Friday Five

I am ready for the weekend to start! We’re expecting beautiful weather in Napa and I’m looking forward to enjoying it with either a cocktail or glass of wine in hand. I’m not picky.

1.If you’ve ever baked with a bundt pan, you know it’s usually a gamble when flipping your pan over. Will it come out whole? Will half of my cake be stuck inside the pan!? (I’ve actually had this happen before. Ugh!) Well wonder no longer with this homemade tool to help your cake slide right out.

2. Okay, I know I’ve been wishing for warmer summer weather, but after reading about The Lazy Traveler’s visit here, I wanna go like now.

3. I’m a big fan of soy sauce. This list of recipes is right up my ally! Those udon noodles!?

4. Wow, this outdoor adventure looks beautiful, but kind of intense! Perhaps for the experienced backpackers only?

5. Umm.. caramel and chocolate were made to be together. This recipe takes it to a whole new level!

Friday Five

Greetings, from a rainy and grey Napa Valley. But, hey, at least it’s Friday! I’ll be spending the rest of the day cozied up with a tasty cocktail and a good read. What are your plans?

1. All I want is this cake with a cup of coffee, pretty please.

2. Ever wondered how to sight-see on a limited schedule? The Lazy Travelers have your back in this recent post!

3. I can’t get enough carnitas and these tacos are seriously screaming my name. I need them stat!

4. As I get ready to plant my spring garden, I’m reviewing this list of plants that naturally repel bugs! Pretty and useful?! Win-win.

5. If this doesn’t sound like a refreshing spring pasta dish, I don’t know what does. Plus, it has bacon?!

Friday Five

It’s Friday. All I want to do is get my hands on a tasty cocktail and some sweet cream from Napa’s Miminashi. It never disappoints. But that’s a discussion for another time.

Let’s get to my favorite posts from around the web in this week’s Friday Five!

1. If you like street art and “secret” locations, this place is for you! I’d totally be down to check it out.

2. Starburst fans rejoice! I can’t wait to get my hands on this limited edition bag full of deliciousness!

3. You don’t need to be a Somm to enjoy the places on this list. Your favorite Napa local (me, duh) has personally (and frequently..) experienced each place listed and can attest to their collective awesomeness.

4. I’m a big fan of meal prepping for the week, when I can remember/have time to do it! This plan sounds easy, flavorful, and like it won’t bore me for the week!

5. Italy has always been one of my wanderlust destinations. Here‘s exactly why I want to go.

Friday Five

Happy March, everyone! I cannot wait until days are longer (and warmer!) and it’s not dark out when I wake up. However, I certainly didn’t mind spending some time in the snow last weekend. I skied for the first time and absolutely loved it. I can’t wait to go back!

Now, let’s get this Friday Five started with some of my favorite links from around the web!

1. Calling all ladies who want to explore India! Erin from The World Wanderer has an incredible opportunity coming up in October 2017, that includes yoga, volunteering, and immersing yourself in India’s culture alongside other women from around the world! I’m definitely checking to see if I can make this happen! More details available here.

2. I’m so excited! I can now make my favorite order at Chinese restaurants at home using this recipe!

3. Are you as absolutely mesmerized by this DIY tutorial as I am? I have a feeling I’ll be trying my hand at making my own in the near future!

4. So, the ladies over at the Lazy Travelers argue that their recent vacation spot is the perfect spot for Instagram lovers. After seeing the photos, can you disagree?!

5. Never throw out leftover mashed potatoes again! Just use this delicious recipe and dip in the spicy sauce.

 

 

Friday Five

It’s so crazy for me to think it’s been five years this week since I started this blog. Five! I’m definitely a more experienced baker, eater, traveler, and drinker, thanks to this blog and your participation. Let’s celebrate with a new edition of Friday Five over some cocktails, shall we?

1. I’m 100% down to try these historic bars in the Bay Area. Who’s with me?!

2. What’s your favorite region in France? Having only been to Paris, I’d have to say that is mine. But after reading this post on reasons to visit other regions, I’m ready to pack my suitcase and take in the rest of the country!

3. Like raspberries? Like scones? Like cookies? This recipe sounds like something right up my our alley!

4. Absolutely itching to take this iconic road trip in my home state! But it will have to wait, as I have a different road trip in my future 😉

5. Whoa! Apparently, gluten-free, clean eating doesn’t have to be boring! I’m ready to hop on that dietary train, if all the recipes look like this one!

