Tartine Treat

Without talking to each other about it, both my mom and grandma each got me a different Tartine cookbook for Christmas. As I unwrapped each of them I was blown away. The famed bakery holds a dear place in my heart. I'm a sucker for anything French, anything sweet and places tucked away that seem like my own discovery and secret place (though, Tartine notoriously has lines wrapping around the building, despite not having a sign.) I've got the sticker from my very first order at the legendary SF bakery on my fridge and have a frangipane croissant from a subsequent visit in my freezer. Just talking about the bread pudding (makes me melt!) and the banana cream tart (better than anything x10) makes a series of expletives come out of my mouth. Overjoyed at both of my gifts, I had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use these books and an impromptu dinner party was just the fit. However, each and every recipe tested my patience in the kitchen. I ended up covered head to toe in flour and sugar by Sunday evening.

On the menu:

• Mini prosciutto sandwiches on homemade (Tartine country bread - have you ever made a live starter? It's more demanding than a 6 week old puppy) bread with apricot spread
• Mint hummus with corn chips
• Mixed greens salad (with dressing from this Alice Waters cookbook; yep, I cheated and went to Berkeley. I also nearly passed out when I met AW a few years back, I digress...) 
• Potato focaccia (country bread as crust, minus the retardation process + artichokes & sea salt) 
• Browned butter lemon bars (substituting lemons for Meyer lemons + adding pine nuts to the crust) 

*Happy Birthday to my one & only, Yolaine! My sister from another mother. Besos mon amour!*

My most favorite gift

Fragrance Counter

Partial view of my fragrance collection

Some women need lipstick or mascara or hairspray to feel "okay" enough to go out the door. I don't fall into that category (mainly because I rarely use any of the aforementioned items.) What I feel absolutely naked without and will spur a mini-panic attack is some sort of fragrance. I wear a powder-scented lotion, in fact the same one for the past 12 or so years, and a light spritz of any of the following:

1. Bond No. 9 "Union Square" Andy Warhol Edition - a scent that I truly treasure. It's more floral than anything I wear, but musky enough to be sexy. I wear it mostly on nights out, but only sparingly since the bottle is nearing it's end; so if I'm wearing it around you - you're a special person to me! 
2. Viktor & Rolf "Flower Bomb" - As you can see by the bottle, I typically wear this every day and I'm a huge fan of this scent's lotion companion. 
3. Jo Malone "White Jasmine & Mint" - This is my go-to summer scent. It's refreshing (mint) and mildly floral (palatable) and honestly smells like a men's fragrance (yum!)  
4. Gucci II - There are just remnants of liquid left in the bottle. Reminds me of my early 20's and brings back memories with every whiff.   
5. Dolce & Gabanna "The One" - Truth be told, the Giselle ad sold me. Then the powdery scent reminded me of my lotion. It's casual enough to wear on the weekend running errands and intriguing enough to wear on a date.   

Oh, and if you're a guy with the two below fragrances a.) kudos and b.) if I see the bottle I will shamelessly spray it on myself. Since the CK One days (come on, you totally remember them!) I've taken it upon myself to continue in the unisex cologne tradition. Deal with it dudes. 

Home Cooked

PB Rice Krispie Treats

While one of my most favorite things to do is go out to eat, but there's just something special about having a home cooked meal...especially when your mom is the one doing the cooking. During my latest trip (yep, another airplane) to Arizona I totally gorged. Creme puffs, margaritas, my super top secret guacamole recipe, grilled asparagus (all-time fav) and peanut butter Rice Krispie treats...I'm still reliving all the delicious meals in my head. And it's making me hungry!

Blue Curacao Margs

Thai Pasta- spicy, spicy, spicy!

So not a fan of roses, but these ones were sweet

New shoes - crazy obsessed; must find somewhere to wear this weekend

Arriving home to LAX

Eternally Connected

Pardon my crooked tights

Generally I keep things simple - one wallet (see my dedicated post here), always a nude gloss, a camera of some sort and gum [wintergreen in case you were curious.] Most of which I can toss in a crossbody bag or even a clutch. But as of late all of my devices have got in the way. The devices and their chargers and ear pieces and cords of all kinds take up so much space. Not to mention each device has a different function, service provider and phone number. It even got so bad that I noticed my most recent manicure was the same color as one of my Blackberries. Despite the tech theme, my Minx nails are beyond awesome. They stay on for weeks at a time (approaching week dos) and come in varieties of designs. If you're local, see Leticia at Plush Beauty Bar. She's amaze!

My fully-loaded brand new MacBook Pro (excellent way to start off the week!)