Fa La La

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!

The other KFC...

Korean fried chicken!

Yes I couldnt wait to take a bite before photographing! These were tasty!

I used the following recipe from Maangchi. Check out the whole video too. The double fry method makes a big difference. I think if I were to try this again (oh the clean up sucks!) I would modify the sauce recipe by adding garlic and cooking for a shorter time so the sauce doesnt end up too thick.

Excuse me, while I pour my self a glass of grape juice...

Meet my very own birthday present to myself! The purple color is called grape juice. I love, love this bag! I bought only because it was on sale (a very steep discount). An MbyMJ hobo with a detachable shoulder strap that can be worn cross-body.  It's a great piece that can bring color to any outfit. 

Turning 30 wont be so bad with great arm candy!

It's the most wonderful time of the year

I love love this time of year! I get this warm and fuzzy feeling when I see holiday decorations and Christmas lights. I also love that everyone tries a bit harder to connect with their friends and loved ones!

I hosted a DYI: Secret Santa Tea Party. The DYI part was that you had to make the gift!

Here is my giftee, she looks confused. Yes, that's what I wanted! That way she would be so discombobulated she wouldn't notice the crappy craftsmanship and crooked stitching!



What did you get Mai?

A cake stand made of a a plate and a vase? A apron made of grosgrain ribbon and a dishtowel? Say you love it. Now!

Oh look at my evil little face! I think I'm either so excited about my gift (a framed jewelry hanger) that I was thinking 'my precious' like Gollum from LOTR or I'm desperately trying to ignore that someone is drinking a soda at my tea party.

Stay warm!

Sneak Peek: Rodarte for Target

From the sister's who brought us this great dress below:



They're bringing their funky-romantic style to Target (Tar-jay if you're feelin fancy). The line was hugely inspired by Style Rookie's Tavi Gevinson. The savvy mini (in size only) fashion blogger . She's 13, and adorable!

See the complete look book here. See anything you like? I want the bow belt and lace tights!!!
Hopefully the quality wouldn't be compromised too much. I was not enthused with the quality of Anna Sui's collection for Target a few months back.
The line hits Target stores December 20th!

Christmas Shopping Primer

I love shopping! It's also very fun for me to find the perfect gift for loved ones on my list. I find the following tips to work year after year:

• Make a list; check it twice. I keep an excel spreadsheet that list: recipients, birthdays, Christmas lists, and costs. This keeps everything organized and I know how much I'm spending throughout the year.
• Keep notes on what you think the recipient will like. Sizes, favorite colors, likes, dislikes, should be noted.
• If the recipient is one that has everything they need; think little luxuries like accessories (read: neat stuff no one needs but is pretty cool to have).
• Power in numbers: If you found a pretty cool gift and think that it would be perfect for multiple recipients... do it!
• Gift cards are okay! Think about where the person likes to shop and consider a dollar amount that would be useful toward a purchase at that store
• Shop throughout the year: If I find a great deal I'll buy it and store it. I have a cardboard box in my closet where I store cards and gifts.
• It's the thought that counts!

Little luxuries I've purchased for the good girls on my Christmas List:

Scarves: There are various colors, patterns, and textures, just think about the recipient's style
MbMJ Key Pouch: I bought a few of these from Neiman Marcus during a special sale they had for $34!! These are perfect for keys, cash, and credit cards for those nights out. The jewel tones are spot on for the season.
Lumiere Candles: I grabbed a few in Citrus Rind (smells just like grapefruit) for $10 at Anthropologie! Gift cards: I like getting gift cards to places that are useful to the recipient, like Costco or Target.
Statement Necklace: Necklaces like these will perk up any outfit and the recipient too! I love this necklace so much I wanted one for myself.

Lemon bars!!

Tangy and sweet all at once. These are easy to make, there are only 5 ingredients! I used a recipe from Martha's Favorite Cookie Recipes a booklet I received for free from a Martha Stewart Living subscription:

Ingredients:

for cookie base
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/3 sugar

for topping
4 large eggs
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter, flour, sugar. Press mixture into unbuttered 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake until just brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

For topping, lightly whisk eggs. Sift together flour, sugar, add to eggs. Add lemon juice, stir and pour over partially baked base. Bake for 20 minutes more or until topping is firm. Chill before cutting.

