Best Gourmet Fast Food Burgers

Scarfing down a big juicy burger may not be so cute, but heck! A good burger makes me and my tummy feel good!

Recently, I visited my boyfriend’s work in Cypress during his lunch break. He took me to this burger place called Paul’s Place. We went in, and there was a sign that said “We’re a gourmet fast food place.”

Gourmet?

As I sat in the cozy burger joint eating a fabulous hot pastrami sandwich, I had a revelation. I want to go on a burger adventure. (Why was I thinking about more food while I was eating food?)

I’ve already had my share of cheap burgers from McDonald’s to Carl’s Jr.
Check!

I’ve had slightly fancier burgers like Steve’s Burgers and restaurant burgers like Red Robin.
Check!

I’ve also had expensive Kobe burgers and even made my own trendy burger at The Counter.
Check!

Well then. Now, I will create a new genre in between Wendy’s and Denny’s burgers.. and I will name it.. Gourmet Fast Food Burgers! (Oh oh! In-and-Out totally belongs in this genre!)

Perfect. Now, after some extensive research and burger munching, here are my top three:

1. Five Guys Burger (restaurant pictured in beginning of post)
Indulge in your dream burger! It’s kind of exciting when there are 16 different sauces and toppings to choose from, and they are all free. The fries are a little salty, but you can get them regular or cajun (we tried the cajun). It’s so big one order easily feeds two.

20700 Avalon Blvd
Carson, CA, 90746
11:00am-10:00pm Daily
www.fiveguys.com

2. The Habit Burger
Onion rings are to die for.. (and I dont even like onions!) It’s perfectly seasoned and super crunchy ($1.95). Their Charburger ($2.95) tastes fresh and juicy, the fries are thick cut and yummy! I liked how they have peppers like jalapeno to crunch on, and they have malt vinegar for the fries.

3829 West Torrance Boulevard
Torrance, CA(310) 316-4048‎
Mon-Sat: 10:30am-9:00pm
Sun: 11:00am-8:00pm
www.habitburger.com

3. McCormicks and Schmicks Burger
I know, this is probably considered a restaurant burger, but I included it in this category because during happy hour, this plate of cheeseburger and fries is only $2.95! This juicy burger (one bite and you’ll know what I mean!) was the highlight of my day. The really hot wings ($3.95) were quite spicy and the zucchini fries ($1.95) were piping hot and delicious!

2101 Rosecrans Ave.
El Segundo, CA 90245
Prices only available during Happy Hour!
Mon-Thurs: 3:30pm 6:30pm & 9:00pm-11:00pm
Fri: 3:30pm-6:30pm & 9:30pm-11:00pm
www.mccormickandschmicks.com

Ahhhh.. With a tummy so happy, who cares if it’s pouring rain outside and your car just ran out of battery and won’t start… (btw, this really happened the day I was burger tasting)

p.s. All these burger places have other locations besides the ones I’ve listed, so peek at their website to find out if there is one near your area!

Glow-in-the-Dark Jello (with Gin and Tonic!)

Glow in the Dark Jello?! Perfect for Halloween! This amazing little food invention was discovered by British food-design / architecture team Bompas & Parr who worked with an explosives expert to create this luminous, super cool Halloween treat for the big kids. The explosives expert came up with an edible ingredient that when added to Jell-O, it would cause this eerie glow. It turns out, when you add TONIC WATER to the jiggly-wiggly dish, it will appear to glow under the black light because of the quinine which is UV reactive! Scary and totally awesome!

Here’s Bompas & Parr’s yum-yum recipe:

INGREDIENTS
• 150 milliliters gin, such as Hendrick’s
• 300 milliliters Indian tonic water
• 50 milliliters Simple Syrup
• Splash of rose water
• 5 gelatin leaves
• UV black light

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine gin, tonic water, simple syrup, and rose water in a large heatproof measuring cup; set aside.

Cut gelatin leaves into fine pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Add enough gin and tonic mixture to cover and set aside until gelatin softens.

