Southwest is having another web special on airfare for flights April 1 - June 25..... I'm booking for Chicago in June. First on the itinerary? Go to Quimby's. There's nothing quite like it here, surprisingly. Then visit Erin + Amos and OBC, now aka "Barrel".... and on to see the fam! I think it'll be a short visit, because I don't get much time off of work.
Here's another chance for you to come out here, though -- DO IT!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Miscellaneous Goodness
All I hear about the Midwest is that it's miserable and spring can't come soon enough.. here's a little song to help you get through!
Best Chili (Soup)
Vanessa whipped this together the other night, and it's SOOOO GOOD (and vegan!) The initial consistency is more of a soup, but you can reduce the liquids or add some brown rice like we did. Recommended to consume with a local brew and some chips 'n guacamole!
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 package (or more) Soyrizo
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 10-oz cans diced tomatoes (with green chilies)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 15-oz can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
salt & pepper to taste
Garnish:
chopped cilantro
lime cut into wedges
Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onions and garlic; cook until soft, ~5 minutes. Add spices and Soyrizo, cook another few minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, and broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve with cilantro and lime wedges.
Vanessa got a hot new haircut!
This is somewhat baffling to admit, but I was channel-surfing earlier and was compelled to stop on the local government station.. who knows why I did, but it turned out to be pretty informative -- who knew that the SF Board of Supervisors kicks so much butt?! Supervisors are similar to aldermen in Chicago; they represent areas of the city and propose measures. Right now they're debating funding a renovation of their own chambers to accommodate disabled access. One of the supervisors is disabled, and it seems like a no-brainer, right? But we're in the throes of a nasty budget deficit, so the arguments are kind of interesting.
Supervisor Alioto-Pier is my new personal hero! She tore those fools UP! I like those ladies who know what's goin' on.
I recognized Supervisor Tom Ammiano as an older version of the guy who was in 'The Times of Harvey Milk' (which is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to watch). It's awesome to see him in the position that Harvey was in, continuing the work that he started. Warms my heart!
And this fun bit is from Wikipedia: "In 1999, Ammiano came into conflict with some in San Francisco's Catholic community when the Board of Supervisors, at Ammiano's urging, granted the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a charity group of drag queen nuns, a street-closure permit for Castro Street for their 20th anniversary celebration on Easter Sunday.[1][2] Said Roman Catholic Archdiocese spokesman Maurice Healy, "While we are offended by what they do, we're simply asking 'Please don't do it on Easter Sunday, the holiest day of the Christian year.'" An Archdiocese newspaper compared the Sisters' event to neo-Nazis celebrating on the Jewish holiday of Passover.[3][4][5] Some believe the controversy, which was repeatedly brought up by Ammiano's Catholic detractors, may have hurt his 1999 mayoral bid among San Francisco Catholics."
Best Chili (Soup)
Vanessa whipped this together the other night, and it's SOOOO GOOD (and vegan!) The initial consistency is more of a soup, but you can reduce the liquids or add some brown rice like we did. Recommended to consume with a local brew and some chips 'n guacamole!
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 package (or more) Soyrizo
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 10-oz cans diced tomatoes (with green chilies)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 15-oz can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
salt & pepper to taste
Garnish:
chopped cilantro
lime cut into wedges
Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onions and garlic; cook until soft, ~5 minutes. Add spices and Soyrizo, cook another few minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, and broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve with cilantro and lime wedges.
Vanessa got a hot new haircut!
This is somewhat baffling to admit, but I was channel-surfing earlier and was compelled to stop on the local government station.. who knows why I did, but it turned out to be pretty informative -- who knew that the SF Board of Supervisors kicks so much butt?! Supervisors are similar to aldermen in Chicago; they represent areas of the city and propose measures. Right now they're debating funding a renovation of their own chambers to accommodate disabled access. One of the supervisors is disabled, and it seems like a no-brainer, right? But we're in the throes of a nasty budget deficit, so the arguments are kind of interesting.
Supervisor Alioto-Pier is my new personal hero! She tore those fools UP! I like those ladies who know what's goin' on.
I recognized Supervisor Tom Ammiano as an older version of the guy who was in 'The Times of Harvey Milk' (which is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to watch). It's awesome to see him in the position that Harvey was in, continuing the work that he started. Warms my heart!
