Calcium Supplement: Vitafusion Gummy Vitamins

I know, I know. I've been terrible about posting. DineLA has been going on, so forgive me for being busy! BUT, as if I haven't been eating enough at yummy restaurants around the city, I recently discovered something delicious that you should have on hand and eat every single day. Now, as most of us know, we don't get enough calcium in our diets and that can wreak havoc on our bones later in life. If you are anything like me, you buy jars of calcium supplements which you then forget to take. Plus, the pills are so big, they are sometimes uncomfortable to swallow, getting stuck in your throat and at times I swear I've felt as if I was going to choke. I've tried the chocolate calcium chews before too and although they tasted okay, the ones I had were really really sticky and so they took more time to chew than I wanted to alot, plus they'd leave residue on my teeth. Yuck.

Well, the other day I was on Drugstore.com placing an order for essentials and ran across these fruit gummy calcium supplements and decided to try them out. Verdict: They are DELISH. Each 1/4" piece of "candy" has as much calcium as a glass of milk, so eat 2-3 chews a day and you are golden. They also have Vitamin D, which helps with calcium absorption. They look like a swirly piece of candy that might appear on the board of CandyLand or adorning a Hansel and Gretel cottage. Though they are in varied colors, I haven't detected much difference in the way of flavor. They generally taste like a really good creamsicle. Now, don't get me wrong - a regular gummy candy is still better, but these are really really tasty, don't stick to your teeth and chew up nice and fast. You have to remind yourself that they are vitamins though and NOT candy, otherwise, you might keep eating them. And bonus - they don't go bad like that carton of milk and the yogurt sitting in your fridge.

San Francisco Vietnamese: Tu Lan

I spent the weekend in San Francisco, reacquainting myself with the city itself and old friends. While some things appear to have changed in the past ten years since I last lived there, other things remain steadfastly the same, namely the Tenderloin. Nestled blocks away from the tourist destinations of Union Square and the tony neighborhoods of Pac Heights and Nob Hill, the Tenderloin is, to put it mildly, "colorful". Unless you are a law student, have business at a nearby courthouse, or happen to be a frugal hotel guest who somehow, unluckily, ended up booked at the Renoir Hotel under promises that it is "Union Square adjacent", then you have no reason to go the Tenderloin. That is, until now.
On Sixth, a half a block south of Market St., resides a hole in the wall bearing the name Tu Lan. While it certainly looks sketchy, with the people loitering outside, the not so pleasant stenches rising from the street, and the random convenience store on the corner, you would be hard pressed to find better, cheaper, faster, or more delicious Vietnamese food. Score. Enter the restaurant and you are greeted with a few tiny dilapidated tables and chairs and people seated at a long, bustling counter where the food is being prepared at lightning speed. Smoke and steam is rising in great clouds and you may wonder if the place has ever passed a health inspection. Who knows? A drawing of Julia Child eating with chop sticks graces the menu (she was a fan of the restaurant back in the day) and her endorsement isn't given with health code contingencies, so don't overthink it. If you don't get a spot downstairs you'll be ushered up some rickity stairs to an overheated attic area with some tables and chairs. To get over the heat and any misgivings you might have at this point, order a cold beer and peruse the menu. Anything you get will be delicious and fast and reasonably priced, so settle on something quickly. It's too hot up there to loiter! Plus, if there's an earthquake (or maybe even a firetruck going by), the floor is surely to collapse, so minimizing your time up there is probably a good idea.

Although it'd been ten years since I'd been to Tu Lan, nothing has changed about the place at all - not only has it not been painted, but the food is still, happily, the same. I remember the shrimp dishes being very good but since my lunch companion couldn't eat shrimp we settled on the fried pork sausage rolls (No. 2), a bowl of beef pho (No. 7) and a chow mein dish with chicken (No. 19). All of them delish. And huge. There was no way we could finish it all, even with large (and we thought were bottomless) appetites, but with the whole bill ringing in around 20.00, it is worth it to try a few things. The sausage rolls were a huge splurge (in calories, not cost), but so worth it. Seasoned pork sausage covered in a crispy wrapper of goodness and fried to perfection, sliced up, and presented to you on a plastic plate with a bowl of dipping sauce containing vinegar, fish oil and chilis. Oh, artery clogging yumminess, how GOOD can you get? There were two rolls, each about six inches long, and further sliced into three very large pieces. There was no way we could eat all of them, so we rested, before plundering on. Next up in the efficient delivery system was the steaming bowl of pho containing a broth that was really clean and light, and instead of being presented with a plate of fresh basil and bean sprouts and such to season your own soup, it came pre seasoned. Normally this would be a disappointment, but the soup was so well flavored, with just the right amount of peppers and fresh basil, perfectly cooked rice noodles and nice cuts of lean beef tenderloin, the novelty of throwing a bunch of things into your bowl and watching it wilt with the hot broth was soon forgotten. I did decorate my portion with a bit of Siracha sauce, but it hardly needed it. At this point we were about to burst, but up from the bowles of the dragon emerged our server, unceremoniously throwing a huge plate of chow mein on our table along with the bill before she bustled off. And, oh, it was so, so beautiful, what could we do but eat? After garnering some admiring looks from some nearby diners and questions about "what is that?", we dug in.
A gigantic mound of slightly crispy chow mein noodles sauced to perfection with garlic, soy, and other delightful goodness and stir fried with crispy crunchy broccoli, moist and well seasoned chicken and spring onions, it really was to die for. There was a bunch of other veg in her too, but since I was in a food and heat coma at this point I can't remember what they were. Suffice it to say, if you settle on this dish (definitely enough for two on its own), you'll be happy.

Leaving cash to cover the bill (plus tip) on our table, we finally ducked out of there, carefully picking our way down the rickety stairs, past the busy counter and out onto the street where we were reminded once again that we weren't really having an exotic Vietnamese cultural vacay but instead we were in the center of "Traffic". Ah well. So worth it. And, if you venture a few blocks past Powell and you're not in the mood for Vietnamese, Market and Sixth just around the corner from Tu Lan (on Market) you'll find Taqueria Cancun which used to the best burritos ever. I wasn't able to reconfirm their quality this trip around, but they are still in business, so hopefully that's an endorsement to their continued quality.

Recipe: Healthy Eggplant Parmesan. Thanks, HungryGirl!!

This past weekend I was lucky enough to receive an absolutely gorgeous eggplant from my friend's garden. Blasted by the heat of the central valley it was ripe, purple, smooth and just waiting to be made into something delicious. What to do? Grilling it sounded boring. Baking and turning it into a baba ghanoush did not entice me. Eggplant parmesan came as a suggestion and so I headed to HungryGirl (aka Best Blog EVER) to see if she had any recipes to try.

Here it is - tried, tested, and absolutely delicious!!! Extremely flavorful, the eggplant comes out completely crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. This "oven frying" method deserves a big thumbs up. You could make it even better by making your own tomato sauce. Super easy, too!

*****
1 large eggplant,

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large egg whites) - I used Egg Beaters

1 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original) - I used Flax Cereal from Trader Joe's, popped it into a blender with a little bit of salt, pepper and Italian seasonings and ground it up to a cornmeal-like consistency.

1 cup canned tomato sauce w/ Italian flavoring (such as Hunt's Tomatoes Sauce with Basil, Garlic & Oregano) - I used a jar of Trader Joe's Bruschetta Sauce that I had in the cupboard

1 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup reduced-fat grated parmesan-style topping - I just used some regular parmesan I had on hand. Slightly defeating the low-cal goal, but whatever

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice ends off of eggplant, and cut it lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Use a paper towel to blot eggplant slices on both sides (to remove excess moisture). Spray a large baking pan with nonstick spray (I skipped this step).