Place softened gelatin mixture over a pan of simmering water and heat until gelatin leaves are fully melted.

Remove gelatin mixture from heat and stir in the remainder of the gin and tonic mixture. Strain back into the measuring cup. Pour into a jelly mold or bowl and refrigerate until set.

Unmold jelly by briefly immersing the mold or bowl in a bowl of hot water, then invert over a serving plate. For maximum effect, turn off all the lights and switch on a black light, then serve the glowing jelly to thrilled diners.

Ta-dah!

Total: 20 mins, plus time to set
Active: 20 mins
Makes: About 3 servings

Source: www.chow.com

Saying Goodbye to Apartment 302

Goodbyes are always bittersweet. If you want to get cheesy, you can say it marks the end of one story and the beginning of another. However, in the end, even the tiniest of goodbyes always make me sad.

Today, our dearest Mari and Bao said sayonara to their super cute apartment #302. And it was funny because I think I was more upset about it than them. It’s not like they lived together for that long, but I just felt that these past couple of years, the girls and I did a lot of growing up. And I felt, a lot of my personal growing up took place at their lovely apartment.  And Bao and Mari sure knew how to make me feel welcome!

Their apartment was really cute. It was a charming two bedroom with really nice tall ceilings. (You can see Mari’s old room somewhere below^^) I remember laughing with Alisa when we saw the (ugly) seafoam green railings, but other than that, the apartment was so perfect for all our little GNOs and all our get-togethers with the gang.

Well, the girls threw a goodbye Bari Apartment (Bao+Mari=Bari) at my request (how sweet of them), and yes, I was the last one standing…or more like, last one out because I knocked out cold on the floor. The night was pretty much a blur, but I don’t remember the last time I had so much fun just talking nonsense for so many hours with all our good friends. I bet if Alisa ever reads this post, she’s gonna roll her enormous twinkly eyes and call me a drama queen, and yea, I’ll admit to being a big ball of melodrama. But I just wanted to take this time, before I went to bed, to pretty much log and close this part of our girly history with each other. So don’t hate.

Group shot in the tiny kitchen.

View from Veranda

Mari’s cute bedroom.

Clair

Beautiful decorations! I think Alisa took the lead on this one.

Jason and Garrett

Bao, Jason and Mari Fruit – kawaii

Mari takes a bite of her first dinner at #302 and vows to only wear clothes that match the front door.

So goodbye lovely apartment #302! We will miss you along with the overpriced ikea couch, super old-fashioned, tiny silver TV from the ’80s, your double-paned windows and beautiful seafoam green door and railings! (and I will probably get killed for posting all these pics…)

Lomo Arigato – Gourmet Peruvian Food Truck

There are not a lot of cuisines where condiments have more fans than the main dish. When most people think of Peruvian food, I wouldn’t be surprised if the first thing that comes to their mind is the mmm.. green sauce. Don’t get me wrong, Peruvian food is absolutely fabulous! But this secret blend makes me sigh, I’m so in love..

(Snap!!)

So the reason why I’m ranting and raving about Peruvian food is because our friend, Eric Nakata has been working on a project called Lomo Arigato, a mobile food truck full of delicious Japanese-inspired Peruvian food, including my long time favorite – the Lomo Saltado. With thin strips of beef, onions, french fries and tomatoes all pan-fried and tossed in red wine vinegar and soy sauce, this steamy dish is sure to make your tummy smile with happiness. AND! Let’s not forget that it includes the (drum roll) Aji sauce, a.k.a. the green sauce. He’s currently working on two kinds, so I’m excited to try them both.

This food truck will be running all throughout Los Angeles and the South Bay (our home town!) and is scheduled to start operating in mid-August.

Tune into www.lomoarigato.com to see where Lomo Arigato will be making its first appearance. They are also busily updating their facebook and twitter so that fans like me can figure out where the heck they are.

Don’t we all enjoy a little chase when we’re in love?

