Five For Friday: My First Paleo Meal, Manhattan, and Burpees

OakMonster.com - Anais + Tara Paleo Feast

Five for Friday is a weekly (well, almost) series about the five new things I learned each week. It could be anything from a new recipe, new skills, or a new life lesson. This is a week of MANY firsts! My First Paleo Meal Breaking news: Paleo diet is not gross. Well, at least at Anais + Tara’s Paleo Feast it is not. (For those who don’t know about Paleo diet, read here.) Of course, being the one on the Eat ‘Em All diet, I’d never refuse myself of any culinary pleasure. Well, except for beets. I can live without...
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Five For Friday: Aquarium, Terrarium, and Bacon

OakMonster.com - Franklin's new succulent terrarium

Five for Friday is a weekly series about the five new things I learned each week. It could be anything from a new recipe, new skills, or a new life lesson. Aquarium of the Pacific’s Discounted Late Nights I love the Aquarium of the Pacific more now that I have experienced it in the night time with barely another soul in sight. The Aquarium offers discounted late hours admission in the summer from late July through Labor Day. For $14.95, you can roam the place from 5-9 p.m. Through a looking glass. @aquariumpacific A photo posted by oakley boren (@oakmonster)...
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Five For Friday: So long peanut butter pie, hello dance walking

Hooters Peanut Butter Pie is no more

Five for Friday is a weekly series about the five new things I learned each week. It could be anything from a new recipe, new skills, or a new life lesson. Welcome to the Five For Friday: Saturday edition! Because I’m a dork and I sent the publishing time wrong. LOL  I also learned something else new when I went out for a walk this morning. So…here you go! I Gained 10 lbs. For Nothing Well, I’m sure you’ve already read about my disappointment of not being able to donate blood despite finally having met the weight requirement. Le sigh…...
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2011: An Oakley Odyssey

It’s about gone, kids. 2011. All done. 2011 has been a serious roller coaster for me professionally and personally. It seems like it was just yesterday when I was updating the 2010 end of the year list! Golly. 2011 in Pictures Jan – March: Welcome to the family, Robin Hood the Hyundai Sonata! / Custom made truffles from Drago Centro / Got laid off April – June: New Zealand vacation / Cochon 555 / The Nerd Machine Slave Leia PSA July – September: 4th of July at the Los Alamitos Base / Camping on Catalina / USC football season October...
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Ragu Napolitano

OakMonster - Food - Ragu Napoletano

It wasn’t difficult for me to fall in love with Italian cuisine. One of the restaurants we frequented growing up was Thailand’s first Italian establishment owned by a Thai guy. My dad’s friend, to be exact. My mom also made some killer bolognese in the slow cooker and I was always envied when I brought spaghetti to lunch at school. As you know, when I first started to cook when Brandon and I got married, it was Rachael Ray who got me into the kitchen, but I quickly graduated from her onto Giada DeLaurentiis. I can see some of you...
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Ghirardelli Intense Dark Pairings

While I *am* indeed the official partner of Ghirardelli and a hostess to the upcoming Ghirardelli Intense Dark Pairings event for the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, there was a glitch in promotion and folks are being sent here to OakMonster HQ for information on the event instead of to Food.OakMonster.com where all the coverage of the event will be. Click on the banner on right or… Click here and head on over to Food.OakMonster.com now! Get the information on the event and see how you can get on my invite list. Ah. The woes of having an internet empire. 😉...
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