Coat eggplant slices on both sides -- first with egg whites, and then with cereal crumbs. Place slices flat on the baking pan, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Then, flip slices over and bake until browned on both sides (about 10 minutes longer). Remove pan from oven, but leave oven on. Spread 1/4 cup of sauce over the bottom of an 8" X 8" baking dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Arrange half of the baked eggplant slices evenly over the sauce. Continue to layer ingredients evenly in this order: sauce (1/4 cup), mozzarella and parm topping (half of each), sauce (1/4 cup), eggplant (remaining slices), sauce (1/4 cup), and cheeses (remaining amounts). Cover dish with foil and return to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until heated throughout. Allow to cool slightly, and then cut into quarters. NOTE: I had some regular tomatoes that I needed to use so I sliced these on top of the last layer of eggplant and sprinkled a little more seasoning on top before popping it in the oven.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Serving Size: 1 generous portion (1/4th of recipe) Calories: 170Fat: 2.5g Sodium: 872mg Carbs: 29g Fiber: 13g Sugars: 5g Protein: 15g

Fresh Teas - Comforting, Delish and Low-Cal

There is a time and a place for bagged tea -- and those times should be limited to camping, traveling, and, maybe, sometimes, sheer and utter laziness. Your bagged tea collection was undoubtedly plucked off of the shelf at the grocery store in some bygone era, waiting on your kitchen counter to be submerged into hot water at anytime over the following five years (maybe longer). Even if the bags are individually foil wrapped (Stash brand, for example), the freshness suffers-- though you probably don't realize it unless you've had fresh tea leaves before. Because fresh tea is so incredibly delightful, I command you to scurry on down to your local Lupicia store or order some online. You will thank me later.

If you've never had fresh tea before, then you are in for a treat. The flavors are more pungent and pronounced than anything in pre-packaged tea bags at the grocery store. Immediately upon contact with the hot water you can see color steeping out of the leaves - no waiting ten minutes til your tea is cold to see a little color in the cup. Not to mention the amazing smells wafting up to your nose, which are released from the dry leaves themselves but become even more amazing once they've made contact with water. And the variety of flavors - oh heaven. I spent a good half hour at the Lupicia store in Century City over the weekend picking up tin after tin and giving a good sniff - eventually dulling my olfactory senses, but enjoying every second of it. There are teas with berries, teas with bits of kiwi and grapefruit, teas brimming with gorgeous flower petals, delicate green teas, smokey dark teas, minty teas with hints of lemongrass, and for the sweet tooth there are teas with essences of honey and chocolate (all varieties) and coconut and cookies. And every plain variety you can imagine from your basic chammomile (with beautiful flowers as opposed to chammoile "dust" present in the store bought version) to a nice black tea perfect with a bit of milk. There are even orzo teas which are a decent substitute for coffee - less strong and decaf, but with a dark roasted coffee flavor. Another good source for fresh teas online is Tea Laden.

Of the flavors available at Lupicia, my hands down fave is the Rooibos Mediteranne, a wonderful dark, decaf rooibos tea with bergamot - a high end version of your normal Earl Grey. You can, apparently, only pick this up online now as they have discontinued it in the stores. From Tea Laden I enjoy the Black Currant.

Once you've chosen a tea be sure to order a tea infuser - these infusers from Finum work well but whatever infuser you get make sure it has a very fine mesh so that the tea leaves don't float through. So many infusers out there are not fine enough and can really put a damper on your tea experience - who wants to be plucking tea leaves from between the teeth?

Once you've gathered the supplies, boil some water (I only like water boiled in electric tea pots or on the stove - water boiled in the microwave leaves a weird white film which is distasteful), add a teaspoon of tea leaves to the infuser, cover with hot water and steep for 3-5 minutes. Happiness in a mug.

Sprinkles Begone: Kiss My Bundt Is Kicking Butt

Almost everyone loves cupcakes. That perfect portion of cake, complete with frosting and sometimes a little decoration is so self-contained, so perfect, and so manageable. Who cares that some can down THREE of them in a sitting - they can still claim that, oh, it was "just" a cupcake. In Los Angeles the cupcake fad has been upon us for awhile and little cupcake boutique bakeries selling "designer cupcakes" have been sprouting up all over L.A. for some time selling overpriced, very pretty, and sometimes also delicious little morsels. The most well known of these is Sprinkles, which has been featured on multiple TV shows and maintains a continuous line of celebs, tourists and locals, patiently standing on the sidewalk in front of the upper crust Beverly Hills address, waiting for the chance to turn over an exorbitant amount of cash for a red velvet - or maybe a chai tea cupcake.

While I do like Sprinkles' red velvet cupcake (although I think it is too crumbly now that I've been shown the way), and I've also sampled Yummy cupcakes (tasty, too) and Crumbs (too many ridiculously sugary toppings, in my opinion), all of them might as well shut their doors now that Kiss My Bundt has come on the scene. As the name suggests, Kiss My Bundt is launching a one store attack on the cupcake fad, attempting to replace it with, you guessed it, BUNDT CAKES. And wow. They single handedly may just win the battle.

Chrysta Wilson is the founder and owner of the shop and can be found there most any day of the week baking up her own perfected recipes for mouthwatering, moist, tender, light and delicious cakes which you can get in three sizes. Of course the normal sized large bundt cake is available (or can be special ordered). There's the baby bundt (the size of probably 1.5-2 cupcakes) and mini preemie bundts, which are just a mouthful. Topped with any number of rich and creamy homemade frostings or perfect glazes, and these things are really worth writing home about.

Chrysta has about a zillion flavors that she can make, though she generally only has about 10 to 15 flavors available on any given day (you can special order a large sized bundt cake or a minimum of 3 baby bundts of any flavor at any time - just give them four hours notice). Flavors include red velvet, German chocolate, milk chocolate, luscious lemon drop, carrot, 7-Up pound cake, and strawberry lemonade, to name a few. There's also a myriad of hand whipped and stirred frostings, glazes and syrups adorning the tops including lemon glaze, cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, etc. The full menu is on their website. Drool trays recommended. Or at least a napkin. Every single flavor that I've tried has been consistently amazing - perfectly moist, perfectly flavored, perfectly divine, but my personal faves are the red velvet or the luscious lemon with my own requested additions of cream cheese frosting and coconut (yes, I know it comes with glaze, but just entertain my absolute gluttony and add cream cheese frosting and coconut shavings too - PLEASE, thank you). Bonus neato: Chrysta offers baking classes too -check the Kiss My Bundt blog here or call for deets.

Though they are definitely lacking in the corporate and institutional smoothness of Sprinkles (the labels look like they were printed out on a home printer), and they don't yet have that "I'm better than you because I have-or-am-at SPRINKLES" attitude, they do have the charm of a local "mom and pop" (or maybe just "mom") business and they have cake that will send you to the moon with one bite. Or at least send you to the corner of 3rd and Crescent Heights over and over and over again (free valet parking in back).

ALO Workout Pants: The Perfect Pants For Exercise

Somehow working out is so much better with cute exercise clothes. But, unfortunately, finding the right fit for both you and your workouts can be challenging. I prefer to workout in exercise pants as opposed to shorts, but finding the proper combination of fit and function has been difficult. In fact, I have a number of pairs of pants that remain discarded in the corner of the drawer, eventually donated to goodwill and/or returned to the retailer because the rise is too short, the fabric too heavy or too light, or, most embarrassing, they don’t stay up, especially when running.
These ALO beauties (cleverly standing for Air Land Ocean) hailed to me from the super clearance rack at the Sport Chalet and I decided to give them a try, since they'd been marked down to only 15.00. For a quick impulsive decision made on a brief stop to pick up an emergency gift for a friend (I'd been too preoccupied to order something online in time), the pants turned out to be a fabu find. In fact, I love them so much that I've gotten rid of all of my other workout pants and replaced them with ALO brand pants that I've picked up from various online retailers for a steal. The weight is perfect - medium, not too light, not too heavy. And, since I don't like that slick polyester feel of a lot of workout clothes, these are perfect - they are more like a brushed cotton which holds its shape, while being comfortably form fitting and wicking. The tags say that they are 90% nylon and 10% spandex knit jersey - the jersey must make a huge difference and I credit it for getting rid of that icky shiny look that a lot of exercise clothes have.
They have proper wicking technology and proper stretch technology and the website even boasts that there's antimicrobial technology too, so you are covered on all sides. Complete with a wide hidden waistband that is properly medium rise (not too low to give you plumber's crack and not so high that you feel as if you are wearing some 80's high waisted sweats), they also come in several lengths and are flattering enough to run to the store in (Stacy and Clinton might not agree that they could be a "sweat suit alternative", but who cares). Most importantly, they stay up during a jog.
Many of them come with cute color blocking on the waistband too (Navy with Sea Green color block or Black with Lavender color block), making them more fun than the regular black workout pants AND some of them even have a little zippered key pocket, perfect for if you are doing a boot camp and just need to have your car key on hand. And a note to tall girls - the long versions are the perfect length for us, properly going to our shoes without exposing our ankles. The cropped ones are great too!
You can pick them up from the ALO website (wedge color block long pant for 60 and capri pant for 50) but I found better prices on this site - 34.00/each

