NYC Society Welcomes the Start of Summer with Hamptons Happenings Preview to Fight Cancer at Versa

This Wednesday night celebs gathered to support the Waxman cancer research foundation and celebrate the beginning of the summer season in the Hamptons at the Hamptons Happening Preview event at VERSA NYC. Guests enjoyed food, a raffle, and more fun as they prepared for a summer of sun fun and fashion in the Hamptons all while raising awareness for the important work of the cancer research foundation. Celebrity guest Leesa Rowland, author and lifestyle influencer told me she was looking forward to attending the Hamptons Happening event later this summer and was so excited to be raising awareness for such a great cause at the event. Lucky raffle winners won a ticket to the Hamptons Happening event and Hamptons Happening 2023 Honorees were celebrated with a video. Honorees included Chef Ralph Scamardella, EVP & Chief Culinary Officer, TAO Group, Lori and Scott Levine, Co-Founders, Scott’s Protein Balls, Denise Albert, CEO and Co-Founder, My Cancer Family, Anna Zuckerman, Founder, Chief Designer Anna Zuckerman. 

Photo Credit: Mark Sagliocco / Shutterstock

Guests could also sign up for the Step Up To Turn Cancer Off fundraiser. It is a virtual fundraising event where participants keep track of their physical activities in order to reach their daily “step” goal.  An easy-to-use online tool will convert nearly any activity such as walking, running swimming, dancing, yoga, gardening etc. into steps. Participants can register individually or as a team and then share progress with peers and family to garner donations. The week-long challenge runs from June 19th through 26th, 2023. For more information, to register, or to sponsor a participant or team, visit www.waxmancancer.org/events/stepup/. 

The event brought together style, food, and charity to raise awareness for a great cause! 

How to Host the Ultimate Summer House Party With Celebrity Chef Shirley Chung x Shiseido

I got the chance to attend an amazing launch party to celebrate the brand new WASO line of Shiseido products this past weekend at the Shiseido Malibu Beach House. You can read more about the line of super food inspired skincare products in my post here. The party was hosted by Top Chef finalist Shirley Chung who taught us how to make some amazing dishes that are perfect for entertaining and are all made from superfoods with added health benefits as well! This party was amazing and I had such a great time tasting the recipes as well as enjoying the house and mingling with other bloggers! If you are looking for ideas on the perfect start of summer soiree keep reading below to hear about some of my favorite tips and tricks from celebrity Chef Shirley Chung and ideas I picked up for hosting a great party at the event!

First Chef Shirley showed us how to create what she calls the perfect "House Party Plate" which is a delicious combo of cooked veggies drizzled with a tofu based aioli for a fresh and easy meal that guests will love. I have posted the recipe below so you guys can try out this awesome party plate!

Step 1. Chef Shirley's House Party Plate

Step 2. Have your food on the stove before guests arrive

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According to Chef Shirley when preparing fresh ingredients like these it's best to have everything warming on the stove and close to being ready but you shouldn't worry about having the meal all set out on the table yet. If you prepare it too early it could get cold by the time guests arrive. I loved this tip because I never know when the right time is to serve food at my parties! 

Step 3. Prepare centerpieces using some of the ingredients from your dish

Jen J Photography

I love this idea for a summer gathering! When we walked in the table was set with beautiful bouquets of carrots and some flowers scattered across the table as well as a bowl of lemons. It was a beautiful centerpiece and got me curious about what we would be eating! This is a great tip if you are looking to change up your same old party decor and break free from the flowers and vase idea! This felt very Goop approved to me. 

Step 4. Summer Cocktails 

Jen J Photography 

I loved the different tonics and summer cocktail options that were served. They had the perfect light and refreshing flavors that made this day feel like summer and weren't too overbearing when paired with the food. There were alcoholic and nonalcoholic options for guests which is another great tip to remeber when planning your party! 

Step 5. Get everyone mingling! 

Jen J Photography

Chef Shirley got everyone up out of their seats by inviting us to "come garden with her" when preparing our salad plates. I loved this idea because it really broke everyone out of their groups and got us all talking! Plus we could each pick what we liked for our salads. I decided to head outside to the patio afterwards to enjoy mine with the amazing ocean view and even met some new people! 

