jennycrafteat

How long did this take??

2011-08-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

wow!!

something new!

2011-01-02T22:09:00.000-08:00

happy new year!

this is old but i just saw it ..how beautiful is this?

the hand-stitched doilies on her dress were crocheted up to the morning of her wedding. apparently she was sewn into the dress the morning of too. elegant and perfect. what an accomplishment.

crochet time!!

2010-10-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

a progression of projects!

i've begun to figure out what i'm NOT good at - projects w/ bulky drape, projects that require a lot of joining and/or sewing parts, projects w/ blocking, etc.

basically i've found that i have no patience for things like waiting for blocked granny squares to dry and i prefer small projects w/ super simple shapes. now that i'm more familiar w/ reading patterns, i can skim one and quickly determine whether the pattern i will be following is intuitive. if it's not and i'm counting some 19 rows of a weird number like 73 stitches, i'm gonna bail. soon i'll start a long-term project like an afghan or even the relatively smaller giant blue totoro, but i have yet to find a pattern for something that i really love AND can alter to make it my own.

my first "big" project: a bearghan i made for rach's birthday. looking back, i would have made it into a pig or something cuter than this stupid bear face as well as used the same brand of yarn for each color. making each square was super quick even w/ all the color changes, but because several of the yarn colors were of different brands, some squares turned out bulkier or smaller/bigger than others. i also didn't know about blocking yet, so the bearghan was super lumpy not only because of varying thicknesses of yarn but also because all the fibers were not relaxed. with what i know now, if i'm ever going to do another afghan, i'll have to have the time and patience do it the RIGHT way.

bibo bunny, which i made from some of the leftover caron one pound yarn (super sturdy worsted weight) in soft sage. a good project for practicing crocheting in the round, sewing on parts and embroidering. no plastic notions on this one.

bender! aka, bender bending rodriguez. i followed this pattern exactly except that i didn't include his little fingers as i myself have clumsy hot dog fingers and get insanely frustrated working tiny crochet details with a relatively giant F or G hook. i used red heart super saver in grey heather and the thicker red heart sport in black to make the details stand out more. i finished him in a little over 2 weeks.

here you can see how big he is. his torso is super fat and a lot bigger than i expected after stuffing. reading the pattern was a challenge as i was still a super beginner so it was really satisfying to see the shapes actually turn out right. and for having so many body parts to sew on, bender was surprisingly fun to put together.

white totoro taught me that i hate sewing through multiple layers. hate hate hate. the cute shape of this little guy is ruined by my crappy sewing and trying to embroider that black outline around the eyes. ugh. the ears were fun to make though and i learned how to join 2 pieces together and continue crocheting in the round for the remainder of its body.

i bought this racecar pattern when i discovered etsy. i don't understand why i thought this was even cute in the first place and i can't believe i PAID for it!! this project confirmed that i also hate both crocheting small details and trying to embroider with bulky worsted weight. it did teach me the importance of a pattern that is intuitive and simple though. if i ever get over my resentment i'd like to re-write this one to make the body and wheels smoother and simpler.

there's no helping the driver man. he looks angry and lumpy and i am not interested in doing anything with him. a cute idea but lazy or just BAD execution in the pattern writing.

i never got to share this happy poo, because joey chewed it up immediately after i took this photo. cute but definitely not the funnest project, particularly jamming 6mm eyes into what was by then a virtual chinese finger trap. made in red heart sport in wood brown.

i love these coasters. super simple and perfect. i used sugar 'n cream in (i think) hot green. cotton is really different to crochet with. i found that i need to be aware of keeping my stitches a consistent tightness or looseness when working with it as there is zero stretch to it. make your stitches too tight or too loose and you have all these gaping holes. this is especially no good in the case of a stuffed project.

toaster cell phone holder! this is my own pattern but i originally got the idea from laura who requested i make her one as well as sky magenta on etsy who just HAPPENED to have this pattern! the original pattern is for a toaster that's much bigger so i re-wrote it to make it quite a bit smaller and shaped it for squarer edges. months later, i saw that there was specifically a toaster cell phone holder pattern on sky magenta too! all done in red heart super saver in heather grey and aran.

hot dog from an awesome vegan blog called bittersweet. the mustard was good practice in embroidering with crochet, which was surprisingly easy! i followed this pattern exactly and used red heart sport in wood brown for the hot dog, red heart super saver in aran and warm brown for the bun. it's really nice in a pattern when the number of stitches match up just right for sewing together.

my favorite project thus far. originally based on beary jackson, the details were changed to create ninja turtles. i then re-wrote some parts (the shells, masks, legs, etc.) so that the repetition in making all the parts was a little easier. i also used 9mm eyes instead of the giant ones w/ colored irises, which i find just creepy.

butts / shells. the masks are simply singles chain rows to the desired thickness and for a length long enough so that i could tie a double knot around their huge heads.

i chose softer colors for their bodies. the heads and limbs are in red heart super saver frosty green, bodies are in warm brown, the shells are in wood brown and the masks are in the brightest red, orange, purple and blue i could find in my scraps.

raphael sitting. i like that none of the limbs needed to be stuffed before sewing onto the body. it makes them look like rag dolls.

raphael's back. i thought about adding more detail to these, like their belts and weapons, but in the end i like how simple and clean-looking they turned out. those details would have to be made out of something other than worsted weight in order to keep them looking neat.

apple sans worm from ana paula rimoli's book amigurumi world. her ideas are TOO CUTE. i love the little leaf. i wanted this to look super pigmented and heavier so i used red heart sport in jockey red and filled the bottom half w/ rice.

ana paula rimoli again. her cupcake is the very first amigurumi i ever successfully completed. i chose red heart super saver in aran for the cream cheese frosting and red heart sport in jockey red for the red velvet cake.

red heart super saver in petal pink for the birthday frosting and aran for the vanilla cake. i sewed on some random seed beads as sprinkles before stuffing.

here's the set! with a mocha and a lemon :)

i re-used the box after scarfing down some trader joe's mini carrot cakes, which are delicioussss.

my version of pandy bear. i used red heart super saver in dark orchid instead of the pale green, made the ears bigger, the legs longer, and left the arms and leg unstuffed. for once, my embroidery (on its face) is not too horrendous.

these little duckies are also inspired by ana paula rimoli's tiny amigurumi ducks. i gave them to jon and annie before they went back to taiwan. i left off the wings and feet, and instead of having them sit, i made a round "feet" base for them to stand up on. finished them off w/ 6mm eyes and colored bows. minor changes and they're still cute but totally transformed.

yet another project inspired by ana paula rimoli. i started w/ ana paula's cat & mouse pattern. the cat is mainly red heart super saver in dark orchid instead of light brown. the embroidery for the mouth is black instead of pink, i left out the lighter colored eye circles and made my own collar w/ single chains and a tied-on adjustable ring. i also left all of the limbs unstuffed as the finished cat is fat enough as it is. the batman is the EXACT same pattern except that i made color changes from black to heather grey for the body, arms, and legs. i cut out shapes for the eyes, mouth and batman logo from colored felt and hand sewed them onto the crocheted parts. his belt is just a chain, secured to his body w/ a few random sewed stitches. he has a cape on as well, which i did freehand and of course i forgot to write down my pattern as i went.

ana paula again. this tiny cat started out as the tiny amigurumi kitty from amigurumi world. again, i left out the paws as this guy sits up fine all by himself. i did a chain and an adjustable ring for its collar and another chain for its tail. the rest is her pattern exactly. finally my embroidery is getting less ugly. it's still not great at all but better.

now that i'm somewhat better at reading patterns and crocheting in the round, i wanted to get into using tiny hooks and thread instead of yarn. i tried these blue swirl earrings. they took me a while to figure out, and when i eventually completed my test run, they didn't turn out great and the cotton yarn was pretty much breaking apart. i had some coats and clark classic royale size 10 crochet thread that i've been wanting to use, so i tried my own pattern and made these in orchid pink. quick block of running them under water and drying them in between paper towels with mugs on top and they were done! i plan to make a bunch of these in a ton of different colors.

