Loving...

Ela Handbags!  I don’t know why it has taken me so long, but I am just now discovery Ela Handbags and it’s thrilling!  These gorgeous, yet simple bags come in a variety of colors and finishes (suede, studded leather and fur) and are the perfect addition to any outfit or for any event.  My favorite is the MILCK, which has just enough room to carry exactly what you need for a night out: money/identification/lipstick/cell/keys.  This is pure genius!  Check out their blog as well.  Talk about being ridiculously good-looking!  Have a greeeeaaaaaaatt weekend, everyone!

MILCK by Ela

Chibi by Ela

Ela and Martin, creators of Ela Handbags

Recap: Preljocaj Ballet

Last Friday we attended an AMAZING, modern interpretation of the classic story Snow White, performed by the Preljocaj Ballet (French) at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angles.  With music by Gustav Mahler and costumes designed by the legendary Jean Paul Gaultier, it was a true treat for the visual and audible senses.  The dancing was modern (not the traditional “ballet” one would think of) and seductive and we absolutely love it.  I don’t want to reveal too much about it (such as how they interpret certain key elements in the story), but I would definitely recommend going if you’re lucky enough to be in a city on their tour list.

Outside the Dorothy Chanlder Pavilion

Inside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

It even smells old... love that!  So throwback!

He's so handsome!

Homemade Curry Time!

As I’ve hinted in some of the other posts, we LOVE a good curry.  Usually, Nick is in charge of whipping one up, but recently I gave it a shot and created this very tasty veggie delight based on a recipe I saw by Jamie Oliver.  I must say, I was quite proud of myself!  Here’s my recipe, but feel free to experiment with any type of vegetable.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

1 vine-ripened tomato

1 medium yellow onion

1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes (no salt added)

3-4 cloves of fresh garlic

2 heaping (and I mean heaping) tablespoons of Patak’s Madras Curry Paste

1 yellow bell pepper

Splash of good quality balsamic (optional, but adds something special)

1 small bunch of fresh cilantro

1 ½ cup of quartered button mushrooms

1 cup of Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Medley (dry)

1 14.5 oz. can of garbanzo beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pat of unsalted butter

Step 1, The Prep:  Chop/cube all of your vegetables into 1-inch bits (or whatever size you desire).  For the onion, dice half and roughly  chop the other half – keeping the two halves separate (you’ll see why later).  Mince the garlic and 6-7 springs of cilantro – including the stems.  Soak the rice in a shallow bowl.

Step 2, The Base:  Heat the olive oil and the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.  Add the DICED onions (reserving the chopped for later), garlic and cilantro.  Cook until translucent, making sure not to burn the garlic.

Step 3, The Veggies: Add the eggplant cubes and brown for about 10 minutes.  Then add the mushrooms, peppers, garbanzo beans and curry paste – mixing and making sure to coat all of the veggies. 

Step 4, The “Sauce”: After about five minutes of cooking that down, add the chopped fresh tomato, the can of diced tomatoes and about ¾ can of water to the pot and mix.  Bring that all to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 10-15 minutes.

Step 5, The Rice: After 15 minutes, drain and rinse the rice and add it to the pot.  Cook an additional 20 minutes, covered.

Step 6, The Finishing Touch:  Remove the lid and add a splash of good balsamic and the remaining chopped onions.  Cook for a final 10 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked.

Step 7, To Serve:  Spoon a generous helping into a shallow bowl, add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt to the top and sprinkle with fresh cilantro leaves.  Enjoy!

Bathroom Redo!

The one room in our house that has yet to be updated is our main bathroom.  As you can see in the photo below, original 1960’s attributes are intact – including the original light fixture and tiled counter top.  While we kind of like our retro, casual bathroom, I’ve been starting to think of how to update it.  The vanity is a bit low (especially for my 6’5’’ husband) and the random medicine cabinet on the back wall can probably go, but all-in-all it definitely works.  I’ve always been drawn to the clean & classic white bathroom, but am thinking maybe something more spa-like might be order? Or perhaps it a combination of both: modern classic!   

Our bathroom now...



Clean and Classic?

Spa-like?

A combination of both: modern classic!

