jaunts and jerk sauce

So, my expectations for yesterday seem to have been a bit overblown. Not because I didn't have an amazing time, but because I spent the entire time focusing in on my friend, laughing, talking, and catching up with her, and ended up taking exactly 0 photos. Oh well. It was gorgeous though you'll have to take my word for it. The drive alone was trip worthy, down PCH past Santa Monica to Malibu, and then up a windy road through the canyon, I definitely recommend. Once we arrived at Topanga Canyon State Park we made the unfortunate discovery that the park is closed now, except for on weekends. Of course we didn't let that stop us, and ended up parking in a small dirt area next to the park and walking right in. Sadly, we didn't have much time as it was nearing sunset so we had to settle for a rather short hike (more of a jaunt we decided) but it was beautiful, and I hope to go again soon when I have more time. After the hike we changed our clothes in the car and then drove back to Santa Monica for dinner. We had planned at eating at a vegan Thai restaurant but when we got there it ended up being more of a to-go/counter type of place so we walked down the street and enjoyed delicious Caribbean food here, we both ordered the Salmon Negril, which is marinated in garlic and curry and then grilled and covered with a mango-pineapple-jerk sauce, sooo good. The only downside of the place was that they didn't serve alcohol, though you're allowed to bring your own in so I went down the street to a liquor market and bought us a bottle of white wine. Just to warn you though, we were charged one dollar for the two plastic cups we drank the wine out of. I hope you all had a wonderful Friday! What are you up to this weekend? Later today Dusty and I are going to the REI sale to look for hiking boots and then after we're going to hang out with my brother and his girlfriend and hopefully just drink some beer and hang out. Enjoy your weekend! Xo.  

(Photograph by Mitch Epstein, 1974 of some ladies hanging out (with a snake) in Topanga Canyon)

TGIF

Wow, I am so happy it's Friday! What are you up to today and this weekend? In a couple of hours I'm meeting up with one of my oldest and dearest friends who happens to be in town for a bit. We're going to go hiking in Topanga State Park and then have dinner in Santa Monica, which I'm super excited for. I hope to take some cool pictures and I'll let you know how it goes. (Photograph of an adult female Cardinal Jumper Spider (Phidippus cardinalis) by Thomas Shahan, check out more of his amazing photography here)

body image

   
     As some of you may already know, I've struggled with body image issues for years. I've always been a bigger person and though I'm currently at a "normal" weight now I still don't feel great all the time. Sadly, I think that this is something that pretty much all women can relate to. In the last couple of years I would say that I've become a lot more healthy in my mindset with regards to my body. However, the real turning point for me happened when I was at The Huntington with one of my friends about a year ago, she happens to travel the world for her job and was telling me that she felt the worst about her body when she was in the U.S. because she felt as though she was constantly bombarded with images of how she was "supposed" to look (by the way this friend happens to be a gorgeous size 0/2), and that in other countries women's bodies of all different shapes are celebrated. We happened to be walking through the cactus garden during this conversation and we stopped for a second to look at all of the different types of cacti, all different shapes, sizes, and colors. I remarked,  "All these cactuses are so beautiful, and you can see how each one is exactly the way it is for a reason." To which my friend said,
      "If only people could realize that they're the same way." And that is exactly it. Along the same lines, I recently read this article in Glamour magazine, written by Kelly Osbourne, which I think has some great advice on body confidence. How do you feel about your body? Have you struggled with body image in the past? I hope you're having a wonderful day! Xo. (Painting, Nude Woman Reclining, Vincent Van Gogh 1887)

survival kit #1

1. Bombay Sapphire Gin, for unwinding

2. Joe's Jeans Jeggings, so you can by stylish and comfy during tests

3. Jennifer Paganelli Pillow, for naps

4. Bodum French Press, for (obviously) necessary coffee making

5. Rag Bone yellow shirt, for optimism

6. Chance by Chanel Perfume, for when you don't have time for a shower

7. Michael Kors Watch, so you'll never be late

rad link wednesday

Happy Wednesday everyone! Once again, some rad links from around the web...

