1.31.2012

BLD

Oh, Dine LA, it's one of my favorite times of the year and certainly a fall/winter highlight. I usually try to use Dine LA as an opportunity to try restaurants that I may not normally splurge for- like Craft or Spago. Luckily my husband's birthday lands in the during the fall Dine LA and this year we went to The Bazaar.  Dine LA's less pricey restaurants also should not be over looked. BLD is a pretty solid Dine LA option and you are really getting a fine dining experience for a 1 $ price tag. I headed over with a few girl friends and we were treated to a delicious dinner and once again, BLD did not disappoint!

Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops with Parmesan Polenta

House Smoke Lamb with Preserved Lemon Yogurt

Beer Braised Beef Short Rib with White Cheddar Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Greens

Pan Roasted Mediterranean Bass with Herb Couscous, Tomato Caper Beurre Blanc
Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding Parfait, Peanut Butter Pudding,
Creme Fraiche, and Pretzel Crumble

Warm Monkey Bread with Bourbon Creme Anglaise
and Banana Caramel Ice Cream

Are you doing Dine LA Restaurant Week? Where did you go or what do you have planned? Stay tuned for more Dine LA fun later this week and next!

1.30.2012

Lace- This is not just for your grandma's wedding dress anymore!


Wide lace tape, similar at Yozo Craft
There is something so beautiful about lace that makes my heart go pitter patter. While lace can often be traditional, I've been seeing a lot of lace lately used in modern ways and I'm so excited about this. When I was shopping for my wedding dress, I knew that without question, it had to be lace. I love seeing lace used for casual skirts, washi tape, stationary, and modern applications at home- not just doilies your grandma may have made for you.


Lace mini skirt from A Fine Fashion Frenzy
Lace top paired down with bright yellow skinnies
Lace top dressing up very casual sweats

Lace pencil skirt in turquoise
DIY lace envelope from We Love Laugh Kiss

Lace applique set into a dish from Duitang
DIY lace iphone case from Hey! Look What Melissa Made
 

DIY doily lamp from More Design Please
Incredible lace back of a beautiful wedding dress

Lace treatment on my wedding cake (still wows me!) from Style Me Pretty

Lace icing on cookies, just in time for Valentine's Day from Sweet Sugar Belle
Have you caught the lace bug?


1.27.2012

Did someone say burrata?


Burrata...the penultimate cheese- creamy on the center, soft skin on the outside. It's my absolute favorite of the cheese family. So good I could eat it like an apple, but I won't, because that's not ok, and I'd really prefer to eat it carefully to savour it. If you've never had burrata, I beg of you to please do your best to find some and prepare yourself something wonderful and indulge.

Mozza makes a pretty noteworthy caprese salad with roasted tomatoes and burrata. If you've had it, you know just how good it is. If you haven't had it, you should. Can't make it to Mozza, not to worry. The Mozza Cookbook has the recipe and if you can get your hands on good burrata, this is exactly what you should do with it.

My take on the Mozza caprese

Do you love burrata? What's your favorite cheese and your favorite way to eat it? Maybe you should schedule some burrata time this weekend and then come back and tell me all about it post cheese consumption!


1.26.2012

Farewell Angeli Caffe

Last week Angeli Caffe closed it's doors after 27 years. I started going to Angeli not long after moving into the city and have been a regular ever since. Over the years, my husband and I have gone to Angeli with many friends, for KCRW dinners, and I even took a pie class with Evan Kleiman. The food is simple, fresh, and always satisfying. I was sad when I heard they would be closing, so R and I immediately made a reservation so we could go one last time. Every seat was full and there was a line of walk ins out the door. Angeli fit a need for us in that the food is reliably good, the prices are reasonable, it's close, and the atmosphere was comfortable and inviting.

 One of the highlights of Angeli was the HOT out of the oven rounds of bread that every table gets along with olive oil.  This bread is incredible and you know you should probably not eat the whole thing so you can save room for your food, but to stop eating it is next to impossible. Fresh bread that is still steaming has to be one of the best smells, and the taste lives up to the aroma here.

Cheers, Angeli!


 Angeli always had a great selection of seasonal items on the menu and the spicy carrots had so much flavor.  The gnocchi specials were some of the best, and her veggies never failed.

The butternut squash lasagna is another stand out and we had to get one last fix. It may not look like much, but the flavor and textures are really something special. The lasagna bolognese was my second favorite in LA, behind the lasagna verde at Angelini Osteria.

The half roast chicken at Angeli was outstanding! However, we weren't really hungry enough for that much chicken, so we went with the Petto di Pollo alla Griglia instead.

The food at Angeli isn't fancy or pretentious, it's straightforward, well cooked, and feels like something you would get at an Italian grandma's house.

Jonathan Gold wrote a eulogy for Angeli and of course, says it much better than I ever could!

We'll miss you Angeli!

