Random Realization

As much as I find the idea of working from home quaint, novel, and highly desirable, I now realize that I need a physical office away from home in order to keep my beauty copywriting career at its full and optimal potential. The only things that I find that I'm able to do sufficiently well at home are the following:

- Cook
- Eat
- Write about what I cooked and ate
- Browse the internet (because believe it or not, I rarely leisurely browse when I'm at work)
- Plan a yoga class
- Do yoga
- Write about life and yoga
- Nap and sleep

So, unless I take steps to make some of the above become my full-time occupation—food blogging, yoga teaching, and yoga/life blogging—I shall continue to be part of the daily hustle and bustle of working in New York City, being a copywriter in the fabulous world of beauty.

Now, getting to the office is one thing. I do love and enjoy having an office and being among coworkers (surprisingly, what with my social awkwardness). My ultimate goal/dream/wish as a professional is to be shuttled back and forth via car service. I want to work as hard as Bloomberg, but not have to be in a jam-packed train during rush hour. But then again, the mayor himself takes the subway—and so do CEOs, Julia Stiles, Scarlett Johansson, Jay Z*, et.al.—so touché!

(*Maybe Hova doesn't count, probably had a full security detail in tow, hah!)

New York Summer Streets

Bikers on Park Avenue.

"Summer Streets is an annual celebration of New York City’s most valuable public space—our streets. On three consecutive Saturdays in the summer, nearly seven miles of NYC’s streets are opened for people to play, walk, bike, and breathe... On August 3, 10 & 17, from 7am to 1pm, nearly seven miles of New York City’s streets are opened up for everyone to play, run, walk and bike." Source: NYC.gov

Here are pics from yesterday's lovely walk down Park Avenue from 42nd St. by Grand Central, down to the Flat Iron District in the 20s. Summer Streets goes the full stretch from East 72nd St., all the way downtown at Brooklyn Bridge. Here's the route from the website:

Summer Streets route, including rest stops.

Park Avenue tunnel closed to traffic from 7am to 1pm.

Sharing the streets.

Bikers, rollerbladers (even skateboarders and unicyclers) all welcome!

It looks like they added more Citibikes for rent for this event.

A Gotham-y shot near 23rd St.

Happy Valentine's Day!

This sweet vanilla cupcake topped with a rich, creamy swirl of Valrhona chocolate butter frosting will make your heart swoon and make you fall in love with life itself!

For this, I referenced the recipe in my "Cupcakes a la NYC" post (also at Allmysugar.com). They're inspired by Magnolia Bakery's vanilla-chocolate cupcakes, or even Eleni's—both in New York.

Because I forgot to get some at the grocery earlier, I substituted the melted unsweetened chocolate originally called for with the Valrhona cocoa powder I already had in the pantry. Unfortunately, I didn't measure it out and just kept adding cocoa by the spoonfuls to the frosting, until it tasted just about right. I'd say about five tablespoons, but let your tastebuds be the judge :)

Have a sweet Valentine's Day! With love from NYC :)

Malt Ball Overload

At Dylan's Candy Bar :) 

Mariel Jimenez | 30-day Blog Challenge 2013 | Day 29

Norwegian Benedict at Smörgåschef

Norwegian Benedict at Smörgåschef, Scandinavia House 

58 Park Ave New York, NY 10016

Mariel Jimenez | 30-day Blog Challenge 2013 | Day 17

Veggies!

Gorgeous greens (and reds) at #WholeFoods :) #nofilter

Mariel Jimenez | 30-day Blog Challenge 2013 | Day 9

Best. (Fish) Sandwich. Ever.

To make a really good fish sandwich, you’re better off making at home. (Check out my D.I.Y. Fish Fillet Sandwich post.)

But then again, enter, Dishes NYC’s sandwich special of the week, Filet of Sole

“Beer batter filet of sole with tortilla chips, kale jalapeno coleslaw, chipotle lime mayo, brioche roll.”

Best. Sandwich. Ever!

Mariel Jimenez | 30-day Blog Challenge 2013 | Day 4

Yoga Journey

One weekend at Sonic Yoga. This space feels like home.
(Image courtesy of Lisa Diebold Smith)

When I started the 200-hour teacher training at Sonic Yoga three months ago, here in New York City, I honestly had no desire or intention to teach. I simply was after the discipline and structure that would result from having a schedule to follow for the duration of the training: alternating full weekends from nine a.m. to six p.m.; weekly Monday night conference calls; and weekly Thursday evening classes. As the training unfolded, I would find out that I also had to complete "non-contact" hours on my own, which included practice teaching, papers, observations, and more.

