Print Kale Rigatoni Ingredients Serves 4-6 1 bunch Cavolo Nero kale (also known as Lacinato), stems removed, leaving the leaves whole 2 garlic cloves, peeled 200 ml olive oil + more for finishing 1 lb rigatoni Parmigiano reggiano Sea salt Instructions Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Generously season with sea salt. Blanch the kale leaves and garlic cloves in the salted boiling water for 5 minutes. Leaving the water in the pot, remove the kale and garlic and place them both directly into a food processor. Next, add the rigatoni to the boiling pot of water and cook the p ..read more

Around six months ago, I was scrolling through Instagram and saw a story on my friend’s account about SonoBreast in Santa Monica, which specializes in breast ultrasounds. At the time, I’d never had a mammogram, as my OBGYN had advised me to wait until a year after breastfeeding Bruno to get my first one. On a whim, I called Sonobreast and asked if I could get an ultrasound done even though I had only stopped breastfeeding a few months prior, and they told me no problem. I scheduled the appointment a few weeks before my 40th birthday. The ultrasound was fast, and I left feeling happy I was bei ..read more

Otomisan, located in the historic Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles, opened in 1956 and is the last traditional Japanese restaurant you can still find in the now heavily Latino neighborhood. When you enter the small 17-seater restaurant, you feel like you are being transported back in time. The walls are adorned with newspaper and magazine clippings, Japanese paintings, and old photographs of family and friends. The shelves are lined with small figures, dolls, and collected treasures accumulated over the years. In 2005, one of the owners passed away, and local businesswoman, Yayoi Watanabe, p ..read more

Print Rachael’s Chicken Stock Ingredients Recipe by Rachael Sheridan Into a 10 quart stock pot: 2 lbs chicken feet 2 lbs chicken wings 6 lbs chicken backs Instructions Cover with very cold tap water and let sit for two hours. (This helps pull impurities out, makes the “scum” that rises to the top thicker, and produces a clear almost consumé like stock.) After 2 hours, bring to a boil on medium-high. Once scum starts to form, skim it from the surface. Repeat this process until scum stops forming. (This usually takes an hour from the time you turn it on until the time you stop skimming ..read more

Print Winter Radicchio Salad with Citrus and Feta Ingredients Serves 4 2 small heads of radicchio, if possible try to find different varietals like Rosa del Veneto, Treviso, and Rossa di Verona 2 handfuls of wild arugula 1/3 cup parsley leaves 1 large radish, like a Watermelon radish, sliced into thin rounds 1/2 shallot, thinly sliced, soaked in water for a few minutes and then drained 1/4 cup raw pistachio halves, toasted until golden 2–3 tangerines, skin cut off and segmented Feta, crumbled Freshly ground black pepper Red Wine Vinaigrette 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon minced shall ..read more

Otafuku Noodle House A meal at Otafuku in Gardena is a memorable experience and is definitely in our top ten places for dining out in and around Los Angeles. This family-owned Japanese restaurant, which opened in 1997, specializes in exceptional handmade soba and udon made fresh daily with flour flown in from Japan. The chewy texture and bite of the noodles are perfection. And while the soba is a star on the menu, many other delicious dishes are also a must when ordering. It’s worth noting that it is one of the few places the kids will happily drive 45 minutes to because they know that soba a ..read more

Print Meyer Lemon Caper Linguini with Toasted Pistachios Ingredients Recipe by Andre Vippolis 2 servings 6.4 ounces linguini 1 Meyer lemon 1/8 cup capers, rinsed, roughly chopped Olive oil Pasta water Black pepper Sicilian sea salt Maldon salt A handful of raw pistachios, finely chopped or ground Instructions Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Season lightly with sea salt. Capers are the saltiness and so you will adjust seasoning prior to serving. In a warm skillet, toast the chopped/ground pistachios until golden, being careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and spre ..read more

The months and weeks leading up to the holidays are filled with mixed emotions. Work at Valleybrink Road is more intense than ever as holiday gifting ramps up, and everything has to be packed and shipped at record speed. Between work and juggling three kids, there is little time for self-care or paying attention to what is going on with my body and how I feel. I often get extremely depleted during the day and overindulge at night, as it is the only time I stop and sit down. I forget to eat with intention, and instead, I grab at whatever is around and the easiest to consume, which ends up bein ..read more

For my 40th, all I wanted was to go to a place where I could relax and recharge. I didn’t want to waste time traveling, so the destination needed to be close to Los Angeles, allowing me to maximize my five-day trip with my oldest girlfriends. I had heard good things about Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs and decided to try it for my birthday getaway. It was just a little over two hours away with no traffic, adults only, and seemed filled with wellness and restorative offerings that could help me fill my cup once again. Upon arrival, you can immediately feel how special the sacred ground ..read more

How is it possible that Bruno just turned one!?! Here is a round up of his favorite birthday gifts this year! 1) Bruno is always trying to keep up with his older brothers. This bike is great for helping with balance and coordination in the early stages of walking and riding. I also love that it is super lightweight, so even if he falls over, it is easy for him to pick up the bike and try again. 2) For kids that are in the early stages of walking, this is the perfect toy to help them build confidence in their steps. Bruno pushes it back and forth over and over in the dining room while the wh ..read more