Living Green - every
little bit does count!
page coming soon!
in the meantime, check
out EatLowCarbon.
little bit does count!
page coming soon!
in the meantime, check
out EatLowCarbon.
| Be sure to check out my yelps! |
Angelenic - the essential
news resource for those
living, working and
visiting Downtown Los
Angeles. Look for the
(very) occasional article
by me!
news resource for those
living, working and
visiting Downtown Los
Angeles. Look for the
(very) occasional article
by me!
Shan's Blog - A new hope with a new look for '09. Blogging from Hope St. where
we're doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint and save money, all the while
living in lofty style.
South Park Scribe Shan
we're doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint and save money, all the while
living in lofty style.
South Park Scribe Shan
2-6-09 Welcome to my first post for 2009!
Happy New Year and thank you for being patient and coming back to my
site! I am so excited to be back! 2008 ended with a few big bangs and
I'm glad to be on to a new year! I lost my files on my laptop (crash!)
and had to start over. Thanks to Saro. I never want to see this
message again!! Check out my gallery page for a quick look at what I've
been up to in my photo tour of the last 5 months... I can't believe it's
been that long!
We are still enjoying the Packard Lofts downtown, and are getting this
loft living down! We walk everywhere! G especially loves the "commute"!
Blue Moon lives down in the bat cave and comes out once or twice a
week for a few miles. We had a super hot January, but are loving the
rain this weekend. Bridget is still on her homemade diet and will be 3 in
April! She will be attending the Bulldog Beauty Contest on the 15th! She
has made a few new friends including Bella, my dads new puppy since
the loss of Tasha. Bandit is doing well and likes to sit out on the deck
and on Bridget's new bed!
I've been taking a lot of pictures and can't wait to fill you in on what I've
been up to... Including a very special Thanksgiving and Christmas
season, I made Beef Wellington, visited LACMA and the Hearst Castle
exhibit, ate gorgeous shrimp tacos at Latorila, I worked in the RSVP
kitchen, helped with the Loose Goose Wine Festival, we celebrated G's
40th!! YES 4-0! At San Antonio Winery with the family. We also
celebrated at Panini Cafe (I didn't bring my camera, but check out their
website). It was our first visit and it was sooo good! Really flavorful
hummus' and gorgeous salads, chicken and beef kabobs and pasta! We
ate outside with Bridget and Bella. They had a great time. We received
the hugest lobster ever AND crab from Grandma for our 18th anniversary!
We ate like Kings and Queens for a week! Thanks Grandma again for
your love! The lobster and crab came from Pikes Market in Seattle, I'd
totally recommend them! I also got to spend some time with my sister
and nieces, even picking them up from school! Fun to have them come
running out to me, "Auntie Shannon!", so cute! Glad we had that time
before they moved to Alaska, see below. Check out my gallery quick
look page for a photo tour of the last few months.
We spent New Years in Palm Springs and had a fantastic time getting
out of town for a few days. We met up with our friends and met the
newest member of the family. Such a cute "little dude"! It was like old
times being in the kitchen together and creating flavorful vegan dishes.
We made 2 types of lasagna, vegan and veg. They were both good,
but the cheese!! oh the cheese! We can't wait to go back. We were
lucky enough to be able to rent a car so we didn't have to drive Blue
Moon. We rented a PT Cruiser, what a funny little "car". It's more like a
go cart or a golf cart. I can't believe people actually pay money for this
thing! It got us there and back fine and has a lot of room in the way
back and fit all 4 of us (Bandit and Bridget came too, of course!) quite
nicely. Check out my latest P.S. Gallery.
I've been riding metro a lot! I even took the Amtrak to Ventura! It was a
fun ride, but they have to do something about the on board food!
But, the biggest change is that my sister and her family have moved to
Alaska, yes, Alaska! Why? you may ask, well, let's just say hopefully
they can make a better go of it there. I miss my sister badly and just
hope that she is adjusting as well as she can. It is 15 degrees F there
today! Check out my "What's up in AK" page.
OK, that's all for now, but be sure to check back at least once a week for
more updates.
Click for my 2008 blog..... lots more good stuff...
Happy New Year and thank you for being patient and coming back to my
site! I am so excited to be back! 2008 ended with a few big bangs and
I'm glad to be on to a new year! I lost my files on my laptop (crash!)
and had to start over. Thanks to Saro. I never want to see this
message again!! Check out my gallery page for a quick look at what I've
been up to in my photo tour of the last 5 months... I can't believe it's
been that long!
We are still enjoying the Packard Lofts downtown, and are getting this
loft living down! We walk everywhere! G especially loves the "commute"!
Blue Moon lives down in the bat cave and comes out once or twice a
week for a few miles. We had a super hot January, but are loving the
rain this weekend. Bridget is still on her homemade diet and will be 3 in
April! She will be attending the Bulldog Beauty Contest on the 15th! She
has made a few new friends including Bella, my dads new puppy since
the loss of Tasha. Bandit is doing well and likes to sit out on the deck
and on Bridget's new bed!
I've been taking a lot of pictures and can't wait to fill you in on what I've
been up to... Including a very special Thanksgiving and Christmas
season, I made Beef Wellington, visited LACMA and the Hearst Castle
exhibit, ate gorgeous shrimp tacos at Latorila, I worked in the RSVP
kitchen, helped with the Loose Goose Wine Festival, we celebrated G's
40th!! YES 4-0! At San Antonio Winery with the family. We also
celebrated at Panini Cafe (I didn't bring my camera, but check out their
website). It was our first visit and it was sooo good! Really flavorful
hummus' and gorgeous salads, chicken and beef kabobs and pasta! We
ate outside with Bridget and Bella. They had a great time. We received
the hugest lobster ever AND crab from Grandma for our 18th anniversary!
We ate like Kings and Queens for a week! Thanks Grandma again for
your love! The lobster and crab came from Pikes Market in Seattle, I'd
totally recommend them! I also got to spend some time with my sister
and nieces, even picking them up from school! Fun to have them come
running out to me, "Auntie Shannon!", so cute! Glad we had that time
before they moved to Alaska, see below. Check out my gallery quick
look page for a photo tour of the last few months.
We spent New Years in Palm Springs and had a fantastic time getting
out of town for a few days. We met up with our friends and met the
newest member of the family. Such a cute "little dude"! It was like old
times being in the kitchen together and creating flavorful vegan dishes.
We made 2 types of lasagna, vegan and veg. They were both good,
but the cheese!! oh the cheese! We can't wait to go back. We were
lucky enough to be able to rent a car so we didn't have to drive Blue
Moon. We rented a PT Cruiser, what a funny little "car". It's more like a
go cart or a golf cart. I can't believe people actually pay money for this
thing! It got us there and back fine and has a lot of room in the way
back and fit all 4 of us (Bandit and Bridget came too, of course!) quite
nicely. Check out my latest P.S. Gallery.
I've been riding metro a lot! I even took the Amtrak to Ventura! It was a
fun ride, but they have to do something about the on board food!
But, the biggest change is that my sister and her family have moved to
Alaska, yes, Alaska! Why? you may ask, well, let's just say hopefully
they can make a better go of it there. I miss my sister badly and just
hope that she is adjusting as well as she can. It is 15 degrees F there
today! Check out my "What's up in AK" page.
OK, that's all for now, but be sure to check back at least once a week for
more updates.
Click for my 2008 blog..... lots more good stuff...
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Look at my funny
Valentines! Such cute
little animals! And G isn't
so bad either! My
gorgeous G went out early,
before 7 to get me
breakfast and flowers! A
surprise since I had said I
didn't need flowers! This is
at least our 20th V Day
together! Later on in the
day he went out for
chocolates too! I made
Red Fire Cracker Valentine
Chicken! It was really
good and not too hot, I
sampled some. We had a
great day!
February 14, 2009 Happy Valentines Day!
This is the soon to be famous Fire Cracker Red Valentines
Chicken & Rice. I love my new pan!! I got this like over
$70 pan on amazon for $19.99 shipped!!! It is fabulous,
it's a calphalon and browned these chicken thighs and
breasts beautifully! I added my red chili sauce, water and
rice and covered it in the over for 30 min. Yum Yum! He
loved it, maybe more rice next time, but a keeper!
Chicken & Rice. I love my new pan!! I got this like over
$70 pan on amazon for $19.99 shipped!!! It is fabulous,
it's a calphalon and browned these chicken thighs and
breasts beautifully! I added my red chili sauce, water and
rice and covered it in the over for 30 min. Yum Yum! He
loved it, maybe more rice next time, but a keeper!
Yesterday I made the Green Chili Chicken and today it
was even better! He suggested it over mashed potatoes,
so I hooked it up and it was amazing!! Like a mexican
chicken chunks and gravy. I ate a whole bowl myself!
mmmm.... And here is a cute little shot of both of my
chickens together for Valentines Day.
The Travel and Adventure Show is going on at the
convention center. There are a few people parked in the
parking lot outside that look like they attended. There is
also a Kings Game. Lots of dudes in jerseys! bye for now.
was even better! He suggested it over mashed potatoes,
so I hooked it up and it was amazing!! Like a mexican
chicken chunks and gravy. I ate a whole bowl myself!
mmmm.... And here is a cute little shot of both of my
chickens together for Valentines Day.
The Travel and Adventure Show is going on at the
convention center. There are a few people parked in the
parking lot outside that look like they attended. There is
also a Kings Game. Lots of dudes in jerseys! bye for now.
