The best of Southern California Food

   Being in Southern California during summertime, can have its upside. No, I am not talking about the rise of mercury on the temperature - silly! I am talking about being able to wear nice bright color tshirts and cotton jeans, sport a short hair but most of all the glorious food available in Southern California.

 

   Given we do not have an abundance of seafood (good quality) at an affordable price albeit we live so freakin' close to the "el mar" we make do with the best the market have to offer. We have a plethora of good veggies, good fruits and sometimes if one is creative and resourceful, we can prepare something very good at home.

 

  Let me post some photos here, to show you what I mean. I will place captions under each photo. Enjoy!

 

 Empanadas ala R! My R makes the best empanadas ever. Homemade and delicious. I wish I can say, come and try them. But you if you must know, I share empanadas el horno, to no one! YUMMY!!

 In Southern California, land of exotic heritage tomatoes, let me present to you Brown Tomatoes, aka kumato.

 Asado on Sundays, for me means, homemade hamburger patties and wedges of pineapples on the grill. Delicious!

 Cauliflower is usually white. These ones are orange-y in color. More on the reddish tint than yellow. Just saying. But still tastes like as if it is white.

 My Filipino neighbor, the good and nice one ..hehehe..made pansit and gave us a plateful. They were even so kind to include slices of lemon, in the absence of kalamansi..it was very good. The thought and kindness was highly appreciated.

 Common in most health food stores and groceries is the hummus. This one is an all time favorite when I am in Southern California..hummus with roasted garlic. Those are quinoa chips on top of the hummus.

 If you are anything like us, we plant and grow our own basil. We pick them fresh from the backyard, slice them up then add them to slices of plump tomatoes, mozza, a dash of pepper and a sprinkling of salt and drizzled with quality virgin olive oil - a spectacular salad.

 I mean, this is Southern California, right? So close to Mexico, therefore, Mexican food, it is. Rice with carnitas and guac with a side of 2 salsas - spells comfort food from heaven. Not exactly low carb nor low fat but anyhooo....it is delicious. Recommended not to eat every single day.

 Another of R's specialty, Risotto with pumpkin. Wow, I mean, what better excuse to use cheese over something for dinner - everyone say - CHEESE!! Risotto of any kind, R can make.

 R also makes spinach tarta. The crust is nice and crunchy and the filling is well cooked with egg, cheese, spinach and well seasoned, with just the right amount of sauted onions. Yummers!! This is making the most of all the best produce in Southern California and cooked by R. Winning combo anyday.

Last but not the least, shop for a good craft beer, Southern California has some of the most quirky craft beers I have ever seen sold in the market. Pick up a bottle and try it. If it is no good, go back and get another bottle to try. But make sure you drink at home and no working of heavy machinery afterwards. Cheers to Southern California!!

 

I hope you had fun during your visit to my site. See y'all soon...

 

 

Nuggets of wisdom from my father....

   It is Father's Day tomorrow. Sunday, June 16th, 2013.

 

   If you are hoping for a blog about what a father means or what it takes to be a father, this is not it. That would be too long to write and I will be subjective about it anyway. Nothing wrong with writing a very long blog, I suppose but who my father is and how great he is will just make you feel as equally proud of your Dad or worst, you will feel so bad of how a lousy Dad you have, now, what is good in that. So, we go on...

 

   It seems like I have taken a new tradition of writing about wisdoms I have learned in life from my Dad on this blog every year, I love it. And I think I will stick with doing this since it is once a year anyways...this blog will not encompass all the life lessons I have learned from my "Tatay" but what I have learned from him these last 12 months. There are somethings that only a father knows best. Considering, I am his only daughter in a family of mostly boys, there is comfort in the very thought and very fact that he is always on my side and has my back covered.

 

   I dedicate this post to him. Tay, Happy Father's Day! Someone up there must really, really like me to give you to me as my father. You are the best!!

 

 Nuggets of wisdom I have learned from my father this year :

 

. A major communication component in any relationship is listening.

. Listen closer to the non-verbal language as you would what is actually being said.

. Never give advise, unless solicited.

. Wash glasses first before washing the plates.

. Have a reliable mechanic's number on your phone.

. If you ever have to judge a man's character, first check how neat he is. Start from there.

. The devil is in the details.

. If you have a cold, stay at home.

. Family come first; and second only to GOD.

. Drink your weight in water.

. Dry skin will never be in fashion.

. Always have a pen handy.

. Don't drink more than 2 drinks because you would want to avoid doing or saying something that you will not be so proud of the morning after.

. "Once a cheater, always a cheater" is B*llSh*t! Guys learn!!

. When it comes to looking at women, allow your man to look, ogle if he must. But draw the line at touching.

. Children are great. Grandkids are greater but great-grand kids are the best!

. Blast the radio in your own car but when using mine, turn that thing off when you get out of my car.

. There is good in goodbye.

. Always wear fresh underwear when going on a long drive just in case you get into an accident, you would want the EMT to see some nice undies on you. You get better treatment and stat!!

 

   Sometimes the best lessons my father has taught me are not the things he really meant to set out and teach me. Some of these lessons are often times unintentional but he always take time to share the lessons he has learned and then in the process I learn without going through the pains and angst of it.

