Little Red's Adventure

Alamere Falls and redemption

2011-02-20T17:59:00.000-08:00

So I know I have been a TOTAL slacker about posting...and for the one or two readers I have left-oh you faithful blends (blog friends:) I am giving you a virtual windmill Top Gun high five. I am not sure I can cover the last 4 months in one post so I am trying out a small post. What I did yesterday. A few friends and I completely threw caution to the wind and hiked along the coast near Point Reyes. I actually hiked in my grandma's retro rain boots that held up pretty well. It was a gorgous hike-the rain held back for the 4 hours the hike took. The falls tumbled down a few pools and eventually burst out over the ocean. Pretty awesome.

I was excited to get there.

Striding with purpose in my 1950's footgear

Solid Saturday hike. If you are in Northern Ca. This should be on your list of hikes. About 8 miles roundtrip and you hike past a couple of lakes. Stunning.

Annnnd this is why I live here. To go on hikes like this. About 2 hours from home. On the way home, we stopped in a tiny coastal town called Bolinas Bay at a cozy little spot with giant frog statues and surboards hanging from the ceiling-named Coast Cafe. Incredible food-and I ate part of a brownie sundae that was the size of my head. With homemade caramel and chocolate sauce.

Hm. It looks like fall but the summer temps are still here....

2010-10-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

First apple pie of the season...check.

Creepy mummy wearing flannel. It feels wrong on many levels. Mummies in flannel and Half Moon Bay leisure wear?

Am and Henry. Trying to get him look at me. I love how the pumpkin looks like it is eating Amber's arm.

Sam being a great dad.

Sad story. Little Henry got stung by a wasp in the first 10 minutes:( So he needed some SuperDad time. It actually is really great to see what a wonderful dad my cousin has become. Especially considering we tried to kill each other in our formulative pre-teen years....;)

I'm a sucker for green

The corn maze. In which I got so lost that 2 six year olds helped me out and they had to send someone in. I'm not great at corn mazes. It's my kryptonite.

Um. This cow has a definite look to her...I gave her some room. She is HUGE.

goat yoga

A little farm in Half Moon Bay. It was AWESOME!

Cute cousin family

Someone had a lot of fun building these....

Gladiator arena.

San Francisco Art Institute-GORGEOUS and well worth the open campus and incredible views.
They had a rooftop cafe that overlooks Pacific Heights.

Crystal clear day in SF

New blanket project. I am a closet sewer of blankets....I'm outed;)

A little free hand embroidery on the corner flowers

Why hello there Mr. Sam:) Getting to know my newest nephew!

Baby Buddha....

2010-09-28T23:19:00.000-07:00

Someone is ready for food. Or a diaper change....

New nephew born Sept. 27, 2010. 10 lbs. 14 oz.....

Big brother J.

Getting used to the idea

Why hello little man

Big Buddha-Waiting on a name for this guy. He is such a sweetheart already. Love how his shirt is more like a crop top. The nurse said he was the biggest baby she had seen in 8 years at the hospital! My sister is AMAZING!!!

Koala love

Last day of being the baby. I let him eat the paddle from the chocolate chip cookie dough-it's his last day after all...

Some local shots....

2010-09-28T23:12:00.000-07:00

A little foggy-that's the Golden Gate Bridge....somewhere in there...

Coconut Cream Tart from Tartine....pretty solid

Even though the morning bun was a little charred..the croissants were rocking.

Clothing optional beach....That's what you get in Stinson beach, baby-great little spot to hang on a Saturday.

A view on my favorite run/walk-the Baylands at eventide

Where to begin.....

2010-09-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

I think it is safe to say that I have been a little lax in my postings....but might as well start somewhere. This dapper fellow in a duct tape hat is my nephew-and aan extremely creative and productive one at that....he also used this hat and tried to be a robot for tips at the local shopping center. Awesome. He got 35 cents.....

My nephew J and my nephew J-Big J is preparing for his new baby brother that should arrive any minute now....by practicing on little J.

I am OBSESSED with this recipe that I had at a party a few weeks ago-so simple yet blew my mind-marinade was 1 beef tenderloin and 1 jar of jalepeno peppers and 1/2 gallon of teriyaki sauce from costco
then marinate for 2 days. Grill until meat is 150 degrees. Then heat the marinade up...that raw meat can be tricky so make sure it is heated thoroughly-then serve as a dipping sauce with bread as chasers. Spicy and sweet at the same time. INCREDIBLE! I stalked the chef until he told me...

Just another day in the city....on the most gorgeous deck in SF that I have seen in the center of downtown. I thought the chairs were amazing and way too chic to even sit on...

This on the other hand was the most disturbing name of a night club I have seen in a loooog time. Ewwwww. I was on a walk downtown checking out the Zero 1 art and technology festival which was truly interesting and this little gem popped up.

And THIS is my submission to the New York Times potluck competition that I entered today-this is a very dangerous dessert as I tend to eat a little too much of it...

It used to be my "secret recipe". But now that I have submitted it to NY Times...the secrecy seems to be a little silly. It is the perfect fall/winter dessert for parties.

In conclusion...I will try to be just a little more consistent for the 5 readers I have left:)

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-05T16:52:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July! This was taken last night from my favorite spot to watch the fireworks at Shoreline. For some reason, this year I thoroughly enjoyed the fireworks-it was a perfect night for it. My friend T and his wife made the BEST hamburgers-the "Obama burger" with homemade mayonaise and blue cheese. They also made toasted marshmallow shakes which were ridiculously good and surprisingly easy.

I knew I likes the Dutch...

2010-05-28T19:14:00.001-07:00

A friend sent this to me....Redhead day in the Netherlands....Looks like a blast and really disconcerting at the same time.
http://www.roodharigen.nl/

Updates! and Day one of Giles and Giles

2010-03-22T16:25:00.001-07:00

The Giles from Oregon!!! (A and K's family) Wahooooo! They are ready to play tennis...at all hours whenever....I am posting a little more this week for the family members, Kimber, Julian, Ryan, Jamie and L and E who weren't able to come this week. We miss you!!! But maybe if I take enough pictures...it will feel like you were here!

Grandma and K. I really like this shot. My grandma is one of the nicest ladies you will ever meet.

Annnnd here we are! I think I get most of my artistic bent from this wonderful lady. She is quite a accomplished artist and loves beautiful things.

Oh, how I love this man. This is my wonderful Grandpa.

J. plotting and P. assessing

Super Mom, J and little J

This was a very funny smile that Mr. Z gave while lounging on A.'s lap

Someone was a wee bit tired in the afternoon after extreme cousin play and afternoon interference in nap time = crashing on the couch completely oblivious to everyone walking by.

J.'s special day...turned 2!!! He is quite the little character.

St. Patrick's Day parade in SF! Sunny day in SF and dogs... Perfect:)

Day at the Beach

2010-02-23T21:44:00.001-08:00

Gorgeous day in Carmel this last weekend...

This one I threw in just for fun-that stretched out leg kills me....Sunny day in SF last week in the botanical gardens.

Spring, I'm falling for you

2010-02-01T10:02:00.000-08:00

Two visitors this morning

My ingenious way to hold my mutant plant, Rudolpho up. He is GIANT. And trying to escape toward the window..

