fête à fête

My old nutritionist would be so happy for me. Beautifull!, a new eatery near my neighborhood, has opened earlier this year in Laurel Heights, and I recently got to try their healthy and very delicious fare.

The chefs behind the company hail from pedigree backgrounds (Aqua, Lark Creek, Whole Foods), so you know you're getting high quality stuff. They only use whole and natural ingredients, and everything is mostly organic and locally sourced. They don't use any refined sugars and preservatives. There's also plenty of gluten-free and vegetarian options.

One of the favorites is the Organic Turkey Meatballs with Kamut Spaghetti. The dish is hearty and flavorful, but not heavy. They use rolled oats instead of bread crumbs in the meatballs, giving you more fiber intake. The Tea-Smoked Salmon is very tender - pair it with the Red Quinoa and Edamame Salad, and you've got a superb meal.

They also have a signature mac & cheese that's made with no butter or cream. The Thai Chicken and Indian Vegetable curries are also winners and the Caesar Salad with Herbed Shrimp is another standout.

They have a great to-go section. Almost everything is available in pre-packaged boxes - all you do is grab and go. I like how they use grapeseed oil in salad dressings (such as the fab Chinese Chicken Salad). Most items last for a few days, so you can stock up for the whole family or call their food concierge to have your meals delivered. You can't get more convenient than that!

Get your lunch today at beautifull.com!

Tagged as: dining, dinner, food, Lifestyle, lunch, organic, organic ingredients, San Francisco

Posted by Tami Yu at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

All my gal pals know I adore Shu Uemura cosmetics, but their Art of Hair hair care made me fall even deeper in love with the brand. I highly recommend the Moisture Velvet collection. I only used the shampoo, and right after rinsing my hair already felt much softer. After using the conditioner, the hair turned into a shiny curtain of silk threads. The moisture factor was so high it lasted into the next day. Camellia oil is the main ingredient in creating such a luxurious and velvety texture. This is also safe for color-treated hair.

I also tried the new Prime Plenish vitalizing shampoo and conditioner, and it's just as lovely. This line is ideal for aging hair, as the products help strengthen thinning and time-weakened hair by rebuilding the saline bonds. The key ingredient here is jasmine oil. Once considered an extremely precious flower in Japanese culture, it was available only in emperors' imperial gardens. The jasmine scent is intoxicating. It felt like I was swimming in a garden of flowers.

Get your Art of Hair hair care at www.shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com

Tagged as: beauty, conditioner, hair care, Luxury, shampoo, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 5:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

A couple of weekends ago, I spent the entire day baking, and put my Valrhona baking bar to good use. The 61% bittersweet bar provided the perfect chocolaty flavor for my buttermilk cake, and needless to say, the entire cake was demolished in no time.

The new packaging is great, since it's only a manageable 8.8oz. retail bar for the home baker, not a huge 10 lb. commercial-sized block. If you're a real chocoholic, you can snack from this large bar by breaking off thin pre-scored rectangular pieces.

I can't wait to use the rest of my baking bar for the following soufflé recipe!

Valrhona Chocolate Soufflé
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

6 oz Valrhona Dark Chocolate
4 very cold eggs, separated
3.5 oz (3/4 cup) powdered sugar
1 tsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Valrhona Cocoa Powder
6.75 oz Cold Cream
Butter and sugar (to grease mould)

Equipment: 6 small ramekins

Preparation:
Carefully butter the molds and sprinkle with sugar.
Roughly chop chocolate.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, gradually incorporating the sugar.
Sift together the cornstarch and cocoa powder.
Add the cream to the cornstarch and cocoa in a pot. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
Take the pot off the heat and add the chocolate, whisk thoroughly and then add the egg yolks. Mix until smooth and glossy.
Carefully fold part of the beaten whites and the add the remaining whites.

Assembly:
Pour into the prepared molds.
Set aside in fridge until ready to bake.
When you are ready, preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).
Put soufflés in the oven straight from the fridge.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until puffed and crusted on the top, but still soft in the center. Serve immediately.

