not native

Not native, never will be

2009-07-27T12:08:00.001-07:00

My two readers already know this, but as of this Friday, July 31st, I will say good-bye to New York City, and subsequently, this blog. I had the best intentions of staying in New York for at least two years to experience life on the East Coast: the golden autumn, snowy winter, sprightly spring, and sweltering summer. The pizza, bagels, wings, and Shake Shack. And the subway trains and cab rides, the masses of people and the tall buildings.I managed to do a lot of the things I wanted during my time here, including:

An off-Broadway play, "God of Carnage" (of which I had always meant to blog about and which actually won a Tony award this year)
a ballet production of "Romeo and Juliet" at the Lincoln Center
a New Yorker Festival event
a Mets game
a NY Rangers game
an air guitar regional championship
the AIDS Walk
visits to the Guggenheim, Natural History Museum, MOMA
Afternoons talking bikes at Continuum Cycles
2 trips to Fire Island
2 trips to Naples, Fl
1 trip to London
a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
Many visits to Pegu Club and to our local Community Food and Juice (which was blighted by a kitchen fire what seems like many months ago, boo! Re-open before we leave, please?)
Many bike rides through Manhattan, Central Park and along the Hudson

All fun activities that made me fall in love with this city. But I also spent the whole year alternately wishing each of my respective home cities, San Francisco and New York, could be a little more like the other. Unfortunately, I think I will always suffer from wanderlust. Thank you, New York. I guess if I can make it here, I can make it anywhere.

Midsummer review

2009-07-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

How does that saying go again? If a blog (with very few readers to begin with) is left unattended in cyberspace, it not only dies, but also doesn't make a sound? That has unfortunately become the fate of this blog. Perhaps if I had a more functional MacBook this past year (one that, in fact, functions), I probably would have been more diligent with my posts.

I would have followed up on our fabulous trip to London, where we admired many a fixie in Clerkenwell, gorged on the gluttonous bacon butties and chips at Smith of Smithfield's (SOS).
drank a Fruli here and there,and strolled along the Thames.I would have also summed up our second trip to Fire Island. The weather wasn't as great this time around, but the ferry ride was still funand it was great to see the same endearing wagons awaiting us at the Seaview Ferry Terminal.There have also been picnics on the fire escape, complete with pitchers of Pimm's.Combined with last weekend's Fourth of July feast of smoky chipotle pork burgers, sweet potato fries, buttered corn on the cob with cayenne pepper, BBQ baked beans, a homemade peach and blueberry crostata,and our new puppy, Lucie, it's safe to say we've been busy and up to good things in New York.

Ye Olde English Holiday 2009

2009-05-26T05:14:00.000-07:00

We sneaked away to London for a bit of a transatlantic holiday. Three initial fashion observations:

(1) Unbeknownst to me, Brit blokes love American Eagle shirts and are rocking a popped collar look.
(2) Ladies, buy your floral print dresses and accessories now before the English roses move on to the next hot trend. (Try not to look like Elaine from Seinfeld, circa 1993).
(3) Leggings. Still.

Pictures and day-by-day posts anon!

Sunday sunset, Riverside Park

2009-04-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

Like a bloomin' onion!

2009-04-16T07:48:00.001-07:00

Spring has officially sprung! The tulips and daffodils are standing, cheery and proud along Broadway.Combined the flowering magnolia and cherry blossom trees, even the most mundane morning walk to work has become ephemeral and dreamy. Time to dust off the old blog and write about some springtime adventures!

Biking along the Greenway

2009-03-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

New York City: simply saying those words conjures up images of honking yellow taxi cabs, a maze of whirring subway lines, and Pace picante salsa. But it's amazing how much the city really opens up to you on a bike. Yesterday, we took our fixies out for a ride along the Greenway path that circles the island. What a great city resource! The light wasn't so great, and I only had my iPhone camera on me, but the weather was just fine for a bike ride. We started by heading down the West Side Highway bike path.From there, we went all the way down, past the ambling tourists, through Battery Park to South Street where we could see the Brooklyn Bridge and the clipper ship in the distance.We decided not to ride into Brooklyn this time, but paused to admire the bridge from its base.Biking further east, we passed the Manhattan Bridge.We almost made it to the Williamsburg Bridge, but decided to get off the path for a late lunch of panini from 'Inoteca (home of the famous egg truffle toast).This time, we ordered the coppa, pepperocini spread, and fontina panino and the fontina, roasted garlic, and red chili panino, mmm.
From there, we did a bit of dodgy weaving between cars and cabs on Houston to get back to the West Side Highway path for a straight shot home.

The fresh, the good, and the ugly of Saturday

2009-03-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

Having a late lunch at Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station Making stews and panroasts since 1913 Oohing and ahhing over glassware, espresso cups, and bits and bobs at Fishs Eddy Retching at the ugliness of Ed Hardy glassware and home accessories at Macy's. (Who the hell buys that crap??)Seriously?

36 Hours in NY (give or take a few)

2009-03-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

A weekend in review

Friday, February 27th
Attempt to eat arepas at Caracas, a Venezulan eatery featured in "Throwdown with Bobby Flay." Find an hour and 45 minute wait, so walk to Bua for drinks. Nibble on Berkshire pork sliders, split a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches on Blue Ribbon Pullman loaf (one taleggio, one aged Irish cheddar) and imbibe a few cocktails to quell the appetite.

Return to Caracas, order a sampling of their finest arepas, such as the La Sureña, with grilled chicken and chorizo, and the Reina Pepiada, with chicken and avocado. Take a walk around the East Village, passing Tompkins Square Park, whilst partaking in the unseasonably warm weather.

Feel surprisingly peckish with a hankering for ramen, so head to Ippudo. Observe the strange ratio of hovering wait staff to customers and witness your hostess actually burn her hair accidentally in a candle on the table. Wait for unpleasant smell to dissipate. Get your bowls of ramen. Slurp, enjoy, then walk to the Union Square station to get home.