Math + Crocheting

2010-10-10T10:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.livescience.com/technology/080606-math-knit.html

The End of the Affair

2010-07-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

On a summer evening in Paris, Hugh and I went to see The End of the Affair, a Neil Jordan adaptation of the Graham Greene novel. I had trouble keeping my eyes open because I was tired and not completely engaged. Hugh had trouble keeping his eyes open because they were essentially swollen shut: he sobbed from beginning to end, and by the time we left the theater, he was completely dehydrated. I asked if he always cried during comedies, and he accused me of being grossly insensitive, a charge I'm trying to plea-bargain down to simply obnoxious.

Looking back, I should have known better than to accompany Hugh to a love story. Such movies are always a danger, as unlike battling aliens or going undercover to track a serial killer, falling in love is something most adults have actually experienced at some point in their lives. The theme is universal and encourages the viewer to make a number of unhealthy comparisons, ultimately raising the question, "Why can't our lives be like that?" It's a box best left unopened, and its avoidance explains the continued popularity of vampire epics and martial-arts extravaganzas.

The End of the Affair made me look like an absolute toad. The movie's voracious couple was played by Ralph Fiennes and Julianne Moore, who did everything but eat each other. Their love was doomed and clandestine, and even when the bombs were falling, they looked radiant. The picture was fairly highbrow, so I was surprised when the director employed a device most often seen in TV movies of the week: everything's going along just fine and then one of the characters either coughs or sneezes, meaning tha within twenty minutes he or she will be dead. It might have been different had Julianne Moore suddenly started bleeding from the eyes, but coughing, in and of itself, is fairly pedestrian. When she did it, Hugh cried. When I did it, he punched me in the shoulder and told me to move. "I can't wait until she dies," I whispered. I don't know if it was their good looks or their passion, but something about Julianne Moore and Ralph Fiennes put me on the defensive.

I'm not as unfeeling as Hugh accuses me of being, but things change once you've been together for more than ten years. They rarely make movies about long-term couples, and for good reason: our lives are boring. The courtship had its moments, but now we've become the predictable Part II no one in his right mind would ever pay to see. ("Look, they're opening their electric bill!") Hugh and I have been together for so long that in order to arouse extraordinary passion, we need to engage in physical combat. Once, he hit me on the back of the head with a broken wineglass, and I fell to the floor pretending to be unconscious. That was romantic, or would have been had he rushed to my side rather than stepping over my body to fetch the dustpan.

Call me unimaginative, but I still can't think of anyone else I'd rather be with. On our worst days, I figure things will work themselves out. Otherwise, I really don't give our problems much thought. Neither of us would ever publicly display affection; we're just not that type. We can't profess love without talking through hand puppets, and we'd never consciously sit down to discuss our relationship. These, to me, are good things. They were fine with Hugh as well, until he saw that damned movie and was reminded that he has other options.

The picture ended at about ten, and afterward we went for coffee at a little place across the street from the Luxembourg Gardens. I was ready to wipe the movie out of my mind, but Hugh was still under its spell. He looked as though his life had not only passed him by but paused along the way to spit in his face. Our coffee arrived, and as he blew his nose into a napkin, I encouraged him to look on the bright side. "Listen," I said, "we maybe don't live in wartime London, but in terms of the occasional bomb scare, Paris is a pretty close second. We both love bacon and country music, what more could you possibly want?"

What more could he want? It was an incredibly stupid question and when he failed to answer, I was reminded of just how lucky I truly am. Movie characters might chase each other through the fog or race down the stairs of burning buildings, but that's for beginners. Real love amounts to withholding the truth, even when you're offered the perfect opportunity to hurt someone's feelings. I wanted to say something to this effect, but my hand puppets were back home in their drawer. Instead, I pulled my chair a few inches closer, and we sat silently at our little table on the square, looking for all the world like two people in love.

do you have time for awesome?

2010-01-11T20:11:00.001-08:00

jose cooking eggs
an egg is the perfect food and jose is my future bff.

where is he now?
i love this boy.

25

2009-12-31T14:20:00.000-08:00

people say that how you spend new year's eve is a good indicator of how you will spend the new year. if that is the case, i am hoping to break free and be the change i want to see in my life. it's time, again, to plant my own garden instead of waiting for someone to bring me flowers.

tides they turn and hearts disfigure, but that's no concern when we're wounded together

2009-10-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

check out this guy's awesome paintings!!
boba fett is my favorite
it's a trap and 3po w/ r2 are tied for 2nd
love!!!

saturday morning coffee @ amandine

someone always has to get the croque madame
sauce béchamel, ham, egg and gruyere
they are a little overzealous when piling on the ham
so it's a bit salty
but please notice the perfection that is this over-easy egg
beautiful

onion & gruyere omelette on baguette
w/ onion, greens, dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar
so tasty

quiche of the day :)
potato, turkey and red pepper
comforting and surprisingly light

from luke chueh's inferno
as in DANTE's inferno
this bear turning into a prawn
among others
is super super disturbing

bread accompaniments @ porterhouse bistro in beverly hills
house tapenade, bruschetta, butter, whole roasted garlic bulb
this place's prix fixe menu is a pretty amazing deal
4 courses + 2 cocktails for $45?? believe it

chopped romaine & endive salad
w/ blue cheese and white truffle oil vinaigrette
loved this
i could have eaten just this and left happy

smoked salmon quesadillas ..not bad but kinda meh

rib eye was not the most amazing but VERY decent
cooked just rare enough and well-seasoned

the desserts included in the prix fixe were WHACK
but we got a lit-up cotton candy on the house
so neat! :)

dipping cotton candy in water is shockingly fun/magical

wednesdays @ the counter in el segundo 4pm - close
beer pairings w/ delicious sliders for $12!
hoegaarden, sierra nevada, fat tire, arrogant bastard
paired w/ . . .

#1: pineapple, ham and swiss w/ ginger soy
#2: guac, bacon, pepperjack, tomato, red onion
and lettuce w/ chipotle ranch

#3: fried onion rings and provologne w/ chimichurri
#4: grilled onions, blue cheese, pepperocinis
and black olives w/ garlic aioli
if you eat meat and enjoy beer
YOU WILL LIKE THESE!!

celeste frozen pizzas
yes they have a website!!!
this was me and my brother's favorite thing to eat
when we got home from high school lol
so SOMEONE told me she is self-conscious
about buying these at the store bc the package reads
"PIZZAS FOR ONE"
hahahahahha sad!

this is relevant!!
a rubick's cube is a GAME FOR ONE is it not??
that's right - the rubix cubewich
cute but i don't want to eat it at all
not even in pieces

sugar and joey pretending to be friends

star wars in concert!! @ anaheim pond
narrated by anthony daniels in person
wowee wow wow
that giant screen was more powerful than i could ever imagine
anyone?

yoda on my new sweatshirt :)

crazy rice cakes @ crazy hook in k-town
this place is freaking strange
it's a pirate-themed bar in koreatown
that serves beer in 5000cc tubes
needless to say, every time i come here
everyone has the best time ever
i am not hard to please when it comes to rice cakes
and even though these were outrageously hot/spicy
they had the best chewy texture EVER

soju + lemon for the BABIES
just kidding babies!!!

