movember

it had finally come, 30 november, the day the stache disappears.  each year in the month of november, the moustache growing charity, movember, encourages men all over the world to grow out their facial hair to increase awareness for men's health, particularly cancer.  it's an excellent excuse for men to take the classic moustache to the extreme, but some unfortunately just look plain creepy.  many of my girlfriends were relieved that this month had finally come to end, and in the words of one, "all the crumb catchers, flavor savors, mouth brows, fanny ticklers, face fros, fu manchus, handlebars, horseshoes, and chevrons that are about to be razored tonight.... guys, although we ladies do wish the best for your health.... we most certainly welcome the return of your smooth upper lip!"

stillness

don't cry because it's over. smile because it happened. ~ dr. suess

i went to the san eligo lagoon tonight and sat on "my bench", just as i have done so many times before.  perhaps the chilly air, the dusky sky and the desolate trail played into my mood - but it's just not the same.  it's a beautiful place, no doubt.  but tonight has only continued to prove, that it's not the place that i love, but rather it was the company that i kept sitting on that bench.  

image megan.christine

izze me

the other day after a delightful bike ride, my girlfriend and i stopped by seaside market  in cardiff-by-the-sea and decided to grab a snack to take down to the beach.  standing in front of the beverage coolers, i was definitely tempted to grab one of their many delicious bottled beers - but instead we opted for an izze.  i must say i was slightly skeptical at first, but i was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was.  based in boulder, colorado, izze is company that produces a carbonated juice, which is light and refreshing.  it doesn't have any caffeine, refined sugars, or anything artificial for that matter.  plus it comes in some great flavors- pomegranate, lime, grapefruit, blueberry, clemantine, peach, blackberry and apple.  as much as i enjoyed the drink, the classic glass bottle and the adorable logo --- we got to talking about how if we wanted to, we could easily recreate something quite similar at home.  i think i might have to make my own sparkling juice creation... maybe even from my juicer.....

images izze from google

tis the season

as soon as the last of the turkey leftovers are gone, out comes the christmas decor.  it was always a tradition growing up that the weekend after thanksgiving we would all gather and assemble the house into a winter wonderland.  my family was by no means unique in our timing, so it is not surprising that each day this week i find another tree twinkling in a neighbors window.  i have yet to break out my decorations, as the 75+ degree weather kept me outdoors and busy.  but, today i did purchase a thymes frasier fir candle (amazing) which has happily made my entire downstairs smell of fresh christmas tree.  in the spirit, i started poking around online for some ideas of wreaths and came across these creative and nontraditional variations.  tis the season!

tend, a san diego based botanical design company, is hosting a pop up shop this saturday (at 2944 30th street).  designer, britton neubacher, creates awesome living sculptures - her orbs are particularly rad.  if you have some free time, it's worth checking out!

modfire

one of the great things one can appreciate in san diego is the desirable climate.  but with warm sunny days come cool crisp nights.  in order to fully enjoy all the amazing outdoor spaces at home, restaurants, etc - it's imperative to have a heat source.  there are so many varieties out there, in a shape, size, style for everyone.  i like this arizona based company, modfire.  designed and manufactured by hand, these steel designs are coated in hi-temp paint (in a variety of colors).  a take on the traditional fireplace (they have multiple fuel burning options), these pieces would look awesome on just about any patio.  

modfire image

coconut-cardamom macaroons

image megan.christine 

i am a horrible baker, i embraced this many years ago.  after my sugar cookies turned into sweet rolls and friends urged me to not even give them to the homeless outside my downtown condo, i knew i should probably just give up.  but, i am a stubborn and a rather determined person.... so i have decided i will learn how to bake, and do it well.
with the arrival of the holiday season, i figure why not start now.  i found a recipe in cooking light (december 2011) for coconut-cardamom macaroons (not to be confused with the french macaron).  these delicious coconut cookies were quick and simple to make.... and since there weren't any left after thanksgiving dinner, i'll assume they were tasty too!

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 325°.
• 2. Place egg whites in a medium bowl; lightly beat with a whisk. Add sugar, vanilla, salt, and cardamom; stir well with a whisk until foamy. Add coconut; toss well to combine. Loosely pack coconut mixture into a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon. Turn out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon remaining coconut mixture by tablespoonfuls onto prepared pan to form 20 mounds. Bake at 325° for 23 minutes or until golden all over. Cool on pan 3 minutes; cool completely on a wire rack.

