Oh Hai. Foods, Words and Things I Sing in The Shower.

Whoops. I sort of fell of the face of the earth, but being a lawyer kind of sucks all the life out of you. Just kidding. (No, but seriously.) That being said, I've had an amazing last few months, which I'll slowly fill you in on once I get more of my shit together. But at the behest of my gorgeous friend Ladi, who also happens to be incredibly demanding, I thought I'd take my lunch break to fill you in on the happenings of Amber and Sophie Lee - I know you've been waiting with bated breath.

New Food and Drink – Los Angeles (I’ll be doing a Seattle, Palm Springs and SF version soon!)

Aline and I dressed up for dinner out.

Wolvesmouth – A double-digit course tasting menu, beautifully served in a renovated Craftsman bungalow buried in a Silverlake adjacent neighborhood. Unique flavor pairings, BYOB and hot chefs running around = best girls’ night ever. You have to basically apply each week via email and the cost is donation based, but you’re in the three-digits – AND IT IS TOTALLY WORTH IT.

Terrine – French inspired with a gorgeous outdoor patio, killer service and a foie gras burger that instantly clogged my arteries. Also check out the charcuterie board and the handcrafted cocktails for a summery afternoon.

Blue Bottle – I die. One of my favorite coffee places from SF opened up just down the block and I’ve been having to actively limit myself from inhaling their New Orleans cold brew, which contains milk, sugar, chicory and the meaning of life.

Preux and Proper – Southern style glammed up gastropub with po’ boys and remoulade up the wazoo. Dark wood, dim lighting, and plates to share = great date place… or one to drown your sorrows in with your best friends.

The girls at Malibu Wines

Malibu Wines – Finally, after years, checked this place our with my college posse. We loaded up on picnic supplies (read: cheese) and spent a warm summer afternoon on the grass doing wine flights and bottles. Parking is ample they provide a little shuttle and its an oasis in the middle of the Malibu Mountains. Also grrrrreat people watching (i.e. girls in inappropriate shoes and sheer dresses stumbling around screaming for more rose.)

Milkfarm – It totally makes sense that after doing an hour-long spin class at Revolutions in Eagle Rock on a Saturday morning, one should amble over to a cheese store and BUY EVERYTHING. Milkfarm has an extraordinary selection of imported and domestic cheeses, including Neal’s Yard Stilchelton – my favorite from London!

 The Books:


1. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot

• Okay, so a totally unique and beautifully fashion narrative of how a woman's "abandoned" cells became the starting block of most cell-lines and cell-based research, and she had no idea. And neither did her children. It's a loaded legal issue, but Skloot does a fantastic job of interweaving personal narrative and description into what could be a dry science book. Sort of like true crime, without the gore and some Bill Nye.

2. The Meaning of Human Existence, Edward Wilson

• Oddly enough, I've been having crazy, philosophical discussions about free will, determinism and the meaning of life with random people over the last couple of weeks. After listening to Brian Greene's podcast on On Being, I'd settled into a deterministic and not at all romantic view of human existence. But I picked this book up the other day, and the focus of human evolution, the need for belonging and altruism are all explained in a way that make human consciousness not mutually exclusive to a determinist view point -> somewhat romantic.

3. The Secret History, Donna Tartt

• Same author as The Goldfinch, this novel tells the story of a motley crew of intellectual students a couple decades ago, who get wrapped up in hedonism and murder. Sort of leaves with you a bad taste in your mouth, as Tartt skillfully demonstrates the complex nature of love and hate.

4. Modern Romance, Aziz Ansari

• Um, literally the best thing that's ever happened to bullshit relationship books, not that, I have, ahem, read any. Ansari pairs with great minds, including Columbia sociology professors and the founds of online dating (the sadistic individuals they are), to thoughtfully discuss the evolution of relationships with the advent of technology, social media and swiping. Hilarious, thoughtful, scientific and so many conversation starters. Except for the emphasis on the futility of finding your soulmate, I was pretty into this.

5. People Who Eat the Darkness, Richard Lloyd Parry

• Crazy, creepy, sleep with your lights on, and say a prayer kind of book. True crime at its best. Parry tells the story of a blonde-haired naive British "hostess" in Japan who goes missing. Her background, the disappearance, the investigation and the stuff that will give you nightmares is ridiculously well-told, complete with angst, anger, guilt, psychosis and desperation. I had to hide this book somewhere, just so I didn't have to be reminded about how bloody scary it was. 

6. Sweet Tooth, Ian McEwan

• One of my favorite authors, takes on a female "spy" in the 40s as she falls in love with her subject. Heartbreaking, complex, and wrought with tension, a total escapism novel. Perfect for a cloudy day in bed. 

What I'm listening to:

1. Elle King - Love Stuff - soulful, southern, and perfect for me to embarrass myself while strolling home with an iced coffee. Plus, like damn this girl owns her shit, and I'm so into "Exes and Ohs" (such an accurate reflection of my poor relationship choices) and "Where the Devil Don't Go."
2. Ryan Adams covering Taylor Swift's 1989 - two favorites together. I cried listening to this, and I wasn't even hormonal. Pretty good stuff.
3. Runnin', Naughty Boy Featuring Beyonce - if you get a voicemail from post midnight, its probably me singing this to you. And I'm not going to apologize. Just enjoy it, k?
4. Roses, Couer De Pirate - my favorite breathy, poppy French Canadian makes perfect Sunday brunch cooking music.