Visits

It's been a week and a half or so of visits. At least.


Picking back up with the visit from Ian's cousin James and the adorable Eleanor (who, because of the snorgles, snarfles, snuggles, and grunts affectionately became known as Piggy). It was a pretty relaxing visit--usually dinners at home, except the last night we treated ourselves to Belden Place (it was a beautiful night). By the end of their visit (Thursday), Piggy became known as Piggy the Destructor. Although she's completely precious, she had a way with chewing, peeing,and throwing up in the homestead. The grand finale being noticed after they left...the kitchen cabinets. Alas, Piggy the Destructor left her mark. But gosh darn, look at that face!



Also Thursday, Ian was packing himself for the redeye to NC for his Dad's surprise birthday weekend. Having been super sad I couldn't go (darn airline tickets!! and their prices, too!), I had to call for reinforcements, and after dropping Ian off at the airport, I quickly prepared for the next round of visits, with my bff Steph.

The next work day--ah, the first day of Spring. A day of working from home, skipping out early and meeting my friend Katie on Fillmore Street for a late lunch. Back home just in time to pick Steph up from the airport.


Not to bore too much with the details, but the highlight of the trip had to be Napa on Saturday. Being a member at Cosentino sure paid off--well worth it. And Cakebread this time was a much different experience than last (for the better). Although rain threatened all weekend, it ended up being wonderful, and we had a great time.





Another trip to the airport (this time to pick Ian up at 1:00 am Monday morning)....happy to have him home. He dropped Steph off at the airport later that day, and Ian and I were alone in the house for the first time in well over a week...*sigh*


A week full of client happy hours, dinner and drinks with a friend from NY, dinner with friends Friday night, Ian's freelance...well, it goes on.

This weekend=BEAUTIFUL! We had a pretend North Carolina day yesterday--errands like Lowe's and Home Depot in South San Francisco. Exhausted us. It's been a very long time since we had to drive places, park, go into a big box store, get back in the car, drive somewhere else, park, go into another big box store. We both got home thinking--thank goodness we don't have to do this anymore. The one other happiness that was so North Carolina is that while at Lowe's, I bought some flowers for my window boxes and a huge hydrangea bush for the patio. It looks lovely out there.

But at least it was sunny--in the 70's! We had started our day with a delicious brunch at Absinthe--and this morning, following our rule of 1 brunch having to be someplace new, we took the J down to 24th St in Noe Valley and tried a new place complete with patio--Savor. Pretty good. That neighborhood is so freaking cute.




This afternoon, I spent a lot of time outside--I laid up on the roof for a bit (again trying to relive an east coast lifestyle, pretending it's actually hot). I then decided to get off my butt, walk around the city, and shoot some medium format pictures. I used to love taking pictures--somewhere between it all (having a hubby who also loves to, maybe, or his dad who does it for a living--maybe that's intimidating?), I simply haven't been. So, I dug up my old 120 film, my Seagull and Holga, and took to the streets for a couple hours. I struggled with even loading the Seagull it had been so long. All I remembered was that it had to be in a dark place--after struggling in the closet for awhile, I ended up having to look up instructions. The last time I distinctly remember loading that camera was in Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Sitting in a darkened pew. Taking my time. Listening to the hushed voices of tourists making their lap around, snapping photos.

Everyone in San Francisco was out. It made for great people watching, and a good way to spend the afternoon. Bi-Rite Ice Cream's line rounded the corner of Dolores, the park was like an enormous quilt--each piece was someone else's blanket or towel, people gingerly stepping between groups of friends.

Ian and I made some dinner, ate on the patio, and here we are.....

Micah and Marianna are coming on Thursday night---yeehaw! The visitors continue, and with each wave comes some new happiness and good times....can't wait to see them. Yes, you guys.

Things that make you happy

It's the little things. So cliche, I know, but sometimes you have to focus on all the little things that you know will make you happy to maintain a positive attitude.

It's not even that I typically have a negative attitude. But maybe it's because I make effort to think about happiness and things that might impact it, and am proactive about making sure it's right there with me.

This week, it's all about little things that make me happy about my work environment. It starts with the decision to always have fresh flowers at my desk. I looooovvve flowers. I love them at home, but when I work all day I don't get to enjoy them as much.

