A Side of Sweet

Things I’m Loving

Links I'm Loving :: A Kick A$$ 4 year old

Somehow I managed to pull off the domain switch and my new blog design without any major fiascos! Thank you so much for all the positive feedback and comments. This change has been a long time in the making and it feels so good to finally have unveiled the new A Side of Sweet!

Here are a few Links that I’m Loving around the web….

Make your next salmon dinner in a coffee maker….or the dishwasher!

Where are you from? The New York Times thinks they can guess.

Orange is the New Black’s characters get glam.

A-listers as Disney Princesses?

Inspiration from a kick-a$$ 4-year-old.

Dear motorist.

Photo via by Toyokazu Nagano via Mr. Kate

Introducing :: A Side of Sweet

A-side-of-sweet-600-post

Running Blonde is now A Side of Sweet!

Notice something different? I’m so excited to finally announce what I’ve been planning around here! A name change for Running Blonde is something that has been nagging at me for a long time. This lil’ ol’ blog has gone through many changes since its inception as Kelly Travels the World seven years ago (!). At first, it was a place where I shared travel stories from my adventures. As I got more and more immersed into the world of running and cycling, Kelly’s Travels changed into Running Blonde. Medical school started, and the 20+ hour weeks of training were a thing of the past. I also re-discovered my love of baking and creating as an outlet from the endless days in the library cramming for medical school exams. It’s been many moons since a race report surfaced around here.

Choosing a new name was more difficult than I expected. I puzzled for months over the right choice. I pestered Pat, made lists, asked friends, and pestered Pat some more. Finally, in one of those just before falling asleep moments, A Side of Sweet was just right.

I hope you enjoy the new design, thanks to my dear friend Kia of the blog With Lovely,. And thanks so much to you for following along on this new adventure!

xo,

Kelly

Here is what you can expect for the new A Side of Sweet:

~More diverse content: I have so many things that I’m passionate about – DIY, design, travel, beauty, fashion, fitness…the list goes on. I want to share more about all of these things.
~Prettier posts: I love playing around in Photoshop and one of my New Year’s resolutions is to incorporate more design into my posts.
~Blogging about blogging: I’ve been at this for seven years! I want to share what I’ve learned along the way.
~More giveaways: I love doing giveaways to introduce you to brands that I love, and as a way to give back to all of you!
~More Social Media: I love connecting with all of you on Instagram and Twitter. I’m going to make more of an effort to share on both of these sites.

Anything you’d like to see on the new A Side of Sweet? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this big change!

Baked French Toast with Whipped Greek Yogurt & Candied Chai Pecans

Oh boy, this baked french toast recipe is the stuff dreams are made of. For some reason, pillowy is the best word I can come up with to describe it. Piles of pillowy goodness topped with whipped greek yogurt topping and these incredible candied pecans that have a bit of a meringue-like, well, pillowy, texture to them. Om, nom nom.

Let’s talk about the whipped Greek yogurt topping. When I first saw the recipe had Greek yogurt in the title, I thought, “Oh great, something healthy to balance out the rest of the dish.” Wee-ell, there’s a 2:1 heavy cream to Greek yogurt ratio in the topping, so, unfortunately, health food is not. Tangy and light and pillowy (ok, that’s the last time I promise) and something I want to slather on everything in sight – definitely.

The recipe also has the option of partially being made ahead, so you don’t have to scramble to put the entire shebang together in the morning. It’s great for making for guests, or when you are a guest at someone else’s place in my case. I made this while we were home for the holidays visiting my in-laws. Making it the night before meant I still got to sleep in a bit – I was on vacation after all. The dish was a hit and was obviously part of my master plan to ingratiate myself into their good graces with food. Not that that is needed at all. I’m so lucky to have married into the nicest and most welcoming family on the planet. Going home to Pat’s family has become going home to my family. It doesn’t get much luckier than that.