รายละเอียด . the details

images clayton winters

i was browsing through my friend's photographs from his recent trip to india & thailand with his wife.  they both managed to escape washington, dc for a month to travel together, and it looked like it was amazing!  clayton has a good eye, which doesn't surprise me at all.  i recall the walls of his childhood house were decorated with beautiful images his father had captured, so he has been exposed to composition, angles, etc for some time now.  my eye will always draw to the details, which is why i picked a few of his images that I thought were original and interesting.

crap.

image from superficiaaal

sunglasses have a short life span amongst my friends.  it has little to do with appreciating a good piece of eyewear and more with how well (or not well) we care for them.  scratched from being tossed into handbags, stretched out from being used as headbands, or misplaced from setting them down in random places --- it's not uncommon to see us in a fresh pair.  the other day my girlfriend was wearing a pair of CRAP glasses that she was given as a sample.  the name caught my attention - how could you miss that logo on the frame, but so did the design.  created in southern california, this small local brand has a bright future.

cilantro pistachio pesto

images megan.christine

given the slice out of my left thumb, perhaps i could use a little attention to my chopping.  but i must say, the process of preparation continues to be a means of stress relief for me.  tonight i had aimlessly walked around seaside market and left with a bag of mismatched items.  i had hoped to make a salmon recipe i had dog-eared in an old bon appetit magazine, but unfortunately i was short some of the key ingredients.  instead, i decided to pull together something with the what i had on hand, and created my own version of pesto to top the salmon.  i kind of surprised myself, the flavors were a great compliment to the fish.  i would definitely replicate on purpose another day!

pesto
in a food processor mix:
- one small bunch of cilantro
- half cup of toasted pistachio nuts
- two garlic cloves
- two tablespoons of fresh squeezed lime juice
- teaspoon of coriander
- teaspoon of ground black pepper
- salt to taste

worth it

the internet is scattered with quotes and inspirational sayings.  just take a peak on pinterest and you'll find an endless array.  but i randomly came across this image today and the timing was impeccable.  i dug deeper to find the root of the graphic, and discovered this post by entrepreneur and author, seth godin, "was it worth it?  was the effort worth the reward? the thing about effort is that effort is its own reward if you allow it to be." although my efforts may have yet to bring me to a destination, i'll still let the answer be yes......

m+m: solace & moonlight lounge

images megan*christine

i have long been a fan of matt gordan's urban solace in north park, so i patiently awaited for his north county expansion to open in encinitas' pacific station. solace & moonlight lounge has the same fantastic quality of food and presentation.  we recently went there for sunday brunch- while not an extensive menu, everything i tried was delicious and did not displease.  they had a selection of benedicts, but i opted for the scramble, as i was drawn to the creamy grits, which were tasty!  i also had a spicy bloody mary, and snaked a sip of my friend's bellini.  but beyond the food, the space that moonlight lounge occupies is awesome.  with an earthly and beachy vibe, the sun drenched LEED certified interior allowed the breeze to freely flow.  retractable walls opened up, rolling back overhead, to allow for a seamless indoor outdoor space with the upstairs balcony.  the fixtures were creative and crafty, using recycled bottles and wine barrels.  and, the art that adorned the wall and hung from the ceiling resonated with the natural theme within.  i look forward to heading back and trying out dinner!

milk bar

images from david lebovitz and diary of a mad housefrau

a good friend of mine sent an email to watch conan o'brien, as one of her friends she ran high school track with in virgina, christina tosi, was going on the show promoting her new book, momofuku milk bar.  as the pastry chef behind famed david chang's momfuku milk bars across nyc, the 28 year old also recently landed a feature in bon appetit.  tosi's unique recipes use ingredients easily found at a convenience stores, like potato chips, cornflakes and pretzels.  but it's her combinations that supposedly yield delicious results, as clearly observed by the many fans and the success of milk bar.  i wonder with such pedestrian ingredients, does this mean that the recipes might be easier to bake.... guess i'll have to get the cookbook and try it out.