   My father is a man of science but he never misses going to Sunday service. He believes in both science and religion. He says sometimes, faith is hard to sustain but as he lives he tries to be the best human being he can be.

   When my mother died, my father was a pillar of strength to all of us. He never quivered nor was he shaken. He always had his act together, but I saw how he cried. And grief is something that we personally experience and not for the whole world to witness. His beauty, his faith and his strength emanates from within him. I admire that about him. He can be funny too. We share our love of laughing at good jokes and good books. We love words in general. I take pride in sometimes still being able to add to his already extensive vocabulary and he likes it when he can stump me on definitions. Not an easy feat. At times, without blinking, I might know the meaning but I just give him the pleasure of thinking I don't because the smile on his face as it hits his eyes, by golly, is precious (beyond priceless!).

 

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there. Do what comes from the heart and do everything with love. I guess that's a good definition of a father. No one wants a perfect Dad, I don't. For that's too much to expect of a man and hard to live up to.

 

Love the one you have and I am sure he will love you more than you can humanly imagine.

 

Happy Tatay's Day!

 

 

 

 

 

RED LIPS

Wow! Now, that is R-E-D!

This summer 2013, I am all about finding that perfect RED LIP. Summer 2013 has just been like anything that is pertinent to me, atypical. So what better way to make that bold statement than by rockin' some really RED lips. I am loving it. 

Oh and by the way, this particular lipstick has a matte finish -love, love, love it!!

Nude and beige and tan colors are fine and dandy but sometimes a nice red lip gets all the attention. And who doesn't love the attention. Ladies? Right! We all do. Nothing says come and try and get me like some pouty red, luscious and hot lips. Gotta like that!

Oh please do not think that this is so entirely out of my league. Not at all! As a matter of fact, when I was in college (at an exclusive school for girls, run by nuns nonetheless) I was notoriously known for sporting some very RED lips. I would get my stash of RED lipstick from a friend who used to travel to the USA alot. I would get one or two here and there, by the time I graduated college I have numerous empty tube of these lipsmackers. 

The rules and regulations of the college did not specify nor imply that I am headed to the hot gates of Hades by wearing some fire engine red lipstick. No siree!! The nuns tried to get me to stop using them, but that just got me determined to try even 50 shades of red. Women would come up to me and ask for not just the color but if what has the nuns have to say about my tempting bordering on sinful red lips - I say - Nothing! For I have never heard of anyone being expelled from a catholic school for adult girls who chose to wear red lipstick, so there I was. It reminds me of my better than glorious rebellious years, I guess. And the feeling and thought, invigorates me. 

Tell me NO when it comes to cosmetics and I show you how and I can do with that NO. 

I remember those lipstick as long lasting and no amount of drinking liquid, eating or kissing can erase those lipstick off. The more I tried taking them off, the more they stayed longer. At times, I thought even when I was asleep I had red lips on. Funny, but true.

When I was in college and wearing the RED LIP, my best friends in college thought, it looked good on me. Nothing was farther from the truth when it came to my two brothers. They want their girlfriends wearing them but NO, NOT me! Whoa! I said, I like it, I use it. Nuff said!!

A professor of mine once said, "Does it make you feel good that you get all that attention for mere lip color?" If he was expecting me to feel bad about such a question, I didn't. My response was I believe "Why, yes it does. It really does, thank you very much".

So there I was a freshman, first year of college and of course, everyone in school knew about me and my RED lips before the end of the first semester. Memorable. Priceless. By the rest of college, I have established myself and my RED lips in its history books. Funny how people would ask about me, not by name but by the bloody color of my lips. It would crack me up to think that lips and color, especially when it is RED can be a signature to a persona. 

I am loving the RED lipsticks and my ultimate quest for the perfect one as a way to reminisce about happy times of my life, college years. I had more fun in college than I did in high school. High school was child's play in college was when the real fun began for me. And the red lips have a big part of that.

Towards my junior years, I have seen others try to copy (imitation is the ultimate form of flattery, they say) my RED lips but some came pretty close but NAH, did I also tell you that it was not just the RED lips and the catholic school uniform that made it for me, I was also one of the first to wear the highest black high heels in that college. Talking about pushing the envelope...hahaha..

Rebellious and good times, now that is what the red lips remind me of..it did not define me, not then and obviously not now. I go through these phases like, one would like a purse. Big and tote one day, then cluth and handy the next. I love switching it up a bit here and there.

So for those looking for something "small" but BOLD to do this summer, start with the lips. I know RED lips are hot for fall and winter and more coral and pinkish for summer, but who cares, try it now. You wear the RED lips, never let it wear you, is what I say.

Well, good luck to one and all looking for just that perfect RED. The best part about looking for that one that is just right for you is you have to try loads of shades of red before you find the right one. And one tip, when you find that perfect shade make sure you buy back ups. Coz if you are anything like me, as soon as I have declared something my favorite, they discontinue it!!

So gals, keep the torch of the RED lip alive. And what better to accessorize that red lip with is with a smile and a happy thought behind that smile. Best makeup one can have in your kit!

Until next time, see you all..tomorrow is another day. We'll dig up some more goodies in my bag and see what to post tomorrow.