Monday, October 28, 2013

Taken from weheartit.com

For a little inspiration today ♡

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Today is my first installment of Share it Saturdays! As my readers from my old blog, Stilettos at the Dinner Table, know, I am a super spontaneous poster. I have no rhythm when it comes to posting (oh Aya, let's face it, you have no rhythm at all), but with the help of this theme, I will remember to periodically share some of my favorite bits and bobs with you guys!

My first finding is actually one I have mildly mentioned before in my Getting Sick in the Summer post. However I had to mention it again because the host, Laura Miller, is back with another season and so far so good.
Below is the premiere where she shows people how to make raw banana ice cream.


Banana Soft Serve has been around for a while and people go absolutely nuts over it because it is so easy (frozen bananas + food processor). What I really enjoy about Laura's video is her multiple takes on the basic recipe. I will definitely be giving the cake idea a go.

Another interesting find is an article from NY Mag's Grub Street: How Out-of-Town Chefs Finally Penetrated New York's Restaurant Scene.

Click Here for the Article

It's funny how I was just talking to someone about restaurant business and then I found this. It's kind of like little tips and tricks that worked for people who opened up food establishments in NY. New Yorkers are really something, I tell you. We like everything from rustic to hipster to fancy to hole in the wall-ish, and we don't mind if our food comes with cloth or paper napkins as long as it's delicious, authentic, and served with a whole lot of personality. Also can we just talk about point #7: cultivating a line? Because if you eat out in NY, you know how crazy that can get sometimes.

Finally two of my beauty faves that I am loving at the moment. I strongly believe that to live in a healthy manner, one should feel beautiful on the inside and out.

The lotion I am using right now is this one:

Victoria's Secret Body Lotion in Love Spell!

I'm a huge Victoria's Secret fan. I watch the show every year and even keep up with the models from time to time. I still remember my first Victoria's Secret anything was a body spray I got for my birthday back in grade school. Their scents are always either sweet or floral which I prefer over musk. Love Spell is one of my favorites--I initially got the lotion as a gift and then I went on to purchase the Body Butter and Body Spray in the same scent.

I'm also loving this color on my nails:

It's Kiko's Nail Lacquer in Color 343, Spring Green. I actually like it for Fall because it's somewhat of an Emerald Teal which goes great with the monochromatic pieces in my wardrobe.

So that's the round up for this week's Share it Saturdays! Let me know what you think. Also if you find anything cool that you think I might like, you can email it to me (email is on the right side). Ciao and hope you have a lovely Saturday!

Share it Saturdays No. 1

A Bioladen is directly translated as an Organic Store, and you guessed it; everything in the store is organic. I am a frequent visitor of these establishments because I love the variety they offer. From regular grocery items to specialty items, I find them to be an immense source of inspiration for new recipes.
Some of them also have a little cafe attached so you can relax and enjoy a cup of coffee. It's a nice pit stop if you're wandering around your neighborhood with no particular agenda. Better yet if you have a friend with you!


I find it totally funny that I can spot the items from Ikea. I have the same sugar container! I grabbed an espresso while Riccardo grabbed a Hot Lemon Chai drink.



That's what this particular Bio Store looked like. There are many like this in every neighborhood of Berlin!


My friend Riccardo!


  Kisses!

Sorry for the late update. I've been scrambling around Berlin just enjoying the last few days of warm fall before cold deadly fall rears its ugly head (although I suppose Berlin winter has a charm of its own). Anyway, look forward to another post veeeeery soon. Ciao for now Leute!

Bioladen Cafe

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Hey guys, what's shakin'?

A few days ago, a question popped into my head: Are there Purikura machines in Berlin? For those of you who don't know, Purikura are sticker pictures that you can take, decorate, print, and swap with friends. I did a bit of research (this means I googled "Purikura in Berlin") and found out that J-Store in Charlottenburg had one!

Before heading down there, we sat down for a lovely meal.


I think due to the weather change, I've been making a lot more soup than normal. Also, an easy Caprese Sandwich! Remember to rub the insides with Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper. Makes it super tasty and Olive Oil is most beneficial when cold as opposed to heated.

I wanted to look cute for the photos so here is my outfit.


I got the hat at a fashion show I assisted (You can read up on that on my old fashion blog here)

Purikura in Berlin and Meal Snaps!

