Best of LA

Celebrating Youth at the SM Pier Aquarium

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:13:00 +0000

I never knew that there was an aquarium at the Santa Monica Pier! Apparently, it's UNDER the pier and well... I never noticed the signs until we were invited to JL's 2-year birthday private party there.

On a chilly Sunday morning, we wished JL a Happy Birthday as we sipped on catered Jamba Juice smoothies. There were also some breakfast pizzas and wraps, and JL had a number of mini-cupcakes brought in too. The small conference/play room was decorated with inflatable beach balls and whales painted on the walls, while the intimate exhibit areas were teeming with fish, sea horses, and all kinds of oceanic creatures.

Fun and educational, I loved watching Chase marvel at the fish tanks and all the other little ones learning more about the animals in the aquarium. We'll be back when he's a little older, but in the meantime, I'll be on the search for other cool, kid-friendly places to go in the city I love.

Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
url: www.healthebay.org/santa-monica-pier-aquarium

To reserve a birthday party date (Saturdays/Sundays from 10am to 12pm only), call 310.393.6149 ext. 102. Due to high demand, reservations must be made at least three weeks in advance; booking three months in advance is recommended.

BoLA's 2011 Year

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:06:00 +0000

It's been a great year and it's hard for me to think that this is the last day of 2011.

In January, I baked French Macaroons with raspberry-rose buttercream for the first time and I've been itching to make another batch soon. With Chase, I'm not sure when that will happen but I hope he develops a sweet tooth like his mommy.

In February, I visited MS in Mexico City for a romantic weekend getaway. I have a sneaky suspicion that this was also THE weekend that would change our lives forever.

In March, we found out that I had a bundt in the oven! There was much secrecy at this point, but the night I took the test was the evening I went out with the girls at BOA Steakhouse on Sunset. I must have drank three whole bottles of Evian water and tried to play it cool that I wasn't having any wine with dinner.

In April, there was much rest as I entered the second trimester and we finally announced to our friends that we were expecting! Here is our other baby, Summer, resting with us... not knowing what was to come later in the year!

In May, I started having major cravings for MEAT - specifically, Korean BBQ meat!

In June, we ventured to the Santa Monica Bergamot Station Arts Center for a morning of art, culture and fun. I couldn't believe that I didn't already know of this wonderful LA spot and can't wait to take Chase there too! MS and I also celebrated our two year wedding anniversary at Osteria Mozza.

In July, we had our Gender Reveal Party at Matsui Restaurant in Little Tokyo and found out that we were having a Baby BOY by cutting into this King's Hawaiian Cake at lunch with our families. We held on to the sealed envelope from the doctor's office for a few weeks, but MS had a feeling all along...

We also went to Yosemite to celebrate one of my closest girlfriends' wedding that month of July. It was my first time to go to the National Park, but I know it won't be the last. MS used to camp here with his family growing up, and hopefully, we'll do the same with Chase when he gets a little older.

In August, I failed my pregnancy glucose test and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. From then on, I couldn't just eat what I wanted but had to regulate my sugar intake and add more vegetables and whole grains to my diet.

In September, school was back in session and I was doing well (as best I could) with my new diabetic state. My mom threw me a perfect baby shower with 30 of our closest family members and friends, and I veered away from my strict diet with a couple of these mini-cupcakes! And my coworkers hosted another great shower for me with tons of laughter, gifts and good company.

In October, we celebrated my 33rd birthday at Club 33 in Disneyland and the World of Color at California Adventure! We also visited the hospital with two false alarms, but knew that Baby Chase was coming soon...

In November, we welcomed Chase into our hearts and into our family.

In December, we celebrated Chase's first Christmas!

It's been a whirlwind of a year filled with love, family and friends, and many wonderful changes to our lives. I'm hopeful that the New 2012 Year will be even better with more adventures and memories! And I can't wait to capture them all and chronicle them on my blog. Here's to another year of resolutions and inspirations!

Farewell 2011!

Welcome 2012!

Sneaking Around with Hotcakes

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:22:00 +0000

A tray of 12 mini cupcakes = $15

An upgrade for specialty cupcakes = a few quarters more

Gestational diabetes going away after delivering Chase = PRICELESS!

Although, I did cheat the night I went into labor with a tasting of three of these mini loves. I rationalized that three little ones would equal one regular sized cupcake, so really... the cheating wasn't as bad as it could have been. I mean, seriously, I could have eaten the whole tray in one sitting, equivalent to *gasp* four large cupcakes and a huge sugar hit! It's not so hard when they're pretty on the eyes, each is bite sized, and you just want to sample the variety of flavors and textures.

My favorite had to be the Food Network's Cupcake Wars award-winning Tres Leches Spicy Mango (pictured on the bottom right with a piece of mango dabbed in the middle of a light whipped cream frosting). After one bite, it was apparent to me why Elfie Weiss took home the prize.

Was it worth it in the end?

A resounding YES!

After all, it was the same night that landed me in the hospital for the greatest blessing of all this year... Baby Chase!

Hotcakes
add: 4119 S. Centinela Avenue | Los Angeles, CA 90066
tel: 1.310.397.2324
hrs: M-Sa 9a-7p. Su 10a-6p
url: www.hotcakesbakes.com

It's Almost 2012?!!

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 04:01:00 +0000

I can't believe that Christmas is just a couple days from now!

Did I get my Christmas shopping done this year? With a newborn baby, the answer would have to be a sad no.

However, I was able to get our Christmas announcement cards out the other day - that is, with the help of my mom who was watching Chase while I signed and stuffed some envelopes.

I thought I'd order more gifts online, but somehow, I couldn't get my act together... except for this wonderful Owl & Pussycats 2012 calendar I stumbled upon on Catsparella.com. I ordered it from Cathy Peng's Etsy.com shop, thinking I'd keep it for myself. But it's just so cute that I know many friends and family who would love it as a Christmas gift! Her online shop is closed for the holidays and as she finishes up a children's book, but look out for her in the New Year with great finds and fun feline designs!

www.cathypeng.com
www.etsy.com/shop/cathypeng

Love Made Visible: Baby Chase

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 07:49:00 +0000

A baby changes your life forever.

