This is a post I contributed to the blog of my local yoga studio, Namaste, a few weeks after the Bay Area shelter in place order went into effect. It didn’t take Namaste long at all to figure out a way to keep us students connected with our teachers and our practice. The day the…
During my time here in Lima, I have been fortunate enough to take up some cooking lessons on classic Peruvian dishes. These classes are free and take place in the comfort of my own kitchen. Really, I’m so blessed. Now, how did I score this opportunity? Well, it all started with a dinner date… My love-her-like-a-sister…
I have lived in the Bay Area for a year and a half — transplanted over from NJ in June 2013. My new habitat has included beautiful landscapes, not nearly as many shopping centers, great people, and of course, unbeatable weather. There are, however, four culinary experiences I want to remind East Coasters to never take for…
Last Thursday at Casa Yllika (our home in Lima), we surprised our dear housemate, Luna, with a birthday sign and balloons strung up outside her bedroom. It reminded me of the high school days when my friends and I would decorate each other’s lockers whenever there was a birthday. 🙂 As part of a little…
This picture was taken almost 10 years ago, and when I say ‘almost 10 years,’ I’m not just rounding up by a few months or years. ‘Almost 10 years’ means: it’s been about 9 years and 11 months since this photo was taken. At first glance, you see a park with a pond in the…
Baking in Lima has meant adjusting to different oven settings (Celsius degrees), different measurements (like buying butter by the gram), and even having to find ingredients in sections of the grocery that are completely counterintuitive. During my first visit to the grocery, I attempted to search for sprinkles that I was going to use for funfetti…
I cannot fight it: cookies are one of my favorite treats to indulge in. We all know that cookies are THE BEST when they have just been taken out of the oven, have cooled for a few minutes, but are still warm and chocolate bits (if any) are slightly gooey. To me though, I will…
I am so happy to have come across this recipe for fish tacos. They are simple to prepare, fun to assemble, and incredibly satisfying for the taste buds! They also fulfilled my requirements of being a) beer battered and b) panko breaded! Your pescetarian friends will love this dish! My boyfriend thinks it’s such a treat…
Lomo saltado — a traditional Peruvian stir fry dish with your choice of meat. The best lomo saltado I have ever come across can be tried at the Chinese-Peruvian fusion restaurant, Flor de Mayo. There are two locations in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I have only been to the one on Amsterstam between…
Dear Pop, Happy holidays. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. And Happy (what would have been) 41st Wedding Anniversary to you and Mom. In two days, you will walk down your driveway for the last time after 33 years. You’ve been telling people how sad this moment in your lifetime will be, but actually, above anything,…
The autumn season means many things. It’s a time to dress warmer, rake leaves, go pumpkin picking, prepare for Halloween and the Holidays, carve pumpkins, and so on. Every year about a week before Halloween, I buy some canned pumpkin and cream cheese and prepare my first batch of homemade Pumpkin Squares for my family,…
Last week, I celebrated my 24th birthday with these munchkins all day: After a bike to and from the playground, we came home to this pleasant surprise on our doorstep! … It was from my boyfriend who sent his love from the office. 🙂 My nephews and I enjoyed the fresh and chilled fruit…
Living in Northern California means access to the infinite destinations for outdoor recreation. My family, boyfriend, and I were fortunate enough to share an overnight car camping experience a few weeks ago at Bodega Bay in Sonoma County. My brother, a camping veteran, advised my boyfriend and I on some supplies and clothing we might…
Last Wednesday, my Pop and our family friend, Tyrone, arrived in the Bay Area after spending seven days driving cross country. They drove my car filled with the remainder of my stuff all the way from New Jersey. It was out of the goodness of their hearts to take some time off from work to…
My boyfriend and I are in the middle of our big move. We’ve made the journey cross country, and right now, we’re staying at my brother’s house in the Bay Area until we find a place of our own. After leaving New Jersey, my boyfriend and I took the opportunity to discover local eateries and…
Live life. Love others. 