Avicii + Mixtape

I haven't done a music post in ages it seems like. I had my finals this week... grrr, but on the bright side, I AM DONE and this weekend I'm heading eastward and upwards to Vegas to see one of the greatest House producers of all time... well I think so anyway. I'm talking about Avicii aka Tim Berg aka Tom Hangs aka Tim Bergling (his actual, real name), the 21 year old who reins from Sweden and has continued to drop insane tracks like rain comes out of the sky.

I don't know how he does it, but its pure eargasm every damn time. He's seriously the best thing to come out of Sweden since Ikea... and I f*cking love Ikea! I don't think a lot of my readers listen to house, but I urge you to give Avicii a listen. He self-describes his music as "big-room, melodic house." I think his emphasis on melodies really gives his music soul and really, just makes you want to dance, whether you're listening in your car or in a dark nightclub. Here are some of my favorites:

Avicii Man Man 

Tim Berg Alcoholic (Avicii Edit)

Tim Berg Seek Bromance (Avicii Vocal Edit)

Avicii Swede Dreams

 PREVIEW Avicii - Sweet Dreams (Swede Dreams Mix) by AviciiOfficial 

Avicii Street Dancer

Avicii "ID" aka Levels

 PREVIEW Avicii - "ID" by AviciiOfficial 

Tim Berg Before This Night is Through (Bad Things)

 PREVIEW #2 Tim Berg - Before This Night Is Through (Bad Things) by AviciiOfficial 

Avicii Penguin (Iacabone Remix)

Avicii & Sebastian Drums My Feelings For You

Nadia Ali Rapture (Avicii's New Generation Extended Remix)

Daft Punk Derezzed (Avicii Remix)

Bob Sinclar New New New (Avicii Remix)

Armin Van Buren Ft. Laura V Drowning (Avicii's Unnamed Mix)

 PREVIEW Armin van Buuren ft Laura V - Drowning (Avicii's Unnamed Mix) by AviciiOfficial 

Tom Hangs Ft. Shermanology Blessed (Avicii Edit)

 PREVIEW Tom Hangs ft Shermanology - Blessed (Avicii Edit) by AviciiOfficial 

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Other songs I'm obsessed with (links are to where you can download the song):

Craft Spells . Party Talk

Sebastian Tellier . La Ritournelle (Mr. Dan's Mix)

Body Language . You Can

Criminalminds . Raise Your Weapon (Deadmau5 x Madeon x Skrillex)

Sleigh Bells . Run the Heart (Bassnectar Remix)

J. Cole . See It to Believe It

Crystal Fighters . Xtatic Truth (Last Japan Remix)

The Dodos . Walking

Summer Heart . Please Stay

Sonny & The Sunsets . Too Young to Burn

Calvin Harris Ft. Kelis . Bounce

Dirty South Ft. Rudy . Phazing

Ella Fitzgerald . I Get a Kick Out of You (Cinematic Orchestra Remix)

Familjen . Det Var Jag

Jai Paul . BTSTU

Nancy Sinatra . Sugar Town

Tyga Ft. Adele . Reminded 

Tailored Tuesday & Travel

1. Theory 'Virny linen-blend blazer'

i love jackets. i love this jacket.

2. Chinti and Parker 'Cotton voile tank'

basics are necessary.

3. Rag & Bone 'Mid-rise stretch denim skinny jeans'

this color would probably look wretched on me but i love them nonetheless.

4. Chloe 'Vivian leather tote'

looks like it holds a lot - which i neeeed

5. Eugenia Kim 'Gabriella gold-feather trimmed fedora'

a fedora with a bit of bling

6. Dior 'Miss dior cherie perfume'

smelling good is a priority for me. some people just don't have this priority which astounds me!

7. Stella McCartney 'Mesh and canvas wooden espadrilles'

ummm WOW.

8. Sally Hansen 'Salon effects nail strips in leopard'

lasts for 12 days?! amazing and chic.

