sexy, sexy, sexy

Need I say more . . .



Badgley Mischka Stella Pump





Dior Lace Pump



Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

My nephew is really expressive and he agreed to pose for this series - I like to call "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon."  Enjoy, they are so cute . . .

And just so you know what a cute nice boy he is here is a picture that better fits his personality:





Torrey Pines Excursion

Awhile back I read an article in Sunset Magazine called "25 Best Hotels in the West," and I took note of them, hoping that someday I would get to stay in all of them. 

Well this weekend I got to mark one off my list - The Lodge at Torrey Pines.  The Lodge is conveniently located at the edge of La Jolla, California (near San Diego) and very near Del Mar.  The Lodge was very inviting with lots of woodwork, the smell of campfire drifting through the hallways at all times, and the sound of golf balls being hit on the luscious golf course. 

It is also located near the Torrey Pines Nature Reserve which makes for great hiking.  My friend D and I headed out on Sunday afternoon for a long walk, and here are some pictures from our excursion.

"Green"

"Heart Shaped Clouds"

"Rust"

"Beach"

"Beach 2"

"Beach 3"

"Weed"

"Trail"

top ten favorite pics from my brother's wedding

This weekend I went home to my brother's wedding.  It was a beautiful wedding which gave me the chance to use my new camera yet again.  Here are my top ten favorite pics from the day:

"Bride and Baby"

"Flower Girl Praying"

"First Few Steps"

"Wedding Bouquet"

"Portrait of Parents"

"Mother Crying"

"First Dance"

"Father & Daughter"



Mother & Son





"Dance"

Bonus:

I just love how candid these are :)

Twelve Candlelight Dinners: January

This post is the start of my series Twelve Candlelight dinners.  Each month I will post an easy meal for you and your sweetie.  So get the candlesticks people, and invest some time in your relationship.

This month's candlelight dinner is pomegranate caramelized chicken breast with sweet potatoes and spinach.

This is what you need to do:

 

Using a fork and poke wholes in the chicken breasts and sprinkle with kosher salt.*

Cover the chicken with tin foil, and place it in the oven at 350 degrees

until the edges or white and the center is still pink (about 10 minutes).*

Meanwhile, peel and chop one sweet potato into bite size pieces.

Then drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and add a little S + P.

Next, quarter a red onion and roughly dice.

Then, add 1/2 of the diced onions to your sweet potato mixture (reserve the other half),  toss,

and put into the oven on 450 degrees until the red onions are tender and the potatoes are golden.

Next, mix together a tablespoon of corn starch

and a tablespoon of vegetable oil.*

Remove the chicken from the oven, pat dry, 

and brush the cornstarch mixture on each side of the chicken breasts.*

Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown

and the center of the meat is not pink anymore.

While the chicken is caramelizing -- remove the seeds from 1/2 of a pomegranate

and place in a bowl with the reserved red onion.

Zest half a lemon and add the zest to the pomegranate seeds and onion.

After the chicken is cooked through, remove from the pan and cover with tin foil. 

Your skillet should have a wonderful caramelized bottom like this.

Deglaze the skillet with a 1/2 cup of low sodium chicken broth and the juice of half of a lemon juice.

Finish the sauce with a pad of unsalted butter (1 tablespoon),

and remove from skillet.

 Add a bunch of spinach to the same skillet

 and saute over medium to low heat until wilted.

Plate up the chicken, sweet potatoes, and spinach. 

Drizzle the brown sauce over the dish and garnish with the pomegranate mixture.

Ingredients:

6 thinly patted chicken breasts

kosher salt

1 Sweet Potato (peeled and chopped)

1/4 of a medium onion (roughly chopped)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Seeds from half a pomegranate

Juice and zest from half a lemon

1/2 cup of low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 bunch spinach

Directions:

• Using a fork and poke wholes in your 6 chicken breasts and then salt the chicken.
• Cover the chicken with tin foil, and place it in the oven at 350 degrees until the edges or white and the center is still pink (about 10 minutes).
• Meanwhile, peel and chop one sweet potato into bite size pieces.
• Then drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil, add a little S + P, and toss.
• Next, quarter a red onion and roughly dice. 
• Then, add 1/2 of the diced onions to your sweet potato mixture (reserve the other half), and put into the oven on 450 degrees until the red onions are tender and the potatoes are golden
• Next, mix together a tablespoon of corn starch and a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
• Remove the chicken from the oven, pat dry, and brush the cornstarch mixture on each side of the chicken breasts.
• Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown over medium heat until the center of the meat is not pink anymore.
• While the chicken is caramelizing -- remove the seeds from 1/2 of a pomegranate and place in a bowl with the reserved red onion.
• Zest half a lemon and add the zest to the pomegranate seeds and onion.
• After the chicken is cooked through, remove from the pan and cover with tin foil. 
• Deglaze the skillet with a 1/2 cup of low sodium chicken broth and a tablespoon of lemon juice.
• Finish the sauce with a pad of unsalted butter and remove from skillet.
• Add a bunch of spinach to the same skillet and saute over medium to low heat until wilted.
• Plate up the chicken, sweet potatoes, and spinach. 
• Drizzle the brown sauce over the dish and garnish with the pomegranate mixture.

*This part of the recipe was a concept from Cook's Illustrated.

Malibu Landscape Series

Today, I finally had a chance to head out to Malibu and try out my new camera (my Christmas present from M).  My goal was to figure out how to use aperture, focus, and shutter speed.  I am not proficient at it yet, but I had a little luck today.

As a side note, I couldn't have asked for a better day to do it - it was actually 86 degrees in Burbank when I left for Malibu.  Driving down the 101 and the PCH going 55 MPH (rare indeed, usually speed is 0-20 MPH) listening to blasting music, and with the windows down....so much fun.  And, an hour after I got to Malibu, the marine layer began to roll in close to the shoreline.  Beautiful!

Here are the ones, I liked the best ( I even, with tongue-in -cheek, named my favorites . . . hehe):


"Cascading Blue"

 

"Purple 1"



"Purple 2"

 

"Purple 3"




"Purple 4"

 

"Surf's Up 1"



"Surf's Up 2"



"Walking In The Clouds"



"Walking in the Clouds 2"





"Signs of Better Times Ahead 1"



"Signs of Better Times Ahead 2"

"Weeds"

"Island"

"Mountains"

"Shrouded Road"

 

"Fence"

"Little Red Villa"

"Pink"

"White"