EXTRAORDINARY DESSERTS
A couple weekends ago when I was in town to visit some people for Chinese New Year we stumbled upon a dessert place in Downtown San Diego. It had the most amazing dessert I have ever tasted. The price is not too bad considering the size of the plate and the presentation. You can see from the pictures that these desserts are presented really well, and that is really important! We ordered four different dishes and everything tasted super good, each dish had its own texture and feel in your mouth. I am so hooked!
Check out the website and let your saliva glands do the rest: www.extraordinarydessert.com
Factory Girl tells a fictionalized story of mid-sixties socialite and Warhol superstar Edie Sedgwick, who is portrayed by Sienna Miller. Guy Pearce plays Andy Warhol, and Hayden Christensen portrays an unnamed rock star who is based upon Bob Dylan. After Sedgwick dropped out of art school in Cambridge in 1965, she moved to New York and met Warhol, who promised to make her a star. The movie portrays her rise to fame and subsequent downfall into obscurity.
I didn't think the movie was that great, but to my surprise Sienna Miller was great in the movie. She was actually very beautiful and played the character quite well. I must say that I don't have a true impression of Edie Sedgwick so I can't say that Sienna Miller was on point, but overall her performance was better than I thought.
I just got this book to help my drawing skills. I haven't gone through it too much since I only got it yesterday, but it's looking good so far.
It is published to coincide with "Colors for Modern Fashion" and it is necessary to discuss some of the aspects of the new book to understand the changes in this one. This new edition of "9 Heads" is the re-statement of the author's approach to the subject of black and white drawings, incorporating the most developed thinking and views, both in terms of what the end product should look like, and how best to achieve it. "9 Heads" also presents a different style of finished drawing, one where figures are usually more fleshed-out and where garment fabrics are more rendered than in the drawings of the previous edition. This edition has been extended in scope as that together with "Colors for Modern Fashion" the two books constitute all the elements of modern fashion drawing from Beginners through to Advanced. In-depth treatment in men's fashion. More serious treatment of children's fashion. Completely revised and expanded chapter on drawing clothing on the figure. New chapter on fabrics shows how to make drawings so the fabrics can be identified from the drawing. New appendix with hundreds of flats of modern garments. Quality of the drawing is far higher than the other books on the market. Ideal for those who have no previous formal training in drawing and who have a need to learn the basics of fashion drawing quickly.
From the Back Cover
This new detailed guide to learning the skills and techniques of drawing modern fashion and figure is also a rich reference source for a broad range of modern garments and accessories. Extensively illustrated, this introduction teaches by example, the power of drawing as a means of communication and expression and strives to show students how to perceive things in order to be able to draw them correctly. The first section is dedicated to drawing the human figure, while the second portion deals with how to draw a wide range of modern garments and accessories and the types of techniques used to render them convincingly and elegantly in different fabric designs and textures. This volume offers a complete presentation of proportions of the croquis, draping the figure, accessories, flats, and features an encyclopedia of details, how to draw textiles and real clothes, the art of illustration, and computers and fashion drawing. For designers, fashion professionals, teachers and students of fashion. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
SO SEXY...
This is the Canon EF 50mm f/ 1.8ll lens. This is the lightest EF lens of all at a mere 4.6 oz. (130g). Compact and high-performance, standard lens. Its Gaussian optics provide sharp delineation from near to far focusing distances. The color balance is excellent for a standard lens.
This lens is specifically used for taking close up and you can see that it takes some amazing pictures. A friend introduced this lens to me a while back and I messed around with his camera for a bit, but now I have my own. This lens is also very inexpensive!
Every Valentine's Day I make a special dinner for my parents. This year I won't be able to do that, but I wanted to share a couple of recipes with you guys so that you can wine and dine that special man or woman in your life. I got these recipes from a cooking class in Laguna, Ca.
