Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Hello my lovelies! I am still currently traveling around the US, and my internet usage has been quite limited, but I am trying to keep up with my regular MWF posting schedule as best I can. Regardless, I have a plethora of amazing photos to share with you from all the places I've been, so I promise that each post will be worth the wait. As I pack up to leave for my next location, I'm trying to get in all the blogging time I can. Now, without further ado, here are the long awaited photo highlights from my short stay in Portland, Oregon! (As a warning, like most of my posts, this is heavy on the food porn, so empty stomachs beware!)

I began my Portland journey with a trip to Bunk Sandwiches, for lunch. Even though I got lost for an hour while trying to find the place, Bunk was worth the extra mile.

At first, I was afraid that this Chicken Salad, Applewood Bacon & Avocado Sandwich that I ordered was on the small side. I should have known better than to judge it by its size, because it was jam-packed with big flavors.

In case you find yourself in Portland, stop by!

After wandering through some of the cleanest streets you'll ever find, I found myself gravitating towards a farmer's market. I had no idea that PURPLE peppers existed..did you? At $1.00 each, these prices can't be beat!

With colors this vivid, I couldn't help but snap another picture of peppers.

Made a stop to Powell's Independent Bookstore (aka an English major's heaven).

Ironically enough, I walked out with an eco-friendly tote bag, instead of a book. Go figure...

And finally, the moment you've all been waiting for...my stop to Voodoo Doughnut!

With a line out the door, the wait for Voodoo Doughnut was about thirty minutes. I got all four of the donuts below for a mere $5.00! While I did enjoy the creativity of the place and the donuts themselves, I have to admit that they were honestly too sugary for my taste (my pink box literally oozed out a sugary scent that made me feel like I developed diabetes just from the smell!). Having said that, I was only able to eat the Original Raised Chocolate in its entirety. Overall, the voodoo experience was worth it, and I'd definitely go back to try more flavors if given the opportunity.

A look inside my pink box: Old dirty bastard, Mango Tango, Original Raised Chocolate, and the Arnold Palmer (as seen from top left to bottom right). Check out their menu for a description of the donuts I picked out.

A close up of ODB.

One of Alex's donuts, Dubble Bubble

Another look at one of Alex's donuts, Marshall Matters. The donut was too good to put down, thus its incomplete image.

Photos by: Chandamheer

As some of you might know, one of the best parts of being in the state of Oregon, is that they don't have sales tax! I love getting more bang for my buck, as I'm sure most do, so when I remembered this tidbit, I went wild. The food, the clothes, the shoes, the EVERYTHING is much more appealing when you know that you'll be paying a lot less. Not only did I purchase some great new clothes, which you'll get a peek at a bit later, but the food I got tasted that much better. To be fair though, the food was amazing all on it's on.

pancakeSTACKER is still on the go, so come back later to see where I go next, what I wear next, and more importantly, what I eat next! 

Seattle: A Photo Diary

Public Market Center

Smith Tower: A view of the city from 35 floors up

Enjoying a Starbucks in Pioneer Square after the Underground Tour.

Fresh berries at Pike Place

Enjoying a sample of Beecher's Mac&Cheese while on the Savor Seattle Food Tour

Fresh crab at Pike Place

Another view from Smith Tower, this time of the streets below

True to pancakeSTACKER style, purchasing Cherry Pancake Mix at Chukar Cherries

Photos by: Chandamheer

How I Left My Mark in Seattle

Before leaving Seattle, I was determined to leave my mark on the city in some creative way. I originally thought that I would hand out my new Moo cards to  fashionable Seattleites, as I stopped them to snag a picture of their ensembles, but unfortunately, I didn't get to snap very much street wear. So, hours before I had to leave the city behind me, I knew just how to make the name pancakeSTACKER stick to Seattle--the famous Post Alley Gum wall. I  grabbed a few sticks of gum, chewed my little heart out, and found an eye-catching spot to stick my business cards. Now, Seattle will always be apart of me and I to it.

Blazer: Purchased from the FIRST ever Nordstrom (in Seattle); Jeans: Guess; Tee & Scarf: Forever 21; Boots: Nine West; Photos by: Alex L.

If you spot pancakeSTACKER in Seattle, snap a picture and send it to me! I have just landed in my next location and am currently blogging as I wait for my hotel room, but the rest of this week's post will be about the duration of my Seattle and Portland adventure. Stop by soon to see what's next on the travel agenda :)

Sleepless in Seattle

Hello everyone! As you know, yesterday I left San Francisco to begin the first portion of my trip. It's already been a a jam-packed day and a half, and it's been great being able to see a different area of the US. The weather gods have taken mercy on my poor California body,  and surprisingly, Seattle has been light on the rain. (We'll see how the rest of my stay goes, but I'll probably eat my words come tomorrow!). Tomorrow, we're waking up at 5 am to catch a train to Portland, and I can finally get my hands on those Voodoo Doughnuts (yumm!).  So, since I have to wake up rather early, I'm going to leave you with a quick outfit post, before I head to bed, to tide you over until Wednesday.

