Amy & Matt in San Diego

Photos from a Saturday Drive

2009-06-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

Matt and I spent about six hours driving east and north of San Diego last weekend. We were able to fit in a meal at Miner Diner in Julian, our favorite (somewhat local) unsuccessful mining town (where the temperature was a markedly chillier 50 degree), before heading north on route 79 and eventually winding our way back west around Cleveland National Forest. San Diego County has 10 climate zones, and I think we drove through at least half on our outing.

MASTERS OF MID-CENTURY CALIFORNIA MODERNISM — Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman

2009-04-21T23:30:00.000-07:00

If you come to visit us in San Diego soon, we recommend stopping by the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park to see the exhibit MASTERS OF MID-CENTURY CALIFORNIA MODERNISM — Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman.

Anza Borrego

2009-03-29T22:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we decided to catch the tail end of the desert wildflowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park. After a stop in Julian for a bison burger at the Miner Diner, we headed southwest into the park. We didn't do much hiking, just a walk through a trail leading to a number of palm groves (we made it only to the second grove), but it was a lovely, mild day in the desert. Julian was actually chilly, as a storm was predicted to drop rain on the mountain town.

The desert wasn't in vibrant technicolor, as I'd hoped/imagined, but cacti and other plants were flowering. Here are a few images from our day.

Simple, Well Made, Modern, Functional Design

2009-03-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

Two new additions to our household--one a bit easier to accommodate in 900 sq ft.

Russell Wright Sugar Bowl--now that I'm using sugar in my morning coffee, I felt a sugar bowl was warranted. For years, I've coveted the sugar bowls and creamers he designed. I'd go to eBay occasionally and see what was being offered. When my sister asked what I wanted for my birthday, this year there was no hesitation. Luckily, she and I share similar design sensibilities, so there was no explaining what I was looking for. The Russell Wright stamped, cream sugar bowl with loop handle arrived within a week.

Vintage Danish Modern Table and Chairs--we went to Klassik, a vintage modernist furniture store in downtown San Diego, to look for a desk. Once we sat in the chairs of this dining set, all thoughts of desks left our minds. Matt was sold immediately and felt territorial when others came into the store. He later told me that he wanted us to move away from the table so that others wouldn't be interested in it. One of the aspects that we both loved was that the two extensions were housed in the table--one just pulls them out from underneath. Smart design works well when lack of storage is an issue.

We took just about 24 hours to decide--which is lightening quick for us. It helped that we have guests coming and family moving to town, and we only had a small, high, retro soda shop table, which maxed out at three people, to dine upon. We were able to do some negotiating, so we felt that we got a deal and supported a local merchant. The owners are nice and didn't charge us for delivery. They said they would just rather have us come back and buy more. We'd prefer that as well.

Celebrating Presidents and Love in San Francisco

2009-03-02T22:48:00.000-08:00

Blogger, Flickr, Facebook--so many place to upload photos. Will uploading them to only place work? We'll see.

Mariposa Bakery

2009-02-22T14:26:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-13T19:31:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-12T19:40:00.000-08:00

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...

One Day We'll Actually Make Friends in San Diego

2009-01-31T16:53:00.000-08:00

until then, we'll rely on visitors and trips to Los Angeles to socialize with non-feline creatures. As the photos show, many of these gatherings revolve around food. We're not complaining.

In early January, over brunch at Jinky's Cafe in Studio City, I briefly caught-up with my friend, going back to UCLA graduate school days, Alicia and her son. They were in town from Paris and exhausted from running around visiting everyone--the standard experience when one returns home after extended absences. We never made it down to Paris to visit her while we were in England, but we did meet-up for dinner during one of Alicia's theatre-centric London getaways.

Two weekends ago, Dom came down to San Diego, and that certainly calls for putting some thought into where we were going to eat. I thought about trying somewhere new, but then I remembered Dom's love of mac n' cheese. Urban Solace is known for its reasonably priced, quasi-gourmet comfort food, and Dom loved it. He still raves about the cheese biscuits--which, sadly, neither Matt nor I can eat.

Me and Dom @ Urban Solace. Matt and Dom (and lavender lemonade) @ Cafe Chloe for brunch.

Then last weekend we were up in the greater Los Angeles area. This time our food stops including the Farmer's Market @ 3rd & Fairfax where we both ordered the Tuna Sambal at Banana Leaf--a little greaser than we remembered it, but still yummy. Matt went back to SD on Sunday, but I stayed around to catch "The Wrestler" at my favorite theatre (Arclight Hollywood), eat dinner at the 101 Cafe with Monique, eat brunch at Cafe Midi with Tyler and Shawn, and take a scenic drive along Mulholland in Shawn's new Mazda 3. Since it had recently rained, the views extended out farther and were clearer than, say, about 350 days of the year.

Matt sporting his warm weather gear at the Farmer's Market. I get ready for my first bit of brunch.

Tyler and I barely contain our enthusiasm. Shawn and I with the Hollywood sign in the background.

Yes We Did!

2009-01-20T10:37:00.001-08:00

Matt and I hooked up my computer to our 19" monitor at 7am this morning to watch the build up to and the actual swearing in of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. We wish we were with more people to share the moment, but the great thing about this campaign has been the feeling of inclusiveness, no matter where one is. The only thing left to say is, "Woo hoo!"

Since we couldn't be there, here are some Getty Images of the morning. (I love Michelle's color choice--her gloves are simple and classy. And Sasha's pink and orange palette is one of my favorites.)

Inauguration Photo from South Pole Antarctica!!!
Originally uploaded by Huffington Post

I love this photo from the South Pole.

Daisy Louise Magnolia Hanapepe McGavock (aka the Princess, the Peepstar, Dee Dee)

2009-01-11T16:49:00.000-08:00

My sister and brother-in-law's dog, Daisy, whom they adopted from a rescue group in late 2003, passed away on 9 January. She had been quite sick, but happy and pain free, for a year. Without Carolyn and Adam's constant nurturing, she would not have made it these additional months. Adam sent out a sob inducing email of remembrance, and it was nothing less than this sweet lady deserved. Here's a short excerpt.

"We will always remember Daisy as our gentle princess, our spoiled girl, our little star. She was a licker of faces, a cozy companion, a friend to all people and dogs, and a constant presence in the kitchen."

The Holidays: Nature

2009-01-09T13:44:00.000-08:00

Matt captured a beautiful sunset moment at Primehook National Wildlife Refuge, Broadkill Beach, Delaware.

On a nature walk in Kent Island, Maryland we spotted the reclusive decaying pick-up truck, Matt and my mom smell the gin-making Juniper berry, and red berries are a small dot of color in the brown and green landscape.

Great Blue Herons brave the winter in Delaware; it was the first time I'd seen one in a tree.

Typical sight around the Delaware shore in winter: migrating Snow Geese, bales of hay and Canadian Geese (click for more detail).

Matt and I bundled up for a sunset nature walk with my (crazy-eyed) dad and stepmom near their shore home. More Primehook landscape shots below.

The Holidays: Christmas

2009-01-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

The McGavock Christmas Tree

We arrived in Virgina on 26 Dec. at 6am and, after a brief nap at my sister's, we celebrated Christmas the rest of the day. Though we had agreed on not exchanging gifts of much monetary value, we still found some fun items to bestow upon each other. Prime example, Carolyn and Adam found some 'vintage' glasses: Lando Calrissian from "The Empire Strikes Back" for Matt and Miss Piggy for me. Unfortunately, Matt's glass wasn't robust, and it broke seconds after opening.

Matt sad, Amy happy.

A Split, Croatia football club scarf from my dad was a big hit, as Matt's grandma is Croatian.

Carolyn thought my homemade bird portraits were professional, and she really liked the smell of her new hand lotion.

Mom showing off her new slipper socks, and Adam with the big gift of the night: Wii Fit.

Nintendo's Brain Age captivated my grandmother, and Adam's step-niece liked her penguin stuffed animal. After receiving a stack of books, she made it clear that she would have preferred more toys. However, my mom, Matt and I all took turns reading to Skyler, and we felt better when we caught her reading on her own later in the day.

Carla explains Brain Age to my grandma, and Skyler, less than enthusiastically, opens another book.

Entertaining Skyler: Matt reads "Where the Wild Thing Are" and my mom sings (in a way) Christmas songs.

The rest of the day was filled with food and family time. I think we did a good job of looking like we like each other in the photos--except for one of them.

Carolyn and I are all hugs, until a second after the posed shot. I love my unintentional, please get away from me, look.

Nan, Mom, Carolyn and Matt sit down for dinner, and my dad poses with his girls.

The weary travelers--I changed for bed even before the second round of gift opening.

The Holidays: Ramayani

2009-01-06T15:44:00.000-08:00

Though sweaters and scarves seem distant memories on an 80 degree day in San Diego, it's time to begin the recapping of our holiday travels--and get back to more regular posts.

In December, Matt and I spent a few days up in the LA area before heading to the East Coast via a red-eye on Christmas. We stayed with Matt's folks and had good quality family time, including ingesting copious amounts of food. We also made it down to LA proper, where Matt got a massage, I met with my witchy-poo doctor, and we had dinner with our good friends.

Abe, Frank, Tyler, Shawn and Eric met us at Ramayani in Westwood for an Indonesian feast. The place was Frank's suggestion, and reminded Abe, Frank, Matt and me of our Indonesian dinner in Amsterdam way back in 2007. The dinner was chaotic with rapid repartees, inappropriate interruptions and concurrent conversations adding a schizophrenic soundtrack for the passing of the plates. At one point Tyler had to ask if he was going to be allowed to answer a question before someone else hijacked the conversation. We just looked at him in bewilderment and proceeded as usual. It was blissful. Tyler did, eventually, get his relaxation when a few of us went back to Abe and Frank's for after dinner drinks and Christmas cookies.

