Saturn Returns, Snacks & Sunshine
Live from LA: Expo West, Outdoor Snacks, and the Best Produce
Hello from Los Angeles!
I’m still coming down from my first Expo West—it was such a thrill to be in the same space as so many brilliant CPG people. We got to try so many samples, see our incredible clients shine, and connect IRL, which was the best part. I’m super grateful for the experience and will share a dedicated recap on Thursday. Subscribe to read the whole thing and thank you for all the tips before Expo (I’ll share my tips if you’re going for the first time).
Now, let’s dive in.
Something to cook:
Before I left, I made a clean out the fridge mushroom and goat cheese pasta loosely based on this recipe. It was so good and reminded me to buy mushrooms and goat cheese more often, though I hate goat cheese packaging (room for innovation there).
Since last Monday, I haven’t cooked much of anything—Julia made house rice bowls to accompany the fantasy suites episode of the Bachelor the night before I left. Teal and I are cooking pasta puttanesca tonight, which will be so nice.
Kaitlin cooked brunch when we came over to see her lovely new house (it’s midcentury and so cute). She made a frittata with lots of veggies, herbs, and cheddar cheese and fruit salad and Hayley brought pastries for something sweet. Frittatas are perfect for brunch entertaining–she had it all ready to go and popped it in the oven while we set up the rest of the food.
Something to order:
I don’t know if it’s the warmer weather but I have been craving Ghia’s lime and salt spritz (client). I’ve had three in the past week and it’s so refreshing (and beautiful).
Our first stop in LA was Erewhon in Silver Lake for an outdoor lunch. It was Angela’s first time in LA and it’s a law that your first meal in the city has to be outside. We got market plates (the crispy tofu is so good), soaked up the sun, and wandered the aisles spotting clients and new brands.
Then we had an epic night of snacking at the
x GoPuff x Isetta pre expo party. It was a great opportunity to sample brands that weren’t all going to Expo and see some LA peeps (the snack community is the best community). The highlight for me was the Challah Dad table with an epic long challah and all the spreads, from butter to tahini to hummus to dressing. Also electrolytes to hydrate after a plane ride. So delicious.
Delaney, an Expo expert, organized the best Expo girls dinner at Folks Pizzeria in Costa Mesa. It’s in Camp, an outdoor shopping center, and the food was so good, especially the little gem caesar salad and of course, the pizzas. order some housemade ranch for dipping the crusts. There’s a gelato place next door if you want something sweet to end the night.
The Isetta crew wrapped up Expo as a team at the Camino Partners happy hour at Puesto. I had a perfect spicy margarita, potato taquitos and lots of guac. An ideal meal after several days of snacking.
On Friday, I headed to my grandma’s house and we headed to Mercado Gonzalez for lunch and some browsing. It’s a new-ish Mexican market that has everything—stands making tortas, tacos, salsa, mole, guac, and fresh tortillas, paletas, a full butcher and seafood counter, a flower section and lots of produce. We got tacos and tortas and some snacks for later (fresh chips, salsa, tortillas and queso oaxaca). They’re also really generous with samples (Costco vibes, we love it)—we got to try warm flour tortillas and all the salsas on chips.
We had dinner with Kaitlin, Hayley, and Don at Playa Mesa (great mushroom tacos and guac and generous free chips) and then got Salt & Straw, a West Coast favorite.
On Saturday night, Brooke, Teal and I had dinner at Felix in Venice. The housemade pasta did not disappoint (the pasta section is divided into regions of Italy and the cacio e pepe was perfect) and the unexpected favorite was a chicory salad with breadcrumbs, pecorino, and the best dressing. The restaurant is bigger than you think and the outdoor area had a great vibe and better noise levels for conversations
On Sunday, I got to spend some quality time with two and a half year old Willa who can now have full blown conversations, which is a blast. We got lunch at Matthew’s Garden Cafe, which is very kid friendly and indoor/outdoor, and then walked around the Palisades.
Clare and I caught up in Little Ethiopia over dinner at Messob, which has been a staple since 1985. I have very fond memories of eating Ethiopian food in West Philly in college so it was fun to reunite over that (we also giggled at it being St. Patrick’s Day, which we certainly observed in college).
Something to read:
A bedroom nook for an introvert
Should we be worried that brand deals are the only way to make money in food media? by
‘s internet via ! Honored it includes This Needs Hot SauceI’m turning 31 this summer and loved
’s reflections on her birthdayThe Idea of You is getting great reviews, hurray!
What’s a Saturn return — and why are our favorite pop stars singing about it? My Saturn return ended almost exactly a year ago and it was a time! Grateful for it and glad it’s over.
Modern Cookware Brands Are Getting Culturally Specific, finally
What’s the Price of a Childhood Turned Into Content? It’s too high and something that really need oversight. I’m sure we’ll see a lot of movement in this area in the years ahead.
Thanks for reading! I’m excited for my next few days in LA and will have an epic Expo recap in your inboxes this Thursday!
xo, Abigail