fondant and f&b

On Wednesday, Jenny and I met up for a fondant decorating class {remember our baking day and our holiday cookie/cupcake decorating class} at Icing on My Cake in Scottsdale. It was the first time either one of us had worked with fondant, and I have to say, I think our cakes looked amazing.

~jenny's sunny yellow theme~

~mine: lavender and white~

Afterwards, we met up with one of Jenny's friends for a luxuriously long dinner at FnB Restaurant in Scottsdale. The food is delicious and uses seasonal ingredients from lots of local sources. I highly suggest making a reservation {the place was packed - and it was a Wednesday!} for the bar where you get to see chef Charleen and her crew in action.

Our conversation and spread of food and wine was so engaging I didn't even think to take photos of all the deliciousness that was happening. I did, however, have to capture the sweets that capped off the most amazing meal.

~caramel pudding~

~flourless chocolate cake with housemade vanilla ice cream and huckleberries~

a new burger joint

On Saturday, Mark and I were running errands and stopped by a new burger place to grab a bite to eat - Coal Burger. I've been looking forward to testing out the burgers here for some time and was not disappointed.

All the burgers are cooked in a coal-fire oven and are so flavorful. I ordered the green chile burger with jalepenos and Mark chose a Coal Burger. We split an order of fries and tried the chipotle BBQ dipping sauce {which is much tastier on the burger than on fries, in my opinion}.

One of my favorite parts of our dining experience was the sparkling soda fountain - no Coke or Pepsi products here! - featuring Boyland's products {you can also pick up bottles of Boyland's sodas at World Market}. I tried the natural diet cola and Mark mixed lemonade and black cherry for a delicious and refreshing beverage combo. I highly recommend either.

The restaurant concept, by the same folks that created Grimaldi's Pizzeria, is eco-minded and they use all-natural ingredients {they even offer grass-fed beef burger patties and a vegetarian patty option, and gluten-free buns, if you like}.

Right now, Coal Burger can only be found in Arizona {there are two locations, one in Scottsdale Quarter and one in Chandler at Casa Paloma} and one in Texas, but Mark and I spoke with the manager and they are planning to expand - and quickly! Keep your eyes peeled.

a deal on date {or any} night

Have I ever mentioned that I'm obsessed with getting a great deal? If I haven't disclosed this bit of information outright, I'll say it now. I love finding something I want/need/never knew I needed until this very moment for a steal.

Suffice it to say, I'm also obsessed with websites like Groupon, Haute Look and Gilt Groupe. You can buy great stuff, experiences, getaways {I recently picked up rooms at a boutique hotel for a song} at insansely discounted prices.

Today, another website that is growing in popularity - Living Social - is offering a $10 worth of food and beverages at one of Mark's and my favorites : Fuego Taco {remember our recent date night?}.

a little something extra : both Groupon and Living Social have apps for your smart phone. They make it dangerously easy to purchase mindlessly. Just a little word of caution.

date night

One of the things I miss most when Mark is away is date night. Each week, we alternate who plans date night, and this past weekend was my turn to plan. I wanted to go to Fuego Bistro, so we hopped in the car and headed up to the restaurant. We got there right as the restaurant opened, and to our dismay, we weren't able to get in. However, the owner was so pleasant and gave us a VIP card to check out his new restaurant, Fuego Taco.

Since it was just a couple of miles away, we decided to go for it. And I'm so glad we did. It was ah-mazing. The restaurant has only been open for about four months, so it's still under the radar, but believe me, it was so tasty, it won't stay a secret for long.

We shared chips and salsa, the most amazing creamed corn dish ever {it was made with chipotle!}, and a delicious sangria {me} and fruity rum drink {Mark}.

We also shared Cuban sliders

and barbacoa tacos marinated in soy, pineapple and dr. pepper

While Fuego Bistro is still on our list, we really enjoyed our meal at Fuego Taco. And thanks to the attentive owner, we're sure to be regulars.

After dinner, we had planned to catch the new X-Men movie, but neither one of us were up for waiting in line to see the flick, so we ended up stopping by Sam's Club.

gone fishin'

Lately, I just cannot get enough seafood - whether it be sushi, salmon, shrimp, lobster or crab.

I'm sure my parents thought I'd never get to a place where my palate matured past grilled cheese and chicken tenders {although I still love these guilty pleasures}. When I was kid, I remember visiting my cousins in Maryland for the 4th of July and there was seafood aplenty. Steamed crabs, crabcakes {and football, cuz that's what Maryland does} and more piled high on platters. And what did I want? A hot dog. Smothered in cheese. Today, I would never pass up an authentic Maryland crabcake.

So I'm looking forward to heading back east where I can really sink my teeth into something yummy. But that's not to say that I haven't had some tasty seafood meals here in the desert.

deliciousness from roy's.

from beckett's table. too bad I had a migraine and couldn't fully enjoy the meal {or my wine}.

I also have been known to bake up some frozen salmon on busy nights. My favorite is from Sea Cuisine. It's easy and delicious and ready to enjoy in about 30 minutes. Just add a side of steamed veggies or a light salad and it's the perfect weeknight meal.



