Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I…

1. Met up with a friend I haven't seen in months to catch up over lunch at Woodward Table. I ordered the frittata with fried oysters and my friend had chicken and waffles for the first time. I wasn't too impressed with my frittata although the fried oysters on top were really good. He ordered the better dish.

2. Got much use of Mandu's raincoat my sister bought him over the rainy and cold weekend. He's such a good boy when it comes to us putting on sweaters and jackets for him;)

3. Did a bit more travel research for my upcoming vacation to Japan. I am beyond excited about this trip because it's been about 10 years since I've been back to Asia. One of my goals this year is to explore Asia more since I've traveled through Europe quite a bit and Japan will be the first country in Asia to travel to this year. Can't.wait.

4. Received my new Eberjey pajama set I ordered earlier last week. I've been eyeing this brand for awhile now but have been hesitant to pull the trigger because it's a bit pricey (to me) for sleepwear--this coming from a person who usually sleeps in boxers and an old t-shirt. I figured it's time to upgrade my pajama wear to something more mature and adult like and finally decided to order this set. Since I'm petite, it can be quite difficult to find PJs that fit in length (both pant legs and sleeves) and haven't seen anything on my radar other than this set. The material is so soft and the fit is perfect (not too tight yet flattering). No regrets.

5. Had dinner with Mel at To Sok Jip, one of my favorite Korean restaurants in Virginia. I had a craving for BoSsam (boiled pork belly where you wrap it in cabbage leaves, accompanied by kimchi and raw garlic/peppers) and this place does it just right. My only problem with this place is that the service isn't that great but if you want really good, traditional Korean dishes done right, I highly recommend this place.


How was your weekend?

NomNom: Chia Seed Pudding

I've been having an ongoing love affair with chia pudding for a little over a month now and I see this becoming a long term thing. It started with this recipe and I've now become hooked on chia seeds. I'm not a huge breakfast person during the work week because I'd rather just use that time to sleep in, but I now have a breakfast rhythm going on. This is where chia puddings come in. I just prep it the night before and store it in the fridge so that it's happily waiting for me in the morning. A quick reach and grab. Done and done.

It's hard to say which chia recipe I love more because they're both equally awesome--I think I'm more excited that I discovered another chia recipe option that's just as great as the former...you know, in case my palate gets bored.

This recipe calls for fresh berries and almonds as toppings but it's so yummy just with the simple mix of Greek yogurt, almond milk, and vanilla that I've been eating the pudding as is, unadorned. But if you want to, feel free to go ahead with it. You do you.

Low in calorie, super healthy because chia seeds are crazy packed with nutrients, and really tasty. It's a trifecta of all.good.things. What's not to love about that?

Have a great weekend. Xo.


Ingredients (Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis/Food Network Mag Jan/Feb 2014): Yields: 2
1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk
1 cup plain low-fat (2%) Greek yogurt (I used non-fat)
2 tablespoons maple syrup plus 4 teaspoons for serving (I used agave syrup)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 pint strawberries, hulled and chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Procedure
1. In a medium bowl, gently whisk the almond milk, yogurt, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and the vanilla until just blended. Whisk in the chia seeds, let stand 30 minutes. Stir to distribute the seeds if they have settled. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. The next day, in a medium bowl, toss the berries with the remaining 4 teaspoons maple syrup. Mix in the almonds.

3. Spoon the pudding into 2 bowls of glasses; mound the berry mixture on top and serve.

Pop of Pink

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Leather jacket-Theory (old, similar version here)

Shirt-Uniqlo

Jeans-Rag & Bone

Shoes-Pour La Victoire

Sunglasses-Karen Walker
Scarf-Alexander McQueen

After the rain and snow(!!) the DMV area got yesterday, I needed to add a pop of color to my outfit to brighten up against the dreary weather. Hoping to see signs of Spring very soon.

Have a great week. Xo.

Casual Friday

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Sweatshirt-H&M (old)

Plaid button down-AE

Jeans-Rag & Bone

Leather jacket-LaMarque (similar style here)

Purse-Proenza Schouler 

Sunglasses-Karen Walker

Shoes-KORS Michael Kors

Happy Friday everyone! It's been a long/busy week and am just relieved that the weekend is finally here. I came home late last night from work feeling tired and lethargic (thought I was coming down with a cold) and as I was getting ready for bed, I found out that Buzzfeed featured my blueberry almond butter smoothie recipe on their website yesterday. Please check it out here! 