Feb. 15, 2009 Bridget's Big Pageant Day
We did it!! Bridget graced the 5th annual Haute Dog Bulldog Beauty
Contest in Long Beach! We had fun. We are so glad the rain held out!
No rain all day! Bridget was a trooper, made a few friends, talked about
her homemade diet, and behaved herself beyond expectations! There
were a few "trouble makers" in the staging area, but we stayed calm
and in control. Bridget is so sweet and mild mannered, she doesn't
know how to react when someone lunges and barks at her. She got a
little scared, but just kept looking up at me for reassurance. She is our
star! I was so glad G decided to come with me, it would have been very
hard alone. And he even took video of us walking the red carpet!! Be
sure to check it out! Pictures will link to video page and a whole page of
pictures from the day.
Contest in Long Beach! We had fun. We are so glad the rain held out!
No rain all day! Bridget was a trooper, made a few friends, talked about
her homemade diet, and behaved herself beyond expectations! There
were a few "trouble makers" in the staging area, but we stayed calm
and in control. Bridget is so sweet and mild mannered, she doesn't
know how to react when someone lunges and barks at her. She got a
little scared, but just kept looking up at me for reassurance. She is our
star! I was so glad G decided to come with me, it would have been very
hard alone. And he even took video of us walking the red carpet!! Be
sure to check it out! Pictures will link to video page and a whole page of
pictures from the day.
Bridget and I on the
red carpet! so fun!
red carpet! so fun!
Another pretty baby!
2-20-09 TGIF!
Today we saved a little baby kitten from the streets! It was
complete destiny. We went to lunch at Fisherman's Outlet over in the
industrial area of downtown to celebrate a long 2 weeks and pay day.
Lunch was fabulous as usual (pictures of lunch below), I even got a
nice piece of fish to bbq tomorrow. For some unknown reason, after
lunch I said, "let's check out Smart & Final on this part of town." G
agreed & I piloted us over there. As we approached the driveway G
heard it, "a little kitty is crying." I thought it was coming from a truck
on the street, so after we parked, we headed in the direction of the
truck. I saw little kitty on the other side of the fence, he was sooooo
tiny and all black. I headed to him. He was crying, crying, crying. I
called him Smokey, he was pretty ashen from being outside. He was
probably not more than 10 weeks old. I bent down and called to him,
he kept crying and kind of turned toward me. As he was, I said, "we
have to take him." G said that we should probably leave him. At that
moment I heard, "Did you just find it?" I turn around to see a cute girl
and boy in a little white car and I say, "can you take him?" She pauses
for a quick half a second and says assuredly, "YES." I scoop him up,
take him to her car window and say, "call him Smokey, we can't take
him, we have Bandit. So it's Smokey and the Bandit." She looks at
the kitty smiling and says "ok." I felt so good as we headed into S&F
and G said it was ours and the kitty's destiny. It all happened in a
matter of like 3 minutes. While we were shopping I told G that I would
have tried to talk him into taking him, so I'm glad they showed up. He
assured me that we would not have left him on the street, we would
have taken him to the vet... such a good guy.
He also commented on how many people were around and not doing
anything to help the kitty. We got a few deals at S&F. Now more on
our lunch!
We got there right at 12 and the line wasn't too bad. It was pumping
and full of foodie energy! I love those boys strategy. They have a
rhythm and psychic connection to each other and their customers that
is unsurpassed! I've emailed the show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives to
go there, I think Guy Fieri would love it! Not that they need any help
with their business, but it's such a trip - the location and set up and
then this food you get! Such a contrast! And I've said it before, such a
mix of people, cops, business people, locals, families, us, everyone! I
said it before, we ate with Hollywood celebrities here. It's a great place!
We decided we're going to take Bridget, a true celebrity, next time. I
got the special Grilled Tuna Toro with Rice and G got the Grilled Tiger
Shrimp with Rice. I love the Cajun/remoulade sauce and G likes the
terriyaki sauce. If you get the chance, GO! If you haven't been in a
while, go back, they are so consistant! And check out Smart and Final
too, you just may save a kitty!
complete destiny. We went to lunch at Fisherman's Outlet over in the
industrial area of downtown to celebrate a long 2 weeks and pay day.
Lunch was fabulous as usual (pictures of lunch below), I even got a
nice piece of fish to bbq tomorrow. For some unknown reason, after
lunch I said, "let's check out Smart & Final on this part of town." G
agreed & I piloted us over there. As we approached the driveway G
heard it, "a little kitty is crying." I thought it was coming from a truck
on the street, so after we parked, we headed in the direction of the
truck. I saw little kitty on the other side of the fence, he was sooooo
tiny and all black. I headed to him. He was crying, crying, crying. I
called him Smokey, he was pretty ashen from being outside. He was
probably not more than 10 weeks old. I bent down and called to him,
he kept crying and kind of turned toward me. As he was, I said, "we
have to take him." G said that we should probably leave him. At that
moment I heard, "Did you just find it?" I turn around to see a cute girl
and boy in a little white car and I say, "can you take him?" She pauses
for a quick half a second and says assuredly, "YES." I scoop him up,
take him to her car window and say, "call him Smokey, we can't take
him, we have Bandit. So it's Smokey and the Bandit." She looks at
the kitty smiling and says "ok." I felt so good as we headed into S&F
and G said it was ours and the kitty's destiny. It all happened in a
matter of like 3 minutes. While we were shopping I told G that I would
have tried to talk him into taking him, so I'm glad they showed up. He
assured me that we would not have left him on the street, we would
have taken him to the vet... such a good guy.
He also commented on how many people were around and not doing
anything to help the kitty. We got a few deals at S&F. Now more on
our lunch!
We got there right at 12 and the line wasn't too bad. It was pumping
and full of foodie energy! I love those boys strategy. They have a
rhythm and psychic connection to each other and their customers that
is unsurpassed! I've emailed the show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives to
go there, I think Guy Fieri would love it! Not that they need any help
with their business, but it's such a trip - the location and set up and
then this food you get! Such a contrast! And I've said it before, such a
mix of people, cops, business people, locals, families, us, everyone! I
said it before, we ate with Hollywood celebrities here. It's a great place!
We decided we're going to take Bridget, a true celebrity, next time. I
got the special Grilled Tuna Toro with Rice and G got the Grilled Tiger
Shrimp with Rice. I love the Cajun/remoulade sauce and G likes the
terriyaki sauce. If you get the chance, GO! If you haven't been in a
while, go back, they are so consistant! And check out Smart and Final
too, you just may save a kitty!
| Grilled Tuna Toro with Rice, it's Uncle Ben's! Fresh lemon and the fabulously flavorful Remoulade sauce (not pictured). It's that red cajun sauce (Emeril makes it with 2 mustards, lemon juice, whole grain and yellow, ketchup, horseradish, oil, cayanne, celery, onion, garlic & parsley - all in the food processor). I brought half of my tuna & rice home. Along with a fresh piece of swordfish for the grill! This place is affordable!! You can bet that everywhere I go, is Grilled Tiger Shrimp with Rice!! sooooo good!! Love that grilled taste. |
2-24 Bridget and I made our monthly drop to the Goodwill on
Figuerora yesterday. The girls there are getting to know her, she
brightens their day. We left our goodies and I decided to get a bean
burrito from Del Taco across the Street. Then we ended up finding
Hoover Rec Center, with a nice grassy area. I saw a sign with a dog on
a leash, so I knew they were dog friendly. We got a table away from
everyone and I let Bridget go off her leash. She stayed right by me as
she explored the area. We made a few friends, discovered a sage
bush, met Jeff who works for the dept. of parks and rec. and were on
our way. A great little outing!
Today is Fat Tuesday and there are lots of foodie freebies to be had
out there! IHop, Jack in the Box and Quiznos. I think that is pretty
cool of them!
We watched Jon and Kate Plus 8 last night and felt like I was going to
throw up..... I'm slowly, fastly now, losing my faith in these 2. They
brought home 2 puppies and it was so sad how they treated them. The
"breeder" (they claim a guy named Jeff in Pennsylvania), had no
business letting these poor puppies go home with this family. Aiden
(the zoologist?!?) even said, "I'm afraid of dogs!" The naming of the
puppies was of course all up to selfish Kate. If you get a pet and have
little kids, don't they get to name it!?? The whole show was full of
holes and disturbing to say the least....Did they actually pay for the
puppies? Is this guy a registered breeder? There is all kinds of chatter
on the blogs and I think they are going to find this guy! If you want to
read some eye opening comments about last nights episode, I like
this blog.
Our 2 angles!
Training Bridget was (is)
a full time commitment.
It also required a TON
of research BEFORE we
brought her home!
It baffled me how
lightly J&K took this
decision.
Figuerora yesterday. The girls there are getting to know her, she
brightens their day. We left our goodies and I decided to get a bean
burrito from Del Taco across the Street. Then we ended up finding
Hoover Rec Center, with a nice grassy area. I saw a sign with a dog on
a leash, so I knew they were dog friendly. We got a table away from
everyone and I let Bridget go off her leash. She stayed right by me as
she explored the area. We made a few friends, discovered a sage
bush, met Jeff who works for the dept. of parks and rec. and were on
our way. A great little outing!
Today is Fat Tuesday and there are lots of foodie freebies to be had
out there! IHop, Jack in the Box and Quiznos. I think that is pretty
cool of them!
