Queen Princess Mommy

I have been called a lot of things in my  life, but I can't think of anything that makes me smile more than when my son calls me Queen Princess Mommy.  I asked him what made him call me that and his response was: "You are my queen, you are a princess and you are my mommy. Queen Princess Mommy."

It is moments like that when being a mother makes me feel like I have wings and I can fly. Someone once told me that motherhood is the most exhausting job you will ever love.   That could not be more true. The hours are long and never ending, there is never a day off, but you get paid in smiles and hugs and unconditional love and in my case an adorable little boy who adores me and calls me Queen Princess Mommy. He loves my crimson kisses on his cheek as a reminder of the love and affection I have for him.  A mothers love.

We spend moments in the kitchen. Honeydrippin, brown sugarin, chocolate chippin, hot cocoa sippin moments between a mom and her son. And I cook. I mean really cook. Sometimes I cook like Jesus is comin...

There is nothing like motherhood. NOTHING.

I remember in my last month of pregnancy I was so anxious to give birth that I wrote my unborn son an eviction notice. My son was born five days later. I think GOD has a great sense of humor.

This is a scanned copy of the original eviction notice, which I now keep in my son's memory book.

Mom, I believe in love at first sight. I loved you as soon as I opened my eyes

Being a mom makes you do mushy things like take photos of your baby every month for a year to track how much he grows. I actually took photos every month with little signs just like this one to reflect each month of my sons life.

 And each day I watch him grow and evolve before my very eyes.  I strive to be a good example because I know he is watching what I do and absorbing life like a sponge. His relationship with me is important because it will directly influence relationships he has with women later in his life.

Motherhood is an amazing journey

We eat happy meals:-)

And my son smiles with his eyes:-)

 We play in the snow

We go on foodie adventures

My little guy gets exposed to all life has to offer

We eat good food and make smiley faces:-)

When you are a mom, nothing brings you more joy than your child's smiles and laughter

This is what happy looks like

 Happy!

Happy!

We have lollipops and smiles:-)

 Picnics in the park

A mothers hug lasts long after she lets go

 My son writes his sentiments on his chalkboard

And my son thinks I rock!

 I love nothing more than being his guardian angel

To all of the wonderful moms, wishing you lots of love and honor

Greek Salad

Greek salad is a perfect way to eat clean and healthy without missing out on great flavor and texture. This salad is zesty and robust with a hint of lemon,  and lots of fresh veggies. I love to serve this with warm pita bread and grilled chicken. If you are eating low carb, you can omit the bread and enjoy with fresh poultry or fish and it is very satisfying.

Perfect way to get your daily dose of fresh vegetables

Ingredients

1 head romaine lettuce, washed dried and chopped

1/2 cup sliced red onion

1 6 ounce can pitted black olives

2 Roma Tomatoes chopped

1 cucumber sliced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

8 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, black olives and feta cheese in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt in a bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Add dressing a little at a time until you have the desired amount on your salad.

 Bon Appetit!

Green & Yellow

 Happy Tuesday! Hope your week is starting off on a great note. The weather has been a mixed bag of summer heat and rainy days. One day 90, the next day cold and rainy. Today is a nice balmy spring day. The perfect weather for a soft flowy dress. I pulled out this green dress and did not quite realize how short it was until I put it on, so this will be my last time wearing this dress as a dress. I think on me, it might work better as a tunic. I am tall and leggy and what fits an average height woman like a dress, often fits me like a top. I really hate when that happens because when I buy a dress, I want to wear it as a dress, but when you are tall sometimes you can't. I really should not have worn this, but I wanted to wear this as a dress at least once.

I love this rich jewel toned dress with the contrast of these bold yellow pumps, but I am retiring this as a dress.

Never again will I wear this as a dress. I don't know what I was thinking. Have you ever worn something and then cringed later when you saw it?

I love these earrings

Dress: F-21, Clutch: Ebay, Pumps: Urban Original, Earrings: F-21

Oh well, we all make mistakes. Sometimes you have to just grin and bear it:-) Have a great day!

Bossa Nova Cuisine (LV's LA)

I have always loved food from exotic locales and Brazilian food is no exception. The Bossa Nova grill has a vast selection of authentic Brazilian food and some great American dishes as well. When you order any of the traditional Brazilian specialties, one of your sides is delicious fried plantains and they are perfectly sweet and a great complement to the savory dishes. One of the best things about this restaurant is the variety of food on the menu. I guarantee you will have a hard time choosing, so it is a great idea to go with a group that loves to share:-)

This place has been a favorite of mine for a while, but I decided it was time to share my little secret with the fam and now they are in love with this place too.

We started with some delicious appetizers. Croquete de Camarao which is dough filled with shrimp and cheese and the Coxinha with chicken and cheese.  Both were tasty as is and great with a few shakes of hot sauce.

I highly recommend dining al fresco. The weather is pretty amazing these days and the patio is a great spot.

The chicken lasagna is insanely good

The Sunset Pasta with chicken, asparagus, onions and mushrooms. I loved this too.  It  really helps to come here with folks who don't mind sharing their grub:-)  This way you get to try lots of amazing dishes!

Doesn't this look good?

 Be sure to try the Guarana Brazilian Soda. The Guarana Berry grows in the amazon and has one of the highest concentrations of caffeine in any plant, so you will get a burst of energy, which is not a bad side effect at all.

The perfect amount of fizziness and sweetness

Garlic Bread

Buttery, garlicky goodness

The New Orleans: Shrimp, Chicken and Pancetta in a spicy tomato sauce. When they say spicy, they aint playin, this is very spicy, but delicious.

The Bossa Nova grill gives you very ample portions, so you will definitely have enough for a midnight snack:-) The prices are reasonable, but if I had to highlight a con to dining here, it would be the parking.  That also has a lot to do with this location being on the Westside and the Westside is known  for  being overly congested with sucky parking. 

During peak hours it might be a challenge to find parking, but there is an adjacent valet parking lot and even that gets full on the weekends. If you come during peak hours on the weekend, be prepared for a wait. It is best to come between 11:00 and 4:00 on Saturday and Sunday unless you don't mind waiting. Great spot for a casual meal and then a walk around Beverly Hills.

Bossa Nova Cuisine

685 North Robertson

Beverly Hills

310-657-5070