My Night At Mastro's Ocean Club

 Despite all my cancer stuff, it definitely hasn't stopped me from living my life to the fullest. This past week was full of events, but despite the July 4th holiday, nothing is more special than a best friend's birthday. And for this day, Vivian and I decided to have dinner for Jade's birthday at Mastro's in Newport Beach.

Waterfall

Mastro's Ocean Club

8112 E Coast Hwy
Newport Beach, CA 92657

(949) 376-6990

Shrimp cocktail

 Our night began in the O Bar as we waited to be seated. Live entertainment plus drinks is a recipe for a sublime night. Mastro's was so kind to provide a shrimp cocktail appetizer on the house! Soon enough, we were seated. 

Vivian and Jade

Me and my snazzy hat

It was a nice cool summer night and being seated in the patio area made the night better. Live music could be heard from the distance but it was great because it was not too loud like the sitting in the O Bar area. Everyone was dressed very trendy, chic and lovely. The nice coastal Newport Beach breeze, the beautiful light and lovely company just seals the deal!

Lobster mashed potatoes

Bone-In ribeye 22oz

Grilled halibut

Filet

Once we were seated, it was time for business. Vivian ordered the filet, Jade had the halibut and I ordered the rib eye. We also ordered a side of lobster mashed potatoes. Filet cuts are something I'm not normally fond of but man did they know how to cook the filet. It was so tender and juicy and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The halibut was delicious as well as it was grilled to perfection. My rib eye was savory, juicy and oh so delicious. The rib eye was marbled very well and cooked to a perfect medium rare. So succulent and tasty, its a dish that took my breath away.

the birthday girl

Delicious butter cake

We had to end the night with the most delicious dessert ever. The warm butter cake is moist and heavenly with a crème brûlée coating topped with the scoop of vanilla ice cream. Mastro's also sent a complimentary chocolate cake for the birthday girl. The chocolate cake is so moist and delicious that its something that shouldn't be passed up if its your birthday!

The damage is done

The night could not have been more perfect! Everything was spectacular and wonderful. The amazing wait staff, delicious food, and amazing friends is a great way to end your night at Mastro's.

Hungry, Hungry, Michel.

Appetite can be funny when you're extremely hungry. When you're hungry and have a menu in front of you, your senses and taste buds go into overdrive. You feel compelled to order every appetizer that's deep fried or smothered in some sauce, have a steak or two as your entree, order a molten hot lava chocolate cake for dessert and of course wash it down with a Diet Coke to make yourself feel better. All in all, I'm glad to know my food binging habit remain intact. It's as if my hunger never left me, unlike my hair.

bld

bld

7450 Beverly Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90036
www.bldrestaurant.com 

So where is my first food blog taking us today? A hidden West Los Angeles gem called "bld". From my understanding, bld is a acronym for breakfast, lunch, dinner. The location is prime LA status. Located on Beverly Blvd and a block away from the Grove, it truly is a divine place to dine. But what brings me back to bld is their consistency to dish out delicious food. Always scrumptious and never disappointing with whatever I choose to order. With all this in mind, I decided to call up my friend Christina who lives in Burbank up for breakfast at bld.

Sophisticated and chic

 The ambiance and decor at bld exude trendy, young, hipster atmosphere. It's definitely cute and polished but not to the point of annoyance. bld's crowd factor seems to match the hip decor as people use their Macbook Airs and iPads like a hip coffee shop.

French press coffee

Get $4 and start your morning off right with a cup of coffee. The coffee served at bld is in a French press manner. A plunger is pushed down onto the coffee beans to the bottom of the canister. This traps the coffee beans to the bottom of the French press and thus captures more of the flavor and essential oils. Coffee beans remain in direct contact with brewing water and releases that aromatic coffee flavor we all love! Starbucks is child's play compared to bld's coffee.

Brûléed grapefruit

 A sugary coated warm layer awaits our palates as we dive in. The sweetness of the sugar and the tart grapefruit bold so well together that you'd forget a grapefruit can be bitter. It's definitely a tease to the taste buds but its $5 price tag is too tasty to pass up!