Saturday, February 28th
Fill up on a freshly toasted Absolute Bagel with jalepeño cream cheese to power you through the day. Properly fed, head to the Guggenheim to take in "The Third Mind" exhibition. Soak in all the culture until you can't take anymore, then wander the Upper East Side. Attempt to enjoy a late lunch at Flex Mussels, find it closed, so scavenge for something else. Happen upon Andre's Cafe & Bakery. Find old-world service (i.e., slow), but scrumptious comfort in veal goulash, chicken paprikash, a chicken paprikash crepe, meat crepe, mushroom soup and a deliciously flaky apple strudel for dessert.

Digest by walking down Lexington to a 6 train station stop. Hop on the train to SoHo for swanky cocktails at Pegu Club.Discover the most phenomenal cocktails ever, in quite possibly, the most relaxing place in Manhattan. While away a few hours and be ballers by ordering almost every cocktail on the menu. Feel blissfully unwound.

Sober up with a tasty Greek dinner of mezes, including crispy cod and sheep's milk ravioli topped with fried shallots, at Kefi, in the Upper West Side. Slumber, deeply.

Sunday, March 1st
Return to the Lower East Side for brunch at Inoteca. Savor the best thing of the weekend, the truffle egg toast with bottarga (cured tuna roe) and sautéed asparagus tips. Order two.Hop on the F train to check out the Brooklyn Flea in DUMBO. Support local crafters and printmakers. Warm up with a cup of tea and possibly a Mudslide cookie from Jacques Torres. Go for a stroll, accidentally head into the projects attempting to walk to Williamsburg. Find a subway station back to Manhattan to take a train to Williamsburg instead.

Check out the discounted wares at Brooklyn Industries, then cross the street to Peter Luger for an early dinner reservation. Feast on an old-school steakhouse meal of shrimp cocktail, tomato and onion salad, creamed spinach, German style potatoes, a porterhouse steak, and 2 rib eyes to split. Fall asleep on the train back to the Upper West Side.

Say good-bye to your friends visiting from San Francisco. Wish that the two cities were closer so that you wouldn't have to gorge yourselves so ridiculously in such a short period of time.

Oh, and...

2009-03-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

My all time favorite store (ever), Topshop is finally opening its doors in NYC! Things are looking up this spring...

Aw yeah!

2009-03-05T19:13:00.001-08:00

Say hello to my new love! I can't wait for spring!

Late February notes

2009-02-25T10:39:00.000-08:00

Oh boy. It's almost been a month since my last post -- a rather tame confession on this Ash Wednesday. Not that the past few weeks were uneventful. I turned 30(!) and celebrated that justly with a night out and an extravagant dinner at Dovetail (more on that later).After that, I squeezed in an impromptu trip to SF to catch up with friends. Started the weekend with the Ferry Building Farmers Market breakfast of champions -- some Primavera chilequiles and fresh snapper and shrimp tostadas. Caught a bit of the rain-free Chinese New Year Parade,and walked through Sutro Heights Park to the Land's End trail.Also had time to feast at two of my favorite restaurants, Bar Crudo and Delfina Pizzeria, for dinner. I know it's been raining cats and dogs in SF lately, but that weekend, SF had New York beat.

NYC Ramen Tour #3: Ippudo

2009-01-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

Friday night, Evan and I finally tried the famed and much hyped Japanese ramen noodle chain, Ippudo. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures, but we probably would have been tsk'd and shamed if we even tried -- not by the restaurant itself, but by the weirdly uptight, too-cool for school clientele. Ippudo has a trendy, clubby atmosphere, which I would have preferred to take in from one of their bar seats versus from one of their communal tables. Whatever your preference, it's definitely a lively scene.

As for the ramen, it really didn't disappoint. Evan called it "contemporary Japanese ramen," which seems like an appropriate description. In the realm of New York City ramen shops, Men Kui Tei is the old-school, old-world Mom and Pop shop, while Ippudo is the dolled up, sophisticated, and a little rebellious daughter.

I ordered the Tonkotsu ramen special and Evan ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu ramen. Both were superb in terms of savory, porcine broth flavor and springy noodle freshness; far better than Minca. The only complaint I have, besides the atmosphere, is the lack of pork. Props to Ippudo for using top quality, deliciously tender Berkshire Pork, but one thin slice is pretty piddly for a $13 bowl of soup. (Please sir, I want some more!) Still, I'd definitely return. Perhaps not for dinner, but absolutely for lunch.

Ippudo
65 4th Ave., New York, NY 10003

Best discovery of the weekend

2009-01-25T05:47:00.000-08:00

Oh, Dr. Brown, where have you been all my life? I've never been a regular imbiber of sodas, save the occasional frothy mug of root beer with a slice of pizza, but upon a trip to Artie's Delicatessen, I found a new refreshing soda to love. Behold: Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray Soda.Flavored with celery seed extract, according to Wikipedia, this soda is apparently fairly easy to find in New York City, but rather obscure outside the region. I've been hoping for a vegetal flavored comeback of this sort after I first tried an inspired and subtly nuanced cocktail featuring fresh celery juice at The Alembic on Haight Street, in San Francisco. Sadly, I don't see it offered on the current cocktail menu. I'll have to see if I can recreate that cocktail, but until then, I'll be sipping Cel-Ray when I can. Anyone know where, or if it's sourced anywhere in the Bay Area?

Day #5, Veggie Challenge

2009-01-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

Full disclosure: we may have consumed some chicken wings in a night of drinking for a coworker's good-bye. What can I say, except that meat eating habits tend to resurface after four gin and tonics, oops. But, we did get back on the wagon yesterday, starting with a lunch consisting of slices of Zucchini and Gruyere, Cauliflower and Gruyere, funghi, and tomato pizza from Grandaisy Bakery.Our day ended with a restaurant quality dinner of Jamie Oliver's Mushroom Risotto with Garlic, Thyme and Parsley. Definitely don't miss the meat in this dish. It requires a bit of attention and frequent testing to make sure the rice isn't overcooked, but is otherwise an easy, but impressive meal -- and the last of our vegetarian challenge.All in all, a good week of delicious eats!

