My mother and I exploring Big Sur.

Recently I took a short road trip with my mom. She is originally from Brooklyn, but like me she grew up with an appreciation for nature, despite being a city girl. At one point during our long drive I turned and asked her what her favorite 3 places are in California. She has lived in California for close to 40 years and between us we have seen a great deal of it. So I had to smile to myself when she listed the exact three places I had in mind as my favorites; Yosemite, Sequoia National Forest, and the trip we were on, the Pacific Coast Highway.

Yosemite was one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been. I hiked, rode a cruiser bike around and just wandered aimlessly through the streams and fields. There were of course other tourists there, but perhaps it was the stunning beauty of it that made me barely notice any crowds. I was so lost in this place in the best sense of the word. I remember vividly following a stream and coming into a clearing that looked like a Thomas Kincade photo. Sharp colored green grass, slow moving water passing over the stones and then a mountain face that just demanded your undivided attention. I must have lay there in the grass for hours just staring at the blue sky up above and looking left and right in disbelief of my surroundings. I didn’t know California could be so beautiful.

My friend Sarah figuring out our next move.

Sequoia’s are the world’s largest single living trees.

The Sequoia National Forest is a sight to behold as well. Without getting too religious, it is one of those places that has the beauty and size to make you feel so small and question all of creation. If you’ve ever heard the song How I Know God is Real by India Arie, this is exactly how I felt walking amongst these giant trees. Just looking at the size of the roots left me in awe. I hiked through some pristine trails and was transported to the frontier. All around me were these majestic trees and the occasional log cabin, deer or bear. Yes, bear! I saw the signs warning visitors not to feed the bears and mocked it. So imagine my surprise when I saw a couple on my hike. I couldn’t believe it and just had to keep calm and keep moving. This place was unreal.

I mocked the sign but soon found it was a very active bear area.

Me vs. The Roots of the Tree

See the bear?

Centrally Grown. One of the delicious and adorable restaurants we stopped at along the way. It had an outside garden and bar.

The trip I’ve done the most is Pacific Coast Highway, or State Route 1. It runs from the very bottom of California to the top, Dana Point to the San Francisco area. Being from L.A. I experienced a small portion of the highway all of the time as a kid. We would ride up to Zuma Beach and spend summer days swimming in the ocean. But I have still yet to drive the entire highway from start to finish. Driving all of it is something very different, and requires time to see it properly. It has some of the most scenic ocean views ever and is dotted with interesting stopping points along the way. Without question, Big Sur is the most beautiful stretch of the road for me. I didn’t know the California coastline could be such a tropical blue. The road winds and with each turn you’re met with a view more perfect than the last. The landscape changes and goes from dry brown to lush green. It is truly something that just has to been seen to appreciate. This is a trip I could see myself doing a few times, as you can stop and discover new things each time, such as the elephant seals or the Hearst Castle. There are also so many cute communities to stop and check out, not to mention food to eat and wine to drink.

Now this is just my humble opinion and California is quite a large state with a bit of something for everyone. So what’s your top 3?

The post My California Top 3 appeared first on Maya the Explorer - Expat Blog | Travel & Lifestyle.

My brother and I enjoying the food.

My main goal this year was to get closer to family. I flew my brothers out to visit me in March and was able to share my world with them. But it was a two way street and I quickly learned more about them. My youngest brother is a talented drummer, waiting for his time to shine. My older brother is a chef, and even though he’s very skilled at preparing meat and I’m a vegetarian, I saw how passionate and knowledgeable he is about food. The end result…my boyfriend and I are now part owners of a food truck with my brother. So this Christmas break was partially spent helping my brother on the truck and checking out some of the other trucks. Los Angeles is well known for its food trucks, and long gone are the days of the roach coach. Some of these new trucks are so state of the art and come with sophisticated menus and social media followings that I felt compelled to experience the scene.

Taste Therapy is the name of our Truck. For a couple of days per week it can be found catering to the lunch crowd at Universal’s South Weddington Park. In my down time on the truck I tried out the veggie burger and the soy chorizo fries. Delicious. I’m not usually into condiments on my burger, but the chipotle aioli made this burger! It was so flavorful. The fries were even better. They were cooked to perfection and topped with soy chorizo, queso fresco and jalapenos. They had just the right amount of kick to them. I didn’t try the meat items obviously, but our best seller, the Korean BBQ Sandwich, was in high demand that day. I love kim chi and am hoping for a vegetarian version of this sandwich in the near future.

These fries were amazing!

Siracha Brussel Sprouts

Falasophy 

I found this gem at L.A.C.M.A. on Wilshire Blvd. The street was lined with catering trucks, but the concept of simple falafel with flair had me. I tried the Bahn Mi Falafel, which had cilantro garlic hummus, pickled carrots, daikon, fresh cilantro, tahini and lots of fresh jalapenos. In the end I thought the falafel was pretty good and the kick from the jalapenos was for sure the highlight. It gave it a twist that I had never experienced before, making it worthwhile. I also tried citrus blossom lemonade, which was delicious and refreshing, and I tried the fried brussel sprouts. They had a sweet and spicy siracha sauce, which didn’t do it for me, but again, I don’t really like many sauces. Be forewarned, they are extremely greasy.

Green Truck

I also tried a bit of the Kale Yeah Bowl from the Green Truck. It had quinoa, kale, mushrooms, beets, carrots, and tomatoes. I was expecting it to be cooked, but everything was pretty raw and definitely fresh. Although the food left something to be desired and was rather bland, the concept of organic, locally grown food was appealing. I’d really like to try some of their other menu items such as the Mother Trucker Vegan Burger.

Kale Yeah!

Even my niece enjoyed the eats.

L.A.C.M.A, Universal City, and Abbot Kinney’s First Fridays are great locations if you are visiting Los Angeles and would like to go food trucking. There are some pretty famous trucks I’m still eager to try such as the Kogi Truck and what sounds like heaven to me, the Grilled Cheese Truck. Any favorites out there? Please comment below.

L.A.C.M.A. at lunch time.

Bahn Mi Falafel from Falasophy

Korean BBQ Sandwich from Taste Therapy

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