Coppola Pool

May 23, 2013 | adventures | Permalink

This past weekend I attended my first ever bachelorette party. I know this is going to be the first of many, and if the future celebrations (my own included) are half as fun as this one, I have a lot to look forward to. Everything was perfect, from the venue, to the weather, to the wonderful group of girls that attended. We started out the day at the Francis Ford Coppola pool. My last visit to wine country was to Napa, and I had never been up to Geyserville before. I had no idea that this pool existed prior to this trip, but I am going to make it a point to go as often as I can in the future. Picture a sprawling pool surrounded by lounge chairs on the grounds of a gorgeous winery: There is a poolside cafe where you can order cocktails, or if you don’t want to leave your lounge chair (heaven forbid) you can order from one of the various waiters scampering around. There are also bocce ball courts, a movie museum, and of course, the wine tasting room.The 7 of us girls spent the first half of the day in the sun, gossiping, reading US Weekly, and drinking cocktails, breaking just to take dips in the pool. I donned a new bathing suit, a crochet one-piece by Robin Piccone. We eventually dined at the pool cafe, where I ordered the Cobb salad (it was excellent – and I don’t even like Cobb salads). We also celebrated the bride with an adorable cake, complete with an edible pink stiletto.

My favorite cocktail of the day was a lemon slushie type drink mixed with Absolut Citron, lemon juice, and Copolla’s own Blanc de Blancs sparkling white wine (in my hand below).

Being that this was only a “day” bachelorette, we cleaned up and headed back into the city around 4pm. We capped off our time together at Joseph Humphrey’s Dixie, a contemporary restaurant with Southern style food in the Presidio. I would recommend the cheddar and scallion hushpuppies to start, and the grass fed beef (complete with a side of truffle grits) as your main. You can read Michael Bauer’s review of the restaurant if you want a more thorough description.

All in all, if you’re living in San Francisco and need a good day getaway, the Coppola pool (about 1.5 hours out) is the perfect spot. I loved getting to know the girls better, and it made me even more excited for the wedding in July. Now where am I going to get the perfect formal dress? I’d love to hear any suggestions!

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Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

May 21, 2013 | recipes | Permalink

Every Spring when rhubarb starts popping up in the farmers markets, I resolve to do something different with it than combine it with strawberries into a wonderfully delicious dessert. There are even slideshows with unconventional ideas for how to use the tart vegetable (Side note – I just Googled ‘is rhubarb a fruit or vegetable’).

While I always have these great intentions, I usually end up resorting to a traditional strawberry rhubarb crisp, my standby recipe. Nothing quite beats the pairing of sweet strawberries with tart rhubarb, topped with an oat-y crumbly top. I initially got the recipe from the Food & Wine slideshow, but I made some edits to make it a bit healthier by using less sugar and butter (my version is also a smaller quantity than the original recipe). I’ve tried both and I think my version tastes exactly the same. Adaptation below:

Ingredients

filling

1 lb of fresh rhubarb (about 5 stalks) sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rhubarb topping

3 ounces unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup quick cooking rolled oats

3 tablespoons canola oil

1.5 teaspoons cinnamon

3.4 teaspoon salt

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss the rhubarb with 1/4 cup sugar and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. In another bowl, toss the strawberries with the other 1/4 cup of sugar and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the rhubarb to the strawberries, discarding any leftover rhubarb juice. Add the cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla to the fruit and stir well. Transfer the mixture to a 8×8 inch baking dish (I used an oval Le Creuset gratin dish, but a similar size will work).

2. Combine all the topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, mix until large crumbs form.

3. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling and bake for about 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 and bake about 15 minutes more, until the fruit filling is bubbling and the topping is nicely browned. Let rest 10-20 minutes before serving.

Serve alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The recipe says that the topping can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight. Just bring it to room temperature before using in the recipe!

