2014: Moving Forward & Spicing Things Up

Hello everyone!! Happy 2014!!

Thank you all for the feedback online and in person. It means a lot to me. I am taking action on your suggestions, so in the meantime, Dining at Tiffany's will be under construction until the middle of January. Get hungry for some new and exciting content!

My puppy-nephew Box & I are hungry. Are you?!

I will leave you with a writing piece I stumbled upon while I was cleaning.  I found this handwritten document from a creative writing workshop I attended at the UC San Diego Women's Conference on March 26, 2013. This was a five-minute freehand writing practice activity. We were instructed to think of a sensory moment from earlier that morning and write about it without ceasing or reading over what we wrote:

"The spicy flavor of the soft pepperjack cheese awakened me after the usual late start to my day, sitting there intently listening to the speaker, also intently thinking about anything and everything in my life. 

Surrounded by women, we all emitted a collective sigh, collective relief. That we're not alone. That there are hundreds of us. We can all relate as females. We all have a heart that beats straight up into our minds. The minds that are always on those lingering tastes of what really touched or moved us or made an impression. 

The next big flavor awakens us. The spice that catches us off guard, almost a painful prick to what we were just doing, but also to comfort and heal that sick stomach feeling from inaction. So many of us let those lingering tastes keep us feeling down, but we can always count on the spicy moments to bring us up, whether we planned it or not." - March 26, 2013 

As we enter 2014, I wish for your life to be spiced up with the big flavors you need to make your goals and dreams a reality.



With love,

Tiffany R.

Dining at Tiffany's

Feeding YOUR Passion (and a free giveaway worth $25!)

(Scroll down to the pretty pictures if you're just here for the giveaway. I won't judge, hehe! Contest ends 12/11 at 11:59pm) 

Why I Love the Food Network and YouTube/Blogs:
by Tiffany Rivera. January 2013.

"Growing up, I never really had a celebrity crush. I always kind of went with the motions and squealed along as my friends printed out pictures of Justin Timberlake and Nick Carter for our binder covers. In fact to this day, my celebrity crush is jokingly Jackie Chan (he does his own stunts!). 

What really amazes me is seeing talent and passion combine to make someone remarkable. Being a Food Network Star means you've learned and mastered cooking. Being YouTube famous means you love what you do and do it well, whether you started doing comedy online or became known from your dance performance on a TV reality competition show. You are famous not simply being of your looks or your family name; you found yourself in your passion and went forth to share it with others. You express and showcase your heart in front of an audience.

I am often unimpressed by mainstream actors and actresses, even pop stars. I actually am terrible at pop culture trivia because of it, and have trouble identifying Hollywood stars. For my entertainment, I prefer and value seeing work done by real people like you and me, reminding us that we don't need a perfect face, magazine cover body, or tons of money to be happy and successful. Find your passion and run with it. You can find success and even love by being yourself to the fullest. 

Someone once asked me if it's weird that I read so many blogs and watch so many YouTube channels, even of less well-known people. Isn't that kind of stalker-ish?

Well, I'd rather support someone's passion than spend money and time obsessing over lifestyles and people that you have zero chance of ever getting to know personally. I've had the opportunity to connect with other bloggers and Instagrammers that I admire and it's a wonderful thing. One famous blogger even sent me a lengthy email full of personal advice for young writers when I was going through a bad time last year. 

Connecting with strangers in this way is not surprising at all in the online community; but you tell me if you're ever felt any personal satisfaction beyond a superficial level from People magazine. Maybe you were inspired to work out more and buy new clothes or makeup. But don't you tell me that they care about you personally. Yes, they appreciate their fans, but it comes down to it, most are about themselves. 

I hope to be someone that runs with my passion and shares it with others to help make their lives more fulfilling, filling, and fun. A fame not just for me, but to make others feel worthwhile and inspired from having heard from me."


This writing piece had been sitting unread in my iPhone notes since the beginning of the year until I revisited it recently. Looking back, my life has changed in so many ways from January to December. I'm in a new city, in a new graduate program studying what I love, and finding ways to spend my free time chasing my passions -- helping others achieve their goals while bringing people together through a love of good food.

While I have a good idea of my goals and the things that make me happy, a busy schedule and the influences of others often shift my focus in too many directions, making me lose sight and be less productive. I craved structure in what I thought was organized chaos.

And so it is with perfect timing that I stumbled upon an extraordinary project by an amazingly creative high school friend of mine, Angelia Trinidad. She designed a tool to help others accomplish their goals -- a planner/organizer. Have you ever experienced the hunt for the perfect planner, only to settle for one that's missing key features that you really wanted? Well, my friend Angelia Trinidad has thought of it all with her new Passion Planner!

