Mariposa Bakery

Another reason to love the Bay Area is Mariposa Baking: "Our mission is simple -- create gluten-free baked goods that are indiscernible from the finest, high-caliber gluten-based products available."

I came across their gluten-free, sour cream coffee cake in a market in Mill Valley last weekend, and I was giddy at how good it was. It pretty much tasted like my grandma's recipe, which I've had great success at making gluten-free. Matt loved it, of course. But even our gluten-loving, Italian friend didn't miss the gluten. After taking a bite, which he clearly was not expecting to enjoy, he looked at me, eyebrow raised, and asked, "This is gluten-free?"

While Mariposa does sell some of their goods online, it's not going to be economically feasible to purchase many items. I just need to swing by their store in Oakland on our next visit to the area. In the meantime, I'll have to make Grandma Welling's sour cream coffee cake to fill the craving. The danger with that is neither Matt nor I can stop at just one piece. I made a batch last night, and we've devoured half the pan.

Low, Low Tide At Point Loma

Colorful barnacles revealed.

Matt had to take photos of the striations in the sandstone.


Life abounds in the tidepools! A tiny crab carries a shell and a hermit crab.



Matt traversing the slick stones. An egret waiting for a meal.

Things We Like

We recently bought a few things we love and have to share.

CB2 Link Side Table. Looks even better in situ.

CB2 Glass Trees. We bought them on sale, post Christmas in green and silver. I can't wait to put them out next winter. I might have to break them out for a 'Christmas in July' thing this summer. They are so stylish.


IKEA Dimpa Bags. We needed a disguise for the bag of recycling and bag of items to donate to charity that we keep by the front door. They never bothered me that much, but I could see Matt cringe every time he passed by. The solution was these über cheap IKEA bags. For some reason they are not showing up on the IKEA site--either too new or discontinued. I hope it's the former.


Our choices and other pattern/ color options.

Working Girl

I haven't been the great about postings since we arrived in San Diego. I must say that looking for work was not the most inspiring topic to write about. But now I have a job! I'm two weeks into a position with a company, Target Software (now owned by Blackbaud), that I knew from public radio days. The company is based in Cambridge, MA, but I'll be working from home--the cats are very pleased with this arrangement. I will get to visit Cambridge a few times a year, which is great. I really enjoyed the snow and cold weather when I was there last week for training. I also wouldn't have minded if the company was located in Cambridge, England. So either this job will mean the end of the postings altogether or more posts due to my increased productivity. We'll see...