lets eat.

slidin' thru HQ.

2011-03-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

it's no secret that my favorite sliders ever come from slidin' thru, a food truck in las vegas.

it's also no secret that i am beyond excited for the boys of slidin' thru right now because they just opened up their very own brand spankin' new restaurant!

craving sliders & can't find the truck? no problem!
slidin' thru HQ is open 24 hours, so that means no matter what time of day (or night) it is, you can run on over for some gourmet sliders & superfries (plus other secret menu items)!

needless to say, for me, the drive from LA to vegas is more than worth it!
so the next time you're in town go visit these boys & dine on some drool worthy food!

955 Grier Dr

Las Vegas, NV 89119

eggplant caprese - grilled eggplant. roma tomato. basil. fresh mozzarella. (incredible) balsamic reduction.

ric! the mastermind behind it all.

truckit fest.

2011-03-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

a new food truck festival is in town!

truckit fest's grand opening was this past sunday at LA's union station. if you missed it, don't worry!

because . . . truckit fest will be happening every first sunday of the month. exciting right?!

there were a total of 36 trucks parked & ready to serve up all kinds of food, desserts & drinks!

even though i went there starving, i was still unable to eat everything that i wanted to!

trucks i dined at: mac 'n' roll || komodo || tornado potato || tropical shave ice || fresh fries

as you can see there are tons of other trucks i still need to try. see you there next month?

san jacinto.

2011-03-07T14:30:00.000-08:00

have you ever ridden on the palm springs aerial tramway? it's breath taking!

hop in a rotating tramcar and enjoy a ten minute ride up 2.5 miles of gorgeous mountain views.

once on top you're greeted with a 30˚ temperature drop from the base & 14,000 acres of wilderness to explore!

it's the best of both worlds in the winter! dessert with palm trees at the base & a winter wonderland up at the top.

week's end.

2011-02-18T18:02:00.000-08:00

the rain is already here & it looks like it's forecasted to be gloomy the entire weekend.

here's to hoping that at least a little bit of sunshine can be found.

today was

2011-02-16T23:24:00.000-08:00

rainy & gloomy, yet so beautiful.

{farmers market} wknd edition.

2011-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

i spent some time at the hollywood farmers market this weekend &, of course, ate some delicious food.

while i was there i was finally able to try carmela ice cream!

got a little carried away and tried so many good flavors!

salted caramel, brown sugar vanilla bean, mint cacao nib & the new meyer lemon olive oil!

did you know they're opening up their very own creamery in pasadena?!

it opens today! anyone wanna join me for a scoop, or two?

sorry no photos of the ice cream,

as soon as the spoon was put in my hand it went straight into my mouth.

so soo good!

but i do have a few iphone snaps to share of other food!

how was your weekend? full of delicious food, i hope.

thai coconut cakes & vegetable pupusa

cuppies from casey's.

2011-01-05T00:19:00.000-08:00

some eye candy from casey's cupcakes . . .

aren't the chocolate shavings beautiful?

twentyeleven.

2011-01-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

a time for new beginnings, new inspirations, new adventures & new friendships.

i want to be inspired, loved and excited about life. i need to learn & grow.

2011 is going to be a year of doing, jumping & diving in. putting myself out there.

and last, but not least, this year needs more sunday brunches, like this one from auntie em's!

because life's too short for mediocre food!

happy new year!

rain. rain. rain . . .

2010-12-22T22:57:00.000-08:00

the weather in southern california has been insane!

it's been raining and until today, it literally has NOT stopped since last friday.

today was the first time i saw the sun in 6 days, that's just craziness.

my friend mike posted some photos of what roads have been like here in socal...

check them out! i think you'll be blown away.

the sun is supposed to come out tomorrow.

i plan on spending the entire day outside, soaking up some much needed sunshine!

*when the sun finally did decide to make an appearance this afternoon it was beautiful!

look at those hills! they're finally turning green!

vasquez rocks.

2010-12-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

many times it's so easy to forget how beautiful a place can be if it's where you live.
which is one of the many reasons i love out of town visitors!
they often re-open your eyes to the beauty of your hometown.

this time instead of showing daniel around CA, he showed me a part of it i had never seen.
vasquez rocks - a natural area park just north of los angeles.
i learned that this area has been used in a long list of movies & tv shows.
and i'll have to admit, i was a little hesitant to go, but as it turns out, it's a place i wouldn't mind revisiting.

food trucking.

2010-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

last week irv & i took an out of town friend out for his first food trucking experience ever! we hit the jackpot and found a street that had at least 6 trucks, or so.

the following are a few images from just 3 of our many stops: dumpling station || flying pig || komodo

garlic wasabi fries & pan fried veggie dumplings

carne asada & crunchy tofu

soi - veggie soy tempeh salad w/ savory peanut dressing

krispy kreme craving.

