foodie – Shoes & Sashimi

An Afternoon at Arrowood

Published on January 12, 2017January 10, 2017 by Lauren Nakagawa6 Comments

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend an amazing wine and food pairing in Sonoma. Hosted at the ever charming Arrowood Winery in Glen Ellen, myself and fellow Bay Area bloggers were whisked away for the day to wine country, and I can honestly say I am really truly grateful for the experience. I’ve heard raving reviews about the delicious food served at renowned restaurant, Girl & the Fig. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw that the event would be catered by their lead Chef.

I’d like to thank Kristina Werner, wine maker at Arrowood. She herself is quite the inspiration, who went from a BioChemistry and Agricultural Economics degree to pursue winemaking full time. Something I took away from listening to her that I’d like to share:

“Taste everything you can get your hands on.

Never stop learning and never get bored.”

I couldn’t agree more. Cheers to an amazing day that I don’t take for granted. My eyes and stomach are very full :)

First Course: Roasted Carrots, Saffron Crema, Honeyed Almonds

img_0442-2 — 2nd: House Ground Polenta, Braised Oxtail, Cocoa Nibs, Squash, Sage Pesto

Final: Black Pepper Ravioli, Triple Cream Mornay, Black Truffles

I have found a new appreciation for wine, what goes into making it, and how it really can transform a meal and your senses. If you’re in Sonoma one of these days, be sure to visit Kristina and the Arrowood staff and taste for yourself. I personally would go back in a snap.

For those who are interested in Arrowood wine but can’t get to Sonoma anytime soon, I’m offering 15% off anything on their site using “ARROWOOD15” here. I had an amazing time and can’t wait to go back.

Overwhelming thanks to:

Arrowood Winery for the hospitality

Girl & The Fig for an incredible meal

Emily E Martin Communications for this amazing trip

4th of July Weekend Roundup

Published on July 5, 2016July 27, 2016 by Lauren Nakagawa33 Comments

What a busy long holiday weekend! I hope you all had a nice day celebrating with friends and family. Here is a recap of what @twelfthknight and I did these past few days: The two of us, time with his family, and then with mine for our 4th of July reunion on the farm :D

Hope you enjoy, and now it’s back to the grind!

Aina brunch sf eatersf — Spam Musubi apps at Aina in The Dogpatch neighborhood. Hawaiian Fusion fare, I could eat these all day.

aina brunch eatsf — Taro French Toast (my favorite) and Portuguese hash. St. Frank Americanos.

outfit pink fossil ootd — Saturday’s look with Fossil. Thank you Fossil for the accessories!

Oakland baseball — A’s Game with @twelfthknight’s family. My 2nd baseball game in my lifetime.

pink fireworks — Fireworks over A’s Stadium. Normally we can see them from my parent’s house, but it was nice to be up close and personal.

ontheroad family — On the road again and off to the Ishida Family Reunion (Brother and Fur baby Boo)

tones plants — My favorite plant by the barn.

4thofjuly food hotdog — Food for thought. Mama has consecutively manned the grill since we’ve been doing these family reunions, over 12 years now?

ootd 4thofjuly lookbook — 91 Degrees on the Modesto Farm, nothing cutoffs and a Lovers + Friends blouse couldn’t handle though.

shoes pie 4thofjuly food — From where I stand. Auntie’s blueberry cheesecake pie.

Where to Eat: Aina

What I Wore: Valley Eyewear

Fossil Bag & Watch

Mgemi Fiume Sandals

Cheat Day (A food and fashion roundup)

Published on May 26, 2016July 18, 2016 by Lauren Nakagawa12 Comments

If you follow me on Instagram, you’d see the influx of food posts as of late. @Twelfthknight and I are very much centered around eating together. Nothing crazy or pretentious, just good food. Whether it is noshing locally, eating our way through a new city (we loved eating thought Denver), or cooking at home, we love our eats. I should note that we will never be seen waiting for 2 hours + for overly priced and over hyped restaurants that is common here in SF…no sir, we have things to do.

Enjoy my month’s round up of a few of our favorite food posts as well as my new “Cheat Day” pullover that I find appropriate to wear on repeat…because let’s face it. Cheat day is technically every day.

Outfit photos taken by: Rachel Radcliffe

Food photos and point of view’s: Taken by me :D

Fred’s Coffee Shop, Sausalito. We’d recommend their Millionaire’s Bacon and Lemon Ricotta pancakes.

The Siren Canteen, Stinson Beach. We had a spontaneous day trip up the coast and this restaurant is such a gem!

We made it in time for Taco Tuesday, their fish tacos and pale ciders are absolutely delicious. Stuff that reminds me of SoCal and SD.

On an off day, we went to the new SF Moma. 7 floors of art and we were hungry so on our way home we ate at the New England Lobster Market in Burlingame. Not pictured are the oysters!

