All posts tagged: Featured

The Last Bookstore ~ Downtown LA

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Some people collect fancy shoes and designer bags. Some people collect the latest tech toys. Some people collect superhero action figures. I collect vintage books. In a world that has become increasingly digital, virtual and cloud-based as the new normal, I have made it my personal mission to save the world’s beautiful orphaned literature—one book at a time. If you, like me, still love the feeling of holding a REAL BOOK in your hands when you read—smelling the musty paper, feeling the crispness pass through your fingers as you turn each page, folding corners and underlining paragraphs of the passages that sing to you—then you must treat yourself to a visit to LA’s book lover’s paradise, The Last Bookstore. Located Downtown on the corner of 5th & Spring, The Last Bookstore is a giant two-story mecca that feels like an enormous gleeful protest to the rapid disappearance of the art of the paper book. In the midst of the digital revolution, The Last Bookstore is clearly making their final stand. The first floor houses a …

Spinach Artichoke Dip

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Every spring the time warp begins. Spring catapults us into the year on a freight train to summer. Not only does it always feel like we all turn into busy bees at work, but birthdays, picnics and gatherings are a plenty. People feel the call of spring and come out of hibernation. It’s time to clean house & throw ourselves into work and play. So I thought, “What would be the most comforting, delicious dish to share and is the least time-consuming?” My spinach artichoke dip can literally be made in 10 minutes and tastes like a warm hug. Your friends will think you channeled your inner foodie and spent all day in the kitchen. I have never gotten more audible “MMMMmmmm”s from an appetizer than this quickie dish. I’ve always loved the idea of a good spinach and artichoke dip, but have always felt like there was too much cream and not enough spinach in every bite. Universally, other recipes include cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise. The result is a white creamy dip with …

Paramount Ranch ~ Agoura Hills, CA

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Tired of hearing the word “Runyon” after your friends invite you on a hike? Can’t handle the crowds of actors posting vaguely inspirational (mis)quotes as an excuse to sneak in another almost-naked photo of themselves hiking the go-to trail? Well, breathe a giant sigh of relief because we’re here to tell you that you never have to step foot on that over-run Tinder trail again. Plus, it’ll be closed April through July for repairs—so what better time to expand your horizons? For genuine hiking enthusiasts, LA offers endless gorgeous trails throughout all of our many mountain ranges. If you’re looking for something truly unique, then hightail it out to Paramount Ranch. Located just off Kanan on the way to Malibu, Paramount Ranch is part of the Santa Monica Mountains and is overseen by the National Park Service. Most importantly, it’s also an Old West ghost town. Or, more specifically, an Old West Tinsel Town ghost town. Built by Paramount Studios back in the 1920’s to shoot their Western “talkies”, the Wild West facade set has …

The Edible Easter Egg ~ All Natural Dyes

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One of my favorite childhood memories was on Easter Sunday when I would wake up to the feeling of magic in the air. It was a day for play.  After church, we would pile into the back of our station wagon and take the drive to my grandparents’ farmhouse where boiled eggs and beautiful dyes would be waiting for us. Decorating my grandma’s eggs made them so precious to me, those mini works of art magically became priceless Faberge eggs to be gazed at with admiration. After a late afternoon supper, we would play hide-and-seek among the fig and pecan trees in the back yard, dodging the bobbing lightning bugs at sunset. We would scan the horizon for pops of color of the hidden Easter eggs among the green grass like we were mini bank robbers on a heist. With Easter weekend upon us, we were so excited to be invited to our friend Becca’s picnic & egg dyeing party. Becca wanted to try out some edible dyes and I am always a “yes” to a kitchen experiment …

