California - Petite Haus

Angelina July 6, 2019 California

Visiting Carmel and Monterey

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Last month we went to Monterey Bay, Pebble Beach, Carmel and Point Lobos! 

We started with a loop hike at Point Lobos.  You'll want to get there early, especially on the weekend because parking fills up quickly.  Here is a link of all of the different trails - we just chose the hikes on the perimeter and made a big loop. It was about 6 miles.  Enjoy the pictures!

Harbor Seals with their babies at Point Lobos
The Lone Cypress at Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach
Bird Rock at Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach 17 mile drive
17 mile drive
Delicious latte and avocado toast from Captain + Stoker at Monterey Bay
Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea
My first cannoli!
Delicious cookies at Carmel Bakery
Must try cannoli at Carmel Bakery!
Carmel by the Sea
Hiking at Point Lobos
Spooky trees at Point Lobos
Hiking at Point Lobos
Bird island at Point Lobos

Follow:

Angelina July 10, 2018 California

Visiting Laduree in LA

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Today I’m sharing a trip report about visiting Laduree in LA! I have written many times about my love for macarons in the past, so I was very excited when Laduree opened a store in Los Angeles.

I had been salivating over when I was going to eat my next Laduree macaron and bothered my husband for quite some time (…every month since it opened…) to please go to LA so I could eat a macaron and some other pastries.

laduree macaron tower Finally we were able to clear some time in our schedule for our trip. Laduree opened two locations in Southern California – one at the Grove and one in Beverly Hills. We went to the one at the Grove.

Beautiful macarons galore! Sorry my pictures are not the greatest, I was sneaking pictures as I wasn’t sure if they were allowed!

laduree macarons

This pastry counter did not have as many people at it as the ones in France – good! More time for me to stare the delicious desserts!

laduree macarons

Ok, let’s drag ourselves away from the pastry counter. Time to sit down and eat.

I love all of their logos!

I had wished we dined inside, but the opportunity to dine outside at the end of January when it was 80 degrees was impossible to pass up, so we dined outside. We ordered “normal food” – I ordered a salad which was delicious but frankly it is not as pretty as pastries so no pictures of it! Frankly nothing special.

I ordered my favorite tea – the Mélange Ladurée tea. It is a mix of China black tea, Sri Lankan black tea, and rose petals. It also has essences of orange, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, bergamot, and black currant. If you love Earl Grey, you’ll also love this blend! It is my favorite – you can buy tea to go home with. I tried to stock up but they were sold out. That’s okay… I still have a box from that time I made us to go Ladurée in Zürich, Switzerland (that’s another story, but it involved parts of driving down a train track and a pedestrian zone, on accident of course).

I love their china – yes I was discreetly tacky and turned over the plate to see who made it. It is by Bernardaud (of course) and this pattern is made special for Laduree. My husband ordered a cappuccino.

Yes, they even have the mini Diet Cokes just like Paris – made me giggle so I took a picture.

Now for dessert! Below, we enjoyed a crispy Dacquoise cake with hazelnuts, praline and milk chocolate topped with milk chocolate whipped cream.

Next, the rose raspberry Saint Honore. It is rose filled choux pastry topped with rose chantilly cream. The base has a raspberry compote hidden beneath the pillows of rose cream. It is so beautiful – and the great part was that it felt “light” – meaning I still had room for macarons!

Alright, time for macaron pictures! Having been there before, we knew which ones were our favorites. The white ones are orange blossom and are our favorite! Then there is raspberry and pistachio.

laduree macarons

I do confess I like to collect cute little boxes to use for decorating – tucked here and there. I purchased this solely for the box, does anyone else do that?

Below, an assortment. Let’s see… raspberry, pistachio, rose, lemon, salted caramel and vanilla!

laduree macarons

Here’s my final review: The macarons, pastries and food taste just like they do in Paris. But, the setting is not like Paris – there is nothing like dining on the Champs- Elysees! That said, this is *much* closer and *much* cheaper for me to go to this location than to Paris! Of course I’ll be back.

laduree macarons

Check out my review of the Laduree Tea Room located in Paris at the Champs Elysees!

SaveSave

Follow:

Angelina July 23, 2017 California

A Slice of France in California!

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

In this post: You don’t have to move to France to have a slice of Normandy!

You can move to…. St. Malo in Oceanside, California!

source

It is a private community with all homes created in the French Normandy style!

source

In the 1920s an architect had an idea to create this little community.

source

Below, this house totally looks like it is in France! But it is not, my friends!

source

This little community has been somewhat of a secret – about only 80 homes are in the community and many have stayed within the same family for decades.

