Listen: Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers (Director: Tarik Saleh)

Lykke Li is one of my favorite artists! Just pre-ordered her second album, coming out March 1!

Maybe Eat: Chocolate Almond Croissant from Breadbar

I love the granola at Breadbar. It is my favorite in the whole world. Which probably means I should write a review on it, but that will be another day. Today I am reviewing the Chocolate Almond Croissant from Breadbar which I bought for J and me to enjoy for breakfast.

I wanted to love it. It was gorgeous, and inviting. But when I took a bite, I was surprised by how dense the almond filling was. It was not as light and airy as I had imagined it would be. Don't get me wrong, it was still tasty, but I think from now on, I'll stick with the granola and the focaccia (which is also suberb!)

Breadbar

www.breadbar.net

8718 West Third Street

Los Angeles, CA

(310) 205-0124

Must Eat: Slammin' Sliders

Tuesday- Food Trucks @ Victorian.

Drink: Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon

We wanted a red wine to pair with J's steaks. Tonight's pick off our wine rack (random) was the Robert Mondavi Winery 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon.

It is actually pretty high scoring! Here are the winemaker's notes:

This Cabernet Sauvignon has deep, expressive aromas and flavors of berry and black currant with nuances of mocha, violets and spice. The fruit envelops an elegant structure with firm, velvety tannins and excellent length. The wine's personality comes from the soils and climates of vineyards located in the geographic center of Napa Valley. Fermentation with both native and cultured yeast strains gives layers of nuance to the wine, and extended skin contact intensifies varietal complexity and softens tannins. The wine was aged in French oak château barrels and bottled it without filtration to capture the full flavor profile and lush texture.

critical acclaim:

"A lovely young Cab, rich and balanced, and with the elegance you expect from this producer. Made from all 5 Bordeaux varieties, with a drop of Syrah, the wine is potent in red and black currant, blackberry and new oak flavors, with sweetly ripe tannins. Delicious now, it should develop through 2015."

91 Points

Wine Enthusiast

For more information on this specific bottle of wine, click here.

Must Eat: Smitty's BBQ, Lockhart, Texas

OMG - we had the best BBQ pork ribs either of us had ever eaten at this unassuming little joint in Lockhart Texas this past Sunday morning. We were driving from San Antonio where we were for a wedding Saturday night to Houston to visit some other friends and J insisted we make a detour to hit up this joint.

"Are you crazy? We're going to eat BBQ at 9am?" I asked J. He told me that it was rated as one of the top 5 BBQ in Texas and even Golf magazine had recommended it. He assured me it would be worth it. I was skeptical.

J was right. The ribs were perfectly smoked, and the meat fell off the bone. With each bite, I was transported to foodie paradise. It was, as they say, "finger lickin good."

We got the brisket as well and thought that was okay. For $9.50 per pound of meat, it was a pretty sweet deal.

Smitty's Market

208 South Commerce Street

Lockhart, Texas. 78644

(512) 398-9344

www.smittysmarket.com

Cook: Sauteed Broccolini

J is working late today so I decided to return to the gym for the first time in over a month (maybe two - gasp!) By the time I got home, I was tired and hungry. So I decided to give the Trader Joes premade Chicken Marsala a try. 3 minutes in the microwave and total yum! I had bought a couple bunches of broccolini (aka baby broccoli) the other day so I googled a recipe and voila - within ten minutes had a delightful and healthy weekday supper.

I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart:

Olive oil (approx 3 tablespoons)

2 bunches of baby broccoli (1 1/4 lbs)- stems trimmed.

salt and pepper to taste

3 cloves garlic

Heat Oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, add garlic. Then, add baby broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until baby broccoli has turned bright green and is tender (about 9 min). Serve immediately!

How to get a passport in one day!

Last week, we learned that J's grandma had a heart attack and was hospitalized. We scrambled and bought last minute airfare tickets from United Airlines using their "compassion fares". We were all packed and ready to go when realized that I had no idea where my passport was!

Frantically, I searched online and to my surprise and relief, I learned that you CAN get a passport in ONE day if you are lucky enough to live close to one of 14 regional centers.

Thankfully, we live in LA so I was able to go to the Federal Buildling @ 13000 Wilshire Blvd and successfully get a passport on Wednesday. We were on our way to Canada Thursday at 7am.

Here are some links that I found helpful:

• Getting a same day passport
• How to get a passport in Los Angeles

Good news! Grandma is on the road to recovery!