noodles and hot sauce

Chicken Broth Recipe

2012-01-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

A lot of my friends have been asking me about my homemade chicken broth and I can't wait to share this easy recipe. My mom always made broth growing up and as I started cooking on my own I now understand why she never bought broth from the store. I can't say I never use boxed broth but I can say that there is a MAJOR difference in the taste of boxed and homemade (I know.. duhhh). Here is my recipe:

1. Get a rotisserie chicken (if you are hardcore you can roast your own, I don't have time for that, I get mine at my local WFM. It doesn't matter where you get it- You can use turkey too! Leftover turkey from Thanksgiving is the best, I will even take my friends bones!)

2. Clean the majority of the meat off the chicken, it is ok to have some on. I usually don't cook the chicken right away and will eat the meat for a day and then a few days later I will make my broth. Just make sure to not throw away any bones or skin from the chicken!

3. Place the chicken in a large pot and fill it with water, water should cover the entire chicken.

4. Place uncooked onion, 2 stalks of celery and carrots, 4 cloves of garlic, thumb sized peeled ginger, sea salt and pepper (I add a tablespoon maybe? Depending on how long you will be cooking it.. more time=less salt), parsley with the stems, whatever other spices you want (I add thyme sometimes... you can add whatever you think would taste great, I added a tomato last night because it was gonna go bad!)

5. Bring to a boil and then lower on the lowest setting and cook for the longest you can, ideally. I usually will start the broth after work at 6:00 and then stop cooking at 10:00. Last night I stopped it at 11:00, just for fun! You don't need to cook it that long but try to at least for two hours! SET A LOUD TIMER, I always forget about it cooking if I don't!

6. Let the broth cool. With a strainer, pour the broth into the strainer with a large bowl under it to catch the liquid. The meat and veggies will stay in the strainer. I always keep the extra meat that falls off and the veggies for my dog, she loves the veggies saturated in chicken juices (minus the onion) !

Sometimes I want the chicken pieces that are small if I am making a chicken tortilla soup. In that case, I usually keep a lot of the meat on the chicken and it makes for the best chicken tortilla soup- I will post that later!

7. I got this awesome container at The Container Store and I keep my chicken broth in it and use it all week.

Now, you might be wondering... what do you use broth for? EVERYTHING!!! I am too cold to keep writing, but chicken broth is great for everything from soups to strews to risotto and pasta dishes. It's important to always have garlic, onions, ginger, celery and carrots in your kitchen at all times! I don't cook all the time but I always have those things. I buy them in the largest bag and use the celery and carrots for smoothies in the mornings. You can also use leeks instead of onions. Often times when I get leeks I will use the white part of it for a dish I am making and keep the stems in the freezer for my broths! It is a perfect replacement for onions. Now go make broth!!!

Yo

2011-09-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

Crunch time is over!! I had my first micro exam yesterday and it was... tricky. Moving on, it is Friday and I just want to enjoy the weekend of absolutely NO STUDYING!

I googled "pregnancy photos" this morning because I wanted to see some examples of backgrounds and poses for my sister and I came across this hilarious photo set on Pregnant Chicken. Check it out, seriously it will start your day off right. Actually, that whole blog is pretty amusing and I'm not even pregnant.

I just thought of a career change right now. I want to be the person that sits at Google and goes over the searches that people type in. I have had some of the dumbest searches in Google, as I am sure we all have. My last one I remember I searched for was, "dreams about clogging a toilet". What's more awkward is going on someones computer and finding a strange search in the Google bar. Hot tip: 1. preferences> show cookies > remove all 2. history> clear history

crunch time

2011-09-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

I've been and will continue to be MIA until this microbiology exam is over next Thursday! I was fine and dandy until the day before yesterday when a dark cloud of fear and stress hovered over me. Omg, Lia just finished eating and she makes these little noises while doing tricks so I can give her treats and she just made me laugh so hard! Ok, off topic (see what kind of distractions I have to work with!) ... I'd love to know what everyone is doing this weekend, if you're reading and I know you are because of google analytics, tell me what you're doing so I can be jealous. I'll be babysitting all weekend and studying the glycolysis route to ATP and glycerol backbones!!

shoes

2011-09-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

It's always boot season in the bay area and here is my new favorite line, Gidigio. They're all handmade in Italy and remarkable. Check it!

irritation.com

2011-09-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know the culprit of my irritation but it's probably a combination of getting out of my five hour microbio lecture and lab and coming home to a car blocking my driveway and then realizing I get to spend the afternoon reading about theories and memorizing the biochemistry of cells. Can it just be December 15th today?Lately I have been meeting two of my classmates at 8 am to study for three hours before class which puts in 6 of the 20 hours of studying we should have each week. I don't really put in 14 hours on my own which is really making me feel bad about blogging right now. There's days when I feel pretty bad about where I am with my goals in life and today is one of them. I can't remind myself enough how crappy it feels to struggle through school and find ways to make ends meet financially while managing to keep a smile on my face. I know I can always have it harder but seriously, this is shit. I don't think I can write anymore, the energy is negative and there's no useful tips I can hand off except if you are in a similar situation. Hot tip of the day: screw it all and walk around with your eyes closed, go on a run or bike ride, and scream in a pillow. OH, and I'm eating ice cream later.

I wish it were that easy.

A new addition

2011-09-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

This weekend we met a dog that needs a home and spent the day with her yesterday at our house. James loves her already and although I like the idea of having another dog, I'm hesitant because I'm a little scared to take on a large dog. Quinn is a husky and she's about a year old. She's extremely calm and sweet but I have been used to the lap dog for so long now that transitioning to a dog that NEEDS to run everyday is just another thing to add on my list. Maybe I should try looking at it in a more positive way... having to run everyday is beneficial to me, I will be nice and fit all winter long! Ok, bring it on Quinn!!

