Downtown Adventure.

I had a day off yesterday, which was much needed and appreciated. Joseph and I had both worked Saturday night so we slept in and had some Greek yogurt with fruit for breakfast. As we pondered what to do with our gray day (literally no sun in sight), we decided it was too cold for the beach, I was too tired to go on a hike, and not really in the mood to shop for a couch, so we decided take a walk downtown with Urban Outfitters on the mind.

The streets around us were kind of quiet and once we stepped into the Gaslamp District, it was chaos because of the Argentina vs. Mexico futbol game! The bars were overflowing, people yelling & screaming, and the usual homeless bothering people.

We finally made it to Urban and shopped around for nothing special. As we wandered around the Gaslamp District, we quickly got hungry for lunch. With no special place in mind, I suggested we walk to the East Village for Cafe Chloe :) Haha, of course!

We sat inside, since it was kind of chilly and windy out!

We quickly ordered and waited patiently for our food!

Joseph ordered his Chloe favorite, Steamed Mussels with Truffle Fries!



Their mussels are soooo good. The flavor of the wine, butter, and garlic are just perfect and the fries are the perfect touch. We ended up ordering a warm baguette to dip into the broth. Heaven!

I ordered the Steak Salad with mushrooms, asparagus, and pickled onions. Simply delicious. Both of us literally had nothing left over... not even a crumb. We had a really nice time, later that night after hot tubbing it, and helping a friend move her couches, we watched The Time Traveler's Wife (a real tear jerker... a must-watch!) & Adventureland (funny and cute) with pizza :)

Farmer's Market.

Saturday morning, after my successful egg poaching experience featured in a post below, I decided we should walk over to the Littly Italy Mercato (aka Farmer's Market) since it is so close and for some reason I really like to go. Joseph thinks its too small but I like the walk, people watching, live music, and seeing all the fresh produce. For some reason it inspires me to live a healthier life, even if it's just for a day!

My friend, Jessica came along with us, it was her third time going to it, and she realized that all the same vendors were present. She thought different vendors came every week, but then was bummed out to find it was the same thing.

However, I did introduce her & Joseph to something new...

There's this hippie-ish lady who runs a little drink booth. I've had a Strawberry-Mojito (alcohol-free, of course) and her fresh squeezed lemonade, both amazing! Well, this weekend I ordered the Mango Infused Lemonade and Joseph ordered the Strawberry-Watermelon Lemonade. They were both so good. Joseph's tasted just like a Jolly-Rancher. She uses all fresh ingredients and natural products.

You have to try it!

Mini-Trip.

The more stressful my job gets, the more I have the need to do something fun or relaxing on my days off and luckily Joseph & I had a day off together this past week, so we decided to take a trip to the zoo for a picnic :)

We packed our own lunch and drove over to the zoo for the day/mid-afternoon. We thought we would take the time to really focus on specific parts of the zoo, since it is so big and we usually just kind of walk around with no direction. I wanted to focus on all of the monkeys and then make our way to the elephants.

As we walked, we stumbled upon the little muskrat things...

They all seemed to be hard at work digging holes and such, but there was just one that was napping and enjoying the sun. I joked that I was the little worker and Joseph was the sun-bather. He didn't like that much and said "Yea, everyone is working digging holes and not finding anything, while the other knows what life is all about!" Hahaha, it was cute :)

And then we made it to the Orangutans! There was a little baby that was so adorable. He was just swinging about and playing with patches of grass that he had ripped out of the ground.



His mommy and daddy were close by, of course. His mom had her back to the glass the whole time and would sometimes give a stink-eye look to everyone over her shoulder but the daddy just kind of sat in the shade, lost in thought... (for some reason he reminded me of my grandpa, who would spend his days in the same position, with the same expression on his face, under the his favorite tree in the shade....it was kind of sweet)

Eventually we made our way to the hippos! Joseph had to make-out with one of them, of course! Everyone liked Joseph's little stunt. Afterwards, all the parents were having their kids do the same thing, it was really funny.

At the end of the park we sat by the elephants and had our picnic. It was really nice and serene. I hope to make a habit out of going every week or maybe every other week, or at least once a month!

Poached.

