New York City! Part 2.

Our first night in New York was one for the books and I had no doubt that each day was going to be just as exciting.  On our next day, we had a full day ahead of us and lots sweet treats planned!  Here's Day Two...

Sugar & Plumm's Short Rib Eggs Benedict

It continued to rain that morning and we had Brunch at Sugar & Plumm on the Upper West Side planned.  As we walked into the restaurant, there were tons of desserts and confections in every color imaginable; I wanted to try all the macarons!  I was torn between getting a sweet breakfast but actually went the savory route (totally not like me).  I stuck with the Short Rib Eggs Benedict and I'm so glad I chose that.  The rosemary brioche it was served on was so delicious that every bread should be that good!  I was actually surprised at how inexpensive it was, only $18 with tip for Brunch in Manhattan!  Of course, we all had to buy some treats; I ended up with a Birthday Cake and Violet Cassis Macaron, even though there were all sorts of shapes and figures of beautifully crafted chocolate.

Surrounding my Cookie from
Levain Bakery!  Thankfully
we all got our own ;)

Since we were going to see "Waitress: The Musical" later that afternoon we decided to walk around the Upper West Side and check out LeVain Bakery (thanks to Ashley Daniels for the tip) which had a line of people waiting for their famous cookies.  I only took two bites because I was so full from Brunch but that cookie melted in my mouth.  Most of us said it was one of the best cookies we'd ever had!  As we walked towards Theater Row I recognized the scenery from some movies and the closer we got to the theaters, the more excited I was.  Part of the reason for our whole trip was to see Sara Bareilles playing the leading role in "Waitress" because she had written the music for the show and I knew she would do the role justice after hearing her debut 'She Used to be Mine' at one of her LA concerts!  I've seen Sara perform in concert numerous times, so I know her witty banter and ability to sell a song so effortlessly is there but I had no idea she'd bring the talent we saw that day.  As the musical started and Sara began to sing, Giana who was sitting next to me, just looked at me and squeezed my arm.  She said she turned into a Sara Bareilles fan after seeing the show!  Every song was better than the next.  It was such a fun show and the characters were so perfectly cast.  I fell in love with 'When He Sees Me,' 'Bad Idea,' 'Never Ever Getting Rid Of Me,' and 'Everything Changes.'  She sings that song seated, and makes it look so easy, and if you weren't already crying during 'She Used to be Mine' which everyone around us was, you surely were at this point.  It was touching, funny, sweet, had incredibly talented actors and a great ensemble, and Sara just knocked it out of the park!  I was so happy to see her in this role and just blow everyone away.  Although, the real star of the show, to a lot of the audience was the guy who played, Ogie.  He got the most applause!  We actually ended up seeing the actor who plays Dr. Pommater the following night as we were walking to a bar in the area; I couldn't believe I recognized him and he was super polite and humble.  Catch "Waitress" if you can, and especially if you can see Sara playing the role of 'Jenna.'

Even Sara has Bunny Ears!

After that we went to a Sushi Restaurant, Haru for Happy Hour and Tommy, our server took great care of us.  We didn't want to eat too much since we had reservations at Barbetta that night.  Back to the Hotel we went, got changed and then headed back towards Hell's Kitchen and the Theater District.  Barbetta is 111 years old and all the dishes on the menu had the year they were created and added.  Some of the recipes were 111 years old, in fact, Giana ordered one of them which was the Agnolotti.  I ordered a Caprese Salad (always a favorite of mine) and the Gnocchetti Ai Formaggi (Gnocchi and four cheese) and it was absolutely delicious.  I was also pretty proud that I had picked out a beautiful wine that everyone loved!  The staff actually wanted to take pictures with us so we got a few with everyone who had helped us out that evening...so sweet!

We walked back towards the Subway when we came across the Rum House; a piano bar specializing in Rum cocktails.  We listened to a Jazz Band play some live music and contemporary hits and even tuned out from our cell phones for nearly an hour.  Great rule, Rach!  Rachel and I had been talking about our previous night at Jack Dempsey's and all the fun snapchats we had, so we had to go and visit Bob again since we wouldn't get to see him before we went back to LA.  We got a couple cocktails and then called it a night and made our way home.  This was our only night we were in before 2 am ;)

At Barbetta in Manhattan with my Ladies, our Host, Waiter and Sommelier!

It was another eventful night in New York City and yet, our trip had just begun!

New York City! Part 1.

When I got off the plane in Los Angeles after being in New York for five days, something felt off.  There's only a couple places I call home.  Obviously Plymouth, Wisconsin, where I grew up for 18 years and Winona, Minnesota, where I went to college because the second I stepped onto campus, I knew it was the right fit.  So when I landed in LA, after being in NY, I felt like I just left my home, the same way I do when I leave Wisconsin.  I can't explain it.  I've only been to New York twice in my life; once when I was 17 and then this past April, but I just fit in the moment I got off the plane at JFK airport.  It was raining, I was excited, each part of the city we passed as we made our way into Manhattan, was another second closer to feeling like this is where I should be.  And where my heart has felt incomplete since.  Yes, I'll get over it; could I really do long cold winters for at least four months out of the year?  Where would Rutherford go to the bathroom?  Do I want to start all over in a new place as an Actress?  But for now, and the purpose of this blog, I'm going to share my New York trip and a city that has a piece of my heart forever.

