candy striping

Tonight I went to Logan's Candies to watch candy canes being made by hand. And, they passed out warm samples :).

these candy canes are made of corn syrup, sugar, peppermint flavor, starch and red color

the peppermint flavor is mixed in the white portion of the canes. the white color is created through this pulling process in which air is added into the mixture.

stripes are created

the canes are pulled, twisted, and rolled from a big slab

cut

bent

crocheting

I've picked up a new hobby. After meeting some ladies at their craft sale, I decided to join their crochet group that meets once a week just around the corner from my office. My brother asked if it is strange that they are a bunch of old ladies and I'm the only young person. I said, "That's why I like it."

My first project is a scarf, but since I don't want to work on it without supervision, I bought some practice yarn to work on my stitching and tension in between meetings. I ended up making another scarf with the practice yarn, so I guess that has become my first project. Anyway, crocheting has become very addicting and a better use of my time than playing Dr. Mario on Gameboy Advance.

eat, eat, eating

My bookclub met this past weekend. The book of choice was Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's a true account of the author's year-long journey through Italy, India, and Indonesia. In keeping with the theme, we ate ravioli, samosas, and Indonesian desserts, along with other foods. One girl said if we chronicled our journeys, the books would be titled Eat, Eat, Eat. The book we read was well-written, but I didn't like the author and couldn't wait for this trip (book) to be over.

buena park

This seems to be the year for theme parks. On Thanksgiving Day, I went to Knott's Berry Farm. The lines were short and we got to ride all the coasters we wanted before we left for dinner. The coasters are just as scary and fast as the ones at Magic Mountain, but less jerky. I think the ones at MM have worn out the shock absorbers with all the traffic they get. After a fun morning and afternoon, I went home to a 17 pound turkey. Gobble Gobble!

the gym

Unusual sightings at the gym tonight. After my workout, I went up to the stretching area and there were two guys wrestling on the mats and then, for a brief moment, a guy dancing while holding on to the stretching apparatus! But since neither disturbed my workout, they're still better than the creepy old guys. I'd consider going to a different gym, but this one has the best facilities and they just put in flat screen TVs.

diamond bar

dinner at Diamond Palace


palak paneer (spinach and cheese), aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower), channa masala (chickpeas), garlic naan (flatbread)


dessert #1: galub jamun (fried dough in a sweet syrup)


dessert #2: my friend made me a beautiful chocolate tort/tart

oktoberfest

Same Alpine Village, same beer, same delicious cheesy fries, same chicken dance, and same sloppy contests, but each year we come better prepared.

valencia

I went to Magic Mountain this weekend. My friend's company had a family day there and we were able to stay in the park after it was closed to the public. We rode 2 rides from 1-5pm (we also ate twice) and 10 rides from 6pm-12am. Final count: X (3 times), Tatsu, Revolution, Batman (2 times), Riddler's Revenge, Scream, Goliath, Colossus, Deja Vu. It's hard to believe that I used to spend hours in line for one ride.






line for X

monrovia

Cars do get you from point A to point B, but they can also be pretty. This weekend was the Monrovia Hot Rod & Custom Cars Show.




shiny chrome cylinders


"why are you up in my grill?"


satin finish

partying like it's 1987

I went to a 10th (x3) birthday party where the theme was Hello Kitty. So cute! But the food theme was tacos! I knew there'd be tacos catered from a restaurant, but I didn't know our hostess would bring in a guy with his taco cart! Chicken, beef, carnitas with rice and beans and horchata. It was so good. I ate four and then took some home. This guy's restaurant is in El Monte, but he caters to various locations, minimum 40 people. My friends have been to other taco parties, but this was my first. Where have I been?

dining out #3

My Dine Out experience ended with a solid finish at Bistro 45 in Pasadena. This place is classy without being uptight. Their Dine Out menu included suggestions for wine pairings and they have an extensive collection. My friend said they've changed their wine list quite a bit since the last time he'd been there and it's only been 1-2 years. There are two dining areas and a patio and they seem to get booked quite often for private parties.

