Dining, Arts & Entertainment

Everybody loves a good wedding… but planning one can be downright painful... and all the people pleasing it often requires, can zap the spirit and joy right out of it.  It’s supposed to be the happiest time of your life, as it should!  Over the years I’ve seen the good, the bad and everything in between. 

I remember when dieting meant dry toast, soft boiled eggs and celery sticks.  For dessert, you were allowed sugar free gelatin.  Thankfully, these days the first rule of thumb for weight loss is – stop dieting!
The best way to trim off those extra pounds is to eat fresh, healthy foods in moderation.  This and a simple regimen of exercise will get you to your goal and help keep you there by changing your lifestyle.

Roman Holiday Wine Lounge is all dressed up and ready to help you celebrate the New Year. With a full bar featuring classic and hand-crafted original cocktails, set in the heart of Valencia, you can sip your wine comfortably, listen to live entertainment or just enjoy the ambiance. 

Pho is a Vietnamese beef noodle soup that is served in a bowl with a specific cut of white rice noodles (called bánh phở’) in clear beef broth, with slim cuts of beef (steak, fatty flank, lean flank, brisket). 

More than six years ago I watched the LA WineFest come to fruition after much anticipation, hard work from many, and yes, even some nerves.  Last year, I found myself in that same position again as I introduced the Santa Clarita WineFest. 

Each issue in SEASONS Magazine the City features “Since You Asked,” which includes the top three to five most frequently asked questions of the last three months as received from residents and business owners, as well as the City’s response.  The following are the top three questions asked this summer.

Denny’s — a household name in America for the last 60 years is very well known as a full service, family style restaurant that offers and serves a wide variety of food products and services.  Denny’s restaurants offer a casual dining atmosphere and moderately priced food designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of customers.

Santa is gearing up for his famous Christmas Eve journey to the homes of children all over the world.  But before that, he is making a few stops along the way, most notably on the Fillmore & Western Railway’s variety of holiday trains.  
There are still seats available for families on the North Pole Express on selected Wednesdays through Sundays with trains departing at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., beginning November 26 and running through December 26. 

Hello Comedy Connoisseurs!
This month we will celebrate our 14-year anniversary of bringing world-class comedy to Valencia.  We will have a full month of great shows perfect for your Holiday parties, and New Year’s Eve celebrations.
We start on December 2 and 3, with Lisa Landry, one of the funniest comics in the country.  She hails from Louisiana, and her Southern charm and candor landed her a hot special on Comedy Central.  Also appearing is Willis Turner, whose impression of Prince is an all time favorite.

I would have to say that my favorite part of the holiday season is the food!  Having been raised in a very traditional, Sicilian family meant that the arrival of Christmas brought with it a marathon of meals that were one better than the other.  So much of my family’s culture and traditions are present in these meals.  The dishes we prepare and the ingredients that we use all stem from my grandparents and great-grandparents, who created meals so special that now we look to re-create them every year. 

Located in Canyon Country, Pho Viet is the new buzz in SCV.  As its name indicates, the restaurant offers authentic Vietnamese cuisine in which “Pho,” the famous Vietnamese noodle is its main feature.  Never before in SCV has a Vietnamese restaurant offered such an impressive menu line-up that surpasses even restaurants in Orange County, where all the very best Vietnamese restaurants are concentrated. 

On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer and Vixon, on Comet, and Cupid, and Donner and let’s get Blitzen... isn’t that how it goes?  The holidays are upon us and even Santa has his designated driver, Rudolph!  Holiday shopping can be a task and even a chore at times.  We must remember that this is the season to bring good cheer to all.  When in doubt spread the cheer with a smile and perhaps a nice cocktail.  Make a point to stop in during any of your mall runs to partake in a special holiday drink special.

Every Wednesday at MIXERS we celebrate the art of fine wine!  Our passion for great wine has led us to a carefully selected library of almost 100 unique bottles.  We would love nothing more than to continue expanding this list, but unfortunately we are running out of space… so, we need your help!  Everyone’s palette is different and just because we love a specific wine doesn’t mean that everyone else will feel the same… I am a big fan of California Pinots; fruit forward, easy to drink. 

One of the best parts of special gatherings and parties is the family, friends and fun. Next to the enjoyment that comes from creating memories with loved ones is the delicious food.
When the party is over, the hosts often times collapse in exhaustion.  They’ve spent days or even weeks preparing for the event and when guests finally arrive to celebrate, they do everything in their power to make sure everyone has a good time.

With the pressures of job and social obligations tugging at us every which way, it’s more and more difficult to find time for exercise.  Maybe that’s why we are struggling with our weight and health more than ever.  It’s no secret that moderate exercise and sensible eating habits are the key to remaining trim and fit.  However, the thought of spending thirty minutes on a treadmill, or jogging around the block five times is out of the question for many of us.  Dancing works like a stress and tension reducer.  For people on a hectic schedule it can become a passion that helps you improve your attitude and increase your confidence in both social and business situations.  That’s what makes dance the ideal exercise!  After all, dancing is a mild aerobic workout, minus the boring part!  When you take dance lessons, you make exercise a fun and enjoyable social event, every night of the week.  Your dance “work out” takes place with pleasant music and everyone’s in a good mood.  It’s fun.

In a plaza on the corner of Bouquet and Seco Canyon Roads in Saugus, is a little restaurant that will broaden your culinary mind.  Once you visit Persia Restaurant at 26877 Bouquet Canyon Road, you’ll never again settle for the mundane.  The moment you walk through the front door, the soft rose color and beautiful artistry make you their own.  And the hospitality extended makes you feel like family.   
Whenever we want to enjoy a leisurely lunch or forget the rest of the world at dinnertime, we dine at Persia.  Whenever we want to feel special or pampered, we dine at Persia.  Persia with its vast and varied menu has become our escape.  We invite you to share in our experience.

‘Tis the season of merrymaking and magical moods.  Climb onboard one of Fillmore & Western Railway’s Holiday train rides.  Bring the family and create
memories.  Many southern California families begin their Christmas seasons with a ride on the Christmas Tree Holiday Train, a tradition they repeat year after year.  The train departs twice daily at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday beginning the weekend following Thanksgiving.  The train takes its passengers to a Christmas Tree Farm where they search for the perfect tree to cut down and adorn their homes. 

Croeso Again (That’s “Welcome” in Welsh).  My name is Denise Carbone, formerly Denise McCarthy from Wales, UK.  My husband Joe and I run The Welsh Baker here in SCV.  We are America’s premiere purveyors of Welsh Cakes, an ancient Celtic treat from Wales that is hand griddled as opposed to baking.
The question I am most often asked is “What makes a Welsh Cake a Welsh Cake?”  My simple answer is: It’s griddled and not baked.  Not many bakery items are griddled, in fact, most people can’t name even a single other similarly ready-to-eat griddled bakery item.