adriana gowing photography

favorites

2011-07-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

We all have our favorites...and these are two of mine. My sisters :)

They're beautiful, smart, talented and man, can they pose for a picture! ;)

Mwah sissies xo

xo adriana xo

"Like" Adriana Gowing Photography on Facebook!

2011-07-20T15:51:00.001-07:00

I have a new Facebook page for Adriana Gowing Photography!

The blog is changing...slowly but surely. I'd love feedback!

I will still continue to blog about random things but would like this blog to be primarily focused on my photography and related things...hope you all approve :)

xo adriana xo

baby challen

2011-07-18T16:36:00.000-07:00

I did my first baby shoot last weekend and taking pics of this little man was a hoot. He's got such a great personality and those eyes...that smile... =D

I met Challen's Mom & Dad a little over a year ago when I was in Suzy and Nate Selden's wedding. Challen is an old friend of Nate's and stood next to him on his wedding day - like I did by my friend, Suzy. During the whole shower, rehearsal, wedding, etc process, we hit it off and have been friends ever since. They are an awesome little family!

When I met Kelly, she had *just* found out she was pregnant with Baby Challen...so it was a great joy to see the result of those nine months and be able to photography his delicious self! :)

Enjoy these shots!

We had some laughs...

Blue eyes blue

Male model!

Got the dimple ;)

This lip thing was killin' me. So cute. Darnit.

Smiley

Those lashes!

He didn't quite like the grass on his toes...

Getting tired...

*this one is mom & dad's favorite*

As for me, I can't pick just one! :)

More Baby Challen pics here

xo adriana xo

adrianagowingphotography.com

2011-07-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

The website is finally up - please check it out and let me know what you think!

Please visit adrianagowingphotography.com

If you have any questions or would like to inquire, use adrianagowingphotography@gmail.com

Soooo excited and ready to hit the ground running :) !

xo adriana xowww.adrianagowingphotography.com

andrew & lindsay

2011-06-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

I survived my first photo shoot! And let me tell you, it was HARD work. Granted, most shoots do not last 5+ hours and include 4 locations...the things I do for family ;)

It was a lot of fun and I got a ton of great shots (about 180 out of 850 total taken, whoa!) Our locations were Union Station, Bradbury Building, Walt Disney Hall and Santa Monica Pier.

Check out some of my faves below and let me know what you think ;] I'm going to throw it out there that I have NO IDEA how to format these correctly in my blog post so they're spaced all funny. Anyone with HTML advice for me, please do share. (In the mean time, I apologize for the wonky spacing.)

I love this one because they look totally bada$$. Ha. Staring me down. Ooh, scurred of you!

Awwww!!

Editing them has been interesting. A definite learning curve is involved and while they are not all perfectly fine-tuned, I am getting the hang of it. A big thanks to Andrew & Lindsay for being my guinea pigs! We had a lot of fun :D

xo adriana xo

Fandango Tickets - 2 for $9

2011-06-10T09:11:00.000-07:00

Two for $9. C'mon, everyone wants to go to the movies but doesn't 'cause it's too expensive! Or is that just me?

Now's your chance! Today's Living Social deal...

Click here to purchase and enjoy! :)

xo adriana xo

My First Shoot

2011-06-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

I just confirmed my first engagement shoot for Saturday! Granted, it is for my brother and his fiancée so while the pressure is not immense, the nerves are still there.

They chose Downtown LA as their spot and I am SUPER excited at the prospect of shooting them there. My brother works Downtown and if you point at ANY building (I kid you not) in the LA Skyline, he rattles off the address. He serves legal documents to so many of those buildings and files them in the LA Courts. He is like a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about the streets of LA. It's also where they had their first date - swoon! ;)

He wants to hit Union Station first which is an excellent idea (and one I had myself), Walt Disney Concert Hall and Santa Monica on Saturday. All great choices! I asked him (begged, I think) if we could throw in the Bradbury Building just for kicks. I've been doing some research on engagement shoots Downtown and the lobby of this building is simply to die for.

I was also pulling for the Central Library but alas, maybe more of a "my style" than "their style" idea. (This shoot there just tickled me bright pink!!)

Nevertheless, the spots they've chosen will be fantastic and I am really excited.

Did I mention I'm excited? I'm a little nervous too. I can't wait get my first official "shoot" under my belt. It may give me the confidence I need to make this a more full-time hobby and put myself and my services out into the world.