Close up....Aren't these tulips so pretty?

Full shot taken this morning. Spring is coming!!

Seahorses and Grizzly Bears.....

2010-01-26T11:12:00.000-08:00

I headed down to Monterey last weekend and somehow found myself riding a grizzly bear. Definitely a surprise filled weekend.

This was maybe the best Mexican food I have had in awhile-mushroom and artichoke enchiladas-wonder how many calories this was....Don't worry-I shared it;)

Monterey Bay Aquarium-awesome experience-the new Seahorse exhibit is amazing-did you know male seahorses carry the baby seahorses? They can give birth to up to 1000 babies...

Bagpipes, Sunsets and Wild Animals

2010-01-10T18:49:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous spread-warmed bread, tomatoes, cheese and basil with country olives-cozy fire looking at a sunset at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach...when....Surprise!!!

Every night a Bagpiper comes up to the beach in front of the posh hotel in Pebble Beach and plays songs as the sun goes down.

Along the path to the to Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach

My new friend

One of the many celebrities at Wild Things Park in Salinas. -this is an organization that takes care of animals that have been illegally adopted and the owners can't handle it and bring them here. They also have animals from zoos and circuses that also don't have places to go. Some of them are trained and work on films like George of the Jungle and the Lion King. The baboon above was used for sketching for the Lion King.

A teenage lion going through some hair issues-we've all been there....

Elephants!

Elephant ears....

One of my best friends, Andi. We have been friends for 10 years-we lived in Venezuela together and in Salt Lake. She is an amazing girl. I stayed with her family for the weekend. So fun:)

My Christmas vacation....

2010-01-05T15:05:00.000-08:00

My brother-in-law at his first petting zoo

Our guitarist

Our drummer

Vocals

Band manager

Those back legs kill me....

Quick trip to Borneo

Yikes

Carmel is a magical place. You should go.

Funniest gift-Head Spa: Enter Euphoria

Most Interesting gift-African Aquatic Frogs....from my mom to my sister

Best wrapping job-my nieces cleverly disguised my book from them in the above packing-keeping in mind sound and feel.

I had fun wrapping these....

2010-01-05T15:02:00.000-08:00

This one was from me to my mom-the petals are each attributes that I love about my mom. What can I say...I'm a little sentimental:)

I was in charge of wrapping present from my dad to my mom for her birthday and got a little carried away....as evidenced by the turtles.

Kim and Craig's beautiful wedding in DC.....

2010-01-05T14:45:00.000-08:00

Soooo it has been a bit ridiculously long since my last post...but as it is the New Year (Hazzah!) I am back on the wagon. Here are some photos from my cousin Kim's wedding...
It was absolutely beautiful.

Torino Friends and Blue Angels!

2009-10-11T21:53:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Richard! He was my comedic relief in Torino
He and his wonderful partner, Christopher, were in SF for the first time and I was lucky enough to meet up with them on a beautiful day in SF

Christopher and Richard

Richard and his cone of tasty meats

Blue Angels!

Kind of a lame shot but the only one I got of fleet week-the bay was FULL of crisp sailboats

Point Reyes aka where I want to retire...or at least visit often...

2009-10-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

Oh Point Reyes! How I love you so....here is the view from Monday of a quiet coastal town that has extraordinary food-all grown organically.

My best friend Miki and her BF, Josh-such a sweet couple.

Just a regular, delicious grocery store. I LOVE the brown baskets...

That's right...I picked those from the garden of Josh's parents. I think I picked/ate over 8 lbs...

Perfect lunch

One solid cheese sandwich-AMAZING

This wool was spun by the woman sitting here who has 45 sheep. Such soft yarn!

Irish musicians at the Farmer's Market

Amber's Wild West PartAY

2009-10-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

Yeah....so this was one of the b-day wishes of Miss Amber on her birthday-a waived cover charge and a reckless romp on a mechanical bull-all in 9 minutes.
Yee-haw...
There was also a short, yet informative foray into a Halloween shop and a honking from a fire truck may have happened....

See the impossible cute, bubbly girl in the middle in the black? Yup. That's Amber and we had a birthday surprise party for her. So fun to finally do something for the girl who does things for everyone else. Love her lots and so glad she is in my family. Happy Birthday Amber!!!

Sisters!

Me and the Birthday girl!

Sometimes a girl has to have fun...

2009-09-30T23:06:00.000-07:00

A little party in Santa Cruz.... with Cher

With Bjork

And capped it off with a Michael Jackson dance tribute...

Mainly Borneo but a little Aussie thrown in...

2009-09-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

Passionfruit....I LOVE this fruit! I think I ate 10 at one sitting....

Yup. Those are sharks...on a tarp...with fins missing...

Dinner-$10 for a fully cooked to order fish

Looking for Orangutans

Australia....

2009-09-23T14:44:00.000-07:00

Streeeetch little koala bear!

(these are random pics in no particular order from Australia)

Wombat

right before he attacked...j/k;)

Cape Tribulation in Cairns

One big croc

Little bit too close....

I couldn't eat kangaroo on the trip. Not when I knew how cute they were.

Where the rainforest meets the ocean

Sleeping Twins and J. from our dive trip on the Great Barrier Reef

So many coral groves to explore....

The Blue Mountains

Cairns-at dawn

Car Rally in Sydney

Cool sculpture in Cairns-this is what they call a public pool...

The 3 sisters in the Blue Mountains

Jenni, Afton, Kim and Me:) The Four sisters....couldn't resist...

Living my lifeguard fantasy
on Manly Beach

Actual surfers...

Borneo Intro

2009-09-16T04:23:00.000-07:00

Danum Valley-land of the Orangutans-only place on earth to see them in their natural habitat.

See that redhead in the corner?;)

Jacuzzi Pool in Danum Valley-full of big fish that bite and a green dangerous snake...BUT very refreshing after the humidity and hiking.

Hostel in Kota Kinabalu-a big coastal town
1 of maybe 2 days I actually wore makeup. Then I realized it was a losing battle....
Too humid.

Indiana Sara!

I know-it's been FOREVER since I have posted but I haven't been able to download any photos for over a month as I have been traveling. But get ready for heaps of photos...I will try to just do a few at a time to not be too crazy:) I started off in Sydney Australia and then moved up to Cairns, on the coast of AUS and then the Gold Coast. Then I flew to Borneo and hopped all over that for 2 weeks and then I hung in Kuala Lampur for a loooong 24 hours and then over to Brisbane and then back to Sydney. It was amazing, challenging, inspiring and one of the best trips I have ever had. I met so many incredible people along the way. More stories with the photos-this is just the intro:)

Random catchall

2009-08-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

Down Under....

2009-08-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

Hi fans:)

I know I have been really a slacker-no better word for it about posting...However, I am getting ready for a month in Australia and Borneo! Hopefully, I'll make it back;) I leave on Wednesday and will try to post before then.

-s

Shoes and slings

2009-07-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

This one is for Amber....;) I saw it at the Menlo Park Art and Wine festival over the weekend and I couldn't resist!

Mr. Z's new sling-photos of cast coming...

It's a dog's life....

2009-07-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Introducing...Dobby! the house dog! (named after the harry potter elf) I am taking care of him for a month at his home. He's a very sweet Havanese.

