Adventures of a Cultural Nomad

Food Porn Friday: Fat Kids are Harder to Kidnap

2012-01-13T05:02:00.000-08:00

In college, my fellow swimmers and I used to have this saying, "Fat kids are harder to kidnap".

Think about it...

Needless to say, I still live my life by that motto, hence food porn Friday! Happy Weekending!

xoxo

The Kobe Beef Burger with Zuchinni fries from Burger Bar in Las Vegas

Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

2012-01-12T14:46:00.000-08:00

Well hello there friends!

Is it really 2012 already? Have I truly not posted anything on here since June of last year?? Wowza!

Have you missed me?

I've missed you.

It sure has been a while hasn't it? While no excuse is a good excuse, I actually have a good one! I got a HUGE promotion at work (Yay me!) right around July and it would be an understatement to say that work overtook my entire life! The work load doubled, I was on the road non-stop for 3 months straight, my apartment (and life for that matter) was in shambles, and my energy level outside of work and travel was zero. It makes me exhausted just thinking about it.

Well either way, I'm back, and hopefully with a vengeance.

To "celebrate", I thought I'd share this deelightful Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies that I recently made. The deep hints of espresso take this cookie from kiddie treat to adult indulgence. Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Makes 50-55 cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
12 oz. Semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

Directions:
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Then add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition to make sure they are well combined.

3. In a separate bowl, use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients together: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.

4. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix everything until the ingredients are fully combined, but do not over beat! Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, or rounded teaspoon, drop dough on the sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 mins or until tops look dry. Cool on wire rack and serve.

via food 52 cookbook

Friday Pic

2011-06-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

Hello faithful friends and fans! It's been a loong while since you've heard a peep from this cultural nomad. Once again, work is the guilty culprit. My time and energy was completely consumed by organizing an Italian wine week in Los Angeles, featuring only the native varietals of Italia.

After months, countless meetings and endless hours of work, our event (which took place from May 16-20, 2011) was a huge success and I can honestly say that I've walked away with great experiences, a decent knowledge of native Italian varietals, and a little crush on Italy. More on that later.

In the meantime, here is a picture from one of our events held during the week- a Northern Italy Fruili and Piemonte dinner at Culina. While I would like to claim credit for such a cool shot, this one was taken by a professional photographer.

Photo Credit: Maria Schriber

Happy Weekending!

BEST Broccoli Recipe

2011-04-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found yourself sitting at work trying to get through the day only to find that the entire office smells like delicious broccoli? No? Well I have. That my friends, is the downside of working out of a home office- your afternoon is often interrupted by scrumptious smells wafting up from the kitchen below.

Inspired by that one said broccoli-ed afternoon, I went on a quest to find the exact recipe that my boss's wife was putting to test in their kitchen. Turns out, the recipe is a rather well known one by a rather famous chef- Heston Blumenthal.

After reading through the recipe, I am a little embarrassed to even call it such because it is so mind boggingly simple. I guess we should call it Chef Blumenthal's method for cooking broccoli. Whatever the case, this swift, high-heat method concentrates the flavor of the broccoli and yields the most delicious toasty broccoli ever. Trust me when I say this- once you've tried Chef Blumenthal's broccoli's recipe, you'll never go back to your old steamed stalwart.

Ingredients:
1 head of Broccoli
Salt and Pepper
EVOO
Butter

Directions:
1. Wash a head of broccoli and lop off all the florets so that they are approximately the same size. Peel the stalk of the broccoli and slice into thin coins (I did somewhere between 1/2 and 1/4 inch).

2. Add EVOO to a heavy bottomed pan (with a lid) and place over high heat until the oil starts to smoke. Dump in the broccoli into the smoking pan and cover it quickly with the lid. Cook for 2 minutes and please resist the urge to peek.

3. Take the lid off and season with salt and pepper. Put on oven mits and grab the handles of the pot to shake the broccoli around. Add a lump of butter ( I used a little less than a tablespoon since I'm not a huge fan of butter). Return pot the fire, cover and cook for another 2 minutes.

4. Test the done-ness of the broccoli and see if it is cooked enough for your liking. If its not, put the top back on and cook for a final 2 minutes. It should be scorched in some spots and still green in others.

5. Serve in bowl and don't be surprised when you gobble the whole head up in mere minutes!

Friday Pic: The Other City

2011-04-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since I last posted something here. I am not going to lie, I'm definitely finding it hard to keep this blog updated. Especially when I feel like my job is taking over my entire life! Thank God I'm blessed with a job that I actually enjoy and derive a lot of satisfaction from.

Anyhoo... while I spend this weekend recuperating (kinda not really since the BFF Meeks is in town) enjoy this picture of a beautiful row of town houses that caught my eye on my recent trip to the Big Apple.

Happy weekending-- it's good to be home.

Friday Pic: My City

2011-03-18T02:21:00.000-07:00

Two thoughts, 1. I love the city I live in and 2. I wish I had a better camera.

So folks, another week has come and gone, and another Friday is upon us. Unfortunately, my work week doesn't end here as I head up to San Francisco to help out at the SF World Spirits Competition, work some events and then travel to New York to work more events. In total I will be gone from LA for well over a week. Phew.

I love my job? Happy weekending!

Apple Streusel Muffins

2011-03-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

Food makes anything better- that is a fact. From stress to grief to anxiety to fear, food definitely makes everything better. It may not solve anything, but there is something about food that comforts and satisfies your soul. Do I get an AMEN to that?

Based off of this fact, I baked a batch of Apple Streusel Muffins to take along with me to visit my dear friend Shannon who had surgery on her foot last week. I am proud to say that she devoured the muffins and her foot miraculously stopped hurting... well not quite but I'd like to think these muffins helped her along her journey to recovery.If anything, they told her I care.

Moist and massively impressive these muffins are even better than the ones you get along with your morning coffee at Starbucks. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups peeled and diced granny apples (I used about 2 to get 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly dust the muffin cups with flour, shaking out the excess.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and diced apples. Gently toss to combine.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla. Gently stir into the flour mixture until blended. Spoon batter into prepared tin, dividing evenly among muffin cups.

4. For the topping, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and toss with a fork until it resembles coarse crumbles. Sprinkle mixture over tops of muffins.

5. Bake for 23-35 minutes, until the muffins spring back when gently pressed. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan and placing on a wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe courtesy of Bite Me by Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat.

Belated Birthday Wishes

2011-03-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

Hello Friendsies.

So I'm sorry that I lied about what I would be posting today... I was going to show you what I ate at Animal restaurant but the weekend turned out to be one of those fun but exhausting ones and blogging was the last thing on my mind. What did I do that was so fun yet exhausting?

Well I went down to OC to visit my Bro & Co., and to celebrate my dearest niece, Elsa's 2nd birthday!

For more details on the weekend, hop on over to Sarah's blog, where I'm expecting a full pictorial coverage of our celebrations! In the meantime, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY little one. Aunty Nic loves you so much!! xoxo

Happy Monday everyone!

Friday Pic: A Sneak Peek

2011-03-11T04:16:00.000-08:00

It's Fri-Fri-Friday! Can you tell I am just a tad excited! :)

Anyway, for this week's Friday pic, I though I would give you a sneak peek, a glimpse of what's to come, a little something to wet your appetite for Monday's post. Doesn't that look dee-licious?? It's from my dinner at Animal Restaurant and let me tell you it was good. Real good. So stayed tuned.

On another completely different note, one of my dearest friend's Shannon is having toe surgery today and I wanted all you good folks out there to put in a good word for her with God. While the surgery is not a life threatening one, Shannon informs me it is going to be a painful one. Furthermore, Shannon is going to be in a boot and out of commission for a while and this will not do for the I-can-do-it-myself-I-am-woman type of girl that Shannon is. So pray for a speedy recovery as well.

Thanks Y'all! Happy weekending!

Letters From Lauren

2011-03-10T15:46:00.000-08:00

Hey-ho folks!

Happy almost almost almost the weekend! I do apologize for the silence this week. Like I've mentioned before, work has been wearing me out and the last thing I can think about when I get home at night is blogging.

I promise I will hunker down this weekend with my trusty ole Mac, so that come Monday you'll have something interesting to chew on.

For now, let me introduce you to Lauren. Lauren is a girl who loves letters. Lauren is a girl after my own heart in her love for letters. So join her on her journey as she attempts to write (and document) a letter a day in 2011.

Know someone would could benefit from receiving some snail mail? Email Lauren with some details about said friend and she'll take care of the rest!

Now how cool is that!

Image from Letters from Lauren

Friday Pics

2011-03-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

Taken with my camera phone this morning:
Flowers from my dear sis-in-law and a snail mailed note from my darling nephew

It's another TGIF!

Work has been insane. My boss is on a 3 week personal vacation and this means I have twice the work load to deal with and also twice the exhaustion.

I might also add that I worked an event on Wednesday where I had to sit outside in the rain for 2 hours checking in consumers. And no- there were no umbrellas nor space heaters. It was miserable.

Needless to say, this week has been hard and I welcome Friday with open arms. TGIF

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2011-02-28T16:05:00.000-08:00

Hello hello hello friends. How was your weekend?

It sure was cold here in Los Angeles and despite it being sunny in West LA, it was hailing and snowing in the Valley just 10 minutes from me. Freaky weather I tell you!

Like I mentioned on Friday, I spent Saturday with my Brosky and Co. in Pasadena at the Norton Simon Museum.

How Picasso gets this from....

this, I'll never know!

After getting our culture on, we headed back over the hill (and snow/slush) to my apartment where I cooked a semi-successful dinner of chicken rice. For dessert, Sarah brought over some very delicious Almond cookies dipped in dark chocolate and I had some leftover Sour Cream Coffee Cake that I had baked for a brunch last week.

After rebuffing the Almond Cookies for being too Almond-y, my nephew had a piece of the Coffee Cake and, in between mouthfuls of it, declared that I needed to give him the recipe for it!

As a wanna-be chef, there is nothing that makes me happier! So, my dear dear sweet Luca, here is the recipe for that Coffee Cake.

Ingredients
Streusel
1/2 cup pecan pieces
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Cake
2 cups sour cream
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons minced fresh orange zest
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb (or 2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10 inch Bundt pan.

2. Scatter the pecan pieces evenly around the bottom of the Bundt pan. Combine the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and the nutmeg into a small bowl. Sprinkle half the streusel mixture evenly over the pecans, reserve the rest.

3. Whisk sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest in a bowl. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and remaining cinnamon.

4. With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and light. Pour in the sour cream mixture about 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the flour mixture, about a third at a time, stopping to scrape the bowl after each addition and beating until well combined. The batter will be THICK. Spoon about 1/3 of the batter into the Bundt pan. Leave the surface rather uneven and sprinkle in the remaining streusel mixture. Now spoon in the remaining batter and smooth the surface.

5. Bake on the oven's middle rack for 55 to 60 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake for 10 mins in the pan. Then run a knife around the edges and remove from pan by inverting it. Finish cooling top side up on a baking rack. Cool for at least 10 mins before slicing.

Cake keeps well for several days when tightly covered.

Recipe from The Real American Breakfast by Cheryl Alters Jamison & Bill Jamison.

Friday Pics: Scanwiches

2011-02-25T03:49:00.000-08:00

Hey ho friends! I'm so sorry for the blog silence this week (well I guess I did post on Monday, so at least it was not complete silence), but work this week has been kicking my flat Asian hinny. TGIF is all I can say.

Tonight, I am having dinner with my friend at Animal, a restaurant that I've been dying to try for some time now, so stay tuned for that post. Tomorrow, I'm spending the day exploring Old Town Pasadena with the Bro & Co. and I cannot wait to see my favorite munchkins.

But for now, before the week is up, let me share with you some sandwich food porn for this week's edition of Friday pics, courtesy of Scanwiches - a blog chronicling the deli delights all around New York City.

Enjoy and oh... you're drooling a little there, or at least I am.

Monday Obsession

2011-02-21T16:03:00.000-08:00

I'm so in love with the sweet yet sophisticated street-style of Olivia Palermo. There is just something about this chic New York trendsetter that captures my attention and evokes a little fashion envy within me. I would raid her closet in a heartbeat.

So when Tibi decided to team up Olivia for their latest collection, I couldn't have been more excited. With Tibi's clothes, Bobbi Brown makeup and stunning accessories, Olivia pulled together the perfect ensemble to inspire me and my closet! I'm obsessed.

Friday Pics: Colors, Textures & Shadows

2011-02-18T04:54:00.000-08:00

Bobo

2011-02-16T04:15:00.000-08:00

It seems inevitable that whenever I am in New York for the weekend, I just have to hit up a dining establishment for brunch. I fancy myself Carrie from SATC, weekend brunching with her ladies, all in fabulous outfits.