Martha Stewart’s Macaroni and Cheese

If I had to choose, macaroni and cheese would definitely be my last meal. Given that, I’m surprised it took me this long to make Martha Stewart’s Macaroni and Cheese recipe. It’s so good, Martha even uses the word perfect to describe it! It starts with a creamy béchamel sauce (white sauce with butter and flour, cooked in milk) made on the stovetop and gets its bite from sharp cheddar cheese. I think the real secret though is that it’s topped with crunchy homemade croutons (I crushed mine into breadcrumbs). Martha also nails the pasta to sauce ratio with just the right amount of cheese in every bite. So perfect mac and cheese it is then. Thank you Martha.

You might be surprised to know that I made this recipe for our Christmas dinner this year. For our first Christmas in San Francisco, away from our families, we biked to the beach and had a picnic dinner. Everything else about the day was untraditional, so macaroni and cheese fit the bill perfectly.

Night of Luxury at Riad Farnatchi Marrakech

As this was our honeymoon, I wanted to have a few really, really nice nights while we were in Morocco. The first was at Riad Louna, which was a bit of a flop, the second was La Pause, which was absolutely peaceful and picturesque and the last was at Riad Farnatchi in Marrakech.

Honeymoon Morocco :: A Night of Luxury at Riad Farnatchi

Riad Farnatchi was the definition of luxury. It is a small riad (guesthouse) tucked away in a quiet corner of the medina in Marrakech. It’s known for its upscale clientele, with former guests including Angelina Jolie, Scarlet Johansen and Russell Crowe. I found Riad Farnatchi through Jetsetter and I knew it would make the perfect place to stay for our last night in Morocco. It’s a good thing I had some Jetsetter credit to use up, because the price to stay at Riad Farnatchi is definitely celebrity-worthy.

Our Stay at Riad Farnatchi Marrakesh Morocco

Our room was bigger than our San Francisco apartment, with two terraces and the biggest bathroom I have ever seen. All the details were taken care of – snacks on our arrival, heated towel racks, fluffy bathrobes and a staff that effortlessly anticipated our every need.

Our Stay at Riad Farnatchi Marrakesh Morocco

The entrance to a cathedral? Nope, that’s just our shower. Honeymoon Morocco :: A Night of Luxury at Riad Farnatchi Breakfast was provided and included french press coffee. Pat and I are obsessed with coffee and can’t start our mornings without caffeine. We even went so far as to bring Starbucks Cafe Via’s with us so we could ensure consistent caffeine access throughout our trip. Even typing that makes me blush a little. Knowing this, you can imagine the mini celebration we had when we found out there was real coffee!

Honeymoon Morocco :: A Night of Luxury at Riad Farnatchi

Our king-sized bed was so comfortable I managed to sleep through the sunrise call to prayer.

Honeymoon Morocco :: A Night of Luxury at Riad Farnatchi

With rooms costing more than we paid for two weeks accommodation elsewhere in Morocco, Riad Farnatchi is spendy. However, if you have a trust fund that needs spending or you just got your payout from that hit blockbuster film, Riad Farnatchi can offer unparalleled luxury and privacy in Marrakech.

Riad Farnatchi
Rue Souk el Fassis,
Marrakech, Morocco
+212 5243-84910
http://www.riadfarnatchi.com

Exploring the Marrakech, Morocco Souks

Our last stop in Morocco was Marrakech. Marrakech was hectic. The streets were crowded and the vendors were more persistent than other places in Morocco.

Exploring the souks in Marrakech Morocco

Travel Guide :: Exploring the souks in Marrakech Morocco

Mopeds are a huge problem in Marrakech. They release toxic clouds of exhaust as they whiz by you, missing you by a few inches. While walking in the medina, you really have to be constantly vigilant for mopeds. We would return to our riad at the end of the day with our hair smelling like exhaust. I can only hope the government realizes this and takes measures to limit moped traffic in the old medina. I’ll take donkey travel any day!

Travel Guide :: Exploring the souks in Marrakech Morocco

Other than the mopeds, Marrakech was vibrant and beautiful. The Jemaa el-Fnaa is the center of all activity and so fun to wander at night. Here you can find the snake charmers, musicians and story-tellers that Morocco is famous for. There are also numerous open air restaurants selling cheap tagines and kebabs. I read somewhere that in order to keep the food safe for tourists, the government buys back old meat at the end of the night and exchanges it for fresh meat. In addition, it’s probably much safer to watch your food being cooked – who knows what the hidden kitchens of the restaurants we ate in are like?