Languages

2011-09-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

I spent the night babysitting for my favorite 12 year old girl the other evening. We spent most of the night studying Spanish and it really brought me back to being in seventh grade and feeling embarrassed about pronouncing Spanish words. I like to think I was not alone when I felt slightly strange making my name, which is clearly not of Spanish background, sound Spanish or better yet saying it with an American accent after doing a perfect accent in Spanish of "me llamo...". Anyone else feel me on this one? Spanish was really an easy subject for me and one of my favorites in junior high. I give a lot of credit to my highly enthusiastic teacher Mr. Caldwell but being that my mother speaks Italian and spoke it to her sisters and her mother, made for an easy transition. My siblings and I always question why we weren't taught Italian growing up? My mother would say phrases to us as kids which we would understand and always mocked her when she was on the phone with her sisters. I really wish we pushed my mom to teach us. When my grandmother passed away my mom said something among the lines of, ".. now I am going to lose my Italian" which really made me sad. My mother grew up speaking Italian and French and it's a big part of our childhood. At family gatherings it was always Italian and French combinations at the dinner table while the kids (we all weren't taught Italian and there was 14 of us) would sit in the other room eavesdropping on our mothers talking about us and then yelling back in English, "I know what you are saying!". It was also a way that my mom could talk to me in front of people without them knowing what she was saying and I cannot count how many times my sister and I always say, "I wish we had a language no one else undestood!". I'm aware people understand Italian, but the chances of someone knowing it where we grew up was pretty slim and if anyone could translate it, it would be the kids who spoke Spanish.As I get older, it's harder to feel OK about my mom not teaching us Italian or French . I know that James feels the same way about the language barrier he has with his mom and her family who all speak Thai. I remember one Thanksgiving we spent with all his mother's friends and family over where the whole dinner we ate in silence because no one spoke English the whole night. I know it's never too late to learn but it's too late in the sense that I'm no longer around my mother everyday to practice with her. Here's a hot tip for bi-lingual parents: teach your child the language! They will appreciate it later... and it's an investment in their future.

closets.

2011-08-31T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of my closet organization system which I absolutely love because I hate putting clothes away! I got these S-hooks at Ikea for super cheap (they are the larger size). I pretty much use them for all my pants and clothes that I wear over again, like after work comfy clothes. I like the way the pants look when your closet is exposed and it makes for a fast put away of clean pants!

Monday recaps

2011-08-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

Last night James and I went into the city for dinner. We walked into the Castro without any idea of where to eat and might I suggest never go to the Castro starving hoping that a restaurant will have an open seat. We wanted seafood but everywhere we went there were lines of people waiting outside. Of all districts in San Francisco, we never go to the Castro and it is probably because it's just too far from where we live and we really don't know much about the dining there. The people in Castro are so vibrant and I always feel like "it's happening" in the Castro but I also never feel like I fit in there. Yes, I am not LBGT but I don't immediately associate being gay with the Castro and I really doubt most San Franciscan's do either. James always gets checked out when we go there, it's hilarious! He was walking in the street eating out of our leftovers when this vespa goes by and the guy on it seriously had his head fixed at a 90 degree rotation.

In college, my roommate worked on Church and Castro and we would always take Muni to meet her. In those times, she always told us about the "free needle" give away behind the Safeway for all the drug addicts. I didn't know what to seriously think about it then except that it was gross and to avoid that area at night. Caitlin would always remind us that, "it's better than them re-using old needles", which is definitely true. All I have to say is...only in San Francisco.

After circling streets for a half-hour we walked to the Mission and thanks to my handy app I found Hog and Rocks on 19th. James was already in a bad mood by then so I was thankful it was decent looking on the outside and to our surprise amazing in the end. As I said before, we were starving and ordered a lot! We started off with a dozen oysters and then followed with the beet salad, wings, pork sandwich and fries and aioli. (side note: obviously no diet restrictions) I apologize for my lusterless descriptions, check out that link and it's described far more appealing. I'm blaming it on Monday and the fact that I have to be at work in an hour. After our long dinner (they brought each dish out as individual courses) we decided that our favorite dish was the beet salad. We brought a menu home to try to copy the recipe, something we learned from James' step-mom. ~~A few~~ A LOT of dollars later, we arrived back home later than I wanted. And here we are now, Monday morning back in the fog of Sausalito. Here's my diet/exercise plan for the day...

I brought my lunch to make:

long grain brown rice (I made it before coming here)
fresh green beans
firm tofu
wasabi teryiyaki sauce

I plan on quickly making a stir fry out of the tofu and beans with the wasabi sauce to put over my rice. I also brought a soft boiled egg and home-roasted almonds.

Since I won't be home until 6:00, I'm hoping James is up for a little bike ride somewhere and I plan on doing some navasanas and push ups while babysitting. Only five minutes of navasana and push ups, you can do it too!

Outside looking in

2011-08-28T11:12:00.000-07:00

26 has brought so many strange thoughts, fears and excitement. I find myself talking to older people wondering what it will be like to be older and how I would feel at that age. My lab partner is a mother of two girls and I just sit there amazed at her life. First off, I don't know how ANY mother can go back to school and be taking upper division science classes that require at least 15 hours of study time outside of class and juggle picking up kids, cooking, etc. This woman is also in immaculate shape and doesn't even look like she would have kids. When I see women like this, I feel so excited to be older because these mothers are beautiful and doing it all.

Children have also been somewhat of a fascination. I am nowhere near ready for creating lives but the idea that you can have these little beings that look exactly like you is so awesome. It probably has something to do with me studying cells...we are created by a tiny little cell! (ugh, that just reminded me to stop writing and get back to studying) A few years ago, when I would be surrounded by a group of mothers in class I would have ran the other way and been annoyed by their stupid stories of summer camps, play dates, etc. Ok, this is off topic but "play date"... can this end please?! I hate that saying. I am sorry if you use it and like it but think about it, did your mom use to say it to you as a child? I know my mom didn't. OK, back to what I was saying.. what was it, oh- let's just say this, I would rather be surrounded by a group of mothers than sitting with the texters and 21 year olds that still write with huge bubbly handwriting and dot their i's with hearts.

As for the fears of being 26, where do I start? I am terrified to do anything that will hurt me. For example, driving fast. This is probably the worst example I could come up with but let's work with it. Last night my friend said she was terrified to go snowboarding, I can maybe agree with it, but I also haven't been in over ten years so yea, I would say I'm terrified. Thinking about how crappy my insurance is too, ugh- it is a horrifying thought. In fact, when you begin to think about your crap insurance immediately after any activity, you have just turned into an adult (you should actually be allowed to vote when this happens, too). That whole turning 18 thing is rubbish.

I have even stopped running because although I love to run, I want to be able to walk...forever, not in pain. We are biologically designed to be walkers anyways, not runners. I am also pretty terrified about "hooded eyelids". I just learned about this term last night but it freaks me out. For those who don't know what it is, it is saggy eyelids. Sorry mom if you are reading this and think, WTF! I love you but isn't it kind of creepy?