Taco Truck Review Installment 2: Don Chow Tacos - Mexican Chinese Fusion

One of the things I love about L.A. is the pure variety of things that you can do if you get on a few mailing lists and stay reasonably aware about what is going on. Another thing that fascinates me about L.A. (notice that I didn't use the word "love") is the obsession with fads. Currently the food community is in the Taco Truck Fad, with more launching everyday. Now some appear to be taking this to new levels (like the new Nom Nom truck, which supposedly serves Vietnamese street food), but others are trying to recreate what they know already works, while trying to lend it a few twists. Enter Don Chow Tacos - otherwise known as the attempt to capitalize on the Kogi phenomena by creating Mexican tacos with a Chinese twist. I'd heard about Don Chow before, but, since I refuse to twitter and Don Chow hasn't yet established itself in the way that Kogi has with an actual bar where you can order their food, I hadn't bothered to track it down.
Then one of my list serves organized a tasting with Don Chow and, after corralling some friends and signing up through Pay Pal (12.00), we counted the days 'til we could check it out.

The hot August day finally arrived and, after making sure the beer was secured in a shopping bag in the back seat (along with some unassuming plastic cups), we headed to uncharted territories of downtown L.A. The directions proclaimed that, at one point, we would see a "parking lot of taco trucks", but to proceed past that and park on the street. And it was true. A parking lot of Los Angeles Street Food Heaven. There were the three Kogi trucks (the signs visible above the concrete wall) and countless other unidentifiable taco trucks parked in a city block worth of space. Making a mental note of Roja and Verde, we proceeded down the street where the Don Chow truck was pulled out and setting up shop.

Within half an hour there was a rag tag group of Angelinos of all ages standing on the street waiting for the tasting to begin. Some had brought lawn chairs to park themselves on and others blankets. The true intrepids came only with their empty stomachs. A few people brought cameras so they could photograph the food (including me, although the photos are still sitting on the memory card). As far as we could tell we were the only ones drinking out of gigantic plastic party cups. Ummm - apple cider people, apple cider.

We received a short lecture from the Don Chow guys - super nice USC grads who have day jobs and no formal culinary training, but who decided to launch the taco truck because of their love of food. One of them confessed with a smile that originally they were getting up at 4 a.m. to bake their own bread for the tortas but they soon abandoned that practice in favor of purchasing the bread and getting some more shut-eye. Currently they only operate on weekends.

The truck was your run-of-the-mill taco truck, still adorned with the original menu proclaiming hot dogs and burgers. Just to be clear - there are no burgers or dogs available. We each received a ticket with the tasting menu on it, and lined up for the food. Every time we were handed a new round, the item on the ticket was crossed off. Don Chow is organized!

The items we tried were the following:
ROUND ONE:
A round of tacos containing a Kung Pao Chicken Taco, a Chinese BBQ Pork Taco and a Soy Ginger Shrimp Taco.

The Chinese BBQ Pork taco was a definite hit - perfect flavors of soy, hoisin, ginger and garlic with zing. LOVED it.

The Soy Ginger Shrimp taco was STUFFED with nice sized shrimp that were well cooked and seasoned, though I would have preferred more of a punch of the ginger. Not sure what was Chinese about the avocado topping, but I love avocados so no harm no foul. It was, overall, a nice flavor and the shrimp were delicious. Not sure that the tortilla added anything -- I could just eat a plate of those shrimp.

The Kung Pao Chicken was passable, though I think it could definitely be improved upon. I can't say that there was anything Kung Pao about it. There was basically chicken (tender and of good quality) sautéed in Chinese spices, garlic, and probably some soy, but it missed the mark as far as the Kung Pao goes. It really could have used some scallions, peanuts, and some more spice.

Overall review of the tacos: stick with the Chinese BBQ Pork and maybe a shrimp one and you'll be happy. I think the Kung Pao could be improved upon, but don't bother ordering it until it gets fixed up.

ROUND 2:
1/2 of a Kung Pao Chicken Chamale, 1/2 of a Soy-Ginger Tofu Burrito and 1/2 of a BBQ Pork Torta.

The BBQ Pork Torta was the same filling used in the BBQ Pork taco, except that instead of the tortilla it was sandwiched inside a lovely torta. Don Chow's torta supplier rocks and this was much more successful than Kogi's attempt at a "slider" because the torta was light and not too bready. If you love the pig you'll love the BBQ Pork torta. Just different packaging, but delish all the same. Don Chow has this filling down.

Verdict on the Chamale - the dreaded "okay". The corn cake was really good and moist. Plus, unwrapping a tamale is always a little like unwrapping a present and who doesn't like presents? But the fascination ended after a few bites. The filling was the Kung Pao chicken filling, although it didn't seem as course as the taco filling, maybe because it had been steamed into the tamale so it took on more of a "pulled chicken" texture. The spice was definitely there but again, if you eat something that pronounces itself as "Kung Pao", then you probably have a very different expectation. At the very least, you expect some peanuts. The Pao didn't wow, as far as I'm concerned.

The Soy Ginger Tofu Burrito missed the mark entirely. Really just a refried bean burrito with a chunk of soft tofu thrown in there. No texture to speak of and the whole thing was a mushy mess. I love a good bean burrito as much as anyone, but this one was pretty flavorless. Plus, there was no real reason for the tofu to be in there other than to distract your mouth with a mooshy mushy flavorless goo. Even the yummy salsas on hand (habanero and a verde salsa) couldn't save this one. We all agreed that this one could have been improved if the tofu used had been a super firm tofu that was marinated first and then fried or baked so that it crisped up, thereby offering up some more textures (I should note that the Don Chow guys said they marinated it, but that flavor didn't some through). Really, I think this one requires so much work that it really isn't worth it. If you're a taco truck operator with a vegetarian option, either make sure it is a dish that wows the tastebuds or skip it all together. If it's not good it distracts more from your menu than it would if you just didn't have a veggie option at all.

ROUND 3:
Surprise round of Carne Asada "Chao Fen" (aka "Chow Fun").

This is something that the guys are testing out and, in my opinion, represents where they could really go with this truck. Delicious shahe fen wide rice noodles sautéed in soy sauce, garlic and spices with bits of beef thrown in and served with a fork in a little cardboard box. Greasy, chewy, yummy, flavorful, perfect for a late night post 2AM snack, and definitely something that would end up on the "Must HAVE NOW Craving List." Unfortunately I could only eat two bites because I was so full, but I give this one a big thumbs up.

OVERALL THOUGHTS FOR OUR DON CHOW PALS
I think Don Chow is a good concept, but they need to think a little less about copying Kogi and the Mexican twist and think a little more about really getting fun food with Chinese flavors into the hands of Angelinos. For example, they could shed the typical lettuce/cilantro/onion Mexican taco toppings (which were sort of haphazardly thrown onto the tortillas) in favor of things that would go with the Chinese fillings - peanuts, scallions, sesame seeds, more ginger, etc. They could also get rid of the typical tortilla and maybe use Chinese pancakes - like the ones served with moo shu pork, or a scallion pancake.