It is extremely private and basically it is difficult to get in – unless you know someone living there!

However, sometimes there are some beach house rentals… so if you go, sneak a picture or ten and share with us!

It was hard to find pictures!

source

It is modeled after Saint-Malo in France, a walled port city in Brittany.

source

Below is a picture of Saint Malo in France.

St. Malo in Oceanside, CA. It is nestled between a lagoon and the ocean.

I hope you enjoyed this taste of France… in America!

Follow:

Angelina February 26, 2017 California

Finding French Country Style in the Napa Valley – Napa Valley Trip

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

One of my favorite day trips is to head to the Napa Valley.

Today we are focusing on finding French country style in the Napa Valley.

As you head into Napa, first you can stop off at this beautiful French inspired Chateau!

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

When I first saw this building I squealed in delight! For a moment I thought I was in France! We did a U-turn and found ourselves at Domaine Carneros. Yes, this is technically a Domaine and not a Chateau. I blogged about the difference here. For a refresher, basically a Domaine is a Chateau with a vineyard!

The grounds were beautiful but unfortunately the interior of the Chateau was nothing special!

Although, they did carry chocolates from Angelina’s Paris, if you find yourself in a need for some!

They do have a terrace to sit and enjoy the view, and a little bar (of course) for those who drink wine.

Our next stop is in Yountville, at Bouchon Bakery.

There is *always* a line but it is worth the wait.

Word of advice – never buy a croissant after 11am. Not just here, but *anywhere*.

Hmm…. which sweet do you pick out?

We *always* get a pain d’epi baguette. It is the BEST. I could eat a whole loaf by myself. I strongly recommend you stop here.

There is also Bouchon Bistro – a great place to get lunch and dinner and then the famous three-michelin star French Laundry restaurant. All of these are by Thomas Keller.

Our next French inspired stop is Peju Winery.

Isn’t the building so cute?

I loved their entrance gates!

And their garden statues. This leads to a little Koi pond.

During this time of year the mustard is in full bloom. Even Winter in Napa is beautiful!

The tulip tree was blooming… I just love this tree! Aren’t the blooms beautiful?

After Peju, head to Dean & Deluca, a gourmet food grocery. They carry Mariage Freres Tea, amongst many other specialty items.

Next, we do some shopping in St. Helena.

This horse head has been sitting in this antique shop in St. Helena for a long time, and every time I go I stare it at it… but it is too expensive!

One of my must-stop shops in Olivier Napa Valley. They carry Pillivuyt and many other French products!

Some glasses came home with me…

I smelled a bunch of these soaps. Isn’t the antique butchers block neat?

Yes I brought home some plates too…

Next, let’s head to Napa Valley Vintage Home.

I LOVE this shop. Below is a collection of Astier de Villate.

A collection of Cire Trudon candles. I always smell them all when I am there!

Grab a sandwich either at Model Bakery or my FAVORITE sandwich shop (ever!!!), Giugni’s. If you are eating a Giugni’s, you must bring cash!

There is a little park nearby, you can take your sandwich and have a picnic or take your sandwich to a beautiful winery and have a little picnic there.

Next, head up to Calistoga to Calistoga Country Antiques (1117 Lincoln Ave).

Now, open the windows up and enjoy the scenery on your trip home.

Follow Peonies and Orange Blossoms on social media:

Follow me behind-the-scenes on my favorite social media, Instagram!

See my latest pins on my most popular social media account, Pinterest.

Follow all of my posts in my favorite blog reader feed Bloglovin.

linking up at: amaze me monday The Scoop! Make it Pretty Monday BNOTP Mon Inspire Me Tuesday Wow us Wednesdays!Share Your Style Thursday Favorite Things, Home Sweet Home Feathered Nest Fridays Foodie Friday & Everything Else Best of the Weekend

http://peoniesandorangeblossoms.blogspot.com

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Follow:

Angelina February 21, 2016 California

Napa Valley Home Styles – Beautiful Homes in Napa!

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

I am sharing with you some pretty homes in the Napa Valley! One of my favorite day trips is to head to Napa, go eat at Giugni’s Deli, shop, and then drive around and look at the wineries and estates.

picture is “from the land” book

The houses and wineries in the Napa Valley are beautiful. I took all of these pictures, unless otherwise noted, from our drive!

It’s nice to look at houses during this time of year as the trees and grapes don’t have their leaves on yet, which it makes it easier to see the houses!

I know the pictures aren’t the best, but that’s how it is!

I noticed a lot of the home styles in Napa right now involved crushed granite driveways with olive trees (and grapes, of course!). I like the rock on the house below…

Lots of stone, lots of metal roofing material!

