the modern bento box

I need this for work.


PLASTICA#1- BENTO BOX from Peter J Brant on Vimeo.

Check it out at Plastica

Spaghetti (squash)

I have seen spaghetti squash being made into a spaghetti dish on Food Network before, but I never thought I would have the time to do something that seemed so cool.  Turns out you don't need time or fanciness.  All you need is to buy a spaghetti squash (SUPER cheap, only $1.29 at Trader Joe's).  Then you put it in a 400 degree oven for an hour.  You don't cut it or anything, just take the sticker off and let it bake.  When it is done let it cool down before cutting it in half and scooping out the seeds.  Then you scrape your fork from top to bottom and get the spaghetti flesh out into a bowl.  Top however you please.  I used olive oil, garlic and parsley.  But you could use a pesto or red sauce.  Now this is a healthy spaghetti!*

*(to be read like a hefty Italian chef saying "now that is a tasty meatball.")

Finally Modern

I recently began working at a new design office called Indidesign, and I could not be happier.  My new position has quickly rekindled my love for great design and because of that, I feel that I can finally post some design related items (as if my blog isn't eclectic enough, right?)

Today I discovered this amazing door company, Modernus.  These are my favorites:

i loooove the texture of this door, this vignette has a great contrast that I am attracted to as well.

i love the concept of this sliding door.  I don't love the etching as much, but it could be whatever your heart desires!

Repost: USDA changing school lunches...finally!

Check this out from a blog I follow.  I am extremely passionate about food and health and I think it's about time the USDA is starting to think more responsibly about children's health.  Check it out here.

thanks Val Westover...and groupon

I bought a groupon months ago for a normally $450 photo class for only $50.  What a steal.  The class was this past Sunday at UCLA.  I have this amazing Canon Rebel T2i camera, cost me a pretty penny.  I have always had these aspirations to have a side photography business of some sort.  Well, I took better pictures with my old point and shoot.  No matter how hard I tried, I just didn't feel like I could get it.  In comes Val Westover.  This guy gave us 5 easy steps to taking a photo, we went through all of the important concepts behind what makes a good photo, that was the classroom portion.  Then after lunch we had a hands on photo safari where we put everything we learned into action, with a little instruction from Val and his partner.  Enjoy the only good photos from my safari:

crossover to the mac side.

This is my new computer:

I love Mac.  This is the best computer ever.  A++++  You should get a Mac, seriously.

Juicing is for hippies.

I am the proud owner of a Jack LaLanne juicer and I love juicing!  If you don't know, Jack LaLanne is apparently this old guy who used to be a Strong Man for a long time, kind of the epitome of health.  So he endorses this juicer which is shown on informercials all the time.  This is just what my father-in-law told me when I said that I needed to buy a juicer and if asked him for suggestions.  After hearing all that, I wasn't sure I'd be able to get anything decent in time.  I had always heard that juicers were super expensive and I didn't know if Target would carry it.  I was worried because this was Saturday and I needed to start juicing on Monday for my detox.

I went to Target on Sunday and there is was, not one, but two Jack LaLanne juicers to choose from.  They weren't too expensive (in my opinion.)  I opted for the $99 juicer.  Mine is white, the other was $129 and stainless steel and probably a bit bigger, maybe more powerful.

I think this thing is so awesome.  If you have never juiced before, you will be amazed the first time you throw in an apple and watch the pink/red/white juice flow out into your cup.  It's so cool, and incredibly tasty.  Oh, and super good for you.

I did a vegetable juice on my detox day that was...well, not the best thing I've ever tasted.  It was cucumber, celery, basil and ginger.  It was a little strong.  I think I will be sticking to the fruits and carrots.  By the way, if you start juicing, carrot and apple juice is amazing.  And pears.  Oh my, I'm turning into a fruit.

Here are my grades:

Ease of use: B+ (it's not hard, but you have to pay attention to the sound it is making, the blade gets off balance and you have to release pressure or it won't juice, it just takes a time or two of doing it to get the hang of it, but it's kind of annoying.)

