Central Coast

Here are a few pictures from our trip down the coast. We started in San Francisco and then stopped by Palo Alto, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, Solvang and then ended in Santa Barbara before returning to Los Angeles. It was so nice to get out of LA for a few days and the weather was beautiful. There is something about bed and breakfasts, breathtaking views and no cell phone service that is so romantic! Oh yeah, and when you are doing it all with the one that you love.

City of Angels

New York was a blast, but I'm glad to be home!

Bye New York!

Home: such a beautiful and comforting sight

New York

New York, New York!

It is an exhilarating city and I love visiting. The energy, the shopping and of course the food is so amazing. I'm visiting with the Middle Sister and will be blogging from her apartment for a week. Isn't her view beautiful? This is really lucky for you guys because she is a true gourmet, maybe bordering on gourmand. She is the go to person for recipes, dinner menus and wine pairings. She always has good ideas about what to serve on what occasion. I'm hoping to learn a few things while I'm here. During my stay, Middle Sister and I will also be helping a friend throw a themed party which I will definitely be blogging about. This particular friend is also a little Martha Stewarty and so I can't wait to see what she has planned.

Here are some things that my sister has been making:

Katsu Curry

She mixed Korean Curry Powder with onions, potatoes and carrots. To prep the pork cutlets she dipped the cutlets into flour, egg and then panko flakes. She then pan fried them in peanut oil  (because it has a higher smoking point). She served it with a side of cabbage slaw over a bed of white rice. She paired the dish with a glass of sake. 

Sausage Ragu over Spaghetti

In a dutch oven she added onions, carrots and celery to warmed olive oil. Then she added a mix of hot Italian sausage and sweet Italian sausage. When browned, she stirred in a cup of dry red wine and then added crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. After an hour of simmering, she topped it off with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan. She paired this dish with a California cabernet.

Now if only I could get her to write up a recipe!