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Mock Cinnabon Rolls

Friday, February 27, 2015

Words & Photography by Nicole Lewis
Recipe by Halee Gordon

One thing I'm not is a baker, but these mock Cinnabon rolls from Ginger Snap! blog are outta this world! Icing not pictured but rapidly consumed.



Sweet & Sticky Mock Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
serves 9-12 cinnamon rolls

Ingredients

For the dough:
3/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 egg
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 1/2 - 5 cups all purpose flour

For the filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp cornflour or cornstarch

For the frosting:
3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tbsp. golden syrup or corn syrup
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. Make the dough. In a large bowl (or one of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, which I don't have), pour in water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes. Once mixture looks bubbly and frothy, it is ready to be added with the other mixture.
2. In a small bowl, add buttermilk, oil and egg. Whisk ingredients together until egg is incorporated to other two ingredients. Pour contents into the water and yeast mixture. Add remaining sugar and salt. Stir another 20 seconds. Pour 2 cups of flour into your bowl and stir until incorporated. Sprinkle flour in by 1/4 cup increments until dough cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl. Dough should be sticky but not sticky enough to stick to your hands when touched.
3. Once it has reached this stage, knead for 5-10 minutes. Remove dough from bowl, grease another bowl and place it in there. Cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Let it rise for 1-2 hours or until dough has doubled in size.
4. Make the filling. In a medium size bowl, stir brown sugar, cinnamon and cornflour together until combined. Set aside.
5. When dough is ready, punch it down. Flour a large clean table or counter space liberally with flour. Lightly flour dough as well.
6. Roll dough out to be a 20x30 rectangle while moving dough around to ensure it's not sticking to your work surface. If it's a little short or uneven, don't worry about it, it doesn't have to be perfect. Spread softened butter over the dough, being sure to go right to the edges leaving a 1-inch strip untouched on one of the longer sides of dough. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture onto the dough and spread with your hands, creating an even layer over top of the butter, still leaving that 1-inch strip of dough untouched. Lightly press the sugar mixture into the margarine using a rolling pin.
7. Roll the dough up into a tight log (my log wasn't as tight as I wanted but it worked, finishing with the plain dough on the bottom to seal the entire thing together. Cut off the uneven ends to even out the log. Slice your rolls every 2 inches. Place into your parchment paper lined, butter greased pan. 12 roll should fit perfectly, if there are any left over, place into a loaf pan. Cover pans with plastic wrap and dish towels. Let rolls rise another 1 hour or until they are touching and have risen almost double.
8. Bake in a preheated 350F/180C for 15-20 minutes, or until tops start to brown. Watch them carefully!
9. Make the frosting. While the rolls are baking, whip cream cheese and butter together using a food processor (or by hand). Stir in vanilla, golden syrup and lemon juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Pour in powdered sugar and mix slowly until it starts to incorporate. Then mix on high for 5 minutes or until frosting starts to lighten in color.
10. Once the rolls have been removed from the oven, frost using half the amount made. Then after they have cooled a few more minutes, frost again with remaining frosting. The first frosting will melt down into the rolls and the second layer should stay put. Serve warm, and try not to eat them all!

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Commissary

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Words & Photography
by Amee Kim





I can't really believe it has taken me this long to write about this place, considering I practically live at The Line Hotel, but better late than never. Commissary is a photographer's dream. This rooftop restaurant, that's inside of a beautifully lush greenhouse, is one of Los Angeles' most instagrammed restaurants. And it's easy to see why. There is an incredible energy here that Roy Choi, one of LA's baddest chefs, and the Sydell Group has been able to achieve so naturally. The food is perfectly fitting. With plenty of vegetable choices, this restaurant accommodates everyone. The Commissary, and The Line Hotel entirely, gives Los Angeles' Koreatown a new, fresh and cool attitude.

Commissary //
The Line Hotel
3515 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010

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Wonderful Quote

Wednesday, February 25, 2015




"It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles.
Then the victory is yours.
It cannot be taken from you,
not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell."

- Buddha

[Photography by Carolina Caruso]

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Flower Power

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Words by Suzanne McCarthy
Photography by Jessica Perez



For ages people have been giving flowers and getting flowers and feeling good about the whole thing.

We pick them from our gardens and arrange them in vases to adorn our homes. We prize flowers for their beauty, fragrance and colour, and for how they give life to a space by adding an extra something. We send them when a loved one is sick. We use them to express seasons, celebrations, and spirituality. Poinsettias at Christmas, marigolds at Day of the Dead celebrations, or the symbolic use of the lotus flower for spiritual awakening.

The Harvard’s Home Ecology Study of Flowers suggests flowers have more power than we realize. The study says spending only a few days with flowers in the home or at work can boost well-being and make us more compassionate.