Time becomes a luxury and sleep becomes akin to finding the holy grail - forever teasing you with its illusiveness. For there's always something to do... diaper change, feed, burp, diaper change, feed, burp, laundry, dishes - repeated a million times over with so many other things that you have to do. A five minute hot shower becomes a sanctuary, and having some time to yourself is a godsend.

So when does it get better?

Labor, just like my pregnancy, was no easy feat. After two false alarms, I was not going back to the hospital until I knew it was go-time. On the estimated due date (November 7th), I had a craving for Mexican - specifically, the carne asada from Pacos Tacos. I was eating spicy foods in an effort to move the contractions along and speed up the labor process. Just up Centinela, we walked over to Hotcakes - winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars with their Tres Leches Spicy Mango cupcake - for dessert. Definitely worth the extra calories!

Since it was a Monday evening, we watched "How I Met Your Mother" - one of my favorite television shows. All the while, I had mild contractions that weren't too different from any other time. But the pain got worse and by 10pm, I asked MS to start timing the frequencies and durations of each one. They were getting closer together, stronger and much more unbearable.

MS asked, "Are you sure you want to go to the hospital?"

"WTF?! Don't you see that I'm in pain?!"

{Add in many more expletives and curses.}

So off to Labor & Delivery we went. I was three centimeters dilated and admitted to the hospital after being observed for a couple hours. The epidural went in and it was just a matter of time.

Fast forward to 5pm and after doses of pitocin, having my water broken manually and with a temperature ranging between 99 and 104 degrees, I was told that my cervix was only about five centimeters and that I needed to have a c-section. So after 20+ hours of labor, I was prepped for surgery.

The details of the actual surgery are a mystery to me, as I was given a lot more pain medication that numbed everything below my chest. I concentrated on breathing as I felt my body going into shock and spasms. I remember feeling very cold - to the point that my teeth were uncontrollably chattering.

Finally, MS appeared after getting prepped to enter the surgical room and held my hand. I squeezed his hand to draw my focus to his warmth and away from the thought of impending surgery. The doctors told me I would feel a lot of pressure and some tugging when they cut me open. At one point, they asked me a lot of questions - was I allergic to any medications? Yes, an antibiotic. OK, we'll use another one. Do you have asthma? Yes, a mild case. Have you been admitted to the hospital for an asthma attack? Yes. When was that? Last weekend. And I could have sworn the doctors consulted with each other about how to proceed and what to do versus not do.

When they finally cut me open, I felt the tugging and pressure. But that was nothing compared to the pain I felt in my upper chest. With eyes closed, I tried to go to my "happy place" in my mind and redirect my energies to try to breathe in and out as steadily as I could.

And then there was a cry.

With eyes still shut, I was physically and mentally exhausted. When the doctors told me to open my eyes and see our beautiful baby boy, I couldn't believe he was just inside me a few moments earlier.

The doctors asked, "What's his name?"

I was glad MS answered for the both of us, "Chase."

A month later, Chase is healthy and growing into a big boy - 10 pounds and counting. Things are getting better with each passing day and with the help of family and friends. I'm healing well from the surgery, and I marvel at his many gestures and his baby features.

Chase is truly Love Made Visible, as I'm reminded of The Art of Chase and his positive messages:

Follow your heart;

Where attention goes - energy flows;

You are too blessed to be stressed; and

The only time is right now.

I'm cherishing each moment spent with Chase and MS, and feel so blessed that Chase is in our lives.

Pacos Tacos
add: 4141 S. Centinela Avenue | Los Angeles, CA 90066
tel: 1.310.391.9616
url: www.pacoscantina.com

Hotcakes
add: 4119 S. Centinela Avenue | Los Angeles, CA 90066
tel: 1.310.397.2324
hrs: M-Sa 9a-7p. Su 10a-6p
url: www.hotcakesbakes.com

The Art of Chase

url: http://theartofchase.com

Chocolate Cake Truffles

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 03:15:00 +0000

From Top Clockwise:

Red Velvet, Andes Mint, Blood Orange, Mud Pie

MS and I had a dinner out and I was in the mood for something sweet to finish our night in Culver City. After a quick search on my iPhone, we found ourselves at Essential Chocolate Desserts - a quaint little dessert shop with a comfy looking couch, music in the background and a few small tables.

It looked like the shop was closing up even though they were open for another few hours, and we were the only patrons during our short stop in. I'd say we were only there for five minutes, maybe less.

I was disappointed that we weren't greeted the way I would have greeted some cold customers if it were my little shop...

In my world, here's what I would have said:

"Welcome! It's cold out there, huh?! Thank goodness it stopped raining! Have you come in before? If not, why don't you two take a look at our sweets, let me know if there's anything you'd like to sample, have any questions, and make yourselves comfortable on our couch. We also have hot chocolate, tea, coffee ~ if you'd like to start with that? We make an incredible... {fill in the blank}."

Instead, there was a lot of awkward shuffling around as MS and I looked through the glass to see the different treats. I asked a lot of... "What are these? And those? The flavors?"... trying to ascertain what I should get. I hate walking in a store, especially after making a point to visit, and not helping the small business with a purchase.

So thankfully, after musing on whether or not I should buy some of their cake truffles, the guy who looked like an owner or manager suggested to our helper that he cut one of the cake truffles that had a piece fallen off of it and offer it to us as a sample.

Not sure if these little bites are worth the $1.25 each, but I thought I'd patronize them by getting a box of four different flavors and a small $6 seasonal pumpkin pie tartlet.

Again, in my world, I would have asked...

"Would you like to have a seat while we bring these over to you? Perhaps something warm to drink too? Or some water?"

