If yesterday I was wearing a bonnet, speaking with an English accent and pushing scones in your face, then this is me frying chicken with big curls saying stuff like, “the bigger the hair, the closer to…” You get the idea.
Also, can I just say I’m so excited for Monday. My dude has a smoker at his house which means there’s gonna be smoked meat and crazy sticky ribs for consumption. There’s no pool in the backyard, but I’m buying this donut floaty, I’ll be wearing heart sunglasses and sitting in it (with Amelia, of course) ALL DAY long. I can’t wait. Oh and I’ll have this Chamomile Honey Whiskey drank thing in my hand.
It’s the perfect throw-together-stick-in-the-fridge-for-later kind of drink. Low maintenance, no fuss. I might even double it. If I were to compare it to something, I’d say it’s almost like a hot toddy on ice.
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I feel like we’ve earned a cocktail this week, don’t you think?
I think we have. That’s my vote. I’m going to be frank with you and let you know that I’m not a margarita girl. Not one bit.
I’m more of bourbon on the rocks girl. I’m a fancy (or even cheap) kinda beer girl. I can be a wine girl, sometimes. Definitely a gin and tonic kinda girl. But never a girl who craves margs. But if I am gonna be that girl, the drank has gotta be spicy. I love a spicy margarita…but not too, too spicy either or else I’ll be that girl who eats all the chips trying to extinguish the jalapeño fire. I’m complicated.
I drank the last of this while watching this week’s Nashville and almost freaked out. If you’re not watching this show, you’re missing out on so much scandal, big hair, sequins and country music. It really is a dream of a show.
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This weekend is dang important. I mean, SUPER important. It’s Mama’s Day! And I know dogs aren’t considered real children (though they are in my house for the time being), but I’ll be celebrating my first Mother’s Day as a mama. I want brunch, man! I hope Amelia bakes me a quiche.
When I was around 10 years old or so, I remember being pretty bummed. I wasn’t the tallest, prettiest, fastest or smartest kid in my class. Actually, I was the total opposite. I had gaps between every.single.one.of.my.teeth. My hair was frizzy (the 90s were pre-blow outs/Morrocan hair oil), my teeth were unfortunate and I was the teeniest and tiniest person ever. I remember expressing my overall terribleness to my mama and her response was simple, “You’re a later bloomer.” I remember it so specifically because it made all my current short-comings (literally and figuratively) ok. It made me calmer about the present and really excited about the future.
A few weeks ago I was feeling a little bummed about things, when I came across this article written by Martha Stewart. It’s all about being a late bloomer, how she, specifically, is a late bloomer. I don’t think anyone would consider her a late bloomer but she is! She started her empire in her 50s. Isn’t that amazing? It’s never too late. It was an inspiring and motivating read. Let’s relax about right now and get excited for our future. There’s still time.
And more importantly, let’s take the day and celebrate our mamas.
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Before moving to Los Angeles I was a total Mexican food amateur. Sure I grew up in a Latin household, but the cuisines of Peru and Colombia couldn’t be more different than what one would eat in Mexico.
My idea of Mexican food was limited to “authentic” burritos and tacos. I assumed it was all the same because for the most part Peruvian food isn’t that varied throughout the country, and the same goes for Colombian food. Those two countries, for the most part, eat mainly the same foods in all regions. But when I moved to LA, I realized how varied Mexican food actually is, and I also realized how awesome it is.
I finally understood the differences between Oaxacan moles, the fish tacos from Baja and the cemitas from Puebla. But one item I see in all Mexican restaurants regardless of region or specialty is agua de jamaica (pronounced: xa’majka – the “j” is silent).
It’s usually chilling in one of those great big tubs next to the other agua frescos like catelope, watermelon and horchata. I always choose the jamaica. Always.
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When I think of spritzers, I picture a group of old ladies tanning on the beaches of South Beach in their 1970s sunglasses and floral dress bathing suits (I not-so-secretly want one). I imagine them gossiping about the neighbors and telling one or two inappropriate jokes that all of them juuust love, especially since they’ve all had one too many white wine spritzers. And you can bet ice cubes are in those white wine spritzers. Definitely.
