30.10.11

unhappy hipsters

unhappy hipsters, its lonely in the modern world.  a hilarious website that pokes fun at dwell magazine photographs through witty captions mocking life inside modern design.  i am guilty of subscribing to dwell magazine and i thoroughly enjoy reading about architecture and design.  but i would never lay concrete floors or install floating stairs.  so there is definitely humor behind wondering if the hipsters featured in the magazine really enjoy some of the details of their mod habitats. and, as brought up in an Los Angeles Times article, "How many hipsters, as the term is generally thrown around, can afford to commission a house from Marmol Radziner." enough said. 

 

20.10.11

bite sized beauties



the other day in the gym i was forced to watch a series of food and cooking shows while i staved off my hunger and sweat through my session on the elliptical.  i wondered who actually enjoys watching this genre of entertainment at this venue - seems like such a tease. i'd say it's safe to say that most people's motivation for showing up at the gym is probably not to learn how ina garten can whip up a mean fennel crusted pork loin.  but on this particular day, i had the pleasure of watching a show on macarons. a macaron is basically a meringue-based almond cookie, that is sandwiched with some variety of delicious filling.  the flavors and combinations are actually quite endless, which in turn creates that rainbow of colors we see. these tiny, bite sized pastries are prim and sweet - the ideal adult dessert.  somehow over the last year (or so) people have become obsessed with macarons (the next cupcake perhaps).  i was told that in san diego, big joy bakery, makes macaroons thursday - sunday, and they go fast.  i imagine they will start popping up in pastery shops all over town sooner than later.  i told my friend about my gym experience, and like me, she appreciates all things french (that's another story).  she told me about a cook book she recently got, i love macarons, by japanese pastry chef hisako ogita.  neither of us are bakers, but apparently this cookbook is well written, illustrating and giving tips for the precise science to the step by step process.  since it does require some equipment that i am yet committed to purchase, i think i will just help my friend in her attempts to bake, maybe offer up some suggestions on color and flavor combinations.  maybe we'll watch p90x while we bake.


17.10.11

kate . ad

hmm, maybe it wouldn't be so bad living a kate spade ad - a carefree life full colorful shoes and bags.










16.10.11

brunching ladies

sunday funday took a new spin.  while football may have been on mute, and fantasy draft picks made on the sly - there weren't pitchers of beer and bar stools full of rowdy fans.  instead, we lounged in our "pajamas,"  collectively whipped up the most mouth watering brunch spread, and sipped on bubble cocktails mixed with freshly juiced fruit.  and perhaps i should also mention the enormous kitchen and amazing ocean views from my girlfriend's house in dana point - not a shabby backdrop.  the gorgeous southern california weather coupled with chatting away the afternoon with girlfriends in the sunshine was a great way to wrap up the weekend!

(recipes will be posted soon)


BAKED "COAST TOAST"
SPINACH & MUENSTER FRITTATA
DICED FRUIT SALAD
GRILLED MAPLE WOOD BACON
BANANA BREAD with WALNUTS









15.10.11

m+m: la villa restaurant & bar




i am beginning to think that the buon appetito group is taking over india street in downtown san diego's little italy.  luckily each one of their ventures has been wildly successful, and for good reason.  i fell in love with buon appetito in 2004 when i moved down the street.  it became my go-to place for every visitor, and no fail, when people return they want to go back.  they then opened sogno di vino next door, with it's couches and relaxed atmosphere, it makes this wine bar feel very inviting (they also have amazing paninis).  and then came the market next door.  it made it easy to swoop in and grab a vat of their homemade sauce, a bottle of handpicked wine, some vegetables, or those hard to find italian ingredients.  and so, this week i happened to be walking around with a girlfriend looking for a nice place to enjoy lunch outside and we came across la villa, the newest venture for the group.  headed by executive chef, chris o'donnell (formally from MARKET in del mar), la villa is coining themselves as a "contemporary farm to table italian restaurant."  the interiors are more sleek than their other places, but there are still rustic touches.  with an enormous patio and a bar that opens up both to the interior and exterior, i can see this place holding on to the after dinner crowd as well.  the afternoon was gorgeous so we took our time grazing.  i had a brightly colored and delicious beet salad (with olives, random but so good), and shared a burrata pizza (which was light and bursting with flavor).  the wine by the glass selection was limited, but i assume that in time this will expand.  i had a glass of pinot grigio, but wasn't overly impressed.  but, i am definitely looking forward to coming back to try out dinner!