My favorite, Santouka Ramen located inside the Mitsuwa center. In Los Angeles, anytime I was on Sawtelle Blvd, I’d sit here and order a combo all under $12 and would satisfy any sort food craving. This was taken at the Santouka in San Jose.

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset — For our friend’s birthday, we came to Pacifica for seafood. Their favorite restaurant on the Penninsula side of the Bay, and I’d have to agree with them. Moonraker has the best view whilst eating some of the freshest seafood around!

What I wore:

Pullover: Missguided

Denim: Asos

Booties: Boohoo

Restaurant List:

Fred’s Coffee Shop

The Siren Canteen

New England Lobster Market

Santouka

Moonraker

3 Days in Denver

Published on May 6, 2016July 18, 2016 by Lauren Nakagawa30 Comments

Hi all, hope you’ve had a great week. If you’ve been keeping up with me on Instagram, you’d know that I was in Denver for a few days. @Twelfthknight had to travel for work, so I was fortunate enough to tag along and make this a workation for myself. We’ve never been to Denver before, so this was a nice change of scenery. With @Twelfthknight at work all day, I was left to my own devices. I did a lot…and this is just a roundup. I even had a shoot with native photographer Emily Anne the first day (she shoots the local bloggers of Denver, such as @PolishedAvenue and @Myboringcloset) so naturally I wanted to work with her. I’m so happy we did, those photos will be for another post :D

Enjoy my quick photo diary, I’d love to go back just for the sunsets and food scene alone. Much more to come. Have a great weekend everyone!

First Day: A little pick me up at Corvus Coffee courtesy of Tim, the barista.

Trekking in Loeffler Randall with photographer Emily Anne. There was snow patches, deer prints, and 1,000 wild bunnies :D

The best meal and service bar none is at Fruition…Rockefeller oysters wrapped in a thin potato layer & sweet pea sauce was our favorite app. @Twelfthknight had the Duck confit and pork belly. I had scallops with panchetta and parsnip puree. This is a must visit.

We had a rental car, so I drove our little Chevy Cruze and hour south to Colorado Springs and saw the Garden of the Gods. I felt like Short Round galavanting through the rock formations.

Always look up. The sky is really that beautiful at sunset. And these rocks will make you feel very tiny. I had a nice time adventuring alone, it’s nice to be your own tour guide.

Heard so many good things about Aspen Juice from Instagram. So I went in, had a tasting, and left with a delicious light juice that revived me from the adventure the previous day.

Walked in to the Cherry Creek Restoration Hardware. This is the mecca of all things design. 4 floors worth of aesthetic overload :D

A chai latte at Black Eye Coffee in Cap Hill. Great little neighborhood.

A “picnic” full of cheese and meats at Rioja in downtown Denver. It was good, but nothing beats Fruition.

Thursday is for Thistle

Published on April 28, 2016July 12, 2016 by Lauren Nakagawa14 Comments

Rise and grind everybody :D I’m switching things up today to feature my new favorite meal delivery service, Thistle Co. But before I go further, I should let you know that for someone who grew up watching my Mom cook every meal from scratch for our family, I love that cooking was (and still is) a very big part of our daily life. But in an age where it’s harder to slow down, especially for those who are self employed…there’s hardly ever time or energy to cook a beef stew during the week or make muffins for the next morning. Which is why, on the days that become just too busy, it’s nice to have a service that will come to your door and feed you something healthy, fresh, without breaking your budget.

Thistle is the only service out there that leads with health and nutrition front and center. I’ve received 2 deliveries so far and I like that the portions are very fair, everything is fresh, there’s variety in each delivery, and best of all…they’re delicious. Plus, I’m hooked on their raw juice and snacks. Right up my alley.

@Twelfthknight has been going low carb, and I think Thistle will help propel his health goals. Delicious and nutritious, he says :D And my Mom has recently said that since going into the office every day, there’s very limited options for lunch that she will in fact eat. So I think she’ll eat cleaner and colorfully when she tries what’s currently in the fridge, thanks Thistle!

Thistle is a Bay Area based company and will deliver to SF, Marin, and the East Bay. If you would like to try yourself, you can use my code to save 20% off “SHOESSASHIMI”

As always, thank you for reading. I will be in Denver on Monday-Thursday, but I hope to post while I’m there. And of course, you can find me daily on Instagram for up to date photo adventures.

Lauren

#Morningslikethese // Chia x lemon x apple juice for a jolt of energy, the paper, and raw energy bites (superfood in a ball.)

Raw Apple juice and a tofu scramble salad. The tastiest tofu and squash I’ve had in a while

This is a big salad, this photo doesn’t do it’s justice with size. Packed with chicken, herbs, and spices.

