5 Things Laura Loves

by Laura Posted on May 21, 2012

{Packing colorful clothes for the beach}

Last week, was a busy one and it ended with my best friend’s wedding at the beach.  Every year, I make a fancy dinner for my boyfriend’s birthday which is today but since he’s traveling, I made him dinner last Thursday.  For dinner, he wanted pork belly buns which was great because I got to crack open my Momofuku cookbook.  It was intimidating to make but it ended up being really easy and so good.  By Thursday, it was getting sunny and warm and we were finally able to have dinner outside.  The wedding weekend started early on Friday and I feel like I’ve been on a roller coaster ever since.  It was an emotional weekend with all of our friends together at a beautiful beach setting.  Lots of laughing, crying, hugging, and love spread everywhere.  I love any excuse for a celebration and what better way to celebrate than watching your best friend marry her best friend.  Congratulations to the newlyweds and happy birthday to my love!  These are the things I loved last week…

{Momofuku pork belly buns}

{My favorite champagne on the balcony-Perfection}

{Long Beach Island, New Jersey}

 {Walking the Atlantic City boardwalk with my best friends}

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Mango Sorbet

by Laura Posted on May 17, 2012

My boyfriend’s one request for his birthday dinner was that he wanted mango sorbet for dessert.  There was one problem, I didn’t have an ice cream machine.  I contemplated buying this but the practical side of me told me not to drop $60 on a machine I will probably use once.  So I decided to try to make mango sorbet without a machine and see how it goes.  I knew going into it that the sorbet would not be creamy since there would be no churning process.  Since I was making a fruit sorbet, it might work out and lucky for me, it did!  As predicted, it was more icy than creamy but for a sorbet it worked well.  The sorbet was zesty and fresh; the prefect palate cleanser.  Happy birthday to my love! xoxo

You will need 4 mangos.  I used champagne mangos which are in season right now.  I like these mangos because they are tart and sweet.

Cut the mango into chunks.  I start with one side at a time.

I cut the mango lengthwise and crosswise up to the skin but not cutting through.

Pop the mango chunks up so it’s easier to cut through.

While holding the mango chunks down with your palm, slide the knife against the skin.

Continue with the other mangos.

Puree the mango chunks with the juice of 1 lime and 1/2 cup of simple syrup. Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (about 6 hours to overnight).

Scoop into a bowl and enjoy!

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Dominique Ansel Bakery

by Laura Posted on May 16, 2012

If you’re ever in Soho, you should make a stop at Dominique Ansel Bakery.  It’s a cute little French and American inspired bakery on Spring Street.  Since bakeries are my favorite place to be, I couldn’t resist a little afternoon sweet treat.  What stood out to me was how nice the staff was and how enthusiastic they were about the pastries.  The guy at the counter told me that I needed to try their DKA (“Dominique’s Kouign Amann”).  They are famous for it and as of right now, they are the only bakery in the city that makes them.  It’s one of the most amazing things I’ve had in terms of pastries.  It tastes like a crunchy croissant; crispy and flaky on the outside and soft and buttery in the inside.  I’m still dreaming about it.  It’s a light and airy bakery that has a garden in the back.  I sat in the back and watched 2 ladies make macaroons.  That’s my kind of stalking!

 {Decisions, decisions, decisions…}

 {Salted caramel chocolate tart}

 {DKA}

 {Like a crunchy croissant}

 {Making macaroons}

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Ladybug Cupcakes

by Laura Posted on May 15, 2012

For mother’s day, I made these ladybug cupcakes because my mom is a sweet lady.  They are really fun to make and everyone had a smile on their face looking at them.  I used this recipe by Martha Stewart here and her easy white icing recipe here.  I used red and yellow gel paste to make the bright pink and yellow icing colors.  Ladybugs are considered good luck and I’m definitely lucky that I have my mom in my life who is my everything.

You will need

1. Chocolate cupcakes

2. Black licorice, gum drops, large confetti sprinkles and a toothpick

3. Pink and yellow icing

Directions

1. Start with 1 chocolate cupcake.

2. Using a serrated knife, cut the cupcake top off.

3. Cut the cupcake top in half.

4. Frost the cupcake and the cupcake top, which will become wings.

5. Using a toothpick, poke 2 holes on the top of the gum drop.  Cut 2 small pieces of the licorice and insert them into the 2 holes on the gum drop.  Place the gum drop on the frosted cupcake.