Classic eggs Benedict

$14 will get poached eggs piled on top of a slices of ham and topped on a English muffins served with olive oil roasted fingerling potatoes. Savory and delectable, the eggs Benedict is a perfect entree for those that want a lighter lunch.

Blueberry ricotta pancakes

$13 will get you 2 above average size blueberry pancakes mixed with riotta cheese that helps maintain its body and hold moisture. The fluffiness of the batter, moist texture from the cheese and tart bite of the blueberry is sure to bring a smile to your face. Add some butter on top of these babies with maple syrup and you're having the ultimate food-gasm.

For a total of about $50 for breakfast, it's a sure bet that my appetite is not going anywhere. Despite the fact that I have cancer, undergoing chemo and may have other issues, food will never be neglected. That is the way of the ultimate foodie.

Sincerely,

Hungry, hungry, Michel.

Give Me One Reason

Finished my 2nd cycle of chemotherapy and let me just say WHEW! It seriously feels like a huge weight off my shoulder! But when I sit in the chair receiving chemo for 4-6 hours a day, I always enjoy reading the support from everyone and anyone. Could you give me one reason to stay strong? Yes, but you all have given me more than one! Out of the HUNDREDS of messages, I've compiled the most supportive and amazing tweets from Twitter and Facebook posts!

@doctoranthony

@BrittanyBinger

@MissDec05

@ErikDanielsXXX

@justex07

@richmackey

@thejustins86

@NappinNicholas

@zackscirone

@suzmarques

@Jonseneca

@lNickBlack

@trenthesler

@aeroburn

@ChadLovesMariah

@CujoeKing

@CUTIEnOC

@ArabStackinOguz

@taylorraaron

lKingRonnie

@wilbertosworld



So, you see? You guys give me more than one reason to stay strong. With all the optimism and tremendous feedback, I can't say I don't have good friends.

Do You Know What It Takes?

Here we go. Another cycle of chemotherapy. Week two, the first day and I'm already feeling the pinch. This session made me think long and hard. Do you know what it takes for anyone, but more specifically me, to beat cancer? Determination, positive energy from myself/others, and the realization that I'm not fighting just for me. I'm fighting for my friends and most importantly my family.

Got to look fly during my chemo session.

These chemo sessions can be grueling especially when you're alone. I feel its best to always have someone with you. It helps keep your mind off chemo, pass the time and connects you with those who are with you even more. It may seem all hokey pokey to think chemo will connect you closer, but it does.

Jade playing with the iPad.

Entertaining ourselves with the
iPhone's Siri capability.

With moments like this, its best to always have people to keep you company. Even if the company is virtual such as playing online games like Word With Friends or Draw Something. (Shout out to @erikdanielsxxx and @brittanybinger for being those folks keeping me company in the virtual world!) Sitting there for chemotherapy alone for 4-5 hours is not recommended by me! - Don't forget to leave a comment! xxxo

Field Tripping

I recently took a trip south the border of the OC and into San Diego. For what other reason than to visit the San Diego Zoo!

Feeling so tropical.

Having cancer has made me realize that I can still go out and have fun! Given the fact that I only started one cycle, I'm still more energetic than what I presume will be in following months. So, the San Diego Zoo was the perfect idea in my mind. Exotic animals, plant life, a best friend, and warm weather...could it get any better?

The polar bear looks cool as a cucumber.

Driving to the zoo was incredibly easy. Traffic was light and that was probably due to the fact that it was a Wednesday morning.

Pandas are just so cute!

Being at the zoo makes me feel like a kid. Viewing all these animals, reptiles and birds gets me so giddy. Its hard not to jump up and down for certain animals.

Beautiful elephants.

 The zoo was not crowded even with the fact that there was a field trip going on with elementary kids. There was a tour bus taking those around the zoo. I opted out because why go to a zoo if all you're going to do is have someone drive you around? I really wanted to get up close and view these animals! All in all, a great time was had.

Sexy tiger.

Even with all this walking, I did not feel tired. Chemo is said to drain a person's energy. I'm sure I'll feel more tired in a couple of months into chemo which is why I'm thinking of field tripping more often! Just another 21 more weeks till I finish treatment!!! - Don't forget to comment below! :)