The natural wood look is very in, as are steel windows… The modern farmhouse style seems to be the most popular with the new houses right now.

Now I LOVE this house going in below… it is taking them forever to build, but I love the modern American farmhouse style it is in. Every time we drive by there is so much equipment blocking the pretty view… and I’m sure a large fence will be up shortly!
Having a mix of different roofing material is also in. The metal roof is popular.

Here it is being built earlier in the year… (updated the post, found this picture)

Don’t you like this driveway… wonder what’s there… I just love driveways like this, keeping peeping toms away (like, um, myself in this case!)

Have you seen this book, “From the Land” ?If not, you have to check it out. It’s a really beautiful book full of homes designed by Backen, Gillam, and Kroeger.

As you drive around Napa, you notice some of their work… What I like about this fence below is that the fence eon the right that looks like wood is actually concrete… faux bois concrete fence!

I remember driving by here *before* the fence was up… it’s such a pretty house, wish I took a picture then! *update* found some pictures I took before the fence went up!

Love the outdoor area! The sitting area that is covered is totally cool.

Now, this house you can easily see from the road… one time we were driving by and saw the exact view like it was just straight out of the book! Unfortunately the picture I took of the house has my finger in the center, but here it is in the book…

The current trendy Napa Valley home style is pretty much summed up in this picture… steel windows, metal roof, natural aged wood look, gravel rock, big open spaces.

I had to share this picture of the inside of the house from the book… the bedspread is the exact same fabric I used on my French chairs! I guess I could just move right on in…

I like the old European feel of the house below…

First, isn’t the mustard beautiful when it’s in bloom? And second, check out this beautiful mansion!

Anyway, back to the day trip of what we like to do in Napa. So we like to eat at Giugni’s Deli in St. Helena. Bring cash as they do not accept credit. Then, after eating at Giugni’s, we like to go shopping. Here is from one of my other favorite shops, Olivier Napa. They have tons of gourmet foods, like caramel, chocolate sauces, olive oils, vinegars…

They are also one of the few retailers of authentic French porcelain company, Pillyvut.

I wrote about my favorite store in Napa Valley here, called Napa Valley Vintage Home, in St. Helena. You all need to check it out!

So, I’m sorry I don’t have the best pictures but just wanted you all to get a taste of what the Napa Valley Home Style is currently. I also like to share my favorite things to do! If you are a non-wine drinker there are still things to do in the Napa Valley!!

Follow:

Angelina February 7, 2016 California

A Review of B. Patisserie in San Francisco

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you’ll know that I *love* croissants. GOOD croissants. Made-in-France croissants. I am a croissant snob. I will say that I’ve never had a perfect croissant outside of Paris… until this past week when I traveled to B. Patisserie in San Francisco.

a perfect croissant with a cappuccino at B. Patisserie

The perfect croissant is a million layers, with the perfect flakiness on the outside that has a nice crunch when you bite into it. Then, the inside is light and airy and soft. The croissants at B. Patisserie were perfect. I had been searching for a perfect croissant since going to Paris frequently is not in the itinerary – but I do think I can manage frequent trips to San Francisco since it’s a 2 hour drive to the city center.

So, I did a little research about this bakery and found out the owner trained under Pierre Herme. Never heard of Pierre Herme? He is the grand master at French pastries. He makes the BEST CROISSANT IN THE WHOLE WORLD!! (yes I’m shouting because it’s SO GOOD!). I wrote about it here. Ok, so now it makes sense that this lady knows what she’s doing! She learned from the best!

viennoisseries

Ok, what else did we try besides the plain butter croissant?

Well, we tried the Almond Orange Croissant. It was even BETTER than the plain croissant. It had almonds on top but then inside was orange zest with an orange syrup. I… forgot to take a picture because it was gobbled right up!

a look inside the pastry case

We also tried the Passion Fruit Almond Bostock. I was a little iffy about trying this. But guess what?? It was good.I didn’t know what a Bostock even was… but I liked it. I looked it up after the fact. A Bostock is when almond frangipane tops a brioche. I would 100% eat it again.

Okay, now let’s talk about what this patisserie is most famous for… it’s Kouign Amman. Say what? “Queen Ah-man “it’s how you say it! It is essentially a croissant dough but there is sugar added to the dough and then it is baked in a circle. The bottom of the Kouign Amman was this little caramelized layer of sugar… followed by flakes of buttery goodness.

The Kouign Amman originated from the Breton region in France and literally is “butter cake”.

Kouign Ammans sit in the bottom of this picture!