My favorite dessert that’s good for you! You might as well have told me it’s dark chocolate mousse because taste wise, I couldn’t tell.

Thank you again Thistle for helping me and my busy fam eat cleaner throughout the week.

For 20% off yours, use “SHOESSASHIMI” at checkout

LA Weekend Roundup

Published on April 25, 2016July 18, 2016 by Lauren Nakagawa24 Comments

Happy Monday all. As most of you know Los Angeles is my favorite city. I’ve lived, worked, and played here for many years, so it’s always nice to come back down for a little bit now that I’ve been in the Bay Area a while. Do I miss it? Hell yeah. I miss the daily grind of the city, the little magic if you will. We treated this trip as a staycation. It was nice to swoop in with @Twelfthknight and the fur baby for a few days to eat, relax, take in some art, and just be. No agenda, no work, just living that LA life as only we know how :D

As always, thank you for reading. And a big thank you to Sole of Brasil for adding some boho style to my look. If you’d like to shop Sole of Brasil’s online store for comfy Brazilian shoes, be sure to use “Lauren15” for 15% off at checkout.

Abbott Kinney Blvd, my favorite street in Venice away from the beach and tourists.

Lemonade via the Main Squeeze Lemonade Truck. Shoes by Loeffler Randall.

Abbott Kinney has some of the best murals in the area, this being a favorite.

@twelfthknight and Moobie’s favorite mural :D – Abbott Kinney

We were excited that PDX came to LA! Blue Star Donuts, ladies and gentlemen. The blueberry bourbon rosemary donut…lives up to the hype.

The perfect weekend ensemble. Wearing a Paige tank, Joes Jeans, Mgemi flats, and Minkoff bag.

My favorite stop for plant life. Isabel Marant on Melrose Place (taken during Farmer’s Market)

Farmer’s Market berries on Melrose Place.

Picked up some Alfred’s coffee before heading to brunch with friends Amy and Paul. @Twelfthknight has never been and I was happy to show him my favorite coffee kitchen in the area. We also met a french bulldog there named Winston.

#ButFirstCoffee thanks to Alfred’s. And now off to brunch.

The interior of Republique on La Brea. We ate with my old friend Amy and her husband. She’s a talented makeup artist in the industry. FYI: There is always a wait for this place, and rightly so. If you eat for dinner, you may place reservations.

Back at the apartment with my sun appropriate things. (we stayed in Miracle Mile, a few blocks from LACMA)

Moobie loved having the place to himself a lot, he was truly on vacation :D

LACMA at night. Earlier we saw Ryan Seacrest and Diane Keaton there for an event.

Tsukemen at the best ramen house in Los Angeles, Tsujita LA. I took my parents here a long time ago, and now I’ve taken @Twelfthknight :) My favorite neighborhood in LA for authentic Japanese food.

Purple rain, in honor of Prince. Our street was lined with these flowers every morning.

Another local favorite, Joan’s on Third. A market, coffee spot, deli, and great food.

FullSizeRender 52 — Boho vibin’ with my gladiators thanks to Sole of Brasil

Processed with VSCO with t1 preset — Last breakfast at Stir Market on Beverly. The best bacon in town! And the entire staff is incredibly generous and kind, we will be back.

Napa Getaway

Published on December 14, 2015July 11, 2016 by Lauren Nakagawa4 Comments

Christmas came early for @Twelfthknight and I earlier this week when we took our little “Moobie” with us to Napa for an early Christmas/NY/2 year Anniversary trip :) It’s fun to go during offseason, you can beat all the traffic and the lines and eat and walk around as you please without the crowds. It was splendid, and we ate and ate like fiends.

Have a great week everyone, stay warm and be well.

~ Lauren

Keeping warm in a knit by The Knot Sisters

FullSizeRender 43 — The famous doughnuts at The Boon Fly Cafe @Carneros Inn

FullSizeRender 47

FullSizeRender 46 — Crunching in a faux fur vest by 6 Shore Road

FullSizeRender 44

Moobie meets his goat friend at Old Faithful Farms

Brownie the lama at Old Faithful Farms. Go visit her, she has the best eyelashes :D

Typical Bouchon Bakery fare, this is their gingerbread muffin

Bone Marrow appetizers at my Mom’s favorite French bistro: Bistro Jeanty, Yountville. Not pictured, their to die for tomato bisque baked under a puff pastry shell

Instagram: @shoes_and_sashimi

That’s A Wrap

Published on November 5, 2015July 11, 2016 by Lauren Nakagawa4 Comments

It’s been a while, hope you’re all well and thank you for being patient as I’ve been a little behind lately here. However you can always find me on Instagram to see what I’m up to each day! I’m happy to finally release two of my projects that I’ve been Department Head on, a commercial for Nongshim USA featuring Ki Hong Lee (The Maze Runner franchise) shot in Los Angeles and the November Issue of Diablo Magazine on stands currently, shot in Oakland, CA.