For the first course, I had the house salad, made up of baby lettuce, roasted pearl onions, Paris mushrooms and shaved parmesan. It was a very full salad and I only finished about 1/2 of it, but only because I was too slow. My friends had already finished their soup du jour, which was wild mushroom. It looked good and was drizzled with a pretty mint sauce. For the main course, I ordered the Roasted Maple Leaf Duck Breast with lavender-scented butternut squash and caramelized ginger reduction. This was an adventurous choice for me since I normally don’t like duck, though I am a sucker for butternut squash. I think these French places are winning me over with their sauces. This one didn't completely cover up the gaminess of the duck, but complimented it. I was surprised at how much I could taste the butternut squash in the dark brown sauce, while my friend who got the same dish commented on the taste the lavender. I also tasted the Roulade of Alaskan Wild Salmon with truffled fricassee of leeks and Banyuls Provence vinegar reduction and I have to say it was the best salmon of the three Dine Out places I tried. Tonight I had the S. Pelligrino with my meal and actually liked it. Is my palate changing or am I just easier to please?

For dessert, the menu said "your choice from the dessert tray," but we got a variety of mini desserts--carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, a decadent chocolate layered cake, a lemon tart, and a dark chocolate truffle. Each one had a rich flavor in just the right amount. I would love high tea if they did dessert like this. Alas, they can’t all be Bistro 45.

dining out #2

For our second Dine Out Meal, my friends and I went to The Cellar, a French restaurant in Fullerton. I liked it from the moment I walked down the stairs into the underground restaurant. It is very romantic, though spacious with two dining areas and a full bar. Everything about the The Cellar said fine European dining, from the carpet with the old French pattern to the flowers to the waiters in bow-ties. It has been around since 1970 and was made from the basement of the old California Hotel. Though it is designed to look like a wine cellar, its actual wine cellar is above ground and, with special arrangements, is available for private dining.

True to its name, The Cellar has an extensive and award-winning wine list and there is an expectation that diners partake. We opted for the still water and this time it was Acqua Panna :). We started with herb bread and butter and our first course. We had a choice of French onion soup and Foie de Canard. Having tried both, I say you can’t go wrong with either. Presentation, taste, texture—they were all done well. The main courses came out hidden beneath silver covers and our servers simultaneously uncovered our dishes on the count of trois. We chose between Duck with blackberry sauce and wild rice and Poached Salmon in a Chardonnay sauce. This round went to the duck. The sauce had a wonderful flavor that covered up the gaminess of the duck that I dislike so much. I think it also helps that the duck was very thinly sliced, unlike the big chunks you find at Chinese restaurants. The salmon was soft, but lacked a strong flavor. It makes me want to try the salmon on their regular menu, which is prepared with a rich saffron cream sauce instead. Dessert was Grand Marnier or chocolate soufflé. I preferred the taste of the orange liqueur to the latter, which tasted very similar to a cup of hot chocolate.

I love French food and culture, so I was really looking forward to eating at the The Cellar. It only exceeded my expectations and was such a pleasant dining experience. The food was delicious, leaving me full but not overly stuffed, and staff was charming and attentive from the moment we entered to the time we left.



soupe a l'oignon gratinee au gruyere. french onion soup baked over with gruyere swiss cheese


terrine de foie de canard. duck liver and black truffle terrine served with french cornichons and toast points


salmon poached with a chardonnay cream sauce


preparing the grand marnier souffle, ooh la la!

dining out #1

San Pelligrino is having its 6th Annual Dine Out USA, where participating restaurants serve three-course meals at a fixed price of $25 for lunch and $35 for dinner (not including additional beverages, tax, and gratuity). For each Dine Out meal, Pelligrino donates $1 to Share Our Strength, which benefits starving children in America.

For our first Dine Out experience, my friend and I went to Vert, a Brasserie by Wolfgang Puck. This restaurant is located in the Hollywood & Highland Center and is described on its website as French and Italian. Besides the crème brulee and chocolate soufflé, there is nothing French about Vert. Our server didn’t even attempt to speak French and the menu was more Italian and American than anything else. We were given both the regular and the fixed menus and the prices were about the same, so the Dine Out Menu was not the great deal that we were expecting. Still, we stuck with the fixed menu since it was for a good cause. We both chose the flat water over the sparkling and they brought us each a half liter bottle of Evian. Hmm, what happened to Acqua Panna, as advertised? I hope the money still goes to charity.