And this fun bit is from Wikipedia: "In 1999, Ammiano came into conflict with some in San Francisco's Catholic community when the Board of Supervisors, at Ammiano's urging, granted the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a charity group of drag queen nuns, a street-closure permit for Castro Street for their 20th anniversary celebration on Easter Sunday.[1][2] Said Roman Catholic Archdiocese spokesman Maurice Healy, "While we are offended by what they do, we're simply asking 'Please don't do it on Easter Sunday, the holiest day of the Christian year.'" An Archdiocese newspaper compared the Sisters' event to neo-Nazis celebrating on the Jewish holiday of Passover.[3][4][5] Some believe the controversy, which was repeatedly brought up by Ammiano's Catholic detractors, may have hurt his 1999 mayoral bid among San Francisco Catholics."
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Warming Food
This week has been chilly and rainy, so we leaned toward warm, filling recipes to keep us going.
Chunky Lentil Soup
1 1/4 cups green French or black beluga lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cups diced butternut squash (spoon-sized!)
1 can (28-oz) crushed tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
1 cup water or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Pinch of smoked paprika or pure chile powder
Torn fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Good-quality olive oil, for garnish
Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add the lentils, and cook for 20 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the squash, tomatoes, and water or vegetable stock, and continue cooking until the squash is tender (about 10 minutes). Drain the lentils and stir them in, along with the salt and smoked paprika or chile powder. Let the soup return to a gentle simmer, then taste and adjust the seasoning if need be.
Serve, topped with the basil, Parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil.
This made a HUGE pot of soup that we're still finishing off after a week. It's one of those good soups that just gets better with time! It's good with and without the extra garnishes, and I also threw in some zucchini that needed to be used. I had paprika in the cabinet, and I think it lends a really nice, subtle twist to the usual lentil soup formula.
Wheat Berry Salad
2 cups soft wheat berries, rinsed
6 cups water
2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt
3 generous handfuls spinach leaves, stemmed and well-rinsed
1 cup toasted pine nuts (I used walnuts)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (mild is best)
citrus dressing
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine the wheat berries, water and 2 teaspoons salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, until plump and chewy (about 1 hour). The berries should stay al dente, and the only way to be sure they're done is to taste a few. Drain and season to taste with more salt. Toss the hot wheat berries with the spinach, to wilt it.
Dressing: Combine the orange zest and juice, lemon juice, and shallot. Whisk in the olive oil and season with a few pinches of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Toss the wheat berries and spinach with the citrus dressing and pine nuts. Season to taste. Serve topped with crumbled feta.
I made the wheat berries in the morning while getting ready for work, and tossed together the rest in the evening when I got home. We also had a couple leftover kumquats, which I seeded and ground into the dressing with a bladed hand mixer -- that added a great tang!
(Recipes from Super Natural Cooking, by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks)
Chunky Lentil Soup1 1/4 cups green French or black beluga lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cups diced butternut squash (spoon-sized!)
1 can (28-oz) crushed tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
1 cup water or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Pinch of smoked paprika or pure chile powder
Torn fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Good-quality olive oil, for garnish
Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add the lentils, and cook for 20 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the squash, tomatoes, and water or vegetable stock, and continue cooking until the squash is tender (about 10 minutes). Drain the lentils and stir them in, along with the salt and smoked paprika or chile powder. Let the soup return to a gentle simmer, then taste and adjust the seasoning if need be.
Serve, topped with the basil, Parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil.
This made a HUGE pot of soup that we're still finishing off after a week. It's one of those good soups that just gets better with time! It's good with and without the extra garnishes, and I also threw in some zucchini that needed to be used. I had paprika in the cabinet, and I think it lends a really nice, subtle twist to the usual lentil soup formula.
Wheat Berry Salad2 cups soft wheat berries, rinsed
6 cups water
2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt
3 generous handfuls spinach leaves, stemmed and well-rinsed
1 cup toasted pine nuts (I used walnuts)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (mild is best)
citrus dressing
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine the wheat berries, water and 2 teaspoons salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, until plump and chewy (about 1 hour). The berries should stay al dente, and the only way to be sure they're done is to taste a few. Drain and season to taste with more salt. Toss the hot wheat berries with the spinach, to wilt it.