So there you have it! This is your guide to throwing the ultimate summer house party with vegetarian friendly meals and a simple and fun recipe! This guide will hopefully allow you as the host to enjoy your party as much as your guests! Plus, don't forget to look your best for the big event with the brand new WASO skincare line by Shiseido! Add a little glow to your look the morning of with the daily moisturizer which is one of my favorite products from the line! 

Add Some Color to Your Life This Summer at The World of Fruit Experience in LA

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I attended the opening night of the World of Fruit exhibit and immersive experience which will be in LA all summer and it is the perfect place for bloggers, and anyone to come and get an adventure right in the city this summer! The World of Fruit is a fun exhibit for all ages located on N. La Brea Avenue where you can explore a colorful and whimsical universe of fruit and art! The night kicked off with a champagne tower and fruit cups for guests to enjoy as the party got started. Guests were invited to start taking tours through the exhibit in groups of about 10 or so.

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This fun field trip was inspired by the founder's love of fruit from around the world and each room has a different theme whether it be polka dotted bananas or a giant watermelon nothing says summer quite like a Mondrian inspired display of luscious life size fruit sculptures.

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Some of the rooms even bring the fruit to life with tastings. Stop and discover a new flavor with the dragon fruit power bowls in one room or take cute pictures with watermelon popsicles in the bright pink watermelon playground. I had so much fun exploring this cool new exhibit and even dressed for the occasion in my Kate Spade lemon dress and matching lemon print purse!

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I went to a disco party with a giant pineapple and really felt like I could have been in the jungle with the hanging vines in one of the rooms. It was a fun way to start the summer and is a perfect photo op for bloggers looking to add some color to their feed. I loved getting to taste the exotic melons from Africa in the next room and was actually full by the end of the night! There were so many delicious options to discover.

If you are a fruithead like me you can get your tickets here!
https://worldoffruit.co/

Watch: Celebrity Chef Shirley Chung Teaches Me How to Make the Perfect Healthy Snack for Any 20-something

I got to attend an amazing master class with celebrity chef Shirley Chung who now owns her own restaurant in Culver City called the MsChi cafe. You can read all about my fun day at the Shiseido Malibu Beach House learning about their brand new WASO skincare line made with superfood ingredients here!
Chef Shirley shared so many amazing recipes with us but today I wanted to share this one with you guys because it is so easy and super delicious! Plus if you love snacks as much as I do you will love this recipe perfect for any occasion.
I have posted the ingredients below so you can follow along in the video and try these out at home!

Recipe

Wonton Filling Ingredients

3 King Trumpet Mushrooms
3oz Carrots (about half of a whole carrot)
3 tbsp grape seed oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp minced ginger\
 2 tbsp minced scallion
6oz firm organic tofu
1 tsp sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions 

Mince mushrooms and set them aside to cook later. Mince carrots and set aside. Heat up 2 tbsp oil in a saute pan over high heat. When the oil is hot, add minced mushrooms and garlic into the pan, season with 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, and saute till mushrooms are golden brown. Set aside to mix later. Heat up 1 tbsp oil in the saute pan over medium heat, add carrots and ginger in the pan, season with 1/2 tbsp soy sauce and saute till they are tender (about 2 minutes). In a mixing bowl, combine cooked mushrooms, carrots, tofu, and scallion, mix well so the tofu binds all ingredients together. Finish with sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Honey Yuzu Vinaigrette Ingredients

1/4 cup yuzu juice
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp chili oil

Combine everything together in a small bowl.

To fold Wontons:
20 Wonton wrappers
1 egg
1tbsp water
wonton filling

Directions

Crack the egg and whisk egg and water together to make as egg wash (this is what we will use to seal the wontons.) Put 1/2 tbsp. filling onto the middle of the wrapper, dab the egg wash on the edges of the wonton wrapper, bring one corner to the other, seal and make a triangle, then wet the skinny corners, bring them together to make wontons.