Our view of the Empire State Building
from our Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

I've never taken a Spring Break or a Girl's Trip.  I always wanted to but the closest I would come is Florida for Cheerleading in College or family vacations to Mexico.  I don't count going to Las Vegas, only because it's a few hours from Los Angeles; it would be totally different if I was going there from Wisconsin.  So for the first time in 33 years, I was taking a Spring Break, and it was an adult one at that.  Rachel, Sam and I were heading to New York City, Manhattan specifically, and Giana was already there, as she had moved just a couple weeks prior.  She was feeling homesick so we were excited to spend some time with her and bring a little LA to her!  Our sleeping arrangements fell through on Saturday and we scrambled to find something by our arrival in New York on Tuesday.  Thankfully, I found a great Hotel in Midtown, that was centrally located to everything, for a great rate and it included Breakfast every morning.  My Mom would have been proud :)

We flew Delta on our way to New York (I got us a great flight to and from NY for an awesome price by watching flights) and we were all very excited for our little five day getaway.  Gary Sinise kicked off the trip when I grabbed a Bagel at Coffee Bean; all the employee's knew him well.  Little did we know that breakfast was included on the flight, and I was wide awake so I ended up watching 'Collateral Beauty' (which if you haven't seen, was absolutely amazing - I shed plenty of tears) and then 'The Unknowns' about the Guards that watch the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and of course, we had to get a quick glimpse of the 'Sex & The City' movie since the Core Four would all be together in NY.  We checked into our Hotel, a La Quinta Inn & Suites and decided to head straight to the Roof-Top Bar since it was Happy Hour.  To make the Hotel even better, we were directly next to the Empire State Building and we had the best view of it!

Giana & I at Beauty & Essex...first night in New York :)

Giana met us at the Hotel and we all got ready for our first night in New York!  We had reservations at Beauty & Essex that night, got all gussied up, and rode the Subway to the East Village.  Emerald Gimlets, complimentary Beet Appetizers, Tuna Tacos, and our entrees which included Salmon, Lobster Mac & Cheese, Pesto, and my Scallops (which were the best I've ever had) were all a part of our lovely dinner.  I had checked out all of our restaurants on Instagram and found that at Beauty & Essex, in their downstairs bathroom/powder room, they offered complimentary Champagne.  The Ladies and I enjoyed a couple glasses, tipping our Champagne gal for our Bubbly and all the photos she took and it really made the evening a total package.  We wanted to hit up a club after so I took over, pulling out my phone to GPS to us to our next location, but let me tell you, it was raining (I gave up on my hair after the second day of this strange atmosphere) and I walked us eight blocks in the wrong direction.  We all did this at some point on the trip, and I'm not sure what kind of signal our phones were getting, but it happened to all of us.  Of course, as soon as Rachel explained the grid, and I did some exploring on my own, it was quite easy to figure out.  But I could see how easy it was to get turned around, especially at night, definitely after cocktails, multiple glasses of champagne, and our Happy Hour drinks!  We stopped at The Box, which was a new hot club that had "shows" starting at 1:30 am but we wanted to move on so we actually headed back towards our Hotel and when Giana and Sam went home, Rachel and I walked a few blocks to get another cocktail.  We came upon Jack Dempsey's, which would be where Giana's FOMO kicked in after we regaled her with our tales from the previous evening.  Rachel and I met Bob, the Bartender, and instantly felt like we were regulars.  We stayed till nearly three in the morning but didn't head home yet.  We were in New York!  It was time for a slice of the finest NY Pizza; and it hit the spot!  And no pizza in New York is complete without Garlic Knots...lots and lots of Garlic Knots.

Dinner & Champagne at Beauty & Essex with the Ladies!

That's how our trip began...and I knew I was in for the time of my life, with some of my favorite people, in a city, that felt "just right."

More Blue Apron!

With how busy I've been it's been tough to consistently get Blue Apron or even create new recipes but I was able to get a few in the last couple months.  They've looked so pretty in the pan while I've been preparing them that they were photographed before and after they made it to the plate!

Blue Apron now offers more choices (there are eight options now) and you can choose between any of the dishes without any stipulations.  If you want all meat, you can do pork, chicken and steak, or if you want to stay vegetarian, you have that choice as well.  AND if you want to get four recipes one week and two a different week, you now have that ability.  Blue Apron has definitely stepped up their game!

Starting on the top left going clockwise is a Mixed Mushroom Bucatini with Collard Greens.  It was a great vegetarian dish that was portioned well, packed with flavor and tasted other-worldly!  Not to mention it was pretty easy to make.  The second photo is Roasted Pork with Sauteed Apples, Broccoli in a Fontina Cream Sauce and Garlic Breadcrumbs.  I had originally taken Porf off my profile because I'm not a real big fan of it, aside from Bacon, because of course, Bacon!  This dish has made me think twice about incorporating it into my meals on occasion.  The edges of the Pork were roasted while the inside was juicy and tender and the Apples were so yummy.  This was a dish that required more attention to detail but it was really exciting to create something so pretty.  I made these Spicy Red Thai Curry Meatballs as an early going away Lunch for Giana.  I had never made Meatballs before but I would use the base they suggested again and again because they were delicious!  The Red Curry gave it a little kick while the coconut milk evened it out.  I love Curry dishes so this was a no-brainer choice for me!  That final photo is a Chipotle-Glazed Meatloaf with Crispy Potatoes.  I also added some Vegetables that I steamed and then sauteed for flavor to have as a side.  The Meatloaf was enough for three meals and I had used all the Chipotle Pepper and it was HOT!  I actually didn't mind the heat but it might have been a little much for the average eater.  This was the best Meatloaf I've ever made so I'll for sure be creating this recipe again!

I've got a busy month of May and June so hopefully I can hop back into Blue Apron once Summer heats up.  Until then you can follow my food adventures and all things fun on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lyndseywegner/ Thanks for reading and Happy Cooking :)

My First Dinner Party :)

I always plan an extended vacation back to Wisconsin for Christmas and I was also home for New Year's this year.  When I came back I wanted to do something fun for some of my closest friends because I'm thankful for these wonderful people in my life. 

