walt

i met a new friend today at the bus stop, he was an older man, a korean war vet, and i left our conversation with a few key quotes that i hope i won't soon forget:

"time goes by so fast"

"you have to see the humor in things"

"i always loved my friday commute on the ferry because i drank a martini at the bar on the boat, best commute there is"

We discussed his job at the transit system, commuting and the earthquake of '89. i hope to meet up with him again on my commute, maybe it'll be on the ferry and we can have a drink together.  I hope to enjoy life as fully as he seemed too. 

sweet things

       via sparkletrue

these little birds were given to me by my sweet fiancee today. i love the shape and the simple nature of the design on the wings. he is too good to me.

chocolate chip cookies

cooking is a hobby that i don't make time to pursue necessarily but when the free time presents itself that's what i fill it with. last october before i acquired an additional job, i made bread, as in i kneaded it and let it rose and baked it in my oven. i made a pie last semester too and something very valuable i've learned from working upstairs is that throwing food together is a viable cooking option. i have a new stir fry recipe and an excellent meat loaf under my belt already. 

its something i love doing for and with people. 

food blogs have considerably expanded my horizons in this arena. i believe i've mentioned this before with the delectable tomato sauce. but now i'm hooked. deb and i are besties. (or would be if she knew who i was. ) on her smitten kitchen blog she divulges many food secrets and delicious recipes. she's hilarious and her recipes have been pretty much fool-proof (except if your like me and try short cuts that extend the process by about 2 hours and much manual labor, as in the case of the pie but it was tasty okay so just do what she says) 

in the instance of these cookies they are perfect. they are just like she describes them, crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle. i'm pretty sure they cure all woes. i make the whole batch, role the dough up and flash freeze the balls, then put them in a plastic bag where they keep for quite a while, perfect for a yummy home made pick me up. make them!

all thank you's can be made in the form of a cookie delivery. 

chrissy field

my favorite part of working here is walking the dogs on chrissy field. we are always the center of attention. people want to know what kind they are and they constantly make new friends with people and dogs alike. you take your life in  your own hands if you let them smell your treats. 

the bridge looks different every day, i love it when it reflects on the water.

found things

my planner has been found! yay, it was in the cushions of a couch in the academic building. i reached in there actually but didn't look underneath. thank you lee in facilities and emily for holding onto it for me. my planner and i are never going near a couch again. hehe. 

and the sun came out today, woohoo!

Bechelli's

I love breakfast. i love the mix of sweet and savory, say pancakes and eggs or other combination. i love starting my day with something warm and filling. i love conversation as a day begins. yet, i've walked by bechelli's many times without stopping. it has everything going for it but with so many delicious morning options i had not tried it yet.

 my dad's asked me about it and the hornthal's have even said it was the best place in the neighborhood. 

so when bekah and i wanted some breakfast this morning, bechelli's it was. it was very quaint, with green booths and a large counter. they played sara bareilles and it was a lovely way to start a gloomy, rainy morning. i enjoyed my banana pancakes and sausage immensely and you can't forget the huge diner mug of coffee. 

lost things

i swear there is a black hole where some of my favorite things lie. they just disappear. books, hats, important notes, etc. where things, once they get fed up with me, jaunt off too. 

one item that just recently joined this list was my planner. i should be grateful its only a month in. i realize that i'm too attached to it and knew this day would come. 

moleskine designed the perfect book for my notes and my schedule and it was really more of a journal. a collection of my life for me to remember and look at and to try and keep me on time. 

 i've called the school, i've relived my steps multiple times across the whole weekend, i've ordered searches of specific rooms and checked under the lining of my bag. 

if you came into contact with me at all this weekend i would greatly appreciate it if you would check your cars, your rooms, or any other place where you and i came into contact. or you think we might have or that you think a planner would like to hide.

i will have a memorial service soon and this probably marks my full transition to an online calendar. such as teux deux . sad day.

ships

ships have always struck a cord with me. I read a great book as a girl called The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Its about a british girl who crossed the Atlantic in a ship and learns how to sail and gets caught up in the drama of a boat run by a cruel captain. the drama and salt air are intoxicating.

