Only in LA…Please note his twitter handle in the far right hand corner!
Tweet this! Travel Tip #98: The Roadie
Nine times out of ten, the wine they serve on airplanes (especially in coach) tastes like rubbing alcohol and gives you a headache after only one little bottle. Can you tweet #notworthit?
Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy a nice glass of wine on a flight with your US Weekly or Rom Com on demand? A sweet sauvignon blanc where you can taste the honeysuckle or a robust cabernet with soft tannins. That’s more like it!
Since you’re not going to find that on the plane and you can’t pack your own bottle, we have to get creative. Thankfully airports are going to great lengths to renovate their food and beverage offerings in the terminals. I’m sure you’ve seen a few wine bars popping up amongst them.
My instagram photo gives away where I’m going with this, but getting a wine (or cocktail) roadie isn’t as easy as it sounds. Technically, bartenders aren’t supposed to let you take alcohol off of their premises. Most in Texas could care less, but I’ve found in other cities, they are a little more particular. My tip: sit down at the bar, order a glass, be-friend the bartender, and then politely ask if you can have one to go in a paper coffee cup. If they don’t serve coffee, you might have to hop over to the Starbucks next door, but when you’re popping off the lid at 30k feet, you’ll be glad you made the effort.
Don’t forget to look your bartender in the eye and give him/her a very sincere “thank you” as you push over the signed check with a generous tip. Think of it as paying it forward to the next reader who will want the same favor :)
Tweet this! LA locals will laugh at NYC’s new burger joint
When I saw on Eater that Fat Burger is opening in New York, I actually laughed out loud. Where do I start with this mess:
First of all, restaurant concepts and brands should generally move East to West. Especially chains. Even when they do move from NYC to LA, I find the West Coast outpost to be far inferior to its NYC parent (STK, BLT, Fig & Olive, there are others…). Northern California cuisine is another ball game, but I can’t think of any SF restos that have come to NYC. (Chefs obviously excluded – they’re smart enough to start something new in NYC!)
While I will admit to downing my fair share of Fat Burgers, that hasn’t been since college when it was the ONLY boutique burger joint in town. Now there are a handful to choose from that blow a Fat Burger off the griddle!
BUT! We must consider the location they chose: Murray Hill. Due to its affordable doorman buildings, I finished my 3 year NYC stint on 30th and 3rd. Now, when I go back to my favorite mani/pedi lady, I’ve found the midtown east hood has grown up since it’s “Curry Hill” days when it was the playground for B ‘n T (Jersey kids driving into the city to party). My goodness does that crowd love a new concept and chowing down late night. Otherwise, new finance twenty-somethings are the locals and tend to need some serious hangover grub. So, my thought is, the people probably haven’t changed that much and Fat Burger will be a huge hit. Extra bottom line bonus if they deliver.
For those of you with a discerning burger palate – I hope that’s all of you – hear me when I tell you: NOT WORTH IT!
Tweet this! Hearty summer salad
I can’t make this salad for at least another two weeks, but once I’m in a real kitchen, it will be on the top of my list. Melissa Clark’s recipes never disappoint!
She states in her NYT article that she had issues with dried beans and that Great Northern canned beans worked just fine. (Yay!)
What I love about this dish is that it’s a departure from most light and citrusy salads that I usually have to eat a mountain of before I feel satisfied. You can also toss the leftovers in quinoa with fresh basil, tomatoes, and turkey and have a whole new salad.
White Bean Asparagus Salad with Tarragon-Lemon Dressing
By Melissa Clark, New York Times Dining 6/5/2013
Total time: 20 minutes (plus soaking time for dried beans), serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces dried white beans or 2 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern or cannellini beans
- Salt
- 2 bay leaves, if using dried beans
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1/2 cup tarragon leaves
- 1 teaspoon packed finely grated lemon zest
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large lemon, juiced, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
PREPARATION
(If using canned beans, drain and rinse. If using dried beans, soak in plenty of water for 6 hours or overnight.)
- Drain beans and transfer to a medium pot. Cover beans by 2 inches with water and add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the bay leaves. Simmer until just tender but not at all mushy, about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending upon what kind of beans you’re using. Drain.
- Break off tough ends of the asparagus. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl with ice and cold water. Blanch trimmed asparagus for 1 1/2 minutes, or until just cooked through but still firm, then plunge them into the ice bath. Let sit for 5 minutes, then drain. Pat dry and slice diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces.
