An Arugula Salad with Steak and Peaches, our staycation in Venice, and the restaurant we can't stop eating at.

Plus, a new summer playlist from OkDre.

A Staycation in Venice

As we mentioned a few weeks ago, we've been having a little staycation in Venice while we sell our house on the Eastside of LA. Luckily our dear friends, Melissa and Eddie, have been letting us stay in their beautiful beach bungalow. It's the perfect staycation spot right off Abbot Kinney, close to incredible food, the beach, the Venice canals, and cute neighborhood parks for the kids to play at (the boys have been loving Oakwood Park and Penmar Park). It's been a while since Andre and I spent much time in Venice, so it's been fun trying out new restaurants and returning to old favorites that are still going strong. The kids love being by the beach, and there's something magical about walking on over, getting your feet in the sand, and splashing in the waves for an hour or two before starting the day. We’ve been loving the ocean breeze and cooler temperatures here, and my allergies are almost non-existent right now, which feels SO good! Amidst all the stress of our big move to Italy, this has felt like a summer vacation, and it's been therapeutic for all of us as we move through the big moods and emotions we are processing right now.

To make the most of our stay, we reached out to some of our local friends who have lived here for 15+ years for the latest and greatest on this side of town. Here's a round-up of their Venice/Santa Monica recs:

COFFEE/MATCHA

• Blue Bottle

• Cha Cha Matcha

• Dudley Market - They have coffee in the mornings despite showing it as not open.

• Intelligentsia

• Menotti's

SWEETS

• Blue Star Donuts

• Brian’s Shave Ice and Boba

• Salt & Straw Ice Cream

RESTAURANTS

• Augie’s on Main

• Birdie G's

• Coucou

• Dudley Market

• Felix

• Gjelina

• Gjusta

• Gran Blanco

• Great White

• Hatchet Hall

• Heavy Handed

• Hiho

• Joe’s Pizza

• Le Great Outdoor

• Lunetta

• Ospi

• Rustic Canyon

• Scopa

• Sunny Blue

• Superba

• The Butcher's Daughter

• The Win-Dow

• Night + Market Sahm

• Wurstekuche

LOCAL MARKET

• Santa Monica Farmers Market - Wednesday, Saturdays, Sunday

• Gjusta Grocer

WINE SHOPS

• Venice Beach Wines

• Gjusta Grocer

• Vin on Rose

• Lincoln Fine Wines

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Gjelina…You Really Are So Good

Something that always factors into the restaurants Andre and I love going to over and over again is how we feel after the meal, especially the next day. A meal might be tasty in the moment, but too often, you are left feeling heavy after a night out where butter, cream, and salt are the go-to ingredients restaurants often use to make dishes taste flavorful.