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D’Orsay Flats

May 14, 2013 | trends | Permalink

I’ve noticed the D’Orsay trend popping up in a lot of flats lately. These seem like the perfect way to keep your feet cool in the Summer months while still appearing polished and professional. Given that San Francisco gets warm about 2 days out of the year (hello August 21st and September 7th!), I probably don’t need to go buy a TON, but I couldn’t help purchasing the first white pair below. One of the things I was skeptical about was if they would stay on my feet, but they fit perfectly (order a half size down if you’re getting the same ones that I did), and I can tell I’ll be reaching for them often this Summer. Enjoy some more examples below!

Report Signature Silverton; $80 at Report Signature (also in black)

Jenni Kayne Lattice flat; $525 at Les Nouvelles 3.1 Phillip Lim D'Orsay flat 3.1 Phillip Lim D’Orsay Snakeskin flat; $395 at SSense

Report Signature Sloane flat; $70 at Piperlime (also in snake and black; in white here)Alexander Wang Elsa Flats; $525 at Shopbop

Jeffrey Campbell In Love

Jeffrey Campbell In Love flat; $95 at Nasty Gal

Klub Nico Rosine flats; also in brown polka dot $128 at Anthropologie

Jeffrey Campbell Skimmers; $115 at Anthropologie

These all add a dainty air to a pair of skinnies, but would also work perfectly with an A-line skirt or shorts. Next up on my list is a great pair of gladiators, and I should be set for Summer shoes!

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Mother’s Day Brunch

April 25, 2013 | recipes | Permalink

I need to stop sharing all my secrets. The last secret I shared with you was my go-to, ‘bring anywhere’ dessert – Chocolate Chip, Caramel, Butterscotch Oat Bars. They’re embarrassingly easy – I make them all the time. The recipe that I’m sharing today is another simple go-to, but this time it’s for brunch. One of the main ingredients is asparagus, which looks absolutely gorgeous at the farmers markets this time of year. I’m always looking for a way to use it in the Spring.
I tend to prepare this dish the night before whenever we have guests in town, so I don’t have to spend the morning running around like a crazy person preparing breakfast. It’s perfect for any occasion, but would be especially appropriate to make for your Mom this Mother’s Day (May 12)!

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus, cut up into 1 inch pieces

1 shallot, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 large eggs

1.5 cups half and half – if you want to make this healthier, you can substitute another form of milk like 1% or skim

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 cups torn baguette pieces (I usually use sourdough)

1 cup grated gruyere

4 oz cut up hamInstructions

If you’re making this ahead, do everything in steps 2 and 3 and then refrigerate it overnight. Bring it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature on the counter for about 30 minutes prior to sticking in the oven. Serves 4-6, depending on how hungry you are.

1. Spray and 8×8 inch cooking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Sautee the asparagus and the shallot in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until tender (about 10 minutes), let cool

3. Whisk together eggs, half and half, salt and pepper. Fold in the torn baguette pieces, grated Gruyere ham and asparagus mixture. Pour ingredients into the baking dish, and bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, until the center is firm and the bread pieces are beginning to brown.Serve this topped with hot sauce, alongside some fresh fruit. Mother’s Day brunch, done!

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Splurge vs Save

April 12, 2013 | trends | Permalink

Never bring your Harper’s Bazaar magazine to read on the elliptical. It is WAY too clunky, and doesn’t sit on the stand well. Half of the effort put into my workout involved trying to keep the magazine from falling. Anyway, while struggling through my workout session, I came across this article and immediately fell in love with Proenza Schouler’s Mixed Tambourine Bag. I love that it features the mixed media/collage trend without looking too jumbled or tacky. When I stumbled across a near-replicate at Asos, I had to purchase it. I plan on carrying it tonight to dinner at Beast and the Hare. Enjoy your weekend!

Proenza Schouler Mixed Tambourine Bag; $3,995 at Moda Operandi

Clutch Bag with Print Clash and Metal Rings; $58 at ASOS

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