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relaxation in the clouds











i was surprised to see an email show up in my inbox from the santa lucia cloud forest in ecuador.  it has been well over three years since my girlfriend and i trekked up a mountain side to this remote location above the clouds in the rain forests of ecuador.  the email was a newsletter that they have started to keep in touch, and it was great to see how far they had come since our visit.  santa lucia, while it is a splendid eco-retreat, it is primarily a research station.  the tiny wood cabin that we stayed in also housed the interns and researchers, as we were the only visitors.  while we hiked, meandered through the gardens, read in the hammock, and played around on the rope swing - these people were collecting samples, building more cabins, securing the trails, etc.  we'd all gather at the end of the day and eat a communal dinner and i'd honestly feel a little guilty being exhausted after seeing what they did all day.  but the place was amazing, and the scenery was breathtaking.  it was beyond relaxing to sway in the hammock and watch the clouds roll in and out, looking out over the mountains and just listen to the birds chirp.  the outdoor shower was incredible, taking deep breaths of crisp air, fully exposed and surrounded by lush greenery - i felt pretty clean and fresh.  being so immersed in nature, it was like a zoo at your fingertips.  orchids grew naturally, worms were enormous, the bugs (while gigantic) were so incredibly beautiful, and luckily we didn't encounter any of the mammals.  it was the perfect place to unwind, to be removed from the rest of the world.

13.10.11

jalapeno pizza




i think i may have created my best combination for a pizza thus far.  after a trip to trader joes, i found myself with more jalapenos than i knew what to do with.  so everything i made this week included them.  i decided to make a pizza (they are actually quite simple to make when you purchase ready made dough), and i must say, it was so delicious.

- roll out dough, brush a light coat of EVOO and sprinkle minced jalapeno on top.  bake at 450 degrees until dough starts to crisp
- crumble goat cheese (plain or honey) on top, and cover with thin layers of prosciutto
- bake again until prosciutto crisps
- remove from oven and spread a thin layer of orange marmalade over prosciutto
- sprinkle arugula over entire pizza
- cut, serve and enjoy!

12.10.11

what . is . inspiration

i was looking online for some new stationary to order and came across bird and banner.  while they didn't have what i was personally looking for, they did have a blind embossed calligraphic invitation made for an event that said, "send something inspiring to someone who inspires you."  it made me think of old childhood chain letters, and it also made me think of handwritten notes that arrive for no reason other than to say hello.

i've been pen pals with my grandmother for as far back as i can remember.  she doesn't use a computer and thinks the telephone costs way too much money (she would not understand the unlimited plan).  but she says she treasures each note, and the other year told me she has kept every one of them.  it only takes a couple minutes to jot down some thoughts, to let someone know you're thinking of them, tell them a quick story - and you never know - a few simple words might just be the inspiration they need.

images: bird and banner

11.10.11

pistachio crusted halibut

i was in our local sprouts (used to be henrys) doing some grocery shopping.  i was walking around without a list, getting my staple items and go-to ingredients, when i decided that i needed to make something new.  i purchased the most recent bon appetit and picked out a recipe "matcha & pistachio crusted halibut"by chef daniel patterson of choi in san francisco.  i probably spent a good twenty minutes trying to locate matcha powder (green tea based) in the herbal and vitamin section, when i was tipped that i should just swing into starbucks and ask to buy it there.  apparently it's hip enough to be in starbucks drinks.  after that fiasco i decided just to skip the ingredient all together, as i was told by a trusty food stocker, although its very healthy for you, it's not a main flavor in this recipe.  and they were right.  i followed everything else below (used croutons instead of breadcrumbs), and it was such a delicious piece of fish!  i served it with mashed sweet potatoes (i get on a kick with sweet potatoes).

bon appetit image


Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup raw unsalted pistachios
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons matcha powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for parchment paper
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 4 5-ounce skinless Pacific halibut fillets or other firm-fleshed white fish

Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 400°. Place pistachios on a small rimmed baking sheet; toast until browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
  • Grind pistachios, matcha, and sugar in a food processor until nuts are coarsely chopped, about 15 seconds. Add breadcrumbs, melted butter, and lemon zest; process until combined (but not a paste), about 10 seconds. Season topping to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; grease paper with butter. Lightly season fish all over with salt and pepper. Pat 1/4 of nut mixture evenly on top of each fillet. Place fillets on prepared sheet. Bake until just opaque in center, 8–10 minutes.

