Martha Stewart talks Cupcakes

Here's a video promoting Martha Stewart's most recent book, Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. She has thought up 175 different ways to jazz up everyone's favorite any-time treat! Hey, I have cupcakes for breakfast sometimes *blush*. I'm sure everyone will find at least one variation that they'd like to bite, taste, eat or bake. All of the above for me :)

Sweet Fix

If I'm ever in the Brentwood area, it's a total giveaway that I'm visiting SusieCakes for either a red velvet cake, red velvet slice or red velvet cupcake... You get my drift. Trust me, you will dream about it afterwards! Well yesterday, I went ahead and got a red velvet cupcake and something new... *drum roll please* S'mores Cupcakes! It's their seasonal special at the moment so I gave it a try. It was a chocolate cake filled with a squirt of chocolate buttercream frosting + toasted 'mallow frosting topped with graham crumbs. The only thing missing was a Hershey's chocolate square! I think I'll make it a point to try their seasonal specials in addition to my loyal love for red-velvet :P

Danger Foods

When I saw that Elle wrote about the 10 Most Dangerous Foods, I assumed the list was going include packaged foods, fast foods, spreads, donuts and other items of the "trans fat" sort. Wrong. The article was focusing more on foods that have caused health hazards and in turn are now repeat recall offenders. It's interesting - take a look and read into it! It's better to be safe than sorry...

1. Milk

2. Red Tomatoes

3. Beef

4. Canned Soup

5. Bagged spinach

6. Smoked salmon

7. Alfalfa Sprouts

8. Nuts

9. Bottled Water

10. Cantaloupe

Totally, Like Valley Girls

I drove into the Valley last weekend to catch up with the OG Valley Girl & Fro-Yo Queen herself... Mi amiga Manelay. Our time is limited as she is soon flying off to Espana where she will work (and play) for a couple of months. Her mom is the cutest ever, she had a little spread of goodies and snacks for us in the living room just in case we were feeling a bit peck-ish. No big deal... Just some lemonade, croissant 'wiches, fruit, chips, dip, lemonade and dessert assortment ;) Delicioso!

*The food spread

*This chilled concoction of shrimp, avocado, cilantro, chili and tomato is my new favorite Gutierrez dish

*Mounds of fresh fruit

*Dessert quartet

*Mini chocolate chip cookies

*Fruit tarts

Seconds, anyone?

If the first batch of Trilogy Canteen photos didn't do the trick, here are some more to get your stomach going... Check out this multiply post to get an updated version of their menu.

Treats @ Trilogy Canteen

If you're on the lookout for a new foodie experience, if you're a "what's next" junkie... Head over to Trilogy Boutique + Canteen and taste some of their inventive, original and appetizing plates. Who's heard of a deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich?! (And why are you not heading over there right NOW at the mere mention of that...) Or what about Chef Fern's famous ChocNut Ice-cream?!

Here are some official food photos -thanks guys!- for Trilogy Canteen. Bon Appetit!

cRaFt

It looks like the Los Angeles Times caught on to Craft Bar's Low-Cost Formula for Success back in March... Click on the link to peep their photo gallery!

*Photo Credit

Arts & Crafts

Last night was the perfect evening to be al fresco lounging, drinking and dining with a good friend. Cordelia and I have known each other since middle school in Singapore and I can safely say that at the time, we never thought we'd both be in Los Angeles conversing over jobs, graduation, serious relationships and life in general. I used to see Corde around three times a year during college -she was an East Coaster-, so it has been a treat to have her in LA for the summer.

We met up at the Century City restaurant, Craftbar. Craftbar is actually the casual and low-key arm of the more sleek and formal Craft, owned by celebrity-chef Tom Colicchio. This terrace and lounge is ideal for sipping on fun cocktails and ordering from a menu of small bites, salads, pizzas and pastas all under the $10 mark. Yep, nothing is over 10 bucks!! Everything is served tapas style either indoors on the low tables or outside on the cabana couches. The dishes we ordered were super and I bet it's the exact same quality as Craft - at a fraction of the price! Craftbar is first come/first serve; Corde and I got lucky and we were able to claim a table just for ourselves :)

Japanese Hamachi, Prosciutto, Aged Balsamic

Pita, White Bean Hummus, Za'atar Oil

Goat cheese, Tomato, Basil Flatbread

Braised beef short rib, Gruyere Sandwich *freakin' delicious*

"Me? Yes, you."

Location: Trilogy Boutique + Canteen

Scene: Patti, Jon and Rosario in conversation sipping on iced-lattes

Val: The girl at the counter wants a picture with Patti.

Patti: Me?

Val: Yes, you.

Here I am walking over to the sales counter thinking, "Omg this poor girl probably thinks I'm somebody else... This could be embarrassing." Nevertheless I introduce myself, "Hi, I'm Patti. What's your name?"

"I know. I read your blog," was her response.

How bun!!

To say the least, I was very flattered; Geisha totally made my day :) We took a photo and I told Geisha -my new friend- to try the food at Trilogy Canteen sometime. If you're reading this, let me know if you got the chance to eat there!

Me & Geisha

Geisha also sent me a picture of her wearing the dope tee she bought that day at the store

Follow Trilogy Boutique on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/trilogyboutique

Sandwich Photo Op

Speaking of sandwiches, I pretty much drooled over Los Angeles Times' photo gallery on LA's global sandwich offerings in the city... Look at the 14 photos here and you won't blame me!

Israeli Tostee (photo credit)

They sound pretty foreign to me, but who cares - they look sandwich worthy!

Terry's

Another new place for lunch I tried was Terry's. Also a delicatessen X cafe (retail store on the ground floor, cafe on the second level) popular with expats, but this time definitely a Spanish vibe on the menu.

Don Quijote: manchego cheese, jamon serano, olive oil, freshly marinated crushed tomatoes

Simple Sultan: hummus, grilled eggplant, arugula

Happy Turkey: smoked turkey ham, emmental cheese, lettuce, tomato

Karrivin Plaza

2316 Pasong Tamo Extension