Sister Emily

My sister Emily was here visiting last Wednesday until yesterday morning. As we get older, I feel we grow even closer. She is the peanut butter to my chocolate and I miss her already. I wish we lived closer to each other and I know we will one day.

We had a really fun Monday night and made it sort of progressive dinner. We started at Emmy's Spaghetti Shack and got a cocktail and dinner. Second, we walked down to Mission Pie and each got a slice of pie. After our sweet break and a little walk, we headed down to El Rio for a night cap. We wanted to check out the evening's events there since they had Fry Bread on their calendar. A Navajo gentleman comes to El Rio and makes Fry Bread and sells it based on donation, which is pretty sweet. Seemed like they may have been a bit behind schedule Monday night, but it was still fun. Great music and a cool back area, I had not been there in years. When we left we got propositioned by a Russian man looking for us to join him for a burlesque style party. It was hilarious and I reenacted it the entire walk home and we laughed.

I dropped Emily off at the airport yesterday morning, I cried. Every time she leaves I feel she takes a little piece of myself with her.

I do feel super blessed to have been able to spend time with my sister in Arizona at Christmas, Chicago in May for her Graduation, Michigan trip in July and this past long weekend here in California. So funny we have seen each other 4 times in the last 9 months each time in a different state!

I miss you my sister, our next visit cannot come soon enough.

Beach House Weekend

This past weekend was the 9th Annual Beach House weekend with me and my closest girl friends. We met on the Sonoma Coast on Friday evening and locked ourselves in a beautiful house on the beach until Monday. The weather was foggy as usual, the sun came out by the time we were driving away on Monday, which was sad, but we had a wonderful time.

This year was probably the most relaxing and rejuvenating of them all, maybe it was just me, but I was really able to just relax and hang out and ate like a little piggy!

I didn't even take a group photo this year, but I did take photos of some of the wonderful food we ate. I am lucky that all of my friends are such wonderful cooks.

Thanks Angela, Emily, Erika, Robin and Wendy for making this past weekend fantastic.

Highlights include:

:: playing charades

:: Robin's nail salon

:: sleeping really well

:: a fire in the fireplace each night

:: Sex and the City

:: TONS of magazines

Manic Monday

Day Off Today!

Second time since I have started these posts that I am taking the day off!

Off for a long weekend at the beach with my girlfriends (this is the 9th year!!!).

Manic Monday

If I had the closet of my dreams, this is what I would be wearing today...

PS - I am majorly obsessed with this ring, I may have to beg, borrow or steal the money for it! I swear it makes my heart pitter patter every time I look at it, imagine it on my finger sitting there as dark at the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea surrounded by sparkly silver stars. Don't hate me if I can't resist selling a classic Louis Vuitton for this one!

Manic Monday

If I had the closet of my dreams, this is what I would be wearing today...

Manic Monday

If I had the closet of my dreams, this is what I would be wearing today...

Easy Summer Dinner

I decided to make an effortless dinner tonight with all local produce, cheese and bread and it was simple and delicious.

I made a Greek salad with red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, fresh chopped oregano and olive oil (salt and pepper to taste). So easy to make and bursting with farm fresh flavors.

To accompany the salad I made some toasted bread with fresh local mozzarella. I sliced the bread, drizzled with olive oil, topped with a slice of the cheese and some pepper and baked at 450 for about 8 minutes and then put under the boiler for about 2 minutes until the cheese bubbled and browned on top.

I would make this again in a heartbeat, of course we ate it with a side of olives!

Food Tour SF

Friday I got a chance to go on a food tour of San Francisco. I love working for a company that encourages people to get out there and check out local popular food places.

Here are some highlights:

:: Waiting in line at Tartine to get one of the best pan au chocolates I have ever had in my life, it was worth the wait.

:: Cakes at Tartine are incredible looking, I love the abnormal shape (first photo, left side) the lemon meringue cake is on my wish list. Can you see that toasty brown goodness?

:: Savory pastry selection is incredible, my coworker got the tomato and ham quiche (first photo, right side)

:: BiRite Market, squeezing down the narrow aisles full of lovely olive oils, pasta and cheese. I actually went back today for fresh mozzarella, oregano, olive oil and bread for some bruschetta later this evening.

:: DeLessio Market and Bakery; the Tres Leches Cake and Rabanada looked incredible.

:: Cheese Plus, my friend Ray owns this store so its always nice to see a friendly face. Cool indy ice cream from Ohio and lots of gourmet stuff that is very tempting.

We went made a couple more (not very impressive) stops and then had lunch at Liberty Cafe in my neighborhood, followed by a walk to Sandbox Bakery to get some macarons for dessert.

It was a great day out and about. Thanks Amy for picking me up and driving around the city, I love when work stuff can also feel like fun! It was nice to get out, since I have been cooped up lately.

Stay tuned for Part 2 sometime in the future.

Happy Birthday Lucy

Lucille Ball would have been 100 years old today!

Love this clip of Lucy on What's My Line...

Juicing Machine

I have been going through some personal health stuff lately, and when this happens, I turn to juicing before anything else. I think that juicing lots of root vegetables helps to keep me grounded during times that could cause anxiety, stress, etc. I believe you can heal yourself with food; the more I read, the more I believe that. I just wish more doctors were on board.

So...lots of meditating and lots and lots of fresh juice each day.

This is my favorite mix:

:: one granny smith apple

:: 2 beets

:: 3 lbs. carrots

:: one thumb size piece of ginger

All organic produce of course and to mix things up, sometimes I add a Valencia orange to the above mixture, if I don't eat it before I juice it that is (seems like once I cut it, I just want to eat it as is).

While juicing yesterday, I had to take these photos - it looks psychedelic.

Manic Monday

If I had the closet of my dreams, this is what I would be wearing today...