Not only does the Passion Planner have space to plan out your daily schedule and tasks, there's specific areas designed for you to develop your passion and reach your goals! I could go on for days about how amazing it/she is, but I'll let it speak for itself:

I've tried out the week layout prototype (free on her website) and after just a few days, it's already working wonders on my productivity and stirring up my passion to create! I'm so excited because I put in an order by backing her Kickstarter project. Even more exciting, I ordered two Passion Planners -- one for me, and one to give away to a reader!

While Dining at Tiffany's is about sharing my own passion, the bigger reason I write is for my readers. I want to feed your passion.

So, here's how to enter my contest:

Win a Passion Planner - 3 easy steps!

1. Leave a constructive comment below! This means, include something you've liked on my website and why, something I should add/improve and why, plus any types of posts you'd like to see based on what YOU are passionate about!
- Like I said, this website is not just for me, but to help others, so your feedback is key!
- If it's your first time here (welcome!), feel free to look around!

2. *Like* Dining at Tiffany's on Facebook. Click here.
- I know some of you have already. If so, you're already on your way to win!

3. Tell a friend about Dining at Tiffany's/Passion Planner!
- This part is honor system. :)

After you complete all three steps, I will use www.random.org to select a winner based on the number of your comment below (first comment is #1, etc.). This contest will run until Tuesday, December 11th at 11:59pm PST! 

The great part is, even if you don't win, you'll still have a few days left to be one of the first owners of a Passion Planner. Best wishes on the contest!


Cheers to passion and possibilities,

Tiffany R.

Dining at Tiffany's

Make it a Great Day (Networking & Garlic Pasta Carbonara)

"Make it a Great Day."

In preparation for a professional conference this weekend, I ordered my very first set of business cards!

Aren't they spiffy? :D

I wanted to support a local business in my new city, so I ordered from Hungry Dog Printing in Long Beach, CA. This printing company is very professional, affordable, and high-quality. I highly recommend their services!

The owner Kate is very friendly and seemed genuinely excited about making my business cards look good. Unknowingly, she even played a role in uplifting my mood after a difficult few months. At the end of their jolly voicemail greeting, Kate encourages her customers to "Make it a great day!" This phrase really resonated with me and made me reflect on my attitude. We're always told to "have a great day," but sometimes we need to be reminded that a positive outlook can make all the difference; often times, it's up to us if we're going to make it a great day or not. Thank you for my awesome business cards and the encouragement, Hungry Dog Printing!

#WRCSAD13

The conference I attended was the Western Regional Careers in Student Affairs Day. I had a great day mingling with and learning from higher education professionals and fellow students. Serving on the volunteer planning committee was a fun experience as well. Worked with some fantastic people!

For the undergraduates I spoke with that are applying for graduate programs, here are helpful posts I mentioned that can help with your career:

- Grad School Application Requirements Template
- Tiffany's Résumé Guide
- Cover Letters & Attraction are Kind of the Same

You can also ask me any questions about the SDHE program at CSULB!


After the conference, I co-organized a post-conference social at my new favorite spot in Long Beach - the Rebel Bite. Isn't their "Map Room" amazing? I also feel the same way about my wonderful classmates, new friends, and inspiring NASPA Region 6 leaders.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela 

Garlic Pasta Carbonara 

The night before the conference, my grad student friends stayed over, so I had the chance to make them dinner! Here's a recipe for one of the dishes I cooked. Hope you enjoyed #DiningAtTiffs !

Follow me on Instagram @diningattiffs!

(makes 8 servings, even though there were only three of us...)

Ingredients:
- 1/2 to 1lb of bacon (depending on how much you like meat) sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan/romano cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas & carrots (or any other veggie medley)
- 1 lb. box of pasta (I used whole wheat - you should too!)
- pepper (no salt needed; bacon is salty enough, friends!)

Instructions:
I broke the steps down into what's happening on your stove and what's happening on your counter. Follow the numbers to time it for maximum efficiency.


On your stove 
2.) Boil water for pasta & cook according to package directions.
3.) Sauté bacon on medium-high heat for 5 minutes
5.) Once meat is cooked, lower heat to medium and add garlic. Sauté until light brown.
6.) Add veggies and cook for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.


