Walked Milo to get my morning coffee (@ Rikka Fika)
I love this coffee shop. Blocks from my apartment. Dog-friendly. Japanese. Minimalist decor. No wi-fi. Small batches of delicious pastries. Barista complimented my Future Corpse shirt today β°οΈπ€
What I imagine he’s singing in his head when I walk him around downtown π
He’s so good on his leash – He doesn’t pull, doesn’t react to other dogs, doesn’t bark, always waits to poop outside, knows where he lives (he always stops when we get to my building entrance, and I always have to tell him we’re not done walking yet LOL and when we get out of the elevator, he knows the way to my apartment). He really is the goodest boi despite his abandonment issues π₯Ή
He loves his new toys from Auntie Christine. This nugget is already such a spoiled boi π₯°
We took him to the vet for a wellness check and he did so well. He was a little scared and hid his face in my armpit when the doc was checking his breathing with the stethoscope, but was a good boi overall. The rescue told me he was taken from a hoarding situation, so they werenβt sure how old he was, but said his approximate age was 1. The vet said heβs got all his adult teeth and he is most def not 1 LOL. Heβs at least 3, but at most 5.
Miloβs been doing so well at home! He waits till I take him on a walk to go to the bathroom. Heβs quiet as fuck, and Iβve only heard him bark twice – both times when I accidentally stepped on him π Heβs a stage 5 clinger, though, and has severe separation anxiety. He follows me everywhere, even if I just get up to turn off the light. He doesnβt let anyone but me take him out for walks – My sister tried to take him while I waited in the garage for my aunt to pick something up, and he kept looking back at me while they were walking away, then he got off the leash and ran back to me! Luckily we were in my sisterβs community and not a main road. IDK how to fix his abandonment issues when I canβt even fix my own π
Full disclosure, this blog might devolve into a Milo tribute site. Fair warning.
Pammie treated me out to breakfast this morning (@ Morning Glory)
They don’t accept reservations, and the line is already out the door before they open at 8am, but this is my favorite resto to go to if I’m up at the ass crack of dawn. The Little Italy Farmers’ Market was also happening in the same plaza this morning, so it was busier than ever.
Yesterday at work, I received my Christmas bonus, had my annual review where they gave me the maximum merit increase + another bonus, and I got an unexpected promotion to art director. With the company selling to a private equity giant earlier this year, we’ve all been worried about layoffs, but the changes could not be better. I get to continue working from home, I got to move back home to SD and keep making LA money, I got a promotion, and now I make more than triple what I was making at my last job in SD…
I didn’t feel like celebrating bc I got some terrible news about the bestie’s cancer diagnosis yesterday, but Pammie thinks it’s important to celebrate my wins.
The bestie was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and it’s been a rough year for her through chemo, radiation, and now immunotherapy. She was starting to feel better and see some light at the end of the tunnel with her treatments ending in a few months. She recently noticed that her boob with the breast cancer has been leaking. She said she doesn’t notice it when it’s actively leaking, but she’s seen the crust after it’s dried like when you’re lactating. I’ve never breast-fed, so I’ll just take her word for it π Her oncologist scheduled a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound yesterday to see what they’re dealing with. They found a mass, and she has another biopsy scheduled for NYE to determine the next course of action… What an end to a fucking year she’s had π
Also, I received compliments on the shirt I wore today at the resto. IDK why Iβm single when I have such a fantastic rack cool T-shirt collection Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
I’ve eaten at GalpΓ£o Gaucho, a Brazilian steakhouse on Harbor, twice this week π
They offer 17 different kinds of meat, but my absolute favorite item on the menu is the grilled pineapple with cinnamon π€€ I found an easy copycat recipe online, and it turned out amazing! Def gonna make this again for Christmas π
Also, I’m still connected to my ex on social media, and he posted a story that he went to GalpΓ£o Gaucho tonight for my sister’s ex’s birthday! Can’t get away from these guys π
Prince Street Pizza did a Home Alone collab where if you order ‘A Lovely Cheese Pizza’, it comes in a Little Nero’s pizza box along with a souvenir cup and magnet.
Partly bc I love pizza, partly bc I love Home Alone, but mostly bc Prince is less than a mile away from my apartment and I could UberEats my order π
Update: When I first moved to LA, another ex of mine was living up there at the time and asked me if I needed a roommate!
Another ex from SD lives in LA now, and we occasionally chat on socials, but it never goes beyond that.
Another fuckboy I knew from SD (not an ex – we never dated) moved back to LA while I was there, and hooking up with him again is my #3 regret in life – Don’t ask me what the first two are, I’m taking those to my grave π
I grew up in SD and never knew Tuna Harbor Dockside Market existed until I saw a video earlier this week of James Beard award-nominated Filipino chef, Tara Monsood, eating lobster there. It’s located right next to Seaport Village, a place I frequented as a kid, and just a mile away from my new apartment!
They’re only open Saturdays from 8am-1pm, and I thought it was a perfect place to take the bestie and her daughters who were visiting for the day. She loves lobster!
They grill fresh-caught lobster on the pier, and serve it with smoked butter, potatoes and shishito peppers π I will def be back!
Alicia’s daughter shared this video of a new matcha spot in Little Italy, so we went there afterwards. When we got there, it was a small pop-up inside of a retail store. I’m not a fan of matcha (I’d rather have coffee), but both Lia and Pammie love matcha. I noticed that Pammie and I were the only Asians there – none of the workers or customers were Asian. Listen, if I’m gonna have boba or some other Asian-related food or drink, I’m gonna get it at an authentic Asian resto. Several people told us that they ordered over an hour ago and were still waiting for their drinks π³ And when they finally got their drinks, they told us that they weren’t worth the wait. The cashier told us they’d be able to take our order in 10 minutes!
This place just uses influencers and buzzwords like ‘Kyoto’ and ‘ceremonial grade’ to hype it up, but it really fell short and won’t last long if they continue like this, especially with so many other (Asian) places to get matcha.
We left after that and just watched planes fly overhead for a while before heading to a legit matcha place on Clairemont Mesa Blvd. I remember when Jessie used to live in Little Italy, this guy would pick her up and park his car on the top floor of an airport parking garage and they would just lay in the bed of the truck and watch planes fly by. I always thought it was v romantic. I asked her about it recently, because I forgot who she’d do that with, and it was this guy we know not to speak of anymore. Oops, sore subject π
Anyway, we took them to Pammie’s favorite matcha spot off Convoy (SD’s Asian food capital) which was connected to Ramen Station, a DIY instant noodle eatery that Alicia’s daughters always wanted to try. They loved the matcha and the ramen!
Pammie treated us all out to GalpΓ£o Gaucho for dinner. It’s like Fogo de ChΓ£o, but better π€€ One of the waiters came to our table and was like, ‘Any requests?’ The piano guy just did a rendition of Chapelle Roan’s Pink Pony Club, so I was thinking, ‘Does he know any Young the Giant?’ but he meant any requests for certain cuts of meat π Everything was so good, but I especially like the picanha wrapped in gold foil, the grilled pineapple, and the grilled cheese drizzled in honey. We are coming back here for Pammie’s birthday on Tuesday, and probably my birthday next month π
I told Pammie I’d make her more dairy-free zuppa toscana bc she and her husband ate it up last time! Since I’m still not eating pork, I couldn’t partake bc I haven’t been able to find italian beef sausage, but I tasted it to make sure the potatoes were cooked through and it was a delicious bite π€€
My dinner? A personal pizza with turkey pep and olives with a side of Throat Coat π What has become of my life???
If you thought I was gonna doordash The Grinch Meal from Mcdonald’s, you weren’t wrong π
Our family Christmas party this year is Grinch-themed, partly bc we like wearing matching pajamas, but mostly bc Grinch jammies were on sale at Marshall’s LOL
Update: My mom’s baby sister always collects the Mcdonald’s Happy Meal toy sets, so I can always count on her for tradesies π
Pammie has a lumpectomy surgery later today. After a mammogram, biopsy and MRI, they ruled out cancer ππΌ But they still wanted to remove some pre-cancerous lesions they found as a precaution, hence the lumpectomy.