Also, Lomo Arigato was featured in Good Day LA so check it out here!

Keep your eyes peeled for this logo!!

i <3 lomo arigato

Jin Patisserie

Before I landed my current job as a flight attendant, I had the cutest job ever.  I forgot how spoiled I was until I recently looked at their website. I used to be the assistant for Kristy Choo, a chocolatier and owner of Jin Patisserie. I had access to all the chocolates, cakes and cookies in every flavor you could ever dream of.

My absolute, hands-down favorite is the sea salt caramel chocolate. I could not get enough of gooey caramel mixed with just the right amount of sea salt and dusted with bitter-sweet chocolate. The cakes are like art, all adorned with pieces of chocolate, fruit and edible flowers. Words cannot describe how wonderful these sweet treats are.

Hidden away in the city of Venice, this super cute garden café is located on Abbot Kinney Boulevard. If you don’t have your peepers wide open, you may just miss this place. But even if you don’t live in Venice Beach, you can order them online (no cakes, however).

I’m surprised I didn’t gain weight while I did this job. Well, maybe I did, but I sure didn’t notice because I was so darn happy there. While regular jobs get regular brewed coffee in the morning, I got freshly ground Italian coffee, steamed milk and a brown sugar cane stick. Then, I’d prance around looking for chocolate shavings and little pieces of butter cake. That’s how spoiled I was.

I will never take anything for granted. EVER!

Jin Patisserie
1202 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, CA 90291
310.399.8801
Tues–Sun 10:30am to 7:00pm
Mondays closed
www.jinpatisserie.com

Outdoor sitting area…enjoy afternoon tea!

What?! That’s a CAKE??

About a month ago, Mari came to me and said I MUST see these cakes made by her friend, Laurie. It was really cute because Mari said her words would do no justice to just how amazing the cakes were. She tried earnestly to describe it and got really flustered because I guess she saw I wasn’t getting it.

That is until I actually saw the cakes myself. Holy crap, UNBELIEVABLE!! When I saw that purse cake, I was completely baffled. How can that be a cake?!?!?! I mean, look at it. It looks like real leather to me. And the detail!!  Then I saw the next picture – the purse was cut, and yes, that is definitely a cake.

From that point on, I could not stop talking about these amazing desserts. I made everyone look at the cakes and forced them to guess what they were. I loved everyone’s reaction upon realizing that it was a cake (try playing the guessing game with your friends – you’ll love their reaction too).  So I finally decided it’s something that really needs to be shared with the masses.

The talented individual behind these masterpieces is Laurie, a super cute artist and a self-employed cake designer, making custom cakes (among other things) from scratch. I absolutely love how she incorporates items all girls love  – designer purses and even the coveted light blue box from Tiffany, with a lovely white ribbon turned perfectly into a cute bow. These cakes are every girl’s dream.

I’d like to say more, but Mari’s right – Laurie’s cakes are too cute for words.

Please check out her profile and more custom cake pictures on her Facebook Page.  If you have any inquiries or would like to order, email her at laurie.sanae@gmail.com.  Mention you saw it at LIVINGcute!

Introductions are in Order!

I’ve just been blabbing away these past few weeks, but it looks like it’s time for some intros. I talk a lot about Bao, Mari and Alisa, but who the heck are these people?

Well, let’s start from the top. These three gals are my best friends for many years now. We’re simple girls living throughout LA and we all enjoy cute things, whether it be fashion, makeup, technology…pretty much ANYTHING cute.

Bao, aka Baoie, is our awesome trend-setter and dance machine. She’s a tiny, short lil one with a supreme sense of fashion. She also has some amazing pearly whites. Her claim to shame is going to Disneyland and not being able to find California Disney…

Mari, aka Mar, is everyone’s big sis. She takes care of us with magical beverages. She can sniff out cuteness light years away and her parties always rock. She pronounces “pancakes” as “pain-cakes” which I always found quite funny.