We started with three breads served with olive oil, goat cheese, and tampanade. All good. Then came our salads. Caesar with bruschetta and Butter Lettuce with braised artichokes. Both were good sized salads with just enough dressing. The flavor was not overpowering and we were both pretty full after the first course. For the main entrée, my friend had the roasted half chicken with gnocchi and spring vegetables in ratatouille sauce. Again, mild flavor and the texture was soft and tender. I had the Atlantic salmon. The crust was crispy and peppery and the inside was moist. I think they chose their go-to dishes for the Dine Out menu, which were safe and well done, but not fantastic. One of the diners at the next table ordered the Ahi tuna, which is what I would have ordered if I had gone with the regular menu, but they were all out. How disappointing. It wasn’t that late in the service. And that wasn’t the only thing. We had ordered our desserts in the beginning and I was really looking forward to my watermelon granita with gelato, but they were out of that too! Our server offered me the tiramisu instead, but I refused. My friend had already ordered it and neither one of us were that excited about it in the first place. So, I got the crème brulee instead. That was the biggest surprise of the night. I’m never that impressed with crème brulee, but this one was different. It had a thick top shell and was baked in a tart made of filo dough rather than a ramekin. All that and the berries baked inside made it the stand-out dish of the evening.

I’m glad I got to try Vert. The food was good, but I was pretty disappointed in general. Our server was nice enough before we ordered, but after we made our selections, she never stopped to check on us and was abrupt in her demeanor. When she dropped off the crème brulee, she said, “It’s better than the granita anyway.” We think it might have been because the servers automatically get an 18% gratuity with each Dine Out meal. Blah, my suspicions were confirmed. Wolfgang Puck is overrated.

trick-or-treating

I went down to San Diego this weekend to attend the Bridal Bazaar
with my friends who are getting married next year. It was a great place to see what is out there. They had a fashion show featuring wedding dresses, tuxedos, bridesmaid dresses, and flower girl dresses. I liked the dancers who were hired to show off their threads, rather than the angry-looking models who jutted their hips when they walked. That may work on the runway, but that’s not how a bride is going to walk down the aisle.

There was so much to see. Hundreds of vendors filled the convention center, from photographers, DJs, bakeries, invitation stores, wedding venues, travel agencies, to wedding limos, buses, and trollies. We skipped lunch, but I didn’t notice because we filled up on cake samples. Going from booth to booth, opening up our bags and collecting price lists and business cards, it was like trick-or-treating at the Bridal Expo.

Afterward, we went to happy hour at The Melting Pot. From 4-7pm, their salads, cheese, and chocolate fondue are all 50% off. It was very tasty. We started with the traditional Swiss cheese fondue and the spinach artichoke fondue. I found the wine flavor in the traditional fondue overpowering, but it got better after our server added more cheese. The spinach artichoke was excellent. Our salads were refreshing after a day of eating cakes and cheese, but we still couldn't pass up the raspberry dark chocolate fondue for dessert.


traditional swiss cheese fondue, which is a mixture of white wine, garlic, and gruyere and emmenthaler cheese


raspberry dark chocolate fondue with refillable toppings

pigging out and staring at the sky

Yesterday, I went to a birthday party where we feasted on a roasted pig (provided by our host), salad, noodles, rice, tamales, cake, and ice cream. After we were sufficiently stuffed, we drove a short distance to star gaze. The Perseid meteor shower peaks at this time of year and yesterday was a good night for viewing because there was no moon, making the evening sky extra dark. Lying on a blanket on the ground, I patiently waited and saw about 8-10 shooting stars, some of which were long and bright. One looked like the star at the end of those public service announcements that say “The more you know …” Very cool, though I forgot to make a wish.

celebrating island style! the roasted pig had crispy skin on the outside, tender, juicy meat on the inside

the post office

I went to the post office to mail a package.

Postal lady at the counter: Weren't you here yesterday?
Me: Yes
Lady: This morning?
Me: No, just yesterday. I have a post office box, so I have to check it all the time.
Lady: Oh, that makes sense. There is a guy who comes in here every morning and says, "GOOD MORNING, ELLEN!" ever since I processed his passport application
Me: Yeah, and some people are just obsessed with the post office

old town pasadena

My friends and I visited an oldie but a goodie ... Mi Piace in Pasadena, a place that holds many memories for us. It's always been a great place to hang out, sight celebrities, and enjoy good food. Last night was no different, though we did lounge in the swanky bar area before our table was ready. The restaurant was closed for some time while they renovated the bar and it looks better than ever. As usual, no one saved room for any of their gorgeous desserts.

