The Devil Went to Mexico

A spicy take on a traditional Deviled Egg Recipe 

 

Spicy Deviled Eggs 

 6 Eggs

1/3 cup Crème fraîche

1/3 cup Smoked Bacon (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons Serrano Pepper (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons Siracha

2 tablespoons Cilantro (finely chopped)

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard 

2 tablespoons Lime Zest

3 teaspoons Lime Juice

 

Pop out (remove) the egg yolks to a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add crème fraîche, smoked bacon, Serrano pepper, siracha, dijon mustard, lime zest and lime juice and mix thoroughly. Add pepper and salt to taste.  Fill the empty egg white shells with the mixture.  

Tip: For a professional finish, use a pastry bag to fill the empty egg white shells.  

Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day before serving.

Summer Reading

 

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It's raining in San Francisco..... again.  With weather being so terrible it's hard to imagine summer is only 21 days away (but who's counting).  Although it's been over a decade since I was required to complete a summer reading list, I always feel compelled to compile and complete a reading list each summer.  I'm looking for some suggestion, so if you have any recommendations let me know!

This Spring I've read a lot off books turned into films. Even though the movie is never as good as the book, it's interesting to compare the two.  After hearing my sister talk about Water for Elephants (and seeing it's been on the New York Times best seller list for 17 weeks),  I decided to give it a go.  After paying my $5.00 late fee at the public library,  I checked out Water for Elephants and have been completely obsessed.  Even if you've watched the movie, give this book a whirl. For a person who never liked the Circus (the smell of manure always bothered me, not to mention clowns can be scary),  I now have an urge to go ride an elephant and become a circus  performer. It's that magical!

For those of you who love New York City (which can also be a circus in it's own right), you should read Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's. I recently read this iconic story and fell in love with Holly Golightly all over again.  The book is very different from the film we've all watched and loved, but the details reviled about our favorite characters is so intriguing it will make you look at this film in a much different way. BTW: did you know that Holly's LBD was originally designed by Givenchy, but had to be redesigned by the costume designer at the last minute because it revealed too much of Audrey's leg!  

Lastly, if you've noticed a lot of people toting around a bright green book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is worth the buzz everyone keeps giving it.  I've read the trilogy and would read them again and again.  The first book can be a slow start, but as soon as you finish it you will be running to the bookstore to buy the Girl Who Played With Fire.

So what are you reading this summer?

Mrs. Impulsive

Impulsive is the last word I would use to describe myself.  I'm the type of person who analysis everything and stresses over making the right decision.


So I don't really know what got into me last week, but I decided to chop off all my hair (reference this post  if you can't remember how long it was).  In addition I stopped  drinking coffee and wine (my two big vices).  As if this wasn't enough torture, I decided to conquer my fear of needles and signed up for acupuncture.    Like I said before, apparently I felt the need to torture myself  last week.  After many ups and downs / second thoughts, I've finally arrived at embracing the new look and lifestyle.

A week later I'm ready to post a picture of the new look, however just to warn you, I'm not loving the picture.  My photographer Marge, couldn't capture the vibe I was going for. That's what happens when you hire an amateur!

Stay Calm: It's Only A Wedding

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OK I admit it, I have a secret obsession with the Royal Wedding.  Maybe it's because as a kid my Grandma Ruth had the iconic "Wedding Day"  Princess Diana doll.  This doll was a collectors item and I wasn't allowed to play with it.  The closes I came to touching the doll, was when I left nose and finger prints all over the glass case she was in.  As I got older, I realized the significance about Princess Diana and understood why this doll was so special......

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A favorite photo of Princess Diana photographed by Mario Testino in 1997

(5 months before her death)

On Friday the world will witness a historical event and I might be crazy enough to watch the event live (at 4 am) while wearing the below headband,  drinking tea and eating crumpets.  We'll see if I actually do it.  It sounds like a great idea now that I've had 10 cups of coffee, but I'm sure my deep sleep will overpower my urge to witness history in the making.  Thank god we have a DVR.  Knowing me I'll probably watch the wedding 12 hours later with a G and T! 

 Thanks E for the headband. I couldn't think of a better occasion to wear this fabulous headband.  Now if I only could remember where I left my white gloves....

Flowers in the City

"Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" -  Robin Williams

It finally stopped raining for a nanosecond!  Couldn't resist snapping a few photos while walking to work this morning (I guess it pays to keep a camera in your purse at all times!)

