liveleah

it's been a while.

2011-10-13T13:15:00.002-04:00

an example of what i've been doing for the last year... BRING IT.

me gusto mucho!

2010-06-11T07:51:00.003-04:00

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

2010-04-27T09:12:00.004-04:00

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.

2010-04-09T17:17:00.001-04:00

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

2010-03-18T17:48:00.000-04:00

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!

2010-03-16T11:39:00.003-04:00

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

2010-03-05T09:02:00.003-05:00

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

2010-02-24T10:54:00.004-05:00

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!

2010-02-06T10:17:00.003-05:00

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.

2010-02-02T09:27:00.002-05:00

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)

2010-02-02T09:13:00.003-05:00

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

2010-01-17T22:24:00.004-05:00

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

2010-01-17T19:57:00.004-05:00

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!

2010-01-01T21:24:00.003-05:00

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!

christmas packaging 2009

2009-12-26T10:12:00.004-05:00

no matter how rushed i get during the holiday season buying this, making that, or going there, i try to spend some time creating a theme for my presents. as i've said here and here and here, i'm not a fan of millions of rolls of wrapping paper for every occasion, age and gender. besides not being green, i just don't have room for rolls.

so this year, in a effort to use less paper and also in hopes of encouraging recycling, i used metal tins for the presents i was giving.

metal tins with handcut & handwritten tags

instead of the next big thing toy (another thing i'm not a fan of), i stuck to timeless presents that my many nieces and nephews will enjoy later in life. in addition to some new winter scarves, i decoupaged ornaments for all the kids with pictures of events from this year (one from the snowstorm last weekend). my godchildren also got personalized snow globes which w

ere a huge hit!

decoupaged glass ornaments and snow globe

finally, the goodie of the season - pecan tarts a la leah. better than

your average pecan pie. and cuter too!

i hope that those that celebrate christmas had a great one! we surely did.

i'm glad to be back. back posts to come!

back to our regularly scheduled program...

2009-12-17T05:37:00.000-05:00

um. so i get it. i disappeared.

what can i say? life happens. nothing bad. just busy.

i know i promised this in my last post, but i plan on getting back on the horse soon. just gotta get my ducks in a row. and by ducks, i mean joining the 21st century and getting internet at home.

i know. lame.

Back Track Part II: Spa Castle

2009-09-23T03:00:00.000-04:00

avenue S spa at Spa Castle (yes, that's a private jacuzzi in the back)*

Let's just cut to the chase here. I LOVE THE SPA. Again, I LOVE THE SPA.

So let me tell you, how excited I was when my friends took me to this place called Spa Castle in Queen, NY for my birthday. Ya'll, it was like an adult water park. But larger. And so much better.

You walk in, pay an entrance fee of $40 and get a waterpoof watch that acts as your locker key and 'credit card'. You lock up everything. Your watch, bathing suit, and assigned uniform is all you need.

The locker room has a bath area with 4 different jacazzis but we avoided that since it was nude only -traditional Korean bath - but it also had a lounge and some sauna rooms where you can lay and sleep (in your uniform).

Upstairs you walk up to the massive first floor. There is an area for purchasing private massages like a traditional spa and a lounge where everyone is chilling/eating. The lounge has a buffet, a pinkberry-esque yogurt place, starbucks, sushi, hamburgers, you name it.

the sauna town

Then it has 7 saunas. Again, 7 saunas. They are all different and cater to each guest. There was a gold plated sauna, a jade sauna, an ice sauna, a LED color therapy sauna, a infrared sauna, a super hot sauna, the list goes on and on.

In the mezzanine, there is a sleeping lounge with comfy recliners which all have individual TVs attached. People were taking naps galore. There was also a separate room just for foot and hand massages.

On the second floor were the pools. There was an indoor pool with a swim up bar and tables for eating (in the pool). There was the warm pool with various acupuncture-like massaging jets for each individual seat.

just one of the many outdoor pools/jacuzzis/waterfall areas

Outside it was like adult spa playground. There was a deck to lay out, the wooden aroma therapy jacuzzi, the regular jacuzzi, then the massive bade pool (building wide, at least 1 block long) with ever possible jet, spray, and waterfall you can imagine. The jets and sprays were strong enough to work out knots in my shoulders so that I didn't have to go the regular massage place.

my favorite jet, perfect for the shoulder knots!

The place is insane and all of pool and sauna access was included with entry. Entry is a day rate, so if you can get there at opening and stay until closing - no problem.

Finally, on the third floor, yup a 3rd floor, there was Korean restaurant, where one could enjoy the day on the patio or inside having the famous bulgogi and kimchi.

The best part is, the owners are building 19 more Spa Castles around the country. SpaCastle gods, don't forget DC please!

Don't miss: anything. If you have the time and money to check out the Avenue S spa, do so! if only I had the time and was not on a recessionista budget, I'd be there. For those who are on a recessionista budget, your $40 will go a long way in just the pools. Sit with the stronger jets for a while and you can probably work those knots!

Tips:

You'll get the most of your $40 if you make this at least a half day trip and find out where you are most relaxed and sit for a while. You'll spend the first hour just getting your bearings and trying everything out.
Bring a towel, the towels they provide are just hand towels and won't dry or cover much.
Finally, be prepared for nudity (both to see and to partake) in the locker rooms. The showers are not private and again, the towels are teeny tiny.

*all photos linked from the Spa Castle web site

Back Track: Part I

2009-09-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

photo of Nikko, c/o the Nikko Sushi Bar Site

It all started with a business trip to North Carolina in August. It was busy, busy, busy. But we were able to squeeze in some time to have a fabulous dinner at Nikko Sushi Bar.

Big city upscale feel meets Southern Charm meets Asian Zen.

The sushi was fresh and plated beautifully. My true test for good sushi is salmon and unagi. The The eel was broiled just enough and not dry/chewy (common mistake). But the salmon, ooh the salmon! The salmon sashimi was like butter - smooth, fresh, melt in your mouth yum! This place rivals the amazing sushi in Seattle.

To make the night even more recessionista fabulous is that Charlotte has a lower standard of living cost than the bigger cities, so I gasped when I saw the bill. For the price of only 2 in DC to have the same cocktails, salads, appetizers, 2 rolls a piece, and desserts the 3 of us had, we ate, and ate well. It was like a restaurant week discount. Bonus! If ever you're in the downtown Charlotte area, the short cab ride to Nikko is well worth it.

Don't miss: the Salmon Sashimi, the Strawberry Mochi, and the Red Bean Tempura Ice Cream and of course, owner behind the bar running around in a cowboy hat.

what happened to me?

2009-09-09T12:43:00.006-04:00

life did. it's been a long time, i know. but i'll be back soon. in the meantime, look at my jumper and velcro sneaks! and those red faux penny loafers! and my cousin's priceless face! hee!

there's never any time.

2009-08-13T16:30:00.006-04:00

the scary queen charlotte at CLT airport | charlotte, nc | august 13, 2009

it's been absolutely nuts in leahland.

i'm currently in charlotte, waiting to jump on a flight that i had to beg to be put on because a certain airline whose hub is in charlotte decided to cancel the 4:30 flight to dca WITHOUT notifying anyone on the flight. [non]checking-in was fun. thanks, usair, thanks.

things are a little busy here, so as a late reference to the rumored saved by the bell reunion and my crazed schedule as of late, here is the BEST. CLIP. EVER.

to do: dog days on u street

2009-08-02T17:15:00.004-04:00

dirty energy| u street | aug 1

U Street celebrated this weekend with a Community Festival. Local shops participated in the Dog Days of August which included some crazy sales (and lots of fun junking). I walked around, shopped (a little too much), and was able to stop and just take shots of the usual DC charm and character.

stamped crates | u street | aug 1

yum, farmers market peaches. p.s. farmers market at 14 & u, every saturday from 9-1pm.

monkey bucket | u street | aug 1

old & dusty| u street | aug 1

loved hanging/junking out at ruff and ready, it's like your grandma's attic/basement on crack. hording anyone? if you're patient, you'll find some good estate pieces priced to go. not for the claustrophobic or germaphobic.

sporadic chess | u street | aug 1

the best part of this scenario is that the guy who is standing was just passing by (see his luggage next to him?) and decided to play with the guy on the bike. random. and so u street.

musicar | u street | aug 1

these things were out to promote the Art Cars Festival. total road hazard--people were slowing down to gawk -- but hilarious and total over stimulation.

brassvn (notice the men's room sign)| u street | aug 1

"take my picture" | u street | aug 1

and what's u street without characters? be sure to visit pradesh (sp?) at the capital carpet and furniture store. he was the sweetest man and a total ham when he saw my camera.

copy cat

2009-07-29T08:52:00.005-04:00

i was inspired by my successful fondant experiment and wanted a treat from baked and wired (so much better than g'town cupcake). but instead of trekking my way into the city, fighting for parking and possibly getting disappointed (they have limited offerings of each flavor), i decided to just make my own version of lemon cupcakes with raspberry filling.

i started with a basic yellow cake and vanilla buttercream recipe and experimented with lemon zest and juice. then i injected some raspberry jam/preserves... and viola!

it's not the magically dense yet moist baked and wired cupcake - mine were fluffy instead -- but was very lemony.

ps. i still want cupcakes from baked and wired.

wonderland

2009-07-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

i spent most of this weekend trying my hand at ousting duffy of ace of cakes... (ha, riiight). my sister asked me make a crazy, tea-sized, alice in wonderland themed cake for my nieces birthday party as a nice addition to the cupcakes and ice cream cakes already on the menu.

it's not perfect, but considering this is only my second attempt at fondant, i think it came out pretty well.

my sister did a great job decorating my parents backyard as a garden party gone mad.

the mad hatter made an appearance to do a magic show, face painting and some awesome balloons.

happy 4th birthday janiya!

riding the mexican train.