For some GREAT Downtown engagement shots, check out Judy Tran here. I really like her style and she gave me some fantastic ideas for shoots of my own (hopefully this one and many more to come!)

If you want to see some of my shots, check out my Flickr :)

xo adriana xo

June

2011-06-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

It is June - hurrah!

To celebrate (actually just because I needed it uber-bad), I took Friday off work and Adam and I visited the Happiest Place on Earth. Since the new and improved Star Tours was opening, it also proved to be the Most Crowded Place on Earth. The bright side was although the line for Star Tours was 4 hours long, the lines in the rest of the park were fairly short. We spent about four hours there and called it a day. We needed to get out of the hot sun. Some shots....

So excited!

Main Street madness

New Orleans Square

Creepy but kinda cute popcorn man

Haunted Mansion

Sunshine

After Disney, we ducked indoors and caught The Hangover 2. Funny but I liked the original better ;)

The weekend surprises continued with a fancy dinner at the Pelican Grill in Newport Coast and a visit to the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace on Saturday.

My Audrey Hepburn at the Pelican Grill

Space Suit

Presidential Limo

Flower in the garden

Beautiful day.

Happy Monday!

xo adriana xo

Amateur

2011-06-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

I've loved photography for a long time. I've been developing my "eye" for a long time too. I still have a loooong way to go! I've never had any "high tech" equipment...til now. Adam gave me a Canon Rebel XS DSLR camera for Christmas ('cause I'm the luckiest girl *ever*!) and now I am in hog heaven.

I play constantly and just took a 2 hour workshop from Chimpsy with the awesome Dawn. She taught me all kinds of nifty stuff about my handy-dandy tool. I am in LOVE! Now I've added a basic telephoto lens and some (expensive) software to my ever-growing Wish List. Man, oh Man, of all the expensive hobbies...

I've been practicing a lot lately. Here are a few shots from a "play shoot" I did with my sisters last (holiday) weekend in San Clemente. I wanted to get some shots under my belt as I prepare to take my brother's engagement photos (oi, I am nervous!) in a couple weeks. It will be my first real shoot...and I can't wait! I really hope I don't mess it up.

Check these out and please let me know what you think:

And one by Alisa with me *in it*...both my sisters also have photographic talent ;)

Also, more of my photos can be found on Flickr. I am just building up my portfolio and have a ton of pictures in my archives that haven't made it online yet...so bear with me. But I welcome your thoughts and comments...and encouragement. I need it!

On a side note, if anyone needs a "learning on a curve" photographer for special occasions and isn't afraid to give me a shot, please let me know. I need all the practice I can get :)

I am currently using Picnik to edit my photos for the most part and I like it. It suits my needs at the moment but I am afraid it won't once I become a little more proficient at all this. Any recommendations for free or cheaper-than-Photoshop photo editing software? I'd love to have Photoshop or Lightroom but they are just SO out of budget.

Enjoy!

xo adriana xo

I miss thee, London

2011-05-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

My advice to Gina, who gets to visit the city that I love :)

Verbatim, mind you:

Here are my favorite places in particular order (and also grouped with other things nearby) :]

St Paul’s Cathedral - It costs money to go in, but take the stairs to the top and you won’t be sorry. Best views in all of London (in my opinion). Don’t go up if weather is bad/overcast. Also Nearby: Millenium Bridge to Tate Modern (good photo op)

Tower Bridge - My favorite bridge in London. If it opens for a passing ship, even better. No need to go up inside. Just walking across is fun…and a nice photo op also. Also nearby: Tower of London (north side of river)…very old and LOTS of English history here. Costs to get in but Beefeaters give free hour long tours.

British Library – it is a bit out of the way but has tons of treasures in the gallery. The entrance/main lobby has a HUGE bookshelf/case that is transparent and a sight to behold. The gallery has lots of literature rarities – Gutenberg Bible, Magna Carta, Illuminated Manuscripts, an original Shakespeare Folio, need I say more? ;)

National Gallery (in Trafalgar Square) Free – lots of historical English art and other schools as well. Also nearby: Entrance to National Portrait Gallery right around the corner. All the Royal Portraits are there – maybe even Kate & William’s by now? I spent countless hours here. Also nearby (across street): St Martin in the Fields church. Their Crypt Café (yes, it is in the crypt of the church!) has excellent/well-priced food! Photo op from upstairs entrance to National Gallery – you can see Houses of Parliament from here.

