Angels & Demons

It happens twice a year, 

every year. 

New York, London, Milan and Paris.

As I sit at home and gawk at the endless posts of all the lucky bloggers who get to attend the most amazing shows, 

all I can do is wish and pray that one day I could do the same. 

Fashion Week in San Diego gets bigger and bigger each year,

which is awesome. 

Unfortunately I didn't get to attend any of the events this year because we were out of town. Again. 

Boo hoo. 

But I did get to come home to a little piece of luxury yesterday..

I'm fortunate enough to have some pretty stylish relatives,

and although I only get to see them about once year (majority of my family still lives in Russia),

they do spoil me rotten each time they come to visit. 

A few years back I was gifted my favorite Alexander McQueen skull scarf,

which I've been wearing religiously since. 

Not without notice either - 

this year they decided to add a softer variation to my collection.

So now I have two versions of the same scarf:

skulls for when I'm feeling badass, and angel wings for when I'm feeling feminine. 

Speaking of Alexander McQueen... 

How amazing was Sarah Burton's beehive collection this season? 

I. Want. It. All. 

Have you been following the shows for the past month?

Which collection was your favorite?

Sweet Home San Diego

If you were to ask me what my favorite type of music is,

the word "country" wouldn't be the first thing out of my mouth. 

Not that I dislike it, but it's just not typically my style. 

When I got invited to the official kick off for the Tie One On Tour,

I didn't know what to expect. 

But I'm always up for new adventures, and I was looking forward to checking out Block 16,

one of the newest entertainment venues in San Diego.

First impression? 

The place is huge! 

I loved the lighting, and the VIP area on the second floor. 

It's perfect for seeing live shows,

which by the way,

you can check out every Thursday in October. 

So who did we see last night? 

Three awesome bands who, dare I say it?

Had me line dancing!

Miss Willie Brown, Frankie Ballard and Jon Pardi are all really great performers,

and it was a sweet treat to get to hang out with them after the show. 

With the sweet girls from Miss Willie Brown

Cute boys from Frankie Ballard

With all this fun and excitement, I stayed out a little later than I should have on a Thursday night... 

Now I have to muster up the energy, because we're hitting the road again this weekend.

Mexicooo here. we. come!

Gobble Gobble

This weekend the mister and I,

along with a few of our dearest friends,

celebrated Thanksgiving.

Say whaaaat?

Yeah, you read that right.

Thanks-mother-luvah-giving.

My dress is from ASOS and shoes are by Zigi Soho.
Huzband is totally copping a feel. Woopsie.

Okay, so let me explain.

A few months ago,

we were sitting around with our friends,

enjoying a few glasses of wine (I've noticed that this activity always leads to the best ideas),

and somehow the topic of holidays came up.

After discussing each others' family traditions,

we all mutually agreed that it would be really awesome to spend the holidays not only with family, but also with friends.

But who has the time for all that?

Personally, as a married couple,

Erik and I struggle as is, splitting our time between our two families...

Then a great idea was born.

Why don't we just pick a random date before the actual holiday,

to get together, cook a traditional meal, play games, and basically do all other Thanksgiving activities that our little hearts desire?

Planners were checked,

a mutually convenient date was settled upon,

and Mockgiving was officially in the works.

Boom.

Like with anything else that I get really excited about,

every detail was planned out to a tee.

Erik and I hosted the evening at our house,

and were in charge of cooking the turkey this year.

I used this recipe to brine the bird,
along with this super cute little video from one of my favorite food blogs to truss it.
Erik also prepared a really yummy stuffing using this recipe.

Everything turned out so perfectly, and I really wouldn't change a single detail about the evening.

A few afterthoughts:

1. I didn't realize how hard it would be to find a turkey in September.

Doesn't everyone choose to roast a turkey in the midst of 95 degree heat?

2. Adult sleepovers are the absolute best. 

If you haven't partaken in one for a while, I suggest you get to planning, stat!

Memories

I'm not gonna lie,

I've been dreading writing this post. 

Because writing down something that makes you sad,

just makes it that much more real. 

But I've decided to address this situation like a bandaid. 

