reflektor.

The Arcade Fire just released their first single off their new album, Reflektor. The song was produced by James Murphy & features David Bowie!!! The Suburbs album was a pretty epic album, and probably their best one to-date, so I'm curious to see how this new album will stack up!

The new single is definitely more of a dance electronic sound, but I could see Reflektor being a catchy song that gets you movin & groovin! I have to say though, it does have some LCD Soundsystem influence...who doesn't love a disco ball man?!

spicy chicken.

spicy garlic & lime chicken.

I was inspired one evening to spice up my taco recipe by incorporating one of my favorite things to cook, chicken. Chicken is so easy to make & it can be paired with a number of different sides, which is why I decided ditch the beef.

The ingredients are super simple, as it's a combination of a number of dry spices, fresh lime juice, butter, and olive oil. There is no way you can screw up this recipe, unless you're 'eye balling' the portions, so grab your measuring utensils.

Ingredients

• 3/4 Teaspoon of Salt.
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Black Pepper.
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper.
• 1/8 Teaspoon of Paprika.
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder. 
• 1/8 Teaspoon of Onion Powder.
• 1/4 Teaspoon of dried Thyme.
• 1/4 Teaspoon of dried Parsley.
• 2 boneless & skinless Chicken Breasts.
• 2 Tablespoons of Lime Juice.

  Directions

In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons garlic powder and lime juice. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

cool blues.

pesto.

I've learned from the past that I should always try out a recipe before I present to a large audience; but I figured this dish was so incredibly simple, how could I screw this one up? 

For my future hubby to be's 30th birthday up in wine country, I cooked a pasta themed dinner, which included this tasty pesto dish. This was a huge hit for the 30 + guests who came up to celebrate that weekend, and I've been making this for my honey ever since!

Bon appetite!

Ingredients

4 cups (about 4 ounces) fresh basilleaves
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Sardo or Romano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and oil in a food processor andblend until a paste forms.
2. Add the Parmesan cheese, Pecorino cheese, salt, and pepper andpulse until smooth.
3. This is a crucial moment for your pesto, as you need to season with salt and pepper. Keep in mind that Parmigiano and Pecorino are both dry and salty cheeses, you have to taste your sauce a few times in order not to go overboard when you are seasoning it.
4. Cover the pesto and keep in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
5. Mix the pasta and the pesto, serve garnished with some grated Parmesan (just a touch), fresh ground pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Additional Tips & Tricks

Dose your sauce.... some people like the sauce thin, others like it very dense....which basically means less or more sauce that goes in the pasta...The Genovese tradition is to use a small ladle of the pasta water-the one you boiled the pasta in-and use it to dilute the sauce when you mix it in the pasta.

cap.toes

I'm loving the cap toe shoe trend that's going on for Fall! It's simple, stylish, and if you find a pair that enhances your wardrobe, its a huge score for your feet. These shoes look best with tapered dark jeans (clean wash). You don't want to overdue the rest of your ensemble, because you want this chic look to be overwhelming, so choose solid/ mild prints for dresses & tops.

Here are some of my favorites ...

fall.fashion.obsessions

falling in love..

House of Harlow 1960 Chelsea Sunglasses - $140

 Military style skirted coat - $145

Famme Fatale Necklace - $118

post.outside.lands 2012

Outside Lands was amazing this year, but the weather was typical San Francisco, cold, foggy, and at times misty.  On the upside, the lineup this year presented bands that kept you dancing the entire set. Some of the highlights for me we're seeing up-and-coming bands such as Geographer and Animal Kingdom, and classics like Stevie Wonder and Niel Young.

A new band that started in 2008, Geographer is an American indie rock band that combines catchy beats with soothing vocals. The band itself is fairly new, and they even reminisced during their show about how they attended OSL 5 years ago to see Radiohead. They couldn't believe that they would be in the lineup of the same festival just a couple years later. I was not only impressed with their live show, but I thought that they were really humble guys who were touched by the outpouring of fans that showed up that day. One of their hits - 'Kites' was shot in downtown San Francisco, and I couldn't resist sharing.

Geographer - Kites