Saturday, November 30, 2013

Scent of the Month

This month's scent is Juniper Sling, the perfect holiday season fragrance. 
Described as "a crisp cocktail shot of gin with the freshness of juniper, 
cool measures of ... brandy and a beating libertine heart of black pepper, 
cardamom, soft leather ... brown sugar, black cherry and amber." 
Happy Holidays!
clockwise from top left: coatearringsringdressclutch, scentwedges

Friday, November 29, 2013

Congrats to our winner!

Congratulations to the winner of our first ever giveaway: Shama V. Send us an email at thegoldendreamland@gmail.com with your address. Thank you to everyone who entered!


Prize includes one of our Society6 framed prints, California mug from the Starbucks 'You Are Here' Collection, Dragon Well Green Tea from our favorite Marin County tea company, and a set of Wine Tabletopics for a wine discussion at your next wine & cheese party.

Moment to Remember

Sometimes the best vacation find isn't a physical object that you can take home, but a perfect memory or tableau that you keep in your mind.  This moment, the Bodega Bay church that was famously shot by Ansel Adams, visited on a gray fall day, was one of those perfect pictures to remember.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

3 Days Left to Enter the Giveaway!

There are only 3 days left to enter to win our California themed prize!


One of our Society6 framed prints, California mug from the Starbucks 'You Are Here' Collection, Dragon Well Green Tea from our favorite Marin County tea company, and a set of Wine Tabletopics for a wine discussion at your next wine & cheese party.

As a reminder, each of the below will count as a separate entry, so follow us on all to increase your odds! We'll announce the winner the day after Thanksgiving, 11/29. UPDATE: The contest is now closed - thanks to everyone who entered!

Enter by Liking us on Facebook
And/or Follow us on:
Blogger
Pinterest
Instagram
Blog Lovin'

Good luck! L&T

Song of the Week

Phantom Planet - California

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Favorite Hikes: The Hogback Trail at Griffith Park

 One of our favorite trails in Griffith Park is called the Hogback, a slender path that leads over a ridge, with amazing views on all sides.  This trail can be linked to from the Bird Sanctuary, Observatory, or the Glendale/Zoo side of Griffith Park.  On a clear day, it offers spectacular vistas of Downtown, Mount Hollywood, and the San Fernando Valley, and on an overcast day, it gives us the feeling that we're walking on the clouds above LA County.  We love how open it is, and often how quiet - making it a perfect respite from the city.  

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Thanksgiving Recipe: Cranberry Punch


There's always so much to be done on Thanksgiving day that it's nice to have a cocktail prepared in advance that guests can help themselves to, so you can focus on the cooking. This recipe will make enough for all of your guests.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups unsweetened cranberry juice
1 lb. sugar
750 ml. bottle rum
750 ml. bottle bourbon
750 ml. bottle cognac
3 bottles Champagne
freshly ground nutmeg

Mix the cranberry juice and the sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Then fill a drink dispenser with ice, and add the cranberry juice mixture, bourbon, cognac, rum and champagne. Add a pinch of nutmeg to finish off each cup.

Makes about 20 drinks

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Thanksgiving Recipe: Kale Gratin

Ingredients:

4 oz. Prosciutto, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, or whichever kind you prefer
4 tbsp olive oil
2 bunches of Tuscan kale, stems and ribs removed and coarsely chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
2  cloves of garlic, finely diced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups of skim or lowfat milk
1 cup grated gruyere
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

 Pour 2 tbsp of olive oil into a medium skillet, and add the prosciutto.  Fry until some fat is released and then add the breadcrumbs.  Stir occasionally, until the prosciutto is crispy and the breadcrumbs are toasted a golden brown.  Set aside.
Boil a pot of water, add salt and the kale.  Cook for 4 minutes, then drain.  
 Pour the remaining olive oil to the pot and add the diced onion and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper, and stir frequently over medium heat until cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Add the kale to the mixture, and set aside, retaining the pot.
Use the pot to melt the butter over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk together until the mixture is thick and a light brown color.  Slowly mix in the milk, reducing heat to a simmer, and add the gruyere and nutmeg, continuing to stir until the cheese melts into a thick bechamel sauce.  Put the kale back into the pot and stir until it's coated in the bechamel.
Pour the bechamel-kale mixture into a 9-10" skillet or pie dish, and cover in the prosciutto-breadcrumb mixture and the parsley.  Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until it's bubbling slightly. 

Serves 8.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Golden Dreamland Giveaway

We are rapidly approaching our 1-year anniversary here at Golden Dreamland! Because it's almost Thanksgiving we wanted to stop and take a moment to thank all of you for reading our blog. We love design in every form, and we are grateful you all feel the same. To celebrate this milestone and to say thank you, we are giving away a little California themed prize:


One of our Society6 framed prints, California mug from the Starbucks 'You Are Here' Collection, Dragon Well Green Tea from our favorite Marin County tea company, and a set of Wine Tabletopics for a wine discussion at your next wine & cheese party.

Each of the below will count as a separate entry, so follow us on all to increase your odds. We'll announce the winner the day after Thanksgiving, 11/29, so check back to see if you've won! UPDATE: The contest is now closed - thanks to everyone who entered!

Enter by Liking us on Facebook
And/or Follow us on:
Blogger
Pinterest
Instagram
Blog Lovin'

Good luck! L&T

Song of the Week


Mr. Little Jean - The Suburbs