If these photos aren't enough, here are some more (and better) from Frank's album.

Frank, imbibing, and Abe, posing and pretty. Abe and Tyler conversing between spoonfuls of soup.

Love this photo, especially the family photos in the background and Abe's expression. Shawn quickly closing her mouth before the flash.

Eric and I sipping our vanilla lime sodas. Tyler ingesting and Matt receiving.

Some posed shots.

At Abe and Frank's festive condo, Abe spun tunes on the Victrola and Frank tempted us with his homemade treats.

The Making of a Holiday Card

2008-12-19T16:04:00.000-08:00

My idea was to do something in the 1950s/60s style. I started with Julius Shulman's photo of Pierre Koenig's Case Study House #21.

Since our couch is a similar style and the same color as the cushions (and we have the cushions), I did a self-timed photo shoot in my 1950s cocktail dress with the cats. Since the cats weren't always the most cooperative (the whoosh of my skirt as I quickly sat down tended to scare Titchou), I had to do several takes.

A cat added here, a head added there and several deletions of parts of the original image later, I had our first test card that I ran through many Photoshop filters to get a designed vs. photo feel.

Next was making the card festive. I recently saw a black and white photo of the modern metal hanging Christmas tree that Matt's Dza Dza (Polish for grandfather) made decades ago. Matt's father scanned the image and sent it to me.

Since it was black and white, I went in search of color images of ornaments like the ones on the tree.

Then of course we needed presents to open.

The final touch was downloading a 1950s font. I was happily surprised to find a plethora of free fonts in this style. I went with Fontdinerdotcom Sparkly and was very pleased with the results.

After 10+ hours of Photoshopping, photo shoots and perusing images on the web, here's our holiday card.

Lesser Goldfinch

2008-12-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

This Lesser Goldfinch hung out long enough on the bush in Matt's parents' front yard for us to be able to get the camera and take an embarrassing amount of photos. It would be nice if all of the birds Matt and I tried to identify were so accommodating--showing us all their sides so we could get a view of the nape, scapulars, median coverts, greater coverts, tertials, gonys, and eye rings. In case you are wondering, I copied those terms out of the guide book--I haven't memorized them yet, let alone used them to identify birds. I do have head, bill, leg and wing down! I'm hoping to volunteer counting birds this winter at Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma, as they provide training in bird identification. I hope they are master trainers, else their counts might be wildly off this winter.

Not Exactly The Feel Good Experience I Was Expecting

2008-12-07T15:46:00.000-08:00

Blurry shot of one of the Habitat condo buildings, and my fingers after a half day of work.

I've been trying to volunteer again for Habitat for Humanity since I helped out one day in August. While I did not have the funnest or cleanest task on that day, seven hours of caulking, I did enjoy the experience. Why did it take so long for a slot to open up? Well, I learned that it's much easier to schedule a group of people to volunteer--a corporation, a church, a community organization--than it is to fill a day with one volunteer here and one volunteer there. Finally, I was able to get a slot right before Thanksgiving, and I set my sights on getting power tool duty.

I drove the 30 miles to the beach community of Carlsbad to work on a two building, 11 condominium development, only to find out that the group that I was to be joining had canceled. The site manager had decided to only have construction run for a half-day as he thought no volunteers were showing up (the more experienced paid workers or permanent volunteers with construction experience were still there). I was assigned to help a fellow put part of the roof in place, but I must say it was precarious standing on the ladder. I would have either given up or hurt something if I hadn't been working out my arms over the last few months. I was definitely a bit uneasy.

I then got transitioned to help nail in some small pieces of wood with vent screens onto the roof. I was happy to be helping a retired Navy officer who was very encouraging to my newbie hammering efforts. I must say, my hammering was atrocious. My partner said that it was difficult to successfully hammer the large, heavy duty nails with the cheap hammers we were given--that's why he brought his own. Poor fellow had to do twice the work as more than half of my nails had to be pulled out due to bending--he was the one pulling them out!

I was actually glad that it was only a half-day, as my fingers and ego had suffered enough. I was strongly encouraged to return--and practice my hammering in the meantime.

Momma Bastian Visits

2008-12-01T15:19:00.000-08:00

Mom in front of the old Point Loma Lighthouse and awaiting our harbor cruise.

My mom was out for a week, and I don't have any pictures of the two of us together! There are a few on her camera, but we weren't able to download them while she was here. At least I have photographic proof that she was in San Diego.

The rest of the photos are pretty similar to ones from previous postings, as I took her to Point Loma and the Tijuana Estuary Reserve. Although Mom usually likes to take a two or three day trip when she visits, we kept it local this time. Even though she wasn't feeling so well for the first few days, we were able to fit in quite a bit while keeping a leisurely pace.

Momma Bastian's Itinerary

*Tried some new restaurants--Ritual Tavern in North Park for gourmet pub food including gluten-free beer and gluten-free shepherds pie (which unfortunately did not get along with my digestive system) and Casa Quadalajara in Old Town for surprisingly good tourist-focused Mexican food. Luckily Matt survived the Camarones Diablo.

*Took the ferry to Coronado to purchase some pricey produce at a weekly farmers market.

*Explored some shopping areas in North Park and South Park

*Spent an afternoon at the San Diego Zoo

*Attended a presentation of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park.

*Cruised the southern portion of San Diego Bay on a tourist boat where we learned the scale of the Navy's presence in SD and the shipbuilding industry. Now Matt and I know where all the black grime on our window ledges comes from (well living two miles from the airport probably doesn't help either).

*Scoped out the Oracle BMW America's Cup Trimaran.

*Got manicures and pedicures--what mother/daughter trip would be complete without a little pampering!

Great Egrets, Crested Caracara (unusual/rare sighting) and a perching Black Phoebe at Tijuana Estuary.

The threatened Western Snowy Plover and the ever present (on this day) Navy bird at Tijuana Estuary.

Oracle BMW trimaran at dock and about to pass a Navy ship on its return to the SD Bay.

There was lots of Navy flight activity during the week Mom was here including cargo planes and jets.

Snowy Egret in the Cabrillo/ Point Loma tidepools-which were at low, low tide as it was a full moon the night before.

Black Turnstone at P.L. tidepools, and a Heermann's Gull accompanying me on the harbor cruise.

Ship building and Navy boat yards in SD Bay, and a sunset shot of the Coronado Bridge.

Not Using Those Unsolicited Holiday Cards?

2008-11-28T15:08:00.000-08:00

In the mail I recently received some animal holiday cards from a charity that would like to make me a donor. (I'm guessing that the San Diego Humane Society gave them my name.) I didn't want to use them, but I also didn't want to throw them away. I called up a local community center for the elderly, and they said they would be happy to take them and make them available to their clients. Now if I could only find a use for all those unsolicited return address labels that charities love to send out.

Election Night

2008-11-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

Election night was a cathartic experience. I actually started crying in my car when I heard that Ohio went for Obama. It started sinking in at that moment that this--Obama being the next POTUS--was really going to happen. When "President-elect Obama" came up on the restaurant TV screen during dinner, the tears came back. The sense of relief and hope I experienced was almost tangible--as though I could feel it moving throughout my body, as though I radiated it.

On a less weepy note, I was lucky to spend the night up in Los Angeles with friends. Abe, Nico, Eric and I had dinner at a new restaurant, Desert Rose, in Los Feliz. The dining experience was a bit odd--amazing service in the beginning, followed by no service at all. Also, Abe was brought the wrong meal, and the correct one wasn't brought out until the rest of us were finished. They didn't even offer him anything to eat for the 20 minutes he sat there watching us chow down. There hummus was amazing though.

Abe, Nico, Eric and me with our lovely Nico-made glass paperweights; and people celebrating along Sunset Blvd.

After the meal, Abe and I went to see Diplo spin at the Echoplex in Echo Park. Along the way we passed cheering people gathered on street corners holding up Obama signs. We honked our horn in support. Our friend Shawn was supposed to join us for Diplo, but she bailed on us, as Diplo wasn't going on until 11:30pm. Even with tickets, we had to wait in line a bit. We didn't mind much, as everyone was so energized by the election results (people in line were even talking about California's different ballot initiatives) and Obama attended the show. Well, it was actually a life-sized Obama cutout, but it still made dancing more fun to look up and see the new POTUS's smiling face.

11-4-2008 Diplo @ Echoplex-1
Originally uploaded by -RYAN

I had no luck capturing the magic of Obama, Pizza and Diplo on my camera, so Flickr helped me out.

Things We Discovered About Balboa Park

2008-11-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

There is a lavender garden to offer olfactory delights, and the California Bell Tower chimes Memories.

Balboa Park, much of which was built for 1915 Panama-California Exposition, has areas in in desperate need of repair, and that the planes fly overhead on their descent into San Diego Int'l Airport.

Matt could find to find his ideal dining room table, designed by George Nakashima, at the Mingei Museum, and that one can listen to the Spreckles organ while sipping Japanese tea.

The tram at the San Diego Zoo is visible from entrance along El Prado, and that Matt would be tempted to make himself invisible behind the plants.

Most surprising? Archery range.

Bayside Park

2008-10-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Bayside Park, part of the rail to trail network--Matt choosing to walk the rails.

About two weeks ago, Matt and I geared up for bird watching and headed down to the Tijuana Estuary Reserve, but upon arriving, the volunteer told us that they hadn't seen many birds yet this fall. She suggested a park about a mile north along the southern edge of San Diego Bay. The park. aptly named Bayside, is very small, a couple of blocks abutting houses and apartments, and it is part of The National Rail-Trail Network. The non-profit works to turn unused railways into trails: good idea and great in practice. This stretch is a popular cycling path.

Great Egret and American Widgeons. Marbled Godwit and Willet.