6. Place the frosted wings on top of the cupcake.  Decorate the wings with the large confetti sprinkles.

7. Continue with the other cupcakes.  Then you’re done!

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Smorgasburg

by Laura Posted on May 14, 2012

This past weekend was simply gorgeous.  It seemed like everyone was out and about enjoying the weather.  On Friday, I mentioned that I wanted to be spontaneous this weekend and for the first time, I had nothing planned.  On Saturday, we decided to go to  Smorgasburg in Williamsburg to go on a food crawl and revel in the beautiful weather.  It looked like every other Brooklynite had the same idea.  There were longer lines here than Shake Shack.  If you don’t know, Smorgasburg is part of the Brooklyn Flea and has over 100 food related vendors.  It’s a great spot right on the river with prime views of the Manhattan skyline.

I made the mistake of not taking a lap around the whole place and planning out what I was going to eat.  I was starving and the first stands I saw were the Red Hook Lobster Pound and Asia Dog and I inhaled both in a matter of seconds.  Then, I downed a pork belly bun and donut holes from Dough.  When we started walking to see what other stands there were, I realized how full I was.  What an epic disappointment I was.  I would’ve loved to have tried the grilled cheese at Milk Truck and We Rub You‘s Korean BBQ.  I stared longingly at the other stands knowing that if I went there I would go over the edge.  None-the-less, it was a perfect day with great food!

{Crispy and buttery bread mmm…Red Hook Lobster Pound Lobster Roll}

{I am so happy right now}

{Wangding-Pork belly dog from Asia Dog}

 {Pork belly bun from Bite Size Kitchen}

 {Asian condiments for the pork buns}

 {Donut holes from Dough}

 {View of Manhattan}

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5 Things Laura Loves

by Laura Posted on May 11, 2012

{Raspberry lemon and pistachio macaroons from Bouchon Bakery}

After a week of rain and clouds, it’s finally sunny today!  It’s amazing how a sunny day makes everyone happier.  There are a lot of celebrations this month: My best friend’s wedding, milestone birthdays, baby births, mother’s day, graduations, and the unofficial start of summer.  I feel like this weekend is the calm before the storm.  I have not one thing planned except mother’s day dinner this Sunday and I’m so happy to have one of those rare spontaneous weekends.  Happy Mother’s Day to all you mommies out there xoxo.

{Love the hot pink and stripes at J.Crew}

  {Exploring in Chelsea Market}

 {Peonies}

 {Color coded candies at Dylan’s Candy Bar}

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Sailing NY Harbor

by Laura Posted on May 10, 2012

Another thing I can check off my bucket list is sailing around New York harbor.  The trip was organized by Arnold, a merchant marine veteran I met through an organization called PAWS NY.  The organization provides pet care assistance to individuals with physical and financial obstacles so that they can keep their pets and continue to benefit from the human-animal bond.  I walk Arnold’s dog Jade every week and he invited me to come along for a sail with a bunch of his friends yesterday.  Even the gloomy day couldn’t dampen our spirits.  We were aboard the Clipper City Tall Ship and sailed from South Street Seaport to the Statue of Liberty and around Governor’s Island.  It was a 90 minute sail that was both serene and beautiful.  It was such a great way to see New York by boat and I realized just how beautiful New York harbor is.  This is going to sound cheesy but helping Arnold has really helped me realize that life is short and we should live in the moment.

 {Brooklyn & Manhattan Bridges}

 {Before the sail}

 {Ropes that hoist the sails}

 {The crew hoisting a sail}

{He’s getting the last sail}

 {Smooth sailing}

 {That’s Arnold in the middle with two other PAWS volunteers}

 {Seeing this never gets old}

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Peacefood Cafe

by Laura Posted on May 9, 2012

{Image from Peacefood Cafe}

I always try to keep an open mind about Vegan restaurants and I’m really glad I did because Peacefood Cafe was a great surprise.  It’s on 82nd and Amsterdam and I’m always passing by it on my way to brunch.  The ambiance is serene and peaceful.  It seemed like the staff and the patrons were all long time friends and everyone was smiling and laughing.  I thought to myself, vegans are happy people.  I also wanted to try Peacefood Cafe in an attempt to be healthier.

I ordered the Mediterranean vegetable panini which was warm and crunchy and the cashew butter was to die for.  I also got the chickpea fries which were crispy and delicious.  They didn’t taste exactly like fries but they had great flavor.  I’m always skeptical of desserts that pretend to be things they’re not like “cheesecake.”  Our waiter suggested I try the raw cashew cream cheesecake which was surprisingly good.  It tasted like a creamy granola bar.  I probably offended the waiter when I said, “let’s just call it what it is…cashew cake and not cheesecake.”  He didn’t seem so amused and just smiled and walked away.  For vegans, when everything seems like it’s off limits, Peacefood Cafe has so many mouth-watering options, you will not miss meat and dairy.  When I walked out of the restaurant, I felt cleansed, light, and ready for the day.

