Carrots n Cake Orlando Culinary Adventures

Last week I blogged about some of the yummy yummy food choices here in Orlando. I popped over to food blogger Carrots n Cake to see what she was up to and lo and behold, she recently took a trip down here to Orlando to sample the cities food offerings. Hah! How could I not share...

A few of her pit stops that I am jazzed to try out:

Orlando Brewing Company

Farris & Fosters Chocolate Factory

Jazz Brunch at The Boheme

Le Coq Au Vin

Pho 88

Waldorf Astoria La Luce
Waldorf Astoria Bull & Bear
Orlando Food Hot Spots

Reason #7 to Visit Orlando

The spaaaaaaah. I know, I know, what city in the US doesn't have a spa? Big whoop, right? WRONG! YOU'RE WRONG! DOUBLE TRIPLE WRONG!!! Ahem, excuse me...

With seemingly nothing BUT hotels in the Orlando area, we are absolutely lousy with amazing spa options from the Ritz-Carlton to the Waldorf Astoria to the Rosen Shingle Creek and on to more low-key ventures. There really seems to be a perfect spa for one and all! Now who doesn't want to visit a place like that?!

The Woodhouse is a country-wide chain of spas that is consistently ranked as the best and we Orlandoans (? that kind of sounds dumb) are lucky enough to have our very own franchise right here. See, we ARE special.

Now, I have not been to any of these Orlando spas what with being unemployed and all, but one day soon... One Day Soon.

Really, I can't think of much that sounds better right about now... Who could turn that down? Have any of you out there been to a Woodhouse Spa?

Want.

St. Kilda Jewelry. Front and back views. $610. I'll take one, please.

On another happy note, my mommerella is coming to O-town to visit tomorrow and I am SO jazzed, but not nearly as excited as her grandson Teeny! TRAVEL SAFE MA!

{Us in Monterey, CA circa 2008. Yea, we're cute.}

So Well Loved

"All day long I listen to Dave Matthews and day dream about you..."

5 months married today! Every day is sweeter than the last.

I'm Versatile, How About You?

Fab mommy and fellow Angelino Lulu over at Lulu in LA bestowed this very special award on me with the honor of sharing 7 random facts about myself for all the world to read. After, I pass the award on to 7 other inspiring bloggers. Hers were pretty nutty, (she had braces for 10 years!) so hopefully I can keep up.


1) I am probably the clumsiest person you will ever meet. In my life I have had multiple trips to the ER for burns and stitches (including 2 separate sets on my pretty mug), but I have yet to break any bones. Go me!

2) Despite this innate clumsiness I fancy myself a dancer and a yogi (yogina?). I love and have done both off and on my whole life. There's just nothing like groovin to the hot jams! If I really want to get in the mood, I put on Whitney Houston's "I wanna dance with somebody" and It. Is. On. You know one reason I have the world's best husband? Because he listens to, sings along with, and (if I'm really lucky) dances with me to poppy dance music like Shakira and Lady Gaga.

3) Speaking of my husband... He asked me out in 10th grade and I flat turned him down. What? He was a total trouble-maker! We were friends from that point on and 12 years later he asked me to marry him. That time I said most definitely YES. Our wedding was the best week of my life topped by the best day of my life. He's my everything. :)

4) If I HAD to narrow my favorite books list down to one (and it is a BIG list, I love reading and am considering going back to school to become a librarian), I would say my favorite book is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. It kind of blows my mind.

5) I have been to every continent on this great Earth except Antarctica or Australia. When I was a little kid it was my dream to be a traveling photojournalist for National Geographic. That, or a ballerina. Traveling is one of the things in life that really makes me feel alive. My passports is, thusly, one of my most prized possessions. We are planning a trip to Central America for next year and I AM SO PUMPED!

6) I used to teach high school art in downtown Los Angeles. Moral of the story: I'm tough yet sensitive. Don't mess with me.

7) I can speak 14 languages... PSYCH! But wouldn't that be amazing?

the real 7) My first real career aspirations were to become a costume designer. I interned/worked on tv shows (Hello! Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen junior high school era sitcom), in LA theater costume shops, at university theater shops and also at museum's costume departments. You know what I learned from all of this? Most costume design work is plain and simple sweatshop labor until you hit it big. I really love theater and miss having design work as such a big part of my life, but who knows, maybe one day I will hit it big without the slave labor portion of that particular career ladder ;)

Hope you enjoyed a mini-glimpse into my world. It was fun sharing. NOW... on to the nominations! If you have already been nominated or just dont feel like writing one, well good for you! But please consider my nomination a hearty slap on the back.

1) My pal Katie of Bees and Bows
2) Lovely Lenore from Lather.Write.Repeat.
3) Punctuation Mark
4) Mariah at Size Too Small
5) The Zhush
6) Elizabeth of DapperPaper
7) Shannon of What's Up Whimsy

Happy Weekend!!!