9. J. Crew 'Leather luggage'

gorgeous, except i'm guessing it's gonna get dirty pretty easily.

10. Forever 21 'Chainmail coin purse'

to match with the gold fedora of course! details matter people.

11. Kat Von D 'Tattoo eyeliner in black'

makes the perfect winged liner easy!

12. Covergirl 'Outlast lipstain'

i love this stuff.

13. Mr. & Mrs. 'Miniemergency kit'

this is too cute, it has everything you could ever need and then some!

{bokod, hungary}

i imagine the walk home is always a pleasure

{cape town, south africa}

south africa, i can't wait to meet you one day.

{cataluna, spain}

i'm a sucker for cobblestones - good thing i don't wear heels that often!

{cinque terre, italy}

the colorful umbrellas alone make me happy!

{disneyland, anaheim, california}

still the happiest place on earth - i miss having an annual pass :(

{grindelwald, switzerland}

there's nothing more lovely than a landscape like this

{havana, cuba}

possibly some dirty dancing as well?

{matheran, maharashtra, india}

pack a lunch, a book and a friend and spend the day.

{iceberg lake, montana}

i'm in awe of you, montana.

{norway}

gosh, the peacefulness here must be astounding.

All images from Pinterest and Net-a-porter.

Images are linked to their sources.

Spicy Bloody Marys

I love me a good spicy bloody mary. I usually hate, hate, hate vodka but for bloody marys, I make the exception. For bloody marys, I love, love, love vodka! Oh, and I'd never thought I would say that... ever. Vodka + tomatoes + spices just seem to make the loveliest concoction don't they? 

See, above and below; the combination of vodka + tomatoes just works. In all situations, at all times of the day! That's why bloody marys are offered alongside breakfast. It's just a well known fact that when you add tomato juice and spices to vodka, it completely negates the fact that you're drinking alcohol in the wee hours of the morning... or at least that's what we'd like to tell ourselves huh?

If you're still doubtful about drinking vodka in the morning, just think of the bloody mary as a well balanced meal! It's full of nutritious tomato juice, sinus clearing horseradish, and crunchy celery. Actually vodka itself is considered great for blood circulation and debatably, a shot a day is therapeutic - but the jury is still out on that one!

For things that I don't like (vodka and tomato juice), I'm pretty surprised by how much I love bloody marys. So, if you are doubtful, I urge you to at least try it before knocking it. It's deliciously tangy, spicy, and has this kick that makes you crave for more!

Loving my 'limited edition' glass ball looking Absolut Vodka bottle. Makes drinking all the more fun!

The Perfect Bloody Mary

Yields: about 8 - 10 servings

Adapted from here.

For the bloody mary:

1 quart (4 cups) tomato juice

1/4 cup + 1 tbsn. cream style horseradish

1/4 cup + 2 tbsn. worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp. salt

 1 1/2 tbsn. tabasco (any hot sauce will do though)

1/4 cup + 2 tbsn. lime juice

1/4 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tbsn. fresh grated fresh onion

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 cups vodka

For garnish (all optional):

kalamata olives

cocktail olives
blue cheese stuffed olives - my favorite

celery sticks

sliced jalapenos

lime wedges

cocktail onions

pepperoncini

cornichons 

Mix all the ingredients in a large pitcher and pour over ice in a cocktail glass. If you want to make this ahead of time as a mix, combine everything except the vodka and store in a closed container or jar. When ready to use, add the vodka and serve over ice. Add a stick of celery, slice of jalapeno and/ or olives to garnish.

As you can see, I had a little toooo much fun with my chalkboard poster board.

It's the simplest + cheapest food photography prop ever! Just a can of chalkboard spray paint + a large posterboard and you've got an instant blank canvas for whatever your mind thinks up!

Tailored Tuesdays + Products

Today: quite possibly my favorite outfit ever and my favorite products ever!

1. bobbi brown {shimmering nudes eye palette}

seriously, the best set of basic eyeshadows, besides the urban decay 'naked' palette of course.

