounding area has been designated a protected butterfly habitat with lots of milkweed planted to encourage butterfly activity. Consequently, beautiful butterflies are everywhere within the park and nearby homes.
After a massive flood in 1938, the Army Corps of Engineers created a 51-mile waterway encased in concrete to prevent future devastating floods. The area we visited is one of the few areas with a dirt basin. A nice walkway with a bike lane, adjacent to the park, has been built. We were warned in advance about speeding cyclists and the warnings were valid. We stayed on the far left side closest to the river and managed to avoid a collision with a few Lance Armstrong wannabes. Future plans include new parks, recreational areas and restored habitat areas for wildlife. Unfortunately, the plans are moving at a snail’s pace due to conflicting goals and concerns from the multiple government agencies involved.
The surrounding area started as a working-class neighborhood of affordable housing near industrial facilities, including the Kruegermann Pickle and Sauerkraut factory and the massive Hostess Bakery facility. The pickle factory site is now a dance studio and the bread factory is now an amazing film industry prop house. As part of our tour, we spent some time exploring the prop house. The place has furniture, lighting and dishes from every decade. Based on the hold tickets I saw, every major studio is renting items from this place.
In addition, a nearby automotive repair shop called Salazar’s is now Salazar’s Mexican BBQ restaurant. Our tour guide mentioned this restaurant and we met a friend there for lunch. The food and atmosphere were amazing. Salazar’s serves a delicious salsa made with tomatoes that they roast on the grill. The tres leche cake was phenomenal, too. Our waiter was an actor originally from Argentina. Apparently, he grew up primarily eating Italian food in Argentina and was relatively new to Mexican cuisine. He and the rest of the crew were incredibly welcoming.
The neighborhood dates back to the late 1800 and the streets are extremely narrow. Parking is limited with street parking at a premium. With all the cars parked on both sides of the streets, the remaining street space is too narrow for cars to pass going in opposite directions. We found ourselves frequently waiting for a car going in the opposite direction to pass before we could continue driving.
Additional fun business have opened up in the area including Bauer Pottery. I have been buying dishes made by Bauer online and was really excited to have the opportunity to see the company’s showroom.
LA River and Bridge LA River LA River LA River Gallery Adjacent to the LA RiverLA River LA RiverLA River Walkway Interior of Bauer Pottery Showroom Salazar’s – Former Automotive Repair Shop and Now Mexican BBQ Restaurant LA River Walkway Former Wonder Bread Bakery – Now a Movie Prop Business Interior of Gil & Roy PropsBoarding House Built in 1917Historic Home Near the River ParkLocal Graffiti at the Freeway Underpass
Today, while checking out Frogtown in Los Angeles, we stopped for lunch at Salazar. What a gem this place is.
Originally, this site was home to an automotive repair shop called Salazar. The restaurant opened in 2016. It’s an outdoor Mexican BBQ restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere . Even the salsa is made from scratch – starting with grilled tomatoes. The tacos were outstanding. The al pastor ones come with small pieces of grilled pineapple and a slight taste of heat.
Dessert options are limited but fantastic. The tres leche cake was probably the best version I have ever eaten. It even came with tiny bits of fresh peach. Our friend ordered the flan with blueberries; it looked exquisite.
It was a hot summer afternoon and we had a long drive home. Hence, we skipped ordering cocktails. However, the drink menu was impressive. The place does a great business and the staff is friendly and efficient. Our waiter was an actor from Argentina who shared great stories and made us feel so welcomed. Mexican food is plentiful in California but Salazar’s is special; both the food and atmosphere really stand out.
My only complaint is the parking. Frogtown is an older community with narrow streets and limited parking. We found street parking about half a block away on a busy street near the 5 on-ramp. Exiting was definitely an entertaining experience.
Salazar – An Amazing Restaurant in Frogtown.Homemade Salsa with Roasted Tomatoes Al Pastor & Carne AsadaMachas & Al PastorHuevos RancherosThe Famous Tres Leche CakeFlan With Blueberries The Bar Area
My husband and I are big history buffs as well as lovers of old films. We recently combined both of our passions and checked out the latest exhibit at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. The current exhibit is The Rise of Hollywood’s Leading Ladies. It features great costumes from many of the early female stars including May West, Lucille Ball, Betty Hutton, Dorothy Lamour and Claudette Colbert. Also, the show includes artifacts such as one of Greta Garbo’s designer handbags and Carol Lombard’s black veil – one of the few items that survived the TWA plane crash that killed her in 1942.
The museum is located in the famous Lasky DeMille barn – the former site of the oldest Hollywood movie studio. The building started out as a horse barn on a citrus farm. Early movie-making pioneers moved to Los Angeles to escape oppressive patent controls by Thomas Edison. Plus, the original movie cameras required a lot of bright natural light. California offered better natural lighting and terrific scenery for outdoor filming locations. In 1913, movie director Cecil B DeMille rented out the barn to film The Squaw Man. The Squaw Man was released in 1914 and is one of the very first full-length movies made in Hollywood.
