Let’s Go Away

March 24, 2013

Filed Under : TRAVEL

palm springs / the style eater

When you’re having a quarter-life crisis (I’m having one by the way), the only thing you can do is recharge those batteries. Recharging batteries include but are not limited to: being in 85+ degree weather, laying by pools occupied only by hipsters, drinking margaritas even though you have a pretty decent sized stomach ulcer, getting a ton more freckles (because let’s face it, this pale skin doesn’t tan well), and reading a teen novel but ONLY on the iPad so no one at said pool will give you dirty looks.

Good thing I’ll be doing all of the above the next few days because these batteries need recharging! I’m at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs (one of my favorites), soaking up the sun and enjoying this precious life.

Hope your week is off to a fresh and exciting start!

AFTER WORK

March 15, 2013

Filed Under : MY LIFE

Instead of a Friday Love List today, I thought I’d share what our Thursday evening looked like.  Super low-key and nowhere to be.  Those are my favorite kind of nights.

As soon as I got home from work, I relaxed a bit and went through the mail.  The new Madewell catalogue kept me occupied for a solid 25 minutes.  That thing is pure gold.  GOLD, I tell you.

after work / the style eater

Then I decided to make dinner: a rice bowl with veggies, fried eggs, and some leftover thai curry broth from this recipe.

after work / the style eater

While I cooked, Kyle put on music and we danced between sautéing the mushrooms and steaming the brown rice.  This is very typical.  We get our dance on almost every night during/after dinner.  Not pictured: the final product of our meal, which was pretty dang tasty.  In fact, I wish I could insert a “thumbs up” emoji right here.  I can no longer express how I truly feel without the use of emojis anymore. #2013problems

after work4

We kept dancin’ and spinnin’ and groovin’ and movin’.  In these photos, we’re listening to Smooth Operator.  I’m serious!  Everyone needs a little Sade in their life.  Although, we eventually switched over to the new JT album.

after work / the style eater

after work / the style eater

ALRIGHT, YOU GET IT, WE’RE CUTE SOMETIMES.

Then on to dessert.  Not pictured: handfuls upon handfuls of Trader Joe’s dark chocolate covered almonds with sea salt and turbinado sugar, as seen here.  I mean, I can’t even put into words how addicting these things are.

after work / the style eater

After dessert and dishes, it was straight up to the office for some blogging, pinteresting, and Google Reader-ing.  Dear Google, WHY OH WHY are you getting rid of Google Reader?  I use it ALL DAY, ERRRDAY.  Also, I’m taking a few online classes right now so those were on my Thursday night t0-do list as well.

after work / the style eater

That was one exciting Thursday evening.  Hope yours was great!

As for the weekend, I have little to no plans except for soaking up the LA sunshine.  Happy weekending!

thai curry soup

March 14, 2013

Filed Under : RECIPES

Thai Curry Soup / the style eater

I have a half-Asian boyfriend who doesn’t like Asian food so it’s really hard to cook around here. I LOVE it on the other hand. I grew up eating Indonesian food weekly (my mom’s parents are both from Indonesia) so it’s something that I crave on the regular. Don’t even get me started on basic white rice.  Kyle refuses to eat it. You know what, he’s cute and that’s what matters.

Anyway, sometimes I’ll spice things up and make a curry dish (literally and figuratively). He’s usually pretty luke warm on the idea, but this soup, he actually liked! His only request was that protein be added, like chicken, shrimp, or even tofu. Woohoo! The broth was so rich and flavorful.  These are exactly the kind of meals I love.  Plus, it was easy to make and ready in no time at all.  I’m adding this to my arsenal of regulars and can’t wait to make it again.

THAI CURRY SOUP
Recipe from The Daily Muse, adapted from Kate Miss
Serving Size: 2-4

1 yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled & diced
2 handfuls fresh spinach
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tsp red curry paste
1/2 can coconut milk
1 box (32oz) chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger or fresh minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
4oz udon or rice noodles
pinch of red pepper flakes (if you wish)
1 lime

Optional garnishes:
salted cashews
salted peanuts
diced green onions

1. Saute onion and carrot in olive oil until tender.  Add garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Add red curry paste and mix until evenly distributed.  Add coconut milk, chicken/vegetable broth, curry powder, ginger, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar.
3. Stir and let boil. Then add spinach.
4. Simmer until the greens are cooked down, then add noodles and cook according to package directions (the less noodles, the better – you don’t want them to soak up too much of the broth!)
5. Add lime juice to taste (1/2 of a juicy lime) before serving and garnish with toppings.

On having a uniform

March 7, 2013

Filed Under : STYLE

my uniform / the style eater

We all have those clothing items that we’d wear every day if we could.  Don’t you dare deny it.  Oh if I could, I’d wear a combination of this outfit every damn day.  But you’d probably think I was a weirdo, so I reign it in and only wear it about once (okay twice) a week.  Not this exact outfit in particular per se, but a version of it. Sure, I’ll add some extras into the mix like a button-up shirt under the sweater or a colorful knit scarf or maybe even shorts instead of the jeans.

But for the most part, I like it just like that – simple and unfussy, easy and boyish.  It’s ME and this is what I’m comfortable in.

My uniform is as follows:
a crew neck sweater (I prefer this Everlane one)
+ perfectly worn denim (these Madewells are similar to the ones above)
+ Wigwam socks (the comfiest of comfy socks)
+ ankle boots (these Chelsea versions have been in heavy rotation lately)

And yes, it’s about to get hot in LA so my exact uniform will be sidelined for a bit, but don’t worry, I have a summer version of it and although I’m sure you can guess what it is, I’ll share my summertime uniform soonsies!

What’s your uniform combo?

The Hollywood Reservoir

March 5, 2013

Filed Under : AROUND LA

Hollywood Reservoir / the style eater

I’ve lived in Los Angeles for a few years now (and in Southern California my whole life) and I’m still discovering its hidden gems and beauties.  Take the Hollywood Reservoir for example.  I only learned about it a few months ago while watching the film “Seven Psychopaths” (which I don’t recommend).  There is one scene at the beginning of the film right on that very bridge in the first photo, and even though someone is getting murdered in the scene, Kyle and I looked at each other and thought: WHAT IS THIS HEAVEN ON EARTH??  Minus the murdering, of course.  Oh but the beautiful lake and lush greenery!  And then I immediately felt like an ass for never having been to this gem literally in the middle of my own city.  Blasphemous.

So we went and explored.  It was so peaceful and as a bonus, we saw deer in their natural habitat.  There is a paved path around the reservoir that’s about 4 miles long and we just walked as far as we could (to a locked gate) and then back around.  A large team training for the marathon was running along the path as well, giving us dirty looks as they passed us, probably thinking that we too were training for the marathon and must be real lazy with all those walk breaks we were taking.  Sorry marathoners, we were not training.  We just really wanted to take pictures of deer.

Here’s more info on the Hollywood Reservoir if you so happen upon LA, are stuck in traffic on the 101, and in dire need of fresh air and nature.

Hollywood Reservoir / the style eater

Hollywood Reservoir / the style eater

Hollywood Reservoir / the style eater

Hollywood Reservoir / the style eater

Hollywood Reservoir / the style eater