Birthday Girl in Purple ♥

Overall it had a super cool decor, but food and service wise… eh, they need to step it up.

Lets take a closer look…

Decor: Super pretty… they have an all white room with big comfy white couches as seats as well as an all red room. The red room is kind of scary but works. AIIR is above Sidebar Nightclub, so the place has an airy, NYC loft sort of feel since you can’t see the street from inside. The entire place is dimly lit with pretty lighting. Decor and vibe gets an A.

Service: Our waiter was slower than a snail. Honestly every. single. time. we needed something, we had to ask. We had to ask for water, menus, silverware, cocktails, to order, dessert, the check. That’s not ok. Besides, it was not even busy and we had 8 babes at the table, you would think he’d be on it but I guess the included grat had him feelin lazy. Service was a D-, I’ll be nice and spare him the F.

Cocktails: Yum. I had the jalapeno margarita and it was delicious, super spicy because they used jalapeno infused vodka, yum! They also have other fun cocktails, Ash had a watermelon mint one that was pretty tasty as well. A for cocktails however I’m pretty sure I’d give anyone an A here.

Food: Eh, the food wasn’t very good to me which sucks because everyone knows I like to eat. I realllllllly don’t like when places don’t bring you out stuff to snack on before you order because I’m usually starvinggggg and need something to inhale ASAP. Ya, nothin. I ended up ordering the chicken but I really didn’t like it… it was too soft and chewy, not cooked enough or something. I have a feeling that was the point of it though, it’s kind of a weird fancy menu, duck liver etc… I prefer a more edible menu I suppose. Food: B-

Music: They had a DJ playing, but they added a fun twist and had a live violinist that played with him. It definitely got them a few points back because she was really good. It made the ambiance much more one of a kind and enjoyable. Music: A

Overall the experience was good, we still had fun, a cool new place to check out for sureee if you’re bored. In the future I probably would not eat here again, perhaps just grab a drink here before going out. They had a small bar area that would be perfect for grabbing a drink before heading out. Final rate would be hmmm a B.

We initially wanted to go try out that new Noble Experiment place Downtown but it was closed so we hit up the always reliable La Puerta. Monday’s are half off ALL drinks and ALL appetizers, all night long which is the greatest ever. For 10 people our bill was only like $140.00 for the entire night, anddddd we had endless drinks and apps. Mmmm their guac and chips is delish, and frozen margaritas even better. I nevvvvvvver take tequila shots because that’s just aggressive but last night I decided to live a little and am glad I did

We ended up meeting up with #95, at first I thought things might be a bit hectic since we had a tiff a while back, but we kissed and made up. Anyway, we all danced the night away, and of course Sheila was our Salsa instructor for the night. She looks like a pigeon about to depart for flight ahashsjhdjshd

We had so much fun that Sheila and I had to get a room at the Hard Rock. We ran back to the room, made it rain quarters, ate chocolate chunk cookies, fought over the one bottle of water and called it a night. Anyway, the moral of this story 1. I love my friends and 2. is La Puerta’s Monday night happy hour is the best invention ever and 3. Sometimes it’s fun to do things you normally wouldn’t do, like drink tequila on a Monday.

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It is the perfect place to have a large dinner or birthday party, pretty big with lots of room, 8,000 square feet to be exact and not to mention a giant bar which makes waiting for a table no big deal. You probably won’t have to wait too long for a seat though, there’s seating for 60 around the large, rectangular bar, 140 in the restaurant and another 60 on the patio outside (plus 40-50 more in the upstairs private dining room).

For dinner I had the most delicious salad ever. I of course was difficult and ordered just lettuce, mozzarella and avocado, plain you say? No way so perfect mmm. Everything was so fresh and there was no shortage of giant chunks of yummy cheese and avocado. I also ordered a side of Asparagus which was grilled and topped with shredded parmesan cheese, again yummm and then ate a million pieces of their cheddar puffs. A flaky roll full of melted cheddar cheese, maybe the yummiest thing ever. Other people ordered the spicy shrimp and baked artichoke, both of which were also so tasty. We were going out after so I didn’t want to over do the meal but I ended up eating too much anyway.

