Life

  1. Loving Lately

    June 18, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    As the weather heats up, I’m bracing myself for Summer {just 2 days away}! with drinks that I enjoy but also hydrate and cool me off at the same time.

    Coconut water

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    This is my favorite brand at the moment because it’s the only one I can find at my market with the pulp but really, I’m cuckoo for coconut water so any one will do in a pinch.

     

    Any fruit infused Kombucha

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    {Strawberry Serenity is my favorite flavor right now}

    Watermelon slushies, Kale & Blueberry Smoothies and you can’t forget about water!!! I’ve always enjoyed water with some fresh lemon spritzed in but I’m really enjoying sliced cucumbers swimming in my glass lately.

    Fotor0619112340 Thanks, #Tastemade !

    photo 2 Our veggies!  A variety of tomatoes, kale, squash, and cucumber.  Our peppers, potatoes, melon, and zucchini haven’t come in just yet but still, I’m excited!

    photo 1 This quote ;)

    What are you loving lately?

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

     

     

     

     

    Categories: Life | 11 Comments

  2. Weekend Bits

    June 17, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    Days like yesterday can be so bittersweet for those who have lost their mother’s/father’s and my heart goes out to all of you.  To a very special someone, I know that your pops is winking down at you, beaming from ear to ear because you’ve done him proud.

    It makes days like yesterday even that much more special for me.  My family is the entire world to me and the fact that we can break bread, share laughs, and just be near each other makes lovely days like yesterday so worth working hard and trying harder, day in and day out.  I love you so much, Daddy!  Crazy plant obsession and all (he’s a mad scientist with a green thumb).

    IMG_9618 Daddy’s day menu of grilled squid, galbi, shrimp cocktail, kimchi, bean sprout and spinach banchan (side dish), lettuce wraps, fruit, and cheesecake.

    Even though my baby brother’s weren’t there to physically celebrate with us, we were wrapped in love and laughter (the latter being aided by second, third, and even fourth helpings by daddy)!

    IMG_9612 Cake Batter fro-yo after dinner because when it comes to food, we don’t mess around.

    IMG_9492 To back up the weekend, I woke up extra early to prepare a Korean breakfast for my parents and it was only 2 hours later, I realized pops wasn’t going to be there.  Needless to say, Mama and I had more than enough mackerel, kimchi, anchovies, veggie stir fry, and miso soup to go around between the both of us.

    IMG_9529 A mid day snack of oyster-jeon.

    IMG_9512 My baby harvest of mulberries and tomatoes (midday snack, round 2)

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    J’s very special pasta for dinner.

    IMG_9550 and a big honkin’ eclair for moi for dessert.

    IMG_9568 I spent an entire day dedicated to the pool and apparently forgot about breakfast (shocking)!

    IMG_9555 Lunch of veg burger and roasted local veggies.  The burger came with a smoked tomato, NC hoop cheddar, spicy pickled cucumbers, and poblano garlic aioli.

    IMG_9542 Dinner of bone-in ribeye, twice baked potatoes, and green beans.

    Nom, nom, and nom.

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Life | 36 Comments

  3. Weekend Bits

    June 10, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    {aka food holiday} but on second thought, I live my life as if it’s a perpetual food holiday! ;)

    Baby brother was in town for a short while and I made sure to fatten him up (as he’s one of those starving artists/college students) and sent him packed with goodies too!

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    Family dinner, recipe here.

    2 Family dinner, take 2.  Recipe here.

    3 A to-go meal for daddy’s road trip, recipe here.

    4 Similar recipe here.

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    Cajun food + live jazz!

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    11 Seafood + homemade oreos for my cousins graduation…

    and speaking of cookies, you can’t forget about dessert!

    9 Recipe here with homemade mochi.

    10 Mango mochi ice cream.

    12 Snacks to nibble on while watching the new Star Trek.

    13 And the most gigantic candy bar that baby brother left behind to punish indulge me.

    Weekend chuckle:

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    Oh so true.

    IMG_9365 Roses to make me happy

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    and beauty to punctuate the weekend…our state bird in my parents back yard and daddy’s baby citrus :)

    I hope y’all had a beautiful weekend as well!