I felt lethargic that first weekend, although I did take plenty of notes. Fast-forward to today, three months after, my classmates and I have just completed our written and practical exams, and spent one fantastic, heartwarming, and fabulous final weekend together! Just a few more assignments and classes away, I can request for my certificate of completion and apply for the 200-hr RYT at Yoga Alliance. I can't wait! (RYT stands for "registered yoga teacher"; and yes, I've just Googled that!)

My light bulb moment? Midway through the training, it clicked: I wanted to teach yoga. It could have been the educational anatomy weekend, learning about Ayurveda, the peace, love, joy, and camaraderie among my co-teachers-in-training, the humor and talent of our teachers, or the accessibility and heart-centeredness of this 5,000-year-old practice... Somewhere along the way, my desire to teach manifested itself, so that's where I am now.

It's an ongoing journey, I've come to learn. Many of us will continue to study and be part of the community: There's the Mentorship Program, 300-hour training, working as a Karmi at the studio... or even as simple—yet profound—as creating a steady and consistent home practice.

Where do I go from here? I will be doing at least one of the above as soon as I finish the rest of my requirements. It truly is an unbelievable journey filled with love for one's self and others. By tapping into the physical aspect of poses, here is a practice that can open up the heart and mind and lead one into a more spiritual, kind, and loving place.

Hooray!

Sprinkles of Fun

Now one of my favorite NYC stopovers!
Sprinkles Cupcakes, 780 Lexington Ave. New York, NY 10065

Speaking of happy, vibrant, and colorful things, on a recent trip to California, my sister-in-law got me into Sprinkles Cupcakes. Here's what the brand says about their delectable concoctions:

"Since we opened the world's first cupcake bakery in Beverly Hills, our freshly baked treats have inspired long lines of devoted Hollywood stars and serious epicureans alike."

I first bought their red velvet, raspberry, and S'more cupcakes at the Newport Beach branch and then went on to happily devour the delicious little cakes at a nice mini-picnic patch by Laguna Beach, while enjoying the picturesque views with family. What set these cupcakes apart were their moist texture and not-too-cloyingly-sweet frosting. Whereas most cupcakes here in the U.S. are pretty, some are sugar bombs with dry, crumbly interiors. Sprinkles ranks first on my plate in terms of presentation, flavor, and texture. It's also a plus that the shop only makes 12 variants a day and comes up with limited-edition specials, such as this month's vanilla hazelnut chocolate cupcakes.

Back in New York and back at work, I couldn't stop raving about these treats. THEN a coworker mentioned that we do have Sprinkles in town, right by Bloomingdales on 60th St. and Lexington!

So guess who's gone back more than four times to date?:)

Perfect for picnics! Red velvet and S'more cupcakes. 

Cute cupcake "schedule" card!

Keep at room temperature, do not refrigerate, eat within two days.
(For more info, visit http://www.sprinkles.com/about-sprinkles-cupcakes/faq/#)

Fashion's Night Out version! 

What's not to love?

Bottom, left: limited edition raspberry cupcake from August—absolutely delicious!

Last Call for Summer

Pink ribbed tank, Uniqlo; pink and purple printed
shorts, Target; old gold and white bead necklace,
made by a former editor turned accessories designer;
cuff, Happy David; bangles, "secret" accessories

store in NY

Summer in the city is my absolute favorite season of the year for the simple reason that I'm not freezing and I can get dressed in five minutes flat. Bright and airy fabrics, vibrant prints, and happy florals make up my warm-weather wardrobe. But alas—come September first, summer would be "officially" over. There's that no-white-pants-after-Labor-Day "rule" (why not???) and already, sweaters and boots filling up store shelves. So what's a busy New York bee to do? Blog! …About the fun and fab summer clothes that I'll definitely still be wearing next summer. They're a mix of old and new pieces, high and low finds (or more like "medium" and low) and accessories culled over time.

Cheers to a summer well-enjoyed!

Calypso for Target mixed-bead, multi-layer necklace.

Very, very old Gap tank from my mom;
Topshop shorts circa Summit days;
same accessories as opening photo.

LOVE this dotted, bright melon ball skirt from Zango!
Wooden bead necklace, an old gift from Kat;
bronze Havaianas sandals; Fossil watch from my husband.

Snap-happy!

I was testing out the Snap Widget plugin the other night and it generated a nice montage of my latest Instagram pics.