A bit more info:

Menu: New American classic cuisine which is divided into 7 sections: Bites, Smalls, Greens, Ocean, Ranch, Farm. Crab cakes, seafood, meats, salads, veggies, desserts, cocktails…

Ambiance: The decor is open, roomy, casual, modern. Cool lighting, lamps, couches, tables…

Attire: Something Downtownish. Some people were in suits, but others were casual. I would dress as if you were going to a nice dinner. Most casual I would go would be nice jeans.

Crowd: The crowd was a mix between your everyday SD scenesters 21-30 as well as local San Diegans. Couples, singles, dinner parties. The crowd appeared to be an upperclass crowd or at least people pretending to be .

And in case you are wondering who is behind the place, it’s a combination between the owner of Stingaree, and San Diego’s own “top chef” Brian Malarkey. Wondering where the name came from? Well, last Summer, Malarkey and his wife were driving past the Del Mar racetrack and an epiphany occurred.

“I love horse racing and I usually go to opening day every year, and I didn’t get to go,” he recalled. “I was whining about it because I always wear my seersucker suit on opening day. I said, ‘I guess have to keep my seersucker suit in the closet for another year.’ Then she said —- that’s cool —- seersucker.”

Malarkey hit up Google and found that “seersucker” was Hindu for milk and sugar (“so we had the dessert down already”) and that the lightweight, pinstriped fabric of the same name was used in the late 1800′s by the lower classes and then adopted by the rich as a cool, comfortable summer classic. The only adaptation Malarkey made was a new spelling with “Sea” at the beginning to showcase his cooking expertise in seafood.

Overall a cool place that I don’t regret checking out Saying a lot because I am picky.

Searsucker Restaurant & Bar

Hours: 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays

Where: 611 Fifth Ave., San Diego

Cuisine: New American Classic

Executive Chef: Brian Malarkey

Info: 619-233-7327

Web: searsucker.com

They have tons of yummy drink options too. Perfect pool to kick back and relax at for the day.

]]> http://www.helloamanda.com/2010/09/rivera-hotel-in-palm-springs/feed/ 1 http://www.helloamanda.com/2010/08/barfly-la-jolla/ http://www.helloamanda.com/2010/08/barfly-la-jolla/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:10:07 +0000 amandajo http://www.helloamanda.com/?p=5912 Get excited! Finallllly somewhere to hangout in La Jolla again! This Saturday August 14, 2010 a new venue called BarFly will open it’s doors to you all. What’s cool about this place, besides the fact that I will be working here is that it’s a restaurant, lounge and club all in one so you can come here for any reason; date nights, lunches, dinners, cocktails by the fire pits, or for bottle service! It is open to eat until around 9pm and then transforms into a nightclub. For the grand opening we already have tons of confirmed celebs attending, red carpet and all. Definitely excited to have something else to do besides seeing the same old DT and rowdy PB crowds. La Jolla will be happy to have Barfly to liven the city back up!

Barfly is located where the old Hard Rock Cafe was on Prospect and has recently been transformed into a “scene of class, sophistication and sexiness that can only be found in the heart of La Jolla. As the sun goes down BarFly heats up with amazing sound and ambiance, plush seating for bottle service and a massive dance floor. Outside you will find a wonderful patio to enjoy the sea breeze blowing in from the Pacific while you relax next to one of the many beautiful fire pits. BarFly caters to a high-end clientele who will receive what they expect, the BEST. BARFLY LA JOLLA, A LUXURIOUS PLACE AND JUST PLAIN SEXY.”

The venue will be open Thursday, Friday & Saturday and have some of your favorite DJs… Sid Viscous, Samantha Ronson & Colleen Shannon, just to name a few.

To follow the BarFly line up add them on Facebook or Twitter.

Email me for table reservations or guest list! amandajo@helloamanda.com

]]> http://www.helloamanda.com/2010/08/barfly-la-jolla/feed/ 1 http://www.helloamanda.com/2010/07/millers-field-pacific-beach/ http://www.helloamanda.com/2010/07/millers-field-pacific-beach/#comments Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:55:44 +0000 amandajo http://www.helloamanda.com/?p=5830 Sigh… oh beach bars, why do I continue going to you if I never have fun at you? Those of you that know me in person, know that I’m anything but a beach bar girl. I’m an indoorsy/spray tan loving, cyber weirdo who prefers the rain over the sun any day, and definitely rather go out Downtown than to a grimy, sandy beach bar where girls sport flip flops and knotted hair with pride. However… my roommates are the opposite, your modern day beach bunnies if you may, and somehow always end up dragging me out to the PB bars. I’m not saying no normal people go to beach bars, but you and I both know they attract some real weirdos. I’m usually the girl in the corner growling with the glowing DO NOT DIZTURB sign permanently embedded in my forehead, I really don’t know why my friends even want me to go?