Friday Five

The last few weeks have been a bit turbulent. (And the current political state isn’t making it any easier.) Between overcoming health issues and rebounding from the holidays, I’ve been feeling a bit scattered and not very motivated. It felt weird to share all of these cool things that I’m genuinely excited about without coming off as tactless or superficial. I didn’t want to fake my way through posting in an effort to meet the scheduling I’d set on myself, so I decided a break was in order. And yes, it was definitely not you, it was me. I didn’t really have a timeline for getting back into posting, only that I didn’t want it to be too long and I wanted writing to feel natural again.

But then I saw Zie retweeted this tweet and it really struck a cord.

So now, here I am! And with such timing, too, as I’ll be celebrating f-i-v-e y-e-a-r-s of sharing my favorite recipes, restaurants, trips, crafts and tips with you this month. Time flies! There will be some cool changes coming soon-ish. Changes that I can’t wait to share with you, but will require some patience on your end (I’ve gotta whip some stuff together!) But hold tight! I think you’ll like what I have in store. So in the meantime, let’s get back to our first Friday Five of 2017, shall we!?

1. As my photo above indicates, the weather in Napa has been rainy as of late, which means I’m craving soups! This Thai-style soup is what dreams are made of.

2. This vintage map of France is amazing! The origin of every famous French food is mapped out.

3. While seemingly geared toward a family household, I love these tips for creating a happier home.

4. Want to make a sweet gift for Valentine’s Day? This sauce looks both easy and delicious!

5. SO proud of my home region of Napa Valley for making the New York Times’ list of places to visit in 2017! For those of you intent on visiting, let me know! Now to hit up the others on the list I’ve not yet been to..

 

Friday Five

Eeeek! Christmas is next weekend and I am so not done shopping. Ugh. I’m going to forget about how stressed this makes be by diving into some seriously cool posts for Friday Five, bubbles in hand. Join me?

1. To be honest, I felt the same way after leaving this sweet town. I’m already planning my return!

2. The popovers at Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco are what I dream about at night. Seriously. After reading this recipe, I’ll be trying my hand at making my own!

3. Umm.. I’m kind of mad I didn’t think of this hack sooner. Wine for everyone!

4. The Romantic went to Copenhagen (with a baby!) and lived to tell her tale here. Now I can’t stop thinking about it!

5. Yes, I still have not tried cooking scallops. But, this recipe sounds like even I couldn’t mess it up!

The Best Tacos in Puerto Vallarta

Do you ever have those trips where some details are intensely more vivid than others? For me, those details typically revolve around food. I have a friend heading out to Puerto Vallarta after the New Year and she asked me for recommendations on places to eat and things to do. Luckily for her, my tastebuds (okay, and my travel journal) wouldn’t let me forget my favorite places and things to eat while I was in Puerto Vallarta in almost exactly two years ago.

During my trip, it was clear that a few new restaurants that had popped up since my last visit to PV (which was my senior year in high school…yikes!) and it was a bit overwhelming trying to figure out where to get the best food in a touristy location. Nearly every restaurant we passed in the downtown area had someone trying to lure us in or huge signs promising the best *insert food item here* and I found it hard to make a decision.

There were also all sorts of ads for food tours but I found myself not really being drawn to one in particular. So, I decided to create my own taco crawl. And let me just tell you, this was an awesome idea! Thanks to the (usually) helpful Yelp and Trip Advisor reviewers, I ventured to a variety of restaurants and stuffed myself with the most delicious tacos I’ve had in a while.

Friday Five

Happy Friday! I’m getting into the holiday spirit big time. Wreath on my door, check. Cookie recipes printed, check. Liquor cabinet stocked, check. Super exciting trip booked post-holiday, check. (More on that later!) How are the holidays treating you? Swell, I hope.

Let’s get going with the weekend and this week’s Friday Five:

1. As a cocktail fanatic, I’m loving this list of pretty (and tasty) booze for gifting or stocking ones bar cart. Definite gift inspo!

2. I’d always imagined my (one day) trip to Bangkok would feature me in beachwear and eating street food. After reading this post, I’m thinking my trip will have at least one fancy dining experience!

3. Ugh. I still kick myself for not visiting Slovenia while studying in the Czech Republic many years ago. The photos from this post are making my regret taste just a tad more bitter.

4. Healthy and tasty? These muffins are perfect for the season!

5. I wish I’d read Leah’s post about packing for Paris before my trip a few years back! I’d have looked much more stylish!

A New Christmas Tradition: Racine Danish Kringle

Drawing Secret Santa names. Deciding on menus for Christmas Eve and Christmas Dinner. Baking with my mom in her kitchen. Trimming the tree while drinking wassail. Deliberately cooking too much food to ensure a proper amount of leftovers. Arranging the dinner table centerpiece with candles and festive citrus and herbs from my mom’s garden.

Despite loving the wave of nostalgia I feel when I think about my family’s holiday traditions, there’s something kind of neat about stumbling upon a new one.