She only took a day and a half off of work bc she has an important meeting where she has to present on Friday π΅βπ« So I wanted to bring her some goodies to make her life easier while she recovers:
It’s no secret that I love empanadas (and hate raisins in them) π
One thing I miss about living in LA is the food. There was this great little resto by my apartment in Redondo Beach – The Empanada Shop. All the empanadas I’ve had there were good, but my absolute favorite was the Potato Rajas Cheese one.
I wanted to try recreating it at home, but with minimal effort π
IDK if y’all remember that Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee show on Food Network than ran in the early 2000s (I hardly remember the awful food she made, but I remember all the cocktails). You guys, I am Sandra Lee – I love vodka the less prep the better! If I can buy it already chopped, triple washed or canned, I’m doing it.
I had to buy whole potatoes bc they don’t come cubed and boiled anywhere, and I would’ve bought canned roasted poblanos if I could find them! I had to roast that shit myself π
I cubed and boiled the potatoes, mashed them with my immersion blender, and mixed in shredded Mexican cheese and diced roasted poblanos. I spooned some filling into pre-made and pre-cut empanada dough, and sealed them with empanada press molds. I brushed the tops with egg wash and baked them for 30 minutes at 350Β°.
These empanadas came out amazing! Or shall I say, ‘mmmpanadas’ π
One of my favorite ‘healthy’ meals to make is chicken apple sausage with brussels sprouts. I adapted the recipe from paleomg.com – I omitted the bacon since I’m still not eating pork, and used homemade ranch vinaigrette bc Tessamae’s has since discontinued their Zesty Ranch dressing.
When I went to Relic Bakery with Jess and baby boy, they gave us whipped butter that was perfectly spreadable for our sourdough.
Since I started making sourdough again at home, I knew it would pair well with some room temp butter, so I got a butter bell that stays on your countertop 24/7. You just have to seal it with water in the basin that you have to change every 3 days to prevent the butter from spoiling.
Yes, I have an alarm set on my phone to remind me to change the water. Like my mom always tells me, I don’t have to be married to get pregnant and give her grandbabies I’d forget my vagina if it wasn’t attached to my body π
I’ve had an upset stomach since Sunday, so I haven’t eaten much since then. I only ate the spaghetti I made the night before, but my sister’s husband ate the same thing and he didn’t get sick! The only difference is my sister added some creatine to my iced coffee that morning, but I’ve had it before with no issues.
I instacarted some Gatorade yesterday to get some electrolytes in me, but the lady got me orange instead of the fruit punch I requested, so I didn’t drink it π€’
So today, I’m easing solids back into my diet with some steel-cut oatmeal π΅π»
Giving food is my love language. So is BBQ. And gift bags. And homemade sourdough. As I’ve said before, your girl’s hella lingual ππ»ββοΈ
I made my sister (naturally gluten and dairy-free) chicken sotanghon soup and zuppa toscana (made dairy-free with coconut milk)! And made my parents spaghetti with meat sauce (I brought them some last week and they ate all of it!). They’ve all made (hurtful) comments about my food being too salty in the past, so I eased up on the sodium π What can I say, I like salty meat Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
Or do I have early onset Alzheimers? π
Just kidding (not that many people have eaten here) π
Update: My mom was out with her homegirls when I stopped by last weekend, so I left the food in her fridge. She told me this weekend that she ate all the chicken sotanghon, but it needed more salt! I meannn. This is why I like baking over cooking. It has exact measurements. None of that ‘add salt and pepper to taste’ shit bc I usually oversalt things bc I like it salty! Except this time I undersalted it bc they said my food was too salty last time. Bah!
You guys, I like hockey now. Okay, just the Capitals. Okay, really just Tom Wilson. Anyone wanna go to Vegas next March to see them play the Golden Knights? π
I tried to sneak a pic of baby boy mackin’ on some sourdough, and he saw me taking his photo and gave me the cheesiest cheese that ever did cheese π₯°
I guess I could’ve walked there, but I drove π
So far loving this neighborhood, except my wifi (Google Fiber) has cut out twice in 2 weeks, and I work from home, so it’s inconvenient and a pain in the ass to keep chatting with customer service. Also, my neighbor above me is moving furniture or doing Zumba or running drills all day! I’ve always lived on the top floor, so I never had to deal with neighbor noise above me, but now I live on the 4th floor of a 6-floor building. IDK whether to be passive aggressive about it and bang my broom on the ceiling, be a b about it and complain to the property managers, or send my sister’s husband up to the 5th floor to see what the fuck!
Homemade cold brew latte and pumpkin cream cheese muffin from Starbucks that Kass brought me yesterday when she and Richard came to haul the dresser I couldn’t get rid of in LA. I haven’t doordashed in a week, y’all π I usually doordash breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, but I actually went to the grocery store earlier this week (there’s an Albertson’s across the street from my apartment) and made food! You guys, is this adulting???
Pauly Shore was ordering takeout while we were there. This is the second time in life Iβve ran into Pauly Shore – I randomly saw him shopping at Fashion Valley in San Diego at least 20 years ago. In the 13 years Iβve lived in LA, I can probably count on one hand how many celebrity sightings Iβve had. Yet I know so many people from out of town who spotted celebrities when they were just visiting!
On the way home, it started raining unexpectedly. Coincidentally, it also rained the night I moved to LA π§οΈ
When I ordered this drink, I expected something much creepier – blood, skulls, a spooky tiki glass… The only thing creepy about this drink is the way the alcohol crept up on me after dinner. That second Creepy Tiki was a mistake π
All Chel wanted to do for her birthday was go to the Candlelight Tribute to Justin Timberlake at the Fleet Science Center. I haven’t been there since I went on a field trip in the fifth grade when it was called the ‘Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’ (apparently, it’s been rebranded since I was a kid).
I left with a belly ache from laughing, my heart full, and a 3-pack of remote-controlled souvenir candles to set the mood at my new place π
It took us over 2 hours to get to this resto in Highland Park on a Wednesday night in LA traffic π΅βπ« (and only took us less than 40 minutes to get home afterwards!). It was worth it, though – The margherita pizza on sourdough was delicious, but the real star of the show was the all-beef meatballs in chipotle tomato sauce. Actually, the absolute star of the show was Chef Miles Okabayashi. He didn’t leave the kitchen, but I caught glimpses of his fine ass through the open kitchen as I savored his meatballs π
When I got home, I could hear my next door neighbors fighting. The guy was screaming at the top of his lungs, ‘ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, SHANNON?!β He was yelling that he ‘doesn’t pick up girls’ and ‘deleted his fucking account’ so IDK if he got caught up on Tinder or what. Also, I didn’t hear a peep from her, so either he was screaming at her on the phone or he killed her Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
I’m just over here like, ‘Can I eat my leftovers in peace, Shannon? BT-Dubs, are you dead?!’
I shaved my whole body just in case I ran into Chef Miles at dinner tonight LOL. JK I just got a routine eyebrow threading at the mall. On my way out, I saw a sign for the new Apple Cinnamon Bitz at Wetzel’s Pretzel and had to order some even though I was already getting high glucose alerts from the cold brew I just had from Coffee Bean. Just let a diabetic live.
It’s almost impossible to eat anywhere in LA without a reservation (something I def won’t miss about living here, but I will miss all the good food), so I made a res at Wildcrust Pizzeria, partly so I could try it before I blow this popsicle stand, but mostly bc the chef/owner is fine as fuck π
Pammie had to come up for a work event in OC yesterday, so she came over afterwards to help me pack. I had only packed two boxes in the past two weeks, and she filled 10 bags full of trash from my linen closet and kitchen alone π
I took her out to lunch @ her favorite KBBQ spot from when she lived in OC – Shik Do Rak. We wanted something sweet afterwards, so she looked for a boba place nearby that had gluten/dairy-free options. She found Airoma Cafe, and was like, βHow about this place? βEye-roma Cafe.β I was like, βOKβ¦ but I think itβs pronounced βair-omaβ like βaromaβ. This was like the time we were at a Ess-a-bagel in NYC, and she was like, βOrder me the egg stacy sandwich.β I was like, βEgg stacy? Oh, eggstacy. Like ecstasy.β I love a good pun or double entendre, so I usually pick up what theyβre putting down, but Pammie always misses the mark π This other time, she went to a Lord Huron show with me and was trying to tag the band in her IG story and was like, βHow come theyβre not coming up?β I look at her phone and was like, βWell, their nameβs βLord Huronβ not βLady Huronβ π€£ I donβt usually like to correct people (even when I know Iβm right) bc I donβt wanna make them feel dumb, but she’s probably the smartest person I know, and itβs just so funny when she gets something wrong π
What I typically snack on when I’m driving to SD from LA: Hot Fries and bottled iced coffee from the gas station
What Pammie packs me when I go back to LA: Bottled water and homemade trail mix that she weighs out based on single serving size (freeze-dried pineapples, freeze-dried mangos, roasted unsalted almonds and dark chocolate covered acai berries)
One time, we were going back to her house from my parents’ house, and we stopped at the gas station. I was like, ‘Do we need snacks?’ and she was like, ‘We are 10 minutes away from my house. This ain’t a road trip!’ π
It took me nearly 3 hours to drive down to SD on a Saturday afternoon. This entitled asshole in a white Audi kept weaving in and out of traffic. His back bumper was missing, probably bc he drives like a fucking idiot. Then, when I was in the fast lane, this group of moms in a minivan who looked like they were on their way to Disneyland (out of state plates and all wearing visors) tried to cross the double-solid lines from the HOV lane into my lane, and I had to swerve into the next lane to avoid crashing into them. Luckily, no one was in the lane next to me, but the driver gave me a dirty look like it was my fault she didn’t know how to fucking drive!