Mushroom Risotto with Garlic, Thyme and Parsley
From Jamie Oliver's The Naked Chef
Serves 6

approximately 1 quart stock (chicken, fish or vegetable as appropriate)
1 T olive oil
3 finely chopped shallots or 2 medium onions
1/2 head of celery, finely chopped (discard any tough outer ribs)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
14 oz risotto rice
1/2 c dry white vermouth (dry Martini or Noilly Prat) or dry white wine
5 T butter
3-3 1/2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Sauteed Mushroom Recipe
9 oz fresh mushrooms (one type, or a mixture)
3 T olive oil
1 small handful of thyme, chopped
salt
1 handful of parsley, roughly chopped
1 pinch of chili powder
a squeeze of lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

Stage 1: Prep the mushrooms
Slice the mushrooms thinly, or tear depending on the type (see above), in half. Don't cook all the mushrooms at once - do them in 2 or 3 batches. In a very hot pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and add the mushrooms and thyme. Cook for a bout 1 minutes, toss them, then add the garlic and a pinch of salt. (It is important with mushrooms to season them slightly, as they cook.) Cook for another couple of minutes then taste, then add some parsley, a very small pinch of chili powder, a squeeze of lemon juice and a little pepper. Toss again, taste again - by now they should be pretty much perfect.

Stage 2: Start the basic risotto recipe
Heat the stock. Then, in a separate pan, heat the olive oil, add the shallot or onion, celery and a pinch of salt, and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and after another 2 minutes, when the vegetables have softened, add the rice. Turn up the heat now.

While slowly stirring, continuously, you are beginning to fry the rice. You don't want any color at any point. Keep the rice moving. After 2 or 3 minutes, it will begin to look translucent as it absorbs all the flavors of your base. Add the vermouth or wine, continuing to sir as it hits the pan.

Stage 3: Add the stock to the rice
Once the vermouth or wine seems to have cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a pinch of salt (add small amounts of salt to taste while you are adding the stock). After the first ladle of stock has been added, add 1/2 of the sauteed mushrooms.

Turn down the heat to a high-ish simmer (the reason we don't want to boil the hell out of it is because, if we do, the outside of the rice will be cooked and fluffy and the inside will be raw). Keep adding ladlesful of stock, stirring and allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take about 15 minutes. Taste the rice -- is it cooked? Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Check seasoning.

Stage 4: Finish the risotto
Remove from the heat and add the butter (yup, all 5 tablespoons of it) and the Parmesan, saving a bit of the latter to go on top if you like. Stir gently and add other 1/2 of sauteed mushrooms. Eat as soon as possible while it retains its moist texture. Serve it on its own with a crisp green salad. Enjoy!

Veggie Challenge, Day #4

2009-01-15T19:10:00.000-08:00

It's a chilly 15 degrees outside, an airplane fell out of the sky earlier today (just a few blocks away from my building), and I'm still stuck at work. Alas, I'm sticking to the veggie challenge. Tonight's dinner: delivery in the form of a ginormous serving of spaghetti with eggplant parmesan from Angelo's Pizza across the street. Not homecooked, but not DiGiorno's either. The recipes will continue tomorrow night. At least I hope!

Success, in the form of $30 Sport Chalet kid's boots

2009-01-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

My snow boot dilemma has been solved! My mom kindly mailed me my old pair of kid's après-ski snow boots. They're perfect!I think these will do the trick. Can't wait to test them out. Maybe this week's arctic chill will bring snow?

*Update: Total snowstorm outside and the boots are great! Yay!

Veggie Challenge, Day #3

2009-01-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

Day 3 and still going strong! I didn't even succumb to the free samples of various salami slices set out at the deli of our local Garden of Eden market, which says a lot from a girl who considers pork products crack.

Tonight's dinner is both good for your health and your wallet. Turning back to Deborah Madison and unattractive looking dishes, we made Mujadarrah, a Middle Eastern dish of lentils, rice, and slowly caramelized onions. Adding a side of garlicky kale and several dashes of Crystal hot sauce turned our Middle Eastern affair into a version of pure Southern comfort. Lest you think we've become total health nuts, we finished our meal with homemade Scharffenberger chocolate pudding, mmm.Thanks, Deb and John!

Lentils and Rice with Fried Onions (Mujadarrah)
From Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
Serves 4

6 T olive oil
1 very large onion, sliced into rounds 1/4 inch thick
1 1/4 cups green or brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
Salt and freshly milled pepper
3/4 c white or brown long-grain rice

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it's a rich, dark brown, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, put the lentils in a saucepan with 1 quart water and 1 t salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Add the rice, plenty of pepper, and, if needed, additional water to cover. Cover and cook over low heat until the rice is done, about 15 minutes. Stir in half the onions, then cover and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes. Spoon lentil-rice mixture onto plate or platter (insert Arrested Development reference here) and cover with the remaining onions.

Veggie Challenge, Day #2

2009-01-14T05:08:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the belated post. Was anyone else very technically challenged yesterday? Not only did I jam a printer and copy machine at work AND break my DVD drive, but I came home to find our internet down, blerg! But alas, we have not fallen off the veggie wagon yet! Last night's dinner was a lovely Quinoa Chowder with Spinach, Feta, and Scallions. Though certainly not much to look at, it's very fresh, light and wholesome.
A bowl of this chowder with some simply roasted beets will definitely keep you on the veggie wagon too.

Quinoa Chowder with Spinach, Feta, and Scallions
From Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

The soup tastes quite bland until you add the scallions, feta and cilantro. After that, it really blooms.

1/4 c quinoa, rinsed well in a fine sieve
2 T olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely diced
1 t ground cumin or to taste
Salt and freshly milled pepper
1/2 lb. boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 bunch scallions, including an inch of the greens, thinly sliced into rounds
3 c finely sliced spinach leaves
1/3 c chopped cilantro
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped (we omitted)

Put the quinoa and 2 quarts water in a pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. While it's cooking, dice the vegetables and cheese. Drain, saving the liquid. Measure the liquid and add water to make 6 cups if needed.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and chile. Cook for about 30 seconds, giving it a quick stir. Add the cumin, 1 teaspon salt, and the potatoes and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Don't let the garlic brown. Add the quinoa water and half the scallions and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the quinoa, spinach, and remaining scallions and simmer for 3 minutes more. Turn off the heat and stir in the feta and cilantro. Season the soup with pepper and garnish with the chopped egg.

Veggie Challenge, Day #1

2009-01-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

It's a new year, and everyone is making all sorts of crazy promises to themselves that, let's face it, they probably won't keep. (And yes, this means that I have yet to arrive at work earlier or at least on time.)