As for excitement about getting older (hah, the shortest paragraph on this entry)... Oprah once said 50 is the happiest age in your life, or maybe something like that. Whatever age you are at, it will always be an adventure that creates great memories. I think personally I am most excited about being with my family and seeing the world without stressing about returning in time to study for a final or not missing a class.

It's sunny out! (my transitions are so random, I just got distracted by the sun on my table) Sunny and Sunday, go on a walk, buy a coffee and pick some flowers! I'm going to hang out with my cute little dog all day. If you don't have a dog, go out and buy one. Life is too short to not feel the love from an animal. They're always there for you, no attitude included, and they'll teach you something about yourself you never knew.

MIA

2011-08-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

It's been so long! I went missing weeks ago because James and I went to Alabama for a vacation at Smith Lake with our good friends and James' family. Since then, I have neglected blogging but I blame it on school more than just being lazy.

I started microbio a week ago and I have been stressed and confused since. In all my years of science classes this is by far the most confusing class. I don't think the information is hard (yet), but my teacher isn't as structured as I'd hope she would be. I have tried to sit and study but I find myself jumping around from text to text looking for the best explanations.

My favorite thing about school is meeting new friends. I have met some of the most influential people in the past two years of junior college. My dear friend Gabrielle has been such a positive person in my life, I really couldn't imagine pushing myself through these hellish semesters without her. She got into nursing school last May and I am so proud of what she has accomplished; she is truly an inspiration. Now that I don't have classes with her I try to find out which new friend will be my Gabrielle. Micro has a lot of great people, in fact, I have noticed that in applied science classes the types of people you meet are some of the greatest people you will ever come across. It's probably due to the commitment these courses require and they type of people they attract (insert bad chemistry joke here).

Ahhh, another weekend of studying- JOY. For people following my really inconsistent food/diet things... here's what I have been doing:

dinner last night was a recipe from Healthy Living, chickpea zucchini cakes with greek yogurt, mint and spinach.

1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
small red onion, diced or grated
small zucchini, grated
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp-2 tsp sea salt and pepper
1 egg, whisked
Greek yogurt
pita bread
mint leaves
lettuce/spinach

Smash chickpeas in a bowl and mix in breadcrumbs, zucchini, red onion, salt/pepper and egg. Form little cakes to fit into half of the pita bread. Fry the cakes with olive oil until golden brown. I toasted my pita breads and smeared the greek yogurt (I used non-fat) into the bread. Then I put some Sriracha hot sauce, followed by mint leaves, spinach and last was the garbanzo cake.

Breakfast this morning was a yellow nectarine, whole wheat bagel, cream cheese and fresh chives with a large coffee.

The exercise of the week has been road biking to work. Since I really can't keep focus on anything except school (even if it's just thinking about it) I decided to commute to work on my bike. I know a lot of people can't do this but if you can use your bike to go to the store or just ride around for 45-50 minutes a day it is a fun way to keep active. My ride is about 10 miles a day, 40 minutes total, and account for serious wind (I like to think of it as an extra workout).

I hope everyne has a great day at work, school, home, wherever. My sister texted me this morning telling me that the woman in front of her at the coffee drive through paid for her coffee and passed on the message to "Have a happy Friday!", it made me feel warm. My goal of the day is to pass it on, keep the positive energy going and find goodness to pass on to someone today.

Breakfast sample

2011-08-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

Home Spa.

2011-07-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a great recipe for a great DIY exfoliator. Vitamin C, in crystalline form, and Cetaphil gentle cleanser (make sure the Vitamin C contains only Vitamin C, some brands may have another ingredient); mix together until you get a paste and gently rub on face avoiding eyes. Rinse with warm water, you will feel the crystals beginning to kind of melt away. Vitamin C is wonderful for your skin and Cetaphil is so gentle that this combination is perfect for the most senstive skin types. I get this Vitamin C from, you guessed it, Whole Foods Market.

wheres the sun?!

2011-07-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a little sunshine.

wannabe lunches.

2011-07-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

Today I started off the morning babysitting and I started the morning off late so I only had my coffee for breakfast and an apricot and berries.

I made sure to pack a huge bag with really random food items like a tupperware of about 2 cups of left over cous cous from the night before. I told myself that I would find something to mix it with once I got to work. Who was I kidding? I didn't have anything at work! I stopped by WFM on my way to the office and looked for the cheapest healthiest cold case side; I settled with "cabbage crunch" (green cabbage, slivered almonds, black sesame seeds, and green onion mixed with apple cider vinegar & honey). I also bought two bags of frozen edamame because it was on sale for 1.69, originally 1.99. Frozen edamame is a prime example of a good deal for WFM. I went to Mollie Stones yesterday and it cost 3.99 for frozen edamame!

I wanted to make sure I had items in the office kitchen so I also bought roasted and salted soynuts to snack on and bananas and spinach for smoothies.

I forgot to mention that when I was home before I went to work I made a little soup. I buy these frozen "chicken and cilantro" won tons from TJs. They're perfect for soups and quick bites on the go and they're not bad you etiher. They have something like 50 calories (it could very well be 150 I can't remember) and 1g fat (0 sat.) for every 9 won tons. Either way, it's not bad. I boil a little beef broth (1 cup), but very little because I usually waste the broth, and mix in ginger, green onion, celery and when it boils I put in the won tons for like 5-10 mins. I top this with Sriracha hot sauce. It's amazing.

Once I got to work I was still a little hungy so I made my smoothie:

2 cups of spinach
1 banana
3-4 frozen peaches
4-5 frozen mangos
2 tbl flax seeds
1/2-3/4 c of water

Blend on low and then high for about 1 minute.

It's kind of sad when you get to work and everyone is ordering sushi lunches while you have to go cook frozen edamame but I really cannot afford $15 lunches everyday. When I went to pick up my bosses lunch I asked for an extra wasabi and soy sauce because I thought it would be a great idea to mix the two with my cous cous. I found this to be an amazing combination! I mixed the cabbage crunch with edamame in my cous cous and added in the wasabi and soy. The combination was almost like eating sushi, you know... once it's all mashed together with your saliva. Haha, sorry total bad taste/image for everyone.

Here's the thing... I find myself into sauces but not complicated sauces, just simple hot sauces like Sriracha and lately I have been really into wasabi. I tend to always stay away from white sauces and things with complicated ingredients.

