Pop Champagne and Dessert Bar

I read about this restaurant in Pasadena called Pop Champagne and Dessert Bar, and was immediately intrigued. Champagne and dessert are two of my favorite things, and since one of my girl friends lives in Pasadena, we decided to make a girl's night out and try this place. I am SO GLAD we did! First off, the restaurant has great ambience, either for a romantic night with your significant other, or for a fun, "sex-in-the-city-esque" girl's night. The room has a modern feel with exposed ducting combined with the elegance of dimly lit chandeliers and votives on the tables. The food was very tasty as well. My salad was lightly dressed with fresh ingredients, and the bean soup was satiating, but not overly heavy. The best part of the meal, not surprisingly, was the champagne and dessert. The wine and champagne list was so extensive, but we opted for a flight of three to try. There is a whole page of dessert options so I was in heaven, and decided on the chocolate truffles. Two were hazlenut and three were peanut butter. The great food and drinks combined with the company of good girl friends made for a fabulous Saturday night out. Definitely worth the drive to Pasadena!

R23 - A Great Downtown Sushi Restaurant

I first heard about this restaurant, R23, from my sister. She and my brother-in-law went there for dinner one night and her description, "a sheek sushi restaurant in a converted industrial building in the heart of downtown LA," intrigued me. Then, a friend from work mentioned that she had been there and really liked it, so I added it to my list of restaurants-to-try. Particularly with sushi restaurants, I will only try them by referral. I figure it's safer that way :). I had an excuse yesterday to try it: my "goodbye lunch" as I leave my current job. My sister's description was perfect...the restaurant is in a converted building with exposed ducts, brick walls, big open windows, hardwood floors, and art on the walls. As you sit down, you realize that the surprisingly comfortable chairs are made out of cardboard. The eight of us ordered enough sushi to feed a small village. It all came out on a beautiful platter and plates, and tasted just as good as it looked. All in all, it was a fabulous lunch at a yummy restaurant that I will definitely try again!

One of my favorite things about spring is planting new plants, flowers, and herbs. There is just something wonderful about kneading your hands in soil and getting all the dirt in your nails. It's definitely a nice break from the concrete jungle. So, I recently went to Home Depot in search of some inspiration, and decided to add some herbs to my patio garden. I picked up rosemary, sage, and lemon thyme, three of my favorites. I use these in practically everything, just to add a touch of flavor. Here's one of my favorite new recipes that I saw in a Weight Watchers magazine:

6 chicken breasts (I use the frozen boneless,skinless, individually wrapped ones from costco)
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar (I use Rosemary Balsamic Vinegar)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic (either fresh and thinly sliced or the minced-in-a-jar kind)

1. Preheat the over to 400 degrees.
2. Mix the rosemary, garlic, oil, lemon zest, salt, and crushed red pepper in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
3. Place the chicken on a 9X13 inch baking dish (I use a nice white bake and serve dish so I eliminate one added step of moving the chicken to a serving platter). Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Drizzle the vinegar over the chicken. Bake, unocvered, until the chicken is slightly browned on the outside and cooked through the inside (about 10 minutes).

This is a really easy recipe that takes about 10 minutes to prepare and leaves you with time to do other things while it is baking.

Kitchen Staples

For vegetarians or those who like meatless meals ever so often, you have to try the Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Grillers Recipe Crumbles. They are in the frozen foods section of the grocery store. These are fabulous in any recipe that calls for ground beef or meat crumbles. I use it in tacos, stir-fry, pasta sauce, and even chili, and continue to find new recipes in which to use it. Just add whatever seasoning you like and you’re good to go!

Foodie Websites

For those of you that like to try new restaurants and also get a great deal, sign up for Blackboard Eats. Enjoy!