 

i love the idea of traveling the open seas by the stars and the storms that make you realize how small you really are. 

on sundays small sailboats fill the bay. 

steam cargo ships chug through every evening when i walk the dogs. 

when i went to camp we sailed in sail boats and almost drowned, atleast dumped the boat over, multiple times. 

ships are the most romantic form of travel i know and i hope to sail in one soon. 

direction

most of my life these days is spent looking for direction. which out of the many paths ahead will i take. what will that mean? what will be the key directors and factors that swayed my decision?this past weekend was spent in a capstone workshop. i am now headed down a path of colonialism theory, ethics and of course coffee. atleast one journey has begun.

rain

When will it stop raining? good grief. while puddles, rain boots and rain drops on windows are lovely. biking, picking up poo in the rain and wet pants are not. i guess you have to take the good with the bad but seriously, i've had enough. 

lucky me

While I have been meaning to make a list of things that make me smile I have procrastinated. I hate that often I don't do the things that I know are important and meaningful. But my friend Jordan made one so today I am no longer procrastinating, 

Why I'm very lucky

 The bridge and the bay in its vast beauty and ever changing-ness

jacob's face on ichat

     reading for pleasure and necessity

      certainty and possibility

         surprising people

           conversation with friends

            coffee

Fancy Food Show

Today was excellent. I acquired a pass to attend the Fancy Food Show, which filled the Moscone Center with delicious, Specialty delights. I tried cheese with whisky in it, I don't know how they did it but it was excellent, lattes from an italian barista with art on the top, chocolates of all kinds and I bought a siphon pot. Its the best way to brew coffee, its a form of vacuum brewing that allows the true flavors to be revealed. Not to mention that its just fun to do. 

The grounds are placed in the top and the water in the bottom, Once it starts boiling the water is pulled up into the grounds and brews for 60 seconds. When it is removed from the boiler the coffee comes back through the filter and into the pot, ready to be enjoyed. Yum. 

Tomato Sauce

I love food blogs. My favorite is Smitten Kitchen, i've made two of her pie recipes already which were a smashing success. Today, another rainy day which needed a warm remedy, i checked her website and was mesmerized by her simple pasta recipe. It sounded incredible and i had 2/3rds of the ingredients. It was fate. I had to make it. So i pedaled over to the store, in a brief break from the rain, and picked up my tomatoes, only one can left, confirmation once again that i was on the right track and pedaled home. I cut, I simmered and 45 minutes later, the only sauce making deterrent. I had a pot of the most delicious pasta sauce ever. It truly is in the butter. 

T.ruffles

I've seen this blog on the web before but it really hits the spot on a rainy day. Kitschy cute pictures and sweet words by a lovely pair. 

Saturday

While I work saturday afternoon i like to try to find something fun to do during the day. Deanne called and was up for an adventure so she dropped by around lunch time. We went to Baker Beach. I searched for sea glass but I'm going to have to go back at low tide. The view of the bridge is beautiful from there. What a wonder. 

Sushi was next on the agenda. Kitaro on Geary has cheap, delicious rolls. I had the 49ers and tempura. I love spicy tuna. 

We zipped by Alamo Square and Deanne saw the view of the Painted Ladies from Full House. 

The craving for Pacific Puffs led us down Filmore and I tried the chocolate puff this time. Wow it was incredible. The cream was perfectly vanilla and smooth. Perfect. 

And to top it off as we rode around the city I looked to my left and a woman in a statue of liberty costume, (middle of the day, no occasion) is doing the splits. only in San Francisco.

The Power of Stories

Don Miller is an exceptional human being by being not so exceptional. His way with words and stories lets you see the struggles that you, yourself experience in a a new light. His words are what set him apart. The way he expresses himself puts you in the story and attached to those around him. Stories drive our existence.

 I loved Blue Like Jazz, even though everyone else read it and it took me a while to read it myself, i know, dumb. 

Every book after has struck a new chord. I need to read his newest work but I also recently found his blog. I am so excited! Don Miller's thoughts accessible on a regular basis. 

Specialty Coffee

I am reading Black Gold: A Dark History of Coffee. Its been exciting to discover new questions and inquiry for my thesis but overwhelming as well as I realize what I need to synthesis and where I need to go. What an interesting industry with such a devilish history? I can't wait to learn more.

Whimsical Wednesday

Well, typically I work all day Wednesday but as I got off early I wandered Chestnut a bit. A couple of new restaurants caught my eye: One called delarosa with a delicious looking take on italian food and a wide ranging beer list. They are also open until 1am unusual in this area. Tacolicious is new as of last week and looks delectable. With taco's and small cocktails being the main attractions. 

I stopped at Paper Source and bought a note book to record my capstone information. Its cute but hopefully serious enough for this project. We'll see what use it fits.