who in the world ordered chicken wings & onion rings?
basically were useful for un-numbing my tongue
from the hot-ass rice cakes and that's about it

beer tube!!

ketchup on omelette mess w/ green onions
can't say i hated it
but i did eat it after countless cc's lol

xo sauce @ seashore in torrance
basically shredded dried scallop and dried shrimp
mashed up w/ chili oil and garlic
DELICIOUS
more of a snack than a sauce, i say

braised string beans
always so fresh and well-seasoned here
i could have eaten this entire plate by myself

spicy salt fried squid w/ chili, green onion
and tons of fried chopped garlic bits
no one can NOT like this
they also have the yummiest egg tofu dish here

dodger dog + diet coke
the 4 of us ate a total of 9 or 10 i lost count
plus at least 6 sodas, 1 bag of peanuts
and 1 bag of popcorn
all-you-can-eat for this type of food
is a great yet TERRIBLE idea

roasted egglant sandwich @ beech street cafe in el segundo
this place replaced my beloved red sesame :(
i thought i would never get over wanting
their spicy thai basil tofu w/ brown rice
or their crazy rich vietnamese iced coffees
and now look ..i am ADDICTED to this SANDWICH
eggplant, zuchinni, goat cheese and caramelized onions
on warm, crunchy, chewy delicious bread
i swear every time i go
it just gets fatter and juicier and more tasty

joey riding in the car
i try to keep it under 35mph for the sake of his little ears

this is hilarious to me bc the building managers at my work
are RIDICULOUSLY anal about parking
or specifically NOT parking on the lot
and look at what this guy does
in your face

cheese pizza w/ fresh basil @ the appetizer
this place is one of the only restaurants in pv
that has been there since i was a kid
i loooove their torpedos and vegeterian lasagnas
and the cheese on their pizzas is amazing

marinated mushrooms

dumdums
are NOT meant to be crunched up in your teeth
do not do this!!

day-old kogi tacos
um DELICIOUS
i heard it was way overrated
but ..really? what did you expect?
it met my expectations perfectly
and i would love to eat it again!

excuse me wth is that supposed to mean?

roasted eggplant sandwich @ beech street again
does it look 10x better this time or what??
like i said, tastier every time
their goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts
and garlic vinaigrette side salad alone
is totally worth going for

their italian grinder
not AS good but still delicious
esp if you're in the mood for hot, salty, fatty meat & cheese

wurst, potato salad & coleslaw
@ oktoberfest in alpine village for rach's birthday
always a good time

jason mraz @ the hollwood bowl
my heart pretty much exploded when he sang beautiful mess

small/laura & tall/chris
riding on a bus riding on a bus sitting next to bums

rach's birthday mac & cheese :) :) :)

joey being good on his afternoon walk

teriyaki chicken plate @ teri hawaii in gardena

kalua pork plate
SIGHHHHH
it's no ono but it'll have to do :(

their loco moco is definitely not bad
goes well w/ rhythmic dance competitions

oh hello beer2-D2
beer + star wars = :)

laura made cornbread muffins
saw the corn kernels the next day
if you know what i mean
-_- ew

i about DIED when i saw this
how INCREDIBLY AWESOME is this??
giant raccoon mario rug in PIXELS
total of 386 pixels and each pixel is represented
by 1 traditional crochet granny square
super simple but majorly time-consuming
i would love to attempt something like this some day

lunch swap w/ kc: day #1
ground turkey w/ sprouts, grilled onions,
meunster and the works
moist and perfect all the way to the center
a poultry miracle!!

leftover pasta w/ goat cheese,
olive oil packed sundried tomatoes,
fresh grape tomotoes, pepper, olive oil and lemon
world's BEST grape tomatoes are cherubs
i refuse to ever buy any other

and i thought giant raccoon pixels mario rug was impressive
this thing is almost 7 ft long!!
super mario obsession blanket consists of individual panels
each an original design
then they were all stitched together
insane! how amazingly creative is this?
i am in awe

it's friday night and i was feeling kinda bleh
didn't feel like going out
didn't feel like sleeping quite yet
so my roommate goes and makes me the greatest thing
instead of a mcdonald's filet-o-fish
she made fish sticks w/ ketchup & mayo
covered in melted american in a freaking hot dog bun
GENIUS!! was totally giddy as she was assembling
immediately put me in a better mood

lastly, some great movies:
the boys are back - LOVE CLIVE OWEN more than ever
paranormal activity - saw it twice, still have trouble sleeping
mrs. doubtfire - it was a run-by fruiting

SEPTEMBER!!

2009-09-23T23:24:00.000-07:00

chillin @ lake mead in laughlin

our ez-up campsite

the bunch of us
beers + jet skis? yes.

grilled cheese panini
@ neighborhood grinds in redondo beach

visiting a friend :)
@ deer park monastery in escondido

beautiful mindfulness bell

carlsbad beach

the 3 of us

backyard summer bbq

salt and pepper shakers

paprika! lol

spicy tuna hand roll
@ noshi sushi in ktown

hamachi cut rolls

refugiado from porto's bakery in burbank
an amazing guava and cheese pastry

biking on the strand to dockweiler beach!

nice day :)

ice cream truck!

labor day dusk

time for the bonfire

man meat!!

bacon sloppy joes in hot dog buns yummmm

leftover bacon added to s'mores
delicious

the most fantastic 4th birthday cake!

i would like a birthday cupcake tower myself

joe being mild-mannered

joe being ferocious rar

the most fantastic 23rd birthday cake ever?
dobash from king's hawaiian bakery in torrance

homemade hand-dipped chocolate-covered bacon
as amazing as it looks

chicken meatballs, beef tongue and
bacon-wrapped asparagus yakitori
@ nanbankan in LA

fresh, hot, MEATY softshell crab

grilled onigiri w/ tarako
sooo good

chicken skin yakitori

wonderful oyster mushrooms

giant prawns
i love that they're grilled w/ shell on

shiso leaf wrapped chicken breast

garlic cloves and pork belly

something about a mcdonald's egg mcmuffin
is so perfect to me

killing time @ airport bar en route to oahu

lau lau @ ono hawaiin foods in honolulu

amazing kalua pork
could eat this every day forever

even better w/ poi

lomi salmon

salt beef watercress soup
fatty meat falling off the bone in hot wonderful broth
hands down my favorite thing we ate in hawaii
HANDS DOWN

best mai tai i have ever had
@ our hotel in waikiki

deliciously chewy and flaky butter roll w/ tuna
@ liliha bakery in honolulu

garlic butter roll w/ green onion, ham and bacon

malasada
best doughnut EVERRRR

filled w/ a light passionfruit jelly

dole whip topped w/ pineapple chunks
@ dole plantation in wahiawa

aren't they cute?
miles of this stuff

our first stop driving north shore

mai tai @ turtle bay resort in kahuku
where forgetting sarah marshall was filmed!

the infamous giovanni's shrimp truck in kahuku

amazing scampi DRENCHED in garlic

hot & spicy is no joke!

view of mokoli'i island aka "chinaman's hat"
from kualoa park

garlic chicken plate lunch from mitsu-ken in honolulu
so good!!

loco moco for breakfast

bailey's antiques and aloha shirts in honolulu
loved this place! such a find

waiola shave ice in honolulu
look at how fine that ice is!

ahi poke @ our hotel bar

view of waikiki from our hotel balcony

zippy's fast food
for fried chicken and chili plate

spam and eggs

chili cheese fries for breakfast
why not?