2009-07-21T08:06:00.006-04:00

this is why we're hot [while chrys' neighbors played beer pong]

life's been a little crazy since i've returned from the beach but the girls and i still managed to have some good, old man, dominoes fun.

mrs. p4d hosted us on her glover park roof deck and we had a nice sunset dinner overlooking the national cathedral, washington monument, capitol, and even got a view of the nat's fireworks.

for our dinner theme, we decided to play up on the rules of the game ... aka... mexican [train] night!

k made a ridiculous mountain of ultimate nachos
complete with chili, corn, black beans and refried beans

peach sangria + rooftop deck = good night

new to my repertoire - black bean & chorizo empanadas
(watch out julias!)

part II: nags head

2009-07-14T17:54:00.000-04:00

for those that don't like reading. *ahem*cousins*sister*ahem*.

independence day fireworks in front of our house | july 2009 | nags head, nc

massive [click to see the people on dunes] | july 2009 | nags head, nc

buried [dunes] | july 2009 | nags head, nc

snake tracks [dunes] | july 2009 | nags head, nc

beach house #3 | july 2009 | nags head, nc

nags head pier at sunset | july 2009 | nags head, nc

to do: nags head

2009-07-13T19:57:00.008-04:00

much like most of the dc metro area, i'm a sucker for the outer banks. while it's not wild and crazy like dewey beach, the OBX have its own perks of relaxation.

this post is going to be fairly long. i know some of you just look at pictures *ahem* but, forgive me, i'm a little biased. my family used to own a house down there so my childhood memories are punctuated with spending my spring breaks and at least one week in the summer at the beach. it's one of my favorite places to go, if for nothing else but nostalgia.

my cousins have started to continue the tradition and we try to go every couple of years. this year was no exception and i enjoyed getting out a bit to go fishing, spend some time on the beach, climb some dunes and just chillin in "our" beach house.

here are my suggestions for a a good time in the outer banks --

buy local. the ride is pretty slow through currituck county going 50mph (or 25mph less, depending on traffic - ugh) on a two lane road on the way to the bridge to the islands. take a stop at one of the many farmers markets the dot the side of the road near grandy (you can't miss them, really - sorry, they dont have web sites). i chose to stop at powells -- i couldn't resist their cute signs. stop for organic peaches, boiled peanuts (yum!) and homemade jams among other things. the produce is top notch and definitely cheaper than going to the overpriced and often picked over big brand grocery stores (only a handful on the banks).
get a house near the beach. with 10 kids under the age of twelve with us, it was imperative we got a location within walking distance of the beach. we had a house across from a main entrance of the beach, not a two minute walk. we usually go for village realty as they are more economical and have a good inventory of bigger houses. if you're into luxury, check out carolina designs, their houses are super comfy and have movie rooms.
relax and drive through. the obx is the epitome of relax... AKA lazy. go with it. the outerbanks is known for its brew-thrus. drive through for beer, snacks and other kitchy souvenirs. down south, there is also sonic (strawberry limeade is perfect for a hot, summer day!). and in kill devil, they have a drive thru dairy queen. um, and yes, i went through all of these in my car.
go for independence day. we were able to book at house for the 4th and our house was in the middle of 4 fireworks displays in all directions. one of them was the main nags head show, which was front and center of our house just a few hundred yards away. sitting on our deck without getting smushed on the mall and having to cram into a metro car post-fireworks was a big plus. even better? sitting in the hot tub on our deck with beer and watching fireworks. so nice.
eat seafood. i didn't get to go to all of these, but between my 23 cousins, i think we got them covered. captain georges seafood house (dungenous crab, yum), mako mikes (they have shark tanks inside), awful arthurs (known for oysters), and austin sea food house (you can pick up bushels of crabs here).
pig out. nc is known for barbeque. i didn't have time to stop for bbq on this trip but i was encouraged to go next time around. my cousins and friends raved about pigmans bbq and sooeys.
go fishing. you can go fishing on the nags head pier for about $10 a day with a permit (no license necessary). if you want to go beach fishing, you will have to go get a state license. on the pier, you can catch spanish mackerel, bluefish, spot, shark (you have to throw them back), flounder, and of course, crabs. don't forget to check out the fish size regulations to make sure you're not fishing illegally! there are such things are fish police (game wardens). check out our catch here.
start a fire. nags head actually allows bon fires on the beach. don't forget to get a permit (from the cute fireman near mile post 12.5) , pay your ten bucks, and smores it is!
enjoy the water sports. we were able to spent some time getting out for some adventure. a few of us went parasailing (the best part is getting dunked). and after i left back for dc, a group went kite surfing and jetskiing (hmpf! i wish i could have stayed longer to get in on some of that action). for parasailing, we went with kitty hawk sports but there is also grogs watersports.
climb mountains. of sand, that is. nags head as a few sand dunes part of jockey's ridge state park. this is probably one of my favorite things to do in nags head. the views are amazing and while it's not a real desert, it's a good work out climbing up sand. i went here for a quiet morning sans kids and took some photos before the tourists showed up. it was really serene. pics to come!

have i convinced you to go yet?

gone fishing!

2009-07-06T20:11:00.009-04:00

relaxing on the pier | nags head, nc | july 6, 2009

after working remotely from the beach for a good part of the day, i slipped away for a couple of hours to go fishing. i grew up fishing with my father, so no matter how much i squirm touching the bloodworms, i actually really enjoy it.

here are some shots from today:

fallen between the cracks | nags head, nc | july 6, 2009

left for the seagulls | nags head, nc | july 6, 2009

bait & hooked | nags head, nc | july 6, 2009

not our catch | nags head, nc | july 6, 2009

our big catch! | nags head, nc | july 6, 2009

outer banks photos

2009-07-06T10:54:00.006-04:00

photo by parkerspain

it's raining on the outer banks but while, of course, i'd rather it be sunny -- a rainy day here still beats a day at work.

however, i've started taking a photography class at the torpedo factory and have yet to find some good weather to do my homework. i'm sure i could take shots of things in the rain but, as a beginner, i'm not confident on finding correct lighting in the cloudy haze.

so instead, here are some fun shots that i've found on flickr. i'm not sure i will ever be this good, but it's nice to dream anyway.

bodie light house | photo by jim frazier

nags head pier | photo by cary scott photography

kitty hawk | photo by cary scott photography

i know i'm not the only one who <3's dc.

2009-07-02T10:47:00.002-04:00

The lovely people at welovedc had a party last night (happy 1st!) and wore these shirts. How cute are they?

Buy the shirts at 237inc's etsy shop!

my wish: to live simply

2009-07-01T11:21:00.006-04:00

from our aunt's beach house in mindoro

kris w/ our nephews

my cousin rj w/another nephew in mindoro

my cousin kris (mentioned here), took these shots in her hometown of sablayan, mindoro. if only i were there now...
[it's going to t-storm in dc again. ...sigh.]

save the bananas!

2009-06-29T07:43:00.000-04:00

my friend, lovelola, has this joke that i like to "save bananas." it's true.

there's only short threshold when i think a banana is good to eat fresh (basically, just past green-- otherwise, it's too mushy). in an effort to not throw perfectly edible food in the trash, i have been queen of the banana bread, asking people for mushy bananas and making baked goods in return.

i've had a handful of people to thank for volunteering for the red cross waterfront festival and since i've been obsessed with cupcakes (see here, here, here, and here), and i just happened to have 4 bananas just past their prime, i decided to try out martha's banana cupcakes.

originally, i was going to make what i started calling banana splits - banana cupcakes w/ a chocolate ganache topped w/ a maraschino cherry - a theory that chrys at P4D and i had while at work last week.

banana bread + chocolate ganache glaze = FAIL (pretty! but not so yummy)

so i opted for a regular buttercream with a drizzle of caramel topping instead of going through the trouble of martha's caramel buttercream recipe that requires a candy thermometer.

sorry martha, as jessie spano said "there's never any time!"

operation save bananas + thank the volunteers = mission accomplished!

to do: eastern market

2009-06-23T19:29:00.000-04:00

vintage or nothing's awesome tag | eastern market | june 14, 2009

a couple weeks ago, in between dc's noah's ark reenactments, i spent a lovely day at eastern market with a good friend. besides finding a few antiques (more on those later), we just wandered around looking at all the beautiful wares and enjoying the sun (sans humidity).

for those that don't know the history or have never been, eastern market is big open air flea market. besides antiques, handmade stuff, and artists, there is a food presence of butchers, farmers and their seasonal products, and local artisans focusing on meats, cheeses, and baked goods (and an awesome diner-esque fish fry place) located in historic south hall. unfortunately, south hall was devastated by a fire in april of 2007.

friday, june 26th is the grand re-opening of the south hall. from what i hear, there will be food specials and other fun things.

here's what you can look forward to:

suitcases: vintage or nothing| eastern market | june 14, 2009

stamp pendants: lilypad designs| eastern market | june 14, 2009

keys | eastern market | june 14, 2009

letters [from a printing press] | eastern market | june 14, 2009

felted booties | eastern market | june 14, 2009

"good" publicity

2009-06-22T08:07:00.001-04:00

photo from welovedc (another of my favorite dc blogs)

There's this great little custard shop in my fav local neighborood of Del Ray called The Dairy Godmother (formerly the Del Ray Dreamery).

They make only one flavor of custard a day in addition to vanilla and chocolate (and some select sorbets). You can check flavors on their website calendar or on their twitter. With that, you have many sundae options. It's super yummy. It's in Alexandria, so they are definitely dog friendly with puppy pops on the menu also.

As far as atmosphere, the place is cute. Liz Davis, the owner, is usually there with her fun staff sometimes handing out magic wands to the kids. Along with a working jukebox, there are a few inside tables including a picnic table usually with a half-finished puzzle on top for people to play with while eating. Most people hang out on the benches outside the shop with their dogs.

It's a been summer staple of mine since I moved to Alexandria and I've taken many a people there despite the long lines. It's my cute neighborood ice cream shop and I love it!

But you don't have to take my word for it -- Obama and the girls went there this past weekend: http://bit.ly/5X3YW

I'm so happy for the owner and the neighborhood, but selfishly, I'm pretty sure the lines have just doubled. This is what happened to another local fav, Ray's Hell Burger, when Obama and Biden went a month ago.

Don't get me wrong, I love that the Obama camp keeps going to local favorites but with the tourists and bandwagoners, it's just not going to be the same local vibe.

Le sigh. I'll never finish that puzzle!

inspired

2009-06-20T13:02:00.001-04:00

mini coconut cupcake at bittersweet | alexandria, va

i've talked about my obsession with [making] cupcakes here, here, and here.

as of late, my friends (especially k) have fed into my cupcake obsession and now, we're on grilled cheese; we go to the local diner more often than not. so on my break from the waterfront festival, i stopped into bittersweet catering to pick up their happy meal, which consists of a half sandwich and a mini cupcake.

grilled cheese + mini cupcake = leah's more than happy meal

eat. eat. eat.