This week, we're trying out one of Evan's goals -- a week of vegetarian eating! A challenge for him...not so much for me (even if it does look like I'm eating a burger every other day). Tonight's dinner? Hashed brussel sprouts with whole wheat spaghetti, a dusting of parmesan and a drizzle of top (Fairway) shelf extra virgin olive oil. This dish is a healthy, easy, and delicious keeper. Care to join us? For a recipe, click here. Tune in for tomorrow's meal!

NYC Ramen Tour #2: Men Kui Tei

2009-01-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

Long cold weekends are good for more than just ice skating. We capped off our day of skating by continuing our ramen tour. This time, we returned a repeat: Men Kui Tei.It's a hole-in-the-wall place, packed with Japanese and Asian diners. In the battle between Men Kui Tei and Minca, Evan choses the former, hands down, swearing that it's the most true to what he's had while living in Japan. Having never been there myself, I can't vouch for that comment, but I will say that the Tan Tan Ramen has become a solid favorite. At least my nearest substitute for the hot bowls of pho I used to eat every week in San Francisco.

This time, we ordered the gyoza to start A side of curry rice, which was spicy and sweetA bowl of my usual, Tan Tan RamenAnd a bowl of Extra Spicy Ramen.The broth is thinner and not as porky as that of Minca, but the meal was just as quietly comforting, which is all I really want in a bowl of ramen. Next on the ramen tour: Ippudo!

Men Kui Tei
60 W 56th St, New York 10019

Resolve, 2009

2009-01-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

I gave up making resolutions long ago, but have always started the year with a list of things I'd like to do. Even if I don't get to them, I'm of the camp that thinks it's always good to at least strive for something. This might make me type A, but as someone who is rapidly approaching her 30s (!), I'm actually ok with that. Imagine that!

Without further à dieu, here's what made the list:
* Improve my posture (every year, I swear)
* Eat less meat and more veggies
* Blog more consistently
* Run a sub-4 hr marathon
* Incorporate more color into my wardrobe (this is coming from a gal on day 3 of wearing either black or charcoal or a combination of the two)
* Practice yoga and/or pilates in the mornings before work
* Get to work earlier or at least on time
* Take time to enjoy my mornings (noticing a pattern here that seems to suggest getting up earlier)
* Keep bringing my lunch every day to work (this one actually took!)
* Master a mean coq au vin
* Make a soufflé
* Call family and friends more regularly
* Shop less and save more in these lean times
* Continue my professional development the only way I really can (this is code)

I'm sure there's more I could do, but I think that'll suffice for now. Here we go, 2009! What's on your list?

Follow ups

2009-01-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

A couple of quick follow ups to some recent posts:

1) The boots arrived and man, are they UGLY! I know, some readers, (i.e., Krissy and Bee), told me so, in very polite terms, but I've seen so many girls sporting the proverbial boots with the fur, and they looked so cozy. I thought I could do it, but not without looking like a woolly mammoth or some Long Islander chick. Next option...
2) With regards to our ice capades, we even witnessed a proposal! As we were leaving the ice for the resurfacing, an announcer overhead said, "please turn your attention to the center of the ice for a special treat we know you'll all enjoy." Et voilà! A proposal and an acceptance to the tune of a cheesy romantic R&B song (which alludes me now.) A cynical lady next to us said, "that's it? I mean, it's nice and all, but I thought it was going to be a a show or something." Ha!

On sporting Kristi Yamaguchi hair in Central Park

2009-01-04T18:57:00.000-08:00

We haven't seen snow in a few days, but that hasn't stopped us from partaking in all the winter activities that living in a colder climate affords. Like going for a walk on a brisk New Year's morning, buying a cup of hot chocolate and warm packet of honey roasted nuts on the street corner, and biding our time inside the Niketown on 5th Avenue as a brief reprise from the chilly air. But the most quintessential of our winter activities in the city has to be ice skating in Central Park, which is what we did yesterday.

Having harbored childhood dreams of being an Olympic figure skater, an Eastern European pairs ice dancer in a spandex dream of a costume, or the world's fastest speed skater, I couldn't wait to hit the ice. So we headed to Wollman Rink -- where Donald Trump makes some of his $3 billion. After forking over $14 each for admission, $6 for me for skate rentals (Evan had his own, of course, as an ex-hockey player), and another $4 for locker rental, we made it into the rink. Packed with skaters of all abilities -- young hockey players, figure skaters, and 2 year-olds who were probably putting on skates for the first time that very morning -- there was someone falling down every time you looked left or right. In a nutshell, it was like seeing all of New York on the ice.Yes, there's a line to get in; yes, it's expensive; and yes, the ice is packed with tons of people. But it is absolutely worth every penny.

The Cure for a New Year's Eve Hangover

2009-01-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

The Proper Bloody Mary

In a tall glass mix the following over ice and stir well:

2 oz. top shelf gin (Hendrick's or Bombay Sapphire)
1 T Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
1 t horseradish
Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon (or equal parts)
Drizzle of green olive juice
2 green olives with pimentos intact
Generous pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 t Tabasco sauce
1 t Bubbies Pickle brine
2 Rick's Picks Mean Beans

Top off with Spicy Hot V8 or Regular V8. Garnish with lemon and/or lime wedge, fresh celery stalk and/or cucumber, pickle and mean beans.

Variation: A light drizzle of dry vermouth will add an interesting dryness and bring out both the vegetable flavors of V8 and the herbal subtlety of the gin.

Not for the faint at heart.

New Year's Eve, Zuni Café style

2009-01-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

It's never too late to cross items off your culinary to do list. Case in point: the famous, much blogged about Zuni Café Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad. Having once lived in a sweet little studio apartment above the restaurant, I've been wanting to make this recipe for years. Rather than fight any crowds or the chilly 14 degree weather, we opted to stay in, roast a chicken, and finally drink Evan's $75 bottle of wine. (Yes, old age is getting to me, and yes, I haven't shaken my San Francisco sensibilities yet. Clearly.)

With a Hendrick's gin and tonic to start,Some addictive warm rosemary spiced pecans to nibble on,A bottle of Clos Mimi 2000 Bunny Slope Vineyard Paso Robles Syrah,Said roasted chicken with salad,
And a side of sautéed kale,We bid a quiet farewell to 2008. I don't know what 2009 will bring, but I know for sure I'll be making this dinner and those pecans again soon.

