A Sunday at Reynard

June 15, 2016

This past Sunday, I ventured off to Williamsburg to meet up with some other New York City bloggers. About ten of us went for brunch at Reynard, in the lovely Wythe Hotel, where it was once a factory but now converted into a sleek industrial-feel 70-room haven. I love this area in Brooklyn for it's bohemian and trendy vibe, with constant brush strokes of street art and graffiti, it is a place for artists to be seen and to live. And Williamsburg does have some pretty dope food, especially if you're a mad foodie like me, it's a great location to venture off to and find a hidden gem.

From L to R: Chelsea as of Late, Liz Avenue, Pretty Proper Quaint, & Maria on Point.

We devoured sunny side up eggs with lentils, pureed peas with sesame and cheesy omelettes with crispy fries, on top of some sweet pastries. To wash it down, we had a few bottles of rosé from Provence. Afterward, we opted for a photo shoot outside in their cute garden patio.

I'm all about empowering other women and cannot STAND 'mean girls'. I know I've discussed this before in a past pose (click here) but for me, especially now that I've taken on an additional career path in the blogging world, it is so refreshing to meet other like-minded women who can not only relate with me as to what it takes to do what we do, but to also share in our tastes and style in everything from food to clothes, music and just plain having fun together, I truly enjoy connecting with other talented bloggers! We're not each other's competition, because we're all freaking awesome and being you is YOUR POWER. EMBRACE that shit. So with that in mind, I wanted to showcase a couple of bloggers and share with my readers a little bit more about them. Continue reading further to check out some featured bloggers from this fabulous group! (Of course, I had to get a group picture of us!) Keep scrolling! :)

Featured Bloggers

Albanian beauty, Selma Air, is the creator of LASELMASTYLE, a New York City personal style blog focusing on the many variations of fashion, in particular, dressing for an occasion or on a feeling/emotion. Recently dabbling in fashion on a budget, Selma's created Project Re-Design, a monthly collaboration with another blogger, where each woman purchases the same piece of clothing/accessory re-designs them to their own individual taste. To see more of Selma's great style, check out her blog here!

Ecuadorian NYC fashion blogger, Maria Jose Abad runs Maria on Point, a personal style and fashion blog that provides styling ideas and shopping information for petite women. Maria on Point also shares recommendations and answers for those who are seeking to look stylish on any budget. Maria understands the peculiarities behind finding the right size and fit for petite women and shares details about these key elements on her blog. She is also an on-air style advisor on Univision and Telemundo, and works full-time in public relations. To see more of Maria's cute, petite looks, check out her blog here!

From L to R: MaQ + Suz, ElleD., Maria on Point, Pretty Proper Quaint, Adrianna Naomi, Selma Ali, Areta Style Secrets, Chelsea as of Late, Runway in LA.

I love all of our different sense of styles, even for a Sunday brunch like this! I'm not much of a girly girl, so I put on my Stan Smith's with a comfy black slit maxi skirt and a Lakers tank top. In case you don't already know, I'm a die hard fan and STILL am even though Kobe's out. Ha ha! I was born in Cali, so I definitely got some of that West Coast vibe in my style.

There's so many exciting posts coming up on the blog, I can hardly contain myself! I will be featuring an interview with a close, personal friend who is also a highly-respected chef. We're from the same city, so I'm very thrilled to be sharing a story on her! I'll also be doing my first travel diary at the end of this month. My hubby and I are getting away to celebrate our 10-year dating anniversary! Whoa! And, I also am working on an upcoming partnered sponsorship with an amazing pet brand, and MaQ will definitely be our star of the story! Stay tuned, all coming soon - and more! You didn't think I'd forget to stop cooking, did ya? ;) Have a wonderful Hump Day! You got this, we're halfway to the weekend!

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Leek, Mushroom and Gruyère Quiche

June 5, 2016

It's a rainy Sunday in New York City this morning and there's nothing better than brunching it up at home from time to time. I love, love, LOVE, to cook, especially when it has anything to do with eggs and/or breakfast/brunch. Over the past couple of years, I've made more of an effort to healthier eating and honing in on my cooking skills. One of my all-time favorite go-to brunch meals is quiche. What I love about quiche is not just the delicious combination of flaky crust with creamy, cheesy eggs, but the fact that it can be eaten during any meal, even dinner! Quiche is the perfect addition to any meal, whether morning, afternoon, or at night, it can be enjoyed whenever! It's also a great and quick leftover meal. Always a plus in my hungry book. ;)

DOWNLOAD RECIPE

Leek, Mushroom and Gruyère Quiche

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

9” prepared pie crust

for the filling
2 small leeks, trimmed, washed, and thoroughly cleaned
2 cups sliced mushrooms, brushed clean with stems removed
2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup whole milk
1 cup Gruyère, grated
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay out the pie crust in a 9” pie plate and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Adjust oven's temperature to 375 degrees.