Driving in LA has def made me a better, more aggressive driver, but I can’t wait to not do this commute anymore…
Toured this apartment in downtown SD last night and it surpassed all my expectations:
A ton of tenants already had Halloween decorations out – I’ve found my people π€
Secure garage with gate
Secure elevator that you need a code to use like at a hotel
24-hour fitness center
Rooftop terrace
Pool
Dog-friendly
Didn’t see any children π
Limited homeless population – I was worried there would be a ton of homeless people in the area being downtown, but the property seemed relatively safe and secure
Across the street from Quartyard (where I’ve seen concerts), but the apartment I’m looking at is on the other side of the building, so I won’t have to deal with the noise
The apartment I’m looking at faces this construction site – I found out through some light googling that they’re building East Village Green – a community park
ASA Bakery (Japanese pastries!) is in the same building
The property is only 5 blocks from Petco Park (although the Padres’ postseason hopes are dwindling). I did see a bunch of people in Savannah Bananas gear, as they were in town this weekend for Banana Ball at Petco πβΎ
The property is also walking distance to Callie, this great resto that Jessie frequents and her husband is in a fantasy football league with the staff π We always get VIP treatment there, and Jess was able to get us a table without reservations even though they were booked for the night.
Mediterranean Feast + much needed drinks with the girls. We try to get together at least once a month, but it’s been a few months despite our daily group chats. Lots of updates all around that were better to discuss in person, not a group chat where screenshots and receipts could be collected π Can’t wait to be back in SD for more nights like this…
I’ve only lived in 3 apartments on my own in this life, and I have a habit of signing the lease for the first apartment I look at. My sister and her husband think I should look around at other neighborhoods before settling on this property, but I’m already in love.
The bestie moved out of El Cajon (and SD) while I was in LA, so thereβs no other reason for me to look in East County. My parents are still in Spring Valley and my sister (plus my ex and old friends) live in Chula Vista, so I donβt really wanna be too close LOL. I always said Iβd live in North Park if I ever moved back to SD. I liked that it was central, walkable, and dogs are welcome almost anywhere. But I used to see this fuckboi in North Park who lived on Arizona street, and also ended a few situationships there, so I have less than fond memories of that area. My dad actually used to live in North Park before he met my mom, but that was when it was really ghetto he says π Now itβs gentrified, full of coffee shops, breweries and hipsters.
Living downtown never appealed to me before, but I like having nice things now π
Legit almost squeezed some tamarindo in my eye this morning.
In my defense, I had just woken up and wasn’t wearing my glasses. Also, the tamarindo bottle and eye drops bottle are v similar in color. Whenever I’m working, IDK how many times I’ve opened Spotify when I meant to open Excel (both green icons) or opened iMovie instead of Teams (both purple icons).
Is there a term for people who confuse similar colors? I’m not color blind. At least I don’t think I am π I’ll just keep my Mexican candy in bed with me to avoid confusion π
Who needs Dodger Stadium when you can doordash Buffalo Wild Wings, make homemade garlic fries, get beer at the corner liquor store, and watch the game on your home theater projector???
It’s common knowledge that food tastes better when served in a coffin-shaped tray β°οΈπ€
Yes, the beer is Fistful of Gummies (by Second Chance Beer Company in SD), and yes, your girl loves a fruity sour. Someone once asked me for gum, and I only had the candy-flavored varietyβSour Patch Kids Gum and Starburst Gum. He was like, ‘Are you an adult???’ LOL get off me…
When it’s hot as balls outside (80Β° is hot to this socal girlie), you run the A/C and make some cold Greek Israeli Couscous Salad. Jessie used to make this for me all the time after I had my stroke π₯Ή
1 package (10 oz.) red grape tomatoes, sliced in halves
1 can (15.5 oz.) garbanzo beans
1 can (14 oz.) quartered artichoke hearts
1 large cucumber, sliced and quartered
1 cup diced red onion
1 cup Primal Kitchen Dressing & Marinade, Greek
4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Instructions:
In a medium pot, mix 16 oz. Israeli (Pearl) Couscous and 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Toast over medium heat, stirring frequently, until some of the pieces of couscous get brown in color. Add 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat down to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed (stir every so often to prevent sticking).
When the couscous is done, put it in a colander and run cold water over it until pearls are cool. Put it in the fridge as you prep the other ingredients.
Add all remaining ingredients to a large bowl and add the couscous. Gently mix it so everything is coated in the Greek dressing, and keep it chilled in the fridge until ready to eat.
Update: This is how far I got before I started questioning my puzzle-solving abilities… Hopefully, Iβll be done by the time Iβm on social security π΅π»
We had a department puzzle competition at work once, and I thought we were doing so well. My intimate relationship with candy surprisingly did not give my team a leg up on the competition even though the puzzle was candy bar-themed, and we placed 9th out of 10th place π Each person on the winning team won $500 each, while I just got a sore lower back from bending over for 2 hours and a consolation bag of cat farts.
My sister doesn’t usually drink (she has plenty of other vices LOL). She’s one of those Asians who turns bright red after a sip of Martini and Rossi. She does enjoy an espresso martini every once in a while (even though she normally doesn’t like coffee or vodka, but apparently mixed together is her sweet spot).
All that to say, she went to a party last weekend where she brought a bottle of Blanton’s Bourbon Whiskey, because it was the birthday girl’s favorite. Pammie tried it and said it was so smooth. I love a good cocktail, and I always tell Pammie, ‘You can’t even taste the alcohol’ and she can always taste it. Problem is, I like the taste of alcohol π
One NYE in my 20s, I drank so much Jack Daniel’s, I was throwing up well into the next year. I’ve been turned off by straight up whiskey since (though I don’t mind it in sangria), but I’m willing to partake in some Blanton’s if my sister likes it.
Let’s have a toast for the douchebags
Let’s have a toast for the assholes
Let’s have a toast for the scumbags
Every one of them that I know
Let’s have a toast for the jerk-offs
That’ll never take work off
Baby, I got a plan
Run away fast as you can
Look at this fucking keto turmeric fried egg with baked kale gratin π
When I first had my stroke, I stayed at my sisterβs house. I ended up staying there for a year and a half as I relearned how to speak, how to walk without falling down, how to take a shower by myself, how to cut my own nails, how to driveβ¦ I would sleep most of the day and was scared to eat like I used to before the stroke (grab snacks at the fucking gas station, doordash takeout for breakfast, lunch, and dinner), so I would meal prep healthy shit and Jessie and Christine were saviors, making and sending me healthy meals (I discovered a love for Israeli couscous and a hatred for overnight oats). Pammie and her husband still ate junk food, but they would always wait till I went to bed and would never eat it in front of me so I wouldnβt feel bad.
Now the roles are reversed, and Pammie has been on a gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free diet for months now bc of her thyroid. Sheβs been doing so well and has dropped hella weight. She also exercises daily. Sheβs starting a keto diet this week, so I said I would join her. Been feeling blah lately, so maybe this is just what I need. I read that a routine can help you feel in control of your life, so instead of fixating on things I canβt control, I can focus on this. Now I’m not going completely keto, I still have plans to have dinner and dessert in Venice later this week… A girl has to make some concessions, after all.