Then maybe, I wouldn't think twice about paying a little more for these sweet treats. The pumpkin pie was decent, but after living in the Midwest and making my own version with homegrown ingredients, it's hard to compare. The cake truffles reminded me of cake pops, moist inside but not too sweet - all encased in a nice shell of chocolate. The different flavors were good too, just a hint of orange and of mint without being overwhelming.

"Hope you enjoyed and will come again!"

Not sure if MS and I will be back, but I'm glad we stopped in to try something new.

Essential Chocolate Desserts
address: 10868 Washington Blvd. | Culver City, CA | 90232
tel: 1.310.287.0699
url: http://essentialchocolate.com
hrs: M-Th 8a-8p; F-Sa 8a-10p; Su 12p-8p

A Twilight Wedding, Yosemite

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 00:50:00 +0000

When the weather outside is frightful, there's nothing more that I like to do than curl up with a good book and cozy blanket. Often, Summer will snuggle up next to me or right underneath which is both cute and warming.

November 18th is the day Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part I premieres, and to get in the mood, I've been re-reading the Twilight Saga series and will start on book four later this evening.

I'd like to do the Twilight tour just outside Seattle, WA one of these days. But in the meantime, I'm reminded of our Yosemite trip this past summer while I read about Bella, Edward, Jacob and the rest of the characters that make up the series.

I can just imagine the above as the perfect setting for Edward's meadow clearing with luscious green grass, surrounded by forest trees and the glistening sun.

Going hiking in the forest, hearing the babbling brooks and wondering what's beyond the trees.

With Breaking Dawn, we celebrate the impending wedding of Bella and Edward - much like the nuptials between my dear friends MM and JJ this past summer in Yosemite.

It was such a beautiful and intimate ceremony at the small Yosemite Chapel by the Lodge, and I was honored to do a favorite reading for the bride and groom. All the details were perfect - the handcrafted Etsy bouquets and boutonnieres, the special programs, the beautiful guitar playing and singing, the dresses from Anthropologie...

... the love and smiles from the wonderful couple themselves!

The food, including their red velvet cake, was absolutely mouthwatering and their lemonade was so thirst quenching, I went back for seconds (and thirds and fourths!).

For Twilight fans, this photo of MMJs little niece makes me think of Renesmee.

Looking forward to Breaking Dawn and an eternity of love, happiness and good eats!

Yosemite National Park

www.nps.gov/yose

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:14:00 +0000

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

~ From The Sound of Music

Now that it's November and Thanksgiving (not to mention Christmas) is just around the corner, I start to think of the holidays. Of family, food and traditions. And I wonder, what things will be passed on to our son and what will we start with our new family?

My own childhood is wrapped around watching classic films around the holidays like Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in The Sound of Music, or Jimmy Stewart roping the moon in Its a Wonderful Life. Of decorating the house - always a huge production with the scent of pine from the tree, twinkling lights and displays of ornaments collected over the years, playing "Do They Know it's Christmas Time?" on the stereo - all culminating with Christmas morning coffee and eating Chinese food for our family Christmas lunch. Watching the Pasadena Rose Parade - whether in person or on TV - during the early morning hours on the first day of the New Year.

These have always been a few of my favorite things.

And with the blending of families, I've enjoyed celebrating with my in-laws and their unique family and food traditions - of sushi making dinners, eating fruits and vegetables from their bountiful backyard garden, and delicious homemade strawberry shortcake.

I'm not sure how this particular stream of consciousness relates back to Mozza, except for the fact that I absolutely love their burrata squash blossom and fennel sausage pizzas! They are a must order whenever I go to Pizzeria Mozza. Both together make for a great combination of sweet, creamy, cheesy goodness and savory, spicy, meaty earthiness. And I guess can be said to be a few of my favorite things!

Lucky for me, we had these for my birthday dinner last week and ended the meal with the seasonal pumpkin gelato pie with candied pecans and rum raisins.

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

~ From The Sound of Music

Pizzeria Mozza
street: 641 N. Highland Avenue | Los Angeles, CA 90036
tel: 1.323.297.0101
url: www.pizzeriamozza.com

Confession: Sushi while Pregnant

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 18:21:00 +0000

Toro Ice Sushi

Well, it wasn't the first time last week and it wasn't just because it was my birthday.

The lady servers at Sasabune, and there's at least one new girl I don't know very well, always look at me when I waddle in. Some blatantly ask, "Can you eat raw fish?" as if to really say, "Are you crazy with pregnancy brain to eat sushi?!"

And all I want to reply is that "I am Japanese. Why not?"

Plus, I trust Nobi and I trust Hiroki with the quality of their fish and that they wouldn't serve me if they didn't think it was safe.

Butterfish Sushi

So last week, MS and I went to Sasabune for a quick lunch. He ordered their very reasonably priced lunch special that included miso soup, mixed salad, a platter of tuna, salmon and yellowtail sashimi, choice of sushi don - he chose salmon, and a crab roll - all for about $20.

I, on the other hand, had some certain cravings and ordered off the a la carte menu which came out to what an omakase set probably would have cost me, but I was full and happy to continue celebrating my birthday with style.

Crab Hand Roll

And if you've ever eaten with me at Sasabune, as Hiroki knows very well, I always order an extra crab roll as my dessert because one is never enough. It's that good.

Extra special on my birthday was spying Rob Reiner with his family having lunch at Sasabune too. Loved seeing him leave, hand-in-hand with his wife.

I left with another craving - Tiramisu!

(Yet, I still don't understand the reference from Sleepless in Seattle!)

Sushi Sasabune
street: 12400 Wilshire Blvd | Los Angeles, CA 90025
tel: 1.310.820.3596
url: http://trustmesushi.com
hrs: M-F, 12p-2p & 5:30p-10p; Sa, 5:30p-10p; closed Sundays

BoLA Favorite: Sawtelle's Tofu Ya

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:50:00 +0000

Since taking medical leave from work, I've had time to rest and relax before the baby comes and I've needed it because of my almost 40-weeks pregnant awkward and uncomfortable body, contractions and recent ER trip because an asthma attack. But it's given me time to blog again.

