Musings on Momentum

design a life you love

Around LA – Things to Do in Silver Lake

No conversation about hip and trendy Los Angeles is complete without the inclusion of Silver Lake, an enclave for creatives, foodies and anyone who appreciates a little uniqueness in a sea of monotony.  For this month’s edition of Around LA I’m taking you a mere twenty minute drive from my home in Hollywood to Silver Lake, a singular community that offers an escape from the every day hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.

Things to do in Silverlake

The iconic Micheltorena Stairs provide the perfect backdrop.

While the neighborhood of Silver Lake does encompass a large area, the part I’m sharing with you today covers less than one mile along Sunset Boulevard, making it the perfect walkable half-day trip for all of you out of towners.  If you are looking for things to do in Silver Lake, look no further.

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Strawberry Ginger Kombucha Cocktail

I will be the first to admit that over the past month and a half I have been slacking when it comes to taking care of myself. I haven’t been getting more than 6 hours of sleep a night, I haven’t been exercising as much as I need to feel good about myself, and I definitely haven’t been eating healthy enough for my liking. What I HAVE been doing is working, working some more and, oh, did I mention working?

Now let me just state that I am one of those people who, when I’m feeling healthy and “on”, really enjoys being busy and thrives on being pulled in multiple directions. I will go, go, go and LOVE it until one day, seemingly out of the blue, my mind and body hit a wall and I crash. HARD.

The past few weeks have been spent fighting the fact that I need to slow down a bit, start getting 7+ hours of sleep again and perform a complete overhaul on my diet. I took a momentary step back from blogging in order to work on the slowing down and sleep part of the equation and am now moving on to phase two: my diet. That is where today’s cocktail recipe comes in.

As of yesterday I am taking five days off from drinking in order to clear my system out, but before I embarked down this dry, dry road I had to enjoy one last hurrah in the form of today’s strawberry ginger Kombucha cocktail.

This refreshing and healthy Kombucha cocktail blends ice cold vodka with the tang of ginger Kombucha and sweet taste of muddled strawberries and basil.

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Grilled Balsamic Peaches – A Savory Summer Dessert

There is something that is quintessentially summer to me about peaches.  Perhaps it is because they were hard to come by the majority of the year when I was growing up in the Pacific Northwest. Once summer rolled around however, they could be found in abundance and I made the most of it.

Today I can scoop up peaches just about whenever I want, however I still find myself gravitating towards them almost exclusively during the summer.  A few weeks ago I found myself with several perfectly ripe peaches just begging to be eaten.  Always one to experiment, I sliced them up and threw them on the grill, drizzling them in balsamic vinegar and serving them up with a side of basil as the perfect summer dessert.  One sweet and juicy bite was all it took to transport me back to barefoot summer days in Washington.

This grilled peach recipe combines the quintessential fruit of summer, the peach, with the tang of balsamic, creating a sweet & savory summer dessert.

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Around LA – North Cahuenga

Hollywood is iconic and represents a level of glitz and glamour that I did not fully comprehend until I traveled through Europe last winter.  I was in line for the bathroom in Amsterdam chatting with a German woman I had just met when I revealed where I was from.  I was shocked to see how incredibly excited she was to talk to me about her aspirations to move to Los Angeles and live amongst Hollywood history.  It made me realize that the place I call home is a place that may call their dream.

When people visit Hollywood they generally visit top sites like the Chinese Theater and the Walk of Fame, leaving the area without fully recognizing and appreciating what else is has to offer. Just one block off Hollywood Boulevard, removed from the tour buses and costumed characters, you can find a wealth fabulous of eateries, bars and attractions, all of which are 95% tourist free, if you only know where to look.

For this month’s edition of Around LA I’m sharing with you one such area, the two block span of North Cahuenga Boulevard between Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard. The area has been a favorite of mine since I first began visiting my now-husband in Los Angeles years ago and is home to some of my most preferred spots in the entire city.

Around LA - North Cahuenga - The Record Parlor Exterior

Possibly the most unique spot on today’s tour, The Record Parlour is home to an endless selection of pristine original records.

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An Easy 4th of July Cocktail

With the 4th of July a little less than two weeks away, those of us in the United States have barbecues, fireworks and red, white and blue on the mind.  While the extra day off work for the national holiday is great, the best part of the historical day is coming together with family and friends and dedicating an entire day to pure celebration, fun and food.  If you are looking for a refreshing alternative to the gallons of beer consumed each Independence Day, I have you covered with this quick and easy 4th of July cocktail.

This quick and easy 4th of July cocktail recipe only requires two ingredients and is certain to add a little patriotic fun to your Independence Day.

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