LSL {Foodie Friday} - Olé

Happy Cinco de Drinko Mayo. You know it's funny how different this holiday is now compared to when I was in college. Then, it was how early could you get up and find a Mexican restaurant that would let you start drinking. Nowadays it's more of a lunch or dinner event with far less margaritas involved. Don't get me wrong both periods in time had their perks, but now I am more concerned with not having a hangover due to all that triple sec. 

Like most people, I love Mexican food and could eat that for most meals, everyday. If you check out Cooking Light's latest issue it's chock-full of yummy and healthy-ish sounding recipes like this and this that you could whip up to make for a Mexican feast. 

However, I decided to pay homage to my Cinco de Drinko days and show you how to make a grown up version of the standard Margarita, a Spicy Grapefruit concoction. I think I'll grab some friends, add some chips and salsa, sip on these, and laugh at ourselves chat about the "good ol college" days?

Spicy Grapefruit Margarita

{via Bon Appetit}

Makes 8

Ingredients

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons tequila

1-2 habanero chiles, halved

Kosher salt

6 cups fresh pink grapefruit juice

Preparation

Mix tequila and chiles in a large pitcher. Let steep 3 hours, or longer if a spicier tequila is desired. Discard chiles. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 month ahead. Cover; chill.

Pour enough water onto a small plate to cover. Pour enough salt onto another small plate to cover by 1/4". Dip rims of eight 12-ounce glasses into water (or rub a lime on them), then into salt to lightly coat; fill with ice. Add grapefruit juice to pitcher with tequila. Fill with ice; stir until cold. Divide drink among glasses.

*Note: The longer the tequila is infused with the chiles, the hotter it gets. And the reviews say this drink is a little on the spicy side so proceed with caution. Or you don't have to spice it up at all and make is a standard grapefruit marg by foregoing the chiles all together. 

If interested in more mouth-watering margarita flavors, go here. What are your weekend Cinco de Mayo plans? Going to a Mexican place like me or bucking the whole tradition and having Chinese food instead? 

Bon Appetit and Happy Weekend!

xo,

L

*Credits - Recipe by Eric Werner via Bon Appetit, Photo by Dean Kaufman

LSL {The Lovely List} - New Collab

Okay, I just died and went to heaven...

This coming October, the 21st to be exact, NATE BERKUS IS COMING TO TARGET! I die. Seriously, right now, I'm dead on the floor.  And how is he looking cuter and cuter every year? #dreamboat xo, L *Credit - YouTube and Target

Snapshots

I cannot believe how social media savvy I have become. Seriously. It used to be me with only a phone and an email address (that I hardly used to check because it was all just promos for places like Old Navy and Sephora). I had no idea what I was missing. Now, I'm a blogger, a booker of the face, a tweeter, a pinterest-er and, most my favorite of late, an instagrammer. I hardly recognize myself. (haha)

Now that I have professed my social media status to the world (which I bet is just a sliver of the pie) can you tell I'm still a rookie to it. But I am trying to make a solid effort to, at the very least, take more pictures. And when you have apps like instagram, picfx, and hipstmatic, it makes regular picture taking a little more exciting.

Here are some snapshots of my busy weekend

Some amazing succulents from my walk

Starting to finally hang those pictures.
Thank you ikea frame filler, you are a helpful guide.

My view

Photoshoot with G & L

Downtown SF

Sunday beach brunch

Honey, I baked

A card from a friend

What are your favorite social media apps? Is there any that a novice like me should know about? Also, I would love to know all your pinterest, twitter, and instagram, names too, I wanna follow you right back.

xo,
L

*Credit - all photos taken with my trusty iPhone

LSL {Foodie Friday} - Lemonade Stand Popsicles

For even more confirmation that summer is quickly approaching, last weekend it was in the 80's and this weekend is predicted to be in the mid to high 70's. Yay! I can think of no other place than SF and the beach than I would rather be soaking up this lovely sunshine. (Thank goodness, that's the plan.) 

Alright I'll admit it, lately I've been having a small addiction to grenadine. Random. Completely! Especially since I haven't touched the stuff since I was last swimming at my neighbor Genny's pool, and that was back when I was in elementary school. Side note. All I remember from those summer pool days was that her dad had one of those hilarious signs that read "Welcome to our ool. Notice there's no "P" in it. Let's keep it that way." Every time I would see it on her back porch I was convinced that when I grew up, I too would be that sophisticated to have a sign that was not only informative, but hilarious too. Awww the humor of a third grader. Thank goodness my sense of humor hasn't matured much since then either, it still cracks me up.

I have been craving grenadine so much that I have been foregoing my usual happy hour wine for a "Lauren" temple. (Yes, our fav bartender even deemed me my own drink, in case your curious -- club soda, some grenadine, and a lime.) It is so refreshing and for some odd reason, more appealing than wine to me. (Gasp! And no Momma J, I'm not prego, it's just a phase.) So, with my love of grenadine in mind, I thought this Foodie Friday I would feature a tri-flavor lemonade popsicle, doesn't get much better than that.