Alternate Method:
You can also make one large soufflé and bake it at 350 for about 20 minutes

Buy Valrhona online at www.chocosphere.com

Tagged as: baking, cake, chocolate, chocolate bar, chocolate cake, cooking techniques, entertaining, food, gourmet, recipe

Posted by Tami Yu at 7:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I can never have too many cake platters. I don't bake nearly enough to justify the desire for having these...but still, I want all of Whitney Smith's gorgeous designs.

Just look at these pretty babies. I want this dogwood flower cake platter in several colors! I'm thinking about getting the emeraude green, or the petal pink...perhaps the robin egg blue too.

The scallop edge platters are just as pretty. They sure motivate me to churn out more cupcakes in the kitchen, that's for sure! Even if you don't bake, these vintage-inspired platters make great decor items, or for serving other food items, such as cheese and crackers.

Then, when you're done admiring your cakes and pastries, you can serve them on these lovely matching plates. It's time for me to plan another tea party...

whitneysmithpottery.com

Tagged as: art, artisan, ceramics, gifts, Lifestyle, pottery, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Coach's new Poppy collection has lots of fun accessories to covet this Fall. I love this sassy magenta Patent Glam Tote. It's so snazzy and girly - just the right bag to brighten up my foggy cold days.

This Poppy Three Strand Flower Necklace is to-die-for. I love the colorful and sparkly stones! I'm a sucker for anything with pretty flowers, so this is a natural must-have for my shopping list.

What kind of a Poppy Girl are you? Coach is hosting a "Are You a Poppy Girl?" contest at Brickfish to showcase the best Poppy Girl. The Grand Prize winner gets a Poppy weekend in NYC, plus a $2,500 shopping spree! There's three weeks left to enter, so hurry!

Tagged as: Accessories, contest, fashion, jewelry, necklace, purse, shopping, Style

Posted by Tami Yu at 3:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

If you've been curious about BOSS Orange, the new Hugo Boss fragrance, here's your chance to try it. The lovely Debbie (aka The Perfume Fairy) from DM Fragrances is kind and generous enough to host this great giveaway with us. This time, my UK readers can enter! I'm real excited about this.

British beauty Sienna Miller is the face behind this campaign. The fragrance notes are crisp apple, white flower, vanilla, and sandalwood. This sounds just right for summer! The retail value of the 30ml Eau de Toilette runs for about $43 (£26.00).

Photo credit: Cliff Watts

To Enter:

Step 1: Tweet this post on Twitter (RT @feteafete BOSS Orange Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/nlsafo ). IF you don't have a Twitter account, please leave an interesting comment below this post on which Hugo Boss fragrances you like or have tried before (don't send generic ones like 'this sounds great').

Step 2: Email your full name & mailing address to feteafeteswag@gmail.com. Be sure to enter 'BOSS Orange Giveaway' in the subject line and your unlocked Twitter link in the body. DO NOT forget to email your name & address after you comment or tweet, or you'll be disqualified automatically!

One winner will be chosen at random. Deadline is Tuesday, July 28, at 11:59pm EST. USA & United Kingdom residents only. Good luck!

Tagged as: beauty, celebrity, fragrance, giveaway, perfume, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 6:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Hollywood's fave hair care expert Philip B has come up with a great Travel Kit for all your hair needs. I like how this one comes in a paraben-free formulation, so you know there's less chemicals in your shampoo. Anywhere you go, you can bring all your favorites in a convenient package.

There's enough shampoo to last you well over a week. The kit comes with 2 oz. bottles each of these best-sellers: Peppermint & Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo (with 2.3% pure peppermint oil), African Shea Butter Gentle & Conditioning Shampoo, Nordic Wood Hair & Body Shampoo, and a Light-Weight Deep Conditioning Crème Rinse.

www.philipb.com

Tagged as: beauty, conditioner, hair care, hair product, shampoo, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ladies - want to win a sexy trip for you and your BFF to NYC? Here's your chance to do so. Purple Lab is hosting a rockin' Kiss and Tell Your Huge Lips Skinny Hips I.D. contest with Brickfish. Just choose the lip gloss color that best represents your style and personality, then upload a photo of yourself. It's that easy.

