Get it Right, Get it Tight(s)

Tights $5.80

Jumpsuit $27.80

Me and my signature drink at Isla

Fall/Winter is a great time for fashion.  One trend that I always wanted to try but never had the guts to do  was colored tights.  Opaque or textured tights can make an LBD pop, or spice up any outfit, so I finally decided to give it a try.  I payed a visit to every girl's favorite store,  Forever 21 to pick out some tights and of course I also found a few other items that I didn't need (don't we all?).  I found these maroon textured tights ($5.80) that I fell in love with, but felt I didn't own anything that would do them justice. Now I must say if you have hips, legs, butt, or any combination of the three then one size does not fit all!  I'm a healthy chick and I had to stretch these bad boys out before it could fit half way up my leg! It all worked  out so I was pleased. I browsed around and found these cute taupe colored short jumpsuit ($27.80).  It was perfect for fall with the tights, and great for summer paired with some bad ass sandals! Then I needed some accessories. Simple gold hoops ($1.50) and a bangin' necklace($7.80) did the trick.  My whole outfit was  under $50! Now you can't beat that with a stick!  What's your favorite fall trend??

Artisanal LA Part Duex

Spicy Pickled Garlic Smoked Olives $14

Butter Pie $25

Crab Roll $9

  Boy oh boy if you weren't in Downtown L.A last weekend you really missed out!  So many shows so little time! Artisanal LA, Unique LA, and A Current Affair, were just a few of the fab shows that took place over the weekend.  Chestnuts roasting on an open fire (literally), and all things food inspired were the highlight of the second installment of Artisanal LA.  My first stop was Artisanal LA, truly a food lovers dream, I was in Foodie Heaven! Crust was my first stop where I sampled owner Stephanie's Missouri Butter Pie (yes I said BUTTER pie), and cracker brittle, so good.  I then moved on to Orgasmo de la Boca which had some awesome smoked olives.  I've never heard of such a thing, in fact I don't even like olives, but this was truly the best olive that I've ever had!  This hickory smoked olive was a tasty treat and I'm glad I gave it a try.  Cold Brew and Cola was next on my list, if you enjoy coffee and a quick boost of caffine then this is the drink for you! 

Couch Mix $11

This mix of Mexican Coca-Cola and cold brewed coffee ice cubes was quite refreshing, it really helped me wash down all that goodness I was eating. If you're a coffee lover it's definitely a must.  To my pleasant surprise The Hungry Nomad and The Lobsta Truck there, now these are two amazing food trucks! Now The Lobsta Truck did not disappoint, the menu is simple, lump crab or lobster meat on a toasted roll with mayo or butter. I was in seafood paradise!  I chose the crab roll and of course I had it with rich creamy drawn butter!  It was a great sandwich, would've been even better if there was no shells in it, they get a pass because it was just that good!  But the crème de la crème of the event was Cast Iron Gourmet.  Owner Rashida Purifoy has me over here feenin' like a crackhead over this couch mix. Couch mix is trail mix with carmalized bacon, and it's G-double-O-D Good! Bacon chutney and Bacon Fat Pimento Spread, are her newest creations and I swear it's the best thing since sliced bread, and when you mix

MNKR Screen Tee $20

the two together? Don't even get me started!  It is a definite must try! So to work off all this goodness I walked over to

The California Market Center to Unique LA . This show was huge, so many unique items to see, and many eclectic and interesting pieces. I saw a couple of old faces like p.o.p candy and made some new friends like MNKR they had some cool screen T's, I love the one I bought. So many cool giftideas, I can't wait to see the next show in May 2011. My day unfortunately had to end, I had to catch the train home, it was getting dark and you know what Downtown looks like at night, folks start settin' up shop! I will definitely keep ya posted, on the next event, Ciao! 

Artisinal LA Holiday Pop-Up Shop

Just a reminder that Artisinal LA is this weekend! Don't miss out, this was a great event and kid friendly too so bring the fam!  Also the 3rd Annual Unique LA is happening simultaneously at California Market Center's Penthouse just down the way.  I know where I'll be this weekend eating and shopping!  Enjoy a few pics of the last Artisinal LA event, hope to see you there!