The barn was subsequently moved several times , including to the Paramount lot in 1926. In 1983, the barn was moved to its current location on Highland Boulevard – across the street from the famous Hollywood Bowl. It is a miracle it was not destroyed. Fortunately, the building was declared a historic California State Park landmark in 1956.
I highly recommend a visit to this museum. The docents are incredibly knowledgeable and eager to share the building’s history and other fun facts. However, if you’re feeling more independent, they are equally willing to give you your space. Also, I love the fact that the staff allows visitors to take unlimited photos throughout the museum.
My mother and I have a running joke/argument regarding macaroni and cheese.
She loves Kraft mac & cheese; she admits that her love for it goes back to her childhood. I should add that she was born in the 1930s. Kraft mac & cheese came out in 1937. At 19 cents a box, it was a great success. Between the depression and WW II food rationing, Americans were looking for cheap ways to feed their families.
I prefer homemade macaroni and cheese. Over the years, I have perfected my recipe. My key tip is to undercook the macaroni. Otherwise, after you combine the cooked macaroni with all the other ingredients and bake the dish – you can end up with overcooked mush. Also, I like to use a good quality macaroni. For my latest effort, I paid an extra dollar for Italian macaroni. The result was a delicious dish with great texture.
As far as the cheese mixture, I normally use a combination of a really sharp cheddar, parmesan and either smoked Gouda or smoked mozzarella. Other key ingredients include: Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, sweet hot mustard, nutmeg, dry Sherry, butter, heavy cream and milk.
When I make the roux, I immediately add the Dijon mustard to the butter and flour – before I add the milk and cream. I then add in the cheese, spices and so on. I like texture in my macaroni and cheese. After combining the macaroni and cheese sauce, I fold in additional grated cheddar and cover the top with extra grated parmesan.
My mother considers herself a Kraft purist; she likes her Mac ‘n’ cheese exactly as the box directions state. My husband and I just seem incapable of following the directions. We usually add additional cheese and replace the milk with either cream or half & half. My mother will protest if we make too many additions.
I did notice that the other night, Mom ate her entire serving of my homemade macaroni and cheese. She grudgingly even admitted that the pasta texture was perfect. My husband and I just laughed as soon as she left the table.
I am fortunate enough to live within two hours of Borrego Springs. Usually, my husband and I visit during the wild flower season in early spring. This year, we opted to visit in late June. Given the heat factor, I was not sure of what to expect. Our visit was a pleasant surprise. This is a place where a large community of artists thrives and I can see why. The natural desert scenery is beautiful. The combination of mountains, plants and colors are inspiring for painters and photographers. Right in downtown is both the Borrego Springs Art Center as well as an performing arts center.
In particular, the larger than life collection of outdoor sculptures is breathtaking. Each visit, I seem to come across sculptures I missed on previous visits. There approximately 130 sculptures, created by Ricardo Breceda, scattered throughout the area. On my most recent visit, I discovered the dragon that appears to emerge from the sand and stretches over both sides of a local highway.
Everyone has a favorite restaurant in Borrego Springs and for my family it is Pablito’s for killer cocktails and delicious Mexican food. The restaurant first opened in 1995 and has a very casual atmosphere with a mixture of indoor and outdoor seating. It is located in the same shopping center as the community performing arts center.
The head of the famous dragon sculpture in Borrego Springs CA
My husband and I recently met a friend at a local burger joint that is getting a lot of positive reviews. The place, Tanner’s Prime Burgers in Oceanside California, did not disappoint. All three of us agreed that the burgers and fries were phenomenal. The quality of beef, the ratio of fat to meat, the pickle, cheese and other components all worked so well together. Also, the fries are not only double fried but cooked in beef tallow.
Fat content, while not the healthiest, clearly improves taste. Recently, I watched a Michael Symon interview where he flat out said that a burger requires 80/20 beef to fat ratio. Not to state the obvious but he is on target.
If I had to name the best burger I ever enjoyed, I would cite Maple & Motor in Dallas Texas. This shrine to hamburgers is located in a former gas station and has been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives multiple times. It is so popular that the owners, two neighbors who opened the place in 2009, do not allow customers to save tables until they have placed their order. The menu is limited to burgers and a few other options – keeping it simple and focused.
If I had to pick a chain, I would opt for Burger Lounge. Toppings are great but nothing matters if the hamburger patty is too small or thin. Burger Lounge uses grass-fed beef and it makes a difference.
Finally, if I am grilling at home, I will embed a chunk of blue cheese in the middle of my burger patties prior to cooking. In addition, I am a big fan of caramelized onions on my burgers.
NO time for boredom today 