We watched Jon and Kate Plus 8 last night and felt like I was going to
throw up..... I'm slowly, fastly now, losing my faith in these 2. They
brought home 2 puppies and it was so sad how they treated them. The
"breeder" (they claim a guy named Jeff in Pennsylvania), had no
business letting these poor puppies go home with this family. Aiden
(the zoologist?!?) even said, "I'm afraid of dogs!" The naming of the
puppies was of course all up to selfish Kate. If you get a pet and have
little kids, don't they get to name it!?? The whole show was full of
holes and disturbing to say the least....Did they actually pay for the
puppies? Is this guy a registered breeder? There is all kinds of chatter
on the blogs and I think they are going to find this guy! If you want to
read some eye opening comments about last nights episode, I like
this blog.
Our 2 angles!
Training Bridget was (is)
a full time commitment.
It also required a TON
of research BEFORE we
brought her home!
It baffled me how
lightly J&K took this
decision.
Rainbow over Downtown on 2-16-09 from our deck. A minute after I took this, it was gone!
| Check out my new "Shop and Save with Shan" page! I will add more to it, but I got a start! Check it out. |
2-27-09 - TGIF! Another Gorgeous Friday!
Happy 7th Birthday to my gorgeous niece! I miss you! Hope you had
a fun birthday with grandma in Alaska! Sushi! Cake! Presents! New
Friends! Visitors & Calls! Growing up so fast. You grow girl! xoxo.
I made this festive cheese plate for G's office yesterday.
Grapes, Organic Fuji Apples, Colby Jack, Vlaskaas Cheese, Dry Italian
Salami with Wheat Thins and Entertainer Butter Crackers. It was a hit!
Remember last Friday we went to the Fisherman's Outlet and I got a
piece of fish to go? I cooked it up on Saturday, check it out!!
Click here to read all about it.
I was going to make chicken soup on Wed. but it turned into Chicken
Pot Pies! The soup thought turned to chicken and dumplings, but I
couldn't find my grandma's recipe, so I went to the trusty food
network and saw a gorgeous picture of a Pot Pie! Then it hit me, I
don't have the individual ramekin dishes and I wanted to make them
small, not one big one. So.... I'm always looking for ways to use my
muffin pan. A quick little search and apparently so are others! I
combined a few recipes, used what I had on hand for veggies and
voilà, gorgeous mini pot pies! Here's what I ended up with.
Click to see the recipe! Perfect Comfort Food! Easy Too!
I had extra dough, so I made Mini Pineapple Pies! Really tasty and
EASY! I'll add this recipe soon! A Winner!
Happy 7th Birthday to my gorgeous niece! I miss you! Hope you had
a fun birthday with grandma in Alaska! Sushi! Cake! Presents! New
Friends! Visitors & Calls! Growing up so fast. You grow girl! xoxo.
I made this festive cheese plate for G's office yesterday.
Grapes, Organic Fuji Apples, Colby Jack, Vlaskaas Cheese, Dry Italian
Salami with Wheat Thins and Entertainer Butter Crackers. It was a hit!
Remember last Friday we went to the Fisherman's Outlet and I got a
piece of fish to go? I cooked it up on Saturday, check it out!!
Click here to read all about it.
I was going to make chicken soup on Wed. but it turned into Chicken
Pot Pies! The soup thought turned to chicken and dumplings, but I
couldn't find my grandma's recipe, so I went to the trusty food
network and saw a gorgeous picture of a Pot Pie! Then it hit me, I
don't have the individual ramekin dishes and I wanted to make them
small, not one big one. So.... I'm always looking for ways to use my
muffin pan. A quick little search and apparently so are others! I
combined a few recipes, used what I had on hand for veggies and
voilà, gorgeous mini pot pies! Here's what I ended up with.
Click to see the recipe! Perfect Comfort Food! Easy Too!
I had extra dough, so I made Mini Pineapple Pies! Really tasty and
EASY! I'll add this recipe soon! A Winner!
2-28-09 Saturday in Downtown
What a beautiful sunrise this morning! The sky was so pretty with
those long thin clouds. Bridget's been "coughing" for the last week,
so I've kind of been keeping her mellow. I don't think it's serious,
she is getting better.
I must blog about my Quizno's experience since I wrote about their
"million sub giveaway". I printed the coupon and walked the block up
to Quizno's to get my small turkey sub. The first thing I noticed was
a hand written sign on the door with a copy of the coupon saying "this
location is not accepting this coupon." I was bummed out.... I went in
anyway and looked at the menu. The sandwich I wanted was $3.99,
I'll give it a try since I had my mind set on it. The kids working there
were sad and couldn't really tell me why they weren't honoring the
coupon at that location. I should have realized there is another Q's
up the street and tried them, but I didn't.
Anyway, the sandwich was pretty bad, the turkey was slimy, there was
barely any lettuce or tomato, I couldn't taste the cheese and the
bread was BURNT!! yikes! This should have been free! I only ate half
and let G try the other half which he promptly spit out claiming it had
onions on it, there weren't supposed to be onions! I made G a quick
steak sandwich and he said, "YES, this is sooo much better than that!"
I hope you had a better experience at Q's. I contacted the store via
email and sent my coupon back to corporate with a nice little note. I
should have gone for the Jack in the Box tacos! I was trying to
choose the most nutritious of the fat Tues. freebie offers!
I like Tavis Smily, I enjoy his show weeknights on kcet. He is
speaking in honor of Black History Month at the L.A. Convention
Center today. The day is Free and open to the public, but you had to
pre register. If you'd like more info on the event click here. Then
click on the left "State of the Black Union". There is also a live web
stream.
Another little smoothie/coffee place closed up shop. Maui Wowi, was
only open for about 6 months or so.... It was the cutest place all
decorated hawaiian style. Their menu was only coffee and drinks.
They should have offered food! They were practically on the FIDM
campus, so it's not like there weren't any customers. I do notice
most of the girls go to Ralphs for lunch, but I also saw a lot of them
with those fruity little umbrella drinks from Maui Wowi. It's sad they
had to close after such a short time.
Another sign of the times, we noticed EVO has kids posted up on the
corners with those pointy signs trying to get people in the sales office.
Looks like they are pretty desperate. Thinking of moving downtown?
Check out the Packard Lofts! Tell them Shannon sent you.I will split
my finders fee with you if you move in! We really like it here, South
Park is the best part of downtown and still has the "downtown vibe".
It's cleaner, less congested and within walking distance to Ralphs!!!
The best part! Have a good weekend!
those long thin clouds. Bridget's been "coughing" for the last week,
so I've kind of been keeping her mellow. I don't think it's serious,
she is getting better.
I must blog about my Quizno's experience since I wrote about their
"million sub giveaway". I printed the coupon and walked the block up
to Quizno's to get my small turkey sub. The first thing I noticed was
a hand written sign on the door with a copy of the coupon saying "this
location is not accepting this coupon." I was bummed out.... I went in
anyway and looked at the menu. The sandwich I wanted was $3.99,
I'll give it a try since I had my mind set on it. The kids working there
were sad and couldn't really tell me why they weren't honoring the
coupon at that location. I should have realized there is another Q's
up the street and tried them, but I didn't.
Anyway, the sandwich was pretty bad, the turkey was slimy, there was
barely any lettuce or tomato, I couldn't taste the cheese and the
bread was BURNT!! yikes! This should have been free! I only ate half
and let G try the other half which he promptly spit out claiming it had
onions on it, there weren't supposed to be onions! I made G a quick
steak sandwich and he said, "YES, this is sooo much better than that!"
I hope you had a better experience at Q's. I contacted the store via
email and sent my coupon back to corporate with a nice little note. I
should have gone for the Jack in the Box tacos! I was trying to
choose the most nutritious of the fat Tues. freebie offers!
I like Tavis Smily, I enjoy his show weeknights on kcet. He is
speaking in honor of Black History Month at the L.A. Convention
Center today. The day is Free and open to the public, but you had to
pre register. If you'd like more info on the event click here. Then
click on the left "State of the Black Union". There is also a live web
stream.
Another little smoothie/coffee place closed up shop. Maui Wowi, was
only open for about 6 months or so.... It was the cutest place all
decorated hawaiian style. Their menu was only coffee and drinks.
They should have offered food! They were practically on the FIDM
campus, so it's not like there weren't any customers. I do notice
most of the girls go to Ralphs for lunch, but I also saw a lot of them
with those fruity little umbrella drinks from Maui Wowi. It's sad they
had to close after such a short time.
Another sign of the times, we noticed EVO has kids posted up on the
corners with those pointy signs trying to get people in the sales office.
Looks like they are pretty desperate. Thinking of moving downtown?
Check out the Packard Lofts! Tell them Shannon sent you.I will split
my finders fee with you if you move in! We really like it here, South
Park is the best part of downtown and still has the "downtown vibe".
It's cleaner, less congested and within walking distance to Ralphs!!!
The best part! Have a good weekend!
The slimy turkey sub... it's alive! The bread
was way burnt on the bottom edges.
was way burnt on the bottom edges.
Just a random cute bully picture to
brighten your day! Bridget says, "I
want a treat!"
brighten your day! Bridget says, "I
want a treat!"
This is their picture of the same sandwich!
What's wrong with this picture?!?
What's wrong with this picture?!?
My poor little coupon didn't get redeemed!