Holidaze!

The holidays are here in full swing. I hope you all had a festive Thanksgiving with your loved ones!


Here's an iphone pic of our spread:

Rocky: our guest of honor

Ready, Set, Go!

This past weekend I got to play a part in a photoshoot! I was very fun and interesting. Kept me on my toes the whole time!

Here are a few pictures I took behind the scenes:

Makeup artist: Courtney at work

Models: Mike and Alison on the trampoline getting direction from photographer Jerry

More details to come!

Mad Men Fashion

Rob and I have been quite obsessed with the tv series Mad Men for the past couple of weeks. The drama, the hair, the vocabulary, the clothes!

One of the best dressed characters is Joan, a sultry redhead, she always wears solids and one statement jewelry piece. She works her curves like no one's business!



Here's my Joan inspired (yet modern) Christmas Party outfit (if I had unlimited funds).

Items in this set:
Thread Social dress, $495
Christian Louboutin shoes, $895
By Malene Birger necklace, $315
TopShop tights
Shop.hm.com glove

*Thanks Anton for urging me to netflix the series. I will not be watching SYTYCD though, thanks (but no thanks).

Therapy

I had three great forms of therapy this past weekend.

Baking: I baked Pioneer Woman's "Best" Chocolate Cake recipe. The cake is very moist and the chocolate is really pronounced. The frosting was too sweet. I would make this cake again with a semi-sweet ganache for frosting, maybe add some coffee to cut the sweetness, (I really should just cut out some of the sugar, but c'mon!). Plus: This cake is super easy to make!



Shopping: Hooray for Gap's Give and Get Program. I scored this dress from BR for $27:
How I'm going to wear it
Work: Long sleeve black tee underneath, gray cardigan, black tights, and flats or boots
Out: Black velvet blazer, black tights, gold jewelry, and heels


Anthro sale finds:



59.99-This sweater is very "grandma chic". It looks a bit frumpy but oh so comfy! It has pockets and a hood! I'll really have to play this one up with bright tees underneath, brooches, or long necklaces.








49.99-Mad for plaid! This dress is super cute and it stands on its own. Yes I'll wear it with tights too.

Sleep! I think we clocked in a good 8.5 hours on Saturday night!

Overall a great weekend!

The elusive Chocodile

It's been a few weeks since we've moved in and we haven't completely unpacked yet. We have actually been living around the mess (so bad!).

However I'm very excited because I found out we live near a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet!!

Ho-hos, sno-balls, home run pies, chocodiles.. OH MY! My mother used to frequent these Outlet shops, and it would be the only time we ever got to eat Wonder bread (I used to think it was the best bread ever).

I went for a visit and bought 2 boxes (10 in each box) of chocodiles and one snack pack of sno-balls, which came to a grand total of $4.80!

Chocodiles: In short they are chocolate covered twinkies. Its the same chocolate used to coat ho -ho's and ding dongs. It's not the best, but if you're eating a chocodile you're not shooting for gourmet quality. I'm not sure why, but I never see them being sold outside of an outlet store...

I need to wash these puppies down with some tea!

Disorderly Conduct

Moving is...messy. We have completed our move and I no longer have to stress about packing.Unpacking is another story, I'm so happy I have a bigger kitchen with more cabinet space than I can use (yay). However, I want to take my time to think about where to put everything.
That is my current issue. Lack of time has made it super hard to actually do anything about the mess. I feel utterly discombobulated and exhausted (insert dramatic sigh).

Hopefully I can get it all done this weekend.

One a side note, I'm very sad to say that the Target chair (shown below) has arrived but is way too large for the space I wanted to put it in. Such a pity, its a great looking chair but it needs to go on a diet =(

Blank Slate (not really)

This is what I have been up to lately; painting and cleaning! It's been hectic and tiring, but hopefully we'll get all the dirty work done this weekend, so we can start moving stuff in.

