New York, I Love You

Look familiar? New York, I Love You is similar in form to Paris, Je Taime. It's basically a compilation of different stories of love taking place in one of the biggest cities in the world, New York. Each segment is directed by various filmmakers, then compiled with each other in order to create a smorgasbord of stories. The cast is all-star enough, but let's hope the cast, and story can live up to my expectations.

(500) Days of Summer

Favorite movie and soundtrack of the summer, granted I haven't really watched many...

1. (500) Days of Summer -  A Story of Boy Meets Girl

2. Regina Spektor - Us

3. The Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

4. The Black Lips - Bad Kids

5. The Smiths - Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want

6. The Doves - There Goes the Fear

7. Hall & Oats - You Make My Dreams

8. The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition

9. Carla Bruni - Quelqu'un M'a Dit

10. Feist - Mushaboom

11. Regina Spektor - Hero

12. Simon and Garfunkel - Bookends

13. Wolfmother - Vagabond

14. Mumm-ra - She's Got You High

15. Meaghan Smith - Here Comes Your Man

16. She & Him - Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (Smiths Cover)

The "Best" Made Even Better.

I personally don't really love love love brownies like others do. I don't know why... I don't have that gene (and I know it's strange). That gene is missing along with the "love of watermelon" gene. I feel like I am the only person in the world to not love watermelon, but oh well! 

On to these brownies... wow. For someone who doesn't really love brownies, these were the ones to convert me. Honestly, add Ferrero Rocher to anything and I'm a happy camper! But these also had a nice chewy texture which I loved. Chocolate-y and rich!

The Best Fudge & Ferrero Rocher Brownies Ever

Yields: 9 large brownies

Original recipe from Cooking On The Side, which can be found here.

Printable Recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter

2 cups of sugar (original recipe calls for 2 1/4)

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups of Dutch-process cocoa

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tbsn. vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

12 Ferrero Rocher chocolates, chopped (original recipe calls for 2 cups of chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13" pan with butter then line with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium saucepan over low heat melt the butter. Add the sugar and mix to combine. Continue heating until mixture is hot and looks shiny, but not bubbling. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl then stir in the cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and vanilla. Mix until combined then add the eggs, one at a time. Once combined, slowly stir in the flour and chopped Ferrero Rocher (or chocolate chips) until well mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pan and then allow them to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

Tailored Tuesdays

This is how I would do summer. I don't know about you but I am definitely not a shorts girl. It's simple, clean and sophisticated. 

P.S. I'm backkkk!!! Kinda depressed about it but now posts will come back again regularly :)

1. Helmut Lang "Sleeveless wool blend blazer"

2. Splendid "Cotton blend tank"

3. J Brand "7/8th ankle crop jeans"

4. Chloe "Sally shoulder bag"

5. Christian Louboutin "Fortuna 120 platform pumps"

all images can be found at net-a-porter.com

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus & Herbed Lebni

Yummmmmm. Delicious creamy hummus. My sister usually makes this hummus on a regular basis, but now that she has been back in school too, she's been super busy. Right as her schedule cleared up, she made this uber delicious hummus and lebni and I am thankful that I get to benefit from it. 

Delicious, stringy Halloumi.

Cilantro & Jalapeno Hummus

Yields: approximately 2 1/2 cups

adapted from Zov's Recipes and Memories from the Heart 

Printable Recipe

1 garlic clove

2 cups of canned garbanzo beans, drained

1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup of tahini paste

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 cup olive oil

1 - 2 jalapenos, roughly chopped (depending on how spicy you like it)

1 bunch of cilantro

Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the garbanzo beans and lemon juice, blend until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Blend in the tahini, cumin, and salt. With the machine running, stream in the olive oil and blend until creamy and combined. Add in the jalapenos and cilantro, blend until well minced and combined. Serve and enjoy!

Herbed Lebni/ Yogurt Cheese Spread

Yields: approximately 1 1/2 cups

adapted from Zov's Recipes and Memories from the Heart 

Printable Recipe

8 oz. yogurt cheese/ lebni

1 tbsn. dried mint

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tbsn. olive oil

Stir all of the ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Serve and enjoy!

How do I like to eat my hummus? I like to eat it with a big serving of herbed lebni on the side, topped with freshly chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro and of course with some toasted pita bread and stringed halloumi cheese. It really doesn't get any better than this.