Dressing: Combine the orange zest and juice, lemon juice, and shallot. Whisk in the olive oil and season with a few pinches of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Toss the wheat berries and spinach with the citrus dressing and pine nuts. Season to taste. Serve topped with crumbled feta.
I made the wheat berries in the morning while getting ready for work, and tossed together the rest in the evening when I got home. We also had a couple leftover kumquats, which I seeded and ground into the dressing with a bladed hand mixer -- that added a great tang!
(Recipes from Super Natural Cooking, by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks)
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
We're Just Walkin'
Sunset from Russian Hill
Misty hills of Marin in the distance...
Alcatraz!
A blossoming bush
Clover yard!!!
Another crazy building in the Mission (just down the street from Emily's house)
24th Street in the Mission.. lined with big bushy trees and lots of interesting businesses!
We saw this building along 25th Street.. mixed feelings, because there are a lot of unnecessarily new condos being built in the Mission, and this one sticks out like a sore thumb. But at least it appears to be a 'green' building with plant-filled decks, natural light, solar panels and a wind power turbine on the roof!
A surprising view of Bernal Hill through some crazy trees in Garfield Square on 25th
Yay, SF!
Bernal Heights
The Foxy Lady on Mission Street!
A scary ATM....
This whole walk around the Mission originated with a craving for french toast.. at 5pm on President's Day. We spent 2 hours searching through the biggest neighborhood in SF, and finally landed on Church Street at Sparky's 24hr diner. French toast?
No... but when we left, we saw that the café next door to Sparky's had french toast.. Next time!
And to close... just in case you ever wonder where you can do one-stop video shopping, go to Market and Church!
Misty hills of Marin in the distance...
Alcatraz!
A blossoming bush
Clover yard!!!
Another crazy building in the Mission (just down the street from Emily's house)
24th Street in the Mission.. lined with big bushy trees and lots of interesting businesses!
We saw this building along 25th Street.. mixed feelings, because there are a lot of unnecessarily new condos being built in the Mission, and this one sticks out like a sore thumb. But at least it appears to be a 'green' building with plant-filled decks, natural light, solar panels and a wind power turbine on the roof!
A surprising view of Bernal Hill through some crazy trees in Garfield Square on 25th
Yay, SF!
Bernal Heights
The Foxy Lady on Mission Street!
A scary ATM....
This whole walk around the Mission originated with a craving for french toast.. at 5pm on President's Day. We spent 2 hours searching through the biggest neighborhood in SF, and finally landed on Church Street at Sparky's 24hr diner. French toast?
No... but when we left, we saw that the café next door to Sparky's had french toast.. Next time!
And to close... just in case you ever wonder where you can do one-stop video shopping, go to Market and Church!
Scenes from Home
Happy spinach on the fire escape!
Happy lettuces in the garden!
As much of the eucalyptus tree in our yard that fits in the camera frame...
Cute little blooming weeds and potted arugula gone mad in the yard
Flowering vine on the way up the stairs
Giant plants in the "front yard"
This is a striking building on the corner of my block.. An elderly woman named Emily lives here. Apparently she grew up in the house and her family has been there since her grandparents. Emily is always out and about, and she keeps track of what goes on in the neighborhood.. I've heard that she packs heat! I probably would, too, if I lived in a building that looks abandoned in a part of town where people are likely to break in.
Happy lettuces in the garden!
As much of the eucalyptus tree in our yard that fits in the camera frame...
Cute little blooming weeds and potted arugula gone mad in the yard
Flowering vine on the way up the stairs
Giant plants in the "front yard"
This is a striking building on the corner of my block.. An elderly woman named Emily lives here. Apparently she grew up in the house and her family has been there since her grandparents. Emily is always out and about, and she keeps track of what goes on in the neighborhood.. I've heard that she packs heat! I probably would, too, if I lived in a building that looks abandoned in a part of town where people are likely to break in.
Monday, February 18, 2008
WE GOT OUR NEW COUCH!
YAAAYYYYY!!!! We finally got our schmancy new couch...
...as you can see, it is big and cozy. What will we do with all that space?