The Globe Theater/Southwark Cathedral - Shakespeare history here, Cathedral is free. No need to go into Globe, just see it from outside or go to gift shop. Nearby one another on the south side of the River between London Bridge and Southwark Bridge.

Parks - St James Park & Hyde Park are my favorites. One of the
best pictures I’ve ever taken was of the boats in the Serpentine at Hyde Park. Kensington Palace – costs to go in, I just like the grounds and Rose Garden. Princess Di’s former residence. Maybe resident of Kate and William soon? Houses of Parliament (of course) Also nearby: Westminster Bridge & London Eye

Oxford Street for shopping. My favorite store EVER is called Primark. Great “high street” fashions at low prices. I miss this store SO MUCH!

British Museum – in university district. Largest collection of Egyptian mummies outside Egypt. Beautiful architecture. Free!

Recommendations for eating: Pret a Manger – fresh sandwich shop (chain); Pub Food- Shepherds Pie; Dessert- Bananas foster

Missing London now!!!

xo adriana xo

Cool Find

2011-05-23T13:21:00.001-07:00

Apartment Therapy = awesome site I will henceforth be utilizing!

Check it out, dudes:

Apartment Therapy Dot Com

xo adriana xo

Trying to DIY

2011-05-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

I love DIY projects. I consider myself creative and very inspired by those around me (I read your blogs mainly, you know who you are!) who have outfitted their homes, put on their weddings and generally live day-to-day in a DIY mindset. (For those non-creative types, DIY is "Do It Yourself" and you may have heard it regarding Home Improvement projects.)

I've always loved to create things. However, sometimes I've found I lack the proper knowledge, tools or planning to execute many projects I've embarked upon.

My Dad came over to help me hang my bedroom curtain rod the other night. The curtains were up and I slept peacefully in a perfectly PITCH DARK room (the only way I like it.) But when morning came and I wanted to let a little sun in while I got ready, I found it difficult to keep the curtains back.

I had the option of buying the (expensive) hold backs that match my new
Martha Stewart curtain rod from Home Depot. However, buying those would not only mean shelling out some more dough but also bugging my Dad for his help again. He is, after all, the one with the drill...and various other tools (level, etc). I do realize I need to invest in some of these myself after the whole moving process. I'll add those items to the (long) home wish list.

Long story short, I decided to make some DIY curtain hold backs. Again with the poor planning thing, I realized after-the-fact I should have photographed the materials I used and various stages of creation for documentation here. But alas, all that managed to make it was a "ta-da" photo of the end result.

Maybe I was concerned it wouldn't come out right and wouldn't be worth documenting. Who knows? This process would have also been good practice for my blossoming photography skills but no use crying over it.

Back to the project! I am quite satisfied with the overall result which consists of two chrome-looking (actually plastic) 3M adhesive hooks ($3 each), craft cord ($.99), decorative charm ($3), brown satin ribbon ($2.97), hot glue (package of mini sticks $.99) and voila! For about $7, I made my own lovely curtain tie backs. I only bought one charm because the other side is behind my book case, does not show and I am cheap ;)

It was SUPER easy and only took me about 10 minutes to complete.
Proud of myself. Check it out!

xo adriana xo

the spy who didn't provide a forwarding address

2011-05-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

At my old place, my mailbox used to be at the base my steps. Therefore, it wasn’t hard to check the mail everyday. Sure there were those days I was too lazy to do it and just wanted to climb the stairs and climb into bed, but those days were few and far between. I didn’t go more than two days or so without checking the mail.

In my new place, my mailbox is at the front of the complex (in a row with all the other 69 of them) and it takes much more effort to check the mail. I realize it is probably only about a 50-yard (or measly five minute) walk there and back but for some reason, it takes so much more determination. I have been in my apartment almost two weeks and have checked the mail a total of twice. Pathetic.

Today, I decided to head that way before I left for work because it was just time. I was pleasantly surprised by a few things :)

Number one – my new community mailer is WAY better than my old one. There are coupons in it I will actually use. 2 for 1 at the restaurant I’ve always wanted to try and even better – ½ off a Mystic Tan for summer! Yes! It is for Mondays only but I’m not too proud to spend my weeknights in a spray tan booth. Especially for half off.