So, what’d we think of the Kouign Amman? It was GOOD. We tried plain, chocolate, and an apple cranberry. They were all very good. There are so many different flavors of this pastry, I’m sure you could find one you like!

The final verdict?

Every. single. thing. was good. Not just good… excellent. I was really impressed with B. Patisserie and I know we will be making a point to go there in the future… perhaps next time we will have to try something out of the refrigerator case (sorry key lime tart wasn’t singing to me at 9am!).

Oh, and yes, parking is bad. But it’s SF. It’s always bad. Please continue to circle until you find a spot – it’s worth it.

There are other bakeries in San Francisco I’ve written about…

Tartine Bakery (honestly, B. Patisserie is much better).

Craftsman and Wolves in my other favorite bakery – the owner makes very good pastries that have more unique flavors. Very very good. My second favorite bakery in San Francisco!

SaveSave

Follow:

Angelina July 1, 2015 California

Shopping in Napa… my Favorite Store!!

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Happy July! With the start of Summer, I know many West Coasters will likely head to Napa Valley.

As we all know, Napa Valley is a very popular place to visit… and I wanted to share my favorite store with you all!

I pretty much love everything in this store… close your eyes, point, and I’ll like it!

She has lots of antique grape buckets on the walls; I always eye them when I go but they are expensive!

This wonderful store is called Napa Valley Vintage Home. It is located in St. Helena in the Napa Valley. Everyone needs to go and give her some business so my most favorite store there stays open forever and ever!

Another must-visit when you go to St. Helena… Giugni’s deli, just a few doors down. It is the best Italian deli. Bring cash. Oh, and you *must* get the giugni juice on your sandwich, you must!

Follow:

Angelina April 6, 2015 Beauty and Fashion

What to Pack for Vacation in Your Carry-On

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

I travel frequently and I thought I would share my guide about what to pack in your carry-on luggage bag.

I find that keeping these items in your carry-on makes you flight much more pleasant! This guide works for both domestic and international trips.

Nº 1 // Noise canceling headphones – I *highly* recommend noise canceling headphones, especially for your 12 hour flights. I have them both. I like the earbuds because they are less bulky (and the case is smaller too) and don’t mess up my hair. The over-the-ear noise canceling headphones work better than the earbuds, have nicer sound quality and are nicer for longer flights. Either way, it is up to you and your preference!

Nº 2 // Hair brush – 12 hours is a long time for your hair to look bad, especially in the dry environment . You are guaranteed to get sleepyhead after trying to snooze sitting straight up.

Nº 3 // Camera – you need to put your camera in your carry-on so it does not get lost or stolen in your checked bag. I have a GoPro camera and I cannot sing enough praise about it for a travel camera especially if you like to hike/do adventurous things. It is waterproof, you can take it surfing, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, biking.

Nº 4 // Hand cream – It’s really dry in the airplane. You will be wanting hand cream.

Nº 5 // Lip Balm – Your lips will get dry on the airplane.

Nº 6 // a Pen – You will need to fill out some customs papers at some point. Bring a pen!

Nº 7 // Granola bar – This is nice to have because you never know when you’ll need some sustenance. I am loving the Kind bars right now.

Nº 8 // Water bottle – I usually just buy one in the airport, that way if I’m desperate for space on the way home I can toss it. However, you can also bring your own!

Nº 9 // iPad – The iPad has everything I need… books, movies, music, and a notepad to jot down thoughts. I read my travel books on this on the way to the location I’m headed to.

Nº 10 // Keys – Don’t forget your house and car keys! Get this bluetooth key finder keychain if you tend to lose your keys like me!

Nº 11 // Make up bag – Trust me, you’ll want to do some touching on before landing so keep your make up organized in a chic make up bag.

Nº 12 // Hand sanitizer – Airplanes are full of germs. You’ll feel better after using this, even if you washed your hands in the loo.

Nº 13 // Charging Essentials For your Electronics! – I recommend a portable power battery pack so that way your phone or smart device won’t die on long plane! Also, when you get to your hotel room you will probably only have about two plugs and so many things to charge. We use this USB multi port charger – it has two USB ports that charge faster, and is foldable and compact for travel and has UK and EU adapters as well! It is the best.

Nº 14 // Ear plugs – You will wish you had these when the screaming baby or chatty neighbor sits behind you on your twelve hour flight!

Nº 15 // Mint gum – Gum helps your ears pop in ascent/descent and gives you some fresh breath!

Nº 16 // Munchies – You will need something to munch on, as I’m sure you’ll either get hungry or bored. I like to bring dried fruit or popcorn as they fill the munchie need but don’t fill you with tons of extra calories.