Cleanability: B (it's easy to take apart and clean everything except for the blade/pulp filter.  That is kind of a nightmare to clean if you actually want it to be perfectly spotless.  I just opt for a little pulp residue leftover on the screen, no biggie.)

Pulp catcher: C-  (the pulp all hangs out on the top piece and rarely goes into the pulp catcher, you have to take of the lid and scoop it yourself)

Sound: A+ (why can't they make blenders and food processors this quiet?)

Look and Size: A+ (it looks nice and doesn't take up much room on my counter for as big as it seem to be.)

Overall: B-

If you are interested in the Jack LaLanne juicer, you can purchase it online and they have a deal right now that you get one for free, you  just pay shipping.  Basically you would get two for about $150, saving you $50.  You could give it to someone as a gift or hey, sell it on ebay.  They also have more colors that what Target does.

I am quickly becoming more and more of a hippy.

P90x

New Year's Resolution #2, work out regularly to stay at my optimum fitness level.  AKA: lose the flab that has accrued on my abs and ass throughout the winter.

I am a fitness freak and will be the first one to tell you how you should work out to meet your fitness goals, but due to a lack of hours in the day, I often don't practice what I preach.  Danny and I bought P90x the beginning of last summer and got really into it.  It's easy to work out in the summer when you go to the beach on a weekly basis, wear tiny shorts and tank tops, and just spend more time outside and around other people.  In the winter though, it is hard for me to get any sort of motivation.  This is why I always make one of my New Year's Resolutions to get on a fitness program and work out at least 6 days a week.

If you haven't jumped on the P90x wagon, now is the time.  It really is amazing how in shape you get by never setting foot on a treadmill or in a gym at all.  You just need a few hand weights and if you are a guy (or a really strong girl) you can purchase a pull up bar that goes over a door frame for pretty cheap.  There are three complete plans lined out for you with all videos included.  The first is the classic which is what most guys do, the next is called "lean" which is more for girls or people who don't want to build big muscles and just want to tone up everywhere (it's not easy, it just involves a little more cardio and a lot less pull ups and push ups), and there is the doubles, for hard-core athletes who apparently have nothing better to do in life than work out 2+ hours a day.

The videos are sometimes a little corny, but not in a late 80's aerobics video kind of way.  The creator, Tony Horton, is REALLY into working out and motivating, but without being too pushy.  And even though I've done each video many times, I still laugh at some of his corny jokes.  There is enough going on in each work out that you won't get bored.

Yesterday I began the year with YogaX, which is 90 minutes long and combines some intense Vinyassa with balance poses and a lot of stretching.  Another favorite of mine and Danny's is Plyometrics, which is an intense jumping workout where you leave the ground so much it really gives you the best workout.

Today I am going to make use of my YMCA membership that I really haven't been getting my money's worth for awhile and take a cycling class.  Tomorrow a core class, then finish off the week with more P90x videos.  I think the key to staying fit is to never get bored.  Even though I love P90x, it is mostly same thing every week, so I have to throw in some running outdoors and classes at the gym so that I stick to my program.  I suggest the same for you.

P90x grade: A

Detox

While I was home over the holidays I used a year old gift card to this video/book/music store in my town to buy this amazing book called "You Are What You Eat" by Dr. Gillian McKeith. I swear, this book has already changed my life.

I thought as a vegetarian, locavore, and organic produce eater that I was plenty healthy.  I couldn't figure out why I was still having a massive amount of digestive problems.  After reading this book I now know why and I am very excited to try her suggestions and make myself healthier on the inside and out.

The gist of the book for me is a few key vitamins/supplements, drinking a lot of herbal teas (most of which I'd never heard of and couldn't even find at Whole Foods), juicing, eating 50% raw, 50% cooked, never eating proteins and carbs together, and eating a lot of sprouts.  Maybe this isn't going to be the most delicious diet I have ever eaten, but my plan is to incorporate most of the things she lists in the book into my every day diet.  I will still eat some things that may combine carbs and protein, on occasion, but now that I have all this new knowledge, I will be more conscious of how food digests and how to eat for my body.

