Pok Pok Shock

Portland has a plethora of unique and delicious places to eat. The last few times I've been down in Portland I've been dying to try food from a restaurant called Pok Pok. I heard that it is the most delectable and underrated restaurant that serves the most incredible and authentic Southeast Asian food.

Open until midnight every night, B and I popped in for a late night bite. We sat at the bar and, surprisingly, weren't the only hungry customers at 10:30pm on Sunday night!

Pok Pok & their handful of locations have been nationally spotlighted as having the best wings in the country along with an impeccable and original menu.

Their dishes are unique and true to their origin, Thailand. They don't serve pad thai or pad see ew or any of those generic Thai dishes -- these are so brilliant I can't even begin to describe them!

Their water is infused with Pandanus leaves that are straight from Northern Thailand. I was a little unsure about this at first because it makes the water taste lightly of rice... but it was actually quite compatible with the food!

We ordered off the late night menu and sipped on a raspberry Sum drink. Sum is a brand of drinking vinegar that is apparently quite popular in Southeast Asia. It can be used in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and has a pretty powerful flavor.

When our food came, I was in awe...
We had the infamous fish sauce wings

and the Muu Paa Kahm Waan, which is boar collar served with chilled mustard greens and a spicy chili/lime/garlic sauce and sticky rice.

Needless to say, it surpassed our expectations. It was by far the BEST asian food I have ever had in my life. I will definitely be going back the next time I'm in Portland.

This particular Pok Pok is the tiny Pok Pok Noi on Prescott in northeast Portland.
The main Pok Pok is on Division Street in southeast & the Whiskey Soda Lounge is literally down the street.

The restaurants on Division are constantly busy -- I tried going there a few weeks ago and it was a 2 hour wait for 2 people! Yeah, so, make a reservation or hit the late night Noi for a good after hours bite!

Have you been here before? What did you think?

DIY: Granola

There is nothing better than waking up in the morning, having a big cup of tea and eating a delightful bowl of greek yogurt with home made granola.

A friend of mine let me try a bite of her very own granola creation and I was instantly hooked! Lucky for me (and you) she shared her amazing recipe for home-made, DIY granola.

Not only is granola tasty, but it's also really good for you! This granola is made with heart healthy whole grain oats that helps lower cholesterol and are a good source of fiber. There are almonds, and flax seeds in here too which contain "good fats" & omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for a good heart and overall good health! Just remember, healthy sweets are healthy when done in moderation.

Here's what I used:
2 Cups of Oats
1/4 Cup ground Flax Seeds
2 Scoops of Vanilla Protein Powder
Handful of Raisins
Handful of Almonds
Cinnamon (use as desired)
3/4 Agave Nectar
1 1/2 Tbsp Honey

These ingredients are very flexible. You can use whatever nuts you want and you don't have to use protein powder either. It all depends on what you like! But one ingredient you should NOT change is the Agave nectar.

Agave is a used a lot these days because it's a natural sugar and can be used as a substitute for the processed, grainy stuff.

Let's get started!
In a large bowl combine oats, flax seeds, protein powder, raisins, almonds and cinnamon. Mix well.

In a smaller bowl combine Agave nectar and honey and stir together.

Add Agave nectar and honey mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly together. Get out baking sheet(s) and cover with wax paper. Pour granola mixture on wax paper, make sure to evenly disperse them so they are cooked at the same consistency. Pop them in the oven at 300 degrees for 17-20 minutes, or until oats are cooked.

Yes, I had to censor my apron

Take out, let cool and devour!

I enjoyed my granola at work today with a little greek yogurt for a healthy and delectable snack.
Yum!

Xx

Skinny Summer Pasta

Now, I know what you're thinking: Skinny Pasta? There's no such thing.
But before you shake your head with disbelief, you have got to trust me! Skinny Pasta does exist! And better yet, it's delicious!

This specific recipe is Zucchini & Basil Spaghetti.
The grocery stores carry Zucchini all year round, but it's worth waiting until summer, when it's fresh and at its prime. You may be asking yourself what makes this recipe so skinny and the answer is that there is no creamy sauce or unnecessary preservatives. Hooray!

Here's what you need:
Wheat Linguine or Spaghetti
3 Large Zucchini
1 Cup Olive Oil
3-4 Cloves of Garlic
3/4 Cup Chopped Basil
1 Tbsp finely grated Lemon Zest
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

This recipe serves about 4-5 people. I cut down my ingredients just a tad, since I was only cooking for myself. Let's get started!

1. Slice Zucchini very thin with a mandoline if you have one, or a sharp knife.

2. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot (but not burning or smoking, that's bad). Fry Zucchini, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning a pale golden color. Transfer Zucchini from pan to baking sheet lined with paper towels to train and cover with foil to keep warm.

3. Add garlic to remaining oil. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds then remove skillet from heat.

4. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and transfer to a large shallow bowl.

5. Toss pasta with garlic oil, Zucchini, basil, zest, salt and pepper. Add reserved cooking water to moisten if necessary. Dash a bit of parmesan cheese on top and serve!

Enjoy! Xx

Point Casino Photo Shoot: Day 1 & 2

Recently I've been doing a little modeling for fun but mostly because I have time to do it! It's been great so far and this week I was asked to do a photo shoot for a casino re-branding. I hopped on the ferry from Seattle and headed west to Bremerton.

Call time was 9:30pm. The models got situated in the back room, got our outfits finalized and waited around while everyone got their hair and makeup done.

Then the real work began! We popped in and out of the casino for the rest of the night, each time in a different outfit and working in a different part of the casino. I'm sure the local gamblers were getting annoyed with the constant flashes of bright lights used on our set. Well, hopefully they weren't too annoyed!

Twins: Me & Vada

In the Boom Room

We worked until the early morning and by the time 4:30 came around and it was time to go back to the hotel, the sun was slowing rising. So we all scuttled off to bed, exhausted but too wired to sleep. Eventually I drifted off.

That afternoon I woke up around noon. Vada & I went to coffee and relaxed before another night of shooting. We headed back to the casino at 8:00pm. After the usual hair and makeup and wardrobe, it was off to the buffet for some shots with the chocolate fountain!

Vada & Michael with the chocolate fountain.

Killing time on set

After another quick change, it was off to the cigar lounge. This was an especially tricky scene only because the room was so small and everyone had to keep taking breaks to clear their head from the cigar smoke!

Vada & Michael in the Cigar Lounge

After the cigar room it was off to the poker table.

Ready for Poker

With our shades on and our poker faces set, we finished up the shoot.

End of the night (morning?) with the guys

We left the casino at 4:00am and headed straight to bed.
Next morning I headed back to Seattle on the ferry. The last few nights were such a blur, I didn't even know what day it was!

Heading Home

It was a great mini-holiday away from reality, and I met some fantastic people. Hopefully the next job I do they'll be there too! Xx

Louisiana Blues

For nearly 2 years I have been hearing about the Portland Blues Festival that happens on the waterfront every summer. Finally I was able to pop down to the 503 and experience the festival and all of it's glory. With the weather behaving beautifully and Louisiana inspired music in my ears, Katz & I trekked to the waterfront lawn and soaked up the blues (and the rays!).

 

After getting my full dose of Vitamin D, it was time to switch from Blues to Club. Downtown Portland, just like every other city, has a plethora of clubs and an extensive amount of nightlife. We strolled down 3rd street and all the way to 10th, popping in and out of bars and clubs as we went. You never know who you're going to see on the streets of Portland. On our way home we bumped into Ndamukong Suh, a Grant General graduate & PDX local, and his entourage of local friends. Quite the eventful way to end an evening, if I do say so myself! Xx

Xx