2009-06-19T09:14:00.002-04:00

picture from the children's harbor tent | waterfront festival 2007

it's gorgeous out.

i'm headed to oronoco bay park to help set-up for the waterfront festival. you're coming right?

since i'll be out of pocket volunteering (and drinking beer and watching fireworks) all weekend, i wanted to leave you a link to one of the best foodie blogs of dc, metrocurean.

she's featured liveleah on five bites friday. yay and yum!

miss this

2009-06-18T07:39:00.002-04:00

no rain + fruity drink + clear water = happy leah

it's another dreary day in dc. i miss this place.

see you this weekend?

2009-06-17T07:23:00.004-04:00

who doesn't love pirates, fireworks and live music?

this is hilarious:

it goes without saying that the red cross means a lot to so many people. your attendance at the waterfront festival helps fund any disaster programs that happen in the dc metro area and helps train people to go where they are needed most (i.e., katrina, the midwest floods, etc.)

besides, the kids will love the rides and games, the adults will love the beer and bands and both will love some cotton candy (natch - pink, then blue)! win. win. win.

wolf trap on a perfect saturday night

2009-06-14T13:15:00.000-04:00

saturday was the perfect night to sit outside and watch some live music. i went to see the gipsy kings with a friend (and met some new friends). and even though we didn't get prime seating, the music was gorgeous, and we even got a little bit of dancing in.

look at the crowd go!

in the land of roses (and tevas)

2009-06-09T18:33:00.004-04:00

shadows on the columbia river | portland, or | june 8, 2009

the northwest always has a way of grabbing my semi-bohemian-granola side and pulling its heart strings. i love it here. who wants to move with me?

the columbia river at sunrise | portland, or | june 8, 2009

multonomah falls | portland, or | june 8, 2009

perch: the columbia river at sunset| portland, or | june 8, 2009

*i'm not judging about the tevas. promise. but there are a lot of them here. i don't blame them. the columbia river is absolutely gorgeous and i can see why folks are all about being outside here.

it's pronounced: ooh-bay

2009-06-08T17:59:00.003-04:00

since i'm in portland, i decided to surprise my mom with her birthday cake over the weekend. and being that it was her birthday and not my own, i strayed away from chocolate ganache (oooh, ganache... drool).

instead, i made her an ube and coconut cake inspired in by my friends at ikneadthedough and designingurlife. for those that don't know, ube is a purple yam. it is commonly used to make desserts in the philippines. usually it's mixed with sweeteners like condensed milk and made into a soft pasty cakey-custard thing (if you could call it that). it's taste is similar to taro but it's not quite the same thing.

anyway, the cake was a ube chiffon with layers of coconut strings (macapuno) topped with a buttercream frosting and toasted coconut (the buttercream and toasted coconut was my deviation from this original recipe).

the cake ended up looking great and tasting even better!

*contrary to this post, there was no boxed ube cake. i made the cake from scratch with ube powder for the flavoring. is there even such a thing as boxed ube cake?

mommy and me

2009-06-08T13:45:00.000-04:00

me & my mom in 1984

[i have no idea why i'm so scared of the camera person. ]

today is my mom's birthday. i'm lucky in that i was blessed to have two very awesome parents. a really cool thing about my mom though - besides the whole raising me and sister thing - is she's not the stereotypical filipina mom.

my mom grew up in the small rural town of sablayan, mindoro. eventually she went to college in manila and graduated with a chemistry degree. when she moved to the states, she found a job as a chemist with a local water company. this was pretty cool because i had a nice little upper hand when i had to do my mandatory science fair projects in grade school.

i mentioned that my dad was away a lot when i was little because he was in the navy, but even so my mom was able to work full-time, tend to us girls, and take classes at the local community college to learn computer programming. my mom introduced us to a computer back when you needed to memorize DOS commands, when 4 inch floppys were normal, and the dot matrix printers always woke the house up. we were the first amongst our friends to have a computer at home; my mom knew this was a trend that wasn't going away. and boy was she right.

fast forward to present day. my cool mom is her moved up from chemist to the office's lan administrator (or something techy like that). according to my friends, she also is one of the few parents that can 1) use a computer (as in, not just email and word) 2) has a blog and 3) has a twitter (she's going to kill me for linking those). in fact, she always jokes around that the only way she keeps track of me is by my twitter and blog [DM: yes, mom, i've landed in portland safely]. isn't that neat? she's so cool.

happy birthday mom. [thanks for addicting me to the computer & internet.]

to do: art-o-matic

2009-06-07T09:26:00.005-04:00

corporate related art [forgot to note artist]

i hate to admit this, but this is the first year i've ever made it to art-o-matic. and i'm kicking myelf for never taking the chance to stop by the last couple of years. needless to say, i think it's pretty amazing. some of the installations are way over my head (see above), but a lot of them are simply beautiful and obviously, very creative.

this year, there are 9 floors so there is plenty to look at. i definitely plan on going back a couple more times before it ends on july 5th. besides the usual paintings, mixed media and installations, there's film, performance, fire (yes, i said fire, beavis), theater and spoken word. oh, and the washington post's peep diaromas are there too (not including my non-placing entry -- boo. hiss.)

here are some of the ones that was able to check out today. aren't they great?

pompeii [forgot to note the artist's name]

little monsters by monstergrrl [sp?]

paintings by liliane blom [my favorite. a must buy!]

as an added bonus, not only can you see and buy art, you can participate in various workshops to learn from the artists. truth be told, that was the main reason that i made my way into that part of town on a game day. for all you with new (or old) SLRs looking to fine-tune your photos, they are offering a good photography refresher course for all those little buttons on that big camera body. the instructor breaks the basics down pretty well and even makes time for hands on practice as well as one-on-one questions. definitely worth the trip downtown, especially since parking can be such a big deterent.

so, if you're in dc for the next couple of weeks, don't forget to stop by!

heartfelt and simple

2009-06-02T06:51:00.001-04:00

as you can see, i have a slight obsession with packaging (i go on and on about gift packaging here and here). since my cousin did the destination wedding thing, i decided to drop off their wedding presents after the event so they didn't have to lug too many presents (or too much cash) around.

as part of their present, i decided to frame some shots that i took of them behind their backs (literally!) so they would remember those quiet times during such an fun-filled, memorable weekend.

since the frames and colors of the photos were so handsome, there was no need to wrap the presents but instead just insert a card and tie a simple bow (a couple of times over).

easy. and pretty.

to do: red rock canyon, nv

2009-05-31T09:00:00.002-04:00

red rock canyon outside of las vegas, nv | may 25, 2009

my friend lan lives in north las vegas. And while drinking, gambling and making "friends" on the strip was fun, i was so excited to visit with a friend i only get to see twice or so a year. we had a good time just talking about her life in vegas. one place she was sure to show me was red rock canyon.

did you know that vegas was actually underwater? the water caused striations and when the water evaporated minerals were left in the rock causing the the red (or not-so-red) rock. on certain parts of rock, there are petroglyphs, supposedly put there by anasazi indians.

divit [w/ petroglyphs?] | red rock canyon, nv | may 25, 2009

big bird | red rock canyon, nv | may 25, 2009

red rock canyon is part of a public park. my friends are avid nature people. they go hiking, canyoneering, climbing, and repelling down parts of the rocks regularly. i can't wait to go back, not only to see my friends, but to get have my own adventures at the park.

where's waldo? [find the hiker]| red rock canyon, nv | may 25, 2009

thriving in the rocks | red rock | may 25, 2009

vegas baby

2009-05-30T16:21:00.005-04:00

this is caleb thomas. his mommy has been one of my oldest friends (like 1987 old - whoa). he was born and still lives in north las vegas. he's been to the strip way more many times than i have.

isn't he cute?

vegas, baby

2009-05-27T12:30:00.003-04:00

the fountain at the bellagio | elton john's "your song" playing

this is the only "vegas" picture i took this past weekend. the trip was a blur of this and that and really, what do you really need to know about vegas that you haven't already heard from someone else? in case you were wondering, i won $40 and didn't get married.

i did, however, get a kobe burger from hubert keller's burger bar. you should definitely try it.

more posting about the g-rated part of my vegas trip in a few days. work is just too nuts right now. nuts enough that i came to work yesterday after my red-eye flight. it was not pretty. later internet!

to do: movies in the park - 80's style

2009-05-22T02:39:00.002-04:00

most cities have a "screen on the green" or movies in the park. we used to do this in college and it was always a great time seeing people carry couches onto the lawn in front of the national shrine. and predictably, the rugby boys would streak. and then campus security would run after them with their batons.

it was fun at the catholic university of america.

yeah, i went there.

anyway, the theme for rosslyn's series this summer is i love the 80's. yeah, i know, exciting right? i'll be on the way to vegas tonight but if i were in town, i'd definitely watch one of my favorites: sixteen candles. i can't promise streakers, but you'll get a good dose of long duck dong.

jake ryan, i <3 you!

(thompson twins, i <3 you too!)

daydreaming of SBY

2009-05-21T06:00:00.002-04:00

View Larger Map

all my posts on filipino food are not only making hungry but making me miss my mom's hometown island of mindoro. [ok, maybe there is some st. thomas beach withdrawal in there.]

i'm not slated to go to the philippines until next year as i have some domestic obligations here and there for the rest of 2009, so searching flickr will have to do. a girl can dream, right?

here are some pictures from flickr user kerolic. i love how his pictures are not touched up; they still capture the natural beauty of mindoro.

this is sablayan harbor. lots of fisherman = lots of boats

kerolic's boat ride to pandan island (across from sablayan)

my favorite place in the world: pandan island beach (sablayan is across the way)

inspiration: kulinarya

2009-05-20T06:56:00.003-04:00

a few months ago, my parents took their annual trip to the philippines. my cousin, kris, was nice enough to send me a filipino cook book, kulinarya.

unfortunately, i can't grab any screen shots, so you'll just have to go their site. the book is sponsored by the asian society and other philippine based food companies. their goal is to refine filipino cuisine while also keeping true to it's roots. [much like that restaurant in bloomfield i've been raving about!]

the book is amazing! it has cooking tips, explanations on various cooking techniques, and awesome photography of the food. filipino food never looked so pretty.

the best part is, i've finally figured out my mama's adobe recipe which i previously lamented about not knowing here. apparently, she was a purist and had a soy sauce-free adobo, called adobong puti.

according to the book--

white adobo gets its name from the "white" (i.e. clear) vinegar it uses - the appearance of the dish is actually brown - due to the frying. purists insist that "white adobo" is the classic version, because it highlights the trio of basic adobo flavors: vinegar, garlic and peppercorns, and eliminates soy sauce, which tends to drown out the other flavors.

here is the recipe:

500g pork belly (liempo)
6 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup vinegar (cane, palm or white)
2 bay leaves
500g chicken
1 tbsp cooking oil
2 cups water
1 tbsp salt

in a mixing bowl, combine the crushed garlic and cracked peppercorns with the vinegar and bay leaves
add pork and chicken pieces. let sit in the marinade for at least 1 hour.
using a heated pan, pour in the cooking oil, fry the pork pieces until brown. add the chicken pieces and fry until brown (save the remaining marinade). remove some of the rendered fat.
add the water and the marinade to the pan. simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat until the meat pieces are tender or liquid has almost evaporated. taste and correct seasoning.
just before serving, reheat the adobo and serve hot.

i haven't tried it yet, but when i do get the chance, i'll be excited to see if it will draw up nostalgia of my grandmother's cooking. even if it doesn't, i don't doubt this would be a great meal to add to my ever growing filipino food repertoire!

oh, and let me not forget -- thanks kris. you're so great!