view half-way up the diamond head hike in honolulu

view of waikiki from the top

view of the crater from the top

snorkeling @ hanauma bay in honolulu
gorgeous and we saw TONS of fish

really good smoothies
@ lanikai juice in kailua

supermarket-bought ahi poke
the best!

chili cheese fries @ pepper's place in kailua

cheese jalapeno poppers ..meh

dinner @ alan wong's honolulu
seared foie gras w/ plum chutney
loved it

roast duck salad w/ chinese lap cheong sausage
and hoisin balsamic vinaigrette

baby maui romaine caesar w/ creamy anchovy
dressing and filets, kalua pork and lomi tomato
in a crispy cheese basket
i about died - my new favorite salad

beef tenderloin special topped w/ a quail egg
over shrimp risotto

whole fried moi stuffed w/ lobster, potatoes, mushrooms
in a coconute curry sauce
our entrees were whatever
..the 1st two courses were amazing tho

lap cheong manapua from ..7-11

spam musubi ..also from 7-11
score

waimea bay
stayed here all afternoon :)

matsumoto shave ice in haleiwa
sorry, waiola is better

my favorite breakfast was our last meal in hawaii
loco moco @ rainbow drive-in

spam and eggs over easy

amazingly rich, fluffy pancakes

i want it now!

leaving oahu :(

back home to LA :)

i imagine heaven to look as pleasing as this

swoon

i saw a boba fett one also but was too late to grab it

home to mom's cooking! :) :) :)
pickled veggies w/ pork

shrimp w/ (get this) maggi sauce + a dab of ketchup
trust me it's bomb

egg fried w/ bean sprouts and green onion
so simple yet so delicious

issues

2009-09-01T22:35:00.000-07:00

i have some issues with the following:

1.
effective january 1, 2009, the wireless communications device law made it an infraction to write, send and READ texts while driving. california vehicle code sections 23123 and 23124 restrict cell phone usage to hands-free devices only and prohibit all drivers under 18 from using a cell phone at all while driving.
newsflash: 90% of the time, hands-free devices make you look like an anti-social dumbass ..unless, of course, you are david beckham, in which case you can wear whatever the f you want.

2.
smart ones brand frozen breakfast sandwiches, regardless of their admittedly spongey "egg" layer, are my breakfast-on-the-run choice of late. i am fascinated by frozen breakfast food in general and i'm not sure why these have grown on me so much. strangely, these sandwiches are 210 calories whether you choose with or without canadian bacon - this makes no logical sense, unless the canadian bacon is 0 calories (unlikely!). anyway, my main issue with these sandwiches is that they come out of the microwave RAGING hot. the whole point of a 2 min microwave breakfast is SPEED, is it not? but as soon as it's done heating, it's so hot that i always end up scarfing it in about 1.5 min and then wishing i had just waited.

issue #1 + issue #2
=
on my way to work this morning, i got pulled over by a cop for talking on my cell phone. i was not talking on my cell phone, but, in fact, was scarfing down the above-mentioned insanely hot breakfast sandwich. he saw me putting a cell phone to my ear when i was actually putting a sandwich to my mouth -_-
by the time i explained myself, he was probably grossed out by the smell of ham radiating out my car window and ended up not giving me a ticket. i am now more paranoid than ever about using my phone in the car yet i will continue to scarf my breakfast sandwiches at all costs.

3.
red sesame, my current favorite work-lunch place is closed :( :( :( nooooooo!!!!
where am i supposed to get my thai basil brown rice and vietnamese iced coffees now???

unique new york unique new york how now brown cow how now brown cow

2009-08-20T23:12:00.000-07:00

meatball sub cross-section

vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and red velvet
from susie cakes in manhattan village
red velvet and chocolate were not bad
vanilla was way too sweet
strawberry gets a big fat SUX

mom's wintermelon w/ dried shrimp
and reeeeally good mussels

just eggs, tomatoes and green onion
delicious!

black bean spare ribs
sooo good

burgers @ the counter in el segundo
english muffin? k.

giant chicken breast w/ jalapenos and a fried egg? k.

ground turkey w/ gruyere, scallions and bacon slaw? k.

when do you ever see cherries w/ leaves still attached?

look at all those beets
you can't eat all those beets

a crazy delicious goat's milk cheddar

cream cheese omelet!!
fancy, i know

al pasto tacos @ king taco in long beach

garlic shrimp lunch special @ red sesame in manhattan beach
this place has chinese, vietnamese and thai
garlic shrimp and vermicelli both are not great
but anything w/ thai basil is tasty
as is their iced coffee which is the bomb.com

beef shawerma @ al hamra halal in redondo
not their greatest
i prefer their chicken shawerma for surrrre

their poulet a la mediterranean
also not great at all
bust!

steamed glutinous rice yesss!!!!

ahhhh how good does that look??

a sweet one

salmon sashimi in ginger ponzu @ wokcano in long beach
go for happy hour!

beet salad @ father's office in culver city
my favorite salad at the moment by farrrrrr

steak tartare is delicioussss
but rather salty w/ all the capers
we had the office burger as well
but obv it was inhaled immediately

fresh and hot dan tat!!!
our table was right near the kitchen
we snagged asap

this looks like funfetti batter in a penis-shaped cake pan

yep that's exactly what that is
we colored the frosting ourselves
props to rach for thinking up the strategic placement
of chocolate "sprinkles"

won ton

broad beans
my freaking favorite snack right now

beignets @ jazz kitchen in downtown disney

bacon jalapeno potato salad
tasted strangely of kraut but i liked it

laura's penne alfredo
everytime i eat this i want to eat it for days

chicken breast?
nay! TURKEY!

i told myself i would not post
until i had MADE something not food related
so here it is

he is quite ugly!! ugly cute? no?
i saw him on etsy and thought he'd look better in red

and now he races off!!

ok and THIS:

do me a favor. save duke.

2009-08-16T23:57:00.000-07:00

i saw g.i. joe tonight. AGAIN, the star wars parallels were numerous. if you are making a sci-fi movie, perhaps consider making a conscious effort to create something that does not mirror star wars!!

for example..

bad guy home base:
darth's space station.
mars underwater base.

pasty mutilated evil twosome:
emperor and darth.
rex and destro.

the force:
darth sensed when obi wan was on the death star and then bounced to go lightsaber his former teacher bud.
storm shadow sensed when snake eyes had showed up, saying "he's here", and likewise bounced to fight his childhood homie.

definitive high-altitude duel on grates:
vader vs luke and luke falls.
snake eyes vs storm shadow and storm shadow falls.

ray park:
played darth maul in episode 1.
played snake eyes in rise of cobra.
didn't get tp talk or show his face in either!!

and lastly/obviously:

luke and duke? really?

a whole lot of junk

2009-08-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

trader joe's anchovies in olive oil

added to elbow mac, parm, red pepper, garlic and butter

berries, bananas, yogurt and soy milk berry topper @ jamba
w/ fresh bananas and granola

OC FAIR FOOD!!
giant cream cheese filled jalepeno poppers wrapped in bacon

battered and deep fried white castle burger

steamed artichoke w/ butter

trader joe's endive and romaine salad
w/ gorgonzola and walnuts

amazing olive bread from il fornaio

lamb sliders w/ feta and caramelized onions
and super fresh perfectly grilled veggies
@ barbarella bar

giant steamed prawns @ sea empress in gardena

lobsta

coconut milk taro jello

steamed black bean pork spare ribs
@ east gourmet dim sum in rosemead

chicken feet!

vegetaran bean curd rolls

egg rolls

steamed tripe and daikon

skewers @ blvd3

filet-o-fish!!!