For my workout today, I went on a quick power walk for 30 minutes with Lia. During a commercial break this morning I did Navasana (yoga pose) and on the next break I did Navasana with a modification of extending my legs out and pulling them back in. I ended my mini workout with 10 push ups. I love using commercials as a timer for my work outs because it really does allow you to enjoy a TV show and get a quick tone up completed. It's only mid-day and I have more of a real workout planned for tonight after work.

In the meantime, find something little you can do if you are sitting at your desk like tricep dips on your chair! Do enough until it burns and booyah, arms are done for the day!

disclaimer

2011-07-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

I must say before I start blogging about my diet/exercise that:

1. I don't have the time.

You know how some people seem to have everything planned out and follow the same routine? Well, I am like this ~~40%~~ 10% of the time while the other ~~60%~~ 90% is me on the go. It seems normal but it realy isn't and this is all because I am a student and I don't have a normal 9-5. This needs to be addressed because it very much conflicts with my eating and workout schedule. You will see that where I workout, will be anywhere and at any given time. I also rarely have time. My time is my money and sadly, until I have a real career, I will be forced to follow a mad schedule of babysitting, dog sitting, working, and going to school all while trying to maintain good health.

2. I am poor.

A lot of blogs I read display the best meals and the nicest background images which gives me the impression that these writers have enough money for fancy foods, gourmet ingredients, and time on their hands which equals well, time, and time equals money.

I don't need to get into the little details of what I can and cannot afford but let's just say this for the record, I like to spend money on good ingredients when I can because food feeds me and you are what you eat.

People often criticize me for shopping at stores like Whole Foods because it is expensive but I honestly find that Safeway isn't that any more of a deal for savings. I have had to cut out a lot of items I used to enjoy when living with mom and dad like packaged foods, sweetened beverages, etc. For me, shopping at WFM is strictly for vegetables, bulk items, and poultry/meat. Ok, that pretty much listed everything in a store but trust me, you can find deals at WFM!

Now, both of these truthful statements about myself are very important in how I maintain my eating habits. It's simple...because I don't have time and money, I generally spend the quickest time in grocery store buying items I only need and temptations like candy and sweets is rarely an option.

Live and eat simply.

Keeping it real.

2011-07-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

For those that know me well, exercise and good eating has been a major part of my life. In recent years, I have had the greatest opportunties working with some of the best lifestyle changing people in the world which even included cooking with a great chef who taught me how to cook simple, 90% raw food meals. I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by this every day at work and I want to share what I know with everyone.

I have been asked by several people what I eat, what I do for exercise, and how I manage to keep it altogther. I have been requested to share my day-to-day eating, recipes, and mini workout regimens (since I don't have time to workout for a long time).

Before I begin, I want to make sure everyone has the basics of what I use in my pantry. I usually shop at Whole Foods Market and you can find almost everything I use there. Let's begin with pantry basics:

Ume Plum Vinegar (it's in the "Asian" section)

Toasted sesame oil (I use "Spectrum" brand, oil section at WFM)

*Taco Seasoning Mix (ok, this is from Trader Joes... I buy a lot of these to keep in my pantry, like 5-6 at a time and they're only .79)

CousCous (I buy in bulk from WFM, I usually always have 6-7 cups on hand at all times)

Sprouted Quinoa (WFM, bulk section. Make sure its sprouted!)

Soba noodles (WFM in "Asian" section or get at any Asian market, keep 2-3 packs on hand at all times)

Canned beans (I know, gross.. but I honestly don't have the time to soak my beans and cook them myself. Get 3-4 cans of cannelli, black beans- trader joes makes a great "spicy Cuban style", kidney, garbanzo)

Fresh Spring Rolls wrapping (sorry, I don't know the name off the top of my head but sometimes WFM sells these in the "Asian" section, otherwise they're at the Asian market. They're plate sized and thin)

Kombu (Asian section, it's dry seaweed)

Curry Powder

Sea Salt

Start with these and then we will get into the vegetables which I highly recommend you try to grow yourself. My garden is very little this year since the weather has not been cooperating. Always grow your herbs (parsley, basil, rosemary, mint, cilantro, chives) as they're easy to grow and always needed! More to come, stay tuned!

Makayla

2011-07-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Coolest soon five year old out there.

King Charles!

2011-07-18T18:18:00.000-07:00

The dogs just lounging on the couch in the sun today.

The inconsistencies of being 26

2011-07-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

I love reading blogs and I find a pattern in the blogs that I do follow; almost all of the writers are in their early 30's living in New York, married, and have young children. Most of their posts are about their children, parenting, and design ideas. None of these subjects relate to me except for the design ideas but nontheless, I still find parenthood fascinating and continue to follow up daily. All of these thoughts made me begin to think about why I blog? Who I want to reach, and the type of message I send out.

I've met a few people at school, and maybe only a handful, who are also confused at where they are in life. When people ask me about my plans at school I usually find myself more and more lost each time I explain them. Going to college for the second time around is exhausting when you realize that the first time was your BS (as my hygenist says, "bull sh*t degree)and then you're back at a junior college with fresh high school graduates.

26 is a weird age. Everyone expects something great out of 26 year old; like a career boost or getting married and having a family. But what if you don't want that, or frankly can't have that quite yet? What if you can't find a career because you graduated at the worst time for the economy, your undergrad isn't enough, you can't qualify for a loan because other people cut in line before you, and you realize you have to start over to be comfortable later on. My parents and older generations probably see these things as "excuses" but I swear, I am working my a** off and constantly wonder when the pay off will be. There is a scene I remember from the movie "Big Fish" where the boys get the option to see how they die through a crystal ball. I always wish that a crystal ball would let me know "it's gonna be OK". If I know that it will be OK then I won't mind going left and right before I can go straight forward.

People tell me to have supportive friends and make sure that you are in a relationship with someone who is understanding. I'm beginning to notice the new paths my friends choose are ones that are single tracks. And although James is supportive 90% of time, it's impossible to find someone who is plenty OK with paying a mortgage alone while you spend half your day studying in pajamas at 4:00 in the afternoon and only having enough time to prepare cereal and a smoothie for dinner.

With that said, I want to attract readers who are also lost or maybe they know the way and want to follow how I will find my way. Sometimes I feel like a lost and found box where I find great plans and goals and then overtime(because of time) I lose interest...or gain interset because of debt. Which brings me to money; this deserves an entire post on it's own but for the record, why the hell didn't my parents tell me that life was so expensive!? Of course, they mentioned that things cost money... but really, WTF.

