Stan's Donuts #NationalDonutDay

It's Thursday, and Breea has decided to abandon her afternoon mission, leaving the door wide open for Melissa to swoop in and remind her that National Donut Day is around the corner. Since we could never deny a food mission and Melissa has requested to get her hands on some donuts, we ended up driving to the other side of the hill to visit one of the best Donut shops around: Stan's Donuts located in Westwood, Ca. Let me remind you, it’s game 1 of the NBA Finals and Breea is on a tight schedule trying to get back home in time for the game. Within a 2-hour window and a 40 min drive both ways; we jump on the 405 south for Westwood. Luckily we found a spot quickly, hopped out, fed the meter, and power walked to Stan’s. After checking out the selections and a quick impromptu photo shoot, we finally got our hands on some donuts. Melissa chose her favorite Peanut Butter and Banana Donut, and a Blueberry Crisp, while Breea chose to keep it simple with a Glazed Twist and a Classic Maple Bar for Moms. 

With about 20 minutes left on the meter, we got a chance to sit down in the shop and enjoy our donuts in celebration of National Donut Day. We hope you all have an amazing Friday filled with scrumptious Donuts as we did and enjoy your plans for the weekend! Happy National Donut Day!

Grand Central Marketplace: Eggslut, foodcomas, and goods to go.

Sunglasses and Advil, and the Grand Central Market was mad real. We’ve all had those nights where we’ve let loose, and maybe a little too loose. You wake up the next morning craving something that clogs your arteries in the best way possible. We’re thinking comfort food, yes please.

After Melissa’s grad party, Mel woke up with the craving for eggs, cheese, and bread. If you know Mel, you know she loves a good mission. That morning Melissa decided she was going to check off the DTLA Eggslut from her ever-growing “Places To Eat” list.

Hopped out the Mini, walked our asses over to Grand Central Market tucked away in between the busy blocks of Downtown Los Angeles. At first glance we were overwhelmed by the plethora of eateries ranging from rustic Latin American cuisines to well-known Jewish delis and everything in between. The original reason for our mission was Eggslut, which Melissa has been drooling over for over a year and a half. They literally had a line that wrapped around the market walkways for what seemed to be miles. Before committing to the line, we decided to explore what the market had to offer since it was out first visit. Beyond every corner and turn was another stand that caught our attention. Each one of these vendors having a special uniqueness like a historical presence or an interesting new-age twist on street food.

Circling back to Eggslut, we couldn’t help but to peek at what others had ordered. The most popular items were the “Eggslut,” a coddled, poached egg, and a room temp cup of freshly squeezed orange juice. Mel decided on the “Fairfax” sandwich with soft scrambled eggs and chives, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and siracha mayo in a warm brioche bun. Melissa practically made out with her sandwich, lipstick smothered on her face and all. Her favorite part about the sandwich was the brioche bun covered in cheddar cheese and the sprinkle of heat that came from the sriracha mayo, and to top it all off she got to wash it down with refreshing orange juice.  With it being about an hour past noon, Breea had her eyes set on the classic, “Cheeseburger.” It had ground american wagyu beef, caramelized onions, bread and butter pickles, cheddar cheese, and dijonnaise, topped with scrambled egg, in a warm brioche bun with an addition of avocado (yes we know its extra; insert emoji throwing money here). With a serious love of cheeseburgers, there is no doubt that this burger is top five on Breea’s list (mind you, she doesn’t even really like eggs)! The whole sandwich was super soft and rich in flavor. You shouldn’t be surprised when we tell you she grabbed a fork to make sure she didn’t miss a bit. 

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 With very satisfied stomachs in tow we headed towards the other side of the market to snag a couple of pupusas that we watched the couple behind us devour standing in line. Breea has made these a couple times and can’t resist good Salvadorian food. It took us a minute to figure out what kind of fillings we wanted and we began to crave them the more we watched them being effortlessly made and flipped on the flat top as cheese oozed out. When the order was ready and a slight suspicion that our car meter was about to run out, we left the market dragging our feet with a promise to ourselves to return.  It is safe to say, The Grand Central Market has definitely found a home in our stomachs…see you again soon!  