NJ: more than bagels and pizza

2009-05-18T21:12:00.003-04:00

as i mentioned, i went to a wedding in new jersey this past weekend. we had family in from the west coast, the south, and with all the rushing, we were eating lots of pizza (at least it was ny style -- one of the many famous ray's). on sunday, the thought of another rest stop meal didn't sit well with the fam .

so after some quick google searching, we ended up at pandan asian cuisine on broad street in verona, nj.

the owners of this restaurant were pretty savvy in that they didn't pigeonhole themselves to be a strictly filipino restaurant, but deep down, it definitely is. the difference from any other filipino restaurant in dc, however, is this restaurant's ability to make the salty, sweet, sourness of filipino food to be pretty. the ambience was cozy - asian but not annoyingly stereotypical. and while that was impressive (i have never seen another filipino-am restaurant as nice) the kicker was that the food was absolutely delicious. i'm not going to into the nitty gritty details, but the food was fresh, simple, and presented in a way that was appetizing without trying to hard. they even impressed a critic at the new york times.

needless to say, i definitely recommend this place if ever you're in the bloomfield area of new jersey.

home, sweet, home

2009-05-15T08:34:00.000-04:00

tulips | the botanical garden | april 22, 2009

i'm traveling again. last weekend was a catch-up from my trip to STT, which consisted of washing lots of sand out of my clothes and slathering vitamin e on my peeling skin.

i'm peeling. ew. [that's for you, stt]

today, i'm leaving for the lovely armpit of the country (NJ), where cousin #798,293 is getting married. then, next week, i'm off to vegas, baby.

while i'm not complaining (i always look forward to getaways!) the grass is always greener. the weather is finally warm here and i really want to have some relaxing weekends in my hometown - like people watching at the park, drinking at the waterfont etc.

a few weeks ago, i had the pleasure of touring a family friend from the philippines around dc. while taking her pictures at various sites, i took advantage and took some shots myself. these remind me how much i love DC.

flecks of gold | the ceiling at the basilica | april 22, 2009

[skewed] perspective | union station | april 22, 2009

the dome | u.s. capitol | april 22, 2009

you've been tagged.

2009-05-12T22:01:00.003-04:00

may 2002

spring cleaning has led me to find the old boxes that have been stored in my hall closet since i moved to my condo in april of 2007. and wow, seriously, some of you old friends should be glad that i'm not on facebook. really, really, glad.

i've been tweeting about my revolution for a while now, but for those that don't know, i've been finding addresses and mailing out old pictures to people with nothing but a post-it labeled "you've been tagged". it's backwards, but it's fun. i mean, who really gets fun mail anymore? the added bonus is sometimes i get a random text, email, or phone call (remember that thing) from someone i haven't talked to in forever. better than that stupid wall thing.

watch out people. even those of you who think i wouldn't have photos of you -- oh i do!

april 2009

to do: vacation (or wed) in STT

2009-05-07T21:03:00.000-04:00

solitaire (view from the hotel's sugar bay beach) | st. thomas | may 2, 2009

just got back from st. thomas and to describe me as exhausted is an understatement. i will say though that all the craziness and lack of sleep were well worth it. my cousins wedding was a hit!

not only was it a great because a bunch of us used it as an excuse to go on vacation, jean and jeff were so amazingly calm and relaxed. no fussing over details, no last minute runs to the store, no worrying. there was time for all of us to go to the beach, to the casino, to lay around the pool. the bride was so concerned with everyone enjoying themselves that the only (and very minor) snafu were the bridesmaids running behind schedule the day of the wedding. when i walked in the door after a spa appointment (more on that later) to just pick up my sisters makeup to use on myself, i was bombarded with "hey, can you do hair?! hey, can you do makeup?!" while i'm not a nearly as good with the makeup and hair as my fashionista sister who was busy preparing the bride, i was able to help with some bobby pins and makeup setting and generally helping with stress levels. jean just absorbed it all while an awesome smile on her face.

the wedding was held at oceana restaurant, a lovely semi-outdoor waterfront property in frenchtown. if ever you are in st. thomas, i highly recommend a visit to this place. while there is nothing much around it, the place specializes in local food but isn't a fish fry beach place. The wedding menu consisted of: pesto crusted mahi mahi, grilled herb marinated chicken, and skirt steak with a guava bbq sauce. Sides included: coconut rice and salad with a passionfruit viniagrette. the signature drink, the "o", is also worth checking out. it had fresh grated ginger, lime juice, creme de coconut, rum and a touch of sour mix. refreshing and savory at the same time. needless to say, the wedding reception was a great time!

coki beach | st. thomas | may 2, 2009

for the rest of the weekend, i spent most of it burning my skin off (i'm currently two-toned) to the point where it was necessary to go to the spa for a cooling treatment. there was plenty to do at the hotel with the spa, three pools, the hot tub, the private beach, game room, iguana pond and feeding center, and casino. however most of us opted to go to the nearby coki beach. i ended up going three days straight, with one evening, walking there over a rock formation on the beach, hiking through the woods, across another hotel property, and through a local neighborhood to get there and go night swimming. needless to say, that was an adventure. coki beach, although small, has everything you want in a caribbean beach: white sand, turquoise water, fruity drinks with umbrellas, and great snorkeling. there were tons of fish not only in the deeper areas, but within 5 feet of the shore. if you go, check out the mailman's food shack. he has an awesome banana daquiri (i think it was called the drunk monkey).

fish at coki beach (not taken underwater) | st. thomas | may 5, 2009

needless to say, fun was had by all. all in all 50 people is a great number to have for a destination wedding, we all had a great time and met a whole new group of friends!

to do: sunday afternoon at the park

2009-04-27T22:38:00.001-04:00

tightroper + girl | meridien hill | april 26 2009

more photos from a hot weekend in dc. i've posted and photographed about meridien hill park before, but it's the quintessential dc sunday funday event. drums, picnics, sun and good people.

the expert | meridien hill | april 26 2009

expert in training | meridien hill | april 26 2009

the crazy yoga | meridien hill | april 26 2009

sunset and whistles | meridien hill | april 26 2009

summer lovin'

2009-04-26T15:31:00.006-04:00

high school & college regattas/practice on the potomac

dc hit the 90's this weekend. a friend and i decided to hit up an old haunt to watch the locals as they emerge from the hibernation of winter (dc totally skipped spring this year). we didn't document much since we spent most of the time drinking and wishing we had a boat but it was fun none-the-less.

these people make me want a boat.

yup, that's a wifebeater tan.

no drama kinda day. thanks diddy.

to do: make my own alcohol infusion

2009-04-23T18:17:00.000-04:00

wall of infusions at poste brasserie

a few weeks ago, wen and i decided to grab a drink at poste in penn quarter. as we were catching up, i noticed a collection of bottles on the wall and a bartender making a fuss. i realized quickly that he was hand creating the infusions that poste boasts in their signature cocktails. my curiosity got the best of me and i spent the better of 15 minutes peppering the poor guy with questions on how to do it, how long it lasts, the best fruits/spices to use etc.

vintage grape crusher thingie

when i was in philly for miss anna's birthday, i found out that my friends make homemade wine. j is a second generation italian and his family has been making homemade wine for over 25 years. they own cranks and crushers and make everything from grapes on their own. i was grateful that they sent me home with a couple bottles. one was made by someone in the family a long time ago (70's maybe?) and another is from their 2006 batch. i haven't yet tasted it but i'm hoping to have an occasion to open the bottle soon.

the garage set-up (30+ gallons of vino)

with all the unique things i've tasted in dc and philly, the processes i've learned, i've been inspired to create my own infusion for a summer cocktail.

hopefully, soon, i can tell you how it goes.

To do: discover Philadelphia

2009-04-20T17:55:00.003-04:00

philly's love park (photo from phila.gov)

This weekend, I discovered Philly. Being from DC and a frequenter of NYC, Philly was always one of those stopover towns. It’s where everyone went to college or where everyone grew up but where no one ever stays. I never understood why people love this city so much. At first glance, it’s not the prettiest, it’s crowded, and it’s not known for much besides Rocky, some cray-cray sports fans, a guy that likes to fly kites in the rain and of course, that famous broken bell.

Well, was I pleasantly surprised! For the last couple of years, I’ve been visiting a few friends that have recently moved to Philly from DC (i call them abandoners). It’s always been a quick jaunt out to dinner or to someone’s house for an event. Don’t get me wrong, those things are all fun but there was never any time to really feel the brotherly love.

kayakers on the schuykill river near boathouse row

(photo from the official visitor site of greater philadelphia)

This Saturday, I had a window open, ipod blasting, singing at the top of my lungs, drive up 95 (the weather helped with the good mood). The city was in full swing with routes 76 and 676 being packed like sardines. I had to take a detour to get to my friend’s house and drove though the museum area and down Kelly Drive. For those that don’t know, Kelly Drive is home to boat house row and follows the Schuykill River. It’s pretty much a huge riverfront park. There were tons of bikers, walkers, families, dogs, and rowers out and it was a pretty nice drive despite the traffic. Recommendation: take a walk along Kelly Drive and watch a regatta.