Friday, October 18, 2013



Let's face it: I love apples. Remember my Raw Vegan Apple Tarts? Well since then, the love has not died. I mean, what is there to dislike? Apples are great to carry around anywhere. They last for a while. You can make a variety of things out of them and add them to almost any savory dish too. Let's just say apples continue to rock my world.

I noticed my basket of apples still had a fair amount inside and I was tired of putting them in common baked goods and bowls of oatmeal. That's what led me to today's mini recipe of Dried Apples.


Dried Apple Slices
Ingredients
Apples (as many as you'd like)

Preheat your oven to 100° C/200° F.

If you like the Trader Joe's type of Dried Apple Rings, I suggest coring them and cutting horizontally. My apples were on the smaller side so I opted for cutting them into slices and then coring. Either way, make sure to keep them all the same size so they bake evenly.

Peeling is an option (I left the skin on because I like the way they look and taste like this).

Depending on how thick/thin you cut them coupled with how long you leave them in the oven, they could either end up being soft dried fruit or crispy chips.


Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and pop them in the oven for 4-5 hours. I see this is not exactly energy efficient so in the case that you have a dehydrator, you may want to opt for that.


When the apples are done, let them cool completely before storing in an air tight container.

The best part about the dehydrated apples are that they last long and you can still use them in your baked goods as well as just for snacking. Might I recommend a rice cake topped with peanut butter and some of these bad boys? Don't forget the cinnamon. ;)

To keep up with the apple theme, Oliver's father came by to pick up a huge bushel of our apples and he got them made into juice! Look at these beauties!


I had to pour myself a glass. It was tangy, a bit sour, but very freshly sweet! These are of course bottled so that we can enjoy them all winter! I'll see if I can incorporate them into something fun for you guys soon.
 
Cheers!

Dried Apples and Juice

Wednesday, October 16, 2013


Things I Crave

A friendly reminder not to give in to the temptation of doilies. Oh, and the food.

Temptations

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Hey guys and gals, how's it going?

Halloween is coming up and you know what that means?

Diabetics please look away.

Now I am not going to lie--those Reese's Peanut Butter Cups look so good to me now, considering I have not had American candy in over a year. A YEAR I TELL YOU <----why am I yelling?

Well I have somewhat grown out of the commercial candy and into more adult candies (alcoholic truffles and that bitter dark stuff . . . ) but regardless, I definitely reach for the sweets come this time of year. Do I feel guilty about it? Naw, it's Halloween! A little indulgence is good for the soul.

So here's the challenge: Halloween is in 2 weeks, right? So in 2 weeks, let's go on a clean food cleanse. I'm not going to give you guys outlines because each body is different. Instead, I'll be updating my blog with tips, insights, food ideas/recipes, and a look into how I'm doing (so you don't feel alone!)

This was inspired by a conversation with my friend Crysbel (who I will mention more later) when we started talking healthy living. We're both kind of in a similar boat: we were given extra time in our lives and decided to use it to take better care of our bodies. I never realize how more and more people around me are getting into the health revolution! It's awesome!

Anyway, hope you'll join me. If not, you can still look forward to regular updates! Good luck!

Halloween Challenge!

Sunday, October 13, 2013

It's Sunday guys and Sunday is a day of relaxation in Europe. It boggles my brain every time that 80% of stores are closed over here. Growing up in NY, businesses never stopped for any day of the week. I suppose it's a nice change though (people deserve to catch up on their beauty sleep!)

Anyway, to close up the week, here's a flash of a few things I bought and ate.

I am most definitely a wine girl! If I have the choice between wine or beer, I always opt for wine. Beer is nice for a relaxing summer day in the park, but there's just something utterly chic about having a glass of wine and talking over candle light. I found a Spanish bottle from 2006 and decided to give it a go. Quite good! Oli and I are now looking for a 2003 online because according to him, it was the longest summer and produced many good wines.

I also ate the smallest cookie in the world.

Look, I told you! Smallest cookie in the world!!!

Haha, actually it can't get much bigger than that because it's actually in a box of Muesli!

I tried it just this morning. It's a new flavor I believe. When it comes to Muesli, I like it without added sugar because I either sweeten it with fruits or my own sweetener. However Oli is a sucker for Schoko-Muesli so we had to give it a go! I can't eat too much of it because I do find the sweetness kind of melts into the milk, but it's definitely a guilty breakfast treat!

Finally, a grocery haul!