Missions On Mother's Day

Take your Mom on a special #mission for Mother’s Day. It’s only a few days away, and if you’re not as creative as we are on how to treat your mother on her special day… Lucky you, we have listed our Top 6 picks:

Click for the details!

1. Take a trip to the spa for a day of pampering and relaxation.

2. Brunch and bottomless Mimosas in beautiful Malibu.

3. Basque in the serene nature of delicate flowers at the Japanese Garden. 

4. Pick up something sweet at a local farm and put together a nice “farm to table” dinner and dessert. 

5. Show her the city she loves from a different perspective on a helicopter ride over Los Angeles.

6. Pack a cold picnic basket and head to Newport Beach for a scenic Gondola Ride. 

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Artisanal LA: Samples, Samples, Okay i'll pay for that!

On a fine Saturday afternoon we decided to venture off to visit a well-publicized event called Artisanal LA, at The Reef in Los Angeles.

Food, drinks, and the coolest crowd, it's clear 2some loved everything about Artisanal LA! This event was all about tasting, shopping, and sampling items from local vendors from the Greater Los Angeles area. We were more than willing to get nice and cozy with some of the best products on the market today. And we must say; It twas' Artisanal alright!

We walked in and were instantly overwhelmed with the amount of vendors at the show. It was like an indoor farmers market with the trendiest products. From organic honey, to herbal tea elixirs, and hot sauces, we were willingly drowning in samples. Walking around with and grabbing all the information possible, it was disappointing to not be able to cop a freshly screen-printed tote from the show. We have had worst luck when it comes to snagging exclusive totes from events. I mean, first Agenda, and now Artisanal LA, it must be because we attend dope events and miss the opening run of eager attendees.

Our main purpose in attending the event was to showcase the finest local goods, diversify our food scene, and at the same time, contribute and bring awareness to the community of makers, crafters, artisans and chefs.  With that being said, Melissa's favorite spot was the s'mores by stand MallowMallow . She single handedly devoured a s'more with Peanut Butter flavored Marshmallow, delicate milk chocolate, and handmade honey graham crackers. Breea’s favorite unsurprisingly was the Chalk and Paint showcase by Summer Jefferson. Her attention to detail and natural knack for intricate letter work was superb. We were eager to get to see her work on video; it was amazing to say the least. Summer mentioned that she was contemplating on having a lettering workshop, and we didn't hesitate on letting her know we would be the first to attend! 

On our way out, we had to go visit the Boba Bear and get our hands on some milk tea boba in the cutest branded mason jar. Melissa loved it sooo much she couldn't help but want to finish it quickly, so much so that she ended up choking on a boba ball. (A moment we both wish we caught on tape).   

 The day ended with a short walk through of the outdoor exhibitors and food trucks. We left with tummies filled to the brim, minds overflowing with inspiration, and tad bit of rain. See you next time, Artisanal LA! 

Peep the photos and short video below!

MiniFarmBox

Airplant Design

Raffi's Place: Middle Eastern Goodness

For our first Food Mission we headed down to Raffi’s Place. This chill, family oriented restaurant tucked away in the heart of Glendale welcomed our empty stomachs with open arms.

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First Impression: Open feel, with tables just close enough to hear your neighbors conversations. The signs were low-key, the entrance was behind an alley, and half the restaurant felt as if we were dining outdoors.

2:2 Breea: First off, I’d like to say that I am a lover of foods from every region! As long as the food tastes good, and I can see more than one-person indulging in it, I am more than willing to try it. I guess this is a trait my mother heavily instilled in me early. You may not know it, but I spend a lot of the time in the kitchen not only cooking, but experimenting. So like always, I was more than willing to go to the restaurant Melissa has been mentioning on Instagram for months!

