Favoring the Stand-out Style of Freida Pinto

How do we stand out in a crowd? It wouldn’t take very much if we looked like Freida Pinto, but even in a sea of unbelievably beautiful and stylish people, FP manages to shine like the star that she is. At every appearance she makes, FP never goes unnoticed. Her choices never shy away from bright colors, unique textures, and bold silhouettes. Just like she’s got her hand-on-hip and ready for-the-camera pose down, her stunning red-carpet style is equally perfected. I’m always excited when I see more ethnic celebrities gain deserved attention and success, and FP one of the very few Asian/Indian woman in the United States that has taken center stage, all while doing it in style and grace.

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Don’t we just love being able to spend time with friends to celebrate good times together? In one week span, I was able to be with the best friends a person can have. We’ve all gotten together to celebrate a pregnancy, a birthday, and life! As the years go by, we celebrate more and more milestones together, and continue to learn about and learn from one another, and also learn about ourselves. In addition to savoring the fun times we share together, we are also able to truly appreciate the people in our lives and savor our friendships with them. Initially, I thought that this blog was going to be more centered around style and fashion. As we’ve all probably noticed, so many of the things I crave and savor are actually centered around the people in my life and all the amazing meals I share with them. So I have to give my thanks to all of you who style and accessories my world. You are all like the shoes to my outfits! (And you all know how much I love shoes).

Getting My Mac(aron) On!

Don’t we all love getting gifts? Hell yes! Especially when they are edible, and incredible!. While visiting Vegas, I got a nice surprise when I was given a box of macarons by LT, the creator of So Sweet Bites Custom Desserts (http://www.soathome.blogspot.com/). LT is one hot little Suzie Homemaker and makes the most detailed and delicious dessert masterpieces. I was given heart-shaped toffee and mini hazelnut flavored macarons. I always thought the things she made were way to pretty to eat, but that thought went out the window after trying by first bite. The most amazing cakes and treats that are stimulating to taste and look at, I could now say, I would not feel bad eating. I always salivate when viewing her Instagram and blog posts, and was stoked when I was able to enjoy the macarons that she so thoughtfully made for me. LT is as sweet as her desserts. I felt a little pang of sadness when I ate my last bite, but I could not help and thoroughly enjoyed getting my Mac on.

Savoring The Life Of The (Birthday) Party

Isn’t it easy to fall in love with the life of the party? I’ve known Jax for the past 15 years, but it was definitely love at first laugh. It doesn’t have to be her birthday (which it so happens to be today) nor does it have to be a party in order for her to bring life to any situation, no matter how crazy or how mundane. There are some very rare and very special people in this world that never fail to entertain, and if there was a reality show that I would actually watch, it would have to star this birthday girl. In addition to Jax being one of the most fun persons to be around, she is also an amazing friend, and an amazing person. She is a person that I look up to and look forward to being around and if you ever have the pleasure of meeting her, she will surely and easily sweep you off your feet too. I can honestly say that throughout the years, she has made countless and (already) unforgettable experiences that much more memorable. I can’t help but savor and be appreciative for the flavor and color she brings to my life, so I have to say Happy Happy Birthday to the beautiful, stylish, and irreplaceable Jax, the Life of the Party.

Craving Lotus of Siam Thai Restaurant

What do we do when we go on vacation? Eat! Las Vegas allows for food lovers to indulge in a variety of cuisines and many restaurants are accessible in the many hotels on the strip; however, one restaurant that is off the strip and not in a hotel is Lotus of Siam Thai Restaurant. The food offered at this restaurant has got to be the best Thai food I’ve ever had, and I am positive that any one who loves Thai food and has eaten at Lotus will crave it for the rest of his or her life. The last time I was in Vegas was the first time dining at Lotus, and I could not get it out of my mind. The wait could be long, so we made sure to make reservations ahead of time, especially since were a party of 9. A group of friends and I, especially, were eager for the food that already made best buds with my taste-buds. The menu is extensive, but since most of us have been to Lotus before and since there were a few Vegas locals in the group, who are regulars, we ordered what we knew every one would love. The following were some of the dishes that were ordered that I had been dying to eat: the Som Thum (Papaya Salad), Garlic Shrimp, Nam Kao Tod with no meat (Crispy Rice), Pad Thai with Shrimp, Crab Fried Rice, Yellow Curry with Shrimp, Drunken Noodle Seafood, and Chinese Broccoli in oyster sauce. We all shared the mango with sticky rice and fried banana with ice cream (must order!). Before the trip, I was so excited to get the opportunity to eat at Lotus and was glad that I was able to eat such great food with great friends. My cravings were also glad because they left Lotus happy, happy that they got to visit their best Thai friend, best friend forever!