I love coming up with a color palette and general theme of decor. Rob is only giving me free range on one room, the office. Boo. So I'm going to take my time to think about it, but it'll be girly for sure!

Colors!
Living Room: Gentle Rain
Halls: Subtle Touch
Bedroom: Light Spring
Office: Custard Cream
Powder Room: Ocean View

First splurge for the living room: Target's Athens upholstered chair. With their sale and my work discount (we get 10% off online orders!), I scored it for 224.00! I think it complements the living room colors while the print adds much needed pop.

Okay, back to work =S

New York, New York

It's a jungle out there! Me trying to be part of an exhibit at MOMA. I needed to post one picture that was not food related.

Let the food porn commence...

Pork buns from Momofuku Noodle Bar. Momofuku. Momofuku was started by David Chang who developed a certain style of asian cuisine that I do not want to call fusion, but it's certainly an interpretation of asian dishes from a few asian cuisines mixed into one. (Yea that sounds fusion, but that term makes me think of Wolfgang Puck). Will he be the our generation's Thomas Keller? We'll have to see!

I had to set up an account with a credit card to get reservations for the much acclaimed chicken dinner. Its seemed so intriguing in the most pretentious way, that I had to go!
Worth it!
The chicken dinner consists of two (2) whole chickens. One fried southern style and the other Korean style. They were both expertly fried; the Korean style just had better flavor.
Don't forget the veggies!
The chicken was accompanied by four sauces, veggies, and mu shu pancakes for wrapping. Star Sighting! Mario Battali and some suits grabbing lunch. They were having the chicken dinner too! And yes, he was totally wearing orange crocs!
Katz Deli: A New York staple, the boys loved this place. We went here twice.
You have to be a meat lover at this joint.
Pastis: Very cute french bistro. It's located in the meatpacking district on a cobbled stone street. We did see a photo shoot in action across the street! It was featured in an episode of SATC.

Moules frites. Mussels and fries in a very rich butter sauce.
Croque madame. A very fancy ham and cheese sandwich, served open faced. The food was really good. It seemed very authentic (buttery), and the atmosphere is fabulous.
Cafe Habana: Get the corn! At $3.95 for two ears of corn, it was one of the cheapest snacks we ate in NY! The Cubano sandwich was yummy too! Very small 50's style cafe, great after a shopping trip in Soho! Peter Luger: I'm sure you've all heard the tales of meat related to this place. This is a very old school meat and potatoes steak joint. There is no red wine reduction, buerre blanc sauce, not even butter on the side of the steak!
Porterhouse aged and grilled to perfection. We devoured it!
Fat slices of bacon. oink :@)
Halal Cart : 53rd and 6th. There are many halal carts scattered throughout the city. This one takes the cake. Everyone raves about the sauce. I found it a bit mayo-y. The saffron rice is to die for!
The Little Owl: I was totally looking forward to this place, especially after trying to replicate their meatball sliders. It's such a cute little restaurant tucked in the middle of Greenwich Village! Alas i was a bit disappointed... Their ingredients were of great quality, but it all lacked flavor.
Bleecker Street Pizza: After our lunch at Little Owl, we needed to grab a few slices to fill the void.
A slice of their Nonna Maria (marinara, mozzarella, olive oil, basil, and garlic. Their crust is really crispy. I felt it was too crispy, there was no chew factor.

Other Honorable Mentions

Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery: LES. Cupcakes for 1.50 each! They're not super fancy looking but they are good cupcakes that taste homemade.

Brick Oven Pizza 33: Chelsea. I enjoyed their Nonna Maria (does everyone in Italy have a Grandma named Maria?), better than Bleecker Street's. Their crust is crispy but with chew! I guess it's their brick ovens. See pic below. Con: Not the cheapest slice of pizza $4.