A bit of a clown-he likes to sleep on his back

Not sure about this "puppy"....

Crazy Hat day at Trappings of Time!

2009-07-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

Not sure in what case this hat would work....but it was fun!

This was at a vintage store that was closing the next day-which was sad so we went to check it out one last time.

Awesome Amy

This is what I wore to the market on Saturday....JUST KIDDING!!;)

Hot Dog Suppertime Show!

2009-07-22T20:28:00.001-07:00

If you are in Palo Alto-it is worth it to hit the Children's library downtown-it is a secret garden in the middle of town with soft moss, wishing wells and shady trees.

Here is the magical stump...or that's what we thought it was....

Wishing well....

The Children's Theater of Palo Alto runs Hot Dog Supper Time Shows all summer-you can get a hot dog and brownies and sit on the lawn and watch really great preformances. The costumes alone are worth it.

Getting ready....

My neice Amy and Moi:)

A series of events....

2009-07-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

So this has been a super fun July allll the way around. I was in a car accident last week-very thankfully-no one was hurt. A 91 year-old man ran a stop sign and hit my car-which tweaked my hood a little and I am not sure exactly where my license plate is-but he is fine and so am I and that is what is important. Although I am still a little shaky driving. THEN- to keep the party going-I got my camera wet and well...that was the end of that. I did learn a fascinating tactic which included submerging my camera in a bowl of rice and using a hair dryer. I have ordered a new camera today which should be very cool and I am trying to look on the bright side:) And my nephew broke his arm last week and had the cutest blue cast and is surrently terrifing his mom by trying to climb everything he can scramble on. This would be Zachary...And I am at this gorgeous house that I am taking care of which has thrown me off my loading pics game.

So-the end of the story why I am not posting pics is a) I am now a slacker b) I will try to find the card which hopefully will work and c) am waiting for my camera to come.

In the meantime, thank you so much for reading and I SWEAR I will post shortly. I fell like a blog tease....;)

Missed me?

2009-07-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

Hi readers! Probably no one but my sister in England noticed I was gone....;) But I will be posted a LOT of stuff tonight-Lots of things have happened in the last month. Stay tuned!

Down by the Boardwalk, down by the sea-e-e

2009-07-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

This was the aftermath of a trip to Santa Cruz to the World's best Seaside Boardwalk. It has been there since 1907. It's a great place to spend an afternoon-although a liiiiitle busy on a holiday weekend. They also have free concerts on Friday nights.

This is one of my top 2 favorite ice cream places on the West Coast. It's a local spot in Santa Cruz called "Marianne's" They have the best flavors-horchata, 1020 (carmel ice cream, oreo cookies and fudge) northern Oregon Blackberry, Cinnamon, etc.

Inside...

MJ wanted to show it was the 4th of July tomorrow!

Z and my sis-how cute are they?

Discovering funnel cake..

Deep fried dough....classic treat on the Boardwalk

Cotton Candy

E and MJ

J. has arms of steel and 2 very determined boys

Is it a bird, a plane, or a really loud roller coaster?

Af cracking the boys up

Sandy sandwichs and beach sun

The Boardwalk

Z and MJ and A-Start your engines....

Berry Picking, Vipers and ocean

2009-06-27T21:28:00.001-07:00

As an added bonus on our journey to the coast-many millions of dollars in spectacular vehicles whizzing by us, enjoying the Highway 1 along the coast and the redwoods-Vipers, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, etc. I'm not even that in to cars but this was an extraordinary show. We must have had over 100 cars go by. Sigh. Yes, please!

Loved when the lightbulb went on that he could pick and eat an endless supply of berries...His cheeks are stuffed and he was double fisting it...

Splendor in the fields-hard at work for berries

Love this shot with E. Although sorry about the cleavage...it was a one-arm, ok!

The spoils of Ollaberry sweet goodness at Swanton Farms in Pescadero. Great spot for a day trip.

Fufu berry!

This kid is going to be a surfer. He didn't want to leave the beach. Ever.

That little hand kills me...Am is such a great mommy.

Foot Long Party!

2009-06-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

Nanci-one of the most fabulous hosts ever threw a summer party at her house-everything had a "foot" theme-foot long hotdogs, foot long pizza, foot long black licorice and painting feet!

Plotting....

Oh Z....you crack me up

Astropops!

Just swinging...Z and the girls...

Summer

2009-06-27T21:11:00.001-07:00

Pretty girl

Fruit stand in Los Altos...LOVED all the samples!

Yumminess

Gamble Gardens in Palo Alto

The cake....

2009-06-22T00:13:00.001-07:00

My work in progress....I really like to make pies better but this was kind of fun to put together

TaDa!

The aftermath....

The verdict....

Hadar's birthday brunch!

2009-06-22T00:07:00.000-07:00

Fake laughing:) Hadar and I have been friends since junior high. She is a total sweetheart and I love hanging out with her and her wonderful family. This is at her fabulous birthday party. Isn't she gorgeous? AND she has a sweet 4 month baby and amazing husband.

Real photo:)

A Day at the farm....

2009-06-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

E. and Z. in the pool

A connection was made

Nice big horse. Probably too big for my apartment....

The littlest farmer

The crew at Ardenwood Farm

Welcome to the world, little one

2009-06-17T10:22:00.001-07:00

Introducing William Cristoff Lenoir! I went down on Saturday on a hunch, to Monterey and one of my best friends, Andi, was in full blown labor. So we got her to the hospital and set about to bring this little guy safely into the world. Andi was a true champ. This is William in his little carrier and his first outfit which was waaaay too big. But he'll grow;) This is the first time I have been with someone in labor from the beginning to the end (stepping out for the 20 min of pushing-Tony handled that;) New respect for nurses, doctors and epidural needles....Andi's family is in Utah and Tony's is in France so I was more than happy to fill the roll of the pillow fluffer, drink getter and distractor during contractions...

Testing his fingers...

The little family-on a side note, how fantastic does Andi look? Also on a side note, the hospital was the nicest hospital I've ever been to-it felt like a resort in the woods! Except for that whole hospital thing...

William and his doting Aunt Sara (me:)

Feet!

Koala bear

Welcome to the world!

Whales, Dolphins and yoga seals

2009-06-17T10:11:00.001-07:00

On a break from the hospital (see previous entry) I jumped on board a whale watching ship in Monterey. Loved that crew! They let me sit up top next to the captain, scouring the seas for sightings.

Favorite shot-white sided dolphins who were annoying the humpback whales-they were playful and jumped up close by the boat. Found out that dolphins are really hard to take pictures of.

Best shot of the whale...not awesome but they were kind of dormant. And SMELLY!!!! Their breath was akin to rotten broccoli....yikes

On leaving the harbor, we were surrounded by about 40 dolphins. I'm in love with these guys.

Quirky, lovely house

Beauty

Sleep coma

This made me wish I was scuba diving. Now that I know what is down there, I want to go back...

I think he is saying hello:)

Lovers

UP and AWAY!

2009-06-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

Watching UP on a Friday afternoon with Mom and crew-Great movie and I loved my glasses!

Foxy Roxy

2009-06-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

This is Roxy-a sweet, yet loud coonhound that was my partner in crime for a couple of days.
How cute is she?