Soon after I arrived in Manayunk, we hopped on the bus to get into Center City to eat near Rittenhouse Square. Rittenhouse Square is a pretty large park area and the surrounding streets are home to some good shopping and some good living. The plaza was buzzing with people with no visible spots to sit by the time we got there. There were people laying out, listening to the street musicians, or just reading a book in the sun.

basilia cocktail at Parc

We decided on getting an outdoor table at Steven Starr’s Parc adjacent to the square. Steven Starr is well known for reviving the foodie scene in Philly. His restaurants are known for great food and a great vibe; Parc happens to be his homage to a French brasserie with great outdoor seating. Spent quite a while here just hanging out. I’ve eaten brunch here before and it’s probably one of the best brunches I’ve had. For a late lunch in the sun at Parc, I recommend: tuna tartare (friend raved about it) and the basilia cocktail (elderflower liquor and vodka with fresh basil and cucumber).

town hall with ben penn (inside joke)

After drinking and noshing at Parc, we decided to move onto Market East to hit up the Apothecary Bar + Lounge roof deck. Apothecary is kind of a trendy, themed restaurant with strange medical sounding ingredients in their cocktails. I spent a lot of time looking up terms on Wikipedia to decipher what I was imbibing. For some fun, adventurous drinks, go to Apothecary and try: a Booty Collins - a spicy drink with green tea infused gin, passionfruit, yohimbe, valerian root, and cayenne. It’s noted as not being for the faint of heart so I only had one.

An hour or so into a long conversation about Crank (the movie, not the drug after much confusion), we actually got kicked off the APO rooftop because of a private function but decided we weren’t done enjoying the weather.

sunset from jeff's bainbridge street roof deck

We walked to a friend’s house (passing the Broad street and its neighborhood block parties in full effect on the way) to see his rooftop deck before moving on to a late dinner. After literally climbing a ladder through his sky light/sunroof-esque “door” --a challenge with a beer in one hand, a camera in another and a while wearing a dress -- we end up upstairs staring at Philly’s skyline at sunset. Recommendation: find a friend with a roofdeck.

With the sun set, and more than a few drinks under our belt, we hit the road again to get a real meal at the Pub and Kitchen. We grabbed more drinks, discussed their logo (a pabbit!), and had a wonderful dinner. Friends raved about the pulled pork sandwiches and frites with truffle dijonnaise. I had the pub salad (you can never go wrong with apples, goat cheese, walnuts and homemade dressing) and the perfect - so perfect - scallops w/ morels. Also, this is great place to hit up for late night drinks -- nice setting, not overly crowded or pretentious, and they play 80’s music (hee!). My recommendation: just go to the Pub and Kitchen. You can’t go wrong.

All-in-all, it was a perfect Saturday in a gorgeous, totally underrated city. I recommend a visit soon!

a KISS for anna

2009-04-16T18:41:00.000-04:00

keeping it simple for anna's 2nd birthday (with a placeholder pic of me)

in high school, i had an engineering teacher who probably taught me one of the best tidbits of advice: KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid

i've noticed that i'm not the only one who has reverted to living simply. and while some of you may read that as deprivation of the luxuries of life, i'd like to think that people understand that life is more than things. the trendy new bag or the cool, new electronic gadget will soon be out of style or obsolete and i'm learning that while i'm instantly gratified, the wow factor doesn't last more than a few weeks before i want a new thing. trust me, i struggle with this - i like nice things just as much as the next person.

even though i'm still learning to use KISS in my daily life, i do understand the notion of keeping it simple. i've always been touched by heartfelt, creative ways to show someone you care including a nice homemade meal, personalizing and handmaking gifts, or just simply sending a real letter (or embarrassing pictures) to an old friend.

i'm going to philly this weekend to see an old college roommate that i haven't seen in six years. before that we hadn't seen each other since graduation day, in may 2002 (gah, that was a long time ago). her daughter, anna, is turning two and i'm going to the birthday party.

k and her hubby have always been very level-headed, caring people and i shouldn't have been surprised to hear that instead of gifts for their daughter's birthday, they requested that family and friends create a scrapbook page for anna's birthday book.

so instead of having the latest dora toy that she won't remember and that won't hold any value once she runs it into the ground, anna now will have memories of all the people that she touched as a baby. while that doesn't seem like much right now, fifty years from now, she'll have an awesome, semi-"vintage", handmade, invaluable, book to cherish. how pretty is that?

the princess and the pea. soup.

2009-04-11T10:46:00.001-04:00

pea soup w/ sour cream and pancetta

so i've been the doing the healthy living thing. and i plan to keep it up after easter (with a few cheat days here and there - natch). and by healthy living i've been - buying less, cleaning like a crazy woman, trying to work out more, eating more nutritiously, and generally, just living simply.

to an extent, most of these things i've been doing already. however, the biggest change has been the healthy eating coupled with cutting down on spending -- which is a challenge since healthier (and organic) food is definitely more expensive. i've not just cut out bad food (high fructose corn syrup - begone!) i've also tried to eat more nutritious foods including eating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. fruit and veggies have always been part of my diet, but probably not in the recommended quantities. so squeezing another few servings of vegetables and fruit in my usual routine has been an exercise of creativity.

for lunch this week, i've had sandwiches of smoked turkey on whole grain bread with lettuce. and since it's been so unseasonably cold, i've been craving soup. the other day, i opted for a pre-made creamy tomato (which i ended up ditching after i realized it had 24 grams of sugar in it. tomato soup + h.f.c.syrup = gag). so, i decided for the next day, i'd make a healthy, cheap soup. somehow.

i realized that i had frozen peas leftover from a foray into indo-pakastani cuisine the other day. pea soup is nutritious, simple to make, and not going to put me into the red after buying a whole produce section just for simmering. as an added bonus, it can be made in smaller batches (someone really needs to create a singles recipe and food line- but that’s another post).

in the past, you couldn’t pay me to eat pea soup. so i was naturally hesitant that i might waste my time and money on this. as a compromise, i decided that if i'm going to eat the equivalent of what is essentially one cup of peas as part of a meal, that i would nudge the taste with some sprinklings of pancetta and a dollop of fat free sour cream. ends up just the tiniest add-on makes a world of difference to the taste. and since they were added in such small quantities, it’s a pretty insignificant add-on to the calorie intake (and cost).

so here's my take on pea soup (i didn't follow a formal recipe per se, so this is my best guess after skimming some recipes on the internet)

1 bag frozen peas
1 small yellow onion, cut into thin half rings
2 -2.5ish cups of reduced sodium chicken broth
¼ inchish slice of pancetta, cut into a mini dice(optional)
1 dollop of fat free sour cream (optional)

1) heat up just a little extra virgin olive oil (1 teaspoonish, the pancetta will add the rest) in soup pot.

2) sautee pancetta until golden and crispy. scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3) sautee onions until clear.

4) add chicken broth. bring to a rolling simmer.

5) add peas. heat through until the peas are defrosted and it comes to a rolling boil. turn off the heat! stop while you’re ahead, you want a pretty lime green pea soup, not a dull puke green color.

6) carefully use an immersion blender to blend into a puree. (or dump in batches into a regular blender. don’t forget to open the blow hole for the steam to escape or else you will burn yourself and make a mess in the kitchen!)

7) plate into a bowl with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of pancetta (just a pinch).

8) enjoy!

this tasted awesome and is surprisingly filling!

wedding season packaging

2009-04-08T19:52:00.000-04:00

cherry blossoms 2009

love is in bloom and wedding season is upon us! my family members and friends are all taking the plunge. if you've read liveleah before you know that i live in a studio and have no room for storage. except for shoes. there is always room for shoes.

as in the past, i've been sticking to the classic brown craft paper and use embellishments to personalize and pretty things up.

for my soon to be cousin-in-law's bridal shower, her sister sent these pretty invitations:

with a few sheets of paper, and a ribbon to match her wedding colors, here is her present:
... oh and it's green too! yay.

insert cyndi lyric here.

2009-04-02T20:01:00.007-04:00

"i am riding the mexican train!" - leah, after lots of bourbon slushies

a few girls and i have started a monthly or so domino night. but before you point and laugh at the lameness, it's actually a lot of fun and results in some pretty & yummy food, bourbon slushies and some good old fashion trash talking.

girls + bourbon = trash talking. how could that not be fun?

i lose most of the time but that's probably because i really like bourbon slushies. alot.

my contribution | endives with almonds, cranberries & goat cheese topped w/ champagne vinaigrette

this last get together, miss m was gracious enough to make dessert on the spot.

apple+ cinnamon + sugar + beer batter + frying + powdered sugar = yum

i did taste just the tiniest piece of this to be polite for the hard work of standing in front of the hot fryer while i sat on my bum and drank more bourbon slushie. after STT, i'll feel more inclined to try another piece.

the making of a good dutch appleflappen

i want one right now.

in like a lion... out like a lamb

2009-04-01T19:39:00.001-04:00

march has been pretty hectic in my world. i have lots of fun plans in the works but mostly, i've been on a spring cleaning blitz - in more ways than one.

for lent, i gave up almost any kind of junk food besides coffee and alcohol (must not be completely insufferable). it's not a completely crazy catholic thing (as you people roll your eyes)... it's partly because it was healthy improvement -- i like dessert too much. that and i'm going to st thomas in 1 month. need i say more? healthy is still pretty though...

my recent "dessert" (still miss chocolate)

before the humidity sets in... spring in dc.

2009-03-31T20:28:00.001-04:00

the jefferson momument at sunrise

true to my neurosis, i attempted to take some cherry blossom photos at 6:30am on today to avoid the crowds at the tidal basin.

the washington monument at sunrise

there were a ton of people there. it was cold. my point and shoot died. and since it was sunrise, the slr's exposure was going nuts. that and in my infinite knowledge, i took a whole bunch of RAW images that i'll need to edit and convert so others can view them.

sprout | tidal basin in washington, dc | march 31, 2009

i'll be taking more when i brave the crowds at the festival. but after inauguration, what's crowd in dc, right?

la vida es demasaido corta

2009-03-21T13:32:00.004-04:00

i have a love/hate relationship with the actual product but damn, do they know how to make a commercial that means something.

St. Paddrick says: go forth with the gift of eloquence

2009-03-17T07:21:00.000-04:00

liveleah kissing the blarney stone | september 2007

SnugPeep - the Blanket with Sleeves

2009-03-15T22:38:00.004-04:00

Last year, I posted about my cousin's and friend's semi-finalist entry to the Washington Post Peep Diorama Contest.

This year, I finally got in on the action and created a diorama with my friend Chris. A few weeks ago, I sewed a Snuggie and made a couch and laptop with modeling foam.

In true fashion, I waited until the last possible minute to work with Chris on the rest (the deadline is before midnight tonight). But coincidentally, we're both very detail-oriented and were able to pull this together in just a few hours this afternoon/evening.