kraft single atop homemade mashed potatoes

grilled a la vic

mom's rice cakes
best on earth

steak?

or cake?

ink calendar by oscar diaz
the ink out of the bottle spreads
and fills in the embossed numbers as the days pass
amazing!

there is a light that never goes out

2009-07-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

THIS movie
!!!!!!!!!!!!

arguably the planet's best yam fries
@ father's office santa monica

roasted figs stuffed w/ cabrales blue
and spanish goat cheese
wrapped in serrano ham

the office burger
i'd like to eat this for breakfast every day

sprinkles in newport
their red velvet..
i can't even think right now

coconut
looking at this makes me want to give hugs

this little dog's name is jetta
that dress is a hand-me-down from a stranger

spicy bloody mary
and macadamia nut kisses wrappers

cocktails at one of gary's many "offices"

richest most amazing iced coffee ever

needs no introduction

300 calories of perfection

i fall asleep when you talk about people

2009-07-05T22:27:00.000-07:00

potato croquette @ sanuki no sato
love these!!!

agedashi tofu

hummus @ al hamra halal :)

kibbeh!!
lebanese meat pies

filled w/ ground beef and onions

chicken shawerma & gyro w/ garlic/tzatziki sauces
delicious!!

homemade steak dinner @ calvin & victor's :)
rach's red wine, mushroom and
caramelized onion sauce
jimmy's roasted garlic gloves
laura's fettuccine alfredo
my tomato cucumber avocado feta salad

dobash cake from king's hawaiian
so good i want it now!

fish!
cupcakes, not muffins

omg poysunz

bourbon street sampler @ jazz kitchen in DT disney
bbq pork sliders, calamari, chicken spring rolls
and COCONUT SHRIMP my fav

cajun asian salad
[not going to start with whether
this is even either cajun OR asian]
mandarins were syrupy, goat cheese was not bad
but the pecan "crust" was tasteless, and orange soy
vinaigrette was i think just OJ + ginger ..?

pasta jambalaya

grilled chicken & penne

double chocolate bread pudding!!
chocolate bp w/ white AND dark chocolate ganaches

was super hot and gooey inside, crusty outside :)
but i think i had some caraway seed in a bite - EW!!

rach passed her cbest!
this is her sub for poison apples those rotten children
will soon be attempting to hand off to her in hopes of
getting her to start a game of heads-up 7-up
instead of learning multiplication tables
nahh!!
from ana paula rimoli's amigurumi world

spicy peanuts, pork ear and shredded beef in
hot chili oil @ sue's kitchen

chilled cucumber chunks in sesame oil & salt

sauteed watercress and garlic

shredded beef & cilantro in pancake
the "chinese burrito"

stewed beef noodles in soup
deliciousssss

bbq pork noodles

abalone rice porridge @ heung nam myun ok

don't know what the pine nuts were about ..?
i put a buttload of coarse salt/pepper/toasted sesame
in this and it became much tastier
don't think they could have been any sheistier
w/ the abalone tho ..tiniest pieces ever

steve's nang myun
cold noods! not bad

side of marinated kalbi

hot caprese @ giuliano's REDONDO
added prosciutto, which is way too salty after toasting
i still like this giuliano's the BEST
vs the gardena and torrance locations

kraft blue box!!!
i enjoy it w/ pepper

my mom's fried rice
i'm convinced her's is the best on earth

beard papa's + orange crush
a good day
nothing beats their original vanilla

hollywood hot dog cart hot dog
look at those grilled onions and that mayo
gahhhh

CHERRY CHERRY BOOM BOOM

2009-06-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

bo sam!! @ western soon dae

oyster w/ gochu jjang
GOCHU HAHAHA -_-

oyster, steamed pork, kimchee radish

croque madame @ amandine
bechamel, ham and gruyere
topped w/ the perfect egg

tomato, basil and cauliflower quiche
quiche in general is sooo underrated

omelette ratatouille

tarte fromage
light fluffy rich cheesecake w/ lemon zest

gateau fraise
strawberries, whipped cream and AMAZING sponge cake

albacore & ginger @ shin sen gumi yakitori

raw sweet shrimp w/ deep fried HEADS
delicious

pork wrapped shiso & quail eggs

you look like how i feel!!

2009-06-14T14:48:00.000-07:00

hummus @ tapameze in manhattan beach
delicious spanish and mediterranean dishes
awesome sangria specials

giant fried manchego cheese chunks
w/ spicy garlic tomato sauce

fried calamri w/ harissa chili aioli

babaganoush w/ pita

clams and chorizo in garlic wine chili sauce

lamb kebabs w/ onion in pomegranate mint sauce

my first papa john's pizza
where has your garlic butter sauce been all my life?

rabbi

homemade beef kebabs

veggie-babs

grillz
turned out so delicious!!

velveta shells with ALFREDO

first watermelon of the summer

bacon fried rice @ sully's in torrance

spam musubi

wokcano long beach happy hour

don't know what kind of white fish this was
but they covered it in some amazing garlic mess

peking duck w/green onion in OPC wraps
SO GOOD

vegetable tempura plate for only $3!
overall wokcano's happy hour is sweet
but at their regular prices would not be worth it at all

in-n-out duh!!
#2 w/ grilled onions

olive garden!!
stuffed mushrooms, fried calamari & mozzarella

lasagna fritta
whoever had the idea to deep fry parm-breaded lasagna
..genius

THE olive garden salad

breadsticks!!

grilled shrimp caprese
angel hair w/ tomatoes, basil and butter sauce

tour of italy
lasagna, fettuccine alfredo, chicken parmigiana

capellini pomodoro
tomatoes, garlic and basil

seafood portofino
mussels, scallops, shrimp and mushrooms
on linguine in garlic butter wine sauce

seafood alfredo
shrimp and scallops in fettuccine alfredo

i hid under your porch because i love you.

2009-06-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

chinese shredded beef and cilantro wrap w/ duck sauce

pork dumplings!!

fish taco @ cactus
eesh not so good

necessary!!

pastor burrito w/ avocado, cheese and sour cream
win!!
better with pastor and cheese only though

teri avocado burger @ rascal's
photo does not do this deliciousness justice

made me some coasters
they're tiny but i like them

salmon carpaccio @ the yakitori shin sen gumi in gardena

yellow tail ..was just okay
nothing beats the hamachi @ noshi

agedashi tofu ..also just okay
doesn't beat chabuya's

and now the good stuff..
yakitori!

chicken and wasabi

thick cut pork belly
by far my favorite
pork in general is so underrated

chicken meatballs and chicken thigh w/ green onion

flank steak - so good!!

beef tongue was soooo good
a close 2nd

basil wrapped in cheese wrapped in pork belly
actually not sure if this was really BASIL
and no idea what kind of cheese this was
mozzarella? provologne? swiss?
did not enjoy that much

similar "basil" wrapped in thicker pork belly

garlic cloves w/ skin ON
these actually might have been the best!!

zen + 'zza + zoo

2009-05-26T00:03:00.000-07:00

memorial day weekend!!
fiesta @ laura's family's house of leisure in escondido
and getaway in san diego

an entire roast pig!! peaceful, no?!
look at that skin ..amazing

mochi or bammy
i can never tell who is who

read it

omg this oyster was the size of rach's foot
in fact, it is being held like a delicate glass slipper

chopped that pork up!!

mini tofus w/ ginger, scallions and nori

very refreshing

our first attempt at white wine "sangria"
looks a mess but was not bad if i don't say so myself

rach + bammy/mochi
i really can't tell them apart

homemade bbq pulled pork ..so good

goodnight piggy!!

