Two Pics & a Mid-Week Music Mix

Russian Still Life and A Little Smoothie Love

I'm in the process of moving into my "real person" apartment and I have to say, I hate moving!! Don't you? It is such a long process of clearing, cleaning, packing, actually moving, cleaning, clearing, unpacking... sigh. I cannot wait for the moved-in stage to commence.

So far the "injury count" is as follows: Stubbed toe, dropped a couch on my left foot which is now black and blue, my lower back hurts b/c I don't remember to bend my knees and I've got scratches all over from who knows what.

Anyway, I hope your week is progressing along a lot better than mine. If not, here is a mid-week music mix to help get you over hump day.

Enjoy!

Diane Birch-- "Valentino"
The Uprisings-- "Can't stand the rain"
Joe Turner and His Blues Kings-- "Shake Rattle and Roll"
VV Brown-- "L.O.V.E"
Rufus Wainright-- "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk"
K'nann-- "Bang Bang"

Fragrant Fish Soup

You know it's officially summer when the days start getting longer and the weeks literally start flying by. I glanced at my planner this morning and had a minor freak out because I could not believe it's already almost July! Insane!

Despite the warm weather outside, I found myself craving a nice soupy meal. I think my craving has something to do with the fact that I work close to the coast line and therefore start my mornings surrounded by a misty coastal fog. Anyway, to satisfy this craving, I pulled this tried and true recipe from my recipe archives (just an old folder where I keep all my recipes, nothing fancy).

What I love about this fish soup is the balance of the sour lemon, the bitter arugula and the bright mint. The combination of all 3 flavor profiles is like a mini parade in your mouth. This dish is sinfully simple to put together and is healthy too, with no added salt and lots of greens piled on top.

Ingredients:
1 cup Jasmine Rice
2 cups water
juice and zest of 1 lemon
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb Tilapia or other firm white fish
4 cups arugula or watercress (about 1 lunch), cut into bite size pieces with the tough stems removed
1 cup finely chopped shredded carrots
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint
2 scallions finely chopped

Directions:
1. Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, simmer covered until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked. About 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and zest.

2. Meanwhile, bring broth to simmer in another medium saucepan over medium high heat. Reduce the heat so the broth remains steaming but not simmering. Add fish and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from broth and break into bite size chunks.

3. Divide the lemony rice among 4 bowls. Top with equal portions of fish, arugula, carrots, mint and scallions. Ladle 1 cup of warm broth into each bowl.

Serves 4.

I don't know where I got this recipe from so I have to apologize for not being able to credit it.

Friday Pics

1. Untitled 2. Untitled 3. Cheese, Borough Market, London 4. Honey Bunches of Oats

Friday is finally here and I cannot wait for the weekend to start. I'm going to spend the weekend packing up my life, in preparation for my move into my very own apartment. This single lady is going to be living entirely on her own for the very first time!

It's going to be just me and my grown up self! I can hardly express how excited I am.

Hopefully you've got some exciting weekend plans too! Happy weekending friends!

Panko Mozzarella Sticks

I will be the first to admit that I have a burnt relationship with deep frying. War scars on my wrist serve as the ultimate proof. While I have a strong dislike for deep frying, I will also admit that it is nobody's fault but my own. After all, I am the idiot who squeals when she sees the hot oil bubbling and in a blind panic, drops my food in the oil instead of gently placing it in.

Trying to learn my lesson from past battles, I thought I would give deep frying another chance with this Panko Mozzarella Stick recipe. The verdict? Hot oil, not as scary as it looks, as long as you keep your cool!

The Mozzarella sticks were so bad either! Made with light and flaky panko, these mozzarella sticks are ideal for appetizers at a dinner party. You can assemble them ahead of time up till the frying step, and keep them in the freezer till your guest arrive.

Ingredients:

16 Pieces of String Cheese, wrappers removed

1/2 cup of All-purpose flour

2 whole eggs

3 tablespoons milk

2 cups panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

Canola oil, for frying

Marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions:

1. Slice string cheese pieces in half, for a total of 32 pieces.

2. Place flour in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk. In yet another separate bowl, combine Panko bread crumbs and parsley flakes.

