Not Your Average School Food

I grew up eating school food- school cafeteria food that is. I remember the flavored milk cartons, cardboard-cheese pizzas, rubbery hot dogs, and those stale, chewy microwaved hamburgers. I spent the entirety of my elementary school years eating from the public school system's lunch menu. This often meant eating poor quality, nutrient-deficient food for a reduced price.

Thus, when I first heard of School Food Blooming Roll- a Korean restaurant specializing in Korean-style sushi rolls (kim-bap)- I was hesitant to try it. But I was still willing to give the place a chance. I have now been there several times since my first experience and can definitely say it is entirely different from my memories of school cafeteria food, especially since it's Korean cuisine. The prices are decent with an assortment of rice, noodle, soup, and roll dishes. I went there again for dinner this week and tried several items all of which made for a delicious meal and a great way to catch up with friends mid-week!

The ambience has a modish feel with cutesy tables and decor.

The place is small though with usually a wait.

I suggest at least one of the special roll combos. We had the one with tuna, anchovy, and kimchi.

All tasty and a twist from your traditional kimbap ingredients.

Jjolmyun.

Chewy, thin rice noodles with kimchi, seaweed, and green onions.

What they call risotto but more like fried rice.

We got the non-spicy cheesy shrimp. Look at all the cheesinesss!

Halfway through our Ra-bok-gi in a bowl!
Savory spicy sauce with chewy Korean rice cakes (dduk), Ramen, Ohdeng (fish cakes), cabbage and onions. Something easy to make at home but still delicious anywhere.

Too much food?

We were hungry!

Grace (on the right) will hopefully be on T.V. for a national commercial which she has a call-back for today! I predict all this yummy food gave her the energy she needed to wow the producers (fingers crossed!)

Ashley (on the left), a friend for over 15 years and counting! She is spending her day at Disneyland before her season pass expires. Lucky!!

Although I know schools won’t be serving anchovy sushi rolls and spicy rice cakes any time soon, I am glad more attention is being given to providing healthier, more diverse options for kids who eat from school lunch menus. Check out Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, a fight for more unprocessed, nutritious meals in schools! I realize I stretched this metaphoric review of School Food Blooming Roll quite a bit, but overall, I hope everyone gives this place a try. The unique rolls are definitely worth it.

Beauty and the Beach

Sometimes we get so consumed with the busyness of our day to day lives, that we often forget to stop and appreciate the elements of our natural world. Especially with technology over-stimulating our minds, there seems to be fewer and fewer moments to take in the wonderfulness of the life that surrounds us. I was reminded of the incredible beauty of the beach during an amazing run/walk with my co-worker and inspiring friend Liz- a girl who definitely knows how to appreciate the good things in life. I don't take advantage of being so close to the beach as often as I should and realized that I take the marvel of the ocean for granted. Who needs expensive cars and diamond rings when we have palm trees, sunsets, and ocean waves? It's easy to forget that the best things in life are often free.

Ready to conquer the world!


On our way!


Our amazing view


Blue water


LA palm trees

Hitting dusk


Stratus clouds


Such a scenic route!




All of us can use a little beach therapy.

Hair Tinsel

For those who haven’t noticed or had the chance to see- I have new sparklies in my hair! My older sister came across hair tinsel online and decided to buy some for fun. After she learned the specific technique of knotting the strands of tinsel into my hair, my head was sparkling in no time. If you are looking for a way to change up your hairdo without dyeing or a perm, hair tinsel is an exciting and easy way to go. It stays in for several weeks so it is well worth it!

Look at my tinsel sparkling in the sun...

...tinsel sparkles indoors too

so shiny no?


Look at tinsel tied in a bun (in my older sister's hair)


My head of hair tinsel


For those who think tinsel is tacky, I have Beyonce backing me up-thank you!

I think it's tinsel time for everyone!