So, I brought one of my favorite, most compact, fun, and non-breakable vases to the office (thanks K-Dawg for the vase!), to continually keep full with whatever the bloom of the week might be. I have several flower stands accessbile from my office, so it will be a lovely treat to step out once a week and pick up a delight.

The other thing I got was a new mug from the Anthropologie across the street. Makes me SO happy with it's cheerful colors, and built-in grooves for the wrapping of the fingers. Yessss....my coffee never tasted better.

Seattle! Again.

Last week found me in Seattle for work. Yippee. What was more yippee about it was that Ian came along. Yippee [squared].

He even took me to the airport at the crack of dawn...not even dawn. We left the house at 4 am. There's something wrong with arriving by plane to a place about the same time you'd just be waking up. Luckily, my room at the W was ready (and I'm now gold status...woohoo), so I was able to check in, hop on my conference call, and order up some coffee.

Walked to a newer Microsoft office that afternoon for a meeting. It was my first time there, and albeit cold, a nice mile-long stroll. Scenery was nothing to complain about.

The other cool thing about the office was my first exposure to green flushing. Not only were the handles of les toilettes covered in a green anti-bacterial plastic, but they were accompanied by a sign that read "flush up for #1, and down for #2." All having to do with water conservation of course, but I wonder if we could start a new movement? A code for having to go #2 could be: "Yeah, I have to go down, but I'll be ready to go in a minute." It sounds nicer than just about any other euphimism for having to make a #2.

Anyway, Ian got in that night and we splurged at a former McKinney client, Capital Grille. Splurged meaning, dinner cost more money than Ian's plane ticket to Seattle.

I was looking like the cartoon character from the Puff's commercials at that point. Feeling sick with a sinus infection--it was a rough night. The next morning, Carrie (my boss) and I were both referred to Life Shield at Whole Foods. Who knew the power of mushrooms? We've been using it, and I think it works splendidly. The girl said that anytime she feels sickness coming on, just a few sprays in her throat and she recovers beautifully!

Ian and I hung with Paul and Carrie over the weekend. The main highlight for me---well, there's a few. But Saturday night, we made a late dinner--we had gone to Pike Place and bought Dungeness crab, filets, and wine. Anyway, delicious delicious dinner at their place. Another highlight would be the crazy gorgeous snow--large flakes the size of baseballs Sunday morning. I miss snow.

Ian and I flew home amidst many hours of delays, and had about an hour before James arrived with puppy Eleanor in tow. Nice! Good surprise that Ian's coz needed a change of scenery from LA to work on his exceptionally smart and adorable children's book. We love having him. Here's a shot of Ian at the grocery store, toting the attention-hogging Eleanor in his cart....

All photos courtesy of my Windows Mobile device. Oh yes, the lack of camera is growing more and more apparent.....

Food Photoblog

So, I told you about the Goode family culinary adventures of late, and we finally uploaded pictures from our camera (here's the sad side story about that--Ian uploaded the pictures Friday night so he could take the camera snowboarding in Tahoe yesterday--then he lost the camera somewhere in the powder--poor guy).

Sorry for not including any pictures in the past few posts (bo-rrrring), but that's what takes the most time.  I guess no pictures is better than no post. 

Culinary Adventure One: Valentine's Day--lamb chops with mustard mint sauce, thyme and leek couscous, and roasted asparagus.  Complete with pre-dinner Maker's Marks (yes, heart shaped ice cubes--it was Valentine's Day, after all), and finishing off with a giant cupcake.

Adventure 2: Asparagus Risotto with Seared Sea Scallops

Adventure 3: Homemade French Onion Soup

A Milk Moment

I can't imagine that there is a city that can incite more inspiration, more passion to fight for a cause, or more community, then San Francisco.

Around the time of the election, it came from all sides--protests, marches, propaganda covering every imaginable ounce of space, people, and things.  Ian and I were overwhelmed in a sea of strong opinions.  But it's obviously quieted down considerably.

A couple of weeks ago, Ian and I went to see Milk.  At the Castro Theatre, no less, which was the primary location of the movie.  It was inspiring and incredible, and difficult to believe that there was such intolerance a short time ago.  Much of San Francisco is the same, and perhaps that made it all the more hard-hitting.

Tonight, just at my stop, the F train was about to hit some rocky terrain.  Marches used to be common back in the fall, but now?  It was a surprise.