Here’s an example of how flowers boost your mood: You wake up in the morning feeling blah and unable to have a positive thought until later in the day. It’s been proven that if you introduce a flower into your surroundings you will feel better and perk up earlier. It doesn’t have to be an expensive bouquet of roses either. A single daisy in a small vase has enough power to nudge you in a better direction.
Increase the potency of the mood-boosting effects by selecting a flower you love above all others, one that triggers a positive memory.
Increase the potency of the mood-boosting effects by selecting a flower you love above all others, one that triggers a positive memory. Choose one for its scent (think aroma therapy), or one that symbolizes something you love (geraniums make me think of my Mom). Take it to the next level by paying attention to how the flowers are arranged, and to the vase.

Flowers also change our feelings for each other. Study participants who lived with fresh cut flowers for less than a week felt an increase in feelings of compassion and kindness for others.

Those allergic to flowers shouldn’t feel left out. Allergic reactions to orchids are rare because they don’t have airborne pollen.

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Positive Women

Monday, February 23, 2015

Words & Photography
by Lynsey Christensen



You guys, it's impossible to explain how wonderful it is to have so many strong, smart, independent, beautiful women in my life. Women who support each other, not tear each other down. Women who inspire each other to follow dreams and live to the fullest.
...it's impossible to explain how wonderful it is to have so many strong, smart, independent, beautiful women in my life.
I am incredibly lucky and thankful for the ladies I have met in Portland, as well as all my ladies around the world!

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Wonderful Quote

Friday, February 20, 2015




"When you arise in the morning,
think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive -
to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."

- Marcus Aurelius

[Photography by Jessica Perez]

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Kale & White Bean Soup

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Words & Photography
by Krissy Tosi



This recipe for Kale & White Bean Soup is for those days when you feel like you have spent the entirety of it facing into the wind. I have made it possibly hundreds of times - I don't measure anything, I don't count or figure, I just do. And in doing, it has become less of a recipe and more like a salve.

It is a soup to warm the belly, clear away the cobwebs, and bring you back into yourself. The cumin and vinegar are the important parts really. You could use anything on hand otherwise (cabbage if not kale, kidneys if not cannellini, faro instead of potato) but below is my preferred ingredient list.





Kale & White Bean Soup
serves 4(ish)

Ingredients

1 large bunch of lacianto kale, chopped
1 16oz can cannellini beans
3 medium potatoes, chopped into 1/4 pieces (preferably scrubbed with skin on)
4 cups good quality stock
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
knob of ghee (or butter or evoo)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large stock pot saute chopped onion in the ghee over low heat until soft and transparent.
2. Add minced garlic and cook a few minutes more.
3. Add in the cumin and toast until fragrant.
4. Pour in the red wine vinegar. Cook until liquid is reduced by half and then add in the chopped potatoes.
5. Saute a few minutes more stirring to coat the potatoes in the butter and vinegar mixture.
6. Add the stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender and nearly cooked.
7. Then add the kale, cannellini beans and salt & pepper to taste.
8. Simmer until kale is tender and potatoes are cooked through.
9. Serve topped with a slice or two of parmigiano reggiano, a drizzle of olive oil, and crusty bread.

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Workshops

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Words & Photography
by Christiann Koepke

Hello, I’m Christiann, a Portland-based photographer, stylist, recipe developer, writer and blogger behind Portlandfresh.com where I showcase my immense love for the art behind crafting incredible food. Alongside my curation of developing and capturing recipes with my camera, I interview fellow creatives and local events to open up the creative culture behind people’s passion and individual craft.

I recently attended a workshop in downtown Portland at Tillamook Station, hosted by the amazing Cherie of La Fleur Kitchen. It was a Saturday afternoon well spent, as a small group of us slowed down to make something simple with our hands.









I had never heard of kokedama before, but I soon found out that it is a real Japanese art form that comes to life through working with actual plants. The process of this art form is simple and beautiful, and is something to be enjoyed in your home after the process is complete.
I love finding new ways to express my creativity while, at the same time, finding opportunities to slow down and create something with my own hands. 
You can read about how to make your own kokedama at home here, but basically the process involves stripping the dirt down to the roots of a plant, washing it clean, and then re wrapping it in a ball of dirt. You then cover this ball with moss and wrap it with twine, giving it a new place to abide in. This Japanese concept surrounds the meaning of Wabi-sabi; the appreciation of the imperfections of nature and the transience of natural beauty.









I love finding new ways to express my creativity while, at the same time, finding opportunities to slow down and create something with my own hands. Most local communities have workshops happening periodically, so keep a look out for something like this in your area.