Flowers by the sea

2009-06-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

Pigeon Point along Highway 1-so beautiful in June

Pretty

Jenni's B-day and day at the park

2009-06-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

Thank you, J...but I don't want any sand....such a giving kid.

Jenni's b-day! She is such an awesome sister and friend. I feel lucky to have her for my sister.
She is always making sure everyone around her feels comfortable and welcome. My favorite place to eat is at her house-better than any restaurant.

Deep in the trenches of park play...

Anybody out there? Hellllooooo!!!

Jungle Gym

Why I love being here

2009-06-05T08:34:00.001-07:00

My nieces and nephews (J. was on a little trip when this was shot)

My NYC adventure! Finally.....:)

2009-06-05T08:13:00.000-07:00

Yes. I have embraced NYC...

Maybe my new job?

First cannoli!!! This was in Little Italy in NYC

Amber's dream house:)

Famous nine layer cake from the island. I swiped the recipe from the captain's wife and I am going to replicate this. It was sooooo good.

Crab Shack

Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab

Smith Island-off the coast of Maryland-such a cute spot. Miki and I went there for a story she is doing on the Watermen-the men who crab and oyster harvest.

Friend Rachel from waaaay back in the day-freshman year of college!

Shake Shack yumminess....

Before....frizzy, sad, a little out of control....

AFTER!!! TA-DA!! I had the best experience at Devachan Salon in NYC-Mel was awesome and my hair really does look like this after I do it myself with all the ninja tricks Mel taught me.

Artsy shot of Miki and I taking photos on the Staten Island Ferry

Best Friends Forever:)

Spiny palace at the Met

Danny is hilarious and has a unique way of looking at the world. So much fun to hang out with him in NYC. Thanks Danny!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art...I love this place-and how big it is.....

No NYC experience would be complete without the model shot on the street....

2009-06-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

Hi loyal fans! I am uploading photos today from the rest of my trips and its a doooozie! Just have to actually get some things in order this morning.

Rooftop and Memorial Day in Brooklyn

2009-05-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

The photographer is caught by her own camera:)

It was a pretty amazing sight

Grilling on the rooftop. I was very impressed with the skill, technique and breadth of meats represented-everything from ribs, to filet mignon to chicken with pesto. This crew did not mess around. Thanks to our generous hosts, K. and F! What a beautiful home they opened up to us-they were so generous to host a big party and share the best views in the city.

NYC Sunsets...

2009-05-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

Walking through Harlem-where we went bowling and I bowled 4!!!! strikes in a row....That has never happened. I will never play again-there is no way to ever top that score for me...

One of my favorite photos of the weekend so far-gorgeous sunset from a rooftop in Brooklyn

This just in.....

2009-05-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hi readers! No photos today until I can figure out how to load photos on my friend's computer-however just a little note to say that I arrived safely. Yesterday I bowled 4 Strikes in a row at Harlem lanes which was the BEST I have ever bowled in my life-so of course, I can never go bowling again. That was my Zenith. I met lots of new NYC friends and am catching up with some old friends this week-can't wait. Today there was a parade that went under/very near my window in UpperWest side-complete with Bagpipes-This is really a city that never sleeps....More photos and stories to come-thanks for checking back-I tried to be oh-so light packer and I didn't pack my laptop-and my blog is feeling the brunt.

East Coast style....

2009-05-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

I am packing today for my adventure to...NYC!!!! Any suggestions?

Summer Dreamy

2009-05-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

Image via This is Glamorous

How I would love to wake up in this bed and spend a lazy summer afternoon. Dreamy.

Pescadero, Pie and Pigeon Point Lighthouse

2009-05-18T20:03:00.000-07:00

Colleen and I decided to hit the coast on Friday for an overnighter at the Pigeon Point lighthouse hostel which waaaay exceeded my expectations. It is a group of buildings perched right along the coast-and they have a hot tub right on the edge of the cliff-And the rooms were fine-not the Ritz but we didn't spend too long there anyway and we could see the ocean from our room-All this for $28 a night! Anyone loking for an overnight trip or even a day trip-Pescadero is the way to go-Highway 1 especially right now is playing host to awesome viewing of humpback whales showing off. And sparkling blue water and great food.

Famous goat cheese from Harley Farm-see photos below for more on the goat farm...gorgeous little bits of cheese-the owner is a British woman who came to Pescadero on a whim, met the son of the owner of the only tavern in town and fell in love and never left. They now run a very successful goat farm. And apparently fashion venue...(see story below).

Ridiculously good hot artichoke bread with buttery cornmeal on the outside. Colleen and I kind of inhaled it.

When I think of a little cottage built for two-this is what I imagine. It was like stumbling onto a Gershwin song.

This is Ivy...a pig that Colleen and I were introduced to by a friendly neighbor, Randy. She was really...um... big. Randy was describing her in rapt tones...she was grunting a lot.

I was holding the goats at bay after they broke into the lettuce garden...they were pushing pretty hard as it turns out. That organic lettuce must have been good.

Gorgeous 100 year old farmhouse

The goat....at one point, let out a rather alarmed "baaaaaa"

This was quite an unexpected adventure. We went to a local goat farm hosting an upscale designer fashion show. And promptly asked if they had any extra room-then started our fashion show complete with "farm fashion with an edge" and baby goats on the runway and incredible goat cheese appetizers-My view of working on a goat farm has significantly shifted....

The lighthouse hostel-we stayed in the buildings at the side-they were totally doable-and faced the ocean. Really nice staff.

Our hostel. Colleen-partner in crime

Intrepid explorer

I really wanted to poke and squeeze this anemone but I refrained...mostly.
I love the green color.

I SWEAR I think I saw a humpback whale or at mimimum a huge seal. This is just another shot that shows how much I love where I live. The seal/whale was elusive....

The spoils-I'm going to be eating smoothies for a couple of weeks....

That's right. I picked each and every one of those little gems at Swanton ranch-a perfect Saturday morning activity-of course-once you start picking-you figure you might as well keep going...and that's how I ended up with 6 pounds of strawberries....

Old town Pescadero-a fishing town on the coast of California. Slow during the week and then it explodes with tourists on the weekend. Very old-timey Americana theme going on over there. Perfect weekend getway.

Um. This was delicious-almost as good as mine;) Homemade ollaberry pie at Duartes Tavern-so good....totally worth the indulgence.

Colleen's B-day par-tay and my new tattoo

2009-05-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

Yup. Check out my new tat. It's not permanent but super fun just the same....

The fabulous Birthday girl! What a great friend, listener, adventurer!

Ohhhh Jessica-that tattoo is in a tricky spot for the financial world....

That was a pretty high flame! I got a little concerned the hello kitty hats were going to be sacrificed on the birthday altar.

Olive Alien

2009-05-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

My nephew, J. discovering olives on his hands. Turns out he doesn't like olives....at all. But was fascinated by his new alien hands...

Thomander Wedding-Summer Sweet

2009-05-10T21:17:00.000-07:00

The Thomander's beautiful home-a perfect backyard wedding open house for John and Amanda. This was my first catering job-It was so fun to be a part of such a romantic/beautiful event.

Nanci and Daryl-John's parents looking very elegant

The happy couple-John and Amanda

Lazy summer night-good people, good food, good conversation

Photo Shoot with MJ, my niece-she came running in and jumped on my lap. How could I not take a couple of photos?

