Passing it Over on Passover

Paying homage to the great Franz George Kolshitsky, a native of Poland and former interpreter in the Turkish army, Blue Bottle Coffee was named after the hero of 1683. Kolshitsky along with a little help from Poland) saved Austria from Turkish capture. Well what do you know? Those fleeing Turks left behind bags of beans thought to be camel feed. However, Franz was one smart cookie, having done a stint in the Arabic world. He knew these were coffee beans so he opened the first coffee cafe and called it The Blue Bottle. Three hundred and ninteen years later, the first Blue Bottle opened in Oakland, California! Now it's come to us right here on Abbot Kinney! So last Saturday after my morning walk down Abbot Kinney, I stopped in at Blue Bottle for a cup of coffee. It's not just one-two-three and you get your coffee. This excellent coffee takes time. The line's out the door too, but it's really worth the wait. Take a look at the Kees van der Westen Spirit espresso machine and the custom drip coffee bar while your waiting or sample some of the yummy baked goods. Some of the drinks I've tried here are the New Orleans Coffee ($4) a cold brew with cane sugar and milk. It's  bold in flavor with just the right amount of sweetness. Macchiato is smooth and flavorful, Double Shot Espressos have a nice clean finish, and ($3) Pour Over is deep and delicious. Snickerdoodle Cookies ($1) are soft and doughy and not too sweet. Chocolate cookies are my favorite, but eat them at your own risk! Baristas are super friendly too. Blue Bottle 1103 Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice  Hours: Daily 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

If you like food halls Stir Market is right up your alley. Hipsters love to meet, greet, and dine in this European casual setting right on Beverly Boulevard. If you're a fan of Jeannine's in Agoura, you'll love Stir Market. With a variety of culinary choices hungry westsiders can stop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or even a drink at the charming wine bar. Walk in and a gourmet marketplace awaits you. With a selection of jams, olive oils, and its own name brand labels, there no shortage of pantry good here. The rotisserie features brined-overnight air-chilled meats roasted to perfection in French open ovens. The Provencal chicken ($14.95) preserved with lemon, garlic, and fines herbes, is juicy and flavorful. Porchetta ($15.95) with crispy skin, fennel, rosemary, garlic, lavendar, and lemon zest, is second best. Served in a sandwich, it's mighty tasty. Intelligentsia Coffee ($3.25) is best had at the Espresso & Beverage Bar. An organic Chocolate Mocha will run you $4.25. For tea lovers, Kilogram organic iced tea (black or green) is $3.25. Try the housemade lemonade too. ($3.50). Though you can buy wine buy the bottle, here's an interesting twist: wine on tap. Wine comes in stainless steel kegs that uses way less fossil fuel than bottling it. Who knew going green could be so easy? Try the Girls in the Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($11) or one of the great craft beers on tap for a thirsty palate. Don't forget to visit the artisian bakery for a yummy peanut butter cookie.  Stir Market Los Angeles 7475 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles (323) 879-8283. Hours: Daily: 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.