Nº 17 // Blanket scarf – The temperature of the airplane varies too much. A blanket scarf is nice for those temperature fluctuations.

Nº 18 // Evian water spray – This Evian water spray is so nice and refreshing during a long flight!!

Nº 19 // Passport and wallet – If there’s one thing you *must* bring on international travel it is your passport. If you’re traveling overseas, you will want an anti RFID theft one because apparently over there in crowded spaces/subways/buses they will use little scanners and steal your credit card information from your chip credit card.

Nº 20 // Travel size perfume – You’ll want to reapply your perfume just before you get off of your flight.

Nº 21 // Travel bag – You need a bag big enough to fit all of this stuff in that fits under the seat in front of you! My FAVORITE bag is this expandable longchamp bag – I have both sizes this larger one and this smaller one. However I LOVE this non-expandable version too and actually will use it as my purse on travel!

Nº 22 // Eye mask – You will want this for when the person next to you leaves their reading light on the whole flight. I like this silk one or my favorite one here.

Nº 23 // Toothbrush and toothpaste – So, 10 hours into your international flight, it is now suddenly morning time where you land and you realized you haven’t brushed your teeth in approx 24 hours. You’ll be glad you brought this!

Nº 24 // Slipper socks – I always take off my shoes while sitting in my chair on international travel and put slipper socks on over my regular socks. It keeps my toes warm… just make sure you put on your shoes before you start walking around the plane. You could take these foldable ballet flats which are super comfy and then you can wear them on your trip. They are so nice because they fold up perfectly into your carry on!

Nº 25 // Carry-on Suitcase – I personally travel an older version of this Tumi International Bag. My Father used to travel all of the time (seriously, 500k miles!) and the Tumi bag has survived! I seriously cannot sing enough praise about Tumi bags. They are expensive but worth the money. If you are mainly a domestic traveler, then this Tumi Domestic Carry On bag is GREAT as well ( have that one too!). The Rimowa Bags are extremely popular as well, but I don’t use them so I can’t give a review. Don’t know the difference between International and Domestic Bags? The international bags are slightly smaller and fit within the regulations of the European airlines!

Nº 26 // Jet Lag Mask – Since I’ve created this list, a brand new beauty mask came out this year and I cannot sing enough praises about it! It’s called the Jet Lag Mask and it is seriously FANTASTIC. Like if you had to buy one beauty thing to travel with it is this mask! It makes your dehydrated sorry looking airplane skin look amazing! It seriously did wonders to my face. The great part is you don’t have to rinse it off – you just wipe off the excess after 10 minutes.

Nº 27 // A Travel Pillow – On a really long flight it is nice to have an extra pillow besides the one they give you. There is this one that has 3000 reviews on Amazon, this one that is more like a scarf/wrap/pillow. My most recent trip I got these blocks that blow up – they seemed stupid at first but I LOVED them so much I am never going on an international flight again without them.

Shop the post below!

Miss any of my Paris Posts?? Check them out here!

Headed to Paris or London? Check out my What to Pack to Paris and London post here.

What to Pack for your Vacation in Your Carry-On

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

Follow:

Angelina August 8, 2014 California

San Francisco Gingerbread Houses

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

This Spring I was visiting San Francisco and took a few pictures of some of the wonderful houses.

I thought I would share them with you today.

Now this house under construction below was pretty. I initially thought the window trim was bright blue which I thought was a neat idea… but then I realized it was painter’s tape. I still think bright blue would be a great idea!

San Francisco Houses

I enjoy all of the little gingerbread details

This house is just classic San Francisco style.

Wow! Look at this house below! So pretty! Notice the bay on the far left side of the picture…

If you stand at the corner where that white Prius is above and look down, this is what you see: The Golden Gate! Wow!

Another fabulous house!

I really liked the trees in front of the house on the right.

I like the wisteria on the house on the left…

This was the front door to one of the houses. What a rare thing to have a little yard with your front door. Also like the neoclassical details of the porch!

This house reminded me of France…

And to end today’s post, another classic San Francisco style house!

What do you like about the Victorian architecture in San Francisco?

Follow:

Angelina May 28, 2014 California

A French Pastry shop in LA

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Bottega Louie

This is my review of Bottega Louie, a French pastry shop and cafe located in downtown L.A. here in Southern California!

French Patisserie

Now I LOVE French pastries. We drove to Strasbourg, France from Germany (not too far away) just to eat a real French croissant and some real French pastries.

Frequently I am let down by the American attempts at French patisserie making. This has led me to try to make my own.

At Bottega Louie, I was not let down!