Have a great weekend. Xo.

NomNom: Party Mimosa

There's something about weekends and brunch that go hand in hand. Perhaps it's the blissful feeling of being able to sleep in sans alarm clock or waking up past breakfast hour.

Whenever I know I'm going to have a free morning that's not filled with a to-do list or plans made well in advance, I like to invite loved ones over for brunch. Having friends come over your home for a shared meal on the weekend is a great way to start the weekend and when you add champs to that equation, well it's pretty much a guaranteed good ol' time.

I wanted to update the classic mimosa with exotic tropical fruit juices that reminded me of my recent trip to Belize. While on vacation, my friend and I would crave fresh, sweet, and ice-cold watermelon or pineapple juice everyday from fruit stands and would always be on the look out for any potential juice bars throughout the day. Selling pre-cut fresh fruits on the streets was a normal thing--the fruit in Belize was that good.

Warning: the combination of flavors in these mimosas (guava, mango, pineapple) have a high potential to make you dream about warm weather, sandy beaches, or a tropical vacation far away. All good things.

The next time you have brunch at home (much more cost efficient btw), try this easy and tasty juice concoction that will transport you for a brief moment to a warm, sandy beach somewhere with this party mimosa in hand and no worries in mind.

Enjoy. Xo.


Ingredients (Adapted from www.allrecipes.com) Yields: 15 servings
1 (12 ounce) can of mango-apricot nectar
1 (12 ounce) can pineapple juice
3/4 cup cold water
1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed and undiluted
1 bottle (750 ml) of cold champagne

Procedure
1. Stir together the mango-apricot nectar, pineapple juice, water, orange juice concentrate in large pitcher until combined. Pour in bottle of champagne just before serving.

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I…

1. Met up with my friend Meg, a fellow DMV blogger whom I've gotten to know over the year for an overdue dinner and drinks date at Founding Farmers. Needless to say, we had loads to catch up on. Good times, as always.

2. Added two more pairs of Blank NYC jeans to my growing collection. I recently found out about this brand over the past 6 months after ordering a pair of well fitting leather pants from this line and have been consistently impressed with the fit as well as their price point. I ordered these distressed jeans and these black utility jeans online which arrived over the weekend. Keepers.

3. Had dinner with my dear friends Mel and Carla at Ambar, located in Capital Hill. The original plan was to grab dinner at Rose's Luxury but it was a 3 hr wait (they don't take reservations) which was not gonna fly with us. I had a feeling this restaurant was going to gain popularity quickly when I dined there the month it opened, but a 3 hr wait? Come on. But, Ambar worked out well since it's been on my "bookmark" list and we opted for the AYCE drinks/small tapas for $49. A great option to try out many plates on the menu when going with several people. The dishes that stood out to me were the trout spread, grilled calamari, brussel sprouts w/bacon, roasted mushroom crepes, and mussels. No food pics because it was too dark inside.

4. After finishing dinner at Ambar, we met up with our friend Elle and her friend Sarah at Barmini, a bar owned by Jose Andres and connected next to his Minibar. As soon as you walk in, you feel like you're walking into a modern Alice in Wonderland space. Apparently they have over 100 cocktails on the menu but the amazing mixologists can pretty much cater to whatever you request. How cute is the little pill capsule to insert the bill inside? I have never been impressed with a bar until I stepped into Barmini and would highly recommend this place for post dinner drinks with your date or girlfriends (reservations are required). Such a fun night spent with awesome ladies:)

5. Had some time to myself Sunday morning and spent it with the usual suspects: coffee, nail polish, food magazines, and browsing Pinterest. Much needed time to unwind.


How was your weekend?

Pastel Perfect

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Sweater-J.Crew 

Leather faux skirt-Boundary & Co (old, love this one here)

Shoes-KORS Michael Kors

Fur scarf-Adrienne Landau (similar style here)

Sunglasses-Karen Walker

This bipolar weather we've been having has been playing with us East Coasters for the past several days. It was in the mid 60s a couple days ago and just yesterday it dropped to the low 30s!! Clearly, Mother nature is not done with Winter because apparently there's another snow shower coming on Monday. Ugh. Sweater and tights wearing weather really needs to be done with. 

Hoping the weather will let up this weekend. Have a good one, either way. Xo. 