I Think I Love You Pink Peacock Paperie

Have you heard of Pink Peacock Paperie? They make super d'duper cute little 8" x 10" frameable posters for pretty darn cheap. What's even better, is they are instant. Through their website you pay for the high quality download and then take it to your printer.

I am majorly loving this I heart U alphabet print.


Too cute, no?

BMF Etsy in Your Inbox

Just shipped out 3 new Etsy orders! Lots of happy brides and grooms out there gettin' hitched and letting me be a little part of it. Makes me so happy.

Life is so good.


If you haven't visited my Etsy store please have a little looksee.

Fall 2010: 90's Fashion Flash Back Attack

Have you guys noticed it yet? The 90's are fighting their way back into fashion of late. Not the 90's grunge look so much as the 90's reinterpretation of the 70's look.

Did I lose you? Think Blossom meets Clarissa Explains it All meets Clueless with a bit more modern thrown in and you've pretty much got the look down pat.

It looks a little something like this meets this...

{via Free People and DKNY}

I'm not sure how I feel about this on the whole as it reminds me ENTIRELY too much of elementary school, but it is also tres fall-inspired and I am loving the changing seasons right now. Here are the top 4 trends moving this look forward.

#1) The bodysuit is back... no, seriously.

{via Tush Magazine and Free People}

#2) Choker? I don't even know her! This ain't your fifth grade choker, add some chunky beads and you're there.

{via WhoWhatWear}

#3) The color maroon (also known as Ox-Blood... gross).

{via DKNY}

#4) Blossom Hats. I think this one is self-explanatory. Right?

{via Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren}

#5) Oversized 90's menswear inspiration for the ladies.

{Alexander Wang and Zac Posen}

What do you all think of the 20 year leap of the 70s inspired 90's look we've got going on this fall?

Reason #6 to Visit Orlando

Little Vietnam!

According to Wikipedia: "A thriving Vietnamese quarter called 'Little Vietnam' exists in the Colonialtown district of Orlando, Florida. The neighborhood has become a landmark in the city of Orlando and consist of a countless, and always growing, number of restaurants, groceries, and Vietnamese professional offices. Stores supply Asian pop-culture to the community in the form of karaoke bars, Boba tea shops, Vietnamese video and music shops, and stores featuring candies and collectibles from across Asia."

J and I fancy ourselves adventurous eaters, and finding new favorite mom and pop restaurants ranks pretty high on our list of favorite things to do in life. Thus, while there are certainly countless fun stores to peruse and markets to plunder, we shall be sticking to a mainly gastronomical tour of Little Vietnam today.


I have yet to check out Pho 88, although (and I'm really really sorry if this sounds racist but I don't mean it that way at all), I can't wait to try it because it's always packed with Vietnamese people. That's got to be a good sign right?! Have you ever had authentic, delicious, on the reals Pho? It is heaven. Have you ever had not so great fakey Pho? It ain't heaven...

Also on our list to try is Loving Hut, which is all vegan all the time. As a non-dairy-eater, this excites me greatly. This one is actually a chain so if any of yall have tried it out, let me know what you think. Reading through their menu online is seriously making my stomach growl. Grrar.


Ba Le Bakery has some DARN good (and darn cheap, I'm talking $3 each) banh mi, which is Vietnamese for freaking tasty meat and veg sandwich on fresh baked bread. J tried the pulled pork and I stuck with chicken and we were both beyond thrilled with our selections. We also shared a coconut milk tapioca for $1.25 more... Seriously, don't mind if I do.

I would also recommend trying out Lac Viet Bistro if you are at all interested in mouth-explosion flavor heaven. LOVED the spicy coconut soup. If you are ever sick with a head-cold and find yourself in Central Florida... I am betting this soup would clear you right up. It was creamy and delicious with a hint of mint and lime and a whole lot of heat. Yum to the num.

Did I make you hungry?!

Book Blog Recommendations

Hey faithful fans. If I haven't said it in a while but thank you for reading, commenting and being so positive and amazing on BMF. You all really bring so much joy into my life.

Now that Ive got you all buttered up... Do any of ya'll read good book blogs that you can recommend? I keep bugging my friends for book suggestions but I thought maybe I would try the blogosphere for some more reviews/suggestions. I tend to read blogs that are a tad snarky. Any website recommendations? I also really like healthy eating/recipe blogs (thanks a lot Rach) if you have a fav of those too I would love to hear about it.

Thanks guys!

Also, my husband started his first day of graduate school today! If you knew the same 15 year old version of this man that I did, you would be as amazed, impressed and inspired as I feel right now. I am one proud wife. He fills my heart up!


For those of you that are teachers or moms getting ready to head back into the classroom, you rock my world sisters.

Hope your Monday was just swell ;)