Alisa, aka Ari, is my bff since age three.  She is the epitome of a Scorpio with a touch of Martha Stewart. Bet you never met one of those before.  We are polar opposites. Why are we friends again?

I’m Cindy, the organizer/planner with an obsession for cute gadgets, diamonds and things like Milk Toof. A lot of people love to vent to me, and I can listen to their grunts and moans for hours. Sometimes I wonder if I’m just a nice, caring person or simply amused at other people’s misery. I hope it’s the former…

G is the techy, web guru working all the code behind the cuteness. He doesn’t get enough credit and for some reason, doesn’t want to be associated with this site. I can’t imagine why.

Please don’t hesitate to say hello sometime… <3 <3

We always have waaaay too much fun with our fobby poses.

Cute Wall Art for Cute Laptop

Pink Laptop – check!
Mouse shaped like Hello Kitty – check!
Cute Desktop Image – ….checking!

Yes, a cute backdrop on your desktop is an absolute necessity at LIVINGcute. Both my work desktop and home laptop are decked out in MEOMI. I’m pretty happy with them.

Mari, on the other hand, is a stickler of dressing up her pink Vaio and indulges in weekly modifications of her desktop image – it keeps her consistently excited to see her laptop. And why not? You just dropped a grand on that gadget, might as well make it extra pretty.

Mari likes Meomi too but it seems they haven’t updated their selections in awhile… bummer! She also enjoys the poppy, vibrant colors of tokidoki. She mentioned that Pixelgirl has an ENDLESS amount of choices and spends her days off staring (drooling) at them for hours. Mari, you need to get out more often. Just kidding.

Do you have a favorite site to get cutie desktop backgrounds? Please share!

Luckies Zipper Pulls by Kidrobot

We are a huge fan of Kidrobot toys and these super cutie zipper pulls definitely made our top 10 favs. They are just darling to look at. How could you NOT smile? You can dangle them on your favorite zipper hoodie, gym bag or wallet. These Luckies Zipper Pulls are said to bring TONS of LUCK so take them with you where ever you go!

Mari introduced me to these so I just had to get her some for her birthday

One note: the Luckies Zipper Pulls come in blind boxes so you won’t know which one you’re getting. We think the idea of not knowing what you’re getting is charming. It’s like getting a little surprise gift for yourself. How exciting!

$6.00 at Fredflare (Free Shipping Code Here! – Hurry before it expires!)

Click Here to Buy

How to Make Super Cute Piggy Pancakes

Mari is pretty much a genius when it comes to finding adorable treats that are fairly simple to whip up…or at least she makes it seem that way. Her item of choice today is a splendidly charming piggy pancake, no doubt inspired by our piglet friend, Bao.

The recipe below is direct from Betty Crocker and makes 10 delightful pancakes. Only 25 minutes to prepare. Click the play button below the instructions to watch the how-to video.

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
Fresh blueberries, chocolate chips or raisins

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk and eggs until blended.
2. Lightly oil griddle. For each pig face, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto hot oiled griddle. Pour scant tablespoonful batter onto griddle for snout and another scant tablespoonful for ears.
3. Cook pancakes until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden.
4. To serve, place large pancakes on individual serving plates. Place 1 small pancake in center of each face for snout; poke 2 holes for nostrils with end of handle of wooden spoon. Cut second small pancake in half for ears; place at top of face.
5. Use blueberries for eyes. Or like the video, use blueberries for snout and chocolate chips for eyes. (LIVINGcute prefers the former over the latter)

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

Success Tip:
Flip pancakes only once! Repeated flipping will toughen the pancakes. Pancakes are ready to flip when they’re puffed, covered with bubbles and slightly dry around the edges. Cook the other side until it is golden brown.

Nutrition Information:
1 Piggy Pancake: Calories 120 (Calories from Fat 35); Total Fat 4g (Saturated Fat 1 1/2g, Trans Fat 1g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 310mg; Total Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 2g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 6%; Iron 4% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More info at Betty Crocker’s Website

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