Pizzeria Mozza

There was not much that needed to be said about Pizzeria Mozza to convince me to go. The mere fact that it was created by Mario Batali was reason enough for me. There are 2 California locations; one in Los Angeles and a second in Newport Beach. They both have an urban atmosphere and their famous pizzas are made in wood burning ovens. The LA location also has Osteria Mozza for a fancier night out (the centerpeice of this restaurant is the Mozzarella Bar, which I haven't been to yet, but sounds amazing!) and Mozza2Go so you can enjoy this delicious pizza at home. If you haven't been yet, I would say it is essential that you move this to the top of your list!

Thick bread soaked in olive oil & garlic

Bacon, salame, fennel sausage, guanciale, tomato & mozzarella

Coach farm goat cheese, leeks, scallions & garlic

Ice Cream Pie

It's time to celebrate!
When Ryan and I first started dating (waayyy back in the day) I learned about ICP when he was going home for Winter Break and his mom had it waiting in the freezer for him. He was drooling while explaining the layers of oreos, fudge, carmel and ice cream that go into this dessert. I knew I had to get this recipe to have on hand for Birthdays and Special Occasions. Today is definitely a special occasion and a reason to celebrate. Ryan took Dental Boards, Part 1 today and there is an Ice Cream Pie with his name on it in the freezer!
Next time you have a party to go to, or something special to celebrate, make an ice cream pie. This rich and delicious dessert is guaranteed to be a crowd favorite.

Crush oreos and butter together to make the crust

In a double broiler combine ingredients for fudge sauce

Fudge Sauce

Press crust into bottom of springform pan

Drizzle carmel sauce in between layers of ice cream

Top with crumbled oreos and drizzle fudge sauce on top

Ice Cream Pie

Ice Cream Pie:
Ingredients:

• 1 package Oreos
• 2 1/2 gallons of Ice Cream (I used "Fudge Tracks" and "Salted Carmel")
• 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup Karo Syrup
• 5 tablespoons of your favorite carmel sauce

Crust: In a food processor (or using a mortar & pestle), crush 3/4 of the oreos with 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter. Once combined, press the crust into the bottom of a springform pan and freeze.

Fudge: Create a double broiler by boiling water in a pot and putting a heat proof bowl on top of the pot so that you can melt the ingredients. (You can also do this in a microwave, just be careful not to burn the chocolate and butter). Combine the sweetened condensed milk, 1 stick butter, karo syrup and semi-sweet chocolate chips into the bowl and melt ingredients together.

When the crust has hardened, pour a layer of fudge on top of the crust and freeze again. Next, use 1 of the 1/2 gallons of ice cream and create the first ice cream layer and freeze. Drizzle carmel sauce on top of the ice cream and freeze for a few minutes to harden. Use the 2nd 1/2 gallon of ice cream for the next ice cream layer and freeze again. Last, use the remaining oreos to crumble on top of the pie and then drizzle fudge sauce over the top. Freeze until you are ready to eat!

One Dress, Two Ways

I am obsessed with my most recent Anthropologie purchase. I first saw this "Accordion Midi Dress" during Christmas time in black and was waiting for it to go on sale. Unfortunately, I couldn't wait long enough for it to go on sale, but I did wait long enough for it to become available in this beautiful ice blue color! I love the look of this dress. It is both elegant and sophisticated, and you can dress it up or down depending on where you are wearing it. One thing is for sure, whether you wear it casual or dress it up, you will look stunning. Lucky for you, Anthropologie is now having a 20% off sale on all their dresses from now until Sunday!

Necklace: Veronica M (Pasadena)

Belt: Madewell 

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban (Justin)

Shoes: Tory Burch

Belt: Anthropologie

Shoes: Charles David

Bruschetta & Wine

I recently joined the Wine Club at Malibu Wines with two of my friends. As wine club members, not only do we receive 20% off at the tasting room, but we get a quarterly shipment of their wine! This became a great excuse to get together, drink wine and make something delicious to pair it with.

Making different types of bruschetta is not only fun and easy, but it offers a few different options to go with the wine you're drinking. I chose the following toppings for my bruschetta: Pea & Mint; Kalamata Olive, Garbonzo Bean & Red Onion; and a Traditional Tomato. Make a lightly dressed, arugula side salad and you're set for a light dinner and wine night! Warning: you may have garlic fire breath by the end of the night... and probably the next morning too :)

Saddlerock Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon & Chardonnay 

Pea & Mint Bruschetta

Traditional Tomato Bruschetta

Kalamata Olive, Garbonzo Bean & Red Onion Bruschetta

Bruschetta & Wine Night

Traditional Bruschetta:

• Dice tomatoes and combine them with minced (or pressed) garlic, chopped basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

Pea & Mint Bruschetta:

• Combine thawed peas, garlic, mint, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until well combined, but still chunky 

Kalamata Olive, Garbonzo Bean & Red Onion Bruschetta:

• In a food processor, combine olives, garlic and a little olive oil. Pulse, and then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in garbonzo beans (drained and rinsed), chopped red onion, a little more olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh squeezed lemon juice

Energy Bars

Jump start your Monday with these no-bake energy bars. They are great for on the go, and a nice "pick me up" in the afternoon to help get you through the day! They keep in the fridge for about 5 days, so you can make enough to enjoy all week. 