This beautiful Wedge Salad courtesy of Kristina!

I had frozen a Burgandy Spoon Roast the day before I left Wisconsin and also picked up a bunch of my favorite Wisconsin cheeses.  I found the recipe for my Mom's Cheesy Potatoes and with Kristina staying with me, she was helping prep everything as well.  We had an amazing Wedge Salad with all the fixings including a Blue Cheese dressing from scratch, thanks to Kristina.  It was absolutely beautiful.  Adam brought an appetizer and Specialty Beer, Aimee & Andy brought Champagne and Wine, Giana brought a side dish, and Rachel brought a Chicken Salad.  My Spoon Roast turned out great although my gravy wasn't my best, I did do my Cilantro Pesto from scratch (having leftovers for weeks) and also made rolls.  We were all full by the time we were done! 

We had a full on feast from beginning to end and I even popped a Dessert Wine I had bought in Solvang on my last trip with my Family.  It only came once we made it through all the Champagne, White & Red Wine and Beer.  No Dinner Party at my place would be complete without a Game Night!  Loaded Questions was a great game to play with all my friends and have some laughs.

Flowers, Cheese & Crackers, and Glasses prepped for the Party!

To make things even more special, I was able to use the Silverware my Mom had bought me years ago.  I had never needed to have service for eight so it was the perfect time to put them to use.  My first Dinner Party was a success thanks to my friends, and I can't wait to throw another one :)

Why you should try Blue Apron!

Over the past year I've been doing Blue Apron on a fairly regular basis. I love to cook and create my own recipes but there's something about having the food and recipes delivered to your door that's so convenient and it gets me more excited to cook.  The step-by-step instructions with photos make it easy to follow along and the food is usually quite impressive!  I make sure to invite friends over for at least one shipment to share in the joy!

Seared Barramundi with Fregola Sarda, Collard
Greens, and a Shallot Agrodolce that I will make
again and again.  It was just that lovely!

Since I was getting these recipes coming from Fall into Winter, there were some fresh corn dishes, some seared Salmon & Barramundi, a Steak meal (which I made when Dad was visiting at Thanksgiving) and plenty of vegetarian options.  One of them was a Squash Curry with Jasmine Rice (not pictured here) that turned out beautifully and was spicy to boot!  And the Steak meal was good but I preferred the tenderloin cut I got a few months back to the NY Strip Dad and I had this past time.

In the group of four photos below, starting from the top left was a Sweet Corn & Ditali Pasta with Ricotta Cheese.  It was one of the easiest recipes and packed a kick thanks to the Jalapeño.  I love getting a little spice in a meal.  Going clockwise is the Seared Salmon on top of Saffron Yukon Gold Potatoes and Cumin/Orange Glazed Carrots. I loved all the spices in this dish, including Saffron which I've never worked with before but was very excited about. The Salmon was incredible and the Carrots reminded me of my Mom's Glazed Carrot recipe (I'm going to try to re-create hers thanks to this one) that was always so yummy.  The next Dinner was a Chicken dish with a Caper Salsa Verde, extra Corn & Tomatoes, and Fregola Sarda.  I love capers and this salsa was the bomb!  Rounding it out was another vegetarian recipe of Neapolitan-Style Stewed Vegetables and Farro.  This recipe actually made it through three helpings!  The Gremolata of Parsley, Lemon, Garlic and Shallots on top really finished it off strong in addition to the fresh mozzarella.

Ditali Pasta & Ricotta, Seared Salmon & Saffron Yukon Gold Potatoes, Chicken
with Salsa Verde and Neopolitan-Style Stewed Vegetables with Farro.

Blue Apron can be tried on an affordable basis especially with the promotions they put out there for first-time users.  Or you can even find deals on Groupon!  Once you start cooking with Blue Apron, you'll have Free Meals to send to friends or family members (perhaps even someone else in your household).  Most of the recipes I feel like $60 is totally worth it based on the convenience-factor, ingredients, and portion-size.  Other times I feel like I could have found the ingredients for cheaper at Trader Joe's or another grocery store.  They usually do a good job of making sure the recipes are varied and that it's worth the price you're paying!

If you want to see all of my Blue Apron adventures, you can find them on my Instagram at: Lyndsey on Instagram.  I'd love to hear about your culinary adventures too!  I'm looking forward to making some of the recipes I've received in the past year a second time around now :)

What's for Dinner? Part 16.

After I made this Corn Succotash recipe for Thanksgiving and my Dad actually ate his vegetables, I knew I had a hit on my hands.  Whenever we go to Cheesecake Factory his usual go-to is this Meatloaf with their Corn Succotash.  In fact, when we went the last time before I came back to LA, he ate all the Succotash, not pushing the peppers or zucchini out of it!  That means that when I made it at Thanksgiving and he watched me prep the recipe he actually didn't mind eating those random veggies he would normally avoid...SCORE!  I made the Corn Succotash again at Christmas for our big family dinner and everyone enjoyed it.  So here I am back, with a new recipe to share!

Corn Succotash

3 to 4 Cups Corn (I like to over-power with corn)

1.5 Cups Bell Peppers (diced, preferably Red or one whole Pepper)

1.5 Cups Zucchini (quartered or one whole zucchini)

1 Cup Onion (chopped)

4-6 Cloves of Garlic

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Butter or Margarine

1/2 Cup to 1 Cup of Chicken or Vegetable Stock

Salt & Pepper

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Ginger Powder 

1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro (optional)
Any other seasonings you may like, Garlic or Onion Powder, Cumin, Nutmeg, 21 Seasoning Salute (I like Onion Powder and the 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's)

Succotash getting it's cook on!