And below is the original screenshot (because the above thumbnails will change as I continue to upload photos onto the app):

Summer Instagram

Photos from a warm, happy Friday afternoon/evening :)

It rained early Friday morning, so I went to work in black rain boots…only to step out mid-afternoon in 91-degree weather. HOT! Hence, the instant sandal purchase!
(A good deal, at $18, from a store called Afaze near Herald Square.)

And speaking of footwear, Alvs and I met up at K-town for dinner at Woorijip, and ended up strolling the 10+ blocks to Bed Bath & Beyond in Chelsea. En route, we stumbled upon the new Nike store in Flat Iron, and the not-so-new (and still fabulous) New Balance store where everything was 25% off! Come one, come all! 

Before meeting up with the husband, I actually spent time with two coworker-friends and went accessories-shopping. I picked up the gold hammered(?) button earrings from Afaze, and proceeded to their "secret" haunt in the area.
(Sorry! My lips are sealed!)

My coworker handed me these and said "They're you." Agree. Heart summer colors; heart summer things!

Waay before the shopping and fab finds, my other coworker was headed to a Yankees game and showed me this.
Of course I HAD to try it on! Who can resist full-on, frilly HRH goodness?

Happy Summer, everyone! Hopefully, more blogs in July!

FitFlopping

Now I get why millions have already bought FitFlops!

FitFlops seem to belong in the category of mass-produced footwear wonders—e.g. Crocs, Toms and so forth. People either think they're fantastic…or downright (f)ugly.

When it comes to these mega-popular ped picks, I had always been on neutral ground, with the exception of the first version of Crocs—to me, they're only cute on children. But, to each her own, right? That said, newer styles, like the Carliana Peep Toe Ombré blue-green shoe below, would actually look pretty on adults. As for Toms, I've tried shopping for them on several occasions, but for some reason, it hasn't worked out. Whether it's the size, color, or simply the mood, I have yet to find the perfect pair. I'll probably end up with something sparkly, like the Pink Women's Glitters below, or their classic red.

As for FitFlops, here's a bit of a backstory:

Marcia Kilgore held a series of random jobs before becoming a personal trainer, and then a facialist…with a seventh-month waitlist in her New York City studio. She later on founded the popular Bliss Spa and was somewhat responsible for changing the image of spas from matronly and antiseptic, to chic, comfortable, and cozy. A Vogue feature came along, so did a slew of celebrity clients, culminating in a multi-million dollar deal with Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) for a stake in her company. Bliss eventually expanded to include a line of skin and body products. And in 2007, Kilgore went on to create FitFlops—with the intention of having a slipper that can give your legs a workout when you wore them. Brilliant. According to this Asia Tatler article, over 12 million pairs have already been sold to date. (Read a detailed, pre-FitFlop biography for Kilgore here.)

Fab or flop?

AT some point, Kilgore also launched the kitschy/retro cosmetics brand, Soap & Glory. But that's a whole blog topic altogether.

About two years ago, my cousin-and-law, accessories designer Happy David, told me how comfy FitFlops were—that she had walked in them for four days in Washington DC. On rare and random occasions, I've passively tried on the purportedly cushiony sandal, finding that they looked funny on my feet…until yesterday. While walking around and shopping in SoHo, I chanced upon this one:

FitFlop Women's Hooper Thong Sandals

It must have been the hot weather and my feet having been enclosed in sneakers and socks all morning and early afternoon, but it instantly felt wonderful slipping into these sandals. Of course, I did the renegade trying-on-a-few-pairs and cementing the fact that I don't look good in most of them, BUT, when it came to this model—and another bright white style on the display wall—I was compelled to get them because apart from the ahh factor, they actually looked good this time around. And now, looking at the other pairs on the brand's website, it looks like I'm going to be hooked!

Tried to get a good solo shot but I guess our doggie wanted in on the photo-fun!
Here, I'm wearing an old top from Forever 21, Gap shorts, and my new, supercomfy Fitflops.

Model and product images courtesy of Fitflops, Toms, Crocs, and Footsmart.com

D.I.Y. Fish Fillet Sandwich

Homemade-takeout hybrid.

At 380 calories per serving, the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich is one of the more calor-rific items on the menu—that's 130 calories more than a Hamburger, or 80 more than a Cheeseburger… Not that any of that has ever stopped me from enjoying the "fishy" fast-food find every now and then.

Crispy, chewy, cheesy…overall scrumptious!

Although these days, whenever I have a hankering for fried fish fillet spliced between two slices of soft bread, smothered with tartar sauce, and topped with a square of cheese, I've taken to the kitchen for the surprisingly easy-to-make treat.

Building blocks of a great sandwich.