You can also check out upcoming workshops by La Fleur Kitchen here, as well as a local Portland workshop I’ll be co-hosting and teaching with Eva Kosmas Flores coming up on April 4, 2015.

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Spanish Wine & French Cheeses

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Words & Photography
by Peter Boman



Spanish wine, french cheeses, local sourdough, 1920's nola jazz...
Breaking bread on a Saturday afternoon.

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The Good Ones

Monday, February 16, 2015

Words & Photography
by Brooklyn Wagner


Hear their voice, learn their laugh, remember their stories and find every reason to keep being in their company.
Find the good ones and give them your trust. Give them your time and your effort. Give them your ears, your passenger's seat. Hear their voice, learn their laugh, remember their stories and find every reason to keep being in their company. Tell them your weird ideas, tell them the truth, tell them how great they are. Let the good ones rebuke you, let them be quiet, let them be loud, and let them in when they knock.

He is one of the good ones.

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Art Is Self Expression

Friday, February 13, 2015

Words & Photography
by Jasmin Andrea



I've forgotten how much I love to draw. I used to draw every single day when I was a little girl. Day and night, I was always drawing or coloring. I enjoyed it very much, and still do...but there came a time that I stopped drawing.
And I remember reaching for my sketch notebook and pencil, and I drew something...it was a reflection of myself.
I was going through a lot in life...emotionally, I just felt numb. I didn't know what to think or say. If that makes any sense at all. Then one day, I had an emotional breakdown. I was a complete disaster; a nuclear bomb that exploded into a trillion pieces. And I remember reaching for my sketch notebook and pencil, and I drew something...but it wasn't just something...it was a reflection of myself. Art is self expression.

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Wonderful Quote

Thursday, February 12, 2015




"She was free in her wildness.
She was a wanderess, a drop of free water.
She belonged to no man and to no city"

- Roman Payne

[Photography by Danny Owens]

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Home Is Where You Can Be Your True Self

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Words & Photography
by Emilie Van Camp







I believe the notion of "home" encompasses so many different and mixed feelings, that it is hard to define. Home can be happiness, sadness, daunting, lost, yearned, found...and everything at the same time. I believe "home" is where you can really be your true self, and where you feel you belong.

I am originally from Belgium, and I have lived in the UK for nearly four years now. I recently moved to London after spending nine unforgettable months in the Scottish Highlands.
This part of the world is simply magnificent and so generous - it shares everything with you...
My life there was just about the most beautiful experience I had. This part of the world is simply magnificent and so generous - it shares everything with you, even its most beautiful secrets! I believe this is where I found myself. It literally opened my eyes. The spectacle of the beauty surrounding you is just breathtaking, and you feel grateful to be able to be part of it. Time stops and the smile on your face never disappears.

I will return one day...

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Stories Through Photographs

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Words & Photography
by Shannon Costello






Photographs tell all sorts of stories and I love to tell those stories through mine.
I am a lover of natural light. I love to capture calm moments, fun moments, and, most of all, moments I want to remember. Photographs tell all sorts of stories and I love to tell those stories through mine. I try to make a home in whatever city I live in, and I hope my photos reflect that.

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Verve Coffee

Monday, February 9, 2015

Words & Photography
by Amee Kim







Santa Cruz-based coffee shop has moved next door to Downtown LA. With a loft-like space, lush green walls, and a generous menu of juices, drinks, and pastries to choose from, it didn't take long to absolutely fall for this place. Trust me, I'll be seeing you at Verve.

Verve Coffee //
833 S. Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014

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Wonderful Quote

Friday, February 6, 2015



"It is good to feel lost... because it proves you have a navigational sense of where 'Home' is.
You know that a place that feels like being found exists.
And maybe your current location isn't that place but,
Hallelujah, that unsettled, uneasy feeling of lost-ness just brought you closer to it."

- Erika Harris

[Photography by Piper Bailey]

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Everyday Altars

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Words & Photography
by Suzanne McCarthy



Do you have an altar in your home? Not the strictly religious kind but something more in line with a personal altar? Home altars are fairly common throughout the world. For example, Balinese and Hindu cultures, as well as the tradition of feng shui, believe every household should have an altar.

Most Westerners, I suspect, might say they don’t have an altar in their home. But maybe we have altars we’re unaware of, ones we erect unconsciously. "The urge to create sacred spaces is so deep in the human psyche that, even when there is no formalized intent to make an altar, we often create them subconsciously...", says Denise Linn, a world-acclaimed expert in feng shui and space clearing.