3. To assemble, individually roll mozzarella sticks in flour, then dunk them in the milk/egg mixture and then place them in Panko crumbs. Use your hands to sweep crumbs all over the Mozzarella stick.

4. Gently remove and place on a tray of cookie sheet. Repeat until all mozzarella sticks are coated.

5. Place tray in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to flash freeze.

6. To cook, heat 1 1/2 inches canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add mozzarella sticks, 8 at a time. Watch closely and turn over to evenly brown, cooking less than 2 minutes. Do not allow cheese to bubble and leak.

7. Remove cheese sticks to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately with warm marinara sauce.

Recipe from the Tasty Kitchen of Pioneer Woman.

Happy Father's Day- A Little Late

There are few things that any of us can be certain of in this world. The saying goes that nothing is certain but death and taxes. I would like to add my father's love to this list.

If there is anything I am sure of, it is my father's love for me.

Like most men, Papa t doesn't really speak of his feelings on an every day basis. Rather, he shares with you stories of his simple straightforward observations. Now one could assume said stories will end with a moral of the day, or at least a theory or an opinion. But one would be wrong. Call it non-editorial stories.

E.g. This story was told to me by papa t after he picked me up from morning practice in Singapore. The pool where I swam at in Singapore belonged to a school. So, while waiting to pick me up from practice, Papa t would sit in the parking lot where parents would drop their kids off for school.

Papa t : Today I saw a lot of parents drop their kids off for school.
me: uh huh
Papa t: Some parents would park their cars and walk their kids in. Other parents just dropped them off without even a kiss or a hug.
me: really?
Papa t: Then some of them had their maids take the kids down while they waited in the car.
Papa t: I also saw a school bus/van pull up with the kindergarten students. The bus driver tied all the kids to a rope to keep them from running away.
me: what?? Oh like those leash thing.
Papa t: yes
me (expecting the moral of the story or his opinion on what he would have done/did when he dropped my brother and I off at school).....
THE END! And this is just a mild example. It sometimes gets even more random (think listing of foods he has eaten and how much it cost him).

So, for this untimely Father's day post, and in honor of my father's straightforward observations let me tell you some things that I've observed about my papa, who I so dearly love.

Papa t is a man of God. He lives his life on the straight and narrow path. He is my role model. To know him is to respect him.

Papa t is intelligent yet awkward at the same time. He can engage you in a conversation comparing the similarities between Harry Potter and LOTR (true story- happened when I introduced my ex-boyfriend to papa t) and in the next second get all intellectual on you, sprouting theories and philosophies left and right.

Papa t is good with his hands yet he is the clumsiest person ever. He is so light on his feet that he moves around without so much as a squeak of a floorboard. But when he "accidentally" steps on your toes, it feels like an elephant just sat down on your foot. "Lun Jun!" I guess he is like those gentle giants that don't even know the full extent of their strength, let alone the capacity to control it.

When you argue with papa t, he withdraws into himself and just sits there frowning. Not because he doesn't know what to say or because he is backing down or giving in. Instead he is silent because he wants to give the other person time to think about why they are wrong. (The humor in this is that it usually backfires on him and further enrages the other person, b/c sometimes we just need to argue it out.)

Papa t jogs almost everyday for over an hour. He jogs with his hands by his side, like limp dead fish. (I shouldn't laugh b/c I can barely jog for 20 minutes)

Papa t tucks in all his shirts and wears his pants way too high on his waist (more like his chest/nipples). The funny thing is that he actually pulls it off because he truly doesn't care what other people think of his outfit.

Whenever I would get into trouble with papa t during my mischievous younger years, he would chase me around the house with a cane (come now, I'm Asian. I had to have a cane somewhere in my childhood), hitting everything in sight, but not me. It's not that his aim was bad, he just never intended to raise a hand to hit me.

Papa t has the worst sense of direction. We bought him a GPS last year.

Papa t allowed my mom and I to move across the world without him when I was 15, all so that I could pursue my swimming career. He sacrificed his wife and comforts of a family for me and my dream.

While others struggle with anger, jealousy, and lust; Papa t admits his greatest sin is gluttony. LOL

Kids and animals love papa t! Its like he's a magnet for them. I think it's his gentle nature and calming sense that attracts them.

