Virtual Birthday Party at Tiffany's!!

Hello, internets!

As some of you may know, it's my 24th birthday today (9/8)! I wish I had a venue big enough to celebrate with all my friends and family, and a jet plane to visit my friends and family around the country and world, but I can only dream for now! 

So, I decided to host an online birthday party, in conjunction with a launch of my revamped project - Dining at Tiffany's!



Dining at Tiffany's (www.diningattiffanys.com) started as a food blog, but as I continue writing, I realize that I want to write about more than just food. In the last 24 years, I've been blessed to discover so much about making life more fun, fulfilling, and well.. filling! From cover letter guides to promoting different social causes and sharing fun party ideas, I have a lot that I'd love to share through Dining at Tiffany's!

So as a reader of my website, you are cordially invited to celebrate with me this week! Like many great venues, there are THREE LEVELS! :D

Haphazard Advice for Soon-to-Be Recent Graduates.

Now generally, I write instructional posts about topics that I feel that I've mastered resume tips), that I feel that I'm warranted to talk about (cover letter writing). But this one is a little bit different. It's a bit raw. Let's imagine it's like I'm teaching you how to cook something that I've never-ever cooked before -- live! Tune in now and you'll learn along with me. My mom will always chastise me for taking a chance and trying out new recipes when cooking for parties. Not to sound full of myself, but really, every time I do this, it turns out amazing. So let's get cooking.

Tomorrow marks my one year anniversary of graduating into grown-up life and honestly, I'm still figuring it out. I'm right there with ya, kid.

"I'm a new soul, I came to this new world hoping to learn a bit 'bout how to give and take. But since I came here, felt the joy and the fear, finding myself making every possible mistake. See I'm a young soul in this very strange world, hoping I could learn a bit 'bout what is true and fake. But why all this hate? Try to communicate. Finding trust and love is not always easy to make."

From the nomadic lyrics to the lighthearted sound, this song pretty much sums it up, so let's break it down. (Press 'play' now for full effect).

Hoping to Learn a Bit 'Bout How to Give and Take
[Give] If you're anything like me, you spent your college career not only trying to do relatively well in your classes, but also to gain lots and lots of experience in pursuit of exciting job opportunities post-graduation. I have a very pretty resume, if I do say so myself. Not only is it a formatting masterpiece, it lists my accomplishments both locally and even around the world. I used to have a very impressive gmail signature and was pretty darn smug about it, joking that "I pretty much ran the community service scene at my university." All my fellow students and staff mentors would give me many a pat on the back and word of affirmation. I rocked college and I'm proud of it.

But when you leave that stadium of fans and change out of your cap & gown, you're really just another person, another employee, another contact. You suck. Just kidding.

But really, outside of your bubble, simply telling stories about your accomplishments will never portray their actually worth. Know that your past experience gets you the job, but your work performance is what determines the level of respect you earn. Focus on doing your best and creating new accomplishments -- dwelling on your past ones will get you nowhere. 

[Take] Now out of habit, I joined quite a few organizations outside of my day job. I'm really happy that I did -- I've met a lot great, like-minded people and have cultivated my skills in a more professional setting. It took some time, but I had to (re)learn that I have my limits and reassess my commitments. Taking a step back, I realized something quite simple -- some commitments will help me, and some will not. Always take a moment to assess yourself, ensuring that you choose activities that are in line with your priorities, both current and future. 

Finding Myself Making Every Possible Mistake
[Mistake 1] Sleeping through a college lecture is okay. You can always borrow notes from your friends, and your professor may even offer recordings. In the workplace, there is no catching up for missed time and you won't get paid for it. You can't even slip into the room late and go unnoticed. If you're not a morning person yet, learn to be. I'm happy to say that on any given morning before 10AM, I am now much more alert than my friends that are still in college. But really, it's something I'm working on that I wish I had started earlier. 

Last Friday Night! or "Why Deep Frying is Terrifyingly Bad for You"

A few Fridays ago, I decided to cook an Indian-inspired dinner to cheer up my inspiring, female Indian friend.

