my neighborhood

I also really love pop-up murals. Aren't these cool? This new mural just appeared on Oak street last weekend.

Images: Haighteration

ballet, for beginners

Have I mentioned I'm starting an evening ballet class?

It's terribly exciting.

I haven't taken ballet since I was a very small child. I don't think I was very good. But nevertheless, I think it will be lots of fun to try again as a grownup. Though putting pink tights on my decidedly adult-sized thighs gives me pause.

Anyway, my first class is tonight. Wish me luck!


Image: Michelle Cassell Photography

weekends like these

This past weekends was one of those weekends that was so great that I really fought getting out of bed this morning because that would mean it was over.

Some highlights included:

• New shoes (see above)
• Friday night take-out from Sushi Bistro and a stroll to Mojo for post-dinner drinks
• Saturday trip to Ikea to return the broken lamp that's been collecting dust under the bed and (finally!) buy a kitchen table
• Gyros from the Emeryville Public Market
• Drinking a glass of wine while Daniel assembled the kitchen table and chairs from Ikea and feeling grateful that I didn't have to do it myself
• Gay Pride Parade. Classic San Francisco.
• Sunday lunch and cocteles at Nopalito.
• The 5-cent sale at BevMo
• Buying fresh peaches for peach cake at the Grove Street farmer's market
• Dinner with friends followed by a few rounds of Bananagrams

Did I mention the weather was summery perfection? Weekends like these- you just can't beat 'em.

vending machine lunch

Yes, I had strawberry Pop-Tarts for lunch today. I disgust even myself.

viral plague

Well, I have a terrible cold. Why am I not in bed right now? Work. Right.

Who gets a cold on the first day of summer?! It's 90 degrees outside and later this evening I'll be going to be in bed with a hot water bottle on my head.

I'm one of those people who tends to feel quite sorry for myself when I'm sick, so I'm laying low these days and sniffling into tissues until I feel better. Ugh. I'll be back soon (I hope) feeling a little bit more chipper. Until then, ta-ta.

lena in town

What a marvelous weekend. As previously mentioned, my oldest friend, Lena, was in town from New York. We've known eachother since we were in the seventh grade but now that we live on different coasts, we only see eachother once or twice a year, which is simply not often enough- so we packed a lot in to the short time we had together. Brunch! Champagne! Festivals! Matt & Kim in concert! Karaoke bars! I'm already scheming about a good time for me to go visit her in New York. Love you my dear!

cropped

Off to get my hair chopped. Wish me luck- I may need it.

sunny in santa barbara

Oh, Santa Barbara, you are so beautiful in the sunshine.

The weather was gloomy for most of Saturday and Sunday when I was down in LA and Santa Barbara. But on Monday morning, it was perfect out. Sometimes I forget what a difference that makes. We stayed at the Bacara, in Goleta, and after an early breakfast, my family (minus my brother, who regularly sleeps in until noon. College.) went for a walk on the beach. It couldn't have been any nicer. It was warm and breezy and all of the plants smelled good. It actually felt like summer.

afternoon in LA

As I mentioned before, on Saturday I flew down to LA, just for the afternoon. My parents drove up from San Diego and collected me at LAX and then we drove to Malibu. Needless to say, the traffic was horrid and June gloom was on in full force, but eventually we made it to Geoffrey's, our lunch destination, and things improved.

The wine and the heat lamps were much appreciated. And in spite of the gray, the view was lovely. My dad comes up to San Francisco fairly often, but I hadn't seen my mother since Christmas. Too long.

After lunch we drove up to the Getty Villa.

I'd never been to the Malibu Getty before. The collection was great, but I think I liked the gardens and the experience of walking around the villa even more. When sun came out around 3:30 it was just beautiful.

After the museum, we drove to our hotel in Marina del Rey. Before the trip, I had all these ideas about spending the afternoon exploring Venice or Santa Monica, but once I was there it really hit me how long it takes to get from place to place, with everything spread out the way it is. So instead, I flopped on the hotel bed and read old magazines until dinnertime. That was nice too. Sometimes you just need to take a break. 

the graduate

Yesterday, my brother graduated from college.

So proud of him. Congratulations, Trevor.

off to LA

I'm off!

I'll be spending the next few days down in southern Califronia for some family time. First, to LA to meet up with my parents for some shopping/museuming/lunching/dinnering. Then Santa Barbara for my little brother's graduation from UCSB. Anyway, off to the airport!

Happy weekend.

Photo: Los Angeles Sunset by Terry Richards

the burning house

The other day, I stumbed across The Burning House. The general idea is that people photograph their most precious possessions- the things they would be sure to save if their house was on fire. I loved looking over the things people chose.

I especially love that this one has a Le Creuset dutch oven in it, because I have the same one, and I certainly couldn't bear to part with mine. I'd definitely also want my old diaries (I've been keeping them since I was 11) and my grandmother's pearls.  

le croissant du jour

You have to be angry sometimes.

Every little creep has a right to be angry.

                                                         -Little My, Moominpappa at Sea

relax

Hoo boy. My life has been kind of...busy recently. Lots of work, lots of stress, but sometimes that's how things are. Luckily for me, I have some fairly fabulous people in my life who keep me sane when I start to tear my hair and wail. Daniel has been very patient (well, mostly!) through everything and over this past weekend took me out to see Midnight in Paris, which I adored, and spent all day Saturday lazing about with me, avoiding the summer rain by camping out our apartment. And thank heavens for my mother, who talked me down off the ledge last week when I was having a massive panic attack (a long, dull story) and treated me to a massage at International Orange where I was slathered in oils and kneaded like bread dough and, finally, forced to relax.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to some bright spots coming up ahead. My dad is up in the Bay Area this week and is taking me out to dinner tomorrow night. And this weekend, I'll be flying to LA to meet my parents for the day before driving up to Santa Barbara for my brother's college graduation. Though it's only for a few days, I'm so looking forward to getting away and spending some long-awaited time with my family.

Image: Saipua

jack london state park & the beauty ranch

On Memorial Day, we drove back from Napa to San Francisco. Daniel had the idea we should take a few hours and stop at the Jack London State Park in Glen Ellen. I didn't even know there was a Jack London State Park, but off we went.

The first thing we saw was Jack London's grave site. He's buried very simply, under a large mossy boulder. After that, we walked to see the remains of Wolf House. It was a massive fieldstone mansion London built out among the redwoods that burnt down in 1913, three weeks before its scheduled completion.

We picnicked out by the ruined building and I poked around with my camera. 

After lunch, we walked over to see the Beauty Ranch, the 1,400 acre property where London raised livestock and various crops. There's an old stone barn and a little cottage.

We walked around the Beauty Ranch trail up to the lake at the top of the property.

There wasn't a whole lot to be said for the lake...there was about a teaspoon of water in it and it was entirely brown. But the walk was awfully nice.

All in all, an excellent Memorial Day.