To cook Wontons

Boil a pot of water, when the water comes to a boil, add wontons in it. When the wontons are floating on top, let them float for 1 minute, total cooking is about 3 minutes.

Celebrating the Start of Summer with Shiseido: My Fruit Filled Day in LA

You guys know that my blog is all about fruit and cherries were the inspiration for the blog name, so I can't wait to share my summer kickoff celebration filled with exotic fruit, amazing skincare, and even a private cooking class with celebrity chef Stephanie Chung.

Spoiler alert, she loves fresh fruit almost as much as me! I even discovered a new fruit during her class called a loquat. She shared this delicious sweet fruit with us which she uses in several of her recipes. We even took this picture together with some of the ingredients, lemons to match my dress!

I started off my day heading to the Shiseido Malibu beach house where a select group of bloggers and celebrities were invited to come celebrate the launch of the Shiseido WASO skincare line.

 We were treated to an amazing master cooking class with Top Chef finalist Stephanie Chung using the same ingredients found in the Shiseido WASO skincare line! The line features several superfood ingredients which are good for your skin and your health! We learned how to double it up on these superfoods so we can eat them and use them on our skin for the ultimate glow!

Stephanie shared her favorite easy recipes made for entertaining with us starting with a delicious Tofu aioli and glazed carrots.

We got to taste the amazing recipe while enjoying the waves crashing right below us. We took in the stunning views from the patio while enjoying our lunch and then headed back inside for more cooking!

I got to help Stephanie prepare carrots for the next meal and she gave tips for the best way to shave carrots creating pretty spirals for garnish.

We also used Yuzu, which is found in the hydrating sleep mask of the skincare line as well for our next dish. Stephanie invited us to come "garden with her" and create our own custom salads.

After enjoying more delicious food I headed upstairs to take in these amazing views from the second floor while testing out the latest Shiseido products.

We got the full WASO line to take home with us and I have already started using the moisturizer. I can already see a difference and can't wait to try out the rest of the products! Don't forget to check back on the blog soon for more about the cooking class! I will even be sharing one of the recipes we made!

After spending the morning enjoying the amazing fresh recipes from Chef Chung I headed over to Melrose where I continued my fruit themed adventure celebrating the grand opening of the World of Fruit installation in Beverly Hills.

The art gallery is an immersive fruit themed experience with 8 rooms full of colorful interactive exhibits. There are even special tastings offered throughout the museum where guests can taste superfruits from exotic locales around the world. There are fruits that have come from Africa, South America, and many other places! Check out all the fun below!

LA Food Bowl Opening Week: LA's Best Fried Chicken at the VIP Party

I have officially peaked guys lol! Last night I got to attend the VIP Fried Chicken party at the LA Food Bowl at City Hall in DTLA. The exclusive event attracted celebrities and foodies from all over the city of angels this year. The party was part of a week long event to kick off the LA food bowl a festival celebrating all the amazing cuisine LA has to offer from food trucks to luxury dining!
The fried chicken party was full of the best friend chicken joints in LA all giving guests a taste of their most unique and popular dishes. Vendors included, Honey’s Kettle, Lucky Bird, Night + Market, Chef Kang Food Rehab, Hotville Chicken, Phat Birds and The Crack Shack.

There were even drinks and desserts as well! This LA foodie was in heaven with all the options. Proud Source water provided hydrating beverages while several other beverage vendors had even more fun options! A winery gave guests a taste of their Australian wines and Topo Chico mineral water gave refreshing fizzy waters for the spring evening.

The party continued into the night with dessert from Wanderlust creamery a delicious pink sorbet that you know I loved because it matched my outfit! There was also a DJ and a separate exclusive Doordash lounge where you could find even more sweet treats including Mochi ice cream! The whole night was a blast and I had a great time discovering some new favorite eateries all over the city! I will definitely be going back to LuckyBird Chicken because their sandwich was amazing!
Set in front of city hall the LA party was decorated with fun lanterns as the beautiful city hall building glowed in the background. It was the perfect way to end my week and I would definitely recommend checking out this year's food bowl!