Here's a close-up:

some fun facts that you may not see in this non-professional photo.

i actually hand-sewed the snuggie
the couch isn't [p]leather but it matches the color of the couch on the commercial.
that window is double-paned (backyard image, plastic film, wood then more plastic film)
the photos of the peeps on the walls include the grand canyon and niagara falls.
i framed all the photos with wood and plastic film.
chris made molding for the top and bottom of our walls; she even pulled out a saw today.
chris created the peep bunny inspired wall paper and painted the peep screensaver on the laptop.
yes, that's coaster. but you can choose your ending: beer vs soda.

See how mini some of the pieces were? (we nixed this piece in our entry)

Definitely fun. I'm already thinking of my entry for next year!

it was feckin' great craic!

2009-03-01T19:15:00.004-05:00

so in the fall of 2007, i decided - on a whim - to go to ireland to visit my cousin, maye. while planning, i recruited my cousins and a friend to join in. cousin maye is my second cousin from sablayan (in mindoro, philippines) and she and her husband immigrated to ireland instead of the US. they live in the suburb of clondalkin, just a few minutes from dublin proper.

our trip was an 8 day sprint. we made the best of the short trip, visiting all major parts of the country by taking 3 hour train rides everywhere - including a day visit to belfast in the UK.

i've posted a few of the photos from that trip here and there, but have never really gone into depth on this page. choosing instead, to just [hastily] update the flickr.

luckily for you, our friend farrah managed to finish [finally!] her online scrapbook of our trip today. it's pretty detailed so i guess 18 months is better than never.

if you ever get a chance, i highly encourage a visit to ireland. guinness tastes better there. slainte!

things i won't do: mystery can

2009-02-28T10:11:00.005-05:00

i've jumped off a perfectly good bridge but i won't do this.

first, read this: the plug issue #36 mystery can II

now, being that i grew up with a different palate than some that read this blog this is really funny to me. because I KNOW the strange things you can get in a can and i would NEVER take on this challenge. because i hate throwing up.

it's pretty funny though, i think jay walked into a filipino store as evidenced by the quail eggs (i gag just thinking about this), ginitaang munggo, ligo, and mangosteens that tracy had to eat. the challenge wouldn't have been that bad, but since they had no idea what they were eating (labels were taken off as part of the rules), it was more a mental thing.

hilarious.

would you do this?

taking bread from stale to fresh. rum helps.

2009-02-21T12:40:00.006-05:00

despite my neverending bout with the plague, i've been making time to make some pretty food (for other people - since i can't really enjoy food right now). last week, i was excited to buy some pan de sal (filipino bread rolls) just to have sandwiches, toast, etc for the week. it was not-so-exciting when i realized that it was close to stale.

this is what stale pan de sal looks like

what does one do with a dozen stale rolls? make bread pudding.

rum raisin bread pudding

i've never made bread pudding, so i used this recipe from the foodnetwork. obviously, instead of bread, i used 10 pan de sal rolls. and as far as dark rum goes, i only had tanduay, from the philippines, so it fit in nicely to my [unplanned] filipino version of this dessert. finally, to add a little kick, i let the raisins soak and plump up in a little more rum before i threw it in with the recipe.

a yummy way to save perfectly good stale bread!

wanted: personal doc tor (preferably older than me).

2009-02-17T17:12:00.005-05:00

my immune system is shot. for the last two months, i've been fighting no less than 982 colds. this one is by far the worst and if i haven't said it before, it sucks to be single and sick. need delivery of orange juice. now.

but instead of boring you about how my body keeps going from hot to cold in less than .02 seconds (is this what personal summers feel like? if so, i'll well prepared to the blanket and sweatshirt shuffle in about 30 years), i'll share a cute thing that someone sent me to make me feel better.

would it be losery to get this ringtone?

way past barongs and soens.

2009-02-14T21:08:00.009-05:00

so as i was perusing rafe totengco's page for some spring vacation clutch inspiration (those that know me know that the LAST type of purse i need is a clutch but i can't get enough - see post on obsession), i stumbled across his blog again.

sidenote: for those that don't know, rafe is an international accessories designer that happens to be from the philippines. his bags are well known over the world and are huge amongst celebrities. his shop is in manhattan.

as part of his philippine celebrity, he was asked to guest judge the project runway philippines season 1 finale.

my 1st thought: oooh! i love project runway!
my 2nd thought: there's a project runway philippines?!

i watched the finale episode start to finish and it's pretty impressive that they were able to make a pretty much exact replica of the US version of the show. and i was doubly impressed and pleasantly surprised at the talent of the designers there. not that i doubt that filipinos have haute couture style but my view of the philippines is limited to my mom's provincial town/island (not that i'm hating because it's my favorite place in the philippines!) or the herds of people walking through the SM in makati - lovely, but not exactly bryant park.

i loved certain parts of all three collections, however, the obvious winner (and crowd fav) for his risks and impeccable sewing skills was aries lagat.

to see some filipino orginality (like totally "ee-no-bay-tib"), check out minute 2:30 until about 3:15. (take that US project runway!). my other favorite part of this episode was 8:23-8:24 but for all the wrong reasons.

if you want to see the whole episode and even better - who won (and how he admittedly embarrassed himself by falling down and hurting his knee - albeit in a endearing i-just-realized-my-dream kinda way), check out sweet project's you tube channel. pictures of all three collections (and other philippine fashion events) can be seen at kael06's flickr.

have a lovely day!

2009-02-14T11:17:00.006-05:00

last night, i went home to see my niece and bring her my last batch of valentine-y cupcakes. when i got there, she came running up the stairs and greeted me with "happy balentimes day ninang!"
[ninang means godmother in tagalog]

happy balentimes day, indeed.

to do in washington dc: torpedo factory

2009-02-12T21:01:00.008-05:00

*edited for grammar. when i get excited i don't pay attention! go go go!

every second thursday, the torpedo factory opens it's doors to the public. now, i've been there before but it was always closed so i never understood how great this place is. the factory has 82 studios, 6 galleries and an art school. tonight, for the public viewing, the artists were there after hours and had special add-ons for the guests including: a singer with a guitar, wine, cheese, and flowers for valentine's day.

anyway, within 10 minutes of being there i fell in love and bought my first pieces of art. they were made by a lovely ceramic artist named diana chamberlain. she makes these gorgeous dress sculptures that sometimes double as vases. besides the fancy, fancy shapes, sometimes she embosses the ceramics with gorgeous, delicate, french lace and then reglazes the lace trim in blue or black.

needless to say, with my current love for all things french, i went a little nuts in the store. to my credit though, i bought pieces that i could use instead of just stare at and squeal. besides, we ended talking to some artists about the economy and i felt great buying from the creator and not the 'man'. i now own the 4 coasters and the trivet below. don't they look great against my dark dining room table?

coasters & trivet by diana chamberlain

ps. i also fell in love with the book ends show located in the target gallery. the things that the artists made with books is AMAZING. i highly suggest that you visit it if you can; they are only there until the 22nd. and if you go, check out the rolodex. i'm still reeling and really, really want to buy it. sigh. santa, please? (this picture does it no justice. no justice.)

obsession: blood oranges

2009-02-10T19:55:00.008-05:00

when i went to poland and few years ago, i had a layover in milan and flew alitalia to vienna (and eventually, to krakow - that's another story). it was a morning flight and we were treated to italian pastries, coffee and breakfast juices. i was surprised when the attendant handed me a glass of red liquid after i had asked for orange juice. it was then that i fell in love with blood oranges. and while that sounds really dramatic, i really have a tendency to get obsessed with things that i like. basically, i keep at it until i'm tired of it, and them move on to the next obsession (it being meals, juices, hobbies, recipes, and especially music - you get the picture). after my trip, still reeling after my discovery, my love for blood oranges was cut short when i couldn't find them anywhere here in dc. i tried specialty groceries, organic groceries, the internet. no go.

so yesterday, i was delighted (as in, i almost squealed out loud) to find blood oranges at the local grocery store. i thought of all the recipes that i had looked up after my trip that required blood oranges. i couldn't remember too many, and really, i'm happy just having the fruit/juice by itself. but i did remember a fennel salad that i tasted during restaurant week a few years ago at sette bello in arlington.

since the weather has been pretty mild lately, this was a perfect dinner idea for tonight. i paired it with a honey garlic salmon recipe that was adapted from a vietnamese recipe that my mom received from her co-worker.

salad of fennel, endive, blood oranges, and almonds
with a homemade champagne vinaigrette
shown with honey garlic roasted salmon topped with caramelized onions

now, off to make another batch of cupcakes for some friends (see? obsessed).

ready for delivery

2009-02-08T09:52:00.001-05:00

(can you tell i'm so excited about this?)

i heart cupcakes (literally!)

2009-02-07T20:50:00.010-05:00

chocolate cupcakes with [raspberry] buttercream

i've been craving cupcakes lately. but instead of having to chose one of the many cupcakeries in dc or alexandria, and then having to make a decision on what flavor i want (too many choices!), i just decided to make my own. and since i had a limited amount of ingredients in house and only mini muffin tins, i ended up with mini chocolate cupcakes with raspberry buttercream. very v-day, don't you think?

mini cupcakes + mini hearts = big cute!

now, i just have to figure out what to do with all these! do you want a cupcake?

to do: eat in san diego

2009-02-03T07:17:00.005-05:00

some of the offerings at chocolat on fifth ave (taken by camera phone) | san diego

i arrived in san diego yesterday to 80 degree weather (sorry dc'ers). during the superbowl, i had seen the forecast, but felt a little weird digging into my summer clothing storage for tank tops in february and decided against it. fail. people here are in shorts, tanks and flip flops. i'm poorly prepared in my short sleeved light sweaters and slacks - i am here for work after all. luckily the warmer weather only lasts until sunset, then it's a nice 65-70 degree evening. i LOVE it here.

miss danidee and i decided to have a catch up over sushi and sake in the gaslamp quarter last night. and instead of going to uber-chic [read: overpriced] nobu, we went to not-trying-as-hard, not-considered-as-chic, but uber tasty taka, known for it's "gourmet sushi" and authentic taste. needless to say, it was wonderful. we sat outside and enjoyed the weather while people watching and listening to a street performer in a full on double breasted suit (plus hat!) sing classic songs on the corner.

we tried to be adventurous and order a sushi style shrimp that apparently had a garnish of a shrimp's head with still moving antennae but since they were out of season, we opted to try a fresh quatro of seaweed salad. the seaweed was not like the usual marinated salad but instead fresh "kelp" (as dj called it when she saw it) with a sesame ginger dressing. the server warned us that some were adverse to the taste since it was pretty much tasted like sea. it was great! the textures of the different types seaweed were interesting and the sauce was a great compliment.