The most viral entry gets the grand prize: a glam trip to the Big Apple, hosted by the lovely Karen Robinovitz, creatrix of this wildly popular lip gloss! Karen will take the winner around town, showing her the inspirations behind the lip colors. There will be private pole lessons, burlesque school, and you also get to stay at the chic Smyth Hotel in Tribeca! Runner-up winners will get some of Karen's superb glosses, natch!

So what are you waiting for? Head over to www.purplelabnyc.com/kissandtell.html to enter today! The contest ends August 27, 2009.

If you haven't tried the fabuous lip-plumping gloss (with Hoodia to keep those hips skinny), get yours at b-glowing.

Tagged as: beauty, contest, Lifestyle, lip gloss, makeup, shopping, special events

Posted by Tami Yu at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I just love my hometown. Only in San Francisco do you get to attend some of the most exciting culinary events. I was real lucky to snag a spot at last weekend's Olive Oil and Chocolate tasting at Recchiuti Confections. As part of the new “Taste Project” series, chocolatier Michael Recchiuti partnered up with olive oil expert and cookbook author Fran Gage to lead us in a multi-sensory food experience.

Tasting the oils: Arbosana from California Olive Ranch, Bozzano A2, Apollo Mistral, McEvoy, and The Olive Press Blood Orange oil.

Fran, author of The New American Olive Oil, led us on this tasting adventure. We started off with a flight of six olive oils. My personal favorite was the blood orange one from The Olive Press. We also tasted oils from California Olive Ranch, Bozzano, Apollo, and McEvoy. We learned the right way to warm the oil up, smelling the aromas (what to look for), and how to properly taste the oil. We even learned how to detect a rancid oil and was told that sediment in the bottle signified an inferior-quality oil.

Minted corn salad drizzled with Bozzano A2 oil, roasted nibs, and cherry tomatoes.

We then got to try a few unusual savory-sweet food pairings. The first one up was a warm Savory Olive Loaf made with Apollo Mistral oil, pecorino cheese, and green olives (from Fran's new book). If I had the entire loaf in front of me I'd finish it. It was paired with a cool minted corn salad drizzled with Bozzano A2 oil. Delish.

Then, to our delight, we tried the olive oil Ice Cream Push-Pop with caramelized cacao nibs and green olive toffee. This was totally over the top. Everyone cleared their plates, even the tiny nibs. To seal the deal in, we then tasted the Pan Con Chocolate and Blood Orange Macaron. The chocolate ganache was made with California Olive Ranch Arbosana. It also had a neat little pipette that contained drops of the blood orange olive oil to enhance the flavor. I could feel my eyes rolling backwards as I nibbled on the macaron, which was filled with a blood orange olive oil ganache.

Olive oil ice cream push-pop with caramelized cacao nibs and green olive toffee

To add more fun, we also went next door to watch Michael run the enrobing machine. He placed a slew of blood orange olive oil-chocolate ganache pieces so they can be properly coated into truffles. And yes, they tasted absolutely amazing.

To send us off into a sugar coma, we each got to take home a pint of the delicious and floral McEvoy olive oil ice cream. Very drool-worthy. You can get some next week if they make more - follow them on Twitter.com/Recchiuti to find out when, where, and how to get it.

Michael running the enrobing machine to coat the truffles.

Unfortunately for you, the next few tastings are all sold out. There might be last-minute cancellations, so see if you can be wait-listed. They might also have new tastings next year, after the holiday rush.

Fran Gage & Michael Recchiuti

www.recchiuti.com

Tagged as: artisan, chocolate, chocolatier, cookbooks, cooking, food, food demos, gourmet, Lifestyle, olive oil, San Francisco, special events

Posted by Tami Yu at 5:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With George Morrone at the helm, Sutro's at the Cliff House is now a worthy destination for both natives and tourists. With grand sweeping views of the ocean, you can dine in style with Morrone's well-executed menu. Of course, having a background from Aqua and Fifth Floor certainly helped boost expectations.