During cold evenings like we've had in more recent days, I often crave something warm and savory like the kitchen cooked kalbi and medium spicy soon tofu combo at Tofu Ya on Sawtelle.

Now it's not the BEST Korean food in LA - that I reserve for places in Koreatown - but it's good. And living on the Westside has its good, the bad and the ugly.

The good:

- Weather

- Shops & restaurants

- Close to the beach

- Nice bike lanes

- Access to Japanese markets

The bad:

- Traffic during rush hour

- Limitations on some variety of foods

- No access to Chinese markets

- Parking can be a pain

The ugly:

- TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR

It's crazy what a nightmare it is to head East bound on Olympic (or any other parallel street - Santa Monica, Pico, Venice further south and the 10 East is no better) anytime after 3pm. And it just gets progressively worse the closer to 5 and 6pm you get. A drive that should take about 15 minutes takes at least 45 minutes, and that's on a good day.

So rather than fight through the stop-and-go traffic to try and reach Koreatown for some good eats, we'd rather walk to Sawtelle for our Korean food fix. Pretty reasonably priced and always with a little wait for dinner these days, it seems like we're not the only ones who think it's pretty good.

Perhaps that's why Westsiders tend to stick West of the 405, those who live the Valley stay in the 818, and well... anyone living east of the 110 hardly ever ventures out this way.

At times, it's sad to think how insular our lives have become, but with a city of over 3.7 million people, how does one resolve the boundaries we've set for ourselves?

Tofu Ya Korean BBQ & Soup
street: 2021 Sawtelle Blvd | Los Angeles, CA 90025
tel: 1.310.473.2627
hrs: M-Su 11:30a - 9:30p

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 03:42:00 +0000

I've read about the restless energy that the last stages of pregnancy bring about... well, I baked a batch of cupcakes last night. I haven't done so since before I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and now that I have most of my sugars under control and the baby is almost here - I thought, why not?

It's Halloween, after all!

I baked these chocolate babies with applesauce to reduce the number of calories and fat in them, but whipped up some cream cheese frosting with orange zest and the juice of half an orange (not to mention three cups of sifted confectioners' sugar).

But that's not all I did.

I then took out my Martha Stewart spider web cupcake stencil and dusted some unsweetened cocoa powder on top. I also melted white chocolate chips, then used a fork and some parchment paper to scratch out different designs that looked "webby" to me, and stuck them in the freezer.

While the white chocolate was solidifying, I took out my black M&Ms, black jimmies and colored nonpareils to make an assembly line for the little spiders.

I broke the cold, hardened white chocolate into smaller pieces to stick into the cupcakes, then dabbed each one with a black M&M for the spider body. Next came the little legs in the form of black jimmies - with tweezers in hand, on they went. Then I took the little red nonpareils for some devilish eyes and some white nonpareils for more ghostly eyes for the spiders. Using the same tweezers, I dipped each dot into a small bit of frosting to adhere to the M&M body.

They turned out pretty darn cute!

I packaged them in little Halloween gift boxes for a girlfriend and my family, and made the deliveries this afternoon.

When I got back home, MS and I placed our Halloween wares outside for the trick-or-treaters. I tried to cutesy up MS' scary hell-raiser pumpkin with my own batty paper bags lit with battery operated tea lights that flickered like real candles.

Here was my own non-threatening, homegrown pumpkin using Japanese washi tape and electrical tape over my rounded belly. All in all, we had about 15 trick-or-treaters this year. More than years past, and some super cute! My favorites were the little ones who stumbled over their words as they were prompted by loving parents to say, "Twick or Tweet!"

I'm sure that will be us in the years to come!

Gordon Ramsay at the London

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:50:00 +0000

MS and I had a date night last month at Gordon Ramsay at the London in West Hollywood. Partly because I had an Open Table special deal that was expiring that night, but mostly because it's important to keep regular date nights - the kind that you can dress up a little, wear a little make-up, and feel giddy about a night out with your loved one.

We drove to the Sunset Strip and had to circle twice before turning into the valet driveway of the London Hotel off of San Vicente. Since we fitted my car with the baby seat already and I have a bright pink towel lining my seat (just in case my water breaks while I'm in the car), I was glad that we took MS' fancy car.

I hate to admit that in this city of beautiful people and beautiful things, I sometimes get caught up with what people might think of me and my car that's in need of a wash and screams - ALMOST A MOM CAR! But then again, I'm thinking of getting another car... one that really says: Soccer Mom Car. I just can't fathom spending so much on a used or new car!

So instead, I splurge on food like the above Lobster and Mushroom Champagne Risotto - rich and creamy, it was a great start to our decadent dinner out on the town.

The Grilled Kingfish Crudo with radish, mushrooms and rice crackers were a light and refreshing complement to the previous dish. Both MS and I were happy with our starters, and looked forward to our entrees as we sat in our gold gilded table for two that had a great view of the city lights outside.

My Châteaubriand was cooked perfectly with red onion marmalade, mushrooms and potato purée - a great blend of savory and sweet. Baby S and I were definitely enjoying all the delicious food from the infamous Hell's Kitchen chef.

MS ordered the Fish and Chips made with halibut, lemon and tartar sauce. There was also a side of pureed peas with a distinct smoky flavor that came on the plate. This dish wasn't something I would have ordered, but it was interesting to see how Ramsay reimagined this classic comfort food into something a little more refined.

But the best part of the meal was probably ending with the sweet and fluffy Mango Soufflé with a side of creamy caramel ice cream. Unfortunately for MS, he was busy looking at his Blackberry at the end of the night - probably to check into Four Square or to tweet a snapshot of our meal - and I devoured all but one bite of this delectable dessert!

After all, I'm all about sharing... but hey, you snooze, you lose! I'm lucky that my husband isn't a huge sweets fan to begin with, and always lets me have more than his share. I definitely enjoyed every spoonful!

Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood
add: 1020 N. San Vicente Boulevard | West Hollywood, CA 90069
tel: 1.310.358.7788
url: www.TheLondonWestHollywood.com

Now Serving Ramen, Tsujita LA

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 22:14:00 +0000

With what feels like a head cold now that the Santa Ana winds have died down but my congestion still lingers, I had a craving for something warm today - like curry, chili, soon tofu, or ramen.

So off to Sawtelle we walked, on our way to Tofu-ya or Curry House. We stopped to see if Tsujita LA was serving their ramen lunch yet... lo and behold, they were as of Wednesday of this week! There was also a sign in the window that warned - CASH ONLY.

We wrote our names down for a table for two and thankfully didn't have to wait too long. There was a choice of Tsukemen noodles with dipping sauce which MS ordered, or the Tonkotsu ramen with two slices of good quality pork, nori and green onions which I gladly ordered.

After tasting MS' thicker and chilled noodles dipped in his salty dipping sauce on the side, I knew that I preferred my thinner noodles in its warm, complex fish-pork broth with a dash of shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice). I slurped the noodles, cooked al dente - you can indicate how "hard" you like your noodles cooked, and enjoyed sweating some of my head cold away.

Will be back again for their ramen. Next time, I'll order it with a side of egg!

Tsujita LA Artisanal Noodles
add: 2057 Sawtelle Blvd | Los Angeles, CA 90025
url: www.en.nidaime-tsujita.co.jp/index.html

Etsy Favorites for the Baby's Room

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:53:00 +0000

Here are a few of my recent purchases from Etsy.com that have been framed and hung in the baby room so far:

"Los Angeles is for Meat Eaters"

Alyson Thomas' (aka Drywell on Etsy.com) Los Angeles neighborhood map in a pig poster. This 13x19 poster is of a hand-drawn map of the MANY neighborhoods of Los Angeles, in the form of a pig butchery diagram. In addition to the neighborhoods, there are some pig parts diagrammed, like hocks, ham, ear, etc.

yes, freaking awesome.

• • • 10% of poster purchase price will be donated to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, where they will be able to distribute $12.50 worth of food for each poster sold! • • •

"Prince Frog"

Mixed media of Coco de Paris' original artwork in real acrylic hand painting and ink print. It's on an authentic antique paper from around 1920s of the famous Parisien magazine “La Petit Illustration”, a weekly French literary journal that published plays, novels and short stories.

The size of the paper measures 19,5cm x 29.5cm, (7.7"x 11.6").

"Giraffe Eating Grass"

"Peacock on Birdcage"

"Clever Bulldog"

With the recent Santa Ana winds, I've been pretty out of commission with a bout of bad allergies - watery eyes, runny nose, achy body and fuzzy head. Thankfully, these were all hung with love a couple of weeks ago.

Still no Baby S, but the baby room is finally coming along!

"It's My Party & I'll Cry if I Want To..."

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:18:00 +0000

My October 25th birthday celebrations started early - a few weeks early, to be exact.

Why? Well, only God knew if I would have made it to this day without going into labor. And a few weeks ago, we had our first false alarm in labor and delivery. Went to the hospital with regular contractions every two to three minutes for over an hour, only to be sent home with the thought that our baby boy could come any time. The doctor even said, "We'll probably see you later tonight."

But that night came and went, and here I am 12 days later sans baby boy.

My girlfriends planned my birthday dinner at Disneyland for months so that we could celebrate my 33rd birthday at the exclusive and elusive Club 33, a few weeks before my actual birthday - just in case I should go into labor early. And thanks to KW & TW and their magical friends, we not only had reservations but we also were able to get into the park for free!

So off we went, contractions and all, to the happiest place on earth!

Thanks to my loving husband, he rented some wheels for me that day and worked out his muscles by navigating me through the crowds of people.

Now, because of my delicate state, we were able to bypass some of the lines - such as the parking trams and a couple of rides and shows which was pretty great. Captain EO was a blast from the past, and the dance moves that shook the house made me a little nervous that Baby S would make his appearance early that day.

But we were all clear by dinner time and rang the buzzer for the not so conspicuous 33 entrance. With all the construction in New Orleans Plaza, the usually mysterious and beautifully decorated 33 door was buried, but once inside, we were all transported to another world and another time.

You forgot that you were in an amusement park, full of families and tourists from around the world. You forgot that there were lines and crowds, churros and popcorn. And all of sudden, it's quiet and refined - and everything just slows down a bit and you're relaxed and at peace.

The chef sent out a lobster amuse bouche that was light and delicious, a great way to start our dinner. Now, the one thing I didn't mention was that we devoured the all-you-can-eat Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue ribs and chicken for lunch in Frontierland earlier that day. So all of us were feeling a bit heavy from all the red meat we had for lunch.

So MS and I ordered the seafood appetizers to start our meal - the Viking Village Day Boat Scallops with corn, caramelized watermelon, bay scallops and haricot vert [above right] and the Atlantic Coast Crab Cake with asparagus, apple and fennel with fingerling potatoes in a citrus mousseline [below].

Decadent and delicious, they were a great compliment for our dinner entree choice of the evening: the Australian Lobster Tail with a champagne risotto, bell pepper coulis and baby bok choy. So much so that half our table ordered the lobster dish.

Executive Chef Marcel St. Pierre did not disappoint, and everything on our plates was devoured. The lobster was sweet with a side of butter, and well - as Paula Deen would say, butter makes everything better.

It was a special treat to finish the dinner with the lime cheesecake, caramelized bananas foster milkshake and fruit, and to blow out my birthday candle and make a wish [first pictured].

Absolutely divine!

And since neither MS nor I had ever seen the World of Color at California Adventure before, our group made the walk over to see the fantastic water show before calling it a night.

Awe inspiring and amazing, I found myself singing to all the Disney tunes from Little Mermaid to Beauty and the Beast and more!