 

Macy's flower box 

 

Cherry Blossom Tree in San Francisco's Union Square 

 Yellow Mellow in Union Square 

San Francisco Union Square monument to Admiral George Dewey

 A candid non glamour picture of me (next time I have an improptu moment I should put lipstick on!)

The Wind Was Blowing

Santa Monica Pier Sign:  February 26, 2011

"Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, whine less, breathe more, talk less, say more, hate less, love more, and good things will be yours." -  Swedish Proverb

My week in a nut shell....
1. Discovered Gilly Hicks
2. Woke Up looking like Black Swan
3. Experienced International Orange - Thanks EMB
4. Saturday walk in Santa Monica - Thanks honey
5. Happy Socks - the hot new trend for men
6. Can't wait to tell time with this new watch 
7. Tomato plants are starting to sprout
8. Stella - A girls best friend
9. Cleaning tip for Hunter Rain boots: Use Armorall!  Yup, the stuff you use to clean your car tires. 
10. Always double check your travel arrangements and make sure everything is booked correctly. Oh vey that's one for the books.  

Piroshky & Daffodils

Alone in Seattle...
Here are a few pictures I snapped while in route to the airport.

My view of the Seattle Space Needle during a taxi ride. I'm kind of liking the abstract photo of the space needle.



Despite the cold temperature, spring was making it's debut at the Pike Place Market.

Daffodils for sale at the Pike Place Market.

The original Starbucks.

The Pike Place Market sign.  It's hard to see in this picture, but there are flower boxes on the roof with tulip and daffodil bulbs.  The flowers will start to bloom in the next month. 

 Piroshky, Piroshky.  When you see a line wrapped along a building, you know the food must be good!   

Here Comes The Sun

 

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"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." -   Steve Martin

The Five things that made my weekend:
ONE - Tanning ... well sort of. L'oreal Sublime Bronze towelettes available at ULTA
TWO - Grilled Cheese Sandwich at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen
THREE - Jeremy's Department Store
FOUR -  The Fighter (trying to watch all the movies nominated for Oscars)
FIVE  - My favorite walk with Stella   

Despite the fun activities, a weekend is never the same without your significant other. Nick and I are at the 6 month mark with 6 more months to go. Oh vey!
Hopefully the next 6 months will go by fast.

Do Over: The Catcher in the Rye

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What can I say... I love to check out books from the library.  Maybe it's the smell of the books or the childhood nostalgia the library gives me. This month I'm going back in time to my Sophomore year of high school and am reading  The Catcher in the Rye.  I can't wait to meet Mr. Holden Caulfield in my dreams.

What classic would you read again?

A New Year..... A New Me

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She views the world through rose colored glasses • loves to throw dinner parties, but has been known to burn the roast • values eccentricity over convention • is the first to laugh at her own bad jokes • knows the cha-cha, the charleston, and the tango • paints her nails bright coral when she's feeling blue • is infinitely curious • could happily live off of red velvet cake • pens hand written notes to her grandmother • has a signature shade of lipstick • secretly thinks she may be babe paley reincarnated • received an iPAD for her birthday, but will never give up her library card • has a bucket list a mile long and dreams a dime a dozen • is smart, but never a show-off • listens to the day's forecast, but trusts her own intuition • never says no to a sunday matinee at the theater • is quick to blush, but never short of a witty reply • has a skip in her step and a twinkle in her eye • always shares her last piece of gum
how do they know me so well!?


Thanks EM for the inspiration!  If I could embroider this on a pillow I would!

A Gem of an Organizer

Most people do everything they want in the month of December.  You eat until it hurts, shop till you drop and party like it's going out of style.  No wonder January feels like one long Monday. To help pass the time, my mission is to get myself organized once and for all (yeah right....this resolution will be broken by March!)

First up my jewelry collection!

With jewelry being a big trend the last few seasons, I've started to accumulate some fun pieces.  Not owning a jewelry box, my jewelry has been spread out all over.  As a married gal, I have to consider solutions that are aesthetically pleasing, but also something that works with my unisex decore. After recently seeing some fun ways to display jewelry, I was inspired to come up with a practical and stylish solution.

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Kelly Wearstler's jewelry collection.  Wish I could dedicate a whole dresser to accessories, but lack of space and collection doesn't make this a practical solution for me.