Impromptu Summer Ovencue

With summer well underway, I thought it was overdue time to have a weekend barbecue. Upon realizing last minute that my aunt's grill was way too big to lug over, I changed my plans from grilling to oven cooking- hence the name ovencue! I never cooked ribs before and am not very skilled in the technique of cooking meat. I realize that this skill comes with a lot of practice which I have none of at all. Despite being a novice, I attempted the challenge of making baby back ribs by looking up the easiest way to cook them in the oven. I bought some smoky bbq sauce from Trader Joes, marinated them over night, and slow-cooked those babies for a few hours the next day. They turned out pretty good for a newbie and I am thankful that they didn't burn or turn rubbery. Next time though, I think I need to follow expert advice and follow Bobby Flay's recommendation to, FIRST boil THEN oven roast for more succulent-tasting ribs. In addition to the ribs, I made some salsa, salad, and pasta, and this ovencue party was ready to go. I invited just a few people and got to see some friends I hadn't seen in a long time. Overall, it was a nice way to spend a summer night in California. I hope everyone is enjoying this amazing weather while it lasts.

After two and a half hours in the oven, the ribs were ready to come out


..cool off..


..and go on the table!


salsa= tomatoes, onions, cilantro, peppers + two secret ingredients


mix up the ingredients


and you have salsa ready to serve with your favorite chips!


Time to eat


Yummmyyyy


Mandu smells food


Family portrait


Matching smiles


Jina found these cool lemon-flavored ice cubes to compliment her lemonade basil gin cocktails! Recipes for her specialty cocktail creations will hopefully come in a future post

Smile Sophiaaa


Happiness


Moist dulce de leche cake for dessert (compliments of Sophia)


Life is just a bowl of cherries.


Weekends should be longer.

Trivia Night

I went to a trivia night this past Wednesday only to affirm that I lack general knowledge about everything in general. This makes me a pretty useless trivia teammate besides being the excited cheerleader and writing down the answers I am being told to write down. With that being said, I was lucky to have gone with two queens of trivia who somehow know everything about everything. Barney's Beanery puts on a pretty good trivia night but it is only fun if you can stay competitive and know the answers (or have teammates who do!). We were close runners up but didn't end up placing in the top three. Even though we didn't win, I now know that Johnny Depp is the youngest of four children and his father was a civil engineer. I think I learned other interesting information but don't remember them right now. I really think I need to start reading and keeping up with the news more. Someone want to get me a Times subscription?

A snapshot of Barney's extensive menu with grease stains


Bo (visiting from Korea)! She has been abroad for the past two years yet still aces current event trivia


Picture Round! Name these famous redheads- We got all of these right and doubled the points!


If you ever need to know anything about pop culture, politics, news, etc. Sharoni is the one to go to. She is also an Elite Yelper and has read more biographies than anyone I know. She is my Phone a Friend if I ever make it on Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

Too much thinking. This summer heat is not helping. Maybe reading the news starts tomorrow- or next week. haha.

My Daily Commute

Most people cannot say that one of the best things about their mornings and late afternoons is their commute to and from work- but I can! Especially living and working in LA where traffic is horrible (the avg. driver spends 72 hours annually stuck in traffic delays), I am extremely lucky to live so close that it takes me about 15 walking minutes to get to my office. I never have to worry about finding parking, don't have to deal with rude drivers, and never sit in a sea of stalled cars while fretting over how late I am going to be. Did you know that a long commute (when driving) negatively affects your happiness? If you suffer from a long commute, I hope a glimpse of mine will ease your anxiety and encourage you to move closer to work (you will save money and reduce pollution too!).

Palm trees shade the sidewalks

Flowers are always in full bloom




I walk by a forest too

It's actually a park (with basketball courts, tennis courts, and even a public indoor pool)!

Not a single leaf or wrapper left unswept


Seriously.


The cutest, friendliest dogs go on their daily walks too


Meet Cosmo! (Yes, I fell in love too)


Stop to smell zee roses!


Time for the weekend! No Commute tomorrow!