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

     

    Categories: Life | 33 Comments

  4. Weekend Bits

    June 3, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    I spent a great deal of time in the great outdoors this weekend.  Though it was lovely, it wasn’t without some battle scars.  I currently have about 2 dozen mosquito bites decorating the entire length of my body + a very pronounced spider bite on my arm.

    1 We walked the trail into the greenway but got too hungry to make it in deeper to see the swamp.

    2 We found this little guy that we tucked away safely.

    3 And even went outside to enjoy a dinner of grilled yogurt spiced chicken (video to come), grilled corn, warm flatbread with tzatziki and hummus, raw veggies, wild rice, and berry salad/ice cream for dessert.

    I also got some new jalapeño babies, seed potatoes, and discovered mulberries in the backyard that I can’t wait to turn into jam.

    IMG_9165 Here is my weekend haul.  Original cost: $54.  My cost: $13 {though, it should have cost me about $8 but I picked up some extra things}

    IMG_9250 2 weekends in a row with crab legs = win!

    IMG_9251 Garlic ginger clams & raw oysters with plenty of zesty cocktail sauce.  Yum!

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    Grilled galbi.  My favorite way to enjoy these?  Rice and plenty of kimchi.

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    I got a great deal on some organic chicken and turned them into sweet vidalia onion and honey sriracha chicken wings. IMG_9252 Sesame balls for dessert (as well as ice cream three times, angel food cake, chocolate chip cookies…)

    Mama and my baby brother also returned from their travels to Seattle and Vancouver to visit with my other brother and brought me back

    photo 1

    photo 2

     

    and a cookbook from my other brother’s new…fiancée!  Needless to say I was overwhelmed and overjoyed.  In my head, he’s still the kid brother I used to watch Peter Pan with for the biiiillionth time *tear* Congratulations, Daniel!  I’m so happy that you found your one.  I wish you a world of happiness and joy.  I can’t wait to meet her and have her be part of the family!!!!

    I spent the weekend with my loved ones, sharing food, and sharing some great news.  How did you spend yours?

    Love,

    Your happy-stuffed-itchy,

    Squishy Monster ^.~

     

    Categories: Life | 29 Comments

  5. Weekend Bits

    May 27, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    1

    photo 1

    I cracked into my first watermelon this weekend (as it’s my favorite fruit, it was enough to begin the long weekend on the happiest note).
    2     Dinner hosted by some friends…can’t get any more southern than chicken fried steak, bacon green beans, and soulful mac and cheese!

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    Falafel from one of my favorite cafes.

    4 Coffee and raspberry macarons.

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    My indoor pot and outdoor flowers I planted both in bloom.

    Outside, J also showed me baby birds in the backyard…

    photo 3

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    A late night show the night before making homemade sushi with J…

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    Spicy tuna and snow crab rolls.
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    A day trip to Asheville for biscuits {to die for}! and crispy fried shrimp, swiss chard salad with jalapeño aioli, and goat cheese grits–yum!

    6 The view from a rooftop bar.

    7 Breathtaking landscape + street performers followed by ice cream = win-win!

    IMG_9074 Homemade spicy Aztec chocolate ice cream, just in time to catch the sunset.

    Off to nosh on some more bbq!

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Life | 28 Comments

  6. Loving Lately

    May 24, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    Green tea mochi ice cream to help cool me down

    How to Make Green Tea Mochi Ice Cream

     

    SomaFM’s Groove Salad to help me fall asleep each night

     

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    Eton mess brought to you by the domestic goddess herself, Nigella Lawson.

    Diggin’ this portrait of Frida Kahlo {one of my favorite artists}

    frida-kahlo-daft-punk

    Essie’s Bangle Jangle {though, I’m not traditionally a fan of Essie’s application}

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    peonies2 and pink peonies …by the armful, please ;)

    Talk to me, what are your favorite things right now?

    I’m super excited about the long weekend up ahead.  Wishing you and yours a very happy {and delicious} weekend!

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Life | 36 Comments

  7. Weekend Bits

    May 20, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    1 A bon voyage dinner of summer salad with spinach, goat cheese, toasted walnuts, strawberries and lemon vinaigrette, bruschetta, and lasagna {Hi, Daddy}!

