Food & Entertaining

Lately, I’ve started to come to terms with the fact that no one has a perfect or easy life. Everyone’s got “somethin’”and we’re all just trying to get by. Even when I see those lovely little photos and updates on my social platforms, I’m reminded that yes, life is good for me and my friends, but it’s not always easy and often times, a lot of times, it requires thick skin. Especially for moms. This year, though I’m beyond excited to have baby on the way, has definitely had its bumps. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself, it’s that I am a warrior. I’m a fighter. I am one tough mother. There’s ...Read More
Let me cut to the chase: weeknight meals stress me out just like you but I made a BOMB chicken tortilla soup that you and all those picky eaters (husbands, I’m talking to you), will love! This simple soup recipe is a variation on a family recipe. The key to me on this soup is grinding up the tortillas and adding them to the soup, then blending the soup, veggies and all, with the tortillas to create a super thick but still chunky consistency. (I make sure to leave some of the veggies and and tomatoes out). You’ll add the corn, beans, and chicken after which give it a chunkiness too. Oh, ...Read More
Right now, as you read this, Nana and her boyfriend Burt are on a cruise around South America. In just 46, excuse me 48 months, (because Burt did correct my husband on this number on Thanksgiving lest anyone get it wrong) these two 85 year old love birds have been to China, New York, the Caribbean and up and down the coast at least a dozen times, just because. Spend 5 minutes with them and you’ll see that their love of all things life only gets greater each day. It’s inspiring, awesome, and frankly, makes me downright excited to know that life just gets better and better. I could go on and ...Read More
Me with Maria Menounos at Ocean Spray Event for PACt
Last week, I attended a fantastic launch party in Hermosa Beach alongside Maria Menounos, E! Entertainment TV host, for the first taste of an innovative new beverage – PACt™ cranberry extract water from Ocean Spray.  We all know by now the importance of drinking water and staying hydrated. But let’s face it, sometimes we want a little more flavor… As someone who’s given up her daily diet soda, I can tell you, what to reach for instead of water has been a challenge. There’s only so much lemon, ginger, and cucumber you can add to water, ya know? PACt™ harnesses the health benefits of the cranberry with the hydration benefits of purified ...Read More
Like most kids, when my son gets home from school he is starving. Though I send him a well-rounded and plentiful lunch, it usually gets half eaten because, recess. Duh. Often times, we have a slew of (sweaty) boys over for a playdate. Sometimes, it’s just me or my babysitter at the helm, other times, it’s kids and their moms for one big round of “don’t throw that down the stairs, boys play nice, please no jumping on the bed” extravaganza. The biggest hurdle for me and these playdates: Coming up with healthy but satisfying snack solutions that won’t require too much clean up or too much fuss. (He got more ...Read More
If you ask Jonah what he wants as a gift for his birthday or a holiday he’ll quickly tell you: “Something science-y.” I’m pretty sure his love of all things science started when we were flipping through the television and he saw footage of a volcano erupting… This led to begging to see more volcanoes erupt, which led to an interest in rocks, which led to an interest in the earth (and geology), which led to an interest in other planets and space. These days, we’re on to genetics. Yes, my 7-year old is now obsessed with DNA. For a recent birthday, (or nothing… because he has a family of adoring ...Read More
This summer, I’ve been trying to come up with easy weeknight dinners that are easy and light. Though I usually feel like we always need a protein rich meal, (read: some sort of meat as the focus), with all the amazing fruits and vegetables in season, I realized that maybe it’s time to give it a rest. Maybe #meatlessmondays are not such a bad idea… especially since Monday comes right after what I call Vitamin Sunday (i.e. Farmer’s Market day). This past weekend, Peter and I had dinner at a restaurant in LA that we love.  Now, let me be clear– it’s been pretty damn near impossible to feel as moved and amazed ...Read More
One month ago, I married the man of my dreams and we spent the night dancing and laughing with our closest family and friends. Per his request, but mostly in my planning (perfectionist) state, I handed off a desired playlist to our trusted music aficionado, Jesse Kivel of Dart DJ. Of course we had our picks for special moments like the first dance (Otis Redding’s “That’s How Strong My Love Is) , recessional music (Stevie Wonder’s “For Once in My Life”) and other important songs (Peter walked down to “Born to Run” by well, The Boss, of course). But, in my wildest dreams, I would have never thought that the song ...Read More
Right now I’m on a meal planning kick. I’m not just focusing on dinners though. Instead, I’ve got my mind on lunches– trying to come up with easy ways to continue to eat clean (when I’m not eating “Klean”) and not just grab a handful of pretzels and hummus and call it a lunch. Working from home, it’s pretty easy to graze- this is an issue I know for a lot of moms both working and stay at home. So in an effort to fight the cabinet-calling monsters and eat well-balanced meals, I’ve been scouring Pinterest for inspiration and ideas. One of the recent pins I saw was for a crock ...Read More
I’m pretty sure at some point since the inception of Perfectly Disheveled, I’ve confessed how every now and again (every time) I go to Traders Joe’s (or Costco… or Whole Foods… or any supermarket, really), I hope and pray that there is some sort of “stample,” as Jonah calls it, being given out.  Luckily, there’s a TJ’s in my hood and I can always guarantee that no matter what time I’m there, there will be a jolly guy with a beard serving up some sort of brilliant, but totally funky concoction. Fried rice with honey and spinach feta balls?  Who knew?! A few weeks ago, they were giving out samples of ...Read More