after ordering the usual favorites of unagi and salmon avocado, we opted to try special of bluetail tuna sashimi (it was so dark red that it was like magenta/purple ish). also, dj introduced me to a new taste of scallop sushi. raw scallops! who knew?! it was so fresh that it wasn't fishy, but so soft that it kinda just melted in your mouth. yum! this is the way sushi should be, everything was so fresh!

our meal was completed with a concoction that i learned from logorrheic - plum wine mixed with sake. since plum wine is so sweet, the sake mixes perfectly to make a tasty cocktail, with a great punch. surprise, you're tipsy!

finally, to top off the night, we had to check out the gelato place, chocolat (we had eyed it on our way up 5th ave). they sold all kinds of crepes and gelato, made from cocao from south america and africa. it was so pretty. and yummy. they had some more adventurous flavors but i opted for my favorite combination of chocolate hazelnut. dj ended up with two: a spicy chocolate and strawberry. this is a definite place to check out while walking around the gaslamp.

ok, time to work. more san diego to come later!

recipe: adobo

2009-01-25T17:00:00.007-05:00

chicken adobo a la leah

inspired by mike's post, i got a craving for a good downhome filipino meal of adobo chicken tonight. and while he challenged his readers to an adobo throwdown, the reality is, there will be no winner because each family's adobo is slightly different, per the different regions of the philippines and quirks of each cook - in my case, my lola [grandmother].

my grandmother, mama, made the BEST adobo ever. however, there was no formal recipe passed down. all i remember is that it was heavy on the garlic, and i remember it was drier than most adobos -- most have a sauce -- an "au jus" if you will. after talking about it to my mom a long time ago, she mentioned that mama maybe used a cooking method of 'pinapasa' which literally means, 'to be squeezed'. i have yet to find a recipe to use this method but from what i understand, mama would take the chicken out after simmering and re-sear it with more garlic. needless to say, it was yummy.

i'm kinda 'a throw things in a pot and edit to taste' kinda cook. so here's my semi-just-now-made-up "recipe" for adobo (sans the extra pinapasa step). my recipe is for a smaller portion for 2-3 servings.

1.5 lbs of chicken wings, drumsticks or thighs (you can use breast, but it will probably be drier)
3-4 cloves of garlic depending on size
1/6 cup of soy sauce
1/6 cup of distilled vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon-ish of whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon-ish of sugar
salt and pepper to taste

salt and pepper the chicken - don't be too generous - you'll be adding soy and peppercorn later.
sear chicken in a hot pan with just a drizzle of oil. once the fat from the chicken renders, you'll have more than enough fat to keep the chicken from sticking. in fact, you'll have to drain the pain later on.
drain pan but leave about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan.
lower heat to medium and add garlic. saute garlic for 1 minute.
splash a little of the soy sauce and vinegar in pan and scrape with a wooden spoon to de-glaze.
add soy sauce, vinegar, peppercorns, and bay leaf. simmer, add sugar, mix, then add chicken.
simmer on low for 40 minutes, turning chicken periodically to ensure chicken cooks on all sides.
taste the sauce. add salt and pepper to taste.
serve over rice. if you're not down with eating whole peppercorns, make sure to pick them out!

enjoy!

belated inauguration stuff

2009-01-24T08:08:00.015-05:00

for the millionth time, inauguration was amazing. i'll spare you the details -- i know almost a week later people have been oversaturated but i don't want my pictures to fall into the black hole of memory cards. this blog is, afterall, for posterity.

here are my some of my favs from the weekend. the others are up on the flickr site (with details).

WE ARE ONE: INAUGURAL CONCERT

wesley was at the mall at 5am. what an amazing day for such a great kid!

after waiting 4+ hours for the concert, people started climbing trees...

and finding seats on the port o' pottys (yuck!)...

and just being fun.

mood of the weekend: hopeful for CHANGE

INAUGURATION DAY

7:00am vs 10:00am

watching the sun rise with 1.9million of my best friends

a sea of people

"office of president of the united states..."

just think: family circus

2009-01-21T21:31:00.003-05:00

liveleah and kitas' adventures at inauguration 2009
getting there, getting out, and getting fed: a 13 hour journey.

click to see commentary, time estimations, and restaurant fails and wins along the way.

View Larger Map

photos coming soon!

inauguration pics - coming soon!

2009-01-21T08:02:00.002-05:00

so many pictures (and emotions) to filter through! there are a few entries in the hopper but need some time to edit. will try to buckle down tonight.

twit happens

2009-01-15T19:36:00.005-05:00

in one word - what happened to my blog? twitter.

it's quick. and you avoid my needless ramblings since there's 140 character limit. genius!

i've been lagging on the posts and unfortunately have not updated on the many things that have been going on. not-so liveleah of me huh? so bear with me, i think there will be a blitz of stuff coming up soon - some kinda old; some new. with the inauguration coming up and a pretty aggressive plan to get into the city (i'm going to end up walking over the memorial bridge - bet!), the SLR will be getting some play. that, and i've got "the bug" so i'm hoping that i'll be taking a few trips in 2009. that is, if my uber practical "we're in a recession" conscience doesn't get me first.

anyway, who wants to teach me how to get my tweets up on this? preferably on the side bar -->

you will be paid in food. [UPDATE: blogger has a search function. sweet! tweets are below!]

speaking of, check out my dinner tonight (i love my SLR!):

pancetta, peas, pasta, pepper & parmesan (+garlic, but that wasn't pretty to write)

p.s. it was yum.

happy new year!

2009-01-01T10:51:00.004-05:00

my new year's day brunch of baked brie, apples and crackers

it's 2009! i started 2008 barely being able to move (nye. eighteenth street lounge. shots. enough said.) so in an effort to give my liver a small break and letting myself enjoy the daytime of new year's day, i decided to keep it simple this year.

i had a small nye's happy hour/open house. people came after work, had a few drinks, some funny/great conversation, and then went off their separate ways for other bashes or in the case of a few of us, bed (a lot of us were sick).

anyway, with such a small gathering of people (i sent out invitations less than 24 hours before), it was perfect to make some of my favorite (and easy!) appetizers.

on the menu:

endive spears with orange, toasted almonds, goat cheese and olive oil
meatballs in the usual party sauce
brie en croute with raspberry preserves and toasted almonds (picture below)
a flourless chocolate cake with hints of orange (picture below)

all, in all, it was a great night. and i fulfilled my goal of waking up without feeling like i'm going to die. YAY 2009! hope you had a great one.

brie en croute with raspberry

flourless chocolate cake in dome

santa's workshop

2008-12-24T02:19:00.005-05:00

my work table

no, i didn't tamper with my timestamp. i'm pulling a semi-all nighter to finish wrapping presents. if you didn't already know, i have a huge family.

don't we all have that person that's hard to buy for? it's so much easier to make something pretty for them. here are a few of the decoupaged ornaments that i made. didn't they come out cute? and really, it took no time, just a little bit of patience and creativity.

my family celebrates christmas on on christmas eve, so i better get to bed. tomorrow's agenda? baking. if i have time, pictures later. merry christmas!

barack wins again.

2008-12-19T15:33:00.004-05:00

who says being a big office nerd doesn't pay off?

our holiday office door decoration contest had a secret prize which ended up being a $100 gift card.

yay for me! woohoo!

EVEN. better.

2008-11-30T14:15:00.000-05:00

best macy's thanksgiving parade. ever.

2008-11-27T17:31:00.001-05:00

j'aime capucine

2008-11-15T08:49:00.003-05:00

who wants to teach me french?

i spent a few hours on this week helping with a client related spanish translation. although the document was on whistleblower's rights - not quite a beautiful literary piece - it was nice to remember that i have the ability to understand and write another language.

last week, cousin cher introduced me to a juliette binoche and olivier martinez french film. it was a perfect rainy evening to get my subtitles on last night. it was beautiful movie -- olivier wasn't bad to look at either. (though i'm slightly afraid of ever getting cholera).

and randomly, i have been coming across this little girl everywhere in the blog world. she's makes me want to speak french!

kisses and giggles. so sweet.

Love(ly) words from Capucha on Vimeo.

do you remember your stories?

it's ok capucine, i hate carrots also.

Eat your carrots ! from Capucha on Vimeo.

about: my heroes

2008-11-11T06:03:00.004-05:00

The most important men in my life happen to be veterans.

Last year, I posted that my grandfather was accepted into the WWII memorial here in DC.

Here’s the memorial and his entry at the memorial. Neat huh?

After working out this morning, I read the eulogy that I wrote for him and remember him today as one of most inspirational people in my life and as an important part of this country’s history.

I could sing praises and praises of my Papa, but today, I think I’ll share with you my unsung hero.

This one of my favorite pictures of my family except that my sister isn’t in it (sorry sis).

My dad is one of the bravest men I know. Not only did he survive living in a house with four very strong, opinionated women (my mom, myself, my sister and his mother), but he left the Philippines to join the U.S. Navy back in the 1970s.

Did I mention that he didn’t really speak English?

After persevering through all the enlistedNavy stuff, he set a foundation for his life here in America, learned English and adapted. Always the gregarious social butterfly, he met my mother at the bowling alley and they decided to get married. My mother was lucky enough to have her whole immediate family and a lot of her extended family here during her wedding. My father? He got married alone with no family as everyone was still in the Philippines.

Eventually they had me and my sister. They decided early on that it would be easier to raise me and my sis if we didn’t have to live the military lifestyle. They set down roots and bought at house just right out of DC, near my mom’s family, and settled down. Dad did all the traveling he was assigned and came home when he could; mom worked full time, was the breadwinner and was home to raise us. This was one of the sacrifices they were willing to make to make sure we grew up easier. It was really hard on my mom to not have my dad there for long spurts of time. My mom relied heavily on her siblings; and my sis and I had to adjust every time he came home.

When I was around 10, my dad was stationed in VA beach. Besides being stationed in the Navy Yard, this was the ‘easiest’ for my parents. He would live on the ship from M-F and commute the 3 hours back every weekend to stay in our home. One day after Christmas, as I played my newly received Tetris game, my father was packing up to leave. This wasn’t unlike any other Sunday night, and I thought nothing of it. As I played, I was beckoned to say goodbye to my father, to which I responded with a casual yell “bye daddy!” controller still in hand. I was on level 5, after all. Not two minutes later, I was beckoned again to give him a hug. I don’t remember much from that moment but after being forced to hug my dad, I could feel that something was different. Something was off.