Start by heating the olive oil in a big frying pan and once it's hot add in your corn and chopped onion.  While that's blackening over medium high heat, chop up your peppers and zucchini.  Make sure to frequently stir the corn and onion and season with salt and pepper.  When that has turned golden or slightly blackened, add in your butter, peppers and zucchini.  I love garlic and I use a garlic press for my six cloves for a more subtle hint but you could chop which would bring more of the garlic out. Once again season with salt and pepper.  You're going to add in your other seasonings at this point, and that's where the hint of sweetness will come in thanks to your Cinnamon and Ginger.  Let that cook for about five minutes and let the veggies you just added in, soften.  After that, add in your Stock of choice; I prefer Chicken for more flavor but you could use Vegetable to make the dish vegetarian.  You cold also skip the Butter and make the dish Vegan; there's plenty of options!  You want to let your succotash simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are cooked through and soft.  You don't want them macerated, but you also don't want a crunch when you're taking a bite.  After that you'll season one more time with salt and pepper and before serving stir in your chopped cilantro.  I love the brightness of cilantro but know it's not for everyone, so if you prefer Basil, that would be great as well, or you can skip it all together.  Trust me, your succotash will not be lacking in flavor!

Thanksgiving Dinner with my Corn Succotash

My Dad has been my sous chef both times I've made this recipe and is surprisingly a big help in the kitchen.  I love the way this recipe turned out!  Because it was Fall when I first made the Succotash, fresh Corn wasn't in season, but I can just imagine how wonderful it would be straight from the cob and into this dish.  I love the idea of the sweet seasonings to bring in more flavors and it felt very hearty and warm especially during the Holidays!  This recipe makes a good ten servings (we had leftovers too).  While it's easy to just do a single vegetable, I really wanted to try something different and I knew if I could make a dish my Dad would eat, everyone else would enjoy it as well.  Two thumbs up from Dad makes me a happy girl :)  

Bar Lubitsch Holiday Party!

The Lubitsch Holiday Party was the first Sunday in December and I knew exactly what I was going to wear.  I had a dream about my Mom the night before the party.  A year before on that night, it was the last time I spoke to my Mom.  I spent the day chatting with her, calling her and interrupting her work day at least three times, and not once was she ever annoyed or bothered by my phone calls.  I had found the perfect dress the year before, went to Angl to get it, and they said it was shipped to another store because they couldn't sell it.  Then one employee remembered she had packed it, but it hadn't yet gone out, went through the box, and pulled it out.  It was my size, the color I wanted, and when I walked out of the fitting room, she called me Beyonce.  Did I mention it was on sale with an additional 30% off?  I got for a steal (and since my Mom was the Queen of bargain-shopping, I had to call her a couple more times).  I knew since I had a dream about her the night before the party, it was a sign I had to wear the dress.

The dress <3

Giana and I got ready at my place and then we ubered over to Carolyn & Matt's and picked them up on our way to Jones for the party. Per usual, the food was incredible, salmon, chicken, two kinds of pasta, vegetables, desserts and more.  It's also open bar, yes, our Committed Inc. company certainly appreciates their employees and treats them well!  I'll take another Hendricks & Sprite please ;)

Giana, Carolyn, & I...and my amazing co-workers and friends! 
There's a whole lot of good-looking people in these photos :)

Most of my co-workers were there so we all caught up, had some shots together, enjoyed a wonderful meal, and our glasses were never empty.  It also gives all of us a chance to get dressed up for a special occasion!  I'm close friends with a few of my co-workers so we do see each other outside of work on occasion but it's always nice to get together and have everyone be fancy!  I may have missed the dance party but I did get pictures all night long!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from all of us at Bar Lubitsch and more!

Thanksgiving in LA and Dad's Visit!

We're already into December but a little wrap-up about the week of Thanksgiving is always on time!  My Dad came to visit me and it was his first time flying solo.  He's always flown with my Mom, and the last time he came out here, he was with my brother and my brother's girlfriend.  I was very proud he was able to do it all on his own!

Dad got into town on Wednesday so I picked him up at the airport and we headed straight to Karaoke!  We had a fun night there and Thursday morning was all prep for our Thanksgiving Dinner at Kristina & Alex's.  I was making a Corn Succotash for the first time and my Orange Bourbon Cranberries.  Dad actually measured everything out for the Cranberries and stirred them while I prepped the Succotash.  I was very impressed with his ability to help me in the kitchen AND stay out of my way.  Oops ;)  My Succotash turned out great and Dad even ate it with all the random veggies I put in it, so I knew it was good.  We headed over to Kristina's that afternoon with Rutherford in tow (he got to spend the night playing with Ringo), we all and enjoyed a meat and cheese hour complete with cheese and summer sausage from Wisconsin that Dad had brought with him.  There was Butter Chardonnay among so many other beautiful wines, Champagne, and then Dessert Wine for later.  Our Dinner was a true feast with a Sunchoke Salad, Creamed Spinach, my Succotash, Mashed Potatoes and Stuffing, Turkey, Beef Wellington, Cranberries and more.  We all had to take a break before eating Pie for dessert!  Alex's friend, Jim, played some songs on the guitar for us, and we spent the rest of the night chatting about music, the old times and fun.  It was such a lovely Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Vibes

On Friday, Anthony had gotten us tickets to the LA Auto Show so we spent all afternoon walking around the show and checking out the cars.  We did some research for a new car for me.  Of course, now the Honda Accords are getting great gas mileage, I apparently got the lemon year of 2010.  In the running is the Mazda 6 Grand Touring, Chevy Malibu Hybrid, and the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.  I decided against the Lexus since the mileage is way too low, and while I like the BMW, I didn't necessarily feel like it was 'my' car when I sat in it.  I still need to go and test drive all of them but it was a great way to check them all out in a short time frame.  To top it all off, as we were walking to the other section of the show, I recognized an actor from my favorite Netflix show, 'Wentworth.'  I said his name out-loud, not thinking it could really be him, and he turned around so I had to think quick, and of course, started blurting out random information as Dad complimented his accent (he's Australian) and then we took a photo.  I was stoked; Luke McKenzie was so humble and friendly, and just an all-around nice guy.  That was really all I could talk about for the next hour, so Dad and I finished up at the show and came back home for Dinner.  I had specifically got a Blue Apron order for us that week.  It was a NY Strip Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Lemon Broccoli.  I also did a Carrot Souffle.  We went to Blind Barber for some after-dinner drinks and Dad found a new whiskey thanks to Daniel!  I may have to get him a bottle of Four Roses for Christmas!  We went and got Hawaiian Shave Ice and Dole Whip at this place on Sawtelle that Rachel had introduced me to and got settled in for the night to watch a movie.