On your counter
1.) Chop up all ingredients (start with the veggies and put aside before chopping bacon to avoid cross-contamination)
4.) Crack eggs into a large bowl. Mix with a fork or whisk like you're going to make scrambled eggs (but don't scramble them!). Stir in the cheese and about a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper (the pre-ground stuff doesn't taste like anything. Don't buy it.)
7.) Drain the pasta and transfer immediately* into the large bowl of eggs. Mix quickly to coat pasta evenly, adding the bacon/veggie mixture as well.
*It's important to do this immediately because the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs!

8.) Serve with more grated cheese (and crushed red pepper if you like it spicy!)


Overall, I had a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by -- make it a great day! :)


With love,
Tiffany R.
Dining at Tiffany's

The Usher

I saw Cory Monteith in person once.

Many Glee fans know that along with being a TV star and the quarterback at fictitious McKinley High School, he was also the drummer of a rock band.

One time back in college, I parked at UC San Diego for a quick errand and went up the stairs to the student center. As I passed The Loft, our campus music venue, I heard a faint sound check and saw a guy running down the steps, taking two at a time. He was dressed in a black leather jacket and wore some pretty serious boots. He looked familiar.

UC San Diego - Price Center w/ The Loft

THAT WAS FINN FROM GLEE!

My thoughts raced.

Should I chase after him for an autograph?
Should I retrieve the Sharpie that I keep in my car for this exact reason?
Will he respond if I yell "Finn?!"

For some reason, I did none of the above, and kind of just stood there frozen, then went on with my day.

That was a few years ago. It's also been a few years since the last time I watched Glee. Today, I took some time to watch the memorial episode for Cory Monteith - The Quarterback. Along with other viewers, I was saddened by his death. I appreciated that the episode was written and produced in such a meaningful way, breaking down the 4th wall and giving the actors a chance to express their grief in honor of their friend.

Hearing the musical tributes, I felt nostalgia and sadness, and cried along with the cast. Of course, I didn't know Cory Monteith; I didn't even speak to him when I had the opportunity.

I did lose someone very close to my family this past week, though. My Uncle was one of my parents' best friends. I consider his daughter my second sister. Our families were neighbors for many years, sharing a fence between our backyards. When we were young, our dads cut and built a door out of that fence and we'd use it almost daily to visit one another, or even just to lend some rice or sugar.

Quiet and kind, Uncle served as an usher at our church. Rarely in a spotlight, quarterback role, he was a leader in his own humble ways. I will always remember him welcoming everyone who walked in the door with warmth and acceptance. I will always remember him making sure everyone was accounted for, whether it be using the small metal clicker to take Sunday attendance, or helping his wife prep the food for our church events. I will always remember him putting smiles on our faces and laughter in our hearts with his subtle humor and thoughtful words.

Just like that moment when Cory ran by me, I feel frozen in the unexpected. My mind is filled with so many heartbreaking questions. It will take time and healing for our families to move on. All I know is that he will always live on in our hearts and is surely missed.

I pray that we'll all remember what it says in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, that we "will not grieve like people who have no hope." I have faith that Uncle will be there in Heaven waiting at the gates to greet and welcome us, so that we can all smile together once again.


With love,

Tiffany R. 

Dining at Tiffany's

Grad School = Time Management Bootcamp

Hi! It's been a while! Since my last post, I finished my year of AmeriCorps service, visited my family in Washington, and moved from San Diego to Long Beach. Whew! I just started graduate school at Cal State Long Beach last month, studying Counseling in Higher Education. Let me tell you, it is NOT easy! It's basically like finals week, all the time. Not to mention, I still volunteer every weekend at my church.. in San Diego!

Needless to say, I had to upgrade my time management skills, FAST! After an admittedly tiring adjustment period (and gallons of coffee), I've learned some very helpful time management skills that I'd like to share with you all!

1. "Two-fers" 
At my first year retreat, we discussed tips for balancing our multiple priorities, like family, school, relationships, work, and wellness. My favorite one is called "two-fers," in which you attend to  multiple priorities at once!

For example, this past week, I had my first big test and paper for school. The weekend beforehand, I was in charge of coordinating/hosting one of my church student's 18th birthday party. Here are some of the "two-fers"that got me through it:

- While commuting to school on the bus and walking in between classes/work, I sent text messages and made phone calls to coordinate all the party details. I delegated (see below!) everything I possibly could.
- While directing a practice for one of the party performances, I wrote a draft of my paper.
- Instead of studying alone, I called up a friend that I wanted to catch up with that also needed to study for grad school (hi, Nancy!).

2. Living Vicariously
Another thing I realized is that with bigger goals, come greater sacrifices. Not only have I been further away, I've been simply too swamped to attend every event I'd like to. As a consolation, I tell others to attend and ask them how it went!

