Tick tock...

Countdown to the tree lighting!!



Pray the weather holds!

- Posted from my iPhone

Merry and bright!

It may be sunny and 90 degrees out today, but that's not stopping Christmas from getting here! Our tree arrived this morning... And it smells wonderful!


- Posted from my iPhone

It's like 2 of our favorite things

Jaime Oliver and Chipotle!!
Yum! What a good thing! An odd merging of entities but still! Now if only the promo included the burrito bowl, all rice no beans with spicy carnitas or the soft tacos. mmmmm... chipotle.

Let's do the time warp again

I'm such a total Gleek. Wasn't last night episode so good? And I don't even know the Rocky Horror Picture Show!


I know! I feel like it's something that I should know. I mean, I've been to the theater when all the true crazy fans go and watch the movie a couple of times, but the only song that I actually remember is that time warp one. And that is because the DJs used to play it at our high school dances (memba dat? when everyone used to run to the top of the bleachers?).
Anyhow, it was good, and now I'm intrigued and want to re-see it since the music was so good. But DAMN that Will Shuester. I'm so over him! That's no way to treat Ms. Pillsbury!! Get over yourself!!!

Yeah, we got the beat!

I like beats. Is that weird? I never liked or ate them growing up and it was one of the few thing that my parents never insisted my brother and I eat. To me they were just strange; they were that gross purple thing that my grandma would top her salads with at the all you can eat salad bar at the Flamingo Chuckwagon (Restaurant on Kapiolani!). But a few years ago when my parents were visiting, we went to dinner at my dad's friend's house and they served roasted beats... and being well mannered gentleman that I am, I ate them. And they were goooooood. I ate so many (which really weren't that many) that my #1 and #2 were a strange color for days.

..
Anyhow! So I saw beats at the market the other day and decided to try roasting them on my own. (Plus aren't they supposed to be good for you, or something?) So combining the online advise of Martha, Oprah and ask.com, all I did was:

1. scrub them down
2. drizzle with olive oil and a little salt
3. place in a tin foil pouch
4. bake at 350 for about an hour or until tender when poked with a knife
5. cool, then peel (which was the hardest part. The skin didn't really fall right off so I had to use a pairing knife. but the hard part was that the purple juice flows freely and stains) and eat!

They were the perfect, naturally sweet and flavorful side dish for my lunch salads and roasted chicken dinners! I think I found a new thing!!


- Posted from my iPhone

Voted!

I did my civic duty last night. And let me tell you, it was a little more involved than in years past... Perhaps I care more now that I'm old? Or perhaps I just need the extra time now that I'm old? Bah, humbug. Either way, it was no quickie.


I got a little online assistance from the CA Democrats and the OC Democrats (the beauty of the vote-by-mail ballot! But you don't get the chance to snoop through your neighbors garage-turned-polling-station nor do you get the fun little 'i voted' sticker). With all the strangely worded measures, proposition and elected positions that I did not know existed, especially all of the justice appointments, it was much appreciated help. But the whole process, I tell you... and being an educated voter takes time!

I learned a few things like there really is a website called judgepedia.com and another one that actually ranks the justices with a "recommend" or "do not recommend" and score from 1-10, Judgevoterguide.com, (I liked it, but found myself doing the opposite of the recommendations. meh!) there is a nutty Democratic Women of Newport Club, an OC Independent newspaper, not all the candidates out there know how to use facebook, there are so many republicans in Newport that the OC Democrats don't even bother recommending candidates in this district and politics brings out the crazy in old people with access to the internet.

But after all of that, for the most part, I found that my original methods lead to the same ending - voting for the person with the minority last name and the most trustworthy (err prettiest) headshot.

- Posted from my iPhone

nerd alert

Star Wars is bananas.
I know... I know... I'm a nerd.


On wed in celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back (whoo hoo!) Bloomingdale's hosted some "characters" from the film and launched limited edition line of clothing... The mall's store had these cool cats while others had R2, Darth and others. Yes, I look a little too excited, but oh well! I'm owning it.

The Bdale's Cantina served up Jubba Juice and Yoda Sodas and the DJ spun Star Wars tunes!

Desserts 2.0 - Sweet Rose Creamery

A few weeks ago jess and I planned to have a sensible and healthy dinner since we had both over indulged while in Hawaii (for good reason, t'was the wedding!). And we succeeded, well kinda of... we dined at Paper Fish and both had the set sushi meal that was both lite and pretty good. But... since we were in Brentwood we headed to the Country Mart for a little bit of dolce. Err a lot of dolce.
YUM!!

The display case that greet (TEMPTS!) you upon entry.

Ignore our jiberish,we didn't get the banahner. We instead went with a sundae AND and a mini s'more pie. So much for "sensible" and "healthy". But can you blame us?

Everyone looks taller on TV

I met Jonathan Adler!! yay!
The groovy chic designer just opened a brand new store at the mall and came by to help open it (along with Elie Tahari himself who opened up next door!). So being the celeb stalker that I am (not to mention, fan of the Parker Palm Springs even tho the service there could use a tune up), I was *so* there... with my camera.