I peeked in at Blue Barn and had a cup of Blue Bottle Coffee. It was good, but Bella Donavan is not my favorite. Its a bit sharp but did have some nice citrus notes.

Then I proceeded to read the entire Real Simple Weddings 2010. Hmm... I'm just not sure I'm cut out for the whole wedding deal. But they did have some great ideas. I am counting on having more time/desire to focus on it in the future....I hope that's not wishful thinking. We'll see. I just want to be married, I don't want to pay or plan for a wedding. 

The Mission

I love the Mission District of San Francisco. The nooks and crannies, the street art, the people, the food, the shopping. It all combines to form a very unique fragrance that lingers after visiting the place. While much could and should be said about gentrification the pluses of urban renewal are many. Return to cities is an important action that shows faithfulness to places that were once discarded or thought "too bad" to ever be recovered. 

On to more interesting subjects ;).....Ice cream. I rave about many subjects and favorites and to die for places to my friends. Bi-Rite Ice cream is one of those places and it happens to be in the Mission District. One friend, Bekah, doesn't even like ice cream but I insisted, this is different, you've never had anything like it. She agreed to try it but often times many things stood in our way such as work, school, responsibilities, ick. But here it is, January and the sunlight of freedom has broken through the clouds. Bekah and I finally made it to Bi-Rite and she was won over. They hand make each batch with Clover organic milk and local ingredients. My personal favorite is the Ritual Coffee Toffee. Ritual is another incredible coffee roaster in the area and their coffee shines through in every bite. We sampled many of the flavors and she realized the greatness of the cinnamon with snickerdoodle. Though she decided on salted carmel and coffee toffee. 

We'll have to go back for their famous balsamic strawberry though as it wasn't there that day.

 What a delicious way to spend an afternoon with a good friend. 

Monday

I have a new app on my phone that allows me to mess with pictures I take. I love this one of the bridge. Its always changing. I cannot convey what color the water is at times like this. I need a new word, gray-blue-bayish or something. Its inadequate, the way I feel here though is awe pure and simple. It takes my breath away every day by a new glimpse of the bay's beauty. 

Farmer's Market

One of my favorite places in San Francisco, hands down, is the Ferry Building Farmer's Market. Its an excellent example of California farmer's and excellent food, coffee, sweets and other goodies. They even have an independent bookstore. My favorite food location is Primavera, its a delectable take on fresh Mexican food and Boulette's larder with the best selection of every spice you'd ever need. Blue Bottle goes with out saying as the best coffee in the place but you'll have to wait in line. Its worth it. The cappuccino is unbeatable and their standards on buying etc are uncompromising. 

Wandering this area is the best way to enjoy a Saturday morning. 

January

I love the slower pace of January. I am trying to appreciate its cold and the lack of deadlines. Getting ahead of the game is essential but not stressful, yet. 

I am reading "God In A Cup", an incredible book about the specialty coffee industry. The focus on growers, and the development of quality, high priced coffee is so intriguing and complex. I have to go to Ethiopia. I must experience the birthplace of coffee, with the thousands of varieties and the traditions that surround the beverage. 

Wedding details are also at the point where I can still explore and not make decisions. I have become lost many times in all the online options. There is an exceptional paper store on etsy called ello there. I love their unique invitations and silhouettes. 

happy weekend!

Puff Pastry

So wedding dress trying on was fun but the true joy was when we tried Pacific Puffs. 

I tasted the fruit one with strawberries and they enjoyed the classic, which was covered in chocolate. delish. I have ridden the bus past it many times and my curiosity was satiated, while my taste buds were not, when it was right across the street from the dress shop. perfection. 

Portland

basically I love traveling and when my brother went to Lewis and Clark in Portland I jumped at the chance to visit this beautiful city. We had a great time and I feel in love, with the food, the coffee, the book stores and the incredible Ace Hotel. And then to seal the deal today I found this, a wedding dress shop called the English Dept. As a former English major this strikes many chords in my heart and they appear to have a lovely, unique collection of dresses. I am itching to travel, maybe this would be a good excuse? 

I am going to try on dresses in San Francisco though, so i'm sure i'll come across enough beautiful pieces as it is,  I know which one I want but figure I should give the others a chance as well. But as "they" say, when you know, you know. so we'll see.

A New Year

This is a big year. I am graduating and getting married and feel that these are important things to document. January has been off to a great start with much exploring and hanging out. The beauty of this place is astounding. I must absorb as much as possible because of the uncertainty of the future. That's how you should live all of life though, really. I plan to do just that this year.