    2 The fudge meant for ice cream {not into my mouth by the spoonful}

    3 Breakfast the next day.  These chubby babies are studded with toasted coconut, toasted walnuts, carrots, apples/applesauce, raisins, and spices.

    4 …and I ate every last bit + stole a bunch of fries ;)

    5 A super spicy dinner of yum.

    6 and dessert my bff brought over after we baked cookies, who also saved me from all my computer woes.  You are the freaking bestest best.  That is all.

    7 Fluffy, cinnamon scented, icing dripped clouds for breakfast the next day from my absolute favorite bakery.

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    Dinner later that night

    IMG_8816 and you can’t forget about the donuts!  Why yes, I did have a glazed, chocolate glazed, and jelly filled.

    9 The exit to the antique shop though now, I’ve decided that everything in my possession that is “old” shall now be deemed “vintage.”  e.g. my old school dell that finally crapped out on me…I kid {sort of}

    IMG_8814 Who used to watch The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show?  {This girl}!

    and speaking of old school, I fondly remember watching episodes accompanied by…

    tumblr_lhrsxqw4hn1qze8b3o1_500 Remember these?  Ah, to be a child again and your biggest concerns regarding whether or not you’d have enough cream for the cookie stragglers.

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    I found these on my walk.  Don’t you just love the vibrance of Spring?

    I hope y’all had an amazing weekend too!

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Life | 46 Comments

  8. Throw Back Thursday

    May 16, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    IMG_8110 Me and my very first best friend, Daniel :)

    IMG_8164 It’s the 70′s and Mama and Daddy are 2 kids so in love–I especially love the little sailboat in the background and how Daddy is looking over at her ;)

    IMG_8124 Daddy rockin’ some cool fringe in Europe {while he was in the military}

    As I grow up, I reflect back on earlier years and hope that the world will still continue hold as much wonder for me as when I was 6 and softly chuckle at the realization that my parents were once 2 cool kids, flirting and canoodling, way before any of us came along and I thumb through more pictures and just continue to smile.

    What is your favorite memory?

    Hosting family supper tonight,

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Life | 43 Comments

  9. Weekend Bits

    May 14, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    This weekend was non-stop between baby brother’s arrival, mother’s day celebrations, and J’s birthday, but boy was the entire stretch delicious!

    IMG_8592 Lunch with mama {for the noodle & beef recipe}

    IMG_8604 Late night dinner

    IMG_8605 Lobster fondue

    IMG_8651 Afternoon BBQ at friend’s

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    IMG_8655 Red Velvet birthday cupcakes

    IMG_8680 Cheddar eggs, bacon, and cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing–yum!

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    IMG_8697 Mother’s day/birthday dinner

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    photo and I capped off the weekend with a swing in the hammock and fresh, hand picked flowers.

    How was your weekend?  What did you do?

    Love,

    Your very full Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Life | 44 Comments

  10. Loving Lately

    May 10, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    seeds {Grapeseed Oil} I’ve been slathering this stuff all over my hair and it’s been thanking me.

    amy & brian coconut juice with pulp My fave at the moment.  Really, it just happens to be whatever’s on sale at the moment but too often, it comes without the pulp which makes me a very sad Squishy Monster so this one makes me very happy.  Who wants a naked drink anyways?

    litchi-188 {Lychee} I can’t get enough of these babies!

    94803-Licorice-Lines So yummy.  Real strawberries + pink + $1 = score!

    ad95c2bd84e7a86d6ac0a3068a83d91d Really diggin’ on these chevron print pillows

    Feel good-Gorillaz (Cover) Celia Pavey

     

    What’s currently on repeat.

    What are you really into right now?

    Wishing y’all a beautiful and delicious weekend {especially to the Mama’s}!

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

     

     

     

    Categories: Life | 46 Comments

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    Welcome to The Squishy Monster!

    Here, I'll share the stories of my on going love affair with food as well as step-by-step tutorials/cooking videos featuring original recipes. I'm a firm believer that despite our differences, our one commonality as humans? Food.
    I'm 100% Southern & 100% Korean. My name is Angela and my friends call me The Squishy Monster.

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