pumpkin ravioli in a brown butter sauce with sage. so tasty! thin skins and a lot of pumpkin flavor.

hamming it up

My friends were visiting from out of town and we were about to have dinner. I suggested Kostas Family Restaurant in West Covina. We were in the area and I've been wanting to try that place since I'm a big fan of Greek food. Turns out Kostas has Greek, Italian, and Mexican. I had a gyro sandwich and my friends had the lamb shanks and Greek salad. The food was good, but the real draw is that they have karaoke on Saturday and Sunday nights. Normally, I don't like karaoke, but there is something liberating about singing on stage in front of an audience of strangers. The crowd was a bunch of regulars, some with their own CDs. They were so encouraging and friendly, "pick a song! any song!" They all said goodbye to each other at the end of the night and wished my friend a belated Happy Birthday. It's an older crowd, but you can't find a nicer bunch.

standing still

This year, I finally got to see Festival of Arts Pageant of the Masters. In past years, I missed it because the weekend shows were sold out. This year, I ordered tickets in March for a July show and the seats were okay, but still pretty far back. Who knows what next year will bring?

So, it was worth the wait and the drive to Laguna Beach. The show is an hour and a half of real people posing to look like original works of art in an outdoor amphitheatre. An orchestra plays and a narrator describes the scenes. I liked it when they broke down one display to show how the lighting, costumes, and set went into creating the final product. It reminded me of 9th Grade English when we were divided into groups to form tableaus of scenes from Great Expectations. That was a fun project. This year, the Pageant celebrated its 75th Anniversary with the theme "Young at Heart." The first act followed the theme by replicating works of art from childhood stories and scenes from adolescence. The second half less so. Next year, the Pageant will continue to celebrate its 75th anniversary (a la Disney?) and the theme will be "All the World's a Stage ..." In order to better see the effects of the lighting and make-up, I hope to sit closer. Maybe even really close. POTM enlists hundreds of volunteers and I signed up to be on their mailing list. We'll see what they announce in January.

Tickets to Pageant of the Masters also gets you admission to the Festival of Arts exhibition.

my socks

The other day, I arrived home after work and removed my shoes. When I walked into the kitchen, I felt something on a spot on the sole of my foot. I thought maybe I had a hole in my sock, but when I looked, no hole. Then, when I removed my sock, out came a paperclip, a large paperclip. Okay, how did a paperclip get into my sock and how did I walk around all day without noticing it? Strange.

descanso gardens

07/07/07 was a very popular wedding date. Alas, my friend missed it by a day, probably because it was too tough to compete with the 30,000 other weddings occurring on Saturday. Anyway, his wedding was beautiful and fun. Very lively and things progressed at a quick pace. Love that.


the gardens at descanso in la canada flintridge




i've been to a lot of weddings, but this was the first one with a mariachi band!


surf and turf--new york striploin and grilled lobster with asparagus and yukon gold mashed potatoes. good, but a little tough for my taste. catering by patina. great service

portuguese

After the Kwik-E-Mart, my friend and I stopped at Natas Pastries, the only Portuguese bakery in LA. I know, it's hard to believe, but Fatima, the super-nice owner, confirmed it. I asked her if she watched Emeril. She said, "Yes, he is Portuguese and I think his show is around here. I should send him a box, because he doesn't know that I'm here, I don't think." This place has all sorts of goodies, but is named after the nata, a custard-filled pastry in a crispy, flaky shell, similar to a Chinese egg tart. The sweets are delicious, but go at the right time and you might run into one of the celebrity regulars, such as Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban, Kevin Bacon & Kyra Sedgwick, or Elizabeth Perkins. For a bakery, it is open pretty late, until 8pm Mon-Fri and 7pm on Sundays.