3-6-9 Cool numbers!
Speaking of "cool numbers", did everyone realize that Tues. was
“square root day”? 3-3-9! I love tripping out on numbers and dates.
TGIF!! WOO HOO!!! I know everyone is looking forward to the
weekend! We got a jump on the weekend and are making the most of
it. Today should be a gorgeous day. It was nice to have a little rain on
Wed. Bridget and I decided we'd stay in all day and we did! We opened
up the doors and listened to the rain, we cleaned the loft top to bottom
and made some good foodies.
But before I get into that.... My Quizno's story is NOT over!! The owner
of the store actually called ME on Monday! He explained his situation,
apparently he accepted the coupon on Tuesday and Wed. but by the
time it got to Thurs., which is when I went, he had lost too much
money. I explained to him that I am a business woman too and I
understand the economics of the promo. He invited me back to the
store to meet Armand the manager and to get my FREE sub! I went in
on Tues. and said, "Hi", but skipped the sub, I thought it was just nice
of him to offer to make it right! He was a sweetheart and it made me
feel good. G said, "the squeaky wheel does get the grease"! So don't
hesitate to speak you mind, you never know what may come of it!
Now on to my foodies.... Since I made those pot pies last week, I got
stuck in a "crust" quest. The crust is so easy to make, especially in the
food processor. I made this gorgeous Rustic Ricotta Tomato Tart.
Click picture to see how I made it. A perfect lunch with a little salad!
This was the second attempt at the little pies. As you can see, they
came out much neater, the egg wash is essential to stick the top crust
to the bottom crust. They also get this healthy glow! Aren't they cute!
They freeze great and are perfect for kids! Husbands too!
The new international market opened and I can't wait to visit!! I hope
to stock up on sesame oil, seaweed, sho yu and more asian
specialties. Be sure to stay tuned for some great stir fry recipes.
“square root day”? 3-3-9! I love tripping out on numbers and dates.
TGIF!! WOO HOO!!! I know everyone is looking forward to the
weekend! We got a jump on the weekend and are making the most of
it. Today should be a gorgeous day. It was nice to have a little rain on
Wed. Bridget and I decided we'd stay in all day and we did! We opened
up the doors and listened to the rain, we cleaned the loft top to bottom
and made some good foodies.
But before I get into that.... My Quizno's story is NOT over!! The owner
of the store actually called ME on Monday! He explained his situation,
apparently he accepted the coupon on Tuesday and Wed. but by the
time it got to Thurs., which is when I went, he had lost too much
money. I explained to him that I am a business woman too and I
understand the economics of the promo. He invited me back to the
store to meet Armand the manager and to get my FREE sub! I went in
on Tues. and said, "Hi", but skipped the sub, I thought it was just nice
of him to offer to make it right! He was a sweetheart and it made me
feel good. G said, "the squeaky wheel does get the grease"! So don't
hesitate to speak you mind, you never know what may come of it!
Now on to my foodies.... Since I made those pot pies last week, I got
stuck in a "crust" quest. The crust is so easy to make, especially in the
food processor. I made this gorgeous Rustic Ricotta Tomato Tart.
Click picture to see how I made it. A perfect lunch with a little salad!
This was the second attempt at the little pies. As you can see, they
came out much neater, the egg wash is essential to stick the top crust
to the bottom crust. They also get this healthy glow! Aren't they cute!
They freeze great and are perfect for kids! Husbands too!
The new international market opened and I can't wait to visit!! I hope
to stock up on sesame oil, seaweed, sho yu and more asian
specialties. Be sure to stay tuned for some great stir fry recipes.
| Welcome old friends & new! You have landed in “ShanLand”. I built this site, I maintain it and I pay to keep it ad free and all mine. My husband and I live in a loft in the South Park district of downtown L.A. with our English Bulldog Bridget and our “gentle-cat” Bandit. We relocated from Huntington Beach where he was commuting from for years! We miss the beach, but it has been a good move. We are now within walking, skating/biking distance from the office and have even gotten rid of one of our cars. We walk everywhere and are proud to be doing our part to cut down on traffic and pollution! He has worked for 15 years at the State Bar of Ca., a humble public servant for the good people of California. I am very proud! I stay at home, well, actually, I get out a lot, and do eBay, shop, cook, take care of business and make friends, among other things. My blog is designed to be a place of positivity, to keep you up to date on my culinary adventures, (I even make Bridget's food!), what’s going on downtown and maybe make you smile with a cute picture of our critters! I am a proud southern California native and a 1990 graduate of FIDM. I worked in the fashion industry for many, many years and still am involved. So…. Read on, look at my pictures, ask away! I’m here for you! Thanks for stopping in, I can’t wait to hear from you. |
3-8-9 Thanks for the compliments and emails! Keep them
coming! Happy Day light savings!
There will be no dog sledding in L.A. today, but in AK the Iditarod is
off and running. My sister and her girls are going to bundle up and
watch the start of the race today in Willow. Check them out having fun
in the snow last week!
My downtown “Saturday Sightings” include this massive work zone at
the Federal Reserve. This huge crane was lifting up what looked like a
big pallets of equipment. Check out the guys on the roof. I like the
shots with the flag flying at the Reserve Lofts.
Bridget met her new neighbor, Kobe, from under the walls that divide
our balconies. He’s just a puppy and sooo cute! She can’t wait to play
with him.
I also saw this guy, who I’ve seen before, walking like 8 dogs! Doing
his "downtown Iditarod"! Big, small, scruffy, fancy, all types, they were
so cute! By the time I got my camera they are being blocked by the
police car. He was asking the walker some questions, but the walker
just kept his stride with the dogs. Maybe they wanted to know about
the licenses for the dogs…. The police followed him until I couldn't see
any more. I'm sure it's all cool, just another one of those things you
see downtown that you don't see everyday.
Yesterday morning I walked up to Ralphs, the store was so beautiful
at that hour, I wished I had brought my camera. I got a beautiful
papaya, mangos and some cut watermelon for G and ingredients to
make my famous “Bagel Board” for me. (The restaurant I first ever
ordered this at in the mart served it on cutting board, thus, the bagel
board!) It was so good, satisfied my craving, this is the kind of meal
that brings back memories. My mom used to make this growing up.
She would pack a picnic for the beach and more often than not, it was
bagels, cream cheese, lox, tomatoes & red onion. Doesn’t it look
delicious? Can you imagine eating this on the beach in Ventura? I
sure can! Thanks mommy.
Saturday Bagel Board Friday Ricotta Asparagus Fritata
Speaking of mommy, she made the maiden visit to Alaska. What a
trip! She had a good time with the girls and seeing their new
surroundings. My sister started at the Red Beet Café, it looks cute and
right up her alley. She has no trouble fitting in in new places or finding
a job. She was working for our Aunt’s catering business here. Yes, you
know I miss her! And the girls too. They are so precious. Now they
skype! Continue to wish them the best with me, they deserve it.
I have a date with grandma on Tuesday for a Beef Jerky lesson!
Homemade beef jerky? Oh yes, and not like anything you can buy! I’
ll take the 40 min. metro ride, no driving required! I will document
the 2 day jerky process, so be sure to check back later in the week.
My grandma is the best cook. I think Red cake should be my next
lesson, don’t you think? She’s been making the original since we were
little; I’m talking over 30 years! It is the original Waldorf Hotel
recipe. It’s handwritten on this little old piece of paper! I’ve got to
save it. But jerky first! G will love it!
Another site you don't see everyday; There has been a pair of cars
that “reserve” 2 metered spots all day, every day, until they move the
cars into the parking lot and roll in a Taco Trailer! Danny’s Tacos. They
come around 6ish and stay until as late as 4am, usually leaving about
3. I’ve witnessed the owner or whoever, sweeping up the sidewalk
before they clear out. At least they're not leaving any carne asada or
lettuce shreds on the sidewalk. I checked YELP, and they already
have 2 reviews from a couple of dudes. They seem to like the tacos,
but you won’t catch me there.
People are still blogging about Monday’s Jon & Kate almost a week
later! Did you see how big the puppies were this week? They had
them in that little pen in the cold garage instead of interacting with the
family. Jon practically tossed them in the way back of the van in a
tiny little space. We have heard that they’ve already given the dogs
away! They claimed one of the kids was “allergic”. They deserved
better, I’m sure they are in a better home, but how sad is that? The
scene that broke my heart this week was when Mady wanted to come
out and get her jacket and Kate shouted at her, “get inside!! close the
door!!”, then turned around and laughed with Jon. More of her
coldness 'tude showing! And who was inside looking over the kids?!
She and Jon were both in the garage… once again she left their care in
the hands of the camera crew?!? I read one blog about a little girl
with Make-A-Wish whose wish was to meet the 8 kids, Kate refused,
“they are too young”. Too young to meet a child?? Too young to
learn a lesson and some compassion? But not too young to take
part in Kate's “giving back” episode or to have every humiliating
moment of their childhood taped & criticized by everyone. This is child
exploitation at its best, or should I say worst. Where are the laws
protecting children in the “entertainment industry” with selfish parents?
The poor little make-a-wish girl may not be alive when the kids are
“old enough”. Anyway, I could go on and on…these 2 are headed for
disaster with these kids, that is the saddest part. Wanna read more?
Check out this blog, very enlightening comments from moms, dads,
kids, Dr.’s, vets, and regular people from around the country.
