The 626, or the San Gabriel Valley, is the area (BUBBLE, as Jeff calls it), where Maggie was born and raised. Even with all the exploration to different cities and countries, the 626 still holds the #1 position in Maggie's heart.
It has good food, wide roads, free parking, and will always be 'HOME' to Maggie.
Jeff loves this place too... he just hasn't admitted it yet.
Below is a list of some things in the vicinity to check out!
One of Maggie's all time favorite Ice Cream spots - all flavors inspired by travel, mimicking some of the best treats from each country/culture.
Top favorites include:
- Japanese Neapolitan
- Sticky Rice + Mango
Our FAVORITE Nashville Hot Chicken!
Not for the faint of heart, our go to is 'THE SANDO' - Hot... but you already know we love spice, so order at your own risk ;)
Visit one of our favorite Hong Kong 'cha chaan tengs' with good 'wok hei' (the wok thermal radiation or 'breath of the wok' that we typically look for in Chinese cooking).
Our favorite Chiu Chow noodles in the area!
Dont forget to use the Satay sauce and pickled serrano peppers to intensify your bowl of noodles! (Its our fave, and we finish a jar of each together everytime we visit.)
Visit one of our favorite Hong Kong 'cha chaan tengs' (or cafe) for a typical Hong Kong breakfast.
There's a plethora of options to choose from, including Pineapple Bun sandwiches, Chinese porridge and Hong Kong style 'Cart Noodles' all paired with a side dish of your choice.
Try the 'Yeen Yeung' (Coffee + Tea beverage) to complete the traditional HK Cafe experience!
The line gets long on the weekends, so get there early before the 11:30am breakfast cut off.
Michelin Star Boba!
We haven't had the pleasure of waiting in line for it, but we've heard good things (& that it's worth the wait!)
Super cute Botanical Garden for a nice walk and photos.
This is also down the street from the Shops at Santa Anita mall where Maggie spent most of her teenage weekends.
While you're in Sunny Southern California, it's always a good opportunity to visit the Happiest Place on Earth!
Love In-N-Out as much as we do?!
Visit the Original In-N-Out Burger replica in Baldwin Park for some cute photos and an amazing burger (across the street)!
Probably the best roller coasters you can find in California - not as intense or amazing as some of the rides we've discovered in our recent travels, but still one of Maggie's favorites (for a few years, she used to have an annual pass to visit every other summer weekend).
OUR FAVORITE BANH MI SPOT! (YES, we drive an extra hour from LA to eat this!!!)
Must Order:
Heo Quay (Crispy Skin Pork Belly) Banh Mi
Jeff's favorite late night adventure in LA.
LA Street Tacos > ALL THE OTHER STREET TACOS, don't @us.
Outside of the traditional Carne Asada and Al Pastor, feel free to be a little exotic and order the Cabeza (beef cheek) and the Lengua (beef tongue).