I was first introduced to Poached Eggs when I worked at IHOP (yes.... I worked there...I was 16-ish) One of the chefs (okay so maybe IHOP doesn't have "chefs" but let's pretend) had made some extra poached eggs and asked me if I wanted them. I kind of turned my nose up at the idea but then quickly realized that they were just like over-easy eggs, after he explained to me how he made them. I fell in love with them but for some reason always forgot to order them at other places.

Anyways... I was re-introduced to them a many times, like when I realized that poached eggs were part of Eggs Benedict (which I love)! Carolyn asked me if I wanted to have some for breakfast one day while visiting and I said "SURE", and watched her make them. It seemed like a complicated process so I never tried to make them myself.... until this past Saturday.

I asked Joseph what he wanted for breakfast and he nonchalantly said "Poached Eggs", knowing that I had never made them myself and that they idea kind of freaked me out after watching his mom make them and Julie from the movie Julie & Julia. I said "Okay", I think he was kind of surprised and said "Really?"

So I got together my ingredients:

I knew I needed: water, vinegar, and obviously eggs!

To start off, I thought I would make one egg first to make sure I could master the art of poaching eggs. I heated the water with a teaspoon of vinegar to just a boil and them lowered the temperature to just a light simmer. I cracked the egg into a ramekin, took a deep breath, and slowly dropped the egg in the water...

I quickly nudged the egg white over the yolk to make sure it would stay in tact and put the lid on the pot, let it sit for a couple of minutes while it slowly cooked and "strained" it out with a big spoon.

I was amazed! I had done it... on my first try no less. I yelled out to Joseph to come see it.

And then I quickly sprinkled it with freshly ground sea salt & pepper and fresh chopped basil.

Yummy! I LOVE the ooey-gooey yolk of an egg.


I forgot to mention that I already had some things cooking like garlic roasted potatoes and bacon. Since I was very young, my parents would take the family to this little place called The Aurora Pancake House and after years of ordering "Little Pigs in a Blanket", my mom hooked me on "The Hobo" which was a skillet with potatoes on the bottom, topped with American Cheese, and (2) Eggs. I would get a side of bacon on the side and then chop it up and sprinkle it on top of everything (I'm sure our usual waitress thought I was crazy but she quickly learned my order and I now make this for myself as a reminder of home)

After making them on my own, I realized that I didn't really need these little babies!

Prep Table.

Before Joseph and I moved from our last apartment in Hillcrest, we were trying to figure out what to get rid of, what to buy new, and what not to get at all. Luckily, one of our acquaintances was moving as well and was selling a lot of his stuff. We scored this stainless steel table from ikea.

As we waited to make the move, we stored it in the Suburban because it was too big to fit into our little space. We initially thought we could use it as an island in the kitchen but once in our new space, it didn't quite work out, so we decided it would be a nice extension of our kitchen, and it currently sits like this....

I love how we can store all of our pots and pans on the shelves as well as items like onions and potatoes. I have quickly turned it into a prep table when I feel like I don't have enough counter space.

However, it has quickly turned into our "lets throw everything on-it table", which makes me cranky but I catch myself doing it more often then not. So, my solution is to completely make it into a kitchen's dream by adding....




A chalkboard from Pottery Barn!

Joseph doesn't think that I'll actually use it.... but I will, I know it. Thanks to Denise, I was able to find how and where to order it. Although the price is a little more than I wanted to spend, I had already looked at different options like painting the wall with chalkboard paint, or even getting an adhesive wall paper that acts as a chalkboard.... both ideas were not practical (however, I'm not sure spending $150 for a real chalkboard is either!)


Placing these little ones from Crate & Barrel on the table would add to the look of the prep table. I really like using the different colors of ingredients to bring a splash to the wall.


And of course, I can't forget a cookbook stand! I have always wanted one, but never found one that I loved. So many you have to order online... I just want to see it and feel it in person... that's the downside of shopping online.... and shipping fees too!

So what do you think? To prep or not to prep? The tricky part is remembering that we live in an apartment and not a home...

Albondigas.

Don't you have those favorite dishes that your mom used to make as a child?

For me the list short because they stood out from the rest. I loved my mom's:

1.) Mexican Spaghetti
2.) Italian Spaghetti
3.) Lasagna
4.) Flautas
5.) Carne Asada Tortas & Tacos

and of course.... Albondigas Soup!