We immediately saw Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, Brown Pelicans, Great Blue Herons and a mixture of other shorebirds and waterfowl. The find of the day was the Little Blue Heron who was hunting along the shoreline (the "methodical hunter" description is very accurate). The beautiful heron came within three feet of us during its journey, and it wasn't bothered by us at all. We got so excited as it got closer--super nerdy of us, I know. While not unheard of, Little Blue Herons are not common to the area.

Little Blue Heron.

It was nice to have a quiet place to set-up the spotting scope and have time to study the birds. We're getting to know the egrets, herons, pelicans, Willets, and Marbled Godwits quite well. We'll need a bit more time to be able to correctly identify the grebe and sparrow we saw. Luckily San Diego offers an extensive range of local, state and national parks and reserves to attract them and their feathered friends.

Willets (black and white wings) and Marbled Godwits took flight as we neared.

New Convert

2008-10-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

Mary, Matt and I in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Matt and I have been going for a hike or visiting local parks/ nature reserves every weekend. When we were up in Thousand Oaks visiting with Matt's mom (his dad was in Germany helping out with their new granddaughter), we convinced her to explore the local parks in the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. It was the first time she'd visited the area, and she promised us a longer hike next time we visit.

Three Weekends in San Diego

2008-10-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

Street Scene San Diego, 19-20 Sep

Diplo takes to the turntables, and me and Shawn documenting the Diplo moment we waited so long for.

Cambridge and San Diego are not the hot beds of live music that we would have liked--both are too close to larger music towns: London and Los Angeles. When I received a notice via Facebook that a few of the bands I marked as favorites were playing a local show, I assumed local meant 120 miles away in LA. But, the music gods smiled on me and put many of the acts that I was hoping to see all at one festival within walking distance to our place. Our good friend Shawn came down from LA and joined me for the weekend of festivities. Matt had a pesky thing on Friday called work that kept him away, but nothing kept him away on Saturday.

The crowd gets ready for Justice; the Hives, with a sick lead singer, put on an energetic set; and Devo, well the band members are old (nothing like this shot from an 80s video).

Birds take flight during Tokyo Police Club and the way too short set of Hot Chip.

The average age of the crowd was at least 10 years younger on Friday than Saturday. This is probably because Friday was a more dance/ dj oriented line-up and older folks usually have to work on weekdays. Hot Chip, Justice and Diplo were the true highlights of the weekend for me, and they were all on Friday (Shawn and I almost died in the 18-21 year old mosh/dance pit during Diplo, but that kind of adrenaline rush is fun in small doses). Unfortunately, Hot Chip and Diplo were only allotted about 40 minutes each--but the festival format is really just a sampler, letting you know who you want to see more of in the future.

On Friday, I noticed a woman with an "I'm Anti Palin" pin. Then Shawn and I saw more of these I'm Anti/ I'm Pro/ for President pins. Well, CNN was at the festival, and I think they found a good way to engage the audience. One could fill out the paper circle and then have it turned into a button. I think about politics way too much these days, so I cast my CNN presidential vote for Diplo. Matt's pin was more science oriented (anti-matter, ha ha!). Now, my smooching Wolf Blitzer--well that was a dare.

Border Field State Park, Sep 28

Tijuana, Mexico--the bull ring and the beach

Border Field State Park borders Mexico--at the beach there is no real barrier. Matt and I got about 100 feet from the border, marked by a slatted wooden fence that didn't extend into the water at low tide. It's so strange to be close to another country and yet have no contact with it. The reports of violent drug related deaths and kidnappings are keeping many tourists away from the border area--last week alone, 49 people were killed in drug related deaths in Tijuana. But, on the US state park side, this are much safer.

Driving down to the park was interesting. The last couple of miles transitioned from residential to horse ranch. There were a number of signs for horseback riding sessions, and later we saw some people on horses on the beach. In addition to the normal state park employee at the welcome kiosk, this park had border patrol agents waiting to inspect exiting vehicles. Two body borders without identification whom we saw later in the parking lot were warned by a park patrol car that they were probably going to have a hard time getting out. The park patrol officer was very nice to these guys, firm but non-confrontational. Matt and I respected him for that.

Ah yes, now on to the birds. We were hoping for full swing fall migration, but I think we'll have to go back in another week or two for that. We did have the beach almost to ourselves, and the lack of activity makes the birds pretty trusting. They weren't perching on our shoulders, but we were usually able to get close enough for decent pictures.

Matt and I took turns carrying the birding gear: scope, tripod, binoculars and camera.

Black-bellied Plover in winter plumage, and Marbled Godwit.

Willet having lunch and diving Brown Pelicans working to get their meal.

Horseback riding on the beach, and tiny, quick-footed Sanderlings.

Forster's Tern and a Killdeer (I think).

GreenBuilt Tour, 4-5 Oct

This past weekend, San Diego EarthWorks held their 7th annual self-guided tour of green buildings around the county. There were 20 buildings divided into two groups over two days: a casino, architectural firms, small home renovations, a contemporary vacation home, a straw built home and a remodel that included a vineyard on less than a half acre were just some of the selections. Matt and I only made it to eight properties due to a late start on Saturday and the sizable distance between sites on Sunday. Regardless, there was no doubt that we got our monies worth.

The home and business owners were generous with their time and information, and there were a number of tour goers who were actively taking notes for their own projects. Matt and I just added more details to our dream home. It was nice to see the features that are becoming almost standard in 'green properties': no/low VOC paints and materials, solar light tubes (we love these), CFL bulbs, low-flow water fixtures, reusing materials, solar electric/ hot water systems, and low/ no water landscaping. We spoke with the tour coordinator, and we mentioned that it certainly helps when the owners or owners' friends are architects/ builders/ engineers/ designers. She said that one of her goals was to connect those with information to those who are new to the process. We definitely saw such info. exchange taking place--a fun and informative weekend indeed.

Sunrise House, Fallbrook

A home with a design sensibility that we loved was the Sunrise House. The Danish architect was also one of the owners of this vacation house.

Details include solar water heating, radiant floor heating and fire-proof Perform Wall insulated concrete forms made from 25% concrete and 75% recycled Styrofoam.

Strawbale, Fallbrook

A year ago, the 2007 Fallbrook fire ravaged this area including the trailer used by the owners of this new strawbale home. The owners did not have any previous experience with building, just a desire to create their own space in an energy efficient, sustainable way. Details of note: the straw bales are packed so tight that there is no air to support combustion; the eaves of the house are completely sealed; European style metal roll-up shutters; recycled, wooden office doors that add character; Solatube light tubes; and a gravity fed sprinkler system that carries water from the pool, sited at a higher elevation, to the home.

Platt/Whitelaw Architects, North Park

Passive ventilation, task lighting, light tubes, biofiber boards made from fiber and sunflower seeds, recyclable Interface carpet tiles made from 50% recycled content, and utilizing less materials by leaving the ventilation and support structures exposed are some of the green aspects of this architectural practice.

640 Sq Foot Green Renovation, Fallbrook

The three person family living in this small home makes more sacrifices than many would be willing to do: air drying their laundry; running washing machine/ dishwasher and taking showers only at night when hot water is available due to the solar hot water heater. They do have an electric back-up (charged by their PV roof system) for the times when this isn't possible.

This being Southern California, the rest of the 1/2 acre lot becomes a usable extension of their home all year long. They eat dinner and breakfast most days on their patio, which has flooring made from recycled tires (feels great on the legs) and landscaping of native and drought resistant plants. They even have chickens which provide 2-3 eggs/ day.

Heron House, Carlsbad

The owners of this home are basically professional tour givers. They have been part of the tour before and were awarded the California Center for Sustainable Energy's 2007 Sandee Award for their green remodel efforts. This was the only property to have a vineyard--the tasting room was sited underground to take advantage of the cooling effects of the earth. The home has a reverse floorplan with the kitchen, dining room and living room on the second floor. This allows one to have a view of the lagoon while doing dishes and from the second floor deck (above right). Some more green features: passive solar (south facing/ thermal mass); tankless water heater; rainwater recycled from roof down to the vineyard; recycling of almost all of the construction demolition of former site structure; 4.4 kW PV system; extensive use of indoor/ outdoor spaces uder roof; and more.

Bay Area

2008-09-26T15:00:00.000-07:00

Matt blending in at the Berkeley Rose Garden.

We covered a lot of territory in three days: San Jose, Berkeley, San Francisco, Marin and Muir Woods. Like Los Angeles--like most US cities--you need a car to explore more than one part of the Bay Area. We stayed with friends from the Judge Business School who have now returned to their home in Berkeley , and we were able to visit my friend Amy, whom I met in seventh grade, who now lives in San Jose with her husband and baby girl.

Amy, Brooks and their daughter; Nik and Jen made sure we had the trolley experience.

Nik arranged a dinner at the landmark Fairmont Hotel's Tonga Room restaurant, where it rains inside.

We also experienced the many climate areas: Marin was in the 50s, while inland was close to 90 degrees. Muir Woods National Monument, the world's most visited redwood park, is situated on the Marin Peninsula just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. It is also just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. Between our visits to the redwoods and the beach, we stopped off at the Pelican Inn, an English pub "nestle(d) at Muir Beach in the sea-blown fog, among the pines and the alders, the honeysuckle and the jasmine."

I think Matt's favorite part of the day was the plethora of lichen in the park; he kept teasing me by calling it old man's beard--a common name for a type of lichen that I sometimes take in a tincture when I'm not feeling well. My favorite parts were watching the dramatic fog rolling in, absorbing a feeling of calmness and quietness imparted by the redwoods, and happening upon some fearless deer.

Matt examining his lichen, and a buck shows off his good side.

Muir Beach.

Some People Buy Souvenir T-shirts

2008-09-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

and we buy souvenir dome-shaped, wart-like growths found on the trunks of trees. Yep, we bought a redwood burl (scientifically a lignotuber) at Muir Woods during a recent weekend trip to the Bay Area. It's been sitting in a little bit of water for about a week, and in another two we should have full-sized, fern-like shoots growing from it.

