flo-ri-da

Tomorrow we leave for a long (yet I know it will be too short) weekend in Florida to celebrate my sister's engagement. We are so very extra-ordinarily (say it out loud, it rhymes) happy for her. I can't wait to see her in her wedding dress, eat my mom's lasagna (totally breaking the no meat on Fridays in lent rule), watch Steve play with their bulldog, and just generally be silly the way one can around family.

Did I mention I'm really excited for my Lamb? Deep down they're nerds just like us.

I love San Francisco -- Seven

Balmy Alley in the Mission; this is a must-see. It's admittedly very well known as far as San Francisco sites go, but I couldn't not mention it.

It runs parallel to Harrison and Treat streets, between 24th and 25th streets.


Don't forget to stop at Dynamo Donuts since you're in the neighborhood.

I love San Francisco--Six

The top floor observatory at the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park has a supremely awesome view. Plus it's free, although the rest of the museum isn't.

Happy weekend

Doesn't this place look dreamy? It was taken just after sunset the eve of my man's last birthday, near the top of Mt. Tamalpais at the Westpoint Inn. Any lodging you have to hike to is tops in my (our) book.

I love San Francisco Part Five

The Potrero Hill Community Garden, on 20th Street and San Bruno Avenue, is glorious. There's something about community gardens with me--I love the idea of planting side by side with a neighbor. Or getting to know someone through gardening whom you otherwise wouldn't have said more than 'hello' to. Bonus 1--it's just downhill from McKinley Park, where you can swing to your heart's content. Bonus 2 --it's two streets away from the crookedest street in San Francisco--yes, even more than the famous Lombard Street.

I love San Francisco Part Four

The Seward Slides - hidden! slides! Off Douglass Street between 19th and 20th. Dust off a pizza box at the bottom and get in touch with your inner child. Fun 'till your heart is bursting.

R.I.P.

My lovely and favorite winter hat, you will be missed.

(If I accidentally dropped you, then I'm sorry. I never meant to abandon you. I hope the racist German whom I bought you from has some of your sisters if we ever make it back to Alaska.)

Sweet images

from le weekend of love.
















No, it wasn't the romantic vision I had of us picnicking on a pier (due to rain). Instead us two knuckleheads found ourselves in some sketchy alley in the Mission scarfing down po'boys in our car. But as someone wiser (and taller) than me said, "In ten years we'll look back on this moment and laugh about it."

As cheesy as this sounds, I already am. There's tons of piers in Florida, anyways.

p.s. apparently balloons are super popular right now--balloons are the new flowers! Check out these marvelous engagement photos on this lovely blog.

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm excited to pillow fight and cook and picnic with my beloved.
I went a long time without having a Valentine, so I don't take this day for granted.

p.s. this link has very adorable online cards to send out.

Yet another thing I love in San Francisco

Jack Early Park, east of Grant Street between Chestnut and Francisco streets. Walk too fast and you'd miss the plaque for the stairs leading up to it. This is quite possibly the smallest park ever. But the view made me forget all about swings or slides.

I want to live in NYC...

...where I could encounter wonderful surprises like this on my morning subway commute. You have to smile.

But then again SF is pretty sweet with its Thursday Tweed Ride and Regional Grilled Cheese Invitational. I would go to the latter if my man wasn't lactose intolerant :) and to the former if I had a bike :(




Thanks to laughing squid (again) for links, the image, and allowing me to procrastinate from cutting up my veggies.

Made me laugh

This is hilarious. I cannot wait until Steve gets home from work tonight to show him.

Every Swear Word From Every Episode of The Sopranos

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And then, this link: it's a 7 year-old boy's reaction to having his tooth removed. Or rather, his reaction to the after-effects of the anesthetizing drugs :)

Thank you laughing squid. Now I really have to go work on the Valentine's stuff.

Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt

Although I sound like a broken record, I love living near a big city. Not so much in it, but near it--close enough that it's not a hardship to drive in for a nice dinner, a play, or best of all, the quirky events you only find in big cities. Since 1988 one Jayson Wechter has been organizing a scavenger hunt each year on the night of the San Francisco's Chinese New Year's Parade. That was last night. Steve and I were a team unto ourselves and we had SUCH a great time. Oh my goodness. I loved being able to recognize fellow hunters--they were the ones holding clipboards or wads of the white clue papers and maps, and we were all united on some level. Once we realized we were nowhere near solving all our clues by the deadline of 9:00 pm, we decided to just keep going for fun since we weren't ready to be done, and it got even funner. Well, except when I had to beg, beg Steve not to walk through pitch-black, narrow Cooper Alley in Chinatown (with the homeless man and his sleeping bag sprawled across the middle), when he became convinced that a clue answer would be found there. Because if he went in, I'd have to go in, too.

Anyway. Loved it all. This would certainly be an annual tradition if we lived here permanently.

I love San Francisco Part Two

Land's End Trail hugs the coast of the city. Start near Ocean Beach (parking lot of the Cliff House), pass the hauntingly beautiful Sutro Baths,

and then the Golden Gate Bridge starts to come into view.



And it just gets better. It's a great walk.

I love San Francisco

It's a combination of Valentine's month and the fact that we're not likely to be here this time next year, but I want to post my favorite places in San Francisco. Places dear to my heart, gems I want to keep turning over and over in my hand.

Here is the wave organ. It's at the end of the land spit by Yacht Road, off the Marina Green. Go at low tide and bring your ear close to each pipe.

I love it here.

"I am now left with a tattered wife."

That's what Steve said as we waved goodbye to my parents at 3 am this morning. The time together with my mom was really such a gift, though. I'm going to miss her. Who else will eat avocado ice cream with me, patiently re-teach me to knit, and drive 4 hours round trip for amazing sashimi?

So since I'm bummed, a mope-y picture.