You get the point… Anyway, the other night we hit up Miller’s Field in PB and I actually had an ok time! Gasp… I’m not sure if it was the bar or just the fact that I was out with my favorite friends, either way it was fun. We had a great time people watching and laughing at all the boys pick up lines. One by one they’d drop like flies. One of my roomies is recently single and has been having a blast going out, so we send all the wild boys her way. She’s the feistiest as well, so it always makes for a fun show. Anyway, the point of this post was that Miller’s Field is an ok beach bar if you are in town visiting and must go to one.

There is plenty of room to sit and enjoy a cocktail or snack and the crowd isn’t too bad. Although, I didn’t even get carded at the door because an enormous black guy was trying to beat up some PB bro so all the staff was worried about that… Anyway, we shuffled upstairs, grabbed ourselves a table, proceeded to do what any snobby group of girls does and facebooked each other while sipping our $3 dollar you call its….. “Hey can you take our picture?”

Why does the red eye remover always leave me looking like a 16 year old blind Beagle?

The craziest thing to me about beach bars, is that the guys think we have to talk to them. I mean we’re not lingering at the bar like bar flies expecting you to buy our drinks. We got our own drinks and sat at a table to enjoy each other’s company. One guy said we had to expect being hit on going out together, but I find that confusing. I mean yea, were girls, but we don’t go out with the sole intention of talking to guys, especially beer chugging frat bros. Sure sometimes we enjoy meeting new people, but it’s annoying that guys think we have to talk back to them if we’re not interested. Don’t force convos ok! If a girls not interested just take the kick in the balls/ blow to the ego and keep it moving. I’m sure there’s a friendlier bunch near by.

One of Megan’s victims…

So with all that said, the moral of this bratty story is… Miller’s Field is an ok sporty beach bar to go to if you are looking for a nicer sports bar in PB while in town. They have great happy hours from 3-7 each night, and always seem to be playing some sort of sports game every time I’m there. For a list of all their specials click here. Til the next adventure…

]]> http://www.helloamanda.com/2010/07/millers-field-pacific-beach/feed/ 1 http://www.helloamanda.com/2010/05/best-steakhouse-in-las-vegas-botero-encore/ http://www.helloamanda.com/2010/05/best-steakhouse-in-las-vegas-botero-encore/#comments Fri, 07 May 2010 02:51:18 +0000 amandajo http://www.helloamanda.com/?p=5023 Oh my gossssh get excited, I found the yummiest new place to eat if you’re in Las Vegas! Botero is located inside the Encore Hotel, Wynn’s sister hotel, and is hands down one of the top 5 best places I have ever eaten. I don’t know where to evennn begin telling you how much I love it… from the decor to the food, everything was amazing. Just another reason why Wynn & Encore are my favorite hotels!

We initially wanted to try out the SW Steakhouse but due to Cinco De Mayo madness they were booked, good thing because next up was Botero. Botero overlooks the XS Nightclub and pool area at Encore so you can eat either a Summery poolside lunch or an indoor dinner. The interior is circular, similar to the layout of XS. Picture giant pillars covered in white, diamond-quilted leather, and as the restaurant centerpiece? A gigantic glossy, black seated lady sculpture inspired by Colombian Artist Fernando Botero. Overall, Botero has a super modern yet fun ambiance suitable for all ages and personalities Now onto the yummy part, the food… I have never been so indecisive when ordering before, the menu was amazing! Veggies, chicken, fish, mac and cheese, how could I ever choose? I decided not to be totally fat and started off with their parmesan, asparagus, pistachio salad which was great. Oh wait then we ordered the mushroom ravioli so I suppose I wasn’t all that healthy ;/ The ravioli were delicious, small portion but delicious, wasn’t too mushroomy at all. Great appetizer to share.

