Put a fork in me...

Juicy Couture Sweater, Kain Tee, Genetic Jeans, Uggs. Charm Rings

December is always hectic for me so I didn't have any time to do my shopping early. I broke down today and went to the mall today to finish it all up. As a teen, I used to be able to spend hours and hours in a mall scouring Contempo Casuals and Bebe. Now, after stepping into one, I immediately get a headache. The only saving grace for me is Panda Express in the food court. I don't eat fast food that often, but the chow mein always tempts me. The noodles are thin and are perfectly chewy. To reward my long day, I bought a large order and scarfed it down as soon as I got home. (That's a lie, I actually ate half the box in the car on the way home. Not recommeded. It's dangerous and I dropped noodles in between my car seat.)

Cuddle time with my dog Stella.

Meals on Wheels

 

I made one of my favorite Korean dishes last night, Kimbap, which is basically a cooked sushi roll. I have fond memories of sitting at the kitchen table with my Mom, making roll after roll when our church was having a potluck lunch. There are a few different ingredient variations you can play around with depending on what kind of meat you want to use. (Ground beef, steak, crab, fish cakes...)

I decided to use steak which I cut into strips and marinated for a couple of hours in sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic before grilling. Egg omelette cut into strips, julienned sauteed carrots, blanched spinach and sweet pickled daikon radish. (You can get the pickled daikon radish at various asian markets. If you can't find it, pickled Japanese ginger might be a good substitute.

 

Spread the rice on 3/4 of the roasted seaweed and layer the ingredients in a row. Use a bamboo mat to roll up into a sushi roll.

Created a little "Korean" bento box lunch for some lucky friends. Strawberry pocky snacks for dessert.

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts

Now that things are calming down and I'm done with all my sample sales, I decided that it was time for a Christmas party for my staff. We went to the new Trader Vic's downtown at LA Live for a celebration of great food and drinking out of coconuts.

The drinks are soooo good and I requested my caipirinha to be served in a coconut. I loved them so much, I bought two coconuts for everyone to take home!

Wrapping up gifts...this year, my staff are getting a swarovski necklace, three charm rings, and a bottle of wine. The rings look amazing stacked together. 

Leftovers

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us and for the very first time I cooked a entire turkey dinner from scratch, it's time for the leftovers and there is a LOT of it! Usually I eat leftovers as is, as shown above, but today I decided to eat it as a sandwich. I love watching old Thanksgiving episodes of Friend's and particularly love the scene where Ross's boss eats his leftover turkey sandwich with Monica's famous "moist-maker", an additional slice of bread soaked in gravy. I only had a leftover baguette laying around so I soaked the top piece of bread with gravy and scooped out the inside and refilled it with stuffing. Yum! Maybe I'll make some turkey soup next...

Urban Light

Last weekend, my guy and I went to rent a movie and on the way home we stopped to play around the Urban Light exhibit outside the LACMA museum. All the lamps are recycled and the lights are solar powered which illuminate the courtyard of the museum. Definitely a must see in Los Angeles.

 

Genetic Jeans, Michael Stars Tee, Eileen Fisher Sweater, Converse, Silver Beaded Earrings

Lazy Friday

Juicy Couture Jacket, William Rast Jeans, Kain Tee, Kenneth Cole Boots, Anya Hindmarch Bag, Gold Tassel Necklace, Gold Circle Necklace

Feeling lazy today so I took a little stroll down my street looking for inspiration. I find walking therapeutic and usually get my best ideas when I'm alone in my thoughts. Testing my new tassel necklace that I just created. I love it. It adds a little swing to my step. I think I'm going to make a matching bracelet...

Taking a little soda break.

 

Walking back home. Recharged and ready to work...

It's not delivery...

I love making pizza from scratch. When I make it, I feel like it's a healthier version of take out because I know what is in my ingredients so I can eat more slices. I sometimes still order delivery when I don't have enough energy or time, but it's so more satisfying when I do it myself.

Pepperoni, leeks and mushrooms. Chicken, spinach, goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and shallots.

I always get too excited and put way too many toppings on the pizza. I also make the pizza sauce using some sauteed onions and garlic with a big can of crushed tomatoes.

Kneading the dough.

I used to buy the pizza dough from a local pizzeria, but I've discovered that it's really easy to make from scratch. I use this recipe that I found online that has a pretty good description on how to knead the dough by hand. You can also do it in a food processor.

Dough that has doubled after an hour. 

 

Finished product. Ready to eat!