So back to the topic, because even though I tend to write how my thoughts run through my brain I know I must stay on topic. If you are reading and you have similar "challenges" remember, when in doubt and lost go to school, save all of your money (get an IRA while you still can!), and always read my blogs. Also call your mom, she knows the answers, and always have a stress outlet because when you are confused you are likely stressed and when you are stressed you do nothing good for body especially at a cellular level.

I used to say this all the time so here it goes once more- like water for chocolate and I'm out.

new dwellings.

2011-07-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

The home remodel is complete! At around late o'clock last night we finished the littlest of details. Originally we decided no TV in the bedroom but come time to watch Frasier, James went crazy unplugging and moving the TV into the bedroom. Really though, Frasier has got us hooked. I loathed when that show came on a few years back but how could you not fall in love with Niles Crane?

We slept in our new bedroom and on our new bed after watching some quality weather forecast on the news. This whole week before we moved bedrooms we laid there reminescent of all the great features in our bedroom at the back of the house. We became sad that we would be abandoning it and second guessing if we should really switch rooms. Waking up in our new room felt like being on vacation. In fact, before we went to bed James said, "lets pretend we are on on vacation and this is our hotel room." It made me feel better about sleeping in a new place.

Lia, on the other hand was confused. When we walked down the hall towards the bedrooms she trotted swiftly to the old bedroom and jumped on the bed in the dark. We called her repeatedly and found her quickly asleep in her usual place. We moved her in the new room and she looked confused just standing on the bed looking around. Again, she ran back to the old room.

It's time to start my Sunday! I hope everyone is having a great weekend somewhere sunny. Here's some pictures of where summer is always sunny and great...Alabama. We will be there in August!

Lia, as cute as ever smelling the south out the car window

Me laying in Smith Lake

One of the many beautiful rocks to jump off at Smith Lake

Pain(t)

2011-07-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hey look at that, the word paint has the word pain in it too. For two weeks now James and I have been sluggishly painting the interior walls of the house as well as the ceilings. I had everything planned out as today being the end of all painting because today is the day we get our new furniture! Well, it's not exactly new but it will be new to us.

A year ago, I would have thought that painting would be no big deal and that I would enjoy it. Today, I dread painting (Paint Rumba invention ASAP). It's not only the fact that I have to paint but it is also that life just goes on hold when you are doing renovations. I've ignored laundry, dishes, and most importantly my time to exercise and play outside. What is scarier is that I begin to think, "how did my mom do it all?" I have a hard time figuring out how to keep things tidy and neat. I admit, there are times when my room looks like an episode of Hoarders. It's not so much of a problem of cleaning as it is a problem with having enough time.

When does one acquire time management? I know the real answer to this and I know if my mom is reading this she is definitely laughing, more accurately she is LHMFAO. I grew up with the strictest of the strict where if we slept in past 10:00 we were probably in trouble. My mom and dad embedded routine in us wherever they could. What I just can't understand is why we didn't take that with us when we all moved out of their house? It's like we did everything opposite of what we learned.

I occassionally use the "being in college" excuse where it doesn't matter if anything is in order and it also doesn't matter what a dinner or breakfast consists of, it's fuel. In the back of my head I know that having to care for someone else (I was afraid to actually say, a baby) is when time management comes into play which is where this entry ends. No babies (yet) and no time management. Sounds good. (if you know me you know that I will begin doing the dishes and laundry in the next minute). Have a great Saturday!

FREE SONG!

2011-07-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

Amazon is featuring "Adolescents" by Incubus as their free song of the day! I have heard this song a few times now on the radio and how can you not love Incubus? Amazon is pushing for everyone to download their MP3 player so if you don't want it make sure to read the finer print below where it says something like, "skip this step and save on my computer". Ok, go!!!

form follows function

2011-07-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Architizer, word up posted some sweet photos of Pierre Andre Senizergues, founder of Etnies, new house in Malibu (AKA PAS House). I wonder how the acoustics are in this house?

shortcuts

2011-07-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

This is kind of cool... make your Iphone into a DLSR! What do you think?

summer souls

2011-07-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

Today I purchased Crocs because I am so tired of my feet hurting. The Crocs store had a perfect selection of styles and colors. These flats are called the "Adrina" flats and although they look orange in this picture they are more of a soft pink like a grapefruit color in person. I think they're perfect summer shoes!

Petco Park Party

2011-06-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend I escaped to San Diego to celebrate my cousin's last days of the single life. We had a great spa day and ended with a picnic in Petco Park. Here is to a great summer start! Congratualtions Michelle and Terry!

xoxo

Summer Soup

2011-06-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

If you live in an area that has winter weather in summer seasons then you know you'll want to eat soup everyday. Here is my homemade minestrone soup with fresh rainbow chard to remind you that even though it's overcast outside, summer can exist in your soup!

Rodeo beach on a Sunday

2011-06-08T15:03:00.001-07:00

husband and wife.

2010-01-10T21:45:00.000-08:00

scenario:

Two women in their mid-40's are shoe shopping when woman 1 puts on some sexy high heels. Woman 2 says to woman 1, " Wow, I have never seen you in those type of shoes before."

Woman 1 replies, "Ya, I haven't had to wear them but now that I am divorced I have to look good."

Woman 2 chuckles, "Wouldn't it be so funny if you run into so and so (ex-husband) and he see's you looking fantastic!"

True story, my aunt had told me she was laughing at these two women talking while she was shopping. As she was telling my mom and me the story I thought to myself, why do women (and men) go downhill after marriage? I would be so pissed if my husband gained 100 pounds and didn't care about his looks or more importantly his health. I find that a lot of people want to look good after a divorce but what's so wrong with wanting to look good while you're still married? Why not wear some sexy shoes for your husband? I understand there are circumstances for why we all lose our figure but most of the time I find that people are just darn lazy and make excuses for everything. I may not be married but I understand the importance of physical attraction and making sure that you keep your relationship hot! Come on people, lets stay sexy!

I'm getting older post.

2010-01-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

It's funny how as children and teens when we are asked our age we add months to our years to appear older. I can remember when I was 20 I was kind of embarrassed to tell my age because I wanted to be older, I mean who really has any respect for a 20 year old? JK...

I thought that my five years in college was a waste of my time and if I thought a lot more practically I could have been in a better situation instead of feeling the regret I feel now. I have made the decision to go back to school a week ago and nothing feels more right. Sometimes we often look back and hate that we couldn't fix a bad decision but no decision is a bad one, it's just a little detour in our lives. It took me a few months of stress and painful sleepless nights to accept that where I am in life is exactly where I want to be and I have the chance to make things better before they can get worse.