So home we went, only to have our SECOND false alarm that same morning at 3am. Had contractions that entire day at Disneyland, but they were much more intense and much more regular at about a minute apart for over an hour.

The diagnosis?

Dehydration and only about one centimeter dilated.

So now, I'm drinking water like a camel, I'm trying to walk as much as I can stand, and I'm trying to rest all other times. I'm swearing not to go back to the hospital for a third time until I'm in tears and am for SURE in active labor.

We'll see when that happens... and as I type, I can feel my belly contract and retract, but I know it's still my birthday and he's not quite ready to come into the world.

Baby Shower with Family & Friends

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:48:00 +0000

My mom threw me a baby shower that she had been planning for well over a year. Yes, even before MS and I got pregnant. We had about 30 close relatives, family friends and girlfriends at the Torrance Miyako Hotel for a lunch with games and prizes.

Above were favors for everyone waiting at the tables - hand soap wrapped nicely in colorful paper topped with a See's lollipop and a pair of white ankle socks rolled up into cute little cupcakes.

The guest of honor... ME... with a rounded belly, ready to POP!

Our name cards included what we were having for lunch, and I loved how the cow resembled my own rounded shape. Meanwhile, we played "Rock, Paper, Scissors" with each other as an icebreaker game. I was runner-up and got to eat a bowl of cold buckwheat soba noodles, and the winner got to keep a fist full of wrapped quarters and lottery tickets.

Bento lunch boxes came out with bowls of rice, and I enjoyed eating all my proteins and vegetables - minus all the fried tempura batter, sweet teriyaki sauce and tempting white rice. After all, I was holding out for dessert.

In addition to all the games, prizes, and other details of the afternoon, my mom made cute platters of mini-cupcakes as our table centerpieces. She even brought me a sugar-free pastry made with apples that was delicious and fruit because of my special diet. I did, however, sneak in a mini red velvet cupcake too!

YUM!

It was a wonderfully fun and memorable time!

{Thanks Mom!}

MS and I opened all the wonderful and generous gifts once at home, and we felt truly blessed to be surrounded by so much love and support. I can't even imagine how long it took my girlfriend JT to make this amazing diaper cake filled with USC goodies... Baby S has his first Trojan jersey, matching cap and Traveler the Horse rattle ~ ready for his first tailgate!

Torrance Miyako Hybrid Hotel
add: 21381 S. Western Avenue | Torrance, CA 90501
tel: 1.310.212.5111
url: www.miyakohybridhotel.com

New Addiction: FONUTS!!!

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:50:00 +0000

My coworker told me about these faux donuts that were the best ever and that I needed to try them - they were gluten free, vegan, baked and not fried. And with my new diet, it would be a sweet treat.

So after an amazing baby shower thrown by my friends at work, I wanted to say thank you with a baker's dozen of fonuts.

There was just one caveat: I had to try a bite of each one since I couldn't eat the whole box myself and wanted to taste the different flavors.

And boy, did I love them all... from the Strawberry Buttermilk to the Salted Caramel - anything caramel (or chocolate for that matter) has got to be good... and the Wheat/Gluten Free Banana Chocolate to the divinely Wheat/Gluten Free and Vegan Lemon fonut, they were all my favorites!

They were moist and sweet, and for a girl who's been starving for some sugar in her life... they were just the right antidote!

Thank goodness my coworkers allowed me to indulge!

Fonuts

Address: 8104 W 3rd. Street | Los Angeles, CA 90048

Tel: 1.323.592.3075
Hrs: M-F 7a - 6p; Sa & Su 8a - 5p
Closed Tuesdays

Homemade Soba Noodles, Yabu Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:40:00 +0000

On hot days like today, I often crave the cool buckwheat Japanese noodles - soba. And my favorite way to eat cold soba is with tempura shrimp and veggies, shredded dried seaweed and a dipping sauce mixed with a good helping of wasabi and scallions.

I remember the first time eating this dish. My grandmother introduced ten zaru soba to me while we traveled to Japan together back in 2002. It was summer, so the weather was hot and humid. And we just finished visiting some temples with family members. Famished, we stopped at a local restaurant near her hometown - in Taiji, Wakayama-ken, and ordered this humble dish. It was absolutely delicious!

What comes close to that memorable summer trip would be the homemade, fresh soba noodles made from buckwheat and whole wheat flours at Yabu Restaurant in West Los Angeles. At Yabu, they craft their noodles daily, along with their dashi fish broth that's used in their dipping sauce as well - a true artisanal craft. Yabu also has other small Japanese dishes, but I would go just for their noodles.

I'm thinking that if it's as hot tomorrow as it was today, MS and I might stop in for a light dinner out at Yabu Restaurant for some cold sansai soba with mixed Japanese wild vegetables, spinach and sprouts.

YUM!

Yabu Restaurant

street: 11820 W. Pico Boulevard | Los Angeles, CA 90064

tel: 1.310.473.9757

url: www.yaburestaurant.com/losangeles

I Dream of Pasta, Osteria Mozza

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 05:45:00 +0000

A few months ago, MS and I celebrated our two year wedding anniversary at Osteria Mozza.

Little did I know that I'd have gestational diabetes and that I'd have to watch what I ate. So while I was blissfully ignorant at the time, we enjoyed dishes like the Grilled Figs wrapped in pancetta with bitter greens & aceto balsamico above.

And the Gnocchi with duck ragu... which I loved so much, I ordered a second plate of this comforting and savory dish.

It's what I now dream of and long for these days when all I can do is count my carb intake, portion out how much protein I can have, and make sure that I don't eat too many fruits or fats.

I've lost about five pounds since I started this harsh diet. Well, "harsh" for a food-lover like myself. And I'm left to wonder, how much longer do I have?

My head knows that it's all worth it in the end, to be healthy and have a healthy baby. But my heart yearns for butter, cream, sweets and anything fried.

All I can say is that it's been a rough day.

