Monthly Archives: March 2012

Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine | Irvine

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What better way to end a full day of work on a Monday than to have happy hour ? I can’t think of any better way. :P Andrei’s is a fantastic restaurant with wonderful modern architecture and decor with exceptional food to match! My favorite drink is called the “Geisha Drop” which is a martini but has such a fruity flavor that I could hardly taste the alcohol. Dangerous! By the last sip I was completely red in the face. Their happy hour appetizers are to die as well which included their short rib sliders and homemade veggie chips with wasabi cream dipping sauce, an adult version of grilled cheese sandwich and a bbq chicken flat bread. But how can we leave this amazing lounge area without having dessert? Of course we got the chocolate sampler. :P I polished off the chocolate pot de creme…delish!! Heaven was in that cup and it was the pot de creme.

Well after all that food we had to walk it off right? Er…more like work it off. I made Wilma be my model while I ran around her trying to adjust my lighting as I tested out my new toy…Pocket Wizards! It was freezing and windy that Monday night, but you wouldn’t be able to tell by the serenity in Wilma’s face. Thanks girl!!

 

 

Jasmine Star “The FIX Conference” | Los Angeles Photographer

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j*…the FIX…a day spent in beautiful L.A…perfect!

On this beautiful sunny day, Harmony and I headed out to L.A. and started our L.A. adventure with a spanish latte granita from Urth Cafe (a must when I’m in the neighborhod) and then went to J-town to grab some sushi for lunch. We just happened to come across this revolving sushi bar and I must say that for $2 per plate, it was very good and extremely affordable. I highly recommend it if you’re craving for sushi but don’t want to break the bank doing it.

Before we went to the FIX, we stopped by LACMA to check out the scene. It’s a really cool place to just lounge and grab some coffee and people watch. Of course, you can’t go to the LACMA without photographing the famous light installation where all engagement sessions and lifestyle sessions seem to take place.

The FIX was just up the street on Fairfax at the silent theatre, CineFamily. The space was very intimate and cozy. I just love how j* and her team made the venue so warm and inviting by having the lights dimmed, music playing in the background, mason jars everywhere with tea lights in them adding to the intimate atmosphere. It was definitely a perfect place to conclude the FIX conference. I walked away from the FIX with a recharged attitude about forging ahead with building my business and continuing to learn and grow….also with the idea of buying a ton of mason jars and putting little tea lights in them to place around my home for a little extra romance. ;P

Now offering exquisite albums!

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Eek! I’m so excited to announce that I’m now carrying albums. The thought of carrying such an important product and the time it takes to design an album was nerve racking. However, I got over the gitters and just stepped into the designing process. I mean, I’m a graphic designer by trade, I should be good at this. This is my area of expertise….

So selecting the materials and the paper was actually the easy part. I knew the materials I wanted to represent my studio and the paper the images would be printed on. I chose a matte fine art paper and chose a textured black leatherette cover called “Prada Black”, which is perfect since I love Prada shoes! :P This is the clamshell box made of the same “Prada Black” material as the album.

The 10×10 album sits comfortably in the clamshell box and makes for a stunning presentation. As an option, the cover can have a window with a picture if someone desires that type of look. However, I like things very clean and simple so I chose to have a cover that just shows off the material.This album is very sturdy and very heavy. Just look at those thick pages. I also adore the simple straight back spine. It’s so clean and modern.
Ahh the lay flat pages. The album pages lays completely flat and has a very minimal gutter width between the two pages.I’m so proud of my first album and cannot wait to bring it to future client meetings and wow them!

Renaissance Club Sport Hotel • Fitness • Spa | Aliso Viejo

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This past weekend I was able to assist Brian Carter of Pixel That! Photography. Everyone was getting ready at the Renaissance Club Sport Hotel in Aliso Viejo. I’ve never heard of this place before so I was a bit curious. Walking through the front door of the hotel I knew this place would be special. The decor was completely MY style! It is modern, edgy, masculine with strong linear patterns and lines, but is softened with bright punches of color. Just check out these images I captured on my trusty iPhone.

Look at that texture and crisp lines! Then the curved wooden slats in a dark mahogany…scrumpdeeliumptious! Ok I just made up that word.

Gosh I want that tortoise shell lantern for my side tables. I love the juxtaposition of the glass and wood. Isn’t the carpet fun? I mean it’s whimsical and the colors are so punchy! Definitely FUN! Oh the desk….the front desk….I want something like that for my home!I can’t wait for another couple to get ready in this hotel. OH please someone stay here! 

The Ritz Restaurant | Newport Beach

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Orange County Restaurant week is a must for all foodies. My love for food has lead me to try many restaurants throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. For this year’s OC restaurant week Vanessa and I thought The Ritz in Newport Beach was the one for us!

While on their website I decided to look through their regular dinner menu and came across the most unique appetizer dish “Escargots en Croute”. Don’t ask me what it means, but the appetizer had me at “escargots”. It is described as “Baked in individual Crocks under a flaky Puff-pastry Crust with Walnuts, Parsley, Lemon Juice, Garlic & Red Wine”.

Oh yeah, did I also mention that the prix fixe menu also came with Lobster bisque and yet I still had to order the Escargots en Croute? :P Yeah, I’m a little piggy, I proudly admit that.

The entree was 8 oz sirloin that was tender and juicy and cooked to perfection! A+ they really do know how to cook their steaks. It also came with a free dish of creamed corn that was broiled to a crisp on top…delish! Don’t let the picture of the sirloin fool you. That slab of meat was bigger than it looks here.


The trio of desserts was good, but I’ve had better elsewhere. The trio consisted of raspberry creme brulee, key lime tart and chocolate cake. It was a good sampler though.

The service was impeccable. You cannot complain when your waitress serves you in a tux! The prix fixe menu also came with a free glass of wine, which was a plus and completely appreciated. The Ritz also had live music and the band played beautifully. I enjoyed my time there and would definitely visit again for a special occasion.