Share it (aka rip off bandaid),

and move on (aka heal). 

As you've probably already read in some of my previous posts,

the mister and I recently got back from a trip of a lifetime. 

Eighteen glorious days in Europe. 

"Yeah, we feel reaaaal bad for you Natasha"

I know, it sounds pretty much perfect,

and it was,

except for one minor glitch. 

Day Sixteen. 

We're on the train from Amsterdam to Brussels. 

First class. 

Giddy with excitement because the Thalys folks just fed us an awesome breakfast, 

(it's clearly the little things in life that please us). 

Everything is going perfect - 

we hop off the train and onto the metro,

in route to our posh hotel, in the center of Brussels....

And then I look up, and all I see is Erik's face turn white. 

At first I'm confused. 

"What's wrong? Are you choking on something? I told you to leave the rest of the croissant on the train!"

Long story short, it was at that time that we realized that we left our brand spanking new dslr, with over thousands of pictures taken in the span of the last 16 days on the train. 

The train that dropped us off and kept going to Paris. 

Obviously I don't have to explain how devastated we were about this sequence of events. 

We laughed. 

We cried. 

We begged anyone who would listen at the train station, the lost and found desk, the customer service line of every train company in Europe to help us. 

In a flash, thousands of candid captures were gone. 

So as much as I would have loved to share those photos with you,

I simply can't. And that sucks. 

But here's what we learned. 

What happened to us was unfortunate - a freak accident. 

But no one died. No one got hurt. 

We STILL had an AMAZING trip,

and the important parts are the memories in our heads, not what was captured on a camera that would soon be filed away on a hard drive anyway. 

I kept a journal throughout our trip,

and I captured some of the details that I wanted to look back upon in the very distant future.

In it also are some details that I would still like to share with you.. 

some recommendations of the places we visited, restaurants we dined at and people we met. 

I personally love getting tips from other travel bloggers,

so I figure I'll jot them down in the next few weeks, and hopefully they'll serve some purpose for anyone who's planning to travel to any of the countries we visited this time around. 

That's all. Sorry for the essay.

Maybe now I could move on. 

Weekend Diary

The huzband and I got back from our vacation last week,

and immediately plunged ourselves back into our busy social schedule. 

#YOLO

One of my besties flew in from Chicago,

which was perfect timing because we all got to celebrate another bestie's birthday together. 

Marg Classic Pie. Amazing.
We also tried it in Mash. Equally delectable.

Tequila birthday treats are better than birthday desserts.
Yeah, I said it. 

On Friday night a bunch of us got together for amazing pizza at Bar Basic. 

After seeing the pie picture above,

do you really need any more convincing to go there immediately?

Didn't think so. 

After we stuffed ourselves silly,

we decided to put our.. ahem.. lovely voices to the test,

with some karaoke at the Lamplighter.

If you're ever seeking a super chill bar to sing, dance and watch the game at,

this is your place! 

So lucky to call these beauties my friends!

We kept the party going through the weekend.

Ladies night at Fluxx is always a good time.

Who needs Vegas when you can be naughty in your own backyard?

What have you all been up to lately?

Missed you!

Checking In

If you're curious as to what I've been up to for the past few weeks,

here's a little hint:

Yup, we're still on holiday.  

Currently in Amsterdam, and will be moving on to Brussels next.
Only a few more days of bliss left,
and we plan on living life to the fullest.
I didn't even bring my laptop on the trip,
which means that the thought of work hasn't entered my mind - what a great feeling!
It also means no real blogging until we get back...

Don't worry, I already have over two thousand pictures to share with you.
Till then,
ciao!!

PS. If you want to, you can keep up with me on Instagram -
I've been posting like a mad woman lately (inlovewsandiego).

Weekend Diary

This weekend I:

-Hiked Cowles Mountain again.

The weather was perfect.

I'm SO in love with San Diego.

-Took in more sun rays on my patio,

while eating fresh basil pasta and re-reading The Great Gatsby before the movie comes out. 

How excited is everyone for Leo's comeback by the way?

I've missed that man.