Craving Botero

What is my favorite restaurant in Las Vegas? Botero at the Encore is uh-freakin’-mazing! If I (hypothetically) had to choose only one place to eat dinner all weekend, I’d choose Botero. Last night for dinner, Dreams, Ray, Face, Marshall, my bf and I had a pretty foodgasmic experience. The meal started off with a shrimp tasting sampler, compliments of the chef, and a breadbasket came out with seasoned butter. I had the baby beet salad with warm goat cheese and the table shared a dozen market oysters on the half shell as well as some of the most cravetastic side dishes, the truffle macaroni & cheese, baby artichokes, Botoero fries, and French green beans. Coincidentally, we had the same sever, Daniel, that my bf and I had several times when dining at Botero and he remembered what I usually order, an entree size portion of the steamed Alaskan Crab legs, which are already cracked, cut, and ready for easy (and clean) consumption. Daniel also knocked the oysters off of the bill as well as the most delicious desserts that he picked out for the table: the Lemon Napoleon (lemon pound cake, blueberry ginger compote, lemon curd ice cream), the Milk Chocolate Bon Bon Lollipops (vanilla bean ice cream and hazelnut praline), the S’mores Brioche Doughnuts (toasted marshmallows, chocolate ganache, with dipping sauces), and the lemon and berry sorbets with “Congratulations” spelled out in chocolate fudge because we mentioned that we were in town visiting our friends, Dreams and Ray, and celebrating their pregnancy. I have never had one thing I didn’t like at Botero, and always crave and enjoy having dinner there whenever we’re in town. It would be very difficult for Botero not to be a favorite after a meal like the one I had.

Craving Sushi Samba

Isn’t is awesome to eat great food and not have to worry about what to order? The last time I went to Sushi Samba at the Palazzo in Las Vegas, I remember having an amazing meal without even looking at the menu. The server made recommendations and I remember everything was exceptional, so a group of us went to lunch today and we did the same thing. All we had to do was tell our server how much we wanted to spend per person, what our food preferences, allergies, and exceptions were, and she did the rest. 3 courses came out, which we all devoured. Craving Sushi Samba was a damn good call.

SW Steakhouse Craves and Savors

Doesn’t Las Vegas have some of the best fine dining restaurants jam packed in one city? With the amount of visitors that come to Sin City to gamble, shop, and indulge in a variety of adult entertainment, the Hotels and Restaurants make sure that guests are well fed and that any cravings that our hearts desire can be satisfied. My bf and I flew to Vegas today and had dinner with my bestie Dreams and her husband Ray, and I have been dying to see them. I was on the verge of tears this morning thinking about how excited I was this morning to get to spend time with one of my favorite people in the world, Dreams, who recently shared the news that she is pregnant! We needed to have a celebration dinner, and after some deliberation of where to eat (since there are so many options to chose from), we decided on the SW Steakhouse at the Wynn. During the beginning of the busy memorial weekend, many of the dining hot spots were fully committed, but we were able to get reservations at SW, one of the most popular and raved about restaurants at the Wynn. We started off with the Seafood Spectacular, a chilled selection of the ocean’s finest Maine lobster, king crab legs, jumbo shrimp, oysters, and crab cocktail, along with the BigEye Tuna Ceviche, mango-grapefruit salsa, smoked chile, avocado, and sesame crackers, and the Alaskan King Crab Pasta, made with oyster mushrooms, basil, and Meyer lemon sauce. We shared the Black Truffle Creamed Corn, Brussels Sprouts with Carrots, and SW French Fries side dishes. Dreams and I shared the Roasted Scottish Salmon. For Dessert, we had the Funnel Cake and Strawberries with anglaise, salty caramel and fudge sauce (that was presented like a piece of art, with 6 individual funnel cakes draped like flowers on branches), the Warm Dark Chocolate Brownie made with vanilla parfait, caramelized banana, banana ice cream, and drizzled in warn fudge sauce, and vanilla ice cream. Dinner was amazing, but what I savored more from the night was the time I got to spend with people I love, which I have been craving so much more than the food on the table. While tonight, we ate at what some would consider one of the best places to eat in the many fine dining restaurants in Vegas, the people we ate with were what made the night a dinner at SW to crave and savor.

