Luxirare

So it’s pretty clear by now that I’ve made more than enough attempts at difficult recipes, things that aren’t exactly realistic for a person who has a serious job, or someone who has a family, kids to pick up from soccer practice, or for a typical twenty-thirty something that works 9-7 and then goes out [...]

This post is for all my readers who are either getting over a painful breakup, recently divorced, or single. But you know Valentine’s day is just another excuse for couples to go out to dinner or drink (or both)… and why shouldn’t this apply to people who aren’t coupled up?? Valentine’s day is pretty open [...]

There’s a block on Madison that makes every other block on this avenue kind of irrelevant, and that’s the block between 70th and 71st. Two remarkable brands set up shop here, Celine and Laduree. They are right next to each other. I guess the best of the best like to congregate? Already posted about Laduree [...]

Hey guys, don’t celebrate my birthday at all, actually we never acknowledge birthdays in my family, sometimes I forget when my parents’ birthdays are! But today my friends bought me a cake anyway, so happy about that. It’s beautiful! Gonna dig in now… Crap just realized that it’s 2012, titled this thing wrong. Ha.

I know this is cliche, but I love the holiday season. Mild depression lurking, everyone is a little more boozed up than usual, and there’s that requisite gift giving which is pretty awesome- Though my family drives me crazy I also love spending quality time with them… I don’t know what it is about December, [...]

Always on the look out for cute food packaging ideas, and I really liked this one by Hugo & Victor for chocolates. The chocolates were so delicious too, very light shells with loose caramels or fruit jams inside.

It’s amazing what kind of magic a $2 cake batter can do, if you know how to tweak it. This moist supreme batter by Pillsbury is the best I’ve tried for quick cakes, I think it’s the 1 cup of jello that’s included inside the batter. The only problem is that if you don’t do [...]

I know not everyone who reads this blog lives on the east coast but I am having some major hurricane anxiety right now. Nobody else around me seems to care much! I’m staying in tonight but I just heard on the news someone is in Long Island trying to surf the waves. Had to pick [...]

No ice cream machine? No Kitchen-aid stand mixer? No time? Fine. I’ll make an avocado sorbet in 5 minutes (this does not include freeze time). Slice the avocados into thin strips and splash it with lots of lime juice. This is to keep it from browning, and it will add flavor to the sorbet. Freeze [...]

I saw these cute packages of Hot chocolate over at Selfridges in London and even though this seems to be a very easy d-i-y I thought the concept was clever. There is another brand that sells it here but I thought the one I had was better in terms of packaging. You notice the title [...]

How many times have I wished for a Fauchon in the US? Many. Fauchon is an anomaly, it is luxurious fast food. Imagine the speed of McDonald’s with the taste of a high end french bistro. There was one in NYC but it shut down. Fauchon is like Sephora in the way it is …

Tea infusers. Salt & Pepper shakers Blueberry Tea from Ikea. Morning Reading Material, CHELSEA Magazine. Tea pot comes with integrated teacup that you remove simply by lifting it. Cakes by Luxirare, more on inspiration behind it later. Strawberry & Lychee Mousse Cake with Macaron embellishments and silver leaf. MMM..lips! All of the cake designs in [...]

This is my last Ischia post, after this I headed to the mid-region of Italy which was work-related so this last day in Ischia was bittersweet. Sant Angelo is one of the most beautiful areas of Ischia, it is filled with small pathways that sit on tiny slopes next to the ocean. The best …

While walking around in Galeria Umberto, I found this little pastry shop…Sfogliatella is a pastry that originated from Naples….I’ve had Sfogliatella before but I really wanted to try it here where it was created- Another common pastry I loved called “BABA” was also delicious…They served both pastries on two pieces of white paper, no plates. [...]

I haven’t been here since college but I made a visit recently and it was packed. The same guy was working there too. Best place to get yeasty doughnuts. Lavender doughnuts caught my eye. Blueberry doughnuts. The flavor is only injected into the frosting, not the actual doughnut. The only thing I wish this place [...]

After months the doctor finally rolled another cast on my mom, but this cast allows her to walk! No wheeling around! I was nervous because at the last visit he put her in the first cast and told her to stay in bed. She’s got legs now…still limping a lot though. The defected …

Prepare everything before hand. I eat apple napoleon A LOT so I always take one day out of the week to prepare my phyllo dough and sliced apples. I take them out whenever I feel like baking them directly from the freezer. I used sugar and apple pie spice to season the apples. Phyllo dough, [...]

I’ve had my fair share of designer/artisanal cookies (laduree, tates, etc) but nothing gets me more excited than Girlscout’s cookies. They’ve been a favorite of mine ever since I was a girl scout. Except I wasn’t really all that interested in selling them, just eating them.. I have many boxes of Samoa’s, but too embarrassed [...]

Taking a little break here from usually having to post my own work, today I’m going to let out a sigh of relief and post some works of other people. I took a quick trip overseas for a couple days around my birthday this month (2 days, 1 day each in Paris & London) …