Foodporn

I've never really considered myself a very creative person. I tend to get restless and impatient with time consuming projects that most would associate with the 'arts', but with food its different. I'm totally content spending time and money to experiment cooking with various ingredients that in my opinion, produce something beautiful AND edible. Enter foodgawker. I'm a sucker for 'food porn' and if photography (plus recipes) capable of making one salivate appeals to you at all, I recommend checking out the site. Below are some pictures of the recipes I'm without a doubt going to try.

 Jalapeno peppers stuffed with chorizo and cheese

 Pesto meatball sliders

 Lemon feta orzo with shrimp

 Stuffed zucchini

 Spanish chicken with chorizo and potatoes

 Churrasco skirt steak with cilantro pesto

 Cheesy potato salad with bacon, cilantro, and roasted garlic

Spicy creole shrimp and rice

(winner winner) Chicken Dinner

The last couple weeks my cooking has been pretty basic; lots of lean meat, veggies, and brown rice or pasta (mainly because I want to feel bikini-ready for South Beach this weekend.) Yesterday I had a handful of tasks to accomplish and errands to run, and the thought of using the stove or oven in the recent LA heat wave was less than appealing. I decided to pull out the crockpot and try this recipe. The ingredients were all items I had on hand, and served with some steamed veggies and brown rice* I had a really delicious and hassle-free dinner. What are your favorite go-to recipes for an easy and nutritious dinner?

(the chicken was so soft from cooking all day it literally

fell apart when I picked it up with a fork)

*I always cook my brown rice with chicken broth instead of water and I think it does wonders for the flavor



American Classics

I’ve always felt drawn to the glamour and sex appeal of American culture and style from the 60’s. I’ve managed to incorporate pin curls and red lips into a number of Halloween costumes and formal events in the past and I’ve found that the clothes and jewelry from this era tend to be timeless pieces that can hold their own in a wardrobe for a lifetime. Enter Banana Republic’s Mad Men collection for the fall. The clothes are gorgeous and you better believe I will be adding some of the items below to my (newly organized) closet. What is your favorite era for fashion? What's on your Fall 2011 wish list?

Finishing Touches

This weekend was largely spent hanging things, assembling furniture (or at least I supervised while the man did it) and doing a little more decorating of the apartment. This is a work in progress because in my opinion I think some of the best pieces you can't live without are items you stumble across when you aren't necessarily on the hunt. It's all coming together really nicely as we continue to find balance between functionality and aesthetics. Below are some pictures of a few of the ways my roommate Kate and I have personalized our space and added some sweet elements to our home.

 A leopard rug in the entryway

 Pretty gold candle holders on the patio that sparkle when lit at night

 A glimpse of our 'bar'

 Mirrored shelves in the living room

(willingly assembled and mounted by my awesome guy)

 An elegant piece for the wall that creates romantic lighting in the dining room

NatGeos and my collection of matchbooks on display in an over sized jar

A pillowed bench that will contribute some seating to the dining room table



Emerson

Weekend Snapshots

Another satisfying summer weekend has come and gone, and I managed to find balance between my social and domestic self. I was thrilled to have friends visit Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and still find time to jog, cook, clean, and decorate a bit. Below are a few snapshots. What are your favorite weekend activities?

Mr. Warhol @ the Downtown LA Artwalk on Thursday night

Entertaining with lemonade cocktails

New camera :) (which means better blog pics!)

My awesome friend who meticulously organized my closet for me

 Brentwood Farmers Market

Homemade kale chips

Gorgeous red dahlias in a vase for the coffee table

In My Life

Have I mentioned that this is one of my favorite songs ever? Well it is. It's beautiful and it makes me cry. In a good way. And oh boy do I love me some Dave Matthews I stumbled across searched for this version because I wanted to hear it and share it with you. Enjoy.

Snack Time

It’s no secret that I’m a huge advocate of snacking. Since running, yoga, pilates, and kickboxing are all regulars in my schedule, I usually have a pretty healthy appetite. Between meals, I try to enjoy small bites that are nutritious but still appetizing. Below are some snapshots of a few of my favs. What are your go-to's?

 mixed peppers + hummus

 pretzels + peanut butter/nutella

brown rice cake + a laughing cow cheese

 greek yogurt

(I love this brand because they have great flavors)

 baked lays + cottage cheese

(this idea finally got me to enjoy cottage cheese)

carrots + ranch + V8

 hard boiled eggs + green onions + a little olive oil + salt and pepper

(great on a pita)

couldnt leave out the green monster

Melrose Trading Post

Yesterday I spent my morning at the Melrose Trading Post. The event occurs every Sunday from 9-5 on Melrose and Fairfax and is essentially a giant flea market. The roomie and I went in search of fun pieces of furniture that would accent our new place. Unfortunately, I neglected to consider the act of transporting our finds from the flea market to our home (minimal space for furniture in my 4-door car), so we didn't leave with anything we intended to shop for, but we had fun regardless. The high school that the market is held at typically holds over 200 vendors on any given Sunday. We found clothes, jewelry, hats, glasses, antiques, old art, and of course (as is always the case in LA) lots of interesting people. We ate delicious savory crepes from one of the food vendors for lunch and enjoyed a great Summer day in the city I love.

Miami

I'm super excited to share that I will be spending Labor Day weekend in Miami this year. I've always wanted to check out the beaches and nightlife there and I couldn't be more excited. I've had a pretty busy summer so far and I can't wait for a tropical getaway filled with sun, mojitos, Cuban food, and some fun nights out dancing. Above are some items on my wish list for the trip. Click on the set for details.

PS. I would love any tips and suggestions on places to go for those of you who have been!

Nic's

This past weekend was such a fun and eventful couple of days. One of the highlights was definitely discovering another awesome little LA gem with my best friends. Nic's Restaurant and Martini Lounge in Beverly Hills is a super cute spot with really good food, great ambiance, amazing cocktails and an awesome live band. One of the best parts was the VodBox, which is essentially a big walk-in freezer filled with tons of Vodkas from allover the world. The Nic's staff provides their guests with fur coats and hats and leads them into the icy locker for tastings. With flavors like banana cream pie, cinnamon, creme brulee, and bacon (I was super excited about this one), I don't know how anyone couldn't have a blast. I only got a few iPhone pictures, but all the more reason for you to go check it out yourself :)

 Me with my bacon shot in the VodBox

 Shrimp and Oysters