One week old shoots.

As the gift shop instructions didn't mention anything about the lifespan of the shoots, I figured they were fine as long as they had water. However, I just read that the shoots don't live very long due to lack of nutrients, and one normally then just throws out the burl. The upside is that the burl can be planted under "appropriate conditions" with the shoots growing into redwood trees. Since we only have a concrete balcony, we're up for sending it off to anyone willing to give it a go.

In Case You Are Stuck In A Trunk

2008-09-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

Just pull this tab. Oh, then run.

Uncle Peter Is Kinda Crazy

2008-09-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

Taken by my uncle near Guadalupe Island, Sep 2004

but we love him all the same. I'm not saying he's crazy like a great white--just that he's much more of a risk taker for diving (on purpose) in great white infested waters. This is as close as I want to ever get to one of these creatures.

Black Mountain Open Space Park

2008-09-05T11:47:00.001-07:00

Matt and I have been trying to get out of downtown San Diego on weekends, and hiking is our current preferred activity. Recently we've been to Black Mountain Open Space Park, about 10 miles east of Del Mar, and El Moro Canyon, on the northern edge of Laguna Beach. While I brought my camera on both hikes, I wasn't as inspired by the terrain of El Moro to take photos--we didn't have a view of El Moro Bay, and I already have plenty of chaparral landscape pictures. Plus, I was really hot; the sun just sapped my energy. Tyler had joined us on that excursion, and I do wish I'd captured his newly enlarged hiker's calves for posterity (he's been hiking quite a bit up in LA as a way to deal with his insane work schedule that finds him home, in front of a computer for days on end).

As for the Black Mountain hike, it was memorable for a few things:

*The group of hikers in the parking lot singing songs about chugging beer and making Matt quite uneasy. He thought them cult-ish, and I tried to allay his fears by explaining that some people don't give up drinking games just because they've graduated college. I still found him glancing worriedly down the hill, whenever we heard their chants in the distance.

*The two snakes--one a rattler, one harmless. Matt had a way of notifying me of the snakes' presence which did not put me at ease, at all. I couldn't explain why until the following week's hike with Tyler. We were walking, and Matt said, "A snake." (Long pause, Tyler and I freeze, trying to locate where the threat is approaching from.) "Was here earlier," he finished. Tyler pointed out that the delivery could have been made less traumatic, if Matt had not paused between the two pieces of information or had said, "These marks are from a snake."

Rattlesnake and a harmless snake (or so Matt tried to convince me).

*The microwave towers at the top that looked like big drums.

*The 360 view at the top of one peak. While the views to the north, south and east were dominated by development, the view west at sunset gave the illusion that you could walk off the top of the mountain directly onto the water.

Cannon Battles in San Diego Bay

2008-08-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Coast Guard's Eagle in San Diego Bay

The tall ships sailed into San Diego Bay last week on their tour of the West Coast. Usually we have a few rigged sailing vessels at the docks just a quarter mile from our apartment; they are part of the San Diego Maritime Museum. The most famous is the Star of India, which has the distinction of being the world's oldest active ship (1863). In the summer of 1996, a year after I moved to Los Angeles, I drove to San Diego to meet up with my uncle Paul, who was in town to captain the Star of India on one of her semi-annual voyages.

The highlight of the San Diego 2008 Festival of Sail was seeing the U.S. Coast Guard's Eagle. My uncle Paul captained this tall ship from 1976-1980, and it's played a part in family christenings and a wedding. We went by the ships in the early evening of the first night, and there were Navy, Coast Guard and Colombian Navy (I think Navy, but definitely Colombian) service persons and a host of other people dressed up for cocktail receptions on a few of the ships. It was fun to watch. We didn't pay the $65/person fee to sail on the ships during the cannon battles, but we could hear them from our place. A cannon going off is quite a distinct sound.

Current me by the Eagle's figurehead (Colombian ship in back), and just a few years ago in front of the Eagle with some of the Welling women. I'm the one in pigtails with my hands over my head. Aunt Shelia is holding my hands, and then there's golden-haired, baby Martha, Aunt Joan, my cousin Andrea, my sister Carolyn (in front) and then my mom. I love this photo.

Anniversary Balloon Ride

2008-08-26T13:54:00.001-07:00

Matt and I were treated to an anniversary balloon ride by my very sweet mother (yeah Anne!). We had seen balloons frequently in flight a little before sunset by the Mormon temple off the 5 freeway, and we'd always thought they tracked close to the coast. When we were planning an activity for our second anniversary, I immediately thought of the hot air balloons. I had only been once before in Palm Springs, and it wasn't very scenic. Since I was with my sister then, of course it was fun, but landing in a field with shot-up fridges and sofas just took away from the experience.

We met our fellow flyers and crew in a Vons parking lot in Del Mar--this may sound unappealing, but it gave us the opportunity to grab some appetizers at a kick-ass Persian restaurant nearby (the herb salad made our breath smell like mint and basil for hours). We were trucked over to a launch site, where I'd say about five other companies were getting their balloons ready. Although the area wasn't anything special, it was fun to see the balloons being inflated and lifting off. Ours was the last to take flight, so we got a nice show. Matt was a little nervous, as he has issues with heights when he feels unsteady. The initial moments were a bit hard for him, but the rest of the flight (minus the HARD landing) was smooth and he enjoyed it.

Our launch and landing sites--we certainly didn't escape civilization.

The balloons being unfurled, and our ride is just about ready to go.

Matt, trying not to think too much about what he's about to do, and I'm adding another layer of sun protection.

Some of the others in our group were, like us, a bit surprised at how we flew mostly over developed areas. We should have expected it--San Diego is built up and the winds blow us east, away from the water. Still, the balloon companies do over sell (surprise!) the idea a coastal excursion.

San Diego, a city of subdivisions, and a reason not to go skinny dipping before dark (you never know who is looking or from where).

However, the views west towards the coast were just beautiful. Fog covered the coastline, and surrounded some of the low hills. We were also able to see how SD is really a series of developments tucked into narrow canyons. From where we were, we didn't see a large, flat basin like you have in Los Angeles.

Sunset.

The experience was fun and relaxing, and though tired and a little dusty, we drove up to the North County beach town of Encinitas for a late dinner at Q'ero, a Peruvian restaurant I read about. It was certainly the type of place that once you enter, you know the meal and experience are going to be memorable. The colors were rich, the space cozy but not crowded, wine was present on many tables, and people just seemed happy and content. We thought that a table of "nice but crazy" Peruvian women (as described by our server) was a good sign as to the authenticity of the food. We slowly enjoyed our ceviche, filet, and fish prepared in Peruvian and South American styles. We also partook of a Patagonian Malbec--it was a night to celebrate.

... and it wasn't over yet--an unexpected adventure awaited us. One of Matt's coworkers lives in Encinitas, and we were going to meet him for a quick drink. The place he suggested was kinda horrible--beach town sports bar, hook-up haven on a Saturday night. Ick! Luckily he was delayed by a "heavy metal band", and we decided that sounded better than the bar. We joined up with him and found ourselves at a Future, Space Age, Retro keg party, with many of the guests and band members wearing some sort of metal or foil.

We love seeing live music, and this was no exception.

The host welcomed us in--he welcomed everyone from 20 somethings, to a homeless man, to a late 50s couple that loved to dance. It was awesome. The band, wasn't really playing heavy metal--Doors, Led Zeppelin, "Let's Get It On", and such. They certainly knew how to work with the crowd. I was impressed that they had a dedicated theremin player, who resembled a glam version of Harry Shearer in "This Is Spinal Tap". Another charming feature of this community is a lady who goes around to parties on weekends selling homemade egg rolls for $1.

I can't wait for next year's anniversary!

Green Home Ec 101

2008-08-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

Pasta water cooling and, later, watering the sago palm out on the balcony.

I've read that using the leftover pasta water for your plants is an eco-friendly way to provide hydration, and that the plants like the starch. I don't make pasta very often (gluten-free spaghetti/ fusilli/ macaroni are fine, but I have yet to see gf ravioli or tortellini), and the last time I did make it, I remembered this eco fact after dumping the pasta into the strainer with the water heading quickly for the drain.

This most recent time however, I was prepared. I had the bowl from our rice cooker, which still had a thin film of rice starch, to catch the water after it passed through the strainer (the thought of dirtying another bowl to catch the water seemed to take away any eco benefit to the project). After letting the water sit and cool, I used it to water our herbs and sago palm.

I was feeling very good about the entire deal, until Matt's coworker asked if I had salt in the water. I did, though not very much. He pointed out this actually is very toxic to plants (kills the roots I read later). To undo my good/bad deed, I made sure to water the plants very thoroughly over the next few days. I'm glad to report, that everyone is doing well--the basil even started to flower.

Now there are plenty more suggestions for collecting gray water for plants (putting a bowl in the shower to collect soapy water, using a tub in your sink while washing dishes and then using the remaining water and bits of organic matter, using leftover salad spinner water), but we don't have that many plants that need regular watering. Having to think about such things constantly, is reason enough to only plant succulents.

Big and Beautiful

2008-08-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

paws that is. Titchou's general daintiness belies her formidable footing. Here are a just few pictures showing off her polydactyl loveliness (26 toes in all).

Using her paw to absorb the heat of the sun and chilling out on a bar stool.

One of my favorite pix of her since we moved to SD--she must feel comfortable with the crab since it has big claws.

Gas For Under $4/ Gallon!

