Titanic Edit Courtesy of Neil deGrasse Tyson

So...a super long time ago, I told you that I had a favorite astrophysicist by the name of Neil deGrasse Tyson. This remains true.

He was the subject of a Titanic-related article today...apparently he was analyzing the star patterns that were used in the movie, noted that they were completely incorrect, and sent an email to James Cameron to let him know that it was wrong. Cameron's response? Find me the correct star patterns for that time and I'll put them in.

They corrected it for the 3-D release...
Now I wonder who will notice it...

HAHA!
Love it.

Babble.com

Okay, I know that it's a webpage for a new generation of parents, but there's so much fun stuff (and by "fun," you know I mean "food") on her blog, I HAD to mention it!

It's time to BABBLE, fellow monkeys!

Sweet 16 Project - Pink Overload

My niece is turning 16, and her parents are throwing her a party. The specifications? PINK.

We're working on the centerpieces, candy bar, and photo booth props, and this is what we've come up with so far...

Still needs some polishing, but I don't think this should be too painful.

Queen of Hearts Jam Tarts

This is from one of my favorite cookbooks as a child (The Mother Goose Cookie-Candy Book, which is now out-of-print).

Queen of Hearts Jam Tarts

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar, to coat cookies (optional)
Jam (use your favorite!)

In a large bowl, cream the butter with a hand mixer. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, beating well between additions. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture and mix well.

Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Form a small amount (I usually do a heaping tablespoon) of dough into a ball, and roll it in the sugar (if using). Place the dough on a greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart (to allow for the dough to spread. Slightly flatten each cookie and make a small indentation in the center of each ball. In the indentation, add a small amount of jam (do not overfill, as jam will bubble and overflow during the baking process).

Bake for 15 minutes until cookies are set and the bottom of the cookies are lightly golden brown. Remove from tray and cool on a cooling rack. Allow the cookie to cool completely.

Enjoy!

McDonaldland Cookies

Remember these? McDonaldland Cookies!
I had no idea that they were still around...I was just remembering them fondly last week.
Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Hamburglar, Birdie, and the Fry Guys...

Next mission: Find where they sell them... If you find them, please let me know!!

Surprise!

This is the first entry of 2011...I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!

Hollywood Food Tour

This day started off as a simple hot dog run - at Skooby's in Hollywood.

So after buying 3 hot dogs, 2 cheesesteaks, 2 boxes of fries (one cheese, one garlic), and 2 lemonades, I mention that Magnolia's Bakery is just a few miles away. My mom says "Sure, I haven't seen it yet." Off we went.

Three cupcakes, one Magic cookie bar, and one large banana pudding later, we decide that we've purchased too much. But, we had seen another cupcake shop on the way to Magnolia's...AND my sissy remembers that they make ICE CREAM CUPCAKES!! No, not like the Coldstone Creamery cupcakes, but real cupcakes filled with ice cream and properly frosted. Off we went.

The plan was to get three cupcakes...I mean, four...I mean, five...yes, FIVE cupcakes...and a salted caramel hi-top (mini cupcake served whoopie pie style)...and two ice cream cupcakes (one chocolate with mint chip, one vanilla with strawberry). We realize that we bought too much sugar and it was time to go home, but I realize that I had to pick up my order from The Kitchen in Pasadena: one dozen ginger creams. Off we went.

We go to pick up the ginger creams and their tiramisu is in their case - chillin' and staring at me. Finally, after failing me all day, my will power kicked in. Yay! I passed! Time to go home! Off we went.

This was the dining room table when we got home...

...and that was just dessert!

Pinkberry Swirly Whip

2 parts Pinkberry base + 1 part cream = Pinkberry Swirly Whip

Yes, this is Pinkberry's latest topping...

Cookie Monster cupcakes

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! I've seen these for a while, and I finally had the opportunity to buy one...I mean two...

Maggiano's Little Italy

Ahhh Maggiano's...all-you-can-eat...
It was the Italian meal that almost never ended!

Lucky for our waistlines, it eventually came to an end...

L.A. County Fair 2010

Everyone in my group, my brother included, had fried food overload, while I went crazy sampling gourmet vinegars. Here's the evidence of the night's menu...

Dippin' Dots

COOOOOOORN!
Reza's Caramel Apple...which she almost dropped when the magician scared her.