Papa t works best in dim lights. The dimmer the better.

Growing up, papa t would always stroke my hair back and tell me he loves me and that he was "so proud so proud" of me. He once told me he stroked my hair back because that was what his parents used to do for him when he was a child.

Love you Pa! Happy belated Father's Day

Pea Risotto

Risotto--creamy and rich, comforting and oh so satisfying, what's not to love about it?

Despite risotto's universal appeal, I think I've only had risotto maybe 3 times in my life ever? Whaaat? My lack of risotto experience can be best explained by the fact that I've never had the patience to make it myself and by the fact that pasta dishes always seem to trump risotto whenever I dine at an Italian restaurant.

My resistance to making my own risotto died when I dined at FIG in Santa Monica and had their Asparagus risotto. I decided on the spot that I would take a risotto recipe through my kitchen someday.

Someday came yesterday. Surprisingly, the systematic process of making this dish, of adding stock and stirring and waiting, was so soothing to me. After a long day at work, there was just something about the rhythms of preparing the risotto that did wonders for my weary soul.

Anyway, enough of my waxing lyrical. Made with frozen peas, chicken stock (made over the weekend) and a shot of dry white wine, this pea risotto is layered with flavor. The peas add a lovely burst of freshness in this otherwise creamy textured dish, and the dash of nutmeg does wonders to the flavor profile.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup frozen peas
4 cups of chicken stock, heated up
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for the table
Salt and black pepper
whole nutmeg
drop of oil
2 shallots or 1 small onion
1 cup arborio or Canaroli rice
1/3 cup white wine

Directions:
1. Heat the 4 cups of chicken stock in a sauce pan till hot. Keep low on neighboring burner.

2. Put about 1 tablespoon of the butter in another saucepan, and, when it is melted, add the peas and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. Remove half the peas and set aside. To the remaining half of the peas, add a ladle of stock. Put a lid on the pan and let cook gently for 5 minutes or so until soft.

3. Remove the pea and stock mixture from pan and purée with 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan, remaining butter, and a good grating of nutmeg and black pepper. Set aside for later

4. Melt another tablespoon of butter and add a drop of oil in it, in a pan. Cook the shallots, stirring for about 4 minutes. Add the rice and stir until every grain glistens with the oniony fat. Add in white wine and let it bubble away and absorb. Keep burner on medium to low heat.

5. Add a ladleful of the hot stock and stir until it is absorbed.

6. Continue adding stock by the ladleful and stirring until absorbed for another 10 minutes.

7. Add the whole peas back into rice and add another ladleful of stock. Continue in this fashion for about another 8 minutes until the rice is cooked and creamy.

8. Taste to see if it needs any more cooking time or liquid. It is hard to be precise; sometimes you'll find you have left over stock, other times you'll find you need to add water from the kettle. When I made it, I needed more liquid.

9. When you are happy with the consistency of your risotto, add the buttery pea and Parmesan purée back into the risotto and beat it in. Season with salt and pepper and top with more fresh Parmesan.

Serves 2

Recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson's How to Eat.

Buttermilk Pancakes

I love pancakes. There is something about them that speaks to me and sweetly sings my name.

I don't think mama t ever made us homemade pancakes growing up. Instead, I got my pancake fix from McDonalds-- Hotcakes Happy Meal! Every so often on our way home from Saturday morning practice, Papa t would swing by the drive-thru window and I'd order myself some pancakes! Before you Americans start to pull a face and look down on my McDonald eating habits, let me declare that McDonalds is different in every country. The hotcakes or pancakes from the Singapore's Mickey Dees were delicious. They were fluffy without being too cake like and the syrup was just perfect. I couldn't get enough of them. However, looking back I suspect that I liked their pancakes simply because they were the pancakes I grew up eating. Nothing more nothing less.

Pancakes also remind me of my high school boyfriend. He loved pancakes and I think we spent the entire summer of 08 eating pancakes, among all the other random things that kids in love did. What I remember most was the way he would slice his entire stack and douse it in syrup before he started eating. Me? I didn't and still don't like my pancakes drowned in syrup, it interferes with the textural integrity of the pancakes. Furthermore, I like to cut my pancake bites individually, slicing and eating as I go along.