There are a couple events coming up this weekend in San Diego that I'd LOVE to attend, but I'll be out of town. It'll make me feel a lot better if SOMEONE goes, though! I updated my "Fun, Free, and Frugal in SoCal Calendar" for events this weekend, so you should check them out!

Celebrating Life Through Art 

If you go to anything this weekend in San Diego, this is it! This event is near and dear to my home community, inspired by the life of my high school classmate who passed away. It's a free public art show (free refreshments, too!) hosted by my dedicated high school classmates and featuring my talented friends from elementary school. This year proceeds will go to the Outreach at Monarch program, the San Diego Museum of Art’s after-school art instruction for homeless and at-risk children. For more information, or to donate, click here: http://bit.ly/1b7WHM2.

You can also check out the Adam's Avenue Street Fair and the (1st ever) San Diego Asian Night Market! 


3. Delegation!
Last, but absolutely not least, delegate! For crying out loud, please delegate. I could do a whole workshop on the benefits of delegation. Oh wait, I did!

[Click for full workshop content!]

I presented this to an undergraduate student leadership team earlier this year as their alumni guest speaker. An attendee asked to see an outline for her upcoming workshop, so I thought, why not share it with the world? (Two-fer!). Though I wrote this for undergraduate student leaders, I firmly believe these tips will apply to your work as well.

I hope you find these tips helpful (and that you get to sleep more than me). See you next time.


With love,

Tiffany R. 

Dining at Tiffany's

Fun, Free, & Frugal in SoCal!

Are you as excited about summer as I am to eat this Philly Mac & Cheesesteak from the Del Mar Fair?

I grew up in San Diego, so I've been going to the Del Mar Fair since I was a kid. Between the rides, carnival games, exhibits, and crazy food, there's fun to be had for all ages. This year, I'm pretty sure I consumed about 1,000 calories in 30 minutes between the Philly Mac & Cheesesteak (#85) from Austriano's Italian Grill to a personal basket of Bacon Truffle Fries from Bacon A-Fair (#20/93). I would highly recommend this cheesesteak and caution you to keep the sandwich as horizontal as possible because it gets messy! The fries were very tasty with the gouda and truffle topping, but a tad overpriced.

 

I have a return ticket, so I hope to try out the Red Velvet or Strawberry Cheesecake cake flavor from Funnel Express (#99) and maybe the Monte Cristo from Grilled Cheese A-Fair (#48). Other new foods available that I will not be trying are Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joes and Fried Cookie Dough. I also found a way to get to the fair for free if you have a bus pass. Take the 101 bus to Brigantine Seafood, then hop on the free Shopper Shuttle!

The fair is great, but it can get pricy. It also ends on July 4th. So I put together a public Google Calendar of FREE events in San Diego this summer. 


You can add the entire calendar, or just by event! I tried to include as many details as possible in the description, listed the source links, and inputted the addresses for easy smartphone navigation.

Here are the XML, ICAL, & HTML links to the calendar.  Let me know if you have trouble accessing the calendar and I'll help you figure it out!

I'm moving to Long Beach soon (August!), so I plan to add Orange County and Los Angeles events too! In the meantime, I'm trying to make the most of my last summer living in San Diego and invite you to do so too. Here's what you'll find on the calendar:


[ONE TIME EVENTS]

34th Annual Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off -  Saturday, June 22 from 11am-3pm
This is a really fun event in OB. I recommend taking the free Trolley to avoid traffic and parking. Bonus -- this is a legit Old Town Trolley, complete with lively tour guide! I missed the chili-tasting last time I went, so let me know how

Loews Surf Dog Competition - Saturday, June 22 from 10am-8pm

Surfing dogs. Need I say more? (Dog creeping at its finest.)

Switchfoot Bro-am Saturday, July 13 from 7am-5pm
San Diego native band Switchfoot hosts an annual surf competition and concert for charity!

Coronado Art Walk Saturday & Sunday, September 14th-15th from 10am-5pm
Check out local art at the scenic Ferry Landing in Coronado as summer winds down. (*See more Coronado events below.)


[WEEKLY EVENTS]
Brian's Farmers Markets - Weekly Thursday-Friday. See times and locations below.

I love farmers' markets, especially in the summertime. Brian's Farmers' Markets feature produce from local farmers that grow their food pesticide-free. You can also sample packaged and hot foods while browsing artisan crafts and gifts! During the summer, farmers are happy to let you sample the juiciest of berries and offer bright summer produce.


