Currently...

1. I love the dramatic gradient effect of Ombre haircolor.  It looks really effortless (maybe because it looks like your roots are growing in? hah), beachy, and perfect for summer.  I'm not sure if this coloring would suit me...I'm really on-the-fence about trying this one out.
2. I get really excited when Spring comes around, because the weather is absolutely perfect for hiking.  I've already ventured out on a few, and I realized that when I'm surrounded by nature, I am full of ideas.  Next time I go for a hike, I'll be sure to bring this journal.
3. This hand-painted moon locket is adorable, and I think I need it immediately.
4. When the sun sets, I'm finding myself listening to records & sitting out on my balcony writing, drawing, or reading (with a glass of wine, of course).  One of my favorite ways to spend my time alone.
5. It's California Poppy season, which means I get to finally make a trip to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve to wander around and take photographs.
6. The Communal-Table series of cookbooks really embodies why I love cooking.  Gathering friends together to share a meal is one of my favorite things in the world.  These cookbooks are great & book is illustrated beautifully.
7. I drink a mug of Zhena's Red Lavender Tea every morning when I wake up.  I don't think that I could live without it.
8. Rachel Comey is a shoe genius.  I would buy this pair of clog platforms in an instant if I wasn't saving up for Europe...but the thing is, I think I need these shoes for Europe...what am I supposed to do!? (P.S. It's my birthday next month.)
9. My friend Sara and I just started a new tradition: Lazy Sundays with friends. Every Sunday we are going to have a picnic/bbq/potluck/craft night/game night/gathering around town and invite everyone we know.  Last Sunday, a group of us met at Echo Park Lake and hung out all day.  It was really lovely and we are excited to continue this tradition and let it flourish.

What Wendy Ate

On Friday night, Brian and I attempted to cook a scrumptious-sounding recipe from one of my favorite foodie blogs What Katie Ate.
We went to Whole Foods where we picked up our fresh ingredients:

I opted for Conchiglie shells which I found to hold the cream sauce rather well.  I also asked the butcher to cut the Speck pretty thick so that I could dice it up appropriately.  As an appetizer we grilled some slices of fresh baguette (brushed with olive oil) with mozzarella, basil, oregano and a few of the tomatoes we slow-roasted for the pasta. It's definitely important to use fresh ingredients (no dried herbs, no canned vegetables, etc) when you cook.  Your food will only taste as fresh as the ingredients that go into it.  I let the speck & pecorino cream sauce cook down more slowly than the original recipe (for about 15 minutes).  The flavors had more time to develop and the sauce turned out perfectly.  When I was done, I mixed the al-dente pasta with the peas in a serving dish.  I then poured the speck & pecorino cream sauce over the pasta and topped it with the slow-roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, oregano and a small bit of the cheese on top.  We paired our meal with a bottle of a Coppola blend (I had never tried it before...and I thought it was just 'ok.').  For dessert, Brian and I each had a chocolate canoli.

We spent the next hour following our meal in a food-induced coma and then went to bed.  For breakfast the next morning, I ate the leftovers while Brian was still asleep.

Recipe via What Katie Ate