Spiced Pecans
Adapted from Frank Stitt's Southern Table

4 cups pecan halves
1 1/2 t salt
Pinch black pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 heaping t dark brown sugar
1 heaping T freshly chopped rosemary
Couple of shakes of Tabasco sauce
1 T melted butter
2 T olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place pecans on baking sheet and bake 10-15 minutes (watch closely as they burn very easily). Combine the lightly toasted pecans with salt, pepper, cayenne, sugar, rosemary, Tabasco sauce, butter, and oil. Toss until nuts are thoroughly coated, then return to the oven for 2-3 minutes until toasted and fragrant. Enjoy warm and try not to eat them all.

These are a few of my favorite things...from Caleefornia!*

2008-12-31T13:30:00.001-08:00

SunshineA protein style burger and fries from In-N-OutA hot bowl of pho, mmmPhew. Just met my 12 day quota! Blogging to resume in 2009. Happy New Year everyone!

*I was going to post another picture of Jack, but thought that it'd be too gratuitous.

On my way to a fall-proof winter

2008-12-26T13:26:00.000-08:00

These Sorel Sura boots should keep me on my feet on those icy days. Definitely not my usual type of boot, but at least they're not Uggs!

Jolly

2008-12-25T12:36:00.000-08:00

and bright
Hope your holiday is merry!

Life is better

2008-12-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

with handpainted Paul Smith china!Tea never tasted so good. Best Christmas present, ever.

On snow, a shack, and San Diego

2008-12-21T16:27:00.000-08:00

So, yeah. How about that 12 days of blogging business? Once again, time got away from me. One night you're dancing all night long to Lionel, the next -- your belly aches from turkey tacos, you find yourself working a 16 hour day, and all of the sudden, there's no time to continue with day 7 of the 12 days of blogging.

Not that there haven't been things worth blogging about. Namely, the snow, which is gorgeous and an absolute treat for me, even after falling on my ass. (This is apparently a rite of passage.) Also noteworthy is a long overdue trip to the much-hyped Shake Shack, which is the closest I think we can get to an In-n-Out-esque burger on the East Coast, mmm. (FYI, the 'shroom burger actually tops the regular one. Hands down the best veggie burger I've ever had in my life. Valeria, you would have loved it.)Equally exciting, of course, are the wrapped presents under our first Christmas tree.All I have to do is make it through work tomorrow, then I'm off to enjoy the holidays in San Diego with my family and new adorable nephew. More posts on the way, for sure!

Prettiest thing seen yesterday

2008-12-20T18:25:00.000-08:00

Time to get boots with traction. I already fell on my way back from the grocery store tonight!

Tuesday night goodness

2008-12-09T19:22:00.001-08:00

Just a quick post for this fifth day of blogging. It's turkey taco night!!! (Why does saying that always make me want to break out in a little dance?)I think the fact that it comes in a box and makes me feel like a kid playing at cooking is all part of the fun. Krissy, I think you would have been proud.We're almost to Wednesday, and the best part of today? All my hard work since moving to New York has paid off with news of a promotion today, woohoo! I think this calls for a little fiesta forever musical interlude. Todo Mundo!

NYC Ramen tour #1: Minca

2008-12-09T05:01:00.000-08:00

Oops. So much for the 12 Days of Blogging mission! No post is what you get if you work a 13+ hour day, ugh. Had I come home earlier than 11:30 PM last night, I would have blogged about Minca, one of the noodle shops we've been meaning to try. I haven't blogged about our official first ramen tour stop, Men Kui Tui, but I'm sure it'll have a chance to shine in later posts.

Sunday was a cool 26 degrees: excellent weather for a steaming bowl of ramen! We were relatively close to LES, so we decided to make the trip to Minca. We ordered the kimchi and the pork potstickers to split, which were quite tasty dishes with which to start.
I ordered the Shoyu ramen with thin noodles and Evan ordered the Spicy ramen, also with thin noodles. Overall, there was good porky depth to the thick, flavorful broth, but the noodles didn't have that special fresh springiness I like in a noodle. (Who doesn't like that in a noodle?) The slices of pork, however, were meltingly delectable. I'd definitely go again if I were in the neighborhood, but thankfully, Men Kui Tei is more accessible for the next time the temperature drops and hot bowls of ramen call.

Yesterday, part deux

2008-12-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

Alright, I've calmed down. The snow melted long ago, and though it was the main event of yesterday in my mind, there are other exciting activities about which to blog. We've quickly discovered that the old saying about how most New Yorkers live and die within a ten block radius is true, so we've decided to make mindful efforts to take advantage of other neighborhoods besides our own.

We started with a visit to Union Square and the Green/Holiday Market to get in the holiday spirit. The apples still look great, as do the brussel sprouts, which I wish I had stocked up on for the week.With a cup of hot apple cider in hand, it was a great place to watch Manhattanites pick out their trees. From Union Square, we headed over to Chelsea to finally check out the Frank Stella exhibit,which was really cool. From there, we headed to the Lower East Side to meet our friend, Justin, and to see Evan's soon-to-be new fixie! Onward to Times Square for a nanosecond to meet up with friends from out of town, then to Hell's Kitchen for drinks and dinner. Our tally at the end of the day? Including my morning sojourn to SoHo, six neighborhoods. Woohoo!

Snow!

2008-12-06T20:56:00.000-08:00

I actually have a legitimate, blogworthy NYC post for today, but only have 3 minutes until midnight and need to uphold this 12 days of blogging mission. We did a number of very fun, very New York things today, but the best thing of all? The snow! While it's too warm to stick and my Minnesotan boyfriend isn't that impressed, but it is pretty magical to this Californian girl.

Going to work just got a bit easier

2008-12-05T11:45:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVED working next to the Ferry Building. Escaping the lunchtime drudgery by walking there for an olive roll, some Midnight Moon goat's milk gouda, and a Vietnamese iced coffee was the ultimate office perk in my book. Now that I work in Midtown West, a stone's throw away from the circus that is Times Square, I'm less than enthused by my eatery options. But, look what just opened in Rockefeller Center!