This picture I painted has inspired me to make my own spritzer (sans white wine). I feel like we’re all just dangling on the cusp of Winter, waiting for it to transform into Spring. It hasn’t yet. Winter is still here.
I’m not going to complain about the weather because that’s lame, but dude am I so ready for strawberries, peas and some asparagus. It’s almost time. Until then…let’s make spritzers with grapefruit and rosemary and dream about big sunglasses and coconut smelling suntan lotion.
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Breakfast is my main chick. My main steeze. My main squeeze. My major.
But so many times I skip breakfast, decide to eat a cup of coffee instead, sit at my computer and next thing I know it it’s noon and I’m so angry. I’m hangry.
So, in 2013 I didn’t have any major resolutions. I’m not good at those. But I did decide to eat breakfast more regularly. And I to travel to far away places.
One of my main problems in the morning is that I’m not that hungry. I don’t wake up ravenous; I wake up wanting water and coffee. And Instagram. I have to force myself to consume something at 8am. This banana milk a good option. It’s nutritious, tasty, and super easy to make.
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Did you ever have a chia pet as a kid? Every. single. visit. to the drug store, CVS, consisted of me trying to scheme my way into getting my mother to buy one.
It was those commercials, man! They were so convincing. In case you’re unfamiliar with chia pets, they were the plant of the early 90s that was all up on the television. The kit included a pottery shaped animal, like a dog or a cat or a pig, and chia seeds. You smothered the chia seeds with water?—I didn’t have one so I’m unsure—onto the pottery animal and overnight you’d have a whole plant! It was magic. The commercials showed this rapid growth in a time lapse that made my 8-year old self go, “oooooo!”
Now some twenty years later, they’re in this smoothie.
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Oh the holidays! How I love you. So many presents. So much warmth. So much food. And of course, so much family time.
Over the next few days, you might find yourself in a typical holiday scenario: piled into the den, grandma and dog included, watching a movie that the whole family, after a ridiculous 15-minute debate, has finally decided on.
At first everything will be fine, the movie will be moving right along, you might even be having a little fun…until, the film’s two lead actors start to kiss and get all attracted to each other while on this random killing spree/adventure.
You think nothing of it, until their kissy-face-action starts again, and then next thing you know, you’re watching a sex scene with grandma. This is terrible, guys. This is what awkward is.
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One thing I don’t want to hear about at the moment: fall. No. Just no. I’m not ready. I don’t want to hear about pumpkins or yellow leaves or sweaters. Not just yet. Let me enjoy this sweltering heatwave. Let me enjoy the pool (if I can find one). Let me just enjoy the now, which is usually so hard for me to do, okay?
One thing I do want to talk about: ways to not be miserably hot. Firstly, air-conditioning. I typically think air-conditioning is like fake air and fake air is a little weird. BUT, it’s kind of necessary right now. Secondly, if I’m going float around a pool, I want to do it in a donut floatie. Can we all just agree that that’s awesome. And ridiculous. Which means all of us need one.
Thirdly, lemonade of all kinds. Specifically this one, because there’s raspberries and a vanilla bean and lemon juice. And, you get to smash the whole thing up which makes it fun!
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OMG so hot outside, amirite?! Last week in LA felt like the east coast: a ton of humidity, sort of overcast days (which I sort of liked) paired with high tempertues. That winner of a combo resulted in my makeup sliding off my face and my hair all frizzy. Not adorable.
That unattractive experience inspired me to make my favorite cooling-off-drink of my childhood: Chicha Morada. This is what my mama would make me when I was little.
So…here’s the deal: This drink is made from corn. Yes! Corn! Beautiful Peruvian purple corn that’s been dried. You can find it at most Latin supermarkets and online here. Note: It should run you about $4 at a latin market, so amazon is a little bit more expensive.
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