 On May 4th and 5th, Orange County celebrated its inaugural OC Tastefest, a two-day culinary festival at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa. General admission prices were $12 advance online purchase or $20 at the door, and additional taste coupons were sold in sheets of 10 for $5. Festival goers were able…  The background voices heard from our table evoked a warm feeling of nostalgia for me. The chattering sounds from a group of Italian diners conversing in their native language – at times gentle, other times loud, but always full of laughter and enjoyment of life – had me yearning for a country that forever has… 2 comments 
Seriously looks like the best meal ever! 
Wow. I want to come to Costa Mesa now! Any pasta with cream sauce is a plus in my book. Great write up and photos, Michelle!  It’s like being invited to an exclusive club, where all the cool kids are the top chefs of the world. The club is Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza, a restaurant owned by celebrated master chef, Charlie Palmer. Fortunately, there is no air of exclusivity or secrecy here as the restaurant regularly has an… 5 comments 
Your photos are amazing, and all the food looks so incredibly delicious. Braised garlic kale? Even the description makes my mouth water. 
Beautiful photos! I’m certainly hungry now
Fun! Great job with the food photos. I’m jealous of your food photography skills. Would you care to share that short rib recipe? 
Gorgeous photos, my road trip in California just may need one more stop. 
Fantastic photos – it all looks completely delicious! .jpg) September 18, 2010. Montezuma, Costa Rica. Every Saturday morning, the locals gather around to the center of Montezuma, a small coastal town in Costa Rica, for the weekly farmer’s market. It’s always nice to see the locals in their environment, happy doing what they do. A few of us wanted to cook dinner for the… 1 comment 
I have heard from so many people that Costa Ricans are just smiley, friendly people. Great photo.  When modern sleek meets rustic elegance, that’s where the crowd gathers to mingle and have a drink or two. At 4:30 pm on a Wednesday, the bar at Charlie Palmer is already packed with people unwinding for the day. Upon entering the restaurant, I almost rudely ignore the hostess when she greets me as I… 2 comments 
What a cool-looking place. Never been there but the food and drinks look outstanding. Also have heard lots about their sliders… 
Hi Susan. Yes, it truly is a cool place. We didn’t get to try their sliders this time but have heard they are quite amazing. Write back and let me know how it goes if you get a chance to try them out. And here’s the follow-up post on the cooking class if you’re interested in reading it. http://www.mytravelinglens.com/2012/03/13/slow-cooking-food-class-at-charlie-palmer-costa-mesa/ .jpg) June 24, 2011. San Diego County, California. While traveling through Europe, I would often see postcards of beautiful flower fields. You know, ones that make you want to hopscotch and do a dance of happy twirls because they look so mesmerizing. Some of the ones that left me lingering for wanderlust were images of expansive… no comments .jpg) August 11, 2008. Kauai, Hawaii. I mentally prepared myself for the inevitable as I took the first step onto the boat. I get severe motion sickness, and a boat ride on choppy waters is never a good idea. I speak from experience. Imagine keeling over with a bucket in your face. Or in my cousin… 1 comment 
What a boat ride. That just looks absolutely beautiful. I love how the multi-coloured light illuminates those shining greens below. .jpg) September 6, 2011. Amsterdam, the Netherlands In the few days leading up to my departure to Amsterdam, I checked the weather forecast. Icons of gray clouds and droplets of water covered the screen of my computer. Sure enough, rain was in the forecast for the majority of my 6-day visit there. I checked and rechecked… no comments .jpg) September 15, 2011. Ouarzazate, Morocco. The arrival to this hotel was a much anticipated relief after many hours on the road in the hot desert. Many of us quickly checked-in and changed into our bathing suits to relax by the pool. I had to take a picture of this poolside lounge because I always enjoy… no comments .jpg) September 26, 2010. Austin, Texas. There’s something majestic about a lone tall building standing in the vastness of an empty sky. It’s almost like this skyscraper owns the space and nobody dares to intrude. I was lucky to have shot this during dusk because I think the subtle pink in the barely visible clouds adds… no comments |
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Great pics, Michelle – as always!
Looks like it was so much fun! Awesome pics!!!
Oh man, food samples? I’m so in! =P Your photos really highlight the food well, but the top right is my favorite.