Lemonade Stand Popsicles

{via Somewhere Splendid}

Lemonade Base Recipe

1 cup sugar

1 cup room temperature water

3 cups cold water

1 cup lemon juice

For Pink Lemonade

3 teaspoons grenadine

For Passion Tea Lemonade

4 Tazo Passion tea bags

3 to 4 cups boiling water

Create simple syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture occasionally to help it dissolve, if necessary, then remove the saucepan from the heat when the sugar has completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Pour the lemon juice (either fresh squeezed or store bought is fine) into a pitcher. Dilute the lemonade with the cold water, then add the simple syrup and stir thoroughly to combine.

Create additional batches of the basic lemonade for the other flavors. To create pink lemonade, add the grenadine and stir thoroughly to combine. To create the Passion tea lemonade, steep the tea bags in the boiling water. If you’d prefer a stronger Passion flavor, use a lower amount of water, as the lemonade will dilute it (I generally use, and recommend, only three cups for a more concentrated flavor). Set the tea aside to cool, then combine with the base lemonade recipe.

To assemble the popsicles, arrange a line of small paper cups in a line and pour in the desired amount of lemonade. To create even, equal sections as shown, I used a 1/4 cup measuring spoon to measure out the liquid. When all the cups are filled with their first flavor layer, carefully transfer them to the freezer and let them set for about 30 minutes or until almost solid through – soft enough to insert the stick, but firm enough to support it. Insert the popsicle stick part way through the first layer (but not clean through to the bottom of the cup). Transfer the cups back to the freezer to allow the first layer to set completely.

Continue to add additional layers of the various flavors as desired, ensuring each layer is allowed to be frozen through before continuing. If the layer isn’t completely set, you may get a little bleeding between the layers rather than a crisp line (which you may prefer!). Stop creating layers once the cup is about 3/4 of the way full to avoid any accidental overflow. After the last layer is frozen, serve when ready by ripping open the paper cup.

Don't those sound delicious! And the ombre effect seems like a happy coincidence. Delicious and trendy, bonus. 

Do you have any favorite childhood summer memories? Any favorite refreshing mocktails that you enjoy during these hot summer-like evenings? What about your plans for this weekend, spill.

Bon Appetit and Happy Weekend

xo,

L

DIY - Terrariums

So, I am kind of obsessed with terrariums lately. It's hard not to be they are everywhere. I love them, with they're cute little succulents all placed sweetly in containers. I considered buying every single one I laid my lovely little eyes on, however I was also intrigued by how easy they seem to be to make that I wanted to try it out on my own. Then, as fate would have it, enter an email a couple of months ago that Workshop SF sent out about a terrarium making class, and that was my sign once and for all. 

Since it's been a couple of months and my sweet little ones are still kicking, even after 'the incident,' I thought I would pass my DIY Terrarium knowledge on to you. 

This is the terrarium that I made at the workshop in all its instagram glory. 

Supplies-
Glass jar, with or without lid
Potting soil
Activated charcoal (find at a plant store/nursery)
Small stones, pebbles, or gravel
Succulents
Sheet moss or super moss 
Spray bottle of water
Toppers (for added decor - cupcake toppers, toys, matchbook cars, army men)

*These below pictures are from a simple little succulent garden that I made the other day to spruce up my new abode, but you'll get the idea.

How to-
1. Clean your terrarium jar thoroughly, remove any past cleaners. (if it was used for makin' moonshine, maybe find a new jar). If there is a film on your jar, use a little vegetable oil dabbed on a rag to remove.

2. Add a layer (1-1.5 inches) of rocks/pebbles at the bottom of your jar, this is for drainage.

3. Sprinkle a light layer of activated charcoal on top of your rocks. This acts like a deodorant and actually keeps the terrarium from smelling like an old gym bag. If the terrarium has a lid, add a little extra deodorant.

4. Add 3-4 inches of soil

     

5. Now you are ready to start adding some plants. Dig a few small holes, you will root your plants in these. Leave some open spaces between the holes for your succulents to grow.

6. Place your plants in the holes and pack with soil around the roots so they stand firm. No limp plants here.

7. Tear small pieces of sheet moss/super moss and fill in the empty areas, it acts as a great filler and keeps in moisture. 

8. Add toppers if desired for some added flare.

9. Water. Spray terrarium 1-2 times a week. Closed lid terrariums need less water.

Don't forget to rotate your terrariums every week or so, that way all sides of your little garden will grow.

There you go, a sweet little DIY terrarium, made with love. How do you feel about the terrarium craze? A Big fan of the succulents, like I am? And the great thing about these gardens they are relatively LSL-proof, meaning even my black thumb is starting to turn shades of dark green with how easy these are to do and keep alive. Go me. 

xo, 
L

PS. You should sign up for Workshop SF's email distro list, they have some really great classes. And, if this isn't more of a selling point, their motto is "Drink Beer & Make Stuff" Uhhh, okay.