Osteria Mozza
street: 6602 Melrose Avenue | Los Angeles, CA | 90038
tel: 323.297.0100
web: www.osteriamozza.com

The Trails Cafe, Griffith Park

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 04:30:00 +0000

I love egg salad sandwiches, and the one from The Trails Cafe is pretty darn good.

Maybe it's the bread they use, or the fresh tasting sprouts in the sandwich. Regardless, the creamy, eggy, mayonnaise-filling just oozes with deliciousness.

I'm so thankful that my coworker introduced me to the cute little lunch stand in Fern Dell of Griffith Park. She often would tell me how she and her husband would come up to the park, eat here and picnic while walking the trails of Fern Dell. She would tell me of her adventures growing up with film stars, cocktails and the glamour of Old Hollywood.

She retired a few months ago, but still comes around to say hello and it's always a treat catching up with her. Next time, I know where we'll grab lunch!

The Trails Cafe
2333 Fern Dell Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90068
323-871-2102
Tuesday-Sunday 8am-7pm
Closed Mondays (except some holidays)
www.thetrailslosfeliz.com

Revealing More Than the Sex

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 02:56:00 +0000

It's shameful that July came and went, and now August has just a few more days before September unfolds. And this is the first post I've made in all that time.

But then again, I've been busy, preoccupied and just down in the muck of being pregnant.

Back in July, we had our Reveal Party with 17 of our closest family members at Matsui Restaurant in Little Tokyo. Thanks to my mom, we had a private room to ourselves and some cute Year of the Rabbit favors with baby blue and pink jelly beans.

We passed around a scrapbook that we put together with our latest ultrasound photos, and had each person guess the sex of the baby before the big reveal. You see, we had our doctor write a note to tell us the sex of the baby and seal it in a small envelope that we then took to the bakery. We asked the kind ladies at King's Hawaiian to look at the note and surprise us with the filling of the cake to reveal the sex of the baby.

Pink = Girl

Blue = Boy

The count was 11 votes for a boy and 8 for a girl!

It was casual, it was fun, and I was just a little bit nervous.

But after eating most of all my massive Matsui tempura bowl, I was ready to cut the cake!

So our family guessed right!

And we all enjoyed the peach bavarian cake with lots of laughter and hugs!

But the partying would soon come to an abrupt stop as my glucose tests came back positively high for gestational diabetes.

I had to say goodbye to all things that I love... cake, chocolate, cookies, brownies, donuts, and not to mention anything fried, cooked with butter, or any kind of carb I've grown up with... white rice, pasta and bread.

And hello to small portions of brown rice, a ration of fruit and a strict schedule of eating, walking and checking my blood sugar levels.

It hasn't been easy, but it's given me a better appreciation for the things that I'm eating and I feel healthier for our growing baby boy - well, on good days at least.

Other days, I just cry.

So here was one of my attempts to eat healthier...

Baked Tomatoes, Squash, Eggplants and Potatoes

Adapted from Healthy Living Magazine

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 small tomatoes, sliced

2 small zucchinis, sliced

2 small Japanese eggplants, sliced

1 small potato, cut in half and sliced

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan

2 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, cook the onions with oil until tender and lightly golden, about 5-7 minutes.
Arrange the onions on the bottom of a casserole dish. Then overlap and layer the veggies on top of the onion. Season with Parmesan, thyme, salt and pepper, and drizzle with a bit of oil.
Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 30 minutes more. Eat with your choice of protein.

Matsui Restaurant
123 S. Onizuka Street #302
Little Tokyo, CA 90012
(213) 625-2111

King's Hawaiian Bakery
2808 W. Sepulveda Boulevard
Torrance, CA 90505
(310) 530-0050

Santa Monica's Bergamot Station Arts Center

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 23:16:00 +0000

An early Saturday afternoon a couple weeks ago, MS and I headed to Santa Monica to take in some of the local art at Bergamot Station. On eight acres of land, over 40 different contemporary art galleries, design and architectural firms and the Santa Monica Museum of Art are housed in the largest art gallery complex and cultural center in Southern California.

We started with a few small galleries that were open at 11am and wandered into the Hiromi Paper shop. Every nook in this store had something interesting to look at... paper lanterns with unique shapes and colors cascading from the ceiling, and sheets upon sheets of beautifully handcrafted papers.

I purchased some washi paper tape that donned cute cats and flowers on them along with other gift items. This was a shop I'd love to visit again and maybe even take a class or two to learn the art of book binding.

When we walked into the Santa Monica Museum of Art, we were asked to wait until the artist was finished calibrating his 3-dimensional art exhibit. Little did we know that we'd get a sneak peak into the mad genius of Marco Brambilla at play and at work.

The Dark Lining, Marco Brambilla’s first solo museum exhibition, features seven major time-based works from 1999 to the present. Much of his work comprises found film footage edited, layered, and spliced to create compelling new narratives and stunning visual mosaics. With exquisite technical production and seamless editing, Brambilla’s multi-layered tableaux of interconnecting images and looped video blend into an expansive landscape that forms his hallmark style.

The exhibition at SMMoA will feature the premier of Evolution (Megaplex), 2010, a new large-scale 3D video collage, which displays the history of humankind through the lens of cinema. Brambilla combines hundreds of clips from genre films that re-enact historical moments as grand spectacle. This cacophony of images is looped and mapped into an infinite three-dimensional environment that scrolls horizontally across time. Evolution emphasizes conflicts through the ages, in a remix that seamlessly moves through past, present, and future, providing a satirical take on the bombast of the big-budget “epic.”
- From the SMMoA website

Like nothing ever seen before, this exhibit was mind-blowing. Moving images referenced by so many pop culture cult classic scenes, from Marty McFly's DeLorean to Star Wars' R2D2, it's hard to take your eyes away from all that was going on.

After visiting a number of other shops and galleries, we headed to Santa Monica Place for a late lunch and ate the large Spicy Fennel Sausage, Portobello Mushroom and Roasted Onion with tomato sauce at Pizza Antica ($17). With great flavors, the pizza was finished in no time at all!

