ménage à trois

(photo ala versions galore)

elvis and i are back on the 1's and 2's tomorrow night at the pike restaurant and bar in long beach along with our good friend jessica (dj barbarella). 3 is the magic number. come check us out tomorrow night.

all vinyl, all night long.

1836 E. 4th St.

long beach, ca. 90803

562.437.4453

::here's an old mix for your listening pleasure by elvis. made in 2003 in santa cruz...right around the time i met him::
Turntable Mix 1/14/03 "emo" Santa Cruz by MaoWon

inspiration

i found this picture of an outdoor table in last month's food and wine mag. love the idea of herbs....or whatever for that matter, growing down the middle. easy to make and cool. a living centerpiece.

earthquake? dubquake........

well we've had some wacky weather the past couple of days. it was 108* in long beach yesterday (no AC!) which almost made me insane and now it's overcast, humid but much cooler. many are talking about it being earthquake weather. not going to think about that right now.

but i WILL think about dubquake coming to LA in a couple of weekends. the guys that put on dub club always seem to bring in the heavy hitters and this show is no exception. i haven't been for MONTHS and might have to get my high steppin on and head over. 2 day pass only $25!!! such a good deal.


michael rose was the highlight for me. he turned the echoplex into a spaceship disco machine. so good to see a legend still tearing up the dancehall.
)))BOOM(((

this meal is sponsored by...

INA GARTEN! i saw her cookbook, back to basics, at tj maxx the other day and contemplated buying it. i started browsing through the recipes and these two stood out amongst MANY others that also looked delicious. then it occurred to me the internet exists and there's no need to buy when i can google. wa-la!

tomato and goat cheese tarts: well mine were tomato and sheep feta. divine! divine! divine! these will be made again. i used trader joe's puff pastry in the frozen section. super easy, no rolling required. heirloom tomatoes, and trader joe's sheep feta. i always have it on hand. extra creamy, less tart. heaven.

roasted butternut squash salad with warm cider vinaigrette: i followed her recipe but substituted arugula for red lettuce...just what i had on hand...and used candied pecans vs. toasted walnuts. la bomba.

fall is around the corner and i'm excited for a new season's bounty!

cha-ching!

1 ounce of gold: $1,286.51. 2 brass block bookends (say it twice): $4. the bookends win. scored these today at ye ol' thrift. super hot.


mama recently scored this gem for me at her local. $20. it can be medium length,


long


or shortypants


me: 1, madre: 1

DIY succulant planters/centerpieces

so i guess the summer isn't my prime time blogging season. too much going on to sit down and write. i've been keeping myself busy with the normal june-august fun as well as trying to plan a wedding. a DIY wedding....in palm springs. thankfully my man has been a great help to keep me from a full blown panic attack. he's getting his hands dirty and helping to take a lot off my plate. praise allah.

so my latest project has been centerpieces for the tables. these turned out so cool and could be used on any patio or any table...not just a wedding, i thought i'd share it here vs. my wedding brainstorming site.

so here we go... let me begin with i like free. i'm not one of those brides that pays for it all. don't get me wrong, if i had more cash i probably would inquire about some outside help, but so far, so good. the soil and the sedum on the top are the only two things i bought.

the industrial sized tin cans came from one of my fav eateries, Nosh. the owner susan is a dream and has been saving them for me in her back room with the help of her staff. i've been making weekly pick-ups and will continue to harvest more. holes were drilled with a large drill bit by my bf and husband's friend. nice job BOYS! flower shaped succulents on the sides come from cutting of the plants in my yard as well as my friend's yard. i've been prepping them to sprout roots before i planted them in the cans to ensure they'd survive.






more cans to go...more succulents to collect from the surrounding neighborhoods. (don't sweat it friends, these babies grown like weeds around here and like to be trimmed =)

i'm also planting more in white pots i find @ ye ol' thrift or my mom's warehouse, otherwise known as her pantry. thanks mom!