Just Float ~ Sensory Deprivation Chamber

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Our mission at Sirens & Scoundrels is to go find every cool off-the-beaten-path adventure and bring it back to you so you can try it yourself. As a meditation teacher, I’m always especially curious about anything that promotes increased presence and self-awareness. So what do those things have to do with locking your naked self in a pitch-black soundproof weightless saltwater chamber voluntarily? Well, step inside and let us show you… Sensory deprivation tanks originated back in the 1950’s as a means to research the brain’s dependence—or lack thereof—on external stimuli. What they discovered is that controlled sensory deprivation (the removal of all external stimulation) over short periods of time had the same effects as entering a meditative state—moving from beta or alpha brainwaves into theta waves for deep relaxation. Starting in the 1980’s, centers began providing float tanks to the public seeking their restorative and rejuvenating properties. Over the years, we have heard about several float centers in L.A. But we knew the time had come to dive in with the opening of Just …

Goulash~ Beef & Potato Stew

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St. Patrick’s Day is usually celebrated by parades of shamrocks, wearing green and drinking beer. But for me, St. Patrick’s Day always reminds me of my Czech grandmother. Her birthday was March 17th, 1916. So on St. Patrick’s Day, we would go visit my grandparents, who were married for almost 60 years by the time my grandpa passed away. Being farmers and homemakers, both my grandparents were amazing cooks. The smell of kolaches baking and goulash simmering on the stovetop were nostalgic aromas wafting through the screen door of their little farmhouse. My most euphoric and vivid childhood memories are always associated with cooking or sitting around a dinner table with my grandparents. We would cook and bake all day, then eat supper gathered around their wood dining table with the Czech radio station playing a polka or waltz in the background. My grandpa would sweep my grandma up in his arms and waltz her around the kitchen with pots bubbling and aprons flying. After a full belly, we would take a walk through the fields down to the railroad tracks at sunset listening to a …

Downtown Field Trip

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Earlier this month, we invited our readers to cut class and ditch work with your resident Ferris Buellers for our first official Sirens & Scoundrels Field Trip. We were beyond thrilled to have an awesome group of artists and innovators come together for a rogue weekday art, food & culture adventure to Downtown LA! Who knew Tuesdays could be so cool? We started our adventure at the new Broad contemporary art museum on Grand. We first wrote about the Broad in our December article: HERE. Many readers wanted to check it out for themselves afterwards, but were surprised that tickets were booked out months in advance. So we decided we’d make it really easy: secure a bunch of tickets and invite people to just show up. This is the best way for you to do it with your friends, too. Tickets are free and you can reserve up to nine at a time, so we suggest that you just take the initiative for your gang and book the earliest date available online: HERE. The good news is …

Le Garage ~ Sausalito, CA

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What’s a Siren or Scoundrel to do when they’re itching for the South of France but also need to pay the rent? Head up to Sausalito and experience the Riviera’s kissing cousin in all its dreamy aquamarine glory. If you really want to set the scene, go straight to Le Garage for a French Bistro dining experience that will leave you asking, “Cannes who?” Sitting right along the waterfront with big white sailboats and shiny yachts glittering and bobbing lazily in the afternoon sun, you can relax with a glass of French rose and dust off those phrases you haven’t used since high school: “Ah oui, Monsieur, je vais tres bien, merci beaucoup. Umm…that’s all that I remember.” Le Garage is a true fine dining experience made refreshingly accessible and delicious. The French owners wanted to bring some of their local comfort foods to the traditional bistro menu. So alongside their exquisitely executed staples like Steak Frites and Salade Nicoise, you’ll also find Country Pork Chops and Crispy Panisse—french fries made from chickpeas. The highlight …

California’s French Riviera ~ Sausalito & Marin, CA

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One of the greatest joys of living in California is that you can hop in your car at a moment’s notice and create the instant epic road trip of your dreams. Snow, surf, forest, mountains, desert—whatever your heart desires, it’s right here for the taking. And if you’re like us and dream of wearing stripes while sipping rosé by the waterfront in Nice, then it’s time to head up to Northern California for a taste of the French Riviera in our own backyard! We feel the call of Northern California quite often. Big fans of a road trip, we answer that call by piling our gang into our (eco-friendly) cars and making the drive up the coast. It’s the perfect time to get in some 80’s-power-ballad sing-alongs, have some deep and meaningfuls, explore sleepy unknown towns and their many dried fruit & nut options, and of course—catch up on Serial and backlogged This American Life episodes. On our last trip up, even though we were seeing Hall & Oates play The Greek in Berkeley, we …

Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai

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In 2011, I traveled to Thailand and my true love affair with Thai cuisine began. The explosion of flavors was unlike any Thai food I had experienced in the States. I couldn’t leave “The Land of Smiles” without uncovering the mysteries of those beautiful bright flavors–which prompted a bike ride to a little farm in the northern countryside to take a cooking class from a Thai chef. My friend Kristen & I experienced cooking Thai cuisine for the first time with local ingredients. Thai food is so satisfying because it awakens a symphony of flavor. Spicy, salty, sour and sweet, Thai cooks are masters of balancing the palate. No other dish showcases that magic like Pad Thai. Flash forward to 2016 and that adventure still finds its way into my kitchen. As a home cook and happa, I like to experiment with Asian cuisine but with a California twist. This is not surprising since I grew up with a Korean mother who would sneak rice and kimchi onto our dinner table to accompany any international cuisine from Italian pasta to Czech goulash. This Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai became an …

All Space Considered ~ Griffith Observatory

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So, it’s time for us to come clean….we at Sirens & Scoundrels are actually big secret space nerds. How can you possibly see pictures of the cosmos (like the ones below from NASA) and not have your mind absolutely blown away by how unfathomably complex and mysterious the universe is—and how miniscule we are amongst it? How can you not be filled with an undying thirst to want to know more—how it all came to be and why we still have so few concrete answers even with all of our advancements in technology? If you have ever seriously wondered about the mysteries of the universe and our place in it, but don’t have time to go back to school for astronomy…we have something wonderful to let you in on. Once a month, the Griffith Observatory holds a free space talk. Not just a talk—but a fun, lively, often hilarious roundtable of respected scientists (seriously, we had no idea scientists could be so funny) breaking down all the latest space news in a way that we …

Say Cheese! ~Your Self-Help Guide to Cheese Pairings

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This one is for all you cheese lovers out there. Spoiler Alert: This article may trigger impulsive behavior. It may induce intense cheese board fantasies–forcing you to go buy large chunks of cheese, then gather all your friends to eat said cheese while enjoying the best day of your adult lives. Because what’s up with being an adult if you can’t eat as much cheese as you want, whenever you want to? Maybe that’s why I like to create moments that make me feel as if I’m living a life of leisure: lounging in a farmhouse…on a vineyard…in the south of France (where they supposedly have 452 official kinds of different cheese). My favorite thing in the world is sitting down with friends at sunset over a cheese board and a glass of Rosé. Because really, cheese just makes everything better. I want to take your taste buds on an adventure. In solidarity over our mutual cheese obsession, we’ll learn the nitty-gritty about what makes a good cheese pairing. And what could be better than enticing your friends into the …

Sirens & Scoundrels March Field Trip ~ The Broad

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Remember that thrill of getting to cut class, load up on a bus with your pals and head out for a day of adventuring—all in the name of furthering your education? Do you ever miss the joys of a good old-fashioned field trip? If so, you’re in luck! Because we’re extremely excited to announce our very first official Sirens & Scoundrels Field Trip! You’re invited to come join us on a group adventure Downtown to visit The Broad museum on Tuesday, March 8th, 2016. Tickets are totally FREE and can be reserved by emailing us at: sirensandscoundrels@gmail.com. Just let us know that you wanna join our field trip! We’ll check out some art, get in some culture and then head on over to Grand Central Market for the deliciousness of your choosing. We’d love to have you join our art gang! Come cut class with your resident Ferris Buellers—we promise you won’t regret it. After all…life moves pretty fast—if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. The Broad …

