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Jen A. Miller Consulting

Category: Behind the Scenes

  • Behind the Scenes! Rachael King Interview

    Behind the Scenes! Rachael King Interview

    gracias-madre

    DogVacay’s in house social guru Rachael King, calls Los Angeles’ WeHo (that’s West Hollywood for non-Angelenos) home. When we were deciding on the best place to brunch in her ‘hood Gracias Madre was an obvious choice.

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    Image from graciasmadreweho.com

    When you approach Gracias Madre you encounter a sleek white building with a simple, yet elegant typographic sign. Walk through the doors and you’re transported into a beautiful oasis. The building’s white walls are sharply contrasted by bright colors of fresh fruit on the bar and blooms adorning the tabletops as abundantly as the cocktails.

    gracias-madre
    Image from mrsiebert.com

    The food, like the decor, draws inspiration from the kitchens of Mexico. Expect to find vegan cuisine served up with cocktails concocted from fresh pressed juices. Brunch options are a mix of tofu scrambles, smoothies, and sweet and savory toasts. There’s no need to sweat your decision, trust that no matter what you order it will be delicious.

    To see what Rachael and I decided to brunch on, you’ll have to click here and watch our interview!

    Cheers!

    Jen

  • Behind the Scenes! Taste of Pace Interview

    Behind the Scenes! Taste of Pace Interview

    taste-of-pace

    Pace, founder of Taste of Pace, calls downtown LA home so when she agreed to come out to Venice for our interview, I knew I needed to make the trip worth her while. There was no question that our brunch needed to come from Gjusta. This bakery and cafe from the family behind Gjelina opened a few months ago and has had me drooling over every bit of their menu ever since.
    taste-of-pace

    Even before you walk through Gjusta’s doors you are greeted by their smell. Fresh baked breads and pastries are served up daily  and the smell of sugar and carbs is enough to lure you in off the street.
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    The bakery’s signature baklava croissants and scones were our pick from the window of delectable treats.

    taste-of-pace

    Besides breads and pastries, Gjusta serves up house cured fish and meets, homemade sauces and spreads, signature soups, salads, and sandwiches, and has a gourmet barista bar to boot.

    taste-of-pace

    Seating at Gjusta is limited to a few benches and over turned milk cartons in the cafe’s parking lot. Since the set-up was less than ideal for shooting, Pace and I held our interview at my house just a few blocks away from the cafe. We cozied up on the patio, soaked in the sunshine, and dug into our take-away.

    Catch my interview with Pace to get the scoop on making it as an entrepreneur in the food biz!

    Cheers!

    Jen

  • Behind the Scenes! Savour this Kitchen Interview

    Behind the Scenes! Savour this Kitchen Interview

    the-springs

    When asked where she’d like to do our interview, Marlene offered up The Springs, a spot in downtown LA where Marlene spends much of her time. The Springs describes itself as a “multi-faceted urban oasis cultivating health, wellness, sustainability, and community”.

    the-springs

    If you’re anything like me, this description is confusing at best until you arrive at said destination. Walk inside of the large warehouse space and you’ll be greeted by a juice bar/ raw vegan restaurant nestled amongst a yoga studio, wellness center, and plenty of open seating for the freelancers amongst us to settle in and work.

    the-springs

    Oh yeah and there’s this awesome outdoor space which get even prettier when the sunsets and the hanging lights turn on.

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    Marlene and I each ordered one of The Springs 100% organic cold-pressed juices, the Fireside and North Star respectively. An order of house made chips and guac proved to be the perfect pairing.

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    While I bathed Marlene in questions she showered me with gifts. These are the four spice blends in the Savour this Kitchen collection. I gave the spices a test drive by whipping up a batch of Marlene’s Gypsy carrot cupcakes with Merchant cream cheese icing. Click on this link to get yourself a free sample!

    the-springs

    To hear all about the making of these spices and the rest of the story behind Savour this Kitchen, make sure to check out my interview with Marlene!

     

    Cheers!

     

    Jen

  • Behind the Scenes! The Brand Gals Interview

    Behind the Scenes! The Brand Gals Interview

    The-Brand-Gals

    For our interview, Kelsey and I met at a the quintessential cafe, Aroma Coffee and Tea. The cafe is located in Tujunga Village, a hidden gem of Studio City.

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    Seats look plentiful here but be warned. If you’re heading there for weekend brunch get there early or prepare to wait. When we arrived the line was already beginning to stretch down the block.

    The-Brand-Gals

    The cafe has a nice mix of indoor/outdoor seating. You order at the counter, take a number, and then go on the hunt for an open table. It can be a bit tricky to nab a free menu before reaching the counter so I suggest pursuing the online menu before arriving.

    The-Brand-Gals

    Our brunch stretched into the afternoon so I decided to try out Aroma’s Tofu and broccoli rice bowl. They provide every type of hot sauce imaginable including good ‘ole Sriracha so I was pretty much in heaven.

     

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    Now, if you haven’t yet had the chance to check it out, make sure to catch my interview with Kelsey to hear this gal’s story behind The Brand Gals.

     

    Cheers!

     

    Jen