All'Acqua

All'Acqua 
3280 Glendale Blvd.

So I passed the California Bar!!! WOOOOOOO!

I'm going to write on my study process and the night I actually found out, but probably tomorrow. So this weekend was full of celebrations, including the Bruin win on Saturday and attending the restaurant opening of All'Acqua on Saturday with Carey, Lauren, Hobie, Larry, Maj and some other new friends. Carey had preemptively made a reservation as soon as she found out the opening, and it was a great choice, bc the place was PACKED.


All'Acqua is the newest restaurant from our old brunch fave, Barbrix. It's an Italian style eatery, with all my favorites (mainly meaning good cheeses).

Lauren and I started with wood grilled spanish octopus with mixed citrus, shaved fennel, olives, pickled chilis (my favorite), and a delicious dressing. It was much more of a salad than what I expected, but amazing balance of flavors and totally different than what I expected. By far, my favorite.



We also had the PEI mussels in umido, which had a tomato based sauce with 'ndujo, fennel pollen and orange peel. I had had a similar dish at Bestia, which you all know is possibly the best restaurant ever, and wasn't quite a fan. However, this mussel dish blew Bestia's out of the water. Again, the balance of flavors was perfect, not too much heat and just enough salt. I was really impressed, even if the mussels seemed on the small side (I guess I'm not in Brussels anymore, lol.)


We ended with the ricotta gnocchi with the oxtail ragu. Technically perfect, the gnocchi was soft and light. However, the oxtail ragu was a bit too mundane for me. The flavors weren't anything new, and there was a bit too much cinnamon or something in it.

It was opening night and the service was a little touch and go. I really enjoyed our server's sense of humor, however, there were a few lengthy periods where she didn't come check in on us or take our order. Also, a server accidentally poured water over our table, but was quick to clean it up and very sweet about it. Just a few little hiccups, but overall great.

The general decor was the romantic, industrial chic, which is on trend. In addition, I liked its location near all my other favorite places in Atwater. If I were still living there, it would be a staple dinner place for sure, especially with the great wine list.

In addition, it was a lovely celebration to be around such smart and funny and wonderful people, especially when nursing my champagne headache from the night before.

xoxo

Things Keeping Me Sane

I'm a bit unfocused at the moment, so taking a bit of a break from the blogging business, until I get my dose of inspiration.

But here are a few odds and ends and updates.

1. Taylor. Swift. Is. Everything. I disgust myself by saying this but don't even care anymore. "Blank Space" is my theme song.

2. This face:

3. Talking about my love life/employment status/housing situation with my equally "disillusioned, disenchanted, and disappointed" crew, friends and then watching Beyonce videos.

4. Recipe inspiration, including a butternut squash and sage galette from how sweet it is and squash toasts with ricotta from smitten kitchen. I want to host a friends' Thanksgiving dinner now.

5. Looking forward to reading Lena Dunham's Not That Kind of Girl, Mimi Thorisson's A Kitchen in France, and Donna Tartt's Goldfinch.

6. Some Charles Bukowski quotes:

“It’s so easy to be easy—if you let it. I kept pulling the books out of the shelves again and again. I could only read a few lines and I felt the fakeness and I put them back. It was a real horror show. Nothing related to life, at least not to mine and the streets and the people I saw in the streets and what they were forced to do and what they became.”

“Men were children. You had to humor them. They could take no hurt. It was a thing every woman knew.”

“Each person is only given so many evenings and each wasted evening is a gross violation against the natural course of your only life.”

“You begin saving the world by saving one person at a time; all else is grandiose romanticism or politics.”

Vegan Spring Rolls

Since my bro and I started living at home again, there have been quite a few changes, i.e. I get less sleep, watch more romantic comedies, eat non-GMO, organic foods and have become mostly vegan - at least when Jas is around.

Since he's been working long hours, my mom has appointed me as substitute cook for a couple of nights a week. It's been an interesting challenge to consistently make vegan meals that are new and tasty and heavy with nutrition. The other night, I made spring rolls, which is something I've been meaning to do for ages. It took a minute to get the wrapping together, but the end product was amazing, especially with my semi-homemade peanut sauce.

The recipe:
- Julienne cucumber and carrots, shred a bit of cabbage, and slice an avocado
- Season with a bit of salt and pepper and rice wine vinegar
- Soften some mung bean noodles
- Fry up some chunks of tofu after seasoning with chili garlic sauce, salt and pepper
- Stir up some soy sauce with zested garlic and ginger
- Wet spring roll wrapper in hot (not boiling/super hot water) for a few seconds until softened, but not uselessly unmanageable.
- On the bottom third of the wrap, place your veg, noodles and tofu.
- Sprinkle some of the soy sauce mix on the top
-Fold over the sides; then from the bottom, roll up the spring roll
- It will naturally stick together
- Serve with thai chili sauce, chili garlic sauce and your peanut sauce

Homemade Peanut sauce:
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- Add a tbsp of soy sauce
- Add a tbsp (or more) of chili garlic sauce
- Thin with hot water and serve as dipping sauce.

