Oh Discipline, you old Dear.

I have a fabulous time of spa treatments booked for tomorrow, and so as to make the most of my relaxed and revitalized state, I'm cleaning and doing all my chores now.

Dogs on a Train

 

How perfect is this dog on my train to my sister's for Christmas??!!



The answer is SO PERFECT!!! He's even a pirate!!
Oh lovely train: ton's of leg-room, a bloody mary for dinner whipped up by the gentleman in the dining car, and all the romance of travel when travel was glamorous. Where else shall we go?

Merry Christmas!

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

1. Christian Louboutain's "Claudia" stilettos in smokin' hot pink.
2. Running my first Half Marathon [and beating my goal timae by 8 minutes]!
3. Finally hemming a pair of jeans after wearing them turned under for over a year.
4. Nordstrom At Home towels --so soft and fluffy, the mornings they are in the wash are not nearly as nice as mornings one waits for me outside my tub.
5. Big ladylike gems and baubles
6. Liberty prints
7. Mustard yellow --will I ever get tired of this perfect color? I almost fear the day.
8. The cities of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and
9. Princeton, New Jersey!
10. Fun! (Well done Nate, delightful as usual, thank you very much.) Here, have a listen and see for yourself.

this time we gnew where we were headed.

Gnomes for Halloween. Last time was not for Halloween, and this time we were traveling gnomes, with pictures of our family, and Andy's pet fox.

Top 5 Records

Happy Birthday! Top five records of all time (in no particular order):

Radiohead: OK Computer
Simon & Garfunkel: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme
The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
The Beatles: White Album
Ryan Adams: Heartbreaker

Hello New Jersey!!

Princeton: Days three and four!

We left Philadelphia with love in our hearts for our fabulous hosts, The Krazewski's, after a lazy, chatty morning and nutritious breakfast. We packed up our Kia Rio and got on the Turnpike, Princeton bound.
(these sunglasses came with the car --sweet extra 'eh??)
The rain had lightened up a little, affording us a scenic drive through beautiful fall leaves, and we made it to town by about 2. I'll just say right now, Princeton wooed my romantic heart, and I can't believe that this is what some people know of their "college years." The University is amazingly gorgeous, old, charming, full of towering, heavy architecture in stone and brick and everything you see in movies and on TV.


We strolled the ivy-covered campus, pretending to be dashing co-eds with parent's weekend on our mind, and then headed over to Small World Coffee for cups of apple cider and hot chocolate. We continued our stroll around the town's high streets and did a little shopping (of course) before heading back for a run and a shower and a dip in the hot tub (ahh, resort living). Dinner at the recommended Triumph Brewery, where we each had a sampler of 7 exceptionally tasty 5oz beers, and a delicious dinner.


Tired travelers and recent Phillies fans, we watched the Phillies game and went to sleep, ready for wedding festivities.
Sunday = Jimmy and Nina's wedding day! Chilly and rainy, I still think the Mountain Lakes House where they got married was the most charmingly romantic place, set in the woods, full of fall leaves and on a lovely lake. We celebrated, drank warm apple cider, and awed over Nina's bridal beauty.



I pretty much love Princeton, and would like to visit again. Someone should move there so I have reason, or else, I might just push my kids to live what I couldn't and go to the University (on scholarship of course, that it ridiculous kinds of cash).
On the way to the airport the next morning, we stopped at Dunkin' Doughnuts, (since it was open at 4:30am, why not?) and I have to say: not impressed. That was NOT good coffee, but for the morning Andy and Kerry ran on Dunkin'.
Andy got on a train to Maryland, I flew out of Newark alone, and said goodbye to the East Coast's seasonal charm, to our Kia Rio, and to vacation-living.
Until next time, Mid-Atlantic, thanks for the memories.

It's never sunny in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, day's one-point-five and two!!

Took a little trip to the East-- coast that is, and spent the first two days in Philadelphia. We left San Francisco on a twice-delayed red-eye Wednesday night, flew into Newark and landed at 7:30 am. Adventurous and thrifty souls that we are, we decided to take the bus to a rental-car site a little ways away, rather than rent at the airport and pay lots more. So one grande and one vente drip to-go, (no pastry because we were heart-set on build-your-own Grand Slams in the future) and we made our way to the NJ Transit stop to catch the 8:30am, #72 Bus to Woodbridge Shopping Center. This was a local bus, and lead us on an hour and a half scenic tour of residential Newark. We finally got in the car and on the road at about 11am, and began the Yelp quest for a near-by Denny's. Oh what a breakfast! Then: welcome to Pennsylvania.




We took the Turnpike's --NJ to Penna, for my first turnpike experience. BTW, for those of you who don't know --it's just a freeway that's a toll road, and they have little truck-stop-like fast-food malls along the way. Can I just say, what is with the abreviations on the road signs?? NJ, Phila, Penna?? Can't you write the whole name? Arrived in front of our lovely host's, Troy and Caitlin's darling Chestnut Hill, PA victorian flat about 2pm, and I tell you, I was ready for a nap. So much for seeing the city, we napped and then spent the evening with The Krezouwski's at their small group for dinner and Bible study. A fantastically spent evening of fellowship.