Here is what was on the menu:
- Tilapia Fillets in Coconut-Tamarind Curry
- Roasted Cauliflower with Garam Masala
- Spiced Bulgar Wheat and Zucchini Salad

My male Indian friend arrived early and brought basmati rice and frozen veggie samosas (Indian filled pastries). I had never prepared samosas before, so he instructed me to deep-fry them.

"But I never deep fry anything! That's so unhealthy! Plus, it wastes SO much oil," I exclaimed in protest. He argued and told me that it was how his mom prepares samosas. Since one of my life missions is to learn everyone's mom's cooking methods, I obliged.

I felt very skeptical as I emptied the last of my vegetable oil into the pot and turned the heat up to high. "Wow, this is taking forever to heat up," I thought. So, I proceeded to cover the pot using a glass lid with a metal handle, just like I would when boiling water. Rachael Ray will forever (and obnoxiously) preach to America that "A watched pot never boils -- so put a lid on it!" and clearly, she has indoctrinated me.

Many minutes later, I finally glanced at the pot and noticed that the clear glass had turned very brown and was starting to steam. I quickly picked up the lid off of the pot, minus a a pot holder, discovering that the lid was extremely hot. Then, the following happened in a span of about 5 seconds:

Festively Green

My friends know that I am a big fan of organized fun and very adamant about enforcing themes for get-togethers! From food to requisite attire, it makes everyone feel extra festive!

Here are two, quick St. Patrick's Day inspired dips that I made this weekend. How could I not?! I would've deserved a pinch if I didn't serve green snacks!

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Arugula Almond Hummus
I make arugula almond pesto pretty often because I often get these items in my weekly CSA produce box from my local farmers market. This tastes great over pasta, fish, or chicken. I added garbanzo beans to my recipe to turn it into a tasty hummus for parties!

Ingredients:
- 1 cup of fresh, rinsed arugula
- 1/4 cup almonds
- 1/4 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 1 can of garbanzo beans, reserve water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp lemon

Instructions:
1. In a blender or food processor, chop the almonds finely. Transfer to a pan on medium heat and toast for 5-7 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally. (be sure not to burn them. You'll be able to smell when they're about ready).
2. Blend together garlic and arugula. Stream in half of olive oil.
3. Alternate adding toasted almonds, cheese, and remaining olive oil. (oh look, you just made a pesto!!)
4. Blend garbanzo beans, and use the liquid as needed if mixture is too dry.
5. Blend in lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy with pita bread, French bread cubes, or even fresh veggies!

--

Avocado Tomatillo Dip
This is a great zesty recipe to change things up from your standard chips and salsa.

Ingredients:
- 2 lbs of tomatillos
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 3 small avocados or 2 large ones
- 1 habenero or jalapeño, seeds and veins removed
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 lime

Instructions:
1. Boil tomatillos for about 7-10 minutes, until the color changes and they become softer.
2. Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. (Note: I always use the stems of cilantro, they actually have more flavor than the leaves!). Add salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy with tortilla chips and garnish with cilantro. We ran out of chips during the party, so I cut up fresh radishes as a substitute.

Happy St. Patricks Day!!


With love,
Tiffany R.
Dining at Tiffany's

Cover Letters & Attraction are Kind of the Same!

Second to waiting to hear back from employers cover letters were just about the WORST part of the job hunt for me! Aghhh!!  (Here is a song to listen to if you're in that situation)

1. It feels forced & unnatural -- who actually talks like this?!

2. If you're a perfectionist/grammar fanatic, you're in for at LEAST an hour per cover letter since each has to be unique and tailored to each company. 

3. Whoever reads it will probably only glance through it for 30 seconds.

4. Ew.

So if you are frustrated that you have to write cover letters, you are not alone. But they are necessary, so I am here to walk you through the process, with an added bonus!!