 

Artisanal LA 
851 Santee Street
Downtown LA 90015
Sat & Sun Dec. 11th and 12th 11am-6pm both days

$6 Entry Cash at the Door

Unique LA
California Market Center’s Penthouse 110 E 9th St
Dec 11th & 12th 2010, 11am – 6pm both days
$10 at the door  (kids 12 and under are free)

*Added Bonus: If you show your Unique LA wristband you save $1 off admission to Artisinal LA and if you show Artisnal LA wristband to Unique LA you get 2-for-1 admission! Score! Sounds like a win/win situation!

The Corner Store

As we all know I ♥ food, so one of my friend's decided put me up on game on this new Cuban restaurant in the Valley.  I'm Gordita, I know but I absolutely love Cuban food so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to satisfy my belly and get some great food. El Rincon Cubano is a hidden gem (literally) in Valley Village.  I pulled up to this seedy strip mall with a liquor store on the corner and needless to say I wasn't too enthused to eat anything in this local joint.  Nonetheless I proceeded, it took a few minutes to find because the restaurant is literally in the corner, hidden to public view.  I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in to a cute Cuban inspired Mom and Pop shop and to my surprise it was very clean.  You know when you go in those older Mom and Pop shops, and it looks a little dingy, but still has a grade A on the window, but you still eat it the food because it soooo good? Looked like the roaches haven't made their home yet so marched on in. It was a delightful place and much  bigger than it looks on the outside.  Since I was in a new place I decided to try a new dish.  I usually get Pollo Asado (roasted chicken with garlic and onions), but I chose a pork dish instead, the waitress recommended it so I said, "What the Hay?"  As I waited for my order, a nice basket of bread was presented to me. If you've never had Cuban bread then you're really missing out.  Cuban bread is flaky, buttery, and just melts in your mouth. Even though I dined alone I had a refill on my basket but Shhhhh!  Don't Tell Nobody!  So on to the entree, my pork chops came and looked really good.  Mind you I haven't had pork chops in years so I was a little apprehensive about trying ones from another country.  Pork chops weren't bad but wish I would've stuck with my chicken dish. Everything else was really good.  I'm not a huge bean fan but the black beans were delicious, plantains are always good, I always order an extra helping of plantains!  The best thing was that I got this meal all for $6.99!!!  El Rincon Cubano has a daily special everyday of the week.  I'll make sure to make this one of my Cuban spots anytime I need a quick fix.

EL RINCON CUBANO RESTAURANT

5424 Laurel Canyon Blvd.
Valley Village, CA 91607
(818) 763-6272

Oh So Fab!

Sangria $5

Clams Oreganato $12

After a long day of work I really needed to take a load off, I searched for somewhere close to my job for that good ol' happy hour special and discovered  Fab's Corner Cucina.  They have Happy Hour daily from 5-7pm,  half price wine by the glass, beer and  appetizers.  I was all over that like bees to honey!  I sat at the bar because the bartender was super friendly. This adventure was more about eating than drinking but you know I still had to get that drink in!  I started my night off with a glass of Sangria which the bartender recommended I try. It wasn't bad but not very strong.  Sangria always tastes like fruit punch to me but that could be the alkie in me talking! There are some many things on the menu to choose from, it was hard for me to narrow it down.  My trusty bartender was an awesome help and assisted me in figuring things out.  I decided to get the Clams Oreganato and he suggested I get the Beet Burata Salad with Seared Ahi Tuna.  My meal started off with some fab bread (pun intended).  The sourdough bread came out piping hot and was absolutely perfect!  Then my clams came out and OMG were they good! Let me start off by saying I love any sauce that you can dip your bread in,  and they gave me extra sauce on the side?! Score!  Clams Oreganato consisted of fresh baked clams, topped with bread crumbs, parmigiano cheese, fresh parsley and oregano, Perfecto! Since it was happy hour and appetizers were half priced I only paid $6.  Next came my salad, I was a bit skeptical because I don't really like beets, but I was up for trying something new. 

