Food Friday: A Novel Idea

Novel Cafe 1101 Gayley Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90024

Novel California Burger

To the left is one of my best friends from college, Ryan, and to the right is another good friend and fellow English major, Shelley. They were kind enough to let me post this picture of them.

Look at all those books! An English major's dream scene

Photos by: Chandamheer

One of my absolute favorite places to eat while I was in college was Novel Cafe. Only a 10 minute walk from my apartment in Westwood, it was the perfect spot to sit, relax, and sip a cup of tea, or indulge in a morning brunch. So, it was no surprise that I wanted to relive my former Bruin days by enjoying a Saturday lunch with some good friends and good food. Novel Cafe was even more precious than I remembered it to be, although, I am quite positive that my amazing company had a lot to do with it. The owner of the cafe happened to be working that day, and since my friend, Shelley is such a regular there, we were treated to some free chips and dip and a comforting, warm soup, while we waited for our third guest to arrive. I ordered my favorite item on the menu, the Novel California Burger. Stuffed with a tender sirloin patty, bacon, cheddar cheese, avocado, tomato, and just about everything else you can imagine, my burger was enough for both lunch and dinner. Another great thing about Novel Cafe is the ambiance. Whether you choose to sit outside and bask in the sunshine and fresh air, or sit inside and surround yourself with shelves full of books, you will always feel a calm comfort around you. So, if you are in the Westwood area, definitely stop by Novel Cafe, and I promise you'll be happy you did.

Wisdom Wednesday

"There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they’re necessary to reach the places we’ve chosen to go.” -- Richard Bach

Natalia Vodianova and Sean Combs by Annie Liebovitz for Vogue Feb 2010

If there's one thing I hate, it's when people say they regret past events. For some time now, I have adopted the mentality that everything happens for a reason, and no matter how unfavorable things may be, they happen so that we may learn a lesson. It is so much better for your health when you realize things are happening for you and not to you. So, the next time someone breaks your heart, or you didn't get something you wanted, just remember something so much better is in store for you. That's my wisdom for this Wednesday. Please do share yours below :)

Don't forget to "like" pancakeSTACKER on Facebook!  

Santa Barbara: A Photo Diary

Passed by the local Goodwill and saw this staring at me. For $1, I probably should have purchased it. I bet it has all the life secrets that I am missing. Darn it.

 

While these may just look like tacos, this photo serves as a reminder from one of the most hilarious nights of my life. Wild Cat Santa Barbara. Do yourself a favor, and check out their Sunday Gay Night for the TIME OF YOUR LIFE.  *

Red Mango Smoothie with a boost of Vitamin C from Blenders gave me a boost of energy for the long ride back to San Francisco

Photos by: Chandamheer and DJ Lan*

A few snaps from a quickie visit to Santa Barbara. We left LA a little early to spend one night in Santa Barbara and boy was it a fun stop. That Sunday night, we wanted to experience the SB night life, so we went to Wild Cat's Gay Night for some dancing and drinks. And, it basically proved to be the best decision ever. The DJ played all of my favorite songs and it was so nice to just spend a night dancing and laughing with friends. We even scored some free street tacos! The most hilarious part, however, had to be all of our friendly encounters that night. We met Daniel, a straight man who claimed to be gay just so he could follow us around all night, two extremely passionate Argentinians, both of whom professed their undeniable "love" for us ladies, and then we met this really random guy who just wanted to creepily sit next to us and not speak. It was odd, to say the least. Who knew us girls would get so much action on gay night?


Don't forget to "like" pancakeSTACKER on Facebook!

Food Friday: Light My Fire(stone)

Firestone Grill 1001 Higuera Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Should I be upset that in the four years that I have been driving up and down the 101 to get to and from LA, I NEVER once stopped in SLO and treated myself to the best sandwich spot ever created? Or shall I take the glass half full approach and be delighted that I was introduced to this gem early enough in my life to enjoy it whenever I make future journeys down the coast? San Luis Obispo is usually my halfway point between SF and LA, in which I stop, fill up both my baby Honda and my tummy. I never like to stop for too long, because I'm always so antsy to get to one city or the other. So, I always end up just picking something up at the gas station (ranch flavored corn nuts, anyone?). I am now kicking myself silly and wondering why NO one, and I mean NO ONE, ever told me about this place. I mean, I get it -- sometimes I like to keep my food spots hidden, in fear that the masses will come and take over. But, in the end, I always share the food love.