Craving Mamon from Goldilocks

Don’t certain desserts remind us of our childhood? Ever since coming back from the Philippines, I have been craving Mamon, a soft fluffy French sponge cake, from Goldilocks, a Filipino bakeshop. Goldilocks is a popular destination for any one craving a taste of Filipino cakes, breads and pastries. Of all of the goodies in store, if I had to pick one thing to get, it would have to be the Classic Mamon. My mom always used to bring home a giant sponge cake, when I was a child, and I have yet to outgrow this simple, yet incredibly tasty treat. Goldilocks’ Mamon tastes just like what I remembered craving as a little girl, who played with stuffed animals (I collected those then like I collect shoes now, and yes, all of my stuffed friends had names, had their own stories, and had conversations with me). Since these stuffed animals were my friends, I shared my Mamon with them and they all loved me for it. So, I must share how to order Mamon with all my friends now: http://www.goldilocks-usa.com/us-mamonreg.htm.

Bait and Shoeitch

So what are the consequences of falling pray to a bait and switch? I went shopping in my Phillip Lim Nude Cody D’orsay Heels and took a break to have lunch. While my shoes and I were taking a load off, we couldn’t help but overhear a couple arguing over lunch a table next to ours. While we didn’t mean to side-bust on their rather private conversation, my shoes and I were the only company we had for one another. My shoes so happened to be flagrantly eavesdropping, so I had to join them. What initially caught our attention was when we heard, “Well you’ve changed.” Then came, “That’s was not what I signed up for,” and followed by, “Who the hell did I end up marrying? I don’t even know you anymore.” After gathering that they were married for a short time before the shit hit the fan and resentment made itself right at home, I couldn’t help but deduce that the the Mr. pulled a bait and switch on the Mrs.; with the Hubby giving the impression that after getting hitched, things between them were going to be something that obviously is not the case now, according to the Wifey. I began wondering where the term bait and switch came from and my brilliant Phillip Lim’s (so knowledgable about the retail world coming from Barney’s and all) informed, “In regards to buying products, a bait and switch is a misleading tactic making false claims about offering a product that was never intended on being sold, but rather switching the product for a lower quality or a higher sales margin. This is illegal and we can take action against the seller, who is guilty of baiting and switching, in order to get compensated.”

While my shoes were well versed in product knowledge, they wondered exactly how people interpret this term as it relates to relationships. While there’s really no clear definition, when we think some one has pulled a bait and switch, the descriptions always seem to contain the subjective feeling of getting duped. Besides our intuition or having an inkling that a person may not be who he or she seems to be, we enter into relationships under the pretense that what we see (and who we get to know) is what we get. To put in in terms my shoes could understand, I gave the analogy that like knock-offs don’t say “Imitation” on their labels, people-pretenders don’t have “Liar” tattooed in Old English gangster-style across their chests or “Prevaricator” tramp-stamped on their lower backs. Like anything that seems like it’s too good to be true, people still get suckered into the “deal.” Even the most cautious consumer can fall victim to a scammer; however, in regards to relationships and investing our time in our partners, if time equated to money, there are no refunds. I proceeded to explain that if we get thrown for a loop by some one who we found out or even by some one who we perceived did a lot of “false advertising,” the only thing we get in return is a reality check (Nope, can’t take that to the bank). Yes, it’s like getting kicked in the pants, or for shoes, it’s like breaking a heel, but those hard knocks are something we can’t buy. So, we must suppose they are invaluable learning lessons. My shoes then asked the question, “What if a person was a certain way at the beginning of a relationship, but then that person, unintentionally, just changed and no longer feels the same way about something or some one? That doesn’t really that counts, does it?” I had to warn them, since they once vowed to always have my back if they wanted to stay on my feet, that they better not even think about a justification for a bait a shoeitch.