International Chef's Day

Hello Lovely Readers,

October 20th is International Chef's Day! So gotta celebrate the one and only, the man, the myth, the legend my husband @chefesquivel!

Javier wasn't plannning on a career as a chef. He sold shoes and sports clothes in differnt swap meets around Mexico City. When he came to the United States he tried landscaping for a very short time before getting a job as a dishwasher at Hornblower Cruises & Events in San Diego.

When he started there, he had never had a job in a kitchen. I found out many years later, he didn't even cook for himself when he lived at home, nor attempted to. However, he was a very quick study, plus he called his mom and asked her how to handle a knife, and basic kitchen tasks so he could move up to prep chef, and then eventually move to events and make tips. 

By the time I met him almost two years later, he had advanced to lead chef responsible for getting 300+ meals out on a public boat cruise with the least talented of the kitchen staff! Plus, he was working on private events where the menus were a little more varied.

He was a sponge and absorbed techniques from many different people. He had an almost photographic memory, and was quick on his feet, all which helped him as he increased his knowledge of different cuisines, and cooking techniques. Funnily, Mexican food wasn't a strong point.

As a Chef's wife, do you know the number one question everyone asks me? You know you just wondered! But no, he did not make me food at home. Yes, he would bring stuff home from work, but as he climbed the ladder, he wasn't the one preparing or cooking the food he brought home for us. What he really wanted to eat when he came home from work was a sandwich or two, and he usually had a sandwich or breakfast before he went to work, all made by me.

He did prepare all the food for our wedding, he wanted to make sure it was perfect. Plus, he always made dinner for the holidays, and special occasions, but he couldn't sit down and really enjoy his own cooking, and for those of you that had the pleasure, you know he was f*cking awesome at it!!!

Here are the places he honed his skills~

🔪Hornblower Cruises & Events: San Diego, Newport Beach & Marina Del Rey

🔪C & E Catering (our company)

🔪Sorority Gourmet & Frat Food @ UCLA, USC & CSULB

🔪The Studios: Walt Disney, Prospect, DreamWorks & Universal in their Catering/Food Service Departments

🔪Sofitel Los Angeles & the Bel-Air Country Club

🔪24 Carrots Catering & Events

🔪Paleo Zone

🔪Love Catering

🔪& lastly Keno's Restaurant/Canyon Catering & Events

1st 📷: Making eggs at a Pancake Breakfast

2nd 📷: Birthday celebration for our Sister-in-law 

3rd 📷: In the commissary in the Abbey in San Diego

Miss you Babe❤❤❤

Road Trip 2003

Hello Lovely Readers,

20 years ago we took our 1st road trip together to celebrate my 37th birthday. Before we left, he gave me my present, a Build-A-Bear bunny {I ❤ 🐇}. If you have ever been to one, you know there is a process to making them, and I would have loved to actually have seen him do the dance, and everything else. He named her "Dirty Girl" and dressed her in a little black pleather skirt, biker boots and a pink off the shoulder shirt. I still have it all.

We decided to drive to the Grand Canyon and then go to Vegas. Neither of us had been to the Grand Canyon, and it was Javier's first trip to Las Vegas. I was three months pregnant so lots of potty breaks along the way. We stayed in a cute little town, Williams, AZ on Route 66. While at the Grand Canyon, I discovered Javier's fear of heights. He freaked out a bit when me and his baby got, what he thought was w-a-y too close to the edge. We hiked a bit and had a nice picnic at the top of the south side, while watching the sunset on my birthday. 

We also drove over to Sedona, where we found his name engraved on keychain. I would always look for his name on things when we went somewhere, but even in 2003 it was rare to find Hispanic names on souvenirs. When I was a girl it was rare to find my name on things, so I knew the struggle. Side story, that's how we came up with Connor's name, and why it's or, not er. We were in a shop in Seaport Village, San Diego and I was looking at zipper pulls, and saying "C" names out loud, and we both liked the same one. I wanted our son to find his name with the correct spelling on any souvenir item.

We then headed over to Vegas. It's a different experience being in Vegas pregnant, and we did a lot if nongambling/drinking things. My bunny even got a Vegas t-shirt. This picture was taken before going up the Eiffel Tower. Shows you how much he loved me, he powered through it because I wanted to go. We has a great time on our 1st of many road trips we took over the almost 18 years we were together.

I miss him so much...

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Hi lovely readers,

For some of you today is a "spooky" day, for me it's my 57th birthday. I was born on a Thursday so my 1st birthday was on Friday the 13th!

Here are some 13 facts~

• Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th
• Friday the 13th didn’t become a  superstitious day until the Victorian Era
• The movie with Jason first came out in on May 1980
• Judas was the 13th guest at the Last Supper
• Loki was the 13th guest at Valhalla
• A book called "Friday the 13th" came out in 1907. It's about an unscrupulous stockbroker
• There are 13 lunar cycles in a year
• Both Friday & 13 have roots in paganism
• Then of course, there's Taylor Swift and her love of the number 

Any others?