2008-08-20T13:59:00.001-07:00

Chevron station at Rosecrans St and Sports Arena Blvd

Actually this was one week ago--and today I refilled the car for $3.89/ gallon. Of course we have to seek the cheaper places out, and gas was less expensive when we arrived in February. We're still painfully aware of the price of gas--especially with a 20 year old car that gets 23 mpg, on a good day--so we're part of the millions of Americans conserving in little ways: Matt's been carpooling lately, I take the Coaster to class on Tuesdays, we drive slower (65 vs 80 mph on the freeways) and I certainly think about my routes and trip chain whenever possible. New to trip chaining? Here's a little blurb about it from the California Center for Sustainable Energy.

"In 1995 this term was used in a study done by the U.S. Department of Transportation to study the declination of personal trips carried out by public transit. Every stop was considered a chain along the entire trip, from the moment you left the house until you returned.

The term is now used to describe the ideology of combining all of your errands into a planned out route that will save you time and money, something familiar to most all of us in our busy and increasingly expensive lives.

UPS has taken this method and implemented into its daily operations. Truck routes are now preplanned utilizing only right turns to avoid waiting at left turn signals. They estimate they are saving around three million gallons of fuel per year with this plan."

Kayaking In La Jolla Cove

2008-08-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

We gear up before heading down to the water, and the La Jolla Caves that we weren't allowed to approach beyond this point.

About a month ago, our friend Nico visited from LA, and the three of us joined a group to go kayaking to the La Jolla Caves in La Jolla Cove. Why I thought our group was going to be the only one, I have no idea. There are a number of outdoor adventure shops in the area, this tour was our company's most popular, and it was a (mostly) sunny Saturday in July--something should have warned me to expect to see more people than wildlife. Maybe it was this picture on the Hike Bike Kayak web site that allowed me to envision a more peaceful outing.

instead of

I don't mean to make it sound like we didn't have fun. It's just that we spent a good portion of our time being kept in a tight space so that they didn't lose track of anyone as we waited to individually go into this one cave for less than a minute (btw, the cave smelled like bird poop). First we had to let another tour group from a different company go through the same process. Matt kept straying out too far, requiring the 17 year old secondary guide to paddle out to usher him back. Matt actually got called a trouble maker. Ha ha!

Nico and Matt paddling in perfect sync.

The seals, sea lions, cormorants, and brown pelicans were in abundance, and a sea turtle (spied by Matt and Nico) and tiger sharks made an appearance. The three of us really enjoyed being out on the water--Matt so much that he jumped in when given the chance. If the day had been warmer, I would have joined him. But then who would have been there to take these photos?

Matt making his way back to the kayak, and there he is sporting his super white legs.

Green Home Ec 101

2008-08-11T13:52:00.000-07:00

My mom had instilled in me the need to reuse plastic storage bags--but I had never found a convenient way to dry them. Ideally I wouldn't use them at all--but they are so handy and don't take up much space. I had tried hanging the washed out bags over the ends of pots that I had in the drying rack, but they always seemed to fall off and get wet or dirty again. I think I washed about one out of 10 bags, and I gave myself a good dose of Catholic guilt for the other nine bags I threw away.

A couple of weeks ago I was reading architect Michelle Kaufmann's blog (green ideas, sustainable, modern design, fun eco-friendly projects), and she had a post entitled "green it yourself: planted bag dryer." Finally, an easy, cheap, water-friendly and aesthetically pleasing way to dry those bags.

easy=I didn't even bother with the wire hanger, just used two chopsticks we already had.

cheap=The succulent cost me around $2.

water-friendly=I'll never have to water the succulent, as it receives it's minuscule amount of necessary hydration from the drying bags.

aesthetically pleasing=The plant is adorable, and I haven't even covered the pot with stylish scraps from design magazines. I may not as the Asian-esque plate it's sitting on works well with the chop sticks.

My version of the planted bag dryer.

Now, am I reusing more plastic storage bags? Absolutely! It's only if raw meat has touched the bag that I'll throw out a bag in good shape. I just get squeamish about such things. However, I mostly put such items in glass bowls, so I'm at about nine out of 10 bags being washed and dried. That one bag that gets thrown out is most often the one that finally gives up and tears.

I'm certainly not making a big dent in helping San Diego's water crisis, but I'm happy with my baby steps.

Summer Refreshers

2008-08-05T13:59:00.001-07:00

Kukicha and mint tea cooling off.

I've never been a tea fan of any kind, and even after a year in Cambridge, I only made it as far as drinking hot herbal teas once or twice a week. Upon return to the States, I could only find my favorite herbal tea, Decaf Earl Grey Roobios, in loose leaf form online, so I ordered some and a sampler of caffeinated teas for Matt. Surprisingly, I really liked the nuttiness of Kukicha, a Japanese blend of green tea made from twigs, stems and stalks of the Camellia sinensis. Kukicha actually means twig tea (I think). It has the lowest caffeine levels of all traditional teas, which is probably one of the reasons that I like it.

Fresh mint growing on our balcony, and the Kukicha and mint ready to be steeped.

It has been quite warm here lately. I've been craving a refreshing drink and hot tea just isn't appealing. So I am now one of the legions of Americans who brew hot tea and enjoy it later, once it is quite cool. Our version is not only different because of the choice of tea, but we're also using fresh mint from our balcony herb garden. Mint certainly does grow like a weed, so there are always enough leaves to throw in with the twiggy tea while steeping. Green tea should only steep for three minutes, and we've found that although the mint and tea are removed at this time, the mint flavor is stronger once the tea is cold. I guess the mint oils just continue to infuse the concoction.

While this is my new favorite anytime summer refresher, I have to give a shout out to the Cucumber Cooler I had at lunch on Saturday at the Montage in Laguna Beach: cucumber infused vodka, champagne and elderflower syrup served over ice and fresh cucumber slices. Oh my, that's a heavenly drink!

Thursday Stroll to the Farmers Market

2008-08-01T17:33:00.000-07:00

Weekly haul from the local farmers market.

With so many fruits and veggies in season, I had to start bringing the red cart to carry home my weekly farmers market shopping. (And for those who noticed--no, I don't consider Whole Foods to be a farmers market, I was just reusing the bags). While 'in season' is a subjective term in Southern California, I didn't see corn, raspberries, melons (loving the cantaloupe and honeydew hybrid) and peaches in the winter/ early spring. Actually, this Thursday market that I walk to doesn't have much produce at all before May--just flowers. Too bad I never learned to can fruit.

Our favorite now has to be the fresh kale and chard. I just chop it up into small pieces, mix it in with whatever other veggies we have, drizzle some dressing on it and call it a salad. When I went to the market last week, I thought I arrived too late to get the kale. Turns out the local growers are only allotted a certain amount of water (San Diego is officially in a drought), so they can't plant as much as they'd like. Doesn't make sense that people can water their lawns but farmers cannot water their crops.

Catching Up A Bit--June Trip to Los Angeles

2008-07-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

With Matt's family in town for Lindsey and Jason's wedding (posts on this to come) and my trip to the DC area, I'm a bit behind in email and blog posts. I'm finding that once one gets out of the habit of blogging regularly, it can be hard to set aside the time again (just like with the gym, which I'm also not keeping up with as much). Even though I still don't have a job, looking for work, taking classes, studying, entertaining guests, being a guest, and 'taking care of the house' can take up a lot of one's time.

Over the summer solstice weekend, Matt and I were in LA to visit with friends. I went up a day early (yeah for public transportation, boo for public transportation taking over an hour longer than scheduled) to spend time with the gaming group. Tyler picked me at Union Station in LA, and after our attempt to visit the Getty Villa was thwarted (who knew you still needed reservations for a weekday?), we checked out the new BCAM building and exhibits at LACMA and the new architecture museum across the street. Tyler also had time to show me the parabolic listening device he was developing for a sound-based art show in Pasadena and to increase the ring size on a ring my sister had brought back for me from Barbados. He's the handy, artsy-but-not-pretentious brother I never had.

Tyler using his dremel to make my ring fit better, and part of his parabolic sound installation.

The piece assembled and in place in Pasadena. It is "modeled after similar devices used during WWI before the advent of radar."

As for gaming, the important thing is Eric, Tyler, Shawn and I were all together (Nico showed up as well as a guest gamer). Although we fit in a not-particularly-healthy meal (this one at Marie Callender's), and not particularly tasteful video watching (Wonder Showzen, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!), we actually didn't have time for gaming. Outrageous, I know. Our priorities are obviously in question.

Eric and Tyler at Marie Callender's--we really did have fun (it's just that all of my photos kinda sucked).

The next morning Matt arrived, and we had brunch with Dom at my favorite type of restaurant--one with a French name. Dom and I have been friends for years (he went to college with my sister at U of MD), and he jokes that I'll only eat brunch at a place with a Le, La, Les or Cafe in the name. While not technically fitting this requirement, Comme Ca is very French. We actually split an excellent carafe of white wine to fit in (this was a carafe for one person, but we eeked out three glasses from it). I highly recommend the bacon--it was amazing. I might just skip the eggs and double up on the bacon for the next visit.

Me, Dom and Matt outside of Comme Ca on Melrose.

In the evening Matt and I split up--he spent the night with Tim and Elias, and I went to celebrate Tyler's 28th birthday with Shawn and Nico. After dinner at the Lebanese/Armenian/Middle Eastern Marouch, we traveled (minus Nico) to have a drink at the Bonaventure in downtown LA. The drinks are overpriced, but the revolving rooftop restaurant affords a sweet view of the city. Plus the glass elevator ride up to the 35th floor is always fun (or terrifying if heights don't agree with you).

Shawn and Tyler watching the traffic below, and the Bonaventure (the light with the red glow around it is the elevator).

Yeah for Independence Day Parties!

2008-07-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

Carolyn always supplies the fun accessories.

Although my quick trip to the DC area was to help my grandmother after a minor surgery, her extended stay in the hospital meant that I spent more time than planned with my mom, dad and sister. After spending the morning with my grandmother, I made it to my sister and brother-in-law's July 4th bash featuring Adam's famous brisket.