Think of a child's bedroom shelf where he has arranged a prized comic book, souvenirs from special vacations and a ticket stub from a stand-out show, or a kitchen windowsill with small stones and flowers from the garden. Simply stated, an altar is a group of treasures and tokens curated in a space.
...an altar can act as a visual cue for us to reflect on things outside the mundane...It reminds us to consider what's important and it allows us to pay homage.
And why would we erect one? Because an altar can act as a visual cue for us to reflect on things outside the mundane. It can help us shift our attention away from the ordinary toward something beyond ourselves. It reminds us to consider what's important and it allows us to pay homage.

There's no one right way to create your altar. It doesn't matter where or how big or small. It can be inside or outside, on a bedroom dresser, or in the bathroom. Put one in your studio or office, or in your hallway as you enter your home. Altars can contain one object or twenty.



When deciding what to place in your altar ask yourself: What am I thankful for? What gives me peace? What inspires me? What is magical? What makes me feel alive? In short, objects with meaning. Objects can be whimsical, funny and irreverent, or very spiritual.

An altar isn’t passive or stagnant; it can change with the seasons and celebrations. Items can get shifted or swapped out for something else. Gone are the fresh flowers now droopy and fading, and in come the pinecones. All altars, however, seem to contain constant or reoccurring objects: something from nature; and something to engage the senses such as candles, incense, favourite colors, pictures or cloth.

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Siblings

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Words by Sandra Wallace
Photography provided by Darla McDavid




Six siblings; I’m sure we all have our own way of describing each other. The first was the creative, fun one with beads hanging in her bedroom doorway. She introduced all of us younger kids to music and the arts. The second was mysterious to me. He was the one that I feel I never really knew. The third was the artistic and goofy one. The fourth was the athlete. He was the charmer and the ladies’ man. The fifth was the smart, pretty, and popular one. I rounded it off by being the quiet, shy, skinny one. We all shared a lot of harsh memories but there were so many good memories that we shared as well.
There are three of us left here in Santa Barbara and I truly cherish our times together as they become fewer and farther in between.
There are three of us left here in Santa Barbara and I truly cherish our times together as they become fewer and farther in between. Celebrating a birthday, a holiday, or just a simple dinner with my children, family, and friends is one of my greatest joys. I love sitting around the table as my brother, sister, and I share those harsh memories. Time has softened them and made them laughable. The icing on the cake is rounding the dinner off by filling the air with our loud voices and laughter from an exciting game of CatchPhrase.



Last year the three of us recently visited our aunts, uncles, and cousins at a small birthday reunion in Inglewood. I felt such a strong sense of belonging and happiness that day. To look into the face of my aunt who looked so much like me was surreal. This day made me wonder if my brothers and sisters and I would ever all be together again. It seems highly unlikely, but it would be such a trip as it has been over 40 years since we’ve all seen each other together. I imagine that if that were to happen, the sense of belonging I’d feel would be incredibly overwhelming.
I felt such a strong sense of belonging and happiness that day. To look into the face of my aunt who looked so much like me was surreal.
My hope is that my children do not stray too far from one another. Many years from now, I hope that they will be sharing holidays and dinners together with their own families and friends. I hope that they find themselves playing games that they love as they reminisce of the good old days playing CatchPhrase with us. I hope that they are able to sit around the table telling stories of their own harsh memories because time has softened them and made laughable.

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Slow Mornings

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Words & Photography
by Emma Appleton



Weekend mornings will see me creep down to make myself a pot of coffee and breakfast before sneaking back upstairs before anyone has suspected that I am awake. I will then proceed to read the paper or a book, or simply put on Mumford and Sons while I catch up on the world of technology. Strong coffee is a must to wake me up, and colourful breakfasts piled high with fruits are essential.




These quiet moments are mine, to spend time in the peace of my own space, away from the bustle of home life. 
These quiet moments are mine, to spend time in the peace of my own space, away from the bustle of home life. My habit of slow mornings in bed is one that I'm not planning on shaking off anytime soon!

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Making Home

Monday, February 2, 2015

Words & Photography
by Rachel Weaver



I want every corner to be clean. I want to find all the hidden Lego's and I want to scrub away the boot scuffs. I want a drawer for socks and one for shirts, and I want those two drawers to remain separate for ever and ever and ever amen.

And I want to finish all the projects. To paint all the walls. To fill in all the cracks. I want for it to be done. For it to be complete.
I want a drawer for socks and one for shirts, and I want those two drawers to remain separate for ever and ever and ever amen.


But more than those wants and desires, I want to live in this home. I want to laugh here and hide and seek here. I want read books here and to drink slow cups of coffee on the porch. I want to dance with friends after too many glasses of wine here and I want to make giant messes in the kitchen here.
But more than those wants and desires, I want to live in this home. I want to laugh here and hide and seek here...
So the corners remain dusty. The Lego's remain hidden. The mismatched socks compete with jeans and leggings, night gowns and bathing suits, shoved into any space I can find.
 

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