In keeping with yesterday's theme of pancakes, I thought I would share my fail proof pancakes for 1 recipe. Being a single lady, recipes are sometimes difficult because majority of recipes serve 4 or worst, 6. Sometimes its easy to half or quarter the recipe and then other times it means eating left overs for days.

This particular recipe is from the book The Pleasure is All Mine by Suzanne Pirret and makes 3-4 pancakes.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 lemon

1 egg, separated

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Stir or sift (if you aren't being lazy like I usually am) together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and a pinch of salt.

2. In another bowl, pour the milk and squeeze in juice from the lemon (to make fresh buttermilk but if you keep buttermilk on hand, by all means, go ahead and use it). Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.

3. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until the lumps are gone. Go gentle here.

4. In one last bowl, whisk the egg white until soft peaks form. Very gently fold into the batter. Be careful to not over mix the batter or pancakes will turn out like a Frisbee.

5. Melt a tablespoon or two of butter in a frying pan. When it is bubbly, pour in some batter. When pancakes begin to bubble, flip and cook for another minute or two.

6. Serve it up traditional style with warm maple syrup. I usually eat my pancakes with a mix of blueberry compote and blood orange syrup.

Other pancake suggestions:

1. Fresh corn! Yes I know this sounds weird but add some fresh corn kernels to your batter and prepare to be wow-ed! Serve your corn pancakes with a side of maple bacon and you've got yourself a mouth-watering breakfast.
2. Add frozen or fresh blueberries when you first ladle your batter into the pan.

2. In winter months, grate a peeled apple into the batter and add a good dash of cinnamon before frying.

Anyone else with other pancakes suggestions that I should try out?

May the Force Be With You

"Luke I am your father!" Or if you've seen the Hokkien version, "Luke wah si lim lao pei!"

Everyone loves pancakes, but who can resist pancakes fashioned after Yoda, Darth Vader or a stormtropper?

Meshing my love for being a geek and my love for food, these Star Wars Pancake Molds are too cute for words. As Father's Day approaches, don't just take your Pa boring ol' pancakes in bed, use these pancakes molds and help him honor his favorite galactic hero or villain.

Seriously! How can anyone not smile at the thought of a stack of Yoda pancakes drenched in your favorite syrup?

Details:
Star Wars Pancake Molds
Williams Sonoma
$19.95 for a set of 3

John Wooden

Last weekend, the Wizard of Westwood, the beloved and wise Coach John R. Wooden passed away at the age of 99.

Simply put, Coach Wooden was one of the most inspirational and influential individuals to ever bless the UCLA community, an individual who was perhaps more closely identified with UCLA than any other person in the university’s history. Coach Wooden was an unparalleled motivator and an inspiration to many. His lasting influence has extended far beyond the campus to include leaders in academia, business and government.

My swim coach at UCLA was always a huge advocate of Coach Wooden's generous spirit and unfailing wisdom. She constantly quoted Coach Wooden and believed that like him, her job was to not only coach, guide and mentor us in the pool, but also in life.

I recall at NCAAs my sophomore year, my coach "assigned" a characteristic from Coach Wooden's famous Pyramid of Success that reminded her of each swimmer present. I was Condition -- "Ability gets you to the top, but character keeps you there- mental, moral, and physical."

During my career at UCLA, I was fortunate enough to meet Coach Wooden. He came to speak to the entire athletic community. Coach shared his thoughts, answered our questions and recited poetry, word for word. Coach Wooden was 97.

The thing that struck me most about Coach Wooden and his teachings was that he was really just an ordinary gentleman who loved his wife and family, and merely stuck to his principals (I say merely as if it is a simple task to stay true to ones beliefs in all situations). He was very successful as a coach and did so without compromising on what he believed in, which is a rare occurrence in today's sporting world. *ahem ahem USC!*

Listening to him talk or reading his books, you came away wanting to better. To keep things simple, to stick to what is right and resist what is wrong, Coach Wooden's wisdom had a simple but clear voice that sang through the darkest night.

When I graduated in 2009, my coach gifted me with a personally autographed copy of Coach Wooden's Wooden: A lifetime of observations and reflections. It was the coolest graduation gift I ever received.

