click on the images to see closer!

xo dina

Filed under: Art, Travel ]]> http://lifeofphi.com/2013/03/24/parc-guell-barcelona/feed/ 2 Featured Image lifeofphiwordpress _PHI9832 _PHI9821 _PHI9833 _PHI9836 _PHI9829 _PHI9837 _PHI9885 _PHI9839 _PHI9889 http://lifeofphi.com/2013/02/10/the-evening-we-cooked-with-aran-goyaoga/ http://lifeofphi.com/2013/02/10/the-evening-we-cooked-with-aran-goyaoga/#comments Mon, 11 Feb 2013 01:53:56 +0000 Dina El-Hakim http://lifeofphi.com/?p=4035 Read more]]> Finally found the time to post the photos of an intimate and delicious evening cooking side-by-side with Aran Goyaoga. Growing up in a world of flour, butter and sugar, in a family of bakers from the Basque Country, she is now a freelance food writer, photographer and stylist living in Florida. Aran was extremely sweet and interesting to talk to. The evening was extremely fun in so many ways – clusters of guests at a different station to cook one aspect of the  four course delights we later enjoyed, seeing the passionate Aran in action in the kitchen, wine tasting for those interested, a beautifully laid out candle-lit table, talking with the owners of SAT, meeting and chatting with the guests.

Speaking of which, enough chatting on my part – the photos will speak for themselves :) need I say the food tasted like heaven?

xo Dina

and now the meal…

{ roasted cauliflower soup with dandelion greens & hazelnut pesto }

{ swiss chard, pear and Gruyère tart }

{ sea bass with sweet potato & parsnip puree and fennel vanilla bean cream }

{ chocolate, hazelnut & fleur de sel pots de crème }

{ pistachio & vanilla bean shortbread }

Having said that short, simple statement (no need to blab on right :), I want to share an amazing food event I’m going to this Sunday, January 20th. It’s a lovely afternoon of cooking, eating and talking with guest chef Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille at FoodLab in Montreal. I am a huge fan of her blog and food photography (her link is under my blog roll title “YUMMY”, on your left!) so I can’t tell you how excited I am to meet her, watch her cook and taste her food. Included in our ticket also is a signed copy of Aran’s new gluten-free cookbook Small Plates and Sweet Treats. I will go to food photography heaven, yet again. (Another great recommendation – and I love this photographer just as equally – is Helene Du Jardin’s Plate to Pixel)

Event Details:

Guest chef: Aran Goyoaga

When: January 20th at 3pm

Where: SAT FoodLab (1201 Saint-Laurent Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Montreal H2X 2S6)

The gluten-free menu includes:

• Roasted cauliflower and leek soup with dandelion green and hazelnut pesto
• Swiss chard, pear and Gruyere tart
• Roasted sea bass with sweet potato and parsnip puree, fennel and vanilla bean cream and piment d’Espelette
• Chocolate, hazelnut and fleur de sel pots de crème
• Pistachio and vanilla bean shortbread

The space is limited to 20 guests only so reserve your spot by purchasing your tickets here. Hope to see you there!

Aran will also be at Appetite for books on Saturday January 19th for a cooking demo and book signing.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 9,600 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 16 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

here’s my throwback thursday (of the month it seems!)

this is Prague, circa 2005. children’s play :)

xo, dina

Restaurant Week!

Happening Gourmand was good for a few years, but it got old fast.

So bon apétit everyone, have fun exploring the city’s neighborhoods and restaurants! I will try to post a few photos :)

xo, Dina

ps: I absolutely love the graphic design – great job!

I searched all week for a New York skyline photograph my dad took in the eighties (he was a great photographer :) but I couldn’t find it…it’s probably being used as a bookmark in a book somewhere. So instead, I found something very similar on flickr by a dude named Paul Wright.

I apologize for my first Throwback Thursday to be a photo that wasn’t mine (or my family’s) lol. and thank you Paul!

My heart goes out to anyone who was affected by Hurricane Sandy…especially those who lost their homes.

Really makes you think.

xo, d.

 All rights reserved by PaulWrightUK

this was my second time in new york, and i’ve established my favorite things about it, based on personal experience:

1. the food

2. the city’s history and the true new yorkers

3. the street fashion (but of course :)

what are your favorite things about the Big Apple? i’d love to hear it, please leave a comment!

{Discovering Columbus}

{views from the top}

{a break in Central Park}

{sure, why not?}

{juice break @ Juice Generation. I tried a Vital Shot of ginger, lemon and cayenne pepper – that definitely woke me up :p + a smoothie after that}

{Soho, 10:30 a.m.}

{playing the Big Piano at FAO Schwartz}

{Lego heaven.}

{food carts}

{an illustration of Bergdorf’s. love it!}

{the Alice in Wonderland sculpture in Central Park}

{the photography collection at the MOMA}

and now a little treat…swimming with the Louboutins at Barneys. Too bad they ruined those shoes :)

* = here are two places we had brunch at: Extra Virgin, a Mediterranean intimate place and Penelope, a SUPER homey, eat at your parents’ kitchen feel…I wish I went on a snapping frenzy at this place to share with you, but I was feeling too mellow :) and hungry.