nuages gris

Day and night
I always dream with open eyes
And on top of the foaming waves
Of the wide turbulent sea,
And on the rolling
Desert sands,
And merrily riding on the gentle neck
Of a mighty lion,
Monarch of my heart,
I always see a floating child
Who is calling me!

- I dream awake, Jose Marti

sunday dinner at pizzeria delfina

burrata with crostini and arugula salad


spigarello with lemon, garlic, and chili


broccoli raab, caciocavallo, mozzarella, olives, hot peppers, sausage pizza


ricotta cannoli

still thinking about this perfect sunday dinner at pizzeria delfina in the mission district during my trip to san francisco. as a new yorker i'm a little spoiled/jaded when it comes to good pizza but this place was kind of all around perfect. definitely would go back to re-enjoy that phenomenal burrata, the pizza, the wine, and about fifty pieces of those hand-rolled cannoli to go. 

imperfections by the shore

getting back into the rhythm of city life after a whirlwind two-week escape to california. still finding that i'm digesting the bits and pieces of these trips that were important to me while also trying to hold onto the tiny bit of zen i rediscovered. these pictures are from a beautiful saturday afternoon spent at fisherman's wharf in san francisco - talk about a picture perfect day: weather was in the 70s, blue skies and wispy clouds scattered about, and our lunch of unforgettably delicious fish & chips and fish tacos.

currently digging into murakami's kafka on the shore, love this excerpt below:

That's why I like listening to Schubert while I'm driving. Like I said, it's because all his performances are imperfect. A dense, artistic kind of imperfection stimulates your consciousness, keeps you alert. If I listen to some utterly perfect performance of an utterly perfect piece while I'm driving, I might want to close my eyes and die right then and there. But listening to the D major, I can feel the limits of what humans are capable of - that a certain type of perfection can only be realized through a limitless accumulation of the imperfect. And personally I find that encouraging.”
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

lunch at fisherman's wharf

if you're feeling particularly festive while visiting fisherman's wharf (and let's face it, embracing your inner child and getting into the tourist spirit can just be damn fun) i would recommend trying out the codmother on jones street. i was honestly a little intimidated by the wait & line but man was it worth it! delicious, flakey, cripsy, salty crunchy goodness. find their yelp page here.

go get 'em tiger

Go Get Em Tiger in LA

my favorite way to spend an early morning: several cups of great coffee, a pain au chocolat, and great company.

an afternoon at hinoki & the bird

chili crab toast with spicy cucumber and cucumber


coconut curried mussels with sausage and cauliflower


chilled ramen salad with ginger braised short rib and spiced english pea


rice cream mochi

this is no doubt one of my new favorite restaurants in LA. everything from the thin slivers of snow white cauliflower served on the coconut curried mussels to the raw denim patch-worked seat covers and the hanging globe terrariums, everything is elegant, casual, and delicious all at the same time. bonus points for the kuniko yagi sighting in the kitchen, you're just as cute in person as on tv (loved you on top chef!!!). 

pho in silverlake

pho chay: vegetable rice noodle soup with tofu, mushrooms, and fresh herbs


bun cha gio thit nuong: vermicelli rice noodles with egg rolls, charbroiled lemongrass steak, peanuts, and fresh herbs

after countless nights of extravagant rich work dinners, the fresh herbs and aromatic flavors at pho cafe in silverlake really hit the mark. kudos to LA's resident 2cool4school blogger stopitrightnow for the rec.

read more about it on my yelp review here!

hold on to me

details. handsome coffee roasters. vintage leather and chain box bag

it's been a lifetime since my trip to sunny LA. thatbiyatchsandy and big bird politics really through me for a loop. only a few short sweet hours i have to revel in all being right with the world before this nor'easter comes barreling our way. praying for this to pass without leaving a path of chaos. 

umami lips

tempura battered onion rings


pickle plate



smushed potatoes - double fried creamer potatoes


umami burger left: shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted mushrooms, parmesan crisp, and umami ketchup
truffle burger right: house-made truffle cheese and truffle glaze

lunch at umami burger should be a multi-course affair. sit back, order yourself a drink, relax, mull over every option on the menu, negotiate with your belly what will be the conquest of the day. compromise comes by promising to return to try the other five burgers that are calling out your name. the pickle plate is a must to counterbalance everything else. eating your veggies totally makes up for double fried creamer potatoes dipped in garlic aioli and tempura batter onions rings, right?

read more about it on my yelp review here!

silver sunlight

details. complex geometries tee. stylestalker perforated shorts. balboa beach.

feeling completely free on a day so beautiful the seconds pricked tiny pins into our marshmallow clouds. with silver sunlight chasing after us, we sped through these sandy beaches and the warmth of sea salt breezes filled each moment with love and laughter.

the cheese store of beverly hills

the cheese store of beverly hills. a one-stop, get everything you need to have a fabulous night in, kind of place.

don't let the name fool you, the prices here are good and the service is very friendly.

i left here with a half pound of my favorite cheese, Garrotxa, a quarter pound of very spicy Soppressata for the boy, and a bar of dark chocolate just because.

sunset marquis: magical west hollywood hideaway

details. the reformation top. t by alexander wang shirt dress. ysl shoes. chanel 2.55. céline sunglasses. i spent one of my last days in los angeles at the sunset marquis hotel in west hollywood and had such a great experience. the venue itself is too picturesque for words and pretty much sums up what i love about a LA vacation. casual, luxe, friendly, relevant.

we ate at the aptly named Restaurant at the hotel, which is situated in an open-air space overlooking a beautiful mosaic tiled waterfall, kodak-moment worthy bridge, koi pond, and lush trees cape. i couldn't think of a better way to end an amazing trip and can't wait to go back to visit the hotel.

read more about it on my yelp review here!