Second – alongside a bill from my insurance company (with my new address, my premium goes up $5 – the nerve!), I got two personal pieces of mail (an all-time record for one mailbox checking session). One was a thank you card from my grandma for Mother’s Day that, if I am being totally honest, brought a little tear to my eye. The other was a beautiful graduation announcement from my lovely friend, Jacqueline!

Lastly – it appears the person living in #60 at the Tuscan Villas before me left no forwarding address and was named Svetlana Skachkova. How apropos for a Russian spy! I am convinced something shady was going on there. My co-worker suggested I knock on the back wall of all the closets to discover any secret passageways that might be revealed. Personally, I am just hoping to find a stash of foreign passports and currency hidden somewhere. I could use the cash - and passports!

And those are the tales from my lovely Villa…for now :)

Some photos of my not quite unpacked and surely not decorated apartment for your enjoyment.

Bedroom - Note to self: probably shouldn't leave some things laying around when photographing bedroom. Oops :)

Bathroom

Living Room (mostly focused on couch!)

Kitchen

Dining Room

Finished pics to come when it is exactly that - finished! :)

Everyone have a great day and wonderful weekend!

xo adriana xo

Weekend

2011-05-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

I did a lot of celebrating this past weekend!

On Friday night, Adam & I went to the Angel game - always lots of fun. There was no action, though - no one scored until extra innings! So we left a bit early for a bite at our new favorite place - Yard House. Their tomato bisque is simply incredible :)

My Saturday was full of celebration. My former roomie (from London Trip 1 - study abroad at CSUF), Vanessa, is nearing 8 months preggie with her first child. She and her husband, Jason, are having a Baby Boy - named Parker! I went to a beautiful shower put on for her by her mom, newly-engaged sister and sister-in-law. Isn't she adorable?

After that, it was off to shower #2 - this time Bridal...for my good friend, Miss Mary Ray! I was running from party to party so I didn't get to spend a lot of time with her but I am happy for her :) Something so nice couldn't be happening to someone nicer. I am REALLY looking forward to her San Diego bachelorette party at the end of June =] If it's anything like Suzy's, it's going to be EXCITING ;D

And last but certainly not least, I celebrated all the wonderful women (Mothers, Gradmothers, etc) in my life on Sunday! What a joyful day to LOVE and BE LOVED.

I got some baby lovin' in too with the newest Valencia boy - Jackson.

:-)

xo adriana xo

Number One

2011-05-06T11:38:00.001-07:00

The No 1 mistake in any relationship is thinking you can change someone.

Period.

xo adriana xo

The Villa

2011-05-06T08:42:00.000-07:00

This is just a preliminary view :-) The apartment is neither clean nor decorated...and I am posting a picture of the bathroom because it is the neatest/most decorated room so far. How sad! Ha ;)

My previous place was affectionately called "The Cottage" after a lovely little place my friends and I stayed during our trip to Sydney, Australia. Fond memories. So, my new place needed a name and it was easy. I love Italy and the apartment complex is called Tuscan Villas - so "The Villa" it is.

After today, I should have a repaired bathroom ceiling and an active phone line so I will be in business! Happy Friday, friends! =] Enjoy your weekend.

xo adriana xo

New Place to Call Home

2011-05-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

Everything went smoothly with the move...thanks to many factors:

#1 - my awesome family (Dad, Brother, Mom) and friends (Gina, Suzy, Mikey) who lifted, carried, stacked, stair-climbed and got dirty on my behalf during my move. I am so thankful for them! It would be an impossible (or expensive) task without their tireless assistance!

#2 - my almost-perfectly-honed packing skills. I hate to say it but I've become "one of those people" who move a lot :( I hope I don't remain this person...but I have moved twice in the last two years so I am pretty good at packing by now.

#3 - the fact that I was moving 3/4 mile down the same street helped a WHOLE LOT. I am super-grateful I was able to find a suitable place so nearby!

#4 - excitement. Pure and simple. I am so excited to have my very own place :) It is slowly but surely becoming home.