Let’s get some fuckin’ french toast. And beer braised short rib hash. And lobster claws. And crab legs. (@ Tom Ham’s Lighthouse)
Pammie is starting a keto diet tomorrow, so I said I would join her. I like to carboload before starting any new fad diet that restricts my carb intake π
I’ve lived in SoCal all my life, and I often forget how beautiful it is here…
We ran into this girl outside as we were leaving who was talking about how she lives in Denver, and they have softball-sized hail. She got a weather alert before she went to work, so she just uber’d there to avoid dealing with the the hail storm while her coworkers’ cars were pelted beyond repair.
Another time, I remember my ex was working on a car, and there was an ice scraper tool in the backseat and I had no idea what it was. Apparently, it snows in East County Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
My friends (who used to live in SD) were visiting from the east coast last month, and I had my A/C on. It was only 75Β° outside, and they were freezing. They were saying it’s been hot as fuck in North Carolina, above 90Β° with 70%+ humidity. I was like, ‘What’s the humidity here?’ She looks at her weather app, and is like, ‘Fucking ZERO.’ π
Pammie and her husband are at a birthday party for my exβs ex-girlfriend (she married my sisterβs husbandβs childhood friend). My sister asked me if it bothered me that she was friends with my exβs ex, and she said she wouldn’t hang out with her if it does, but it really doesnβt bother me at all. Sheβs a nice girl who just happened to date my high school boyfriend before he dated me and that was over 20 years ago. My ex actually married my cousin’s friend from high school, and my sister is in a fantasy football league with his wife and old mutual friends of my ex of which I’m also unbothered.
I still made some comfort jambalaya and ate it alone on my sister’s rooftop ruminating over all my life choices π
Nori and I went to Go Go Curry inside Tokyo Central for lunch, then hit up the Japanese market afterwards to stock up on snacks (Hi-Chews, shrimp chips, and they had the sandwiches I’d eat multiple times daily from the 7-11 when I was in Japan, so I got one to try tomorrow).
Mary asked me if I wanted Bread Head for dinner, so we hit up downtown Manhattan Beach for sandwiches and ice cream at Salt & Straw. I almost killed her by offering her a bite of my Chicken Salad sando (she’s allergic to apples), but not before running into Matthew Stafford (the LA Rams’ QB) and his family. There are always athlete sightings in MB, but I never recognize athletes (although if it was Jimmy Garoppolo, I would’ve recognized his fine ass). Instead, when we were walking to the resto from the car, I was like, ‘Who is this tall ass white dude blocking the sidewalk?’ π€£
When I first moved to LA, my friends from SD visited and we ate in downtown MB. Marshall Faulk (an ex-NFL player) and his bevy of blondes were seated at a communal table with us. I had no idea who he was, of course, but an old friend who was there with us had been a fan of his since he played for San Diego State. Marshall Faulk was such an asshole to him when he tried to talk to him, though! Hey man, only me and my friends are allowed to be assholes to our friend! Ha.
I was at Costco once holding a bag of torta bread, and this huge white guy was like, ‘Where did you find that?’ He was definitely an athlete, but I didn’t recognize him. I told him where I got the bread and he had toilet paper in his cart, so I was like, ‘Do you know where the toilet paper is?’ π³ (Yes, I replay this embarrassing moment in my mind often).
You don’t know wealth until you’ve milked a pecan.
Erewhon just opened a location up the street from me in Manhattan Beach. You guys, there’s a Trader Joe’s across the street from my apartment (plus two more within a 3-mile radius) and two Whole Foods within the same distance (the beach cities love their organic food). All that to say, I have options. So I won’t be hitting up Erewhon anytime soon for Hailey Bieber’s $20 Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie or new salt (enough of that old shit) π€£
As a rule, I donβt eat baby animals (lamb, veal or suckling anything)βjust adult animals who have lived a full life LOL. I also don’t eat pork anymore after playing with the mini pigs at mipig cafe in Japan. According to Google, cornish game hens are slaughtered at 4-5 weeks of age, so they’re off limits for me. My mom loves cornish game hens, though, so I air-fried her some following this easy recipe.
Actual footage of me rubbing their raw tiny bodies with spices:
I was so excited when Nori sent me this video, that we went to Trader Joe’s during lunch so I could pick up this dip (along with a bunch of other shit).
I found the dip a little bland. I’ve also had Trader Joe’s Buffalo Chicken Dip before and was underwhelmed. Everyone and their mama who went feral over this dip has obviously never had the garlic dip at Chicken Dijon. It’s Last Meal worthy. I’m not a food snob (Nori and I have the 3-for-me special at Chili’s once a week!), but I know good food, and this Trader Joe’s dip ain’t it.
The bestie took me to Cracker Barrel once, and her husband loves the french toast there and had me try some of his. It tasted like the basic ass french toast I could make at home!
Anyway, save your money on this Trader Joe’s dip π Or better yet, come visit me and I’ll take you to Chicken Dijon for their much superior garlic dip.
When you bring your own crab scissors and vinegar to dip the crab in. Yes, that’s Datu Puti, yes, I’m Filipino as fuck, yes, I remade that logo in Illustrator and cricutted that sticker, and yes, I know I’m extra β¨ Next question π
We took my dad to his favorite seafood buffet for Father’s Day. Since my sister’s been on a gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free diet, there’s not much she can eat at the buffet, but she can eat her weight in crab legs (without the butter dip, of course). The legs were hard for me to open last time (that’s what he said LOL they aren’t pre-cut like the ones I used to eat on Sycuan Sundays pre-covid π and the stroke caused weakness in my handsβit doesn’t really affect my day-to-day unless I’m opening a jar, cracking crab legs, or taking a cardio pop dance class where I have to use my hands and arms LOL).
Thereβs a Trader Joeβs kitty corner from my apartment, and I was craving something sweet after dinner, so I put my bra on and went over there 15 minutes before closing specifically for Japanese Taiyaki. I didn’t see it in the dessert freezer section I got it from last time, so I picked up some random sweets and went back to the freezer section to check if they restocked it in the minute I was gone LOL. There was this bearded white guy there telling his girl about the taiyaki – ‘I heard they have these Japanese waffles filled with custard that are supposed to be good.’ I was like, ‘OMG, they’re soooo good. I came here for them, but it looks like they’re out of stock.’ He was like, ‘I’ll have to try them then! I asked someone, and they said it’ll be back in stock June 1st.’ Meanwhile, his girl is looking at me like, ‘Dafuq are you???’ π She was not amused by me talking to her man about creamy Japanese fish π
One of my favorite things to eat when it’s hot as balls outside is this chicken salad. It’s cold and refreshing and naturally gluten and dairy-free, so Pammie can eat it, too. I used to eat it when I’d do Whole30, so I always made it with Primal Kitchen Mayo (it’s free of gluten, grains, soy, canola oil, processed seed oils, refined sugar, and dairy). It’s good by itself, but I like to eat it on a big ass Costco croissant. Or crackers. Pretty much any vehicle to get it in my mouth π
Make it and thank me later (and invite me over for lunch).
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts Adapted from Bowl of Delicious
Ingredients:
Rotisserie Chicken Breast Meat – Costco sells their rotisserie chicken meat fully cooked and hand-pulled. You could def boil and shred your own chicken breasts, but why??? I’m not trying to use my stove on a hot ass day.
Primal Kitchen Mayo – it’s pricier than regular mayo, but you can sub regular mayo if you don’t want to spend $12 on a jar of mayo have any dietary restrictions.
Seedless Red Grapes sliced in halves
Diced Red Onion
Diced Celery
Walnuts
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
I made a huge batch, so I used an entire package of Rotisserie Chicken Breast Meat (46 oz.), a whole jar of Primal Kitchen Mayo (12 oz.), a bunch of seedless red grapes sliced in half (2 lbs.), half a diced red onion (you can usually find the onions already diced in the refrigerated produce section of the grocery store) a bunch of diced celery (you can also find them already diced), chopped walnuts (16 oz.) and salt & pepper to taste. Combine everything in a large bowl and refrigerate. Enjoy!