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, all of my tips for writing interview-winning cover letters double as tips for finding that special someone! ;) 

[1] GRAB THEIR ATTENTION, AND HOLD ON TO IT!:

You're at a get together in a room choc full of people. Some of them are seemingly more attractive than you! How will you ever get that cutie to dig you?!

Likewise, your cover letter will be sitting in a stack or inbox with at least 100 more from other applicants, many of which may appear more qualified than you! 

And the common question here is, "how do I get noticed??"

- The key in both cases is to start with a strong opening. What does this consist of? Content and Impact. And it starts with you. 

Confident Content

Ask yourself this question:

"What are my attributes that I am most confident about?"

If you're at that party, these may range from something as small as your haircut, to your ability to make others laugh or even an intriguing hobby. If you're on the job hunt, this should range from your working style (detail-oriented, fast learner, results-oriented, etc.) to your skilled abilities (software expertise, clerical work, customer service, etc.) 

After you answer this question, create a list, write it down and focus on it! Keep it on your mind and be ready to flaunt it! 

Impressive Impact

When presenting yourself in a cover letter or in a social setting, your strong opening should consist of that Confident Content! 

Here is the opening of my actual cover letter I wrote that landed me my current job: 

Dear -----------------------,
I am writing to express my interest in supporting the -------------------- as a ------------ as listed on npworks.org.



"I am a dedicated, meticulous, and compassionate worker with three years of experience in customer service and organizational administration. I am very comfortable in communicating with diverse groups of people, empowering
individuals with the resources and knowledge to address their needs."

As you can see, I don't merely list off my past job experiences (that's what your resume is for!), but I focus on the best of my working style and skills. The viewer can get an engaging snapshot of who I am in just two sentences and will be excited to continue reading. 

If I were on the prowl (which, I'm not! Don't worry, sweetheart if you actually read this! <3), this is a scenario I would create in a social situation:

-

Potential Romantic Interest: Hi, I'm _______, what's your name? ;)"  

Me: *strong handshake* "Hi! I'm Tiffany!" :D

PRI: So, what do you do? 

Me: "I work in nonprofits. And I love cooking!! I may not look like it, but I LOVE to eat!"

-

As you can see, I stuck to that Confident Content! I am proud to be working in the nonprofit community, and I love food so much that I learned to cook it well. I also inserted a bit of humor. 

Because these are your best attributes that you love and value about yourself, you won't run out of things to talk about, you'll be glowing with passion, and stand out from the crowd with your shining confidence!

NOTE: Just as I didn't list all my specific work positions in the beginning of my resume, I didn't talk outwardly about my hair or smile or any other physical attributes that I may have listed in my Confident Content. That would have be obnoxious. 

Strong openings must be impressive, but also broad and general. Save the specific job positions to reference later in your cover letter, and keep your too-sexy-for-my-shirt celebrations in your head as an intrinsic source of confidence!

I really encourage you to focus on developing your strong openings with Confident Content and Impressive Impact. This post is very top-heavy  because without GRABBING THEIR ATTENTION AND HOLDING ON, you've missed your chance on that job opportunity or to attract that special someone! You need that strong opening to be sure that they don't move on to another candidate! 

[2] KNOW WHAT THEY LIKE, BUT DON'T ACT DESPERATE

Name Dropping

In my opinion, the best potential partners are friends of friends (proof: that's how I found mine!)! If you share a mutual friend, it is not an accident. In fact, it happened for very specific reasons. You both value certain traits, are interested in certain topics/activities, and enjoy spending time with people of certain personality types! 

So, after your confident and impressive introduction, a great topic to keep up the momentum of the conversation is mutual friends! Share stories about fun and interesting experiences you had with that common friend. It's something you can bond over and could even lead to planning a future group outing -- yet another opportunity to hang out and get to know each other! 

Likewise, employers are more likely to continue reading through your cover letter if you name drop. In the body of your cover letter, be sure to mention any relevant organizations, concepts, projects, movements, academia, etc. that you connected with.