I will post pics soon! :D

xo adriana xo

awarded

2011-04-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

Nicole (check her out over at What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been) has seen fit to give me a stylish blogger award. Thanks for reading, Nicole, and for the award! Me = honored :)

As a stipulation of receiving said award, I am now obligated to share 7 things about myself you may not know and tag a few other bloggers with the award! How fun :o)

I could give this a lot of thought but I am just going with whatever pops in my head first, So...here goes nothin'!

#1 ~ I am addicted to chapstick. We are talking can't-live-without-anxiety-attack-if-it-isn't-on-my-person-at-all-times ADDICTED. Ask my friends. They can vouch. I am not discriminate with my chapstick choices. I like all kinds (except girly tinted ones - ick!)

#2 ~ I wear my heart on my sleeve almost all the time. Also, I am uber-sensitive. Life has given me some lessons in concealing my feelings a little better and building up a thicker skin...but still, most times you can read me like a wide open book.

#3 ~ I truly believe guilt is a wasted emotion. If you've done something wrong, don't waste time feeling badly about it. Just make up your mind to make it right, or do it right the next time - or make the best of whatever situation you find yourself in. Guilt only makes you feel like crap and punishes those you impose it upon as well.

#4 ~ I love old furniture. My parents collect antiques and I am quite certain this is where my love of all things old comes from. My Dad has spent the better part of my life antique hunting, buying furniture, refinishing it...so I have grown up around the smell of mineral spirits and wood varnish. I roll my eyes when he talks about furniture (he could do it for hours) but secretly love, love, love it almost as much as he does.

#5 ~ When I was younger, I never thought I would live past my early 20s. I can't explain why (morbid, isn't it?) and now I just look back at that and laugh! I'm approaching 30 and feeling just fine ;)

#6 ~ My life has not taken the course I anticipated - but I know God's hand has been in it all. And I do trust Him. It isn't lip service and it may be a cliche but I don't care. He knows what He is doing...sometimes I have a hard time letting go. But ultimately, He has my best interest at heart.

#7 ~ I had power bangs in the early 90s. Man, I gotta dig up a picture of that. Totally worth seeing (and laughing your bum off at!)

Now, time for me to tag my blogger friends:

Kayse at The Pratt Family
Check out her adorable baby girl, Emily!

Lisa at A Little Slice of Life
Best coupon blog EVER!

Nicole at Nicoracle Photography
Love her eye!

Linda at Parked Together
Her stories and photos make me smile :)

Tania at Percy Handmade
LOVE Tania's creations...

Enjoy browsing - have a great day everyone! :-)

Moving on up...

2011-04-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

...to the east side :) Ha!

Finally moving on Saturday! All my things are packed up (mostly) and I'm READY. I hate the feeling of living in a partially-put-away home. It is so empty and cold. Ready to get a move on in the new place.

I am about ready to pull the trigger and purchase this bad boy --

The left sectional piece is moveable...so it can make a left or right L shape. It can also be placed long-wise and parallel to the couch and make a luxurious giant chaise lounge for Adam and I to enjoy movie night on! The pillows are fluffy - lovely. So excited! It is super comfy, adorable and totally in my price range (since when does that ever happen?)

Another purchase I've made this week (for $19 on eBay include shipping, I might add) is this beautiful "vintage-esque" phone. It has all the glamour and old-world appeal of vintage with the modern technology of digital dial. Woo-hoo! Can't wait to set it up on my new (new to me, gently used and got for a steal from my good friend, Gina - pics to follow) shabby chic cherry desk.

All I need now is an apartment friendly refrigerator (14-18 cu ft)...still looking for the right one. That seems to be last on the list of "immediate needs." Other than that, all lights are bright green. Getting excited! Let's get a MOVE on :)

Quote of the Day

2011-04-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

If you are or ever have been someone's assistant, then you unspeakably resonate with this quote -

You're no good unless you are a good assistant; and if you are, you're too good to be an assistant. -Martin H. Fischer

My thought for the day :0)

xo

In My Perfect World

2011-04-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

Now that I am moving for sure, I've begun thinking about all the new things I want to go along with my new place...and the list is getting quite long! Admittedly, most of it is a fantasy but some of it can be accomplished (with planning). I hardly have enough "cushion room" in the budget to go out on my own in a one bedroom much less buy tons of cute stuff to put it in it...so for now I shall have to dream :)

Do you still wanna know what I want? Of course you do ;)

I would really like to have a fabric tufted headboard and after looking at *many* of them online (for $150+) I decided it would be quite easy (depending on your definition) and much cheaper to make my own. This is the one I like!