Recommended Dishes: Porchetta, Rotesserie Chicken, Baked Goods

Since we had no trick or treaters last night, we decided to check out   Jeannine's Gourmet Food Hall, a new local eatery, a try. Jeannine's, a long time Santa Barbara and Montecito favorite just opened in the new Target center off of Lindero Canyon Boulevard. What's a food hall you ask? Well, in simple terms, you can get a lot of different things from different stations, where you have to go up and order. Once you place your order food is brought to your table. Without even knowing the Santa Barbara part of the story, I immediately felt as though I was in Santa Barbara. The place just has that feel. It's clean, it's bright, it's white, and it's Santa Barbara hipster, all in Westlake Village! So here's the deal with this place. In business for over 30 years, Jeannine's bakes one-of-a-kind pastries and serves  wholesome, nutritious food. At the Westlake location you can get all three meals plus baked goods. This review is for dinner only. We had the Half Rotisserie Chicken ($12) with a choice of housemade Kennebec fries (regular, pecorino truffle, or Cajun), sweet potato fries with whiskey bbq sauce, pasta salad, potato salad, a house salad, farro and quinoa tabouli, or house style root chips. Chicken was very well-seasoned with crispy skin and delicious moist, juicy meat. The portion was huge for $12!  For the side we chose the regular Kennebec fries which were hot and perfectly cooked. We also had the delicious Jeannine's Wood-Fire Burger ($13). A large juicy angus beef patty is served on a pretzel bun, with bacon, gouda cheese, caramelized onions, arugula, tomato and whole grain aioli. We had the pecorino truffle fries with this. They were outstanding! We also had the homemade root chips. Don't knock them 'til you've tried them! They are a salty, and crunchy treat! After dinner we walked around and checked out the pizza, sushi, cheese selection and the gourmet foods and wines.  Jeannine's is definitely a food lover's paradise. Finally we peered into the bakery case before we decided we were too full to eat one more thing. But we're coming back for breakfast. Jeannine's should definitely be on your "must try" list! Jeannine's Gourmet Food Hall at The Shoppes at Westlake Village 30770 Russell Ranch Road Suite G Westlake Village (818) 735-9726 Hours: Daily: 7:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m.

Recommended Dishes: Wood-Fired Angus Burger, Pecorino-Truffle Fries, Rotisserie Chicken.

Caribbean food is not at the top of my list of favorites. However, the name Roy Choi is at the top of my list so we decided to have lunch a few blocks from the beach on Monday. I love the name Sunny Spot. It evokes memories of chilling with no plans and letting the day unfold as it may. I love the casual laid back atmosphere of this place at lunch. The patio is definitely lives up to its name... sunny with a lovely breeze. The whimsical front room is filled with brightly patterened bar stools and high top tables. The rum den in the back is ideal for large parties and boasts comfy booths. We started with a glass of fresh lemonade ($4) which is made to your liking. Simple syrup, lemons, and ice cold water are mixed to make your lemonade your lemonade, so it's as sweet or tart as you like it. Refreshing iced tea ($3) comes in a frosty tall, thin glass. Beer is available on draft or by the bottle and there is a decent selection of red and white wines. For lunch we had the Cuban Torta ($13) on a ciabatta with pork terrine, prosciutto, provolone, pickled jalepeno, mustard, and mayo. The sandwich was flavorful and well-seasoned. Jerk fries were my favorite part of the dish and were addicting! Crispy, hot, beer-battered and served Caribbean-style, I finished every last one! We also had the Heirloom Tomato Salad ($12). Gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, watermelon, honeydew, shallots, cabbage, basil, and housemade ricotta, are all dressed with spicy thai vinaigrette. This menu's not for everyone, but I'm pretty sure almost everyone can find something to tickle their fancy at Sunny Spot. Sunny Spot 822 Washington Blvd. Venice (310) 448-8884. Weekend Brunch: Sat & Sun: 9:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Lunch: M-F 11:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Limited Menu Daily 3:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. Dinner: until 11:00 p.m. Su-Wed. Open Late: Thu-Sat til 2:00 a.m.

Recommended: Cuban Torta, Jerk Fries, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Two Fisted Burger.

I have to admit that first and foremost, I stopped at Canyon Gourmet to pick up some Carmela's Brown Sugar Vanilla Bean ice cream. They are the only retailer that sells it and I just had a craving yesterday afternoon. Wow what a wonderland this place is! Talk about specialty stores, this market takes special to a whole new level! Stocking lots of organic foods and products, Canyon Gourmet is a bit on the pricey side; but, as we all know, you get what you pay for. This is quality! Pick up a gorgeous truffle in the front of the store, some handmade pasta, imported crackers, cheese (one of my favorites, Humboldt Fog), and wine. Speaking of wine, there is a great selection of wines including those from Malibu and Topanga. Fresh produce is sourced locally and customer service is top notch. You can tell that a lot of thought and care was put into the selection of each item that is carried in this market. Canyon Gourmet 120 S. Topanga Canyon Blvd. Suite 110 Topanga (310) 455-4200 Sun-Thurs: 11 a.m.- 7:00 p.m. Sat: 10 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.

Recommended: Produce, cheese, imported crackers, wine, ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, pasta, truffles.