-Caught up with some of my besties over 2001 wine that one of them brought from her honeymoon in Greece. 

-Cured a hangover with some delish Korean food at Friend's House. 

-I may, or may not have ombre'd my hair...

-Had my girlfriends over for dinner. 

Home made shrimp enchiladas via this recipe with coronas on the side, was a perfect way to wrap up the weekend!

Chef Showdown

It's finally Friday - hallelujah!

Today I want to tell you about an amazing event,
hosted by the Center for Community Solutions (CCS),

in observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 

The 8th Annual Chef Showdown culinary competition
will benefit programs and services of CCS,
a San Diego nonprofit, that provides prevention and intervention support for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse.

The event highlights a myriad of San Diego top chefs participating in an “Iron Chef” style competition,
including Joe Magnanelli from Cucina Urbana, Hanis Cavin from the Carnitas Snack Shack, Chef Matt Gordon of Urban Solace, Rachel King of Searsucker, and Anthony Sinsay from Burlap.

The competing chefs will be divided into two teams,

 and will be given a secret ingredient to use to create eight dishes during the evening.

The judges are all notable names from the restaurant business,
and Sam Zien from the famous television show Sam the Cooking Guy will host the competition.
Sounds awesome, right?

Most importantly, 

Chef Showdown is a fundraising event with a net income goal of at least $100,000 for much needed support for CCS. 

 Over 600 supporters including individuals, businesses, corporate sponsors, political and community leaders 

attend the culinary event to enjoy the chef competition, taste an array of delectable creations from more than 25 restaurants, sample a variety of wines, and bid on auction items.

Interested?

Chef Showdown will be held from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at NTC Promenade in Point Loma.
Tickets to the event are $125 each or $200 for a VIP reservation,
and can be purchased by calling (858) 272-5777, ext. 120.

I wish I was in town during the time of this event -
it sounds fabulous!

Lemon Artichoke Chicken Pasta

I'm sure most of my regular readers already know that I love to eat out,

a lot,

but did you know that I love to cook too?

Basically, any activity that involves food triggers my interest. 

This recipe for Lemon Artichoke Chicken Pasta is super easy,

and the end result tastes so delicious, that it would be a sin not to share it with you all. 

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Ingredients:

2 cups artichoke hearts, canned and drained
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound
1 cup flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups dry white wine
1/2 lemon

Instructions:

Cut the artichoke hearts in half lengthwise. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch to a side. In a medium bowl, mix the flour with about 1 teaspoon salt and a generous quantity of black pepper. Toss the chicken pieces in the flour.

Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the artichokes. Cook for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned on each side. Remove the artichokes from the skillet and transfer to a plate. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet along with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Lift the chicken pieces out of the flour and arrange in the skillet. Sauté the chicken pieces for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Add the artichokes back to the pan.

Pour in the white wine and and stir and scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and let it simmer for 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat. The sauce will thicken. Stir well to coat everything with the wine sauce. Stir in a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice.

Serve with your choice of pasta. 

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Pretty sweet, eh?

I'm telling you,

this recipe is simple enough to throw together on a weeknight,

and delicious enough to impress guests any time of day. 

Weekend Diary

sunset view from my house

I suppose I don't plan on blogging regularly until,

oh,

late September. 

Not because I don't want to,

but because I simply don't have time. 

I don't know how some people do it... 

Anyway,

this weekend I:

-spent quality time with family,

and had the pleasure of consuming an amazing Italian feast cooked by my sister's bf, in my own home.

Mussels, clams, oysters, scallops, grilled veggies... oh my!

-partook in an indulgent happy hour with some of my favorite people from work. 

You have to love the people you work with - makes those 40 hours you spend in the office every week SO much more bearable.

-sang along to "Hold On" at the Wilson Phillips concert with my besties. 

Believe it. 

All my 90's dreams came true. So fun!

-attended a baby shower for one goooorgeous mama to be.

-laid out by the pool and just enjoyed summer. 

-I've also been cooking up a storm lately. 

Thinking that it won't hurt if I share some recipes with ya'll soon. 

Stay tuned.