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.

The line-up for Coachella has just been posted... Bon Iver, anyone? Oh, and Dre and Snoop.

Robin Lim won CNN Hero of the Year!! Congratulations, Robin!

Thanks to everyone who voted.

Boulder.

I just got back from a great trip to Boulder. I had to get Mosey and bring her back to L.A., so I decided to make a little vacation out of my time there. The days were filled with friends and visiting my favorite spots, with of course, loads of food and drink.
Boulder is so beautiful this time of year. Well, it is really always beautiful there. But, the crisp (freezing) winters just make the holidays feel that much more special.

 The vastness of the Rockies never cease to blow me away. And, having the access to them makes me so grateful.

 Oh, Frasca. It was so incredible to be back there. The exquisite food, friendly service, mind-blowing wine and cocktails. I do miss it there. Thanks B & D, Alli, Matt, Ben, Jared, and everyone. xo

Pizzeria Locale and Caffe are holding their own next door, making it quite easy to visit one, if not all of the Frasca family, in one day.

 Boxcar coffee. Vaj makes some of the best coffee I have ever had. He opened up a beautiful shop, along with Cured, a fantastic cheese, meat, and gourmet market. It's hard to resist going there everyday. Both shops are just lovely.

(I am SO bad at this blogging thing... I was drinking my cappuccino and eating my biscotti, when I remembered that I have been meaning to write about this place for months. Slow process. Hence why everything is halfway finished.)

 I cannot resist chicken liver. I may not eat pork, beef, and a few other things because they aren't entirely in line with my Ayurvedic constitution, but chicken liver, I just cannot have enough of. Pizzeria Basta made one that was so rich and creamy. I didn't want the little pot to end. Served with the exact amount needed of house-made focaccia. I had chicken liver twice while I was in Boulder; once at Frasca too. Both restaurants did an excellent representation of one of my favorite dishes.
Photo by Matthew Ward

Oak. My last night in Boulder, Oak had their first night back after a devastating fire. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and they really came back in full force. Adding a beautiful second dining room, state of the art kitchen, and don't even get me started on the bar. Bryan Dayton, a true cocktail genius and co-owner of the restaurant, never ceases to impress. His cocktails are a true work of art. And, I'm not the only one who thinks so. Just ask GQ.

A friend introduced me to Bonobo a few years ago. I liked his music, but never really got into him until six months ago.  I don't know where the album is named after, but found it fitting to take with me to the black sands of southwest Bali. I also had the pleasure of going to one of his DJ sets back in October, at El Cid in Los Angeles.

This album is incredible. Good for any hour of the day, with a wide variety. I think anyone could find at least one song that they like.

"Yoga is not passive. We have to participate in life. To do this well we can work on ourselves." 

- T.K.V. Desikachar

Photo taken by Nadine Joy Coghlan, Balian Beach, Bali.