The breeziness of the "homemade" version, I credit to the nearby fish store that sells both fresh and cooked seafood—including an assortment of deep-fried fish for the latter: tilapia, flounder, porgy, and more.

And, here's a bit of trivia: When food is fried at the right temperature, the hot oil acts like a "seal" for moisture that steams the food from the inside, which results in minimal oil absorption. Too low of a temp means you have yourself a grease sponge. So, whip out a thermometer and reap delicious—even healthy—results! Or, like me, enjoy a homemade-takeout hybrid meal once in a while, and use the best ingredients you can find. Plus, you know the drill: everything in moderation.

Chomp, chomp, chomp.

Breakfast for Champs

If there's one thing that I love about New York City weekend brunches is the availability of Eggs Norwegian—a delicious take on the classic Eggs Benedict: two poached eggs over a bed of Canadian bacon and two slices of English muffins, all drizzled with creamy hollandaise sauce. The former replaces the bacon with smoked salmon. Rabbit Hole Restaurant in Brooklyn used to be a favorite destination for this, and Smorgas Chef at the Scandinavia House in midtown Manhattan serves up an excellent plate of this perfectly poached combo.

I began the weekend with my first foray into making this dish from scratch, referencing three recipes in the process:

1) English Muffins
These take a while to make (because the recipe calls for yeast and 'resting' time), so I opted for breakfast biscuits. My go-to are Ina Garten's, which I'd blogged about here, but I knew I was topping this dish with the caloric-bomb that is hollandaise, so I searched for a low-fat alternative. Ellie Krieger's Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie Recipe on Foodnetwork.com yielded the crumby, scone-like discs that hold well enough to sop up delicious runny yolks on the plate. They also pair excellently with orange marmalade. By the way, I skipped the oil called for in the recipe, and also used regular all-purpose flour all the way.

2) Poached Eggs
This is hands-down the smartest, easiest way to poach eggs, discovered online by my husband! The following video shows you the "Sous Vide" method—unbelievable and ridiculously simple: First, brush on oil over a large square of cling wrap. Add your favorite seasonings—salt, pepper, and some herbs if you like. Next, place the plastic over a small saucer and drop an egg in. Gather the wrap around the egg and secure it with a piece of string (and now that I think about it, you can even knot the little parcel on top if you have enough room). Drop the egg in simmering water and cook for exactly three minutes. Surprisingly, the plastic wrap doesn't melt and instead, yields the perfect texture and consistency: firm whites encasing soupy yolks. Yum!

3) Hollandaise Sauce
Ahh... The pièce de résistance. Truth be told, it's highly probable that one of the reasons I even got out of bed on Saturday morning to build brunch from scratch is the thought of finally whipping up my first batch of this rich, decadent concoction/emulsion consisting of nothing but egg yolks, melted butter, lemon juice, and a dash of salt and cayenne pepper. It's no wonder that many have been known to approach the subject with trepidation—for one, there's a risk of the eggs scrambling before they become silken; for another, there is the issue of consuming pure yellow cholesterol. That said, everything in moderation makes life pleasant. And, if you set a glass bowl over simmering water—yes, the same one you just used to poach eggs—and whisk happily, while setting the bowl over the counter when things get too hot, you'll top off a great brunch with one of the most decadent sauces known to man. For this, I referenced Tyler Florence's recipe, also on Foodnetwork.com.

Perfectly drizzled with fresh, creamy hollandaise. Mmm...

Other notes:

- The smoked salmon is from Trader Joe's. The only other place that sells it for a reasonable dollar amount is Ikea.
- A biscuit slice slathered with orange marmalade provides a tangy-sweet contrast to the salty-creamy eggs.
- Restos usually add on a side of greens or some form of vegetable. You'll need it, to help justify the hollandaise :)

Building blocks of breakfast goodness.

Jason Wu for Target

Target's trademark red swirls. Love their copywriting!

Now, onto lighter and more exciting things! When I got home earlier today, I found a package from Target waiting for me. If it weren't for my internet savvy-er (and more patient!) husband, I wouldn't have been able to score the following items from the recent Jason Wu collection:

Bought online. Poplin Dress in Navy.

Scored in-store. Cat Tote.

The items were practically gone in a flash the minute they went online—around 1 a.m. EST—and hit stores in the morning on Sunday. According to a sales associate, the line was 50-people long at 7:30 in the morning, in time for the 8 a.m. opening.

Now, I don't have the patience for these things. I was super into the Missoni collection a while back, but when I missed out on it (I went to the store a week later), it wasn't such a big deal. My husband, on the other hand—being the internet marketer that he is—can monitor threads and Facebook updates in real time. For the navy dress, I was almost half asleep when he nudged me that it was up online and ready to be purchased. Within five minutes after we checked out, it was sold out.

While I was asleep, he also got me this cardigan, which was really sweet of him:

Jason Wu for Target Long-Sleeve Pointelle Sweater in Belize Blue.

As for the super cute cat tote, Alvs spotted it on the floor under a rack of clothes leftover from early on. It was facing backward and quite inconspicuous, so people must have just ignored it.

To see the rest of the collection, check out the lookbook at NyMag.com. Here's how I look like wearing the navy dress, tada!

Product stills courtesy of Target.com

On Lazy Days

For as long as I can remember, people in my stream of consciousness have held several occupations at once. When my dad was a bookstore owner, he also dabbled in writing and editing for the local paper (eventually becoming a journalist full-time, and now he's back to being an entrepreneur). During my early years working in the magazine business, all the editors I knew had other things going on besides turning over the monthly issue. Whether it was in the form of writing for sister publications, fashion styling, or makeup artistry, it was the side jobs that paid for cars, trips to Europe, and so forth.

I've pretty much kept the same outlook when it comes to my own work and career: have as much on my plate as possible.

So, suffice it to say, whenever I feel lethargic and all I want to do is stay in bed and watch cooking shows—eating and snacking along the way—I tend to feel guilty. Whenever I skip my to-do list for the evening, it becomes some sort of existential inner debate.

Last night was one of those moments: I had a ton of laundry to do, invoices to work on (for my other job), taxes to file, blogs to write…but all I did was remain in bed, watch TV shows on the desktop, and flip through an unfinished magazine. I simply felt tired—I didn't even feel like making dinner (although I did prep the pastry cream that will go into cream puffs that I have yet to make).

This morning, on the train to work, I read the following in this month's O, The Oprah Magazine:

"Georgia was a proto slacker," writes Karbo. "There were days and weeks when she would read, spend hours tramping around outside, write letters, sew, and play dominoes…. But when Georgia worked, she worked her ass off."

[Sidebar on the book, How Georgia Became O'Keeffe where writer Karen Karbo spotlights the life and times of "a Midwester farm girl as she becomes a self-assured art world phenomenon."]

I immediately felt a sense of relief after reading that paragraph. And, as the day went by, I realized that all these years and even leading up to today, I have benefitted from pockets of listless time. Whether it was a 30 minute afternoon milk-tea break, wasting the living daylights out of one weekend, or even a full-year sabbatical (which I did back in 2009 resulting in a page in a cookbook, among other fun stuff!), so-called lazy days have surprisingly yielded productive results.

A couple of months ago, on a bus ride out of town, I sat next to a writer and editor named Sara Marcus, author of the book, Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution. We were talking about writing books and self-imposed deadlines, and I told her about this long overdue novel in the works. She asked, "What's stopping you?" But during the course of our conversation (it was a long bus ride), she turned to me and said—and, I paraphrase—"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself. In the last four years, you immigrated to a new country, worked on becoming a citizen, got married…that's a lot."

These days, it's good to be reminded to never underestimate slower-than-usual moments, or even one's self—knowing and having faith that a productivity boost is just right around the corner. In the meantime, enjoy the slabs of dark chocolate.

Cord Control

Cute "donuts" for the home.

If you go to ContainerStore.com, you'll find a section specifically for organizing cords: Homepage > Shop Now > Office > Desk Accessories > Cord Control.

Ever since we moved, I've been fixating on this subject. I'm quite good at keeping things kempt in the cord department—given that between Alvs and myself, we have a fair amount of gadgets around the house. These Cable Turtles though, take organization up a notch and beat my go-to hair elastics for managing dangling wiring. I love them!

I got these punchy-hued "donuts" last weekend. Made in the Netherlands (not surprising!), each one features a soft rubber casing that easily flips out to make winding a breeze, and then flips back in for the full cord-keeping effect.

Just make sure you get the right size for what you need.
I'd recommend buying an assortment!

I'm pretty sure you'll find versions of these in Greenhills or CD-R King in Manila. Or, the exact same ones in Make Room. I remember spotting my cousin with something similar when she visited New York. Having said that, I guess this cord organization fixation runs in the family!

Steve Jobs—who favored an uncluttered aesthetic—would be happy. 
(If you go to the Apple store, you'll find that all cords for five, seven computers neatly meet at the center of the table and run down in the same hole housed in one thick tube. I wish I'd taken a picture!)