Tequila is the perfect way to catch-up with old friends.

Since I've met many of Carolyn's friends, I didn't feel like the odd person out. A true bonus was my college friend Roberto showing up on his way to meet friends in DC. Carolyn and Bobby had met before, and as you can tell from the picture above, they get along just fine.

I also have to highlight Carolyn's flower garden which borders her driveway. This picture doesn't do her efforts justice, but it gives you an idea of who has the greenest thumb in the family. The hollyhocks are beautiful and impressive.

Our Little, Little Cabbage

2008-06-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

Poor Mon Petit Chou! I knew that she had lost a bit of weight, but since we were feeding her the regular, all natural, grain free, highly rated dry food, I attributed her finicky eating habits to adjusting to our new place. However, we took her to the vet for a check-up, and she had dropped from five to four pounds. The doctor was concerned and ran lots of pricey tests (see shaved belly above). While we were waiting for the results, we started feeding her tuna, salmon and wet food. She scarfed everything down and gained two ounces in just a few days. Most of her tests that were abnormal came back normal after her weight gain. The final decision was that I was basically starving my cat. It's not such a good feeling. No wonder she chooses to stick close to Matt (see Titchou/ Matt cat napping shot above).

Used Does Not Always Make Financial Sense

2008-06-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit mind boggled when I come across used and new products on eBay that are the same price or more expensive than one could buy new locally or online at a retailer with a customer friendly return policy. There must be a reason for this, and I've talked with others who are just as confused. Is it consumer ignorance, seller ignorance or getting caught-up in the bidding? It irks me.

REKO glasses

Today I was at the Goodwill store looking for a cheap used flower pot (all I found was another pet peeve of mine--flower pots with no drainage holes), when I saw the ubiquitous IKEA REKO glasses. Since we have some but could use a few more, I was all set to buy them. However, the price was $4.99 for a set of four. While I wasn't sure of the exact price, I did remember buying a dozen of them years ago for fewer than $10. I just checked, and the glasses sell for $1.99 for six. I am slightly tempted to call the store and let them know--but I think I'll just sound/be annoying.

Now there is the argument that buying used is better--the Reuse part of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I completely agree (I was at Goodwill after all), but not at a 300% markup.

Julian, CA (aka Pie Town)

2008-06-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

Even the local outdoors store is named after Julian's famous pies.

On another Explore San Diego outing, Matt and I recently went to the town of Julian--just over an hour away in the Cuyamaca Mountains. Originally we were going to get up early on a Sunday and head out to the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. I was a bit concerned about the 100º forecast and our arriving there later than expected, at the hottest point of the day. A phone call with our friend, Shawn, on the way out of town confirmed that we were a bit insane--you visit Anza Borrego from November to March, never in the summer, she told us. Just happy for a change of scenery, we decided to continue our trip east and go to Julian instead. Julian and its cooler mountain climate are just west of the desert park.

What did we do in Julian? We spent about two hours eating bison burgers and fries at Miner's Diner and visiting bird, novelty, second-hand and jam shops along Main Street. We learned that Julian is known for its pies (specifically apple pies--we saw at least four pie shops) and for its roots as a gold rush town. Unfortunately, the concept of gluten-free pies hasn't reached the area yet.

At Miner's Diner (excellent bison burgers) you get a playing card instead of a number, and Matt searching for gold. Matt loves anything to do with mining or panning for treasure.

As we were leaving Julian, I was up for a little walking/hiking along some of the trails within a 20 minute drive--but Matt suggested we leave that for another day when the temperature was under 80º. Since we've become interested in birding (I still can't believe it myself), we'll definitely be back to the area. We learned that San Diego County has over 400 known species of birds--more than in any other US county (or so we were told). The area is also bordered by a number of preserves and parks, in addition to Anza Borrego. Oh, if Matt and I had some fancy motor cycles, we certainly would not be out of place. There were quite a few very expensive rides parked along Main Street, and quite a few people visibly coveting other peoples bikes.

Other things you can do in Julian...

You can buy John Deere Christmas ornaments, take a horse and buggy ride,

shop at Cats, Cats, Cats and More, or make yourself a Julian souvenir penny (for 50 cents).

Doing Our Part

2008-06-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

Matt emptying our very handy IKEA SORTERA recycling bins.

As part of being eco-friendly and thrifty, Matt and I have started taking our recycling to a center where we turn it in for cash. Our last visit--after accumulating bottles and cans for a month--netted us four dollars (we don't waste any fuel getting there as we stop when we're already nearby). That's 5/6 of a gallon of gas!

Torrey Pines State Park & Tijuana Estuary

2008-06-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

Cliffs at Torrey Pines. Dramatic--and when you hike up them you are higher than the helicopters!

Since our gym is closed on Sundays, we've been trying to get out and spend some physical energy exploring the parks and reserves in the San Diego area. Recently we've been to Torrey Pines State Reserve and the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. The former is across the street from Matt's office in La Jolla and the latter is just south of Coronado, with a view of the fence separating Mexico and the US and the massive Bullring by the Sea in Tijuana, Mexico.

Spending time together in our new town is our main goal with these outings, but I could tell Matt was a bit disappointed with the lack of birds at the Tijuana Estuary. We had brought our good binoculars and the spotting scope and tripod my dad had given us at Christmas. It did help us get a good view of a Western Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, few Brown Pelicans, group of Snowy Egrets and group of terns (perhaps Elegant Terns), but the quantity of birds was a bit low.

Western Meadowlark and Red-winged Blackbird

A group of Snowy Egrets and an adventurous juvenile on its own.

We went on a free bird tour at the reserve, and even our guide said that this was not the best time of year for birding. We actually only came across a Northern Harrier (named Harriet by the staff) and a few Belding's Savannah Sparrows on the tour until we were heading back and Matt spied the beautiful Yellow-crowned Night Heron crabbing in the marsh. It paid us no attention as we gazed and snapped photographs: it was too busy catching its dinner. After that, Matt was a much happier bird watcher.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron, spying and then catching its dinner (can you see the crab?)

When we went to Torrey Pines, the weather was much hotter--most people were in the water not hiking. Matt and I tend to don hiking boots not bathing suits, and the breeze off the cold Pacific is all we needed to enjoy our day. While Torrey Pines is not a large area as far as California parks go, it does offer "2000 acres of land are as they were before San Diego was developed -with the chaparral plant community, the rare and elegant Torrey pine trees, miles of unspoiled beaches, and a lagoon that is vital to migrating seabirds."

Beach goers at Torrey Pines and the eroded sandstone up above.

Two forms of Torrey Pines wildlife--Matt and a lizard.

San Diego Game Night

2008-05-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

I just love this photo of Shawn relaxing in in the sun, reading Wired and petting Titchou.

She and Tyler came down a few weekends ago for a Game Night (board games, ingesting copious amounts of food and watching somewhat obscure videos). Mr Eric J Lawrence, the progenitor of our LA game group, was suppose to caravan down as well, but he had to cancel due to more 'important' obligations. (He mentioned something about two of his oldest friends' birthdays--really, where are his priorities!) Matt filled in as the fourth gamer, and he came in a very respectable second--much more respectable than my sad, way behind, last place finish.

Shawn picks a card as Matt contemplates his next move, and Tyler a bit crazed over his win.

Tyler came in first, a familiar position for him. Ticket to Ride is his game however, so he's played quite a bit more. He was kind enough to leave it with us for a while, and we've initiated Matt's parents and our friends James and Michael, during our time in Cambridge (yes we brought it with us), into the this world of trains, destination tickets and routes. James also found it to be a mini lesson on U.S. geography.

A happy, full bunch of gamers outside of Chopahn, and our Glamour Shots pose, which Matt wasn't quite prepared for.

In true gaming tradition we also went out to eat, however we opted for healthier, higher-end fare versus the burger and fries, IHOP, Bob's Big Boy type meals we normally eat. Matt and I were excited to take Tyler and Shawn to Chopahn, a favorite Afghan restaurant within walking distance, and we were very happy that they loved the food (but how can one not with dishes like kadu--sweet, honey sauteed pumpkin served with yogurt and meat sauce).

The video portion of the night was accomplished with Tyler's aid--he brought a projector since we don't have a TV but we have bare, high-ceiling, white walls. Tyler also provided the material via YouTube: the BBC spoof science program Look Around You.

Although I won't be able to participate in Game Night every month, I do hope to make a couple of guest appearances throughout the year.

Considering Changing My Name To Justin Ross

2008-05-21T16:47:00.000-07:00

Remembering bucolic scenes such as this recent one from Cambridge help ease the pain and drudgery of looking for a job.

Applying for jobs is so not fun. Not hearing back from anyone you've sent resumes to is not fun. Getting phone calls offering work to the former owner of our telephone number--well that's just really, really not fun. As one recruiter told me, after I informed him that this was no longer Justin Ross's phone number, "Well you sure must be getting a lot of phone calls. He has an impressive resume."

Next time I get one of those calls, maybe I'll just say, "It's actually Justine," and see how the interview turns out.

The Graduate

2008-05-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

10 May 2008, University of Cambridge
Judge MBA 2006 Graduation

Here are some other photos of the weekend's activities.

Manuela and Matt at the class picture, and Matt, Shelley, Manuela and James at New Hall dinner.

Our self portrait outside the Senate House after the ceremony, and Manuela, the class photographer, snaps a picture of us after the class photo.

Michael, Steve, Matt and Taro at the Judge BBQ, and Judge football team after their (unsuccessful) match against the current MBA class.

Even If I Wanted To, I Don't See How...

2008-05-08T05:45:00.000-07:00

I could climb this 400 year old 'tree'.

As the sign was in a planter outside of the Green Man pub in Grantchester, I'm thinking it may have been removed from its original home after one too many pints.

We Arrived Just In Time For The Lilacs!