But reality is I'm not Carrie. NYC or not, I most likely do not have a fancy outfit on (it was freezing in New York this particular trip and the LA/Singapore girl in me chose warmth over fashion. Although I will say I did love my over the knee boots I had on) and I definitely am not having any of that Sex In The City. But fancy outfits and sex aside, I was having brunch! Brunch with my friends Shu and Keith, brunch at bobo restaurant and brunch in the City.

Source

Located in a beautiful old brownstone in Greenwich Village, we discovered bobo through some "interwebs" researching and made reservations to brunch there Saturday morning.

Upon entering the restaurant via the conspicuously unmarked basement entrance (Faux Speakeasy anyone,) we walked right into bobo's subterranean bar area. The brunch vibe there was cool and young, very New York.

As I glanced around the room checking out the scene, I found myself feeling pretty pleased to be "weekend brunching" with the cool kids. However, instead of seating us with the young-uns, our hostess lead us right up a flight of rickety stairs to the main dining room, where we were surrounded by two groups of older patrons. WHAT?? Did we just get seated in the "adults" only boring room? Did we not make the cut? Could they tell I was not a New Yorker??

So there we were, with the oldies in the upstairs intimate (and intimate it was, as I found myself sitting way too close to the next table) dining room, surrounded by tastefully rummaged knickknacks (glass-bead chandeliers, old black and white "family" photos and a pastiche of mismatched “antiques.”) and a large scale hexagonal bookshelf stocked with random volumes and hardcovers.

Despite the chic décor that is meant to evoke a bourgeois bohemian’s dinner party, I didn't care too much for the dark antiquated effect the room had. It made me feel like I was eating in a rundown dirty house. I guess I just don't get the boho bourgeois look and feel.

That, or I am still sore that we didn't get seated downstairs with all the popular kids.

Food wise, bobo is a self-proclaimed farm-to-table eatery, which I am always for. After glancing through the brunch menu, I ordered the soft scrambled eggs with tomatoes, potatoes and spicy pepita toasts.

The eggs were cooked to American perfection, and by that I mean that they were nice and dried out, the way Americans expect their scrambled eggs to be. I, on the other hand, have a more European take on scrambled eggs and like mine a little wetter.

That being said, I did appreciate the sweet and tangy tomatoes that were so juicy that it almost made no sense for it not to be summer outside. Additionally, the potatoes had such a lovely crisp and seasoning to them I couldn't help but chow down greedily.

However, my favorite thing from my plate were the pepita toasts. Served atop freshly baked bread from Balthazar (we asked), the pepita spread had a mouth-watering sweet/spicy combo that was refined yet hearty. The masterful combination of the nutty pepita spread and crusty yet chewy bread was relentlessly addictive.

I also have to give a small shout out to the side order of bacon that we ordered (because fat kids are harder to kidnap.) Thick cut, smokey and laden with bacon-tastiness, the bacon was cooked exactly the way I like it- crispy but not burned and most importantly not dripping with oil.

Details:
bobo
181 West 10th Street
New York, NY 10014
212- 488-2626

On This Day...

2011-02-14T14:32:00.000-08:00

Good Monday and good Valentine's Day to you all!

While couples in love celebrate and marinate in the festivities that is Valentine's Day, let me inform you of something else that happened on this day back in 1895.

On Feb 14, 1895, Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Earnest opened at St. James's Theatre in London. He wrote the first draft in just 21 days, the fastest he'd ever written anything.

The play tells the story of a man named Jack Worthing who, as a pillar in his community, is laden with social responsibilities. In an attempt to escape tiresome social obligations, Jack pretends to have a younger brother named Earnest, who leads a scandalous life in pursuit of pleasure and is always getting into trouble of a sort that requires Jack to rush grimly off to his assistance. Jack even pretends to be Earnest when that suits his purposes.

At the same time, Jack's friend Algernon Moncrieff also begins impersonating the imaginary Earnest. When two women fall in love with Jack and Algernon, they both think they are in love with a man named Earnest. It comes out in the end that Jack and Algernon are themselves actually long-lost brothers.

Wilde said that The Importance of Being Earnest expressed his philosophy that "we should treat all the trivial things of life very seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality." To a friend he wrote that The Importance of Being Earnest was "a trivial play ... written by a butterfly for butterflies."

But it was his greatest success.With witty dialogue and high farce, The Importance of Being Earnest is one of Wilde's most popular and endearing plays.

Wilde showed up at a rehearsal for the play a few days before the opening, wearing his trademark green carnation pinned onto a three-piece maroon suit. After watching the actors for a few minutes he said, "Yes, it is quite a good play. I remember I wrote one very like it myself, but it was even more brilliant than this."

Source

Gift Guide: Valentine's Day Gifts

2011-02-11T04:59:00.000-08:00

1. Ruby Red Cuff Links
2. For that old fashion kind of Shave
3. So he'll always be on time for your dates
4. Who doesn't love a man in a pink shirt
5. A manly sketch book/journal
6. A gorgeous tie for a gorgeous man

Gift Guide: Valentine's Day Gifts

2011-02-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

1. Perfect for the Espresso Lover
2. Heart Punchout skinny belt to add a little love to your jeans
3. Draw your sweetheart a relaxing bath using Jo Malone's Red Roses Bath Oil
4. Lovely flats in a sweet pink color
5. A simple and sweet handmade knot ring to express your love
6. I adore the red of these
7. Keep things personal with a diamond initial necklace

Valentine's Day Ecards

2011-02-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

Good Tuesday fair folks! How was your weekend? I had a fairly eventful one, spending Friday evening killing and cooking 6 live crabs (I was so proud of myself for not getting too squeamish about it and for cooking a pretty bomb chili crab) and then spending the weekend itself chilling and celebrating the New Year with my favorite munchkins of all time- aka the niece and nephew.

Now that CNY has come and gone, I am already looking toward the next Hallmark holiday that we can celebrate... Valentine's Day!

Despite getting my heart broken before and despite being completely single, I am still a deep romantic at heart. However, even the romantic in me has to practice my gag reflex at the over usage of traditional sticky- sweet holiday romantic expression. "I wurve you"... "Be Mine"... "Let's grow old together"...

Enter Valentine's Day Ecards from someecards. Acerbic, true and so very hilarious, who wouldn't want to receive the sweet-ish sentiment of " I want to grow old and disgusting with you."

And there's plenty more to choose from! Enjoy!

Friday Pics: The Way I Travel- New York

2011-02-04T01:24:00.000-08:00

The Winter Whites of New York City.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2011-02-03T05:48:00.000-08:00

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

I would never consider myself an expert on Chinese New Year and all the traditions and rituals that come along with it. (Christmas expert yes, but not Chinese New Year.)

However, I hope your homes have been cleaned, CNY decorations as well as fresh chrysanthemums are abundant around the home, new clothes have been bought and that you're all ready and excited to eat and be reunited with friends and family!

It's been about 9 years since I last spent CNY at home with my parents and it pains me to think about all the good times I've missed or about all the ang pows that never came my way. Oh well...

This year, I am doing a second night dinner with my cousins and then heading down to OC to spend the rest of the Chinese New Year weekend with my bro and Co. It's not quite the same as spending the New Year in Singapore. Nevertheless, I am thankful for having family close by.

Xin Nian Kuai Le folks!

Photo Credit: Beth Liebetrau

Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant

2011-02-02T05:18:00.000-08:00

I love breakfast. Well no, I love brunch, because brunch combines two of my great loves: breakfast and sleeping in without missing breakfast.

Waaa-it... didn't I already mention this? Right... deja vu huh?

But worry not, I got that negative "press" thing out of my system on Monday. Instead, since I'm in New York this week for a work/play combo weekend, I thought I would talk about this lovely brunch place that I dined at the last time I was in New York- Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant.

The one thing about brunch that really gets to me, is that everyone else seems to love it too! Therefore, there is, inevitably, always a wait for a table at any brunch spot (least it be McDonalds. Which, btw, I had for breakfast in Singapore on Xmas eve- don't judge!).

This was exactly the case when I dined at Clinton St Baking Co & Restaurant. My friend and I braved the hour long wait because I just had to have their pancakes. What a foodie brat I've become ;)

But let me tell you, these wild Maine blueberry pancakes that we had was truly worth the long wait. Served with warm maple butter, these pancakes were not too thick and not too thin. They would have surely satisfied Goldilocks herself!

The pancakes had just the right amount of crisp to dough ratio and were delectable with the warm blueberry compote and sinful with the maple butter. I really can't explain why the pancakes were so good, but if you trust my taste buds, you too would wait for over an hour for them.

The second dish we shared was poached eggs in heirloom tomato and summer squash stew topped with grated Parmesan cheese and served with sour dough toast. The combination of the warm poached eggs, stewed squash and tomatoes made for a very homey and comforting dish. The tomatoes were so vibrant and sweet, while the eggs were beyond fresh. I love it when simple ingredients come together like this to make a tasty and stellar dish.

Speaking of simple ingredients and simple life, I kept picturing myself on a quaint little farm, eating this dish with farm fresh eggs from the coup, and freshly grown tomatoes and squash from the garden patch out back. Apparently I watch too many farm movies because if you really lived on a farm, you would be too pooped from farm chores to fix yourself such a breakfast. At least I would.

Finally, we also ordered a side of their fried green tomatoes. These were truly a perfect combination of fried sinful crunch, with salty and sweet goodness. Furthermore, the fried green tomatoes were not the least bit too greasy and were so amazingly good that I've been craving a good fried green tomato since then.

Anyway, that was what I was up to the last time I was in New York. Stayed tuned to find out what other shinnanigans I get myself into on this trip. Happy February and almost Chinese New Year!

Details:

Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant

4 Clinton Street

New York, NY 10002

646-602-6263

The White Rabbit

2011-01-31T04:29:00.000-08:00

I love breakfast. Well no, I love brunch, because brunch combines two of my great loves: breakfast and sleeping in without missing breakfast.

Combine my favorite meal with my favorite holiday and you have boxing day brunch at The White Rabbit in Singapore.

Now I know most, if not all, of my "reviews" on restaurants have been in a very favorable light. But its high time I come clean with you and admit that I don't always enjoy every restaurant I dine out at, I just usually don't blog about such restaurants. No negative "press" is my general rule.

But when I come across a fancy restaurant that does not deliver food wise, it irks me to no end and I feel strongly compelled to break this rule of mine. Case in point, my boxing day brunch at The White Rabbit.

Photo Credit: Blargh from Hungry Go Where.

To understand why The White Rabbit falls under "fancy" in my books, let me first tell you about the space in which The White Rabbit is housed in. Set in a beautifully-restored old chapel off Dempsey Road, The White Rabbit has a grand almost awe-inspiring feel to it. With high ceilings and beautiful hard wood floors, the interior of the restaurant is sparse yet cozy. Large arched shaped windows allow natural sunlight (if you go in the day) to filter in creating a relaxing and warm atmosphere. All very fancy.

Next I must tell you about the wonderful job the design team did in branding this restaurant. Themed loosely after the ever popular 1865 Lewis Carroll novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the restaurant presents itself as a classic European restaurant that is cleverly presented in a current and kitschy way. Classic modern cool, if you know what I mean.

If you need examples of what I am talking about, just browse their website.

But all in all, I think we can agree that The White Rabbit thinks itself fancy. Therefore, I think it reasonable to expect a certain amount of fancy to translate over to their food.

Wrong! I ordered the Croque Madam with grilled pama ham, Emmental cheese and topped with a sunny side up egg. First of all, my egg was sorely over-cooked and the yolk did not ooze with delight. Next, the English Muffin that my sandwich came atop of was cold! Cold! Can you believe that? They didn't even bother to toast the bugger up before serving it.

Then there was that parma ham. Cold and stiff, it did nothing but pull the dish lower and lower into the pits of yuck. And I won't even go there with the limp "salad" that sat depressingly along the edge of my plate.

Needless to say, brunch at The White Rabbit is the epitome of what not to do! Do not house yourself in a gorgeous building and brand yourself smartly, only to let your diners down. Had the bar not been set so high by the location et al., maybe your fall from grace would not have been so drastic. So, my dear The White Rabbit, how about focusing a little more effort into actually making your food edible?

Thank you.

Details:
The White Rabbit
39 C Harding Road
Singapore 24951
+65 6473 9965

Friday Pic: Corner of my Home (in Singapore)

2011-01-28T03:32:00.000-08:00

My maternal Grandparent's wedding picture. Behind that is a old family picture taken in the early 90's. I don't know if you can see this but I am deliberately pouting because I was upset with Mama T that day and wanted to purposefully ruin her family picture.

What a brat I was!