Tailored Tuesdays

Just a pop of color to brighten up a simple color palette. 

1. Preen "Hawk wool blazer"

2. Roberto Cavalli "Floral  print jersey dress"

3. Christian Louboutin "New decoltissimo 85 pointed pumps"

4. John Hardy "Sterling silver coil bracelet"

5. Christian Louboutin "Mount street bag"

all images can be found at net-a-porter.com

Buenos Aires, Argentina

My favorite photos from my short trip to Argentina:

The Andes Mountains, viewed from the plane ride from Chile to Argentina:

Buenos Aires at night, a city that doesn't sleep:

Dinner at Mala Cara, delicious!

A church, I forget the name now...

Street art is everywhere:

Tango, the dance of Argentineans: 

Walking back to our hotel, what a beautiful city:

Shopping at the open air markets:

Churros & Chocolate - what a killer combination:

Their famous obelisk that centers the city:

Chile.

In no particular order, some of my favorite photos from my trip thus far...

A street vendor selling his goods in Isla Negra:

I went to a futbol game and the crowd was insane!!!

On the plane, on the way to Chile:

Inside the Iglesia Catedral de Santiago:

At Isla Negra, the view from poet Pablo Neruda's beautiful home:

Lunch in Pomaire, a delicious and hearty Cazuela soup:

Shopping in Pomaire:

Chile at night:

Dinner at Linguria:

The view from Santa Lucia Hill:

Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake

As I was viewing my daily dose of Foodgawker and Tastespotting, I saw this recipe for a Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake and my mouth started to water instantly. I've never made a whole cheesecake before so I was eager to try and let me tell you it was one of the most pleasant experiences of my life! Who knew it could be so incredibly easy? Sure a water bath seems finicky but it makes a real difference; see Ma no cracks! I initially made this as a gift for my friend Cherish, but when I made it, it went straight out of the oven on to the road to LA, sadly without a usable picture. But this beauty was so uberly delicious, that I had to make it again. And that I did!

This cheesecake was unbelievable. Creamy, lush and chocolaty. I love Ferrero Rocher so this was right up my ally. My only complaint would probably be the crust. It didn't keep very well and crumbled when I tried to extract a slice (not that I minded, because it was delicious nonetheless). I think its fragile-ness was probably due to the fact that the recipe didn't require pre-baking the graham cracker crust, maybe I will try that next time (as there surely will be one).

Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake

Yields: 1 9-inch cheesecake

Slightly adapted from Clumsy Cookie, which can be found here.

For the crust:

2 cups of graham cracker crumbs

1 stick of butter, melted

2 tbsn. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 tbsn. cocoa powder

For the cheesecake:

3 blocks of cream cheese, 8 oz. each at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsn. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

10 Ferrero Rocher chocolates, roughly chopped

3/4 cup Nutella

2 tbsn. chopped roasted hazelnuts

1 tbsn. Frangelico liqueur (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Boil a large pot of water for the water bath. Mix the crust ingredients together and press into your preferred pan. Set aside. Combine cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer and cream until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated. Scrape bowl in between each egg addition. Add the heavy cream, vanilla, salt, and Frangelico and blend until creamy. Lastly, fold in the chopped Ferrero Rocher. Pour batter into the prepared crust and tap it on the counter to bring the air bubbles up. Place pan into a larger pan and pour the boiling water into the larger pan, halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. Bake 45 - 55 minutes until almost done, it should hold together but still have a little jiggle in the middle. Close the oven door, turn off the oven and let it rest in the cooling oven for an hour. Remove it from the oven (it should still be warm) and spread the Nutella over it (I find it easier to spread when its warm). Top with hazelnuts (I used almonds). After, remove it and let it chill in the refrigerator completely. Enjoy!

Oh, hello there lover!!

Tailored Tuesdays

If I weren't in Chile this is what I would be doing and wearing! But sometimes I thank my lucky stars I am not home since I am not the biggest fan of sweltering heat, sticky skin and damp clothes...

1. Shay Todd "Spaghetti maxi dress"

2. Shay Todd "Big bead bandeau bikini"

3. Anya Hindmarch "Dry cleaning canvas tote"

4. Melissa Odabash "Jemimi floppy hat"

5. Retrosun "Vintage Christian Dior sunglasses"

6. Musa "Metallic leather sandals"

all images can be found at net-a-porter.com