CAgrown

On the way home from yoga today... we drove past the Manhattan Beach Farmer's Market that runs every Tuesday from 11-4 pm. It seemed like the perfect place to take Jasmine to grab some lunch and [fresh/local grown] produce. We were wowed by the prices of the food and delighted by the friendly conversation found with the vendors. While at the market we sampled fruit and found ourselves with a few bags full of treats to take home. I was so excited to find good fresh blood oranges!  We also picked up a few trays full of mushrooms, trail mix, dried fruits, raisins and a to-go chicken kebab for pretty Jasmine. We caught the tail end of this weeks market and discovered that the food trucks start a happy hour with half price food plates! We feasted on a large greek platter [$5] roasted garlic potatoes [$3] and picked up a kebab for Jazz [$1]. What a deal! I might make this a tuesday tradition!

<3

[unexpected]brothers

I heard some interesting news on the radio during one of my [many] ventures down the 405. The Black Keys and Big Boi [from outkast] had made a new mixtape together…?! Yup! That's right. They teamed up to produce a mash-up of the Black Keys latest and greatest album Brothers. And even more exciting news... it’s available for free online! It’s been awhile since I’ve indulged in my hip-hop roots… but I figured it was free and I had nothing to lose! I ended up really really enjoying this [interesting] take on the Brothers album. 

It might not be everyones cup of tea… but that is something you'll have to decide for yourself. My favorite on the album would have to be track 2- "Afraid of the General" Download The Brothers of Chico Dusty from SPIN.com

enjoy!

<3

sunday mash[up]

Ahhh Sunday… the day known for being the dreadful day before Monday—the day that 9-to-5’ers hear the workweek calling them loudly away from the restful/playful activities of the weekend.  Even though I am a pseudo member of that group, I find that I [absolutely] love Sunday's! This is a day I’ve dedicated to activities that I really enjoy [and] chores that I don’t particularly care for. It’s much easier to get through a nasty chore when you also treat yourself to a more enjoyable activity as well. The counterbalance has proven to be quite successful and productive!

Come on…[No]one wants to scrub what seems like years worth of spilled meals off your stove. But with Pandora playing tunes of encouragement… you roll up your sleeves and take on the black crust [head on] with my tool of choice in hand-- a trusty mr. clean magic eraser.  This was my big chore for this weekend. Tackling the kitchen—a place where I spend a lot of time dirtying. But before I scrubbed the kitchen to a sparking masterpiece…I decided to dirty it up one more time! To make a delicious meal my wonderfully handsome boyfriend [jake] and myself for our Sunday date night. 

The key ingredients for my Sunday dinner came from my latest stop to Trader’s [Trader Joe’s]… a place that I frequent multiple times a week. Eggplant, panco breadcrumbs, fresh parmesan/asiago cheese… and bananas? Yes an odd mix but I like to think of it as my Sunday mash[up]! I can’t stand when fresh fruit or veggies go to waste… so I always try to find a way to incorporate items that are loosing their shelf life into my meal. And this  meal was delicious! We devoured the baked eggplant with a side of garlic green beans and a wilted spinach beet salad. For dessert… peanut butter banana cookies! Not bad for what was laying around [in my now clean kitchen].

Happy work week!

                                             don't forget to cut thick pieces!

[finished product] breaded & baked eggplant

w/fresh parmesan and asiago cheese

[my bruised bananas] and new flower TSP/tbsp measuring cups 

from anthropoligie 

[finished product] peanut butter banana cookies 

topped w/cinnamon 

on the left- my favorite kitchen tool EVER    on the right- my handy new AMAZING cookie dough scooper[who knew i needed that!?] Thanks auntie

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Baked Breaded Eggplant:

Fresh whole Eggplant

Egg

Bread crumbs

2 tsp crushed Garlic

Parmesan cheese

Cut eggplant into 1 to 1 ½ inch slices. Crack sea salt over the exposed vegetable and let sit out for min 10 minutes… to release moisture that is stored inside. Dab with paper towel and repeat on opposite side.

Beat egg with garlic. Submerge eggplant into egg mixture and roll in bread crumbs. Place on stove with cooking pan and EVOO. Cook until golden brown on either side. Top with cheese and bake in oven @ 350 for 25-30 minutes. Serve with marinara sauce, or whatever suits your taste buds!  

champagne wishes [Caviar Dreams]

As this year rapidly comes to an end so SO [so] many things have been running through my mind. First of all, time seems to be playing a funny joke on us all. How is it that time has the ability to shorten days, months and years right in front of our faces? No matter how early that dreadful alarm sounds… I can’t seem to get through each day’s to-do-list before the sun is setting! It was just yesterday [it seems] that I was interrogating 2009—where had all the days disappeared to… where had all the months gone I asked!? Well my friends, it’s almost officially time to say goodbye again…2010 has come and gone in the same fashion as the previous years. Being a true jester, time seems to have laughingly answered my questions by speeding up this year to an even faster pace.

