Monthly Archives: February 2011

Urbane Cafe and The Olive Vineyard!

     Yesterday I had the opportunity to try out a new restaurant in Agoura Hills called Urbane Cafe. By “opportunity” I mean I was in the area and my roommate treated me to a sammich. I’m still waiting for my invitations to delicious restaurants, free of charge *hint hint*. 
ANYWAY, Urbane Cafe prides themselves on using fresh ingredients, freshly baked bread, and homemade sauces and dressings.
The art out front isn’t too shabby either!
The setting and service inside is very Baja Fresh-style. You order at the counter and then pick up the food when your pages goes off. My favorite part about this? NO TIPPING
It’s always nice to save money when you’re a starving writer/actor.
They have a good-sized menu. Plenty of choices, but not too overwhelming.
I asked for the cashier’s recommendation and ordered the So-Cal Sandwich – grilled chicken, avocado, pepper jack cheese, tomatillo salsa, green leaf lettuce and chipotle mayo.
It wound up being solely a chipotle mayo sammich – not that I was complaining! I love me some fatty foods, I just prefer to taste other ingredients at the same time.
I used about five billion napkins while consuming the mayo sammich.
I love exposed brick! If I ever am forced to move into LA, I’ll only concede if my house or apartment has an exposed brick wall.
Next door to the restaurant is The Olive Vineyard – an olive oil and balsamic vinegar TASTING ROOM aka Heaven!
So many wonderful tanks! Almost as good as beer barrels!
My roommate and I tasted tons of different balsamic vinegars – honey and ginger, tahitian vanilla, 18-year aged, dark chocolate, jalapeno and our personal favorite which we bought: cinnamon and pear!
Their olive oils are all organic (they’re still waiting for their certification on a few), and include flavors like Tuscan herb, wild mushroom and sage, Persian lime and butter – no flavors added (so they say – it’s hard to believe that olive oil can naturally taste and smell EXACTLY like butter)!

It was a good day.

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Filed under Agoura Hills, Baja Fresh, beer, chipotle-mayo sammich, everyday, exposed brick, Redemption, sammich, starving actor, tasting room, The Olive Vineyard, Urbane Cafe

Cake and Ponies!

     I survived. 
I’m shocked. I was fairly certain that I would either be shot, strangled or die of some infectious disease that I inhaled whilst in the “hotel”, but I’m alive as of now.
     Now don’t get me wrong, the hotel was absolutely awful, but the weekend wasn’t all bad! Here are some things that helped me erase the horrifying images of the “Royal Plaza Inn“.
P.S. Don’t stay there. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
Cake. Need I say more? 
No, no I do not.
Ponies! Even when they’re trying to consume my camera, they make me happy!
Photography skillz. It ain’t much, but it ain’t nothing.
It ain’t no thang.
Don’t ask.
Polo matches! I watched one during a break from the art show. I had no idea what was going on, but it was exciting – especially when the horse pounded their way across the field. 
HORSEQUAKE!!!
Thai tea, thai food – it’s all good!
Other things that helped to take my mind off of this (our amazing view from the “hotel”)
and this (our wonderful “security system” on the sliding glass door that wouldn’t close all the way)…
S’more cupcake. Yep, all the horror is vanquished with one bite of this.
I’m pretty easy to please.

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Filed under cake, Empire Polo Club, horsequake, horses, Indio, polo match, ponies, Royal Plaza Inn, shot, strangled, survival, thai food