In search of a good "restaurant near LAX"? As a local I would not never have considered a hotel restaurant to offer stunning farm-to-table meals or to have a hip bar that buzzes at Happy Hour. That changed after being invited to a "Taste of California" event for media & infuencers. 

For those traveling through LAX, Costero's is an easy choice  for finding local California flavor without having to battle LA traffic. In fact, the Sheraton Gateway is literally a couple minutes from the airport. 

Ok, so I am leading with the main course with ths fabulous picture because it truly was a stunner and shows up great in photos.  Mouthwatering. Let me say it again. The smoked beef short rib was mouthwatering, rich and delicous.  What I thought was potato mash were actually sunchokes, a root veggie that I learned is versatile, quick-cooking and is low-cal, high fiber and has a nutty flavor. Those little baby carrots you see were about an inch! There was also a California pistachio "bastardized" gremolata (which is typically used as a final flourish in an Oso Buco dish) and added a zippy counterpoint to the meat. YUM!
Paired with: Daou Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles

Chef Collin hand made these ricotta & spinach tortellini - not of that pre-made stuff.  He spent time in Bologna (the food capital of Italy and where my parents lived for nearly a decade) so imagine my delight, when I learned that he knows quite a lot about the ins and outs of Italian gastronomy. The bacon which Chef cures on site, combined with the texture of the mushrooms and spring English were yummy and the Vella Jack cheese gave the broth a slightly salty bite. 
Paired with: Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc

Gorgeously presented, this was the "surprise" bonus course that truly brought a smile to my lips. The colors and textures were a treat for the eye and palette. Another nod to Italian cuisine, the olive cake is made with vanilla bean and the candied blood orange were delicous - you can pop the piece in your mouth, rind and all! The olive oil and orange juice emulsions and the flowers added panache!
Paired with a hefeweizen and an orange.

Last but not least was this huge cheese platter that featured some of my favorite cheeses including a yummy blue cheese from Point Reye Farmstead and a an aged cheddar which paired very well with a fig jam and some honeycomb. There was also a truffle cheese that was quite yummy, marcona almonds which are a treat and beautiful organic greens and edible lavender. Poached pears and rustic bakery chips added different textures. How did I miss those berries, I wonder? Well, every thing was so bountiful, that I don't think I could have eaten another thing.
Paired with: Justin Obtuse Port-Style Wine

Executive Chef Collin Smelser hails from the East Coast and is a consummate culinary professional who delights in the culinary craft.   He walked us through each of his creations and answered any questions we had about his cooking method, the ingredients and where he sources his food. It was a long day for him, serving up 400 smoothies to conference attendees and tending to cating, the bar, restaurant and media dinner.  Not pretentious and very down to earth, Chef Collin's 
epicurean foundation began at the prestigious New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. It's clear he loves his meat and he loves focusing on fresh, local ingredients with bold, inviting flavors.  He's drawn to tranforming casual far into goregously and meticulously plated 
Highly accomplished, Chef Smelser’s wide repertoire of cooking includes infusing casual fare with dhaute cuisine masterpieces, all with a  Southern California flair. To add to this, Chef Collin is a super nice guy, down to earth and my only regret is not taking photos of him with his creative dishes.

Busy lifestyles, especially when traveling often, can lead to an empty refrigerator. That's one of several reasons that I happily accepted the invitation to review Farmbox Direct. Having been away from home for two months, the timing was perfect. I truly missed eating a lot veggies and fruit while away.  Plus - I loved reading about the company's mission to provide healthy organic and natural produce while supporting local farmers. As an Ambassador for Global Wellness Day --and-- as a certified Ambassador of the World Food Travel Association, I love sharing ways to live better, healthier and more socially conscious.

This  lifestyle hack to help you stay on track for eating well and good while saving time and having to decide what plant based food you want to shop for.

Farmbox Direct is a door-to-door service that deliver fresh vegetables and fruits from farmers markets to your home and is available throughout the continental United States. The selection changes with what's in-season and local.  and, unlike other subscription services, boxes can be customized to accommodate allergies and preferences.

As a food lover, I was excited to rip open my box and discover what was inside. First impressions matter and I was impressed at how well the produce was carefully wrapped and packed. Asparagus, organic rainbow carrots, an onion and organic kale were rolled in paper, while sprouts were in plastic bags with holes to ensure freshness. Red potatoes and perfectly ripe organic green peppers were included. There were apples, naval oranges and kiwis, along with  pears and avacados. The unveiling of the fruits and veggies was a lot of fun - it felt like Christmas for the plant-based foodie.  All of the produce with the exception of one red potato were in perfect condition and fresh. My only suggestion to FarmFresh is to have an insert saying what's in the box as they do on their website. I wasn't sure which box I received but after checking, it looks like I received the Medium Organic Box. Most of the produce had organic stickers but not all.

Upon receiving my box, I immediately set to work  - first staging a few photos and then I made a huge batch of vegetarian soup that incorporated the carrots, onion, kale and potatos. I added in my own celery and a can of fire-roasted tomatos, added a few fresh springs of thyme and added a box of veggie broth. It was that simple - and super delicious. Just saute the onion, carrots and celery first until the onions are translucent. Then add the kale and saute.  As this was happening, I cooked the potatos in my new InstaPot. Then added the broth and tomatos and let simmer along with the thyme branches (which I pulled out later.) I still have a whole lot of fruits and veggies to use and will probably most of the veggies for dinner tonight and enjoy the fruit over the next couple of days.

The FarmBox Direct organic box ranges from $45.95- $66.95 or if you prefer to save a few dollars, the all-natural boxes range from $41.95- $51.95. There are 9 boxes to choose from: small, medium and large organic boxes and small, medium and large all natural boxes in addition to green, orange and red juicing boxes.

Bonus #1: customers can customize their box with up to 5 substitituions with each delivery.
Bonus #2: No commitment
Bonus #3: You can also customize your schedule

 ​https://www.farmboxdirect.com/

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this review. I did receive the product for the purpose to review the product/service. My opinions are my own.