weekend

I think I've eaten out more in the past week than I have in all of January. Naan n' Curry, Anatolian Kitchen, Celia's, and Cafe Brioche all in one weekend... not that I'm complaining. I love food.

The weekend started with NightLife at the California Academy of Science-- museum admission at night with beverages and such (more on that later). David came for the weekend and although it seems like all we did was eat, we also managed to play more Settlers and take a long walk on a sunny afternoon.

And now I have to face the consequences of doing almost no work the entire weekend. In an ideal world, I would have finished my English response papers, studied for my midterm and had enough time to bake Valentine's treats for everyone I love... but this weekend was my ideal weekend, spending lots of time with the boy (and food) I love.

a little valentine's tradition

"Well, there's a lot of reasons. I mean, roses only last like a couple weeks and that's if you leave them in water, and they really only exist to be pretty. So that's like saying 'my love for you is transitory and based solely on your appearance.' But a potato! Potatoes last forever. In fact, not only will they not rot, they actually grow stuff even if you just leave them in the sack! That part alone makes it a good symbol...but there's more! There are so many ways to enjoy a potato! You can even make a battery with it! And that's like saying 'I have many ways in which I show my love for you' and potatoes may be ugly, but they're still awesome so that's like saying 'it doesn't matter at all what you look like, I'll still love you.'"

Except for last year when we were 6,142 miles apart,
I give David potatoes for Valentine's Day every year*
It's a little tradition I adore.

Happy Valentine's Day ♥

. . .

{potato sources unknown}
*Don't worry, David, it's coming this weekend.

strawberry & banana whipped cream cake

For years my family has gone to a tiny bakery called Mazzetti's for our favorite cake: chocolate with layers of strawberries and bananas with whipped cream frosting. To be honest, I don't really like cake... but I love this cake. When I was in Oxford I tried to make it for the first time in for my friend Hiyabel's birthday and since its success I always anticipate birthdays in the event that someone will request this.

My dear, beautiful mother's birthday was last week so I made the cake for our family get together. Not to toot my own horn... but with the cake, on my own handmade cake stand, with the strawberries and whipped cream just perfect... I was one proud baker.

strawberry & banana whipped cream cake

1 box of chocolate cake (or one scratch recipe)
2 bananas
2 pound-container of strawberries
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar

Place a metal mixing bowl in the freezer (the one you'll use to make your whipped cream). Make chocolate cake in two 8" or 9" cake rounds according to recipe. Once finished, remove from pans and place in the freezer for 30-40 minutes, or until cake is completely cool. In the mean time, mix half of the heavy whipping cream with 1/2 cup of sugar in your metal bowl and whisk at high speed until there are stiff peaks. Set in fridge.

Chop up bananas and place in a bowl. Reserve 6 or 7 strawberries that you think are the prettiest (these will be used for decoration). Slice the rest into quarters. Mix with bananas and lemon juice. Slowly fold in whipping cream with fruit until you get an even ratio. Make more whipped cream again. Place a layer of fruit onto one cake round and then place the other round on top. Frost the cake with the remaining cream and decorate however you'd like to (I chopped up chocolate chips and threw them along the side). Refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!*

*Try to make and consume the cake in the same day... the whipped cream doesn't hold as well because it's so light and fluffy!

lovejoy's tea room

On Sunday I went to tea with a lot of the women in David's family (his mom, grandmother, sister and two aunts) and it was so perfect. Most people who've been reading my blog for a while have seen me obsess over tea parties (here and here and here) and Sunday just reinforced my love for all things tea-related.

Lovejoy's Tea Room in San Francisco is the cutest little nook you'd ever imagine. All of the teapots, cups and saucers are mismatched. Lace table clothes on every table. Antiques everywhere to decorate the tea room. And, to top everything off, everything they have is delicious. Your own, bottomless pot of tea, the tiny perfect sandwiches, and the scones. And let me tell you, I have missed scones.

I can't wait to go back.. or at least try to recreate the place in my own apartment!

need2know travel

I've been featured! Please visit Need2Know Travel for my first ever travel article about my beloved Firenze!