{Mediterranean seasonal vegetable panini with cashew cream basil spinach pesto}

{Chickpea fries}

 {Raw cashew cream cheesecake}

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My Makeup Routine

by Laura Posted on May 8, 2012

My philosophy on makeup is easy breezy beautiful cover girl…no really, I like a natural glow and I like makeup to define my features.  Like the fact that I have no eyebrows, yes I would like 2!  I like to define my eyes since they are small (insert Asian jokes here) and to have beautiful and glowy skin.  I don’t want to look like a drag queen thank you very much.  It took me a couple of years to get it right but I think I’ve nailed it down.  I’ve tried  a lot of different products and the ones I use now really work well with my skin and are reasonably priced.  Sorry but I’m not spending $60 on foundation!  For a night time look, I just use a darker eye shadow and keep everything else the same.  It took me a lot of courage to show you pictures of myself without makeup so here goes…

1. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15 ($50 for 8.4 fl oz)| 2. MAC Finishing Mist ($20 for 3.4 fl oz)| 3. MAC Foundation ($33)| 4. MAC Bronzer in Golden ($23)| 5. Laura Mercier Peach Mosaic ($38)| 6. Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner ($23)| 7. Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Mascara in Very Black ($5.94)| 8. MAC Eye Brows in Lingering ($15)| 9. Nars Blush in Orgasm ($28)| 10. Laura Mercier Mineral Illuminating Powder in Starlight ($32)| 11. Bare Minerals in Fairly Medium ($27)| 12. Sephora Eyelash Curler ($16)

I like to start with the finishing mist to add moisture to my face.

I apply a thin layer of Kiehl’s moisturizer.

I dot the foundation on my cheeks, forehead and chin and I blend it into my skin with a brush.

I dust on a little bit of the bare minerals powder on my cheeks and forehead to even out my skin tone.

I’m a confessed bronzilla.  I love bronzer and I’ve been using this MAC bronzer since I was 18 years old.  I’ve learned that less is more so I brush it on my forehead and nose, basically where I think the sun would hit my face.

Before I apply the eye shadow, I curl my lashes.

I use the gold/peach color and apply a little to my eyes.

I do love a cat eye.  I start from the inside corner of my eye (closer to nose) and move towards the end.  I pull the  opposite corner of my eye straight so I can make a straight line.  When I get to the end of my eye, I let go and make a little curl at the end.  I love this aqua liner because it’s waterproof and doesn’t smudge.

 Why do we always make the weirdest faces when we put on our mascara?

I like subtle highlights around my eye, it makes my face look like it’s glowing.  I use the cream color of the palette and using a small brush, I dot the lower corner of my eye.

I use the same color and brush and add it between my nose and eye going up and down.  I blend it with my finger.  I learned this trick from a MAC makeup artist.

I feel like my makeup is not done until my eyebrows are filled in.  Maybe it’s because I have none!  I just follow my natural eyebrow just filling in the gaps.

I add the blush to the apples of my cheeks.

I dust Laura Mercier’s illuminating powder to my nose, cheeks and forehead for an extra sparkly touch.

Finally, I use MAC Sheen Supreme Lipglass in Moon Beach for my lips.

Finished Face

Finished Face in Natural Light

 

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My Weekend via Instagram

by Laura Posted on May 7, 2012

1. Friday morning: Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle| 2. Friday afternoon: Flatiron district| 3. Friday evening: Drinks with friends at the Frying Pan| 4. Saturday morning: Model sailboats in Central Park| 5. Saturday afternoon: Walking around Tribeca| 6. Saturday dinner: Crudo at Marea| 7. Sunday morning: Sunrise| 8. Sunday brunch: Soft shell crab at Osteria Morini| 9. Sunday dinner: Harvest on Hudson in Hastings on Hudson.

My weekends are not much different than my weekdays.  I rarely sleep in late nor do I laze around and be a couch potato.  I get up early, go for walks, try new restaurants, and try to visit my friends and family in the outer boroughs, Jersey, Rockland and Westchester (sorry guys I’m making more of an effort!).  I was sort of a late bloomer with Instagram.  I decided to document this past weekend using only my iPhone and Instagram filters.  I hope you like the pictures above.

This past weekend was so wonderful I’m having a case of the Mondays right now.  I got to catch up with old friends on Friday night at my favorite outdoor venue, the Frying Pan.  Saturday night, we had a romantic date night at Marea which happens to be our favorite place.  We sit at the bar and chat with the bartenders and other diners.  It’s more fun than sitting in the dining room.  On Sunday, we ventured up to White Plains to hang out with friends and met up with my parents for dinner at the unbelievably gorgeous Harvest-on-Hudson.  If you live in the tri-state area, you must go here.  It’s a Mediterranean villa right on the Hudson river with stunning views and delicious Italian food.  It’s true what they say, the key to happiness is to have great friends and family around you and great food!

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