Fall 2019

December 23, 2019

Fall 2019

Fall 2019

Hello! This year has been a bit hectic for me and I'm trying to get back in track with doing my crafts and uploading to my youtube channel and my blog as soon as I can. There were so many things on sale for Black Friday but I just didn't have enough time to go shopping, so next year I will do my shopping ahead of time and avoid all the rush.

II love flowers! It's good to live in California and be able to get this beautiful flowers this season. They always gives a nice touch to your house, and smells so good! I always have a clear glass vase ready for my flowers. I would recommend you to have $10 dlls in cash when you are driving around and buy a bouquet from one of the street vendors, they need more the money than a big company, and you are helping them to support their families.

PETS

This month was very sad for me because some of my fish died, specially Spike, it was very sad to see him his last moments, so I wish he is in a better place.

You will always be missed my dear Spike!

He was a friendly fish :)

I realized he was going to die when he started to swing akward and upside down, then he went all the way to the bottom and he was suffering for a while :( then minutes later he was dead so we had to take him out of the tank ASAP before he can infect other fish.

Only the yellow guys are going strong everyday. We will replace the fake plants with real ones this weekend so hopefully this will help fish to keep them more in their natural environment.

This one specially is like he owns this place since Spike is gone, look at his mean face hehe.

Love your sexy lips Spike

Another day in the fish tank

Missing my lovely Spike

A Night in Union Station @ DTLA
https://www.unionstationla.com/

We went to DTLA to see the Christmas lights, and it was beautiful. There are several activities during this months to spend a good time during the holidays without going broke. It's nice to walk at night during the weekdays so you will avoid the crowd.
**DTLA:Downtown Los Angeles

Christmas tree looks amazing

It was not very crowded at night, so I could appreciate this beautiful train station, and take this picture.

Too many places to go in DTLA for one night.

Chinatown is few blocks away from Olvera Street

It looks so beautiful with all the holiday lights

Rick's Burgers

Silver Lake, California

https://www.yelp.com/biz/ricks-drive-in-and-out-los-angeles-2

We had dinner at this place and burgers are soo delicious! I love charbroiled burgers and they are just the way I want them.

Dog Haus

@Topanga Canyon, CA

https://doghaus.com/

They have delicious hot dogs in Hawaiian bread

Cielito Lindo
@ Olvera Street, DTLA

http://www.cielitolindo.org/

This place is very famous for their chicken rolled taquitos with a delicious green salsa, and it has a good price. Established in 1934, and still going.

Vin Loi Tofu

Reseda, CA

https://www.vinhloitofu.com/

My daughter wanted to go to this place for her birthday. It is a vegetarian Vietnamese restaurant in Reseda, CA. I was amazed with the delicious dishes, specially the pho, and spam rolls that you wouldn't even think its vegetarian.

Chicken Curry and spam rolls are soo delicious!

Baan Thai

@ Panorama City, CA

https://menupages.com/baan-thai/13541-roscoe-blvd-panorama-city

We love Thai food and this small place in Panorama City cooks delicious food. They have lunch specials and price is just right.

Won Ton Soup

Art

Driving in the neighborhood I was surprised with this street painting, and looks so neat.

Thanksgiving Dinner

Our family Thanksgiving dinner was very special at my sister in law's house. We enjoyed a beautiful evening surrounded with family and delicious food, here the amazing turkey she cooked for us.

I made Green Bean Casserole!

Sangria

Green Bean Casserole in the making

Sweet corn and potatoes

Delicious Yams

Let's enjoy!

I'm so happy for this time of the year because I love to see the change of season,and how the leaves falls from the trees. Here at work enjoying a beautiful evening in November.

The Standard Rooftop
@ DTLA
https://www.standardhotels.com/

It was so amazing to see the buildings in Downtown Los Angeles at night. You can go there before 9 pm so you will avoid paying cover and enjoy this place. They sell drinks and appetizers. It's kind of cold at night but you will do fine with a sweater.

Dia de Los Muertos
@ Olvera Street, DTLA

This year I took my daughter to experience a Mexican tradition called Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) where we pay respect and celebrate those who already left this world. It's a festival filled with dead alters, Aztec dancing and blessings.

We have a different concept of dead, and in our tradition we celebrate it on November 2nd every year. We build alters for our departed ones, filled with their favorite food and hobbies. This year we lost Jose Jose and Celso Pina.

We believe that after dead we go to another world and keep enjoying the same way as in this world.

Pets

My kiti diva enjoys this weather sleeping all day and looking so beautiful. We love to take pictures of her everyday.

She's not a happy camper in the morning

Cooking & Baking

I made Chiles Rellenos and they were so delicious! They made be a bit of work but it's worth it.

Fun Stuff

I found this guys at the mall, aren't they adorable? Dastardly & Muttley. I used to watch their cartoons when I was a kid.

I love Rainbow Brite dolls

Halloween
My son got this weird costume inspired on an anime movie

This year I decided to do my Wayne's World version costume. Party on Garth!

Halloween at Disney

Bucca Di Bepo

@ Valencia, CA

https://www.bucadibeppo.com/

We were celebrating my daughter's birthday at this Italian restaurant. It was a very good choice because food was perfect and our server was amazing.

Seafood pasta

Cooking
Mexican Salsa Verde * Mexican Green Salsa

Ingredients:

10 Chiles Serranos
20 Green Tomatillos
Cilantro
1 spoon of salt
1 spoon white vinegar
1 spoon olive oil
1 spoon powdered cumin

Education
Last day of classes at Los Angeles Valley College

Black Friday @ Target

No so busy like years before

Cooking

Refried Pinto Beans

Ingredients:
* 2 cups pinto beans
* 1 spoon salt
* cumin (powder)
* 3 garlic cloves
* 3 spoons olive oil
* 2 spoons vegetable oil
* 1 spoon paprika (powder)

1. Clean the beans, and remove all the debri (stones, leaves)

2. Remove all the broken, old beans

They should look like this

I don't count how many glasses of water, but I always start by adding water 3 times their level, after boiling for 2 hours, and checking to add water necessary. I blend all my beans with the garlic (totally peeled)

When its boiling the bad beans start floating so you need to remove them

Don't cover all the pan because it will start boiling and making a mess.

Looking good

Please don't forget to add salt since the beginning because it won't taste good if you add it at the end.

When the skin is going out by itself, it means beans are done and I turn off the fire, and cover them. I let them sit for 2 hours before blending.

I use paprika for color, cumin for flavor and olive oil for consistency and to add more flavor

I add the vegetable oil, paprika, olive oil, and cumin after beans are totally blended

4. Keep stirring until they get the desired consistency, but try no to let them dry so much.

This is how they look with the right moisture, consistency. Enjoy with queso fresco!
Fun Places

Universal Studios @ Halloween Time - Los Angeles, California

I enjoy going to Universal Studios during the Holidays. They had this mix of Halloween-Christmas, and it was kind of creepy but very original.

Barnsdall Art Museum-Los Angeles, California

https://barnsdall.org/

This was a small, amazing museum located in Los Angeles. They have few exhibitions but they were so original. You can appreciate DTLA from the museum garden.

I went to church to pray for a better world, unemployed, sick, poor people. I thank God everyday for all the beautiful, simple things in my life and for giving me strength to keep moving in difficult time and remove the obstacles in our pursuit to happiness.