somehow, someway, i found myself back in New York much sooner than i had anticipated. i had to go out for work, very last minute. it was nice to know that my love for the city is true; it wasn't just based off the excitement of getting out of town a few weeks ago. i was talking to a girlfriend last night, and she was saying how she could never live there, because she needed to be around nature. i totally get that, and i think surrounding yourself with wildlife is important. but, there is something so beautiful about the buildings, the art, and the urban life that i find captivating and just as important as seeing the stars at night. the city is a living thing in itself, or at least a representation of one. what do you think?

the power of inversions

i spilled coffee on my keyboard last week, and now the letter "i" doesn't work. so, i have to copy/paste it every time i use it. and i am not going to do that for capital "i's" as well... so, forgive me if posts are few and far between until i decide to get this fixed.

so, my lesson in this: cut back on coffee. i have had an infatuation with coffee since i was about eight or nine (the number "eight" doesn't work either). coffee is bold, sexy, masculine, dangerous, dirty, pompous... i just love it. but, i don't love being anxious, which caffeine definitely does to me, and i don't love relying on something. sometimes a cup of coffee is the only thing that will get me out of bed and to work. and, with the coffee, stems all the other addictions: you drink coffee because you drank too much whiskey last night; it pairs perfectly with your cigarette; that cup is the one thing that brings a smile, when you're doing shit you really don't want to be doing...

okay, so, if i scale back on my coffee consumption, will the other habits slowly fade as well? and then, what do you replace your time and need for satisfaction with instead? inversions.

twenty-eight day challenge: do an inversion for three minutes everyday, for twenty-eight days. an inversion, in yoga, is basically any pose that brings your head lower than your heart. for example, a handstand. it can also be something as simple as lying down on your back, with your legs up against a wall. my yoga teacher in Bali,  told us about a man who claimed that if you do inversions for three minutes everyday, for twenty-eight days, it would change your life. the benefits of inversions are astounding: they can help calm your mood or be incredibly energizing (depending on the type of inversion or your level as a student); inversions aid in digestion; they help blood circulation; strengthen upper body and boost confidence; heighten body awareness; just to name a few... but, what is most interesting to me is that inversions literally change your perspective on how you see things.

i have been trying to be aware of how i process events and people that come in and out of my life. and lately, i feel like my life has been moving in a lot of different directions; i'm not always sure how to digest it all. sometimes i handle it with grace, sometimes with frustration and doubt. so, how do i change my behavior and habits, so i am more mindful and present? i'm not saying inversions are the answer, but i think they might help.

The Book of Tea

The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo. Admitted, embarrassingly, this is the first book I have read and finished in quite awhile. A book on living consciously; critiques on different cultures and their stigmas; art, architecture, flowers; history and religion; ceremonies; masters. I highly encourage everyone to pick it up. I was jotting down notes the entire time. Here, a couple of quotes that stuck:

"The Present is the moving Infinity, the legitimate sphere of the Relative. Relativity seeks Adjustment; Adjustment is Art. The art of life lies in the constant readjustment to our surroundings."

"It is not that we should ignore the claims of posterity, but that we should seek to enjoy the present more. It is not that we should disregard the creations of the past, but that we should try to assimilate them into our consciousness."

I have had this song on repeat for weeks now, and it's never getting old.

Lately, I have been using Japanese clay pots for steaming veggies and cooking rice. But, this... I am at a loss for words.

NYC

I promised myself a few years ago that I would live in NYC for at least a year. Last week, I visited my best friend Sally, and she convinced me that I need to make this happen sooner than later. I fell hard. Totally in love with the place. I am still trying to process everything that happened, but to say the least, I came home inspired and with more clarity about where my life is heading. 

We spent about 97% of the time eating, big surprise. My two favorites were Roberta's in Brooklyn and Eataly. The rest of the time, we walked, explored, shopped, went to the MET, Central Park, the list goes on. The people, the architecture, the weather, the smells, the subway, it is vibrant with limitless energy; it was all mind-blowing. I am thinking the next time I go back, my stay might be a bit longer. 