Although my dad is not a blogger, he would be great at it. He is a
great writer/speaker and has so many great stories to tell. But…. he
doesn’t even turn on a computer! I mention him because today he
and miss L are going to the pig farm where they volunteer. I think
that is quite proper of him! I can picture him caring for the little
piggies! They said 2 need homes! Anyone need a piggy?
Have a good week!
coming! Happy Day light savings!
There will be no dog sledding in L.A. today, but in AK the Iditarod is
off and running. My sister and her girls are going to bundle up and
watch the start of the race today in Willow. Check them out having fun
in the snow last week!
My downtown “Saturday Sightings” include this massive work zone at
the Federal Reserve. This huge crane was lifting up what looked like a
big pallets of equipment. Check out the guys on the roof. I like the
shots with the flag flying at the Reserve Lofts.
Bridget met her new neighbor, Kobe, from under the walls that divide
our balconies. He’s just a puppy and sooo cute! She can’t wait to play
with him.
I also saw this guy, who I’ve seen before, walking like 8 dogs! Doing
his "downtown Iditarod"! Big, small, scruffy, fancy, all types, they were
so cute! By the time I got my camera they are being blocked by the
police car. He was asking the walker some questions, but the walker
just kept his stride with the dogs. Maybe they wanted to know about
the licenses for the dogs…. The police followed him until I couldn't see
any more. I'm sure it's all cool, just another one of those things you
see downtown that you don't see everyday.
Yesterday morning I walked up to Ralphs, the store was so beautiful
at that hour, I wished I had brought my camera. I got a beautiful
papaya, mangos and some cut watermelon for G and ingredients to
make my famous “Bagel Board” for me. (The restaurant I first ever
ordered this at in the mart served it on cutting board, thus, the bagel
board!) It was so good, satisfied my craving, this is the kind of meal
that brings back memories. My mom used to make this growing up.
She would pack a picnic for the beach and more often than not, it was
bagels, cream cheese, lox, tomatoes & red onion. Doesn’t it look
delicious? Can you imagine eating this on the beach in Ventura? I
sure can! Thanks mommy.
Saturday Bagel Board Friday Ricotta Asparagus Fritata
Speaking of mommy, she made the maiden visit to Alaska. What a
trip! She had a good time with the girls and seeing their new
surroundings. My sister started at the Red Beet Café, it looks cute and
right up her alley. She has no trouble fitting in in new places or finding
a job. She was working for our Aunt’s catering business here. Yes, you
know I miss her! And the girls too. They are so precious. Now they
skype! Continue to wish them the best with me, they deserve it.
I have a date with grandma on Tuesday for a Beef Jerky lesson!
Homemade beef jerky? Oh yes, and not like anything you can buy! I’
ll take the 40 min. metro ride, no driving required! I will document
the 2 day jerky process, so be sure to check back later in the week.
My grandma is the best cook. I think Red cake should be my next
lesson, don’t you think? She’s been making the original since we were
little; I’m talking over 30 years! It is the original Waldorf Hotel
recipe. It’s handwritten on this little old piece of paper! I’ve got to
save it. But jerky first! G will love it!
Another site you don't see everyday; There has been a pair of cars
that “reserve” 2 metered spots all day, every day, until they move the
cars into the parking lot and roll in a Taco Trailer! Danny’s Tacos. They
come around 6ish and stay until as late as 4am, usually leaving about
3. I’ve witnessed the owner or whoever, sweeping up the sidewalk
before they clear out. At least they're not leaving any carne asada or
lettuce shreds on the sidewalk. I checked YELP, and they already
have 2 reviews from a couple of dudes. They seem to like the tacos,
but you won’t catch me there.
People are still blogging about Monday’s Jon & Kate almost a week
later! Did you see how big the puppies were this week? They had
them in that little pen in the cold garage instead of interacting with the
family. Jon practically tossed them in the way back of the van in a
tiny little space. We have heard that they’ve already given the dogs
away! They claimed one of the kids was “allergic”. They deserved
better, I’m sure they are in a better home, but how sad is that? The
scene that broke my heart this week was when Mady wanted to come
out and get her jacket and Kate shouted at her, “get inside!! close the
door!!”, then turned around and laughed with Jon. More of her
coldness 'tude showing! And who was inside looking over the kids?!
She and Jon were both in the garage… once again she left their care in
the hands of the camera crew?!? I read one blog about a little girl
with Make-A-Wish whose wish was to meet the 8 kids, Kate refused,
“they are too young”. Too young to meet a child?? Too young to
learn a lesson and some compassion? But not too young to take
part in Kate's “giving back” episode or to have every humiliating
moment of their childhood taped & criticized by everyone. This is child
exploitation at its best, or should I say worst. Where are the laws
protecting children in the “entertainment industry” with selfish parents?
The poor little make-a-wish girl may not be alive when the kids are
“old enough”. Anyway, I could go on and on…these 2 are headed for
disaster with these kids, that is the saddest part. Wanna read more?
Check out this blog, very enlightening comments from moms, dads,
kids, Dr.’s, vets, and regular people from around the country.
Although my dad is not a blogger, he would be great at it. He is a
great writer/speaker and has so many great stories to tell. But…. he
doesn’t even turn on a computer! I mention him because today he
and miss L are going to the pig farm where they volunteer. I think
that is quite proper of him! I can picture him caring for the little
piggies! They said 2 need homes! Anyone need a piggy?
Have a good week!
3-17-09 HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!
I have so much to blog about…. Making Jerky, St. Patty’s Day, J&K+8
(OMG!!!), and my Blue Moon got crunched by a uHaul truck!!!
I guess it’s bound to happen, but the last thing I thought yesterday
when I went on a routine Food4Less run was that I was going to get hit
by 2 FIDM girls in a uHaul! I was turning right, and pulled up next to her
to make the turn and when traffic cleared, she turned right, right into
me! She didn’t have her blinker on and was in the lane like she was
going straight or turning left. I was so bummed!! I laid on my horn and
she kept going! I don’t think she even knew she was hitting me. The
front corner of the Cady is smashed in. I couldn’t sleep last night. The
worst part was the girls’ attitude, they were so rude, I couldn’t even
believe what I was standing there witnessing. Allison, the driver, didn’t
ask me anything, not my name, not if I was ok, not a question about
my 1966 Cadillac!, nothing!! All they did was both get on their phones
and totally ignore me. It was a really strange situation. I got into my
trunk, found a big ole’ marks a lot and wrote the license plate # on a
paper bag I had in the trunk. She did give me her license, from Florida!
And her phone number which was an area code I didn’t recognize. They
were so bratty, I don’t know how else to put it, just totally BRATTY!
Ahhh!!! Anyway, I just hope this works out, I feel really bad for the
car! I know that sounds strange, but she’s come so far and so long that
I hate to be responsible for any damage. It’s definitely going to require
some professional body work. I called Mercury, so we’ll see what the
adjuster says. OUCH!!!
On a much happier note….Today Bridget walked up to Pershing Sq. for
the annual St. Patrick’s Day festivities. It’s a long walk for her, so we
walked slow, in the shade and brought her some ice water. Lorenzo
Lamas sang the National Anthem. Did we know he was a “singer”?!? He
did a pretty good job, made it his. Tom Labong, Jan Perry and Perry
King all said a little something from the stage. Bridget met Larry
Melrose Green and Vera Jimenez from CBS News/Weather (A total doll
& sweetheart in the cutest ever green pumps!). She also watched the
end of the parade, horses, marching bands, cool cars, and lots of
friendly people in GREEN! The fountain water was even green. Bridget
met a few of G’s office mates there and listened to the Young
Doubliners. They were great live! Bridget really wanted to go to the
booth that was serving up corned beef and cabbage, tri tip sandwiches,
nachos and a fried goodies, but that is not in her diet plan!! They also
had an O’douls booth with $1 O’douls. Bridget made so many friends
and is just a star wherever she goes! Several people took her picture
and wanted to pet her. We love spreading the bulldog love. She
handles the attention very well. We even met another little Bully
named Wentworth who was all white and only 5 months old. And a man
who had a bulldog at home. It was like 80 degrees, so it was quite
warm and clear. We all had fun! A perfect day. Thanks to G for all the
great pictures!!
YES! It's Lorenzo Lamas! The Young Dubliners
Melrose Larry Green Wentworth the bully & Bridget
"SMILES EVERYONE, SMILES!"
On the way home Bridget stopped by Casey’s to make an appearance…
It was JAMMIN’!!!! Look at the crowd, and this is just the outside patio!
The inside was flooding to the outside! Everyone was having a great
time. G met Ed Fuentes (downtown blog and view from a loft) and Jim
McCafferty whose “Pub Crawl” was stopped there.
Making Jerky with Grandma last Tuesday was quite fun. We got to
watch over my little cousin’s 3 year old daughter which made our day
extra special. And check out Jake! Isn’t he a handsome boy?! He is the
latest addition to the family.
Making the jerky is not “hard”, it just takes time to slice the beef. My
grandma put it in the freezer so it’s easier to slice. Getting it all thin
and even is the key! Once that is done you marinade it overnight in soy
sauce, garlic powder and lemon pepper. I took my batch home and
baked it on Wednesday afternoon. You bake it at 220 for 4 hours
flipping it halfway through. It came out ok, but…. I need to slice it
more evenly; there were skinny pieces and fat pieces instead of all
uniform. Because of this, the skinnier pieces cooked more and were
kind of dry. The flavor is awesome! Just like we remember. Grandma
used to always bring this on water ski trips and we would all gobble it
up. You use London Broil meat. I can’t wait to make it again! The
meat was $3.99/lb and the seasonings and soy sauce are minimal, so
compare $3.99/lb for jerky to what it is in the store and it’s a great
deal!! And, no preservatives. A great treat for the whole family, a
great gift too! Make some for you Easter celebration. Full recipe page
to come!
Ok….Jon & Kate… Last night I actually cried while watching the show.
I may have been a little on the “emotional edge” from my accident
earlier, but still ARE THEY KIDDING ME!?? It was so sad how Jon took
off with Cara and left Mady (and his wife and other 6 kids) behind. They
didn’t go around the corner either, they went across the country! And
Kate was at home complaining the whole time about having to deal with
7 kids and 2 dogs. She took the kids to that live Sesame Street show.
Something is defiantly up with her and Jon. G thinks they’re on their
way to divorce court…. It sure will be interesting to see the kids in 10
years. It just sucks that they have become some sort of social
experiment and don’t even know it yet. Again, exploitation at its finest.
In addition to keeping an eye on Redoubt, my sister is taking on some
entrepreneurial endeavors up in Palmer. Gotta stay busy! And make
money! I’ll keep you posted; hopefully she’ll have some goodies to sell
by Mother’s Day. I’ll be her West Coast sales rep! Here are a few of her
pictures of the Iditarod Start. Look at all the doggies with their snow
boots on!
Have a good rest of the week!! Check back often for updates from
ShanLand!
I have so much to blog about…. Making Jerky, St. Patty’s Day, J&K+8
(OMG!!!), and my Blue Moon got crunched by a uHaul truck!!!
I guess it’s bound to happen, but the last thing I thought yesterday
when I went on a routine Food4Less run was that I was going to get hit
by 2 FIDM girls in a uHaul! I was turning right, and pulled up next to her
to make the turn and when traffic cleared, she turned right, right into
me! She didn’t have her blinker on and was in the lane like she was
going straight or turning left. I was so bummed!! I laid on my horn and
she kept going! I don’t think she even knew she was hitting me. The
front corner of the Cady is smashed in. I couldn’t sleep last night. The
worst part was the girls’ attitude, they were so rude, I couldn’t even
believe what I was standing there witnessing. Allison, the driver, didn’t
ask me anything, not my name, not if I was ok, not a question about
my 1966 Cadillac!, nothing!! All they did was both get on their phones
and totally ignore me. It was a really strange situation. I got into my
trunk, found a big ole’ marks a lot and wrote the license plate # on a
paper bag I had in the trunk. She did give me her license, from Florida!
And her phone number which was an area code I didn’t recognize. They
were so bratty, I don’t know how else to put it, just totally BRATTY!
Ahhh!!! Anyway, I just hope this works out, I feel really bad for the
car! I know that sounds strange, but she’s come so far and so long that
I hate to be responsible for any damage. It’s definitely going to require
some professional body work. I called Mercury, so we’ll see what the
adjuster says. OUCH!!!
On a much happier note….Today Bridget walked up to Pershing Sq. for
the annual St. Patrick’s Day festivities. It’s a long walk for her, so we
walked slow, in the shade and brought her some ice water. Lorenzo
Lamas sang the National Anthem. Did we know he was a “singer”?!? He
did a pretty good job, made it his. Tom Labong, Jan Perry and Perry
King all said a little something from the stage. Bridget met Larry
Melrose Green and Vera Jimenez from CBS News/Weather (A total doll
& sweetheart in the cutest ever green pumps!). She also watched the
end of the parade, horses, marching bands, cool cars, and lots of
friendly people in GREEN! The fountain water was even green. Bridget
met a few of G’s office mates there and listened to the Young
Doubliners. They were great live! Bridget really wanted to go to the
booth that was serving up corned beef and cabbage, tri tip sandwiches,
nachos and a fried goodies, but that is not in her diet plan!! They also
had an O’douls booth with $1 O’douls. Bridget made so many friends
and is just a star wherever she goes! Several people took her picture
and wanted to pet her. We love spreading the bulldog love. She
handles the attention very well. We even met another little Bully
named Wentworth who was all white and only 5 months old. And a man
who had a bulldog at home. It was like 80 degrees, so it was quite
warm and clear. We all had fun! A perfect day. Thanks to G for all the
great pictures!!
YES! It's Lorenzo Lamas! The Young Dubliners
Melrose Larry Green Wentworth the bully & Bridget
"SMILES EVERYONE, SMILES!"
On the way home Bridget stopped by Casey’s to make an appearance…
It was JAMMIN’!!!! Look at the crowd, and this is just the outside patio!
The inside was flooding to the outside! Everyone was having a great
time. G met Ed Fuentes (downtown blog and view from a loft) and Jim
McCafferty whose “Pub Crawl” was stopped there.
Making Jerky with Grandma last Tuesday was quite fun. We got to
watch over my little cousin’s 3 year old daughter which made our day
extra special. And check out Jake! Isn’t he a handsome boy?! He is the
latest addition to the family.
Making the jerky is not “hard”, it just takes time to slice the beef. My
grandma put it in the freezer so it’s easier to slice. Getting it all thin
and even is the key! Once that is done you marinade it overnight in soy
sauce, garlic powder and lemon pepper. I took my batch home and
baked it on Wednesday afternoon. You bake it at 220 for 4 hours
flipping it halfway through. It came out ok, but…. I need to slice it
more evenly; there were skinny pieces and fat pieces instead of all
uniform. Because of this, the skinnier pieces cooked more and were
kind of dry. The flavor is awesome! Just like we remember. Grandma
used to always bring this on water ski trips and we would all gobble it
up. You use London Broil meat. I can’t wait to make it again! The
meat was $3.99/lb and the seasonings and soy sauce are minimal, so
compare $3.99/lb for jerky to what it is in the store and it’s a great
deal!! And, no preservatives. A great treat for the whole family, a
great gift too! Make some for you Easter celebration. Full recipe page
to come!
Ok….Jon & Kate… Last night I actually cried while watching the show.
I may have been a little on the “emotional edge” from my accident
earlier, but still ARE THEY KIDDING ME!?? It was so sad how Jon took
off with Cara and left Mady (and his wife and other 6 kids) behind. They
didn’t go around the corner either, they went across the country! And
Kate was at home complaining the whole time about having to deal with
7 kids and 2 dogs. She took the kids to that live Sesame Street show.
Something is defiantly up with her and Jon. G thinks they’re on their
way to divorce court…. It sure will be interesting to see the kids in 10
years. It just sucks that they have become some sort of social
experiment and don’t even know it yet. Again, exploitation at its finest.
In addition to keeping an eye on Redoubt, my sister is taking on some
entrepreneurial endeavors up in Palmer. Gotta stay busy! And make
money! I’ll keep you posted; hopefully she’ll have some goodies to sell
by Mother’s Day. I’ll be her West Coast sales rep! Here are a few of her
pictures of the Iditarod Start. Look at all the doggies with their snow
boots on!
Have a good rest of the week!! Check back often for updates from
ShanLand!
| Bald Eagle in front of my sister's home. |
3-25-09 A hint of my blog to come.... YES, that's Gavin ROSSDALE!
Photo by me! This morning! Nokia Live Plaza! FREE concert by Gavin
Rosedale! Can you say, "machine head"?!?! OMG!!!! LIVE!!! So good!!!
I've never heard him play live, but it was really impressive. Bridget
came with me and made friends, as usual. She did great with the
music, even enjoyed it!. More later.... Gotta get busy today. Have a
great Wednesday my friends.
all pictures are copyright shannonvasquez.com 2009 and may only be
used with my permission. Thank you for your respect.
Photo by me! This morning! Nokia Live Plaza! FREE concert by Gavin
Rosedale! Can you say, "machine head"?!?! OMG!!!! LIVE!!! So good!!!
I've never heard him play live, but it was really impressive. Bridget
came with me and made friends, as usual. She did great with the
music, even enjoyed it!. More later.... Gotta get busy today. Have a
great Wednesday my friends.
all pictures are copyright shannonvasquez.com 2009 and may only be
used with my permission. Thank you for your respect.
3-26-09 Dentist, Farmer's Market, Famima!! and more...
This is BUTTONS! He needs a home! He's at Bark Ave in downtown
L.A. if you can adopt him. He is the sweetest little guy. A total doll
and ready to go home with you! I met him this afternoon at the
Farmer's Market On the Plaza at 7th & Fig. After I went to the
dentist... yuck!
Today was the first day of the market for the season and I'm glad I
went! They were giving away FREE tote bags so I was stoked! I also
got some "gourmet" tamales... The first one I tried was Sweet Green
Corn with Sweet Corn and it wasn't very good... Kind of a bummer for
$3, but hopefully the next one Spinach, Artichoke Hearts and Chilies
will be better. I got G a chicken, chili, cilantro one to try. I'll take
pictures and post. In addition to great fruit, veggies and flowers, the
market also has all kinds of foodies... mexican, asian, greek, even a
crepe man! It was such a gorgeous day. I even listened to some live
music! Here are a few pictures of my visit.
YES, Yes People!! Gavin Rossdale DID play LIVE for FREE at Nokia
Plaza on Wednesday!! Bridget and I walked over and had a great
time rockin out. My camera ran out of batteries, so my pictures are
not what I had hopped for. The concerts will run each month through
the summer. So I hope to see some of you there next time! I'm the
one with the Bulldog! The concert series is sponsored by FM 104.3
and KTLA. We heard 5 live songs, met some neighbors, the keyboard
player and Bruce! Hi Bruce. Here are a few more pictures I got before
my battery died! so sad! But a GREAT time!
THE "CROWD" AND THE BAND.
more later! Be joyful! It's contagious!!
This is BUTTONS! He needs a home! He's at Bark Ave in downtown
L.A. if you can adopt him. He is the sweetest little guy. A total doll
and ready to go home with you! I met him this afternoon at the
Farmer's Market On the Plaza at 7th & Fig. After I went to the
dentist... yuck!
Today was the first day of the market for the season and I'm glad I
went! They were giving away FREE tote bags so I was stoked! I also
got some "gourmet" tamales... The first one I tried was Sweet Green
Corn with Sweet Corn and it wasn't very good... Kind of a bummer for
$3, but hopefully the next one Spinach, Artichoke Hearts and Chilies
will be better. I got G a chicken, chili, cilantro one to try. I'll take
pictures and post. In addition to great fruit, veggies and flowers, the
market also has all kinds of foodies... mexican, asian, greek, even a
crepe man! It was such a gorgeous day. I even listened to some live
music! Here are a few pictures of my visit.
YES, Yes People!! Gavin Rossdale DID play LIVE for FREE at Nokia
Plaza on Wednesday!! Bridget and I walked over and had a great
time rockin out. My camera ran out of batteries, so my pictures are
not what I had hopped for. The concerts will run each month through
the summer. So I hope to see some of you there next time! I'm the
one with the Bulldog! The concert series is sponsored by FM 104.3
and KTLA. We heard 5 live songs, met some neighbors, the keyboard
player and Bruce! Hi Bruce. Here are a few more pictures I got before
my battery died! so sad! But a GREAT time!
THE "CROWD" AND THE BAND.
more later! Be joyful! It's contagious!!
3-28-09 4 Day Fitness Weekend! I'm in training! Stay tuned to
learn for what! Or take a guess.......
Four day weekend since Cesar Chavez Day falls on Tuesday, so we
are having 4 days of fitness! We rode to CVS up on Sunset. I don't
know how far it is, but we rode up 2 gnarly hills and I rode the whole
way! I was quite proud of myself. We had a good time together and
G got a chance to put his "new" bike through a few tests. He got it all
hooked up at Lions Bike Shop by USC. They did a great job, I yelped
for him since I was surprise it only cost him $30! He got the bike on
eBay (of course!) and it came from Fresno of all places! It's a 67
Schwinn Collegiate in sky blue. Here's a shot of it on the street.
Also check out this random phone and big mud bog in the middle of
downtown! You never know what you're going to see around
downtown. Always and adventure.
This is my "shot of the day". Look hard (click to enlarge),
the mountain in the background has snow on it! What a gorgeous
day!!
After our ride we BBQ'd upstairs and I made chicken salad to snack
on. It was really good with the secret ingredient Taragon! I learned
that from Ina Garten. Very simple, very good! I don't really like
chicken, but I like it like this!!
My little BBQ helper!
Perfect Spring time Chicken Salad with Triscuits!
Such a good little helper!
Tomorrow, our ride will include a trip to Lost Souls Cafe. I saw
KOMBUCHA in one of their pictures on yelp. I've been dying for
some, and haven't found it downtown. If you haven't tried it, please
do yourself a favor. It is a "live" fermented tea, low calorie, full of
antioxidants, vitamins, minerals & more, plus it's super tasty. You
can find it at Whole Foods/Mother's. I'd love to learn how to make it!
Stay tuned and have a great weekend! Si Se Puede®, Yes We Can!
learn for what! Or take a guess.......
Four day weekend since Cesar Chavez Day falls on Tuesday, so we
are having 4 days of fitness! We rode to CVS up on Sunset. I don't
know how far it is, but we rode up 2 gnarly hills and I rode the whole
way! I was quite proud of myself. We had a good time together and
G got a chance to put his "new" bike through a few tests. He got it all
hooked up at Lions Bike Shop by USC. They did a great job, I yelped
for him since I was surprise it only cost him $30! He got the bike on
eBay (of course!) and it came from Fresno of all places! It's a 67
Schwinn Collegiate in sky blue. Here's a shot of it on the street.
Also check out this random phone and big mud bog in the middle of
downtown! You never know what you're going to see around
downtown. Always and adventure.
This is my "shot of the day". Look hard (click to enlarge),
the mountain in the background has snow on it! What a gorgeous
day!!
After our ride we BBQ'd upstairs and I made chicken salad to snack
on. It was really good with the secret ingredient Taragon! I learned
that from Ina Garten. Very simple, very good! I don't really like
chicken, but I like it like this!!
My little BBQ helper!
Perfect Spring time Chicken Salad with Triscuits!
Such a good little helper!
Tomorrow, our ride will include a trip to Lost Souls Cafe. I saw
KOMBUCHA in one of their pictures on yelp. I've been dying for
some, and haven't found it downtown. If you haven't tried it, please
do yourself a favor. It is a "live" fermented tea, low calorie, full of
antioxidants, vitamins, minerals & more, plus it's super tasty. You
can find it at Whole Foods/Mother's. I'd love to learn how to make it!
Stay tuned and have a great weekend! Si Se Puede®, Yes We Can!
April 27, 2009 - Fisherman's Outlet, Crab Legs and Getting Thin like
the Rich
Today is day 6 of my "How the Rich Get Thin" diet and it's going
great! I've never really been on a "diet" before, so it's strange and
kind of a fun challenge. If you want to follow my progress and the
plan, I'll lay it all out on it's own page, so stay tuned! I'm very proud
of myself so far! For lunch today, the plan called for "4 Large Shrimp
on Baby Greens with lemon." I'd been eating at home for the last 5
days and G had today off, so I wanted to go to go out, Fisherman's
Outlet it was! I knew they would hook me up. I didn't even have to
say "no butter", they just knew! No baby greens, but check out those
shrimp! It was sooo good! I got Red Snapper (on the plan for dinner)
from the fish market and G got some King Crab Legs, gorgeous!
These are the L.A. City Calligraphy plaques. The city is considering
laying off the Calligraphers. Such a tradition, it would be a shame.
Here is my afternoon snack! Pretty good plan huh!?!
After lunch we cruised by KFC to check out the FREE grilled piece for
G, the line was out the door and we had king crab legs on board, so it
seemed kind of silly! Did anybody try it? We went home and cooked
up the fish and some chicken. Here is my dinner. The only
difference from the plan is it's supposed to be asparagus instead of
green bean and I added a tomato.
4-21 TUESDAY Metro-ing, Record breaking heat, Flower Fields and a
Ladies Luncheon.
Today I rode Metro to go visit grandma. It was the hottest day in a
long time! I think it was a record breaking heat day! She drove us out
to the wild flower fields in Gorman. I can't believe Spring is already
coming to an end. There weren't that many flowers, it was an early
season, but what we did see was beautiful and inspiring. Gorman was
uncommonly cool considering it was about 100 degrees in Newhall. It
was really nice up there. But we had shopping and lunching to do!
Here are a few flower pictures and my gorgeous lunch at Harvest
Cafe. Check out my full review on yelp.
The "Harvest Sampler" from Harvest Cafe - those are pickled
turnips! strange and sour.....
After my train rides home, I stopped by Bottega Louie and got us
a pizza. I waited in the bar area and took in the place for the first
time. I have been for coffee, but this was the first time I sat down. I
had my coffee from Famima so I sat and drank my coffee. The bar
area was packed and it was before 4. The coffee/deli area was also
busy. I counted no less than 25 employees. They are quite well
staffed. Everyone was friendly enough, but the fatheads at the bar
kind of took away from it. Who still keeps thier baseball hat on
inside the bar?!? pleeaassee. It took a while, but the pizza was really
good. It was hard carrying it home and smelling it's deliciousness, I
wanted to eat a piece on the way! It was pretty big for $14. I got the
Margaritta with tomato and basil.The sauce was really light, so was
the cheese and the basil was really fresh. We ate it so fast , I forgot
to take a picture! It's a thin crust pizza.
Here are a few things I've made over the last week or so.
My Sister's Gorgeous Salad - Our Sandwich Bar Spread
Our Post Easter Celebration.
Scampi-ish Shrimp with my HOMEMADE Bread!! Obviously pre-diet.
My pre-diet Chicken Salad phase
The jump start of my "diet" Grilled Salmon, baby greens, asparagus.
the Rich
Today is day 6 of my "How the Rich Get Thin" diet and it's going
great! I've never really been on a "diet" before, so it's strange and
kind of a fun challenge. If you want to follow my progress and the
plan, I'll lay it all out on it's own page, so stay tuned! I'm very proud
of myself so far! For lunch today, the plan called for "4 Large Shrimp
on Baby Greens with lemon." I'd been eating at home for the last 5
days and G had today off, so I wanted to go to go out, Fisherman's
Outlet it was! I knew they would hook me up. I didn't even have to
say "no butter", they just knew! No baby greens, but check out those
shrimp! It was sooo good! I got Red Snapper (on the plan for dinner)
from the fish market and G got some King Crab Legs, gorgeous!
These are the L.A. City Calligraphy plaques. The city is considering
laying off the Calligraphers. Such a tradition, it would be a shame.
Here is my afternoon snack! Pretty good plan huh!?!
After lunch we cruised by KFC to check out the FREE grilled piece for
G, the line was out the door and we had king crab legs on board, so it
seemed kind of silly! Did anybody try it? We went home and cooked
up the fish and some chicken. Here is my dinner. The only
difference from the plan is it's supposed to be asparagus instead of
green bean and I added a tomato.
4-21 TUESDAY Metro-ing, Record breaking heat, Flower Fields and a
Ladies Luncheon.
Today I rode Metro to go visit grandma. It was the hottest day in a
long time! I think it was a record breaking heat day! She drove us out
to the wild flower fields in Gorman. I can't believe Spring is already
coming to an end. There weren't that many flowers, it was an early
season, but what we did see was beautiful and inspiring. Gorman was
uncommonly cool considering it was about 100 degrees in Newhall. It
was really nice up there. But we had shopping and lunching to do!
Here are a few flower pictures and my gorgeous lunch at Harvest
Cafe. Check out my full review on yelp.
The "Harvest Sampler" from Harvest Cafe - those are pickled
turnips! strange and sour.....
After my train rides home, I stopped by Bottega Louie and got us
a pizza. I waited in the bar area and took in the place for the first
time. I have been for coffee, but this was the first time I sat down. I
had my coffee from Famima so I sat and drank my coffee. The bar
area was packed and it was before 4. The coffee/deli area was also
busy. I counted no less than 25 employees. They are quite well
staffed. Everyone was friendly enough, but the fatheads at the bar
kind of took away from it. Who still keeps thier baseball hat on
inside the bar?!? pleeaassee. It took a while, but the pizza was really
good. It was hard carrying it home and smelling it's deliciousness, I
wanted to eat a piece on the way! It was pretty big for $14. I got the
Margaritta with tomato and basil.The sauce was really light, so was
the cheese and the basil was really fresh. We ate it so fast , I forgot
to take a picture! It's a thin crust pizza.
Here are a few things I've made over the last week or so.
My Sister's Gorgeous Salad - Our Sandwich Bar Spread
Our Post Easter Celebration.
Scampi-ish Shrimp with my HOMEMADE Bread!! Obviously pre-diet.
My pre-diet Chicken Salad phase
The jump start of my "diet" Grilled Salmon, baby greens, asparagus.
| My Homemade French Bread - really good! |
I found Kombucha at Lost Souls Cafe
during one of our rides. Famima Also has
it! YEAH Kombucha!! I heart you! You have
to try it!
during one of our rides. Famima Also has
it! YEAH Kombucha!! I heart you! You have
to try it!
My first Bottega Louie coffee and muffin.
The coffee was REALLY good! As was the
muffin, but oh the coffee. Give it a try. It's
a gorgeous space with great food (so far!).
The coffee was REALLY good! As was the
muffin, but oh the coffee. Give it a try. It's
a gorgeous space with great food (so far!).
May 4, 2009 - I'm getting ready for my Great Bake Sale!!
May 15 - Bake Sale Victory! Garage Sale Fun! Shan Tweets?
Our Share our Strength Bake Sale was a huge success!!! Thank
you so much to my sister who baked amazing goodies; perfect
chocolate chip cookies, strawberry cupcakes & chocolate brownies!
And to my other sister who let us hold the sale at her home in
conjunction with the neighborhood garage sale. Thanks to our
customers who made generous donations and to my dad & L for
making the trip! It was such a fun day & thanks to Oscar Mayer for
the FREE hot dogs we were able to donate $150 to Share our
Strength! I am planning another sale since I have more hot dogs & I
really enjoyed baking. I took my time, measured everything out
before hand and was very proud of my results. I made Giant
Hershey's chocolate chunk cookies, vanilla walnut fudge with the nuts
from A&Z (see below), fudgey brownies, oatmeal cranberry with
cranberries from A&Z, white cake with strawberry jam swirl and Rick
Krispies Treats!!! My investment was minimal with my good
shopping! Plus I was happy and proud to do it for charity. It is a
good cause and we received several compliments from neighbors and
customers for doing a good thing. I gave people my website address
so they could "follow their contribution" so, "Hi" to our contributors
who found their way to my site. Here are some pictures from our sale
on Saturday. I wish I would have gotten better pictures, but we were
was busy!
We made our own Share our Strength stickers & packaged our
goodies for individual sales. Gourmet candies with every purchase!
Thanks to my pal in Nebraska! I was the Hot Dog Grill Master.
Thanks again to Oscar Mayer for all the free dogs & my snazzy apron!
(I did NOT have ONE-I can't believe it, but I'm totally sticking to my
diet! More on that below.) Look at the gorgeous day! Amazing! Blue
Moon even made an appearance & got lots of compliments.
5-09-09 Stamp Our Hunger Day also! Same day as our Share
our Strength bake sale to raise money for hungry children in the U.S.!
I gave the mail man this big bag of foodies. This is an annual postal
event. Make sure you get in on it next year. A good opportunity to
clean out your cupboards and do some good for a family in need.
I have been making glorious Sun Tea! My mom always had a big jar
of this going when we were growing up. It was a constant fixture in our
front yard. All our friends tripped out on it! This is Green Tea and it's
part of my diet. Water, mineral water and green tea! I tried an
Honest Tea (free with coupon! on sale for $1, .50 coupon was
doubled at Ralphs, paid crv and tax), it was super tasty and not
sweet. But unless you can get a bunch for free, sun tea is a very
economical way to go. I got a big box of organic green tea from the
.99 store. Yum Yum Sun Tea! Stay tuned for more updates! I've ben
busy!
Our Share our Strength Bake Sale was a huge success!!! Thank
you so much to my sister who baked amazing goodies; perfect
chocolate chip cookies, strawberry cupcakes & chocolate brownies!
And to my other sister who let us hold the sale at her home in
conjunction with the neighborhood garage sale. Thanks to our
customers who made generous donations and to my dad & L for
making the trip! It was such a fun day & thanks to Oscar Mayer for
the FREE hot dogs we were able to donate $150 to Share our
Strength! I am planning another sale since I have more hot dogs & I
really enjoyed baking. I took my time, measured everything out
before hand and was very proud of my results. I made Giant
Hershey's chocolate chunk cookies, vanilla walnut fudge with the nuts
from A&Z (see below), fudgey brownies, oatmeal cranberry with
cranberries from A&Z, white cake with strawberry jam swirl and Rick
Krispies Treats!!! My investment was minimal with my good
shopping! Plus I was happy and proud to do it for charity. It is a
good cause and we received several compliments from neighbors and
customers for doing a good thing. I gave people my website address
so they could "follow their contribution" so, "Hi" to our contributors
who found their way to my site. Here are some pictures from our sale
on Saturday. I wish I would have gotten better pictures, but we were
was busy!
We made our own Share our Strength stickers & packaged our
goodies for individual sales. Gourmet candies with every purchase!
Thanks to my pal in Nebraska! I was the Hot Dog Grill Master.
Thanks again to Oscar Mayer for all the free dogs & my snazzy apron!
(I did NOT have ONE-I can't believe it, but I'm totally sticking to my
diet! More on that below.) Look at the gorgeous day! Amazing! Blue
Moon even made an appearance & got lots of compliments.
5-09-09 Stamp Our Hunger Day also! Same day as our Share
our Strength bake sale to raise money for hungry children in the U.S.!
I gave the mail man this big bag of foodies. This is an annual postal
event. Make sure you get in on it next year. A good opportunity to
clean out your cupboards and do some good for a family in need.
I have been making glorious Sun Tea! My mom always had a big jar
of this going when we were growing up. It was a constant fixture in our
front yard. All our friends tripped out on it! This is Green Tea and it's
part of my diet. Water, mineral water and green tea! I tried an
Honest Tea (free with coupon! on sale for $1, .50 coupon was
doubled at Ralphs, paid crv and tax), it was super tasty and not
sweet. But unless you can get a bunch for free, sun tea is a very
economical way to go. I got a big box of organic green tea from the
.99 store. Yum Yum Sun Tea! Stay tuned for more updates! I've ben
busy!
May 09 - Bandit is
loving my new plant
stand! I got it online
for $30. The top plant
is from Ralphs, it was
marked down from $20
to $2!! Yes, $20 to $2!
It was kind of limp, but
as you can see, I'm
taking good care of it.
The pot alone is worth
more than $2! The
Palm next to it is from
Food 4 Less and was
$2.99. The cactus on
the 3rd shelf is also
from Ralphs and was
marked down from $14
to $2.75, the pot is
ceramic! It was also
"limp" but is thriving
now. My cheap
garden. I've got
tomato, lettuce and
rosemary seeds going!
Stay tuned for updates
later in May.
loving my new plant
stand! I got it online
for $30. The top plant
is from Ralphs, it was
marked down from $20
to $2!! Yes, $20 to $2!
It was kind of limp, but
as you can see, I'm
taking good care of it.
The pot alone is worth
more than $2! The
Palm next to it is from
Food 4 Less and was
$2.99. The cactus on
the 3rd shelf is also
from Ralphs and was
marked down from $14
to $2.75, the pot is
ceramic! It was also
"limp" but is thriving
now. My cheap
garden. I've got
tomato, lettuce and
rosemary seeds going!
Stay tuned for updates
later in May.