My home-made steak dinner!

Saturday it was raining in LA, a rare thing for Dad to experience and we stopped at a couple Guitar Shops and also the Harley place in Marina Del Rey.  That night we went to Ruth's Chris for Dinner which was a nice treat.  We definitely ate well the week of Thanksgiving!  After Dinner, I had to head to work at Bar Lubitsch and it was a Saint's & Sinner's reunion with Mike, Carolyn (our new Bartender there) and I behind the bar.  Dad was kept company by some regulars and around midnight I went out and got him all settled in an Uber back to my apartment.  At the end of the night, a guy approached me and asked if that was my Dad I had gotten the Uber for.  I said yes, and he said, he has two daughters and he hopes that one day, they take care of and show that much concern for him, as I had done for my Dad.  Seriously started to tear up right there in the bar; such a sweet compliment!

Met Luke McKenzie at the LA Auto Show!

Sunday was more low-key.  I had been fighting a cold so I took a nap while we were watching a movie.  That night Dad and I met up with Giana and her parents at C&O in Venice for an Italian Dinner!  It was so nice to get our families together since they have so much in common, especially about their love for motorcycles.  On Monday, Rutherford went into surgery for his 'snip snip' and they also fixed his Umbilical Hernia.  It was nice to have Dad here to keep me calm since the second I dropped him off I started to cry.  Dad and I had Brunch at Overland Cafe and found out his flight was delayed so we'd be able to spend a couple more hours together.  We picked up Rutherford on the way home, and he was very out of it, so we just hung out with him and Dad got packed up so I could take him to the airport.

We had such a great few days together, just me and Dad.  It really was our first time hanging out together in LA since Mom was always with him when he'd visit.  Mom would come out on her own a couple times a year which I loved, so it'll be a new tradition that Dad and I will do now.  I may have to get him in the Kitchen more often too.  He's already excited about me coming home next week so we can have a Wine and catch-up night.  I'm really excited to be going home for Christmas the Holidays. Plus, Rutherford is going to have a new friend to meet, and me too, but that's a story for another day :)

Check out my new blog above with more pictures from Dad's visit!

Blue Apron is Back!

I started up with Blue Apron again in July!  It's always so exciting to get the delivery and decide when I'm going to cook which dish.  I usually save the best for last, and in this case, that was the gnocchi.  I had my first shrimp dish and always do a chicken dish which never ceases to disappoint

I usually try to make the dishes with protein in them first since sometimes it'll take me nearly 10 days to make all three meals.  Sometimes I don't have time to make one of them, so I do something more simple, and other times I like to save them for a special occasion when I know I'm having company!  This time around I did the Sweet Chili Chicken with Coconut Rice.  I really need to start making more Asian-inspired food because I'm always so happy with the results and love the flavors.  This one felt really simple, was healthy, and anything that has ginger in it, sells me!  

Dinner is served :)

For the next week I did the Spiced Shrimp with Pearl Couscous.  This one left me feeling disappointed.  You'd think with the spice and other flavors it would be really exciting but it wasn't, it was actually kind of boring.  I would do this again but perhaps do a curry and simmer the Shrimp in some butter and garlic for extra flavor.  Which brings me back to the Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Almonds and Squash.  This was a flavor explosion, the lemon added brightness, the almonds and brown butter brought a nice nutty flavor, and everything worked together seamlessly including the soft-boiled egg.  This is something I will make again for sure!

So the fourth photo was a dish I came up with on my own.  I've been on a Brown Rice & Avocado kick (thanks Ash), so I wanted to kick it up a notch with my favorite maple apple chicken sausage, a bunch of vegetables from my friend Aimee's Mom's garden, and a little red curry.  This was another really healthy meal that was filling, something new for me to try out in the kitchen, and had a nice kick with the spicy curry and added jalapenos.  It's also something that you could throw together with whatever vegetables or protein you have and switch it up.

I really enjoy cooking and Blue Apron makes you feel like a home chef.  The awesome step-by-step instructions include pictures and even people who aren't as comfortable in the kitchen can feel great about their culinary skills!  Plus, you can pick and choose which meals you want; so for weeks at a time I skip delivery's because I'm too busy, don't love the menu, or have set plans already and won't be able to get to make meals that week.  I think you can get your first delivery free and nowadays there's also discounts on Groupon!  

If anyone out there is trying it, feel free to share your experience or pictures with me!  I always post my photos on Instagram so feel free to give me a follow or say hello :)  Lyndsey on Instagram  Happy Experimenting! 

Blue Apron!

My gals at Bar Lubitsch set me up with Blue Apron for two weeks for Christmas while I was back home in Wisconsin.  It was a great gift, thank you so much Ladies!  Knowing how picky my Dad is with food (he's your typical Wisconsin Dad, meat and potatoes, pizza, burgers, and whiskey) I decided to start using it when I was in LA and could hopefully share it with some friends!