Beet Burrata Salad $11

The Beet Burrata Salad looked great but I was searching for my tuna and they forgot it! No Bueno!  It was cool, he sent it back, no harm no foul.  This was one unbelievable salad. All the ingredients were tossed in a light vinaigrette which was a very healthy choice, and since I'm on my diet (he he), I felt it was the appropriate thing for me to eat. I don't like beets, but these golden beets were to die

Beet Burrata Salad with Seared Ahi Tuna $16

 for! Burrata cheese is an Italian cheese made from mozzarella cheese and cream, it simply melts in your mouth.  The beets and the cheese were two things that I've never tried but oh so glad I did. Seared Ahi was a perfect addition to this salad  I left fat, full, and delicious (not so much fat but you catch my drift) and to top things off he gave me my Sangria for free! Sometimes dining alone does pay off.  Just south of  Ventura Blvd, Fab's is a cool little after work spot to relax and unwind.  Happy Hour is great and there is a nice relaxed vibe, next time I need an Italian food fix I'll definitely be back at Fab's!



Fab's Corner Cucina 
4336 Van Nuys Blvd,
Sherman Oaks, CA 91393
Phone:818-995-2933

Smokin'

The holidays are right around the corner and it's perfect time to get glammed up!  The Smokey Eye is one of the most popular makeup techniques around.  Many think it's a hard task but Maybeline has made it easy for us!  I bought a couple of eye shadow quads  from CVS  that made this timeless look a cinch to do. CVS is great, they let you try the products at home and if you're not satisfied then you can bring it back for a full refund.  Since you can't test the products in the store this is a great way for you truly get what you want and never be stuck with products that you'll never use!

*First Step*
M.A.C paint pot Indianwood $16.50

A little thin for me but still Fab!

To pull off this look your eyebrows must be fierce, I go to Cute Hair and Nails in Panorama City.  Now this place is a Hot Ass Mess, but I've been going since high school (when it was $5 now $8) and I have never come out with jacked up eyebrows. So after you tell Kim that you do have "boyfren"and you let her give you  "flowa" go head and let Ming Lee hook up them brows! So after we get that out of the way you should start on a clean face and exfoliate, an inexpensive way to do this would be to add some sugar to your favorite cleanser.  You also don't want to forget the lips, nothing's worse than dry, cracked, flaky lips, Yuck!  Apply Vasoline and sugar to your lips and then wipe off with a cloth or tissue, now you have smooth moisturized lips!  Now we're ready to get started, the applicators that come in the eyeshadow sets suck, so invest in a good set of brushes.  M.A.C has their holiday brush sets in stores now, at $49.50, it's a great way to get all the brushes at a fab price. Start by using a base, a base helps the shadow stay in place and prevents the shadow from creasing.  I used M.A.C paint pots in Indianwood as my base, at $16.50 it's a bit pricey but it will last forever! Coat the entire eye with a base using a flat brush.  Another helpful tip is to put loose powder under your eyes so that the residue from the dark colors won't stay on your face.

*Second Step*

*Third Step*

The next few steps are easy, Maybeline Expert Wear® Eye Shadow Quads($7.79) has an imprint on the colors to tell you where it goes, genius! Using a flat brush, start with the color that says lid and then apply the brow bone color just below the arch of the brow and blend. Then get an angled brush and use the crease color on the crease of your eye and then blend.  The darkest color goes on the outer corner, use with a rounded brush and voilà you're done!  The key to any makeup application is blending!!!!To complete the look fill in your eye brows with your favorite eye brow pencil, I like to use a brown eye shadow and an angle brush.  Use your your favorite black eyeliner under eyes and

*Fourth Step*

*Look #1* Eye color: Charcoal Smokes $7.79

right on the lash line and smudge the line so it's not so defined, I again like to use black eyeshadow and an angle brush. Add blush to the apples of your cheeks, here I've used L'oreal True Match Blush Subtle Sable ($10.99) and a nude lip.  Here I've used Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color in Sugared Almond ($8.79) and Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Gloss Touch of Toffee ($7.49).  Apply your favorite mascara, use a loose or pressed powder to set your make up and you're done! The first look is a classic smokey eye, but you can do a smokey eye in any color from greens to purples.  The second look is in the brown family and not as dramatic as look number one. Each step is repeated from step one just using a different color, it's fool proof!  Vamp it up with color, I chose Revlon Just Bitten lip stain in Beloved($9.29) Lip stains are used for a hint of color.  The concept is good but the application was not easy and was a little uneven, but the lip balm on the other side of the pen is fab!  This did not deter me from lip stains, next time I'll just try a different brand.