[But thankfully] the past year did not fail to disappoint me in the slightest, even if it went by at warp-speed. The last few months [my overactive] mind has been [on overdrive], and now that 2010 is coming to an end, I forced myself to sit down and spend a just a few moments to reflect over the past 12 months. It dawned on me that I had so SO [so] many reasons to celebrate over the past year. Big and small. But none-the-less many events that called for a celebratory toast [or two]. 




To those of you who know me well, or to those who have been randomly present in a time of celebration-- you know [without a doubt] my celebratory drink of choice. The subtle bubbles that bring a smile [that is anything but subtle] to my face--say hello to the fabulous Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin! Or as I more often call it... simply Veuve. I dedicate this post to any/all of you who have been able to slow down time just enough to recognize life’s unexpected joys and have taken the time to raise a glass in celebration.

So here's to a year that called for so many reasons to celebrate and that offered so SO [so] many opportunities to indulge in all that life has to offer! Cheers 2010... I can only hope this next year finds me as well!  

new years eve [2010]

a treasure left behind

[and a co-worker who knows me very well]

vegas [jackpot]

cheers! post- final [undergrad] final 

ascot [royal enclosure] london

after i picked the winning horse @ascot

[the only bet i placed in 2010]

<3

rain rain [go away]

It seems that the rain has come and gone [again] in this monumentally cold month of December. Moving this close to the ocean has proven to be quite the chilly experience! In an attempt to stay true to my [internal] eternal optimistic self... I wanted to find the silver lining per se for all these crisp days and colder nights. [And after much moaning and groaning] it hit me during a simple walk on the strand with a few baby puppies. My favorite thing about rain, besides the wonderful pitter[patter] soundtrack that accompanies as you fall asleep, are the post-rain sunsets we experience as the storm moves on for new ground. I might be freezing and damp-- but I think it's all worth it [in the end]. 

[el porto] manhattan beach

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taste[test]

Finally! I’ve learned my lesson…It took long enough but the experimental chef in me has finally completed my first taste test [a dry run per say]. Each month new magazines arrive in my mailbox—almost every page offering a new idea for a tempting creation I can’t wait to try.  But I seem to always attempt these fun new dishes when I’m expecting company. I then find myself nervous and sweaty as I prepare to set the dish in front of my hungry guests. [Praying that it wont be the worst thing that they’ve ever eaten.] Wishing I had stuck to my famous baked brie or classic bean dip that both magically draw the party together for a group disappearing act.

This taste test comes in preparation for my first [hopefully annual] friendsgiving dinner later this month [where I am expecting a number of vegetarian guests]. And since I’m staying with a wonderful cook, who has a lot of experience with catering for a vegetarian crowd…. It was the perfect time! We found a few fun recipes to try out for a friendsgiving vegetarian main dish...  

The first contender was a veggie meatloaf [that we later dubbed a meatless loaf] and the second a vegan pumpkin risotto.  Our meatless loaf was the uncontested winner. Even the cats and puppy enjoyed the lentil based dish! We tweaked the recipe a bit and listened to the suggestions that the reviews offered [adding one additional egg and making a simple glaze for the top]. But the risotto, even after we added/subtracted and topped the dish with glazed pecans [mmm] we still weren’t pleased with the taste.  Disappointed because it sounded oh so delicious! But thankful the dry run was a success—not to mention it was accompanied by great conversation, a crisp Chardonnay, sharp cheese and my new favorite crackers!

 the right ingredients

finished product

the invites

save the date! 

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clue[to]color

I am currently on an unexpected/last minute trip to my boyfriend's home state [PA]. Since we arrived last Wednesday it feels like a myriad of events have occurred. From seeing him dressed as a ketchup bottle and dancing in front of a green screen to venturing into NYC and experiencing one of my favorite cities [with one of my favorite people]. We had an amazing two day trip with his fabulous mother and her girlfriend... and experienced a lot of the city in a very short period of time.

While in NY we wandered the streets, I exercised my stylist duties, drank perfect cosmopolitans, were wowed by the jazz and glitter of Broadway, had an east village rendezvous with a Manhattan Beach bunny, drank whiskey with a local bartender, fell asleep at a diner at 5 am, stumbled upon a flea market with amazing treasures and much much more. All of which only helped to further fuel my deep passionate love affair with NY [sigh].

I have also discovered that my obsession with fall goes much deeper than my love of the rich fabric colors iconic to fall fashion. This SoCal native is currently experiencing the autumnal progression of green leaves [into an assortment of fall shades] for the first time. The sea of trees that cover the skyline are losing their leaves at a rapid pace-- I find myself hypnotized by the raining colors that are slowly covering the east coast landscape. I have a pact with this coast [ I will be back].

first view out of the lincoln tunnel

chicago @ ambassador theater

cherry tavern, east village

a tribute to andy warhol, hearst building 

hells kitchen flea market

 central park lovers

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