When in doubt, sit down and ask yourself, "what do I have to lose?" Although age can seem like a ticking bomb especially when you're constantly seeing past friends "ahead of you" and getting everything you may want, you just have to know that there's something out there for you. It's really about relying on your own judgment and having faith in yourself -- And that's how you know you're getting older.

Recession Idea #1

2010-01-03T18:53:00.000-08:00

I remember my cousin-in-law asking a restaurant for a Filipino discount earlier last year. Now, you ask yourself, what the eff is that? Well, it is what we Asians do when we are stretching our dollar. When in doubt, always ask for a recession discount.

blog changes

2010-01-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

Due to popular demand, this blog is here to stay. Although I enjoy using Wordpress settings and site in general more, people have told me to STFU and not leave this blog.

Just so you know.

2009-12-27T18:23:00.000-08:00

Ok, if you agree to agree click this link:

I like you, kinda.

see you on the dark side.

MEATLOAF!

2009-12-26T18:31:00.000-08:00

My mom asked me why I have been cooking so much and I thought, yea why have I been? I came to the conclusion that I have something against leaving things to die, like food rotting. I've not only wasted so much food this year, rather my whole life, but it's like a challenge figuring out what I can make with a few ingredients hanging around in my fridge.

I came across this awesome meat loaf recipe ( "Ma!! The meatloaf!!!" -- Wedding Crashers) and since it's so easy to make and I have to feed my boyfriend I decided that the rotting onion in the fridge would do the trick. Now, I know you girls reading this are probably thinking "ew, meatloaf? meat? fatty?" .... yea, it's not the greatest but I try to make it healthier by using turkey meat and honestly, when you live with a guy you can't make salads and think that's going to hold his appetite down. I had to alter a lot of my eating habits to compensate for not only him, but my time and money. Here are some (crap mobile) pictures of my meat loaf prep.

Here is what you need, I am sure you get the picture. I used the japanese style breadcrumbs from TJ's only because it is what was leftover in my pantry.

Step 1: Saute chopped onions with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh thyme. Once the onions are translucent, add a little less than 1/3 cup of Worcestershire sauce, 3/4 cup of chicken stock, and a teaspoon + 1/2 of tomato paste.

Take ground turkey (1.5 lb) and put in a bowl with sauce from above and 2 whisked eggs and some breadcrumbs. I usually see how much liquid is in it and if it is really juicy I add more breadcrumbs. Then in a casserole dish I used my hands to shape it in a rectangle and put a little ketchup on the top (totally optional, the bf loves it). I also put a bowl of water below it so the top wouldn't crack. 325 for 1.5 hours. BAM, so good. I made it the other week with spicy cooked carrots... steam for 8-10 mins, make a sauce of lemon juice, olive oil, cayenne, salt, cumin and parsley.

I miss summer.

2009-12-24T17:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a meal I prepared for us one summer day; it's fried green tomato BLTs with oysters and hot sauce. I'm dreading walking into the cold kitchen to make chili verde for Christmas dinner. Pictures to come on my chili verde cook off tonight!

Jew dog!

2009-12-08T18:19:00.001-08:00

Here is Lia with her favorite hat. She isn't Jewish but sometimes she wants to be so we put this hat on her.

Bike accidents

2009-09-04T12:10:00.000-07:00

This took place in front of my work. I decided from now on, I am going to be wearing a helmet. One of the many downfalls of getting older; everything is cautionary. I recorded the conversation because I felt bad for the biker and no one saw the accident.. and I took pictures like this without them knowing.

Books and juice.

2009-07-20T16:10:00.001-07:00

I totally have been avoiding blogging. I felt like i needed time to buy me some valuable writing topics but it really doesn't matter because I end up with nothing of interest. I have been reading books to escape too many days off of work. So far, The Time Travelers Wife is no. 1 this month. It was really slow the first few hundred pages but its proven itself halfway through. Books are so addicting. How could you not want to read!! Its like once you close the book you are constantly wondering what is happening in that world of that story you are on? What are the characters doing? It is like the story is always alive and when you put it down its on pause. The words are always and will always be there. TTW (Time Travelers Wife) is such a different read than I am used to because each page is basically two characters point of view. My friend said she cried reading it, so far I have had my first "gasp" at something in the story. It is one of those.

Audiobooks are amazing. My friend let me borrow How I Paid for College and I love it! It is a perfect driving story. I didn't really do any research on the novel to see if it was fiction or non-fiction but I am pretty sure it has to be fiction. It is so dramatic and has a "wtf-esque" to it. I sometimes find myself thinking, I wish I read this book instead of listening to it.

I am off to read TTW and hopefully start to finish the rest of books I have read 3/4 of the way through.

Google AdSense

2009-06-17T10:21:00.000-07:00

Out of complete desperation for money I decided to add Googles "AdSense" to my blog. I really don't know how much money I can make out of it.. I guess that means I should find some more followers to follow this lame blog which I have really been censoring and am getting really tired of censoring. Thats all.

2009-06-17T10:02:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the Dipsea race from Mill Valley to Stinson... James ran the race and placed 164th out of maybe 1800 people? I say that with a question mark only because I really don't know but I know that there are open runners and it it probably close to 2000. Here are some pictures from the race that I took and that are truly sad only because I couldn't figure out how to work the camera and didn't get a good shot of James running. However, Lia met some really ugly Cavaliers with bodies that resembled a foot stool. I know, totally random.

And above is that guy who collapsed...

The winner of the race, Pilcher!

My only picture of James (sorry!)... the backwards hat

SAIKYO YAKI!

2009-04-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

This is easily the best dish on the menu at Robata Grill in Mill Valley. It's cod but the sauce on it is buttery and amazing. Even the vegetables are marinated in some miso butter. I love coming here just for this meal.

swine flu rescue

2009-04-27T17:48:00.001-07:00

Breakfast

2009-04-25T18:57:00.001-07:00

I went a little out of order today with my posts but who really cares. This was breakfast this morning! I love croissants from WFM they are so crispy on the outside and buttery on the inside unlike COSTCO ones which are amazing but not crispy. Who goes without bacon in the morning?! I could eat bacon all day. Eggs by my BFFFF James! He makes scrambled eggs perfect for me.

I spy a dog in a bag

2009-04-25T18:43:00.001-07:00

SEE HOW CONVENIENT THIS BAG IS!

