Southern California Spotlight - Restaurants

We hope you've enjoyed the Southern California spotlight posts we've put together so far and you're as excited to come to So Cal as you are to come to Blog Sugar.  To wrap up this series we thought we'd share some of our favorite local restaurants and places to eat that are close to both the Ayres Hotel if you're staying there, and the actual Blog Sugar event site.  We love to eat and enjoy a burger from In N Out just as much as we enjoy a fancy rooftop dinner at Michael's down in Naples, so you should find the list both abundant and versatile...Enjoy!

Local Specialty Dining (all within 20 minutes of the Ayres/Blog Sugar venue):
Mahe's in Seal Beach - great sushi, seafood and fun local beach atmosphere
Park Ave in Stanton - Orange County's restaurant of the year, cool vintage vibe with excellent steaks & chops (a personal favorite of Andrea & Rachel)
Spaghettini - great Italian food in a rich yet cozy environment; bands play most weekend nights
Michaels on Naples - specializing in Italian cuisine, Michaels offers an extensive wine list in a relaxed setting.
McKenna's On the Bay - a Long Beach landmark, McKenna's offers great seafood including a full oyster and sushi bar, and nightly entertainment right on the bay.
The Crema Cafe - to die for crepes, quiches & fresh baked goods, this is a great casual spot that serves up amazing eats

Casual Dining (these are all located on Seal Beach Blvd very close to the Ayres):
California Pizza Kitchen - specialty pizzas, salads & pastas
Island's - fish tacos, burgers & yummy french fries make this a great family friendly spot
Macaroni Grill - casual Italian dining
Hof's Hut - extensive menu featuring just about anything you can think of in a casual atmosphere

"Fast Food"
Chipotle - amazing burritos, "bowls" and chips using natural and fresh ingredients.  The updated version of great Mexican food.
Pei Wei - similar to Pick Up Stix, just way better, the quicker & cheaper version of PF Changs
In N Out - if you've never had one, you've gotta try an In N Out burger while you're here!

Southern California Spotlight - Thrifting & Local Shopping

There's so much to do and see in Southern California it can be a little overwhelming at times, even for us locals.  When your time here is short you want to make the most of it and so we're going to try and nail down the best of the best in some upcoming Southern California spotlights.  The last So Cal spotlight we wrote was on Southern California beaches, but if beaches aren't your thing, then perhaps a little shopping is right up your alley?

We're going to take a guess and say that many of you attending love to go thrifting.  You drool at anything antique and vintage and if it costs less than $10 your day is pretty much made.  Are we right?  Well if we are, then we highly visiting Old Town Orange (or sometimes called the Orange Circle).  There are streets lined with beautiful antique shops and quaint little thrifting holes in the wall.  There are shops to fit just about any taste and budget and most shops do ship.  This link here is an excellent resource for a list of shops in Old Town Orange.  The great thing about Old Town Orange is that it is contained in just a few small blocks so you can spend just a couple of hours walking the streets and anywhere you turn you'll find a new antique/thrift shop to wander in.  There are plenty of restaurants to grab a bite to eat at and lots of other 'regular' shops to visit in case "thrifting" isn't your thing.  Old Town Orange is just a short 15 minute drive from the Blog Sugar event site. 

While we could rattle of lists and lists of great little thrift stores in the area, we really think Old Town Orange is your best bang for your time; meaning you can hit up the most stores in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of driving.

In case you forgot to pack a pair of shoes for the big night, the world famous South Coast Plaza is located right down the 405 freeway, about 15 minutes from the Blog Sugar event site.  While South Coast has plenty of designer boutiques that can be a bit intimidating, it does have the usual every day shops you know and love like Banana Republic, J. Crew & Gap as well as all the major department stores including Macy's, Nordstrom & Bloomingdale's.  It's a huge mall that you could literally get lost in so be warned :)

 If you do want to do a little shopping but in the great outdoors, we suggest Fashion Island for a more traditional mall type of feel.  Beautiful shops, great restaurants and gorgeous scenery make this outdoor mall a favorite of ours, plus they have an Anthro!  Fashion Island is about 20-25 minutes from the Blog Sugar venue.  But if you want something quaint and with a local feel, Main Street in Seal Beach is just perfect for souvenir shopping and is within 10 minutes of the Blog Sugar venue.

Whether you're visiting beaches, visiting friends and family or shopping, we hope you're looking forward to Blog Sugar as much as we are.

If there's something specific you'd like to do while visiting and we're not covering it, please let us know!  We're happy to answer any questions or help in any way we can :)  Happy Tuesday!