Cafe Rio...Yes I will marry you...

I can't believe I have gone over a year without living with Cafe Rio as an everyday part of my life...I mean my mom is great and all, but what I really miss is the Rio. There is nothing like it (believe me, LA has its share of fab cuisine, but nothing even comes close) The beauty of Cafe Rio is that I ALWAYS want it. If Im having a good day I think to myself "Today is such a great day! You know what would make it even better? Cafe Rio!" And if I'm having a bad day it's more like "Ugh, today has been the worst day...I need some Cafe Rio takeout and a movie in my bed STAT!" I've never done any drugs in my life but this has got to be what heroin feels like. Intervention?? I digress....the reason for this post is that you didn't think I would give up so easily did you??? After working and working I finally have whittled down a recipe for the cafe rio salad dressing. Here goes:

Cilantro Lime Dressing:

2/3 c buttermilk
2 c mayo
2 c cilantro leaves
2 ranch dressing mix packets (dont get the dip mix...its different)
5 medium size tomatillos
2 t crushed jalapeno (this can vary depending how spicy you like it- this would be mid-range)
4 cloves of garlic
juice from one lime

Put it all in a blender and blend your way to deliciousness... This makes the size of a mason jar but you can easily half the recipe if you want to try it out and taste your way to perfection...

Happy Eating

p.s...After emailing the Cafe Rio corporate offices (no lie) I received word that they are opening up their first Cafe Rio in California this November!!!! I mean its like 45 min away but YOU KNOW IM GOING!! Im thinking Nelly and I will suddenly start enjoying the beaches in orange county a lot more now that we have a reason to make the drive : )

p.p.s....For all of you with access...please have burrito in my honor...I cant seem to figure out that darn enchilada sauce!

As for me...I Choose Civility

Over the past year...I have had some tough times. When you come out the other end and look back at the path you just walked it is a whole new perspective. It has been such a great experience for me to be TOTALLY on my own. I mean I moved to a state where I didn't know a soul to work in one of the most brutal industries on the planet. It opened my eyes to a lot of things. In the past year I had two experiences of people I knew being really really mean to me. The first was one of my cousins. I made a cheeky comment about a facebook photo of hers and she took offense to it. For the next week she went on a rampage of really personal attacks hitting every soft spot and unleashing some serious pent up hate. It was a big turning point for me. First of all, I never should have made the cheeky comment, it was my fault that the whole thing was started in the first place. And secondly it gave me an opportunity to apologize and mean it and then not retaliate. It was hard. Believe me. My mind was ferociously wording daggar sentances and hording them away that I might strike at any moment. Everyone I talked to told me to give her a piece of her own medicine. But I never did. I just let it blow over and I am so happy that I did. Same thing happened when a roomate had done some dishonest dealings with my rent money. I felt seriously wronged and when I confronted him he could only manage a personal attack. This time I just didn't have the strength to fight the fight. But I am really glad that I didn't because when I look back, I know that I was the stand up person in both situations. Pat on the back Ali.

HOWEVER, I haven't always been this way. I can be a huge gossip and have definitely been rude and disrespectful in my life. Not cool. So what changed? I think this year has allowed a lot of time for self-reflection. And I also have been so appreciative of every small gesture that has come my way. Sometimes it is a card in the mail or a 10 minute phone call or even a comment on my blog. It makes me so happy!. So I decided to give out more (I found out that I have an UNLIMITED supply of nice gestures! CRAZY) And when you give it...there is this mysterious power that sends it back your way. Good people attract good people. With my LIVE SIMPLY and SIMPLY LIVE! year I am making an effort to choose civility over rudeness. When I buy my weekly lotto ticket and hot dog from 7-11 I make sure to add a please and thank you to whoever is behind the counter and also to hand them my money and not just throw it on the counter. Its the small things that count. I am working hard at not interupting people (I am really bad at that and I didn't even notice untill Oprah told me on her ettiquette show) and to be courteous with my cell phone (people it is rude to talk on the phone when your with someone else...) I am also reading this book.




This is getting long winded but I just wanted to reflect on where I came from, why Im here and where Im going all in an effort to be an all around better person today than I was yesterday. Heres a quote that Oprah showed me :

"We never touch someone so lightly that we don't leave a trace" - Peter Dale Scott

Not long ago someone that I look up to a lot told me that I should think of the word that I would want other people to use to describe me. Like how do I want other people to see me in one word? I chose "Delightful." Whenever I have a choice to make, I think to myself...what would be the "delightful" choice? It helps me...

Cheers to Choosing Civility. (I'm holding my diet Pepsi can up...anyone wanna clink me?) (Can I get a clink clink??)

Happy Birthday You!

Happy 24th Birthday You!

For my birthday my mom and brother met me in Vegas for a few days of fun before my school starts. We had a BLAST!!


I was so in love with the umbrella theme at the Palazzo. It was so enchanting!




Here is my mom at Woodstock. Taken on Freemont Street

Me and the biggest tv screen on earth. This is also at The Freemont Street Experience.

