Halloween at The Grove LA

One of the things I like living in LA is that there is no real bad weather to contend with. Sure, it's hot. But it's not always hot, and at night it's still cool. Plus the ocean breeze makes up for it.

I love the fact that most of the activities are outdoors because of the beautiful weather. Yesterday, we went to the Grove for the kid's first ever trick or treating! Another thing why I love events like this? It's free! There were so many free, fun activities for kids! Sofia is still too young, but little ones aged 3-7 years old would have an awesome time.

Booths included face painting, cookie decorating, pumpkin carving, pumpkin decorating, lollipop decorating, coloring / drawing area, all types of fall crafts and of course stores handed out candies to trick or treaters! 

Pumpkin decorating booth!

Cookie decorating booth!

Here's my little Tinkerbell on her first trick or treat! We don't let her eat candy yet but she had fun anyway. She just woke up here so she looks so crabby! LOL!

Thanks The Grove! :)

What are *your* Halloween plans???

Celebrating 5 Years...Off to Redondo Beach!

Like the LA people that we are, (HAHAHA! not really...) we think that at least one day during a long weekend in the summer should be spent at the beach! Not only that, N and I also celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary that weekend so really it was more than a beach trip. :D

First off, I've only been to three California beaches. Santa Monica, another popular destination; Malibu which was way back in the 90's when my cousin took me; and Long Beach, where we spent Valentine's Day (pre-kid days) in 2009.

Among all of these beaches, Redondo is my favorite. I do think it's the most family-oriented one, Santa Monica a close second. Yes it was crowded of course, it was the day before Labor Day. But overall it's a great place to take the family.

Here's a list of what I love about the place:

• Parking - Everywhere in LA parking is a witch! Everybody knows that. But they actually have great parking here. And very accessible no matter which part of the pier you want to hang out.
• Dining - There's something for everyone at any budget. I seriously love that. You can have the most expensive lobster dinner at an expensive joint or get a plate of fish fry from a hole in the wall place. 
• There's an outdoor shower by the beach where you can wash off the sand from your feet and everywhere else before you step into your car. Really.
• There are vendors everywhere - yes, you can have this in ANY beach anywhere in the world. But I am including this because like the first time beach bums that we are we didn't even bring an umbrella or some kind of protection (a cabana or a tent would be awsome!) from the sun...smart! LOL, we did have a large beach towel to sit on but not really large enough. So I thank the umbrella vendors all over the beach selling their wares because we lasted long enough under the sun without burning to a crisp.

The kid had a blast...when she saw the ocean she started clapping! It was so funny. :D She wanted to go swimming but none of us brought a change of clothes! (another smart move) There's always next time! :D But she had lots of fun playing in the sand, by the water, people watching and looking at all the birds!

Our anniversary lunch was at The Boiling Shrimp. I know, it's a complete knock off of The Boiling Crab minus the 3 hour wait! The food is exactly the same except they have Thai noodles and soup on the menu. We actually tried the Hollywood Blvd. branch first and wanted to come back. So when I saw they have a newly opened one in Redondo we knew we wanted to give it another try.

The shrimps were perfectly cooked! Love it! Although I like the garlic and butter sauce better (from our first trip), the juicy and tender meat made up for it. The mussels were great too. Again it was perfectly cooked and I love that they added whole basil leaves. The flavor is incredible! Calamari is always my favorite even at The Boiling Crab, very lightly battered and fried just right. A few drops of lemon --- perfect! Their fries are a big disappointment. It was just not done right, the coating wasn't even and it was so heavy and starchy. :( The fried catfish was okay, I like the Hollywood Boulevard version better. I hate the fact that they used the big fillets which turned out rubbery. :/ The kid still liked it and ate it together with the fries. She brought her own dessert though --- cut up watermelon! LOL.

Overall, it was a great experience and we're definitely coming back to try the other seafood places and maybe go whale watching.

What's your favorite beach and beach activities???

