Everyone seems to know about Alejo’s. How come I was kept out the loop? Is there anything else that people have been hiding from me? OK, jokes aside, this is a popular place. Often it is completely packed. Recently I had a chance to eat lunch there and observe goings on inside this restaurant with my super critical eye. Nothing can get by me, good food and good service especially … suggested parking is at 83rd and Lincoln.
The interior, or the lack there of it, is very modest at Alejo’s. Very dated chairs, an old carpet and even older wall decorations adorn the space. There are some recognition plaques on the walls dating back many many years. Yikes. It sort of feels like a cafeteria at Alejo’s. It’s busy. For our lunch we selected, the pasta with sausages, onions and peppers, the chicken parmigian and veal piccatta. Prices are not as reasonable as I have heard. Pastas are around ten dollars with meat dishes approaching twelve for lunch. Bread that preceeded the meal was awesome. The olive oil had way too much garlic. We had to wait for a while for our food to arrive. Our dishes were tasty though a bit average. Pasta was overcooked as were the meats and vegetables. The red sauce was a bit too rich for my taste. I could not complete the entire serving due to its large size. The pizzas at adjoining tables looked good. Seems like they know their dough.
So, what is the verdict? I was not impressed by Alejo’s. The pastas were average and I thought that the prices would be more around six dollars then ten dollars as they were. Overall cafeteria style atmosphere also did not draw my attention. For these prices you can find a better place.
P.S. Many will beg to differ and that’s why it is often very crowded.
(310) 822-0095
4002 Lincoln Blvd
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292-5614
Michael Philip is one of the editors and contributors for the SeeTheGlobe.com web site. SeeTheGlobe.com is a travel information web site and community. Reviews of restaurants, hotels, airlines and other travel resources are provided from first hand accounts.
EPICURE’S 7-STEP PROGRAM TO HEALTH
Here at Epicure, we believe it is important for people to not
only evaluate their fitness by the bathroom scale, but also to
focus on increasing their health and their overall physical,
emotional and mental well-being. Epicure promotes a food plan
that is similar to that of the US Health Department
Recommendation (basically a Mediterranean diet), which
encourages a life-style of healthy eating (fruits, vegetables
and low-fat intake) in conjunction with a sustainable exercise
regime. Epicure does note that their 7-step program will help
you lose weight through establishing better eating habits
(resulting in less hunger and emotional eating), but unless a
calorie-controlled diet is specified it may not directly
correlate with a massive weight reduction. However, with a
wholesome balanced lifestyle, with Epicure cuisine you are bound
to reach your optimal weight naturally, without excessive effort
or food deprivation.
1. A balanced food intake
At this moment in time, there are a multitude of popular diets
promoting things such as:
1. high protein with little to no carbs (Atkins); and
2. high carbohydrates but low GI (Glycemic Index, or simple
sugars) (GI Index diet).
In the short term, these diets may help you lose weight, but a
recent study conducted in the US and the UK found that the most
weight people lost on these diets was only 5-10% of their
original body weight, over a year. This is not much if you weigh
150kgs.
The major problem, however, was that most people found it
difficult to sustain such unnatural eating patterns, and after 3
months, 80% of the focus group had not only reverted to their
old, familiar eating habits, but also regained the weight they
had initially lost.
The simple reason for the failure of such diets is that our body
is not designed for the consumption of single food groups only.
The healthiest people in the world and the individuals with the
longest lifespan are primarily from the Mediterranean region,
Japan, and rural central Asia.
So, what are the common denominators in these communities’
diets? 3 simple things:
1. a high vegetarian intake (fresh fruit and vegetables); 2.
fish and meat are consumed in small quantities only, and not
every day; and 3. almost no-one in these communities over-eats.
One of the biggest causes of disease and physical and emotional
stress are caused by overeating. It is no surprise that many
food related illness (obesity, diabetes, etc) are especially
prevalent in western societies, where there is an abundance of
poor-quality food available which is often consumed in excessive
amounts.
2. Fresh foods
In today’s urban society time is a scarce commodity; so many
people tend to shop for food only once or twice a week. Because
of this, we are used to eating a large amount of processed
foods, usually laden with preservatives and nutritional
supplements. These additives can have a detrimental effect on
our well being, and have been linked to the development of
allergies and food intolerances. Therefore, Epicure understands
that it is vital to only eat fresh, whole foods which are bought
and prepared on the day.
3. Non/low- allergenic ingredients
Until the body’s functions are balanced through constant
exposure to a healthy food regime, it is very important to avoid
food stuffs that will slow down the revitalization process.
Where ever possible, Epicure watches out for those allergy
promoting ingredients, without compromising on taste.
After a period of healthy eating, however, you will find that
most of those allergies will naturally disappear.