I would L O V E to see this rooftop exhibit.

This bookstore seems like a nice place to visit.

Did you like My Little Pony when you were young? Then maybe check this out.

These photos made me want to go to Montreal! All the food looks sooo good!

Everyone should watch this documentary! (Available on Netflix).

DIY fringe collar!

Two ways to wear high-waisted pants.

Is it s u m m e r yet???

One of my Pinterest boards...

Just because you need some cuteness in your life.

I hope you're having a wonderful week! Xo (Photo by ME)

the wind cries mary

A little Jimi to brighten your Tuesday!

things I love

Some of my favorite beauty product for summer!

1. Alba Botanica Natural Lavender Scented Sunscreen SPF 45, available at Sprouts and Target

2. Burt's Bees Lip Balm, available locally at Target

3. Benefit Perfect 10 Bronzer and Highlighter, available at Sephora

4. Neutrogena Healthy Glow Sheers Foundation SPF 30, available at Target

5. Nars Cosmetics Blush (my favorite shade is Deep Throat), available at Sephora

Henri II

I think part two is even funnier than the first video. Enjoy!!!

Henri the cat

My brother recently shared this video with me and I found it to be hilarious, part deux to follow!

meals and mother's day

S A V O R Y   F R E N C H   T O A S T!!!

Hello friends, I hope you all had wonderful weekends! What did you do for Mother's Day? I had a very gluttonous day. First, we made a Parisian-themed lunch for Dusty's mom, grandma, and other family. Dusty and I made croque-monsieur french toast (recipe from this blog), greens with vinaigrette, and mixed berries with citrus whipped cream. (Recipes below, except for the greens and vinaigrette which can be found here).

After the huge lunch we went over to my mom's house where her boyfriend had cooked up loads of lamb, chicken, and beef kabobs, as well as an assortment of other goodies. By the end of all the eating I was totally stuffed so I tried to work off some of the calories by playing Just Dance (for Nintendo Wii) with my little sisters. The game is super fun-- and as long as you're okay with looking like a complete fool then I highly recommend it. All in all in was a wonderful day. Happy Monday! (image from this blog)

Croque-Monsieur French Toast (From A Cup of Jo)
Serves: 4-6 (Makes 6 sandwiches)

Ingredients
12 slices sliced country bread
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup French mayonnaise
12 slices cheddar cheese
6 slices prosciutto cotto
12 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. grated nutmeg
2/3 cup full-fat milk
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Special equipment: 1 ovenproof dish, 11 x 8.5 x 2.5 inches

Spread 6 slices of bread with mustard and the remaining 6 slices with mayonnaise. Layer each sandwich, beginning with a slice of mustard bread, then two slices cheddar cheese, then one slice prosciutto, and top with the mayonnaise bread. Repeat to make 6 sandwiches. Cut sandwiches diagonally in half. Place the sandwich triangles into the ovenproof dish.

Beat together the eggs, salt, nutmeg and milk. Then, pour the mixture over the sandwiches, tightly packed in the dish. Cover the dish with cling film and let it soak for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Sprinkle entire dish with the grated Gruyere. Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

**Note: I used Trader Joe's rustic country sourdough bread and regular mayonnaise and it came out great! Also, I topped the dish with fresh basil (which I think is what that green stuff is in the photograph).

Mixed Berries with Citrus Whipped Cream (My own recipe)


Ingredients
Serves 8-10
3-4 cups fresh mixed berries (I used strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries) washed, and cut as desired
1 pint whipping cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (or to taste)
1 tsp orange zest (or to taste)
1/4 cup sour cream

1. Put berries in a bowl and place in refrigerator to chill.

2. Pour the whipping cream into a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer beat cream on high speed. As the cream thickens add the sugar, vanilla, orange juice, and zest. Beat until the whipping cream becomes whipped cream, or until stiff peaks form.