I actually did it for my sister, who’s on a gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free diet π These cookies were… eh. The texture was off, and they weren’t very sweet. I guess they could work in a pinch if you’re craving something sweet, but I’d rather eat something sweet that’s naturally gluten and dairy-free, like a piece of fruit π
Pammie said she liked them, but sheβs been eating clean for the past 2 months. Iβve been eating dirty for 43 years, though, so I could tell π
We gave some to my parents without saying they were gluten and dairy-free, and this was the response:
Did you make these?
– my dad π€’
If I’m at a resto and a dessert says it’s ‘gluten-free’ or ‘dairy-free’ I automatically pass on it. The worst dessert I ever had was this vegan churro abomination from Tocaya (a resto that has since closed down in El Segundo, but still has other locations throughout LA). We didn’t know it was vegan when we ordered it, but we sure found out after that first bite.
The girls and I try to get together at least once a month to stay updated on each other’s lives. One of them has an upcoming colonoscopy (lovely dinnertime conversation), and she joked that she used to ask for a ride to a boy’s house, then a ride to the club, now a ride to her colonoscopy π΅π» She said her doctor suggested rubbing petroleum jelly on her booty hole to prevent it from getting raw and irritated during prep π³ When we toasted our drinks, Jessie was like, ‘Cheers to anal!’ and I nearly spit out my sake. Some dribbled down my chin, but I swallowed most of it like a good girl π
…or what happens when I go to Trader Joe’s hungry π€ͺ
I went there for oatmeal (not pictured).
Update: Just had some of the papas rellenas for breakfast, and they taste just like the potato balls from Porto’s! π² I will def be buying more of these!
No more standing in this ridiculous line in the rain (@ Porto’s)
My favorite dessert while vacationing in the Philippines was taho – soft silken tofu with brown sugar syrup and sago (tapioca pearls) or boba. Itβs a cheap, refreshing snack thatβs available almost anywhere. In populous areas, there’s usually a man walking up and down the street yelling, “Tahoooo!” They have two metal covered buckets balancing on a wooden pole on their shoulders filled with taho accoutrements.
I was craving taho after we came back to the. U.S. so I made some for me and my family following this easy recipe. My parents said it tasted just like home, and my mom volunteered me to make it for an upcoming party at my Uncle’s house.
I bought some metal pails for the tofu and boba, a coffee carafe to keep the brown sugar syrup warm, and clear cups for people to build their own taho. I decorated the table with a festive Mexican blanket, a letterboard with instructions, and these hats made out of palm leaves that a hospitality worker from the resort we stayed at in El Nido made for us on our first trip to the Philippines 5 years ago.
You guys, I don’t half ass anythingβI always use my whole ass ππ
My sister’s mother-in-law always treats my family out to lunch on major holidays at Barona (where she’s a Diamond member), so I made her an Easter-themed charcuterie board. I also made one for my mom, because I know that crazy b will be butt hurt if I give one to my sister’s MIL and not her π
I’ve been meaning to try this breakfast burrito spot since I first saw @hungryinla post about it. It’s nearby and down PCH in Hermosa Beach. They only have breakfast burritos Friday-Sunday, and you have to pre-order them on instagram starting on Wednesdays. Only in fucking LA do you have to pre-order your food on instagram. It seemed like a lot of trouble for a breakfast burrito, so I never thought to do it till earlier this week when I was having lunch across the street from it and remembered they were there.
It came with red and green salsas, too. My go-to breakfast burrito spot up here was Phanny’s in Redondo. The burrito was good, but I asked for salsa, and they gave me a dang Tapatio packet. I would have given them five stars on Google for the burrito and the ocean view, but had to knock off one star for not having housemade salsa.
What’s a girl gotta do to get a good burrito in LA? Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
My AOL screen name used to be GUMMYI3EAR, and I used to watch the Adventures of the Gummi Bears cartoon every Saturday morning when I was a kid. All to say, my special relationship with gummy bears spans decades π€ͺ
When I visited the bestie earlier this month, her youngest daughter was telling me about the viral TikTok trend of gummy bears soaked in Sprite and frozen. She said she tried it and it turned out sooo good, and she also tried it with ginger ale and it tasted better than the ones soaked in Sprite.
This reel popped up on my feed yesterday, and knew I had to try it myself. I had leftover gummy bears from the gift bags I made for Easter, and since I don’t drink soda, I picked up a prebiotic Olipop Ginger Ale to soak them in π
Were they worth the hype? Ehh, I’m a purist. I’d rather eat plain gummy bears. I also don’t think I like Olipop in any flavor. It contains stevia instead of real sugar, and I’d rather have no sugar than fake sweetener. I’m the kind of girl who can tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi (if the resto only had Pepsi, I’d just get water!). I was so bummed when Costco switched from Coke to Pepsi in all their food courts back in the day, and this year they switched back to Coke, but I don’t drink soda anymore π
I had a routine mammogram last week. They found breast cancer in two of my dear friends during routine mammograms in the past few years, so I already have anxiety going in. I got a message that they have to redo my mammogram because they didnβt get a good image of my left breast. The tech who did my mammo was too distracted figuring out what kind of Asian I was to do her job, and now I have to go back.
To be fair, I never know what kind of Asian people are (Japanese, Korean, Chinese… I can’t tell the difference π ), but I would never ask someone what kind of Asian they are. I was at Sugarfina last week, and this black dude visiting the cashier asked what kind of Asian I was, and I was like, ‘Filipino’ and he was like, ‘I love Pacquiao!’ π I haven’t liked Pacquaio since he made some homophobic comments. Please don’t associate him with all Filipinos.
At least my bewbs are very squishy and malleable like stress balls LOL, so mammogram machines flattening the shit out of my tits isnβt painful for me. Plus, the women’s imaging center is next to Torikizoku, so Iβll reward myself with some yakitori afterward π
I also got an apple pie churro empanada for dessert. Or shall I say mmm-panada π (Iβll see myself out).
FYI, I hate raisins in empanadas, and I tell anyone who will listen. I don’t mind them in sweet stuff, but I don’t like raisins in savory food. I also don’t like coconut in savory food (coconut shrimp, thai food, etc.), but don’t mind it in dessert. I also don’t like pineapple in savory food. Ordering a Hawaiian pizza is blasphemous and a dealbreaker. You should be writing this down π
I was subscribing to Factor meals for a while, but there are some nights I’d rather doordash a chalupa from Taco Bell than eat a nutritious pre-made meal. After two weeks of giving the meals to Christine (because I didn’t want to waste a week of dinners, plus I knew that they’d make that busy mama’s life easier), I canceled my subscription and she gave me a bunch of girl scout cookies in return π
She asked me what flavors I liked, and I was like, ‘I’ll have one… One of everything!’ π Her kid’s connect didn’t have the new french toast cookies (toast-yays), so she reached out to an old friend (who also happens to be my ex’s ex-girlfriend) because her kid is a girl scout and was selling that flavor. If that’s not a ride-or-die, I don’t know what is Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
My blood-glucose levels spiked after eating a sleeve of Thin Mints, so I need to slow the fuck down on inhhaling these π *checks expiration dates*
You guys, I ate 10 egg salad sandwiches while I was in Japan. I was only there for 7 days, and I didnβt eat one on the first day. You do the horrifying math. All the convenience stores had it, and there was a 7-Eleven across from our hotel room. There was one on every block, really. I didnβt discriminate, either, I tried a convenience store egg salad sandwich from 7-Eleven, Lawsonβs and the 24-hour store inside my sister’s hotelβall were equally delicious. There was even a 7-Eleven at the airport, so I picked up a sandwich for the plane ride π I donβt ever eat egg salad sandwiches in the US, and the last time I remember eating one before my Japan trip was at my Grandpa Robertβs funeral in 1989 π³ I def had to try and recreate it.
I was looking up where I can get authentic Japanese milk bread in LA, and I found Ginza Nikishiwa, this ghost kitchen on Santa Monica Blvd that sells out of loaves daily within minutes of opening. The owner found out that someone was reselling loaves and marking up the price (like the dude who sells Porto’s out of his car in SD!), so she limits how many you can buy per order now. I donβt need all that stress in my life, so I just instacarted some milk bread from Tokyo Central π
I followed this recipe and was transported back to Tokyo.