Dog in a bag

2009-04-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

I love this new bag I have for Lia by Wag Wear (I think thats how you spell it.. I am too lazy to get up and look at the bag). The bag is comfortable too so I can wear it all day and keep her in a bag all day like all dogs should be. But really, Lia loves being with me and this increases her time to hang out everywhere. She is my other half :) Don't you love how her leg naturally just hangs out of the bag! I had to hold her head because she kept trying to pose and move her head in different angles. Here is the bag in the color I wish I got:

They run anywhere from $88-100. I have a size large for Lia she is about 12 lbs and paid $100. Well worth it in the end because when Lia is out of it I can double it as a grocery bag when I am walking around (is that gross? whatever.)

The great grand children

2009-04-25T11:31:00.001-07:00

Grandma got to see seven great grand kids! My little niece is the one in the flower dress. They made grandma so happy :)

The boys of the family

2009-04-25T11:27:00.003-07:00

and here are the boys :) Isn't Grandpa cute!

The girls of my family

2009-04-25T11:27:00.001-07:00

These are my favorite people to be around! I wish we all lived in the
same city! Being around them makes me feel so close to grandma. All of
our different traits from her come together and it is like she is
right there with us.

Grandma

2009-04-24T22:19:00.000-07:00

I was on the hunt for a video in my finder when I came across my Easter trip last year at my cousins with all my family. I just started smiling half way through it because my Grandma who just passed away on 4-7-09 is in it and listening and watching her are such good last memories. When I heard her calling my name and just seeing her smile the whole way through was such a good feeling and I felt entirely lucky to have this little clip of her talking to me. It's comforting. I miss her. I hope any of my family who reads this finds the same comfort and happiness I found in this video.

I could stare at her forever

2009-04-24T15:05:00.003-07:00

How could you not?

buyers remorse on losing ticket

2009-04-24T15:05:00.001-07:00

Who doesn't love a sale on donuts? I wanted to buy it but spent my money on a dumb losing lottery ticket. I am a loser today.

Lia melts hearts

2009-04-24T08:33:00.001-07:00

LIA. This is my cuteness of a dog. She is the best little dog ever. I call her Falcor. Falcor is cute in its own little way. See the resemblance?

A beautiful place

2009-04-24T08:18:00.001-07:00

Living in the bay area is so amazing. I take walks here in Tiburon with Lia and all I see is this. I like hiking here because there are generally few people and it is completely peaceful.

cosmeticdatabase.com

2009-04-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to this website by my cousin and I have been hooked on it. Environmental Working Group (EWG) is the company that runs the site and I am sure that most companies dislike their research which I can't say is legit but I believe it is. People think that just because a company labels a product as "natural" & "organic" that the product is good and safe to use. These are just words and anyone can advertise with them. I believe using local products with ingredients you can understand and that are simple. You can usually find these at your local health food store. My friends mom has a skincare line sold at Whole Foods Market and she is so passionate about natural ingredients and finding the best ingredients that are safe and all made by her. Not to say that I don't use products made in factories or with big names, I do. I have found that the only problem with not using a toxic product is that you end up using a product that is not as effective. For example, I use Proactiv and for some reason that product is not on EWG site but I am 99% sure that the ingredients are probably deadly. But the thing is, the products on the site for skin cleansers with low toxic levels suck and I will end up with a zit patches everywhere.

Don't be fooled that just because 1 brand like Dove has a specific product that gets a low rating that all of Doves products are good. You will be surprised as to why I posted specific brand products in the pictures below.

Here are SOME of my choices on low toxic level products according to EWG (the rest I have yet to find):

I am satisified with this switch but word on the website is that Nuetrogena Sensitive Skin Sunscreen 60 SPF is a good one too. Sunscreens are so bad for you! Don't trust the big major names when it comes to sunscreens.

I had to retire my Nars blush for Smashbox :( I like it but it doesn't work as well as powder however, you can use it as a lip and cheek 2-in-1

Yay, finally a product that I already use and you can get it at Costco in the double pack!

Cuticle cream is awesome for dry cuticles or dry patches on your skin! I take this everywhere.

I love this eye makeup remover! I really don't wear a lot of eye makeup so this works best for me. I love that it is oil free I really hate that feeling on my skin with oil base ones. This ones cool because they are individual cloths, I bet that builds up pillows in the landfill.

Trust me, you get used to the taste of this toothpaste and then you will never go back to Colgate! It makes bubbles unlike most natural toothpastes which leave you brushing to your saliva.

I have yet to find shampoo, conditioner, face cleanser, or any other cosmetic products I use.

Home made clam chowder easy as 1-2-3

2009-04-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

I was craving clam chowder one night and remembered my mom taught me how to make it once. It really only takes few ingredients and its EASY:

-white or red potatoes will do maybe 3-4 depending on how much you like (chop in squares)

-flour (2 cups give or take)

-milk (2 cups give or take)

-heavy cream

-bacon (finely chopped)

-celery (chopped)

-onion (yellow, chopped)

-canned chopped or whole clams

-parsley (for garnishing)

-salt and pepper

briefly, i just sauté the onions and celery first, add the bacon, put in potatoes and enough cold water to cover the water with some juice from the canned clams. After the potatoes are cooked you add 2 cups of milk and 2 cups of cream (depending how much you want to make) 2 heaping scoops of flour (whisk the milk and flour and cream first in a separate bowl so their are no flour chunks), add the clams at the very end since they are already cooked, add salt and pepper as needed.

Remember, you can always add flour if you like it thicker just make sure to always add a little milk to the flour and stir separately.

BI RITE ICE CREAMERY

2009-04-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

Salted Caramel ice cream from Bi Rite is my new favorite ice cream, EVER. This ice cream changed my life. Ice cream epiphanies really only come around once, maybe twice every century in ones life. I was lucky to get hit with one in my twenties while I can still eat a lot of it and not get fat. Back to this amazing brand... I would imagine you could get the ice cream at their store across the street on 18th in SF but who knows... I try to stay out of that neighborhood because the parking is a bitch. I keep getting off topic - so this ice cream is amazing it is slightly salted and the caramel isn't the usual rich caramel which makes it easier to eat the whole pint to yourself in the car immediately after buying. My friend Allison loves eating it with bacon. Keep your mind open!

2009-04-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

I am not a huge hot popcorn fan but I love to snack on TJ's popcorn with olive oil. Something about the consistency of each popcorn is amazing, airy, and tasty. You can almost taste this roasted olive oil taste. I am totally hyping up this popcorn like its the next best thing since sliced bread.