4. Correct food combinations
Some foods need acidic juices to digest, and others need
alkaline juices. If we eat opposite types at the same time, the
acidic and alkaline juices in our stomach will cancel each other
out, and the food will sit there and ferment, taking longer to
digest. This means that immediately after eating we will begin
to feel sluggish and bloated, and who has time to feel like
that?!! (Please refer to the attached chart).
For example, good foods such as fruit are digested in the small
intestine. If we eat fruit after a meal, the fruit will be held
up in the stomach further slowing digestion; therefore, Epicure
always ensures that such food types are eaten individually, and
at the optimal hour (for digestion) during the day.
5. Hydration
Our bodies are made of 80% water. All chemical and cellular
reactions, transport of nutrients, and waste removal all use
water in their processes. So for optimal functioning of our
system we need to drink a lot of water and eat a lot of fruit
and water-rich foods.
Epicure recommends you drink at least 1-2 liters of water a day,
but as this may seem like a lot for some people we have some
’secret ingredients’ we can add to your water to make it more
palatable, but which don’t add any calories or sugar.
6. Eating times and frequency
Breakfast can be a difficult meal for many people - either they
are too busy to eat and so skip breakfast (not good as it slows
down the metabolism), or they eat the wrong foods, leaving them
tired and lethargic. Neither option is good way to start the day!
Epicure’s research indicates that the most effective breakfast
is fruit (or fruit juice) in the morning, as it works as a
cleanser and gives your brain the sugar intake it needs to
function.
A balanced lunch is essential, but if you’re still hungry in the
afternoon eat something light, and then have dinner as early as
possible. Or, if you prefer, reverse your eating habits and eat
your main meal at lunch time and have a lighter meal in the
evening (as they do around the Mediterranean, which is another
reason they are healthier). Who wants to go to bed on a full
stomach? You will also wake up lighter and more energetic!
7. Exercise
One of the reasons why people in many rural communities around
the world are not overweight is because their life-style forces
them to do a lot of physical exercise, such as farming, lifting,
walking etc.
Epicure suggests that in order to stay fit and healthy, it is
important to do an hour of exercise every day, such as walking,
going to the gym, swimming, yoga, etc. Exercise not only burns
calories and helps you lose weight, but it also elevates your
heart rate, gets your circulation going, and increases your
metabolism. Thus, your body is able to cleanse itself more
effectively which will further increase your energy.
Unlike cars and other machinery, the more we use our body parts
the better they function, so don’t waste any time, get started
on your exercise today!
Coffee club membership is a joy for coffee lovers The coffee club concept is relatively new but is taking the world by storm. Reward yourself or your friends and relatives with coffee clubs by joining up and saving loads. Each month, you will get a shipment of coffee delivered direct to your door. This is a great way to taste new coffees, sample different varieties, find a brew that you really like and ultimately avoid a trip to the store to buy your favorite coffee. Automatic shipment is very convenient, especially if you like your coffee first thing in the morning because this means you will never run out when you need it the most.
Clubs are now springing up all over America and different clubs have different offerings so it is easy to find one that suits you. Most clubs offer a coffee of the month and/or your choice of flavors. With flavors you can choose what coffee you want delivered each month, or allow the company to surprise you. Depending on the club, it could be your favorite flavor, or a different flavor every month. Amounts vary from company to company also. Usually it is one pound per month, but you can order more if you desire.
Some clubs even offer newsletter subscriptions with informative articles about the month’s featured coffee as well as coffee recipes and helpful hints about coffee making and removing coffee stains. When you join one of these clubs, you are also usually entitled to a members-only discount. If the company has a sale or special offering, generally the club members will be the first to hear about it through the newsletter. In addition to coffee, gourmet coffee clubs sometimes include extras like coffee mugs or books with coffee recipes in them.
With clubs, the membership terms are usually fairy flexible. You can usually choose the length of your club membership, from three to twelve months, whether you want whole beans or ground, the type of grind you would like and finally, you can choose flavored or regular, caffeinated or decaf coffee. The choices are endless and are designed to cater specifically for each person’s tastes. This is more work for the club but at the end of the day is done to induce you to buy more coffee.
An idea for a coffee gift is a coffee club membership. This is where you purchase a subscription for a coffee of the month club, and your recipient gets coffee delivered to them each month. Gourmet coffee clubs make a great gift idea for holidays, birthdays, or as thank you gifts. you are looking for a unique business gift, think about giving a coffee club subscription. Most people appreciate a good cup of coffee; it is enjoyed around the world. This is one gift that transcends borders. Your recipient will like the convenience of having the coffee delivered on schedule, without having to reorder all the time. If you give a club subscription as a gift, you will be able to send a gift card or letter to your recipient, notifying them of your gift membership.
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