2. essie {nail polish in wicked}

it's vampy chic and matches with everything.

3. wet & wild {eyeliner in brown}

cheap! (i use it to color my brows)

4. shu uemura {eyelash curler}

thee best. seriously.

5. crest {whitestrips}

i have this obsession with white teeth. teeth... must... be... WHITE!

6. bonniebell {lip lites in cappuccino}

when i was 14 or something, i read great things about this lipgloss in some magazine (probably 'seventeen') and to this day, it's still my favorite. perfect color, perfect texture, perfect shine.

7. jemma kidd {liquid liner in black}

stays on ALL day! no joke! perfect for greasy lids.

8. mac cosmetics {lipstick in russian red}

my favorite red matte. mmm red.

9. bobbi brown {shimmer brick in copper diamond}

everyone needs a little shimmer in their lives.

10. lush {dream cream}

great for people with eczema (like me... bleh)

11. lush {buffy bar}

seriously this thing amazes me every time i use it! after the shower my skin feels so smooth and hydrated for the entire day! great especially in the winter months when it's too cold to put lotion on.

12. seche vite {quick dry top coat}

best. bestest!

13. psssssst {instant spray shampoo}

i have to take a shower everyday no matter what because asian hair tends to be greasy. by the end of the day if i need an 'oomph' this is awesome - and i love the retro packaging

14. e.l.f. {complexion perfection}

great for excess shine and evening out your complexion. and for $3, it can't be beat!

15. maybelline {falsies waterproof mascara in blackest black}

i change mascara's all the time, but as of now, i'm loving this.

16. alba {chapstick}

LOVE this stuff. smells awesome and has the perfect moisturizing-creamy consistency.

17. lush {ocean salt}

love this scrub! perfect for the face or the body.

18. basis {cleaner clean face wash}

smells delicious, gets everything off and keeps pimples away. i'm a fan.

19. complex 15 {therapeutic moisturizing face cream}

moisturizing without being greasy. yay!

20. maybelline {lipstick in yummy plummy}

i adore maybelline lipsticks - they have the prettiest packaging and are affordable. this shade is just perfect and subtle enough for every day wear (for me at least)

Baked Zucchini Fries with Marinara

The Mexican market around the corner from my house, which I previously mentioned in my last post, always has great prices on produce. Sometimes though, I get tricked by the great prices and overlook the not-so-awesome quality of the product. I bought a bunch of strawberries that weren't all that hot, so I made some delicious strawberry-lychee aguas frescas instead. Problem solved. 

Another great price flashed before me and then I found myself buying a huge bag full of zucchini. I love zucchini and I practically got a whole bag full for free - that's how awesomely cheap it was. This time though, the prices weren't a cover for the quality. Awesome, awesome zucchini - now what to do with it?


Zucchini fries! I had everything on hand and I felt like a snack. After trimming, slicing, dredging, and tossing into a hot oven to crisp up I was rewarded with a healthy, nom-worthy snack within all but 15 minutes. It was awesome. Normally, telling you that I ate the whole batch within one sitting would make me a bit shameful, but heck... I'll admit eating 3 zucchini within a sitting any day. I'm sure I made mothers and nutritionists proud everywhere around the world!

Baked Zucchini Fries with Marinara

Yields: 3 servings

Original recipe here.

For the zucchini:

3 medium zucchini, sliced into sticks

1 large egg white

1/3 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs

2 tbsn. grated Pecorino Romano cheese

cooking spray

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

salt

fresh pepper

For the marinara sauce:

1 tsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, smashed

28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes

1 small bay leaf

1 tsp. oregano

2 tbsn. chopped fresh basil

salt and fresh pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn it. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and bay leaf. Stir and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In a ziplock bag, place the breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cheese; shake well. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Dip the zucchini sticks into the egg and then place into the bread crumb and cheese mixture, a few at a time and shake to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer and spray more cooking spray on top. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with some marinara sauce for dipping. 