In a medium skillet heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and sauté for 7 minutes, or until the leeks are slightly translucent and have browned on the edges. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have released some of their juices.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs, sour cream, and milk in a medium bowl. Add the sauteed vegetables (minus any released water), and stir. Add the Gruyère and stir. Place the quiche shell onto a rimmed baking sheet, gently pour the egg mixture into the shell. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or just until the quiche has set up in the center.

Cool for 15 minutes, slice, and serve.

What's also great about quiche is it can be made through all seasons. During the colder parts of the year, I love creating more hearty quiches. However, my favorite time of the year to make quiche is through the spring and summer seasons. I love accompanying quiche with a light mesclun salad, with tomatoes, red scallion, and balsamic vinaigrette. Did you know that these types of mesclun salads were originated in Provence, France? My love for leafy, greeny salads is derived from working at a coffee shop while in college, where they made the most delicious sandwiches paired with mesclun salads. What I loved most in their salads were their pickled red onion and mushrooms. Total, mind-blowing deliciousness.

The quiche I made consists of button mushrooms, leeks, and Gruyère cheese. I normally make a spinach and mushroom quiche with feta cheese, but I wanted something a little more in tune with the spring/quickly-approaching into summer - season. Plus, who doesn't like Gruyère cheese?! It tastes a lot like Swiss cheese but stronger. It really complemented well with the leek and mushroom combo. And I always like to mix in tomato with egg. These together is heaven in my mouth! What's your favorite pairing with eggs? Avocado? Salsa? Just good ole' cheese? Lastly, I usually make my own crust, but it's Sunday, it's raining cats & dogs, and I'm feeling slightly too cozy to have rolled out some dough this morning. Ha ha! But the store bought kind, is always a good substitute, should you be feeling like I am. #LazySunday Enjoy!

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Spicy Kimchi Bloody Mary

April 3, 2016

Download Recipe

Spicy Kimchi Bloody Mary

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 cups kimchi
46 oz tomato juice
1/4 cup Sriracha chile sauce
2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups Soju (Korean vodka)
Ice
Celery stalk, olives, radishes, pearl onions and cornichons for garnish

Directions:
Combine tomato juice, Sriracha sauce, Worchestershire sauce and vinegar. Puree kimchi with mixed juice, working in batches. With a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl, strain the kimchi puree, pressing firmly on the solids to get as much juice as you possibly can. You can save the solids for another use. Chill combined juice thoroughly, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in vodka. Serve over ice garnished with celery stalk, olives, radishes, pearl onions, and cornichons. Enjoy with a staple New York City brunch!

Sunday Funday equals brunch and cocktails. And this spicy kimchi Bloody Mary's will knock your socks off! It's got a kick to it and will definitely have any pre-brunching game going strong. The heat from the kimchi gives the traditional Bloody Mary new, pungent flavors. Combining other varied spices from the sauces, such as Worcestershire and Sriracha, and counter-balancing it with a splash of vinegar, creates the perfect leisurely yet unique cocktail. Korean soju also has a distinct taste, putting a twist on the usual vodkas used in Bloody Mary's.

What's your go-to brunch cocktail? Are you a Bloody Mary enthusiast? More of a mimosa kind of gal? Or bellini's? Screwdriver's? Why not try this recipe today? It's super easy and a great changeup to your usual brunch hangout. Sometimes it's nice to just chill at home or have a small get-together rather than hustling through the crowds to grab a table at a restaurant. Especially when it's April and it feels like 30° outside! But whatever you plan on doing, I hope your Sunday is nothing but enjoyable. Until next time! Love. Always, love. ❤️

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Source: http://www.suzannespiegoski.com/maq-and-su...

Tuesday: Food, Bae!

August 11, 2015

Happy Tuesday, friends! And for my furriends, Happy Tongue Out Tuesday! :P It is raining here in NYC this morning, so I thought I'd take you back (not too far back) to sunnier and brighter days.

This past weekend, my husband Gilles, MaQ and I all enjoyed a little downtime in our East Village neighborhood. We've lived here for nearly ten years and can you believe it, we've never been to B Bar & Grill?! On last week's episode of Masterchef, their pressure test was chicken & waffles. Ever since then I've been craving it! The last time I had this dish was somewhere down in Atlanta at a Waffle House! When we were taking a stroll, we passed by this restaurant and I urged the hubby right away we needed to try this place! I had always wanted to just sit in that particular location and watch the world go by while enjoying a nice meal with my boys. Unbeknownst to me, they made chicken & waffles! Score!

Everyone was so nice and I was really glad to be able to brunch with our pooch. And yes, that side of sausage you see is indeed for him. Spoiled much? We really had a good time and very much look forward to coming back soon! Thanks, guys! You rock!

Stay dry out there today, folks! I can honestly say I'm pretty thrilled it's a little cooler than it has been. That heat can really leave me beat! No, I did not intend to rhyme. ;)

Have a beautiful day!