9.10.11

missed connections







brooklyn based sophie blackall visually brings to life the messages from the online missed connection posts on craigslist.  she posts her whimsical illustrations on her blog, and now has them published in a new book missed connections: love, lost & found. i had honestly forgotten about that section of craigslist, but had always wondered if anyone ever did connect from those posts.

"Messages in bottles, smoke signals, letters written in the sand; the modern equivalents are the funny, sad, beautiful, hopeful, hopeless, poetic posts on Missed Connections websites. Every day hundreds of strangers reach out to other strangers on the strength of a glance, a smile or a blue hat. Their messages have the lifespan of a butterfly. I'm trying to pin a few of them down." - Sophie Blackall

4.10.11

boarding. bonfire. bull taco








it was the ideal weekend to be able to spend entirely on the beach.  with the start of lobster season, the red tide and warm weather - i felt quite lucky that friends had taken over 3 separate camp sites in the san elijo campgrounds in cardiff.  we all took advantage of the easy access to paddle board, surf, and kayak at cardiff reef.  with the waves relatively flat, it was great to cruise around and relax in the kelp beds.  i kept pausing long enough in the calm silence to catch seals playing with each other, and actually got spooked by one particular one when his head popped up right next to my kayak (almost teetered into the water)!  with some friendly competition with bocce ball (our rules keep evolving), carving pumpkins with the kids, and a little lobster hunting - i kind of felt like i was at summer camp.  living within a mile of the campsite i decided not to haul down anything for a cookout, and instead we all took advantage of the deck at bull taco to catch the sunset and eat some delicious grub (they took the abalone taco off the menu!).  the red tide added an extra element of excitement for some.  the phytoplankton made the water a milky reddish brown by day, but by night, the burst of electric blue bioluminescence was incredible.  while everyone was out in the water with their lights diving down for lobsters, i enjoyed the cloudless sky and twinkling stars from the shore.  the nights wound down gathered around the bonfire with some cold beers, tequila and cigars.  it's awesome that you can feel so far away from home in your own backyard.

2.10.11

bullet



british concept designer, phil pauley, works with companies to transform his visions into viable products.  one of his creations is the bullet, a sleek superbike that performs like a motorcycle with wings.  while i haven't flown (taking off does not count) or operated much more than a motorbike in foreign countries - i do find this combination fascinating.  with a jet engine and 4 wings, the high performance bullet can maintain speeds of 300 miles per hour.  a thrill seeking experience.

1.10.11

gear me

while camping & hiking mt whitney, we began joking that so many of the things that we like to do are gear heavy activities.  in prep for that one weekend, i must have made a half dozen trips to REI, as well as loading up on borrowed equipment from friends - this, all in addition to everything i already owned.  but even as i stocked up for the trip, i still saw my list growing - as it would be nice to not have to borrow so much.  beyond the hiking poles, headlamps, sleeping pad, etc - i decided to write down everything else i wanted before i bought anything - an attempt to curb impulsive shopping.  it's a long one, including a single kayak, paddle board, road bike, new beach cruiser, 2 person tent, smaller day backpack..... and that is only the tip of the iceberg.  and if my girl friend (post baby) and i finally get certified to scuba as well as sail,  well then that's a whole other list.... but last night, my friend told me about the annual REI used equipment sale in encinitas this weekend, and how i could probably get some of the random pieces (not sure i'll be looking into a used sleeping bag) i've been wanting.  he was so excited for what i imagine to be a giant yard sale, but i am sure tomorrow we will end up packing up my truck with some kind of gear.   


San Diego REI — Members Only Used Gear Sale!

Date: 10/2/2011

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (PDT)

  • Everyone's favorite event is back! Please join us for our unique REI Members Only Used Gear Sale where you will find returned, used, or damaged merchandise for sale. Prices are slashed 30--75% off. Not a member of the REI Co-op yet? Just talk with any sales associate and join for a lifetime for a one time $20 fee. Don't miss out on the incredible bargains! All sales are final. No returns or exchanges.