But I guess the joke is on me since I now look like a tool in the picture.

Happy Friday! I'm off to face the freezing temps in NYC tomorrow!

Otto Ristorante

2011-01-27T16:12:00.000-08:00

Do you have a best friend? One who is your partner in crime when you want to monkey around? One who will never judge you or laugh at you (only with you)? One who builds your confidence, challenges you to be a better person, makes you feel stunning, and puts you at ease no matter the situation?

Well I do, and her name is Nik.

Nik and I have been BFFs since we were 8 and 9 years old respectively. While our friendship started off on rocky ground (it's not my fault that she couldn't handle a little friendly competition when I beat her in our first ever swimming match up), we became inseparable when we discovered that we wore the same styling shoes- LA Gear with little light up flowers. It was love at second sight and the rest, as they say, is history.

Since the day we declared we were BFFs, because every friendship needs to start of with an official declaration of feelings, Nik and I have gotten into the habit of aiding and abetting each other into whatever mischief we could manage. If we weren't begging our moms to let us play hooky from school, then we were pretending to be ladies who lunch and finding our way into any and every fabulous restaurant in town. Umm, we were like 10 when we started our lunching extravaganzas.

Years later, while we live light years apart, lead very different lives, and have really nothing in common (except each other), Nik is and always will be my best friend.

As to that mischief we got into when we were younger... that hasn't changed much. Instead, we just get into more grown up versions of said mischief (You KNOW what I am talking about Meeks... Xmas eve *ahem ahem*) We also still think we are ladies who lunch, except we have expanded our repertoire to include breakfast, dinner, dessert and anything that falls in between those.

This trip home was no exception, with Nik calling in "sick" one day and us getting all gussied up to lunch at Otto Ristorante.

Surrounded by expat businessmen in posh suits and fashionistas that don't have to work, we fit right in with the crowd who lunch.

For our first course, we decided to try the Carpaccio di Capesante con Condimento allo Zafferano e Polvere di Olive Taggiasche, or if you don't speak Italian, the Hokkaido scallop carpaccio with saffron vinaigrette and black Taggia olives powder.

With saffron and olives in the mix, I had such high hopes for scallop carpaccio. I was expecting something that was bold yet delicate, pronounced yet refined. However, upon tasting the dish, all I got was bland, boring and blah.

While the flavors of the saffron and olive were pleasant, it was apparent that the dish lacked any kind acid. A squeeze of lemon would have help bring everything together. What a waste.

The sole reason we had come to Otto was because Nik was craving her "uni pasta." That and the fact that the restaurant we had initially planned at (Andre) dining at was fully booked.

So to Otto we came to eat their Spaghetti ai Ricci di Mare e Bottarga di"Carloforte" or spaghetti with sea urchin and grey mullet bottarga. The original plate that they laid before us was wa-ay too salty, even for my now Americanized-I'm-immune-to-salt palate. A little too heavy handed on the roes there, Chef!

After sending it back to the kitchen, the second plate came out lovely. The soft creaminess and brininess of the sea urchin and grey mullet roes linger on your palate and then open up to a warm, slightly metallic (but in a pleasant way) and fishy sensation. Nik said that she was not pleased with her uni pasta that day, saying that there wasn't enough fresh uni, but I didn't find anything too offensive about it.

The second dish that we shared was the Tagliatelle con Fegato Grasso e Dadolata di Manzo Giapponese or Tagliatelle with foie gras and Wagyu beef ragout.

The combination of the Wagyu beef ragout and foie gras created a dish rich enough to clog anyone's arteries. Foie gras? Wagyu beef? Fish Roe? The way we were eating that day, you'd think we'd never heard of Gout. But hey, you only live once right?

For how rich this dish could have been, there was something still appealing to it that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Was it the beefy dept of flavor? The contrast in textures between the soft foie gras and meaty beef? Or perhaps it was the freshly made tagliatelle that held up beautifully to all the lusciousness that was going on around it?

Suffice to say I quite enjoyed this dish.

And because our initial uni pasta was too salty, the suave Italian manager gave us mango panna cotta on the house.

Now ladies and gents, if you hail from Singapore, you'll know that comps are a VERY rare thing in Singapore dining. But somehow, whenever I dine out in Singapore, I manage to charm my way into a free dessert. Apparently I have the magic touch.

Magic touch aside, this mango panna cotta had a lot of lovely mango (my favorite fruit) action to it. But sadly, the texture of the panna cotta itself was a little off. I wanted it to be just a smidge lighter.

All in all, it was a lovely lunch. Not just because the food was pleasing, but because I got to be a lady who lunched with my bestie. xoxo Meeks!

Details:

Otto Ristorante

28 Maxwell Road, #01-02

Red Dot Traffic Building

Singapore 069120

+65-6227-6819

Bean Curd (Tau Huay) Tarts

2011-01-24T16:01:00.000-08:00

I don't like egg tarts. I think I am one of the few Chinese people who don't. There is just something about the richness of the custard that turns me off. I am a disgrace to my race.

Enter the bean curd tarts from LE Cafe Confectionery & Pastry, aka my racial salvation.

Encased in a thin cup of sweet pastry, the bean curd tart is a play off of the traditional egg tart where soya bean filling replaces the usual egg custard filling. While the tarts don't come cheap, the bean curd tart is seriously worth every cent!

Made by grinding up soya beans and almonds that are then cooked in water, sugar and pandan leaves for fragrance, the result is a silky-smooth bean curd filling that doesn't deviate too much from the traditional tau huay that one finds in the hawker centers.

Spot on consistency of the filling aside, the tart itself is perfect as it is not too thick, yet still manages to hold the delicate filling in place. Another plus for the tart is that it doesn't crumble at first bite, thus making eating the bean curd tart a much easier process.

In my opinion, the bean curd tarts are the perfect blend of two traditional delicacies, tau huay and egg tarts, combined to form something new, exciting and get this, healthy!

Details:
LE Cafe Confectionery & Pastry
264 Middle Road
Singapore 188990
+65-6337-2417

Friday Pics

2011-01-21T13:22:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes- I realize that the new year has long come and gone, and not only that, I realize that I have been MIA since Xmas Eve.

I truly am sorry for leaving you all hanging (because really, how does one get by without their daily, if not weekly, dose of "adventures" from little ole me) but what can I say, I got a little distracted during my time at home and then when I finally got back to LA, I was expanding all my energy toward catching up with work and settling back into my routine.

Excuses aside, I promise, I am back, in 2011, with a vengeance!

And, as a peace offering from leaving you all stranded, here is a small taste of what went down while I was back home in Singapore. Happy Friday!

While home, I spent some time reacquainting myself with a cousin who I haven't seen in at least 15 years? Here are 2 scenes from the balcony of her apartment building.

I apologize for the hazy shots- it was Monsoon season, so rain and overcast skies was definitely an issue. For some reason, the rain always took me by surprise! Guess I haven't been back in Dec in a while.

You can see the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands in the background of this shot. Oh how the skyline of my city has changed since I left.

While somethings in Singapore have changed in the years since I've been gone, there are others that remain exactly as I remember it. Only in an island country as small as Singapore will you see evidence of people utilizing every single space available to them. I mean, come on, in between two escalators at a grocery store??

I also spent a lot of time with my BFF Meek. I met her in the CBD (Central Business District) for lunch on a work day and I cannot express how liberating it was to be the only person not in work attire for 100 miles. While downtown, I took a couple of shots of Boat Quay,

and

The Fullterton Hotel, which used to be the old General Post Office but is now a 5-star luxury hotel that has the best chocolate buffet!

Then there was this wedding I attended...

Social activities aside, food was also a main agenda on my trip home...

My mom and I have a tradition of going to high tea with some friends from Church every time I'm back home. This time was no exception.

Here is the wide array of fruits that were available at high tea at the Marriot Hotel.

More Fruits! This time, the array of pre-packaged fruits being sold at the fruit monger.

Kumpong Chicken Rice- which basically translates to free range chicken rice.

Dim Sum! The above abalone tarts were out of this world good!

And my all time favorite, the Chili Crab...

... and the accompanying man tou! Mmmmm.

Stay tuned for more detailed coverage of my foodie eats in Singapore!

Friday Pics: A Christmas Edition

2010-12-24T02:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

While I blast my jams (christmas carols, what else!) and preheat the oven in preparation for cooking tonight's family xmas eve dinner, I do hope the Christmas cheer is as alive in your heart as it is in mine!

Holiday Gift Guide: For Around the Home

2010-12-22T03:21:00.000-08:00

I'm not saying that things make a home, but you don't hear me complaining about such gorgeous things.

1. Happy Chic Set of 2 Pop Canisters from Jonathan Adler, 2. Chinoiserie Green Teacup from Mydeco, 3. Oval Ikat Lampshade from Etsy, 4. Elf Candleholder from Cb2, 5. Cast Iron Apple Pot from terrain, 6. Sparrow Clips from MoMA.

7. High Tea Baking Cups from Confectionery House, 8. Fine Dining Placemats from Anthropologie,

9. Selenite Brass Box from Kelly Wearstler, 10. Midas Glassware Collection from Design Within Reach,

11. Queue Vase from Z Gallarie, 12. Nixon Throw from Jonathan Adler.

13. Kelly Wearstler's Grodian Weave Cushion from Plum Cushion, 14. Tapestry Collection Plate from French Bull, 15. Guppy Barware from Z Gallerie, 16. Sticky Teaspoons from Anthropologie, 17. Lacey Tray from Chiasso, 18. Cheese Knives from Decor Craft.

19. MOR Cosmetics Soap Opera Gift Set, 20. Agate Pedra Coasters from MoMA, 21. Ikat Bowls from Anthropologie, 22. 3 Mini Candles Diptyque from Space NK, 23. Five Nesting Ranunculus Rose Bowls from Etsy.

Holiday Cheer: Snowmen Bars

2010-12-21T22:47:00.000-08:00

Hello folks. How goes it?

I've landed safety in Singapore and have spent the last few days suffering from a serious case of jet lag, but have also been busying myself with Christmas prep.

Today Mama T and I finally put up the Christmas decorations and after I type this quick post, we're off to get the groceries for Christmas dinner.

I do hope your holiday prep has been going well, that the turkey has been bought and stuffed, that the gifts are sitting merrily under the tree, and most importantly that the mood in your home is festive and happy.

In the meantime, if you are in need of a quick and easy handmade gift, here is my sweet treat for you!

Simply rewrap store-bought chocolate bars to make these cheerful little confections!

Tools and Materials:
Chocolate Bars
Ivory paper
Glue stick
Orange paper
Pen
Ribbon or yarn

How to:
1. Wrap bar in white paper, taping seams.
2. Using your marker or pen, draw eyes and mouth.
3. Glue small triangle of orange paper for nose.
4. For scarf, wrap ribbon or yarn around the bar twice; knot, and trim to desired length.

Happy almost Christmas!

Holiday Gift Guide: Rocker Chic

2010-12-20T03:09:00.000-08:00

For the rebel in all of us.

1. Starry Eye Liquid Liner from Too Faced, 2. Adrien Shiny Chelsea Boots from TopShop, 3. Super Skinny Printed Stretch Jean from Tory Burch, 4.Club Master Wayfarer Sunglasses from Ray-Ban, 5. Rhinestone Triple Finger Rings from Urban Outfitters.

6. Hand Painted Silk Skull Scarf from Etsy, 7. Tab Sleeve Plaid Shirt from Mall-LA, 8. Spiked Bib Necklace from Madewell, 9. Leather Cut Away Fingerless Flat Stud Gloves from ASOS, 10. Studded Denim Vest from Nasty Gal.

11. Small Enamel Skull Bracelet from Alexander McQueen, 12. MIA Marion Shoes, 13. Leather Biker from TopShop, 14.Shashi Single Strand Gold Nugget Bracelet, 15. Tokdidoki Cromatico Eyeshadow, 16. Leopard Tail Blouse from Nasty Gal, 17. Moto Acid Wash Denim Hotpants from TopShop, 18. Double Row Mixed Metal Crosses Necklace from TopShop.

Friday Pics

2010-12-17T02:24:00.000-08:00

The Presents Under My Little Wooden Tree

I leave for Singapore today!!! Excited does not even close to describing how I feel, for there's no place like home for the Holidays! Wish me safe travels ya'll.

Oh, there’s no place like
home for the holidays,
‘Cause no matter how far away you roam
When you pine for the sunshine
Of a friendly face
For the holidays, you can’t beat
Home, sweet home

I met a man who lives in Tennessee
And he was headin’ for Pennsylvania
And some home made pumpkin pie
From Pennsylvania folks a travelin’ down
To Dixie’s sunny shore
From Atlantic to Pacific, gee
The traffic is terrific

Oh there's no place like home
For the holidays, ‘cause no matter
How far away you roam
If you want
To be happy in a million ways
For the holidays, you can’t beat
Home, sweet home

Holiday Gift Guide: Ladylike Classic

2010-12-16T01:20:00.000-08:00

Because classics never go out of style!

