Bánh mì with friends on a Sunday afternoon

lemongrass beef bánh mì, where have you been all my life?

Chinatown

We went to Chinatown today. We took the gold line train, took photos and ate dim sum. Fun!

I just ordered Santa Maria pinquito beans from Rancho Gordo!

Now I need to find a great recipe

Random things

I guess I just like lists. Lists of things I am doing, have done, want to do. This weekend, I did some homey, good-livin' type stuff. And there's still half a day to do more. I:
• took a pilates class
• got inspired to load up my itunes and listen to some bruce springsteen
• went out two... nights ... in ... a ... row!
• drank lots of red wine
• made crockpot chili (new recipe)

• went for a river hike with friends/neighbors/and dog-friends
• cleaned out the freezer
• made a new recipe for pasta salad
• made home-made chai tea
• drafted up the finishing touches of our seemingly never-ending front yard landscaping project, made a specific list of what is left to buy or plant. there is light at the end of the tunnel
• finally watched my netflix movie that has been sitting around for over a month
• signed up for a photography class that involves a train ride, chinatown and dim sum
• talked myself out of buying the ipad2... AGAIN... Still thinking on it 

Edamame and Cauliflower Pasta Salad

I made this pasta salad yesterday afternoon (thanks Mona for the recommendation from the Kitchn blog), then got invited to an impromptu barbecue. Just  before I threw in the feta, I remembered that some vegan friends would be there. Up to that point, it was vegan. So I put the finishing touch of cheese in a baggie on the side, and showed up able to please we omnivores and the vegans.
I'm trying to work on my food styling. What do you think?

Stool!

I got the stool I've been coveting. Gumbo-making will be a breeze!

Lebanese Joint

Last weekend I got to eat at my favorite Lebanese joint in San Diego, located behind my favorite bar. Ah, I miss that combo...

Mama's

Cotixan for dinner, Cotixan for breakfast

More juice... it had been awhile

I just love the old-timey look I can achieve with Hipstamatic on the iphone! It just.... makes me want to eat more fruits/vegetables and snap more pictures!

A lamb lamb

Last night's dinner was refreshingly good! I've never been a huge fan of lamb, but my husband made a delicious marinade for it and grilled it on our new BBQ. It was lovely! I just love Mediterranean flavors - I happened to be making a lentil/spelt/vinaigrette salad type thing last night, and it went perfectly! We also had broccoli and cauliflower on the grill with merely a little olive oil drizzled on top. So delicious. I think one of the best inventions in the world is a BBQ grill basket.