REDONDO BEACH
W Torrance Blvd
Redondo Beach, CA 90277

THE BOILING SHRIMP

Pier Plaza

125 W.Torrance Blvd., 

Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Tel. (310) 374-6555

Mommy Cooks: Ultimate Super Nacho Supreme

This is so easy to make in fact I can't wait for Sofia to grow a little bigger (not too fast though!) so she can help me prepare it!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 Bag of Tostitos Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips --- healthy alternative? Trader Joe's Veggie and Flax Seed Tortilla Chips or Trader Joe's Organic White Tortilla Chips
• 1 lb of lean ground beef (I used 90/10 lean meat) --- healthy alternative? ground turkey breast
• 1 taco mix (I used El Paso medium) --- healthy alternative? Homemade Taco Mix!
• 1 to 1/2 cup of salsa (I used Tostitos medium salsa) --- healthy alternative? Homemade Salsa!
• 2-3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 to 1/2 can of refried beans (I used canned) --- healthy alternative? Homemade Refried Beans!
• 1 chopped fresh tomato
• a bunch of chopped cilantro - I used A LOT because we are big fans!  
• 1 avocado, smashed 
•  3 dallops of sour cream or any amount you desire --- healthy alternative? I used fat free sour cream
• 1/2 cup of water
• pickled jalapeno peppers amount as needed

 PROCEDURE:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brown the meat then drain excess water. When beef is all brown and dry add the water, then add the taco mix. Let it simmer uncovered until thick.  
• Arrange one layer of chips on the baking pan. Spread beans first and then cheese on top, repeat this on a second layer.
• Add the beef on top and stick it in the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• When done, add the guacamole, salsa, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers and the cilantro.
• Finally add the sour cream on top and enjoy while chips, beef and cheese are warm! :) This will (probably) serve 4-5 people! :D

 Tex-Mex at its finest! What's your favorite Tex-Mex recipe???

Mommy Shops: Fall in L.A.

Change of season also means a change of wardrobe. That's what living in the Midwest for 12 years has taught me. But then we're not in Michigan anymore, we're in L.A. So I wasn't quite sure how to dress the kid. In Michigan, once September hits, we dust off our fall jackets and take out the cardis and hoodies. But right now as I type this, the sun is shining so bright like we're in the middle of July. I'm not complaining, especially when I think of those bitter Michigan winters. But I do miss fall, my favorite season.

<--- Here's my little ham wearing the yellow lovebirds shirt and one of the ON striped leggings. :)

I know this will sound strange but I haven't bought the kid a pair of long pants since she was 6 months old. It lasted her all through winter and spring. And when summer came, she lived in shorts, sun dresses and short skirts. So now all her pants are capris! LOL! There were a lot of sales lately which gave me the perfect opportunity to get her some new stuff. :)

I hope these withstand the L.A. fall/winter! HA! :D What is your favorite season???

L.A. Eats: Farmers' Market on Wilshire/Vermont (Koreatown)

 How do I begin to tell you how much I love farmers' markets?

I love the hustle and bustle of a busy market. It reminds me of home. I love the diversity. I love how fresh everything is, from the flowers/plants, fruits, vegetables, food and even the people. They are small farm owners, small scale business people and your everyday common folk who want fresh and cheap produce. :D (like us!)

Here are some photos I took from last week and earlier today. The kid had so much fun people watching and eating her pupusa. :) My Mom enjoyed the cheap fruits and vegetables. We bought a bunch of yellow peaches, mango nectarines, dinosaur egg nectarines, kalabasa flowers (squash flowers), ampalaya (bitter melon), sitaw (string beans), patola (gourd), lemon grass (for making tea!), tomatoes and a bag of peanuts all for $17!

THE PUPUSA STAND: I ordered (1) Chorizo and Cheese (1) Chicken and Cheese and (1) Spinach and Cheese all for $8; it came with a pickled side salad, salsa and sour cream. They cook it right in front of you in a grill. Amazing deal, amazing flavor. The kid loved it and she ate the salad too. (well, she likes vegetables anyway)

They do have a lot of other options for a quick lunch and snack. There was a Thai food stand, tacos, Blazin' J's kettle corn (I want to try this next after reading all the great reviews), Hawaiian barbecue, crepe stand and a lot more.