Along the same line (and obviously pending an analysis of the cost of ingredients and the difficulty of preparation), they could change up some of the other dishes with more of a Chinese flair - i.e., have a burrito, but fill it with Chinese black bean concoction and maybe some fried rice, for example. They could also make some kicking veggie options with veggies stir-fried in Chinese spices and flavorings and used to stuff a burrito or a taco type dish. A duck option would be amazing, but possibly cost-prohibitive.

I hope these guys succeed because they have a great attitude and I think they are getting more creative with their menu, if the Chow Fun is any indication. If you ever get the chance I encourage you to try them out. And if you're not lucky enough to have a tasting arranged for you, then check them out on Twitter. Plastic party cups with "apple cider" highly recommended.

Taco Truck Review Installment 1: KOGI Korean Mexican BBQ

I don't twitter, track things on twitter, or read tweets. I also don't wait in line. So, I thought I'd never be allowed to experience the KOGI (practically a deity, the KOGI must be in all caps). But, after some savvy internet research it became apparent that you can head to the Alibi Room in Culver City where they serve the same food everday except Sunday starting at 6 pm. Sweet.

Another benefit of the Alibi Room is that you can enjoy libations and, if you time it right, couch your behind on a seat instead of wolfing down your food standing on a street corner after waiting in line for an hour and a half (or so go the stories of the KOGI truck, but I digress). If you get there on a Saturday get there at 5:45, stake your seat at the bar and order a beer. It will be so crowded by 6:05 you won't be able to find a seat. Otherwise it's not so bad - getting there at 7:00 on a Monday night yielded plenty of seats. If all else fails you can order to go.
I've been to the Alibi Room twice thus far and this is my overall review.

The food. Oh, the food. Heaven. I've tried the following:

Kim chi quesadilla - interesting. Not bad, not great, just interesting. Certain bites yield spicy kim chi yummi-ness. Other bites yield all cheese (an orange cheddar). I think more Siracha would have made mine better. And the tortilla could have been crispier, I think, which would have ended up with a better result.

Hot Dog with Kim chi - delicious. Though the bun is a little bready, I would recommend just shedding it and chowing down on the dog and toppings. Somehow the really good quality beef frank works with the kim chi in a subtle spicy manner. At first your mouth thinks you're in a ball park and then accepts confusion when the chi hits, but it's all good.

Spicy Fries: Nirvana.
They're crispy on the outside, soft in the middle and now I know to dip my fries in sesame mayo and/or a lot of siracha. No matter what you get you must get these. They are dusted with something that looks like cayenne, but really, the dip is where it's at.

Sliders: unless you are really into bread don't bother. The filling is the same as the tacos, but it's sandwiched between a bready bready bun. I say next unless you want a tummy of spongy enriched flour.

TACOS - Ah. KOGI TACOS. Nirvana on crack. They come in a little tray of three and you can choose chicken, pork, shortrib or tofu or a combination. People, you're at a bar eating Korean BBQ. If you were that into tofu, you wouldn't be there, so stop pretending. Just say no. What's the point? Chicken tacos: too dry. Shortrib and Pork: I can't decide which is my fave. The meat is good quality, very finely diced, seasoned impeccably and then mixed with a korean slaw with kim chi, cabbage, sesame seeds, etc. and served on little tortillas. Get a set of three (I get two rib and one pork) and a side of fries. Top it off with a Shock Top ale and you are good to go. Sit back and watch the crowd.

For two people I recommend ordering two sets of tacos, fries, and, if you are hungry, one more dish to split like the dog.

The Alibi Room has dessert ice cream bars too with cool flavors like guinness and chocolate. But they're nothing spectacular. Skip dessert and have another taco. And then tell your friends in NY that yes, you went to KOGI and it rocked. Nanny nanny na! KOGI gets bonus points for trying to be green. Utensils are optional and the food comes in cardboard trays.

Stay tuned for Taco Truck Review Installment 2 coming soon.

Book Recommendation: Love or Something Like It by Deirdre Shaw

Still looking for that book with which you can wind down the last few days of summer while sipping a cool drink on your patio or burying your toes in the sand? I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel a bit guilty indulging in the typical "chick lit" books since they are sometimes so extraordinarily simple I feel my brain atrophying or they are so cloyingly sweet that my teeth actually hurt. This book, is, happily, neither. Sure, it has all of the elements of "chick lit" - the main female character telling things from her perspective while she traverses the trials and tribulations of dating and relationships with men (well, boys, really). But this book is more - it is real and substantive and raw as the main character deals with a failed marriage, a career on the rocks and the issues unique to dating and living in Los Angeles (i.e., not knowing if you are really dating someone exclusively, assuming that you aren't, and the particular uncertainty that arises when men have access to 1 million gorgeous 21 y.o. models, which population is constantly being replenished). It's sweet and sad, making you wonder if the fairy tale ending will deliver -- not to spoil the book, but it does - in a non-traditional way.

I do think that should you decide to pick this book up, give yourself and entire beach day to enjoy it and then some. Or you may find yourself hunkered behind your desk with the book hidden under cover of a 3-ring binder and your computer screensaver blacking out your "work".

Kale Salad: Healthy and Filling

The vegetable aisle is full of all kinds of things that I'm not too sure how to eat or cook and one of these things shrouding itself in mystery is kale. Kale or borecole is a form of cabbage green or purple in color, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms. It is super healthy, very high in beta carotene, vitamins K and C, calcium and is considered to have potent anti-cancer properties. Thanks Wikipedia!!!



In anycase, it's super dark green and leafy and therefore is ridiculously good for you. But how to make it? Well, apart from the normal steaming, stir-frying, throwing it in some soups, this kale salad is scrumptious, perfect to take to lunch, is very filling, and also relatively low calorie (if you watch the cheese and nut additions). I cannot take credit for this recipe, as it was given to me by the lovely T., but I absolutely adore it. WARNING: Be prepared to chew a lot as the kale is very sturdy.

Kale Salad

1 bunch of kale chopped and removed from the ribs
Wilt it in a pan. I use a little veggie stock or water - about 1/4 cup - heat it up and throw the kale in there for about 3 minutes or so.

In a separate bowl add lots of ingredients:
feta cheese, dried cranberries, pine nuts, a whole shredded or chopped carrot, 1 whole cucumber chopped, avocado and/or tomato if you like. You could also add garbanzo beans, chopped chicken breast, broccoli - whatever you have around. I really love the cranberries and pine nuts though and think they add so much to the salad.

Add the wilted kale, squeeze 1/2 of a fresh lemon over it, season with salt and pepper and olive oil if you like. That's it. It holds up very well for lunch and is super filling as well. Here's to superfoods (that's for you, D!)

Amazing Convertible Dress (Butter by Nadia - $246 and Up)

Internet surfing has done it again - brought me to something perfectly wonderful. Now, to be fair, I am not completely certain that it IS wonderful as I haven't purchased one for myself, but it LOOKS wonderful and some good googling research surfaced some other reviews that were extraordinarily positive.

Gorgeous drapey fabric in sumptuous colors and patterns: Check.

Looks as if it would be flattering on every single body type: Check.

Renders the ever horrifying "size chart" experience null and void because it's one size and fits all sizes up to 16: Check.

Cost can be rationalized because the dress can be configured in a multitude of ways so that you can convince yourself that you are getting 30 outfits for the price of one: Check.

There's this convertible jersey number pictured here in three of its possible configurations, and a number of other styles on the website, including a very classy version made of satin. And if you or someone you know is getting ready to go all out for a crazy wedding extravaganza, this is one dress that all of the bridesmaids can REALLY and TRULY wear again. The demonstrative videos on the website appear to give you all you need to know to look glam in a second, and the wrapping of the dress into the different styles looks like a cinch.

