nutella.

if you don't LOVE or know what nutella is, you're crazy.

and it's nutella day. you'd better recognize.

i'm making these, like right now.

via buns in my oven.

my doc told me today to cut out salt for the swelling and the sweets for the chubby baby inside of me.  she specifically said "no more ice cream".  

b*tch cray.

nutella.

need to pick up nutella and make these heavenly morsels.  i'll let you know how it all goes.

via chef in training.

tara nominated me for a blog award.  there are rules to follow, but if you don't mind, i will skip ahead to answering the 11 questions.

1. What's the weirdest/grossest thing you have ever eaten-or at least what other people consider to be gross/weird.
cow tongue.  i know. disgusting.

2. Have you ever stolen anything?
yes.  uh.  that's a yes or no question, right?

3. What is your favorite book (or the most recent one you liked)
fountainhead.

4. What is your favorite country you have visited (assuming you have visited another country). If not another country, what state?
tokyo and paris.  for obvious reasons.

5. Is it called soda or pop?
who calls it pop.

6. What do you buy when you go to a movie theater to eat (if anything)?
popcorn, nachos with jalapenos, diet coke, bon bons.  that's right.

7. Have you ever peed your pants (or the bed) that you can remember?
for sure.

8.  What's your favorite swear word?
ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff.

9. What kind of yogurt flavor do you like?
vanilla or plain. that's it. the end.

10. Do you ever wear socks to bed?
why would you EVER wear socks to bed.  so no, i do not.

11. How do you roast a marshmallow (do you prefer it burned, perfectly toasted, etc.)
crunchy light brown on the outside, ooey gooey melted on the inside.

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i'm so interesting.

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i happen to like these questions so i will nominate the folks i'd like to know more about and pass 'em forward:

1. sho and tell.
2. gold and gray.
3. a history of architecture.

xx

apples.

so i guess the fuji apples i have are abnormally large.  the recipe called for 2 and i only used half.  hm.

in any case, the cake came out delicious.  i ran out of sugar for the topping so i subbed light brown sugar and i think it caramelized even better.  pats on my back.

plus the house smelled so good.  mm mm good.

*apple yogurt coffee cake*

cake.

i'm so making this today.  it won't be as pretty because i don't have a springform pan nor any circular baking pan, actually, but it's ok.  i have a ton of fuji apples in my fridge and need to use them in something.

proper.

via cupcakes and cashmere.

tired.

hubs and i went to the mumford & sons concert at the hollywood bowl last night and can i just tell you.  i'm not a fan of stacked parking.  it's a bitch when you're tired and just want to get home but can't because the cars in front of you and behind you and on both sides of you WON'T MOVE.

but the boys were grand and it was worth it.  even on a monday night.

it's now mid morning and i should be getting my ass over to trader joes to shop for dinner and meals for the rest of the week.  but i've been lounging on the couch for close to 3 hours and can't get myself to even wash my face or change out of my pjs.  i just want to do nothing.

that said, i thought back to this quick and easy lunch i made last week to get myself motivated.  it was exactly what i wanted - healthy and delish.  tip: salmon from tj's is fab.

and in our house, sriracha is a staple.  can you tell.

*marinated baked salmon with white rice and broccoli with sesame shitake dressing.*

snickerdoodle.

snickers are my favorite candy bar.

somewhat totally unrelated, i also love snickerdoodles.

if i hadn't had the misfortune of having become privy to weevils a month ago [that's correct. these bugs live in the flour you bring home from the store, ppl.], i would not be writing this blog entry, i would be making these snickerdoodle cupcakes.

photo via your cup of cake via DALS.

beouf.

gaw.  the weather is srsly such a tease.  it's so hot and then it's cold(ish).  like today felt like the perfect start to fall.  but the forecast shows another stint in the 80s later this week.

in any case.  when the weather gets a bit cloudy, nothing is as satisfying as a creamy, hearty, slow-cooked meal.  making stroganoff is pretty hard work [ahem, to me] but the outcome is just so worth it, it may just have to be on heavy rotation this fall.

totes forgot to take a picture of the final product.  because i had to put it in my mouth asap.