- In a blender or food processor, combine tarragon, lemon zest, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, the black pepper and the lemon juice, and process until garlic is chopped. Pour in olive oil. Process until mixture is well blended and bright green, about 1 minute.4.In a large mixing bowl, gently toss together beans, asparagus and dressing. Taste and add more lemon juice and salt if needed.
Tweet this! I might have to buy these diapers JUST for the ad
The song is questionable, but I LOVE The concept. Ads like these give me hope corporate America is evolving. Slowly but surely.
Seventh Generation is also a brand I trust. Considering how short of a time span a diaper actually stays on a child, maybe not worth the extra few bucks for the pricier package. But we are talking about your precious babies. I am ALWAYS on the green side when it comes to kids, their food, and whatever they are coming in contact with.
I know most of you have kids. What diapers do/did you buy?
Tweet this! A Secret to my beach hair
My friend, who shall remain nameless, who occasionally visits those crazy reblogging sites, tells me my nickname has become “MMBH” which stands for Mare Mare Beach Hair. First of all, that’s hysterical. I think it stems from my days living in Playa del Carmen with this particular friend and posting pics where I didn’t have a stitch of make up on or any product in my hair.
Tons of you wrote in asking “how do you make your hair wavy like that?” I had a method back then. I never posted it. (Sorry!)
Recently, since I’ve been doing nothing really but spinning, I don’t do my hair or my makeup. I feel like a ragamuffin (as my mom would say). So you can understand my surprise when I get consistent compliments on my hair! I should say, EVERYONE likes my hair better this way.
Well, I don’t! <<stamp my foot with a pouty face>> I prefer it straight, I feel better when it’s straight, and it’s easier to manage when it’s straight.
That being said, to straighten it is a process and time consuming. In order to get this wavy look everyone loves….I don’t have to do a THING to it.
The secret I’ll offer you is this: DON’T BRUSH YOUR HAIR after the shower.
Throw it up in a towel to let it dry and then shake it out with your fingers 10 minutes later. Then you have a wet head until it dries. The wait can be a little annoying if you’re trying to get out the door, but if you’re not doing anything to it, your hair will just dry on the way. I always bring a rubber band in case it falls flat so I can just throw it up in a bun or pony tail.
My friend Lily actually has long thick beautiful hair that couldn’t get curly if she tried, but she refuses to brush it an so she has this nice little wave going on.
You can try a light gel product to scrunch into it. Just make sure the weight of the product it’s heavy because it will pull your hair flat. I’m going to look into a few other kinds of products and I’ll report back.
Tweet this! When life gets tough
We get our game face on.
Right?!
That’s what I’m telling myself this Monday morning that has NOT been going my way for 9 hours now. Yes, 9 hours.
After 11 hours of traveling in every type of motorized device that runs on land and 2 hours of sleep, I’ve got a full day of Soul work ahead of me to prepare for my classes this week.
I’m partially prepared and totally exhausted, but I’ve come too far to back down now.
Ok, out into the rain I go. Thankfully I’m hauling it to a spin bike and not a desk. That’s a blessing that is not lost on me.
Tweet this! You can mark this town off your wish list: Marfa, TX
If you’re not from Texas, you probably only know about Marfa from the pop-up Prada “shop” that’s “there” to highlight the artsy west Texas town. If your a Texan, you’ve heard Marfa is like a cool “Santa Fe” where all of the interesting artists live and should be on a to-do list of local getaways. That’s what inspired my girlfriends and I to make the trek.
After my short stay, I’d like to take this blog post to set the record straight: there is nothing to see, eat, or do, in the town. The artists that go there must hull up in their little commune and not emerge until they’re ready to sell their stuff in the big city.
The run-down town is built around a highway with only one other main street and two decent restaurants, neither of which you can get a reservation at.
We were excited to stay at the famed Thunderbird Inn because we are all huge fans of The Hotel St. Cecilia in Austin (read my review here). But it proved to be just like any other motel, with the exception that the service was far from friendly.
I think this car says it all. Is Marfa: Artsty? Kinda. Cute: Not so much? Overall, none of us were impressed, especially after the 9 hour drive it takes to get there from Houston!
Now, do you see where I’m coming from. Marfa just ain’t worth it y’all.
Tweet this! 