Skulls and Leopard

While Dr. S was on a family trip to visit relatives in Korea (sadly, I didn't have vacation time), I took the opportunity to visit my own family up in the San Francisco Bay area.  The trip was short and sweet, but I did manage to spend some quality time with my brother, soon-to-be sister-in-law, and Carolyn, who's practically a sister at this point.  I even squeezed in time with some good friends (it was a packed couple days!).  As expected, the weather was a bit cooler than LA, but still quite pleasant.  

If I were to pick a uniform, this outfit would pretty much epitomize it.  The silky button-down shirt/skinny jeans combo can easily be dressed up or down.  The combination even works at work, but usually with a dressier pair of tapered slacks.  Too bad I can never wear this shirt to work since skulls don't always convey the best message to patients!  

Skull shirt: Zara.  Leopard print black jeans: Current/Elliott Stiletto.  Lace-up wedges: Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent.  Bracelets: Mini Gold Titan by Vita Fede and Madewell.  Handbag: Le Pliage Cuir by Longchamp in medium.

Faux Leather and Fur

It's been a while since my last post.  Between work, my parents visiting, and feeling a bit under the weather, blogging has unfortunately been put on the back burner.  Sarah's visit to NorCal last weekend was just the push I needed to get back into the game.  Her visit was way too short but we managed to catch up on a lot of girl talk, grab some good eats, and work on a DIY project (coming soon!).

I bought these faux-leather bermuda shorts months ago but was having trouble styling them.  When the weather cools a bit, I'll be pairing these with a cozy turtleneck sweater and some warm knit tights.

Faux-fur knit vest: Zara kids (old). Black 3/4 sleeve tee: J. Crew (old) (long-sleeved version here). 

Faux-leather bermuda shorts: Zara. Rose gold watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs. 

Sunglasses: Chloe. Suede booties: Adrienne Vittadini.

Casual Stroll Through Balboa Park

Dr. S and I drove down to sunny San Diego for a quick weekend trip.  We were able to catch up with some good friends over a delicious but extremely filling brunch (I highly recommend Snooze in Hillcrest!).  Luckily, Balboa Park was around the corner, and we walked off our overloaded blueberry streusel pancakes.   Years have gone by since I've wandered around Balboa Park, and I quickly remembered how beautiful it is with its many gardens and plentiful greenery.  The plethora of museums is an added bonus, but we were sadly too short on time to enjoy any of them.  There's always next time! 

 

Navy blazer: Nice Claup, from Korea.  Lace shirt: Forever21. Black jeans: James Jeans.  Silver and opal necklace: Forever21.  Mirrored wedges: Christian Louboutin (similar here).  Black bag: Le Pliage Cuir in medium by Longchamp. 

Orechiette with Sausage, Cannellini Beans, and Marscapone

I invited a couple friends over to the apartment last week to help out with a much needed closet cleanout.  I wanted to throw together a quick comforting meal and this pasta recipe did the trick.  The Italian turkey sausage lended some pops of flavor while the marscapone cheese gently coated the pasta with a delicious thin film.  Even my cooking..um..challenged friend asked me for the recipe since it was so simple yet tasty.  I accompanied the pasta with a caprese salad made from some heirloom tomatoes.  I was lucky enough to receive a whole box of them from some good friends.  I even love them for dessert, simply sprinkled with a little sugar.  I'm so sad that these may be the last heirloom tomatoes of the season!  

Orechiette with Sausage, Cannellini Beans, and Marscapone

Adapted from this Giada De Laurentiis recipe

 

Ingredients
1 pound orechiette pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound turkey sausage, casing removed (I used mild Italian turkey sausage, but you could sub in hot Italian turkey sausage or pork sausage too)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a large, heavy skillet warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions. After a couple minutes, add the sausage, using a spoon or spatula to break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces as it browns.

 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Continue cooking the sausage until golden and the onions are tender and slightly caramelized. Add the garlic.  Add the beans and oregano cook for 2 more minutes. Add the cup of pasta cooking liquid and stir, scrapping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the mascarpone cheese and stir until it dissolved into a light sauce. Add the salt, pepper, and hot pasta. Stir until coated and serve.

Apple Cake

As I mentioned in this post, one of my favorite activities in the Fall is to go apple picking.  The first few days, I am happily munching away on the sweet crispy apples, reminiscing about the fun times at the orchard and cider mill.  But I can never eat as many apples as I can pick and this apple cake is perfect for those extra apples.

This cake is incredibly moist, not too sweet, and big on apple flavor.  My dad used to make it all the time and I would often enjoy a thick slice for breakfast, dessert, a snack...really I couldn't get enough.  There was a restaurant in Taiwan that was known for their famous apple cake.  The cake was wildly popular and the chef ultimately shared the recipe in a local newspaper, which is how my dad got a hold of it and then passed it down to me.

Apple Cake 
Ingredients
3 crisp apples (I used granny smith but you can use whatever you have on hand)
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour

Directions
Peel and core the apples and slice into thin, one-inch pieces.  Set aside.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Grease a Springform pan with baking spray and lightly dust with flour.

Meanwhile, beat the 3 eggs until light and fluffy.  Continue to beat while pouring in the vegetable oil.  Then gradually mix in the sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.

Sift the baking powder and flour and mix into the egg mixture until fully incorporated.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the sliced apples so they are evenly coated with the batter.  Pour into the Springform pan and gently spread with the spatula so that it's even.

Bake in the oven for 50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Enjoy a slice warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or at room temperature with a cup of coffee.

Fall Inspired Dressing

  
Even though it's officially fall, the weather in LA is still deceptively warm.  Now that October is around the corner, I feel as though I should be pulling out the sweaters and layers, but it's far too early at this point.  The thermometer does not lie!   I paired together a wispy burgundy blouse with some houndstooth tailored shorts.  This outfit is the perfect compromise to fall-inspired dressing in 85 degree weather!

 

Burgundy blouse: Moulinette Soeurs 'Cascade Range Blouse' from Anthropologie (similar here).  Houndstooth shorts: Juicy Couture (love these).  Patent skinny belt: J.Crew.  Dark brown ankle-strap mules: Lanvin.  Burgundy clutch: Linea Pelle.  Necklace: H&M.