I never really knew how to make it but when my friend Lourdes said that she was going to make it, I had to help and mostly learn for myself how to make it.

For those of you who are not familiar with this particular type of traditional Mexican soup, it is a light soup with hearty chunks of veggies and small rice-filled meatballs. Weird, right?!



I started by using about (2) pounds of ground beef. I seasoned it with salt & pepper, and then added about (2) cups of rice, and (2) eggs, I then mixed it all together by hand and began forming the meat into about (2) inch balls.


Meanwhile, Lourdes put together about (6) cups of water in a pot and added some Chicken Bouillon, (1) can of tomato sauce, onion, and fresh garlic. What she does differently is that she takes a bunch of fresh mint and places it directly in the broth, while most people cut it up and incorporate the mint into the meat balls.


After finishing the meat balls, I diced up some carrots and potatoes for the soup. Once the broth has been simmering for a while, I dropped in the veggies and the meat balls and simmered the whole mixture for about (20) minutes, until the veggies were soft and the meat was tender.

Success! The soup was pretty much just as I remembered. We garnished it with some fresh mint and a squeeze of lime. Traditionally you can add some salsa with it and roll up a tortilla to enjoy with the soup. It was yummmy!

Universal Studios.

Last week, I had mentioned to Joseph that we should take a little day trip somewhere. We weren't quite sure where to go but then I had the bright idea of going to Universal Studios! Joseph had never been and I hadn't been in a really long time.

My mom's family used to live in the L.A. area and we would come out often in the summers to visit when we were out of school. I always remember it being really crowded but fun. I looked up the admission and hours and realized that it would be the last weekend that they would be offering the "Buy a day, Get a year free"! So, I booked the tickets and waited for the weekend. Very last minute, our friend Caitlin got work covered and came with.

We stopped in Laguna for gas, a restroom break, and a photo-op with Joseph's new Mini :)

Yay! After roughly (3) hours of travel and L.A. traffic, we got to Universal.

First Stop?? The Tram!

The Tram is my favorite part of Universal. You get to go behind the scenes of some of the biggest movie sets. It's awesome!

This was a little part of the War of the Worlds. It was extremely eery, even though I knew it was fake, it kind of freaked me out. They had taken a real 757 and destroyed it for the movie. It was kind of crazy!

We also saw but did not take a picture of: Who-ville from How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carey, Jaws, the various cars of Back to the Future, and even took a little stroll down Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives!

We rode the Jurassic Park ride (the first time I rode it like ten years ago, it completely scarred me for life, but this time I knew what to expect), The Mummy ride, and the new Simpson's ride. I really liked the Simpson's ride :)

Universal Studios is so different as an adult. I am pretty sure that parent's take their kids here so that they can drink the whole time while their kids are amused by all the craziness. What a good idea, eh?

Does blue hair suit me?? Ha!

Notice how happy Joseph is that the shark is about to bite my head off... and my cotton candy and beer combination...

Overall, the day was really fun! We stayed until closing :) I hope to be back soon for a some new attractions like King Kong 4-D. If you need a tour guide...!

Lentils.

Do you remember the some of the different things that you hated eating when you were little?

I had so many like:

1.) Mushrooms

2.) Fish

3.) Lentils

4.) Olives

5.) Capers

...but then as a grow-up, you learn to love. I have acquired the taste/flavor for all of the things above from my list except Olives. I can not stand the taste, I love the way they look and what great presentation some make but the second an olive reaches my mouth, I have to spit it out.

Anyway, the other night, as I pondered what to make out of my new ad hoc cookbook, I came across an interesting lentil soup recipe. I love lentils, and Thomas Keller's take on the classic recipe sounded soooo good. By sauteing the veggies in bacon and then adding them to the mix, I thought, oh yummy! I usually use The Barefoot Contessa's French Lentil & Vegetable Soup recipe found here, and decided to do a mix of the two recipes!

However, come to find out, I didn't have any bacon.... but what I did have, I thought was even better... the Duck Stock from Easter that I had frozen. It already had great flavor and plenty of fat :)

Some of the things that I did differently this time from others, was sauteing the veggies with duck fat that I acquired by skimming the very top layer of the duck broth, which is where all the fat sits. I also added fresh parsley, curry, and a bay leaf!