I've thoroughly satiated my cupcake cravings, so I went for the very cheap, recession-proof $0.75 cookies. Out of the chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and peanut butter cookies, I'd say the latter two are my favorites to-date. Mmm!

No, it's not Acme Bakery, Cowgirl Creamery, Out the Door, or even See's Candies, but it's certainly an improvement over TGIF, Heartland Brewery, and Applebee's, ha.

(FYI, I'm testing out a 12-days of blogging challenge. Can I do it??)

Ways in which I'm not my mother's daughter

2008-12-04T15:39:00.000-08:00

My mom has deemed me unfashionable for NYC. Upon a recent visit, she said, "You're in NYC for goodness sake! You should be carrying a proper bag!" I never did find a functional, elegant carryall for work, so she left me with one of hers: Sheepishly, I actually tried to sport it to work for 2 days this week. But after furtively attempting to hide it behind my usual junk carryall,every time I spied a coworker, like this: I realized it just wasn't me. Sorry, mom. Once an SF canvas bag lady, always a SF canvas bag lady, I guess.

Eastern Destination #4: Naples, FL

2008-11-29T18:46:00.000-08:00

I know it's beginning to look like a pattern -- all Eastern Destination postings and not many NYC-centered ones, but I swear, I'm working on it. In any case, I am very thankful to have a boyfriend whose parents live in sunny, mild, and laid-back Naples, Florida. We didn't do much, except go to the beach, birdwatch,play tennis,and watch the sun set.Combined with cookbook reading and swimming, the whole trip suited me just fine. By the end of the week, I was ready to proclaim Naples as my own retirement city of choice. This destination is definitely worth a repeat.

(Before you get at all jealous, there was a dark side to this trip. I developed a pretty nasty pie habit -- one might say, addiction. I don't know where key lime pie has been hiding all my life, but oh man, is it good. I couldn't bring myself to document it; I think out of shame...or maybe it was just sun-induced laziness.)

Grateful

2008-11-27T07:46:00.000-08:00

...to be an aunt today! Say hello to my new nephew, Jack, who arrived yesterday morning at 9:30 AM, weighing in at a whooping 6 lbs. 5 oz!I cannot wait to meet this adorable, little burrito of a person!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Hope you find yourself surrounded by delicious food, warmth, and good friends and family to make it all the more worthwhile. xoxo

Life on...a tv set

2008-11-18T05:08:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, it was "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." Last week, it was "Life on Mars." Apparently our neighborhood is prime for filming gritty, urban crime dramas. We still don't have a tv, so I'll have to ask my resident crime drama specialist, Bee, is this show any good?? They blocked off pretty much every street in our neighborhood to film it.Check out Harvey Keitel about to bust a motorcycle gang, ha.I'll keep you posted on what show is filmed next!

Yes, we don't!!

2008-11-10T18:14:00.001-08:00

Have to leave the country, that is! (Were the words "heartbeat away" terrifying to anyone else? That's all I'm saying.) I know I'm a johnny-come-lately to the news, but it's still inspring, even a week later. More of a post later, but here's to being an American! :-)

Eastern Destination #3: Leaf Hunting in Cold Spring, NY

2008-10-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

I hit the jackpot this weekend because Sunday was also blissfully work-free. This left Evan and I ample time for something I've always wanted to do -- leaf hunt on the east coast! So we borrowed our friend, Justin's car, crossed the George Washington Bridge and headed north along the Hudson River on the Palisades Parkway.Although I didn't catch too many with my camera, we spotted some gorgeously vibrant reds, yellows, oranges, and fading greens all along the way. Passing all sorts of Stars Hollow-esque little towns, we stopped off at small farmers' market for some local Cortland apples and Bosc pears (which will go towards this dark gingerbread pear cake this week, mmm.) We kept driving north to Cold Spring, a quaint town with lots of antique shops and great views of Bear Mountain on the Hudson.We even scored this fantastic 1950's fiberglass chair! (A perfect addition to our rather seating-challenged apartment, ahem.)Apparently, the colors of the leaves are even brighter the further you head upstate, but we did spy some beauties along the way.I have to say I'm liking this first eastern autumn.

First Fall Weekend

2008-10-19T18:48:00.000-07:00

Ahh, what a difference a day makes! One thing I've learned from being in New York for almost two months is that it's very easy to work in New York. You could literally work ALL THE TIME in New York. It is, however, much harder to live. This weekend, for the first time since I started working (and excluding last weekend in San Diego), I've had my first weekend free of my ever-so-demanding crackberry, yay! Thankfully, we were also blessed with fantastic autumnal weather. Started off the weekend with a run through Riverside Park to the 79th Street Boat Basin for a taste of the Marina in the Upper West Side.
Worked up enough of an appetite for Nova and cream cheese on an everything bagel from Absolute Bagel.Then met my friend, Eliza, for a spirited taiko performance outside our apartment in Straus Park.Picked up a new Obama button.Headed into the city to run some errands and happened upon a little flea market.Then indulged in some pretzel croissants and decadent hot chocolate from City Bakery, mmm.Oh Saturday, how I've missed you. Perhaps we'll meet again next weekend?

Eastern Destination #2: Buffalo/Niagara Falls, NY

2008-09-28T03:41:00.000-07:00

I've been insanely busy my first week of work! I seem to have a knack for starting new jobs that require immediate overtime, ugh. In any case, here's a delayed post on our trip to Buffalo and Niagara Falls.

Buffalo, New York: it's the perfect place for a destination wedding, isn't it? It is, of course, if the bride-to-be is a Buffalo native! It was a beautiful wedding and so great to see SF friends again.

The ceremony was held at the St. Louis Catholic Church in Downtown Buffalo (aka, the B-lo).After the requisite routine of standing, sitting, and crossing that goes into a traditional Catholic wedding, the happy newlyweds, Amy and Matt, emerged, beaming!We had a bit of time between the ceremony and the reception, so per the bride's recommendation (I have been working too hard), we had our first plate of proper wings at Gabriel's Gate. (Note: if you want to look like a native, wings are just called wings in Buffalo.) Mmm, these were quite tasty!Clearly.Fortified with wings, we headed to the reception, which was held at the Briarwood Country Club in Hamburg, NY.I don't have too many pictures after the reception started and the west coast girls hit the dance floor. (Seriously, the only other guests who really got down were all of the older women to the tune of Billy Idol's "Mony, Mony."* Who knew it was such a favorite?)