It was a few weeks later that the Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm were all over the news. As I flipped through a Time magazine article detailing the war efforts, I noticed that my dad’s ship, USS America was in the Suez Canal. My dad was in a war zone. I was in the 5^th grade.

I was too young to understand it all, but I knew this was big. We wrote letters to the soldier in Miss Miller’s class and got my best friends at the time to write letters to my dad. (He later brought them Toblerones from Germany; it was a big hit.) Obviously, the war ended and they sent the troops home. My dad got a treat and the ship did a tour of duty throughout Europe, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Finally, we got word that there would be a formal homecoming and we were all invited to Norfolk for the ship’s docking. He would have been gone, I think, 2 or 3 years at that point.

When a Navy ship docks, the families are invited to stand on the dock and look up at the sea men in their dress whites lined up on the deck and hanging from every opening on the aircraft carrier. USS America was the size of a small city and was big enough to carry almost 80 war planes. When the boat docked, there was literally a sea of white on the boat. I remember my mom and uncle joking around that it was pretty much near impossible to be able to see our dad on the ship. But I searched anyway. And there he was, hanging from one of the lower level ports, waving right at me. It’s something that I’ll never forget.

When I was little, everyone told me I was just like my dad. I looked like him, I talked like him, I was loud like him. I always thought this was meant that I looked like a boy and hated it. Now I’m proud to be like my father: gregarious, loud, opinionated, and even carry the Mercado features. But most of all, I strive to be strong, generous and honorable like him -- my daddy, my hero.

they said it...

2008-11-06T18:22:00.004-05:00

i realize this is late, but it's taken a while to take it all in.

the last two days in dc have been surreal and amazing. realizing that my vote helped turn my battleground state make what i think is the right decision was a humbling and proud moment for me as an american. while i realize that maybe the impact of this election might be more apparent since i live in dc, after reading and watching various blogs, papers, and news reports, i know that this election is not just affecting me but the world. and while i'd rather not taint this entry with negativity, but i can't help to share another reason why i know i made the right choice. i won't say that obama or the democratic party is perfect but the following video proves that the rest of the country saw what i saw: a desperate attempt to win an election by all means necessary regardless of its potential consequences. i'm sorry, i don't want the woman next door to be running my country. i want someone who knows what s/he is doing.

this is from fox news. not exactly the most liberal of the media outlets.

if you're too lazy to watch, the basic gist is that some insiders on the mccain team have admittted that sarah palin was a "hail mary" (aka last resort decision) and that people on the team were concerned about her knowledge of current events, civics, and other general knowledge. case in point: sarah palin didn't know that africa was a continent. may i remind you that she was running for vice president. vice president. seriously.

thanks america for using your brain.

an apple a day

2008-09-29T20:33:00.006-04:00

golden delicious | stribling orchard in markham, VA | september 2008

a couple of weekends ago, we went on our annual family apple picking trip. mostly we go for the kids but with a hidden agenda since all us adults love to cook, myself included. one cousin made a pie, another apple turnovers. me, i settled on an apple tart to bring to a girls weekend (more on that later). i thought it would a great accompaniment to a lazy morning coffee.

a new addition to my repertoire: apple tart

instead of following all the recipes i found online, i got the idea and created my own dough. while it's not quite perfect (yet), it's another thing that i can kinda claim as my own. for all you cousins out there, this is what i'm bringing for thanksgiving -- if we can ever decide who's hosting.

about: st. elmo's

2008-09-13T08:34:00.003-04:00

there's something to say about a local coffee shop where cell phones aren't allowed, where free wi-fi is abundant, local artist's work is displayed on every wall, and is quaint enough that a barely year old child can waddle laps around the coffee shop's mish-mosh of unmatched chairs and distressed vintage tables without disturbing the korean war vet on the couch, the family soothing their newest edition, and the blogger on her computer. the coffee and fresh baked goods while motown pours through the surround sound aren't so bad either.

if you can't tell, i'm enjoying this calm morning.

care packages

2008-08-30T18:09:00.012-04:00

it's been a long time since i've posted anything creative on here - probably because i haven't any time to pretend martha.

this week, i was fortunate to see my friend, stacy - with no 'e', on her way to her new residence in the sunshine state from the garden state. and while our visit was limited to just one hour, i was able to send her on her way with a care package for the long drive ahead. in it were her favorites: reese's pieces, sour patch kids, some organic snacks aptly named 'pirates booty' and of course, her favorite pita chips aptly spelled with no 'e'. all of it was packed in a beach bucket for her to use upon going to the beach of course -- which by the way is ten minutes from her new house.

as i was saving this photo away into my goodies file, i remembered that i never posted these pictures of other care packages that i've left for visitors to casa leah.

while i was away in africa, m&g stayed at my condo for a weekend to celebrate the cherry blossoms.

a weekend package consisting of all kinds of salty and sweets... along with my keys.

towels and l'occitane bath stuffs set on the bed for the visitors.

by the way, i found a friend of a friend who is a photographer who will teach me how to use my new camera. oh, and apparently, according to her, i received a GREAT camera. better pictures to come for sure!

sunday funday

2008-08-24T19:07:00.007-04:00

A few weeks ago, when I was arranging the photographs for my little nook at my parents house (trying to mooch of their color printer), my aunt happened to be within earshot of my lament that the photos I took would have come out much better with an SLR instead of my point and shoot. She mentioned had one laying around and that I could have it if I wanted. While I did get a little excited, I didn't think much of it. Until today.

Tita B totally pulled through and gave me her NikonD40 to try out and see if it's to my liking. So even on this humid day, after the baptism chaos with the family and being tired after a druken stupor that a good friend induced after my sad state yesterday, I promptly headed to Meridian Hill Park to test out my new toy.

Not bad considering I haven't figured out all the buttons. Once I can figure out the settings, I think I'll love it even more and maybe get some better shots. I can't wait to find a photography class!

I'm a little obsessed...

2008-08-11T22:38:00.001-04:00

... with the olympics.

I've always been (like looking up official rules, checking medal standings during the day, reading athlete profiles) but this time around, I wish I was in Beijing.

There's always Vancouver - yay for curling!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

my little corner of paradise

2008-08-03T09:19:00.008-04:00

For those of you that have graced my abode, you've noticed (and probably bugged me about) the hot pink notes taped to the unfilled frames over my couch.

Yes, I moved in here over a year ago. Yes, I just fixed the frames yesterday. Yes, they are a little crooked. Most of the frames are made for table tops and I have yet to pull off the leg in the back. Hey, something is better than nothing! I'll fix the crookedness when I can move the couch out of the way without risk of hurting myself.

The frames took me a year to fill only because I wasn't sure what types of photos (or artwork) that I would put in them. Finally, I decided to fill them with images that I've taken on my travels. I had a set plan with a plethora of images around the nation and Europe. Then I booked a trip to Ireland and decided to wait. I was ready to print and finish this, and then Africa happened. Before my surgery, I finally ordered some prints and hung them up after the hailstorm from yesterday woke me up from my percocet induced nap.

I plan on going to South America next spring so these photos will most likely change (or not) but these are my favorites (most have been featured on this site already).

clockwise from the top:

hornbill in the early morning | livingstone, zambia - april 2008
st. basil's cathedral | moscow, russia - may 2006
poet on arbat street | moscow, russia - may 2006
liwa & her baby ele | livingstone, zambia - april 2008
the zambezi river at sunset | livingstone, zambia - april 2008
belle triste - jewel on barbed wire | louisville, kentucky - june 2008
wheels in bunratty village | county clare, ireland - september 2007
the rynek - iron mask | krakow, poland - may 2006
victoria falls | livingstone, zambia - april 2008
carrick-a-rede bridge | north antrim, ireland - september 2007

center:

girl with her mother | kigali, rwanda - march 2008
pots in a corner | louisville, kentucky - may 2006
blarney castle | blarney, ireland - september 2007

take out your sunday shoes!

2008-08-01T17:34:00.001-04:00

found on the printer: a printout of a unknown coworker's playlist (no, it is not mine)

puttin' on the ritz - taco
shake for the sheik - escape club
jump - van halen
i wanna rock - twisted sister
touch me - samantha fox
eye of the tiger - survivor
you give love a bad name - bon jovi
what i like about you - the romantics
nikita - elton john

now playing? footloose

AWESOME. only because there is only a handful of people of my floor and the majority of them are hardcore retired military guys.

baby steps

2008-07-22T21:41:00.003-04:00

I can walk without crutches.

Not for very long. But it's a start.

Range of Motion = still less than 50 degrees (my left leg is at 130)

The stitches still hurt.

observations

2008-07-19T08:44:00.008-04:00

imagine:
I'm sitting outside on a beautiful, custom built, scalloped, patio overlooking a large, two-tiered expanse of grass surrounded by overgrown trees, lavender bell flowers, orange blossomed bushes, and a burgeoning vegetable garden of tomatoes, summer squash, and zucchini. A tray with coffee and two perfectly toasted pan de sal with butter lands next to the laptop where I sit typing (and listening to Pearl Jam unplugged).

I don't think I'm in Fairlington anymore, Toto!

As much as I have been pushing to go back to my own condo during this ordeal, I've not-so-secretly enjoyed staying at the parentals. I mean, I'm getting spoiled at this point (see above). They are great at making their "pasyente" feel better even though they are still doing their own thing (going out shopping, laying another patio under the deck, hanging out with my aunts, etc). I get to choose what's for dinner, get continuous ice for me knee, and don't really have to do much of anything but lay around a take drugs and play my mom's Wii. And there's the cable! (btw, I've officially know that I'm not missing much. I really am not getting cable anytime soon. I just need to make time to watch Project Runway online. Sidenote: the Season 5 cast = BO-ring. I miss the likes of Austin Scarlet, and of course, Santos + Andre! Tanning, tyed dyed Blane = annoying and contrived).

Anyway, I really must get on with my own life, get some cell phone reception, leave the parentals alone, stop complaining about the pain, and be able to sleep in my own bed. Nonetheless, I'm not afraid to admit it: I'm going to miss being spoiled. My parents are the best.

... who wants to keep me company?! hint. hint.

overheard in philly...

2008-07-18T11:21:00.002-04:00

kitas: I'm listening to my coworker conduct an interview on colorectal surgery

leah: hahahah. that just made my day

kitas: "rectal procedures" -- please stop!

did i mention that kitas works as an editor at some surgery magazine?