Plums and Pearls

Sweet Cravings for February

Here's what I've consumed this month... 

1. Carmelized Mango Passion Fruit Cheese Cake from Chinois on Main
2. Homemade Blueberry Scones by my friend Tanya
3. Checkerboard Mousse Cake by Trader Joe's
4. Profiteroles with Vanilla Ice Cream from The Penthouse
5. Vanilla Cream Puffs by Beard Papa's

"Cupcakes and cookies, when eaten within reason are not bad for you...The fun stuff is what makes life worth living, right? What would the world be like with no ice cream, no cupcakes, no french fries, and no hot dogs!" - Michelle Obama

 

Taste of Summer

{Cherries and Red Wine}

During the Summer, I like to skip the pasta and potatoes and go for lighter meals that rely heavily on fruits and vegetables. I also get a major sweet tooth with the warmer weather. Does that happen to anyone else? This Summer, I've been focused on combining different flavors that I wouldn't normally pair together, like adding Mandarin oranges to my salsa or enjoying a glass of Merlot with some cherries. XOXO, Jovian

{Glamour Mag, DVR and Starbursts}

{Macaroons from Bottega Louie}

{I added Mandarin Oranges to my homemade salsa}

{White Corn waiting to be baked in foil with butter and taco mix}

{Steak and Arugula Salad inspired by this recipe}

{A Friday night treat - The Umami Burger}

SASAYA, Japanese Dining

Sasaya is located in West L.A. and is an excellent Izakaya. I absolutely love sushi and now I am moving on to experience Japanese dining at its finest. This place is very unassuming. It looks from the outside like another little sushi restaurant but when you go in it's got a New York feel. I think it stems mostly from the intimate seating arrangements, brick walls and dim lights hanging from above. The service is wonderful and I noticed a lot of Japanese speakers dining around me which is always a good sign for true authenticity! I don't do many restaurant reviews unless they are superb. This is beyond superb. Come with a group and order Japanese tapas and a bottle of sake. Enjoy! XOXO, Jovian 

Dine LA at Cliff's Edge

Are you looking for a restaurant with great ambiance, a romantic setting, outdoor seating, Christmas lights and candle lights on your table? Silver Lake has some of the greatest restaurants in L.A. (in my opinion). Many of their restaurants are secretly hidden within their small residential streets and you would never know that you were dining in the middle of Los Angeles. Cliff's Edge was my first stop for Winter 2011 DineLA.

***

As soon as I entered the place, I saw a large tree stump beautifully decorated with small tables and couples surrounding the decor. It was beautiful, stunning and perfect for a date night.  

Fashion: Dress by Forever21 and Crystal Braided Necklace by Plums and Pearls 

Food: Argula Peach Salad, Rack of Lamb

Catal, Downtown Disney

Catal is located at the heart of Downtown Disney. Not many would expect to find a beautiful restaurant like this one outside of Disneyland. If you sit outside on their terrace you get to watch the beautiful fireworks that they put on every evening. My boyfriend and I got to enjoy the show between our appetizers and main dish. We then toasted to our Sauvignon Blanc while celebrating nothing in particular except for each other's company. Come to this place at 8:30 p.m. Happy January.

XOXO, Jovian

Catal