For example, my current job has a lot to do with public health, so I included the following in my cover letter:

"I was particularly excited to see this position open as I am passionate about promoting public health for underserved communities. Through my coursework in Health Care – Social Issues and Sociocultural Anthropology, I studied about
the institutional and cultural barriers that lead to disheartening health disparities."

You can also refer to related organizations at which you volunteered or interned and listed on your resume. (Note: it's already on your resume, so only spend 2 sentences at most on "name dropping").

But remember, don't be a creeper. Do NOT Facebook stalk. ANYone! What's your problem?!?! 

No but really, get a general idea of the person/company you're interested in. But don't obsess over it! Even if you really like someone, do not quote any of their Facebook wall posts. Likewise, do not copy and paste anything from a company's website. They will know. And think you're a complete creep. So don't. 

[3] CHECK YOUR STYLE AND BE YOURSELF

In both situations, it's important to appear well put-together but without appearing to be trying too hard. 

For your cover letter, remember to spell check, proofread, and have others look over it (feel free to send yours to me for review at rivera.tiffany.n@gmail.com!) to catch any grammar or typographical errors. Since you're tailoring your cover letter to each company, it's very easy to overlook places where you left the incorrect employer name, file name, etc. Also, getting a perspective from fresh eyes can help you see something you didn't notice before. However, do not let someone else write your cover letter for you. They may create something wonderful, but if you get to the interview and speak nothing like the language cover letter, you will appear inconsistent and kind of shady!  

Likewise, before you leave for a social event, do whatever getting-ready ritual it takes for you to feel at your best! And if you are planning to put yourself out there at a social event, don't wear anything or style yourself in a way that requires maintenance throughout the night. 

You should look great, but also not have to worry about looking in the mirror except for before you go out the door! That way, you can focus on your Confident Content, the person you're talking to, and the connection you're having. If you're preoccupied about your tube top falling off or your gelled hair style falling down, people will notice a drop in your confidence level. What's most important is being comfortable in your own style. Express your own personal style in a way that allows you to be yourself once you leave the house. 

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So remember, to GRAB THEIR ATTENTION & HOLD ON TO IT, KNOW WHAT THEY LIKE BUT DON'T ACT DESPERATE, & CHECK YOUR STYLE AND BE YOURSELF. 

You have two weekends before Valentine's Day, and many of you have a few months before entering the workforce. With these tips, you'll be able to attract the employers and partners of your dreams!!

With love,

Tiffany R. 

Dining at Tiffany's 

Boba Milk Tea Tres Leches Cake

Once upon a not-so-busy time, I baked and decorated personalized birthday cakes for my friends and family. Ranging from a green Volkswagen Buggy to a hot-air balloon, I used to go all out!

Over the long weekend, I had some extra time so I decided to make my friend Kelsey a cake for her birthday. If there's one thing Kelsey loves, it's BOBA! Have you tried it before? Have you even heard of it? If not, see the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_tea (actually.. you might need to Google it yourself because of the whole SOPA PIPA thing!). It's a popular dessert drink in younger Asian communities. 

I was simply going to frost a picture of a cup of boba onto a simple cake, but I thought.. why not dump a large milk tea with extra boba into a cake?!

And so I did.

(empty boba milk tea cup)

I love tres leches cake (a popular Latin American sponge cake soaked in three milks), so I decided to replace one of the "leches" with milk tea! 

I used this recipe and replaced the evaporated milk and half of the heavy whipping cream with the milk tea (and omitted the brandy). It turned out great! The cake was incredibly moist and you could really taste the milk tea flavor throughout the cake. 

I decided against simply sprinkling the boba on top to add some finesse, and decorated it like so:

(boba on a cake)

Believe it or not, I didn't use any special cake decorating equipment for this one. All I used was a spatula and a spoon! After frosting the cake, I dolloped drops of frosting along the outer perimeter, and topped those with single boba pieces. I put a large scoop of frosting in the middle and used a spoon to create a sort of "cup" for the remaining boba. This is also a great technique in case some guests don't care for the chewy, tapioca texture of boba as they can slice around it. 