Beverage Monday~Libra Cocktails

Hi Lovely Readers,

I'm not sure if I'll do this every Monday, but since my birthday is this week I'm going to kick- off the feature again with Libra Cocktails. 

Libra is an air sign ruled by Venus. Pink, rose & pomegranate are colors, scents and flavors of the the sign so all the drinks are pink, with pomegranate, and are garnished or dashed with roses.

The Libra Cocktail

• ¾ oz. reposado tequila
• ¾ oz blanc vermouth 
• ¾ oz. pomegranate liqueur 
• ½ oz. orange curacao 
• ¾ oz pineapple juice 
• ½ oz. lime juice
• dash of bitters 
• rose petals

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake until well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass, add rose petals as a garnish.

Recipe from Veranda

The Venus Fizz

• 2 ozs. of light rum
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice (strained)
• 1 tsp. rosewater
• ¾ oz. Coco Lopez coconut cream
• ¼ oz. grenadine
• ¾ oz. pasteurized egg whites 
• 2 ounces approx. soda water
• rose petals

Add the rum, lemon juice, rosewater, Coco Lopez and grenadine into a shaker. Add ice shake until chilled. Strain the liquid into another container and add the egg whites, then use a milk frother to aerate the egg whites. Look for a firmer foam to appear on top of the drink

{or you may return the drink into a shaker and shake without ice for around 5 minutes}. Pour into a chilled Collins glass and top with soda water till the foam goes just above the lip of the glass. There should be a light and airy foam top. Garnish with rose petals.

Recipe from Rum Raiders

Rose Water Fizz

• Champagne
• 3 dashes rosewater
• 1 oz. pomegranate juice 
• pomegranate seeds

Add rosewater and pomegranate juice to a flute. Top with champagne. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Recipe from Yahoo 

Cheers 🥂 

The F • R • I • E • N • D • S Experience

Hi lovely readers,

I don't know about you, but I was and still am a HUGE Friends fan. I was 27 in 1994, the year it started, and just like the path of the Central Perk crew~I went through more than one relationship, had many ups and downs in my life, finally found my forever person, and became a mom {the day before the last episode}. 

I saw an ad on IG earlier in the year about the Long Beach, CA arrival of Friends Experience. I of course had to join.

I took my favorite person, the one born on May 5, 2004. He's watched the series at least once in order, and humored me this summer by watching it almost nightly. We went on a Wednesday afternoon, his last day of being in Southern California before going back to school.  

It was billed as the one near Long Beach since it was in the city of Lakewood, in the mall that my first job was at. Driving up to the former Joanne's/Nordstrom Rack/Dick's that had turned into an experience was weird. Once we entered the door the ghosts of retail past disappeared. 

There were so many details throughout the maze of rooms. Every corner we turned was a new discovery. I took lots of photos, plus paid for a digital photo pass the supplemented some of our photos taken by other fans.

We had a great time hanging out in Central Perk, chatting in Monica's kitchen and relaxing in Joey & Chandler's recliners. Plus, trying to get the couch up the stairs, and revisiting the famous couch in the intro. 

Here's a video recap of our experience~ @stephanieleonacross IG Reel

Try and check it out if you're a fan and it comes to your town.

Until next time...

It's a Barbie World

Hello lovely readers,

I grew up in the 70's, a proud Gen-Xer. One of my favorite toys was Barbie. I received a new one each Christmas and I had all of her accessories, too. My favorite was  the 1977 Superstar Barbie. My outfit for the day was inspired by her. I've always been a pink loving girl, and thought I would be too much in a hot pink jumpsuit but I fit right in...

So besides the movie, which was fantastic, and very empowering, Los Angeles, or more specifically Santa Monica had a fun, fan experience. It's a Barbie World included a life-size dreamhouse living room, kitchen & closet. We were able to "swim" in her pool that was full of bubbles. Then we ventured over to her camper. Her first one came out when I was kid, and they had one that we could "drive." There was also a beach, a campfire & "fountain."

There were human-sized boxes that we could pose in, and a cute wall of shoes. Upstairs was a museum, runway, recording studio, newsroom and airplane/spacecraft. It was so fun stepping into Barbie's world for an afternoon.

Check out the 4 part series first posted on my IG reels @stephanieleonacross

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Until next time...

First posted on @stephanieleonacross

Hamilton

Hi lovely readers,

For my birthday this year, I took myself to the theater to see Hamilton at the Segerstrom in Orange County, CA. My first time seeing a Broadway production there.

It's been a several years since I've been to the theatre. It's something I did with my mom from the time I was 14, starting with "A Chorus Line". We went to numerous ones over the years all over Los Angeles & Hollywood.

When I lived in San Diego I would go to whatever tours came through. Javier actually came to a couple of shows with me.

I knew this birthday would be a hard one with Connor at college, and only Dio to entertain me. I am trying to remember the woman that I was before I was a wife and mom.

It's a whole new world being a solo empty nester!

Do you like Broadway shows? What are your favorites?