My Mom taking ampalaya buying too seriously.

Chilis! This one is for my brother Ray. :)

Love, love this fruit stand! This is where we bought most of our fruits that day.

FREE TASTE!

Weather was great and how else do we end a beautiful, busy morning? By grabbing a quick lunch!

My plate! :) 

This market is right smack in the middle of a busy intersection, bus and train station. Part of its charm is that it's also in the middle of a small business center (the Wilshire Center). There's a Chase bank, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and small boutiques all around it. It just looks like it doesn't belong there! LOL.

But I'm lucky to "discover" it last week when the husband and I were practicing my bus route to work. On our way back, there it was! It just appeared out of nowhere! :P The guy who was selling pupusas said they are only there on Fridays from 11am-3pm.

Too bad they are closed on the weekends, because I think it's one of the city's best kept secrets. :)

SOURCE

Ikea toys for the imaginative child

I'm always surprised how my child (16 months) can be so imaginative. Of course, I want to encourage this passion of hers but I haven't really bought any toy lately that can further develop her creativity. This Christmas, I plan on getting her a toy kitchen. Since we have very limited space I decided to get her this one from Amazon. But then I discovered it's being sold almost half the price at Toys r Us!

SOURCE

The reviews are great, and I'm a review junkie! I can just imagine her pretending to bake and eat those cupcakes! So cute! She loves to pretend drinking, eating and cooking all the time so this is perfect!

But then I was browsing children's Ikea for toddler beds and found their toys. So adorable and affordable! Sofia will surely have fun with these. Here are my picks for her:

9 piece Finger Puppet Circus - $4.99

18 piece Dessert Set - $7.99

JUST ADORABLE!

14 piece Vegetable Set - $7.99

Soft Carrot - $9.99 - one of her favorite vegetables!

So cute right? I'm sure my kid will have fun with these during her pretend play sessions! <3 They also have a fruit basket set, breakfast set and a tea set. (tea set is still not age appropriate for Sofia because it's stoneware, maybe in a few years) And this salmon set! Brilliant!

The Fruit Basket Set - love it!

I also adore their very affordable craft / art supplies. I've always loved Ikea for their innovative styles and competitive prices, but now I'm really loving their kids/baby line!

Incidentally, the kid's crib and mattress were also from Ikea and I highly recommend it. :) Simple, clean design with high safety ratings and reviews. What did I tell you about my obsession with reviews? LOL.

Ikea Gulliver, $99. Vyssa Vinka Mattress, $59.99. Crib fitted sheet 2 piece set, $9.99.

The Gulliver is space saving, has two adjustable heights and can be converted into a toddler bed. Unfortunately, we couldn't pack it up when we moved. :(

What are your favorite Ikea items?

Mommy Cooks: What's For Dinner?

I love to cook! I wish I could do it more often. My Mom usually cooks during the weekdays. But now (like starting today - ha!) I vowed to cook as much as I can especially on weekends. 

The kid is not a very picky eater, for her it's all about timing. She will try anything and eat anything, as long as she's not full. I will write about the kid's favorite snacks and meals in the next few days.

Tonight I made my all-time favorite dish using my all-time favorite fish! Bangus (milk fish) is the Philippines' national fish, very boney, but really delicious! Here in the US you can buy the whole fish, or you can also buy the deboned butterflied version. But my ultimate favorite is the bangus belly! YUM! Perfect for daing na bangus! Here's my version of this favorite Filipino fried dish.

Daing na Bangus
(Fried Milkfish marinated in vinegar and garlic)

1 pack of bangus belly (2 in a pack)
white vinegar
1 head of garlic (crushed)
black pepper
oil for frying

1. Marinate the bangus in white vinegar (enough that it's covered, skin side up), black pepper and crushed garlic. Cover container and refrigerate for at least an hour. Ideally I would say 2-3 hours will work best.

I kept it in the fridge for 2 hours today, some days even more.

2.  Fry in pan in medium to low heat until brown and crispy on both sides. I timed it and the best results are between 5-7 minutes on each side. This is NOT pan fried nor deep fried. Warning: oil will pop and splatter so make sure to wear your armor! :D

Oil should be super hot! And always duck for cover! :D

*** I will write about techniques on avoiding being burned by hot oil during frying in the next few posts.

3. After frying, place on a plate with paper towel. Fry the leftover garlic from the marinade. Serve piping hot, best with spicy vinegar for dipping!

5-7 minutes of frying on both sides to make it crispy and golden brown.

The next recipe is one of Sofia's favorite Filipino dishes. She eats a lot of vegetables and this dish is no exception. She loves eating it with rice and soup.

Ginisang Sayote, Carrots & Shrimp
(Sauteed Chayote with Carrots and Shrimp)

2 chayotes
2 carrots
garlic
onions
1 small tomato
4-5 whole, large shrimps (with head)
water
salt or fish sauce to taste

1. Chop the chayote and carrots in small cubes. Crush garlic, dice onions and tomato. Take off the shrimps' heads and set aside. Dice the rest of the shrimp meat.

 2. Sautee garlic, onions and tomato. Add shrimp heads for more flavor. Add the shrimp meat. Add carrots and chayote. Stir fry.

3. Add desired amount of water for sabaw (soup).  Let simmer until all veggies are cooked and tender. Add salt or fish sauce according to your taste.

Simmering goodness.

And my final plate with a side of spicy Pinakurat vinegar and fried garlic!

What's your dinner?

PS
All photos taken using my phone, HTC MyTouch 4G because I'm too lazy to look for my camera. (there's a reason behind why my stuff are shoved away in a closet somewhere...will post why soon!)

Baby Bargain Alert!

Before anything else, I know I've been neglecting this blog. I haven't even had the time (or the mood? lol) to write about Sofia's awesome first birthday party! But I will! In the meantime, I'm glad I am back!

Just want to inform all the Mommies (and Dads!) that there is a great sale going on at Gymboree right now! (I don't know until when) They have 40-60% off on infants - girls/boys clothing and accessories! I do love Gymboree, I adore their collections! But I gotta admit, it can be a little bit pricey for me if it's not on sale. So today I scored some cute things for Sofia...

Top original price: $16 

Bloomer original price: $21.95 

Sandals original price: $28.95

Love it! :)

Didn't have time to really weed through the sales racks but I will definitely check it out again.

Happy bargain shopping!

Panda-monium!

Last Friday, I finally had the chance to go to Carter's brick and mortar store to get the onesie set I've been eyeing since the start of the 50% Off Baby Sale. Besides special occasion dresses, I rarely buy the kid any clothing because she has tons, all gifts. And with her 1st birthday coming up, I really don't have any business shopping for anything. But I couldn't resist! This set has been sitting in my online cart for 2 weeks now and I just don't have it in me to pay $6 for shipping when I can just trek to the store and buy it myself. And that I did last Friday. Thank goodness because it was almost gone in the size I wanted which was 18 months...more room to grow and perfect size for next fall! (spoken like a true Mommy eh?)

It's pandamonium in this household because of the party theme. I can't help it, pandas are so darn cute! :)

Sunrise, Sunset...

Sofia, 2 days old.

 

 

Sometimes, I still catch myself staring at my daughter when she's playing or sleeping in my arms. I still cannot believe that she is my child. It seems only yesterday when I was being wheeled to the OR for a c-section and out came a baby, all pink and covered with goo with eyes half-shut, half-open. I looked at her, and I was instantly smitten. 

 

Fast forward 11 months.

That newborn is a walking, "talking", dancing, couch-climbing little terror (in an adorable way) and she's turning ONE?! No way!

Actually, yes way. I still can't believe it but there's no stopping time. I'm now organizing a simple but very personalized birthday party for my girl. Our theme is PANDA! :) 

 

We all can't wait!