I Made the Best Meal of My Life

Like seriously.

I made a lemon-provence roast chicken, beet and apple salad with goat cheese mousse, caramelized onions and green beans, and freshly baked baguettes. And everything was surprisingly simple!

 I've been on this French kick for a bit. Reading all the French fashion blogs, dreaming about an apartment in Paris, and imagining Sophie prancing around cobblestone streets in a designer leather collar. Clearly, I need some help. With my new library card (like omg I haven't had one since 2000), I checked out Rachel Khoo's "My Little Paris Kitchen" and got to work. I had to do a bit of modifying, because of Jason's vegetarian tendencies (so bacon was out, damn him) and my mom was against turning on the oven in 85 degree heat. So how did I do it? The secrets are below:

Lemon/Herbs de Provence Roast Chicken:

- quality, organic, roast chicken -> rinse and pat dry
- make compound butter: 3-4 tablespoons butter (preferably organic), sea salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a hearty helping of herbs de provence. (Save some for the green beans).
- cut slits into chicken chicken and throw in pats of butters
- put salt and pepper in the cavity with leftover lemon remains
- then rub salt and pepper and herbs into skin
- let sit for an hour
- THE SECRET: the NuWave oven. Put chicken breast side down, and cook for 15 mins on high. Turn over and cook for 20 mins on high. Make sure juices run clear, then let rest for ten mins before serving.

Beet and Apple Salad with Goat Cheese Mousse:
- Goat Cheese mousse: 3.5 oz herbed goat cheese softened and blent with 2-3 tbsp milk until smooth; should be like pancake batter. Whip up 3-4 tbsp heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks. Fold milk mixture into whipping cream. Put in sandwich bag and chill in fridge until ready to use.
- roast a big beet (peeled and chopped) with salt, pepper and olive oil; let cool
- chop dessert apple
- throw those two ingredients with a herb salad
- make a vinaigrette [blend one clove garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and one heavy tbsp of whole grain Dijon)
- drizzle that over salad
- Take out sandwich bag, clip off corner, and make little goat cheese poufs on salad.

Green Beans and Caramelized Onions:
- blanch a couple of cups of green beans (boiling water 2-3 minutes, ice water bath)
- caramelize an onion in olive oil
- throw in green beans
- THE SECRET: throw in compound butter from the chicken
- cook for about 15 minutes until flavors have melted into each other

French bread:
I did this recipe, but made smaller baguettes. THE SECRET: Then I threw it into our mini toaster over, for about 18 minutes. Everyone got a baby baguette (even Sophie)!



Overall, the meal was AMAZING, despite the fact I burned myself on a baguette. The flavors were so light. I realized that I tend to rely heavily on garlic as my flavor base. It was refreshing to have these light and delicate fragrances, which were new to my cooking, with our traditional Sunday roast. Most definitely making all these things again.

Random Musings.

To be honest, I am a bit lost right now. Some of it is still the decompression process post-law school, but a part of it is re-evaluating where I am in life, where I thought I'd be, if that's actually what I want, what I want and who I want in my life. Translation: I'm being the angst-y, bratty teenager I couldn't be a decade ago. (Shit. Decade. Whoa.)

I am incredibly lucky right now that I have a position that is allowing me a lot of flexibility about how and where I spend my time. (To let the cat out of the bag, I'm drafting a thematic report on the intersectionality of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking for a national non-profit. Just some light reading, ya know?) That being said, the position is short-term, which means I have to figure out what the eff I'm doing. I can keep on this route, with short-term consultant positions, building my name in the gender-based violence research/advocacy world, allowing me flexibility to travel, but meaning I'll probably have to live at home for a bit or I can look for positions that may take me away from my passions but mean I can spend more on shoes (and pay off my massive loans and move out and buy new bras - sort of necessities). I know that was a run-on sentence, but that's sort of my life right now, so just deal.

Frankly, I'd like more time. More time to write, more time to travel, more time to take classes in things that aren't California Community Property. But because I am me and because I reside in southern California. I feel this insane need to pick something, do it and "start my life." I keep putting off things, saying I'll do it when I have a routine, a 9-5 "job," etc. But it's really just avoidance and really stopping me from being the healthiest mentally and physically that I could be right now.

So that leaves me feeling a tad inadequate, a little deflated, and much to family's dismay, more edgy than usual - which is actually terrifying. Blah blah blah. Where am I going to be in two months? I don't know. Do you know? Does anyone know? Does it matter? What would change? Whatevs.

So instead, here are some pretty things I found on Pinterest. You're welcome.

Follow Amber Lee's board Pink and White on Pinterest.