1. Parker Loose Long Sleeve from ShopBop, 2. Ted Baker Bobble Kisslock Leather Clutch, 3. Rhinestone Elastic Bracelet from Forever 21, 4. Houndstooth Jacquard Woven Jacket from American Apparel.

5. Faux Fur Jacket by Love from Topshop, 6. Charles by Charles David Black Pumps, 7. Hand Held Zip Around Patent Bag from ASOS, 8. Alphabet Rings from Catbird.

9. Crushed Roses Mini Skirt from Banana Republic, 10. Into the Midst Set from Anthropologie, 11. Hyacinth Nico Cluster Studs from Rachel Leigh, 12. Movie Heart Trim Lace Pumps from TopShop.

13. Bruce II Pleated Trouser from La Garçonne, 14. Ice Cluster Bib Necklace from Madewell, 15. Max Mara Atelier "Eleonor" Coat from MazMara, 16. YSL Rouge Pur Couture SPF 15, 17. Plaid Mini from Old Navy.

18. Dream Alexie Sweater from Jcrew, 19. Unique Pink Quarts Silver Earrings from Antique Style Collection, 20. Leather Belt from Zara, 21. Gold Frame Clasp Piped Handbag from TopShop, 22. Twirl Bow Cuff from Kate Spade.

Holiday Gift Guide: Bohemian

2010-12-14T04:38:00.000-08:00

For the girl that has a little bohemian chic in her.

1. Winter Kate Jasmine Winter Cardy in Purple, 2. Feather Trim Floppy Hat from TopShop, 3. Peacock Feather Pendent by Forever 21, 4. Lincoln Park After Dark From OPI, 5.Sadie Faux Fur Coat by Nasty Gal.

6. Turquoise Cuff Bracelet, 7. Sequined Fringed Leather Bag from TopShop, 8. Jeffery Campbell Wedge, 9. The Bohemian Dress from Planet Blue.

10. Brixton Gain Fedora from Revolve Clothing, 11. Floral Batwing Sleeve Kimono from TopShop, 12. Type Z Panema Shoes, 13. Abstract Stone Ring from TopShop.

14. Peacock Feather Earrings from Ron Herman, 15. Victorie Long Dress from Winter Kate, 16. Gold Aviator Sunglasses from ASOS, 17. Green Quartz Cabachon Necklace from Robindira Unsworth,
18. Printed Wellington Boots from Missoni, 19. Silver Seraphina Headband from Eugenia Kim.

Holiday Cheer: Holiday Party Hosting Tips

2010-12-13T02:33:00.000-08:00

When I was younger, my life's ambition was to not work a day in my life. I wanted to just sit home and eat bon bons all day. Yes, I am for real.

Once I got older, I thought about becoming an ambassador, just so I could throw sophisticated soirees all the time. (Because somewhere in my little mind, that's all an ambassador did. Foreign relations be dammed.) Now that I am actually a working gal, and seriously doubt that a career in foreign affairs in anywhere in my future, I settle for throwing the occasional miniature dinner party.

This year, my best friend and I have every intention of hosting a holiday dinner party and we've been dreaming up sample menus. We're excited to say the least, but more on that another time.

For now, here are some gorgeous pictures and holiday tips to help get the creative juices following for your own holiday party.

Tip #1: When it comes to selecting candles for your tablescape, chose votive candles instead of tapers to give your table a more casual yet intimate feel. Added bonus: The dim light also casts an attractive glow and makes everyone look great.

Tip #2: Keep center pieces and candles low so that everyone can actually make eye contact across the table.

Tip #3: Greet all guest with a cocktail, champagne or prosecco as soon as they walk through the door. It's a great way to get into the spirit.

Tip #4: Instead of stocking your entire bar for your party, why not offer a single holiday-themed house cocktail. Supplement with wine, beer and sparkling water. Added bonus: By streamlining your bar, you not only save time but also money!

Tip#5: If you must have a fully stocked bar. Here are my tips on what you should save and splurge on.

Vodka: Save. Because vodka is suppose to be a tasteless alcohol, the lower priced ones don't have that horrible flavor that other cheap liquors might have.
Whisk(e)ys and Scotch: Splurge. This one is a no brainer since these spirits are usually drunk straight up or on the rocks.
Gin: Save. A low end gin will most probably take the bloom out of your martini but if you are looking for something to mix with other alcohols, you can afford to avoid the top-shelf. Just make sure you aren't going so cheap that you have an artificially juniper flavored one (check the label).
Bourbon: Splurge. Cheaper Bourbons tend to give you the burn without the flavor.
Rum: Splurge. Taking the cheapskate route will likely give you a rum that taste more like an Island backalley than a sugarcanned vacation.
Tequila: To be honest, no one is going to go near this stuff during the holiday season, so save and don't even get any!
Club Soda or Tonic Water: Splurge. It may seem instinctive to save on the mixers but store brands can go flat quickly and often have an aftertaste to them.
Juices: Splurge- fresh squeezed is always best because you don't want that corn syrupy taste.

Tip#6: Make a whimsical sign for your bar like "Santa's Favorites". Guests will know where to find their drinks and will get a kick out of your creativity.

Tip #7: When Decking the Halls, don't be afraid to venture outside the traditional red and green Christmas colors. I'm loving the purple and magenta hues.

Tip #8: Consider the first thing guest see when entering your home. A bold, creative wreath sets the festive tone for what's to come.

Tip #9: Scatter plenty of bowls of snacks, like nuts, olives or even a cup full of candy canes, through out the house.

Tip #10: Hang candy canes, scatter silver and gold tinsel on a table, or stick ornaments in a vase of bowl for decoration.

Tip #11: Keep the music upbeat and holiday specific. Make sure to have your music playing way before guest are due to arrive, so that an early straggler does not show up to an awkwardly quiet house.

Tip #12: You'll have more fun at your party if you let go of the idea that a party has to be perfect. Parties are about fun, not perfection. So lighten up and enjoy yourself!

All Images Courtesy of Loony.

Friday Pics and a Poem

2010-12-10T01:55:00.000-08:00

Breakfast In Bed. Cardinal In Winter. Alexandra Grablewsk. Breathe

While I usually despise poems, this one made me laugh.

Diagnosis

by Sharon Olds

By the time I was six months old, she knew something
was wrong with me. I got looks on my face
she had not seen on any child
in the family, or the extended family,
or the neighborhood. My mother took me in
to the pediatrician with the kind hands,
a doctor with a name like a suit size for a wheel:
Hub Long. My mom did not tell him
what she thought in truth, that I was Possessed.
It was just these strange looks on my face—
he held me, and conversed with me,
chatting as one does with a baby, and my mother
said, She's doing it now! Look!
She's doing it now! and the doctor said,
What your daughter has
is called a sense
of humor. Ohhh, she said, and took me
back to the house where that sense would be tested
and found to be incurable.

Happy Friday!

Holiday Gift Guide: Preppy

2010-12-08T04:43:00.000-08:00

Because you always pop your collar.

1. Bright Argyle Socks from GAP, 2. Satin Bow Headband from Forever 21, 3. Essie Nail Polish in Chubby Cheeks, 4. Kate Spade Umbrella, 5. Mardi Gras Glass Studs from Kate Spade, 6. Boutonniere Blazer from Jcrew.

7. Stacy Shirt from Abercrombie & Fitch, 8. The Quality Mending Co. Duffel Bag from Madewell, 9. Kacy Fringed Loafers from TopShop, 10. Small Idiom Bangle from Kate Spade, 11. Lilybeth Bow Front Bag from Forever 21.

12. Horizontal Stripped Scarf from Meg Cohen, 13. Bow On Pearl Bracelet from TopShop, 14. Stretch Piqué Polo from Lacoste, 15. Coral Me Crazy Thermal Mug from Lily Pulitzer, 16. Leather Flats with Metal Trim from Sam Edelman, 17. Be Dazzled Elizabeth Cardigan from Kate Spade.

18. Ruffle Collar Wool-Blend Jacket from Old Navy, 19. Everest Overnight bag from Rag & Bone, 20. Taffeta Bow Headband from Forever 21, 21. Tristan Yacht Cardigan from Delia's, 22. The Archive Leather Boot from Madewell.

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Kids

2010-12-07T04:11:00.000-08:00

Because you love them to pieces!

1. Like a Rainbow Clatter from Land of Nod, 2. Dancing Alligator Pull Toy from Giggle, 3. P'kolino Triangle Pencils from Black Wago, 4. Blossom Red Shoes from Livie & Luca.

5. Mix it up Kids Toy Kitchen from Land of Nod, 6. Little Society Wolf Thermal Set, 7. Suede Tracks from Trumpette, 8. Flower Power Ballet Flats from JCrew, 9. Monkey Mittens from Uncommon Goods.

10. Pink Chicken Reese Bird Print Dress from Chi Chi Bean, 11. Converse Kids Chuck Taylor, 12. Owl & Friends Ball Trio from Skip Hop, 13. Petite Fleur Dress from JCrew, 14. 14 Piece Vegetable Set from Ikea, 15. Felted Princess Crown and Bracelets from Garnet Hill.

16. Paint your Own Large Wood Family from Etsy, 17. Broken-In Critter Chino from JCrew, 18. 3D Puzzle Globe from MoMA Store, 19. Tristan Knight from Nova Natural, 20. Domestic Diva Lemondrop Apron from Etsy, 21. Ladybug Backpack from Forest & Zoe.

A Night of Cheap Eats in New York

2010-12-06T11:12:00.000-08:00

Traveling for work with my boss always means I get to eat well. However, after 4 days straight (2 in Miami and 2 in New York) of 3 hour long fine dining, I had endured enough and my patience (and stomach) was wearing thin. Now don't get me wrong, the snob in me enjoys fine dining like it's my job, but 4 days in a row... I was in desperate need of street eats- delicious, quick and cheap food.

Answering the call was my best friend's older sister Shu, who recently moved to New York to get her second, yes you read right, second law degree.

On our way to our intended first stop, Xi'an Famous Foods, we got distracted by the Wafles & Dinges truck. Impulsively we decided to do dessert before our main course because apparently, you make rash decisions when you are starving.

Owned and operated by an IBM consultant who traded in his brief case for a waffle iron, the bright yellow Wafels & Dinges Truck offers both sweet and savory options. I, under recommendation from Shu, ordered de throwdown wafel, named after the legendary Throwdown Battle with Chef Bobby Flay. The good folks from Wafels & Dinges came out victorious in case you were wondering.

Topped with a huge mound of whipped cream and smothered generously with speckuloos, de throwndown wafel was warm, delicious and was everything I wanted in an "appetizer."

The Liege wafel itself was soft and chewy. Additionally, there was a certain denseness and sweetness to the wafel that stood out against the usual crisp Belgian Waffles that I am used too. But what made this wafel great was the little bits of pearl sugar that crystallized on the outside of the waffle, giving it an extra oomph of sweetness and texture. Mmmm.

Meanwhile the Speckuloos- a Belgian Gingerbread spread- was simply divine. Not too sweet, it paired beautifully with the wafel and hinted subtly of a Graham cracker.

After this minor but very worthwhile sidetrack (which by the way, also included a brief interaction with an African American lady who was on a noble quest to track down and try all the food trucks in NYC), we veered back on path toward Xi'an Famous Foods.

When we finally arrived at Xi'an Famous Foods, it had a long line out the door. Inside the small 3-table shop, pictures of menu items adorned the wall, as if we were in a foreign country and needed pictorial guides. Despite the crowd, luck was with us and we snagged a table as soon as we entered the door.

Well... it wasn't so much luck as it was me pushing my way forward and surging for the empty table before this meek little Asian girl had a chance to blink. It wasn't even a competition, searching for tables at busy hawker centers in Singapore has me well trained.

While I guarded our precious table, I let Shu do the ordering. First up to bat, the Mount Qi Pork Hand-pulled (aka La Mian) Noodles.

I die. There is nothing else I can say.

Well not really, but I thought those two words would adequately convey my feelings for this dish. The freshly made noodles were perfectly pulled/slapped/stretched/ flapped and... well whatever technical magic that goes into making La Mian. With the right amount of chew and texture to it, these noodles had such a luciously rich mouthfeel to it. I'm drooling now just thinking about them. Furthermore, the thing about hand-pulled noodles that I love is not only the amazing texture but the beautifully flawed inconsistency in their size and shape.They are living proof that imperfection is interesting. And delicious!