...as you can see, it is big and cozy. What will we do with all that space?
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Saturday Morning with Tartine & TV5Monde
I peeled myself out of bed this morning and stumbled out the door with Vanessa to catch some breakfast at Tartine before her volunteer training.. Leaving the house is always worth it when Tartine is on the itinerary (although if you don't want to wait 30 minutes or more, the sacrifice is greater because the early bird gets the worm faster).
I didn't bring the camera with me, but I wish I could've gotten a picture of the line at 9am -- it was out the door, and smashed inside along with the few tables they've managed to squeeze into their tiny space. It's like human Tetris most of the time! So why do we wait 30 minutes and surrender our personal space? Because here are found the reliably best pastries and edible goods, and no indulgent day is complete without them.
In fact, it's all so good that I was confident ordering before I even saw what was in the cases (too many people in line blocking the goods!). I just asked a server what was ready to go, and went with it. I ended up with bread pudding with apples and caramel, a frangipane croissant, zucchini bread with kumquaats and walnuts, and a chocolate scone (though I ordered a chocolate croissant -- no love lost, I'm sure it will be delicious!) Vanessa grabbed the croissant and zucchini bread and hurried off to her training, so I got the bread pudding and scone.
Bread pudding isn't for everyone, the texture puts some people off.. and we all know there's some sorry stuff masquerading as real food out there, so that doesn't help its reputation. But Tartine's bread pudding is always fantastic, so when I have a sweet tooth in the morning I like to indulge in it.
So, I brought my booty home and set up camp to watch TV5Monde while I ate -- here are some reasons why I watch TV5Monde.. there are SO MANY, but this is just what I managed to snag with the camera in the half-hour or so I was watching this morning. (Hint: It's not just for the language training!)
I didn't bring the camera with me, but I wish I could've gotten a picture of the line at 9am -- it was out the door, and smashed inside along with the few tables they've managed to squeeze into their tiny space. It's like human Tetris most of the time! So why do we wait 30 minutes and surrender our personal space? Because here are found the reliably best pastries and edible goods, and no indulgent day is complete without them.
In fact, it's all so good that I was confident ordering before I even saw what was in the cases (too many people in line blocking the goods!). I just asked a server what was ready to go, and went with it. I ended up with bread pudding with apples and caramel, a frangipane croissant, zucchini bread with kumquaats and walnuts, and a chocolate scone (though I ordered a chocolate croissant -- no love lost, I'm sure it will be delicious!) Vanessa grabbed the croissant and zucchini bread and hurried off to her training, so I got the bread pudding and scone.
Bread pudding isn't for everyone, the texture puts some people off.. and we all know there's some sorry stuff masquerading as real food out there, so that doesn't help its reputation. But Tartine's bread pudding is always fantastic, so when I have a sweet tooth in the morning I like to indulge in it.
So, I brought my booty home and set up camp to watch TV5Monde while I ate -- here are some reasons why I watch TV5Monde.. there are SO MANY, but this is just what I managed to snag with the camera in the half-hour or so I was watching this morning. (Hint: It's not just for the language training!)
There's always something completely mind-boggling on French tv! I saw a special on sex toys, some crazy nature documentary showing all the details of cheetah and lion mating practices, a lady drugging a domesticated lioness and gluing long hair around its head to make it look like a male (and her husband teased it by sticking his finger in its ear while it was still drugged up, then gave it a little rub on the nose like 'Aw, I love ya!').... And the movie about how French royalty just had orgies all the time, in costume. Oh, and the cabaret show in which every act we saw was SO TOTALLY GAY but no one said so, and the audience was by turns confused and delighted by the antics. I'll just say that Snow White and Seven Dwarfs takes on a whole new meaning when performed in this fashion.. it's all the little things that add up!
Anyway, I am off to finish the laundry for now but I was inspired to take some pictures on my walk home this morning, so I'll probably be posting some greenery and some great murals later for you poor Midwestern winter hostages who have been robbed of visual stimulus for weeks and weeks!
Anyway, I am off to finish the laundry for now but I was inspired to take some pictures on my walk home this morning, so I'll probably be posting some greenery and some great murals later for you poor Midwestern winter hostages who have been robbed of visual stimulus for weeks and weeks!
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