South Coast Botanical Garden 🌐

The South Coast Botanical Garden on the edge of Palos Verdes is truly a gem! One of the best places I’ve ever been in LA so far this summer! Since it was a free day (3rd Tuesday of every month), I decided to stop by with some family and friends. 87 lush acres of trees, flowers, gardens, trails, animals, and other wildlife. Walking in, we were greeted with a quaint Japanese garden, one full of cacti, a children’s garden, a gorgeous rose garden with a stunning fountain, and tons more. I didn’t get to explore the whole place; you best believe I’ll be there again soon. Everyone needs a little flora and fauna in their day. This’ll be a photo blog, cause I want the pictures to do the talking. 

Xxx- Firda

 Pink fuchsias!🌷

Can’t go wrong with a cute koi pond!🐟

 

So picturesque.📷

  

Weeping bottlebrush.😢

  

Hungry caterpillar🐛🌸

  

Love these!!😋

  

The trees were great on this sunny day.🌳

  

The Wild West for a hot sec🌵

  

Kinda, sorta hiking? Wear comfy shoes.👟

  

Adorable bridge that’s supposed to be over a stream but y’know that drought situation.💦

  

“A rose by any other name would smell such as sweet..”🌹

  

Signs if you get lost which is bound to happen- it’s huge!🚩

  

A great place for cheeky photoshoots😜

  

Nice place to sit and chat.💺

  

Not the Trevi but it’s close enough🌀

  

Bridge over a koi pond in the children’s garden🌈

 Lavender love💜 

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Slice of Italy in LA

Hello loves!! A super cool place in LA everyone should definitely visit are the Venice Canals located in Venice Beach. Just a couple of blocks away from the pier, it is proxy of the real ones in Italy, but they are still quite beautiful. The entrance may seem a bit dodgey and the water may seem murky and unwelcoming, but as you walk on, it becomes more delightful. Bordered by unique and gorgeous homes and their beautiful flowers and plants, it is stunning in the spring time. In the canal itself, we spotted some fish and ducks in the water. Also, we spotted a sea slug and abandoned boats (a black swan shaped one!). And to top it off, there were pretty monarch butterflies and bees flying around. There were bridges of different truss (engineering side ha) designs that connected the canal to adjacent streets. It’s a wonderful place to get a bit of exercise and chat with a friend. So simple, yet so lovely at the same time. Can’t wait to go again soon. Enjoy the pictures. 

xx- Firda  

                

British Breakfast Classic : Beans on Toast

This breakfast classic is a traditional part of a typical English breakfast and is a recipe that can be made in minutes and is absolutely delectable and gratifying. The recipe I am sharing with you today has an Indian flair to it, because it is inspired by my visits to Calcutta . It is a common breakfast food in Calcutta , because of the mix of Indian and British cultures that were a result of the British Raj.

Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1) 4 slices of toast, toasted well ( it needs to be hard/dry enough to absorb the beans well, if the bread is not well toasted the dish will become too soggy which is not good)
2) 1 can of Chilli Beans or Heinz Beans
3) Few dashes of tapatio sauce ( tabasco or any other hot sauce is fine too)
4) 1/2 red or yellow onion , chopped small ( Indian kick)
5) 2-3 green chillies , optional (Indian kick)
6) Butter
7) Shredded cheddar cheese ( or any other kind , I used a mexican spiced cheese that I had in the fridge)

Directions:
1) Toast bread in a toaster.
2) Open a can of beans and pour the beans with the liquid and all, into a saucepan.
3) Heat the mixture on medium flame, and cook until some of the liquid has slightly reduced. Lower the heat, add a few dashes of Tapatio for a spicy flavor.
4) Spread a tbsp of butter onto each slice of toast. Be generous. Don’t care about the fat, the butter makes this dish even more delicious. Besides it really makes ALL the difference. Trust me….
5) Now its time to assemble. Carefully spoon out enough beans and sauce to entirely cover the surface of your toast.
6) Top with some shredded cheese. Then, add some of the chopped onions and chillies. This is what makes a Beans on Toast an “Indian Beans on Toast”. It seriously makes the dish taste 100 times better.

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( Sorry the plating wasnt the best )

Xoxo
Shiza