It is from this very book that I drew the support and wisdom I needed to make the hard decision of retiring from swimming. Coach's words reminded me that success is not measured by the accumulation of material possession, or the attainment of a position of power or even fame. Rather these are merely indicators of success and not necessarily success in themselves.

"Success is the peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable."

So, as much as you can this week, wear blue and gold to honor the man who taught us the true meaning of success. Invite your friends, whether they are UCLA students or not, and celebrate the life of Coach John R. Wooden.

Handwritten Mail

I recently had a conversation with mama t regarding mail, more specifically handwritten snail mail and how much I adore receiving them. I've always been an avid sender of cards, at the very least on birthdays and special occasions. I'm one of those romantics that actually enjoys the process of mulling over the sweet sentiments I want to pen to loved ones.

The other morning, I checked my mailbox and to my joyous surprise, found that my dear friend, Joanna had sent me a picture "postcard" all the way from Scotland. Just cos. It was a beautiful picture and the "postcard" sure made my day. Thanks J0!

There is something special about a handwritten card that just beats electronic mail's wimpy behind. Receiving a card in the mail lets me know that the sender took the time to go to the store, pick out a card, find my mailing address, stick a stamp on the envelope and pop it in a mailbox. Whether to mark a birthday, to say thank you, to send condolences or just to say hi, a handwritten card is like sending a hug in the mail. What can I say, I really am a whimsical romantic at heart!

Being of the generation where emails dominate, the old fashioned soul in me bemoans the fact that people don't really send snail mail anymore. Now don't get me wrong, being separated from my family by continents and miles and miles of ocean, I see the merit and advantages of emails. But there is still nothing like receiving a handwritten card because it directly reflects the person who wrote them. For example, a friend might have the sloppiest penmanship known to men, but receiving a card from them will still make you happy as their sloppy writing reminds you of them.

So support my push for the resurgence of ink on paper and distinguish yourself from the constant flow of e-mail and text messages. Send a loved one a handwritten note today just to tell them you love them! Happy Wednesday!

Shimeiji Gohan- Rice with Shimeiji Mushrooms

I never used to like mushrooms. Mama T claims that I used to LOVE them when I was much younger but learned to hate them under the influence of my brother, who has never met a mushroom he didn't hate.

My version of the story is that I used to like mushrooms till I met canned mushrooms --they have a weird metallic and briny taste to them! I never knew that it was canned mushrooms specifically that I disliked and just generalized it to mean that I hated all mushrooms.

However, in recent years, I have been giving mushrooms a second chance here and there, and have come to find that I actually do like them, if they are fresh and not cooked in soup (something about the soggy mushrooms just turns me off)!

This past weekend, I was in a Asian grocery store and picked up some lovely brown shimeiji mushrooms. Not knowing how or what to cook them with, I consulted with a Japanese cook book or two and chanced upon this recipe.

The bonito broth cooked rice and mushrooms lends for a very tasty and comforting dish. I love the addition of the scallions as they not only give color to the dish but also provide an extra sharpness of onion flavor.

Ingredients:
4 oz shimeiji mushrooms
1 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups of Japanese rice, washed and drained
1 3/4 cup dashi broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sake
A few curls of negi or Japanese scallions

Directions:
1. Separate mushrooms and discard the tough bottom parts. After wiping down the mushrooms, put them in a colander and pour boiling water over and sprinkle with salt.

2. Put the mushrooms in a saucepan and add the dashi broth, soy sauce and sake. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once it boils, turn heat to low and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.

4. Take mushrooms out and set aside. Allow broth to cool for a little while.

5. In another saucepan with a tight fitting lid, add the rice and reserved broth. Bring to a boil over medium to low heat. Once the rice is boiling, turn up the heat and continue to cook for another 3 minutes before turning off the heat.

6. Add mushrooms to the rice and put the lid back on. Leave mushrooms and rice to steam for another 10 minutes.

7. Stir to combine the rice and mushrooms. Serve with curls of negi.

MILK-ing it at GRACE

Photo Credit: Dine LA

Another Friday night, another delicious meal.

Last Friday evening, I had the luxury of hanging out with my high school buddy for the second time in two weeks. Usually, we're lucky if we see each other every month. It was such a treat to see her again.

