mushroom week

We bought tons of mushrooms this week...

 

You can't exactly tell from these pictures, but I've used mushrooms in every dinner this week so far because we bought all sorts of Japanese mushrooms at Mitsuwa this week (yay for sale!).  As a mushroom lover, it's like a heaven!  As some of you may know, I've been really really really stressed out lately and since I couldn't even work out, I've decided to use cooking as my stress reliever, and it worked!  The mushroom risotto especially has came out really nicely, using shimeji mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms, in perfect al dente :)

To make my stressful week somewhat cheerful, I've tasted (or more like ate half of) this fruit tart my friend has made.  IT'S AWESOME!  I sometimes wish if I can bake...  but for now, I gonna let the professional handle it :)

more sake, please!

Exhausted from fun, but busy weekend...

Monday is always hard, especially when you had a lot of fun on weekends, but it's even harder when you have a really busy weekend.  I mean, I shouldn't complain since I was busy having fun, but still, totally feeling sleep deprived.  In addition to my friend's birthday party on Saturday, I started my Sunday by going to a free yoga session at lululemon in Brentwood with my friend and ended the day with Dream Theater concert in downtown LA.  Busy weekend like that, deserve very comforting Japanese dishes like these... with sake, of course!!!

birthday party in Santa Monica

birthday celebration @ One Pico in Shutters on the Beach...

To celebrate my friend's birthday, we decided to gather at this really cute restaurant in Shutters on the Beach hotel, One Pico.  Despite the so-so weather, it was still awesome to see the beach right in front of you, plus good food and good customer service, we were all happy :)  All of us met through each others' blogs, hence we were all pretty busy taking pictures at one point... lol.

Afterwards, we went back to my place to do the official birthday cake celebration.  I picked up this cake from Armandine.  Doesn't it look so pretty?

Soon after, the birthday girl's husband and my boyfriend joined us.  I guess they smelled the cake :P  Happy birthday!!!
 

One Pico (Shutters on the Beach)
1 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 587-1717
http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/santa-monica-fine-dining


Armandine Cafe
12225 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025(310) 979-3211
http://www.amandinecafe.com/

Friday dinner

The dish someone cooked for me always taste amazing...

So I must say this week has been one of the most stressful week I've ever experienced in my life.  Sadly, it will keep going like this for a while, but one positive thing that got out of it was that it reassured me that I've surrounded myself with some amazing people.  Without my boyfriend and friends, I don't know how I would have climb back up.  Friday night ended pretty peacefully, eating this seafood Korean noodles my boyfriend prepared for me and watching movies with some quality wine.

Tomorrow will even be a better day!

consistency

home cooking...

Cooking is one thing, but sometimes I find it harder to cook everyday consistently and keep the food interesting, while juggling work and other errands.  Although I still cook every night on weekdays, I've been feeling a bit sick of my own food and was in a desperate need of some inspiration.  My mom has given me a new cook book so hopefully that will inspire me to try on new dishes...

Middle Eastern Paradise

@ Carousel Restaurant in Glendale...

 

 

Growing up in one of the most diverse cities in the world, NY, it's quite embarrassing how little I know about the world outside of US (and Japan).  When my boyfriend has asked me if I wanted to go eat Armenian food with his swimming friends, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  The saddest thing was that until I have looked up Armenia in the map, I didn't even know it was a part of Middle Eastern cultures...  Sometimes I just want to shoot myself.  Thankfully, my boyfriend's friends who are Armenian are very understanding and pretty much have explained all the food we were eating and cultures behind it.  Even better, food was amazing and the entertainment that's offered at this restaurant was just soo much fun!!!  My boyfriend and I couldn't help overselves from laughing so hard when we heard one of their traditional music, because it sounded sooo similar to the Japanese traditional music, enka, except this one seemed much more stylish, haha.


Carousel Restaurant
304 N Brand Blvd 
Glendale, CA 91203
818.246.7775
http://www.carouselrestaurant.com

Kiehl's whore :)

Officially addicted...

As you may know I have already been a big Kiehl's whore when it comes to facial products, but ever since I've tried their hair/body products at my gym, I'm officially addicted.  I'm still obsessed with my Giovanni organic shampoo and conditioner, but since I still have a bit of time till my next order, decided to get Kiehl's products too.  There's no such thing as too many shampoos and conditioners.  I also bought body scrubs, which I desperately needed it, and my ultimate "must-have" item, the facial cream.  Although I love all of their products, I think this cream is still by far the best thing I've tried from Kiehl's.  This is one of the reason why my face has become foundation-free!  So good that I'm making my boyfriend try out these days too...

And the second best thing from Kiehl's... this body lotion!  If you have somewhat sensitive skin like I do and is sick of dry weather (like in LA), I highly recommend their products!!!