Author: Shaena Engle

Shaena Engle is a food and travel writer based in Los Angeles. She is a freelance writer for a variety of publications, including the Los Angeles Times, Pasadena magazine, M Lifestyle and PokerPro magazine. Additionally, she is a contributing writer for the websites AOL.com, Sherman'sTravel.com, www.lowfares.com and www.hotelhostes.com, providing reviews of hotels, restaurants, spas and city guides. She has authored three books, The Best Places to Kiss in Southern California (a romantic travel guide), Silver Linings: Triumphs of The Chronically Ill and Physically Challenged, and The Cheap Bastard's Guide to Las Vegas. She is also creator of www.thedivinedish.com, a food and travel website. Her iphone application, The Best Places to Kiss in LA, features romantic places and restaurants in LA. She is currently researching and writing The Best Places to Kiss in Las Vegas, Food Lovers Guide to Las Vegas and The Best Places to Kiss in Palm Springs iphone applications. Shaena is also an amateur magician and often writes on gambling, poker and magical happenings.

Downtown Los Angeles, a once-deserted city center, has come to life again — after years of neglect — as a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood full of new arts, entertainment and food venues. Locals and tourists are flocking to the City of Angels center to enjoy Lakers games, concerts, plays, museums, bars and restaurants.

Here are some places to check out on your next visit downtown:

STAY

Ritz Carlton, 900 West Olympic Boulevard

Rising above the modern L.A. …

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Bed, treats, water dish and leash: Pooch needs a suitcase too. More and more people are packing up their dogs and taking them on vacations.

Pet lovers want to travel with their dogs for both practical and sentimental reasons. Many dog-loving travelers head to California resorts for a trip to share with their four-footed furry friends. The mix of tourist-oriented hospitality, year-round warm weather and miles of beaches in California creates an exceptionally dog-friendly state. …

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Some come to Las Vegas to get rich quick and others come to get hitched quick. It happens once every five minutes. Celebrities, including Frank Sinatra, Joan Collins, Paul Newman, Elvis, Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, Angelina Jolie and Britney Spears all took vows in Sin City. Getting married is as simple as playing the slot machines. There are no blood tests or waiting periods, making Las Vegas ideal for couples who want to elope. In …

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Tired of big chain hotels but want to get away?   Try a bed and breakfast.   From big houses with turrets to mansions by the water to cabins in the forest, America’s bed and breakfasts offer quaint escapes to renovated historic properties, guesthouses and inns with an ambiance of a home away from home.  Here’s a roundup of the nations best B&B’s.

Simpson House Inn, Santa Barbara

Set on a quiet acre in the heart of …

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Summer is the perfect time to enjoy fun in the sun at one of California’s many beaches. The sunshine state’s coastline offers a diverse array of experiences – from the north’s mountains thrusting straight up from the sea to the pristine beaches of San Diego. Here is a roundup of the top 5 spots  to soak up the California scenery.

 

 

 

Santa Monica
Casa Del Mar
1910 Ocean Way
310/581-5533

Santa Monica is …

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The latest Las Vegas indulgence is the ultra pool.   Today, Sin City swimming options are as much a fixture in resorts as poker tables and slot machines.   Sunbathers can find everything from massive sandy beaches to partying dayclubs to relaxing poolside massages.   Here is a round up of the latest cool pools:

MGM Wet Republic

3799 South Las Vegas Boulevard

This adults only 53,000 square foot venue combines an exclusive nightlife vibe with poolside pampering, …

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Its moist spongy cake and sweet dense frosting are enough to conjure up mouth watering childhood memories, but today the cupcake’s popularity extends to grown up events such as weddings and baby showers.

These miniature cakes were first baked in the 19th century and still contain the same basic ingredients, flour, sugar, butter and eggs.   The modern craze started with a cameo appearance of a cupcake from New York’s famous Magnolia bakery in an …

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Most tourists believe that a trip to Hollywood guarantees a glimpse at some of Tinseltown’s biggest celebrities.  The truth is that unless you know where to look, the only stars you will be gazing at will be the celestial ones in the night sky.

B-list and below stars often want to be photographed for publicity purposes and they show up at restaurants and clubs where they know the paparazzi will find them.   A-list stars, such …

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