Duo of Corn Soup

We started with the Duo of Corn Soup, which was a natural hit. The piquillo pepper corn relish added a nice zippy kick to the satisfying and refreshingly sweet starter, setting the stage for more culinary excitement. Another fun app to order, if you haven't yet had it elsewhere, is the Ahi Tuna Tartare. It's Morrone's original famous recipe, and it's prepared tableside as you look on with anticipation. Unlike others, this version lets the fish shine, and it's not overwhelmed by the sesame oil.

For the main course, you have to get the Seared Day Boat Scallops. Paired with a “classic scampi sauce” and poached laughing bird shrimp, we were totally blown away by how perfect the scallops were. It's perfectly done, tender and succulent. We also liked the moist Garlic and Ginger Pork Tenderloin, but the scallops stole the show.

Jumbo Asparagus Salad

The portions are fairly sizeable, so we only had room to split a dessert. The Frozen Lemon Souffle with balsamic and blueberries is a nice touch for an otherwise perfect meal. I heard the Butterscotch Pot de Creme is supposed to be great, so I need to go back and try it!

www.cliffhouse.com

Tagged as: chef, dining, dinner, food, gourmet, Lifestyle, restaurant, San Francisco, travel

Posted by Tami Yu at 3:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Wow, I'm totally in love with my pair of Frye Rory Scrunchy Boots. Not only are these darn comfy, but they're also casually sexy and the leather is so buttery-soft. I'm a new fan of this brand! You can wear this new style year-round, with skirts or dresses. The heel isn't too high, so you won't be wobbling around. The circumference of the shaft isn't too skinny either, so for those who don't have toothpick legs, this one's for you.

Rory Scrunchy boots

I love how this company's been around since 1863. They really know what they're doing in terms of quality and comfort. These Bethany Strappy Softie boots are also real cute. The ruching at the toe is a great touch. Must add to my wish list.

Frye Bethany Strappy Softie style

Get these styles and more at www.thefryecompany.com.

Tagged as: boots, fashion, leather, shoes, shopping, Style

Posted by Tami Yu at 3:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I thought my shu umeura liquid eyeliner was my reliable standby, but their new Painting Liners are rivaling their star product. The gel formula is very pigmented, so there's no need to slap a lot on at once. You can layer and mix with the other colors, so there's plenty of room to play around.

This waterproof liner stays in place for quite a long time. The line comes in nine colors - I tried the purple and silver shades. At first glance I thought the purple could be a tad bit too dramatic, but you can definitely carry it off nicely. The silver one is a superb accent, as you can dab it at the inner corners of the eye line, or paint a thin line as an shimmery accent.

These give an incredibly smooth glide across the lid, and they're totally smudge-proof and cake-proof. Another fun thing is you can use these as a cream eye shadow. They recommend using their new Portable Eye Liner Brush to make your application easier, so I'm looking forward to checking that out.

Available online at www.shuuemura-usa.com and at the SF boutique (1271 Fillmore Street, 415-395-0953).

Tagged as: beauty, beauty product, eye makeup, eyeliner, makeup, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm having lots of fun with paper products these days. I'm a big fan of sending notecards (email is so impersonal sometimes), and to my delight I found some eco-friendly notecards from Petit Collage. They're printed with soy-based inks, and are made with 100% recycled paper. The set comes with four designs (by artist Lorena Siminovich) and the cute keepsake box stores twenty assorted cards in total. Plenty of writing opportunities to refine your penmanship.

For gift-giving, I always believe in presentation. The Dots & Jots Mix & Match Gift Bags are a convenient way to store your trinkets. Fabric designer Denyse Schmidt created this adorable collection of lovely bags for all sorts of uses. They're great for crafting or scrapbooks too. It comes with twelve assorted bags, in three different sizes and six designs. And, it has cute stickers to boot!

