VIVIAN GUZMAN
Helping You Take A Bite Out Of Life
VIVIAN GUZMAN
Life is meant to be lived; cherish the exciting moments, and relish in those all too brief moments of relaxation. I am here to live my own life, and live it passionately. This site serves as a vessel to project my passions, and clue in my loyal followers as to what inspires me in this crazy world. So, read on and enjoy!.
"Oh you need to adopt me!!"
Donna Fehn
“...everything looks so delicious!!
I can't wait to hear all about the trip!”
Christine Pardo
“Little sunshine with a big splash of rainbows... love my Viv!!!”
Bianca Berendei
MASTERING THE IMPORTANT THINGS
COOKING
As a self taught home cook, I let my gut lead the menu and my inspiration flavor the food instead of following a recipe and measuring stuff, I'll use whats in my fridge for supplies instead of running out to get that one ingredient unless of course it's vital. When I eat, I'm already talking about the next meal and start mapping it out. The aroma's that come out of my kitchen may take you to India, Morocco, Greece, Italy, Dominican Republic and I'm always trying out something new that I tried somewhere and now have a hankering for that I must replicate. I simply can talk about food all day because let's face it, Food is life!
DINING OUT
Sometimes I get into a creative rut in my kitchen. When I feel like I'm just defaulting to the same spices & flavors, that's when I know, it's time to dine out. The promise of new spices, textures, a foreign cuisine, fuels my creativity and inspires me to run home to replicate it. For me, a perfect dining experience is getting dolled-up and going out on a date with my husband, surrendering to the ambiance, music, flavors, the whispers of foreign languages...ahh it instantly transports me to India, Morocco, Italy, France or Spain...I just love it!
A chef friend of mine gave me a valuable dining-out tip...he told me to ask the waiters what their favorite meal is. They will usually help guide your tastebuds when needed. And when I really love the chef's creations, I nudge the staff to let the chef know, to encourage them to come out to chat with me. When they do it's like meeting my new favorite rockstar.
So, I say take it all in whenever you dine-out…whether it’s at a fine-dining restaurant or at a local food truck.
Bon appetit!
ENTERTAINING
You know you love entertaining when you choose to slave for a few days, feel like a harried mess, run around like a chicken without a head and sign up for more. This is certainly true of me.
My house is the hub for entertaining and I always try to make my parties filled with fun and good food. I usually make something organic and healthy. If I know in advance, I’ll avoid things my guests can't eat, but often times I just groove with my own jam.
I think the toughest part for me is deciding what to cook? How do I come up with a menu?
When deciding who to invite, my aim is to orchestrate a groovy crew that will harmonize together in personality and temperament and who will add the spice to the vibe. My home is my sanctuary, I love growing my circle of friends but only to people whom I feel love and who respect life.
TRAVEL
I'm always itching to go and return to places I've traveled like Spain, Italy, France, London, Japan, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico...and many states around the U.S. I love the food, the culture, the history being immersed in it's enormity. I have this dream that a wonderful stranger will make me a home cooked meal. To render yourself, a little speck in a sea of people whose language you don't speak, to manage to communicate somehow and understand each other is profound, for it reminds us that we all want to connect that we are all the same, hungry & curious.
HEALTH
I'm an incorrigible hedonist who exclusively eats organic food & exercises incessantly. So I guess that makes me "bi-polarly" health conscious.
In 2013, my unabashed joy of shoveling all types of food down my throat came to an abrupt end. Life post "leaky-gut" is a pain in the…but. Yes, I'm healthy now, but I went through the ringer for about 2 years. Some would think the experience would have made me a model vegetarian, frothed in yoga & zen, but unless I get kidnapped by some Buddhist monks and my bottles of bubbly are yanked from my freshly painted finger tips and forcibly replaced with some magical Himalayan tea (Does that even exist? It actually sounds delicious.) it just aint happening. I know…I know…I have a long way to go. I'm always aiming for a paleo diet but I fall short in front of a pizza, or a bowl of pasta amatriciana. My saving grace is that I always eat organic and locally sourced food and I love all of it. I suppose this ailment taught me to find healthier substitutions and to be mindful of my body. Trust me, I struggle with it, and yes I acquiesce and sometimes I say to hell with it and suffer the consequences...one fine day, I'll find my grace. Grace, where did you go?
BEAUTY
I'm unapologetic about my love for cosmetics. I know beauty emanates from within, to me it's that certain confidence or swag that you exude, but I'm not always feeling confident, so putting on a face whether it's false lashes, or concealer (a must for me), and a fabulous lipgloss, it all helps to save my mood, it's the "Fake it till I feel it!" philosophy that I live by.
ABOUT ME
My Story
What is it that fuels each and every one of us in this world? For me, it's my passion for the good life, a drive to discover, find, create and share all the things that are beautiful from the wondrous to the mundane to the deep and emotional stuff that wracks our souls because it's life and perhaps in sharing it, we can find that silver lining together. May my passionate pursuits make your day a little brighter. May my food fuel your soul & may the life I live serve to connect us, let the adventures begin!