lunch at azafran in oceanside
delicious cherry soda

house sangria
too sweet and rummy for me but still tasty

chicken empanadas
came out crazy hot and delicious!
skin was a bit chimichanga-thick but still good

arroz con pollo with black beans
chicken was very lean and well-cooked but kind of bland
rice was tender and tasty but i HATE
when frozen peas & carrots are dumped into anything

pressed cuban smoked ham sandwich
with gooey cheese and mustard
would def get this again

reclining meerkat @ san diego wild animal park
hilarious how they sit like that so casually

poor cheetah was pacing back and forth on its TINY grass island

lion chillin' on a range rover
hahhahah

amazing!

spot the baby tiger?

this guy has no eye
his wifey is sitting on a nest of down feathers

dinner @ chianti in gaslamp distrcit
sea bass with risotto and spinach

grouper w/ mussels and clams
this place gets a big fat SUCKS!!!
food took over 40 minutes to get to our table,
was overpriced and tasted painfully bland
..the jackie chan / jennifer love hewitt movie
The Tuxedo was on tv above the bar
which was A LOT more interesting than
the taste of our food when we finally got it
DO NOT EAT AT CHIANTI

passionfruit ricotta torte from extraordinary desserts
went to their little italy / downtown location
photo is lame but WOW this was AMAZING

here we have steve scarfing since we had no forks
steve previously did not enjoy desserts
seriously, was so good!!!

we scored a room at the estancia in la jolla
and had the apple alscienne for breakfast with coffee on the lawn
probably the best apple pie i've ever had

meatball, italian sausage and ricotta @ pizzeria luigi
a tiny hole-in-the-wall
w/ fresh pizza and really good service

so good

agama @ the SD zoo
they turn all brown at night but in the day BAM!!

oh hello

this little attention whore was laying like this right up at the glass

love this one
steve took most of these animal photos

this guy sits like an old chinese man

folded hands, asian squat

papaya feast

eating the meat off a GIANT bone
probably human

almost as cute as otters holding hands

ok so on the way to the panda exhibit
there is a mural of pandas painted by children
i now present to you the most bizarre of these pandas..

panda #1
stoned + munchies + paranoid

panda #2
yacking? hungover?
???

panda #3
ok wtf excuse me??
what child painted this??
and who allowed this to remain on the wall??

ok back to the cute
polar bear, obv

with a bud :)

we also went to extraordinary desserts' other location in balboa park
where we tried the blood orange ricotta torte w/ rasberries
will def be back

They named Welch's Grape Juice after him, because he squeezes the sweetest juice out of his workers' mind grapes.

2009-05-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

veggie wrap @ bristol farms in manhattan beach
a little pricey for lunch
but never sheisty w/ ingredients or quality

giant shells pasta salad

spicy mini octopus

REALLY good ahi poke

red velvet mini dessert @ p.f. chang's in el segundo
too sweet to be GOOD good but not bad
honestly HATED p.f. chang's
don't get why people love this place AT ALL
but am interested in these banana spring rolls they have
..will be back

gamja tang ..sooooo tasty
delicious korean potato stew
pork just fell off the bone

more soon dae! + tripe
yummy but did not beat western soon dae
where i have eaten i think 5 times in the last 3 weeks
very proud!!

a pill splitter - amazing
i had never seen such a contraption in my life

yogurt island in torrance
vanilla and chocolate with blackberries,
brownies, carob chips, almonds, cocoa crispies
..don't really know what i was going for there

combos of pistacio, vanilla, taro, etc.
place is kind of ridiculous..
their largest self-serve size is literally a BUCKET
way to encourage overconsumption/wastefulness

honey pig in ktown
yessss one of my favorite kbbq places ever

upon arriving at your table
rather than a cold, empty grill
you are greeted with happily heating heaps
of kimchee and bean sprouts

brisket!! tender and thicker than many other places

pork belly: stage 1
room temp - fats solid

pork belly: stage 2
runny fat sizzling

pork belly: stage 3
eat it

prob the best part of honey pig
..this amazing post-meat rice
w/ the grill's remaining burnt bean sprounts
+ sesame leaves and spiciness
soooo good

gaam in ktown
didn't eat here bc we were stuffed from honey pig
just had some hite beer, yogurt soju and cold green tea
yogurt soju + cute + loungey = y/y
nacho cheese + loudest music + shitty parking = n/n

GTFO!!

2009-05-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

i love star wars.i have been listening to r2's beepity beeps since i was both too small and too round to sit on a sofa without falling over. when finally wedged into the crack between couch cushions and propped upright, while i still had no teeth, i am positive i already knew i was watching the best movies ever.

the music that accompanies luke's first rescue of leia was proabably the soundtrack that played in my head as i daydreamed about being my 6th grade crush's crush HAHAHAHA. (please ignore the sibling thing - i'm trying to make a point.)

when i get off star tours at disneyland, i aways think to myself, "how the f was that so f-ing awesome?" and then, "that's it??" i would hugely prefer a continuation of the star wars theme over exiting directly into a gift shop where you can "make your own lightsaber" for a trillion dollars. i want to exit the ride and immediately get hit by some fake disney snow - a hoth blizzard!

here are some replacement ideas i would like to bring to disneyland's attention:

driving autopia cars

=> riding tontons
jeep adventure with indiana jones

=> swamp trek on dagobah with yoda

flying dumbo elephants in fantasyland

=> racing land speeders on tatooine

buzz lightyear astroblasters

=> han solo storm trooper killing school

country bears => kashyyyk wookies

disney princess dress up => slutty leia bronze bikini fittings

star wars is straight charming. it's timeless and relatable - which is why everyone and their mom has parodied or remade it. remade it uknowingly even.

obv, i've never been much of a star trek fan. had nothing against it. just didn't seem interesting. i've never seen a full tv episode and this entire time thought billy shat and professor x played the same character. anyway, i saw star trek the movie this weekend in imax and freaking loved it. in my excitement, i did not for one second even THINK about star wars. i guess i betrayed star wars a little because i REALLY did not think about it at all ..it never came to mind.

..until THIS was brought to my attention.

OMFG GTFO.

is that why i enjoyed star trek so much? TRICKED. i feel tricked. but it was so good. but star wars. but it was the same. but it was so good. but star wars. i am torn.

salacious crumb is not amused / no longer laughing like an idiot.

i loved econ, is that nerdy?

2009-05-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

chili cheese waffle fries @ taste pilot's
in disney california adventure

mickey's sun wheel
don't know how i feel about this one
crazy scary or crazy whack

chicken pesto melt @ ocean diner
really FRESH pesto

manny's skillet
eggs, chorizo, ortega chiles, jalapenos,
potatoes and jack

wanda's mac n' cheese
w/ bacon, diced tomatoes and parm

breakfast burrito
eggs, onion, chopped ham, salsa and jack

meringue cookies from a danish bakery in solvang

black beans, garbanzo beans, baby corn
..and smoked oysters
why???

kimchee fried rice @ s cafe in gardena
delicious!!
p.s. hot dogs have pork in them

k chicken wings
tasty!!

cadillac marg @ chili's
and i thought i hated chili's!

oldtimer cheeseburger was quite nice

stuffed mushrooms @ maggiano's
yum!!

more soon dae @ western soon dae
yesssssssssss

i dunno what part of the pig this is

even more soon dae
plus tripe and delicious broth

chili cheese fries @ teri hawaii

loco moco plate!!