After a weak run in the AM, we headed in to Philly to meet Scott Ritter for lunch, and a walk around UPenn, where Scott is starting med-school. Cold and rainy but, Penn is beautiful, and all full of old brick buildings and iron staircases in old libraries. Thank you Scott Ritter for a delicous lunch and an excellent campus tour.




After UPenn, we took the car and drove over to Rittenburg Square where we delighted in Belgian beer, mussels, and fries and got out of the rain, at Monk's (I yelped it here). Next up: rico suave. We walked down the street and around the corner for happy hour mojitos at the recommended Alma De Cuba. So swanky, it makes you want to out on a slinky top, sit in their low, low mid-century-modern club chairs, lean over the table and whisper to your date about that time when you were in Cuba and the heat...
The only things we knew we wanted to see and do in Philly were the art museum and cheesesteaks, so we drove to The Philadelphia Museum of Art for their Friday night happening, which is similar to what the Academy of Science does here, but geared for the older Philly crowd-- 5-9pm, cocktails and snacks, and a live jazz band. All we really wanted was the Duchamp exhibit based around his last work Etant Donnes. Amazing.
We had to be kicked out. So we left, pretended to be Rocky, and went for steaks at Jim's. This vegitarian ate a little, she ordered: Wiz, with, and could you please make it 1/2 steak and 1/2 veggies? I have to say, yum. I was a little freaked out, our Nutritionist hostess, Caitlin, told me that if you haven't had meat in a long period of time, your body no longer has the digestive enzymes to break it down, and you can get very sick-- so I only ate a little of the steak side, and my body was a champ. Don't worry, it's not a perminant step to meat-eating.







It took us two hours to get home, as we got very lost, but got to see the beautiful bridge, and boathouse row, and feel near the liberty bell at one point, and excercise locking our doors before finally finding our way back to Chestnut Hill and passing out exhausted, in love with Philadelphia, but ready for Princeton.

The grass is bluer on the other stage

I love San Francisco and it's love of festivals, and I especially love The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. I think it's my favorite all year, and this year was no exception.

Dr. Dog

Bluegrass Bikes!

We skipped out of church a few minutes early to make it to see Dr. Dog, and they did not disappoint. Over to Billy Brag, who is nothing good outside of Wilco and Jeff Tweedy. Please do not bring your politics into my bluegrass festival, no thank you very much. Scored an excellent spot to stick around for Old Crow Medicine Show, and in the meantime, boogied to the likes of Mavis somebody and to The Knitters. A very chilly evening, but with very warmed souls, thanks to fried chicken, mac and cheese, new wine in a new wineskin, backyard bbq chips, and plenty of Boddingtons. Then came OCMS and you rocked us well, young men, you rocked us well.

Four weeks and counting.

This is what seven miles looked like tonight:

I now run past the bridge, and to the ballpark before turning around. I''m also developing a relationship with Icy Hot.

Thursday nights are for lovers (of art, music, and each other)

Dear David Bazan,
Thank you for starting your tour in my fair city, and for doing such a great job at it. So nice of you to bring our friends too, what a fun surprise it was to walk into The Independent and be greeted with people we love but did expect to see! You bring out the best, well done.

Sincerely,

Team Kerry and Co.

Before that, we went to a special (to us) Anniversary edition of First Thursdays, and saw (among others) and loved this Michael Gregory show at the John Berggruen Gallery. It struck such a chord in my wanderlustful heart, and makes me want to be on a long road trip in the heartland. (I wish I could add an image here, especially of my favorite from Western Constructs, "The Way Things Dissolve" but I think they are protected, and rightfully so, I guess.)

Go see it, I know you'll love it.

John Berggruen Gallery

228 Grant Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94108
Hours: 9:30am - 5:30pm Monday through Friday

10:30am - 5:00pm Saturday

so my darling I'll succumb

sometimes I want to pretend I can fit in, when I realize they invite me because they just don't know; but inevitably:
-I drink gin, not vodka; Trappist beer, not Bud Lite.
-I wear bangs, not eye-makeup; cardigans, not date tops.
-I listen to bands you've maybe never heard of, not top 40.
-I go to church, not brunch.

and I like it.

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

1. Nights with my best girls and their best men
2. Packing for five days and bringing four sundresses
3. Peacock feathers everwhere for fall, especially in this new scarf, and in Milly's fall collection.
4. Summer rain storms
5. Chicken Foot dominoes with The Folks
6. Bottle of 2004 Amante from Faulkner Winery in Temecula
7. Throwing horseshoes
8. Jonathan Wright (printed letterpress by hand on a hundred-year-old Chandler and Price platen press)
9. Seawolf and homemade pizza for my one-year anniversary with my favorite boy.
10. Stone Brewery's outdoor beer garden in Escondido, CA

smoking lips and owls

I never thought I'd be so into Kate Spade , but I am now. Her new clothing line is adorably on key; there are great jewels, some cute flats and I'm even actually loving a bag. I think she is coming out of the suburbs and into the city; off of the housewife and onto the young, hip, professional.