Cut Out

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Blouse-Equipment

Jeans-Rag & Bone

Shoes-Stuart Weitzman

Sunglasses-Gap

Clutch-Marc Jacobs

I love unexpected updates to an otherwise conventional clothing item such as a simple button down blouse. The cut outs on the sleeves make it perfect to wear for either date night or a girls night out with your dearests. The blouse is sexy with out it being too revealing but most importantly, the color pairings are also a friendly reminder to myself that Spring is right around the corner:) 

Have a great rest of the week. Xo. 

NomNom: Mango Coconut Chia Pudding

I finally jumped on the nutrition train. Well, sorta. I'm not at that point in my life to cut out all sorts of not so healthy for me types of food yet. It's not in the stars for me as of now but I am making a more conscious effort to be more cognizant of what goes into my body. Baby steps.

If you haven't heard by now, chia seeds have been and still are a major thing in the health food world. I'm usually skeptical in the beginning when there's so much hoopla surrounding the next big "superfood" so I've resisted experimenting with chia seeds for a long time. I suppose that's the rebellious part in me. I dunno.

So a quick breakdown on these seeds. They are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, and calcium (up to three times more than a serving of milk!!) and well you get the picture. People use it to sprinkle it in their smoothies, oatmeals, and whatever else the heart desires. I found that boring so after researching a bit more, I found that it's also used to make pudding. These seeds by itself are bland so they need help with taste enhancement which is where the fun experimenting part comes in. I assemble mine in a mason jar to give it a good, solid shake and let it sit overnight in the fridge so it can be part of my morning routine or a a snack I can reach for in the fridge. Did I mention how filling it is?

I can't get over how the seeds absorb the liquid and expand in size like crazy. The texture reminds me of rice pudding and let me tell you, the combination of the ingredients I'm sharing with you today are WINNING. Chia seeds are legit, friends.

I now understand what the rage is all about. I'm a believer.


Ingredients (Adapted from www.SkinnyTaste.com): Yields: 2 servings
1/2 cup lite coconut milk
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
3/4 cup fresh ripe champagne mango, diced
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp sweetened shredded coconut
4-6 drops Agave Nectar (or sugar/honey to taste)

Procedure
1. Combine all ingredients in a container. Close and shake well. (I found mason jars work well).
2. Let it sit for 20 minutes and shake well again. Refrigerate over night or for at least 8 hours.

Peter Pan

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Shirt-J.Crew
Skirt-H&M (old) (love this one here)
Purse-Chanel WOC
Bracelet-Hermes
Shoes-Kors Michael Kors

Happy Wednesday! The snow is beginning to melt away and the weather is starting to slightly warm up. Here's to wishing that Spring like weather will come soon and I won't be needing to wear tights anymore. I'm over you, winter.

Hope you're having a great week. Xo.

Updates

Hi everyone! It's been awhile since I've posted here and I want to apologize for the lack of posts in the past month and a half. Life got busy and on top of that I was feeling uninspired. I hear that bloggers go through periods like that so I'm glad to know that it's not just me. I needed to step away for a bit but I'm baaaaaack and excited to share future posts I have planned for you, starting this week. Here's a quick update with what's been going on in the past couple months….


1. Celebrated my birthday along with my not so little baby boy's birthday. That face is everything.

2. Started to get back into running, specifically on interval training. I personally think it's tough (it's new to me) but buying new and super comfortable Nike kicks makes the work out bearable.

3. Have been continuing to check out new restaurants in the DMV area. I've been a bit lazy with taking pics since I knew I wasn't going to post about it but here is one from Water and Wall, a recently opened up restaurant in Virginia worth checking out. The chef also owns the ever popular Maple Ave.

4. Just got back last week from my vacation to Belize. The weather was warm and sunny, did cave  exploration, hiked through jungles, and took a day trip to Guatemala to see the largest Mayan ruins in the world. This trip also got me thinking of getting scuba certified…seeing the marine life was out of this world. I'm talking about snorkeling next to nurse sharks, sting rays, and sea turtles. It was definitely a new snorkeling experience which I loved and makes me wonder what it would be like to scuba dive.

5. Decided to make a proactive decision to start eating a bit more healthy. I have been experimenting with chia seeds, new granola recipes, and a flourless brownie recipes that uses black bean. Crazy, I know but it is so good. Will share soon.

Thanks for being patient with me and I will talk to you soon. Xo.