Movie Mondays: Limitless

I woke up this morning remembering the strangest dreams!  I think it’s because we watched the sci-fi thriller Limitless last night before hitting the sack.  The story follows a struggling (borderline deadbeat) writer (Bradley Cooper) as he’s introduced to a secret super-drug by an “old friend” that gives him increased intellectual capabilities.  After ingesting the pill he’s transformed into a mild super-human genius, with a knack for numbers.  Naturally, this catapults him out of his dismal existence and into the upper echelons of New York’s power-driven circle of traders, consultants, etc.  Overall, it was a pretty good flick and I would be interested in the reading the book (originally titled The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn).  It was certainly worth seeing Bradley Cooper looking like a cracked-out homeless dude instead of his terribly handsome, dapper self.  Talk about a transformation!





Yikes!

Hermosa Inn - Scottsdale

Jet Setter is featuring the Hermosa Inn in Scottsdale, Arizona on their site this week!  This place holds a special place in my heart, as it’s where Nick and I got engaged and later had our engagement (or what I like to call “test shoot”) photos taken.  If you’re looking for a quick getaway to an AMAZING city, check it out.  Rooms start at $190 a night… what a bargain!  If you’re not already a member of Jet Setter, I would highly recommend it.  They always have great deals on nice/desirable places and signing up is free and quick.  Just thought I’d share!  Have a great weekend!  We are off to see Ballet Preljocaj's 'Snow White' tonight.  It should be beautiful!  Pictures to come next week!

All photos courtesy of Jetsetter.com.

And here are a couple of our photos at Hermosa Inn:

Loving...

Phillip Phillips!  I know, I’m a dork and still like to watch a little American Idol, but this year there are some stand-out contestants that (in my measly opinion) are almost too good for the show. Phillip Phillips is one of those contestants with true musical talent and soul who can transform any recognizable, chart-topping hit into his own.  He puts everything he’s got into each performance, which is somewhat inspirational.  Even the name is interesting: Phillip Phillips.  Wild!  Who are your favorites?  Another one if mine is Colton Dixon.  Like Phillips, I love his individuality and confidence!

Phillip Phillips

Colton Dixon

Palm Springs Recap

We had such a great time last weekend on our impromptu Palm Springs trip!  It stormed almost all day on Saturday, but that made it cozy and a bit romantic.  Hehe.  Luckily it cleared up in the evening, so we were able to stroll to dinner from our hotel – our AMAZING hotel.  It was small and boutique-y; just the way we like it!  We had dinner and drinks at Copley’s (phenomenal food: seafood sampler and the “untraditional” wedge salad, paired with a stiff martini, complete with blue cheese-stuffed olives) and then headed over to Melvyn’s for a little live jazz and dancing.  Front table right by the dance floor = so much fun!  The weekend was filled with historical rat-pack hangouts and we had such a great time.  Sometimes the best nights are when there is no plan and this was definitely one of them!

PS: check out more pictures from our trip on Nick's Tumblr:  http://www.nickfusedale.tumblr.com/

View from our terrace on Sunday

Oooo, ominous on Saturday

Dinner & Dancing attire: Chanel bag, J. Crew leopard shirt, Zara Tuxedo Ponte Pants, Bottega Veneta booties, Dolce & Gabbana coat, Philip Stein watch and vintage earrings.

Din-dins

Scallops & Copley's "Untraditional" Wedge Salad - SO GOOD

Melvyn's

Easy Weeknight Salmon

Here is another great, EASY weeknight dinner we enjoy usually week:  Baked Salmon with Asparagus and Sweet Potatoes!  There’s not much to it and I wouldn’t say there’s an actual “recipe”.  We kind of add whatever we have at the moment and it turns out delicious each time.
Total cooking and prep time = only 35 minutes!  Enjoy!

Sweet Potatoes:

-          Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

-          Grab a couple small/medium sweet potatoes.  Peal (or leave the skins on – that’s how I like it) and cut into cubes or stripes; whichever you prefer.

-          Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a glass baking dish and toss in the potatoes.

-          Season with salt and pepper and anything else you might like.  We sometimes add paprika or thyme or curry powder.

-          With your fingers, toss the potatoes in the pan so that all is slightly coated with the seasoning and the olive oil.

-          Throw it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Salmon & Asparagus.

-          After the potatoes have been put into the oven, start prepping the asparagus and salmon.

-          Line a large baking sheet or dish with aluminum foil (this makes clean-up a breaze!).