$20.50 for this box of treats

the kwik-e-mart

Twentieth Century Fox has teamed up with 7-Eleven to promote The Simpsons Movie, which opens Friday, July 27. In a very successful reverse product placement campaign, twelve 7-Eleven stores have been converted to Kwik-E-Marts, the convenience store featured on the TV show. Last week, I visited the store in Burbank. In the middle of a weekday, there was a line outside the door. There was a guy regulating the number of people who could enter the store. Every customer had a camera or cameraphone out, taking pictures of the sign outside, the graffiti on the building signed "El Barto," the funny signs in the store, and the plastic larger-than-life characters. There was a buzz in the air, even though there was no Buzz Cola on the shelves. Everything was sold out. There was no KrustyO's cereal or even pink donuts. I asked the guy when they expected to get more products in stock and he said hopefully by the next day. The turnout was so much greater than what they ever imagined. The day before, a truck drove all the way from Georgia to deliver cups. Okay, so I did get a "Blue Woohoo! Vanilla" Squishee in a Squishee cup. I would have been very disappointed if I left empty-handed. It was a lot of fun and I plan on returning. For Simpsons fans, it is definitely worth checking out, but go when it's less crowded. Remember, they are open 24 hrs.

check out more pics at LAist

singing along

I've already met my summer quota of visiting the Hollywood Bowl. I went twice in the last week. First, for the much anticipated "Sing-a-Long Sound of Music," then three days later for the July Fourth Fireworks Spectacular. Both were great shows.

I took the Park & Ride both times. For the Sound of Music, this meant arriving at the Bowl half an hour before the pre-show. The pre-show is mildly entertaining, but makes for a loooong night, considering the movie itself is 3 hours long. During the pre-show, some German performers sang songs from the movie, yodeled, and cracked jokes and then people lined up for the costume contest. This year, the winner was a person who dressed up like a hand holding a moonbeam. How do you solve a problem like Maria? ... How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand? Once it got dark, they showed the movie on the giant movie screen. The lyrics to the songs appeared on the screen once the actors started singing, karaoke style. I'm the kind of person when I'm driving in my car, I turn the radio on really loud so I don't have to hear myself singing. But, among 18,000 Sound of Music fans, I shed my inhibitions and sang aloud. It's quite an interactive experience, with the whole crowd booing the Nazis, hissing at the baroness, and cheering on our heroine every step of her journey. I heard last year, instead of playing the movie, they had actors performing the whole musical. I don't know what they'll do next year, but I think I might drive to a nearby lot where the parking is not stacked and skip the pre-show.




thousands of cell phones waved in the air as the Captain sang "Edelweiss"

The Fourth of July Fireworks show was fantastic. This year, the Bowl celebrated with music from the old West in honor of the 100th anniversaries of John Wayne and Gene Autry. Grammy award winners Riders In The Sky were the special guests. They did the music for Toy Story 2. The LA Philharmonic started with the "Star-Spangled Banner" and performed classics such as "Theme from Rawhide" and "Baby Elephant Walk" and ended with patriotic songs like "America the Beautiful" set to a huge fireworks show.

being jack

I ordered phone service at the office today. I told the receptionist at the company to call me before the technician came out so I would have time to meet him there. Because they're at different sites for unpredictable lengths of time, it is hard to make an appointment and, at $95/hr, I didn't want him waiting around because the phone box was locked. Soon after, the receptionist called me, saying, "The tech just left Pasadena. You have about 20 minutes." I felt a rush of adrenaline. I felt like Jack Bauer. Yeah, it doesn't take much to get me worked up.

catching up

I've been super busy and haven't had time to write up my latest adventures, but rest assured that I'm still being fed. Hey, a girl's gotta eat. Here's what I've been up to since my last post. Oh, has it only been a week?

Dinner at Jiraffe in Santa Monica. That night the food was only good, not excellent, but at least this place is consistently good.

Salad of Seasonal Stone Fruits on Baby Field Greens, Candied Walnuts, Crumbled Bleu Cheese and Sherry Honey Vinaigrette.
i didn't know what stone fruits were before i asked the server. they are fruits with pits/stones, e.g. peaches, nectarines, cherries


Pan Roasted All Natural Breast Of Chicken, Potato Fondant with a Ragout of Chanterelle Mushrooms, Oven-Dried Tomato, Green and White Asparagus and a Sauce of Roasted Chicken with Thyme Infused Jus.
menu too pricey? mondays are bistro night at jiraffe, where you can get a three course meal for a fixed price. check out the monday night menu under "news & events," as it changes weekly


potluck time again! the theme was "my favorite things," as i was promoting my hollywood bowl sound of music event. i brought my favorite--chocolate fondue!


party favors for my friend's birthday/picnic at the park. how fun is that?

the park

I got to wear my hiking shoes and hike at Monrovia Canyon Park on Saturday. It was refreshing, but an easy hike. I'm sure it did little to burn off what I ate at the two tea parties I attended this weekend.