I shopped for ingredients for the detox day (today) and for 4 out of the 7 days of her jumpstart diet listed in the book.  $300 dollars later, my kitchen looks like the produce section of Trader Joes.  ($100 at TJ's, $100 at Whole Foods, and $100 for my new Jack LaLanne Juicer!)

I can't believe I haven't juiced before!!  So far I've only tried just apple by itself and it was the most amazing tasting juice I've ever had.  Bright red from a gala apple, Danny thinks the same.  And I really don't like apples and never eat them, well, now I will be juicing them frequently!!!  I can't wait until later in the day to try  her cucumber medley detox veggie juice.  I doubt it will be as yummy as the apple, but I think it will really make me feel good!

I normally won't be spending $300 dollars for the week and definitely won't have time once I start my new job (yay!) to be juicing all the time, taking 5 tea breaks a day and eating so well, but my intention is to do it at least 3 days a week.  This is my New Year's Resolution #1.  Happy New Year everybody!!

Christmas Gifting

some gifts I will be giving

I always try to get innovative with my wrapping paper.  Being as environmental as I try to be, I can't stand the idea of buying tons of wrapping paper like we did when I was growing up.  Sure, it's cute and looks fancy, but I think there are a lot of other things you can do to save money and recycle what you already have.

In the past I have used magazine pages taped together, comics pages from the Sunday paper, brown paper bags from the grocery store, and my blue lines from my drafting final project in undergrad.  One thing I do every year is keep the bags which I receive gifts in and use them the following year for presents I give to others.  I also keep paper bags from every store and restaurant I get them from and store them for gifts.  You can dress it up with a little tissue paper or newspaper, depending on the holiday and the route you wish to go with the gift.

This year I did something which I used to spend a lot of time doing as a teenager, decorating shoe boxes.  For my work party I decorated a shoe box with pages from design magazines.  It sounds so simple, but it can be tricky getting the pages just where you want them and overlapping them in the right way.  It can really become an art piece if you let it.  For a few other boxes which I am giving to family members I did buy a small roll of Christmas wrap from Target (it was $1).  I wrapped the box tops separately from the bottoms, that way they can be held together with ribbon and reused for years to come.  This is a very economical way to wrap and obviously environmental, just as long as you give them to people who you know will save them and reuse them in the future.  Also, it is great for those of us that have to travel by plane for the holidays, because if you have typically wrapped gifts and your bag is chosen for screening, TSA will open your presents.  Who wants to have to rewrap frantically after reaching their destination?

I love wrapping presents and I hope that I have given you last minute gifters an idea or two on how to be environmental and savvy when giving gifts.

The Den: Before and After

I know I'm lucky to have an extra room in my apartment.  We call it "the den" and the people we rent from left a huge ugly desk in it that we can't get rid of.  The room is relatively small (approx. 8'x11') and it also houses our closet on one end.  When we moved in, we added a few more book shelves to what the previous owners left behind and it quickly became a storage room for us, despite Danny being a grad student and me preferring to work at a desk.  This room was not being used, and the further the semester went on, the deeper the clutter got.

before

after

You can see from the before plan that the desk was wasting the corner of the room and blocking easy access to the window.  One of the biggest issues was that your back would be to the door whenever working at the desk.  This is not conducive to working at home.  I finally had a minute to sit down and realize that this den could work with a little innovation and came up with the second plan.  I measured everything and drew it out to make sure there would be enough clearance for walking through and that everything would fit.  It works perfect, I'm totally in love with my new den!  I plan to work in there all the time and I even have a great amount of space to work out in there too!

before

after

before

after

before

after

it's obvious no one can do work here!

I love doing work here!!!

I heart my "new" den!

The Best Hotel beauty products

And the winner is...