What can I say, I'm in love - LOVE - and if I had a few extra hundreds laying around and felt like I could splurge in this crap economy, I would. So please do it for yourself and report back. Pretty please?

Restaurant Review: The Tasting Kitchen (1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice)

Yesterday evening I had planned to have dinner with a dear friend of mine - a celebratory friend date, actually, rejoicing in her new role as mommy and also reconnecting over a glass of wine and tasty treats sans the little one. Although we had originally planned to try Cjelina, the wait was 45 minutes (apparently Cjelina is not experiencing that little thing called a recession). Rather than waiting, we strolled down the street and, serendipitously, in fact, happened upon the Tasting Kitchen. When we came upon it my friend remarked that she had read something about in a blog or article recently and wanted to try it. We walked past the lovely bamboo covering the windows and into a homey little restaurant with lots of wood and cozy tables. Rather than walking straight into the dining room, there is a suspended wall separating the dining room from the door way, making a sort of hall/entry way, at the end of which is the host. When we were ushered around the wall and seated at the table, we noticed that contained in the suspended wall is a fireplace, adding to the comforting atmosphere.

Apparently the Tasting Kitchen (which replaced a defunct restaurant) is a temporary set-up while the restaurant undergoes some changes. I hope it doesn’t undergo too many changes because it is just delightful the way that it is. The menu is handwritten everyday, with spaces to be filled in for various food groups. I.e., "hen", "pork", "beans", etc. It's roughly set up into four sections with the first two supposedly being more like appetizers (as the server informed us), then entrees and then desserts. The division between the sections is really nothing more than a few extra spaces, so I'm still not sure what makes a "hamburger" more of an appetizer rather than an entrée, but I digress.

Unique takes on comfort foods with lots of seasonal ingredients is how I would describe the menu. The wines are listed at the end. Service was extraordinarily friendly and pleasant, and when I asked for a red that was really fruity I was told that although they didn't have one that evening that he would recommend, that he would be happy to open a bottle of an Italian wine that he thought would fit the bill. I also appreciated the fact that he volunteered that his suggestion was only $8/glass instead of leading me astray.

In any case, the La Crima was delicious, with lots of blueberry and notes of vanilla, setting off the evening and allowing us to settle in with the menu. We ended up sharing a really lovely dish of sautéed green beans, crushed toasted almonds, pancetta and a few chunks of creamy burrata thrown in - a nice use of burrata outside of the usual burrata caprese route. The other appetizer was also unique - endive, just barely coated in a browned butter sauce, with a little soft apricot compote and a tiny bit of sage. Fresh, not overwhelming, and delicious. I opted for the roasted hen with baby rutabagas and kale and my friend opted for the burger. I did not try the burger, but it looked great and I can attest to the quality of the fries - made better by the addictive aioli dipping sauce which was more sage than garlic and obviously using very very high quality olive oil. Again, a unique take on the usual garlic aioli. The chicken was perfectly cooked, juicy, and just what I was looking for. A shared apricot tart rounded out the meal with flaky pastry, ripe apricots and a little vanilla ice cream on top. Not cheap but not outrageous - the entire bill was 100 (before tip, with three glasses of wine).

I recommend trying it before they revamp the place (target date - the beginning of Fall).

Hydration - And Possible Migraine Relief? Vita Coco Coconut Water

The first time I ever had coconut water was on a tropical Brazilian beach. The vendor brandished his machete, hacked a coconut off of one of the branches he had in his stall, gouged a hole in the top and handed it over with a straw in it. Because it had been sitting on ice, the liquid inside was cool and refreshing. Not to be confused with coconut milk, coconut water has the consistency of water, is clear in color, with a slightly sweet flavor and a cucumber-like cool aftertaste. Throughout the trip I enjoyed "Coco" on many occasions and learned from the locals that it is their recommended cure for stomach ailments, hangovers, or just as a treat on a hot day. I shudder to think of the number of coconut shells that I left behind, still with their delicious coconut jelly inside, which I could not get at unless I bothered the vendor to hack it open for me.

In anycase, coconut water is now being marketed in a box as a drink (you can pick it up in 1L boxes as well as single serving packages at Whole Foods), and the taste is almost as perfect as that which you would find on a Brazilian beach. Of course drinking from a box isn't quite as romantic as drinking from the coconut itself, but it is nice that the flavor hasn't suffered. I've been drinking a lot of it lately -a glass after exercise - and because of the high levels of potassium and electrolytes in it, it has been doing wonders for my hydration (yes, I'm guilty of failing to drink my RDA of water). Many people claim to have gained migraine relief from drinking it as well, since dehydration can sometimes cause migraines. I don't know if that is really the case, but since I've been downing it lately I haven't had any migraines in the past few weeks. It is much better for you than those sugared and artificial sports drinks and only has 45 calories per serving. There are two brands available at Whole Foods and I haven't really noticed a difference between either. What can I say - I'm a fan. Of course I'd rather be in Brazil, but in this case, you can let Brazil come to you!

A MUST For Any Tea Drinker: Tea Mug With Infuser (17.99)

There is nothing that beats a really good cup of tea. And while pre packaged sachets of tea work in a bind, nothing can hold a candle to a hot cup of tea brewed from real tea leaves and using hot water heated in a kettle. And non of that microwaved stuff. For some reason the microwave leaves a weird bubbly film of what must be radiation in the water. Ick!

Anyway, the idea of a tea mug with an infuser is one of those things that generally seems better in theory than in practice. (Not unlike other things that I could name, but this a G-rated blog, so I won't say anymore!) Usually the infusers don't fit properly and have holes so big that you are left with a mug of tea mud that must be chewed because of the sludge formed by all of the escaped tea leaves. Hardly appetizing. And those little ball infusers are not much better since they often don't close properly and the holes are also too big, allowing too many leaves to sneak through. Not to mention that your mug of tea goes cold while it is steeping. And while tea pots are another option, many of us don't need to make tea for four.

Well, this is the best tea mug that I have ever seen and, having tested it this morning, operates just as you always imagined a tea mug with an infuser SHOULD operate, only possibly better. It is nice and big, holding 14 oz. I don't know about you, but I hate little cups of tea that hardly allow me to enjoy even a minute of my show or a paragraph of my book before it is gone. The infuser is very fine so nothing is leaking through, plus it sits snugly into a ceramic base which is then plopped into the cup, making a seal so that no steam escapes around the edges and the contraption can be easily cleaned. And then there is the lid, which fits over it all so tightly that the mug will stay nice and hot while steeping. And even better, the lid flips over so that you can lay it alongside your mug and there is a groove in the middle wherein you can place your used and dripping infuser safely to the side while you sip. It really can't get much better. I was lucky enough to receive mine as a gift, but after doing some research this morning, you can order yours from Amazon. It is distributed by a company called For Life Design, but it looks like they only sell wholesale through their site so you need to get it from Amazon Marketplace. For Life Design also has a nice photo of the mug, so you can see how the infuser sits in the lid. I'm a HUGE, HUGE fan!

Kitchen Gear You Can't Live Without: Prep Bowls With Lids ($20/set of six)

I first came across these while helping my girlfriend out in her kitchen one day. Looking around for a plastic bag in which to deposit 1/2 of an onion for later use, I had one of these little bowls thrust into my hand and it's been love ever since. When I got home I ordered a set for myself and I use them every single day. Perfect for a variety of things, not the least of which is holding 1/2 an onion, you really will find that these things are indispensable. They hold about 1/2 a cup and are perfect for storing the little bits of things that are too small to put in a gigantic tupperware - like sauces and dressings and even a lunch sized serving of strawberries. They're glass, which is a huge plus, and the lids stay on fabulously. I often mix up just enough vinegar and oil salad dressing for one salad, pop the lid on, shake the dressing up, and then take it work with me for topping my lunch. In fact, it is small enough that you can often fit it into the bigger container with your salad for a perfect bagged lunch. At $20 for a set of six from Pampered Chef, you can't go wrong. In fact, you'll find them so useful, I really would recommend ordering two sets.