I also found some instructions for how to do it on my own. My Dad is very handy with a saw and drill so I will leave the frame bits up to him. I'm planning to do a beige or light brown fabric to match the rest of my room. My bedding is blue suede (sort of, like the shoes) and throw pillows are various shades of brown and blue. So it would be perfect :)

These are the other things I am eventually planning to buy for my new place...

I really love this couch but it is definitely on the "spendy" side for me. It would fit perfectly in my new little living room. This one is similar but slightly more affordable. I also like this one because it's a sleeper and could hold overnight guests!

As for the (small) patio, the Evil Store has a nice little Bistro set that is decently priced so I may be making a trip there at some point. If there was more room out there, I'd get this matching chaise too. Sometimes a girl just needs to lounge about on a nice day and read a book.

None of these things, in and of themselves, are terribly overpriced...just that coming up with $1,000 to spend on moving is not on my list of top 10 things to do before I die.

My bedroom furniture will all stay the same. I LOVE it and it will fit perfectly in my new little place.

I also need an apartment-sized refrigerator and a microwave...if anyone is selling anything, let me know. Otherwise it's straight to Craig's List and Salvation Army for me!

Exciting stuff! Have a great weekend everyone :)

xo

Change Squared

2011-04-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

This entry is entitled Change Squared for two reasons - one: I already wrote an entry called Change a while back and two: I don't know how to make my computer do the squared with a little top set 2 so the word will have to do :)

I have known for a while that a big change was coming. As much as I tried to ignore it or fight it, I had a sneaking suspicion it was not too far down the line. It was taunting me and looming over my head like a dark cloud.

When I finally came to grips with the change ahead (moving, again!), I realized something: change inevitable. It's true. Change will come whether you like it or not, whether you are ready for it or it catches you off guard. The thing is - change doesn't care. It doesn't pay attention to whether you're ready or want to embrace it. It just barges in and upsets your life...turns your world upside down. It is something that simply cannot be controlled.

The only thing I have been able to control in this whole process is my own attitude. I have had the choice to fight change...which I did at first. That brief period of fight left me quite black and blue. I was beat-up (emotionally) and yet still, the change cometh! All my kicking and screaming against the inevitable didn't alter the course of history. It just made me frail and unable to deal with the consequences.

So, I decided to stop flailing about like a child in a fit and let go. I am surrendering! Ultimately, God knows what is best for me and He will keep me safe and sound as I go through this period of change. He might even know what is best (better that I do) for me ;)

Things have been much easier to handle since I decided to stop swimming against the strong current taking me somewhere else. I have more energy to focus on decisions and events coming my way. My positivity has increased and I have seen things in a much better light - thanks to this newfound bright attitude. It sounds cheesy but it is SO true...in the face of challenging circumstances, my attitude makes all the difference.

All this talk about change probably has you wondering (or maybe not if you follow my excessive updates on Facebook and Twitter) what this big change is - I am moving! It's true I am only moving right down the road and it will be a good transition for me (one bedroom apartment - all my own - independence and self-sufficiency!) but the thought of so many changes is painful at times. Leaving everything that is cozy and familiar for something unknown and brand new can be daunting.

I love my little place, so it will be hard to leave it. But I know that the future has a place I will love and make my own in store - so that is very exciting too!

I am going to end this serious/inspirational post with a funny story. If you have read this far, you deserve a good laugh.

Jacqueline and I were wandering the aisles of Target last night after splitting a bottle of wine at Carino's and made a new friend. He was probably four or five. He walked up to our basket and started pointing at things inside. Jacqueline, being the accommodating lass that she is, began to name the items as he pointed to them. "Cake mix." "Croutons." As he pointed at the last item, Jacqueline picked it up displayed it on the hanger...purple bathing suit bottoms from the clearance rack. "Bathing suit," she said. The little boy calmly shook his head, yelled "CHONIES!!!!" and ran away in the other direction toward where his mother was shopping a few yards away. We didn't stop laughing for five straight minutes - as least it felt like that long. Belly laughs are the best :)

Have a great day, all.

XO

Comfort Food

2011-03-29T16:29:00.000-07:00

How I wish I would have taken a few photos of my comfort food creation last night!