Marrakech Morocco :: Djemaa el Fnaa

Bab Agnaou is a famous ancient gate in Marrakech. It is one of 19 old gates that give entrance to the kasbah. Check out the huge storks perched on the top!

Marrakech Morocco :: Bab Agnaou Gate & Storks At the gate, a man was selling milk to local people from huge jugs. It doesn’t get much fresher than that. Visiting Marrakech Morocco :: Carte Postale and Fresh Milk _DSC0048

You can find anything for sale in Marrakech, including a toy train featuring a former president chasing down a well known terrorist! People must actually buy this stuff… Visiting Marrakech Morocco :: The Sights

Pat and I found Cafe des Epices a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech. The three terrace cafe sells amazing food and excellent coffee that can be enjoyed while having a birds eye view of the Place des Epices. They served the best harira soup of our trip! Visiting Marrakech Morocco :: Cafe des epices

Visiting Marrakech Morocco :: Cafe des epices I stumbled on an area of the souk where craftsmen sell hand carved wooden tools. For just a couple of bucks, we picked up a few wooden spoons, a juicer and a honey dipper.

Visiting Marrakech Morocco :: Gallery Dar Bellarj We stumbled upon a beautiful art exhibit by Stephane Braud at the gallery Dar Bellarj. I definitely recommend checking out this beautiful gallery space to see if they are offering a (free) exhibition if you are in Marrakech.

Marrakech is the place to stock up on spices before you head home. There were also many home remedies to choose from, with something to cure pretty much anything that ails you. Visiting Marrakech Morocco :: The spice souk

Visiting Marrakech Morocco :: The spice souk

We also found the black soap that is used for hammams (turkish baths). Not much to look at, but so nice for the skin! Visiting Marrakech Morocco :: Black Soap

We checked out Marrakech’s most famous mosque, Koutoubia. The inside is only open to Muslims. The minaret (main tower) is so striking, especially when contrasted with the busy streets that surround it! Visiting Marrakech Morocco :: Koutoubia Mosque

Visiting Marrakech Morocco :: Koutoubia Mosque

For our last night in town, we splashed out for a nice dinner at Maison MK.

Maison MK Marrakech, Morocco

Maison MK specialized in ‘barefoot 5 star’ experience. They have food that is more modern French than Moroccan-inspired, and it was incredible! They have a set dinner menu that is 650 dirhams ($80 USD) per person for a five course meal. The food was exceptional, the service was flawless and the head chef, Omar, even came out to say hi to each table at the end of the meal. I definitely recommend booking ahead to secure a table.

Maison MK Marrakech, Morocco

To Do & See in Marrakech:

Cafe Des Epices
Place Rahba Lakdima
Place des Epices
Marrakech, Morocco
+212.524.391.770
http://www.cafedesepices.net

Dar Bellarj Gallery
7-9, Toualate Zauouiate Lahdar
Marrakech-Medina, Morocco
Tel: +212(0)524 44 45 55
[email protected]

Bab Agnaou Gate
Avenue Hassan II,
Marrakech 40000, Morocco

Koutoubia Mosque & Minaret
Avenue Mohammed V
Marrakech, Morocco

Maison MK Restaurant & Riad
14 Derb Sebaai
Bab Lksour
Marrakech 40000, Morocco
212.5243.76173
http://www.maisonmk.com

Our Morocco Adventure:

Our Morocco Adventure Map

Things I’m Loving

Introducing :: A Side of Sweet

Running Blonde is now A Side of Sweet!

xo,

Here is what you can expect for the new A Side of Sweet:

Baked French Toast with Whipped Greek Yogurt & Candied Chai Pecans

Martha Stewart’s Macaroni and Cheese

Night of Luxury at Riad Farnatchi Marrakech

Other stories from our Moroccan adventure:

Exploring the Marrakech, Morocco Souks

Other stories from our Moroccan adventure: