Winter Getaway

For me, there's nothing better than a getaway to June Lake. It's become a winter-time tradition for my husband's family and ours. We even have our favorite places to go to: Breakfast at the Great Basin Bakery, Obsidian Dome hike near June Lake, and spa time at the Double Eagle Resort and Spa.

It was also baby Daniel's first encounter with snow! Grandma Leite bought him this little astronaut suit that was so thick he could barely move. So cute...

Photo credit: Rachel Rundengan

We were also celebrating our second anniversary. Time flies and our family has definitely grown! Here's our dysfunctional family portrait. =]

Baby Daniel

It was a close call for about 2 1/2 months but I finally feel like I have a handle on things. Labor was...well... laborious. You know how women are always saying that it will be the hardest thing you ever do and you never believe them? Well, you should listen to them.

All I have to say about my labor experience is that everything went in the opposite direction I wanted it to except for the result. The result was so amazing it actually makes you crazy enough to consider doing it all again (emphasis on CONSIDER).

Now that I'm starting to feel like my old self again, it's time to pick up right where I left off. It's definitely great to have a new subject to photograph!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures of little Daniel.

Happy Holidays!

Little Moments

Moments like this just make my day. Here is the newest addition to our family (although not for long!), Kaya, with the polar bear James got me as an anniversary gift when we were dating. So cute.

Have a great week!

Sunday Treats

It's time to make all of your summer favorites one last time! After all, the official start of the Fall season is right around the corner - not that this means much for us here in Southern California. One of my favorite dishes this summer is this delicious salad my mom made. We used corn, heirloom tomatoes, and hearts of palm. 


Verdict: Eat it often and without guilt!


Ingredients for Champagne Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar (do not substitute – it’s a delicate dressing)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Whisk all ingredients until emulsified.

Inspirational Saturdays

Happy Sabbath!

There's nothing better than friends + food. Two of our dearest friends came to visit us yesterday and got our weekend off to a great start. Could these be the last guests we have before the baby arrives?? Fingers crossed!

The picture above was taken on the way to Mammoth. We can't wait to take our little one there!

Any day now...

We've been making bets on when the baby will be born. My doctor says it could be any day now since I'm 2cm dilated (!) but it's still very hard to predict. Here are the guesses:

Father-in-law: September 23
Father: September 25
Mom & James: September 26 (my mom picked around midnight and James picked 10 a.m.)
Me: September 27
Mother-in-law: October 2 (now that's just mean!) =)

With the amount of discomfort I'm feeling, I really hope my father-in-law wins! Why can't mothers and unborn babies have better communication?? It would be so awesome if he could let me know. Maybe he could send a message like: "On September 27th, I'm coming out! 3 p.m.!"

Who will be right, I wonder?

Sunday Treats

This was such an easy dish to prepare! I made Ina Garten's roasted tomato recipe and used some of the tomatoes to make paninis. Sourdough bread + provolone + mixed greens + roasted tomatoes = a quick and delicious lunch!

The garlic parmesan fries were also amazing and provide yet another use for the 20 pound bag of potatoes we bought. I slightly modified the recipe from the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen by adding parmesan cheese and substituting vegetable oil for olive oil. This recipe makes a LOT of fries so make sure to have some friends over when you make this recipe!

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
10 medium russet potatoes
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Toss potatoes in 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet.

Roast the potatoes, turning occasionally, until browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Increase heat to 500 degrees. Continue roasting until fries are deep brown in spots, about 5 more minutes.

Whisk remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, and parsley in a large bowl. Add hot fries, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

Labor Tea & Tour

Last night, James and I attended a Labor Tea & Tour at my hospital. Strangely, we weren't served any tea but all was forgiven with thoughtful, individual, Panera Bread meal boxes(!). I've heard a lot of people don't ever get around to attending something like this but I found it super helpful.

It also gave a chance for all the paranoid parents-to-be to get their questions out, which I thought was very entertaining.

Freaked out mom-to-be: "Will I ever be drugged without my knowledge??"
Nurse: "No, no you will not."
Freaked out mom-to-be: "But will they ever give me something without me knowing?"
Super patient nurse: "No, we will never do anything without asking you first."
Freaked out dad-to-be: "Will I ever get kicked out of the room?"
Nurse: "Well, there was this one time that the mom kicked the dad out..." (LOL!)

So, now I'm totally prepared! Yeah... wishful thinking again but I do feel more informed.

Happy Labor Day

There's nothing better than doing absolutely nothing on Labor Day - at least that's what our pups live by. I'm currently trying to convince myself that I should be productive but the rain smells so nice making me want to lounge around all day. Maybe I'll do like our pups do and just relax...

Sunday Treats

When you shop at Costco you may find yourself looking for different ways to cook the same ingredient. We recently purchased potatoes there and may overdose on potato dishes at any moment now.

I tried this recipe by Ina Garten and I have to say that it is now one of my favorite omelet recipes. It's also a great way to use that twenty pound bag of potatoes from Costco!

Verdict: Perfect for a Sunday breakfast.

Ingredients

1/4 pound good thick-cut bacon (I substituted this with Veggie bacon)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup medium-diced Yukon gold potato

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper (I substituted this with a Mirasol pepper)

5 extra-large eggs

2 tablespoons milk or cream (I substituted this with soymilk! I didn't even notice the difference)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts

4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, diced, plus extra grated cheese, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the bacon crosswise in 1-inch slices. Cook the bacon in an 8-inch ovenproof saute pan over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Drain the bacon on paper towels and discard the fat from the pan. Add the butter to the pan, and then add the potato and yellow onion. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the onion starts to brown and the potato is tender but firm. Add the jalapeno pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together with a fork. Stir in the scallions and diced Cheddar. When the potato is cooked, add the bacon to the pan and pour over the egg mixture. Place the pan in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the omelet puffs and the eggs are almost cooked in the center. Sprinkle with a handful of grated Cheddar and bake for another minute. Serve hot directly from the pan.

Preparing for Birth

This is one of the strangest experiences I've ever had and I like to compare it to driving with no breaks. Here's why: You know you can't stop the car, you know it's going to hurt when it crashes, and you have no way of knowing exactly when it's going to happen. Ok, maybe that's a bit dramatic but you get my point!

The other side of things is much more optimistic. My husband, James, and I will daydream about taking trips with the baby and watching him play with the dogs. However, more than anything, I'm dying of curiousity. I really want to know what it will all feel like. Not the labor part, but having this tiny person be a part of our world.

Come out soon, baby Daniel!

Behind the Photograph

This was such a fun shoot! My cousin and her boyfriend posed for some romantic photographs at El Matador Beach in Malibu, California. I love the large cave we found there and I highly recommend exploring the beach if you ever visit. We took this picture right outside of the cave. Aren't they adorable?

Wishful Wednesdays

September is like the Superbowl for fashion magazines and there are plenty of beautiful advertisements gracing the issues of my favorite reads. Here are a few I have fallen in love with:

Beautiful aren't they? I would love to do a shoot with a lion some day!

Happy Monday!

Have a wonderful week!

Sunday Treats

My husband loves corn. I'm not a huge fan but, since he is so enthusiastic about corn dishes, I made corn on the cob for the very first time. I have to admit, this recipe from Giada De Laurentis was amazing! No butter, just olive oil, and the corn was literally dripping with flavor. 

Verdict: Try it! It's super easy.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ears yellow corn, husked, halved crosswise

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until tender and fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and cool. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese and stir the rest into the garlic mixture, along with the parsley and salt.

Cook the corn in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the corn to a platter. Brush the cheese mixture over the hot corn and serve. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese on top of the corn.

Inspirational Saturdays

A photograph I took after a storm in Lake Powell. The sky looked so amazing that day!

A lot of people didn't care too much for the weather during that trip but I actually loved it. I couldn't stop looking at the clouds and the way the rays of sunlight would break through them. *sigh* I miss that place...

Airplane Baby Shower & Brunch

My grandfather is a model airplane builder. He would take my dad and his brother to the airport and they would watch planes take off and land for hours. What a great memory to pass on to our future baby! It was the perfect theme for our baby shower.

My mom was the food mastermind for the baby shower. She's amazing! The cake was unbelievably delicious. She's offering catering services now with my mother-in-law. So excited for them!

I was so touched by everyone's generosity. It was an unforgettable baby shower!

Happy Beginnings

Sometimes life changes make an unexpected, but surprisingly pleasant, appearance. A baby, for example, can whirl your life into a new direction that you would be scared to embrace without a big push (literally!).

Now all I need to do is make it through labor, try to be semi-successful at raising a baby, and run a new business! Should be a breeze, no? Right... wishful thinking. On the bright side, I'm sure this will be a journey with tons of learning experiences.

And so it begins... (insert dramatic music here).