Armed with a coupon from the good folks at BloomSpot (gotta love those social media discount sites), we made our way across town to dine at Grace.

Grace is one of those rare LA dining establishments that have withstood the test of time, serving up great food even after the dreaded 5 year mark. At the helm of this stylish contemporary restaurant is chef Neal Fraser, who coincidentally backed out of our Beaver Creek event due to personal reasons that very day. Evoking my boss to entrust me to deliver the message "You are a doo doo head" to Chef Fraser. And yes, I did deliver it.

Designed by Michael Berman, the main dining room at Grace is pop modern, featuring tangerine banquettes, oversize porthole mirrors and an impressive library style wine cellar that hugs the room. For mood lighting, exaggerated cylindrical chandeliers hang from the ceiling like giant wind chimes, casting gentle light on diners below. Scattered skylights in the roof also allow for glimpses of moonlight to slip into the room, adding to the intimate atmosphere. In my opinion, the decor at Grace is, well, grace personified.

Ironically, while I sing the praises of the main dining room at Grace, we were seated in the private dining room portion of the restaurant, wa-ay in the back. Bummer. However, the back space filled up by the time our appetizers arrived and I didn't quite feel like the bad child that was left in the corner and forgotten. (Nobody puts Baby in the corner!)

For an appetizer, my friend and I split an order of Santa Barbara Prawns-- house made pasta, razor clams in a tomato sauce with fresh Garbanzos. My big complaint was that the pasta was just a tad too al dente. I mean it almost had a crunch to it! However,the accompanying tomato sauce was luscious and bright, highlighting the freshness of the prawns and clams.

For my main course, I decided to try their braised pork shank served in a cider sage sauce. The pork shank was served with sides of smoke shallot chorizo homefries and garlic rapini. Upon placing my order, our server politely forewarned me that the shank was massive and that it would take me at least 2 sittings to finish. The proud ex-swimmer in me brushed him off thinking "Ppfft! I can conquer anything you throw my way."

Yeah right, that pork shank showed me who's boss. I took home at least 80% of the shank (which, btw, was delicious in a sandwich the next day).

While the meat on the pork shank was tender, it was not exactly fall off the bone beautiful. However, the deep woodsy sage smell was heavenly and it gave the pork a nice smokiness to it. Furthermore, I enjoyed the bitterness of the rapini in contrast to the salty pork but it must be said that the homefries were a little dry.

For dessert, we ignored the famous Grace donuts that were calling to me and headed on over to Milk, which was just down the street. There, we shared 3 scoops of ice cream: Blueberry crumble pie, coffee toffee and blood orange sorbet.

The blueberry crumble pie tasted like well, blueberry crumble pie. The kind your mama would bake on a hot summer day--well your mama, not mine since mama t doesn't really bake. I couldn't get enough of the real bits of crumble mixed into the ice cream and appreciated that the ice cream was obviously made from fresh high-quality ingredients rather than pounds and pounds of artificial sugar.

While I am not usually a fan of coffee ice cream, Milk's coffee toffee was delightful. It had the perfect blend of the bitter coffee mixed with the ultimate indulgence of toffee. But as much as I enjoyed it, the coffee toffee did not make a convert out of me.

Friends of mine have claimed that Milk has the best ice cream in LA, but I will have to beg to disagree. The ice cream, while thoroughly delicious, was just a tad too creamy to me. My opinion is that if you subscribe to the the old fashioned, churned at home, full cream kind of ice cream, then Milk is the place for you. However, if, like me, you prefer something a little less rich and less creamy, then Milk may not be the place for you.

Stuffed to the brim with delicious food, my friend and I spent the rest of the night chatting and catching up.

The next morning I awoke with the realization that we had severely under tipped the waiter at Grace. That coupled with the fact that we utilized a dining coupon, I guess you could say we really Milked it at Grace.

Details:
Grace
7360 Beverly Boulevard,
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-934-4400
Note: Grace just closed the doors of their Beverly Blvd place and are relocating to downtown LA.

Milk
7290 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
323- 939-6455

Prayer Request

The Stanton Family.

Hey all-

Today's posting is a very special prayer request.

