Thurs, Dec 18

9.30pm - bagel w/ cream cheese, grapes, as well as some fresh pineapple and OJ (not pictured), at the Thank You Breakfast from Upper Management for our group, in the Executive Boardroom, at work10.30am - took a strawberry bagel back to my desk, just because I've never had a strawberry bagel before

12.57pm - more Indian leftovers, at work

1.11pm - more candied pecans and almond cookies, at work

3.44pm - more chili lime pistachios, at work

44.25pm - Cecy brought over a spoonful of Jennifer's awesome home made chocolate hazelnut spread - and then went back to get the recipe for me (I don't really know Jennifer - well, now I do) - thanks, Cecy!!

7.20pm - chips, salsa, guacamole and a margarita, celebrating Kathleen's birthday at Lula's on Main Street with Kathleen, Laura, Richard, two fabulous Irish ladies, a couple from the Peace Corps and a bunch of other people on the other side of the table that I didn't get to talk to

8.22pm - my main dish was just an appetizer, but I really wanted to try it: blue corn griddle cakes w/ chipotle shrimp. Very yummy.
Note the difference between this picture (taken with my camera) and the above picture (taken with my iPhone).

Fri, Nov 14

7.53pm - blueberry flaxseed smoothie, at home, before going into work early1.41pm - a quick veggie buffet at the Krishna temple

3.36pm - morale is at a low at work, and Kimberly passed out Ferrero Rochers to cheer us up - thanks, Kim!

5.47pm - Annie Cheung's veggie udon noodle soup, getting ready for more hours of work, at work.

9.04pm - finally out of work, eating tortilla chips that must have been fried in lard, at Monte Alban Oaxacan Restaurant, with Ritesh. Can't do those chips anymore - didn't feel so great afterwards.

9.12pm - the ensalada de nopalitos (cactus leaf salad), at Monte Alban, with Ritesh

9.21pm - salmon with the signatura Oaxacan mole negro - a spicy chocolate-chili sauce, at Monte Alban, with Ritesh. One table over, William Shatner was having dinner, and I embarrassed Ritesh by turning around to look as soon as he mentioned it - sorry, babes :(. But on his way out, Shatner nodded at Ritesh, in ackowledgement of having been recognized, presumably.

10.26pm - some of my teas - the dried Tulsi top left, then clockwise, a German blend that's good for UTI's (kidney-bladder tea they call it over there), hibiscus, some lavender on top, anise-fennel-cumin and another German blend that "soothes the nerves and helps you sleep" (nerves-sleep tea, as they call it in short)

Mon, Nov 3

10.59am - coconut date bar, at work, obsessing over the election tomorrow1.59pm - three grilled mahi mahi tacos from Baja Fresh, at work

6.58pm - fresh radish salad with green chilies, at home

8.19pm - another fabulous Indian dinner courtesy of Ritesh: his amazing potatoes, with brussel sprouts filled with spiced ground coconut and peanut. Incredible! Thanks so much, love!

here the final result, with poppadums:

9.16 - hot lemon juice w/ agave nectar and some super dark chocolate w/ orange and cardamom essences

Sat, Nov 1 - Dia de los Muertos

10.18am - oatmeal w/ apple, walnuts and black sesame, at home

4.20pm - leftover Indian food and a fab LA weekly cover

It must be All Souls' Day or All Saints' Day today, since the Mexicans are celebrating their equivalent Dia de los Muertos. And this being LA, this is a big deal. The famous Hollywood Forever cemetery right behind Paramount Studios opens its gates for garish and exuberant celebrations, including the building of the traditional (and less traditional...) private altars right between the graves, Aztec dance performances, parades, live music, painting exhibits, food stalls and souvenir stalls selling all kinds of skull-and-bones paraphernalia.

This is some eerie lighting right at the entrance of the cemetery - with Ritesh, Greg and Phinney.

Aztec dancing

a private altar

9.16pm - Was this the Aztec Lady of the Dead? And yes, that's my apple in front...

messages to the dead

an shrine to Frida

a shrine to Johnny Ramone, behind his actual grave! Yep, the man is buried right here..

10.27pm - a bean and cheese pupusa, while listening to some rancheras de Veracruz, still at Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Ritesh's torta de carnitas with lots of chilies

inside the big Mausoleum

check out the urns behind the painting

the entrance to the big Mausoleum

costumes in the parade

Mexican skeleton on the right

Tues, Oct 28 - Happy Diwali!

8.34am - cereal w/ almond milk and walnuts, fresh squeezed lemonade w/ agave nectar, at home11.07am - spicy pumpkin seeds, at work

12.56pm - mixed salad from the Hare Krishna buffet, with Nady. They didn't do anything special for Diwali, but this is always good.

12.56pm - daal with some sauteed veggies, incl. bamboo shoots, at the Hare Krishna Temple, with Nady

12.56pm - pasta w/ pesto, rice w/ beans, at the Krishna Temple, with Nady

4.47pm - it's not only Diwali, but also Beatrice's birthday: some pineapple and strawberries from the very cool fruit bouquet that her brother's wife sent her - thanks, Beatrice!

5.34pm - I've been really exhausted lately, and Nady took pity on me and donated one of her favorite acai-flavored EmergenC's, which I enjoyed while watching Michelle Obama campaign in Colorado on CNN. At work. Thanks, Nady!8.01pm - and Ritesh made dinner again! roasted beets, Indian-style spaghetti squash, and a Mexican-style black bean soup that I'd picked up at Whole Foods.

Tues, Sept 23

8.42am - blackberry sheep milk yogurt w / a mix of seeds, at work. What was I doing at work this early? 10.26am - my last strawberry soy milk from Germany, in front of the Fox theater in Westwood12.43pm - kung pao tofu w/ a bit of beef pasta, from Whole Foods, at work12.57pm - fire-roasted eggplant w/ cucumber and sun-dried tomatoes, from Whole Foods, at work 1.10pm - brussel sprouts w/ shallots and pecans, from Whole Foods, at work2.11pm - a free sample of chewable co-enzyme Q10, in three different flavors, from Whole Foods, at work6.30pm - chips and salsa, at Monte Alban Oaxacan restaurant, with Ritesh

6.45pm - pollo asado, at Monte Alban, with Ritesh