Besides the heavenly noodles, the pork topping was sour, spicy and tingly all at the same time! The divine combination of the chewy noodles and flavorful pork really made my taste buds howl in delight! If you are looking for a deeply satisfying meal, the Mount Qi Hand-pulled noodles from Xi'an's is the way to go.

Having shared the noodles, Shu also thought it wise to order the savory cumin lamb burger. Now I don't usually include prices in my blog reviews, but I would be doing everyone a disservice if I did not tell you that this lovely lamb burger only cost $2.50!

Price aside, let me tell you more about this lamb burger. The only similarities that the lamb burger has with a regular burger is in its size, which is roughly the same. But that is where the similarities end.

Instead of a meat patty, this burger has chunks of smokey cumin coated lamb that are sauteed with jalapenos, onions, and scallions. The lamb is then stuffed into a hard, crispy-warm bun that is more like a toasted English muffin. Similar to a Hamburger or not, this lamb burger is deeply aromatic and fragrant and tasted like nothing out of any Asian eatery I know.

Stuffed and deeply satisfied, we wandered the streets of New York (where we actually made a quick pit stop for an Australian Meat Pie) for a while before heading back to Shu's gorgeous new home.

Later that night, and yes, with the Phua's there is always a later that night ;), we found ourselves at Pomme Frites looking to satisfy our late night hankering for fries.

Another "Hole in the Wall", Pomme Frites serves just fries and a multitude of dipping sauces. We shared a large order of the Belgian fries with the following sauces and garnishes to compliment them: Ketchup, especial (frite sauce, ketchup and raw onions), frites sauce (traditional European mayo) and a horseradish mayo.

Freshly cut and fried in a giant vat, the fries were hot and sinfully crispy on the outside, while mealy on the inside. They were the perfect vehicle for the myriad of sauces we ordered, and the perfect late-night snack.

Details:

Wafels & Dinges

Xi'an Famous Foods

81st Mark's Place

New York, NY 10003

Pommes Frites

123 Second Ave

New York, NY 10003

212-674-1234

Birthday Wishes

2010-12-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

Birthday wishes for this 5-year-old, whose love for life, love and hot dogs is simply infectious.

Happy Birthday Luca! May God continue to bless and keep you.

A BIG hug and a BIG kiss,

Aunty Nic

Friday Pics: Sunset

2010-12-03T04:25:00.000-08:00

Taken at the Dana Point Beach. Lovely sunset, freezing temps.

Holiday Gift Guide: Cards and Wrap

2010-12-02T04:58:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous cards for penning holiday sentiments and festive trinkets for adorning Christmas gifts. After all, presentation is half the battle.

1. Gift tags- Jolly Jingle Bells. $6 for 6 from seasonaldelights 2. Card:Gift-giving face off. $13.50 from afavorite 3. Holiday Stationary Set of 4. $11.95 for 4 from LBC Paper

4. Merry Christmas- Vintage Style Luxury Gift Tags. $9.25 from craftypagan 5. Wool Felted Acorn Ornament. $12 for 5 from angeldogdesigns 6. Under the Mistletoe- Round Gift Tags. $7.49 for 15 from momentinthesun 7. Bakers Twine red/white. $5 for 10 meters from ballee.

8. Joy to All Gnomes. $16 for pack of 6 from Egg Press. 9. Peppermint Stripe Lillipop. $22 for 14" Lollipop from In the Pink. 10. Gold Crown Ornament. $8 from Plum Party 11. Gleam Christmas Ribbon. Starting at $8.25 from Karaboo Ribbons.

12. Oy Vey Cards. $16 for 8 from Fresh Frances 13. Merry Christmas Note Cards. $8.50 for set of 5 from Whimsywhimsical 14. Shabby Cottage Christmas Ribbon. $3 from Sewcutedesigns1 15. Christmas Cupcake Wrappers. $12 for set of 12 from SweetTalkDesigns.

Holiday Cheer: Letters to Santa

2010-12-01T03:22:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to tag along with my brother's family as they took their kids to the City of Mission Viejo's annual holiday fair where Santa made an appearance, on a fire engine no less. The excitement on my darling little nephew's face was just so precious.

I don't remember any of these Santa shenanigans from my childhood because I didn't grow up believing in Santa. To me, he was just another character that came about during the Christmas season, like Rudolph, or Frosty the Snowman. I was never told specifically that Santa wasn't real (or maybe I was? I don't remember) nor was I told that he was. If I am not wrong, this was a conscious decision on the part of Mama T.

When I tell some people this, they feel sad for me, thinking that I missed out on some kind of magical tradition, or right of passage that every child goes through. On the contrary, I don't feel like I missed out on anything. I mean I still grew up loving Christmas and I still enjoyed the magic of the season... just maybe in a more adult realistic way I guess.

But then again, one could counter-argue and say you don't know what you've missed.

Either way, whether you still believe in Santa, used to believe in Santa or never believed in him, you can still get in the holiday mood by writing your letter to Jolly Ole St. Nicholas- real or imagined.

Download these free templates from Martha Steward and get cracking on your wish list and mail it to the North Pole... or leave it lying around for one of his "helpers" to find! ;)

Letter to Santa from a Boy
Letter to Santa from a Girl
Letter to Santa from an Adult

Holiday Gift Guide: Sparkles

2010-11-30T03:15:00.000-08:00

For the friend who you secretly suspect is a magpie.

1. Kate Spade Charm Sandal, 2. Juicy Couture Pavé Bow Ring, 3. Sequin Embellished Dress from ASOS, 4. Sparkle Earings by Dori Csengeri from Charm & Chain.

5. Alva Gloves from Anthropologie, 6. Nanette Necklace from Gema Reduex, 7. Sephora for O.P.I in (from left to right) Flurry Up, Only Gold For Me and Sparkle Me Silver.

8. Dune Lantique Allover Beaded Clutch from ASOS, 9.Giuseppe Zanotti Glitter Sandals, 10. Marc by Marc Jacobs Pinked & Perforated Patent Oxfords, 11. S Headband from Ban.do.

12. Sequin Skirt from GAP, 13. Three Tiered Beaded Necklace from Forever 21, 14. Stack of 4 Rings from Forever 21, 15. Jeweled Foldover Clutch from Banana Republic.

16. Debbi Sequined Tweed Mini Bag from Marc Jacobs, 17. Butter Chuchu Peep Toe Pump, 18. Bolly Disco from Vanessa Arizaga, 19. Rhinestone Candles from Z Gallerie, 20. Sequin Animals from West Elm, 21. Lindsay Bracelet from Archive Jewelry.

Nuela

2010-11-29T05:01:00.000-08:00

If you've been paying any attention to my recap of recent work travels, you'll remember that I am "currently" in New York City, living it up in a penthouse hotel. On our first night there, we learned what having the UN in town did to New York traffic, and we also dined at the new and hip pan-Latin restaurant, Nuela.

The moment we stepped into Nuela, we were greeted by the loud "unch-unch" of throbbing music- I immediately thought to myself "I'm too old for this."

A room full of shiny hair, sky high heels and it-bags hinted that beautiful is a prerequisite of dining at the restaurant. Even with my stylish new cropped pants, bohemian blouse and stacked heels, I felt like I needed higher heels, more makeup and a fashion bag the size of a sofa cushion dangling from my arm. Decorated in radioactive shades of orange and red, the main dining room was filled with diners that sat chattering with friends over cocktails (which were pretty delicious actually, especially the Cuba Libre) while simultaneously texting other friends and posting status updates on their social network.

It is needless to say that Nuela oozes with the exclusive glamour of a Miami Nightclub. You know, the kind of exclusiveness that makes one feel a little awkward and out of place at first because you don't quite know if you are actually cool enough to be there... yeah... like I said, I'm too old for this.

Nuela was meant to mark Neuvo Latino pioneer Doug Rodriguez's return to New York. However, Chef Rodriguez dropped out of the project before it actually began, leaving the restaurant's fate to his No. 2, Adam Schop to run the whole shebang. Regardless of who was at the helm of the kitchen, I was in a hip New York restaurant, had told myself I was cool enough and I was ready to get my grub on.

Up first, the shaved hearts of palm salad with smoked dates and a coconut vinaigrette. Not being a huge fan of dates (unless they are wrapped in bacon) or coconut, this salad was a ho-hum dish for me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.

The hearts of palm were shaved to a delicate thinness but in my opinion, the dressing was too creamy and rich- I like my vinaigrettes with a little more acidity to it.

We also tried some octopus and pork belly anticuchos (aka Peruvian-style skewers) with pepper escabeche and shishito mayo. I wanted very much to enjoy these skewers but the octopus was tough and in my opinion overcooked, making it a chewy mess.

I know the pork belly was there to act as a balance to the chewy octopus but the combination just didn't come together for me. It was hard to enjoy one, without its counterpart foiling the experience.

Also sampled were these wee little foire gras croquetas with a liquid center of gingersnap and rum.

Definitely not my favorite. I was actually most excited to try this unique dish but could not get over the strong, sickly-sugary, alcohol-flavored goo that burst out of the ball. I haven't met something that I really disliked this much in a long time. It was like the foire gras croquetas were the food personification of a punch in the gut, or worst still, something you would find on the floor of a bus station bathroom.

However, if you are a fan of rich and strong alcoholic taste, then these croquetas are for you. I picture a hearty old man enjoying these. Oh wait... that would be my boss... and he did enjoy them.

Chifa empanadas with pork and rock shrimp in a curry mustard emulsion were also ordered. While they reminded me of the curry puffs that we get back home, the rock shrimp was extremely succulent and provided a divine complexion to the empanadas. The mustard curry emulsion was perfectly balanced and was a nice dipping sauce for the already tasty empanadas.

Having one in our party that did not eat shrimp, we also put in an order of their vegetarian empanadas, which has a flavorful mixture of vegetables. Again, the empanada shell was nice and crispy

By this time, I was starting to categorize Neula as one of those restaurants where the scene is hot, but the food is not so much. Then the ceviches came...

We ordered two ceviche dishes and first on the palate was the surf clam and heirloom tomatoes, with charred watermelon and basil. My oh my!

I generally steer clear of clams in general but the combination of the tangy tomatoes, sweet watermelon and herbaeous basil was just what I needed to make my mouth water. The chewy clams were just delightful against the watermelon's wet snap. A dish like this could make me rethink my usually unfavorable position on clams.

The second ceviche we had was the hamachi with aji amarillo, sour orange, basil and black garlic. This was easily my favorite dish of the entire dinner. With flavor combinations that were new and exciting to me, I kept going back for more, in an attempt to make friends with every new flavor that walked across my palate.

It was delicate yet strong, simple yet bold. The sour orange combined with the black garlic was such a surprise and was like a flavor bomb going off in my mouth. What was even more endearing was that despite the boldness of the garlic, it did not overpower the hamachi, not one bit. It was exciting for me to see big brash flavors in such close proximity to extremely delicate ones.

For the main dishes we ordered two dishes from the section of the menu labeled Para Dos Personas, or dinner for two. Dish numero uno: The whole smokey peruvian chicken served with huancaina sauce, a piquant green aji sauce, thick crusty french fries topped with gloops of melty cheese, and a soft-boiled egg.

Moist and tender, the chicken was a sign of perfect technique being executed in the kitchen. While some think a perfectly cooked bird is cake walk for any kitchen, experience has proved to me otherwise. The huancaina sauce was peppery and simply over the moon, while the aji sauce provided a nice spicy option.

The second shared dish was the Arroz Con Pato, a beautiful paella-like amalgam of crispy duck breast, confit thighs and gizzards, roasted foie gras, and a fried duck egg served over rice that bears a tender, chewy crust of soccarat on the bottom.

I don't think I've ever seen so many variations of the theme of duck in one dish. I love variety so the multitude of duck was right up my alley. The bird's breast were amazingly succulent and flavorful, while the liver and gizzards offered many different textures and tastes from the duck. The best part of the dish was the combination of the runny fried egg that just gently flavored the golden rice that was beautifully crisp around the edges.

This is definitely a dish not to be missed.

For dessert, despite all of us being full, we ordered the Passion Y Coconut with coconut crema, passion fruit curd and sorbet, and macaroon toppings. While I enjoyed the passion fruit curd and sorbet, and while the macaroon topping provided a wonderful textural contrast to the crema, once again the coconut flavors put a damper to my enjoyment.

And lastly, we shared an order of a Panna Cotta with milk foam. I will say this now and will say this forever, foam on food is too contrived and a waste of space! It adds nothing to the dish and looks like someone spit up all over your food. Yeah... I think you know that I barely even touched the panna cotta.