I stopped by the Turkish Market for some produce on Tuesday (every Tuesday and Friday near Schönleinstraße) and then popped into Bio Company for some organic essentials! I think I planned literally only two of those purchases and everything else was just because I thought I would enjoy using it. The soup bouillon did come in handy yesterday though when I made soup for a sick Oliver!

The oil I used is Flaxseed Oil. I also varied it so I made Oli's with rice and a bit more salt and pepper. Complete with Kinder chocolate on the side (cause you know that's what actually cures the patient). ;)

I hope you enjoyed seeing my food from the week and see ya soon!

Things I Ate this Week

Saturday, October 12, 2013

I know what you nuggets are thinking: mall food = expensive bland food. To be fair, you're probably right 80% of the time. Then there's the other 20% that's actually not too shabby.


Note: It gets no award for plating and those Buffalo Wings are not in anyway Buffalo Wings nor Mexican, BUT the food was pretty good. In fact, Oli practically licked the plate. I got the enchiladas because I missed my Dos Enchiladas from Quantum Leap! I have to say I prefer the ones from Quantum Leap (those bad boys show up in my dreams from time to time), but these are half the price and also delish!

Not sure the name of the place but it is in Hallen am Borsigturm!

Mexican Food inside a mall

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

When people visit Berlin, Mauer Park is always on their list of places to see, and for a good reason; Mauer Park has a famous Flea Market every Sunday. From special artisan goods to tofu burgers to old Polaroid cameras, this place has everything and a bag of chips. If you're not looking to buy anything, that works too--just sit on a stone step and listen to some ridiculous karaoke for a good chunk of your afternoon.

Oli and I realized that although we've separately gone to Mauer Park on several occasions, we never went together. So since his band practice was cancelled, we decided to go!


The Trip to Mauer Park

Saturday, October 5, 2013

If you're American and have watched tv in the past 5 years, you know where this slogan is from. For those of you who don't, here's a video.


Why are those sheep raging and Scottish? I don't know. Maybe it's what Scottish sheep do (any Scottish sheep expert out there?)

I can't say much about California cows, but the cows in my neighborhood milk farm seem to be quite happy.

Just another random update from yours truly!

Happy Cows Come from California

Thursday, October 3, 2013

I remember stumbling upon Safran with my friend Sam when she came to visit me back in November. It was one of those moments: we were both hungry and open to new ideas and the moment we saw the sign for Persian food, we decided to go in.

Safran is a quiet and cozy place. I've only seen it full of people once; every other time it's been just me or me and one other party. I usually swing for the lunch menu since everything is delicious and under 5 euros (yay!), but the regular menu is tasty as well. Plates can easily be split amongst two regular appetites.

I took my friend Dylan for the first time last Winter and he insisted we go again when he visited me this Summer. These are pictures from that time!




Dylan is always laughing at me.



Just be wary that there is some wait time with the food. I recommend eating a snack to hold you over while you listen to classical music and stare at locals outside.

Safran
Oranienstr. 172, 10999 Berlin-Kreuzberg

Safran Restaurant

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Some of you may or may not know, New Girl has been on my radar since the first episode aired back in 2011.

It's a bit hard to convince people to watch the show if they've never given it a go. It's kind of like trying to explain The Office. "What is it about?" "Uhhh, well, it's about people who work in an office." New Girl is basically about a girl who moves into a flat with 3 guys and chaos ensues; plain and simple. OH, BUT IS IT HILARIOUS.

So I was watching the newest episodes of New Girl and I suddenly got a hankering for some noodles. Noodles have absolutely nothing to do with the series. The only food they practically feature on that show is of the adult liquid kind and let's just say it was a bit too early in the day for that. But I ask you: who doesn't like a bowl of noodles with their feel good sitcom?

Yeah, I thought so.


Noodles and New Girl

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Hey guys, so a mini update! As you may have noticed, I changed the banner. I was a bit bored with the old one and I thought about making it a mono image, so there it is. I also would like to announce my new FB page!


I wasn't really thinking about getting a fb page initially (I'm not very good with multiple internet portals). However, I have been getting nice feedback and it seems to be an easier way for people to keep up with the blog, so I bit the bullet and made one. Thanks to everyone for their constant support (both encouragement on a personal level as well as kind words). I'm going to try my hardest to keep it up!

Happy October everyone!

New Facebook Page