So, after six years, I finally move back to Los Angeles. My mom and I are having the best time being back in the same city. And, of course, I decide to go out of town the weekend of Mother's Day (which is upcoming on May 13th, for all those who might have forgotten). To make up for it, we had a great morning filled with baking and cooking at home.

Raspberry scones with meyer lemon whipped cream. Asparagus, mushroom, and manchego frittata. Intelligentsia Panama blend in the french press. Sparkling wine. Little Mosey spying from the window.

Asparagus, Mushroom, and Manchego Frittata. Serves 4.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 red onion, chopped

1 green onion, chopped

5 asparagus spears, diced

5 cremini mushrooms, sliced

handful Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

6 eggs

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/4 cups grated Manchego cheese

kosher salt

Chives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sautee onions with 1 tablespoon butter for 2 minutes, on medium heat. Add the asparagus and mushrooms, and sautee for another 2 minutes. Set aside.

Whisk eggs in a bowl until light yellow. Mix in sour cream. Stir in 1 cup Manchego and the onion/veggie mixture. Add the parsley and a couple pinches of kosher salt. Sprinkle the remaining Manchego on top.

Use the remaining tablespoon of butter to grease a small pan (I used a 6.5 by 7 inch square glass pan). Bake 45-55 minutes, until the egg is set and slightly browned on top.

Cut up the chives for garnish, and serve with additional sour cream, if you like.

Recipe adapted from "Egg Cookery".

I have been obsessing over Woolly Pockets for awhile now. I just need some massive walls of my own.

Last weekend at Coachella, I couldn't wait to see Santigold. She happened to be performing on the main stage, in the afternoon, on the hottest and last day of the weekend. The sun was blazing, I was tipsy/still hungover, and on the verge of a sunburn. So, like a rookie-festival-goer, I watched from afar in the shade, and could barely see anything.
Leaving Coachella, the only regret I had was not really seeing Santigold. Lucky for me that she is a total badass and decided to come to L.A. in between Coachella weekends. Last night, she played a FREE show at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, who is putting on a 17-day festival showing how audio and visual arts compliment one another (April 20th-May 6th).
The show was so fantastic: art, live music, tacos from Kogi, and booze. Everything for free. And, actually being able to see Santigold, up close, was incredible. She put on such a great show, was absolutely beautiful, funny, and yes, I am totally in love with her.

Coachella.

Ace Hotel, Palm Springs

My great friends, who I stayed with in Palm Springs, are getting married at the Ace Hotel next year. We got to spend the afternoon there at the Coachella pool party and check out the vicinity. So cool. Totally fell even more in love with the desert. 

What is it about the desert that makes it so sexy?

Desert Bound

I'm just about to start packing for Coachella. Looking at the Zimmermann 2012 collection, I wish I had everything from them to take with me.

I'm apologizing for being completely MIA. It's because I've been hiding out here:

Casa Corallo

granola bars turned granola.

Yesterday was my first rainy day since being back in Los Angeles. I have loved not having a winter. It has been warm and sunny almost everyday. It is supposed to be in the 80s on Thursday...
But, I do love overcast days more than anything: cooping up at home with tea, yoga, movies, and attempting new recipes. I had been wanting to make granola bars for way too long, so I looked at a few recipes to get some guidance. I really do love Smitten Kitchen, and her chewy granola bars were just what I was looking for.

If I am going to eat a granola bar, I want it to be healthy. After looking over the recipe, they sounded delicious, but were basically like eating a cookie. I completely took out the refined sugar, replaced the honey/corn syrup with raw agave, and used coconut oil instead of butter and raw almond butter instead of peanut butter. I thought I was on my way to starting my own granola bar company. Tart dried cherries, coconut, pecan granola bars.

I very easily could have just not cooked them long enough, but my beautiful bars crumbled once cooled. Around the edges, the bars held their shape, so I might still have hope. I'll try them again and let you know of any success. In the meantime, the chewy granola is very edible.