2010-12-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

it doesn't happen very often, but every once in a while i just get this strong craving for a fresh, warm krispy kreme. one of those times was yesterday & oh boy did it hit the spot..

on another note, i have a super exciting weekend in store for me!

two of my amazing friends are tying the knot & i couldn't be more excited or happy for them!

what do you have planned this weekend?

happy friday!

decorations for sale! + a giveaway!!

2010-12-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

i've been a busy bee thinking up + making some christmas decorations for my house! check out my christmas lightbulb garlands :) they're so fun to make that i got a little carried away and made a bunch. so, if you like what you see, head over to i art u! jenn was kind enough to host a giveaway! two of her lucky readers have a chance to win a strand of christmas lights! will it be you??!

if you don't think you can wait for the giveaway to end then fear not! just scroll down & see how you can get your hands on one (or two, or a few!) today!

all garlands are hand cut & strung by me. the lightbulbs are about an inch tall, made out of felt & hang on red and white bakers twine. available in 2 different lengths - 2.5ft or 5ft - shipping included!

perfect for hanging above your desk, adding finishing touches to your holiday decor, adding that special something to gift wrap, or even to give as a gift!

if you have any questions or special requests please don't hesitate to send me an email. i hope you're all enjoying your holiday season so far!

molly's cupcakes.

2010-12-06T00:26:00.000-08:00

some scenes from one of the weekends i spent in chicago..

i find it funny how cupcakes definitely aren't my go to dessert, but i always seem to find myself at cupcake bakeries. maybe because they're always so inviting & i know i'll leave with a happy feeling.

case & point: molly's cupcakes. so fun inside! jam packed with people, loud music playing & delicious desserts being served. plus! a part of their profits are directly donated to schools in their community. what could be better?

grubin' at grub.

2010-11-29T23:41:00.000-08:00

sunday brunches are one of my favorite things.

or brunch any day of the week, i suppose.

simple, yet delicious.

Grub, 911 Seward Street, Hollywood

omelette w/ mushrooms, spinach, brie cheese, roasted onions & white truffle oil

are you yolkin'? egg sandwich, egg w/ cheddar cheese on a toasted croissant w/ dill butter

the dill butter made this sandwich amazing.

hello! kitty.

2010-11-29T00:04:00.000-08:00

some scenes from a sanrio 50th anniversary party i went to a few weekends ago.

i wouldn't necessarily say i'm a sanrio fanatic, but i'm definitely a fan {ok, maybe a closet fanatic}.

this night was, by far, the most asian thing i've ever done & definitely brought out the asian half in me.

hello kitty. food trucks. games. prizes. friends. couldn't have asked for a better night.

Barker Hangar, 3021 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica

grilled cheese truck

caprese melt

cheesy mac melt {yes, it's true, there is mac & cheese in there}

GoodTimes PhotoBooth.

2010-11-23T00:57:00.000-08:00

whew! this weekend was a blast!

a quick getaway to vegas for a 2-day bachelorette party AND a bridal shower!!

a lot of food was eaten, sleep was forgotten, many laughs were heard, and yes, even a few tears were shed.

my only wish was that the weekend could have lasted longer!

for part of the shower i dressed up a wall, stuck up a light and bam! just like that, a photo booth was made! i wanted to share just a few (ok, maybe more than just a few) photo booth photos! enjoy!

{good times banner via banter banner as first seen here! fabric flowers via a diy found on once wed.}

michelle is getting married in 3 weeks & i still can't believe it!

isn't she a stunningly beautiful bride to be??!

happy haul-idays.

2010-11-18T00:10:00.000-08:00

i'm still a little bit in denial that thanksgiving & christmas are almost here...isn't it crazy?
for the holiday season chronicle books is hosting an incredible giveaway! you can win up to $500 worth of books! all you have to do is follow these steps (they're easy!):

1. make a list of chronicle books valued at up to $500 that you'd like to win
2. post that list on your blog
3. go here and submit your blog into the running (you have until december 10th!)

and you know what else is amazing? if you win, one of your readers that comments on your post will win your list of books too! so comment away!

oh and after you comment on my list head on over to i art u & Cocoa Green and comment on their lists too. they both have pretty sweet lists that i'd love to win!

Plenty || byYotam Ottolenghi
The Glorious Past of Italy || by Domenica Marchetti
From Seed to Skillet || by Jimmy Williams & Susan Heeger
Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey || by Jill O’Connor
Tartine || by Elisabeth Prueitt
Flour || by Joanne Chang w/ Christie Matheson
Pops! || by Krystina Castella
Farm Together Now || by Amy Franceschini & Daniel Tucker
1000 Designs for the Garden || by Geraldine & Ian Rudge
Lotta Jansdotter’s Handmade Living || by Lotta Jansdotter
Paper + Craft || by Minhee & Truman Cho
Lotta Prints || by Lotta Jansdotter
Open Studios with Lotta Jansdotter || by Lotta Jansdotter
Volume || by Kenneth FitzGerald
Designers’ Identities || by Liz Farrelly
The Printmaking Bible || by Ann d’Arcy Hughes & Hebe Vernon-Morris
A Year of Mornings || by Maria Alexandra Vettese & Stephanie Congdon Barnes

grand total = $493.10! comment away! maybe we'll both win?! if you make a list of your own, let me know!

a few chicago eats.