Bubble tunic, leggings & necklace: Forever 21; Boots: Nine West; Photos by: Alex L.

Sorry for the hasty post, but don't worry though, you'll get way more pictures and details on my Seattle journey in my next post! Thanks so much for all your kind comments (I promise to get back to each and every one of you as soon as I have more time!).

Maligayang Bati

Or "Happy Birthday" in Tagalog (I'm half Filipino for those curious souls out there...).

A few days ago was my grandma's birthday (80 years young!) and I thought it was the perfect time to whip out a new recipe I had been yearning to try. I was first introduced to the coconut-mango mix by my friend, Lindsey, who suggested that I try out the combo in my next pancake batch. Being the pancake lover that I am, I contemplated making them every morning this week, but I was so intrigued by the idea, that I wanted to take it a step further. That's when I remembered that my grandma's favorite two fruits were fittingly enough, coconuts and mangoes.  I was originally going to use fresh coconut both inside my cupcake and as a finishing sprinkle, but I ran into a slight roadblock when I opened the fridge and my coconut had been used to make something else. (Fresh coconut is hard to come by in my family, so you snooze, you lose..and I lost!). Luckily for me, the coconut debacle wouldn't necessarily make or break my cupcakes, and I still had fresh mangoes perfect for a topping. I was pleasantly surprised when the cupcakes came out better than I imagined, and I'm happy to say that everyone enjoyed them. Below is part of the recipe I used to make the cupcakes via Bon Appetit. I didn't use the coconut frosting recipe because I  wanted to make a simple, but refreshing cool whip/mango topping to give a different texture and flavor.

Vanilla-Coconut Cupcakes

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature

Preparation

• Bring coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan over medium-high heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Reduce heat to medium-low; boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat; cool completely. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly as it cools). Do ahead. Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

On to the Cupcakes

• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line eighteen 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in seeds from vanilla bean and remaining egg. Add half of flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Add 1 cup reduced coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Divide batter among muffin cups.
  

• Bake cupcakes until tops spring back when gently touched and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack; cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack.

Easy Mango Topping (a la pancakeSTACKER)

• This part is so easy, it's kind of a joke that I'm writing how what I did, but I couldn't leave my mango step out! All you need is one large mango (or more if you'd like) and a package of cool whip. Cut the mango to small pieces, or mash the mango up completely. Mix with the cool whip and bam-- you've got a topping.

Photos by: Chandamheer 

Now that I have successfully overloaded you all with food posts this week, I promise that starting Monday I'll be back to my regular posting schedule, AND I will have a ton of outfit posts to make up for lost time. Tomorrow, Alex L. and I are heading to SFO to catch a flight for the first leg of our trip. Stop by first thing on Monday to see where we go!

By the way, did anyone notice I made a little change? How do you guys like the new layout?? The only thing I'm missing now is a beautiful new banner. Anyone up for the challenge? Let me know what you think below :)

Happy weekend!! (P.S. Just because I know you are wondering, the coconut-mango pancake experiment will happen, too.)

Give a Little, Get a Little

Hello everyone! Apologies for my lack of posts in the last few days; I've been trying to squeeze in all the family & friends time I can before I leave in three days. I'll be getting back to my regular MWF schedule postings next week, but in the meantime, here are some photos I've snapped to give you a glimpse of the ending to my summer and what I've been up to since returning to NorCal.

Stopping by a road-side stand to purchase some fresh produce

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts (stop by Friday to see what I've made with them)

Cherry tomatoes, which I've been enjoying in my salads

Enjoying my new Moo cards, which came right in time for me to give away on my trip

Looking forward to eating more of this in NYC (Sushi Samba is on my list!)

Packing maps + tour guides to make sure I get to all those out of state hot spots

OPI's Suzi Sells Sushi by the Seashore & Ulta's Good Clean Fawn

Taking in the beautiful world around me and being thankful my blessings everyday

If any of you will be in the San Francisco area this Friday, stop by Union Square to THIS great event! Did anyone in the NYC area make it to their Bryant Park event? Let me know if any of you San Franciscans be partaking in the festivities, and maybe we can coordinate a little meet up :). I love me some Zooey!

Image via Levi's

More importantly, I support Levi's and their efforts to donate to those who are in need. If you haven't been keeping up with the latest news, the bay area was struck with a devastating disaster last week. I live just 10-15 minutes away from where the San Bruno pipeline explosion and fire took place, and my heart goes out to everyone who has suffered a loss. Times like these make me even more thankful for everything and everyone I have in my life, and I urge you all to take time to let people know how much they mean to you, too. Please consider donating to those affected by the fire via the Red Cross, I know that I will be. Remember, even a little counts for a lot.