Lady in Red

 Nightcap Clothing tunic, Vintage cowboy boots, Oval link necklace, Swarovski Necklace

Sometimes there is nothing better in life then going out to brunch with your girlfriends on a lazy Saturday. I'm going downtown to meet my friend Ashley for some french dip sandwiches at Cole's. Gotta keep it comfortable, so I threw on this Nightcap Clothing tunic over leggings and some boots I found at a flea market. Nightcap is one of my favorite brands because it feels like you are wearing pajamas. I matched this outfit with some of my favorite pieces, the oval link necklace in both gold and silver and the gold swarovski necklace. Super simple and they complete any outfit.

Date Night!

Rory Beca top, Genetic Jeans, Twelfth Street wedges, Anya Hindmarch bag, Feather Bone Necklace, Hugo Boss belt

So my guy had a night off this Saturday and we were hungry for some sushi. We weren't in the mood to hop to a bar afterward, so instead we got some ice cream at the Farmer's market on Third and shopped at The Grove.  Picked up a new cookbook by Mark Peel, chef of Campanile, here in Los Angeles and a few other books. Can't wait to cook something. Everything looks so good!

Mocha almond fudge from Bennett's. Gotta get my own next time cause my guy scarfed down the rest of the ice cream after this shot. ;)

Some of our samplings at Gonpachi.

Seoul Food

As a kid, the main goal in life is to fit in with your peers. As an American born daughter of immigrant parents, my lunch box didn't always match the peanut butter sandwiches my friends brought to school. Whenever I found my favorite Korean meal, Kim Bap (basicially, cooked Korean style sushi), my friend would go "Ewwww" and I would be embarrassed. I would go home and look in dismay at the Korean food my Mom prepared for dinner and ask, "Why we can't have spaghetti?". It wasn't until I moved out of the house when I started appreciating my heritage and it's food. Luckily living in Los Angeles, home to the largest Koreatown, I can have Korean food whenever I want to.

One of my favorite dishes is Kimchi Soon Tofu, a bubbling spicy soup served in a hot cast iron pot. I get my fix at BCD Tofu house there are more than 10 different varieties of soup and you can order it mild, medium or spicy. When the soup arrives at your table it is boiling hot and you should immediately crack a raw egg into the pot, allowing the heat of the soup to cook the egg. Make sure you let the soup cool down before eating it. On numerous occasions I've burned my mouth because I can't wait to eat.

 

My favorite location is on Western Avenue because as they greet your table the waiters bring you an 'amuse bouche' of nutrionless iceberg lettuce in a light refreshing salad dressing (which I think is made of rice vinegar and sugar)

 

After taking your order, you get a small deep fried fish which melts in your mouth. Some people find it awkward looking at the head of an animal you are eating, but after eating the flaky fillet, they get hooked. 

The rice is a production in itself. It arrives in hot stone pots where it browns and cooks before the waiters scoop it up in bowls.

Vintage Time

Vintage Dress, Chloe Boots, Vintage Watch Necklace, Swarovski Bracelet, Hammered Circle Hoops

Since it's still sunny with the temperatures in the 70's, it was the perfect day for my vintage purple dress I got from a thrift store. I think that there's nothing more gratifying then pairing a $5 dress with expensive boots.This dress holds a special place in my heart because I trekked this dress all thoughout Europe a few summers ago. It was perfect for traveling because it never got wrinkled no matter how smushed it was on the bottom of my backpack.

 

Outside a candy shop in Paris!

I love these vintage watch necklaces! Each are one of a kind and the tarnish on them vary. They are a great statement piece.  The hammered circle hoops are one of my staple earrings. Super simple, but are noticeable. 

A little gray...

Genetic Jeans, Sample sale tee I shredded, Dior Sunglasses,  Smoky quartz body jewelry, Havianas flip flops

Daylight savings always makes me a little sad because the sun goes away so early. I'm in mourning wearing blacks and grays. After seeing Raquel Allegra's creations, I've been obsessed in making shredded tees (mostly because I don't want to fork over $500 for a shirt) which I love to wear with my body jewelry. Here I have the smoky quartz body piece layered over a gray shredded tee that I made. All of the body jewelry is reversible and can also be worn as a super long necklace. 
 

Also, I'm wearing one of my newest creations that I'm excited about. I'm being eco-friendly by recycling vintage pieces and adding them to leather cuffs that I make out of scrap leather. All are one of a kind!

Start of a new beginning...

Follow my blog with bloglovin
So, I feel like I'm a little late in the game, but I've decided to start blogging. Being a jewelry designer I feel like the pictures of my pieces look pretty, but it's hard to visualize them on an outfit. I want to show you the ways I wear the pieces for inspiration. Also, living in Los Angeles, I want to be able to share my life and loves with you...fashion and food.