Lunch or Dinner Suggestion: Super Easy and Super Yum BBQ Chicken Salad

I'm always making salads for lunch, and just decided to concoct this one one day, throwing things into a Tupperware with wild abandon. It's really tasty, really healthy, and really low-cal (especially if you leave out the avocado and/or the corn). Yay!

In a Tupperware or other non-trademarked container layer in this order, from the bottom up:

chopped tomato (I like halved cherry tomatoes)
1/2 a chopped cucumber
1 grated carrot (or a handful of pre-grated carrot from Trader Joe's)
2 stalks of chopped celery (you can even include some of the leaves)
diced cooked chicken breast or black beans (or a little of both) OR soy chickenless chicken strips
2-3 T of chopped fresh cilantro
1 chopped green onion
a little chopped avocado if you like
1/4 to 1/2 cup of corn kernels if you like - I like the roasted corn kernels that are frozen from Trader Joe's
2 handfuls of torn lettuce - any kind. I like romaine for this one.

In a smaller container make the dressing - I like to use 1 T of Annie's Natural BBQ sauce and thin it out with a little vinegar (about 20 calories worth of dressing). You could also use a pre-made cilantro dressing if you like and thin it out as well. Pack the small container of dressing into the bigger container with the salad, throw in a few slices of lime if you like (you can even squeeze a little of the lime over the avocado (if you used any) to keep it from turning brown). Store in the fridge til ready to eat. This keeps for a few days in the fridge. Be on the lookout for more salad creations from yours truly. I've been going a little crazy lately!

Wine: Novella Zinfandel (Trader Joe's - $6.99)

I love red zins. I especially love red zins that taste much more expensive than they are. This wine is cheap enough to crack open at home for that one or two glass evening in front of your fave TV show (with or without food). It also tastes expensive enough to take to a party without breaking the bank - and bonus, you won't be embarrassed. Please, please -- never, never show up to a party toting Two Buck Chuck. Ever. Please. Thank you.

If you're like me and can't be bothered with all of the vacu-save-wine-pump-gadgetry out there, then you will be perfectly satisfied corking the bottle, leaving it on the counter, and having a glass the following day. If you need to throw out a glass or two never fear - at $6.99 a bottle it is not the end of the world.

This Paso Robles wine is medium bodied, very jammy, with lots of cooked cherry and maybe a bit of licorice. My untrained palate thinks it detects a teensy bit of vanilla on the finish, which was confirmed when I ran a few searches. Yay! Maybe one day I will actually become confident in my tasting abilities. Novella has some other wines at TJ's as well, though I haven't yet tried them. I'll just wait til they run out of the zin before I venture out.

Downtown Los Angeles: Gigi & Stacey Are Ready To Fix All Of Your Broken Jewelry, Design You Some New Styles And Repair Your Discarded Time Pieces.

It's happened to all of us. We reach for our favorite necklace, the chain breaks, and we have a moment of disbelief followed by an extended period of feeling naked, and then we discard it in a drawer along with half a dozen other broken chains, bracelets, earrings with missing backs, and watches that no longer keep time. Every once in awhile we wonder what to do with all of those almost-but-not-quite-functional items that used to be our wardrobe mainstays but now have absolutely no use. We contemplate fixing them, but, not knowing where to go, we leave them abandoned in the drawer in their sad, snarled and tarnished state.

No more. If you live or work anywhere near downtown Los Angeles then you have absolutely no more excuses. Gigi and Stacey's watch and jewelry repair, located in the top floor of Macy's at 7th and Flower (look for the long glass counter tucked in the back of the housewares department), is your answer. They are chatty and friendly and extremely knowledgeable about gems, jewelry repair and design, precious metals and stones, and watch repair. You can take them your halted watches and broken and/or tarnished chains, bracelets and earrings and they will return them to you repaired and polished to perfection. Their prices are so reasonable that you can even afford to bring them your broken costume jewelry for repair. They've fixed chains for me, re-strung beads, soldered ring bands that had broken from too much wear, repaired earrings, and of course replaced the batteries to my watches. They also can special order particular chains that you may want, charm bracelets, etc., as well as help you with jewelry design. For example, I had set of pearl earrings but no pearl pendant. Gigi and Stacey matched the pearls with one to be used for the pendant, paired it with a chain, and also suggested a neck wire to use for variety in place of the chain (it looks fabulous). Additionally, they design gorgeous jewelry and have some of it for sale in their shop, all of it very reasonably priced and extremely high quality.

But it doesn't end there. Have something that are coveting from a retailer? You can also bring them photos of things that you like and they will make it for you at a fraction of what you would pay a retailer. Yay!

You can find one or both of them at the counter (you might have to ding the bell on the counter once to get their attention) on Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Telephone: 213-628-9311 X2220. And if you live nowhere near Los Angeles (and don't have a little messenger you can send with your broken bag of accessories), they are so nice and accommodating, they just might consider allowing you to mail them your items for repair. It never hurts to ask!

Photo courtesty of Freedigitalphotos.net. Gigi and Stacey's designs are MUCH cooler!

Facial Moisturizer And Sunscreen: Neutrogena Healthy Defense

It's almost Memorial Day Weekend - and hopefully you have hours of sunny activities lined up including BBQ'ing, the pool, the beach, or maybe just sitting in your yard with a good book. Whatever you are doing, don't forget to apply sunscreen! I am religious about applying sunscreen to my face and have been doing so every single day since I was 18. It all started when Johnson & Johnson was handing out samples on campus of their Purpose line of products. I picked up a sample of their moisturizer with sunscreen and I was hooked. Unfortunately, when I got older and started traveling more, the bottles that Purpose came in gave me headaches because they were oddly shaped and the top would often break during travel. Additionally, it was hard to get the last bit of moisturizer out of the bottle and a lot of energy would be exerted as I banged it upside down (painfully) against my hand or a counter several times. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, a lot of moisturizer would be left behind -- inevitably (and sadly) ending up in the trash.

Then I discovered Neutrogena Healthy Defense (I sound like a cheesy commercial here, but it's seriously a great product). Yes, it's great moisturizer and makes your skin feel silky smooth without being oily. Yes, it's great sunscreen - I usually use SPF 45, applying it every single morning after I get out of the shower. For some reason my face never gets burned, even when I fail to reapply, far outlasting and out-performing any sunscreen I have used on the rest of my body (even after spending a whole day on the beach). But, best of all, the bottle is just perfect for travel. It is flat and holds just 1.7 oz, so it fits great in pretty much any space (especially in your 1 quart clear plastic bag for air travel), thereby allowing you to easily pack your requisite lip glosses and shampoo around it; also the cap stays on very well and will not break off. Plus, the bottle is more like a slightly rigid flat tube, so you can squeeze every last drop out of it. It's a win-win situation. You can pick it up at most drugstores and supermarkets, though sometimes they don't carry it. I just order a supply from Drugstore.com and keep it on hand at all times.

For those of you who may be interested, they have a lightly tinted version which is nice, especially if you need to even your skin tone out a little bit but don't want that foundation look. It's fragrance free, hypo-allergenic, and protects against both UVA and UVB so it is an all-around great moisturizer and great sunscreen. One tube runs $11 to $14 (depending on specials that may be running) and will last about three months with everyday application. A small price to pay to keep that skin lifted and glowing.

The Perfect Cocktail: Gin Lovers Only!

For a long time I have thought that gin and tonic with extra lime is truly the most perfect cocktail - not too sweet and heavy (like a margarita can get after only one), appropriately citrus-y and easily sipped on its own, although it will not be ruined if you have a few bites of food as well. A gin and tonic also has the added advantage that it is difficult to mess up - true, some are much better than others, but even the worst one is likely palatable as long as the tonic is fizzy and you throw in some fresh lime. I'm also a fan of liqueurs as well, though I often find them too sweet and so generally stay away from them unless I'm adding a dash to a glass of sparkly, like prosecco or cava.