For the main course we shared the Halibut. I didn’t want to over eat so we ordered a bunch of sides and split the halibut. The halibut comes poached but that sounded weird so we ordered it blackened. The chef had no problem preparing it that way for us which was nice. Accommodating staff? How odd? I definitely recommend the halibut blackened, it was soooo delicious. A bit spicy but cooked to perfection. Best halibut I have had in years, maybe even forever?

For sides we ordered broccoli which had chopped garlic and tomato pieces mixed in, and also the jalapeno carrots. Those were a bit soft, but amazing flavor. I love spicy food! Everything was so so good. Curious about who is behind the food? Botero is run by Chef Mark LoRusso, formerly of Wynn Las Vegas’ Tableau.

Cocktail wise I decided to order a margarita because after all, it was Cinco de Mayo. I didn’t think it would be good considering we were at a fancy steakhouse, but it was delicious! I tweeted to Wynn about loving Botero and they replied back that I had to try the Seated Lady cocktail, one of their signature champagne cocktails. Now I’ll have to go back just to try it out, sounds delish!

Botero definitely is a place to go for any occasion, a date, girls night out, poolside lunch… some of the best food ever, amazing decor, great staff, and delicious cocktails, what more could you need?

To check out Botero’s website please click here.

The bottle is so pretty, really. (Not the one above) I opened it and had the hugest smile. In person it is so shiny, with the prettiest, pearly pink label, sort of Dom Perignon-esq… and around the neck of the bottle is a detachable Hello Kitty charm you can keep and use! Once you pop it open you are greeted by a delicious dark pink Brut Rose that has a hint of berry flavor. YUM. If you know anyone over 21 that is a Hello Kitty fanatic, like I am, you have to get this for them. Every girl I show diessss for it.

I found it for SALE online, visit www.winefromtheboot.com to order any of the 4 wines!

Created by an Italian outfit, four varieties of HK wine are available in the US during next few months and are even for sale now if you click here. The wines & champagnes are super affordable too, ranging anywhere from $19.99 to $29.99, the 4 types are:

• Hello Kitty Sparkling Brut Rosé: “Has a frothy mousse as well as a pretty nose of rose petal and red currant scents,” says HelloKittyWine.com.
• Hello Kitty Sparkling “Sweet Pink”: “Sports a pale pink hue and has very delicate bubbles.”
• Hello Kitty Angel White: “A fresh, very “blanc” white wine.”
• Hello Kitty Devil Red: “A classically rendered Pinot Noir that presents a seductive bouquet of wild flowers and forest aromas.”

YUM yum, I will take 5 bottles of the Sparkling Brut Rose & 5 more of the Sweet Pink!

fan of the place, but they did a few things right, hired hotter staff (Brookie & Saddaf to name a few ) and remodeled the entire inside. Last night I rolled out with Erin who works at Hard Rock here, we always have the BEST time. We really do cause so much trouble together but I like it.

Sidebar is known for being a blast on Wednesday nights, and to be honest, the only place worth getting dolled up for on a random week night here in SD. So if you are in town, looking for the best place to hit up on a Wednesday, check it out you will have a great time guaranteed.

My only complaint was it was FREEZING outside but roasting inside. I loveeee heat but it was a bit too hot so bring something warm for outside but removable inside! It felt like a Summer day in there so my long sleeves were a nightmare. Oh another bonus, how could I possibly forget… CIROS’ is attached to this place. Ciro’s for those of you who don’t know is the yumyumuyummiest pizza in San Diego. I am not sure who Erin’s friend was that took us there but he got us a whole pizza hahaha we were in fat girl heaven.

Oh and the Chargers were there too poppin bottles like there was no tomorrow, in case you needed another reason why Sidebar is so kewl hey at least they were out on a Wednesday and not a Saturday right? Overall a fab night!

Visit their site for more info! www.sidebar.com

Because EVERYTHING is half off, well not everything but ALL drinks and appetizers Best deal ever! I think our tab ended up being $40 bucks for our half of the table (Before we closed it out and started a bar tab of course) So if you ever need a fun after work happy hour La Puerta is the place to go, especially on Monday’s! I’ve written about it before also. Click to read all about La Puerta here!

We got yummy Quesadillas, potato rolled tacos, the best guacamole ever, margaritas and of course all the shots my friends bought me, Thanks to everyone who came, was a fab bday dinner, and thanks to Merritte for saving us a seat!