weekend review: marin adventures

[Check out those ripples in the distance- that's ocean waves!]

It's been a while since I posted a weekend review, but I figured if I was late on my necklace challenge, I should share why.  This series of images is a little of the "this is my perfect life" variety but I have to say, anytime I have a rare weekend off and get out of the city, it does feel like a perfect life. Just for the day. Images after the jump.

weekend review: weekday weekend

[Park at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in downtown San Francisco]

 I mentioned yesterday that I had a weekday long weekend with my friend/college roommate Laura aka Suits and Skirts. Laura and I always have excellent adventures, whether in New York, Richmond or now in the Bay Area. She was here for a business conference and afterward we met in downtown San Francisco. Spurned in our attempt to dine at 3pm at B Bar, we took pictures of the gorgeous Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and went back to Berkeley for Phil's Sliders followed by a late (gourmet) pizza dinner. 

The next day we headed to Napa, enjoying several vineyards and having a particularly wonderful time with the Resident Southern Belle at the Vintner's Collective. Our last day included Berkeley classics Philz Coffee, shopping at Jermey's Department Store, and great sushi for cheap at Manpuku before venturing back to the city for a night of fine wine and cheese at Mission Cheese, burritos, and The Mint Karaoke.

[Photographer Laura. Check her blog for more pictures]

[Making bird friends]

[Pizzaiolo in Oakland]

[Napa]

[At the first winery. We were asked twice this weekend if we are sisters, do you see the resemblance?]

[Empty wine crates]

[Bubbles on the patio. Ideal.]

[More bird friends]

[Toughest decision all week. Laura went with the platypus for her newborn niece.]

[On Valencia St]

[Books on books]

weekend review: i'm smitten with the trolley dances

[Spotted at a community garden]

Weekends are special. They are for grand adventures or lazy days where nothing is accomplished but that's okay. My friend Caroline and I agreed this has held true even while we're both unemployed. I'll soon be starting work part-time and will work weekends some, so I'll see if that changes once weekends require work.

But for now, I'll keep my weekends special. Saturday was a lazy day, though a few small items were accomplished around the house. Sunday was an adventure in the city with Caroline. She took me a part in Hayes Valley where we lunched on ice cream and I took her on the Trolley Dances. Trolley Dances is an annual event with a series of dances at locations in San Francisco, linked by walking and taking Muni. I loved the variety of types of dance, and traveling between locations allowed the city to be part of the action- particularly at the outdoor events.

 

[Amazing chocolate. The raspberries I supplied from the farmers market.]

[This duo presented three dances, each at a different public location, including the Muni Stop and store window.]

[My favorite, outside the Public Library. A story of public transit.]

weekend review: hardly strictly

This weekend was packed full with two gatherings of friends on Friday night, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass on Saturday, and Dish SF with my friend Kelley on Sunday, followed by a 'fry party' hosted by Cornell friends. Luckily, Partner-in-Crime and I took a slow pace and ambled through the weekend. Leaving later than planned on Saturday, we stopped by an old favorite diner of his, the Irving Street Cafe. Still, Sunday evening I was asleep by 10pm. 

[Beers Friday night at Jupiter in Berkeley]

[Spotted these sweet shoes at the diner, then saw the same ladies at the festival.]

[They changed the design! I went all week without one!]

[Classic, California style]

[Hardly Strictly Bluegrass]

[Packin'em in]

[This bumblebee hung out with me for a while.]

weekend review: finding sunshine

This weekend was simply lovely. Moving to Berkeley in August felt like my summer ended abruptly and I've been wanting a beach and warm sun. The East Bay in sunnier than the city itself, but I rarely feel the sun really warming up my skin. A trip north to somehow warmer climates was just what I needed.

Add in Cowgirl Creamery, a picnic lunch that included fresh oysters from Tomales Bay Oysters eaten on location and a beach with amazing views. Plus great company.

weekend review: long fourth of july

I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July. My lease here in Richmond ended on the 30th but I knew I needed to stay around at least through the Fourth (and now have been convinced to stay through this coming weekend as well.) I enjoyed relaxing after a June full of travel and packing. Posting here has been slow, but today I offer two (easy!) recipes.

I started my celebration Sunday morning with a lunch with the pup at the park. Byrd Park's concession stand impressed me, offering this hearty chicken sandwich for roughly $5. The sandwich itself was standard but the chips were fresh and quite tasty. Plus, I got to sit and watch families paddleboat. Next I headed back to my friend's house where I am staying for the week. He and his girlfriend were hosting a cookout, which was a great chance to see some friends before I leave.

[California Israeli Cous Cous]

[Grilled peaches]

[The (mostly) complete spread]

[My sandwich creation- grilled chicken, green apple, avocado, lettuce]

The feasting was followed by outdoor activities, then resting, then fireworks over the river. Monday itself was even lazier, spend mostly by the pool and then lounging on a porch watching a lightening storm instead of manmade sparks.

California Isreali Cous Cous
1 cup of cous cous according to the package.
3 small cucumbers (farmers market style) or one grocery store size cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 green onion, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper

Combine first seven, salt and pepper and olive oil to taste.


Grilled Peaches
Slice six barely-ripe peaches into eights.
Thread on skewers soaked in water. Place in baking dish.
Pour about 2 tablespoons olive oil over peaches then crumble 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
Mix to coat.
Grill 3-5 minutes per side until fork pierce easily. Enjoy plain or over ice cream.

weekend review: bffs

These photos were taken when my camera was broken. The lens worked fine but the back screen where I could see what the pictures actually looked like was out of service. They are, however, the only photographs I have my lovely friend Laura, of Skirts and Suits.

Laura and I were assigned to be roommates by some higher power at Cornell University. Four years and four dorms/apartments later, she moved to New Jersey just outside of The City and I moved back South. In high school in Baltimore, Laura had a good friend Diana. Diana, Laura and I had some good times in Bmore during college years then happenstance (aka love) brought Diana to Richmond. With our powers combined, we finally convinced Laura to visit.



We lunched near Diana's work at Lehja. The decor was an interesting mashup of modern furniture and Indian patterns, some of which were clearly homemade. While I can't verify authenticity, I ordered my favorite saag aloo and it was delicious.




The next day we went to a food and wine festival at Innsbrook. We enjoyed several samples of grocery store wine while pursuing the various wares for sale. Neither the beer or wine were impressive, and while most of the restaurants were either chains or standard street fair, I enjoyed the always delicious Boka Takos and the newcomer Goatocado.





We rounded out the evening with drinking margaritas on Diana's (former) Fan porch, followed by Thai food. Check out Diana's shoes, she painted them herself. More on that coming soon.