Summer lovin...

Happy Tuesday loves! I hope your week is off to an amazing start. I cannot believe how fast time is going by. In just a couple of weeks my son will be back in school. Where does the time go? I have been having a really amazing summer and have been loving all the birthday love I have been getting. A few more days and its time to say goodbye to my birthday month. A close friend of mine jokingly refers to all of my celebrations as my "birthday tour" LOL.

We have been having a heat wave and it has been way too hot for my liking, but there is so much I love about summer. Ice cream cones, pretty colors, flowers in bloom, long days at the beach...

What do you love about summer?

I am wearing one of my favorite types of looks, a crisp white shirt, fitted pants and colorful accessories. This look never goes out of style and its unfussy, but stylish. and of course I am carrying the green bag my son got me for mothers day...awwwwwwww

He picked it out all by himself, but of course Grandma helped him pay for it:-) I am amazed that at the age of 7,  my son knows my taste. He loves when I carry this bag and I feel special every time I carry it because my son picked it out just for me.

White shirt: Macys, Black Slacks: Michael Kors, Green Purse: Iman, Pumps: Louise et Cie

A little sparkle

I  love the details on these shoes and the gold heel is such a nice accent

Have an amazing day!

Rock Sugar (LV's LA)

Have you ever went to a restaurant that was so intriguing you wanted to linger long after the last guest is gone? I love the ambiance at Rock Sugar just as much as I love the diverse selection of Pan Asian food that touches every type of Asian food  from the sweet notes that seduce your palate, to the fiery hot spices that incinerate your taste buds. They've got it all and then some.

The lounge with its cozy fire pits and Asian artifacts are the perfect place to take in the setting with a luscious libation in hand to view all the beautiful people that complement the gorgeous scenery. The weather was perfect for enjoying the outdoor patio, so rather than dine in the beautifully ornate interior of the restaurant, my companion and I chose to take in the summer breeze and watch the sun go down.

Instead of the traditional bread basket, these tasty sesame rice crips with chili dipping sauce get your palate ready for a culinary trip to Asia

This blood orange Sangria was refreshing, effervescent, crisp and sweet. If a drink could taste like summer, this would be it. If you like sweet drinks this delicious Sangria with a blend of Champagne, Riesling, blood orange puree, kaffir and calamansi is absolutely sublime

 These spring rolls are eaten Vietnamese style by taking a big leafy piece of lettuce and wrapping it around the entire spring roll before dipping it into the delicious sauce

These chicken satay skewers bring a little taste of Thailand

 A little pit stop in India. These delicious chicken samosas are served with a tasty cilantro yogurt dipping sauce

Absolutely stunning decor

 Every detail is eye candy

 These Thai noodles were definitely a favorite

Lemongrass roasted chicken is very aromatic, although I am not sure I would order this again

Cheers!

 To the good life!

 Tempura Tiger Shrimp with chiles, cilantro and palm sugar glaze

 Don't these tiger shrimp look amazing?

 The butter cake is absolutely scrumptious and the fresh mango, blueberries and rich condensed milk ice cream were delicious

 The caramelized banana cake was the perfect birthday treat! This is one of the signature desserts and has a caramelized top reminiscent of creme brulee and moist cake, accompanied with milk chocolate ice cream, malted cream anglaise and nut brittle

 As the evening went on, the lounge got pretty cozy, so we enjoyed a little fireside conversation and relaxation. What a great way to cap off the evening:-)

 Definitely one of my favorite spots in Los Angeles

If you haven't been to Rock Sugar, it is definitely worth checking out. Dining here can be pricey, so if you want a compete dining experience, be prepared to pay for it. The atmosphere and the diverse selection of Asian dishes make it a great choice to enjoy a meal on a special occasion, or just because:-)

Rock Sugar

10250 Santa Monica Blvd

Century City, CA 90067 

310-552-9988

Friendship

In this life, you need a good friend. At least one. As we get older, our circles tend to get smaller and sometimes it isn't always the people you have known the longest who go the extra mile. What matters the most is a friend that shows how much they value you by their actions. I used to place a lot of value on the length of time people were in my life, but that's nothing but mathematics. 

When a friend is genuine they prove it to you again and again and again. Some pretend well, but actions will always show someone's heart towards you. I am grateful to have friends in my life, but those that I can really trust and that I know are authentic is a very small number, but all you need is one. 

Even if you have only one other soul that you can call a friend, you are indeed blessed.

Aqua Lady

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. Me and my son had a fun filled weekend full of activities and I have been truly enjoying summer. We had plans to hit the beach and the weather did not agree with that, so we had to improvise and do some other things instead. I have some great recipes to share, so stay tuned for those. You probably know from my last few posts, how busy I have been. I forgot to post these photos in my aqua dress. I wore this out recently and just love this color. I love the way it looks to wear varying shades of the same color.  Aqua is one of those colors that is soft and pastel, yet vibrant at the same time. Do you agree?

Dress: Go Jane, handbag: c/o Mimi Boutique, Necklace: c/o Mimi Boutique, Sandals: Specialty Boutique

I love this necklace from Mimi Boutique. The color is so perfect for summer and can be paired with so many other colors.

Isn't this bag gorgeous?

So how do you like this monochromatic look?

Have an amazing day!

Culina (LV's LA)

There are some places that just make you want to be outdoors . Culina is one of those places.  Located in the heart of Beverly Hills and a part of the gorgeous Four Seasons Hotel, is an enchanting Italian restaurant. Culina is gorgeous inside and out, but the tranquil patio beckons you to indulge in an Al fresco dining experience. The lush outdoor patio is a garden oasis with fresh trees,tropical anthuriums and the scent of fresh flowers. This is what dining in Southern California is all about. Blue skies, lush landscaping and delicious food.

So many choices

 The party got started with this tasty Pina Colada mocktail

I have enjoyed lunch here, but coming here early evening was a different experience. The candles cast a soft glow over the patio and the vibe is laid back and relaxing.

It is easy to get swept away by the scenery

Especially with beautiful touches like this bubble chandelier

absolutely lovely to look at, but the food, yes, the food, is worth taking note of.

 The menu offers a nice balance of Italian favorites and some modern twists on favorites. We started with the delicious Tricolore salad, which is a blend of wild arugula, treviso, frisee, grapes,  white balsamic vinaigrette and parmagiano reggiano

 Another salad we tried had Proscuitto, frisee, radicchio, canteloupe, pine nuts,gorgonzola and wild arugula brought together with a lemony dressing

The freshly baked  Foccacia is always perfect and absolutely addicting

Cheers to the good life!

These beautiful Anthuriums remind me of Maui

And the star of the night was the Lasagna Bolognese. This dish had the perfect blend of turkey, ricotta cheese, spinach and tomatoes

 Such a gorgeous space to relax and enjoy a nice dinner

Doesn't this look scrumptious?

And this cheesy goodness is what lies beneath the surface

 The fire pit and candle light on the tables make the ambiance inviting and romantic. Perfect for snuggling next to that special someone while a trail of stars watch from above 

The Chocolate Tortino dessert is a rich molten chocolate cake with salted caramel gelato.

This amazing looking dessert is the Afogato, which is vanilla bean gelato, expresso, cotton candy and pinoli cookies

The expresso is poured over the cotton candy and vanilla bean gelato. If you love coffee flavored desserts, this is perfect!

 Such great service here and a great indoor and outdoor space. This place is one of my best kept secrets...but not anymore:-)

Culina 

300 S. Doheny Drive

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

310-860-4000