If you thought I was gonna get a poβboy for the third day in a row while serving jury duty at the Inglewood courthouse, you werenβt wrong (@ Orleans & York)
We started half an hour late because one of the jurors picked yesterday was an attorney who had to prep a witness this morning in DTLA and was late to court. They ended up dismissing him and 8 other jurors, called 9 more people, and I still wasnβt picked. But I had to sit in the gallery for hours listening to the judge and lawyers ask them all the same questions from yesterday π΅βπ« Then they dismissed 7 more jurors and picked 7 more, and I still wasn’t picked! After afternoon recess, they called out 20 more ID numbers (none of which were mine), and the rest of us thought we were getting dismissed. Turns out those 20 were free to go! Of the 7 new jurors they picked, I could tell some of them will be dismissed from their answers, so there will definitely be another round tomorrow which I have to report to for the fourth day now. I feel like Iβm on an endless episode of Law & Order. Not even SVU, just the regular one without Ice-T π
Being here is actually more akin to a lesser known procedural drama, For The People (a Shonda Rhimes show whose cancellation in 2019 I’m still salty about), because the sassy court clerk has been keeping us entertained. She told us the story of when she broke her arm in Colombia that involved drug cartels, volcanoes, and a canoe. Worse, it happened during covid, so she had to wait a year to have surgery on her arm that was broken in eight places! Shoutout to the court clerk for Department ‘O’ at the Inglewood courthouse! Thank you for making this whole experience less painful for all of us π
They started jury selection today, and 80+ jurors and I didn’t get picked. We did have to sit in the gallery for hours while the 18 selected for the jury box answered questions from the judge and attorneys. We have to report again tomorrow, because they haven’t decided on the final jury yet. At least there’s good food spots in Inglewood, and the court bailiff is nice to look at π
I gave up soda after the stroke. I used to drink my weight in Coke, but my blood glucose levels were through the roof. Everything in moderation, but as long as I donβt have Coke at all, I donβt crave it. I donβt even indulge in a Coke Zero once in a while.
So today, when I craved something sweet, I had an Olipopβa prebiotic soda thatβs low in sugar and high in fiber. What has become of my life???
Iβve never had jury duty in LA where I had to show up in person, but today I got summoned to the Inglewood courthouse. They were short-staffed and running behind, so it was a lot of sitting around while they got their shit together. All 100+ of us got assigned to one courtroom where a man with tattoos on his face was being tried for murder π³ We had to fill out a questionnaire before they dismissed us for the day, and we were told to return tomorrow for jury selection.
The silver lining of having jury duty in Inglewood (besides getting PTO from work) is that the courthouse is down the street from my favorite cajun deli, Orleans & York. I usually only go here when I go to a show nearby at Kia Forum or SoFi Stadium. I got a po’boy (Big Mo’s Favorite with fried shrimp and beef hot links) and banana pudding. I will probably go back here tomorrow after it’s decided whether or not a man’s fate rests in my hands π
Not sure if Iβm sad because of my breakfast, or because I’m back at work today catching up on my emails and slack and just found out that my boss is being required to go into the office every day after five years of working from home and wondering if I’m next, or because itβs raining in LA today and I’m listening to Dashboard Confessional π
Nori and I went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch, and this child was screaming bloody murder inside. Straight up screaming and his mom was gentle parenting the shit out of him.
We were like… What the???
Anyway, when we got our food, there was a free cookie on our trays. Not sure if they were apology cookies for having to listen to that devil child, or if the server thought we were cute π€ͺ
Nori and I go to Randyβs Donuts at least once a week (after eating salads at Tender GreensβGet off us). Their donuts are always fresh, so the donuts we got were still warm. I got chocolate on my hands and Nori was like, βChocolate or poop?β Thereβs this scene in Baby Mama (that I reference to my sister at every opportunity I can) where Maura Tirney asks her kid if what he has on his hands is chocolate or poop, and she licks it and confirms itβs chocolate π I canβt believe Nori knew that reference. Who needs a man when you have friends who get you???
Christine doordashed me a breakfast burrito this morning. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is…
Update: I had to delete my message in my work slack saying I was going to watch Babygirl tonight, because I knew it was raunchy, but had no idea it was that raunchy, and my team doesn’t know me like that π The whole time I was watching Nicole Kidman loudly having sex, all I could think was, ‘Can Gloria hear this shit?!’ π³ She’s this old black lady who has lived next door to me since I moved in 13 years ago. Save your money, guys. I have this movie illegally downloaded on my laptop if you really wanna see it. Or you can just watch free porn online π
I think the last time I saw Deane was on a zoom happy hour during covid!
I had the stroke after that, and she was a digital nomad living out of the country last year when I came back to LA. Now she’s back in LA, too, and living in Koreatown. We both have January birthdays, so we celebrated with Nori at Soowon Galbi, followed by dessert at Sul & Beans near her new place in K-Town.
Who wore it better??? We used to work together, and we bonded over work trauma, our love of live music, good food and no dietary restrictions π
We used to go to Ocean Diner in Hermosa Beach for lunch all the time, but we started noticing people would get fired after we ate there. It happened three different times! So we haven’t eaten there in years π
One time, we were at the Hollywood Bowl, and she leaned over and was like, ‘Can we go eat after this?’ π
We would leave shows early all the time to go eat (@ Bootleg Theater)
Our favorite place ever was Ramekin in Los Feliz. It has since closed down, but our friendship has outlasted all the restos and music venues that have closed since I met her. She’s the coolest girl I know in LA βπΌ
Get you a work bestie who makes you shrimp ceviche, gives you grain-free tortilla chips because she cares about your health, chops up celery because she knows you hate cutting vegetables or doing any meal prep, and makes you get hydrogen peroxide on your lunch break so you can properly clean your wounds π
My phone died last night after my sister and friends went back to San Diego, and I fell asleep at 8pm π΅π» Pammie can’t track me or get my blood sugar readings when my phone’s dead, so she thought I was dead when she couldn’t get any readings. To be fair, I lost a lot of blood after I fell at the beach LOL. She was about to call Nori to do a wellness check! π Nori was the one who took me to the hospital after I had my stroke, and my sister is happy I have someone looking after me in LA. I’m lucky to have such a good friend β¨
Shi couldn’t celebrate my birthday with me this year, so she doordashed me some breakfast from King’s Hawaiian ππ€πΌ
I like to spend my birthday surrounded by wieners, HBU? (@ Puppies & Yoga)
I live at least an hour south of any of the fires burning in LA right now. You can’t see the smoke from here, but you can smell it in the air, and my car’s covered in ash. We didn’t see any smoke on the way up to West Hollywood for puppy yoga, but we did see this injury lawyer billboard π
We ate at Food Networkβs Brooke Williamsonβs beachside restaurant, Playa Provisions. Proceeds from their fish tacos went to wildfire relief, so of course that’s what I ordered. It was delicious!
Pop-prosecco? Yes, please.
I hardly ever go to the beach, even though I live literally 2 miles from the ocean on Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Donna & David happened to be in town for a wedding this weekend, and as San Diegans who moved to the east coast after high school, they like to go to the beach whenever they’re back in California.
‘Go to the beach,’ they said. ‘It’ll be fun,’ they said.
Pardon my ashy white legs LOL, I had a little accident and slipped on some rocks π
Fun Fact: I’ve always wanted to be Miss Argentina from Beetlejuice for Halloween.
I instacarted some non-perishables and necessities for families and pets who have been displaced due to the fires. The YMCA in Koreatown is accepting donation drop-offs.
Pammie collected money from the girls and got me an awesome Moo Deng shirt that I wore to puppy yoga, and had leftover money, so I said to just donate it to one of these major organizations accepting monetary donations for the wildfires: LAFD, American Red Cross, Direct Relief, World Central Kitchen, or the Salvation Army. They need it more than I do. Please give what you can π₯Ί
I just got a Teams invite for a 1-on-1 performance review meeting with my new VP next week. Guys, I haven’t had a performance review in over 10 years. In the advertising department, they would just give us annual raises and bonuses without telling us. When I was on medical leave for 6 months after my stroke, I just happened to be looking at my bank account and I’m like, ‘Where did all this money come from?’ and it turns out I got a raise and a bonus and I didn’t even know. I just recently looked at my profile on Workday, and saw that my salary is way more than I thought it was, so I thought maybe I already got my raise? But doesn’t that usually happen after your performance review in the regular corporate world? I only met the VP once at a departmental meeting last year, so I’m nervous.