So after 3 hours of dining at Nuela, what is my final verdict? Neula has a bit of an identity crisis. It can't seem to decide if it's a flashy Latin Lounge, or a restaturant with serious culinary intentions. I am not saying that a restaurant cannot be both things. However, the contrived coolness coupled with the brash party vibe of Nuela makes it too exhausting for a multi-course 3 hour meal. In other words, there is good eats to be had at Nuela, if you can just summon the mental strength to ignore the scene.

Details:
Nuela
43 W 24th Street
New York, NY 10010
212-929-1200

Holiday Cheer: Christmas Traditions

2010-11-29T04:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday everyone! Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone. It's finally time to switch our focus to Christmas- by far, hands down, no contest here, my favorite holiday of the year!

There is something about those twinkling lights on the tree, the Christmas carols that I know by heart, the shopping for the perfect gift, the wrapping of said perfect gift, the build up and preparation for the big day, and the coming together of friends and loved ones that makes my heart fill with glee.

Growing up in Singapore, my holiday memories did not center around the cold weather, snow days or hot chocolate.

Instead, we celebrated our warm weather Christmas with traditions of our own: Putting up the fake Christmas tree and decorations as a family (well to be honest, more like we started as a family but by the end of the day, it was just poor ole Mama T finishing up), Mama T taking us kiddies to go buy our Holiday gift wrap for the year (we usually chose 2 or 3 different rolls of wrapping paper in complimentary colors and found the matching ribbons for it), spending the afternoon wrapping gifts with Christmas carols blaring in the background, spending evenings listening to Christmas carols as we watched the twinkling of the Christmas tree lights... I could go on and on.

With the passing years some traditions have remained exactly the same, while others have grown and changed with time. But no matter the tradition, Christmas is still my favorite holiday ever and I can hardly wait for the 2010 festivities to start!

What are you looking forward to this holiday season? What are the traditions that you keep?

Friday Pics: Thanksgiving Table

2010-11-26T03:20:00.000-08:00

Good friday friends. How was your Thanksgiving? Was it filled with thanks and turkey? Mine was, check it out for yourself!

Enjoy the long weekend!

xoxo,
Nic

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T05:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Having been raised in Singapore, I obviously didn't grow up celebrating Thanksgiving. Rather, we would have Thanksgiving food- Turkey, Ham, Green Bean Casserole and the works- on Christmas eve. And then, my Church friends and I would celebrate "Thanksgiving" on the 31st of Dec by gathering together and sharing what we were thankful for that year.

Isn't it weird how we appropriate what is an American holiday and make it our own?

Anyway, now that I do live in the United States, Thanksgiving is my one of my favorite holidays because it means two things- food and family (or friends). This year, I am spending Thanksgiving with my brother and Co. down in Orange County. I am always THANKFUL for having family so close by.

On another note, aren't these Thanksgiving themed platters pretty? I would order them for myself but really, I am never going to host Thanksgiving dinner at my place for a long time more. But someone really should get them. They are too cute to not have on your thanksgiving table.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Gobble Gobble!

Details:

Sesame Letterpress Harvest Entertaining Platters
West Elm
$15-$31 each

Fudgy Double Chocolate Layer Cake

2010-11-24T11:31:00.000-08:00

Hellloooo! Guess what, thanksgiving is tomorrow! Are you ready and all excited for turkey day? I know I am.

But on a side note, do you recall me briefly mentioning that I made a chocolate cake over the weekend? Well, here is it, in all its fudgy, double layer greatness!

I will not be lying to you when I say this cake is just delicious! Furthermore, I'm not ashamed to admit that I've already polished off half of the cake by myself. It makes me happy. My waist line on the other hand is not too pleased.

Ingredients:
Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
3.4 cup cocoa powder, sifted to remove lumps
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup boiling water

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
6 tbsp milk
2 tbsp corn syrup
3 cups icing sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Add sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt to an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine dry ingredients. Add the eggs, mill and oil, beating at medium speed for 2 minutes. With a spatula, fold in the boiling water. (Note: YES, this will be a very runny batter) Divide evennly into prepared tins.

3. Bake 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before removing cakes from pans. Cool completely on wire racks before icing.

4. To make the frosting, cream together butter and cocoa on low speed. Add milk and corn syrup and combine for another minute. Add the icing sugar, one cup at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides as you go. Beat until a smooth spreading consistency is achieved.

5. To assemble cake, place one cake layer on a serving dish and top with about 3/4 cup of the frosting. Spread evenly over the cake. Top with remaining layer and use the remainder of the frosting over the top and sides of cake.

Recipe courtesy of Bite Me by Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat.

Coming Soon... Holiday Gift Guide 2010

2010-11-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends! I hope you had a good weekend.

I had a great but maybe a little too busy weekend. Weekend activities included running stadiums, brunching, deciding it was just about the right time to allow Christmas to explode all over my apartment (aka putting up the Christmas decorations), Christmas shopping, a night out on the town, watching the latest Harry Potter movie and baking a chocolate cake. PHEW!

As such, I didn't really have the time to put together a real blog post for today. However, I thought a little sneak peak into what's to come will suffice. Just so you know, I've been busy browsing the blogs, online shopping sites and shops to put together my little Holiday Gift Guide, just for you!

Stay tuned!

Friday Pics: The Way I Travel- New York

2010-11-19T14:32:00.000-08:00

After spending 2 days in Miami, it was time to take our event to New York City. Here are some pictures from my time there for this week's installment of Friday Pictures.

The Indoor Balcony of our penthouse hotel on the Upper East Side.

The views from the outdoor balcony of the hotel.

The Flat Iron Building.

And a little shout out to Eataly, the gorgeous new Italian food market and restaurant collection that we happened to chance upon, and also where I got to meet Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali (orange crocs and all).

Boasting 50,000 square feet of restaurants and peninsular provisions, Eataly has everything you'll ever need with a fishmonger and butcher (and vegetable butcher) and an espresso bar, a wine store, a cheese store, a cooking school, a kitchenware department and a great deal more! Eataly literally took my breath away and I wanted to spend hours exploring every nook and cranny of this awesome space.

Happy almost-thanksgiving-but-not-quite weekend!

Scarpetta- Miami

2010-11-17T04:56:00.000-08:00

After a quick pit stop in San Francisco, my travels for work took me across the country to Miami! There, we (well I was) were fortunate enough to dine at Scarpetta as guest of chef Scott Conant, who is a friend of my boss.

Located in the famous Fountainbleau hotel, Scarpetta has a glamorous yet airy nautical vibe. With studded leather and boating rope decorating thick pillars around the room, mirrored panels and an eye catching marbled-effect tile bar, the decor is as sexy as the city itself.

Since we were guests of the chef, we were treated to the Chef's tasting menu with wine pairings- a dinner that would have costs me an arm and a leg and then some... I love the perks of my job!

To start the dinner, we had the NV Fantinel Prosecco, bubbly, crisp and refreshing! I was ready to eat!

For our first course, we were served a duo of Crudo- Raw Yellowtail Hamachi with olio di zenzero (or ginger oil), flaked sea salt, pickle oil and topped with baby greens (right), and Tuna Susci with marinated vegetables (green chives, carrots etc) with preserved mushrooms (left).

The Yellowtail Hamachi was fresh and delicate, enticing my appetite for more. The ginger and pickle oil gave just enough acid to offset the rawness of the fish. However, my one complaint was that the fish itself was so thin and measly! I wanted more meat, well flesh if you are getting technical.

As for the Tuna Susci, I quite enjoyed the sublime freshness of the Ahi Tuna, although it was a little on the salty side. The marinated vegetables in the middle were like a little Asian cold slaw and provided nice textural contrast against the soft tuna.

For our second flight we were served a bunch of small plate appetizers to share family style.

First up, the braised short rib of beef with vegetables and farro risotto.The short ribs were braised to tender perfection and were complimented masterfully by the creamy and comforting risotto. The fresh peas and carrots hidden among the farro grains definitely won me over as I'm a peas and carrots girl, through and through.

The second dish served with this course was the burrata cheese with heirloom tomatoes and baby greens.The chewy burrata cheese and sweet tomatoes (a classic combination) did not fail to impress. The burrata itself was so creamy and fresh that it was actually a struggle to keep it on the fork. But I did my best to eat it elegantly. Meanwhile, some at my table, I will not divulge who, just used their fingers. Tut tut!

Keeping with the cheese theme, we also were served an order of the Mozzarella in Carozza sitting atop stewed baby tomatoes. While the burrata was soft and creamy, the mozzarella carozza was fried and sinful. The breading was just beautifully crisp and crunchy, while the mozzarella was a seamless blend of melty-smoky goodness.

Also served with the appetizer course was the creamy polenta cooked for hrs with milk and cream with a fricassee of truffled mushrooms and truffle oil sitting on top of it.

Before I tell you about this dish, let me tell you what my boss said about this Polenta. He said, and I quote "the polenta at Scarpetta is about as definitive as Joel Robuchon's mashed potatoes." Now that is a high order.

My verdict? This famous polenta was very creamy and smooth but strong enough to stand up to the earthiness of the truffled-mushrooms that was added table-side. To be honest, there was a tad too much dairy and milkiness to it. But that's just me, the girl who hates the smell of milk.

With this course, we were served the Antinori Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a earthy white wine with nice acidity.

Up next, the pasta course, again shared family style. It must first be said that all pastas are made fresh at the restaurant and definitely make The Olive Garden look like an amateur (although, I am not going to lie, I love me some soup, salad and bread sticks from the OG :D)

First, we sampled some of the eggplant & burrata Raviolini with confit tomatoes and ricotta salata. Not being a huge fan of the texture of eggplant in general, I indulged in the cheesy ravioli and enjoyed the sweetness of the confit tomatoes.

Then, we reveled in the simple but rich flavors of Scarpetta's signature entrée of spaghetti with tomato and basil. While some may say this is too basic a dish to be a signature dish, I always admire a chef that can cook the basics well. No bells and whistles to distract, just the simple classic flavors of the food.

However, to be honest, I found that the spaghetti had just a tad too much tang in the tomato sauce. I like my sauce with a touch of sweetness to it, even if it means polluting the dish with a pinch of *gasp* sugar.

Sourcing from the ocean, we tasted some of the Strazzapreti with lobster, tomato and capers. While I loved the combination of the seafood and tomatoes, what this dish really needed was more seafoodness in sauce, if that makes sense at all.

I guess I wanted to taste the ocean in this dish but instead tasted more of the tomatoes and capers. All that being said, the Strazzapreti dish was still one that I enjoyed thoroughly.

Next, we had a dumpling-esk pasta dish that I did not catch the name of (the waiter was rambling on a little too fast and I felt bad asking him to repeat himself). But that had chicken leg, veal and one more meat, pork (?)and topped with chives, diced carrots and mushrooms.

This nameless pasta dish was by far my favorite of the entire course! Hearty and lusciously meaty, it had the distinct taste of liver (potentially the 3rd mystery meat?) to it.Yet for all that heartiness, the pasta still had style and refinement. I could have eaten an entire bowl of this pasta and called it a day. Alas, we had a lot more food to get through.

Lastly, we were served the duck and Foie Gras ravioli made with semolina dough and caramelized onions; and drizzled with a Marsala reduction.

Now this dish, was relentless in its richness and unctuousness. As it marched across my palate, leaving a path of destruction and taking no hostages on its way, I could not help but enjoy the way it melted in my mouth and, yes, clogged my arteries.

With our pasta course, we enjoyed the Castello della Sala (also by Antinori) Cervaro della Sala Umbri. A lovely full-bodied Chardonnay with crisp notes of apple and cloves.

Moving onto the main course, we had samplings of steak, duck and fish. Phew.

First up, the 21 day aged dry NY prime steak with porcini mushrooms, marble potatoes and parmigiano.
Admittedly, while the steak was tender and juicy, I felt like I had had this exact dish before. Furthermore, I think I didn't enjoy the steak as much, seeing as how I was already stuffed to the brim.

We also dined on some Long Island duck with red and yellow golden beets, crispy potatoes and an orange scented jus.

This Long Island duck was elegant and the orange scented jus complimentary, however, it was a touch too salty for my liking.

On the fish side, we tried their Alaskan halibut with baccalà mantecato, smoked paprika and white asparagus. Now despite the fact that I was feeling stuffed, I quite enjoyed this dish.

As I ate the halibut, images of white asparagus waltzing elegantly with the delicate fish popped into my mind. Meanwhile, the smoked paprika added a complexity and depth that took this dish to the next level.

And lastly, I forced my-already-bursting-self to try the Black cod with caramelized fennel and concentrated tomatoes. Here, there was an interesting sweet and sour flavor profile going on that I had not ever had with cod.

To complement our main course, we sipped and swirled a brunello di montalcino (I did not catch the producer- sorry!)- a definitive tuscan wine. Lush, with deep manly tones, the wine was lovely with the duck and steak.