Fun Fact: It took 14hours to shoot this 30 second commercial in the Hollywood Hills. As per usual, I was the only female on an all male film crew.

Ki Hong Lee for Nongshim USA: Watch the commercial here >> Full Commercial

Fun Fact: Lena Ahn is wearing a Hye Park & Lune Baseball Tee. Ki Hong is wearing Marc Jacobs.

And that’s a wrap. Hope you enjoyed, this specifically airs overseas on all networks in Seoul and Hong Kong, however you can watch it on Youtube of course. >> Full Commercial

Soon after I got back from LA, Diablo Magazine called to have me style their November Issue and I happily signed on because it marks my first editorial shoot in the Bay Area. The Food and Wine Issue is an important one because let’s be honest, I love to eat and what’s most fitting is that we shot the whole thing in Oakland, just minutes away from where I grew up. Be sure to pick up a copy, on news stands, grocery stores, and Barnes and Noble in Northern CA. Cheers!

Behind the Scenes with Model Hannah Tokuno for Stars Management. Fun Fact: Hannah is wearing an Ulla Johnson dress, pulled from local boutique Shop McMullen.

We shot this set at Pican Restaurant in Oakland. Photographer: Norma Cordova

Last Look: Hannah wearing BCBGeneration. — Hannah wearing BCBGeneration.

Final Edit: Hannah wearing an Ulla Johnson dress and Cate & Chloe layered necklace (my own.)

As always, thanks for reading and keeping pace with me.

You can always find me on Instagram for daily snaps. @shoes_and_sashimi

Aloha! Hawaii Part II

Published on September 7, 2015July 18, 2016 by Lauren Nakagawa11 Comments

Happy Labor Day everyone, what are you doing for this long weekend? I’m missing being on vacation mode, but hopefully you can travel with me through these next batch of photos from our recent trip. Between the waterfall hike to sipping drinks on the beach, splashing through the breathtaking views, and eating our fair share of musubi and shaved ice, I think it’s safe to say that we milked our short stay on the island to it’s max relaxing capacity. We hope to explore elsewhere too in the near future, so for those of you who have been to the other Hawaiian islands, what are your favorite places to eat, see, and stay?

As always, thanks for reading and enjoy your 3 day weekend!

Lauren

Leonards, known for their famous malasadas and pao doce.

What's a malasada? It's basically a Portuguese custard filled donut. — What’s a malasada? It’s basically a Portuguese custard filled donut.

Waimea Falls, it's a nice 1 mile stroll through the botanical gardens to the waterfall. And when you reach the waterfall you get to jump in and swim. — Waimea Falls, it’s a nice 1 mile stroll through the botanical gardens to the waterfall. And when you reach the waterfall you get to jump in and swim.

It was so humid...Luckily this Tiare Hawaii dress kept me comfy. — It was so humid…Luckily this Tiare Hawaii dress kept me comfy.

Poke bowls and musubi from Musubi Cafe. I think we we went there 3 times...I could eat there every day. — Poke bowls and musubi from Musubi Cafe. I think we went there 3 times…I could eat there every day.

What I wore:

Dress: Tiare Hawaii

Aviators: Le Specs

Where We Ate:

Leonards

Musubi Cafe

Barefoot Bar

Neutrals in Noe Valley

Published on July 21, 2015July 11, 2016 by Lauren Nakagawa25 Comments

It’s already been a busy week and I’m still thinking about the lovely brunch we all had to celebrate my boo’s 35th birthday :D What’s our favorite brunch spot in SF? We head to Noe Valley of course. This might be a bold statement, but I would voluntarily wait a good hour or more for Griddle Fresh‘s souffle pancakes, and if you know me then you know how I feel about waiting excessively for things. Anyway, I highly recommend their fired banana mascarpone souffle stack while their lemon ricotta pancakes are equally as delicious.

What to wear to brunch on a fine Saturday morning? It was warm by SF standards, so I paired a cream BB Dakota sweater that I got from Shopbop.com with my favorite Lovers + Friends denim shorts. Heels might sound a bit crazy on such a steep incline combined with limited parking, however these ones by Chinese Laundry were good to my feet. And my cream & black bag, I’d like to tote with me everywhere now thanks to Deux Lux. It’s a great bag, and I’m a sucker for tassels.

After brunch, we roamed Noe Valley’s farmer’s market and grabbed some green juice from Juicy Lucy. There was even face painting action for the birthday boy (he’s a kid at heart) who I’m sure will be embarrassed if I give more detail. So let’s just say he’s my Batman :)

Thanks for reading, you can keep up with me on Instagram @shoes_and_sashimi