Last but not least, my first contest ended today at 12:00 noon PST. I'm happy to announce that Collette Osuna of Statements in Fashion is the winner and will be contacted shortly!! If for some reason she doesn't answer in 24 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Thank you all so much for your thoughtful and kind suggestions! I have so many places that I'm looking forward to trying out, and I will be sure to give you a shout out if I pick a place you've suggested. Please feel free to continue letting me know if there is any place you think I should see in your home town, and who knows, you might see pancakeSTACKER there!

Sure Could Go For You

With seven days left until I take the US by storm, I've been trying to get the nuts and bolts of effective packing down. Truth be told, I'm afraid that my California closet just isn't going to do the trick when faced against multiple climates. Packing for Seattle's rain, Boston's cold winds, New York's sticky humidity, and a chance encounter of hot, hot heat in DC (thank you, weather channel) all in just two carry-on's makes the task that much harder. Cutting down my wardrobe choices, while saving room for all the goodies I'm planning to pick up en route, forces me to only bring the bones of amazing outfits, leaving me to find the meat along the way. Let it be known that I've never been a girl afraid of an outfit challenge, so I'm going  to use what I've got and only purchase the bare necessities. Below are a few items that would be a great addition to what I already have.  Aesthetic pleasure + practical use =  a winning combination.

During a long day of touring and sight-seeing, a light bag, with enough room to carry the essentials (camera, wallet, water, snacks, etc), is of the utmost importance. The only thing I hate more than having to carry a heavy bag, is carrying a heavy bag that's unorganized. A soft leather-like backpack will evenly distribute weight when in use and is easy to squash into my luggage when empty. Forever 21's Leatherette Backpack looks easy to care for and seems like it will stand against a little drizzle.

While I'd like to look like I've stepped out of an episode of Sex and the City as I'm walking around in New York in my sky-high heels, after spending hours on foot, in long walking tours, I will probably just look out of my mind.  (Not to mention how much my feet will hate me if I don't treat them right.) Thus, a comfortable flat is a must. A classic flat can be both relaxing on the feet and easy on the eyes. I turn to Steve Madden when it comes to stylish flats. The Sofiee's royal blue color will give any of my basic outfits a surprise pop of color, while the slightly pointed toe and one inch wedged-heel will flatter my narrow feet.


While it's important to have a good day bag, I'll end up looking like a grandma pack-rat if I lug around a backpack when I go out for happy hour and drinks. A feminine clutch or small shoulder bag is my go-to for nights out on the town. The scallop-edged trim on this pretty, pink bag is not only a great detail, but a hint of what's in for the fall. (Mark my words, you'll be seeing a lot of scallop-trim everything, so you, too, should think of  stocking up now!)

When packing for weather that can change from hot to cold and dry to wet in the span of a day, it's a smart move to be ready for the unforeseeable. Jackets and coats take up a lot of space, so having just one that can go from night to day saves a lot of luggage space. I plan on packing at most two outerwear pieces, so I have to make them both count. I already have three classic pea coats hanging in my closet that I need to choose from, but I could definitely go for a light jacket. This Diesel jacket in black with a detachable hood is a versatile choice and like its description says, "it's an ideal item for keeping warm and looking great." 

Now, I might be using this trip as an excuse to feed my shoe craving, but I do find great value in owning a killer pair of boots. When I'm not gallivanting in flats or strutting in heels, a sturdy boot is my next option. For the rain in Oregon and the cold in Boston, having a tall, leather boot is perfect over a pair of skinnies or leggings. If the weather is nice out, these Frye leather boots would even look great with a nice pair of shorts, or a boho dress. These knee-highs are sure to be a city-stopper, and judging by the tall boot trend on the runways, I'll get lots of use out of them in the fall, which means they'll be worth the investment.

And finally, nothing completes an vacation outfit like a quality book. A book? Yes, a book. As some of you may know, I'm an English Literature nerd at heart. I love books and go through them like some go through water. Now that my UCLA days are over (I still shed a tear from time to time thinking that, ha! Okay, not really...), books that I wouldn't normally pick out for myself are no longer just assigned to me. Who knew that I'd be pining for a decent syllabus long after my undergraduate days were over? Since I can't bring too many, I'm looking for just one to get me through my down time. I've been browsing the Borders site, and by the end of next week, I will have my top pick. Any one read any of the above?


If you think I'm missing something, or can suggest an enthralling book you finished and are dying to recommend, please leave a comment below and let me know! Still time to enter my contest, so do so before the 15th!

Have a happy weekend :) And, I promise to get back to my regular outfit posts as soon as my trip planning is settled!