2008-05-07T07:49:00.000-07:00

Lilacs will always remind me of 36 Sequams Lane East.

It has been 70º degrees and sunny since our arrival in Cambridge: the cows are back on the commons; people are in the punts; layabouts are lazing on the lawns; and the plants are popping out petals. It's just lovely. Seeing as how last summer was 55º and rainy most days, we feel like we earned such glorious weather.

More images of springtime in Cambridge (click for more detail)


Golden fields of rapeseed.	Punts by the pub, The Granta .
Robin in mid call.	Flowering rosemary.
Sweet buttercups.	And no lack of pheasants.

In A Giant's World

2008-04-30T18:58:00.000-07:00

Lindsey's and her giant-sized champagne bottle.

Lindsey came for a visit to do some wedding preparations, and she related how she's always been intrigued by items that are far larger than their normal size. It makes her think of being in a giant's world. This may be the cause or the effect of her love of Disneyland.

When she and I were walking back from brunch at the Mission, we popped into a wine store in the East Village. In the basement, Lindsey spied an extremely large champagne bottle, and she got very animated. I might have to use this information to plan something special during her wedding. Hmmm.

Lindsey at Extraordinary Desserts.

Besides playing 'Human in a Giant's World,' we also checked out possible wedding cakes at Extraordinary Desserts and visited the restaurants where the rehearsal dinner and reception will be held. We're quite lucky that Lindsey and Jason will be getting married in San Diego, as Lindsey will be making another wedding prep, pre-ceremony visit in May.

The 10-years-apart twins, and Lindsey and Titchou did quite a bit of bonding over the weekend.

Matt and I Actually Do Spend Time Together

2008-04-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

although he is working all the time (at work till 9pm last night, then worked till 1:30am at home). Here's a picture from my delayed birthday dinner at Romesco, a Baja Mediterranean bistro. One thing we have not found is a lack of San Diego is good restaurants.

We learned about this place from an article in Edible San Diego, a new quarterly magazine. The article mentioned that the chef is a proponent of the Slow Food movement, so we weren't too surprised that they were giving us quite a bit of time to peruse the wine list. Finally our grinning broadly at any server who passed us by caught someone's attention. We then discovered that they hadn't assigned us a server. After many apologies, we had our bottle of Malbec and a delightful, unhurried meal. The violin player who performed fostered the relaxing atmosphere. It would have been a different experience if the flamenco dancers who were originally scheduled had not gotten ill.

Before we left we were tempted by their homemade desserts, and I'm thrilled to report that I've finally found a flan that I like. This is probably because it had a tapioca-ish, not a jello-y, jiggly consistency. I'm glad that I hadn't give up hope and my habit of encouraging someone else to order the flan so that I could try a bite.

We Were Going to Get A Honda Fit

2008-04-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

TH!NK City

...but maybe something from TH!NK will be our next car: all electric, available by 2009, 110 miles to a charge, under $25,000. Of course, we would have to buy a house first so we'd have somewhere to plug it in. Perhaps we will stick with the Fit—or buy a really, really, really long extension cord.

CLOSED

2008-04-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

Went for a quick visit to LA, and Shawn took Wednesday off to hang out with me. We tried to go to BCAM at LACMA, Architecture and Design Museum Los Angeles, and Kiriko, a sushi restaurant in West Los Angeles. All were closed. LACMA is always closed on Wednesdays, which we forgot, but A+D Museum was closed for installation of an exhibit and Kiriko was closed for no reason.

While I'm not a fan of the recommissioned street lamps outside of BCAM, we had fun posing amidst them.

Well Shawn and I had enjoyed the day anyway--hanging out around the museums, visiting the mastodons in the tar pits, shopping on La Brea (cards and cheese were within my budget) and having dinner with Nico at Echigo, a stand out sushi bar in West LA with the most memorable sushi rice that I've had.

La Brea Tar Pits: methane bubbling to the surface and Shawn tired by the Sisyphean task of waiting for the mastodon to free itself from the tarry pit of death.

A+D Museum closed for installation of After the Flood (pink house is part of The Pink Project brought to you by Brad Pitt's Make it Right foundation). Me and Shawn at Echigo.

A Little Help With 64 Across Please

2008-04-15T10:54:00.001-07:00

My sister has been doing the Washington Post Sunday crossword puzzle for years—our grandmother was a crossword enthusiast, and we do seem to enthusiastically embrace all things related to the time we lived with her. I started doing some online last year, and during our time in the DC area I looked forward to the weekly challenge of the WP puzzle (I'll have to wait until I hone my skills more before attempting the NY Times Sunday one). What I really enjoyed is getting hints from my sister, as she always finished before I did. I was bummed that moving to San Diego would mean the end of this interaction—I asked her to scan and email me the crossword, but the likelihood of this happening, with regularity, was low. After she pointed out that I can get the Sunday puzzle online, our routine of her helping me learn the favorite, obscure puzzle words or making me realize that 'seating option' is 'booth' not 'aisle' is reestablished. Just one of those little things that makes family seem closer.

Back On The Guest List Again

2008-04-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

Much easier to get a decent photo of our tickets than Mark Farina.

One of the perks of working at KCRW was getting on the guest list for music and other events. The not waiting in line was nice, but the real benefit was not having to layout money for acts that I wasn't sure I would like. If I buy a ticket, I certainly feel pressure to get to the venue earlier and stay long enough to see my money's worth–even if the event isn't entertaining. So being on the guest list made me more adventuresome, knowing that I could stay for as little time as I wanted.

Well, I was certain that my guest list days were over--except for the occasional KCRW Presents show that I'll put posters up for in San Diego. However, two weekends ago Matt's coworker got us on the list for an Om Music event—which we were denied entry to because we arrived after the guest list closed and Matt was wearing a sweatshirt. Whatever. Then last weekend, I met two of my classmates (Intro. to Sustainability at UCSD Extension) who promote GIANT events in San Diego. They kindly offered to put Matt and me on the guest list for Mark Farina last Friday night. Even though we arrived at 1am (Matt was working--blargh), the guest list was still open. We were able to enjoy an hour of Farina's set before we admitted that we were tired. Luckily his selections were much more danceable (upbeat, housey) than the last few times we saw him.

Oh, the title of this blog should be sung to the tune of Steve Winwood's 'Back in the High Life Again.'

Subscribing to Music Podcasts Through iTunes

2008-04-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

Another Peter Welling original--the post needed some color.

I subscribe to a few music podcasts in iTunes: Diplo's mad decent worldwide radio, KEXP's Song of the Day, MPR: The Current Song of the Day, and KCRW's Top Tune. I try and listen to each song--deleting the ones I don't like (I hate clutter even on my iPod) and giving the ones I do like a rating. The thing I don't like about music podcasts in iTunes is that they never appear in the Music section--they are relegated to life as a podcast even when you change the genre to music.

In the past I had tried moving the files out of their podcast directory in the iTunes folder and then re-importing them into iTunes. iTunes always put them back in the podcast directory. Argh! After a little Googling this morning, I found a reasonable fix that is not too time consuming since the steps can be done to multiple songs at one time. (I never knew that you could drag and drop a directory of songs into iTunes--such a PC girl I was/am.)

Hope this helps some of you out there, and if anyone can recommend more podcasts, do share.

"A better suggestion I think. 1. Select the podcasts you wish to convert to normal audiio files.
2. Go to the advanced menu, select convert ID3 tags.
3. Change the ID3 tags to version 1.0.
4. Drag the podcasts out to a folder
5. Delete the originals from iTunes
6. Drag the files back in to iTunes (I recommend using a playlist)
7. Change the ID3 tags back to the highest version available.
8. Fix any missing tags."
posted by Jeremy on http://opensoul.org

Our First Visitor

2008-04-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

My sister arrived for a five day visit.

The mattress for the guest bedroom was delivered just in time for my sister's visit. Since Matt's been working so much, it was fun to have someone (and a super-fun someone at that) to explore more of San Diego with. Carlyn and I discovered that San Diego restaurants serve large portions (at Hash House A Go Go the pancakes are the size of a 14" pizza), our balcony is good for sipping cocktails, cute shoe stores are closed on Mondays, the beaches on the Pacific provide an excellent selection of stones for use in gardens and accessorizing potted plants, and the culotte steak (top sirloin cap steak) is an amazing cut of meat. Can't wait to experience further adventures with our next set of visitors.

A Quick Review of Carolyn's Visit (click for more detail)
First stop: Rose Garden at Balboa Park.	The Star of India is parked right down the street from us.
Had to rent a convertible to sport sis around San Diego.	The Old Point Loma Lighthouse.
There was some rock hugging at PL.	And self portrait taking (sadly, Matt was working).
Ventured to the OC to visit with Dom.	Carolyn couldn't resist dipping her toe in the cold Pacific waters off Laguna Beach.
Matt could spend all day gazing into tide pools.	We also happened upon some seriously large kelp on Torrey Pines State Beach.

Sunset Cliffs, San Diego

2008-04-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

Heard this was the place one needs to experience the sunset. We heard correctly. People just gather around—some arrive quite a while before, set up chairs, have a cocktail and listen to music; others arrive a few minutes before and leave as soon as the sun dips below the horizon. Having people come together to enjoy something as beautiful, natural, ephemeral and free as the sunset leaves one with a (slightly) better view of humanity.

People waiting for sunset on the beautiful, red cliffs.

The sunset does funny things to Matt's hair. I like it.

Here is my first sunset series--reminds me of my first sunrise series that I took in Belize (sigh). Click to enlarge the photos.

The Moffle: A Waffle I Can Eat

2008-03-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

Stop waffling: Japan invents the "moffle"

"TOKYO (Reuters Life!) - Japanese pastry connoisseurs and technology fans have found a new obsession: the "moffle," a cross-over between a waffle and Japan's traditional "mochi" rice cake."