On Sunday, we took a trip to the American side of Niagara Falls, which in and of themselves are beautiful and quite impressive. (The surrounding touristy environs...meh, not so much.) No Maid of the Mist tour, but maybe next time, ha.
Other noteworthy, but unrelated sights include the Smoker's Oasis and Butt Depot.Not sure if this is exclusive to Western NY, or if it's an east coast thing. (KW and KN, please clarify.)

We capped off our trip to Buffalo with another one of its specialties, Beef on Weck. Kind of like a french dip roast beef sandwich, but on a wonderfully soft salt and caraway seed encrusted roll. Now this is something I could eat fairly regularly! (Not that I couldn't eat wings regularly, but I think I would explode if I did. Note: the beef on weck actually came with a side of wings, ha.) Such a fun, but quick weekend. Before we knew it, we were flying back home! (See Central Park below.) Until the next eastern destination getaway!

*In the spirit of the last post, here's another musical interlude to get you dancing. Go on, cut a rug!

Shea hello, Shea good-bye!

2008-09-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

We interrupt our usual eastern destination posting to bring you a Mets win from Queens! Tonight, superstar ace, Johan Santana took the mound to the beat of Rob Thomas and Carlos Santana* to pitch a brilliant game against the Chicago Cubs. His focus remained intact, even after the field was rushed by an overweight, but quick and likely inebriated fan. With the Braves beating the Phils and Milwaukee losing to the Pirates, the pennant race is on!** Here's one first and last look at Shea Stadium before it's replaced by Citi Field.*In case you've been living under a rock, here's a little musical interlude to refresh your memory.

**Special thanks to my sporty guestblogger. (Buffalo post coming soon; this working girl misses her life of leisure, ha.)

Last days as a lady of leisure

2008-09-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

Damn my complaining about the humidity! It's subtle, but there's a noticeable chill in the air and the shadows are getting longer as we enter autumn in New York City. Pretty soon, we'll be saying good-bye to the Mister Softee trucks on the street corners. It's a time for transition -- and the end my days as a lady of leisure. Come Monday, I will be gainfully employed. Footloose and fancy-free in New York City no longer, bah.

As a final Friday free day hurrah, we treated ourselves to one last weekday special lunch at Land.A bite of gelato from Grom (pistachio and bacio in the background and yogurt and pear in the foreground).And to go out with a bang, $52.58 worth of Murray's Cheese, Vermont cultured butter with sea salt, spicy soppressata, cornichons, and a bamboo cheeseboard. (We bought a bamboo board, but I thought this olive wood one had a great description and My Fair Lady reference.)

I guess I have to support my expensive cheese habit somehow, sigh.

Off to Buffalo for a wedding, so have a great weekend!

Longchamp Spotting, 2008

2008-09-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

I'm on the hunt for the perfect NYC girl carryall. Everyone and their mother carries the classic Longchamp bag, in all manner of colors and sizes. And I mean EVERYONE. Granted, they are lightweight, foldable, entirely functional and très chic, but are there seriously no other alternatives?

City Walk #1: Chelsea

2008-09-16T08:31:00.001-07:00

A couple of weekends ago, right before Hurricane Hanna walloped us, we squeezed in a nice walk through a bit of Chelsea. I had decided to go through each one of the City Walk cards that Krissy gave me -- at least until I lose motivation. So we hopped on the 1 train, transferred at 42nd St. to N/R/W and got off at 23rd St. Station.It's a very lovely neighborhood with historic and handsome houses, cute cafes and boutiques -- very reminiscent of London and of SF's Russian Hill neighborhood. With it being fashion week, we stumbled upon models and fashionistas spilling out onto the sidewalk after a show at an Episcopal church. No pictures, unfortunately, although we did see NY Times fashion blogger, Bill Cunningham snapping away at towering gladiator heels and boney clavicles.

It was a short walk, but we fought off hunger pains (and ate vicariously for the models we'd just seen) by tucking into Billy's Bakery, where we nibbled on a peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie and a moist yellow daisy cupcake with rich vanilla buttercream frosting. Mmm. I wish I had taken more pictures, but torrential rain started rather abruptly, forcing us to find cover, coffee and crossword puzzles at Joe, which coincidentally, uses my favorite Bay Area local Blue Bottle Coffee for their drip coffee. (Insert smug SF pride here.)

Check one City Walk card off the list! (Again, this may or may not be a series of posts).

My late summer obsession...

2008-09-15T16:52:00.000-07:00

...and what humidity does to it: Another humid day, another Advil. Ugh.

A taste of the Greatland in Manhattan

2008-09-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

For four days, we get a taste of the Greatland in Manhattan! Today, I took a trip to SoHo to check out one of Target's Bullseye Bodegas. There are four temporary Bodegas set up in Midtown, Union Square, SoHo and the East Village, all of which feature clothing, beauty products, and housewares from 22 of Target's top designers. For an inside look, click here. I was hoping to score some super cute low-end Sigerson Morrison flats, but I'm sorry to report that they were a bit too glitzy and rhinestone-encrusted for my taste. Bleh!

I did pick up a couple of Dwell Studio things for my baby nephew-to-be and a boy's Mossimo shirt for me for only $9.99. After the Bodegas close up shop tomorrow, I'll either have to trek to New Jersey or order online to quell my Target fix, boo.

It's coming!

2008-09-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to go to a New Yorker Festival event ever since I was fifteen and first introduced to the magazine by my sophomore English teacher. While I (SO) sadly missed out on the hottest ticket, "The American Dream with TC Boyle, Jeffrey Eugenides, and Jhumpa Lahiri," Evan and I were able to score tickets to "Oliver Stone talks with David Denby." October is looking up already!

On being healthy (two buck Chuck swilling) Californians

2008-09-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

All is not lost: we have a Trader Joe's! Last Friday, Evan and I took a trip to Union Square to stock up. New York law limits the sale of wine and spirits to liquor stores, hence the existence of this:Woohoo! The regular store itself was a bit of a madhouse: But it's comforting to know that our favorites (tartes d'Alsace, creamy unsalted peanut butter, raw almonds, trail mix, and cheap wine) are only a few subway stops away. Yay!