With this bit of a background, you can imagine my delight when I discovered a wonderful cocktail offering on a menu while visiting Colorado last spring. The words "gin"and "St. Germain" leapt from the page with intensity, followed with another favorite, "champagne." The word "lemon" was a clincher, appealing to my preferences for cocktails that carry a citrus base. The pronouncement of "honey" as an ingredient did nothing for me at the time, since I am rather neutral on honey, enjoying it in herbal tea once in awhile but otherwise not giving it much thought.

Well, the cocktail arrived and it was sublimely perfect. Sweet immediately on the tongue with the flowers and fruit of St. Germain but quickly giving way to the bite of lemon and gin, all with a bit of bubbly dancing around on your palate, changing things up a bit and keeping the drink alive in your mouth. After offering sips to my travel companions (each of whom pronounced the drink delicious), I hoarded the rest of it to myself, determined to try to recreate it when I got home.

Since I'm not great at measuring, preferring instead to taste as I go, I offer the below amounts only as a guideline. You should adjust depending on preferences. Also, a word to the wise - do not ignore the honey in this libation. It adds an extra perfume and layered flavor that really compliments the St. Germain and lemon and although the drink is delicious without, I believe the honey really is the silent ingredient that helps to launch this drink into another category of deliciousness.

Cocktail: 1.5 shots of gin (I usually have Bombay around), 1 shot of St. Germain, a squeeze of fresh lemon - mix or shake well with ice so that it is very cold. Add a tablespoon or so of a simple syrup made with honey and water (mixologists would probably be horrified, but I make mine in the microwave - do not try to heat the honey in the microwave without adding the water - it will turn into a sticky mess that cannot be easily added to the drink). Garnish with a floater of champagne (or other sparkly, like prosecco) and a twist of lemon.

A note about St. Germain: you can pick up a bottle of this elderflower liqueur at Bevmo, but you can also order it online. The flavor profile is unique and the bottle is gorgeous.

Lunch Suggestion: Low Calorie, High Protein, Low Fat and Trader Joe's. What's Not To Like?

I LOVE Trader Joe's. I mean really, really, really love it. What's not to love, really? There's amazing produce, fabulous frozen food, terrific tapenades, lovely smelling lavender dish soap, and a great selection of wine and beers. Oh, and my dogs are big fans of the dog biscuits too. Everyone wears Hawaiian themed shirts, is super duper friendly, and they often pipe eighties music into the aisles (that alone would win me over, seriously). And on top of it all the sunshiny checkers not only send you on your way with a smile but they also ORGANIZE all of your purchases when they pack them - i.e., when you get home you find the frozen things together, the herbs and produce together, the canned good together, etc., etc. It just makes sense and lends an ease to unpacking, quickly allowing you to place all of your items in your cupboards, the freezer, and wine rack(s) without having to dig through the bags and reorganize the contents while you stretch out all over your kitchen trying to place things in the proper area.
But I digress.

One of my favorite lunches at work or quick dinners at home is the Trader Joe's Egg White Salad With Chives. This little delight is found in the refrigerated section near the prepared salads and has the perfect amount of chives, celery and spices set off with a bit of vinegar and mustard and, of course, egg whites. And, get this, an entire container is only 100 calories. Yes, it's true. With 4 grams of fat, 4 of carbs and FOURTEEN grams of protein I think the $2.69, while slightly on the pricey side, is well worth it. One of my favorite ways to eat it is to pile a whole container (hey, splurge - it's only 100 cals) into a spelt or whole wheat tortilla (you could even go for a carb cutting tortilla made of whole grains), add arugula or spinach or lettuce or micro-greens, some small cherry tomatoes of you like, and roll it all up for a very filling and healthy wrap. Eat with a side of fruit and/or carrots and you have a satisfying lunch that is around 300 calories total. Hard to beat that. I often leave a bag of tortillas in the fridge at work so they're there when I want them, and bring in my container of egg salad and a little Ziploc of my greens and tomatoes (leaving the tomatoes uncut so they don't wilt the leafies). The result? in a quick minute you have a very easy lunch to pack, and one that you can eat without guilt while sitting on your derriere at your desk surfing the web or working away. Plus, it's also good for a snack straight out of the container.

Trader Joe's also makes the salad in a spicy "ranchero" style (I'm not a fan) and "Santorini" style utilizing spinach, feta and parmesan (tasty!). That one packs a little more calories (deep breath now - a whole 140 cals for the whole container) and a bit more fat (7 grams), 4 grams of carbs and SIXTEEN grams of protein. (See the Footnote at the end of the entry.) There's also an "eggless egg salad" (presumably with tofu). I haven't sampled this one so I can't comment, but I'm sure it is worth a try.

Of course you could get egg whites and probably come up with something similar yourself, but really, if you're already a victim to mornings and can't seem to pack your lunch as often as you'd like as it is, who are you fooling? Just pick up a couple of these containers and you're set for the week!

Footnote: Don't ask why I had to put "sixteen" written out and in caps and yet typed the other numbers. I am trying to suppress the urge to make everything consistent so I will not go back and change it. I will not. I will not. I will also not check for spacing errors or other inconsistencies that do not matter. Writing a blog is supposed to be fun and not another outlet for OCD. And for all of you readers who also obsess over formatting issues and font size and if a comma is accidentally italicized (I know who you are), use this space for therapy as well and please keep those critiques to yourself. Do feel free to let me know of any spelling errors, however!

Gift Suggestion or For Yourself: The Best Cookbook Ever and a Dutch Oven

One thing that you will undoubtedly discover about me if you continue to read this blog is that I love theme gifts - you know, a few lovely items that just fit cozily together like puzzle pieces, all wrapped up and presented to the recipient in a self-contained little world of awesomeness. The gift that they can just open up and immediately cash in on the excitement by using it right away, rather than allowing it to gather dust while they search for the other components they may need. Well, that's what this is: a cookbook and a dutch oven. First, let's discuss the cookbook, Glorious One-Pot Meals by Elizabeth Yarnell ($12). This cookbook is unlike any cookbook that I have ever owned -- i.e., it is stained and tattered and actually frequently used. I could go on and on about this cookbook because it is so amazing, but in one sentence it allows you to cook a complete meal in 45 minutes, utilizing only one pot. You layer the ingredients (for example your starch, veggies, seasonings and proteins), sling it into the oven, and 45 minutes later you have a perfect meal which, get this, looks as if you have actually cooked the items separately. It really is that easy. My first foray into this was a five minute project of layering some cut up potatoes, frozen tilapia, some lovely dill seasoning mix I had laying in my cupboard and fresh asparagus. In anycase, 45 minutes later the pot emerged with perfectly cooked potatoes, a flaky, moist and deliciously seasoned piece of fish and a side of steamed asparagus. And may I once again mention that the fish was frozen?

Using the tenets that great food will result when utilizing the right pot and cooking at the right temperature for the correct amount of time, Yarnell developed this theory she calls "infusion- cooking", which produces, without fail, perfect meals with no fuss. Each recipe is a nutritionally complete meal so you don't need even a side salad - unless you want one, of course. You can rely upon the recipes in the book (which include a number of standard faves like pasta recipes, pot roast, or a one-pot Thanksgiving dinner, as well as lots of variations with ethnic twists such as greek chicken, tandoori salmon and kale, or Thai curry with tofu) OR you can venture out on your own utilizing the easy to understand method set forth in the beginning of the book. By using any ingredients you have on hand and layering them in a designated order you will have a perfect meal every single time. Forgot to take things out of the freezer - no problem! The meals come out just as perfectly utilizing rock-hard items just pulled from the freezer (you can also use dried and canned foods, as well as fresh, of course, or any combination thereof). And you can even layer the items in advance, throw the pot in the fridge, and then cook it when you get home. Awesomeness!