Gluten-free and delicious! I can't wait to find out where they first appear in Southern California. It can't be long. Or maybe I should just get my own moffle maker. Not surprising that the Japanese made it cute as well—just look at its little feet.

Going Out For Breakfast In The East Village

2008-03-25T17:56:00.000-07:00

The Mission—East Village location

No we didn't go to New York City for Easter brunch. We went to one of our favorite breakfast spots, The Mission, which is located in the area of downtown San Diego know as the East Village. I think all of downtown San Diego could fit into NYC's East Village; it makes me giggle.

According to Matt's sister, the Mission has excellent pancakes and other gluteny breakfast fare, but Matt and I can only attest to their wonderful sweet corn tamales (not too sweet, just perfect), black beans, sausage and eggs. Their salsa verde is a perfect topper for such a meal. Oh yes, I must mention their seriously strong coffee—the kind where you add milk and it's still just as dark. I think the only time we've had stronger coffee was in Dubrovnik where I added 1/2 cup of cream with no effect.

Back to the East Village. This area is about a mile and a half from where we live–walkable if one has the time. It's close to the ballpark where the San Diego Padres play, and the area is a bit artsy with some galleries, restaurants and cool loft buildings. We looked into living here, but we're glad that we ended up in 'Downtown' downtown San Diego.

Here are some photos of the EV around where we ate.

Art & Industry: seems to be a welding studio of some kind, and the ICON where we looked at living (one can watch the ball games from the roof).

Before the ballpark was built, the area wasn't tony enough to attract a pilates studio or become the new headquarters of Pony .

Matt in front of Wheel Works, and bougainvillea which dresses up any neighborhood.

Hints from Matt

2008-03-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

Shine your chrome with aluminum foil: "For sparkling chrome on your appliances, strollers, golf club shafts, and older car bumpers, crumple up a handful of aluminum foil with the shiny side out and apply some elbow grease. If you rub real hard, the foil will even remove rust spots. Note: Most "chrome" on new cars is actually plastic -- don't rub it with aluminum foil."

I think it was our friend Tyler who first brought this to our attention. Matt put it to good use for shining up the legs of a Barcelona chair when it arrived from my sister.

Matt very thoroughly shining one of the chrome legs.

The "apply some elbow grease" comment above is certainly true. The second chair is still wrapped in packaging awaiting his next burst of energy—which may take a while to arrive given his work schedule.

Matt enjoys the fruits of his labors.

These Weren't The Boxes We Wanted For Our Birthdays

2008-03-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

They never seem to end. These boxes are actually now unpacked, tape removed, broken down and recycled. They've since been replaced by boxes for two bed frames, a mattress and five shelving units. We could have built our flat out of cardboard with all the boxes we've seemed to have gone through.

Birthday Celebrations

2008-03-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

Matt and I both had our birthdays in March, and we were able to fit a little celebrating into Matt's crazy, busy schedule. Matt was too tired to go out on his actual birthday, but we made it the next night to a Normal Heights restaurant: Jayne's Gastropub. It was a cozy, nice place (though a bit loud due to the tin ceiling, tile floor and mirrors on the walls), and Matt loved his meal so much that he did something that I don't think I've ever seen him do: suck meat off the bones. He was sweet enough to let me take a photo.

Matt really enjoyed his pork special.

My birthday dinner is still forthcoming, as Matt was too exhausted on the actual day to go. However, an artistic, lovely bouquet of flowers arrived to brighten my day.

The roses smelled, and still smell, fresh and sweet.

The next day we headed up to Los Angeles to pick-up boxes, see Matt's parents and celebrate with some close friends at the historic Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood.

Abe, Shawn, me, Nico, Tyler and Matt—and the yummy peach bellinis.

I celebrated by ordering the outrageously expensive peach bellini and enjoyed every drop. The couches allowed us to lounge about in the renovated original lobby of the hotel. While the area was full for a Saturday night, we had lots of room and didn't even consider trying to go to the poolside club.

I think Abe got a little jealous about how well this photo of his boyfriend, Frank, and me turned out.

Tyler and I are actually very friendly people.

While our group was quite engaged with itself, Nico and I found some interesting people watching while in the bathrooms. I think all of our group was casually dressed in jeans: the bathroom ladies were in full-effect going out mode. The skirts were short and tight, and everything had a label. The effect was actually not so good, and the labels not so real.

Nico was able to keep the ever-fading Matt awake and engaged.

For me b-day, Shawn gave me two welcomed books on hiking in San Diego/ Southern California area.

I was hoping to spot a celebrity so that I could pass the news along to our friends who don't live in SoCal, but it wasn't to be. The closest I came was hearing someone mention Cuba Gooding Junior's name as we left the hotel. There was actually a one-degree removed celebrity sighting on Saturday: Matt's sister, Lindsey, saw and said hello to Moby at the Ritz in Laguna Niguel.

Things We've Noticed About San Diego

2008-03-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

*A lot of tattoos—and not the kind that are administered with minimal discomfort and can be discreetly hidden for a job interview, wedding or family reunions. Not surprisingly, according to a post on Yelp, San Diego is also the city with the most people interested in tattoo removal.

*People are generally quite friendly—including sales customer service people.

*Gluten-free really hasn't caught on here yet. This makes me sad.

*Even bad traffic moves. After Los Angeles, I call this good traffic.

*Music in a time warp. It's been hard not to notice San Diegans' love of music from the last 80s and early 90s. I haven't heard Pearl Jam, U2 circa Achtung Baby and Zooropa, Dave Matthew's Band, Everclear, etc., this much since college. Even the alternative station has to sandwich a new song by Vampire Weekend between Nirvana, Rancid, Dead Milkmen and Sublime. Yes, Sublime (as well as Social Distortion, which we've heard) is a Southern California (Long Beach) band, but there are sooooo many SoCal bands that have put music out in the last 10 years.

*Real shocker: weather is lovely and air quality is excellent.

Cat Napping

2008-03-16T14:31:00.000-07:00

While the cats are happy to have us back, I think they might be more thrilled with the amount of light we get in our new place. The light makes our lovely kitties even more photogenic.

Brea looks so forlorn, so dramatic. I love her black fur against the orange couch.

This picture really shows off Titchou's extra digits.

You've gotta love Ikea for the cute children's cushions. The crab is a Maryland symbol, so it's a reminder of the time they spent at my mom's house.

Matt put the Barcelona chair together last night, and Brea quickly found a comfy, cool spot to take a break from the sun.

Totally overexposed, but the floating couch effect is nice.

Hints from Amy

2008-03-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

You can brush your teeth, wash your face (I do every morning), soak up cat vomit, safely scrub your pans, wash your clothes, deodorize your fridge/cat's litter box/ rug, and of course bake with it. What is this magic substance? Inexpensive and easily available baking soda.

I think this is the greatest thing ever, and so I wasn't surprised, just tickled pink, that one can also use it to remove the tarnish from silver. I had put some silver jewelry in storage in a very haphazard way, and most items greeted me with a dull, black coating when I unwrapped them. I have no patience for silver polish, and I was at the point of adding some less dear items to the the charity donation pile in lieu of spending the time/ money to clean them. A quick Google search gave me several options for non-polish tarnish removal, but none was easier or cheaper than lining the kitchen sink with aluminum foil, placing the objects in a single layer, generously coating them with baking soda and finally adding some boiling water.

Watch the process in action!

Silver items placed in a basket of foil covered by baking soda.

Boiling water catalyzes the reaction of the baking soda and foil.

Silver is clean and shiny!

Pin: before and after.

Jewelry: before and after.

Practical homemaking tips remind me of Hints from Heloise (hence the title of this post). Just discovered the HfH web site today while writing this post, and what did I find on the main page?: A post about baking soda and vinegar being her favorite cleaning products.

One more tip for today—using a razor to get rid of fabric pilling. I love the fabric on our couch (a vintage Alexander Girard design that I splurged for when I bought the couch years ago), but it does pill and having two cats doesn't help the cause. The look of the couch is diminished by the fibers matting on top of the fabric. I thought that I would have to buy a de-pilling gizmo until I read that one can shave away these unsightly nuisances. True one must be careful, but with a light touch the couch can safely look as good as new. I did discover that the cheapest single-blade razors are not quite sharp enough, and they end up costing you more as you run through them faster. An inexpensive, two-blade razor should do the trick nicely.

That's all the homemaking tips I have time for now. Hopefully one day soon I will be able to forward tips on how to make ones job easier (because that will mean that I have one!).

A ball of pilled fabric shaved and ready to be plucked off. Have fun!

Getting Settled In

2008-03-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

That's our balcony on the bottom left.

The first wave of boxes are unpacked (we pick-up another 10 from Matt's parents' house this weekend), furniture (that we have) is in place, many trips to Ikea, Target, Home Depot, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods have been made—and our flat is beginning to feel like home.

Since our balcony did not come with a screen door, one of our first tasks was to construct one so the cats did not venture outside. We thought we could just buy a screen door at Home Depot, but it was way, way cheaper to make one ourselves. Matt and I realized that this was our first DIY project. There wasn't anyone in the screen door section of HD to help us, but we were able to figure out what we needed.

Matt testing the fit of the pieces.

We had no sandpaper, but a nail file did the job of smoothing down the edges.

There are some imperfections in the screen (buying the cheapest spline tool to push the screen into the frame wasn't the brightest idea), but it fits perfectly into the doorway. Most importantly it keeps Titchou and Brea inside while letting in the San Diego breeze (we're only a few blocks from the Marina).

And in case you are wondering, Matt did not become a MD while at Cambridge. The scrubs are compliments of our soon to be brother-in-law who is in medical school. I have a pair as well.

Dr. Matt completes his frame.

Now the job of inserting the screen begins.

Screen completed and in place. Titchou enjoys the afternoon sun and the prime seating.