An hour and a half later, this was the end result. I added fresh corn and sprinkled it with a little more parsley. The sweetness of the corn with the saltiness of the duck fat was an amazing combination. I think the recipe serves about (10) and I am pretty sure Joseph and I had something close to that ;)

Deprived.

I think I am deprived...

I looked up the meaning today (for the sake of this post) and this is what it said:

1.) Marked by deprivation, especially of economic or social necessities

2.) Lacking in advantage, opportunity, or experience.

Why do I feel deprived, you ask....

Because I have gone fifteen months without buying a new bag. I got into the habit of buying one every six months and now I feel deprived. I have not found one worthy of the price or style to carry. I was so desperate last month that I made an impulse buy at Coach.... and then promptly returned it because I didn't "love" it.

So, as I continually shop/browse online (which is what Joseph says I do everyday, all day), I have selected a few that I am kind of really in love with. Let me know what you think*.

The Milo by Louis Vuitton.

I love the color, shape, and non-obvious brand name style.

Tote by Filson.

Aside from being pretty plain, I like the functionality, craftsmanship, and leather handles (not to mention that it is totally affordable!)

Bayswater by Mulberry.

A few of years ago, I hadn't really heard about the luxury English brand that is loved by Kate Moss, Blake Lively, and even Anna Wintour! So it shouldn't be a surprise that now I have fallen deeply in love with everything about it!

Couldn't you see me with it? I am convincing myself that I can pull it off. I think the reason that I have become so obsessed with it lately is because of its similarity to the highly coveted Birkin Bag by Hermes....

Seriously, if I had an extra $15,000 laying around, I am pretty sure I'd be carrying around my very own Birkin too! So... if Marc Jacobs can pull off carrying around one of his many Birkin's, I can carry a Mulberry Bayswater.

*Denise, I am expecting a text from you within a week of your choices, and I think I know which you will choose, you LV fanatic.

Saturdays.

A year ago, I couldn't count on one hand how many Saturdays I'd have off. For some reason, recently I have been having Saturday completely off and I am loving it! Last Saturday, after the SATC party, Joseph and I went to the beach and spent the day together.

I didn't think about taking pictures while at the beach but we laid out for a couple of hours and then drove over to La Jolla to spend the afternoon at the cove. We sat at some cute little place (I've been there a couple of times and have no idea what it's called) and enjoyed the view.

There were so many kayak-ers (I'm sure that's not even a word) out! It was fun to watch and remember that last time we had taken tour of the cove, there were so many seals sun bathing too.


We walked out to the edge of the cove after our beers to sit but it was kind of cold and windy.

We walked and walked and finally came across Seal Beach (legally named The Children's Pool*). It was really calming and serene even though there were a lot of people around. We sat on a bench and just relaxed, it was really nice.

Stay tuned for this Saturday's adventure :)

*It's unofficially called Seal Beach because a long time ago Seals started to inhabit it although it had always been The Children's Pool because it's a little beach that the waves barely come up to and kid's can enjoy. Currently there is a lot of controversy surrounding it because residents want to enjoy it and get rid of the seals, while many believe it as a conservation area.

SATC: Part 2.

My parties aren't complete without lots of...

Food & Drinks

I had to think about small bites that everyone would enjoy and could serve up to (8) people. It was a challenge because I also wanted a variation of cool and warm food... and I had to keep in mind that I would only have about an hour or so after work to get this all together and get dressed!

This is what I came up with. Unfortunately I didn't get a closeup of the little Chocolate-Chunk Shortbread cookies that I ordered from work but I had to mention them because they were all gone the next day!

I thought about making a traditional Caprese salad with the large tomatoes but they are so hard to eat without a fork and knife so I set out the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and basil leaves with toothpicks for everyone to serve themselves.


I also made the Barefoot Contessa's Provencal Scallops, again. They were a hit, I had to make another batch later that night after the movie!

Homemade hummus is always a hit, thankfully this was the only left overs for us to enjoy the next day. Everything else was completely gone!

Drinks, drinks, and more drinks. I infused some vodka with fresh rosemary and them mixed it with black tea-lemonade, it was so refreshing! We also had cosmo's (duh!), champagne and wine. I set out recipes for different martini's in case there wasn't enough... :)

After the movie, we came back and continued to eat & drink! It was a complete success, honestly I don't know if I liked the movie but I think I'll have to re-watch it.