Girls Brunch in Palm Springs at the Brand New AC3 Restaurant in Hotel Paseo

On the final day of Stagecoach I started off the morning with a nutritious and tasty brunch at the AC3 restaurant at the Hotel Paseo in Palm Springs. This chic modern spot has a great menu full of delicious options and luckily I got to try a ton of them because I got invited to a girls media brunch where I had a great time meeting so many successful women in the media industry. Many of them were also covering Stagecoach and some were just food and lifestyle writers who were covering the opening of the restaurant. I got some great tips from the photographer sitting next to me so I was able to capture these gorgeous photos of the brunch for you guys!


I decided to order a shrimp salad and yogurt parfait because they both sounded super healthy and I wanted something sweet to top off my meal. The shrimp salad was amazing and definitely something I'd recommend. It was so filling too! I loved the seasoning they used and the little pieces of grapefruit in the salad that added a tropical twist to the dish. The yogurt parfait was perfect for dessert and was filled with fresh fruit and granola. It also could've been a meal on its own really. I loved hanging out with the other bloggers and reporters in this restaurant. We had a great table with a view of the popular Palm Springs shopping street El Paseo. The decorations in the restaurant were minimalist but colorful with some desert vibes. Afterwards I had a great time exploring more of the hotel Paseo as well. This boutique hotel had so many cute decorations including retro pictures of celebs who loved vacationing in Palm Springs as well as a fun outdoor back patio. I love this cool Cali sign! Pretty soon it was time to rush off to the festival but I would definitely reccomend this restaurant for anyone looking for great service and high quality flavor! Don't forget to check out my Day 3 post to see what I wore to the last day of the festival and more!

CdM in the Kitchen: Not Your Grandmother's Chocolate Drizzle Cake

This cake was inspired by my great grandmother's recipe for white cake topped with bittersweet chocolate drizzle but I decided to give it a modern updateby adding cherries, of course, and trying out the ombre cake trend I've been seeing all over Instagram. It's the perfect dessert for a birthday party or even just a summer get together with friends. Check out the recipe below and try it this summer for a cake that looks and tastes delicious made from fresh homemade ingredients!

Ingredients
2 boxes of White Cake mix
Eggs
Cooking Oil
4 boxes of powdered sugar
Milk
3 sticks of butter or margarine 
2 bags of Fresh Cherries
Sugar
Corn Starch
water 
Red and Pink food coloring
Unsweetened Bakers Chocolate

First I made 4 8" round cakes by filling the pan to half what I would normally fill it and then let each layer cool.
While the cakes were baking I started on the Cherry filling I used to put in between the layers for an added burst of flavor.
I pitted the first bag of cherries and put them in a small sauce pan with around half a cup of water and 4 tablespoons of sugar. I brought the mix to a boil and stirred the cherries letting them simmer for several minutes until they became soft. Then I took the mix off the stove and poured it into a strainer. I used a wooden spoon to mash the cherries up over a bowl until I had juiced all the cherries. I then poured the juice back into the saucepan. I saved some out and mixed in 1 tablespoon of corn starch to cut in while the sauce was cooking. I brought the mix to a boil and added more sugar then let it simmer while I slowly added in the corn starch mix and stirred until I found the consistency I wanted. I put the sauce into the fridge to cool and thicken to a jelly like consistency.
I then started on the homemade frosting. I sat 1 stick of margarine out to soften before putting it in a bowl and adding in the powdered sugar and a dash of milk. I mixed the ingredients adding more powdered sugar and milk until I had used 1 box of powdered sugar and had the frosting at a thick consistency.
I spread the frosting over the first layer of cake covering the top and then added a few spoonfuls of the cherry filling in the middle before repeating the process for all 4 layers.

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 I put the cake in the fridge to harden and let it sit overnight before taking it out the next morning and making a new batch of frosting for a crumb coat. After letting that sit I mixed the dark red food coloring into a small bowl of frosting and added a few drops of purple to make it even darker. Then I mixed pink into a separate bowl and put drops of the dark red color around the bottom of the cake and added drops of pink and light pink in the middle. I used a thin flat spatula to spread the frosting while turning the cake stand to achieve the ombre effect.