My little niece, MJ. Isn't she cute?

Dogs, Flowers and Farmer's Markets

2009-05-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

This was quite a dog standing guard at the Farmer's market-I think it is probably an Irish Wolfhound mix-a little too narrow in the shoulders to be purebred. And yes-I am a dog breed freak. Don't judge;)

What a great start-a Rhodesian Ridgeback which is one of my favorite types of dogs-I dream of opening my door one day and having one on my doorstep with a bow. I blame Disney for that dream....Such a sweet dog-the girl said that yesterday someone thought he was a deer.

Gorgeous flowers-I thought they might be a little too high for Mom but I loved how fluffy they looked. This was at the Farmer's Market in Downtown Palo Alto, CA every Saturday from 8-noon. Delicious crepes, beautiful flowers, delectable fruit-what's not to love?

Someday I want to be rich enough to sweep in and buy up alllll the yellow flowers. I love the shape of these.

Flower bouquet I designed for Mom-lots of happy yellows and blues.

What a delicious little garden-too bad I tend to kill plants...sigh. I'm working on that one.

This almost made me want to eat radishes...almost.

Guess what season it is? :) Strawberries! I LOVE Strawberries-I think I could eat a whole flat by myself. Although that would probably not end well...

Bonjour Bebe!

2009-05-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning, I headed down to Monterey to make sure I got some photos of one of my bffs, A. before her 9th month of pregnancy. We met in Provo a looooong time ago and lived with each other in Salt Lake and Venezuela. A. and her French husband moved to Monterey 3 years ago which has been so fun to have her only an hour away. It helps they are both so photogenic. Here are a few shots that stood out of the pack to give a little slice of their life in Monterey.

Fluffy Meringues. Yummy

A. and T. favorite French bakery in Monterey

Beautiful Monterey coastline.

Gorgeous Day-Gorgeous family-Easy photo shoot on the 17 mile drive in Monterey with A. and T. and bebe.

The little Lenoir family

Favorite shot of A. and her little bebe on the way-I use the term "bebe" as T., her husband is french.

Shot of A. and T. making a little heart on her bebe.

BFF's, Cakes and Mutant Aloe Vera plants

2009-05-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

One of my dearest friend, A.-she is 34 weeks pregnant and looks A-MAZING! I went down this weekend to take some shots of her and husband T. before the 9th month. She, of course, looks about 4 months pregnant. We had to work to make it look pregnant but I was really happy with the shots. I always love to visit and spend a couple of days at the seaside with them.

Now THAT is an aloe vera plant.

Rissini's-an Italian bakery in Monterey that has the most outrageous cakes I have ever seen. I always like to see what they come up with when I am spending a weekend there.

Brushes, Blondes and Sisters

2009-04-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

This made me want to immediately buy paint and splash some canvas. A eclectic art stop, Accent Arts in Palo Alto-I get my Japanese watercolors here-every time I go in, I like to get a new color for my stash. They are so super saturated and delicious to play with.

The blonde triplets of Palo Alto. C.in the middle surprised K. on her last Friday here. This is at the Counter in Palo Alto which has REALLY slow service but...you can build your own burger-my personal favorite build is the grilled chicken, pineapple, Bermuda red onion, Tilamok cheddar, hickory smoked bacon, dill pickle and sweet BBQ sauce.

K. is such a good sport. She let me braid/experiment with her hair before she left for England on Saturday.

Really Big Shoes and Zero1

2009-04-23T08:32:00.000-07:00

While waiting for my ride to the Zero1 party, I wandered over the the park in San Jose central and saw tons of men milling around a rather dramtic shoe selection. The cause was raising awareness for domestic violence and to garner attention, men showed up and selected a donated women's shoe and walked a mile-"Walk a mile in her shoes". Of course, the selection of shoes fitting those over a size 11 gets expontentially more colorful. I got to hand it to these men-some of them really embraced it-wearing socks, getting pedicures, pre-bandaging and mincing around to get the feel. They might have thought about gel inserts....I think more than a few woke up today with a blister or two but what a great cause to support!

The start of the walk. This charmingly group of gentlemen obligingly posed and preened for a shot pre-walk. Thanks guys! Hope the blisters weren't too bad!

Whoa. I can't even walk in these. Brave soul.

I have to hand it to these men-it is not easy to walk at all in these types of shoes-Let alone a mile. Here is the fire chief and his red patent shoes. Oddly fitting.

This is kind of spectacular. I particularly appreciate the black sock coordination.

Very cool offices at Zero1

I think I found the lamp I want for my room. This little gem was at the Zero1 launch party at their new site in San Jose. They are a very interesting organization that brings art and technology together and every 2 years, they light up the city with amazing exhibits. http://zero1.org/

Check out how my dad's head is glowing with the light of the beams. Cool.

Arasterdero Preserve and Gorilla time

2009-04-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

Some of the 10% of shaded trails we found. It was a little exposed and on the warm side yesterday...But they were all troopers and we had a great time.

Sisters! This is before I dragged her on a 5 mile hike...see how happy she looks?

The beginning of our hike yesterday. Not sure why they wanted to sit on different stumps but I went with it:) I love the poppies. I also kept telling J. that if he picked them, he would have to go to an American jail as they are the state flower. K. made me stop tormenting him.

K and I got our toes done after a long lunch in the city.
Note to self-pedicure after a lot of walking is the way to go.

It was a serious heat wave in SF-I think it hit 90? Made for some great cityscape shots.

This gelatto place was AWESOME. Bright orange inside and each of the flavors had corresponding decorations....for instance-this is a shot of banana gelatto with a gorilla on it. How cheeky;)

Yummy Asparagus pizza with truffle oil and carmelized onions at Rose Pistola.

My Car...ok...maybe not my car...but this beauty was on the street in North Beach in SF and I just couldn't help myself. It was so shiny!

Bonsai Dog

2009-04-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

How cute is my sister, her husband and "their" dog? J. seriously was considering a dog after hanging with Jolie...although she looks kind of tiny next to them.
BUT she is a Yorkshire terrier and J. IS British...it seems to fit, no?

I love the tiny purple flowers on this one.

Couldn't help myself with this shot-this was at the Bonsai exhibit at Mitchell Park-these trees are AMAZING-most of them are over 40 years old.

This was her favorite place to sleep-at the foot of my bed-I was constantly worried that I would knock her off but in the end, we came to an understanding. I let her sleep wherever she wanted and then she would sleep soundly for 6-7 hours.

This is one cute little puppy named Jolie that I was taking care of this past week. She is pretty much walking cuteness. And the guy holding her is my very accommodating brother-in law, J.

I LOVE Jennifer Garner and she has great taste;)

2009-04-16T19:18:00.001-07:00

If you are a loyal blog reader...or just want to scroll down...you may notice that Jennifer Garner is wearing the SAME shirt that I wore for my birthday party! Great minds think alike. This could be the first time I have matched a celebrity on the same week or any week for that matter.
Cool.

Frogs, Glass tower and a workout in SF

2009-04-15T22:34:00.000-07:00

Interesting modern art sculpture at the de Young musuem although never quite made in in the actual exhibit area....had lots of things to see and do!

Spidey girl! I totally pushed a 12 year old out of the way to get this shot....no shame...

