Shhhh....

OMG, authentic M Missoni galore @Nordstrom Rack in Palo Alto. Need I say more? Ladies, get 'em while they last! 

Lotsa colors, sizes and style.

Mochi Cream Gems

The new Mochi Cream shop in the Mitsuwa marketplace in San Jose is my new guilty pleasure. Make no mistake, this ain't no Trader Joe's mochi ice cream. Born in Japan, the flavors are to-die-for, true to the prestigious Int'l. Grand Gold Monde Award it received last year. 


These little ice balls come in an array of 24 of the most delicate and unique flavors you can ever imagine, from Double Mango, Rum Raisin, Blueberry Yogurt, Caramel Pudding, Apple Pie, Honey Cranberry, Black Sesame, White Chocolate, and more. Needless to say it was VERY hard to make my selections and I know I'll be back for more!

Don't be fooled by the tiny gem-like mochi creams, I gobbled down a couple and it's quite filling as it's made of mochi, which originates from sticky rice. If you want to read raves on Yelp, check it out here. 



Weekends are obviously crowded and I've seen long lines. I suggest trying a weekday evening after work like I did so you can take your time to make your picks, the last order closes at 7:45 pm Mon.-Sun.


Address:
Mochi Cream - in Mitsuwa Marketplace
675 Saratoga Ave. (off 280 Saratoga exit)

San Jose, CA 95129

(408)255-6699

Chop Chop

It's been a while since I last took a cooking class and I've been hearing some good stuff about the ones at Cavallo Point, a luxury hotel in Sausalito, California. The School is located on the second floor of Cavallo Point's flagship restaurant, Murray Circle.  Seems they have a variety of classes through the months of March - May and it might be worth a visit if you're tired of other classes in the city.

If you're a wine lover, this might be a great pairing for you:

SPRING CHEESES & RELISH

Thursday, March 22 6–8 pm
Join Sheana Davis of The Epicurean Connection to taste Spring cheeses made in California, prepare a selection of Spring relishes and enjoy a glass of Spring Wine. A trio of fresh Sheep and Spring Cow Milk Cheeses will be featured, including fresh made cow milk Ricotta, Sheep Milk Fraiche, North Bay Curds and Whey Luicca, a blend of cow & sheep milk.

• Award winning Delice de la Vallee with Raspberry Rose Petal Jam, served with Brut Rose
• Creme de Fromage with Lemon Zest, served with Sauvignon Blanc
• Spring Apricot & Meyer Lemon Compote, served with Muscat
• Cherry & Violet Relish, served with Champagne and Cherries

$65 / person + tax

Or go globe trotting if you're up for some Peruvian fare:

PERU

Friday, April 12 6–9 pm
Hands-on Class with Bites
A new monthly series featuring the cuisine and conversation from a particular country, ethnic region or city in the world. Imagine an ethnic-themed cocktail party, where each person is responsible for contributing a dish, story, music, photos, etc. of the featured region. Casey and I both recently wandered through Peru, so we'll use Peru to kick off this exciting new series.

• Causa
• Peruvian Ceviche
• Chicharrones (deep fried hunks of pork... YUM) served with a salad of lime, mint and red onion
• Smoked Trout and Potato Salad
• Skewered Beef Heart with Aji Amarillo

$85 / person + tax

For Foodies: Asia in a Box @Palo Alto

Ever crave for fine authentic Asian street food? Hmm... "fine" and "street" usually don't go hand-in-hand but someone's pulled it off well.


Check out the brand new Asian Box that just opened in the heart of Silicon Valley at the Town & Country mall in Palo Alto. Hailing from the Slanted Door in SF, Executive Chef Grace Nguyen has whipped up a great menu that uses sustainably grown and raised ingredients. The system is quite simple: just choose from a variety of items on the menu to construct your own "Box" to go.  

Here's how it works:
1) Choose your starter from a few types of rice, salad, or noodle.
2) Pick your fave main dish from pork, shrimp, tofu,etc.
3) Pick your add-ons (veggies have a choice of wok steamed or wok spiced), add condiment toppers and choose your sauce.


And voilà, you have your own new Box!  
To see the full menu go here.

Address: 855 El Camino Real, #21, Palo Alto, CA (Inside Town & Country Mall)
Open: M-Sat. 11-7, Sun. 11-5


Follow them on @asianbox

Luxury Consignment

Luxury is luxury, vintage or not. Thanks to The Real Real, you now have access to vintage high-end fashion goodies at home, 24/7. It's a free member shopping site for vintage high brand resale.

The unbelievable line-up of their brands are a notch up from Gilt.com and I can't imagine how fun it'd be to be a buyer there. From Hermes to Valentino to Tods, here is the Big Apple's 5th Ave. delivered to your screen, enjoy!

The Hermes Birkin is still available at $11995, a steal? (Site says good condition, judge for yourself!)

WhatTF?

I was thrilled earlier this year when I heard Tom Ford was releasing a private blend lipstick collection! But when I heard it was a limited release sold only at Bergdorf Goodman I was like WhatTF? (Ha, ha, a spin on Tom Ford). I frantically flipped thru my calendar to look for my next upcoming trip to NYC but realized Neiman Marcus now owns Bergdorf . Well it turns out they only carry a few colors and not the whole collection :-(

So a few months ago when I found a 30 min. break during a biz trip in the Big Apple, I hopped in a cab to head to the basement floor of Bergdorf, where all things makeup are so elegantly presented. Victory was had and I tried on 5 different colors, ended up loving "Pink Dusk" and "Blush Nude". Swooping up a total of 4 (some to use as gifts), I made it back to my conference in time. Talk about a shopping spree!! Now my "Pink Dusk" is an everyday fave and I can't express how smooth and luscious this lipstick feels. Not to mention the beautiful white/gold container it comes in. Coming to the West Coast sometime in Nov., these collections can finally be had in select Nordstrom stores too. Which color will you choose?

Standing Up

'Tis the season to start worrying about how to keep your boots "up" this winter as must-have 2010 selections line the retail shoe floor. You know you're bound to get that pair you've had your eyes on cuz it's what a girl's gotta do :-)

I found this clever boot stand online and I must have it! Available only in Asia so I'll have to get this on my future trip.