A post shared by SierraClair (@cerisesdumatin) on May 13, 2017 at 1:14pm PDT

Now that I had the cake frosted I melted 3 pieces of the unsweetened chocolate and spooned it on the sides of the cake to make the drip effect. I covered the top of the cake completely with more chocolate and smoothed it out to add some shine to the cake. I topped it off by piling cherries on the top of the cake and sticking them in the chocolate as it was cooling so they would stay. I also added some around the sides of the cake for a finishing touch.
Cherry lovers will enjoy the bittersweet flavors of this cake as a way to satisfy those sweet tooth cravings anytime of year!

Restaurant Review: The Boulevard at the Beverly Wilshire hotel

Beverly Hills the land of luxury, and plastic surgery is a must see for anyone visiting LA. I love to go shopping on Rodeo drive and at the Grove, a beautiful outdoor shopping mall. Another thing I like to do is people watch and I found the perfect spot at the Beverly Wilshire hotel, called the Boulevard. The charming cafe has outdoor seating so you can sit on the street and admire the fancy cars and people on giant shopping sprees with their bejeweled dogs in tow. The friendly staff is very helpful and they even offer validated parking which is hard to find in LA.The restaurant has many delicious options but my favorite are the afternoon snacks. I tried the mini taco platter filled with tropical flavors. 

Of course I ordered my obligatory shirley temple. 

Of course the best things on the menu are the desserts. My favorite is the rocky rodeo sundae recommended by my waiter. The giant sundae comes with cookies and chocolate and is the perfect way to cool off on a hot Los Angeles day.

Restaurant Review: Mediterraneo on the Pier

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Mediterraneo is a hip young tapas restaurant on the Hermosa beach pier in the Southbay of Los Angeles CA. The tapas menu is not the traditional Spanish cuisine but instead filled with healthy and delicious options from Mediterranean cuisine. The mostly outdoor seating offers views of the pier for people watching while you enjoy each course. Don’t worry about getting chilly it is Los Angeles after all and the restaurant has heating lamps. The menu has so many great choices making it hard to choose. First I enjoyed the restaurants version of a bread appetizer with pita bread and hummus. It was filling and healthy. I finally decided on the meatball, fried mac and cheese ball, and side of spring veggies. The small plates came and the meatball was absolutely delicious in richly flavored marinara sauce and the fried mac and cheese was very interesting. It was very cheesy with a few noodles mixed in. The spring vegetables were sautéed in some delicious sauce making them extra fresh. I was too full to try any dessert and it was such a healthy meal I didn't want to ruin it with dessert. This cute restaurant offers the perfect beach atmosphere as well as health conscious options. I loved being able to go out to dinner even while I was dieting. The ambiance makes you feel like you really are in the Mediterranean. I definitely recommend stopping in if you are looking for a nice beach dinner on the pier.

CdM: Restaurant review: Hidden gem of las vegas Cortez room

Tonight I ate dinner at the Cortez room, a steakhouse in the Goldcoast hotel and casino. Although the Goldcoast is a little off the beaten path the Cortez room is definitely worth the trip. The Cortez room is an old style steakhouse tucked away in the corner of the casino and serves the best prime rib in town at very affordable prices. The ambiance of this retro steakhouse is great with the dim lighting and excellent service with staff that has been there over 20 years making you feel like part of the family. When you walk in, you are greeted by a friendly hostess and seated in high backed booth.  The waiter appears with a basked of warm breads and crackers and returns expediently with your drinks.  I always order my favorite Shirley Temple and the Cortez room does it with lots of cherries. Their food is delicious and each meal includes a side salad or soup and a baked potato leaving you stuffed. My favorite item to get is the Queen cut prime rib, always perfectly done, served with a gravy boat brimming with warm homemade au jus.  The salted baked potato is served with plentiful cups of sour cream, butter, and chives. But I would also recommend the scallops if you are in the mood for sea food; they are amazing in the special lemon sauce. Next time you are looking to try something new in an intimate dining setting try the hidden gem, the Cortez room.