You may be asking-how did Sara get that amazing shot of the California Academy of Sciences? What on earth did she climb up on? As it turns out-that line right there was the reason for the deviation into the de Young musuem across Golden Gate park. Turns out that "Free Day" is kind of on the crowded side and after eying the clamoring masses-decided I'd rather come back another time. At the deYoung museum, anyone can go up to the observation deck and get a bird's eye view for free. Which is exactly what I did-you can see the whole city up there. And the line avoided...

Cool seats at the De Young museum

This was a pretty steep street. Kind of a workout....And yes-I walked like that the whole way...
On a side note, the most disturbing thing seen today was walking into a shop in Chinatown and I heard a croaking and I looked under a table full of frogs in a tupperware bin...I'm talking big bull frogs that you could put collars on....I had to leave pretty fast before I bought them and set them free in the Bay....

My Birthday Bash continued....

2009-04-13T20:31:00.001-07:00

Yep. Here is the birthday girl in the birthday hat;) I had a FANTASTIC party at my sister, J.'s house. Everything was exactly perfect and what I wanted-even filled with surprises that I will remember for a very long time. I am constantly amazed and awed at the blessings of the people that are in my life and this was a great day to have people get together.
K and J really knocked themselves out with this one.

My very first shrine:) This was a collage at the entry way to my birthday party that my sister J. had put together of my family members who couldn't be there. But the real surprise was that in those plastic eggs were incredible sweet notes from people that J. had contacted and then cut up and put in each egg. I am working on something really creative so I can preserve the notes which were incredibly thoughtful and had me blushing all night long-they were outrageously nice.

Favorite sodas (when I drink them;) Izzes....Clemetine, blackberry and pomegranate.

Lemon cake with lemon frosting with fresh Meyer lemons and lemon zest...Yummy

My superhero sister, J. who hosted the party made my favorite cupcakes from scratch-chocolate frosting and yellow cake. And yes. They went down easy....

ALL my favorite foods on one table-you know how when you go to a party and like about....60-70 percent of the food on the table? It was AWESOME to have everything on the table be something that I loved to eat.

This couch contains some of the most amazing friends and people I know. So fun to have them all together on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

This is A. and T.-I've been BFF's with A. since we signed up to live in Venezuela lo those many years ago and she and T. drove all the way from Monterey. AND she is one of the most beautiful pregant women I know. Can't wait for little Pierre! (T. is French) and that probably won't be the name...I just like to call him that;)

We've been BFF's since we were 12! This is A. who is my go-to girl on all things fashionable and fun. AND has a heart of gold. What are the odds? This was at my party on Saturday-a small get-together at my sister's place that was pretty much one of the best days ever.

TWINS!!! Well-I don't think we look too much alike but apparently we do:)

And the party kept riiiight on going...K (sister) Mom and yours truly:) This was later that night...

My final thought on my birthday is that I am grateful and thankful for everyone in my life that I have been lucky to have walked this journey with-lots of ups and downs but my relationships with others is where I have been truly blessed. I have some big changes and exciting things coming up and have been humbled by the support of those close to me.

My Birthday! Feast and Flowers....

2009-04-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

In the beginning......here is a photo I totally lifted off of my sister's page...Thanks AF! I think I was about 2 in this photo...Maybe 1ish?

My sister J. took me to breakfast to kick off the B-day festivites....so good!
Cafe Brioche=AMAZING!

The best breakfast EVER! My sister J. took me out to Cafe Brioche and let me pick both entrees-Eggs Benedict AND oatmeal rolled french toast with fresh blueberry scones.
And the staff came out with a coconut tart with a candle. So nice!

The front of the manor. PERFECT place for a spring day.
http://www.filoli.org/

Very Sabrina-esque Garden house complete with 2 pure white doves cooing. I felt like I immediately needed to be striding around with riding pants, boots, crisp white shorts and a crop.

More Tulips!!!

Small garden

Big Garden

Um. that's a lot of tulips...

Luggage for my next trip?

Huge clean kitchen still used up until 1975. It made me what to make lots of pies and cool them on the table.

The library with a secret door and wood paneling which hid secret compartments.

Hmm. The flash wasn't the best but this was simply a delicious ballroom.
These eccentic billionaires know how to do a room.

About to walk into my happy place-my very own ballroom-although I think next time I will be wearing something long, Valentino and fabulous.

My summer home

Enjoying the sun and the daffodils...maybe too much;)

A whole lot of Wisteria

95,000 tulips are planted each year-they change the color scheme every time. For those interested-that translates to 50,000 gallons of water on a hot day.

My mom took me to Filoli Gardens where I have always wanted to go-a gorgeous Irish country estate in the hills of Woodside on 650 acres. Lots of movies have been filmed here, The Wedding Planner, The Game, Dynasty, etc....We had the best time and it was beautiful weather.
Flowers, ballroom and hedges....what more could a girl want?

This is how I felt on my birthday:) I have so many amazing people in my life and they all called me on my birthday and made me so grateful for another year of happiness and growth. Thanks to everyone for making my b-day just what I wanted!

Birthday Flowers

2009-04-06T23:12:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the colors and packaging. This is a big box of tropical flowers from my Mom and Dad straight from Hilo, Hawaii.

Step 2.....giving these tropical flowers a drink....they came a long journey.

Beautiful birthday flowers from Mom and Dad direct from Hawaii. Photo doesn't really do it justice. They are absolutely gorgeous. I love you both!

Springtime has come....and houses of Palo Alto

2009-04-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

Odd style but interesting. I bet the circular room is amazing with the round windows.

Unexpected whimsy always makes me smile. Look what we found peaking over the hedge...

These houses are right next to each other.

Very interesting architecture. I love how people express their creativity with their dream homes in Palo Alto-they are all so unique yet beautifully kept up. I took some photos to help illustrate the differences.

Spring! My favorite season-wait. I live in California-do we have seasons?Anyways-Kind of want to roll it up and make it into a popcorn ball that would smell so sweet.

Sunday Afternoon walk

2009-04-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

Bff A. kindly posing for me. She has been game for my schemes since our mom's were pregnant with us. I think those glasses are kind of fabulous. What a great sport!

Cool Cacti

More flowers....I know, I know...I have a problem!

I went on a Sunday walk with bff A. and her beagle. This are some flowers at the Elizabeth Gamble Gardens. Perfect way to spend a spring afternoon. I'm a sucker for flowers every time:)

Flowers, Half Moon Bay and some Sweet Frames

2009-04-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

Walking into this nursery in Half Moon Bay makes me feel like I wanted to buy flats of plants immediately and plant them all over..then I remembered I have a rock garden...this will have to do for now:)

These cats are really tranquil and...flexible. Very fun shop in Half Moon Bay that deals in oddities and antiques-kind of what you dream of finding in your grandma's attic.

Not sure what kind of plant this is but I liked it.

This made me happy.

I would have bought this but I was pretty sure, given my track record, that I would probably kill it in a few weeks...so I took a photo. I think it will last longer and the flower breathed a sigh of relief.

The most beautiful nursery in Half Moon Bay-a coastal town in California. Isn't this flower delicious? I wanted to sprinkle sugar on it and eat it. But I didn't.

These are hot, right?;) This was at a vintage store and I went with it.