frittizle mistizzle

2009-05-05T23:53:00.000-07:00

tasty fried potatoes w/ roasted chili, lemon,
garlic and cilantro @ open sesame

kabssa - lamb and pine nuts

kafta - ground beef and lamb

chili shrimp & spinach spaghetti @ curry house

chicken gratin w/ pasta

artichoke shrimp and mascarpone cheese gnocchi
in chardonnay lemon sage cream @ fritto misto

delicious stuffing!!

jumbo ravioli stuffed w/ prosciutto, mortadella
and chicken in garlic cream, caramelized onions,
pancetta and sundried tomatoes

best stuffing ever!!

dessert on the house!
flourless chocolate cake w/ homemade whipped cream

dim sum @ east gourmet seafood restaurant

vegetarian bean curd rolls

steamed rice dumpling

hamachi @ noshi
BEST yellowtail EVER

dynamite!!
so good

spicy tuna, salmon skin and yellowtail rolls

uni and crazy fatty salmon

fresh water eel

salmon roe!

sonoma chicken & apple salad
@ disneyland california adventure's boudin bakery
sourdough was soooo good

vegetarian chili

clam chowder was kinda gross
was so thick it was like gravy

um the incredibles

SULLY!!! :)

delicious black pepper popcorn @ karl strauss kart

cinco de drinco @ cozymel's

happy hour margarita

+ laura showing off her velociraptor talons

chicken mole enchiladas

grilled chicken quesadilla

pork tamale

taco tacos

fresh fresh guac

air force ones in my air force one (obama!)

2009-04-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

peanut butter is the way to go!!
tobasco needs to get out of there
best pizookie ever

roommate assistance

western soon dae
I NOW LOVE SOON DAE

rice cakes and fish cake!

soon dae gook is CRAZY hot
but delicious

blood sausage close-up!!

meat and bean burrito w/ cheese @ tito's tacos
best sloppy "mexican" grub ever

roasted corn w/ mayo, paprika and garlic salt!!
best carni food ever

r2 on the 405!!
best movie ever

grilled zucchni @ california fish grill
best zucchini ever

grilled white roughy w/ garlic butter

grilled salmon w/ garlic butter

rainbow shaved ice @ teri hawaii
best shaved ice ever

veggie omelette w/ cheddar @ ocean diner
best breakfast within a quarter mile from our apartment ever

also:
dhani jones - call me

push the goddamn button!

2009-04-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

some delicious-ass hummus!!
@ al hamra halal cafe

meat combo for two..
could probably feed more like six
chicken, beef, more beef, gyros, a HUGE salad,
rice, that monster side of hummus, pita, hot sauces,
AND this place has awesome cucumber yogurt dressing

if you have ever had red lobster cheese biscuits
there is no real need to explain why it is SO great
to have a roomie who saves you some

HAHHAHAH QT???

rach's dad' fried rice
spicy and tasty and omg so f-ing good

tamales!! @ king taco in long beach
pork, chicken and cheese jalapeno

tacos!
al pastor and lengua

al pastor ALL MEAT burrito
crazy spicy at the bottom

chicken tamale
not my favorite -_- but they ran out of pork

yellow cow!!
rice cakes stir fried w/ beef

brisket!

pork belly is soooo good here

just kimchee!

mini corn dogs!!
plus one bonusy one wrapped in bacon
hahahahhaha

why do mussels have beards?

2009-04-12T23:38:00.001-07:00

local crabs
@ captain kidd's fish market in redondo

steamed mussels
you can't see the beards
believe me..
they're there -_-

steamed for the eats!

clawsies
delicious

bodies
small so kinda hard to eat

heads and guts!!
only one of the four was decent enough to eat
rest were DARK and mucky looking
and tasted bitter like death

breakfast @ ocean diner in redondo
walking distance from our apartment!!
they make some really really good biscuits

killer omelette
spicy chorizo, ortega chilis, jalapeno,
onions, jack and cheddar

diva omelette
artichoke hearts, feta, onions, spinach
w/ WHOLE cloves of sweet roasted garlic

chicken roma omelette
REALLY good sundried tomatoes, feta,
chicken and spinach

happy poo
this was 4 hours before i came home to find
that joey had chewed off its eyeballs
and mangled the shape so bad
that i had to just throw it out :(
happy poo #2 will be in the works soon!!

excuse THIS beauty

2009-04-10T20:34:00.001-07:00

miss homemaker cutie pie

awww!!!!
please note the kashi heart to heart :)

how f-ing cute!!!

ahhh!!! :) my heart!!

if i fell in the river would you save me??

2009-04-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

heyyy joseph

f-ing delicious HOT salami, ham and provologne
sandwich w/ garlic aioli
@ lisa's bon appetit

beat freaks!! omg!!
@ world of dance in pomona
they were f-ing amazinggggggg

quest crew!! ahh!!!
shitty photo i know

SO HERE IS A VIDEO!! AHH!!!!
:) :) :)

joe chillin' on his blankie

roasted pork belly w/ CRAZY delicious crispy skin
dim sum @ east gourmet in rosemead

hot bean curd gelatin w/ ginger and honey aka
DOFU FAH!!!
i heard it's good here but i'm not a fan of this stuff

leftovers!! yesssss
LMG, char siu bao and dan tat aka
steamed sticky rice, bbq pork bun and egg tart

i think the BEST hot wings i've ever had
@ lamppost pizza in torrance

the whole nine yards
pepperoni, ham, sausage, bacon, mushroom,
onions and olives

garlic chicken w/ alfredo, mushrooms and onions
so good

taco night ..w/ kimchee, sriracha and bean sprouts
word

shabu shabu @ fukagawa in gardena

meat! for swish swishing

ponzu w/ tons of radish and green onion

let's be clear: half cooked egg means
1 egg, half-cooked
NOT half of 1 egg, cooked

cabbage, enoki mushrooms, tofu,
glass and udon noods

prosciutto and caprese sandwich
@ the redondo beach giuliano's
that caprese is so damn good

standard torpedo

i stole a garden gnome and sent it around the world with a flight attendant

2009-04-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

upside-down napping!!

fried squid balls @ tea station in gardena

fried taro balls
delicious but def need some salt or sauce
or SOMETHING ANYTHING

tea flavored braised pork belly with bean curd knots
DELICIOUS!!

tea flavored stewed beef

half shell oysters special @ father's office in culver city
w/ cucumber and shallots mignonette

grilled asparagus with bacon and a perfect gooey egg

mini roasted veggie pizza @ lazy dog
w/ goat cheese, caramelized onions and mushrooms

carver salad @ lawry's carvery in LA live
egg, red peppers, tomatoes, crispy onions
in horseradish dressing w/ prime rib
YUM!!!

southwestern prime rib chop
black beans, corn, red peppers, cilantro, tortilla strips
in bbq lime ranch dressing w/ spicy prime rib

baked macaroni and cheese
possibly the best i've ever eaten!!

horseradish mashed potatoes were meh
gravy was kind of gross and overwhelming

toasted blueberry w/ cream cheese @ noah's
look at all that cream cheese!!

cucumber ginger martini @ barbarella bar

tuna tar tar was so good!

lamb lollipops yum!!

from a thomson-west seminar
what's inside??

cutie pie jelly bellys

walkin' on the moon :)