My cute mom peeking out from behind some Venetian flowers.


All we need is...

Cool pic from the Beatles Love exhibit.

My mom loves Donny and Marie....
Me and my brother at Caesars...
Same pic...this time with my momma

The Paris hotel...probably my fave. We ate at the buffet there for breakfast and it was so delish.

Me and my mom in front of a cute shop at The Paris.
We stayed at Excalibur. It was fun. This was my first time gambling EVER and I loved it so much. I am the queen of the penny slots. I also won on the wheel table.
Such a fun little getaway even though I missed my Penny like crazy. If anyone wants to meet me in Vegas I will be there!

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith,

I know you are not married and that you were on your first date ever but since I never was gracious enough to get your real names, I have decided to call you Mr. and Mrs. Smith. You see, one of my favorite things to do is go to the movies. I love the smell of popcorn, the oversized seets and screen, the previews and graphic that plays before the movie that reminds you how loud they can turn up the volume if the want to. I love it all. What I don't love is when you talk during the movie. In fact, nothing brings me more fury. I felt bad for the two of you. It was obviously your first (maybe second) date. I could tell by how much Mrs. Smith draped her self all over you, Mr. Smith. It made me want to wretch. If you wanted to put your legs up on his lap, why come to the theater? why not just stay home and get a pay-per-view? And Mr. Smith, your laugh wasn't fooling anyone. We all knew it was fake. I mean the movie was funny...but it wasn't THAT funny! You should never be an actor. And Mrs. Smith, we all saw the poster that said "Paper Cuts Hurt, Work Safely," there was no need for you to explain it in your outside voice. I gave you all the signs that you were driving me crazy...but alas the first date effect had blinded you and somehow you forgot that you were in a room with 50 other people watching a movie, in public, that each one of us payed $15 to come and see. And when I bought my ticket, I did not ask for the showing that had the Bonus Feature Commentary playing by the two of you because I would never order that because you guys suck. But alas, I never said anything because I didn't want to embarras you in front of the other one. But I really hated you the whole time and you ruined my evening out.

Suck a fat one,
Ali

Dear Blog

Dear Blog:

I know I have been neglecting you and I apologize profusely....its just that I have been busy trying to get into school...the good news is that I got in. I will be spending a lot more time with your Mom, computer, writing essays and researching and in turn, I think I will spend a lot more time with you. I promise to do some blogworthy things more often so we can be as close as we were two months ago.

Sealed With a Kiss,
Ali

Hey...Long time no blog...

As I spend my Friday night insatiably lapping up the last few pages of "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" (homework before real homework...dontcha hate that) inside I am wishing, hoping, praying, not stepping on any cracks, only using odd numbers in my daily doings and continually crossing my fingers that somehow they accept average old me into the masters program I applied for last week. School starts in 10 days and I haven't even had my final interview yet! Procrastination (a familiar and fair-weathered friend) got the best of me again (work too)

The point of this post (other than asking for you to hope, wish, pray, cross fingers etc. on my behalf) is to talk about my theme for the year. I know what you're thinking..."But Ali, it's nearly Sept. It's a little late." Allow me to explain. This fall I will be entering my 18th year of school so for me the calendar starts in Sept. when back to school starts. Growing up it was a bitter sweet time for me because since my birthday is mid-August (two days from today in fact) back to school shopping and birthday presents somtimes melded into one. Its never good when you get an adorable pair of saddle shoes for your birthday and your mom tells you that you can't wear them until school starts...thats true pain to a ten-year-old. Back to the theme...and the theme for my year this year is....drumroll please


My plans so far include a year of homemade gifts (I'm already starting to work on Christmas). Working on practical skills like sewing, painting and budgeting. Yesterday I used a coupon for the first time in my life. I was headed to Fresh and Easy for groceries and on the way to the car I grabbed the mail and there it was staring me right in the face from the top of the pile. $3 off $30 or more. How could I not? Later in the day I was making a copy of my house key and out of the corner of my eye I noticed an adorable Tinkerbell key. Guess how much...$3. I totally got it. Which brings me to the next and most important thing for the year....enjoy the simple things in life...like the neon sign that warms my balcony with pink light each night, and the adorable look on Penelope's face when I wake up every morning and she is staring at me with her tongue sticking out (btw happy six month birthday Miss Penny) and how lucky I am to never worry about going without food or a Tivo (id give up food if I had to choose one...because soda doesn't count as food right?? soda is non-negotiable) and how much I love my absurdly disfunctional yet hilarious family. You don't know whatcha got till its gone...not this year...I'm gonna know what I got. Get it?

Last years theme was Don't Think, Just Leap. I think it was a shining success of a year. I packed everything I owned in a truck and moved 800 miles away from home to the scary town of Hollywoodland (actually a little less scary town called "the valley") I managed to make it a year in the skin-thickening entertainment industry but most importantly met such lovely people along the way (and some really crappy people who yell)

I challenge everyone to enjoy something simple today...

Well better get packing for the big family vacation to Las Vegas...yay!

Happy New Year!!!

-Ali