This is what greets you at the entrance:

Bottega Louie macarons

bottega louie macarons

Here is a look at some of their pretty cakes…

On one side of the wall, they have all of their gifts wrapped up in beautiful packaging.

It’s like I stepped into a real French patisserie in Paris!

Who wouldn’t love to receive one of these boxes as a gift?!

The architecture is French, naturally. And I love it.

French counter

A look inside their pastry case…

French pastries at Bottega Louie

Look at all of these mouth-watering pastries! How do you choose one? You can’t!

French pastries

This is what I came home with… a box of macarons…

They wrap it up in pretty packaging which I think is a must for a macaron. They technically aren’t cookies, they are little pastries. Little pastries need cute little boxes! One thing I love about the French is how much is put into the presentation of things. Here we just throw things into an ugly plain white bag.

macaron box

Here are the flavors I tried…

macarons

Raspberry macaron – the inside tasted like a raspberry gel. it was quite yummy.
Pistachio macaron – I think mine are better. shhh!
Chocolate orange- good.
Salted caramel – good. But I like my salted caramel ones better.
White chocolate cherry – HEAVENLY. Wow.

I like the Laduree recipe better for macarons as the Laduree recipe has a more almond taste.

Now, I will say I put the leftovers in the refrigerator and I think that Bottega Louie’s macarons tasted better the NEXT day. I think they were probably made fresh and macarons shouldn’t be eaten for at least 24-48 hours after they were made.

Next up… the raspberry blueberry fruit tart. It was GOOD. How could it not be?

fruit tart at bottega louie

Now onto my FAVORITE French dessert OF ALL TIME….

Le Frasier!! If a pastry shop can make an excellent Frasier then they will always win me over. I love Frasier cake so much, it was even my wedding cake (which is pictured on the header of my blog!)

Let’s take a look, do you see the little fleck of gold leaf on the top? A little crumble of pistachio, strawberries, chantilly cream, honey, and a soft light cake.

Le Frasier at Bottega Louie

The verdict: MAGNIFIQUE! The Frasier was so good. I can rave about it for days. It was simply divine. You need to try one. I wish I were eating one now.

A last look in the pastry case…

French pastries

Now, I did not have the opportunity to eat at the cafe. The line was too long. Instead we got some sandwiches to go. I had the caprese sandwich/baguette. It was really good. Their bread was perfectly done. I did not get to try a croissant. I will need to go back and try one. If they can make a good croissant, then I will be super impressed as I have yet to have one that rivals Paris.

My final review:

Macarons not my favorite but they were pretty good. Their other pastries were really really good. Their sandwiches were really really good. I highly recommend going to Bottega Louie when you are missing Paris.

Follow:

Angelina March 26, 2014 California

Tartine Bakery: A Review

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

A San Francisco French Bakery Review

I love French pastries. I love them so much, I used to beg my dad to bring home a smooshed croissant from Paris when he had to go there for business trips! There is nothing like a real French croissant.

So, I decided that I needed to go to to Tartine Bakery located in the Mission District in San Francisco.

Why?

Zagat gives it a 27/30 and says “it’s the best croissant ever”. The NY times declares it “the best croissant on the West Coast”. Well, San Francisco is much closer to me than Paris!

Those are some big expectations to live up to.

1. First up, the frangipane croissant (basically, an almond croissant).
Was it good? Yes, really good. It was oversized (I suppose that’s fitting for a croissant in America!). The filling was good. BUT it was overdone! Yep, too brown. They shouldn’t have served them as they were overdone, but they sold them anyway because they can.

2. A gougere
This gougere was oversized, as big as a softball. It was okay. Gougeres taste best hot out of the oven. They should’ve rewarmed it before they sold it. It is rare to have a bakery sell them though. I’m biased, I like mine better! I would pass on this if you were to go there (unless they were straight from the oven!)

3. Pain au chocolat
Nothing special about this, other than the fact that it was huge. It was also over baked. You can see the super dark brown on this. Overdone!

So far, we are 0/3. I’m not impressed like I feel like I should be. Why is everyone so ga-ga about this place?
I didn’t try a plain croissant. Why? Because they were even more brown than my pain au chocolat! I knew they wouldn’t be what I was looking for.

4. A Buttermilk Currant Scone
Ok. Now this is worth raving about! It was really really good. It had the consistency of a true English scones. I loved it! It would go really good with some afternoon tea. You need to try this! I see why people talk about their scones!

currant scone!

5. Lemon poppyseed bread
I forgot to take a picture. We literally had one bite and threw it away. It was so sickeningly sweet and fatty I literally couldn’t eat it. It was bad, just….bad.

