Four days of skirt weather. San Francisco summer has officially arrived. I'm baring red arms and cheeks. The city is up late, there are more people out walking around as I wait for the bus, all the faces are smiling. The backs of my knees are sweating and I couldn't be happier.
Out by Ocean Beach this evening, girls were wrapped in towels wearing flip flops as they waited for the N Judah. Java Beach's outdoor seating overflowed. Dads were strolling the strollers and chasing after giddy kids. Dogs looked somewhat confused but happy to be outside where the air was just a little cooler. The sunset was bright orange and pink.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Carnitas the GAPS Way
One of my very favorite things to throw together on nights when I'm over the whole cooking-every-night thing is carnitas. I buy the carnitas from Trader Joe's, throw them in a pan with squash and peppers and onions (or any other veggies I have on hand), spice them appropriately with chili powder, red hot pepper flakes, cumin and a good basic multi-spice, and pour it over the top of romaine lettuce. Then, I pour on some GAPS-friendly salsa, slice up some avocado and ripe tomato, and put about a half cup of sauerkraut on top. So quick and easy AND tasty!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Sausalito House Boats
Today was the 25th annual Sausalito House Boat Tour. From 900 to 4,000 square feet, (on average, 1,200 square feet), these people have figured out the best use of space ever! Check out some of my favorite houseboats of the 19 shown.
That is a 1930's full size Magic Chef stove, on the right! It belonged to the owner's parents and was a major feature of this 2,100 square foot living space. You can see from the entry way, through the kitchen to the bathroom.
This log home was built from a kit and was one of the steadier floaters we walked in. It felt rustic despite the fact it is less than 10 years old.
This little guy was laying on Kappas Green listening to the music and trying to catch some shade amongst the artwork.Saturday, September 11, 2010
Noise and Sun
In memory. It's September 11th. I'll never forget what this day means and honor those who lost loved ones 9 years ago.
As I walked to the Noe Valley Farmer's Market, this morning, I listened to a great podcast that was so appropriate. Called the Art of Noise, it was focused on noise, the lack of it, and how some artists and scientists have changed it into something beautiful. Noise is something that I tend to complain about, while still living in an urban environment and being unwilling to change that fact. Some of my favorite quotes were (with some minor paraphrasing): (1) I hate the noise but, love to hate the noise; (2) noise is really man-made, nature can't make noise, can it? and (3) being silent taught me patience.
This month, after unexpected days of fog and low cloud cover in August, we have had several days of sun and it has taught me that I thrive in sun. It reminds me of playing on the sidewalks of Sunnyvale that burned my bare feet, in the summers between grade school years. It reminds me of the scent of heat, what I used to call potato bugs or roly polys inching along the hot suburban sidewalk, riding my bike up and down my block for hours. And bliss. It reminds me of bliss. I'm just glad that summer is finally here...
As I walked to the Noe Valley Farmer's Market, this morning, I listened to a great podcast that was so appropriate. Called the Art of Noise, it was focused on noise, the lack of it, and how some artists and scientists have changed it into something beautiful. Noise is something that I tend to complain about, while still living in an urban environment and being unwilling to change that fact. Some of my favorite quotes were (with some minor paraphrasing): (1) I hate the noise but, love to hate the noise; (2) noise is really man-made, nature can't make noise, can it? and (3) being silent taught me patience.
This month, after unexpected days of fog and low cloud cover in August, we have had several days of sun and it has taught me that I thrive in sun. It reminds me of playing on the sidewalks of Sunnyvale that burned my bare feet, in the summers between grade school years. It reminds me of the scent of heat, what I used to call potato bugs or roly polys inching along the hot suburban sidewalk, riding my bike up and down my block for hours. And bliss. It reminds me of bliss. I'm just glad that summer is finally here...
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Modern Art and Mime in the Sun
After 40 some odd days of fog and cold, we hit the sunshine today and it was wondrous! Ah, summer may finally be here at last!
Yesterday, I decided I would head to SFMOMA first thing and take in the Calder to Warhol exhibit featuring pieces from the new Fisher Collection. After much hullabaloo and at least two building designs that did not appease the Presidio community where the collection was originally to be housed, Don Fisher, the founder of Gap, just before passing away decided, to donate his collection to the SFMOMA for the next 100 years. Now, SFMOMA has found the right architect to add on to their building now standing on 3rd Street near Howard. And, until September 19th, there are two floors of the Fisher Collection on exhibit including several pieces in the roof garden (which may be one of my new favorite spots in the City). Some of my favorite pieces from this collection are the works by Agnes Martin, Chuck Close's Gwynne watercolor, and Jeff Wall's Tattoos & Shadows, a riff on Manet's Dejeuner sur L'Herbe.
