music monday: kings of leon

kings of leon played saturday night live this past weekend and did better than most do with performing on that show. i thought they were very true to their sound and gave me goosebumps. their second performance of their song "pyro" was definitely my favorite of the two and sold me on purchasing their album. plus...they're so sexy!

fun:day - my birthday celebration

this year marked a big milestone in my life...i turned 25!!!! holy crap, i'm not sure why that seems like such a big age, but it is. instead of being completely overwhelmed and worried about the age, i was more filled with excitement. this chapter definitely started off on the right foot. i had a new job, i was starting school and (quite possibly the best thing ever) the huskies beat usc for a second year in a row!!!!!! it was the best early birthday present i could have asked for. well, that and the fact that a bunch of my wonderful friends came out to celebrate the victory with me. here are some photos of debauchery:

snack:urday - birthday @ barrio

life has been pretty crazy ever since october first. but i can't complain. my weeks full of work, art school and football gaming have been pretty amazing and certainly kept me busy and happy. but one sunday night, the family was able to slow down and go out to dinner to celebrate my big 25th birthday. i chose barrio as my location because i've been wanting to go there for months. and we were not disappointed.

we started with the ceviche sampler with chips and plantains. it was some of the best ceviche i've ever had, particularily the scallop and shrimp one. as you can see from the photo, it didn't last long.

 

for my entree, i decided to go with the egg and chorizo cazuela. i can't say no to either of those things. it also came with a huge side of potatoes so it was definitely a breakfasty dish, but i certainly enjoyed it. i paired it with a side of escabeche (pickled veggies) and it made for a nice crisp on my tacos. 

although my mom had made cake, our waiter heard talk of a birthday and couldn't resist bringing out churros con chocolate, a staple desert in most latin american countries. we all saw them and said "oh, we can have cake later". the churros were so soft and melted in your mouth and the chocolate was great for dipping. it was a delicious end to an already tasty dinner. i definitely recommend this restaurant. i'll be returning for sure.

flashback friday

on this magical first day of the best month of the year, these things happened:

     1888: national geographic magazine published for the first time (hopefully featuring the topless tribe to boost sales)
     1908: first model t ford produced in detroit (straight outta the motor city)
     1935: julie andrews is born (with a spoonful of sugar)
     1971: disneyworld opens in orlando, florida (it's a small world...ok now try not singing that for the rest of the day)
     2008: carly's car gets towed during a job interview (dude, where's my car?)
     2009: carly's car's bumper falls off in a car wash (at the car wash, yeah)
     2010: carly (hopefully) breaks the bad luck streak!! (i'm staying inside until midnight...)

top three thursday: condiments

my brother and i often discuss the best condiments and he always texts me asking me what his favorites were because he can never remember. so in honor of these discussions, here are my top three:

1. guacamole: i loooooove avocados. so what the heck could be a better condiment than avocados smooshed together with lime juice, jalapeno, onion and salt? the answer is nothing people! nothing! it's delicious.

2. salsa: mmm, another delicious dip to eat with chips. (maybe i just like chips...) no, it's just the red version of guacamole. well, unless it's salsa verde. i like all kinds, too. fresh and chunky, roasted and smooth, bean and corn, i'm not picky.

3. tartar sauce: something about large quantities of mayo mixed with pickle juice and mustard...and i don't even eat mayo that much! it just tastes so great especially combined with some beer battered fish and french fries. or any fish. or with a spoon. well, no. i wouldn't go that far.

any other favorites?