If you like to entertain like I do, these Paper Patisserie Place Mats will turn you into the next Martha Stewart. The next time you have some friends over for tea and cakes, just whip out these paper place mats and your table will be transformed into a feminine and cozy spread. How very civilized!

Tagged as: crafts, entertaining, greeting cards, paper, shopping, stationery

Posted by Tami Yu at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm always excited when Eminence Organics has a new collection, and their new Summer Lovin' line doesn't disappoint. While I adore their Sun Defense Minerals, those who prefer a cream base will love the new Tropical Vanilla Sun Cream SPF 32. It has a great souffle texture that just melts onto the skin, so it's non-greasy. It almost feels like a water-based cream. Plus, it smells like like a spicy vanilla cake, which is always nice!

Now, if you're a sunscreen klutz like me and forget to reapply it after a couple hours, you might risk a sunburn. That's when the Aloe Mint Hydrating Cream Gel comes to your rescue. The cooling peppermint oil and aloe vera juice will heal and calm the irritated and damaged skin. It's gentle for sensitive skin and won't clog pores. I applied this after a day in the sun and my skin's pretty happy afterwards.

And, if that's not enough, you can supplement the healing process with their soothing Hibiscus Calendula Recovery Masque. Once you use this to rejuvenate the moisture levels of your sun-kissed skin, you'll be ready for the beach again!

eminenceorganics.com

Tagged as: beauty, masks, moisturizer, organic ingredients, shopping, skin care, SPF, sunscreen

Posted by Tami Yu at 5:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

International shoe designer Chie Mihara has some very cute and feminine styles for her upcoming Fall/Winter 2009-2010 collection. I am definitely putting the the strong and sexy Misha heels on my wish list. I love the tan cotton contrast piping around the red suede. Gorgeous! These could almost be tango shoes. Sometimes I feel that thin stiletto heels will break off at the most unfortunate situations, but these heels will last a long time.

Misha style

With her eclectic background (born in Brazil, of Japanese descent), Chie went around the world studying fashion and eventually landed in Spain. She's been designing her own coveted heels ever since. These shoes are comfy and classy, with a touch of modern whimsy of course.

Aren't these Pantoja shoes darling? It also comes in a silvery metallic fabric for those who want a little drama. Love the short heel.

Pantoja shoes

Available at Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and www.chiemihara.com.

Tagged as: Accessories, fashion, Lifestyle, shoes, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The Whole Woman

Edited by Debutante Clothing

I love being a woman. I love that we can have the best of both worlds - being fun and feminine and a successful career women. This week, I've selected a round up of links that really represents the whole woman. From being natural and vulnerable enough to go without make-up as Style Symmetry does in her beautiful post, to The Demoiselles' post about breaking body image and fashion rules. And for those of us that are caught up in this difficult job-seeking market, there are even work fashion posts from Work Chic and Fasshonaburu. But we can't be so serious all the time right? So for women just needing a fun and frivolous escape, there are loads of fashion finds and even some giveaways to help us bask in our glorious womanhood. Enjoy!

Links à la Mode : July 2nd

Bobbins And Bombshells finds the perfect vintage items for a picnic!
Bonne Vie: Jesica Milton - a few quick questions with a local designer (and advice for aspiring fashion designers)
Breakfast at Saks interviews Dana-Maxx about Betsey Johnson, Marc Jacobs and her new F/W collection 'Sex, Love, and Heartbreak'
Clutch 22: - Exclusive sneak peek at I Heart Norwegian Wood for Shrimpton Couture collection!
Daisy Fairbanks: Farewell to Farrah, Style Icon
Debutante Clothing: Sail Away with Vintage Sailboat finds
Dramatis Personae shares the Alice & Isa Boutique, showcasing the best of independent San Francisco designers.
Fabulous Finds and Co.: - Glam rock gals that have a serious talent in spotting the latest trends and creating them.
Fashion Fight Club: - New Legal Troubles for Forever 21 and the Bill Status of the Design Piracy Prohibition Act
Fashion Is the Best Medicine: - Revisiting trends Michael Jackson started, and no, they're not exclusively fashion trends.
Fasshonaburu: Boost job security by building your work wardrobe!