My UCLA teammate's 16-year-old brother, Joseph Stanton had a skateboarding accident this past weekend and suffered a very serious brain injury. According to his mother, most of Joseph's brain was affected with significant damage to his brain stem. Joseph has undergone a craniotomy to reduce the swelling to his brain and is currently in a drug induced coma to assist with the healing process. While the prognosis from their doctors is not good, the family has chosen to "believe instead for the power of the Mighty Holy Spirit who can do all things through Christ Jesus who is the Great Physician." If I am not wrong, the doctor's are starting to wean him off the drugs today and the next 2 -3 days are crucial.

The family's unwavering faith in God is truly encouraging and all they ask from friends and family is to uplift Joesph in prayer and request from our own prayer warriors to do the same. So that is what I am doing. Please please please, take a moment out of your busy day and remember Joseph and the Stanton family in your prayers.

The family has set up a Caring Bridges page to help update everyone on Joseph's progress. If you would like to follow along and/or leave them a note on their guest book, click here.

Hatfield's

Hatfield's initially opened it doors in 2006 to a series of awards and accolades including a Michelin star, and best new restaurant. It is no wonder then, that the restaurant (that gets its name from the husband-wife team in the kitchen, Quinn and Karen Hatfield) outgrew it's tiny starter place on Beverly Boulevard and temporarily closed its doors in August 2009. When the restaurant finally premiered its new Melrose Avenue incarnation in February 2010, all of LA's foodie community came out to celebrate. Me? I'm only a few months behind.

Last Friday evening, I finally got my foodie behind into gear and made my way down to Hatfield's to have dinner with an old friend from Singapore and an old friend from High School. It was weird having a "mixed worlds" dining party (I typically do not like to mix my friends) but it worked out great!

The new Hatfield's space at Melrose is minimalist yet warm, understated yet glamorous. The main dining room comes complete with a glass-fronted open kitchen and dramatic molecular honeycomb light fixture that sheds soft rays onto the diners below. What I appreciated the most was that the atmosphere at Hatfield's was welcoming and foodie, rather than Hollywood and pretentious.

For my appetizer, I had to get the Croque Madam- Yellowtail Sashimi with Prosciutto on grilled brioche with a sunny side Quail Egg on top. With their unique surf (Yellowtail) and turf (Prosciutto) spin on this classic french dish, it's no surprise that the Croque Madam at Hatfield's has become a popular signature dish. Flavorful without being overwhelming, this Croque Madam perfectly balances the clean flavors of the Yellowtail and saltiness of the Prosciutto--divine. Meanwhile, the combination of the grilled brioche and the soft meats was simply delightful. My one HUGE complaint is that they did not clean the Yellowtail completely and I found 2 fish scales in my dish. Not good Hatfield's, not good.

For my main dish, I was tempted to order their other signature dish- the date and mint crusted lamb. However, I knew I should be "good" and order something lighter and therefore opted for their Loup de mer, with haricot vert, red onion soubise, fried capers with an almond dried apricot crunch on top. While the fish and haricot vert were cooked to perfection, and the almond dried apricot toppings added a sweet crunchy dimension to the dish, the Loup de mer was a little too polite for my taste. I will say though, that the soubise really was quite beautiful and velvety.

My Singaporean dining companion manned up and ordered the lamb dish that I had been eyeballing. He was kind enough to allow me to sneak a bite (or two). Tender and juicy, the lamb was scrumptious and sang deliciously of the mint and dates that it was crusted in. My favorite thing on the plate however, was the potato chive puree. Dense and light at the same time, the puree was a delicious way to get a starch on the plate in a restrained fashion.

Lastly, to keep with the being "good" theme, I ordered the tangerine semifreddo bombe (honey almond nougat clacé, fresh citrus compote) instead of the chocolate souffle tart. Citrus and tangy, the semifreddo bombe had a lovely combination of chewy nougat, buttery tart and cold sorbet. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Details:
Hatfield's
6703 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
323-935-2977

Madewell

If you know me, you'll know that I love Madwell (whether I can actually afford clothes from Madewell is another story). Last Friday, Madwell quietly launched their e-commerce site and boy does that make me happy. While there's a brick-and-mortar store a couple minutes from my apartment in LA, it's nice to be able to peruse their goods via my Mac.