(boba on a cake + fat boba straw)

To add some color, and hint at what's inside the cake, I added one of those fat straws that come with boba milk tea drinks. At first glance, the boba looks like blueberries, but the straw makes them realize what it is! 

(materials: paper, highligher)

The straw also serves as a stand for a celebration greeting flag! This would also be cute with a curled ribbon accent.

(yum)

The boba actually paired very well with the cake in case you were wondering. Bakeries should put boba on cakes more often! 

(taro almond milk tea with strawberry boba)

After trying this with the most basic boba milk tea, I'm very excited to try this with different boba flavors! You can do this with thai tea, almond, strawberry, honeydew, taro, and more. You can even use different boba flavors, like honey, green tea, and strawberry. The possibilities are endless! I also imagine this would work really well with cupcakes. I'm glad I was able to pay homage to one of my favorite delicious drinks through baking. It's also a great fusion of Asian and Latin American culture! 

--

Do you like boba milk tea? What's your favorite kind?

Please feel free to ask me for more specific baking instructions! 

Comment below!

With love,

Tiffany R.

Dining at Tiffany's

Project 365 at Tiffany's

Woo 2012!! In the spirit of the New Year, I'm jumping on the Project 365 trend with my own flavor - taking daily food photos of significance! The reason I'm so passionate about food is because it's such an integral part of life, a common necessity that can bring a diversity of people together. Every meal has a story and I want to appreciate that everyday. Today's inaugural post will feature one photo, but I plan to compile weekly updates for your convenience (and my sanity).

So this isn't the most appetizing picture, but take a moment to figure out what's wrong with this picture...

No this was not an act of negligence, those spoons are swimming in there with purpose!

My mom was boiling spare ribs to make Sinigang, a tangy Filipino stew. She told me that the "old people" in the Philippines add metal spoons because it makes the meat more tender, so she decided to try it. It makes sense, right? I figure the heat from the boiling water is retained by the spoons, adding an extra heat source or something science-y like that. Well, it worked, so maybe you can try this the next time you need to tenderize ribs!

But the real significance of this photo is what that moment represents. Ever since I was young, I've always spent time in the kitchen with my mom. I remember being young and standing on a chair so I could reach over the counter and watch my mom cook. My favorite times were when she'd make layered Jello for get-togethers and I'd get to help her mix all the colors, then eat the gelatinized leftovers off the spoon. I remember the first time our parents taught us how to cook. I think it was eggs. I remember my mom mentioning to my dad that she can tell that I would become a good cook because of the way I naturally handled the spatula. I remember the warm confidence I felt at that moment. In recent years, I'm often helping my mom cook army-sized meals for our family and friends on special occasions.

Just as my mom learned a wise tip from her elders in the Philippines, I've learned many lessons from being in the kitchen with her all these years -- about how to be a good cook and more importantly how to be a good person. In between all the recipes and ingredients, my mom tells me stories ranging from her day at work to her life growing up in poverty. I'm blessed to have developed my character after her - a life living toward compassion, generosity, and excellence with love.

If I have children one day, I pray that I'll be able to share similar memories and moments with them in the kitchen. If you do have kids at home, I encourage you to do the same! Following recipes and measuring ingredients is a fun way to teach math skills. Kids are more likely to eat food (even veggies!) if they are involved in the process of grocery shopping and cooking. But more importantly, it can transform the chore of meal preparation into fond occasions to forever cherish. If you're like me and not quite ready for a family, cook with friends and loved ones. It's a fun and cheaper alternative to eating out!

But I guess the moral of the story about why I want to write food stories.. is that fond memories start in the kitchen and last long after everyone's had second helpings. This year, take a moment in between bites to think about the meaning behind your meal -- what it tells you about who you are, who you're with, and how the food got on your plate. And please feel free to comment with your food photos and memories! I look forward to sharing many moments to savor  in 2012.


With love,
Tiffany R.
Dining at Tiffany's