~via~



seasonal musts | patio dining

Another must - especially in the spring here in the desert - is patio dining. And we've got some great patios. One of my favorites is Cibo in downtown Phoenix. It's located in a converted historic home and has the most. amazing. patio. Seriously, it's perfect. The brick patio is surrounded by bistro lights, shrubs and gorgeous trees. There are heaters for cooler weather, but springtime dining is my personal favorite.

Everyone I take here or suggest dine here falls in love. Pizzas, salads, sandwiches, dessert...no matter what you order, you can't go wrong. And on Tuesday and Wednesday, they offer a special pasta dish {or two} - always made with homemade pasta and always worth a try.

I spent a breezy spring evening here with one of my dearest friends, Diana, sharing wine, stories and yummy food.

~sunset on the way to dinner~

~wine while you wait~

~welcoming home~

~salad, bread and wine~

I wish I had more photos, but the conversation was just too good to remember to take shots. Suffice it to say, if you come to Phoenix, swing by Cibo for delicious food.

korean bbq love

Another thing Stacey and I did this weekend? Korean BBQ. Let me say this: find yourself a place that serves this style of food and go there. Right. Now. Stacey and her boyfriend, E, took me to this fabulous restaurant in Korea town on Saturday night. It was so yummy.

~all you can eat and a grill in the center of your table~

~side dishes and sauce~

~meat!~

~ready to eat~

a very veggie brunch

On Saturday, following an hour on the erg and an hour hiking up South Mountain, I met my friend, Tina, at a little unassuming breakfast / lunch place called Pomegranate. Located next to my local Trader Joe's, this vegetarian / vegan place is divine! They support local farmers and make some really delicious food.

Tina and I decided to split the In-Season Scramble, with scrambled eggs and a medley of seasonal veggies like onion and peppers served with a side of harvest hash - sweet and yukon potatoes, and the Pom-Berry French Toast, made with the most flavorful ancient grain bread. We each enjoyed a latte {caramel for me and vanilla for Tina} which came with a just-the-right-size Mexican wedding cake cookie.

Just take a look...

weekend update

I don't usually wait until the last minute to finish my Christmas shopping, let alone wait until the last minute to even start, but such is the case this year. From 8 a.m. Saturday to 10:30 Sunday night, I was going non-stop.

Saturday morning started with a hike up South Mountain's Telegraph Pass with two friends, then to America's Taco Shop with Mark. Neither he nor I had been there before, but I'd been dying to try it for a while now. It was so yummy that I didn't stop to take photos of all the carne asada goodness.

Then I was off to do some Christmas shopping...and in the middle of suburbia {San Tan Mall, for those of you who live in the Valley} were three deputies on horseback. Welcome to the Wild West!

Sunday morning had me up-and-at-'em early again. House chores mixed with some more shopping and a stop by Lux Coffee for a mid-morning pick-me-up.

~that's a non-fat iced caramel latte - delish!~

Mark and I headed out for a quick lunch at one of our fave fast-food burger joints - Five Guys. They just opened one near our house. And while they're delicious, you can't eat more than one every couple of months.

And then, cookie-making madness {photos to come tomorrow} followed by selecting our Christmas tree - told you we were pulling off a last-minute holiday.

~decorations to come soon~

~another great find from Trader Joe's. Only $5!~

And back to work today. I need a day off from my weekend! How did you spend your weekend?

a few of my favorite things

The long week is over, lovelies! Time to think lovely thoughts - and here are a few of my favorite things.

The falafel burger from Green

Being goofy with Mark

Rainy skies in the desert punctuated with a rainbow

Tell me your favorites!

mama mia!

Since both of our significant others have been across the country since April, my mom and I have been hanging out more. We enjoy meals, watch chick flicks and sometimes go shopping (if you know my mother, this is completely out of character for her). She even let me drag her around NYC for a whirlwind day - and didn't complain {too much} when we only took one cab ride the entire trip.

I'm so happy that we've had this time to build upon our relationship and hang out more. 

Happy birthday, mom! 

~outside juniors in NYC for some famous cheesecake~

~visiting my grandma in the hospital~

a blossoming locavore

We are a culture who likes labels - and one more I'm adding to my list is locavore. For those of you who are new to the term, a locavore is someone who prefers to eat locally grown or produced foods. I came across this great article which outlines 10 ways to become a locavore.

One easy way to start to become more locally conscious is to visit a farmers market. Most of the time, you get to chat with the farmer who's food you're purchasing.

A few years ago, I drove with my friend across three states when she moved to Portland. Beforehand, we took a few days to explore the city a few months before her move. One of my favorite things about the city was their farmers market. It was the most amazing one I've even been to. And the proof is in the pictures.

Another great way is to find restaurants who support local farmers. Some of my favorites around town include

Hillside Spot

True Food Kitchen - part of the family of FOX Restaurant Concepts restaurants.

The Farm at South Mountain

Pizzeria Bianco and Pane Bianco

Confession: I despised tomatoes until a couple of years ago. Thanks to Chris Bianco and his amazing caprese salad and mozzarella and tomato sandwich, I am now a lover of tomatoes - more specifically, I love the locally grown tomatoes from One Windmill Farm or McClendon Farms.

These are just a few of my favorite ways to be locally conscious; there are so many ways to be a locavore. 

If you decide you want to be more aware of where your food products come from, don't let that change - or any other change you want to make in your life - be daunting or overwhelming. Small changes are sustainable changes.