2009-03-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

my mom's rosemary and black pepper potatoes

pork tamale @ king taco in long beach
oh man
love king taco so much

carne asada all meat burrito

lengua sope
my fav here is just their tacos

house marinated olives @ chez melange in redondo
new location w/ a sweet ass gastropub/bar!
they still have more formal dining rooms w/ a different menu
but we went for the gastropub for its bar snacks

artisan cheese plate
machego, a blue and an AMAZING triple-creme called red hawk
it's the one on the far right.. OH MAN
stinky and rich and beautiful lol

buffalo chicken flatbread w/ hot sauces
super hot and cheesy

el burrito junior!!
the one on pch in redondo is the best
am i the only person who still loves this place??
beef tamale is covered in sauce and cheese
which i do not love
but it was ok

carnitas soft taco
tacos are huge

chips as big as laura's face

carne asada soft taco
also ginormous
no one likes this place!
but i still love their junior deluxe burritos
and wet bean and cheese burritos

hahhahahha!

harbor palace in lomita
pork ribs w/ spicy salt yum

braised string beans with ground pork
the best!!

some delicious tofu egg dish w/ bok choy and mushrooms

raisin meat.. had to be there

giant red velvet!
the cake part was good
but the icing had coconut in it i think
NOPE

an s-load of diced onions and cilantro for kalbi tacos

chinese chicken salad @ lisa's bon appetit
the BEST
with a scoop of their chicken salad

another meatball sundae @ ikea

steamed pork and cabbage bun w/ egg

special k w/ chocolate!!

rosemary bread and cheese @ fleming's in el segundo

the perfect rib eye gahhhhh

fleming's potatoes
giant layered monster w/ jalapeno and cream

a fatty bite of that leftover rib eye

giant ROUND strawberry cutie

egg bagel w/ cheddar and ham
@ neighborhood grinds in redondo
already love this place
a really short walk from my new apartment :)

joseph's saturday morning walk

i am hairy. i am hairy??

2009-03-15T10:11:00.001-07:00

the last THREE times i have gone to happy nails in pv for an eyebrow wax, the lady has asked, "lip too?"

NO!! NO LIP TOO!!

-_-

progress :)

2009-03-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

disneyland again!!
chimichanga: do not eat!
bland and bleh

chili & lime & butter corn!
get it! :)

demolished turkey leg and cheddar on a stick

more korean bbq at yellow cow in gardena

leetle shrimpies

steamed egg
looooove eggs

hot boba milk tea @ gardena tea station

bristol farms chocolate cake

crazy DENSE and moist

out of boxed/bagged wine = :(

meats and cheeses from la espanola meats, inc in harbor city
gahhh soooo amazingggggg
the spanish goat cheese was dreeeeamy
i can't remember what any of this was called
it was all just SO F-ING AMAZING

chorizo??.. look at all that yellow fat
delicious

more spanish meat
drool!!

the most amazing strawberries i have ever had
from off the 110 south anaheim exit
lol

ikea food court is awesome
meatball sundae!
3 meatballs over mashed potatoes
w/ gravy and lingonberry sauce

yamashiro in hollywood
goat cheese, cantaloupe and basil wrapped in prosciutto
yummmm

best halfshell oysters i have EVER had

calamari

sushi boat! yes!
reggae: jerk prawns, avocado, cucumber, grilled pineapple, plantain sauce
hawaii five-o: spicy yellowtail, mango, macadamia, toasted coconut, kaiware in soy paper
reclining buddha: shrimp, chilies, cilantro, peanuts, cabbage, spicy ponzu in soy paper
crabby pants: softshell crab, grapefruit, pancetta, honey-mustard ginger sauce
californication: california roll, spicy tuna, soy-roasted shishito pepper, eel sauce

darth vader!!
tobiko caviar, spicy tuna, cucumber,
avocado, black rice, spicy mayo

yogurtland in little tokyo
fresh strawbery w/ white chocolate chips
and peach tart w/ sliced bananas and strawberries
yum!!

fresh strawberry w/ chocolate sprinkles
and chocolate chip cookie dough chunks

target food is groce
"pizza hut" cheese pizza
big fat MEH

and their hot dog supposedly SMELLS bad
EW?!??~~~!!

papa guido's pizza in redondo
their dough is chewy and delicious!!
half anchovies
half sausage + onions

fresh AND sundried tomatoes with chopped garlic
the BEST

things that will soon be shared with fat gwyneth

2009-02-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

lisa's bon appetit in torrance
red velvet vday cupcake
cute and super dense/moist
mmmm cream cheese frosting

beef lasagna special
looks like a mess
but was sooo good

of the tons of times we've gone to lazy dog
we've never ordered full-on dinners!
bleu burger topped w/ bacon and bleu cheese butter
yes, bleu cheese BUTTER

caeser w/ grilled salmon
i'm convinced this is one of those secretly
INSANELY bad-for-you salads
surprisingly, the salmon was not overcooked
and was delicious!!
but i'm thinking it was probably soaked
in a vat of butter before "grilling"

tadoodles!
how have i never heard of you!
this is from a coloring book i saw

these are the real things!
so tadoodles are markers/crayons for 18months+ age kids
see how they are shaped for tiny hand grippage?
how f-ing cute are these?

the ashtray outside cho dang in torrance
get it?? anyone?
the pea!

jerry's famous deli @ del amo
i THOUGHT i remembered jerry's being GOOD
NOPE
sweet potato fries were tasteless :(

"cajun" chicken salad was WHACK
actually the chicken part was decent
but what in the world is cajun about this?
also barely any eggs and the dressing was terrible

WHERE, you ask, did i get this delicious steak?
mrs. wong's kitchen
filet, cab sauteed creminis, baked potatoes w/ cream and bacon,
steamed broccoli and olive oil grilled zuchini

mini brown sugar mochi squares

they taste like yummy boba balls

ucc cafe in walnut
crepes filled w/ vanilla ice cream
w/ strawberry syrup and fresh fruit
fruit and ice cream were good
crepe was not so great

chocolate harumaki
WHERE have you been all my life?!
fried egg roll wrappers
filled w/ fluffy, rich, whipped cheesecake
w/ chocolate ice cream and bananas

shufeng garden in rowland heights
warning: no one speaks english here!
did a lot of embarrassed pointing and nodding lol
some cold dishes:
sliced shredded beef and sliced pig ear in hot oil
cucumber chunks in sesame oil and salt
SO GOOD!!

the most intense mabo tofu i have ever had!
my tummy was THE BUMPS after this

fried pork intestines w/ TONS of chilis
sooo gooood ahhhhh!
but also ridiculously intense and = the bumps

joey under my fresh-out-of-the-dryer blanket :)

rascal's in torrance
the only other place (besides lisa's)
where i believe in the chinese chicken salad

i am a sucker for chili cheese fries

good enough?

2009-02-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

more eats @ barbarella bar in silverlake
mmm cheeseburger

best fries ever

thai curry mussels
broth was delicious

random things @ lazy dog in torrance
lettuce wraps!
not bad but the stuffing pre-mixed
so you can't pick which things you DON'T want

sundried tomato-artichoke dip
not bad? not great

wedge salad
HOW can you water down blue cheese dressing??
why?!

side of sauteed spinach

usually so good and i love veggies
but nearly-brown and overcooked that night :(

new banana custard & cream dessert
soooo good
gobs of caramelized banana, liqueur and custard
w/ graham cracker, tons of whipped cream
and chocolate & raspberry drizzles

the prettiest vday flowers in the world

caprese @ bay cities deli in santa monica
w/ sundried tomatoes and pine nuts

bowtie salad was meh

bbq tri-tip sandwich
looked really good was too much
not that enjoyable :(

the godmother!
genoa salami, mortadella coppacola, prosciutto and provologne
w/ the works and spicy
loved this

crabs @ pacific seafood on redondo pier
so fun to eat

k stew!
delicious

crab guts + crab brains + rice + hot sauce = i want it now

the aftermath

ginormous pelicans!
they came toward me when i knelt down to take this photo
prob thinking i had food
i about died