3. Fold in the sour cream, serve the berries on dishes with a healthy dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!

molasses cookies

The other night Dusty and I wanted to make cookies, but didn't want to run to the store to pick up any ingredients. So, when I found this recipe for molasses cookies (which we had all the ingredients for) we were thrilled. The cookies were easy to make, simply delicious, and incredibly addicting. As the website for the recipe suggests, they are actually better the next day (if you have any left). I even used them to make a simple but decadent dessert, first I put a short layer of chocolate ice cream at the bottom of a small ice cream dish, then put one of the cookies on top, then layered more chocolate ice cream and then topped that with cinnamon and cayenne pepper...it was A M A Z I N G! Enjoy! (Photo by me)

rad link wednesday (a couple days late)

I know, I know, it's Friday. I'm sorry, it's been a crazy week. Nevertheless, please enjoy!

A truly radical psychedelic secret garden.

Really neat blog.

L A V E N D E R  mojito anyone?

This made me LOL.

I just bought this dress. It felt very Mad Men to me.

I also just bought these fabulous shoes. They felt very G L A M rock, which I (obviously) love.

A beautiful wedding, I am obsessed with the bride's dress.

Have some extra time? Read some Steve Lopez articles, I love him.

Still have time to kill? Listen to some Radiolab episodes.

An old NY Times Article in defense of simpler cocktails. Word.

Very cool product, turns a canning jar into a travel mug.

A bunch of really cool cosmic stuff.

XO! (Painting, The Joy of Life by Henri Matisse)

Michael Kiwanuka

This morning I was listening to The Madeleine Brand Show on my local NPR station,  I heard this song by Michael Kiwanuka featured in "New Music Tuesday" and instantly fell in love. Enjoy. Xo.

Maurice Sendak

Today the world lost one of the greatest artists of our time, Maurice Sendak. He was my favorite children's writer and illustrator and it seriously brought me to tears when I heard he had died on NPR on my way to work this morning. To celebrate his life I have included some of my favorite images of his work as well as clips from his hilarious interview with Stephen Colbert. (All images by Maurice Sendak).

greens

Hello, I thought that I would share my favorite recipe for vinaigrette with greens. I think that this is one of the most useful recipes to have in one's arsenal. Homemade dressing immediately elevates any dish, and greens are versatile enough to be served with nearly any meal. Some of my favorite (but certainly not original) ideas for greens include: with eggs for breakfast, atop crusty bread with goat cheese, or next to a hearty seasonal minestrone. This recipe is very flexible and I suggest playing around with it, please let me know if you have suggestions or ideas.

Simple Vinaigrette


Ingredients:
1 teaspoons whole grain dijon mustard
1-2 small garlic cloves, minced or pressed
3 tablespoons vinegar (I generally use balsamic, but any other kind will do)
Optional: 1-2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup olive oil (other vegetable oils work too, or flavored olive oils)
Greens mix
Optional: any chopped fresh herbs (dill, cilantro, parsley, or any combination work great)

Directions:


1. In a small bowl whisk together the mustard, garlic, vinegar, juice (if using), salt, and pepper.

2. Continue whisking and slowly drizzle the olive oil in to the mixture is emulsified.

3. Toss or drizzle over mixed greens. Enjoy!

Another great tip, which I learned from watching The Barefoot Contessa is that if you want to make the dressing and salad ahead but don't want the greens to get saturated and wilted you can pour the necessary amount of dressing into the bottom of your salad bowl and then gently place your greens on top of it, without mixing. Then you can put the bowl in the refrigerator and toss together just before serving. (Image from Smitten Kitchen, my favorite food blog)

saturday and sinuses

Today I woke up with a sinus infection on the left side of my face, which has been a bit distressing. Do you know of any good home remedies? So far I've tried a Neti Pot, drinking apple cider vinegar, and Emergen-C, to no avail.  Yet, besides that I've had lovely day. I just got back from a hike with Dusty, and later I'm going out to dinner with one of my friends. We haven't decided where to go yet, but I'm craving Thai curry. Any suggestions? What are your weekend plans? (Above image from this figure drawing book)

**Update: I continued my Neti Pot, Apple Cider Vinegar, Vitamin routine and by today (Tuesday) I am feel 100% better! Yay for natural cures!

