WB24: Sushi with a View at the Ritz Carlton Downtown LA

After a great concert put on by the Salvation army called Rock the Red Kettle at LA Live I headed over to the Ritz Carlton Hotel in downtown LA for some dinner. If you want to know more about the free holiday concert read my review here. I decided to try the WB 24 Asian restaurant by Wolf Gang Puck. The Asian fusion restaurant is located on the 24th floor of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. With a great view of LA and a modern design aesthetic the restaurant was the perfect place to relax and look out on the city lights. I even got the chance to use my Hyperlapse app for the first time since I downloaded it 3 months ago. I took a great video of the freeway lights amidst the downtown highrises. The appetizer menu looked so enticing, I decided to order the tempura green beans.

 This delicious appetizer turned out to be more filling than I though and by the time my Chinese chicken salad came I could only eat a few bites, but they were delicious. 

The fresh ingredients and yummy Chinese dressing paired with crunchy wontons on top make this salad a great choice. 

Then my California rolls came. These were not the traditional California roll but instead they had king crab inside along with the signature avocado. These were undeniably some of the best California rolls I've tasted. I was so full after the meal, I wished I hadn't ordered desert. But I did not regret the delicious green tea banana split I tasted. 

With an almond blondie and banana fried in green tea flavored batter and topped with orange flavored flower petals, this delicate desert is the perfect way to end your meal at WB24. It is certainly a unique dessert with distinctly strong flavors. 

The rest of the hotel was decorated with lighted Christmas decorations including the restaurant. The Christmas trees lights reflected off the window as I looked over the busy freeway and lights of downtown. It was quite a view. The Ritz sparkled with Christmas lights all over as I headed downstairs. 

I definitely recommend the restaurant if you are looking for some delicious sushi in some of best ambiance in downtown LA.

Holiday Shopping: Colorado Street Pasadena

If you are looking for a place to get all your last minute shopping done in one stop, Colorado Street in Pasadena is perfect. There is a store for everyone here whether you are shopping for cute clothes for kids at Madewell or some holiday glitter at Tiffany's for that special  someone. Not to mention the quaint main street feel that gives off a Christmas spirit.  You can get all the holiday cheer you are looking for in a festive ambiance with the street performers singing Christmas carols and the lights on the trees and holiday window displays. Wandering the street and enjoying the view is especially nice in the warm Pasadena weather. And of course you can't have a successful shopping trip without some great food. There are so many delicious options to choose from. The Cheesecake Factory and Bucca di Beppos are both always a delicious choice.  If you have a little more time for a 5 course dinner, The Melting Pot is a fun place for fondue. If you are looking for a more local flavor there are many cute Italian cafes to choose from. For great Argentinian cuisine, 1810 serves up tasty entrees and delicious chocolate souffle.  Some even have live music. If Sushi is what you're in the mood for the best local place is Gayu Kaku just a block away on Greene Street. I personally decided to try the 800 Degrees Pizzeria where they make a homemade pizza right in front of you as you pick from the array of fresh ingredients. I also ordered a delicious side Italian salad. For dessert I headed over to one of the cute french cafes called Aux Delices and got a tasty creme brulee. After my hunger was satisfied I could really get down to business. Shopping! I headed over to Lucky brand where I was greeted by a friendly and attentive staff. Soon I was having my own movie montage trying on every pair of jeans in the store. I was putting on a mini fashion show for the store as I picked out my jeans and outfits.Together the helpful staff and I picked out two great pairs of jeans and they found me matching shirts and sweaters. They even convinced me to try a new color palette for the winter. Check my Instagram account @cerisesdumatin for pictures! I walked away with two great outfits and everything was on sale! It was definitely a successful shopping trip. Having store personnel excited about the merchandise always makes shopping more fun! This holiday season I definitely recommend Colorado Street as the ultimate shopping destination. If you are still stressed about gifts for the family you can find everything you need as well as great food and holiday cheer all in one place! Have you ever been to Old town Pasadena? What is your favorite holiday shopping destination? Have you ever had a movie moment while shopping and found that perfect outfit? Let me know in the comments!