*beef stroganoff*

baked.

why don't i live in brooklyn.

would it be overkill to ask my hubs to travel 3000 miles to help me curb this crazy craving i'm having for pumpkin ginger + earl grey sandwich cookies.

would it.

via whimsy and spice.

sticks.

i'm starting this new thing with all my free time. [yes, that's right.  i have free time.  lots of it.]  

aka cooking.

it feels weird documenting the ingredients and, the process in general.  but then i put it all together like this and then...i'm glad i did it.

*french toast sticks with strawberries*

holy.

mmkay y'all.

weekend to-do:  pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

via smitten kitchen.

i mean.

halloweenie.

it might be the hormones but i'm actually looking forward to halloween this year.  i've never really been excited for halloween (except for the excessive drinking and fake costumes of years yonder - you know what i'm talking about) but all of a sudden, i want to start filling my house with smells of spicy baked goods and i want to paint ginorm and oddly shaped gourds.  big girl stuff.

the next logical step would be to try to win a witch hat cookie cutter to add to my collection.

wouldn't you agree.

via matthew mead.

oui.

the hubs has goneth on a weekend trip to hang out with buds for the superbowl. bye bye.

got my nails did (essie: bahama mama).

got my teeth cleaned. picked up clothes at a tailor. went to another tailor to get a sweater hemmed (this is apparently muy dificil).

got some goodies at lemonade.

heading out in a couple of hours to drink and eat and then drink a lot more.

time to pick out my outfit. tata.

feeds.

maybe it's because it's friday.
maybe it's because it's february.
maybe it's because i went to bed at 9:30 last night and woke up feeling refreshed for once.
maybe it's because i'm hungry and need something sweet and salty like right now.
maybe it's because these recipes are weird but so intriguing in a 'makes sense' kind of way.

i don't know.

but it's time to pit potato chips against potato chips in a way it's never been done.

via smitten kitchen.

via because im addicted.

to be continued.

OC.

a real conversation:

me: i can't WAITTTT for the real housewives of OC to start. it looks AMAAAAAAzing.

him: you are srsly. so weird.

mmhm. orly.

not as weird as me actually liking this juice that we he made tonight with our new juicer with lotso green veggies and one fruit. (pear)

so weird.

hungry.

so if i'm hungry after completing just day 1 of my stupid detox, and i'm just staring at food pics all night, what does that make me.

tomorrow, i plan to take a cue from here and wear all different kinds of textural things. like at least 3 different ones. because that's the rule i just made up.

it'll be a proper distraction from my growling tummy.

oh. and a little bit of vogue never hurt anybody.

a pretty gift from my sister for my birthday.

cutouts.

i really did let the lbs stack on this holiday season. i pigged out without abandon and it left me with fatty crumbs all over my mind and body.

so, i've decided to do my first ever cleanse. to feel better and to shake off all the nasties. and because i'm one to jump on the trend bus, albeit years after the fact, i've decided to try the infamous goop detox.

i spent today investing in a juicer (gughghg) and hitting up 3 grocery stores to get all the produce, powders, and potions i'd need to complete this endeavor. i really don't know how i'm going to feel or how i'm going to look, but really, i'm excited. i should be, right? because it's going to work, right?

i don't plan to post a day to day update unless something is just super craze and i can't not share what's happening.

as extra motivation, i'll continue to remind myself that crop tops are coming back back back.

by vanessa jackman.

brussels.

brussel sprouts are little cabbages of happiness.

literally.

clockwise from top left: raw, dirty skins, spices, dry, wet, done.

sandy.

we had an impromptu picnic today after picking up some godmothers from bay cities.

you don't know about bay cities?

really.