Til next year! :)

Dried Green Mango

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but I've got a new dried fruit obsession...the Philippines brand Dried Green Mango! I used to buy the huge bag of dried fruit from Costco (the mix that had mango, green mango, blueberries and strawberries)...and my family and I would pick the green mango out first... Now we don't have to do that!

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

I don't usually like bananas...but if you freeze them and cover them in chocolate, that's a different story. Most stores that sell them cover them in chocolate AND peanuts (boo - I'm allergic), but Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is brilliant and flexible enough to change it up for me!

Tonight I had my chocolate-covered banana...with chopped pecans! :)

This was followed by a session of kettlebell...which I also "enjoyed."

Denny's Fried Cheese Melt

Denny's has a new item: The Fried Cheese Melt. Sounds delicious, no? This cheesy delight is made with four fried mozzarella sticks and American cheese sandwiched between slices of sourdough bread. All of this, of course, is grilled to crispy, greasy perfection. But they didn't stop there...they're rounding out the meal with a side of french fries and a side of marinara.

Woweeeeeee...talk about a portable heart attack!

Pacific Dining Car - Afternoon Tea

I experienced Afternoon Tea for the first time in my life today...at the Pacific Dining Car in Downtown Los Angeles. Tea sandwiches, scones with whipped cream and strawberry preserves, an assortment of desserts, and of course, TEA!

Here are a few visuals:I thought that tea would be dainty with tiny morsels of food. I was wrong. So much food! I'm SO going again.

Las Vegas Food Tour

Our whirlwind trip to Las Vegas turned into a challenge of how much food we could fit into our bodies in the less than 24 hours that we were there. Here's the rundown:

Dinner: Pampas Brazilian Grille @ Planet Hollywood
I didn't think that I would be completely satisfied by an all-you-can-eat Brazilian BBQ. They very quickly proved me wrong. They brought their BBQ chicken and spicy chicken around as soon as they heard there was a "chicken lady." Add that to the salad bar (caprese, green salad, roasted and fresh veggies, fried bananas, rice & black beans, hush puppies, bread, and a bunch of other prepared salads)...all of which was very very tasty...and that equals complete diner satisfaction.

Their fresh pineapple carver made it even better!

Dessert: Serendipty 3 @ Caesar's Palace
The Frrrrozen Hot Chocolate made famous by their NY stores have now come to Las Vegas. Mmmmmm....

We also tried their Strawberry Supreme - tasty too, but we got too big of a size...

Brunch: The Buffet @ the Wynn
My favorite buffet...mostly because of the desserts. Before it was because of their mango-lychee dessert with vanilla bean tapioca whipped cream. Today it was because of the caramel mousse that they used to top their rice pudding. Oh, and also because of their fresh strawberry sorbet.

Street Cart Fries @ Spitz

I have an unnatural love of french fries, so I'm always happy when a restaurant shakes things up and gives me a new variation to try. Spitz just did that with their Street Cart Fries...

Fries (thin crispy fries - either potato or sweet potato - we prefer the sweet potato) covered...excuse me, smothered with cucumber, tomato, kalamata olives, onions, green bell peppers, feta cheese, and their chili sauce. You can even add meat to round out your meal of fries.

Try them - they're really good!

Magnolia Bakery - Los Angeles

It's finally here! And it's not just for cupcakes!

My brother and I took a leisurely Monday morning drive through LA to visit Magnolia Bakery. When we got there, SURPRISE! NO LINE! We walked in and got our snacks in a flash. I got cupcakes, cheesecake, their famous banana pudding, and a Magic Bar for everyone to try.

My favorite thing? The banana pudding! (This is so weird because I don't like bananas in my smoothies...) I've already placed a standing order for my brother to pick up the banana pudding on his way home from work. Lucky for me, it's on his way home!! :)

Filipino Food Truck - Manila Machine

The Filipinos finally decided to join in the food truck craze, and soI've got a new truck to check out - the Manila Machine!

They're serving up Filipino faves like adobo and Filipino breakfast, and they have new and different items like pan de sal sliders!

Anyone want to join me in searching for them?

Marshmallow Milkshakes

I love toasted marshmallow, and I like milkshakes, therefore making MARSHMALLOW MILKSHAKES my new project.

I will let you know how these work out for me...wish me luck!