Let me preface this entry by saying that Yard House makes a sublime grilled cheese and tomato bisque that I simply love. Cannot get enough. Ever.

I wanted to attempt to emulate this *delicious* pairing on my own and yesterday was the perfect day for it. The day was a little blustery, chilly and long...I needed some comfort at the end of it. Adam was coming over for dinner and I had to plan. My first instinct (tacos) was vetoed as we'd had Mexican at El Cholo the day before with my family. We celebrated my birthday and I wore a sombrero...but I digress.

I did not have the time to make tomato bisque from scratch so I started with a carton of Fresh & Easy Tomato Basil Soup. I knew it definitely would not be enough for us (we're hearty eaters) so I picked up some ingredients to add.

For the grilled cheeses, I got a fresh sourdough loaf. My mouth is watering again as I write this even though I'm not even a little bit hungry. The cheeses were plentiful (as always) at F&E. I already had a Jarlsberg and some Cheddar at home. I picked up a block of Muenster and some shaved Parmesan-Reggiano. At that point, it was all shaping up to be a great idea!

When I got home, I set the kitchen for my masterpiece! I made sure to slather the bread with light (not that it matters) butter and made a makeshift panini press out of a small baking stone. The cheese was well on its way to melted perfection as I prepared the soup.

I added 1 can tomato sauce and some half & half to the soup, along with some spices (oregano, sea salt, garlic) and let it simmer for a while. I cubed a few slices of the sourdough, tossed them in olive oil, garnished them with a bit of spice and baked them for homemade croutons to go on top of the soup! Amazing!

I don't think Adam was as impressed with me as I was with myself but he seemed to enjoy the meal nonetheless. And I went to bed happy - and no longer hungry!

Serves 2

4 Cheese Grilled Cheese
4 slices sourdough
4 smears butter
2 slices Jarlsberg (or other Swiss) cheese
2 slices Muenster
2 slices Cheddar
1 oz Shaved or shredded Parmesan
Optional: 2 slices tomato
I put tomato on mine but not on Adam's because he doesn't like it

Put plenty of butter on the grill side of the bread so it will get crispy brown. Use a panini press to flatten the sandwiches on the griddle (I improvised with a heavy foil covered baking stone). Cook until cheese is melted and bubbly!

Quick Tomato Basil Bisque
1 container Fresh & Easy Tomato Basil Soup (or other tomato soup)
1 can Heinz tomato sauce
1/2-3/4 cup Half & Half (or Full Cream if you really don't mind the calories)
I put a variable measurement because it really depends on how creamy you like the soup!

Sprinkle in spices (garlic, oregano, basil, sea salt) to taste
Optional: 1 can chopped tomatoes Again, I didn't...Adam isn't a tomato-lover like me!

Homemade Garlic Herb Croutons
4 slices sourdough bread
1/4 cup olive oil (other oils would work too)
Sprinkles of garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt

Preheat oven to 300F
Cube bread (leave crust on if you like them super crunchy! I do)
Toss in a bowl with olive oil, coat bread cubes
Sprinkle is seasoning to taste

Spread out on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at a time, removing from oven to toss and turn over, making sure croutons get evenly toasted. Do this twice. Third time, croutons should be ready (need to bake 25-30 minutes to get crispy)

Sprinkle on top of soup - and enjoy!

:)

--

Word of the Day: Wrestle

2011-03-24T09:30:00.001-07:00

wres•tle (v) - to contend or struggle

I have been struggling - struggling to find a suitable roommate, struggling to deal with the stress of not having one, struggling with my feelings of darkness and discouragement. It is very real and impacts me at every turn. I have tried to go about my daily life as much as possible and give 110% to the roommate finding effort. I’ve been at it hard for 2 months now and have nothing to show for it.

I know things will be okay. I may have to move (insert giant sad face here) and perhaps be stretched a little thinner financially. But I know ultimately, things will be all right. God will take care of my needs if I simply trust Him. I am trying. It is difficult. It is a struggle in itself.

Why do I keep fighting against the tide? If I just let go, perhaps everything will be much smoother. Why is it so hard to just let go? My grip is waning…my strength is fading. I cannot wrestle against all the things outside of my control.

I’m letting go.

xo

continuation of the birthday

2011-03-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

I may get around to posting pics of my wine country birthday but for now, just this one. Probably my favorite :)