1 Year

One year ago, we said, “I do.” We boogied on the dance floor. Toasted with our family and friends. Shared a red velvet cupcake. Sang to Danity Kane. And became husband and wife. The day was perfect, and boy, did it fly by…just as this year has flown by.

Our day started out with going to church at St. John Baptist de la Salle, where we got married. We made a trip to Sprinkles to honor the tradition of sharing our wedding “cake”. Listened to our wedding music CD on the way. Went to the movies. And had dinner at Wood Ranch (where we had our first meal together). It was so much fun saying "Happy Anniversary!" to each other over and over. The day was perfect, and boy, did it fly by…

La Quinta Lovin'

Most people try to get as far from the heat as possible, but last week we drove 2 hours TO the desert for some summer lovin’ and a hot weekend. Thanks to our good friend Tyler, we were able to enjoy his family’s amazing house on the golf course in La Quinta. Their home was like a miniature hotel, equipped with a beautiful pool, spa, fire pit, outdoor BBQ and a view of the entire golf course. We even had our own private “casita” all to ourselves. The boys cooked (and the girls cleaned up after them), but other than that, the most we did all weekend was lounge, apply sun block, eat and play beer pong. It was a blast! La Quinta, we will see you again soon!

Birthday Boy

My fabulous husband has just turned 25! Yep, it's kind of a big deal. I'd been racking my brain during the weeks prior, trying to come up with snazzy gift ideas or fancy restaurant suggestions that would knock his socks off. But as the day came closer, JP said his birthday wish was for a shiny, sharp new knife and sushi for dinner. No glamorous night out, no bells or whistles. I thought, "people eat sushi everyday... it's nothing special!?" And I realized that his idea of "special" was spending time with the girl he loves, eating food he loves.

But I'm not the only one who wanted to celebrate his fabulosity. Jason's birthday week included a night of beer and shots with the boys, a homemade brunch with the family, yellow cake, and a visit to Buca di Beppo for a good 'ole fashioned pasta dinner (and birthday cannoli of course J). It was a busy week!

Happy Birthday Jason- I hope it was a special one to remember. I love you more than all the snazzy gifts and fancy dinners in the world!

We're Bringing Breakfast Back

When Jason and I lived in Las Vegas, there were a couple of breakfast places where we could easily spend every morning gorging ourselves on eggs, bacon, and banana nut muffins. Anytime we had friends or family in town, we would excitedly tell them that, “we know this AMAZING breakfast spot...” and they too would become believers. Fortunately for our waistlines and our pocket books, that is not the case in the SF Valley. But, now we are deprived of delicious breakfast food unless we make the sacrifice to get up early and cook (then clean) ourselves or drive to Vegas….

In my enthusiasm for being back in Los Angeles, I have been scouring online review boards, websites and blogs in a quest to find great restaurants and all things food-related. I was especially on the lookout for a new breakfast place we could call our own. I stumbled across the Blu Jam Café on Melrose and based on the reviews and their menu, I knew we had to give it a try.

So, last Sunday, JP and I met up with a friend from our days in Las Vegas and her new beau at Blu Jam. I was already gushing about how cute it was before I even walked in. They had a mini-outdoor patio area in front of the restaurant, perfect for people watching, with bright yellow umbrellas hovering over the tables. Inside was cozy, artsy and very busy. I looked around to see what all the other guests were eating and everything looked amazing.

JP ordered a cup of coffee and the Blu Jam Benny (Eggs Benedict for those who don’t speak breakfast). The 2 poached eggs were cooked perfectly, sat on top of black forest ham and a toasted croissant, and then drizzled with hollandaise. Can you say YUM??? I ordered the California Omelet and splurged on the $4 grapefruit juice. I admit I’m a sucker for fresh squeezed juice, especially the kind that boasts of fat-burning enzymes! My omelet was AH-MAZING. It couldn’t have tasted any better. Avocado, bacon and cheddar cheese all in one happy place. In the first bite, I knew we had hit the jackpot of breakfast restaurants. Both dishes came with a choice of a fresh fruit cup or their famous potatoes, and we obviously couldn’t pass up anything that was dubbed “famous”. They were definitely good. Great flavor, not at all greasy, but whoever was on chive duty went a bit overboard—not a big complaint since the chives were easy to avoid. The prices were reasonable, the service was good and the food didn’t take long at all. Overall, it was a great experience and our first success story in the world of breakfast food. We will be back!!! Hopefully next weekend :)

Happy 5th of July!

What do you get when you cross 3 bottles of wine, fresh air, rock music, and fireworks?  That's right, my version of an awesome 4th of July celebration, except one day late.  In our household, it's not uncommon to observe holidays before or after they actually fall on the calendar. It's not that we're trying to be different, or rebellious, or even try to save a few bucks. Nope. We would actually LOVE to spend every holiday together with our families on the day that everyone else celebrates them, but when your husband is a hot, talented chef, duty calls when the rest of the world is partying.  That doesn't stop us from having a blast though (give or take a few days!)...

Last Sunday, Jason and I met up with Katie and her fabulous friend Cristina to picnic al fresco and rock out to Death Cab for Cutie.  And it got better.  Tegan and Sara opened for them (woo-hoo!) and mid-way through Death Cab's set, 50 members of the LA Philharmonic marched onto the stage to join them.  Bliss! and Blitzed!  After our red cups were empty and the smoke from the fireworks had cleared, we left the Hollywood Bowl with huge smiles on our faces, with the songs of the night still ringing in our ears.  Thank you America, and all those who have fought for our freedom.  Cheers!

2005: Where it all began

Neither of us had any idea that we would meet the person we would marry during a culinary school class in the Spring Semester of 2005. But there we were, catching glimpses of each other, and before I knew it, Jason was approaching me and I could feel the temperature of my face rising by the second. I never really got nervous or self-conscious around other boys, but this one was different, and somehow I knew that even before he even spoke to me.

One of my favorite memories during our "Early Days" was the first night we hung out. During dinner, Jason ate maybe five bites of his salad (which I soon learned was not typical for him) and after watching a movie, convinced me to go back to his car for a few minutes to listen to a song he thought I would like (the truth is, it didn't take much convincing!). This photo was taken that very first night.