-          Place your salmon fillets skin-down on the foil and rub with country-style Dijon mustard, pepper and fresh lemon juice.  You can also sprinkle fresh thyme on them if desired.

-          Cut the ends off the asparagus and line the rest of the pan with them.

-          Drizzle slightly with olive oil and season with fresh-ground sea salt and pepper.

-          Once the potatoes have finished baking their first 15 minutes, remove and “shake” to turn them.

-          Now add the potatoes back into the oven with the salmon and asparagus and bake all for an additional 15 minutes.

-          Then serve!  Yum!

Movie Monday: 180 Degrees South

Since we got Netflix a few weeks ago, we’ve been watching a lot of great series and documentaries.  Yesterday we enjoyed 180 Degrees South - a beautifully-shot documentary about the simpler things in life; the things that really matter.  It documents adventure-seeking Jeff Johnson on his journey from Southern California to Patagonia to repeat the life-changing trip two of his heroes made over forty years ago.  Those heroes are Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, founders of The North Face and Patagonia turned environmentalists and conservationists.  What started off as a surf/climb expedition turns into a lesson about the battle between conservation and industrial growth.  We loved it and would definitely recommend it. 

Currently Coveting

While packing my bag last night for Palm Springs, I was wishing I had an easy, casual - yet somewhat chic - tunic dress to bring.  You know the kind;  something comfortable that you could wear to lots of different occasions? Since I didn’t already own exactly what I was looking for, I hopped online and found this A.P.C. beauty at Urban Outfitters! I love A.P.C for their timeless wardrobe-staples and casual French aesthetic.  They are pieces that you can own and wear forever, so naturally I ordered it.  I then somehow found a few other things I thought I couldn’t live without.  I just kept telling myself, “It’s okay, they’re classics!”.  Ha!  Have a great weekend, everyone! (and a stellar St. Patty's Day!)

1.       A.P.C Madras Denim Tunic / $225

2.       The Row Round-frame acetate sunglasses / $445

3.       A.P.C. Flap Shoulder Bag / $580

4.       Isabel Marant Dicker Boots / $580

5.       Yves Saint Laurent Ycons gold-plated charm bracelet / $395

6.       Alexander McQueen God Save McQueen printed modal-blend scarf / $790

Dreaming Of...

A house cleaner!  There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day anymore!  I used to think having a house cleaner was a luxury, but these days it seems to be more of a necessity.  All of our friends, neighbors, parents and co-workers have one and we seem to be the only ones that have “joined the club” yet.  But finding someone you trust and know will do a good job is tough in this town and like most things, everything comes by way of referral.  We tried one when we were living in our old apartment, but the language barrier was an issue and she kept mixing up our cleaning supplies with our neighbors.  For now, we’ll just continue to suck it up or live in filth (it’s not really that bad, I think I’m just a mild perfectionist).  A girl can dream…

PS: I love Meyer's cleaning products.  They smell too good!

Eco-Friendly Meyer’s Products

Surprise Getaway: Palm Springs!

What a superb morning!  My husband just surprised me with a little weekend escape to Palm Springs and I am so excited.  He originally asked me if we had any plans this weekend and told me he wanted to head to the premium outlet mall near Palm Springs to check out the new All Saints store (his favorite – and on my short list).  I said “great”, but then when he started acting a little squirrely a few hours later and I asked him “what’s up with you”, he blurted out that he couldn’t keep the secret and that we were spending the weekend at the Movie Colony Hotel.  Eeek!  This is definitely what I needed;  a rat-pack retreat!  Maybe a little din-din at the Purple Palm or a brunch at Cheeky’s… all I know is that there will definitely be some wine-drinking on the terrace!  Follow-up to come with lots of pictures!

Movie Colony Hotel

Movie Colony Hotel

The Purple Palm at Colony Palms Hotel

Cheeky's (courtesy of EatingLA)



Maroquinaris Zoologicae

How fun are these little guys?!  To commemorate the 100^th anniversary of Louis Vuitton’s small goods collection, they commissioned British artist Billie Achilleos to create a “zoo” of creatures from iconic LV materials.  The project, titled “Maroquinaris Zoologicae”, debuted last October in Paris and made its way to the Tokyo store for the holiday 2011 season.  The exhibit will continue its world tour for the duration of next year.  Check out how the artist created his masterpieces here.