Just Bitten lip stain color: Beloved $9.29

*Look #2* Eye Color:Natural smokes $7.79

These looks are easy and affordable and like anything else practice makes perfect, you may not get it on the first try but believe me it's not as hard as it looks. Start your trial run so you can perfect it by the holiday season!   

Downtown L.A at its' Best!

I started my Saturday morning in anticipation of Artisinal LA  brought to us by the same people that introduced us to The LA Street Food Fest. Artisinal LA was a weekend long event (Oct. 23 and Oct. 24) supporting local vendors that want to give us healthy, sustainable, hand-made eats and treats.  Since this event was in downtown L.A I decided to take the train. I am the biggest advocate of the train!  It saves time, gas, you don't have to pay to park, and it's only $1.50 (each way)!  Every time I get off downtown  I feel like I'm in New York.  Standing amongst high rise buildings galore, I daydream that I'm in the Big Apple, then I wake up and realize it's just dirty ol' Downtown L.A. I kid I kid!  This blissful affair was held at the historic Cooper Building, not too far from FIDM and The Alley. After my brisk walk I  arrived and discovered  there were crafts for the kiddies, chef demos, and samples of everything! So I got right to it, I sampled everything in sight!

Cast Iron Gourmet spice rubs

I scouted out many of the the merchants and found out several of them made there debut at this event,  many items were not in stores, one of which was Cast Iron Gourmet.  They had some of the best bacon I've ever had, they carried dry rubs, like Cajun heat,and Black Pepper and put it on the bacon, genius! I could just  kick myself for not taking a  picture (too busy eating) of their Original Couch Mix, trail mix with candied bacon!

Breakfast Cupcake

A total party in my mouth, I wish I bought two bags! Reluctantly leaving that swine fest I stumbled upon another pork flavored delight. The breakfast cupcake was definitely a surprise.  If you like buttermilk pancakes, sweet maple syrup and crispy bacon then you'll love this cupcake!  I browsed the aisles further and saw a small line forming, I decided to see what all the buzz was about , it was a makeshift taco stand.

Chicken Taco

  Homegirl Café grows all their own vegetables and herbs in their garden, pretty cool, which was very much the trend for the event. While this wasn't the best taco I've ever had it definitely wasn't the worst.  The

Chicken Tamale

Almond Brittle

chicken was very tender, but the taco just seemed like it was missing some ingredients.  Chicken tamale was pleasant, I was so stuffed at this point I don't even know how I ate it.  After this savory dish I had a bit of a sweet tooth, so I decided to revisit the p.o.p candy booth. I discovered some brittle with some interesting blends like rosemary almond, thyme,walnut, and cherry, and fire pistachio. The rosemary almond brittle was to die for, I had to have more of it!  I was on my way out and some how missed a booth.  Sauce Goddess Gourmet had some fab sauces and dry rubs.  They mixed their dry rub with sour cream to make dip and if you're on a diet like myself (he he) you can use plain yogurt instead.  It was so good I could just imagine how those spices would taste on meat!  I had a long walk back to the train, so headed out, I left the Cooper building as my dad would say "Fat, Full, and Delicious!"  For $10, I was able to experience new delicacies, like blueberry butter, taste absolutely everything, and leave with my taste buds very satisfied. This was a fantabulous event, I'm in anticipation for the next foodie event.  I hope this was a great success for Artisianal L.A, I could bet this won't be the last of it's kind.  F.Y.I dineLA will be back January 23-28 and January 30-February 4, 2011.  I'll make sure to keep you posted!