Also, a few of my coworkers are out because of the fires, and I just ate a Factor meal for dinner, but I doordashed some Pinkberry because I’m stress-eating.
It’s Filipino tradition to consume 13 round fruits on New Year’s for prosperity.
Christine also told me that it’s Filipino superstition that if I go to bed with my hair still wet from taking a shower, I’ll go blind LMAO, so IDK what to believe π€£
At our last holiday party, my 18-year-old cousin’s boyfriend was excited to see what desserts I made. He told my cousin, ‘She’s the one who made the cinnamon rolls at the last party!’ and she was like, ‘How do you even know that?!’ I’m hoping to start another fight with these Golden Grahams s’mores bars π
One of my earliest memories is of my grandma making mochi on NYE. It’s an Asian tradition that’s supposed to bring good luck for the year to come. I made some this year in her memory β₯οΈ
I found out that the party I’m going to tonight doesn’t start till 8pm! Last year, I celebrated NYE east coast time and was in bed by 9:30pm.
Actual footage of me, my sister and her husband @ 9pm PST:
I remember one NYE, I was throwing up well after midnight into the morning at my friend’s house after drinking too much whiskey and I thought I was gonna die. I used to be fun π
Baby boy had his first chicken adobo last night, and I wanted to be just like him, so I made some for dinner, except I ate it with hella rice (it’s raining today and I’m carboloading to keep warmβis that how it works?).
They call me βSalami Mamiβ (JK, no one calls me that LOL).
My friend told me once that giving birth to her kids ruined her tits and her nipple to breast ratio. I was like, βAre they like a pepperoni on an english muffin?β and she was like, βMore like a salami on a Ritz cracker!β π So now I canβt make a charcuterie board without thinking about her big ass salami nipples π€£
I love Rice Krispie Treats. I used to pick up a Marshmallow Dream Bar whenever I’d go to Starbucks and wash it down with a venti Pink Drink. Nowadays, Nori makes me get an unsweetened iced green tea from Starbucks after splitting a donut from Randy’s. What has become of my life???
Pumpkin pie hack: I got a big ass pumpkin pie from Costco, used a biscuit cutter to cut out individual servings, and topped them with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. Adorable!
My sister’s husband braved Costco, and I instacarted everything else I needed.
Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Grandma’s birthday, or a Thursday, I always make Furikake Chex Mix.
I will always pick a regular potato over a sweet potato, except when it’s baked into a casserole with candied pecans and covered with marshmallows.
My cousin’s wife’s name is ‘Kass,’ and she says it’s short for ‘Kassandra,’ but he tells people it’s short for ‘Casserole’ π€£
β¦or me and Nori after we ate at the same Peruvian resto for lunch for the second time this week (we wouldβve gone yesterday, too, but it was National Pasta Day, so we ate at North Italia π) and the guy remembered our order (a Shack Sandwich with an extra plate because we split it, and a side of fried plantains). Papi takes care of us π
Although, I was wearing my Rams shirt when I came home from the game the other weekend, and my neighbor started chatting me up about football in the parking garage. I have lived in this same apartment for 12 years, and he’s lived in this building for a decade, yet has never spoken to me before that night. He was asking if I went to the game with my boyfriend, and I tried to tamp down the urge to roll my eyes. When I was leaving for lunch last week, I ran into him again in the parking garage. He was already in his car, so I didn’t expect to have to chat, but he stopped in front of my parking spot and proceeded to talk to me from his car. I should have told him I went to the game with my boyfriend, but I’m a terrible liar. I don’t shit where I sleep, man (at least I don’t anymore π).
Pijja Palace is a sports bar on Sunset 10 minutes from Dodger Stadium, but I went there the night of a Padres/Braves game, so these Angelenos didn’t give a shit. I’m sure it’s much rowdier when there’s a Dodgers game on.
The only other restaurant I’ve been to on here is Guelaguetza, and I can confirm that you can still hear me over the live mariachi band π
My toxic trait is doordashing iced coffee every morning and not finishing it, then letting the cups accumulate and having to rinse them all out at the end of the week. Relax, I’m not a completely disgusting human being, I recycle π
After we went to the Rams game, we took the bus out of traffic because it was impossible to get a rideshare at the stadium. The last stop was in Playa del Rey, down the street from Chef Brooke Williamson‘s resto, Playa Provisions. We were gonna grab dinner there before heading home, but they had a private event that night and weren’t accepting walk-ins, just reservations! I forgot you either have to make a res or wait in a ridiculously long line to eat at a good resto in LA π
Anyway, I would never choose to have Indian for dinner, but I’m also easygoing and down to try anything (except baby animals and Highland cows LOL). I avoided all the lamb dishes, of course, but the malai rigatoni was def something to write home about (@ Pijja Palace)
It was like an Indian take on perfectly al dente vodka pasta. Maybe I like Indian fusion, because I really enjoyed the Tandoori Chicken Poutine at Maneet Chauhan’s restaurant in Nashville, too.
This place was also oddly a sports bar, so I got to catch the Padres playoff game during dinner. They won again and swept the Braves to win the wild card series!
People were asking me if I was gonna go to a playoff game at Dodger Stadium, but the last time I went to a Padres/Dodgers game at that stadium (last week LOL), Padres lost big time, so I don’t wanna jinx them π
The series is best-of-five in a 2-2-1 format, so game 3 will be in SD. I’ll be in SD next week, but game 3 falls on my dad’s birthday, so I’m hoping the Dodgers don’t sweep, and there’s a game 4 I can possibly go to in SD.
Also, I might have to go to a game if someone’s able to find me this cute ass Padres jacket Alex Morgan (SD Wave soccer player) wore to a game last month π₯
Because I’m still in love with you
On this harvest moon
After dinner, we went to Larchmont Village for Jeni’s ice cream and cookies from Levain Bakery, and this guy was playing ‘Harvest Moon’ on the sax on the street. It’s a Neil Young song, but I only know it because Lord Huron did a cover π
On the way home, we saw the coolest house decorated for Halloween in Highland Park π€
My cousin from LA went surfing in SD this weekend, so she stayed at my sisterβs last night. We walked to this KBBQ place nearby, partly because she loves KBBQ, but mostly because she loves to get her steps in (@ Sura Korean BBQ)
Whenever people compliment me on my perfectly pulled soft serve, I tell them itβs because I used to work at Mcdonaldβs when I was 16π¦Itβs just one of my many skillz π
I found this Airbnb in Canada that has Highland cows on the property.
Nori’s been to Scotland, but she didn’t get to see any Highland cows (they’re from the Scottish Highlands) while she was there. I found some places in North America you can see these cute hairy cows, and then I went down the google rabbit hole wondering if they slaughter them here.
I love BBQ (smoked beef ribs are my favorite), and now I feel like I have to ask what kind of cow I’m eating at restaurants like in Portlandia π
As a rule, I don’t eat baby animals (lamb, veal or suckling anything)βjust adult animals who have lived a full life LOL. And now I have to add Highland cows (at any age) to that list π
Get you a work bestie who makes you shrimp ceviche, and a work bestie’s mom who makes you nopales (cactus) salad π¦π΅ Yes, I was good and ate it with grain-free tortilla chips, and yes, I’m pretty sure I was Mexican in another life.
We had reservations to go to Pizzeria Bianco in DTLA for my birthday last year, and I texted my cousin who also lives in Redondo and was like, βI donβt think I can make it. I had a stroke and Iβm in the hospital.β π
We ate at the one in Phoenix when we were there for the inaugural Innings Fest, and were so stoked to hear that they were expanding to LA. We finally got to go and it was just as good as I remember it being π Now if only theyβd open a Cornish Pasty Co in LA so we could get our PB&J pasty fix!
Pammie ordered Goblin Snot (an iced matcha with white chocolate cream) and I got Phoenix Tears (passionfruit and mango sparkling refresher with lemonade topped with edible gitter). Phoenix Tears have immense healing powers (according to Harry Potter Wiki) β¨
The cafe was cute, but my sister has better Harry Potter decor in her house π They could definitely work on their marketing and branding. Our iced cups, for example, should have stickers with their logo on it. ‘Snot’ and ‘Tears’ were just scribbled on our cups with a sharpie π My graphic designer eyes are very judgy π
Frozen pierogies from the ‘Meals for One’ section at Target are my new guilty pleasure. Just kidding (they aren’t in the ‘Meals for One’ section. Just because I could eat all of them by myself in one sitting doesn’t mean it’s a single serving π ).
