Food

One of my favorite dishes has always been crepes, but up until our trip to Paris a couple of decades ago {I can’t believe it’s been so long}, I had never tried savory crepes. We always made them at home with maple syrup, cinnamon sugar, and butter, but near Notre Dame we picked up a four cheese crepe as a mid morning snack. It was beyond decadent and encouraged me to try a savory veggie crepe at the Louvre later during that trip {which is still by far the best crepes – for both sweet and savory – that I have ever had}. I occasionally try to recreate savory crepes at home, but this particular recipe turned out to be perfect. Using a basic crepe recipe, I added in fresh spinach and crumbled bleu cheese that melted over a low flame atop the freshly made crepes. Once it was done I folded the crepes in half and cut it, crumbled more bleu cheese on top, and garnished it with fresh spinach leaves. Finally, I drizzled it with lavender infused honey {equal parts lavender simple syrup and honey} to add a sweetness to the pungent cheese and crisp spinach leaves. It was the perfect combination of something savory and fresh with just a touch of floral infused sweetness.

x Paris

Lately, the thing I’ve been missing the most would be traveling, especially with friends. While it feels like I haven’t traveled in ages {in reality, it’s been a couple of months since my last work trip and a few years – aka, pre-COVID-19 – since my last international vacation}, I decided to share a few glimpses from a girls trip to Los Angeles from several years ago that was filled with a healthy dose of cupcakes + cocktails {virgin for me & boozy for everyone else}.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the weekend getaway – trips to wine country in the spring, the beach in the summertime, apple picking in the country in the fall, and to the snow in the winter. But while I used to make those weekend trips and vacations with friends when I was in college, as I’ve gotten older I tend to make those trips with my partner and family instead. So, when I had to go down to LA for work many years ago, I decided to extend my time down there and have a mini girls weekend. Filled with summery-hued drinks at the Sunset Tower Hotel, lazy brunches after late nights out {including tattooing our name to the bathroom wall at Piano Bar – which has sadly closed down since}, decadent meals at Gracias Madre {who make vegan food taste incredible} and La Boheme, indulgent desserts at Bottega Louie {whose raspberry and vanilla Le Grand Macaron and Nutella beignets were worth flying to downtown LA for alone} and The M Cafe {who made the best gluten-free vegan chocolate chip cookies and strawberry frosted cupcakes}, as well a plethora of pretty, it was the perfect pick-me-up weekend spent indulging in cupcakes and cocktails + a healthy dose of girl time. I hope this serves as some inspiration for your next girls trip, whether it is a staycation at home or at a pretty destination. x