It was a nice ending to an afternoon of art and culture in Santa Monica, and a newfound love at Bergamot Station. We'll be back for more, that's for sure!

Bergamot Station Arts Center
2525 Michigan Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90404
http://bergamotstation.com
T-F, 10a -6p; Sa, 11a - 5:30p

Hiromi Paper

(310) 998-0098

M-F, 10a - 5p; Sa, 11a - 6p

http://store.hiromipaper.com

Santa Monica Museum of Art
(310) 586-6488
T-Sa, 11a -6p
Closed Su, M, and all legal holidays

http://smmoa.org

Marco Brambilla
"The Dark Lining" exhibit
May 21 - August 20, 2011
http://marcobrambilla.com

Pizza Antica

395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 304

Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 394-4080
http://www.pizzaantica.com

Justin Chao's Le Bon Garcon Caramels

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Tue, 31 May 2011 05:17:00 +0000

Images from Le Bon Garcon

"Salt, butter and caramel combine to make a savory sweet confection that melts in your mouth."

My husband ran into a college friend who was part of Artisanal LA's month long pop-up grand opening of "The Market" at Santa Monica Place. She was handing out samples of Justin Chao's caramels that are hand stirred for over an hour - macadamia nut, mango-passion and salted.

All I needed to know:

Free Caramel Samples.

So I headed in to meet my husband's friend and the young pastry chef whose background includes studying in Paris and working at a 3-star Michelin restaurant.

Always one who would support a friend in a new venture, I somehow felt connected to Justin's Le Bon Garcon and his love for the culinary arts. After sampling the three flavors, I fell in love with the salted variety. And just as I was promised, the caramels did not stick to my teeth. Instead, they melted and danced on the tongue.

With just a few dollars on hand, I purchased a small two-ounce bag for $5 which gave me a hand full of delicately wrapped caramels. I knew that if I didn't pace myself, I would finish the entire bag in mere moments. So I tried to savor each one.

Too bad that didn't last. Neither did the caramels.

Can't wait for another bag...

Justin Chao's Le Bon Garcon

Los Angeles based company

www.lebongarcon.com

The Market at Santa Monica Place
Dining deck on level 3

395 Santa Monica Place
Santa Monica, CA 90401
www.themarketsmp.com/artisanal-la-comes-market

Food Cravings: Korean BBQ

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Mon, 02 May 2011 05:17:00 +0000

I blame the neighbors.

You could just smell the barbecued meat wafting in through the side window. It's on warm days like these, when the sun's out with a slight breeze and summer is just around the corner... that I wish we had a patio, a deck, an area to grill.

But we live in a small space and tonight, I was craving Korean BBQ.

We thought of driving to Koreatown, but decided to try this small local restaurant that's just a few blocks away and I'm glad we did.

We placed two orders of shrimp for a total of ten pieces, the Tokyo BBQ Mix A with three types of premium meats that came five to an order, a large mushroom, slice of corn on the cob, a shishito pepper and thick onion slice, and two large bowls of white rice.

Not your typical Korean restaurant with many side dishes, we were given three items for our pan-chan: bean sprouts, pickled radish and sesame spinach.

Thankfully, MS wasn't very hungry as he had a late lunch and I was able to have a good share of the deliciously tender and high quality meat and shrimp from the charcoal grill.

Not overwhelming as some of the all-you-can-eat joints, this Japanese owned restaurant will be my go-to place to satisfy my Korean BBQ cravings!

Asian-Ya Tokyo Kalbi
11664 Gateway Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90064-2829
1.310.312.3999

A Bundt in the Oven

noreply@blogger.com (BoLA) — Sun, 01 May 2011 06:21:00 +0000

Banana Bread Bundt Cake

How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking

by Nigella Lawson

It's been over a month since my last blog entry and I'm sad that I'll have one post for the month of April, just as I had in March. But on this last day of April, there is much to rejoice.

Today, I start my second trimester and thankfully, I have not had any major problems in this first pregnancy. No nausea or morning sickness. No food aversions or weird cravings. Although, my emotions tend to take over if I'm hungry and waiting for food.

I've traded my clothes in for more elastic and have had a wonderful shopping spree at Century City's, A Pea in the Pod. Well, not so wonderful according to my purse!

My feet (along with my growing belly and other areas) feel swollen most days, but my family and MS keep me laughing through all these bodily changes.

My mom friends give me much needed advice, and I'm waiting for the day that I can eat a bit of Sasabune again. I hear that I have another few months before I should eat a bit of sashimi, although my grandmother swears that all Japanese people eat sashimi in Japan - even during pregnancy. To me, it seems valid but I typically practice the - "better to be safe than sorry" maxim. Especially since I'm considered "high risk" because of my thyroid disease.

If I haven't shared on this blog, I have hyperthyroidism - which may explain my huge appetite for food over the years. But because of it, I have to take a number of pills every day and monitor my blood every month. So far, so good and I count my blessings. We pray that all will be OK with me, our growing baby, and life as we know it.

In the meanwhile, we have shared the good news with our family and some of our friends. And we continue to look for and find good eats in the kitchen and in Los Angeles, including this moist and delicious banana bread recipe.

Ingredients:

+ 1/2 cup golden raisins

+ 6 Tbsp dark rum

+ 1 cup all-purpose flour

+ 2 Tbsp cocoa powder

+ 2 tsp baking powder

+ 1/2 tsp baking soda

+ 1/2 tsp salt

+ 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

+ 1/2 cup sugar

+ 2 large eggs

+ 2 large ripe bananas

+ 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

+ 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

+ 1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Boil rum and raisins together in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, cover, and leave for an hour to absorb the liquid and get plump. Then drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients - flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
In a larger bowl, mix melted butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs one at a time, then the mashed bananas. Stir in the walnuts, drained raisins, vanilla extract and chocolate chips.
Grease a bundt pan or loaf pan and bake for about an hour, depending on the size of the pan. Toothpick should come out clean when finished.