Weekend in Mammoth

Evan, Casey, Ladi, Sophie and I hightailed it to Mammoth for the weekend. Our Friday night was a long drive up, including too long of a respite at Little Ceasars in Lancaster. Saturday, we did a hike around the Rock Creek area after drooling over the pie selection at Pie in the Sky. We forgot that they always run out early, and unfortunately, 1:30pm was a little too late to get a taste. After a couple of hours of hiking (aka selfies), we went to the new location of Mammoth Brewing and tried out their AMAZING seasonal collection. My favorite was the Owens Valley Black IPA, although the Kung Fu apple was a close second. The hike wore us out, so we headed home quite early for wine and the hot tub, plus catching up on How to Get Away with Murder and Grey's Anatomy. (I totally have to start watching GA again!). Yesterday, Casey left us a bit early, but Evan, Ladi, Sophs and I took a leisurely drive home, stopping for roast beef sandwiches and cookies at Schats and eating it among the Aspens at the Bristlebrush campground.

It was the shortest amount of time I've spent in Mammoth and I wish we could have stayed a bit longer. However, with the changing seasons and the crisp air, I am grateful to get my dose of fall in. The last week was a lot of ups and downs and some time away from Los Angeles with my cheery friends was exactly the medicine I needed. I kept saying I needed a break from my family, but Mammoth reminded me that I love my loud, abrasive, overly intellectual foodie family. I have a ton of work to (start and) finish this week, but I feel a new spark for it. Also looking forward to American Horror Story starting this week, Soulcycle and sushi with Christina on Thursday, and a pumpkin beer tasting.

xx

Five Days in DC - Day 3

Before I launch into my Day 3 DC goings-on, I thought I'd take a minute to say I AM STRESSED. Almost to that overwhelming-anxiety-induced, insomnia-resulting, give-me-a-glass-of-wine-before-I-scream, stressed.

It's hard to say exactly why I am so stressed. I have an ample amount of work to keep me busy, business lunches planned, a trip to Mammoth in the works for pie and hiking, aspirations to get a manicure, etc. However, I am at a point where weeding out superfluous anxieties is a complete necessity, including the boxes of stuff in the garage, my disgustingly overfilled email accounts and people who have frustratingly ambiguous roles in my life. 

Anywho, you'll have to excuse me if I launch into a complete downward spiral of tirades and pinteresting. Back the regularly scheduled programming:


Day 3 in DC started with a coffee from Dolcezza as well as a quick perusing through their amazing gelato flavors. Cailin prepared a beautiful brunch of a omelette including (turkey) bacon and Rafi, our talented barman, whipped up some Bloody Marys, which were quite the wake-up call. He used a Bloody Mary mix called "Birth of Pain," that he and Cailin had picked up at the Farmers Market. From their website: "Born from the fiery fields of our farm emerges a new level of the most pleasurable pain.  The "Birth of Pain" made with only our freshest Heirloom Tomatoes, blended fresh vegetables and spices and, of course, the infamous Scotch Bonnet Pepper.  Weak Souls...Heed this Warning:  Prepare yourself for the "Birth of Pain".  It will satisfy your deepest desire to surrender your taste buds to your Master."


So if that is any indication of its strength, you can imagine the deliciousness. I totally want to order some myself.

Later after some napping, Cailin and I went on a jaunt to Georgetown for macarons from Olivia (I tried the red velvet and the rose), which were absolutely lovely and I got to gawk over the gorgeous architecture in the idyllic afternoon sun. 











I then checked into my hotel, the Mandarin Oriental, which is just off the National Mall. It was walking distance to my work, which I'll detail tomorrow, and offered lush accommodations and a great outdoor bar.  Laxmi met me and we enjoyed a late afternoon glass of wine before heading to Jose Andres' DC restaurant, Zaytinya, which blends Turkish, Lebanese and Greek cuisines. Phenomenal. First, the space is massive and packed for a Sunday night. The wine list was dynamic an unique with delicious wines from Lebanon and Greece. We were seated inside, which helped us avoid the crazy summer downpour outside and the service was impeccable. 

We ordered the labneh to begin. Omg. I can't even. I'm salivating just thinking about it. So fresh, simple, rich. It's kind of ridiculous that once I had that simple appetizer, I thought the meal couldn't get any better. But of course, it did. I am incredibly grateful that Laxmi is just as much as a foodie as I am. We also ordered the horta salata (kale, smoked olives and fava santorini), piyaz (warm giant beans, kale, oven-roasted tomatoes and garlic) and the seared haloumi cheese (with watermelon, mint and tomatoes). I know the dishes sound very simple, like how impressive can "warm giant beans" be. UM CRAZILY DELICIOUS. LIKE EXPLODE IN YOUR MOUTH. I WILL NEVER HAVE BEANS THAT GOOD AGAIN DELICIOUS.


So you have to go. Period. Again, a great day of friends and food.