A tasty dish: Corn Salad

The LA County Fair is in town, which I love...and there is so much that I love:

Ok, this wasn't at the Fair, you can't pet them there.

• Farm animals and their BABIES
• Budweiser Clydesdale Horses 
• The Garden Railroad
• The Table Settings competition 
• Browsing the shopping areas
• FOOD.  

Now I've been going to the fair ever since before I can remember.  I have some vague memories of a stroller and the Giant Slide.  In all the years that I've been going though I've never been to a BBQ Competition.  My friend's fiance entered a very tasty tri-tip sandwich with a spicy spread on a glazed donut, bacon chips, and a corn salad (he took home a Second Place Ribbon).

BAAAAAA!

I'm not a BBQ-er myself.  I enjoy the taste, but I'm just more of an indoor cook.  So of his menu I decided that I needed to come home and make some corn salad of my own.  I'm not one to make up a recipe from scratch either...but I can tweak a recipe like nobodies business, which is what I did with this recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff. My changes included adding spinach to the corn at the end of heating (because I have WAY too much spinach on hand right now).  Instead of mayonnaise I used some Vegenaise and plain Greek yogurt. I omit the jalapeno but doubled up on the cilantro.  I also went with fat free Feta crumbles.  Lastly, I used onion and garlic powder--because I'm lazy like that.  It came out fantastic!  I would never have even looked for a recipe like this if it weren't for the LA County Fair.  

Any county fair memories you'd like to share?  What's your favorite part?

Summer lovin'

I love summer, it stays light for so long the weather has been delightful.  It's slushy season.  I've been walking along Puddingstone in the evenings (after 7 equals free parking). It's glorious and I know that in California we need rain, but right now I'm just enjoying some rather lovely summer days and nights.

I've been working on fixing up our backyard, replacing some of the dead grass with some prettier (and drought tolerant) options.  Currently still working on the clean up portion, but once I get into the more decorative parts I'm thinking I'd like to go with a kind of Wonderland-meets-Labyrinth motif.  I think it would be a fun way to combine a couple of my favorite movies. 

I wonder if I could find a Hoggle garden gnome somewhere???

Between working in the yard, a couple of 2-mile walks earlier in the week and the trek to Top Deck at Dodger Stadium the other night I've been doing pretty well with keeping active.  Luckily for me the weather has been pretty nice this week.  Here's a quick look:

A view from my hike/walk @ Frank G Bonelli Park/Puddingstone

Hello Kitty night @ Dodger Stadium 

My go to products this week have been: Physician's Formula CC cream in Light/Medium...which I've let it "cook" while I'm getting ready and Josie Maran's Argan Oil Mascara.  That's pretty much it, I'm keeping it pretty simple. 

Hope you are having a lovely summer! Cheers to you. 

a very merry unbirthday

Tomorrow is my best friends birthday...so we celebrated it up this weekend.

Saturday began at the Voda Spa  in Los Angeles.  The outside really doesn't prepare you for the inside.  You enter into a peaceful little paradise.  You check in, get your locker, go upstairs to hop in your robe and sandals and you're ready to go...in your swimsuit, as this is a coed place.  There had been some discussion about visiting a "naked" spa, but that's been postponed for a bit.

We visited the different saunas and steam rooms, took a dip in the pool and had our treatments.  I got the aromatherapy massage, and the therapist took a lot of time working on the knots in my neck and shoulder area, which I appreciate greatly because I've been told that's where I hold my tension.  It did feel a little rough in spots, but hey, whatever works sometimes.  The BF had a pretty amazing facial.  So good she got her card and plans to visit her again.  Our other friend went for deep tissue massage and really felt like she got a good one...I'm more for Swedish styles, but maybe that's why I have knots.

Later we did the lunch thing at Gracias Madre also in LA.  This is a Vegan/Mexican restaurant and pretty tasty.  They have a great patio, perfect for drinking.  In the mood for a super fun outdoorsy summer drink? Let me recommend their "La Quinceanera" it's pink and yellow and has tequila and a snowcone...now I wish I'd taken a picture.

We finished up the day with mani-pedis at Limon Nail & Spa Boutique super friendly ladies at very small shop.  $35 for a mani-pedi combo, I call that a score.  I went a mermaid type of route with my color choices.

For Sunday we did our volunteer shift with the kitties at BFLA.  Best Friends Animal Society is an amazing organization doing great work for the adoptable cats and dogs of LA. While there is nothing glamorous about cleaning cat cages, it does give your heart a boost knowing that you're doing good.

While it wasn't my birthday, being able to see hang with a friend having fun all weekend long felt like a very merry unbirthday for me!

my week in review...work rants and product raves

The last couple of days have been kind of rough work wise.  My boss and I had a sit down that brought me to tears...more out of frustration than anything else.  She went on about how much she appreciates what I do, and that I'm someone she depends on and all that I do doesn't go unnoticed...which is all very well and good, but I just wanted to work out a more reasonable schedule.  To me reasonable is an eight hour day (more on occasion if necessary), but she just didn't seem to get it.  I don't know how better to explain it...we're just not seeing eye to eye right now.  I'm not sure what to do from here.

The good news is, I was wearing Urban Decay's All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray and after putting it on at 6:30 in the morning, wearing it all day and crying a little...my makeup stayed in place!  All you do is mist on your face after your makeup application and voila!  I picked up the trial size at ULTA, and am totally happy with the purchase (especially in this insane heat we've been having...100 degrees at 6pm!).  I would have given the NYX version a shot, but it was out of stock that day.

I've been keeping up with Pilates and doing weekly sessions with Becky at Equilibrium Fitness in La Verne. I feel like I've become more aware of my posture, especially that my shoulder are always super tense apparently.  Last week I also visited the Ricciolo Salon (located next door to Equilibrium) because my eyebrows were out of control...and sometimes they just need a pro with a lighted magnifying glass.  The salon is nice, the staff was friendly and they took me as a sweaty walk-in no problem.

How do you deal with work stress?  Have you have any new go to products you're loving?
Let me know, I'd love to hear from you!

Cheers~~Tam

pretty nice picnic with Sabrina

The Hollywood Forever Cemetery began it's summer season of hosting films on Saturday.  It's the first time I've ever attended but it won't be the last...

Arriving before sunset we set up our little picnic on  the grass.  Wine and little nibbles of puff pastry with mini cupcakes to finish, it was so much fun.  The crowd seems huge and everyone is caught up in their own little world.  Social, but not too social...just what I enjoy.  Add in my all time favorite Audrey Hepburn movie and I was one happy camper.  

Walking in to the cemetery was a really unique experience.  I've never in my life seen or imagined graves like these.  As it gets darker, it's very peaceful and not at all creepy (although I imagine that when they are showing a scary movie that it could be a different experience all together).  There was a little chill in the air that evening, but my blanket kept me cozy and there was something about seeing the film with all those people that made it so enjoyable.  I came to the realization on the way home that I really like the love stories that older movies tell.  Sabrina, and The Thrill of a Romance are two of my most loved love stories.  Oh the simpler times!

I would so highly recommend this as an outing should you find yourself in LA. For more info check out:  Cinespia