Energy Bars:

• 1 cup, chopped dates (pitted)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup, shelled pistachios
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup dried blueberries
• 1/4 cup yogurt chips

In a food processor, combine the dates, honey, chia seeds and flax seed. Pulse until you have a smooth mixture. You may need to add another tablespoon or two to achieve this consistency.

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the oats, pistachios, cranberries, blueberries, and yogurt chips. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mixture evenly on the baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Cut into bars and store in a sealed container all week.

Little Next Door

Get a few friends together to catch up, or recall stories from the night before over Sunday Brunch.  The weather in LA is perfect right now to sit outside on the patio at Little Next Door and enjoy the sunshine, eat delicious, farm-fresh food and laugh with friends over a glass of champagne. Not only does Little Next Door have a great brunch menu, they also have an awesome bakery with tasty pastries and macarons. Eat them there, or take them to go - either way, you'll be wanting to go back for more!

The Little Next Door

Outside Patio

 Serrano Ham & Wild Arugula

with shaved parmesan cheese and poached eggs

Brie & Fig Sandwich

brie cheese, arugula and dried figs on walnut & raisin bread

French Macarons

Jumpsuits

Jumpsuits are an all in one outfit that are not only fashionable, but comfortable! You definitely want to embellish and accessorize with jumpsuits by adding a cute belt, jewlery, or scarf. You can dress it up, like in the photos below, with a slim, vintage gold belt and heels. Or, make it casual with wedges, a scarf and fedora!

Get this jumpsuit and others at Shopbop

Black Suede Heels from Steve Madden

Slim, Vintage Gold Belt from Etsy

Pad Thai

A burst of salty, sweet and tart - pad thai is a simple, yet fresh comfort dish. I found that it gets even better as it sits and the flavors are given time to merry, so you can enjoy left overs all week long! 

Garlic, Cilantro, Basil, Green Onion, Peanuts, Bean Sprouts, Tofu

Tofu & Chicken Pad Thai

Ingredients:

• Boneless skinless chicken breast
• Tofu
• 7-8 Tablespoons Asian Fish Sauce
• 1 Cup Water
• 2-3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 3 1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 3/4 lb. pad thai noodles (or linguini if you can't find the pad thai noodles)
• 2/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• Julienned green onions

Directions:

Clean the chicken and cut it into bite size pieces. In separate bowls, marinade the chicken and tofu  each in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining fish sauce, water, 2 tablespoons lime juice, brown sugar, salt, cayenne, red pepper flakes, and white pepper. 

In boiling water, cook the pad thai noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse the noodles to prevent them from continuing to cook. 

In a large frying pan, or wok, heat a little oil and cook the chicken about 3-4 minutes, until just done. Remove and cook the tofu about 1-2 minutes, until just done. Remove and put a little more oil in the pan and add the garlic. Cook just until you start smelling the garlic aroma, then add the cooked noodles and liquid mixture to the pan. Stir continuously, as if you were tossing a salad, so that all the ingredients combine and the noodle start absorbing the sauce. After about 4 minutes, add the chicken, tofu and peanuts. Stir over heat for about 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the remaining lime juice, bean sprouts, green onions, basil and half the cilantro. At this point taste it to make sure the seasoning is just right. I like to add a dash or two more fish sauce right at the end to enhance the flavor. Last, serve and top with remaining peanuts, cilantro and a fresh squeeze of lime (or lime wedge). 

Floral In Bloom

These days I am loving floral prints, and with the start of spring tomorrow, what better way to start it off then with a bright pop of color?! Keep it simple by pairing a solid white or chambray with the floral. Shine bright by adding metallic accessories such as a belt, shoes, or jewelry. Or, be daring, and pair two different floral prints together! 

Ted Baker London 'Perlaa' Wallpaper Pleated A-Line Dress

JCrew 'Liberty' Toothpick Jeans

Milly 'Gillian' Gathered Dress

It's Your Lucky Day!

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, Ryan and I decided to combine our two favorites: 

Beer and Ice Cream

Top it off with Chocolate Covered Pretzels - what could be better?!

Guinness Beer Floats

We had fun with these green mustaches to celebrate the occasion! 

Avoid being pinched with this geometric green scarf

Click here to shop for this scarf on Etsy

Naturally Dyed Bamboo Scarf

Clean out the toxins with this Green Tea Clay

Check out the Evan Healy line here

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Bestia

A few years back I went to Italy to visit my friend Meg while she was working as an au pair for a family in Florence. We had the most amazing adventure eating our way through Venice, Verona, Florence and Rome. Every so often, we find a place like Bestia where we are able to relive those memories. Located in an old converted warehouse in the arts district of downtown Los Angeles, Bestia is a rustic, neighborhood gem that I will frequent again and again.
If you are not able to get a reservation, ask to sit at the pizza bar (I would argue it's the best seat in the house) and if you're really lucky you will have Zach as your waiter! Because of the open kitchen setting, you can watch the pizzas being made while you sip on a glass of vino. Buon Appetito!

Bloomsdale Spinach: 

shaved heirloom carrots, radish, baby fennel, sieved egg, lemon-oregano citronette

Special: Gorgonzola and Kale Pizza

Fusilli Lunghi al Sugo di Capra:

hand-rolled fusilli, braised goat, housemade ricotta salata, pistachio oil