Stuffed Peppers

I'm a baker. I'm sure you know that by the looks of my blog here, but it's something I've ascribed to myself for some time now. Over the years, I've mastered my fears and perfected everything from cupcakes, to cookies to even bread. I've never been a cook. If I was a cook, it was merely just me trying on the title of 'cook' for the moment - following step by step directions for a recipe. 

As a baker, you rely on science, exact measurements. Cooks experiment, they rely on their instincts. I've never been one good with instincts. It's always a constant battle of heart versus head for me. Past internal conversations usually involved my heart longing for this, that and this while my head disagreed and said this, that and this are not possible, will not work, will fail. Recently though, it's been gratifying just to play around and end up with something good once in a while. Sometimes things don't work out, and that's okay. 

It's times when things do work out, and work out splendidly I might add, that make you want to try and try again. These stuffed peppers are an actualization to this fact. I didn't follow a recipe, I improvised, I let my heart guide me:

Heart: I want some mushrooms in my stuffed pepper.

Head: Mushrooms are too watery for the filling!

Heart: To hell with you head! Mushrooms it is!

Mushrooms won and I won in the end. These stuffed peppers are delicious, healthy, and an incredibly satisfying meal if not, an incredibly satisfying life lesson :)

Stuffed Peppers

Yields: 6 - 7 stuffed peppers

6 - 7 bell peppers (I used green because they had a nice shape for stuffing)

1 tbsn. olive oil

1 small red onion, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced, divided

1 lb. lean ground beef (I used 80% lean)

1 cup cooked brown rice

1/2 tbsn. dried parsley or 1 tbsn. fresh

1 tsp. salt, divided

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 tbsn. Worcestershire sauce

1 large egg

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs. Save the tops and dice them; set aside. If your peppers do not stand well on their own, you can slice off a small sliver on their bottoms to even the base - but be sure not to cut through to the inside. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and 2/3 of the garlic and cook for 2 - 4 minutes, or until semi-translucent. Add the ground beef and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper and the Worcestershire sauce. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 - 7 minutes. Drain this mixture using a fine sieve and then place into a large bowl. 

In the same saucepan, add the chopped bell peppers that you had set aside earlier, along with the mushrooms. Dry saute this over high heat to give some 'sear' to them and so that they just lose their 'crispness.' Once done, throw on top of the ground beef mixture, then add the cooked rice on top. In a small bowl, combine the egg, parsley, Parmesan and remaining salt and pepper; mix to combine, then pour into your bowl. Mix everything to combine, then stuff as much of this mixture as you can into your peppers. Place the peppers into a baking dish. Mix the water and tomato sauce together, then pour around the peppers. Bake for 45 minutes and enjoy!

As a side dish to these, I decided to throw some brown rice and corn together. Seasoned it simply with some salt and pepper and it was splendid.

Strawberry-Lychee Aguas Frescas

When there's a good deal, it's human nature to just jump on it. So when I saw strawberries at my local market for 99 cents a pack, I kind of just went crazy and bought a couple. They looked pretty red, firm and fresh but when I brought them home... they were just meh. Not sweet and definitely not the best tasting strawberries. I couldn't eat them and I definitely couldn't bake with them... so what's a girl to do?

Since I've kind of been obsessed with green monster smoothies, I wanted to make some kind of delicious drink with the berries. If you've never had aguas frescas, find yourself some immediately! Or, at least make yourself some - it's super simple. I threw the berries, some lychees and some lychee syrup into a blender, along with some water. A couple whizzes and it was all done! A simple, slightly sweet juice - perfect for the hot weather we've been having.

Strawberry-Lychee Aguas Frescas
Yields: about 4 cups


2 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and roughly chopped
1 cup canned lychees
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 - 1 cup lychee syrup (reserved from can)


In a blender, combine the strawberries, lychees and water. Blend until completely smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the lychee syrup and blend to combine. Taste, and depending on how sweet your strawberries are or how sweet you want your aguas frescas to be, add more lychee syrup to taste. Chill in the refrigerator until cold. Serve over ice.