I'm really excited because they opened a new one at Belmont Park, right at the foot of the roller coaster!! Here are the times of the markets. Click on the links to follow their Facebook Pages for updates on new vendors and more!

+ Thursdays, 3pm-7pm: UTC Farmers Market
+ Fridays, 9:30am-1pm: Belmont Park Farmers Market
+ Saturdays, 9:30am-1:30pm: Golden Hill Farmers Market
+ Sundays, 9:30am-2:30pm: Point Loma Farmers Market

Balboa Park House of Pacific Relations International Cottages Sundays 2pm-4pm
From March - September, the International Cottages feature lawn events including dance and musical performances, food vendors, and more! The cottages open at 12pm for browsing before the live event and feature a different country each week.

[OUTDOOR MOVIE SCREENINGS]
I love watching movies and I love being outdoors. These events combine the two at unique locations across San Diego. From family favorites like Brave and Wreck it Ralph, to comedies like Shaun of the Dead and Anchorman, you're sure to find one for your group. Best of all - they're free!

Stone Late Night Movies

Santee Movies by the Lake

Viejas Movies in the Park

Dive-In Theatre at The Pearl SD 

Movies generally start around dusk. Arrive early for optimal seating. Most places let you bring your own chairs, blankets, and food - verify on the website. All of these movies are listed on the my calendar so it's easier to find the date and movie that suits your needs! (*See more movies below)

[NOT LISTED ON CALENDAR (aka: Ain't Nobody Got Time For That)]
I found a lot of other events online thanks to SanDiego.org and KBPS.org. I'd add these to the calendar, but it would take me longer than the duration of the events..

Summer Movies at the Park 
Family-friendly movies in San Diego from the South Bay to North County!

Coronado Summer Concerts in the Park
Enjoy concerts by local artists and tribute bands at Spreckels Park - located at the corner of 6th Street and Orange Avenue. Concerts start around 6:30-7pm on various nights throughout the year.


To San Diego residents and visitors, I wish you a very happy summer! Did I miss something? Have a free event you'd like me to promote? Comment below, email me at diningattiffanys@gmail.com, OR we can be super high tech and you can invite me directly to a Google Calendar event.;)

I'll be adding more as I find them. Enjoy!

With love,

Tiffany R.

Dining at Tiffany's

PS: Just realized it's 6.19 day! Perfect timing. SD represent! ;) 

Peanuts & Fried Chicken: A Birthday Greeting for My Dad

I've traveled to the Philippines with my parents and sister twice in my lifetime. During our first visit, I was eight years old and met many of my wonderful relatives for the first time. At this young age, I also came face to face with the reality that many people around the world live in extremely poor conditions and experienced one of my most vivid childhood memories. We were stuck in the sweltering traffic of the Philippines and I looked outside the car window. I saw starving people young and old begging for food and money; a little boy was eating paper on the side of the road.

When we returned to the Philippines during my last year of high school, I learned an unexpected lesson from my dad during a shopping trip to one of the expansive mega malls. At some point, we split off from my mom and sister to head toward the food court. In the area between the restaurants, ragged street vendors begged passerby to spare some change to buy small trinkets and snacks. 

Among the street vendors was a little girl who couldn't have been older than ten years old. Atop her shoulder, she carried a long stick with a dozen or so bags of peanuts to sell. It was a weekday, so she likely had to forego school to help her family make ends meet. When I saw this poor little girl, my natural instinct was to walk right past her and try to not feel so sad. 

That's when my dad took an unexpected action. He struck up a conversation with the little girl and asked about her age, family, and life. Then he asked her how much the peanuts cost. He sifted through his wallet and paid her enough money to purchase all of the peanuts on her pack. Joyfully bewildered, the girl started to hand us all of her goods as my dad kindly declined them. I stood there surprised and amazed, watching what he did next. He walked over to the fried chicken stand and ordered a bucket or so of chicken with a side of rice. My dad gave the bags of food to the little girl, patted her on the shoulder, and told her to go home early with a hot meal for her family. 

I don't remember if she had tears in her eyes, but I shed a few as I write this. I don't remember what I said to my dad after, or if I ever said anything at all. I will always remember the volumes of meaning that this moment speaks about my dad. 

Today is my dad's birthday. When it comes to my parents, no gift is ever enough to thank them for all they've done for me, both in providing me with a comfortable life and especially for all the values they've instilled in me. 

Happy Birthday, Dad. Thank you for teaching me to always make genuine connections with everyone we meet, be generous with blessings, and try our best to make someone's day -- especially those in need. I love you. 

With love,

Tiffany

Dining at Tiffany's 

PS: Happy Father's Day, too!