Key lime pie and AARP

2009-04-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

My dad wanted to show that he is now officially a
member of the AARP. Whee!

Key lime pie for my Dad's 65th b-day! I made that and am particularly pleased with the garnish...

SF continued...

2009-03-31T20:54:00.000-07:00

It takes 3 to handle Z.....he is very active and thinks he is about 5. He is 2! (which he can say now)

K. and K. Mother and Daughter.

Now THAT is the kind of lamp post you would expect in Nob Hill.

Golden Gate Bridge on a gorgeous day. My brother and his incredible family.

Oh Jacob. You are just too cute. He was trying to attack the photographer.

The gang/mob/mass of wild kids and the photographer (me).

The family at San Francisco. Dad is in the orange with the adventure hat.

A. the athlete-she kind of dominated. I had to play with the 6 year olds on the other court.

My mom and my brother-notice a resemblance?;)

Cowgirl Creamery with A., H., and P

This wasn't set up at all....maybe a little;) Nephew P. the Awesome

Really cool sculpture near my parent's home in Palo Alto. All that shiny metal....with my nieces K. and M.

A true California experience-my niece A., and nephews H. and P.

Fortune Cookies, King Crabs and Tennis

2009-03-25T23:08:00.000-07:00

Prizes to whomever can guess what this is....it's a fortune cookie machine! We found it in an alleyway in SF. *Editors note-I have a lot of photos of my nieces and nephews but I need parental consent to post them...or I won't get a Christmas present...But rest assured-they were absolutely awesome photos!

Whoa-that crab is EXPENSIVE! For that price, we should put a collar on him and take him home.

Spent today at the ferry with 6 of my neices and nephews-Pretty much one of my favorite things to do is to hang with family. I took them over to the ferry building and checked out all the crazy things there. For those not familiar-the Ferry Building is a foodie delight and samples line the interior of shops from the Cowgirl Creamery to Chocolatiers to mushrooms to tanks of king crabs. Definitely on the must-do list.

This is where I am spending my days at the office:) Yeah...this was a little posed. But I was getting smoked by a six year old. My company liquidated on Monday so I have a little time on my hands which bodes well for many updates on this website so stay tuned!

Old School.....

2009-03-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

I totally stole this from my sister's post...BUT it was such an awesome photo-and evidence of the infamous afro on my head I had to post it! This is right before my little sister K. came into the picture. Gotta love the 80's and the bell bottom cords....I am the one that is needing to be restrained from bolting. With the red cords.

When in Rome....aka where I want to be right now...

2009-03-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

If I squint hard...I like to imagine that is me in about 4 months...Love the dress, shoes, vespa, beaten cobblestone and man in a linen suit.

image found here: Andrew Schwartz/Universal Pictures

Ferry building, Brides of March and SFFD

2009-03-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous shot of the Ferry building at dusk in the city. This was an adventure day in SF on Saturday for and boy did I see some new things! I packed my satchel, grabbed my new Fodor's guide and headed up to the city.

See explanation below...

This deserves a longer caption...So on the 15 of March, everyone who has a wedding dress gathers on Union Square for "Brides of March" a clever play on "Ides of March" Somewhat of a surreal exerience to get almost run over by 150 men and women dressed in wedding dresses. Could have done without the goatee and the wedding dress look...but it was all very entertaining. Oh-and St. Patricks Day parade was going on at the same time....Fun day at the city!

First encounter with Clams...verdict: Tasty!

Fancy crab/avocado/grapefruit tower of goodness....

Inside the Ferry building-I like a little sense of humor with my meats...

This is the SFFD boat along the Embarcadero in SF. I heart firefighters bigtime:)

Part 2 of J's B-day

2009-03-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes timing works out pretty well. Love this shot of J!

One of the best wrapping ideas I have had in a long time for a little boy's present. This is an awesome little car with holes for them to stick their fingers in.

Happy Birthday Monkey!

2009-03-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

This is my little nephew, J. He turns 1 today!!!
He makes everyone around him cheer up with his sweet personality. He is quite a thinker and the wheels are constantly churning in his head. And he has one of the greatest smiles ever. He is also super cuddly and does this funny gallop thing as he is in between crawling and walking. Kind of like those plastic frogs that you press the top of their back legs and they jump forward. I love to hang out with J.

This is my nephew, J. with much loved Grandma, D. who is in town for his birthday. We miss her lots and lots! She is incredibly caring and thoughtful and I wish she would visit more!

Chip and Dale dancers or UFC?

2009-03-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

This is super grainy but I finally HAD to post it-because it is so awesomely bad. This is my credential for the UFC. If it is hard to make out, allow me to describe the high points...the 6 guys with shirts off, glaring in to the camera and BARELY wearing pants-above the clever name..."The Young and the Reckless". This is something, huh?

In the meadow...and walking the Dish

2009-03-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

Loving the weather-I went on a hike with S. to the classic Palo Alto experience-a 3 mile loop that passes a satelite dish-hike is called "walk the dish". There. That's the lingo for the day.
Stanford tower. Cool.

Deer Yoga

Look what I found on a hike to the Dish above Stanford yesterday! It's only green here about 3 weeks out of the year on these hill so this deer are getting a little delirious about this...

Sailboats, Pelicans and Seals in Sausalito

2009-03-08T23:35:00.001-07:00

After checking out the UFC fight in the morning, I decided to check out Sausalito where I haven't been for a little while and I went nautical and got some great shots at the marina. This is a really fun little town right after you pass over the Golden Gate bridge and is kind of "ocean meets country". Well worth a drive up.
Beautiful pelican I got a shot of. Interesting note-they can carry their full body weight in food in their beak...weird, huh? Think about it....

This was the most beautiful boat I saw-It was moving super fast so I felt lucky to get this shot off...

IF you can, look closely at these little faces....they are kind of lazy and relaxed. And in sync.

Loved the colors of these houseboats. What an awesome combination! Sausalito is a little seaside town north of San Francisco that feels worlds away from the Peninsula-little shops and sailboats everywhere.

One more shot-I love love LOVE the Golden Gate Bridge and driving across it. Today I decided to explore Sausalito for dinner because it was such a beautiful day and a great drive.

Took this photo out of my window on my adventure into Sausalito. This was a gorgeous day in SF in the mission district and this church really stood out to me-although I had to snap really fast as the traffic light turned green and I was trying to be a safe driver.

What I do for a living....

2009-03-08T23:30:00.000-07:00

I took this photo inside behind the scenes...lots of roadcases and giant floating sharks...

This is my tractor. Isn't she pretty? She pulls my HD truck that I handle-HD10. I went down to a show we did on Saturday- a UFC show titled "The Young and the Reckless..." That's Ultimate Fighting Chanpionship which is not really my favorite sport as I am not really into violence. But it was quite a interesting gig!

Cassie's 30th B-day-Old Hollywood Glamour!

2009-03-06T10:03:00.000-08:00

This girl really knows how to throw a party-after all....it's her business:) She rented out a theater in Menlo Park and had photographers outside and silk screens and lots of fun treats inside. Such a fun girl! This is the lobby where she decorated with Chinese lanterns and her favorite movie posters.

I feel like I needed a feather boa....How fabulous are these ladies? I called them "fancy ladies".