Julius Shulman

Last night Dusty and I watched Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman, a documentary on the late architectural photographer's life and work. Shulman collaborated with some of the biggest names in architecture including Frank Lloyd Wright, Pierre Koenig, Charles Eames, Albert Frey, and Frank Gehry (just to name a few). The film was both fascinating and incredibly visually appealing, I highly recommend. If you'd like to watch, the documentary is available on Netflix or can be purchased here. I hope you're having a fabulous Friday! (Photograph by Julius Shulman)

tangerine

I was listening to Led Zeppelin III yesterday, thought you might enjoy. Seriously, one of the best songs ever.

hasty tasty lasagna

the layering process: sauce, noodles, cheese, sauce, noodles, cheese...

So, a couple of weeks ago I decided that I wanted to try to make lasagna. Though I've had lots of experience in the kitchen, I'm ashamed to admit that I'd never tried to make this classic dish before. Unfortunately, I was quite limited in time and so I had to develop a recipe that would be quick to make but also (hopefully) taste delicious. So, I did what I always do in these situations and googled easy lasagna, the first thing that popped up was this recipe. At first glance (sorry to the creator of the recipe) the recipe seemed lacking. First, I don't eat beef or like to cook with it and second, canned mushrooms? Gross. However, the "bones" of the recipe seemed good, so I reworked it a bit (recipe follows below) and now I've made my version twice, both times with excellent results. Once again, all of the ingredients I used were purchased at Trader Joe's, so I suggest going there to obtain ingredients if you have the choice. Also this lasagna can be prepared, cooked, and ready to eat in about an hour and a half. (Photo Credit: Me)

Hasty Tasty Lasagna
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
1 pound uncooked Italian seasoned chicken sausage, removed from casings
3 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound sliced brown mushrooms
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce (I used Trader Joe's Tuscano Marinara Sauce)
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 15 oz. containers of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese (divided)
3/4 cup part skim mozzarella cheese (divided)
3/4 cup chopped chives
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles (you'll probably only need 1/2 the package)
Crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper to taste.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet or saute pan, cook chicken sausage over medium-high heat, breaking chicken up into pieces as you go until sausage in cooked through, and lightly browned on the outside. Add the garlic, onion, and mushrooms to the pan, and saute until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the can of tomato sauce and cook until sauce is heated through. Stir in the parsley. Season with crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper to taste.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the chives. Season with black pepper to taste.

3. In the bottom of a 13x9" baking pan, spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce mixture. Place the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce mixture, and then layer some of the cheese mixture on top of the noodles, then layer more of the tomato sauce mixture. Continue in this way until all of the sauce and cheese have been used up. I did three layer of noodles for mine a layer of cheese and small layer of tomato sauce over the very top (see photos if this doesn't make sense). After that, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese on top.

4. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes. During the last 5-7 minutes of cooking time I cranked the oven up to 500 degrees to allow the top to get lightly brown and crispy which I highly recommend (but make sure to monitor closely while doing so). Remove the dish from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy with greens and bread.

*Variation: The second time that I made this lasagna, during the time that I was cooking the meat, garlic, mushrooms, onion etc. In a second saute pan I wilted some kale which I then layered on top of the tomato sauce mixture while assembling the lasagna. When the lasagna was cooked the kale added a delicious flavor and was slightly crispy around the edges---certainly a welcome addition.

rad link wednesday

Is it Wednesday already again? 

So basically, I want all of these shoes.

Beautiful photography.

I love all of these floral prints!

Gorgeous COLORS in a gorgeous wedding.

Really amazing outdoor spaces.

DIY galaxy nails.

Pretty flowers.

E N J O Y! Xo.

(Photo of a black hole, credit: Universe Today)