The process of picking out each week's meals was really simple.  I'm not a huge pork fan so I kept that out of the three meals that were sent, and made sure I had at least one vegetarian option each week since it was during Lent and I couldn't eat meat on Fridays.  The meals served two people and were surprisingly simple to put together.  Nothing took much longer than 30 minutes and some were even less.  I felt like I was making restaurant quality meals, well worth the price, and they tasted AMAZING!  What was even better was the easy to use recipe cards that listed the ingredients and gave step-by-step instructions including pictures that I kept so that I can continue to make some of my favorite recipes.

Catfish, Steak, Salmon, and Gnocchi all made thanks to Blue Apron!

My first meal was Alsatian Spiced Chicken with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and glazed red cabbage.  I loved this meal; the spices worked well together and the cabbage was incredible.  It would be the only way I would ever make cabbage again!  Next up was Catfish Meuniere with collard greens & lentils and I had Courtney over to enjoy it with me.  The fish was a little fishy on this one but the lentils and the meal as a whole felt really healthy and there was plenty of food.  Adam joined me for steak night and it was the first time I had ever made a steak.  It turned out perfectly medium rare and the garlic kale side served with it was seriously delicious.  This was definitely one of my favorites of all the dishes and I was very excited to execute it to perfection!  

On my second week I started out with Adobo-Style Chicken with bok choy and jasmine rice.  I was really surprised at how flavorful the chicken dishes were and will definitely make both again.  I made the seared Salmon with spinach-walnut pesto for Lunch after a great acting class and was excited to have the leftovers for Dinner that night at Bar Lubitsch.  It was by far the prettiest of all the meals I made and also felt super healthy, on top of it being one of my favorites!  I was sad when it was time to make my final Blue Apron meal which was brown butter gnocchi with lemon and brussels sprouts.  Acquah joined me and we paired this one with a Chardonnay I had (the only time I drank with the meals because I had been on anti-biotics for a couple weeks).  Having a glass of wine with the meal was a nice addition (duh).  The meal was so good that I wanted more and this was the only one that I felt like the portion was a little small and I was hungry almost immediately after.

I would definitely recommend Blue Apron to anyone who enjoys cooking.  All the ingredients are mailed to your doorstep and ready to be made.  There is prep for each meal but the instructions make all of that a breeze.  I would say that you need to have basic kitchen/cooking knowledge since time management is key when trying to do a couple things at once.  I felt confident after making the first meal!  I'll definitely get more Blue Apron orders in the future :)

Valentine's Day in Vegas! Part 1.

I may have lost my voice a few days before Valentine's Day, and thankfully got it back on Saturday, but there was nothing that was going to stop Jamie and I from going to Vegas on Sunday for a little Girl's Trip!  We had talked about taking a spontaneous trip a couple days earlier and since it was Valentine's Day weekend, we figured it would be a little bit less crowded and the price was right!

I drove us to Vegas and we had booked a room at Mandalay Bay.  It was beautiful; floor to ceiling windows across the whole room, two huge fluffy beds, a double vanity/sink in the bathroom, glass shower and Jacuzzi tub.  Why didn't we take a little swim when we got back to the room that night, Jamie?!  Once we got settled into the room and freshened up we had a little bite to eat and wandered around the Casino before stopping at a Craps Table.  I had never played but Jamie said it was really fun, so we watched (and I tried to learn a little more about the game), had some cocktails, did some slot machine gambling and then went up to the room to get ready for Dinner.

Valentine's Day in Vegas with Jamie!

We took a cab to the Aria because we were having Dinner at Carbone which was one of the top-rated new restaurants in Las Vegas.  We got two spots at the Bar and were ready to feast.  Jamie and I decided on the Caesar Salad with White Anchovies and the Mushroom Fettucine.  Jamie was going to order another Appetizer but the Bartender stopped us saying we'd have plenty of food after their Appetizer course of Assorted Bread, Pickled Vegetables, and Charcuterie.  He was right!  I had started to lose my sense of taste and smell the day before and sure enough it was long gone by the time we got to Las Vegas.  I had tried eating Wasabi at Happy Hour earlier and nothing.  So unfortunately, I can only go off of how I imagined the food would taste as texture and appeal are all part of eating as well and I had a little sense of it.  I actually ate a White Anchovy and it didn't scare me and the Fettucine seemed perfect!  I want to go back and eat the meal all over again!  We got a little after Dinner dessert that accompanied the meal and I ordered a glass of Moscato from the elegant drink cart.  It was a beautiful dining experience and the perfect Valentine's Dinner Date.

Dinner at Carbone in the Aria Casino :)

Then we took a cab to the Luxor and we were able to find a $5 Blackjack table.  We did have to wait a little bit to finally get some seats but both of us were able to play and enjoy ourselves for a few hours.  It was amazing how quickly the time flew by as we were playing.  I ended up breaking even at the end of our gambling adventure and then we headed back to our hotel.  It was nearly 3 am by the time we were back and we had another full day on Monday!

Part two of Valentine's Day in Vegas is continued below...

Celebrating my Mom's Birthday

It would have been my Mom's 57th Birthday (sorry Mom, should I say 29th) on February 9th.  Every day has been a struggle and that day could have been completely miserable, but it wasn't, and although I cried and missed her throughout the day, I tried to make the most of it and do things that she would enjoy doing.  What better way to celebrate than by eating, which she and I definitely had in common :)

My day started with a morning work-out and then I had set up an appointment at the Aveda Salon to get my hair-cut and also get a facial.  It was one of the best hair-cuts I've gotten there and I always make a stop at Diddy Riese for an Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich when I'm in Westwood.  Mom loved stopping there too when she was visiting.  I picked out a dress that Mom really liked and was ready when Jamie picked me up for our incredible Food Adventure!