Doggy lovers!

2009-04-23T15:00:00.001-07:00

I always wanted a dog when I was little but my parents never approved. It was probably better I didn't get one because I have the best little dog now! I always like telling people what I feed her just because I have heard so much about what people are giving their dogs. I have heard the arguments with kibble vs. cans and "commerical" vs. homemade. Everyones an expert, right? I started off giving Lia kibble (Canidae) because that was what the breeder fed her. I noticed over time she wasn't excited to eat and it was always a fight trying to get her to eat the kibble. I switched over to "Blue Buffalo Puppy Formula" which was ok but I really didn't like the idea of her just eating kibble again. I finally found a food that she goes crazy over just when she sees the box and eats it all in 2.2. I have been feeding Lia "The Honest Kitchen" for a few months now and she loves it! It is dehydrated food and the ingredients are simple and it is always a hot meal because you have to mix the food with hot water. Check out the website, they have samples http://www.thehonestkitchen.com

PF Flyers

2009-04-23T14:54:00.000-07:00

I am really into my PF Flyers right now. I have been tired of wearing flip flops around because I constantly have to update my pedicures so rocking the Flyers have been a vacation. I have them in this beige color but I really like the new colors they have out. They are like Converse but way cuter on and SO COMFORTABLE. Plus the price point is pretty reasonable. I really like the "Cousy Hi" ones too- they are all awesome.

Grilly's

2009-04-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

Grilly's is in Mill Valley and it is pretty much over priced Mexican food. I like eating here because I am obsessed with this simple salad in a box. The secret of course is the dressing. The salad is $8 and is packed in there with a lot of salad and chicken. Most places skimp out but for this price you pretty much get what you paid for. I don't recommend anything else here really...maybe the grilled chicken burrito because their chicken is pretty much awesome but everything here is way overpriced.

If you are in MV and you want a quick salad or burrito stop here before you enter the town of botox baby famers.

SUZU!!!!

2009-04-23T14:28:00.001-07:00

Suzu is my favorite place for ramen! I am so hungry just thinking about it right now. People usually tend to think of ramen as the packaged ramen noodles but this is no packaged ramen. Suzu has a variety of ramen flavors and dishes. I always get the same ramen, the Spicy Negi Ramen, I love the spices!

I also just discovered the appetizers (I am usually kind of cheap and skip these and then eat really fast to feel more full). The fried chicken, I forgot how to spell it, is really good dipped in the sauce from this tofu appetizer. I have posted the pictures of all of it so you can see how good it looks.

The things I love about Suzu: located in a mall and there is a good crepe place upstairs, an awesome bakery upstairs that sells cream puffs, FUKU sushi (I have never eaten here but the name is appealing), the parking garage is cheap and so clean.

The things I dislike about Suzu: not open on Tuesdays, it is always so packed you have to get there early, they do not do takeout!!!!

All in all, everyone should try Suzu because its healthy. It is 100% organic noodles and its all vegan. I am lying, it isn't.

King of Thai #1

2009-03-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

Of all the foods in the city, noodle soup gets me every time. I am constantly craving noodle soup and best of all, its cheap. I don't usually eat at chain restaurants but King of Thai #1 on Clement street has a pretty good consistency of good Thai food. I have eaten at the other KOT's and they can be comparable but some of them are just not good. And please do not get it confused with Best of Thai on Haight, that place is not good. KOT #1 serves a tasty hot soup like pho but thai style. I wish they served it with tripe though!

It is hard to find a good Som Tum (papya salad) anywhere! I have to say, the Som Tum at KOT is always consistent. If you like it spicy like I do, make sure to request it very very spicy! We ordered 2 soups and the salad all for $23. Plus, the service is fast!

Korea House adventures!

2009-03-15T10:13:00.001-07:00

little bowls, so cute!

Hot kim chi soup!

Something about little sauce bowls is exciting. I like to see so many options when I am eating which is why I like Korea House. The menu is pretty extensive and pricey. We stuck to kim chi and beef soup and tofu and beef hot pepper marinade dish. All of the meals came with rice and the variety kim chi and some other yummy pickled stuff. The place was really smokey so do not come here wearing a wool coat as I did unless you plan on airing it out in garage over night. The service is slow here, I would make reservations even for two. The atmosphere is really loud and fun! We heard so many random conversations around us we sat in silence laughing at each other over peoples stories. In the end, the food began to taste the same. The kim chi was extremely tasty but not in a good way - too many flavors going on. I would try it out again and order the bbq dinners that come with everything. They are open pretty late too which is always comforting and they around the corner from karaoke!

Sartaj

2009-03-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

Do you like Indian food? I do.

I'm actually not a big fan of Indian food but when I do eat it I make sure to get it from Sartaj in Sausalito. This is a picture of the spicy egg breakfast plate with saag and dahl. If you like spice and eggs then get spicy eggs. Something about the fresh basil and the eggs make me really happy. The food is like home cooking here which is why I don't count Sartaj as eating out and I never feel guilty afterwards (if you are a calorie counter).

I usually get the Saag Paneer plate which is saag and dahl with rice and chapati. Warning, if you come here after a shower you will smell of Indian food all day. Make sure to wear something you don't mind smelling for a little while.

NOPA!

2009-03-13T18:43:00.000-07:00

mmm.. Nopa in SF has a really good appetizer thats simple and probably not that hard to duplicate at home. Warm goat cheese and beet salad is my favorite appetizer at Nopa. It stayed warm the whole time too! We actually were eating it really fast so it seemed like it was constantly warm. I highly recommend trying this dish (and the lasagna!). If you have never eaten at Nopa here is a tip- call and make reservations a week ahead. We came here on a Friday night at 6 when they opened and were bombarded by people coming off work getting a drink from their fabulous drink menu which reminds me, do not order a dirty martini from Nopa. No bueno.

2009-03-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

I never like to spend my money on beverages but this was an exception. The lime aid from Sol Food in San Rafael is so refreshing! I love how it comes in an oversized glass jar so you know that you aren't just getting a cup of ice.

split pea soup

2008-09-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

Split Pea Soup.

There are many variations of the soup around the world. Some have bacon, smoked pork, no meat, etc. No matter what is in Split Pea I love the taste, smell and promising flavor that the little pea continues to provide ones taste buds with.

Forgive me, I ate the soup without taking a picture of it.