Category Archives: EAT

Staying Classy: 4th of July

July 2, 2010

Filed Under : EAT - STYLE

4th of July outfit

4th of July outfit

I haven’t had a traditional 4th of July celebration in a few years.  Last year, I was in Paris for the 4th and the year before that, I was in Newport Beach with Kyle and we literally wandered around that mad house (trust me, it was beyond craziness) car-less and firework-less.

This year, I’m doing it right.  I’m going to eat a patriotic dessert, wear classic Americana, and watch fireworks from a lawn chair.  Hmm…it might be difficult since I’ll be at a L.A. Galaxy game Sunday night but I’m hoping to make it work.  At least I’ll have the outfit.

  1. J.Crew Lightweight Cotton Caprese Tunic, J. Crew, $35: Sure, I might blatantly be copying Emma Watson‘s outfit but you can’t blame me.  I remember my mom wearing shirts like this in the early 90s.  And that means I need it now.
  2. Karen Walker Number Six, Need Supply Co., $170: I’ve stressed my love for Karen Walker before, but time and again I find myself gravitating toward them.
  3. Crumbs Patriotic Cupcake, Crumbs Bake Shop, $4.50: I’m sorry but you simply can’t have an Independence Day celebration without a patriotic dessert.  You better stock up on your blueberries, strawberries, and white frosting right about now.
  4. J.Crew Pindot Bikini  Top and Bottoms, J.Crew, $29.99 each: It’s classic.  It’s polka-dotted.  It’s navy.  Yes, please.
  5. Kiehl’s Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+, Kiehl’s, $32:  This is the creme de la creme of facial sunscreens.  It’s lightweight and soaks directly into your skin.  And sunscreen is always a must.
  6. L.L. Bean Mariner Leather Purse, L.L. Bean, $77.50: You can’t get more Americana than L.L. Bean.  Their Signature collection is to die for, by the way.
  7. Anthropologie Outdoor Cafe Cardigan, Anthropologie, $98: It always gets chilly at night and this Anthro cardi has just the right amount of weight.
  8. J Brand Distressed Denim Shorts, Net-A-Porter, $165: As I’ve said here, I love rolled denim.
  9. J. Crew Angnyss Sandals, J. Crew, $135: These are by far my FAVORITE sandals of the summer so I had to incorporate them into my quintessential summer outfit.  Now, I’m just waiting for them to go on sale.

Happy 4th of July everyone!  Hope you have a wonderful weekend filled with lots of barbeques, firework displays, and fun.

P.S. Happy birthday to my wonderful and beautiful mother!!

Watermelon-Tomato Salad

June 28, 2010

Filed Under : EAT - RECIPES

Watermelon is to summer like Bella is to Edward.  They belong together for eternity.*  Err…no?

What I mean to say is that summer’s nothing without juicy, sweet watermelon.  I love to take full advantage of it’s seasonality and use it as much as possible, whether it be in margarita form (recipe to come in the near future) or cubed in a fresh, simple salad.

Not only is this Watermelon-Tomato Salad a perfect compliment to any summer meal, but the recipe itself is super easy and fail-proof.  It can be doubled, tripled, quadrupled.  It can be made ahead of time…or eaten while prepared.  It can sit out in the sun while you lay by pool.  It’s so easy, I could cry.

Did I mention that the flavors meld perfectly together?  We already know that tomato and basil are soul mates.  Same with watermelon and mint.  So why not combine the four?  Let me tell you, it works.  It more than works.  It’s  equal parts sweet and savory.  And the feta cheese?  It balances the flavors together with it’s sharp, salty bite.

Recipe adapted from InStyle Magazine, July 2010 Issue:

Watermelon-Tomato Salad
4 lb. seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint of heirloom cherry tomatoes (Trader Joe’s), halved
6 oz. crumbled feta cheese
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Place watermelon and tomatoes together on a plate.  Crumble feta on top.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Top with basil and mint.

*I clearly failed the analogy portion of the SAT’s.

My Saturday In Photos

June 6, 2010

Filed Under : EAT - MY LIFE

Before I dive into more blog content, I wanted to share some photos from Saturday.  I went to the Culver City Art Walk with Kyle, roaming through various galleries and (of course) stopping to get our fill of snacks along the way.

Afterwards, we went to The xx concert at the Henry Fonda in Hollywood.  I don’t really talk about music that often but The xx is without a doubt one of my favorite bands.  I can listen to their album every day (and I do) from beginning to end (and I do) without ever getting sick of it.  To me, that’s the ultimate sign of a good ass album.

Of course, the show was brilliant and I enjoyed every second of it.  Love you Romy, Oliver, and Jamie.

{kogi taco truck in culver city}

{dave kinsey @ carmichael gallery}

{nick walker @ carmichael gallery}

{in front of a really blue door}

{father’s office for a snack…and afternoon beer?}

{sweet potato fries @ father’s office}

{the xx at henry fonda}

{Romy & Oliver (what a babe)}

{light show}

{ooh, oliver}

{xx}

Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Feta Vinaigrette

May 11, 2010

Filed Under : EAT - RECIPES

Whenever I find a recipe that incorporates all of my favorite ingredients, it’s a guarantee that I’ll be making it.  When I came across this Mediterranean Orzo pasta salad on CookingLight.com, I was over-the-moon giddy reading its list of ingredients: sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, spinach, kalamata olives, feta cheese.  Oh la la!

The flavors are undeniably Mediterranean and meld so well together in this dish, from the salty bite of the kalamata to the rich and earthy artichokes.  And even though there was such a variety of ingredients, the dish was very light and healthy overall.  I made it as a side dish for Mother’s Day dinner and it was a crowd favorite.

We had so much left over that I’ve been taking it to work for lunch – which is another bonus because it saves well!

Happy Mother’s Day. With Love From, Food

May 9, 2010

Filed Under : EAT

I don’t know about you, but my family holidays revolve completely around food.  Today, our breakfast, lunch, and dinner all comprised of multiple courses and lots of delicious surprises.  Needless to say, I’m in a deeply sedated food coma now.

Here’s a snippet from our Mother’s Day lunch:

{barbecued shrimp}

{chunky guacamole}

{colorful salad}

{margaritas!}

{tea cakes from our favorite bakery, Martino’s}

{angel food cake w/ strawberries}

…and that was just lunch.  Breakfast and dinner are a whole different story!  Happy Mother’s Day!!