(On Sunday, I also checked out the Whole Foods in the Lower East Side, which has its own pommes frites COUNTER. Ooh baby! Healthy ways begone!)

Eastern Destination #1: Fire Island, Suffolk County, NY*

2008-09-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

This west coast girl can get used to east coast beaches! Being on Fire Island is like being in an episode of Barefoot Contessa -- sans Jeffrey, my black convertible Mercedes, and my astonishingly handsome gay bridge partner. The sea grass and cedar fences that dot the soft sand dunes along the Atlantic are a sweet contrast to the rugged and craggy beaches of the California coast. It's the perfect place to escape the hussle and bustle of Manhattan.Thanks to Evan's friend's parents, we had a chance to experience living at their spacious and well-appointed beach house for 4 days. We left the city Friday late morning and took the 20-minute ferry ride from Bayshore, Long Island to the Fire Island Seaview Terminal. There, we were greeted by cute wagons that families leave tied up near the terminal to cart their belongings to their (2nd/3rd/4th/?) homes. Carfree, it's the perfect place to: ride beach cruisers,
play with Molly, one of the sweetest dogs in the whole wide world,watch out for jellyfish, and find my dream house. Come Monday night, I was sad to see the wagons all tied up and to say good-bye to the last hurrah of the summer, but there's always next year.Fire Island in late August: as Ina would say, "how bad can that be?"
*Technically, my first east coast destination outside of the city is Paramus, NJ, which is surprisingly just as blogworthy, but for different reasons. Ha.

Here and at home

2008-09-02T20:52:00.000-07:00

Hello again! I know it's been a week without a single peep, but I'm here. After a glorious weekend away on Fire Island, I'm actually starting to feel at home. It's been a tiring week of settling in, which involved a trip to the IKEA in Paramus (my first trip to NJ ever, ha), waiting at home endlessly for deliveries, assembling IKEA furniture, unpacking, and assembling more IKEA furniture. Our apartment is in pretty good shape though considering we've only had a few days to work on it together. It's funny how household tasks like getting new pillows become novel when you buy them from the Bed Bath and Beyond in Lincoln Center and schlep them home on the subway.

It's also strange to fight that touristic urge to see and do everything all at once. Aside from the trip away and a run around the Central Park loop, I haven't even stepped foot in any other NYC neighborhood besides my own. It's comforting to know that I actually live here (self: yes, really!) and that the city will let me wind my way through it at my own pace.

I am learning lots of new things every day, but namely, how to think in seasons. In SF, there are only two seasons: foggy and clear. In either one, you'd never pack away your wool coat because god knows you'll still need it in July. Here, it is stubbornly summer: shoulders are getting brown and freckly, girls are in cute, breezy dresses, boys are in shorts, chapeaus, and the ever-so trendy black Wayfarers, and diners are eating al fresco. I can't wait for autumn, but from a practical storage standpoint, I have to pack those sweaters, coats, and knee-high boots away until at least October. Seasons: who knew?

On a related note, does any East Coaster know what kind of tree this is with yellow leaves that are perfectly white underneath?
Very curious. I spotted these this weekend. More on that soon!

Nearly there

2008-08-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

Ahhh. I am finally catching my breath, after a whirlwind of events. There have been friends to dance with (exuberantly!) at Cat Club, a half marathon to run, a bevy of fantastic last meals at Range, Bar Jules, and Citizen Cake, and a beautiful wedding to attend. All in addition to the packing, shipping, and moving involved with relocating to another city. I haven't had a chance to even really get excited about the thought of living in NYC, until now. I'm feeling disheveled, nervous, sad, and happy all at the same time.

I've started to become known to my friends as the friend who likes to leave town every other year or so. I swear I don't do it for the free meals, attention, and City Walk cards from Krissy. (Although I would love to get the one for Paris and Barcelona one day, ha.) I get antsy in one place. But if the past is any indication of future behavior, I will return.

To all my family and friends who continue to let me be antsy: thanks for all the hullabaloo. :-) I do love and appreciate it all. The next time I post, I'll be in NYC. Crazy.

Link of the Day

2008-08-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

From Shouts & Murmurs, "Fourteen Passive Agressive Appetizers":

"3. Steal Cheryl’s famous potato-salad recipe. When Cheryl asks, “Why did you steal my recipe?,” say, “I don’t know, Cheryl, why did you break my heart?” Then laugh so she knows you’re just kidding."

Things found this weekend

2008-07-31T16:04:00.001-07:00

Hot salty beef!!! (Vegetarians, avert eyes now.)

An Edenic grocery store

A Zagat Award of Distinction bagel shop

And a home! :-)

More details soon. xoxo

Hot time, summer in the city*

2008-07-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

How foolish is it to move to a city that you've never really visited in the summer? As a child of parents who could be considered positively British with their constant preoccupation with the weather (do not let that richly caramel colored Filipino skin fool you), this may not be one of my most well-crafted ideas.

In any case, I'll find out tomorrow morning. I'm off for 5 days to hoof it around town in search of a neighborhood, an apartment and possibly, a job to support the whole process. Among other things, I'm equipped with a book that's à propos for a trip to NYC and, er, nylons. (Thanks goodness for East Coast friends to help you stay professionally polished.)

Updates forthcoming. xoxo

*If you can complete that lyric without mumbling or inventing words, I'll bake you a fresh batch of these.

On early retirement

2008-07-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

"It is said: San Francisco is where young people go to retire." Or, so says Cal Stephanides.

While I haven't exactly been basking in the glow of my "golden years"* (and the idea of actual retirement in San Francisco is pretty much absurd, unless you are independently wealthy), for some reason, this quote has always rung true to me. San Francisco is an often breathtaking city, bountiful in its opportunities for contented living, play, and mostly organic food. I could happily live here forever, playing the young person's equivalent of shuffle board (whatever that is), but I don't know if I'm ready to be set out to pasture quite yet.

So, in a little over a month, I'll be leaving my hometown and moving to New York City (!). I hear it's where young people go to have their midlife crisis...

Readers, will you welcome me back? (You know who you are!)

*If I were Golden Girl, I think I'd be Sophia. Et toi?