Photos by: Chandamheer

The gist: Filled the meter up to 30 minutes and foolishly thought this would be enough time to pick up a sandwich and take a few bites. Word to the wise - 30 minutes is not enough to allow your taste buds to completely savor the juicy and flavor-filled sandwiches that Firestone has to offer. Had I not been afraid that the meter maid would find me feeding my meter, I would have popped in a few more quarters and ordered a few more sandwiches. This is not a lie. I really wanted a second...and maybe third sandwich (for the road, guys!). What I hated: Hate is a strong word to use with Firestone. I would say if anything, I probably would have passed on the basket of fries, as the seasoning they used was too salty for my liking. I also ordered the Ranch Beans. I was expected a sweet, but smoky barbecue flavor. I'm not sure what it was that I tasted, but it wasn't that. To be fair, I was so focused on my sandwich, I didn't have too much time to really care about the beans. What I liked: Like is too weak of a word to associate with Firestone's sandwiches. I ordered the BBQ Tri Tip Sandwich, and thank the Lord I did. Let's start with the bread. I am a bread lover. I can devour a loaf of bread on my own in no time. In fact, I actually did such a thing during my trip (I recently discovered the miracle spread that is Nutella...and yes, I know how late to the game I am with that).  Firestone lathers their sandwich buns in butter. Bad for the cholesterol, amazing for the mouth. Now, imagine biting into a warm, buttered bun and then sinking your teeth into thick, juicy pieces of delicious barbecue tri tip. You can try to imagine this, but your imagination will not come anywhere close to just how mouth-watering this sandwich really is (unless, of course, you have tried it). I don't even want to know how I must have looked when I was biting into that sandwich. Maybe it was one part Meg Ryan as she acts out her classic sandwich orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally (watch here) and one part stone age caveman, who obviously lacks some much needed table etiquette (can you just picture all the barbecue sauce I had all over my face and fingers?). Long story short: I just need more.

  If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Bloglovin' and Facebook!

Wisdom Wednesday

"Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy." - Norman Vincent Peale 

Samantha Gradoville by Sean & Seng for POP S/S 2011

Last week, I was feeling a little down at work. I wasn't doing too well, and I had a long way to go before meeting my goals for the day. I thought to myself, "How am I going to make today happen?" I just happened to be glancing through our daily agenda book, when suddenly, my question was answered, as I read the above quote. My doubts washed away, the rest of the day unfolded beautifully, and my spirits were lifted. Needless to say, I exceeded my goals for the day. I went home and was inspired to make each Wednesday, "Wisdom Wednesday" on my blog. The middle of the week is sometimes the hardest. You've made it through Monday and Tuesday, but the weekend still seems far away, right? I thought we could all use a little push in our week, so what's a better way than an inspirational quote and beautiful photos to keep that engine running. So, I hope you will all enjoy a new weekly addition to my revamped blog! Share your wisdom with me below, and I'll feature a new one next week!

I Wouldn't Want to Have it Any Other Way. I'm Addicted and I Just Can't Get Enough.

Tee, scarf and sunnies: Forever 21; Shorts: Urban Outfitters; Tights: Nordstrom; Boots: Chinese Laundry; Crossbody: H&M; Photos by: DJ Lan

Black Eyed Peas - Just Can't Get Enough

This outfit is comprised of some, if not all, of my serious closet favorites at the moment. It's funny because I rarely wear shorts, and tees, now that I really think of it. One, because I've never been just a t-shirt kinda gal, and two because the concept of wearing tights under my shorts was never something I (seriously) thought of doing, until I moved back to San Francisco. You see, in LA, the idea of wearing tights under my shorts always seemed silly, when the weather was almost always a warm high of 70 or 80. It wasn't until I came back to San Francisco, and my tights and leggings ownership increased tenfold, did I finally accept that tights can be worn basically under anything -- dresses, skirts, shorts, rompers, ANYTHING. And, this whole idea of wearing tights under basically everything I own (as, I rarely, rarely wear pants, and anyone who knows me can definitely attest to this) never started as a fashion conscious decision. It was more of a necessity, rather than an option, because of the mere fact that my little body could not handle the freezer-like temperatures of the Bay Area. Okay, I know all you East Coast kids are probably shaking your heads at the computer screen at this very moment, but I really can't actually handle temperatures lower than .... 70 degrees. This is a fact. I think my body just doesn't regulate the blood flow through my body as fast a normal person, because I am almost always cold. This is obviously something I'm going to have to work on when I make that move to NYC, ha! Anyways, long story short, if you were to run into me today, there is a 98.5% chance I would be in tights. The tee is unlike any I have ever owned, and for $5, it was a pretty sweet deal. Its stretchy material gives me that extra wiggle room for the days when I eat enough to feed a third world nation. And, since I do that more often that I should, you can imagine how much wear this little tee gets. These boots are my absolute favorite shoes of the moment. They go with skirts, shorts, and pants (on the rare occasion I wear such things... I like to call those times "laundry days"). They are the perfect day to night outfit transformer, and they are incredibly comfortable.

And We Live in a Beautiful World. Yeah We Do, Yeah We Do.

