Illustration by Tequitia Andrews
Kitchen Staples: “Arepas, cilantro, lime and spicy salsa (for my husband). I like arepas because I'm from Venezuela, and it's an essential food that I grew up with.”
Guilty Pleasure: “Pasta al limone — I really enjoy pasta! However, I eat arepas pretty much every week.”
Photo courtesy Salsas Don Sebastian
The namesake cocktail from Julep's (Photo by Maggie Pope)
Secret Sauce: “My La Original salsa is my favorite. It’s also the original recipe that my husband's grandmother passed on to her descendants.”
Good Eats: “I love Julep’s, it’s such an RVA classic. Habanero, Taqueria Panchito and Abuelita’s are so authentically Mexican. A couple of newer restaurants like Perch and Midlothian Chef’s Kitchen have delighted us.”
Get Outside: “I love Maymont and Pocahontas State Park. I like to be surrounded by nature as much as possible.”
Tunes: “Latin music of all kinds. Some of my favorites are Juan Luis Guerra, Ana Mena and Ehrling.”
Food from Happy Arepas (Photo by Jay Paul)
Mobile Bites: “I love Happy Arepas. Also, Redemption BBQ is a total experience, and Intergalactic Tacos. Mrs. Yoder’s Donuts are sinfully delicious. The owner and I exchange jalapeno dip for doughnuts every Saturday.”
Family Vacay: “We like to travel, and we frequently go to Mexico and visit Guadalajara and the Riviera Nayarit.”