French Onion Soup: Soupe al' Oignon Gratine'e
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
7 medium yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar, and salt
1 tablespoon flour
8 cups beef stock
2 cups dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette
1 pound gruyere cheese, shredded
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil in large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, uncover, add sugar, and season to taste with salt. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle with flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Add about 2 cups of stock ans stir to blend, then add the remaining 6 cups of stock and the wine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for about 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste (remember that the cheese will add a saltiness)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, slice 8 thick slices from the baquette. butter both sides of bread with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, put on a baking sheet, then toast in the oven, turning once, until godlen brown on both sides.
Put a slice of toast in the bottom of each 8 ovenproof bowls, then fill the bowls with onion soup. sprinkle a thick layer of cheese on top of the soup. Set the bowls in two baking pans, put in the oven, and bake until the cheese has browned and the soup is bubbling, 10-15 minutes.
Herb- Crusted Roast Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Port Wine Sauce:
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped freah rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 whole beef tenderloin (about 21/2 pounds)
2 cups ruby port
1/4 cup veal or beef demi glace diluted with 3/4 cup water (or 4 cups broth reduced to 1 cup)
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine pepper, parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic and salt, and mix well. Set roast on a cutting board and rub mixture evenly over entire surface of meat. Place meat on a rack in a roasting pan, can cook until an instant-read thermometer insearted into the middle of the meat registers the desired temperature (see below). Let the roast stand 15-20 minutes before carving
Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine port and demi-glace mixture, cook, stirring, until liquid is reduced to 1 cup, about 15-20 minutes.
Skim fat from roasting pan, set pan over medium-low heat, and add port mixture. Stir in the Gorgonzola cheese and stir until cheese is melted. In a bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water and add to pan as necessary. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until thickended, 4-6 minutes. Adjust seasonging as needed
Temp guide:
Very rare- medium- rare: 120-125 degrees
Medium to medium- well: 130-135 degrees
Individul Chocolate Souffe's:
8 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or use chips)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons rum, coffee, or water
6 large eggs, separated (at room temp.)
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. butter and sugar six 10 to 11 ounce ramekins, or 10 4.5 ounce ramekins, and arrange on a baking sheet.
Combine the chocolate, butter and rum, coffee or water in a double boiler over simmering water and stir until the mixture is smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes then whisk in the egg yolks.
Beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat the sugar until the peaks are stiff but not dry. Using a large rubber spaputa, stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate misture, then gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining mixture.
Divide the batter equally among the prepared ramekins and smooth the tops. Using the tip of your finger or the tip of a knife, draw a circle in the batter about 1/2 inche from the rim. This willl create the "hat" that will rise. Bake until risen and set, 20 minutes.
If you wish, after bringing the souffle' to the table, open a slit in the top of each souffle' with 2 forks held back to back and add sauce of your choice.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY. ENJOY!!!
I WANT! I WANT!! I WANT!!! This bag is sooo hot. It has everything I ever want on a bag. I love the colors, the TENNIS RACKET pocket, and CHAINS...so perfect.
BRITNEY TRIED TO SCORE AND LEFT DENIED:
The bygone pop starlet supposedly offered to display the bag from the front row of Heatherette's runway show, but was "politely" turned down by Hearst, ostensibly because she felt some other stars are more deserving of the desirable arm candy (Brit, whose rep denies the story, ended up skipping the event).
"I'm only giving the bag to accomplished young women who are doing something positive to affect the world around them," Hearst explains to the paper. "They are women I look up to and respect, like Gwyneth Paltrow and Sarah Jessica Parker and Anne Hathaway. They share the same high standards of giving back to the communities in which they live."
My perfect day:
1 cup of hot chocolate
1 sweater
1 white hooded coat w/ fur trimmings
1 pair of high boots
1 puppy
1 puppy red sweater
1 puppy blue vest
2 blankets
Kuma just got hooked up with some mad bling, but I think they look girlie on him. I picked the most masculine colors, but this is the best that they got. He is already going to town with the plastic bits so maybe this will be his new chew toy.