There were some other goodies that caught my eye but since it was 10am, I couldn’t order everything!

Lemon meringue cake…

lemon meringue

Chcolate hazelnut tart and frangipane tart

Lemon tarts….

these look really good

Ok, one more picture!

Verdict: It was good, but not a 27/30 on the zagat and definitely not the best croissant ever. Their ovens seemed to be running hot that day, so all of the delicate puff pastry dough was overbaked and therefore not as good. They should’ve just thrown those batches out and served ones cooked at proper temp. The scone was really good though.

I heard they apparently have excellent bread that sells out before it’s even made, so I may be back for that.

But for now, I will stick to eating croissants only while in France.

Follow:

Angelina February 7, 2014 California

San Francisco French Pastry Shop: Craftsman and Wolves

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

About 1-2 weeks ago my husband and I were watching a show on tv called “Unique Sweets” . They had a whole episode dedicated to chocolate shops in San Francisco.

As we sat there drooling, we decided we could go check it out! Here’s the report:

The shop is called “Craftsman and Wolves”.

picture from official website

They have a whole bunch of goodies in the cabinet. The far right contains the baked pastries. The left is the refrigerated cakes.

We chose several items.

#1. The Chocolate, Caramel, and Vietnamese Cinnamon Cube Cake.

This was what was featured on the show. And rightly so! It is divine! The outside is actually spray-painted with chocolate, that’s why it looks so perfect!

A look at the inside of this cube cake… it is a nice fluffy chocolate on the outside. The middle has a layer with cinnamon. And the bottom is this yummy crunchy caramel crust. My only complaint is that the crust isn’t big enough! It needed to go all the way to the outside.

#2. Next up, the Caramelized Hazelnut Financier. It was GOOD. I mean, you could eat like 5 of these.

If you don’t know, a “Financier” is a type of “Petit Gâteau”. It is a type of little French cake and it is made with almond flour. It isn’t quite as sweet as the traditional American cake. It is most similar to the pound cake.

Here’s how you say “financier”: fy-nan-see-eh
Here’s how you say “petit gâteau”: puh-teet gah-toe

Hazelnut Financier

#3. Hot salted sipping caramel with buttery croissant bites.

Wow. This was seriously delicious. It’s like a hot chocolate, but hot… caramel. I’ve never had one before. It was just… good. It was a small espresso shot size, not too overpowering with sweetness.

Okay. Well there ya go. Now I just need to figure out how to make my own hot sipping caramel.

Or… I could just go visit the bakery again.

My one and only complaint: parking is nearly impossible to find. If you can walk, bike, or take a bus to the Mission District in SF, it’s probably a lot easier!

Now visit Craftsman and Wolves Instagram and look at some of their pretty pictures!

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’,Wow us Wednesdays!at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here, Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage,Seasonal Sundays & Oh the places I have been at The Tablescaper, and life of the party at the grant life, and the style sisters, and Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Follow:

Angelina December 24, 2013 California

Christmas at Disneyland!

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

…And you’re surfing the internet.

For the final post of the 25 days of Christmas I am taking you on a tour of Christmas at Disneyland!

Many people celebrate Christmas Day at Disneyland. Now you can enjoy some of the decorations from the comfort of your own home.

Christmas at Disneyland…

Front entrance all decked out…

The Christmas tree inside the park. Did you know that the ornaments on the bottom are actually much larger than the ornaments at the top. This trick makes the tree appear taller than it really is!

I always enjoy the florals here… always festive.

Each shop on Main Street, USA had its own special themed garland.

Also, almost every land had its own special land specific Christmas decorations. This is in New Orleans Square.

From Halloween to Christmas the Haunted Mansion has a special “Nightmare before Christmas” theme!

In Critter Country, the wreaths had bee hives and ornaments that were made to appear as if they were dipped in honey. After all, Winnie the Pooh put these up!

Brer Rabbits tree is falling out of the building

In the back area of the park they have a whole Christmas themed area that is not only quiet, but pretty too.

They have a cabin decorated inside and out.

They also have a petting zoo with goats (on the other side). I was surprised to see the baby cow again! She has grown a lot.

Here is the baby cow from last year… she has grown! Last year she just sat like this, but this year she kept her butt to us and mooed the whole time. Very cute!

Frontierland…

Over by “It’s a Small World”, every light pole had a country themed wreath.

In Toon Town, the Christmas tree and decorations appear… well, cartoonish.

Now off to California Adventure park!

The trolley had garland on it.

The big tree in California Adventure

I like this tree better

In Hollywoodland, the decorations are 1930s/1940s inspired

In Carsland, the decorations are cars-inspired.