After perusing Fisher, I walked down to the New Topographics photography exhibit which was an excellent collection of photographers who captured the new development going on in the United States especially the tract housing and industrial parks, in the seventies. I saw Stephen Shore speak awhile back at the San Francisco Art Institute and a few of his pieces were on show. Then, I walked down to see the 75th Anniversary exhibit which was a great gathering of works from so many great Bay Area artists among others. There are so many amazing connections that have been a part of making the SFMOMA what it is today!
The sun was blazing as I walked out the doors and I opted to pick up some food at Whole Foods and sit in Yerba Buena Gardens. It's such a beautiful park nestled among the high rises of downtown. And, it's YB Gardens Festival time and this weekend the SF Mime Troupe was featured doing Posibilidad or Death of the Worker. This was not your typical mime performance; there was singing and depiction of a telenovela and a social justice message! So San Francisco!
Yesterday, I decided I would head to SFMOMA first thing and take in the Calder to Warhol exhibit featuring pieces from the new Fisher Collection. After much hullabaloo and at least two building designs that did not appease the Presidio community where the collection was originally to be housed, Don Fisher, the founder of Gap, just before passing away decided, to donate his collection to the SFMOMA for the next 100 years. Now, SFMOMA has found the right architect to add on to their building now standing on 3rd Street near Howard. And, until September 19th, there are two floors of the Fisher Collection on exhibit including several pieces in the roof garden (which may be one of my new favorite spots in the City). Some of my favorite pieces from this collection are the works by Agnes Martin, Chuck Close's Gwynne watercolor, and Jeff Wall's Tattoos & Shadows, a riff on Manet's Dejeuner sur L'Herbe.
After perusing Fisher, I walked down to the New Topographics photography exhibit which was an excellent collection of photographers who captured the new development going on in the United States especially the tract housing and industrial parks, in the seventies. I saw Stephen Shore speak awhile back at the San Francisco Art Institute and a few of his pieces were on show. Then, I walked down to see the 75th Anniversary exhibit which was a great gathering of works from so many great Bay Area artists among others. There are so many amazing connections that have been a part of making the SFMOMA what it is today!
The sun was blazing as I walked out the doors and I opted to pick up some food at Whole Foods and sit in Yerba Buena Gardens. It's such a beautiful park nestled among the high rises of downtown. And, it's YB Gardens Festival time and this weekend the SF Mime Troupe was featured doing Posibilidad or Death of the Worker. This was not your typical mime performance; there was singing and depiction of a telenovela and a social justice message! So San Francisco!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Poetry Near the Park
To support a colleague and friend of mine, I went to Duboce Park Cafe for a poetry reading. First, Duboce Park Cafe serves yummy organic salads topped with bacon, turkey and other delights.
The poetry reading was great! My colleague read from her chapbook that is coming out soon; several pieces my favorite of which is called Tales we Tell Our Children. The poet took this work and some of the others that she read to VONA this summer. And with her London accent, she read the revised work with brilliance as the N Judah clanged past the door of the cafe.
After she read, the mic was opened up to whomever wanted to read. At this point, another colleague decided to read her prose poem about her time spent working at Johns Hopkins hospital, in Baltimore, at the time when AIDS first came to our consciousness. I had a tear in my eye by the end. It was an evening filled with creativity.
The poetry reading was great! My colleague read from her chapbook that is coming out soon; several pieces my favorite of which is called Tales we Tell Our Children. The poet took this work and some of the others that she read to VONA this summer. And with her London accent, she read the revised work with brilliance as the N Judah clanged past the door of the cafe.
After she read, the mic was opened up to whomever wanted to read. At this point, another colleague decided to read her prose poem about her time spent working at Johns Hopkins hospital, in Baltimore, at the time when AIDS first came to our consciousness. I had a tear in my eye by the end. It was an evening filled with creativity.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Secret Garden - Mission
One of my favorite things to do is spend a weekend with my body-work practitioner who comes to San Francisco once a month from LA. She works out of a live-work loft on Potrero at 16th with a beautiful courtyard garden that seems to produce sunlight. The peaceful calm of the fountain and bursts of blooms betrays the noisy chaotic corner just outside the purple gate.
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