JA was signing purchases... so I asked him to sign some black bananas. His response? "I LOVE the black banana!" tee hee!


The signed black banana (bud vase) and the cutest little gift-bag gift (fish salt and pepper shakers!).

Things I missed...

Although I was only in Hawaii for a week and a half, it appears that I missed the most exciting week and a half at the mall EVER. Sigh! Oh well... maybe there's another such week and a half in the days to come? One can only hope.

-Someone tried to blow up the mall. Really. One morning the mall cops found a grenade in the parking strucutre! A terrorist plot? or cleaverly-stupid way to save a parking space? Either way, no bueno.
-The OC Housewives came by to film the next season... TWICE! And they NEVER let people film. And apparently it's was 2 new not-yet-announced cast members. hmmm.
- Daniel V. (aka Rroject Runway cast off with a collection of strange handbags) made a PA to show his new fall collection. Who knew he was still designing? Either way I'm so glad as I was such a fan! (his finale collection was SO much better than Santino's)

I know, strange picture... just like those hand bags.

In Memorium

You were a good computer!
It took me 3 years to buy you and you gave me 8 years of service. You helped me get a job and launch jess&jase. You'll be missed!

On the operating table at Best Buy. And when it couldn't be saves, they removed the hard drive and gave it to me.
I think I'm going to put it in an urn and place it on my shelf or bury it in the backyard.

On the plus side, new life came from death. The removal of my old desk top gave me a chance to change up and reorganize my work station. For the best since I seriously set free an entire family of dust bunnies. So, what do you think?

I'm totally digging it!! It looks so much cleaner and clutter free!
Now I can get back to blogging again (wink wink)!

Hawaii in pictures

So got back last week from Jessica's wedding in Hawaii along with a a few extra vaca days that I took to hang with friends and family. And let me tell you, I need another week off! It was SO hard coming back and getting back into my old routine. I think I nodded off at work every day last week. In addition to just feeling tired all the time, I was just overcome with a feeling of laziness and lack of motivation to do anything. Sigh. Well, time to snap out of it! And time to get back to reality. (oh, and it's time to get back to running and eating well... Hawaii, as always, was a eat-or-be-eaten gorge fest!)

Here's another installment of Hawaii in Pictures. Enjoy!
oh, ps. hover over the images for captions. =)

Hurray!!!

Sorry we've been a little MIA recently... but....
CONGRATULATIONS JESSICA!
It was beautiful from top to bottom and the bride was stunning. ah, our little girl is all grown up!!



(Back in the day, the groom came from a place of no when it came to appearing in our blog... but if he changes his mind, I'll remove the "mask"! hint hint!)

I'm back! and so is a great new summer season of TV!

oh. my. god! Have all of your DVRs been going crazy?! There are a slew of new summer show and they are all SO GOOD! When did the summer become a new TV season? It's supposed to be the time you catch up on the winter/spring shows!! Can I just tell you how seriously I've been looking into getting AT&T U-verse just so I can DVR 4 shows at once? My poor little Time Warner DVR is getting worked to the bone!

Anyhow, this is why. Here are the new shows that I'm currently watching:
-The Rachel Zoe Project (she's bananas and I DIE!)
-Real Housewives of NJ (oh! it was getting SO GOOD with the Danielle Drama! this week was lame)
-Bethennay Getting Married? (She's relentless, but I drawn in)
-Kathy Griffin My Life on the D-List (She's so funny)
-Flipping Out (Jeff Lewis & Zoila!)
-Mad Men (oh Don! Yay Joan!)
-Project Runway (90 min episodes? but 2 kama'aina!)
-Top Chef (and Top Chef Desserts is coming!)
-HGTV Design Star (I hate the contestants, but am still drawn in)
-Entourage (Saved in my DVR but I may be giving up on them soon)
-Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami (drama!)

And the occasional episode of:
-Man Shops Globe (I want to go and shop the globe)
-No Reservations (I want to go and eat the globe)
-True Blood (And I'm totally into this, but I don't want to be since I have not see the first few seasons and want to start this one from the beginning...)

But with all of the shows that are on now, who would have guessed that Lifetime would throw us the jewel of the summer season? A show that wasn't even pre-promoted. On The Road With Austin & Santino is the cutest show and only 30 min. It's predictable, but funny and it's Austin Scarlet traversing the deep south with Santino Rice making people beautiful



I had almost forgotten why we all loved Austin so. And dude, Santino totally got plugs.

summer brunch

Summer has arrived, despite the June-gloom which as been especially gloomy as of late. Anyhow, last weekend, my friend Sessica hosted a wonderful summer brunch at her house. The photos, sadly, do not capture the essence of it all... but picture it. Beverly Hills, a beautiful a poolside table on a sunny day...



Cherry Tomato and Asparagus Salad, Seasonal Fresh Fruit (that was not quiet in season. that was my sour contribution.), Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup & a Praline Topping, and a Crustless Spinach Quiche. I got the recipes after wards from Sessica so I can play grown up one day and recreate the delicious feast. (the quiche recipe, funnily enough is from the LapBand Clinic! and was submitted from the kitchen of Nyphadora Tonks! Really!) So much for growing up, Expecto Patronum to that!