Cheers Mom...Happy Birthday!

Jamie and I started off at Pearl's on Sunset in West Hollywood.  Carolyn (who was also very close with my Mom) manages the Bar/Restaurant and it was also Happy Hour, so we were excited for the $1 Oysters and $3 Champagne, and other yummy bites.  The Oysters were fabulous and the Champagne was sweet; I had my first ever Grilled Oyster and Fried Oyster, which I loved.  We also had the Lollipop Lamb Chops and Grilled & Chilled Shrimp.  Everything was delicious including our cocktails!  And there was even a place setting for my Mom...thanks Carol <3

Pearl's on Sunset with Jamie & Carolyn

Next up was EPLP on La Cienega.  Initially, I was a little nervous.  I checked out the menu during the day and was a little leery about it but after getting a glass of wine I was ready to be adventurous.  I was with Jamie afterall, and she always makes me try new and strange things and I usually end up loving them.  Like the Abalone which is similar to a snail (I made sure Jamie didn't tell me what it was or I would have shied away from it) that was absolutely delicious!  We also did the Kakoda, which was raw shrimp ceviche with coconut milk, lime and chili.  In all honesty, I had so many favorites throughout this meal, I can't pick just one or two.  Although I would go back and order that ceviche again and again!  We also got the Wood Grilled Octopus; I am not an Octopus fan but I did try it, and it was alright (better than ok but probably not something I would order again, although the salad it came with was really yummy).  We did the Heirloom Tomato and I felt like I was missing out on the cheese in it, but of course there wouldn't be cheese in Asian Cuisine.  It was light and fresh.  For our entree, we ordered the Massaman Curry which was Venison Shank (another surprise, I thought it was short rib, but it was tender and flavorful but not too gamey) served with a pickled green relish and brown rice.  At this point, we were really full from our Happy Hour but everything was too good not to eat.  Thankfully, the Curry would be great later on, and I also took the leftover Octopus Salad and brown rice.  Special thanks to Jamie's friend who took such great care and made us feel so special on a beautiful day.

No meal is complete without dessert and Jamie knows me too well as to not stop somewhere for the finishing touch to our Food Adventure.  Our final stop was Terrine on Beverly for Beignets and an after-dinner drink.  The Beignets were light and airy, and my Gin Cocktail was fresh and just enough to close out the evening still feeling good.

I'm so glad we were able to check out a couple new places and get to Pearl's for the Tuesday Oyster & Champagne night, I'll definitely be back for that, and EPLP has a beautiful rooftop that we didn't get to see, so I'm sure the next time we have Dinner, we'll visit that as well!

I wish I could share more Birthday's with my Mom but I will continue to celebrate for and with her, no matter what, and I'm so glad I had such a great friend to share that special day with!

Dine LA Week

I love checking out new restaurants during Dine LA!  I was able to hit up a few different places at the end of January and look forward to going back to them in the future!

The Roof on Wilshire was my first Dine LA experience this last month and Aimee & Andy came with me.  It was a little bit rainy but the roof had covered tables and heat lamps so it ended up being perfectly fine.  The view was beautiful and we were all excited for Dinner.  I started with the Shells & Cheese while Aimee & Andy got the Brussels Sprouts.  Both appetizers were really big and enough for all three of us to share but I was hungry so I didn't mind.  I ordered the Bowl of Goodness with Shrimp that had Avocado, Quinoa, Siracha, Beans, and more.  It was so much food that I took over half of it home with me.  It was definitely spicy but everything worked really well together!  I finished off the meal with the S'mores Cheesecake which was really yummy and had a marshmallow melted on top.  On top of the three courses for $29 they also offered a cocktail of your choice so I decided on the Vodka Martini with Cucumber & Mint and it was delicious and refreshing!  I had enough leftover food for Dinner the next day!

The following week Jamie and I checked out Terrine which was just outside of West Hollywood and their outdoor patio where we sat was beautiful.  We stuck with the Dine LA menu but also added The Beef Tartare which was my first raw beef adventure and that was good.  I started with the Lobster Bisque which was nice but I loved the Truffle Agnolotti that Jamie ordered, perfect pillows, in a beautiful sauce that I wanted seconds and thirds!  We both decided on the Wagyu Beef Short Rib and that was incredible and tender; it was served with a Brown Butter Pomme Puree that was one of my favorite parts of the meal!  You can't go wrong with Brown Butter!  I decided on the Sticky Toffee Pudding for Dessert and it was a perfect end to the meal.  Their three courses were $39 and well worth it!

The Dine LA Menu at Terrine...Beef Tartare & Sticky Toffee Pudding

Jamie and I also had plans to check out one more place but decided to do some Happy Hour hopping around Beverly Hills instead and ended up spending $30 on a three-course meal with tax and tip!  We did good.  We started off at Crustacean and had to order the Garlic Noodles as these are noodles that dreams are made of!  I also got a no-carb burger which was served with cut green beans.  That was ok but the noodles always raise the bar!  We then walked over to Wolfgang Steakhouse and while Jamie got the Ribs I got the Steak Sliders which came with French Fries.  The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare and served with a horseradish sauce that was awesome.  I was really proud of our Beverly Hills Happy Hour dinner on a budget :)

I can't wait to go back to The Roof on Wilshire, especially when the sun is setting; it'll have a stunning view.  I'd like to go back to Terrine as well and try some other things off the menu.  Jamie really encourages me to try things that scare me, so she's the perfect date in situations like that!  I've already been back to Wolfgang since going with Jamie and had more delicious food there so that was fantastic!  Three new places for the win! 

To see more photos from Dine LA or if you want to check out my Food Adventures follow me on Instagram: Lyndsey Wegner on IG 

Thanksgiving Karaoke & Friendsgiving

With Thanksgiving being this past week I decided to group together our Pre-Thanksgiving Karaoke with Friendsgiving on Thursday!  Let's start off with Karaoke on Wednesday...

