me gusto mucho!

i want to live in this store and eat macaroons all day. pretty please?



(wait for the slideshow to move... the styling is incredible!)




photo courtesy of impactlab.com

DC Gallery Girl

Photo from Brightest Young Things Web Site and by Temniet Mesgna

Like gallery hopping in DC? Check out this article on Brightest Young Things on various DC galleries and the gals who help run them. Karyn and I used to go to college together but became friends post CUA. Besides being super talented, smart, and funny, she (and my friend Irene) used to throw the best halloween parties ever (and is seriously good at bobbing for apples).




Kudos Karyn!

from one side of the world to another.

i'm going to the philippines in june. and i might do a little jaunt to get some pho while i'm on that side of the world.


on top of my planning for this and that, i came across this place on the web.

how awesome is that store front?! and... they serve food like this:


and now, i want to go to finland. just to get coffee in that cute little, plaid cup.


oh, those europeans, always so stylish. what a great restaurant branding idea!

currently obsessed: moleskine city maps

i like to take notes when i travel. in africa, i wrote my notes in a regular moleskin pocket notebook. i wrote what we did, what i ate, what that pic was about, observations on the life there, the people and what to remember to do if i ever go back.

when i went to dublin a few years ago, i grabbed one of these moleskin city notebooks in order to take notes and map out our adventures. they have also expanded their line to asian and more north american cities.

i have a cousin in from the philippines this week and since it's his first time on the east coast, i figured i'd take him to see the big lights of new york city. i figured i'd pick one up to expand my growing moleskin collection and not scream "tourist!" on the subway.


good things about this:

• the maps are broken out onto multiple pages and blown up, so they are discreet. you are not unfolding a bedsheet sized map and making yourself a target (of jokes or worse).
• there are clear tracing papers that you can overlay on the map, so you can write out paths or mark locations you want to visit without ruining your map. great to re- use for that next visit.
• there is a list of all the subway stations and where they are on the map.
  
• there are so many dividers to place notes like restraurants you liked (or not), phone numbers for box offices, your hotel, etc.
• it's so small it can fit in my pocket (or small handbag)
  

i love it!

taste this!

Help the nearly 17 million children who are at risk of hunger. Your contribution helps surround kids with the healthy food they need to thrive.

my MIA excuse again is yet another volunteer charity event in the works + family coming from all corners of the world (london, philippines, wisconsin, nj - ha). march is definitely coming in like a lion.

check out share our strength and their big event, taste of the nation. the committee has been working to put on a really good event all in the name of good food and feeding hungry kids.

i'm copying and pasting this text from metrocurean (yes, i'm lazy). but regardless, you should come support this event and help feed a child.

Volunteers are needed for Taste of the Nation, coming up April 12. It's a great way to help an important cause, and you'll get to attend the event at a [discounted price]. A few details from event organizers:

"We have three shifts for volunteers: 1-5 p.m., 5-8 p.m., and 8-11 p.m. Volunteers in the 1-5 p.m. shift will be invited back to the event at 7 p.m. to join the event as a guest. Volunteers in the 5-8 p.m. and 8-11 p.m. shift will be given the opportunity to walk around and sample the great food and wine while they are on a break. As part of the volunteer commitment, there is a mandatory volunteer orientation either Tuesday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m. or Thursday, April 8 at 6:30 p.m."

For more information and to volunteer, email DCTaste@gmail.com.

If you can't volunteer, please think of attending. it will be fun. and yummy (the restuarant list is INSANE).

friday, i'm in love

ran across these helvetica cookie cutters in blogland today. how awesome. awesome. awesome.


oh, beverly hsu, you are brilliant! you must have loved this documentary too? yes?

Getting Red Carpet Ready

I know it's getting old, but life sometimes gets in the way. I've been working on a couple charity events in my spare time and up to my ears in messaging and swag bag info.

If you're in DC and looking for reason to get dressed to the nines, please buy tickets for Oscar Night® DC. This event is the only Academy-sanctioned Oscar event in DC. You'll be benefitting the National Area Red Cross as well as having a great time during our live telecast, silent auction and if you select to, the VIP section.

