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We’re Going on Vacation – Stuff we Like

I can’t believe it. This Saturday Charlie and I will be married for 5 years. US?! 5 YEARS?! It felt like the blink of an eye. It’s been a magical and beautiful marriage and one rollercoaster of a ride. We’ve also gone through some pretty heavy stuff in the 5 years we’ve been married but I’m so blessed and lucky to have him by my side through all the good and the bad.
We’re going to Oceanside/Carlsbad for a short little getaway and I’m really excited to just unplug for a couple days. So if you find yourself going to Oceanside or Carlsbad here’s what’s on my list and my travel tips for anywhere you go.
  1. Get an Airbnb or vacation rental instead of a hotel. I’m sure many of you know about Airbnb and if you have yet to book one — DO IT! I love living like the locals do whenever I travel. We’re staying at a unit a few blocks from the beach and I’m so excited so be able to use the bikes they have for us, cook a nice breakfast, and relax.
  2. Go to the beach! Oceanside and Carlsbad have some beautiful beaches. I plan on visiting Tamarack State Beach and Buccaneer Beach while we’re there.
  3. Eat at local spots. My 3 spots that are a must go for me are Urge Gastropub and Whiskey Bank in Oceanside, Campfire in Carlsbad, and Flying Pig Pub and Kitchen in Oceanside. You locals must send me your recommendations as well!
  4. Don’t drive everywhere. Walk or ride a bike to places nearby. What better way to get to know your surroundings than to explore a little bit yourself instead of looking online. Our Airbnb rental comes with 2 beach cruisers and we’ll definitely be using those to get around.
  5. Take some time to relax! I know this sounds silly because you’re going on vacation. But I know I need to remind myself of this some times. You get so caught up in sightseeing or fitting in all of the things on your list that you forget to do one of the most important reasons of a vacation — relax. So take some time for yourself and enjoy it!
xoxo,
Kissa
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Cold Soba Noodles Recipe – What we Eat

There’s this nice little food court at one of the Asian Supermarkets in our area that serve Korean, Japanese, and other types of Asian food. Charlie and I like to go there after work sometimes to have dinner before we do some grocery shopping. There’s one stall in the food court that serves curry plates that come with a noodle on the side. You can pick between an udon soup or a cold soba noodle and Charlie and I always pick the soba.
But first, what is soba? I’m not an expert by any means but from what I gather soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat. Is it healthier than other noodles? I guess that is up for discussion but I know that it is gluten-free and has a higher fiber and protein content than what we define as “traditional” pasta.
Soba can be used in a variety of ways just like any other pasta. It can be served hot or cold, pan fried or in soup, So here we go, cold soba noodles. 😃
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Ingredients
  • Soba noodles
  • Sesame Oil, 1 tsp
  • Daikon radish, 1 tbs grated
  • Wasabi paste, 1 tsp
  • Tsuyu soup base
  • Furikake, optional
  • Masago (Smelt Egg), optional
Couple things before you begin:
  • Soba noodles come dehydrated just like regular paste or fresh. Just follow the directions on the pack to figure out how long to cook. img_0082.jpg
  • Tsuyu soup can be found at most Asian super markets. I buy the ones that are concentrated where you add water. I’m sure I can make this from scratch but I still need to learn how to do so. (I hear a future post coming on). I would personally add 3/4 cup water to 1/4 cup soup base. Yes, it’s that salty. But to each their own! You can always add a little more if you feel it’s too bland. img_0028.jpg
Directions
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cut soba noodles in half and cook until cooked to desired texture (I like a little al dente), approximately 5 mins. Strain thoroughly.
  2. In strainer, run noodles under cold water and then toss noodles in sesame oil so they don’t stick together. Place in a small bowl
  3. In a separate bowl mix wasabi, daikon, tsuyu soup until wasabi is thoroughly mixed into broth.
  4. Garnish with furikake and masago. (Optional)
  5. Dip noodles into your cold soup and enjoy!
xoxo,
Kissa
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Holiday Release 2016 Part 3

Hello and happy Thursday everyone! We’re in the home stretch of our 2016 Holiday Release. Don’t forget tomorrow, September 30, is your last chance to save 25% on our Holiday line of cards (single and boxed sets). I’m excited to show you 2 new designs that we’ve been working on!

Us Californians never get a cold winter 🙂


This one was inspired by one of my favorite movies of all time, Mary Poppins. 

Grab your cards now while you can! 😊

xoxo,

Kissa