The Birthday girl and her awesome hollywood shot. And LOTS of popcorn.
Although little know fact about me-I never eat popcorn....long story but it drives my family crazy because they love it!

Cute little cupcakes for the birthday girl...a Cupcake toast!

Awwww. How cute is Cassie?! Love this shot:) Happy Birthday Cassie!

Stanford football game

2009-03-03T23:26:00.001-08:00

Just couldn't help myself....thanks A. for taking great shots at the Stanford vs. San Francisco game on Saturday. This really is a cute dog and for a brief moment in this photo, a still one. AF-you'd better show the girls this one-they'll love it:)

Beautiful Mother and daughter and BFF

2009-03-02T14:09:00.000-08:00

This is one lucky kid. My friend, Bek-who has been with me on many adventures including but not limited to a rather wild road trip through southern Spain, is one of the most incredible women I know. She is strong and brave and married an awesome guy. And here is her baby with AWESOME hair...I was kind of obsessed with it....It was swaying in it's own breeze...I took care of her on Saturday for a couple of hours while Bek and P went to a wedding reception. I kept whispering to her all the things I would tell her about her mama when she gets a little older. She was crying a little and I walked outside and when she saw the stars, she got very still. That little girl is going to be a wanderer and globe trotter. I can sense these things;)

LOVE that hair!!!

T and the ladies...

2009-03-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

T and me on Friday night-a surprise visit! I love when T. blows into town. He always has new things to share...i.e. theories on Battlestar Galatica, recipes that are delicious and magic tricks. I love my brother:)

My brother and my sweet Grandma

My brother, my mom and my grandma's door decorated for her birthday. Please note-the house was already painted pink and white before the holiday...It's been that way my whole life-Guess what my grandma's favorite color is?;)

Puppysitting....

2009-03-02T13:32:00.001-08:00

Winnie making friends at the Baylands...she needs to work on playing hard to get....Sheesh!

Winnie on my rug. I had to give her a really great treat to make her hold still. She is one smart terrier...

Direct lick! Here is Winnie the wonderdog who I puppysat over the weekend. I LOVE puppies although they need a lot of attention. And chew toys made out of slightly awkward-to-mention animal body parts...

Spring has come to Palo Alto....

2009-02-22T18:07:00.000-08:00

New running shoes courtesy of my brother R! Can't wait for my road test on Monday! I went to Runner's High www.runnershigh.com. If you are looking for running shoes, I couldn't have had a better experience. They had me walk so they could watch how I placed my foot and then I had to run in about 4 different kinds of shoes they picked and when I found one that I really liked-they had me run in the parking lot. AND I can return them within 30 days no matter what....LOVE them!

Beautiful magnolia trees that I drove by yesterday and had to pull over and take a couple of shots. I'm guessing I looked a little crazy...but they were so gorgeous I couldn't help myself!

Pink and White....

Something Wicked.....

2009-02-22T18:02:00.000-08:00

So I finally saw Wicked at the Orpheum in San Francisco and it was really fun! I love old theaters. The cast did a great job and the costumes and set design was spectacular. So much attention to detail-each costume was a work for art. And now I want to paint my face green....

Ano Nuevo, cyclists and truffles

2009-02-16T21:02:00.001-08:00

Sweet stop in front of the stop where the Tour of Cyclists came through. We pulled off to the side to watch as the cyclists swooshed by from Sausalito to Santa Cruz.

Love this shot of this kids watching the cyclists go by.

This little gem of a scale was in the roadside jam/fruit shop we found.

Colleen and I staying warm and braving the elements on the coastal lands

Uh oh. The males were pretty aggressive. Apparently they haven't eaten since Thanksgiving and are here solely to mate. We kept a safe distance.

I kind of wanted to hug this one...

Gorgeous California coast. Love LOVE living here!

I was a little worried about the rain and my brother-in-law hooked me up with a full rain suit-

as we are in the middle of a crazy storm-and my new pink rainboots...which were an emergency purchase and I happily splashed through the rivers. I haven't been that prepared for weather in a looooong time!

Happy Chinese New Year!

2009-02-08T21:25:00.000-08:00

One of the many cool swirly dragons at the SF Chinese New Year Parade. RIDICULOUS crowds...Got slammed up against the Macy's glass door. But....pretty fun, even so.

Colleen and I hopped on top of newspapers bins to over the sea of people-surprisingly comfortable.

Cool artwork off of Union Square-I love living so close to the city!

Red Chinese Lantern-although that is kind of a obvious statement....;)

My favorite part of the parade-the Golden Dragon-the longest one in the world. SOOOO cool! It floated over the crowd.

Almost touched the Golden Dragon-close enough-Good luck for the whole year, right?;)

Plants, Flowers and Chocolate

2009-02-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

Kimbi-Look! That plant you gave me is STILL alive from Sept! It is my best plant success story:)

This hot chocolate I made last night was basically straight chocolate-European style and crazy thick....YUM!

Looks like my flower I planted upside down has rallied and finally bloomed. How gorgeous is this to wake up to in the morning?

2009-02-03T13:00:00.001-08:00

This is my brother T. and sister A.-probably in Tehran? (That's in Iran) Showing their personalities at a very early age;) And I totally lifted it from her blog. It was just that awesome.

I want these.....Yowza!

2009-02-02T20:10:00.001-08:00

Sigh. Wish these could magically appear in my closet!:) Now THAT'S a shoe!

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-276-body-talk.aspx if I have a Valentine secret admirer! (Size 9;)

Superbowl mania! And I think I have a sugar hangover...

2009-02-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

Henry-Sam and Amber's baby-the real star of the Superbowl Party!

Go Steelers! Great game!

10-20-not even sure what is in it but.....soooooo good!

The Best ice cream EVER! Homemade ice cream from Santa Cruz delivered to Milk Pail, a Euoprean Market by my house and is delicious. Really unusual flavors like 50-50; half orange sherbet and half vanilla; Blueberries and corn, etc....We had these at the SuperBowl party at Tinger's yesterday. I should add that Kaari had some really great ice cream too.

2009-01-31T18:05:00.001-08:00

Favorite shot of Amanda! But she was such a good sport.
Especially as we ran into TWO coyotes!

Abby and I with Amanda's head peeking out on the side.

Love this tree-so craggy and twisted...

Kind of an artsy shot that looked cool...

This was where we had lunch and tried not to sit on any ecosystems.....

I was trying to whisper a secret in Amanda's ear...

2009-01-31T18:02:00.000-08:00

Amanda the Amazing Beagle, Abby and I went for a walk in the Arastradero Preserve which is right up Page Mill in Palo Alto. We had an awesome picnic and gorgeous 75 degree weather...In February! I know....my snow bound friends...you can hate me now;)

Uh oh...This is addicting....

2009-01-29T22:23:00.001-08:00

So-it may appear as if I have opened a bit of a Pandora's box as I try to navigate the blog world which I have tried to fight against....In retrospect, I should have had one YEARS ago...so stubborn;) This is me at Castle Rock this last weekend, being all healthy and outdoorsy..I was a
wee bit sore the next day...

2009-01-29T22:19:00.000-08:00

Those conch shells were EVERYWHERE! It was an island full. I kind of wanted to smuggle
some out but customs tend to frown on that.....