After a quick drive by I had noticed that the restaurant was kind of lit for a Tuesday at 9pm. Upon entering I was a little taken back at the amount of attention I was receiving walking into the restaurant. It was the same look I had received plenty of times before walking in to local Pupuserias and hole in the wall Thai restaurants that I absolutely love. Nonetheless, once I was seated I was excited to see what Raffi’s was working with. I can eat anything and Melissa had been to the restaurant before, so I let her order whatever her heart desired! I think we had a great spread for just two people and left my plate spotless. In my opinion, they gave Mel’s mom a real run for her money! Haha! No, but foreal. Raffi’s Place has got a friend in me!

1:2 Melissa: Favorite spot to have an amazingly delicious Middle Eastern meal. Kabob tastes like butter. Salad, perfectly seasoned. The Tadig? Impeccably crunchy and worth every calorie.

Coming from a Middle Eastern background, I know what authentic middle eastern food is, and trust me when I tell you, Raffi’s is legit, and so worth the drive out there. Just thinking about it is making my mouth water. I felt as if Breea was a tad bit intimidated when we first walked in. She might have said that she felt like she was walking into a Middle Eastern cult, haha! I kept telling her its all good and they don't judge because after all we were in Glendale, the heart of where all Armenians are located, and now that Kim Kardashian was with Kanye, I was pretty sure that was the event that bridged the culture gap between Middle Easterns and African Americans publicly.

In all, we were both famished after spending the day shopping at the Americana, and couldn't wait to dig in. So much so that the hunger took over and I forgot to hold off till Breea took some snaps.

Last Impression: YUM, see you soon!

Melissa loves her some Tadig

Tadig: Crispy Rice 

Two Types of Stews and Shirazi Salad

Ghormeh Sabzi: Stew of herbs and kidney beans

Shirazi Salad: Classic Middle Eastern Salad including Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Parsley, Dressed in Lemon Juice and Olive Oil.

Gheimeh Stew

Gheimeh: Yellow Split Peas in a delicious Tomato sauce

The Feast

From left to right: Tadig with two stews Gheimeh & Ghormeh Sabzi, Shirazi Salad, and the Scrumptious Koobideh Kabob.

Koobideh Kabob: Skewered Ground Beef with Persian Spices, Charbroiled to perfection.

2some visits Nike Air Max Box in DTLA Art's District

The Nike Air Max Box. Every Sneakerhead's dream come true. It was SHOEGASMIC to say the least! 

Surrounded by the colorful arts district and amazing shops was a perfectly oversized Air Max Nike Box with digital screens that changed every 10-15 seconds. We were floored by the stunning interactive graphics and couldn't wait to get inside. Upon entering, the staff hyped us up by telling us about the cool manicures being sponsored by NCLA nail wraps and shoe cleaning by Jason Markk. 

When we first walked in, we were mesmerized by the Air Max timeline that was installed in the floor of the entrance. Air Max's from every era and every popular style were displayed with neon lights beaming from the clear bottom floors and tubes installed from the celling. In the midst of the crowd, sales associates helped us get a closer look at the Nike Air Max 1 Ultra Moire “Floral City Pack” that happened to be available for purchase before the release date. There was also displays of 3D printers in every corner, printing mini Air Maxes in live time! When they told us we would be receiving one of our own 3D printed mini Air Max sneakers after the exhibit, we couldn't help but make our way towards the exit and grab our mini boxes of Awesomeness. We also received VIP access codes to download the SNKRS App (not yet released to the public) that is designed to update and notify all the Sneakerheads when the newest Nikes drop and are available to be copped! 

The whole experience was mind blowing. 3D printers, dope graphics, Nike and the amazing Arts District in Downtown LA made this a memorable Mission.

Check out our video recap below, along with all of the snaps we were able to catch of our experience!