2010-11-15T22:47:00.000-08:00

while in chicago, irv planned an entire day of eats + activities in the city :) i happily sat back and did nothing but enjoy the day he had planned. oh, and i'll have to admit, the anticipation of not knowing where we were going to go next definitely added to the excitement of the whole day.

stops included: toast || hot doug's || bleeding heart bakery

toast was such an adorable little breakfast joint! i don't know why i haven't been frequenting this place. i had some of the best scrambled eggs ever, seriously.

pesto scramble. scrambled eggs w/ tomato & gruyere w/ fresh house pesto. served w/ house potatoes.

pancake orgy. one of each: blueberry, banana pecan & lemon poppy seed, topped w/ house berry granola, vanilla yogurt, fresh fruit & drizzled w/ honey.

hot doug's was definitely an experience for me. i'm not very big on hot dogs with toppings. i'm usually content with a plain bun or sometimes a little ranch dressing is perfect. but this time i tried a veggie dog with everything on it.

the pete shelley vegetarian dog.

and finally, bleeding heart bakery for dessert. it's such a colorful & fun place to sit and enjoy some delish baked goods. my favorite things we ate there were the lemon bar & brownie that we ended up buying just as we were leaving, to take home as a snack.

veruca salt {salted caramel in vanilla} cupcake.

definitely wish i was capable of eating more on days like these! there are just too many amazing things to eat & not enough room in my stomach :)

am|photography.

2010-11-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

every day i am so amazed that i am blessed to be surrounded by so many incredibly talented friends.

one of these friends, adriana monsalve, just re-launched her photography website.

when she sent me the link to check it out i was expecting something along the lines of amazing,

but what i found was better than amazing!

she is insanely talented. and that's not an exaggeration.

i love seeing the world through her lens.

i picked out some of my fave images from her windy city portfolio to share...

get ready for your jaw to drop.

enjoy!

Adriana Monsalve

website || blog || twitter

don't stop now! go to her website and explore!

she has so many stories to share with you.

you can find more images from chicago, california, colombia, ethiopia & more!

and after that go to her blog and say hello!

she has one of the biggest hearts of anyone i've ever met.

*nothing but ❤ to you, nunz :)

cloud 9.

2010-11-04T01:57:00.000-07:00

"snow ice is a delicious frozen treat that can be described as a cross between ice cream & shaved ice. it has a fluffy texture much like cotton candy, but melts like creamy ice cream."

have you ever had snow ice? or even heard of it?

because i hadn't until i came across cloud 9.

once i found out it was in chicago i had to go.

irv & i tried mango snow w/ strawberry & mango sauce and chocolate snow w/ strawberry sauce.

and you know what? the texture really is like cotton candy, frozen cotton candy that is!

i'm back from chicago!

2010-11-02T23:35:00.000-07:00

is it really november already?
if you told me it was august i would completely believe you. how is it november?

i have so many adventures from my trip to chicago to share with you, but while i go through all of my photos i'll leave you with a few images from one of my fave restaurants.

sultan's market!

"if it's not our falafel, it's freakin' awful!"

oh how i miss sultan's market when i'm not in chicago. they have the best falafel i've ever had, seriously.

they've done a lot of remodeling since the last time i was there.

look at these photos compared to these photos i took 2 yrs ago.

the next time you're in chicago. go here. it's cheap & delicious. what more could you possibly ask for?

wknd edition.

2010-10-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

my weekend was filled with balloon animals, face painting,
moon jumpers, a piñata, cake & lots of kids.
it was irv's niece's 1st birthday party yesterday
& it was definitely a blast.

more photos to come.

*thanks matthew for the photos

jet plane.

2010-10-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

i'm in chicago!

i got here yesterday afternoon.

looking forward to..

seeing family + familiar faces, meeting new ones, eating, relaxing & embracing some fall weather.

if you so happen to be interested, follow me here, on twitter for a glimpse of what i'm eating.

that is if i can remember to tweet before i eat haha ;)

happy friday!

sitcm5.

2010-10-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

johnny cupcakes there's something in the cupcake mix!

have you heard of it?

if you haven't then you should definitely go check it out.

we go every year & each time it does not disappoint!

click to see photos from '08 & '09.

dinner at tomato pie

cake balls from lil rae cakes. delish.

i honestly cannot emphasize enough what an incredible guy johnny is.

if everyone approached running their business in the way that he does,

the world would be a better place, i'm sure of it :)