Rocky

I have yet to write about my visit to Kansas City last weekend because I am still trying to collect myself from the overwhelming cuteness I witnessed. I mean this in the least condescending way, but my family is adorable. From the obvious like my newborn niece, Remy or my Gpa who I found sitting in the other room giggling to himself to the less obvious like my dad who offered to go to Forever 21 with my sister and I (but only lasted 5 minutes before he bailed and went to Sports Nuts) or my mom who was ecstatic about introducing me to a new Sheridan's flavor. That is just the tip of the iceberg! I could easily carry on for a great deal of time covering instances of cuteness. Though I will spare you of such stories because I fear you won't be as "tickled" (for lack of a better word) than I was. Though here are some visual aides to the adorableness in case you don't believe me. Exhibit A: Remy smiling in her sleep. Exhibit B: Dimples. Exhibit C: Gpa talking with a fr...

Since I have moved to LA I haven't really delved into the art scene just yet. I feel like I need an in somehow, someone to show me the ropes. Someone like my high school photography teacher, Jones, who knew all the ins and outs of all the galleries, museums and exhibitions. During the first quarter here I was introduced to the LACMA and the Getty Villa by a friend but he has since moved to Italy and is learning about the masters of art in Roma (very jealous). Needless to say I am jonesing for First Fridays, galleries and the like. I'm not just craving the visual arts but arts in general. This was my train of thought to curb some of my art hunger pangs: I should have a house show! > Wait, I don't know any local musicians. > My half pint home can only hold a handful of people. > Poop. > Need a smaller group of people. > I should have a night of spoken word. > That would cut down the crowd considerably. > I could make snacks and appetizers! > We could ...

I think I have talked about losing 20 lbs for the last 6 years give or take a year. I will take measures to better my health and stick with it for a long time but I never seem to actually take any real steps towards losing weight. I will better my flexibility with yoga, build my stamina with interval running or try to distinguish my thighs from my butt with stairs but nothing definitive is done for my weight. I think that it just seems so elusive and impossible that I am not intentional enough or something. Then while talking to my friend the other day, she told me I need smaller goals in order to reach the larger goal. She said I should focus on losing 5 lbs and then once I achieve this I should focus on another 5 lbs. I know this concept, and have applied it to so many things before, but I had no clue I wasn't applying it to this one area of my life. So my goal is to lose 5 lbs by our banquet in May and to have toned arms by that same time. I want to lose it in a healthy way too...

I grated the tip of my middle finger while trying to grind nutmeg for my oatmeal this morning. This is not my fist mini-grater infraction but this time it drew blood. My once favorite kitchen gadget now seems menacing and eeevil. I worry now that it has had the taste of human blood, it will just be thirsty for more and therefore I will shy away from using it. It is strange how just a little cut like this one can 1) sting so bad and 2) make me involuntarily cater to it. I can't type properly and when gripping anything my finger makes sure it isn't involved in the grip at all (causing me to not only flip everyone off but also not be able to have a handle on whatever I am holding and almost drop said object.) On to a more serious note, I feel like I had taken an unintentional break from cooking for a while. Sure, I baked a little here or there and made a few things for a couple events or parties but not really anything substantial. Then came the most epic of all dinners, the night...

There was an unintentional theme to my weekend. It all started Friday night at our International Student Friendship pot-luck that we held at my home and my friends' home next door. We introduced the students to an all-American movie, Rebel Without A Cause. James Dean (ahem... heart throb) plays a rebel teen who is in a rift with a gang of other rebel teens. The movie is rife with pompadours, shiv fights, cigarettes and denim jeans coupled with members only jackets. The theme was continued Saturday night when we celebrated my friend's 30th at a roller derby event (Is it called an event? Or maybe a game? What have you.) Evidently a roller derby is like the unspoken casting call to all those associated with the rockabilly style. One of the girls I saw literally had an alligator tattooed across her thigh, which I could see through her fishnet stockings. We were surrounded by short shorts, blunt banged and red lipstick clad girls (very pin-up-esque), tattoos and a variety of hosiery...

A day late but it still stands true. (Note: I am not one to do the 'heart' symbol with their hands but I couldn't resist just for Valentines day.) PS I tried curling my hair with those foam curlers, that's why I look like Shirley Temple circa 1934.

I haven't made a food post for some time now. So I thought I would share just one of my recent creations. I decided to break-in my hand mixer this weekend. Usually I bake in the traditional manual style but when I moved to LA my mom bought me a lovely hand mixer. Once I plugged it in it felt like a power tool. Which makes me think of one of those SAT questions... hand mixers are to a Rachelle like a power tool is to a handy man (I was going to say to a man, but that would be presumptuous that all men like power tools, but then I worried that it would seem like I was putting myself at the same level of a handy man which I clearly am not. So do what you will with that comparison.) Anyways, I made a chocolate bundt cake with a macaroon filling from scratch. It wasn't the best dessert I have ever made but it wasn't too shabby either. Can I just say that whipping egg whites into firm peaks is a million times easier and enjoyable with a hand mixer. I can be quite the messy baker...