Proposition 8 is the modern-day Prop 6 from the movie Milk.  If you've seen the movie, then you might have recognized the scene I just saw....Market Street, thousands of people, signs....ready to march.  They were assembling, they were demanding equality, and the police were organizing.

Of course when I mention the police, the portrayal in Milk has long since been abandoned, and I do admire their tolerance in this city--of all the craziness in the streets, all that could be a mob or out of hand, but somehow never makes it that far.  The police are forgiving here, and understand what makes the city hum.

If anything, SF is the city of love love love.  And the protesting is out of love or for the encouragement of love.  Or the right to love.

Oh the rants when I get home.  How much has changed since the times of Harvey Milk, and how little.  

I've never been politically prepossessed, but if any city could change me, if any cause could move me, it exists here.

Some thoughts

I really like riding the F train.  All the trains are different, and they come from all over: Louisville, Milan, Birmingham.  I've come to know a lot of the interiors by their exteriors, but I'm still surprised sometimes.  It seems like some are in circulation more at different times.  I'll have to take pictures of them for you sometime.

The trains from Milan are the prettiest inside (but the least fun to ride in).  They have glass pendant lighting, and wood benches alongside the car.  It has a back door for emergencies only, but people never read that sign and panic when the back door doesn't open: ("Back door, Driver!  BACK DOOR!").  I like to hang out back there so I can tell them to use the middle door.

My favorite trains inside are the ones that feel like a school bus, but have the single seats in the front.  I like those trains because they have the most room, but (as with all F trains), there's a big risk to sitting towards the front--and that's because the front tends to be the smelliest.

One other thing that makes the F different is the amount of homeless, and incredibly smelly, people that get on.  They must have a lot of business up and down Market street, and I never see this many homeless people get on the buses, or on the Muni underground.  Or BART, for that matter. I've had to consciously hold my breath on the F before so I wouldn't be sick.  It smelled that bad.

The F definitely has the most characters.  I can't help but think sometimes of the USA Network's tagline: Characters Welcome.  I feel like that's on the front of every F train.

The last distinction about the F is the conversations going on.  Between strangers (sometimes 3-4 get involved), between people who get to know each other because they ride so often, and my favorite: between the driver and either other passengers, or sometimes other Muni drivers.

I like to eavesdrop on these conversations, because I feel like I get to know how to drive these crazy contraptions (you have to sometimes hit it hard, then let the air out slowly, slowly to stop efficiently).  Or sometimes I just like to see glimpses of humanity--mainly the good, but sometimes some badness seeps through the interactions.

I also think the drivers are typically very friendly--they've waited for me sometimes when I'm across the street, but trying to get to them.  I like how everyone thanks the drivers when they get out.  It's quite the community.  Drivers often know names of their passengers (even, and maybe especially, the homeless).  

I have come to recognize the drivers.  There's this one guy, and I've been noticing that lately he's been unhappy with work.  He used to be extremely friendly and laid back, but the past few times I've ridden with him, he's been snappy to passengers, impatient, and seems frustrated.  I feel bad for him, and sometimes want to tell him I've noticed.

Enough about the F.  My other topic for today: weather.

It's rainy season here in SF.  Rain and rain for days straight.  What's interesting about this rainy spell is that sometimes there are periods of brilliant sunshine in the midst of the rain.  Or, it will pour, the sun will take over and beat down, and the sky will go dark again and resume pouring.  It's been quite beautiful, but I'll be happy when the rain stops.

At least Spare the Air is over (you're not allowed to burn fires on certain days to improve air quality)--because Ian and I are getting ready to make some French Onion Soup, and with that goes a glass of red and a roaring fire.  Thanks, Alton Brown, for the recipe. I even went out and got some new oven safe bowls from Williams Sonoma for the occasion.

It's one of our nights in Culinary Travel.  I know we haven't written in awhile, but we've made some rules about eating out.  One is that we can only eat out for dinner once a week (unless there are extenuating circumstances--like friends or visitors).  We've been cooking instead--lamb chops, cous cous, seared scallops, roasted asparagus risotto.  Yes, be impressed.  We are.

Was this a random post or what?  I walk around writing blog posts in my head all the time, but never actually update the blog.  I'm kind of tired of apologizing for it.  I've thought about canceling the blog (because I hate having it over my head), but that's just silly.  I'll write when I can.  No apologies.