Vegan Gluten-Free Apple Oat Cookies

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I have been asked for this recipe more than any other thing I’ve ever baked. So… I will share it with you now so you can hoard a batch for yourself as an act of self-love or wow a loved one with this bite-sized breakfast-in-bed to accompany a morning coffee. Words that describe my Oat Cookies: Quick, Easy, Healthy, Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Delicious, Addictive, Crowd-Pleaser, Snack, Dessert, Breakfast…Need I say more? Makes 12 Cookies Vegan Gluten-Free Oat Cookies   PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 25 minutes Ingredients 3 ripe bananas 1 cup chopped skinned apples (*you can also substitute chopped dried or fresh fruit like berries, dates, raisins, apricots, etc.) 1/3 cup melted coconut oil ½ tsp salt 2 cups quick oats (*you can use quick oats or regular oats; the regular GF oats give the cookies a crisper texture) 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup unsalted roasted chopped almonds (Optional) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease your cookie sheet. Set aside. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add the oil, salt and vanilla. Mix in the oats. Set aside a few minutes for …

The Old Place ~ Cornell, CA

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Here at Sirens & Scoundrels, we’re dedicated to bringing you only the best of the off-the-beaten path adventures that LA has to offer. We love to bring you secret hidden places that you never knew existed that are just waiting to be discovered sitting in your own back yard. Well today, you’ve hit the Motherload. Because we’re sharing our most secret, most hidden, most favorite place in all of Los Angeles. Universally, when people step foot in the Old Place, they want to know “HOW ON EARTH HAVE I NEVER KNOWN ABOUT THIS PLACE BEFORE??!” That was a lot of caps, but it’s true. But don’t beat yourself up for not knowing about it. See, that’s the thing with a secret—it’s a secret, until you get let in on it. It has to be shared. Just a little ways up Kanan in the mountains of Agoura Hills, the Old Place is an old general store and post office turned steak and clam house that’s been a staple in these parts for 46 years. Run by …

Flourless Chocolate Lava Cake (Gluten Free)

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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and I am being inspired by those romantic French.  My most memorable food memory is of this euphoric Poached Pear with Chocolate Sauce dessert that I devoured in Antibes, France that literally changed my life.  There’s something about chocolate that is so decadent and no one does it better than the French. From Chocolate Soufflés to Molten Lava Cakes, French cuisine & pastry is synonymous with romantic desserts that will ignite your desire.  Being gluten-free, I have always wanted to experiment with creating a dessert that has the creaminess of a Chocolate Lava Cake but without the use of flour. Thus the Flourless Chocolate Lava Cake was born. We at Sirens and Scoundrels are always initiating fun gathering ideas and food shares. What could be more fun while celebrating this Month of LOVE than gathering your loved ones or Valentine’s date & having a decadent Chocolate Party? It’s a taste experience that will have your loved ones over the moon. Because you’ll be baking individual Chocolate Lava Cakes, you and your guests have the freedom to flavor …

Spaghetti Squash “Pasta” (vegan & gluten free)

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I like to celebrate February as the Month of Love: love for a partner, love for your family & friends, and most importantly, love for yourself. So for each week in February, I am going to share one of my recipes featuring a culture that shares my food philosophy: FOOD IS LOVE. Sharing Italian food is synonymous with romance–there’s something about Italian that makes you feel decadent and cared for. One delicious bite can make you feel like you’ve received a warm, passionate hug. Being present together over a shared meal “made with love” is what I want to entice you to do this month. My spaghetti squash “pasta” will impress anyone lucky enough to be your heart’s desire. This Italian feast-in-a-pot is the perfect centerpiece for your next gathering, be it a romantic date with a bottle of wine or a celebration with friends. Not only is it gluten-free and vegan, but it’s simple to make and extremely satisfying. Spaghetti Squash gets its name from its noodle-like texture when cooked. It is the perfect hearty base for a …

Wolf Connection ~ Acton, CA

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Does the Month of Love have you feeling the call of the wild? Looking for that perfect hot date to get your blood pumping and make your temperature rise? Wanna let your inner beast out to play? Well, we’ve got just what you need to satisfy your cravings. If you’re ready to TRULY take a walk on the wild side, then grab the one you love (or the one you’d like to love) and head over to the Wolf Connection for their once-a-month Hike With the Pack. Located in Acton just 45 minutes north of LA, the Wolf Connection rescues and rehabilitates wolves and wolf dogs from across the country. The sanctuary is home to about 30 wolves, most of which are neglected and abused domestic rescues from owners who didn’t get that wolves and dogs are not the same thing. But luckily, the incredible staff here at the Wolf Connection is dedicated to making sure that their adoptees get a second chance at life, nursing them back to health and heartiness with loving care …

Vegan Comfort Food ~ Lentil & Sweet Potato Salad

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So, this dish is pretty legendary amongst our friends. It seems inconspicuous enough at first glance—lentils in a bowl. Big whoop. Until you bite into it. Then universally everyone asks, “Wait, WHAT’S IN THIS?!” Quickly followed by, “Can you give me the recipe?” after going back for thirds. This is quite possibly one of the simplest meals you will ever make, but it is just undeniably delicious. It’s healthy vegan comfort food that settles deep down into your bones and feels like a big warm food hug. The secret is the richness of the roasted sweet potatoes combined with the unexpected creamy tanginess of the lentils cooked in olive oil and apple cider vinegar. I know people who have literally lived off this dish after being introduced to it. And it’s so easy ANYONE can make it. You ready? Here goes… Serves 6 INGREDIENTS~ 2-3 medium-large sweet potatoes 3 cups soaked or pre-cooked lentils (I use 1 bag of Trader Joes pre-cooked lentils) 1 bag of arugula (optional) olive oil unfiltered apple cider vinegar everyday …

Museum Free-For-All

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If one of your resolutions was to get up close and personal with more art this year, congratulations! Your hour has come! This Saturday, January 30th, you and your friends can get into over 30 museums in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas totally free as part of the 11th Annual Museums Free-For-All. It’s the perfect opportunity to check out that museum you’ve always been curious about but never tried or visit an old favorite and explore their collections. General admission is free, but special exhibition tickets are not included and parking fees are still required where applicable. Here is the official list of participating museums from So Cal Museums: Annenberg Space for Photography Armory Space for Photography Autry Museum of the American West (Includes free admission to the Autry in Griffith Park & Autry’s historic Southwest Museum Mt. Washington campus) The Broad California African American Museum California Science Center (Does not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions or IMAX films. Timed reservations are required for space shuttle Endeavour.) Craft & Folk Art Museum (Sun, January …

Chicken Vegetable Soup

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Flu season is upon us and nothing “cures what ails ya” like homemade chicken soup.  Recent scientific studies show that chicken soup really does have more medicinal value than a lot of over-the-counter medicines that just mask symptoms versus aiding your body in healing.  In my recipe, every single ingredient is medicine–each delivering anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immune-boosting magic. Coming from a Tex-Mex and Korean food background and now being a gluten-free Cali-girl home cook, my version of chicken soup includes all the standard components of this traditional wonder broth…with some delicious twists. I’m revealing all my secrets here to keep you in the best health for 2016 and beyond. All of our sirens & scoundrels need to be in premium health for this year’s coming adventures, so we’ll get past this flu season together!  First, let’s talk about the magic of all of these luscious ingredients: –Coconut oil is extremely anti-viral. –Garlic is also anti-viral, detoxes your body from heavy metals, aids in heart & bone health, is rich in manganese, vitamin B6 and that powerful vitamin C. –Ginger …

The Lake Shrine ~ Pacific Palisades, CA

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A picturesque wooden windmill resting atop a blue lagoon. Gushing waterfalls cascading down lush green tropical hillsides. White swans floating gracefully along a glassy lake as dragonflies skip and chase each other. A sprawling rose garden bursting in full Technicolor rainbow bloom. And a sweet gentle hush of stillness so deep you’d swear you entered another dimension. And maybe you’re right. There is definitely something other-dimensional about this place. But luckily, you don’t have to book an international or intergalactic flight to experience all of its tranquil magic. This little piece of hidden Heaven is right here in our own backyard. Tucked away behind an unassuming wood gate just above where Sunset meets PCH in Pacific Palisades, the Lake Shrine Temple has been helping people cultivate inner stillness since its origins in 1950. Founded by yogi Paramahansa Yogananda as the Los Angeles flagship of his Self Realization Fellowship, the Lake Shrine Temple’s 10-acre grounds provide the perfect environment for contemplation, meditation, inner reflection and connecting to whatever Higher Power you believe in. Open to people …

Cabin Feasting

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With winter finally hitting Los Angeles, it’s time to plan your next cabin excursion with friends. We’re so lucky that in California we have a million options for local getaways where the cabin game runs strong. So if you’ve got a cool case of Cabin Fever coming on (and really, who doesn’t?), then go check out Idyllwild, Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, Yosemite, Mammoth, the Sequoias…or all of the above! This week, we shared our recent New Year’s adventure to idyllic Idyllwild with you. One of our favorite parts was getting to stay at a beautiful snowy treehouse cabin in the woods with friends. The great thing about being tucked away in a secluded cabin somewhere for a few days is that you get full permission to rest, relax and rejuvenate. Sacred time to just unplug, hunker down and, of course…chow down. And that’s really our favorite part. Grab your gang, have everyone bring some groceries to cook up their favorite mountain meal and enjoy a weekend of culinary adventuring. On our Idyllwild trip, we hit …

Mountain Escape ~ Idyllwild, CA

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After many years of patiently waiting, winter has finally decided to grace us with her presence in Southern California. The recent rainstorms have brought fresh snow throughout our local mountain ranges…just in time for everyone to go back to work. For those of you suffering from Mountain Fever and looking for a quick and easy weekend getaway, we’ve got just the thing for you. But here’s the catch: you have to promise to keep this between us, okay? Purposely kept extremely hush-hush within the mountaining crowd, Idyllwild is a quaint and charming artists’ colony located just two hours east of LA in the San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs. It’s such a hidden gem that we debated even writing about it. But since we are sworn to provide you with the inside scoop on all things off-the-beaten-path-awesome in California, our sense of duty won out in the end. So without further ado, may we present: Idyllwild, the place to make all your mountain dreams come true. The first thing you should know is Idyllwild is …

Detox Salad

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After the Holidays (a.k.a. the universal feasting marathon), January is usually a time to reboot. What better way to start your year off than with clean eating and lots of organic fruits and vegetables? The “juicing” craze is alive and well in Los Angeles and many of our favorite juice shops are promoting a New Year’s Juice Fast/Detox to help you kick-start your resolutions. More than just a diet fad, juicing is a quick and delicious way to get those healthy vitamins delivered right where you need them. Inspired by detox juices but wanting a little more “bite”, I created a detox salad that has all the delicious sweet and savory flavors of an apple & beet juice, but with all the fiber and crunch of actually eating food…so you leave fully satisfied. When my body is screaming for a cold-pressed juice, my favorite flavors are both sweet and savory. I’ve integrated my favorite delicious immune- boosting ingredients into this salad: Apples are anti-inflammatory, high in fiber, filled with anti-oxidants and full of C & B vitamins. …

Texas Caviar ~ A New Year’s Appetizer

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Growing up in Texas, holidays are a time for gathering and feasting on Tex-Mex flavors. In the South, there’s a tradition to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. This Southern side dish is usually cooked with collard greens and ham. The peas symbolize prosperity, since they grow fatter when cooked. The greens symbolize money for the year ahead. Aside from adding that smokey flavor, the pork represents beneficial forward motion, since pigs forage by rooting forward. Texas Caviar is our no-nonsense version of black-eyed pea good luck to ring in the New Year. Combined with fresh lime, pico de gallo & guacamole, this dip is a winner at any party! Texas Caviar 6 medium Roma tomatoes 2 cans of black-eyed peas 1 small red onion or ½ a large red onion 1 jalapeno ¼ cup minced cilantro 3 small avocados or 2 large avocados 4 limes salt to taste Any variety of tomato is delicious to use in this recipe, but Roma tomatoes are very easy to de-seed and the flesh is less watery than other varieties. Slice the tomatoes …

Gluten-Free Apple Crumble (with Vegan option)

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If you want to be the guaranteed hit of your next winter gathering, look no further than this Apple Crumble recipe. I’ve been perfecting this recipe for some time now and it never fails to be the sure-fire crowd (and stomach) pleaser at any party. I offer it to you here so that you can spread this edible joy in a baking dish to the ones you love and feel that immense satisfaction as they come back for seconds and thirds, scraping the dish clean. Even though I eat flour, I adapted this into a gluten-free recipe for my many GF friends and to be honest, I prefer it this way now. Even when I don’t have gluten-free guests, I opt to make the GF topping because it’s lighter and melts away in your mouth perfectly. A simple switch of vegan sticks in place of butter can turn it into an instant and unexpected vegan dessert. It’s rare to find a dessert that has that same deeply soul-satisfying taste once it gets translated to gluten-free and vegan, but this …

Holiday Gathering ~ Gingerbread House Party

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Every November as Thanksgiving approaches, the emails and texts start rolling in, all asking the same question—“When is Gingerbread this year?!” A tradition a couple decades in the making, this kiddo-like party has become THE hot Holiday ticket for all of my grown-up friends, who clear their calendars each year to make sure they can be in attendance. What could possibly be so amazing about sticking a candy house together with some edible goop, you ask? EVERYTHING. My mom started this tradition with my older brother and I when we were just kids growing up here in LA. Of course, at eight years old being given permission to make a house made entirely out of candy and then EAT IT is the most amazing thing that could ever happen. Especially for kids raised on tofu dogs and no-sugar cereal. As teenagers, the Huntington Gingerbread House Making Party really just became an excuse to mix our friend groups of guys and girls. Space was limited around the table and my girlfriends clamored for a chance to sit …

The Broad ~ Downtown LA

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If you’ve been wondering about those mysterious photos of your friends seemingly floating amongst infinite cosmic light that have been popping up all over your feeds this fall, it’s time to trot yourself down to The Broad (like “road” with a “b”) museum and experience it for yourself. The newest arrival on the contemporary art scene, The Broad is already a hot-ticket destination for the city’s trendsetters, who flock through the doors each day to take in the likes of Warhol, Basquiat, Lichtenstein and Koons, amongst a plethora of modern art heavy hitters. Built from scratch to host the 2000-piece art collection of Eli and Edythe Broad, the museum opened in September 2015 and has become an architectural destination in and of itself. Located adjacent to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA, the Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed museum boasts a huge looming perforated metallic “honeycomb” exterior that adds even more wow factor to your walk down Grand Avenue—the two enormous landmarks at once opposing and complimentary. The interior is everything a modern …

Crash Mixed Potatoes

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Holiday Season is in full swing! Time for marathon feasting and gathering! This rustic potato recipe is my brother-in-law’s favorite holiday side-dish–both creamy and crispy in one delicious bite. Though these crash potatoes are sure to be a crowd pleaser all year round. They’re perfect for a fun brunch gathering, a hearty meat and potatoes night, or a lighter soup and salad luncheon. This recipe is like that favorite pair of jeans that you wear over and over again and accessorize as you please…it’s all about your preferences and your choice of potatoes. Serves 4   Ingredients 1 bag/a dozen mixed potatoes 1/4 cup olive oil 3 cloves of garlic 2 stems of rosemary salt & pepper to taste I love that the winter harvest brings us a variety of colorful vegetables in season.  In this version of crash potatoes, I use a variety of gold, purple, red and sweet potatoes. As you choose your potatoes, make sure they are similar in size; small enough (lemon size), but not too small (fingerling potatoes size). If …