This one is inspired by the hippy VW van…

peace

Tires and filters make up the garland

Mater’s tree…

the GI Joe tree, red, white and blue….

If you look closely at the “snowflakes” above… they are actually made from wrenches!

A construction cone tree…

Get your kicks…

on Route 66

This is the car’s body shop decorations…

Hubcap tree

Okay… off to A Bug’s Land. The lights, candy cane, and Santa pencil are really BIG because when you enter a Bug’s Land you become the size of an ant.

Paradise Pier has a Latin Christmas themed area…

Paradise Pier’s tree. Can you spot the hidden Mickeys?

And then giant presents were scattered along the walkway. I think they are used for the nighttime show.

I would also like to point out the beautiful pink roses that are STILL BLOOMING in Winter! Ahhh yes, the beauty of Southern California.

This cracked me up. These ducks were just sitting there on the concrete. As if that is the most comfortable place to sit! ha!

Ok, run back to the other park!

You have to watch the Christmas parade.

One of the many floats…

If you missed the parade, it airs on Christmas Day on national tv. Did you know that they actually film that parade in mid-November.

It cracks me up… the day they filmed it this year it was almost 90 degrees! If you watch the parade like I did last year… people were wearing scarves. I am pretty sure those were handed out as props and that people were probably sweating since it’s usually warm mid-November. I guess we will see!

I hope you enjoyed this little trip to Disneyland.

I also hope that you have enjoyed my 25 days of Christmas. I had a fun time blogging about Christmas. It was a bit exhausting; having a new post every day is very time consuming.

Merry Christmas and see you in the New Year!

(all pictures in this post aside from the Christmas banner were taken by me and are property of mine. Do not use without permission).

Follow:

Angelina December 21, 2013 California

Festival of Lights – Riverside Mission Inn

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn

Every year the Mission inn, a historical hotel in Riverside, CA, puts on a Festival of lights.

They have 4 million lights and hundreds of moving figures on their building. They also have a festival with roasted chestnuts, hot chocolate, etc.

Of course Christmas music is playing!

you can ride around in a Cinderella carriage!

these figures moved

yes they had reindeer

I really liked this tree

For more information, click here. The festival runs until January 4.

You can stay the night in the hotel or you can also make reservations and sit under the lighted alcoves and enjoy the ambiance!

If you live in the Southern California area, I highly recommend coming here with the family. It’s a lot of fun!

Hope you enjoyed!

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog,Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, Seasonal Sundays & Oh the places I have been at The Tablescaper, and a stroll through life inspire me tuesday’s.

Follow:

Angelina October 25, 2013 California

Halloween at Disneyland!

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Halloween at Disneyland!

Every year Disneyland is decorated for HalloweenTime! It starts September 13-October 31. I love going to the parks during this time of year and it is very festive!

Disney pumpkins greet you at the entrance

I like Minnie’s bow of leaves

Donald

the large town square pumpkin that lights up at night

even the plants are ready for Autumn!

They have pumpkins all over Main Street that light up at night!

Every year the Haunted Mansion gets a special Halloween-Christmas overlay themed to the movie, the Nightmare before Christmas. Each year they feature a special gingerbread house in the ghost dining room.

The Haunted Mansion

Out in the back of the park, behind Big Thunder Mountain, is the round-up. It is very nicely themed and a nice quite area of the park.

vintage postcard

How cute is this buggy?

They even have a special petting zoo.

a vintage Clapsaddle postcard sized to a poster

This greets you on your way in/out of Mickey’s Parking Lot

I like how the pumpkins above the Mad Hatter shop are wearing hats!

In front of the Mexican restaurant, it is decorated for Dia de los Muertos

More day of the dead theme

Pocahontas, the donkey!

The cute area behind Big Thunder Mountain

Even themed inside the cabin!

Another cute buggy set up

Aside from the decorations, Space Mountain receives its Ghost Galaxy overlay (they just change the music and the lighting). You can purchase special tickets for their Halloween party and go trick-or-treating in costume in the parks here. If I had a kid I think I would go trick-or-treating here as it provides a safe-environment with poison free candy (unless of course the Evil Witch from Snow White gives you something!) j/k about the poison free candy part, pretty sure that’s an old wives tale.

They also have special limited-time food offerings that involve pumpkin.

I highly recommend going if you are in the area!

Follow:

Follow:

Follow:

Follow:

Follow:

Follow:

Follow:

Follow:

Follow:

Bottega Louie

Follow:

Follow:

Follow:

Christmas at Disneyland…

Follow:

Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn

Follow:

Halloween at Disneyland!

Follow:

From the Shop

Instagram

Pinterest