I'm so in love with this owl bag, which even has little gold leather feet poking out of the bottom, and there is a coin purse that makes me wish I live where it is a more a coin-based currency.

This is a Kate Spade I can get behind. Hello Fall!

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

1. Scarface --not what I thought it was going to be, (thanks Alcatraz tour guide) and a few [too] bloody parts, but overall, and unbelievable win of a film.
2. Francis Ford Copola Winery, and wine --who's wine club we joined and are thilled to no end with
3. Swimming in rivers and Healdsburg [which, you COULD say, is for lovers]
4. Opi "No Spain, No Gain" --the perfect transition color for pre-fall, and my new constant color
5. Lake Tahoe! That thing really is so blue it's unreal. Like Disneyland water blue.
6. Figs
7. Andrew Bird, Bon Iver, and Fleet Foxes
8. Pedro Garcia flats, with a hidden platform in the heel similar to Lanvin, but for less... and, they're hecho en Espana.
9. headbands, which keep my out-growing, messy hair under wraps
10. Public access to private property, such as the public walking trails at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay

Frank on beauty.

“The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes. If you foolishly ignore beauty, you will soon find yourself without it. Your life will be impoverished. But if you invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life.”

- Frank Lloyd
Wright

Hello Pre-Fall, my you are lovely.

Very dangerously in love with this year's Pre-Fall collections, and most tangibly with J. Crew's. Excellent work J. Crew, simply lovely. Cardigans and blouses, and the JEWELS. oh man. Simply lovely.
shop my fancy.

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

1. My new living room makeover
2. Farm Fresh To Me box!
3. A quick visit to my hometown and catching up with the dearest friends who made time for me.
4. A weekend in AZ with my grandfolks, with my grandfather doing much better, praise the Lord, and telling me about his younger years: the war, flying army planes made out of canvas they'd build themselves, hunting Gustav, and the beginning of his legacy, meeting and marrying my grandmother.
5. Amazing pedicure I got while in SoCal, where great pedicures are standard, inexpensive and available on every block, unlike in SF where they are harder to find and expensive when found.
6. Cucumber Mint Lemonade!
7. Red Hawk cheese from Cowgirl Creamery
8. 4th of July!! my favorite holiday, and it felt like it should, bbq, Taboo! decent weather (or just enough sweaters and blankets), sitting on the marina lawn and actually seeing the fireworks, margaritas, and great friends.
9. My mom, who loves me, and wants the best for me, but lets me be me.
10. Thursday morning farmers market at the ferry building (and especially THIS thursday's visit and morning with the amazing C-star Green.)

Little Green Boxes

I finally joined a crop share! Farm Fresh To You is now sending me a "small box" of organic fruits and vegetables from their local farms every two weeks. I got my first box yesterday, just in time to use some of the things in my Vegetable Stout Pie. I'm so excited for Wednesdays!! Every other one brings me a new fresh box of surprises!
This weeks box consisted of:
4 Japanese eggplant
4 nectarines
1 cantaloupe
3 large heirloom tomatoes
3 yellow summer squash
1 bunch of Italian basil
4 peppers

Sign yourself up, and tell them I recommended you and I'll get a free shipment!

Happy Birthday Chief

Andy's 26th Birthday was celebrated with a small dinner party that bled beer when pricked.



Way to go Champ, Way. To. Go.


Beer-Steamed Mussels --Fantastically easy, and looks fabulous. I found my mussels at Whole Foods for $4.99/lb, and used Stella Artois for the broth.

Beef and Stout Pie --I also made roughly a third of this recipe for two little meatless pots and substituted a Japanese eggplant, two small summer squashes, 4 ounces of white mushrooms and a handful of baby portabellas and criminis (I think? from my mixed mushroom bucket Ferry Building score) for the beef. I also used an extra 1/2 C of Guiness to replace the pot gleanings. --however, I think I only halved the recipe for the stilton pastry, which next time, I would use a little less of for individual pots.

Green Beans (sauteed in the leftover Stella)
Birthday Peach Cobbler (my cobbler didn't rise properly, but still tasted yum, with vanilla ice cream and sweetened whipped cream)

Thanks Sportsfans, it was a fun night.

Summertime is for Lemonades

I found this recipe in People of all places, while getting a pedicure last weekend! I made it and served it for some of my favorite ladies, and think it's DELICIOUS and refreshing. I'm betting it would also be excellent spiked with gin.

Cucumber Mint Lemonade

1 cucumber
hand full of fresh mint
1 C lemon juice (about 6 or 8 lemons?) plus one lemon for garnish
1 C sugar
1 Cup boiling water
4-6 Cups cold water (depending on how sweet/strong you like your lemonade)

peel and dice the cucumber, saving a small hunk at the end to slice for garnish. coarsely chop the mint. Make simple syrup by adding the sugar to the boiling water. In blender, blend cucumber chunks and mint leaves with a little of the lemon juice, until pureed. In lemonade pitcher, combine lemon juice, and simple syrup. Strain cucumber puree into pitcher through a mesh sieve and add water. Add slices of lemon, cucumber and a few sprigs of mint for garnish. Chill. Pour into glasses and sip on a patio, or poolside...