To celebrate, here are a couple things that I am loving about Madewell's new website.

1. Looks we Love- Much like their sister brand J Crew, Madewell's got an incredible crew of stylists on hand to make their clothes look even more desirable. The virtual look book allows users to shop each individual look. Personally, I'm in love with the Floaty Floral Dress (Look #3) and have even gone so far as to try it on in the store. P.S. The dress looks better on a body than it does in the picture above, so be sure to check it out in the look book.

2. Alexa Chung- Scheduled to hit stores this July, I cannot wait to get my hands on (or at least try on) Alexa Chung's collection for Madewell. The site's teaser for her collection just builds the anticipation.

3. The twisted metal and crystals necklace is the die for. A perfect mix of polish and punk, this necklace has the power to transform the simplest top or tee into something really special.

4. Brunch shorts- Any piece of clothing named after my favorite meal is sure to get my attention. Better still, these shorts have the right amount of ease and rumple making it ideal for a lazy weekend brunch.

5. The Denim Bar- This tool features all their jean styles on a virtual rack, allowing you to click through until you find your perfect fit. The Denim Bar also features the different washes that are offered for each style, and a Behind the Seams video on one of the brand's denim designers.

6. Get the Goods- A collage of cute clothes, accessories and line inspirations that the editors at Madewell handpick from their current collection. Much like Jcrew's Jenna's Picks where creative director Jenna Lyons cherry picks her favorite pieces from the Jcrew collection.

Summer Plates

Now that Memorial Day has come and gone, summer is right around the corner and I am positively swimming in images of gorgeous weather and outdoor activities. Coincidentally, I am also swimming in piles upon piles of dirty laundry. It sure is hard to keep up with household chores when it's 70 degrees and sunny outside!

To help get you inspired to welcome the warm weather home, here are some fun summer plates that would be perfect for any picnic basket (or summer meal for that matter)!

This set of summery gingham melamine plates by Thomas Paul are ideal for a lazy afternoon spent lounging and snacking under a shady tree. And hey! Here is a little trivia for you. Did you know that the name gingham originates from a Malay adjective, ging-gang, meaning striped. Shout out for my Malaysian Father! ;)

Here fishy fishy! This Coran Fish Salad plate is both microwave and dishwasher safe, making clean up and leftovers a breeze. The blue and white fish patterns remind me of the ever popular Chinese porcelains that I grew up with (minus the fishies of course).

Goat Cheese spread and crackers? Tomato and Cantaloupe Salad? Or maybe some raspberry rhubarb pie? These delicate blossom print plates would be great for appetizers or desserts!

Who says picnics have to happen in parks only. These melamine sea fan plates would be ideal for a seaside BBQ! With scalloped edges and graphic coral branches, the plates would provide the perfect backdrop for serving some BBQ shrimp.

With a bold pink background and graphic floral prints, these Dunclare pink salad plates by Liberty of London scream summer to me!

Details:
Portland Picnic Plates
The Curiosity Shoppe
$32.00 for 4

Fish Salad Plate
The Coran Shop
$9.00 each

Blossom Plates
Simply Pretty Prints
$60.00 for set of 4

Sea Fan Plates
Anthropologie
$32 for a set of 4

Dunclare Pink Salad Plate
Target
$19.98

Memorial Day Weekend

It was memorial day this past weekend here in the United States, and I spent my time with my family in Orange County.

Going to my brother's place has always been a safe haven of sorts for me. In college, before my brother and sister-in-law had kids, my visits with them were always filled with simple yet intellectual pleasures. We usually watched an indie-type movie and always had stimulating conversations over the dinner table. The atmosphere was calming, quiet and peaceful. I always came away recharged, it wasn't quite my home but it was home.

Fast forward a couple years and add 2 kids into the mix, gone are the quiet elegant dinners (try getting a word in over my enthusiastic nephew) and the peaceful charm. But truth be told, I have no complaints. My niece and nephew bring so much joy to my visits now that it more than makes up for the lack of quiet time at my brother's. Their innocence and unconditional love is so intoxicating that one cannot help but fall in love with them.

Anyway, here is a short pictorial recap of my time with the Teos!