Gaga for GOOP

I have been following Gwyneth Paltrow's blog for awhile now, and I adore it! It covers all things awesome with a category list of make, go, get, do, be and see (my favorite being MAKE, with the fashionable GET a close second). It is such a treat to see "It's Goop" in my inbox. GP's (an endearing term used by Mario Batali on their Spain adventure... more to come on that!) latest share was a feature on Erin McKenna, whose personal struggle to eliminate wheat, dairy, soy, caffeine and refined sugar from her diet led to the creation of Babycakes Bakery, allowing her to reinterpret the average cupcake and donut. Go take a stroll over to GOOP and check out the recipes that Erin shared... I can't wait to try the Lemon Poppy Teacake. Oh, and the Chocolate Cupcakes with garbanzo and fava bean flour!!

I Heart Risotto

There is just something wonderful about a big bowl of warm, oozing, cheesy risotto that makes me want to curl up on the couch, maybe with a cozy blanket (weather permitting), and savor every last bite. Lately I have been making my new found favorite recipe that I got from Simply Blythe. Her onion risotto is so incredible that I made it twice in one week, and craved it every day in between. I do opt to add the broth slowly, though, allowing each precious pearl to soak in goodness, while releasing the starch that creates a creamy harmony of flavor and texture. Heaven! While it is not a speedy meal, it is worth every careful turn of the spoon, which is why I tend to make it on the nights that Brian has a late class or is studying. I may be a gluten for punishment, but I enjoy leaning up to the counter with a glass of wine, listening to music and getting lost in my thoughts... all the while knowing that I have a wonderful meal to look forward to.

Tonight as I made this dish I sipped on a rosato from Wine Shop At Home and listened to the intoxicating sounds of Putumayo's Greece: A Musical Odyssey . I also decided to change things up a bit and mixed in a bit of anchovy paste with the onions, then topped it off with the a hint of lemon zest. Bon Appetit!

p.s. We are in-between camera's at the moment so I decided to share a picture I took one evening while arriving at my parent's house. The sunset was so beautiful that I jumped out of the car and started to take pictures before even saying hi to the family...sorry dad! I love you!

In the Tomb of Tut

Well, close enough anyway. Yesterday, as a surprise for Brian’s birthday, we visited the King Tutankhamun Exhibit at the de Young Museum. It was so amazing, surreal really, to be so physically near artifacts that are thousands of years old. You see these items in books or on TV and understand the level of skill that this ancient culture had, but when viewed up close, I was awe-struck by the detail and beauty of each hand-made item. I encourage you to make a visit to the exhibit while it is in San Francisco through March 2010. Know before you go, though, that the actual King Tut mummy and Funerary Mask are not on display since they were declared national treasures by the Egyptian government in the 1980's. No worries... all the more reason to take a trip to Egypt... anyone?

Side Note: When you attend the exhibit, you receive a Pharaoh's Gold Card whose perks I’m pleased to report, entitled us to 2 delicious, FREE (1 with each pair of cards) appetizers from Pacific Grill where we went for lunch after the museum. I am a sucker for “free”, “complimentary”, “on the house”, or any of the sort…mmmmmm!