LOCAL EATS L.A. – VOODOO DONUTS!

It’s about time I thank Portland for its sole contribution to my expanding waist line LOL Anyone else? No, just me mkayyy. Well if you’ve ever savored the flavors of Salt & Straw, relished in a creamy cheese by Tillamook , or basked in the light of the combined ice cream + Tillamook’s brand, than you too can send this post to Portland as a thank you.

A lot of Portland’s local sensations have made their way out of the big city into some of our own towns, and have I mentioned Salt & Straw yet?! Okay if that name sounds unfamiliar to you, please locate one asap, go overindulge and thank me later. In the meantime, we have our friends Karissa and Sebastian to thank for hand delivering us to this deliciousness this past weekend!

A recent addition to Los Angeles from the great city of Portland is Voodoo Donuts. I have to say, there’ve been a lot of conflicting verdicts when it comes to if the donuts are delicious or not. Can I just emphasize here . . . they’re DONUTS! I personally don’t have a palette advanced enough to turn down a donut, even if it were on the floor of a subway station. Oh I’d take a second glance! 😉

So we gave it a go after seeing a ton of Instagram photos showing off their picks at their newest location in Universal City Walk.  After a half hour wait we were there, at the front door, aroma and all! Lots of photo ops, they know what they’re doing!

And what was our ruling? Well our group was elbow deep in fried fluffy pastry bread, milk, and there were a lot of happy dances happening lol Again, they’re just donuts, who doesn’t love donuts?! But I get it, if I’m comparing Voodoo donuts to places like Dunkin Donuts, Yum Yum’s, or any other donut place, there really isn’t one.

Sorry if that’s disappointing, but honestly if you placed two donuts in front of me, one from Voodoo and one from Yum Yum’s, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Wrapping this up I’ll say this, Voodoo Donuts may be pricey, they may be all fancy looking with their fancy toppings, but I’ll give ’em this, they’re yummy. They make a signature donut called the Voodoo Doll and it’s damn delicious!

I suggest you make a trip over there and try a box of donuts for yourself, see how you feel about them! And don’t be alarmed but this was the only photo I got of said Voodoo Doll person, it was too delicious to wait haha

Any newness in your hood? I hear we have a new coffee shop opening much like Philz Coffee and I couldn’t be happier about it! I love coffee! I love dessert! I love food! 

 

 

 

 

TRAVEL GUIDE: PALM SPRINGS, CA

Growing up an Army brat I moved every three years, at least. Which makes me really comfortable with being uncomfortable. You know, that feeling you get when you move to another city or explore a town you’ve never been to, I live for that feeling. So I’ve made it my summer to-do in exploring a new destination each month, and today I’ll share with you a piece of paradise I found close to home, Palm Springs.

I stayed at the Avalon Hotel for my friend Miya’s birthday and what I love most about this boutique hotel is the customer service and its attention to every detail. If you’re looking for a quiet getaway complete with on site bicycles, 3 heated pools, health spa, fine dining, and a bungalow lifestyle, than this is the place for you!








With the desert setting and magnificent mountain views, you’ll really enjoy one of their poolside rooms! Ummm and can we talk about the decor?! I mean . . . clean, super bright, with pops of color, it’s got that retro feel with a modern finesse! I’m just completely obsessed with this place! I’ve found that in many cases, such a beautiful hotel will have not-so-comparable dining services, but this is not the case with the Avalon. Five JessQuests stars to their Avalon Burger *ahem grass-fed short rib sirloin*, and my absolute favorite, their fruit cart (pictured above)- complete with chili and lime *drool*!

We were greeted with complimentary champagne and fruit upon our arrival (birthday surprises!), our glasses were never empty during pool side celebrations, and every necessity was met with the friendliest smiles and the warmest of staff members! If you’re ever passing through Los Angeles or make your way to Palm Springs, definitely drop by the Avalon and tell Ezekiel we said hello!

Do you have a favorite local getaway?! Summer is almost over, have you checked any to-do’s off your list?