Buy tickets here: www.redcrossnca.org

taste the rainbow!

just a little bit of color to add to the blinding white out/coverage in the DC area.

how cute it this cake featured on jordan ferney? i wish i was trapped at home (instead of at a hotel in capitol hill) so i could play with food dye and cake batter!


enjoy the snowpacolypse!

and then i read.

after i stopped drooling over the pictures below, i decided to read what luxirare had to say...

Alber Elbaz speaks about “lightness” during interviews before his collections. I think his summation of what women need seems pretty accurate. Yes, we need lightness/ease/mobility. I love the way Elbaz makes clothes. His Lanvin spring 2008 collection made me cry. I like lightness. He is rare, a genius, and I like that he is chubby. Pies should be light too. I don’t like big pies, with one flavor. I want to change everyday. I have internet, my iphone, and many choices. I’ve simply turned into a big ball of vacillation- going back and forth between a circle of different flavors/opportunities. This is why fashion blogs are so great. Mobility, I can access blog content from anywhere, magazines are heavy, they need to stay at home so my shoulder can rest. After I’ve had a little view on one person’s blog, I move onto the next and the next. All different. All fast, all immediate gratification. Pies, they need to be the same. I want a couple of bites, and I want to be done with it. I want to pop open my bag when I’m hungry and taste a little sweetness. I don’t want commitment. I want to be promiscuous with my food. I want to eat pie, but I don’t want a whole slice- I want to try other flavors too, but for just a little, and move onto another. If I have one slice, I may have guilt hanging over me all day. I want little pies, yes, with more pie crust than filling. 50 calories or less, no guilt. Eating pie slices makes me feel fat. Lolipop-Pies, perhaps this would work. Rotating flavors. Grab and go. In and out. Blackberry, pumpkin, apple, banana…my favorites. You see I am very slutty about my food. Yes this post revolves around lollipop sticks.

brilliant.

pie. on a stick. (aka heaven)

omg omg omg. how much do i love these pie pops!?


even better than the actual pop? the packaging! (iiiiiii!)


oh luxirare, you are totally my crush today.


(!!!)

disaster relief

It's been a week now since the earthquake in Haiti. I know the news is completely oversaturated with information with what's going on. But just to reiterate in the simplest terms--

Disasters happen. People need help. The Red Cross helps. Always.

The Red Cross relies heavily on donations and volunteers. You can help all victims of disasters in three ways:

• monetary donations
  
• volunteering
  
• giving blood

If you haven't already, please visit their website to help them help others in our nation and beyond.

classic

now that the holidays are over (i know, i'm late), let's do a review shall we?

in the last few months, i've visited my share of new bars and restaurants in the dc and philly areas. and with the rebirth of the cocktail and the trendiness of all things mad men, i've been enjoying my libations more than ever.

my current favorite? the old fashioned.

with it's agnostora bitters, sugar, and orange zest it's the perfect complement to my drink of choice, bourbon. you can find a recipe and some trivia here.

some places to check this classic cocktail out?

in philly, check out the village whiskey. don't forget to also try the duck fat fries and the variety of pickled items - it's way past vlassic. promise. or you can always go to the pub and kitchen, one of my philly faves.

in dc, definitely grab one at againn (best i've had so far - must be the brandied cherries) with frites. also try it at the W hotel's living room bar or at my virginia favorite, eventide.

cheers!

it's a new year!

traditional slovenian dinner

[clockwise from the top: sauerkraut, stuffing, dumplings, lentil soup and a rye pork roast]

happy new year! i can't wait to see what 2010 will bring my way.

last night, i attended a house party hosted by the fun boys of the alexandria harmonizers. besides a black and white casino theme, we were treated to spontaneous bursts of harmonies every few minutes and a beautiful rendition of "auld lang syne" at the stroke of midnight. it was a ton of fun! if you get a chance to purchase tickets to their next show, i wouldn't miss the chance. they are pretty amazing - and nice boys to boot!

today, my friend invited us over for a traditional slovenian new years day dinner (as in pork, not chicken). it was a delicious and will bring us good luck for the year. good food, good company and crazy ohio state fans while watching the rose bowl. what more could you ask for?

finally, santa brought one more family christmas party tonight. back to opening presents... hope you had a great NYE and great start to the new year!