And finally, despite being oh so full, I forced myself to clear some stomach space for dessert!

For dessert, we had the Amedei Chocolate Cake with toasted almond gelato, salted caramel sauce and
a chocolate cigarette. If you know me, or have been following my blog, you'll know that there has never been a chocolate cake I didn't like.

This amedei chocolate cake was no exception. The deep chocolate goodness paired harmoniously with the salty caramel sauce and cold almond gelato. I could not get enough of the dessert and somehow found my 5th stomach that one usually reserves for dessert :)

Another chocolate delight offered for dessert was the chocolate zeppole with a nutella center, vanilla anglaise and candied hazelnuts.While some in my dining party were on this like white on rice, I thought it was a mediocre attempt at zeppoles.

The nutella filling was measly and you did not get any hazelnut flavors what so ever.

And last but not very least, we had their coconut panna cotta with a caramelized pineapple and guava soup. An interesting dessert to say the least, I adored the tropical combination of guava and pineapple as it brought back childhood memories. However, the coconut panna cotta I did not really care for.

All in all, I came away from Scarpetta fully stuffed and wholly satisfied, having tasted a sampling of Chef Conant's masterful cuisine.

Details:
Scarpetta
4441 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33140
(305) 674-4660

Thanksgiving Printables

2010-11-17T04:31:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving a little more than a week away, don't we all have things to be THANKFUL for?

Back in college, my coach would randomly pull out her "10 things I'm thankful for" notepad and pass it around. She would have our team fill them out individually and then we would share one item on our list with everyone. I always found I was thankful for things like "Wednesday morning off from practice." You can see my priorities were a little different back then.

Either way, taking the time out of our busy collegiate athletes schedules to be mindful of what we were thankful for always proved invaluable (and it got us out of 15 minutes of practice :D). Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to do the same and why not do it in style.

The good folks over at Silverbox Creative Studio created these beautiful Thanksgiving printables that can be downloaded and cut into strips. Strips can not only be used to jot down what we are thankful for, but can also be used as napkin rings, tags for branches of trees or even a thanksgiving paper chain.

Enjoy and Happy Wednesday!

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Lemon, Basil and Salmon

2010-11-16T02:48:00.000-08:00

I am in love!

Have you ever had a meal that you just can't stop craving or thinking about?

Well this Salmon Spaghetti dish has been my kryptonite for the past week. I made it last Monday for the first time, and then proceeded to have it for dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday night. I would have continued this consecutive nights obsession, except for the fact that I had plans to dine out on Thursday and Friday night. Yes, it's that good and yes, I am that obsessive.

There is just something that is so delightful and delicious about this simple pasta dish.

With fresh aromatic basil and tangy citrus lemon woven into the pasta, with spinach that doesn't really cook but wilts by the heat of the pasta; how can you not feel like a glutton as you greedily gobble your way through the plate. Then there is the added bonus of the healthy whole-wheat pasta and the heart-healthy Salmon. Need I say more?

Ingredients:
1/2 lbs whole-wheat spaghetti
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp EVOO
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
4 salmon fillets
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until tender but still firm to bite, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add the garlic, EVOO, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

2. Meanwhile, warm, the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Add fish to the pan and cook until medium rare (about 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness of fillet). Remove salmon from pan.

3. Add the basil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice to pasta and toss to combine. Set out 4 serving plates or shallow bowls. Place 1/4 cup spinach in each bowl and top with 1/4 of pasta. Top each mound of pasta with a piece of salmon. Serve immediately and serves 4.

Jitlada

2010-11-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

In between flying around the county, I had the chance to try out a local LA restaurant that has long been on my infamous "To Eat At " list- Jitlada.

A small hole in the wall restaurant, Jitlada has been listed as one of the best Thai restaurants in LA by many sources including Jonathan Gold. As a lover of Thai food, I had to find out for myself.

Meeting up with an old swimming friend from Singapore and her boyfriend, we ordered a bunch of dishes and shared it up family style.

First up, the ever popular and most quintessential Thai dish (at least in the minds of non-Thais)- Pad Thai. The Pad Thai at Jitlada was a little wetter than what I am used to, with more of a thick gravy sauce than a light coating of seasoning.

However, I must note that I do have a vague memory of eating Pad Thai in Thailand itself and thinking that the noodles there were too wet... So maybe the wet style is the traditional style?

Either way, there was nothing too spectacular about this dish. But I also kept in mind that Jitlada is more known for their Southern Thai food, as opposed to the traditional style that we know.

On recommendation of our server, we ordered the Prawn Flambe. With" Flambe" in the dish's name, I was expecting drama and excitement, and maybe a little explosion of flavor in my mouth. Instead, the prawns came drenched in a thick overly-sweet peanut sauce that taste something like mole, and not only were they not fresh, they were also overcooked and powdery.

Additionally, the dish cost a whooping $23 for just 2 jumbo prawns. What a rip off!

By this time, I was starting to feel a little let down. Did we just happen to order all the wrong dishes? Or did all those critics get it wrong?

Then the Morning glory salad- fresh watercress that is lightly battered and fried (think tempura), topped with red onions, fried shallots, cilantro and shrimp, and dressed with a spicy house dressing- arrived at our table and my faith was instantly restored.

The textures of this salad were marvelous, with the light tempura crips of the watercress educing joy with every bite I took. The vinaigrette dressing added a perfect sweet and salty combo that made all the flavors of the salad pop. Even the red onions played a part in this gastronomic symphony, adding just the right amount of bite. Now this is what I was waiting for!

We also ordered some Tom Yum soup, a dish that I always feel the need to order when I dine at a Thai establishment. Their Tom Yum soup had some nice intensity in terms of heat and sourness, but again, like their Pad Thai, it wasn't anything that you couldn't get at your neighborhood take out Thai restaurant.

And lastly, we ordered the Crying Tiger beef aka why do they insist on naming this dish so weirdly aka my favorite dish of the night. Tenderly cooked pieces of beef were served along side a spicy Asian-esk salsa sauce that was sweet and sour and spicy all at the same time. Mmmm I salivate just thinking of this dish.

So, do I agree with all the critics that Jitlada offers up some of the best Thai food in LA? Would I make the track back there again to get my Thai fix?

Well, yes and no. I don't think I sampled enough of their specialty of Southern Thai Food. So yes, I would go back to give it another try. Do I think they serve the best traditional Thai food? No- I've had better Pad Thai and Tom Yum at any other Thai eatery. So, yes and no.

Details:
Jitlada
5233 W Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 663-3104

Firday Pics: Taste of Beverly Hills

2010-11-12T05:32:00.000-08:00

We interrupt our regular programming to bring you a worldless recap of how I spent 9.02.10. - at a food & wine festival called Taste of Beverly Hills.

Geddit? Beverly Hills? 90201? 9.02.10? No? sigh.

And yes, I know this was over 2 months ago. But better late than never! Happy Friday!

Oven-Fried Buttermilk Chicken

2010-11-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

I'm one of those weird people who takes the time to plan my weekly menu. Worst still, I am one of those single people who cooks solely for themselves and still plans her weekly menu.

I can't help it! It's a leftover habit from my swimming days, when planning and diet mattered. Furthermore, it makes grocery shopping that much easier since you already know what you are going to cook and therefore, what you are going to need to pick up from the store. Plus! There is the added bonus that nothing in your fridge goes to waste.

As such, after purchasing a big glug of buttermilk to make my vanilla pudding cake with chocolate buttermilk buttercream cake, I made sure I planned a way to use up that buttermilk. Enter oven-fried buttermilk chicken.

The healthier version of the down-home fried chicken, this oven-fried is a satisfying compromise to the traditionally fat-laden chicken. Enjoy this juicy and crackling chicken smothered in buttermilk gravy without clogging your arteries!

Ingredients:
Marinade
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 1/2 cups coarsely crushed corn flakes
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Gravy
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions:
1. In a large shallow dish, whisk buttermilk, Dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add chicken breast to marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and coat with a non-stick cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl. Combine corn flake crumbs and parmesan cheese. Remove chicken from marinade and discard the marinade. Coat each breast with the corn flake mixture. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through and coating is golden.

4. For the gravy, melt butter in a medium sauce pan over low heat. Whisk in the flour until well blended. Gradually add the chicken broth, stirring constantly over medium heat. Bring mixture to boil and stir for 3-5 minutes or until thick and gravy like.

5. To serve, slice cooked chicken breast in half and pour gravy over the top. Mashed potatoes optional!Serves 6.

Recipe courtesy of Bite Me by Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat

Firefly Restaurant

2010-11-08T04:47:00.000-08:00

Continuing on with the scheduled recap of my journeys, the next stop on the itinerary was San Francisco. Despite oversleeping and missing my flight up north (I know! Can you believe I did that?), our event went relatively well. Later that night, an old college friend and I grabbed some grub to catch up and unwind from the long day.

After researching the choices that my friend gave me, we decided to dine at Firefly Restaurant in Noe Valley. With swoops of pleated fabric covering the ceilings and an eclectic yet elegant mix of art work, the main dining room at Firefly is filled with just enough warmth and whimsy to bridge the gap between the bright lights of the big city, and the homey expressions of a small town. Pretense is something you will not find here. Instead, Firefly's genteel bustle makes you feel like you walked into your, well, maybe not your home, but a friend's home for dinner.

Atmosphere aside, Firefly's menu is a bargain with nothing over $26 and a $36 3 course Pre Fixe Menu that is available Sunday through Thursday. Obviously, we jumped at that opportunity.

For my appetizer, I ordered the Heirloom Tomato Soup with Parmesan Pain Perdu and Teeny Tiny Basil. Honestly, this simple tomato soup had me on my knees in awe, well not literally on my knees but you get the picture.

Intensely flavorful and perfectly balanced, this soup warmed my body and soul simultaneously. Sweet but not too sweet, thick but not too thick, intense but not too intense- I felt like I was Goldilocks chancing upon the perfect chair/porridge/bed! The Parmesan pain perdu provided the right amount of texture to keep this soup interesting and I could not get enough of the dish as a whole.

Moving on to my main course, while their Roasted Chicken and Dumplings sounded homey and comforting, I opted for their California White Sea Bass with Pole Bean Ragout, Toybox Tomatoes, Speck Ham and Arugula Pistou.

The fish, while fresh and seasoned perfectly, did little to elicit much excitement from me. The speck was a little too salty for me and overpowered the delicate white fish. After that amazing first course, I wanted to like this dish more but there was nothing that stood out to me.

And lastly, for dessert I had a (and I forgot to write this down, so don't quote me on this) chocolate torte cake of some sort with house made chocolate chip mint ice cream. The cake was delicious and chocolately and was exactly what I craved after a nerve-wrecking morning of oversleeping and a busy day of work.

Despite my stress-eating-need for chocolate, the star of the plate really was the house made chocolate chip mint ice cream. Minty but not overpowering, you could really taste the fresh mint in it, rather than the usual sugar with essence of mint that one finds in their grocery store ice cream.

Details:
Firefly Restaurant
4288 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
415-821-7652

Friday Pics

2010-11-05T05:37:00.000-07:00

In Bloom. Vintage Spoons. Coffee for Two. Pressed Between the Pages.

Dressing Up For Halloween- An Inconclusive Review

2010-11-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

Good Thursday ladies and gents!

How has your week been? Are you glad the weekend is just around corner? I know I am. It's been abnormally hot for this time of the year here in LA and I've been melting in the heat.

Anyway, if you remember my post from last Friday, where I not only shared my dislike for dressing up on Halloween, but in the same breathe also promised to give it another try?

Well I did... and it was ehhh... just as I suspected, not that bad, but also not that great.

Here was what I intended on going as... a fairy princess of some sort.

Here was what I ended up going as- a fairy princess of some sort minus the tulle.

Not as great huh? But the dress I had in mind was stored in a box with a bunch of moth balls and the smell was just overwhelming. So unless I wanted to
a. not make any friends on Halloween or
b. change my costume to a moth,
I had to make the last minute switch.

All in all, I had fun at my parties and such. But the fun had nothing to do with the dressing-up portion of the evening.

Would I ever dress up again for Halloween? Sure... I guess... the experience wasn't exactly horrible. I know this is a very inconclusive review of my position, but there is one thing I can say with certainty. After watching girls in slutty costumes struggle to bust a move without exposing themselves, you will never see me in a sexy costume- I will not be perpetuating that practice any time soon.

Vanilla Pudding Cake with Chocolate Buttermilk Buttercream

2010-11-03T04:19:00.000-07:00

Taking a short break from me recounting my travel tales, let me share with you the very first thing that I made on the very first weekend that I was back in town- Vanilla Pudding Cake with chocolate Buttermilk Buttercream. Yup, even before the clothes were laundered (and the pile sure was big), or the family was seen, or the house was cleaned, I made cake.

