Go local!

No, I don't drink beer, but for those of you who do; you're going to love Blue Dog! Nestled in the heart of Sherman Oaks, right across the street from Whole Foods this little joint has pictures of mans' best friends lining every nook and cranny. I spent a good 20 minutes looking at the sweetest eyes in the world. Don't think I'm not bringing Chloe Lepp's picture back to adorn this wall next time I come.

Before I get to the amazing burgers, let's talk beer and I'll tell you  beer-lovers what Blue Dog has to offer in the way of libations. Choose from tons of light-bodies, wheaty, citrusy, sour, or many other types of beer. There is something for everyone here! Wines include sweet, white, red, and champagne, because everyone needs bubbles!

Okay, back to the burgers, omg they are out of this world. I had the Blue Dog Burger. Perfection! Applewood smoked bacon, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, blue cheese, and a side of root beer bbq sauce top a beautifully cooked medium burger inside a buttery bun. I also had the Parmesan-Garlic fries which were pretty delicious too. My friend Rhonda, who recommended Blue Dog, had the Ahi Burger which she proclaimed to be wonderful.

For dessert we had the only item on the menu, the Ice Cream Sandwich. Homemade chocoate chip cookies encase vanilla ice cream, topped with chocloate syrup. Don't even start with me! 

Our absolutely adorable server,Bailey, brought us Stumptown coffee to wash it all down. We can't wait to return! Blue Dog Beer Tavern 4524 Saugus Avenue Sherman Oaks   

The re-vamped menu at The Corner Door in Culver City is outstanding! We went last night at the last minute and boy, I'm glad we did! Both small plates and large adorn the small but absolutely fabulous multicultural menu. Fabulous cocktails, wine and beer are available too. We made a reservation and sat at one of about 12 tables and let me tell you, the place was full! We started with a beautiful glass of Chardonnay and a margarita. Next we had the Bruschetta with heirloom cherry tomatoes, prosciutto, ricotta, and radish ($13). The smokey flavor from the prosciutto was outstanding. We also had the Grilled Asparagus with anchovy, parmesan, gremolata, and a crispy fried egg ($14). The asparagus was over the top delicious! We enjoyed the Marinated Skirt Steak with fingerling potatoes, creme fraiche, shoestring onions, and a fried egg ($25). Meat was tender and juicy, onions were crispy, and potatoes were creamy. To wash it all down, we had the Sticky, Toffee Pudding. ($9) Toffee caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream-best friends forever. Enjoy with a cup of The Conservatory coffee $4. The Corner Door 12477 W. Washington Blvd. Culver City. (310) 313-5810 Hours: Sun-Thurs: 5:00 pm-12:00 a.m. Fri & Sat: 5:00 p.m.-2:00 am

Recommended Dishes: Asparagus, Bruschetta, Skirt Steak, Sticky Toffee Pudding.

You know I'm on spring break when I get to post all these new places I've tried. Firestone Walker Brewery is walking distance from my house, about a block away in Venice, and just opened about a couple of weeks ago. We went Saturday night. There was a two and a half hour wait; enough said. The brewery is open daily from 12-5 pm but the attached restaurant, The Propagator, is where you'll find the action by night. The restaurant's menu is geared toward food that goes well with beer. The menu offers a variety of small plates from tacos to pizzas, to brisket and pork belly. And there is beer aplenty from cask beers, wild ales, guest taps, and Venice-made rustic ales. We started with the BBQ Brisket Pizza ($14)-smoked brisket, bbq sauce, mozzarella, caramelized onions, crispy shallots, and cilantro, on a crunchy, crispy, impossibly thin crust. This pizza was fantastic and slightly sweet. We followed that with the Garden Quesadilla ($12) with veggies, mozzarella, guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo. Yum! We also had the fabulous Fried Chicken Cobb Salad ($15) with crispy fried chicken, baby kale, grilled corn, black beans, smoked tomatoes, avocado, hard boiled egg, and bbq ranch dressing. For beer we loved the 805 Blond Ale ($7) that had a honey-like malt aroma and was subtly sweet. Drop in early or sit in the bar to avoid the long wait! Firestone Walker Brewery/The Propagator Restaurant 3205 Washington Blvd. Venice (310) 439-8264 Hours: 5-11pm Reservations available on RESY.

Who doesn't love hip gastropubs these days? If you're feeling like a craft beer and a burger, or just some fantastic food, The Tipsy Cow is the place to be. Nestled on Ventura Boulevard among the retail shops, is the eclectic "urban eating house." If you are a craft beer lover, you'll feel right at home here. With 32 rotating craft beers, and 10 bottles, beer-lovers are sure to find something that tickles your fancy. Cocktails and wine abound.  We started with the Basil Hummus ($5) with fresh basil, white beans, and plenty of grilled ciabatta. Next we had the Blue Cheese Tots ($8). These are one of the most sinful nibbles I've ever had. Take a crispy tater tot, fill it with Blue cheese and wrap thick bacon around it. Heaven on a skewer! The Shortrib Cheesesteak ($5) was rich and meaty with sauteed onions and mushrooms, melted provolone, and garlic aioli. For our healthy dish we ordered the Mini Veggie Burgers ($5) served on mini Hawaiian rolls. Each dish was better than the next! For dessert we enjoyed the Soft baked cookie ($8) with chocolate and caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Next time I'm in the area, I'm definitely going back for one of those awesome burgers! The Tipsy Cow 15005 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks (818) 986-8472 Hours: Mon-Wed 11:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m. Thurs-Fri: 11:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m. Sat-Sun 9:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.

Recommended Dishes: Blue Cheese Tots, Hummus, Veggie Burgers, Short Rib Cheesesteak, Softbaked Cookie.

If you're looking for a new place for Happy Hour, Industry Bar & Grill might just be the answer! Every day from 5-7 pm great wines and beer are served by the glass at very reasonable prices. Check in on Yelp and you'll get a free order of Spicy Chicken Wings too!  Industry's owners have Sushi Akatora in Manhattan Beach and Izakaya Akatora in Alhambra too. But let's talk about the menu, shall we? For dinner we shared a few small plates. The Guacamole and Chips ($7) was a combination of avocado, onion, tomato, cilantro, serrano peppers, lime, garlic, and handmade tortilla chips. Guacamole was flavorful and the portion was huge. The afore-mentioned BBQ wings are fried then drenched in bbq sauce served with Ranch dressing, celery, carrots, and a choice of sweet or spicy bbq sauce. They're super messy and too spicy for me. Next we had the Short Rib Poutine. ($12) I'm a big fan of poutine. French fries are topped with curd cheese, gravy, bbq sauce, and tender braised shredded shortribs. This was my favorite dish.  We also tried the Fish Tacos ($8) with tilapia, salsa verde, onions, and cilantro.  Finally we had the Grilled Corn ($5) with mayo, cojita cheese, parsley, and cayenne pepper. Suffice it to say were full! For drinks we had beer and wine, and believe me the are endless choices. Go on down and check it out. Restaurants in Calabasas come and go, but this one's certainly worth a try. Industry Bar & Grill  26787 Agoura Road Calabasas (818) 871-9501 Hours: Mon-Thur: 11:30 a.m.- 10:00 p.m  Fri: 11:30 a.m.- 12:00 a.m. Sat & Sun: 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 a.m. Happy Hour: Daily 5-7 p.m.

Recommended Dishes: Poutine, Corn, Fish Tacos, Guacamole.