Year: 2020

Food: Dinner Tonight – Korean Chicken Bowl

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And to think I was considering making a simple fajita dish, until I stumbled upon this recipe for sheet pan Korean chicken bowl with sweet potatoes and yum yum sauce and dinner will be a whole kinds of wonderful tonight! INGREDIENTS 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes 3 tablespoon toasted sesame or extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce 3-4 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 2 tablespoons honey 1 inch fresh ginger, grated 2 cloves garlic, grated 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch cubes kosher salt and black pepper 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or olive oil mayo 2-3 cups kale, roughly torn juice from 1 lime 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 3 cups steamed white or brown rice kimichi, avocado, shredded carrots, green onions, sliced cucumbers, and radishes, for serving {more} How do you decide on a recipe? Can you taste the flavors as you read through it or you would have to make it to feel the flavors? 

Decor: The Art of…

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As I stated here, that I am working on a few minor redecorating of my studio apartment, to improve my creative space, where I write, do artwork, and even simply household management stuff.  I do have a floor to ceiling bookshelf which takes up most of one wall, and just when I think I have it down, I find alternative styles online. But that’s not all, I’m also debating whether to embark on a bigger project… Inspiration from top to bottom – here, here, here, here, here, here

Lifestyle: Upscale Sports Bar and A Downton Abbey Movie Sequel

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Surely you can see that I’ve got my priorities this morning, but only because I keep putting off all the crazy list of to-do’s and the worrying about this and that.  Sometimes we simply need to distract, and today’s distractions are… The French usually—in my generation, anyway—didn’t think it was a good idea to make your children the number one priority. That meant you have left behind your license as a wife, as a woman, as a professional and all this. It felt not fashionable. But now I think things have changed tremendously in France. In America I think there’s a lot of positive encouragement, even to the point of making the child believe that he’s a genius. (source) On another note, have you seen Kate and Leopold? I did when it first came out in 2001, and at the time, being so young, believed in fairy tales as if my life depended on it. Watching it years later, I think I have to say, oh my, how my thinking has changed…what’s your take on …

Fashion: Carolina Herrera – Spring 2020

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After the 49ers lost yesterday in the Superbowl, I needed to gear my focus onto something fancy and colorful – just to shake off the disappointment I felt after watching the game. Although Kansas City Chiefs did kick **s – so the win was well deserved. But let’s move past that and talk about these amazing Caroline Herrera, who happens to be one of my favorite designers – Spring 2020 collection On another note, what did you think about Brad Pitt’s BAFTA acceptance speech? If you did watch the Superbowl – which commercial did you like the most or the least? My favorite was Jason Memoa’s  And as I called it, the little girl singing alongside Jennifer Lopez was non other than her daughter Emme – who has everyone buzzing about her performance at the half-time show with her mum. 

Food: Dinner Tonight – Mushroom Taco and Garlic Lime Sauce

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Haven’t written much about what I am aiming to cook for the fam – but tonight, we are excited that my American football team, the 49ers will be playing in the Superbowl. There was a crazy madness to the city yesterday as everyone was shopping for Superbowl snacks, and beverages, as well as the usual Taco, nachos and other finger foods ingredients to be served at a Superbowl gathering all over the city in anticipation for a Superbowl win. So naturally, tacos will be served with beer in our household and this recipe seems like a pretty good addition to the usual shredded chicken or beef tacos I make every year. INGREDIENTS 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 chipotle peppers in adobo ¼ cup apple cider or white vinegar 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced 3 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 12 …

Travel: For Emotional Therapy

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January was a very bumpy ride around the globe and has pretty has me wondering how best to recover and hopefully find ways to bring forward as much positivity as possible – although it will be challenging, I often believe things happen for a reason, and those reasons lead to newer opportunities, or perhaps simply a better understanding of this thing called life. I think my favorite inspiration of late is the pic and caption from Gerard Butler (pictured above) who was apparently on a spiritual journey here and there.  And it got me thinking about the idea of traveling on a spiritual level or one where you embark on a self-discovery journey. Would you – if you could? Here’s to hoping for a positive outlook in February and beyond.

Back In the U.S. of A

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The ordeal of travel when there is a concern for your health was the anxiety I was dealing with – Tuesday night when I stayed up all night, thinking about the 11 flight from London Heathrow to San Francisco International airport where I would land upon the hub of airlines inbound from Asia – where the recent Coronavirus is wreaking havoc in the continent and beyond. Landing in San Francisco was an eye-opening experience as I saw traveler after traveler wearing masks and gloves to help ward off contact with those who made their way from Asia-inbound flights.  Would it have been safer to not have flights leaving the continent? was the first thing that popped into my mind while I walked angry through the corridors, and then I queued up in the customs line for over an hour, along with so many travelers in masks, and my anxiety grew deeper, to the point I found myself hyperventilating about all the other ways I might contract the virus, past the airport. Have you ever been …

Travel: Stories Behind The Destinations

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I normally do much research about a destination I would be traveling to. Past all the tourist spots, I want to know about the culture, traditions or customs, architecture influence and decor, to authentic in cuisine, and social behaviors. So when I am standing just outside an airport, a train station or a ferry dock, I am ready to fully immerse myself. Do you travel this way? If so, you might appreciate these stories behind some interesting destinations…

No Plans But To Ponder This Saturday Morning

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It’s the year of the rat, I discovered while ‘still jet-lagged’ laying in bed at 2:30 in the morning in England, with my eyes wide-open, thumbing through Instagram, searching for inspiration. I was born in the year of the rat, so naturally I had to revisit understanding the characteristics of this creature, not for any particular reason but for mere curiosity.  The below are the exurbs from here and here  Rats are clever, quick thinkers; successful, but content with living a quiet and peaceful life – was a lead to the description here, which of course resonated with me 😉 Optimistic and energetic, people born in the Rat year are likable by all. They are sensitive to other’s emotions but are stubborn with your opinion. Their personality is kind, but due to weak communication skills, their words may seem impolite and rude. – naturally I need to tweak ‘weak’ and insert ‘straight-forwardness’  Women born in the Rat year are the traditional women. They love keeping things organized and place great value on the family. Everything is …

England Travel Continues

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One of the things I miss the most while on the road, is making a home cooked meal. Even though that’s the case,  I still am intrigued by the many helpful hints or suggestions for cooking and recipes. Do you have cooking secrets you wish to share? Are you more of a traditional cook or one who prefers a slow-cooker {featured image – recipe to the lemoniest roast chicken}