Bliss products in W Hotels.  Of course.  How can anyone not love this stuff?  I know that as soon as I walk into my room I go straight for the lotion and put it on my nightstand, so that housekeeping will keep refilling.  Do this everyday and you should have enough lemon+sage lotions to last awhile.  I use them on the go so I always have one in my purse and one at my desk at work.
Smells so good!!!
Thanks again W Hotel's for another reason for me to love you!

Whenever, Whatever San Fransisco

First let me start by saying that W Hotels are my favorite and if I am visiting a city with a W, I will most likely stay there.  I love the funky modern design and attention to detail throughout the entirety of the hotel.  I love that they are all sort of specific to the city which they are located.  I love the service and the fact that they are super dog friendly.

My recent stay was at the W San Francisco.  Located in the heart of the SoMa district, on third street right beside the MoMA, this hotel could not be in a better location.  The Living Room (W's version of a lobby) is really cool, with a fireplace and a Pac-Man/asteroid sit down two player machine.  The bar is really cool and spills into the living room, allowing guests to hang out in comfy sofas by the fire place and still order drinks and food.  Thanksgiving night they already had the Christmas decorations up, super modern tree with a city scene and contemporary light up interpretations of snowflakes all over.

window seat is my fave

One of the best things about the W are their complementary drinks and snacks in the lobby throughout the day.  In the morning is coffee, boring.  But in the afternoon was some of the best hot chocolate I've ever had with little bites of salted brownies.  Delish.  I think I put on a few pounds from so many cups of hot chocolate every day during my stay.  It was too good.

The rooms were ok, could have been a little better but cute and we had a great view of the bay bridge and part of the city.  But of course, the most important thing is the bed, and W signature beds are the most comfortable beds in the world.  The pillows, down comforter, pillowtop mattress, oh my.

view from our window

Most important is that Napoleon liked it here.  Though I don't think he appreciated it when we left him alone in a strange room for most of the day while we toured the city, but he got over it when we gave him the many W dog treats the front desk provided for him.  He really liked the bed too.  No, not the adorable and comfortable doggy bed the hotel provided, our bed.  You think this guy would sleep on a dog bed?  You must be crazy.

you crazy if you tink ima sleep on dis

Tourista Takes San Francisco

Just a few pics from our Thanksgiving weekend in San Francisco.

Coit Tower view from North Beach

Danny and I at Coit Tower, GG Bridge behind us

Lombard Street (the crookedest street in the world)

a nice architectural detail on Nob Hill

we brought our baby along :)

my favorite view of the city

SFMoMA's design of wine exhibit

Thanksgiving (almost a month later...)

Sorry I have been in hiatus for awhile, but I'm back, just in time for the Holidays.  But what happened to Thanksgiving?  Well, Danny and I had our first Thanksgiving in a restaurant and it was a splendid experience!  I made the mistake of waiting too long to make a reservation and we found ourselves with only one option (after an extensive search on yelp.)  Luckily it was close to our hotel, not too expensive, had vegetarian options, and was super yum.

The place: Zare at Flytrap.
The food: 4 course pre fixe Thanksgiving menu.
First course: me-squash soup, Danny-sweet potato bacon soup
Second course: me-this amazing eggplant that was covered in sauces and, omg, I don't love eggplant, but I loved this!, Danny- trout with cucumber/pasta salad thing.  meh.
Main Course: me-a sort of vegetarian meatball thing, breaded and fried with beans, potatoes and veggies inside served with a side of guac, Danny- turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing.
Dessert- we shared them both.  A pumpkin cake with some sort of scrumptious sorbet and pumpkin churros.

We both got yummy drinks too.  Mine was something I can't remember the name of, but it was basically a more sophisticated version of the margarita.  Danny got about the girliest drink on the menu, but it was super good.  To put it in perspective, it had a pistachio crusted rim.  Mmmm, I would go back just for that drink.. I wish I remembered the name of it.

vegetarian kufteh tabrizi (veggie meatballs)

pumpkin cake with candied orange and pecans

nice ambiance, great Thanksgiving!