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Using tea cups is a whimsical solution to storing jewelry, but I don't think I'm dainty enough to use this idea.

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I love the shadow box idea, but I have too much jewelry for this idea.  

The Solution:

A vintage inspired 3 tiered thing I found from here...

It holds cocktail rings

earrings

necklaces

& bangles!

With a masculine metal finish, but a feminine scallop edge, this was a great find that can easily be integrated into any bedroom or powder room decore.

Now onto the next organization project!

OMG: Twenty Eleven

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Since I moved back home, my dad has brought it to my attention that I say OMG  way to much. When I look back on 2010, it was an OMG kind of year, full of travel, life lessons, and new beginnings. It was also a year when Nick and I really had to make a hard decision about where we saw our future.  After years of debate and multiple drafts of "our life plan," we  I made the plunge and moved back to San Francisco.  (Don't worry Nick and I are still two love birds).  My husband is getting ready to student teach and unfortunately wasn't able to move to San Francisco with me and Stella (our dog).  So we've been having a long distance marriage for the last 5 months. I wish I could say we are over the half way point, but we still have 7 months to go.  Oh vey! (It really makes me understand what a military family goes through when their love ones are away.)

It will be interesting to see what 2011 brings.  Although like everyone else in the world I have some resolutions, I think my theme for this year is to embrace my third decade with grace, style and no regrets.

Cheers to a new year!

PS.  A new year requires a new blog format.  It's still a work in progress, but I hope you like the new look.

Pineapple After Dark

Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, I got the brilliant idea I would climb Diamond Head.  Although this sounds like a fun adventure, when you're in Hawaii on business there is very little room for downtime.  Even though I packed my running shoes and swimsuit (optimistically), both items remained unused.  And even though my cab driver suggested I hike a mountain in Maui, "so the clouds can be underneath me" (the cab drivers words not mine),  I barely had time to grab lunch (although lunch was at Cheese Burger of Paradise!)

So the other night I decided not to feel sorry for myself, but act out my mantra of "life is what you make it," and I went for an amazing walk on Waikiki Beach and took a few pictures along the way.  Although this trip didn't involve any site seeing, I was able to eat at some of my favorite places. Most importantly I was able to go back to the spot where my husband proposed to me.

On the last day of the trip, I rescued my running shoes from the dungeon of my suitcase and strapped them on for a quick jog on the beach. 

I think I might just get use to these Hawaii trips after all.......

Driving back to the Maui Airport I stopped at this remote beach for a quick walk.

A single beach umbrella in front of the Moana-Surfrider Hotel.

Wakiki Beach with city skyline. 

My new red handbag at the beach.

Surfboards rest on the beach after dark.

And the TROPHY goes to

After eating a hamburger the equivalent of my body weight, I could barely move and was suddenly feeling a food coma take over my body.  Secretly wanting to ask the waiter to wheel me out of the restaurant, I quickly came out of my coma when I discovered this AWESOME  cupcake bakery across the street (apparently, I can always make room for cupcakes)! 

This darling store front had my name all over it.  Tiffany blue decor, whimsical cards and fun gifts.

I secretly heart these french bar stools!

OMG! You can pick a fun toy for your cupcake (with a small fee)! 

The girl who packed my cupcakes... (yes, I asked if I could take her picture.)

A long journey...  here are the cupcakes during our cab ride to the airport.

Name: Trophy Cupcakes and Party
Location: Seattle and Bellevue, Washington
Price: $3 a cupcake
Claim to Fame: Martha Stewart has visited their shop
My Favorite Flavor: Peanut Butter and Jelly.  (For real this cupcake tasted like your mom's p&j sandwich!)

Drive into the Tuscany Sun

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Would you trust me to drive in Italy? Probably not. I hate driving. In my dream world I would be chauffeured around town in a black Lincoln town car with tinted windows. You can probably guess Nick will be teaching our kids how to drive.  Definitely not me. I still have nightmares about Marge teaching me how to drive. Did I ever tell you about the time I drove into the garage and crashed the Dodge Caravan into Marge and our dryer?  Not a pretty picture! (Don’t worry, Marge and the dryer were able to walk away from the incident with little damage).

So when my good friend Emily suggested we rent a car and drive to Tuscany all I have to say is ...“Not it!"

To be continued ...