I had just eaten my breakfast sandwich and was going to go on a walk to get my steps in and get some iced coffee. Pammie was gonna come with me, but she kept forgetting shit (her sunglasses, her keys) and the house is 4 floors, so I just waited downstairs while she kept going up and down for whatever she forgot. I wear a continuous glucose monitor, and it alerted me that my glucose levels were low. Theyβve never actually been low when it has alerted me before, it usually happens when I put a new device in (every 10 days), and I just have to test my blood and recalibrate it and itβs fine. This time, though, I was sweating (even though the A/C was on in the house) and I felt off, so I tested my blood and my glucose levels were really low. Good thing I start getting ready for Halloween in July, so I had candy on handΒ πΒ I ate some and felt way better! I walked to Casa de Otay for iced coffee after and didnβt even break a sweat (I hardly ever sweat, so that also tipped me off that something was wrong earlier).
I have a continuous glucose monitor device that alerts me on my phone if my levels are too low or too high, but there are service dogs who are trained to also alert you. I ignore my phone notifs all the time, but I would never ignore a puppy π
Just a friendly reminder to listen to your body! π
Just before my stroke, I was gifted an Our Place Perfect Pot. I forgot how nice it was to cook with quality nonstick pans. My sister has a fancy gourmet kitchen, complete with two KitchenAid ovens, a KitchenAid stove, KitchenAid dishwasher, KitchenAid fridge, KitchenAid wine cellar, and a huge quartz waterfall island (she bought the biggest model home), but, like our mother, she doesn’t cook π Her husband cooks sometimes, but he either uses the gas grill on the rooftop, the pans he got for free from the casino LOL, or what’s left of the Calphalon cookware set we won nearly 15 years ago on Ellen DeGeneres’ 12 Days of Giveaways!
I’m like the jambalaya fairy, because I made extra for Nori & Sachi, Pammie & Dennis, Christine & Francis. Many have eaten my food, few have died. Just kidding. (Not that many people have eaten my food.)
I meal prepped so I don’t fall into old habits (doordashing breakfast and dinner everyday and spending a gazillion dollars on food π ). I still go out to lunch with Nori during the week, though (a bunch of new restos opened in the south bay while I was gone, and I have to try them all).
It was Nori’s dog Kona’s birthday over the weekend, so I brought her some toys. She loved them all, especially the piΓ±ata stuffie π₯°
Nori’s icon status at Nordstrom, so she invited me to join her for a complimentary dinner at Ruscello. We were treated like celebrities LOL!
We were able to find primo parking at South Coast Plaza with my handicap placard, and her mom and sister were like, ‘You’re invited to go out with us anytime!” π
Her mom gave me one of her long ass shoe horns when she saw me struggling to put on my shoes π They make slipping on my Vans a breeze π΅π»
I was gonna buy a new oven a few years ago, because the one in my apartment is tiny and electric. But since I was in the market for an air fryer, I got this Breville Air Fryer Toaster Oven combo. I have zero counter space, though (the kitchen in my studio is smaller than my bathroom at my sister’s house LOL), so I have to set it on top of my oven π
The first thing I made in it was a personal pizza.
The power turned off a few times in the 15 minutes it took to cook the pizza, and I had to flip the switch in the circuit breaker a couple times. It probably couldn’t handle the A/C and oven on at the same time, but I was like, ‘Come on… Don’t make me choose between A/C and pizza.’ π
Yes, that’s turkey pepperoni and yes, I know I need to calm down on the olives π
I doordashed breakfast from Urth Caffe this morningβan iced Spanish latte and a Sunrise Pizza. The poached egg that came on top of the breakfast pizza was way overcooked again (the yolk was cooked all the way through!). I went to Urth with Nori for lunch before, and I ordered the same thing. I was like, ‘Get this shot, Nori’ before I cut into my poached egg expecting a runny yolk, but the egg was cooked solid LOL.
I love a good breakfast pizza, and my favorite one is from Big Sur Bakery (I just saw it burned down a few months ago!). I still ate the pizza without the solid ass egg π
Another time, I was at brunch with Jessie and we both ordered chilaquiles, but I ordered my eggs ‘over easy’ while she ordered hers ‘over medium’. I was like, ‘WTF is over medium?’ She was like, ‘Where they flip the egg, but the yolk is still runny.’ I was like, ‘Isn’t that over easy?’ She was all, ‘Don’t they not flip it when it’s over easy?’ I was like, ‘Nah, that’s sunny side up.’ She was like, ‘Let’s see how they come out.’ We got our order and our eggs were cooked the same π Apparently, they don’t know the difference between over easy and over medium at La Sabrosita, either!
Here are some helpful charts:
Update: Jessie studied abroad in Spain and is married to a Mexican guy, but she’s the whitest Asian we know π
While I was away, they opened a Salt & Straw in Manhattan Beach and a Magnolia Bakery ghost kitchen in Torrance, all within doordashable distance to my apartment. This does not bode well for my blood glucose levels. Or my waistline π
This brunch was way overdue. We were supposed to get together when I came back from Spain, but I caught Covid. Then we rescheduled, but Pammie caught Covid in Vegas. Weβre all healthy now, but work has been stressing us all out while Shiβs over here starting a book club at her work π€£
I suggested Flama Llama because I saw it on instagram. I love llamas, so liking these fuckers fucked up my algorithm π
Everything was so amazing and flavorful. Iβve had Peruvian food before, but this was exceptional. Just ask Shi (she ordered 4 entrees LOL).
Jambalaya is like everything I love in one dish: Shrimp? β Sausage? β Rice? β Heat? β
I followed this recipe and added some Flatiron Pepper Co Four Pepper Blend for extra spice, and it was *chefβs kiss*. Not to be dramatic or anything, but it was only the best thing I’ve ever cooked. Someone make an honest woman out of me already π
My sister’s husband requested I make another batch before I go. I have a concert in LA with friends this Thursday, so I’ll be going back to my apartment in LA later this week. It’s been real βπ»
Spooky Nugs and tots for dinner. Dennis was like, ‘What are you, five?’ π
Um, would a 5-year-old illegally download a PG-13 M. Knight Shyamalan thriller and eat kettle corn out of a Mcdonald’s Boo Bucket??? (Don’t answer that).
Even though I used to think he was an asshole ever since he jumped on the cutting board during an Iron Chef battle against Chef Morimoto in 2000 (I was more offended when he yelled, ‘Raise the roof, yo!’ tbh) and he’s since been thrice-divorced, but I kinda like assholes π€ͺ
Update: I got the stamp of approval from Pammie, Dennis, and my sister’s brother-in-law, Paul, who dropped by for dinner. They finished the rice! I’m finally redeemed from when Pammie and her husband said my adobo was too salty two years ago. Their hurtful comments still keep me up at night π
It would’ve been my grandma’s 93rd birthday this weekend, so we had a potluck at the cemetery. She would’ve loved these treats I brought. She was diabetic and always sneaking sweets π
From the last birthday we celebrated in 2020 with grandma π
What, your family doesn’t celebrate dead people’s birthdays with food at the graveyard? π
Today I walked to Mcdonald’s to get my steps in and say hi to all my dog friends, made cookies for my grandma’s party tomorrow, drove by myself (for the first time since the stroke and didn’t kill anybody!) to Christine’s club pool, and went swimming with her, Francis and the kids. They brought beer and seltzers, and I was way too drunk to drive home, so Christine drove my car home while Francis followed, all the while Dylan was screaming in the backseat, ‘Thank you for the cookies, Auntie Mayan!!!’
When I was trying to eat ‘healthy’ before, I’d order a wrap from Chick-Fil-A, but still get a side of waffle fries and wash it down with a large sweet tea π Nowadays, I don’t drink drinks with calories (unless it’s alcohol or iced coffee, so no soda or juice).
When Jessie suggested this restaurant, we thought it was at the mall across the street. I’ve been practicing driving, so Pammie had me drive to the mall, but it was closer than we thought. We could’ve walked there π
I should’ve walked because I ordered a mimosa flight thinking I would share it with the table, but Jessie and Pammie had cafe de olla and Christine drank all day yesterday and is done for the weekend (or possibly forever), so I had to polish off the mimosa flight by myself π