Ellie Goulding - Don't Panic (Coldplay Cover)

Lace-panel Maxi Skirt: The Wasteland; Racerback top: Target; Braided Belt: Old Navy; Sunnies: Forever 21; Sandals: Steve Madden; Watch: Nordstrom; Crossbody Bag: H&M; Photos by: DJ Lan

It's a magical thing having Fridays off, especially when the day is a beautiful one. Of course, all days are beautiful, but some days more so than others. For me, nothing really compares to a quiet afternoon in the city, laying in the grass, smiling at the sun, and filling up on food. I spent part of my Friday at the Civic Center, only because I had to indulge in some Off The Grid action, and if this doesn't sound familiar to you, refresh your memory here. This time, I finally treated my taste buds to some good ole Curry Up Now. I had a deliciously spicy Chicken Tikki Masala burrito and washed it down with a sweet Mango Lassi. It was the best -- until I realized that it was Friday and I wasn't supposed to eat meat... sigh. But, I only have my poor memory to blame. Interestingly enough, I wore a black lace-paneled maxi skirt that I picked up at the Wasteland, from the last time I was at OTG and Haight. I definitely did not plan that, but it just seemed like the perfect time to wear it. Another interesting fact? The watch I'm wearing is from the little kiddie's department at Nordstrom. My wrists are so tiny, that I seriously had to take out three links from that sucker. Not even joking. I couldn't bring myself to purchase a $300 watch in the accessories department, knowing very well that I would have to take out a billion links. So, I happily settled for my $14 gunmetal kids watch. It feels just as good as the real thing, ha!

P.S. Besides the new face-lift (did you notice how pretty my site is now??), I have a lot of exciting changes coming up! Can't wait to share them with you. Happy Friday, my loves!

MANGO + Marie Claire Event

Sweater: Basic; Top: Urban Outfitters; Skirt: Agaci; Knee high socks: Cotton On; Knee High Boots: Chinese Laundry; Bag: Forever 21; Photos by: DJ Lan and Chandamheer*

A few weeks ago, I decided to request some time off work, so I could indulge in a little getaway back down to Los Angeles. I remember being extremely anxious on Thursday, while at work, as I counted down the hours, minutes, and seconds until I would be driving down to my former city. Finally, the day came, and at 5:00 AM sharp, I got into my Honda, swung by my friend's house, and off we went, driving as the sun rose and the sky went from dark to light. Now, I normally don't leave quite that early when I drive back and forth from NorCal to SoCal or vice versa, however, one major reason I decided to return to LA was because I needed to pick up my diploma on campus before the office closed in the early afternoon. I know what you're thinking -- don't they just send those to you? Yeah, well, I was pretty adamant about NOT paying the stupid $10 fee to get a piece of cardstock sent to me via the postal service. One, because I feel like the least they could do is send us alumni our own hard-earned diplomas FO' FREE, considering we, oh, I don't know, paid thousands and thousands of dollars in astronomical fees for four years, and two, don't OTHER schools send their diplomas out for free? Ah, but I digress. Long story short, my excuses to go to LA were (in no particular order) 1. to pick up my diploma 2. rekindle my Bruin love and terrorize the streets of Westwood with my college buddies and 3. get away for just long enough to come back to San Francisco feeling refreshed. So, you can imagine just how serendipitous it was when I discovered that one of my favorite bloggers, Natalie of Natalie Off Duty was hosting an event for Mango + Marie Claire in Santa Monica. I was thrilled at the thought of finally being able to meet some of the most talented and beautifully stylish Los Angeles fashion bloggers.

Barry the Bartender kept the champagne flowing all night long. *

Trying on some Mango items! What do you think of this look?

DJ snapped this photo of the stylish Mckenzie of The Fitting and Julie of Sincerely Jules. So sad I didn't get to personally meet you two, BUT I'm like 99% sure that I went to college with Mckenzie. Girl, were we not in FAST together?!

Natalie graced us with her lovely voice and  performed a few songs for us. *

Two of the sweetest gals ever -- Rebecca of Style with Benefits and Melanie of Wrecked Stellar

It was so nice to chat with Dylana of Color Me Nana! We discovered that not only did we both graduate from UCLA, but we were practically in the same major. We definitely need to discuss our favorite English professor(s) + classes + books soon!

I had to stop Shea (Left) of Cheyenne Meets Chanel and her friend, because they were just too cute! *

I seem to keep finding myself at Marie Claire events! *

Another shot of the gorgeous Natalie. Thank you for hosting such a fun event! *

Attending this event was such a great start to my LA getaway weekend! It's always awesome to meet other people who have such common interests and are just as passionate about blogging as you are. I definitely hope to meet with more blogger buddies in the future! Stay tuned for more on my trip to LA!