1.25.2012

Lately Loving: Josie Maran Argan Oil Highlighter

A few months ago I walked into Sephora searching for some kind of highlighter that would forever change my life. I was looking for something that would magically make me glow, with a subtle dewy complexion. I didn't want to look like a glittering stripper, I wanted a glow. After playing with several different products, I decided to go with Josie Maran's Argan Illuminizer and I have to say, I've been very happy with this choice!
After falling madly in love with Moroccan Oil, I admit that the initial reason I was drawn to this product was because I thought the Argan oil would do something special for my skin and I like to think it does. I use this product 2 ways. The first way I use it (and I do this as part of my daily make up routine, along with Benefit's Pore-fessional), is with just a tiny dab on my cheekbones up to my temples under my blush. The second way I use it is that I will sometimes mix in just a little spot with my foundation. I don't wear foundation every day, and I would save this for the summer. It gives a very subtle glow without looking like you stuck your face into the glitter drawer. A little goes a long way with this, it stays on well, and the bottle will last you for quite awhile.

Do you have a favorite illuminizer or highlighter? Tell me your secrets!!



1.24.2012

Ultimate Comfort Food

It's been chilly and gloomy in LA lately and that always leaves me wanting comfort food. For me, the ultimate comfort dish is grilled cheese with tomato soup. It's not refined, rarely expensive, and never disappoints. I apologize in advance for teasing you with this grilled cheese collection. If I could, I'd reach through the computer and hand you a melty grilled cheese sandwich.

Grilled Cheese with Orange Tomato Basil Soup from Joan's on Third
Ruth Reichl has some helpful tips on how to make a better grilled cheese.

Did you know April is National Grilled Cheese month? Stop by Clementine during this celebratory month to sample their exclusive grilled cheese menu, changes weekly. If you can't wait till April, you can build your own grilled cheese in the meantime with your choice of bread, cheese, and fillings.

The Grilled Cheese Truck has turns out a pretty stand out grilled cheese. Their Cheese Mac and Rib sandwich is as good as you've heard and the other combinations aren't too shabby either. They also offer the build your own grilled cheese set up- so melt your little heart out!

Huffington Post is grilled cheese happy as well. Here's their lineup of LA's best. Campanile comes in at number 1. Who wants to go to their Thursday Grilled Cheese nights with me? I've wanted to go for years and we should do this!

Of course the LA Times has some grilled cheese loving for you as well, killer grilled cheese recipes from the Test Kitchen.

No grilled cheese post would be complete without mentioning the LA Grilled Cheese Invitational. I've never gone, but I'm constantly toying with grilled cheese combos that I would want to enter into the competition. Have you been? It looks like so much fun and you know the snacking would be other worldly!

Tell me- do you have a favorite kind of grilled cheese? Are you a purist who likes white bread and American cheese in your melt? Or do you prefer pear and brie on your bread? Do you have a favorite LA grilled cheese spot that didn't make the HuffPo list? Let's hear it!

1.23.2012

Popping up Orange


Amitra Singh
In the spirit of a P.O.C. (pop of color- borrowing this from Brad Goreski!)- I'm talking about orange today. After all, Tangerine Tango is Pantone's color of the year! Orange is such a warm, happy color and looks amazing paired with a crisp white, cobalt blue, or gold, and of course when trimmed in black like an Hermes box. Orange is the perfect color to transition from the cold to warmer months. Whether it's in an outfit, at a party, or at home, be creative and have fun with orange! 
Lucy Laucht
Matchbook Mag
J. Crew
Reason to Breathe

Necklace found on Pinterest
Kate Spade

Belle the Magazine
Orange lacquer credenza from Little Blue Deer
Apartment Therapy

Versace China from Elements of Style





















I'm noticing in these images, I especially love orange paired with gold- and you know I love me some glittering gold!! 

Do you wear or decorate with orange? What's your favorite piece?

1.20.2012

Beets+Oranges= BFF

Beets and oranges go together like Bert and Ernie. This week we roasted up some beets and made a few different beet salads and this is the one I liked best.

All you need are a few roasted beets (or the packaged roasted beets from Trader Joes), oranges, salt, pepper, goat cheese, and balsamic glaze or vinegar (I got mine at Whole Foods).  No fancy recipe needed, just toss together and drizzle with the balsamic.


Happy Friday everyone and try something new this weekend!

1.19.2012

Lukshon


Lukshon in Culver City has been on the "to try" list for awhile and I finally made my way there over the weekend. It is the fine dining concept by Sang Yoon of Father's Office. The space itself is a very modern and cool backdrop for such amazing food. I sat outside and was pleasantly surprised how warm the heaters kept the space.  Now let's talk about the food- such a great dinner! Every dish has so much flavor and many of our dishes were pretty spicy, which I enjoyed.  I tried the hot and sour gimlet and it was so excellent, best cocktail I've had in 2012 for sure!

Outdoor fire pit on patio


Outside seating surrounded by twinkly lights

Russian River Damnation for the beau
Hot and Sour Gimlet

Beef tartare with cucumber, chiles, onion, herbs, aromatic rice powder, melinjo
Lamb belly roti canai chana with dal, cumin, mint, raita, pickled cauliflower
Spicy chicken pops that you MUST try with garlic, kecap manis, spicy sichuan salt
Brussel Sprouts had so much flavor and are unlike
any other brussel sprouts I have ever had with chile garlic vinaigrette, sesame

Dandan noodles with kurobuta pork, sesame, preserved mustard greens, sichuan peppercorns, peanuts

Complimentary desserts with pear sorbet and peanut brittle parfait.
Both were great and the perfect bite of sweetness to end such a wonderful meal.

Beautiful parfait!

Have you been to Lukshon? Did you love it?


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