Can you blame me? After 2 months on the road, my poor kitchen needed some action. And what better way to welcome myself home than with some cake!

The secret ingredient, aka pudding in the batter makes this cake simply moist and scrumptious, while the chocolate buttermilk buttercream just sends it over the top. It doesn't really need to be pointed out that the cake did wonders for my travel weary soul and made my little apartment smell delightful.

This recipe is a great basic yellow cake recipe to have in anyone's arsenal for birthdays or welcome homes :)

Ingredients:

Vanilla Pudding Cake
2 eggs
5 egg yolks
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 (3.3 oz.) vanilla instant pudding
2 tablespoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cup milk

Chocolate Buttermilk Buttercream

2 sticks butter
2 pounds powdered sugar
1/4 cup high quality cocoa powder
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, butter, and sugar until extremely light and fluffy.

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix together until all ingredients are incorporated. Be careful to not over mix.You don't want a tough cookie on your hands.

3. Grease and flour two 9" cake pans. Spoon the batter into the pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or just until the center of the cake is set, and springs back to the touch. Allow the cakes to cool slightly before turning them out on a cooling rack.

4. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, beat together the ingredients for the frosting, adding the buttermilk in a little at a time, until light and fluffy.

5. When cakes are cooled, frost with the buttercream and enjoy!

Recipe from Cheeky Kitchen.

The Way I Travel: Chicago

2010-11-01T04:32:00.000-07:00

Good Monday morning friends!

How was your Halloween weekending? I bet you are all excited to hear about my Halloween weekend. But before I share with you how the costume thing went down, I thought I would give you another glimpse of my trip to Chicago.

Rare perfect weather and a day off from work afforded me the chance to wonder around the city on my own. Here are some of the sights.

The view of State Street from Wabash Ave with the Marina Towers Condo in the background.

The Trump International Hotel & Tower

Chicago Riverwalk (well a fountain in Chicago Riverwalk)

Ford Theater

S. Michigan Ave and East Adams Street.

Crown Fountain at Millennium Park

The Jay Pritzker Pavilion

BP Bridge connecting Millennium Park to Daley Bicentennial Plaza

Cloud Gate aka The Bean (check me out in the top right hand corner)

Happy Monday!

Why I'm not exactly a fan of dressing up on Halloween

2010-10-29T04:43:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit, I am a sucker for holidays and the hype that goes along with it. I love getting caught up in the holiday spirit, putting decorations up and planning parties and activities around the holiday. I guess you could say I constantly fall prey to the Hallmark commercialization of it all.

However, it must be noted that I am not exactly the hugest fan of Halloween.

When I was growing up, not many kids in Singapore celebrated Halloween. It was always more of an American holiday that us Singaporeans experienced via the Western media. However, I did grow up in a neighborhood that housed a handful of expats and I actually trick-or-treat-ed a couple of times in my younger days.

Despite the fact that I did get to experience a true Halloween per say, I never really took to dressing up. In fact, the last time I dressed up for Halloween was um... Sophomore year in HIGH SCHOOL? *gasp* I went as a Catholic school girl for those of you who were wondering.

So if you are counting, that means that not once did I dress up for Halloween the whole time I was in college! *Gasp gasp gasp*

It's just that putting together a costume takes a lot of time, effort and money- 3 things I did not have in college. Furthermore, I truly hate that 99% of pre-made costumes for women are slutty! So yeah... that is my surface excuse for not taking a liking to costumes for Halloween.

Then there is the deeper issues of pretending to be someone I am not. I'm weird, I do not get a thrill out of transforming myself and embodying someone else. As pompous as this sounds, I like me just the way I am!

All this being said, I think this is the year that I might just give the dressing-up part of Halloween another chance to charm me.

I am not going all out, noooo, not by any means. But it might be fun to put on some angel wings or devils horns. And I might have fun if I allow myself to get dragged out to a Halloween party.

Who knows, I might start to feel a little inkling of like towards this aspect of the holiday? I'll report back next week.

Till then, what are your Halloween plans? Are you going to be a Debbie-downer and stay in? Or ham it up and don an elaborate costume?

Pictures were taken when I went trick-or-treating with my niece and nephew last year.

HotChocolate

2010-10-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

Picking up where I last left you- still in Chicago, still satiated by my Italian Beef Sandwich from Portillo's, and now wanting dessert- my friend and I decided that we would try out HotChocolate Restaurant & Dessert Bar.

Owned by chef Mindy Segal who has received multiple Best Pastry Chef nominations from the James Beard Foundation, this Wicker Park hot spot was bopping the night we patronized it. Filled to capacity and dimly lit, my one complaint about the space was that it needed sound absorbers! I could not even hear myself speak over the buzz of the restaurant.

Since we were at a dessert bar called HotChocolate, it only made sense to order its namesake.

After mulling over our choices, which included the Black and Tan (1/3 hot fudge and 2/3 medium hot chocolate), the Medium ( milk chocolate with a touch of dark chocolate and a hint of caramel) and the Half and Half (1/2 espresso and 1/2 dark chocolate); we settled on ordering the Dark Chocolate.

Made with 72% French Chocolate and served with house made marshmallows, the Dark Chocolate Hot Chocolate was quite lovely- intense, deep and dark- definitely my kind of chocolate.

As much as I loved the Dark Hot Chocolate, my favorite thing from this drink was the house made marshmallow. Pillowly-soft and not too sweet, this is the stuff marshmallow dreams are made of. While the sweetness of the marshmallow was the perfect balance to the bitter dark chocolate, I must admit that I enjoyed the marshmallows much more on their own then in the hot chocolate.

On a side note, while we had ordered one hot chocolate to share, we were served a big cup each of the drink. Initially, we were upset as we thought that our server had put in two orders of Dark Chocolate for us. However, upon inspection of the bill, we were only charged for one and our server had split it in two for us. As such, I must note that at $6 a cup, this hot chocolate was quite worth it. In the realm of expensive fancy hot chocolate that is.

Besides the hot chocolate, we also split an order of their raspberry and ice cream sandwich made with la choulette framboise red velvet cake, preserved local raspberry and Zingerman's cream cheese ice cream, raspberry caramel and raspberry cream cheese buttercream.

With such a fancy name/description, you would think that this dessert would be divine, with complex levels of flavors. On the contrary, the plate offered lackluster cake that was mushy and tasteless. The ice cream while interesting, did not really add anything to the sandwich. Furthermore, the buttercream filling had a weird after taste. Bah!

Details:
Mindy's HotChocolate
1747 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
773-489-1747

Portillo's Hot Dogs

2010-10-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

So here it is folks! This is the start of my "coverage" on all the crazy whirlwind travel extravaganza that has been my life for the past 2 months.

My first stop, Chicago, also known as the Windy City. After fulfilling my job responsibilities during the week, I had the opportunity to spend the weekend with an old friend from Singapore. I got to meet her husband for the first time and better yet, I got to give her little pregnant belly a rub! (NOTE: Said friend has since given birth to a beautiful baby boy and I still cannot believe she is now a mama! Congrats Julieeee!)

But enough of that sentimental stuff, let's get down to business... what I ate!

One of the places my friends took me to dine at was Portillo's Hot Dogs. A Chicago dining chain, Portillo's is one of those places that as a tourist, you have to check out (or so I'm told). The interior of Portillo's looks and functions like a food court, where self-serve and self-seat are the name of the game. The plastic trays, styrofoam cups and self-pump ketchup dispensers only add to the loud and fun dining hall atmosphere.

Deciding what to eat at Portillo's proved to me much more of a challenge than I anticipated. A multitude of hot dogs, sandwiches and salads peppered the chalkboard menu that hung high above the counter. I started to get a little overwhelmed but my friends came to my rescue and recommended that I try the Italian beef sandwich.

Made with thinly sliced beef that is cooked in an oh-so-delicious gravy, the Italian beef sandwich is served on french bread (perfect for sopping up that gravy) and topped with gooey cheese (who doesn't love cheese?). Filling, meaty, messy, and satisfying. Mmmm.

To me, what made this sandwich a whole different beast was the addition of hot peppers. The sour and spicy element that the peppers added gave just the right amount of kick and excitement that this humble sandwich needed.

Details:
Portillo's Hot Dogs
Multiple Locations.

P.s. I do apologize for the blurry quality of the picture. My handy little camera died on me and I had to resort to my camera phone.

Kind Over Matter

2010-10-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hey hey hey! Guess who's back??

After a whirlwind month and a half of constant travel, I am finally back at home, sleeping in my own bed, eating some home-cooked food and getting back into my single gal routine.

While I had a lot of fun on each and every one of my trips, it sure is good to be home.

Anyway, since I've been gone so long, there has been a lot of blogging material that has backed up and I promise I will share all the juicy tidbits with you. However, it takes time to write my blog posts. So for the time being, I hope you will settle for this delightful freebie Compliments Poster from the awesome folks over at Kind Over Matter.

All you have to do is download and print these freebie posters on blank paper, cut along the dashed lines and hang the poster up around your neighborhood!

How utterly lovely is that? Go on folks, share the love!

On A Blog Vacation

2010-09-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hey there--

So I know I have been ignoring you for a while. And while I do have many an excuse, there is no such thing as a a good excuse huh? Sorry avid fans, I have let you down.

Unfortunately, this post does not bring with it the renewal of blogging commitment. Instead, I'm here to tell you that I need to go on a longer blogging vacation! I will be traveling through this and next month for work and blogging moments will be sparse.

But worry not, I promise I will be back with loads to share from my travels. Till then...

xoxo
Nic.

Wallpaper

2010-08-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

2 months have lapsed since I moved into my grown up, single gal apartment. Electric minty green paint has graced the walls in the bedroom, a new couch and media center have been purchased ("ouch," said my wallet), and my dining room chairs have been given a makeover with a coat of blue paint (detailed coverage to come).

While there is a lot more to be done to make this house (well, apartment) my home, things are looking good and I am as pleased as can be.

But do you remember that long narrow hallway? The one I mentioned previously, the one that I wanted to cover in wallpaper? Yeah, it still remains wallpaper-less. And sadly, will continue to remain so. Wallpapering apartment walls is just unrealistic.

Keeping expectations real, I have been keeping my eyes peeled for wallpaper-esk alternatives and look what I found on New York Magazine's blog The Cut!

Payton Cosell Turner- a young artist with an obvious talent for patterns- created wallpaper using stickers! Each wallpaper pattern is made up of thousands of hand-applied stickers and can be removed and re-applied in any space.

How fun is that? I mean didn't we all get into trouble for pasting our stickers all over our bedroom walls at one time or another?

Now before you get your knickers all up in a bunch, don't worry, I am not crazy enough to attempt this in my apartment, but seriously! How cute!

To see more of Payton's work, click here.

Gingery Apple Crumb Pie

2010-08-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

Hello Folks. It's mid-August here in LA, and despite the fact that Summer is technically suppose to be fading into fall, its scorching outside. Global warming anyone?! But that's a topic to be debated in another blog.

Instead, let's talk about warm weather picnics and the yums

Watermelon Yums

that we fill our tums with

Filling of Tums in action

while on them.

Last weekend, my brother's family made the drive up to LA to spend a day with Mama T and I. We picnic-ed in the park and then spent a day at the Getty. Two of my favorite activities.

As such, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to bust out my tried and true Gingery Apple Crumb Pie recipe. I say crumb pie as I lack the skills and patience to actually make a proper crust. But crust or should I say crumbs aside, this apple pie is always a hit!

Ingredients:
Basic flaky Pie Crust or again, if like me, you need a little help,
1 store-bought pie crust
9-inch pie plate
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces
3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 lbs apples (about 5)--I usually use Granny Smith Apples
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
1. Set and oven rack in the lowest position and heat over to 375 degrees. Set pie crust in pie pan.

2. In a food processor, add the butter, 3/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup sugar. Pulse until large clumps form. Transfer to a bowl and set in refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Peel apples with a pairing knife and thinly slice them. CHALLENGE: See if you can peel the entire apple in one straight peel. When I was 22, I wrote down "learn to peel apple skin in one entire peel" on my "To Do by 30" list. And guess what, I can do it! Check plus!

4. In a large bowl, toss the apples, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and the renaming 1/2 cup of sugar and tablespoon of flour.

5. Transfer apple mixture to the pie crust, sprinkle with crumb topping and place pie pan on a foiled lined baking sheet (this is to catch the apple gooey-ness that will surely seep out of the pie as it cooks down). Bake until pie top is golden brown and apples are tender, about 55 to 60 minutes.

Serves 8.