Rink Bar at Rockefeller Center: When the weather is good, its a good place to people watch and have drinks outside. May be a bit touristy but they have peach sangria! Con: They close at 11pm

Donut Plant: These donuts are tasty. Not overly sweet, with great flavors like creme brulee (custard filled), Valrhona chocolate, and carrot cake. Con: We spent $27 for 8 donuts

Anthropologie at Rockefeller Center: The Biggest Anthro I've been to (to date). I can spend hours here!

All in all it was a great trip! Lots of walking and eating! If I had a chance to go again, I'd be there in a New York Minute!

Breakfast Binge

I've been on a breakfast binge lately. I think it may have something to do with my impending cohabitation with Rob. He's a big breakfast person, personally I feel like American breakfast options are a bit decadent for my laziness. Rice, egg, and soy sauce anyone?

Who am I to rain on Rob's Sunday mornings. I like cooking so I've been working on my breakfast skills. I've struggled with making pancakes for awhile. I've been using this Buttermilk pancake recipe from Martha. They were usually soggy or undercooked in the middle. So I figured out a great way to help them cook more evenly. A big old heart shaped cookie cutter! If I had a round one big enough, trust me I would have used it over the heart one. I think the metal helps conduct heat and also helps the pancake rise, or something to that effect.

Finally! Fluffy and buttery pancakes!



On another note, I found something pretty neat on Amazon!
Chucks imprinted with graphics from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album! My initial reaction was very positive, I wanted to get a pair! I love that album, but then this wave of uncertainty, came over me... It feels too trendy!

Still pretty cool though. Hmm... I have a sudden urge to Netflix The Wizard of Oz!

Fall is near

I can't believe it's already September! I finally purchased my navy jacket! I went for BR's version instead. This version is a little more military and more casual, plus I scored it for pretty cheap (I spent 40 bucks thanks to some gift certs I just received!). I'm looking forward to pairing it with some skinny jeans and boots! That reminds me I have to go through my sweaters to see if any need to be 'refreshed' before wearing.



I recently discovered this recipe for Puffy Maine Pancakes from Martha (yea we're totally on a first name basis now), I was very drawn to how dramatic it looks and loved that it had really simple ingredients.

I tried it out this weekend, and it was great! I used a 12" crepe pan to make one big pancake and it serves 2 perfectly. Rob had it with strawberries and whipped cream while I opted for raspberry jam. The pancake's middle had a very egg-y souffle like taste and the edges were doughy and crispy.

I will definitely make this again! I've already thought about what toppings or flavors I can incorporate in my next puffy pancake; nutella, lemon curd, orange zest, cocoa powder...

Who's comin over for breakfast?

Fiat Lux

I need a little sunshine!

I covet: J. Crew's Navy wool schoolboy blazer. Navy, metal buttons, tailored.... 'nuff said.

I am craving: Lemon bread! I have this great recipe I have been making for years. I have the recipe memorized and I don't remember exactly how I got the recipe.

Lemon bread
1 ½ cup flour (all purpose)

1 cup sugar 1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp Salt 2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup vegetable Oil

grated peel of 1 lemon plus juice

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat eggs, milk, oil, and lemon peel until blended. Mix liquids into flour mixture until smooth. Pour batter into loaf pan (spray with pam and line with parchment paper). Bake in a 350 degree oven until a toothpick (or cake tester) inserted into the center comes out clean (40-45 minutes).

This is a perfect way to lift your spirits, easy and comforting. Its great with raspberry jam and a cup of tea.

I am annoyed about: Inconsiderate people! Do not drive in the far right lane if you are not going to let cars merge onto the freeway! I'm sorry you're annoyed that you got stuck going 15 mph but if you don't let people merge into traffic, they have nowhere to go!

Is it Friday yet?

Jenn's Bridal Shower

I'm packing for a Tahoe trip, we're heading to Jenn and Augie's wedding! I was thinking about Jen's bridal shower that took place only a month ago, and how I forgot to to post about the red velvet cupcakes I made.

It was the first time I felt like my cupcakes would be on display, so I spent so I wanted them to be extra special. The guest list was 35! It was also my first foray into fondant territory, so I was a bit nervous!

I used Kara's Cupcakes as models, since I really didn't have a specific theme to work with. I think they look fancy, no?