Besides the book, you'll also need a dutch oven. Yarnell discusses the virtues of various types of dutch ovens in her book, generally favoring enamel coated cast iron. You could go top of the line with a lovely Le Crueset (ranging anywhere from $120 to $250, depending on size) or you can go with a middle of the road and perfectly serviceable Lodge enameled cast iron (about $80). If you are being super budget conscious you could also get a plain pre-seasoned cast-iron dutch oven (about $30-50), which will last a lifetime and will work just as well (it will just require a bit of maintenance and will need to be re-seasoned and oiled once in awhile since it isn't enamel coated and will lean towards rusting). Get a 2 quart one for one person, a 3 or 4 quart one for two people, and a 5 or 6 quart one for a family.

Wrap it all up (or have it shipped to the recipient from an online merchant like Amazon.com) and you've got a perfect gift that will be used by everyone including singles, couples, moms, college students, newly marrieds, etc. Don't forget to have an extra one shipped to yourself!

Baby Shower Gift Suggestion: Down With the Dowdy Diaper Bag

It seems that most of my friends are either having babies, have had babies, or are talking about having babies. Naturally, the issue of baby gifts has been coming up a lot the past few years and the shower invites have been rolling in. Now call me a rebel, but I generally shy away from purchasing things off of a registry. Not that I haven't been lured by the ease of it at times, but it somehow seems a little impersonal, and, since I pride myself on gift giving, a little too easy. Plus, the number of baby products available is completely overwhelming and it is easy for new parents to become easily frustrated during the registering process, hurriedly throwing things on the list (often copying some other registry) before escaping for lunch (where dad, if he was forced to participate, undoubtedly drowns his stress in a fresh pint). If you want to be a little unique, and don't feel like giving another Boppy pillow or a package of unisex onesies with little ducks on them, then you might consider giving this great portable changing pad/nappy tote/wipe holder from Skip Hop ($30, photo courtesy of Skip Hop). The nifty thing about this little invention is not only does it include all of the necessities for a diaper change on the go (plus a handy waterproof pocket for the used booty covers), but it also comes in bright primary colors with fun patterns (thereby skipping the annoyingly outdated pink and blue scheme with the requisite ducks or teddies). Best of all, it's no bigger than a clutch - making it a great portable diaper "bag" that can be clipped to a stroller or thrown into mom's much cooler and hip handbag - you know, the one she carried BEFORE she became a mom. Result: the ugly and oversized diaper bag is rendered void and unnecessary and mom gets to retain a little of her own unique style, even amidst burpings and changings and tooling around in the minivan. Sweet. And if mom really loves her jeans, you've got check out the super cute version made of denim, with jeans pockets. If you like, throw in a few books like Goodnight Moon, Where's Spot, and Guess How Much I Love You, and you've got a shower gift that will be used far longer than any Boppy pillow and will make the parents wonder how in the world they would have managed without it. I would recommend, if budget allows, giving the books in hardcover because I guarantee they'll be well read and kiddie hands have a way of tearing through things with brute strength, especially flip up books. When I started giving this gift it was only offered through Skip Hop, but a quick search confirms that at least Babies R Us now carries this particular product (online only, however) and of course Skip Hop carries more of a selection of patterns and colors. I encourage you to also check out their diaper bag selection as well, if you insist on heading that route. I'm a sucker for bright, fun patterns and colors and the Skip Hop selection does not disappoint.

As a caveat, I should mention that I have not personally utilized this little invention, but friends I have gifted it to have described it as "genius". Now, don't be mistaken - I have seen it well utilized while observing diaper changes from the enviable vantage point of "guest" status, ready to receive the little bundle of joy all cleaned up and ready to play with auntie.

Masquerading As "Professional": The Perfect Spring/Summer Jacket To Turn Comfort Into Business Attire and Also To Throw Over Your Jeans ($70)

Anyone who knows me knows that I generally favor jersey over suiting, comfort over stodgy, and am far from the buttoned up Suited Professional who tends to wander the halls of my office. However, as part of my new goal to at least masquerade as a Suited Professional (and hopefully avoid shrinking into the corner of the elevator with sheepish embarrassment when the The Suited Professional(s) With Power enter), I've been on the hunt for jackets that I can throw on over my jersey dresses, hopefully appearing more tailored and "official". Somehow cardigans, while cute, don't lend that extra level of professionalism. Enter this little number. I apologize about the lack of a picture but it wouldn't let me save it as a separate file; and really, how much effort is it to click on a link? Now, I know it is from JC Penney, but take comfort in the fact that it is JonesWear (which is part of the same company as Jones New York - I think). In my online shopping obsessiveness, you should also know that I experimented with several jackets from Calvin Klein, Nordstrom, Banana, Ann Taylor, Macys and others.

This one was a keeper and so far has shown the most use out of the few that I actually kept. The linen-rayon fabric is lined, but it is also light and tailored, and looks just as good worn opened, buttoned, or tied smartly at the waist. Though it does wrinkle a bit, it does not wrinkle anymore than a regular gabardine suit, nor does it wrinkle as much as other linen that I have owned, so don't let that deter you. The length is perfect over a skirt, dress, or slacks, and works equally well thrown over a pair of jeans for those Sunday birthday brunches where you want to look a little nicer, but don't want to forfeit your weekend opportunity to go casual. The light tan color compliments dark colors, light colors and patterns. It is truly the most versatile jacket that I've ever owned and in the last three weeks I've received several compliments on my outfits - in fact, the outfits themselves were ones that I'd donned many times in the past without the jacket and which had previously resulted in nary a peep from anyone; this has lead me to believe that yes, this jacket is magic. Also, the tan is a shade darker and not nearly as monotone as how it appears in the photo. The overall effect is chameleon-like, with the jacket appearing more casual with jeans and more suited with business wear. Just the masquerading effect I was going for. I have long arms and a long torso, so keep that in mind if you decide to order. I am not sure how it would work on someone with a more petite frame, but I do encourage you to give it a try, and if it doesn't work out for you, you can always return it via mail or to to any JC Penney location (yes, there is one at the Fox Hills Mall and I paid my first-ever visit to that mall recently - returns were easy peasy - just head up the third floor catalog department and you'll be out of there in less than seven minutes (including parking)).

Delightful and Affordable Sun Hat!

Doesn't every woman secretly want a big floppy straw hat, preferably the kind that can be adorned with a grosgrain ribbon for a garden wedding (that you will probably never attend, but must be prepared for) or left plain, as you see fit. One that imparts glamor and functionality, while at the same time allowing you a mysterious cover under which you can sip your umbrella cocktail poolside while sneaking flirtatious glances of a nearby hottie. Unfortunately, most of us end up with a visor, an old baseball cap, a towel slung over our eyes, or a random floppy canvas hat that has been crunched in the bottom of the beach bag for an entire season. No longer. This hat is delightful, affordable, appropriately glamorous and yet can be decorated with frilly flowers and ribbons should the occasion arise. I did find this a few weeks ago online and, unfortunately, the merchant has since recognized all of these qualities and recently raised the price about $10 (to $45 dollars). Nevertheless, it is worth taking a look at. Ignore the skin blemishes on the model. She clearly did not get her sun hat soon enough; further reason to jump on it asap. http://www.tribalsociete.com/P1460_woven_summer_hat.aspx

Welcome!

Welcome!

I have been meaning to start a blog for sometime. Mostly because I seem to be the go-to person amongst my friends when it comes to suggestions for gifts, party planning, restaurants, how to entertain mom when she comes to visit, dentists, car repair, legal advice/referrals, classes, and where I get my clothes (hint - online, always, always, always). I've even been called upon to write thank you notes for wedding gifts I did not receive and job interviews that I did not attend, not to mention a suggestion for a term paper topic here and there and I've written/significantly edited a number of successful personal statements for graduate schools, internships and scholarships.

Eclectic advice to be sure, but perhaps some of it may be useful. And feel free to post requests and questions. I would be delighted to impart some of this completely useless knowledge upon you in the hopes that it may be of at least a little value. Plus, it will make me feel better about the time that I spend online!