Bon Jovi "Shot Through The Heart"

No Doubt "Don't Speak"

Celine Dion "Power Of Love"

Journey "Separate Ways"

This past week we had Pre-Thanksgiving Karaoke so I had people sing songs or artists that they were thankful for.  We had a big crew of people come through so it was a super busy night!  I'm thankful for Bon Jovi, a band I remember hearing as a young girl while I would have sleepovers with my best friend in grade school, and for seeing them perform Live on 'The Ellen Show' years ago with my roommate, Ashley.  I'm thankful for No Doubt as they were the first alternative band I listened to, introduced to them by my brother, I remember many Summers skateboarding and rollerblading in the driveway to their music.  I'm certainly thankful for Celine Dion, a powerhouse, and one of the first Karaoke tapes I had, that I started singing to when I was younger.  My new song that night, "Power Of Love" was the first song I had heard of hers.  I always loved Journey, but I truly fell in love with their music when I was at a Summer picnic in Wisconsin and listening to a Cover Band play all genre's of music.  The female member took the lead on 'Separate Ways' and it's been one of my favorite songs ever since.  It gave me the confidence to sing songs by male artists and try music I would have never sang before.  It was a really fun night of great music, thankful friends, and celebrations.

For Friendsgiving this year I went over to Jamie's for a fabulous Foodie meal!  I had made fresh Cranberry sauce flavored with Orange and Bourbon.  I'll get the recipe up here on my blog just in case anyone wants to try it for the Holidays!  I also did my Crock Pot Lava Cake which was perfect and molten.  There were appetizers, a salad course, your traditional Thanksgiving food: Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Green Beans, etc with a fabulous spin to all of it.  Everything was amazing and each course was paired with wine and was so delicious.  We all watched Football and also played some "Taboo" as well.  Of course, Thanksgiving isn't complete without watching a Christmas movie so 'Home Alone' it was!  With all the food, I knew I was going to have a Thanksgiving feast a couple more times before the weekend was over :)

Heading over to Jamie's for Friendsgiving, Jamie and a delicious Goat Cheese and Crostini, Lily working on the Green Beans, a full plate of Thanksgiving food, Ben working on a drum stick under Edward's watchful eye, and this gorgeous red that was smooth and had lovely cherry notes...Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is definitely my favorite Holiday...it's about spending time with family and friends, eating incredible food (make that a lot of incredible food), watching Football all day, and being thankful for everything in your life and what's yet to come.  I wrote this blog two years ago and it's still spot on and a fabulous reminder of everything I have to be thankful and happy for: http://lyndseywegner.blogspot.com/2013/11/happy-thanksgiving.html  What's your favorite part of Thanksgiving?  Do you have a specific food or tradition you do every year?   I'm certainly thankful for all of my readers...I appreciate your support and love!  Happy Holidays!

Wisconsin Wedding (Part 1)

I had a really wonderful trip back to Wisconsin a couple weeks ago!  Just a few days before I headed back home, it was hotter in Wisconsin than it was in California but the weather decided to change as soon as I landed and it was definitely Fall back home!  I was able to spend a week with my family, celebrating my cousin Matty and his wife, Becky's Wedding, and just relaxing for a few days. 

The adventure started at LAX on my way back to Wisconsin.  I'm deathly afraid of birds and sure enough a bird got into the airport and flew right onto my arm and scared me pretty good.  Thankfully, as soon as I got on the airplane, I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, listened to some 80's rock, and started looking over my script for 'Thenardier's Inn' since I'm now playing Madame Thenardier in the show!  I started working on my Cockney accent as well as memorizing my lines and songs during the flight; what a perfect way to spend the four hours on the plae.

Congrats Becky & Matty!

Once I landed in Milwaukee, Mom and Dad picked me up and we drove to Elkhart Lake to celebrate with my cousins, aunts and uncles, and Becky's family.  We went out to the Brown Bear, marveled at the expensive Elkhart Lake prices (compared to Plymouth) and all caught up and even got every one to try Hula Hooping!  It's been years since I've done it and I was really happy to see my Mom was really good at it too!  On Thursday it was the Rehearsal at the Church and then we all had a nice Dinner at Becky's family's house complete with a fabulous Italian meal!

Bobby got into Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon with his girlfriend, Melissa, and we all went to the Church in St. Cloud for the Wedding.  Becky's dress was so pretty and the back was beautiful.  Matty looked sharp, dressed in his Naval uniform and obviously so excited to see Becky coming down the aisle.  I loved the Bridesmaid dresses; they were a gorgeous shade of purple.  Monica did one of the readings and I did the petitions and we both felt very fortunate to be a part of Wedding ceremony.  The Reception took place in Elkhart Lake and I was finally able to have my first Old-Fashion of the trip.  Wisconsin is one of the few places I have my Old-Fashions because they are made the best back home :)  The best part of the Wedding (aside from my cousin Tyler's Best Man speech which was heart-warming, special, and hilarious) was all the dancing; even my little second cousins stayed and danced the night away.  Everyone was dancing and having a blast, it was so much fun!

Schamberger's, Wittkopp's, and Wegner's on the Dance Floor with the Groom!

Sunday started out a little slow for me after a night of family and whiskey but we did get to watch the first Packer game of the season which was nice to see at home.  A trip back home isn't complete without a Steak Dinner at St. Anne so we had to go there that night!  Later, we had a game night with my cousins and aunt and uncle and Monica, Tyler's fiance, asked me to be in her Wedding!  I gladly said yes and their Wedding and am thrilled to be a part of the festivities in July 2016.

Check out Part 2 below this!