fête à fête: - Take care of your skin! Organic sun care from Juice Beauty
Mademoiselle Robot: Summer holiday packing tips!
Mystery Creature: Getting inspired & can work-wear look cool?
Retro Chick: Oxfam launches DIY competition with celebrity stylist Mrs. Jones
Style Symmetry: Going Make Up Less in support of all women's natural beauty!
Super Kawaii Mama: The Fabulous World of the Himegyaru
The Coveted: Win a pair of We Love Colors Tights!
The Demoiselles: Calling all extremists! Jennifer Nicole tells us all why, in fashion, being normal is a bad thing.
Think Thru Fashion: Farrah Fawcett's Fashion Lives On: Spring trends reflect the 70s style of the Charlie's Angels actress.
Work Chic: How you can incorporate vintage dresses into your work attire with our new video series!

Posted by Tami Yu at 5:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I try not to be a stressball, but due to the nature of my job I usually end up with 10 million knots on my back at the end of the day. As a worrywart, sometimes I have trouble sleeping too.

Luckily for me (and you!), Nectar Essences flower sprays are one of the ways I combat my anxiety. Founder Jenny Pao used her background in holistic healing and flower essence therapy to formulate her unique product line. Each spray is 100% natural natural including wildcrafted, organic and biodynamically farmed ingredients. They're safe for kids too.

Not only are they incredibly powerful, these are also effective natural remedies that will heal your body, soul, and mind. I LOVE the De Stress formula. It has 15 flower essences (including Rescue Remedy) and is scented with ylang ylang, jasmine and palo santo oils. I had a personal trauma happen and using the spray calmed me down enough to carry on with my daily life. I also used it on a couple friends and they just ate it up. The Sleep and Awake sprays will assist with your sleeping and waking patterns.

To see the magical effects yourself, we're doing a special giveaway of the De Stress spray to one lucky reader!

To Enter:

Step 1: Tweet this post on Twitter (RT @feteafete Nectar Essences giveaway http://tinyurl.com/kwedq5 ). IF you don't have a Twitter account, please leave an interesting comment below this post on which formula you'd like to try (don't send generic ones like 'this sounds great').

Step 2: Email your full name & mailing address to feteafeteswag@gmail.com. Be sure to enter 'Nectar Giveaway' in the subject line and your unlocked Twitter link in the body. DO NOT forget to email your name & address after you comment or tweet, or you'll be disqualified automatically!

One winner will be chosen at random. Deadline is Thursday, July 9, at 11:59pm EST. U.S. residents only. Good luck!

Tagged as: fragrance, giveaway, health, holistic, Lifestyle, natural ingredients, organic, organic ingredients, San Francisco, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 5:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I am addicted to the Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructing Shampoo from John Masters Organics. The ultra-moisturizing formula makes my shampooing into such a luxurious ritual. Packed with flax seed, jojoba, borage oils, and sunflower seed oils, this shampoo is aimed at repairing damaged hair. It doesn't contain any sodium lauryl sulfate, so it won't dry the scalp and hair shaft. The ylang ylang and bergamot oils will make you feel relaxed and more calm.

I also tried the Lavender and Avocado Intensive Conditioner. It gets two thumbs up from me. On top of the wonderful lavender scent, you can practically feel the avocado oil working its magic on my hair. This is also great for color-treated hair.

If you need something to keep your hair shiny and soft, the new Shine On is a leave-in treatment that uses organic kelp as a silicone replacement. Carrot seed oil, olive oil, chamomile, and calendula also help amp up the moisture factor.

If you buy from their USDA collection, you get 20% off the entire month of July.

www.johnmasters.com

Tagged as: beauty, hair care, hair product, organic ingredients, shampoo, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)