Style + Travel: Jump photo chronology # 3

Step # 3 - make the jump photos your own

Brett's style. This was taken on the roof of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Our friend let us get up there to feed the sea otters ice cubes (hence the blue booties).

I'm a water girl, and therefore usually take my jump photos on a beach or some other scenic waterfront location.

On the beach at Hendaye, France.

(Side note - go to Hondarribia, Spain - right across the river. Amazing.)

Ocean Beach, San Francisco, a few months after I moved to the Bay Area from Idaho.

Style + Travel: Jump photo chronology # 2

The second big milestone, in my personal life history of jump photos, was finding someone I could jump in sync with. This was achieved quite well in this photo I took with in Toldeo, Spain with Maggie, who studied abroad with me.

Step # 2 - Jump together (duh)

Style + Travel: Jump photo evolution #1

Jumps photos. It's not the most creative idea, but worthwhile nevertheless. I've found my jump photos have gradually improved. In the last few months i've taken some of the best yet (but you have to wait a bit until you can see those - i'm all about anticipation).

Here begins my jump photo evolution.

Step # 1 - Find a pretty location

This wasn't that much of a jump photo success (we aren't in unison). But it still is a fun photo to look at. We took this photo in 2006 somewhere in Washington. We were driving from Moscow, Idaho, to Portland.

Travel: Japan video - Time to Pretend

Ten days of traveling in Japan condensed into just a little more than 4 minutes. My latest project.

Travel + Video: 'We are Golden' Road Trip

This was actually the very first thing I posted on my blog. But since i'm finishing up a video about my March Japan trip, I thought it might be nice to revisit my earlier work (which was filmed with a video camera that obviously can't even do its main function well).

Japan video coming next week. Woooo!

Travel + Video: Baby harbor seal

At the Marine Mammal Center last spring in the Marin Headlands. Awwww

Travel + Photos: Switzerland fog

Mark Twain said "the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." I've heard this countless times since I moved to the Bay Area. I'm tired of it, but aside from the quote's drama, I can relate a bit.

I've spent the last week and a half showing relatives from Mexico around the Bay Area and explaining the region's microclimate phenomenon (yes, I think it's a phenomenon). Too often we left warm and sunny San Rafael, drove less than 15 minutes, and ventured into foggy and cool Sausalito or San Francisco. The fog is pretty, I just wish it wasn't so chilly.

Wikipedia (I know, it's Wikipedia) says Point Reyes is one of the foggiest places in the word with more than 200 days of fog a year. I've been trying to think of other foggy places and remembered my 2007 visit to tiny Gimmelwald in the Swiss Alps. It was one of my stops on my five-week whirlwind Europe backpacking adventure. It was so foggy up at Gimmelwald I never got a solid glimpse of the Alps.

C'est la vie.

Food + Photos: Brick & Bottle

Mmmm ... duck confit

After I wrote about the new restaurant Brick & Bottle in Corte Madera last May, I couldn't stop thinking about trying their "modern takes on classic cocktails." And of course the whole local and sustainable comfort food concept is enough needed to draw me in. So, I couldn't pass up a recent media dinner.

I drank a Moscow Mule (at left). I was excited because it shares the name of the Idaho town I went to college in (oh, and the spot in Russia too). In it is vodka, lime, mint, maraschino and ginger beer. I loved it. Brett had the Ward Eight - rye, lemon, orange, grenadine, bitters. They were both $9.

Appetizer: Smoke gouda orzo mac & cheese. It tasted best eaten with the tomato jam and chives on top. ($9)

Amazing: Duck confit thin crust pizza with caramelized onions and fontina cheese. Staff said this is one of the most popular dishes. We loved it. So much. ($12)

Alaskan halibut ($18)

Brownie with its fixings

We discovered that everything was quite dependent on the combination of ingredients and sauces. Humble chef Scott Howard told us he usually changes the menu every day, depending on what he can find locally and new ideas he comes up with. He really wants it to be a family-friendly hangout spot. The restaurant is young and seems to still be finding its footing (hence the changing menu) and similarly, the wait staff is friendly but still learning. I'm looking forward to keeping an eye on the spot and seeing how (and if) it changes.

It's open for lunch and dinner, plus offers a midday menu (that would coincide nicely with happy hour). Stopping by for a drink and duck confit pizza would definitely be worthwhile.

Photos + Food: Sushi 69

Marin Foodie Doug Levy might be right about Sushi 69. The day after reading his blog post I had the perfect opportunity (Brett took me on a date) to go to the small San Anselmo sushi spot.

So glad we went.

My favorite - Hiro's Roll. Spicy tuna, avocado, fresh salmon over light ponzu sauce.

All my favorite ingredients and a small roll size my little mouth appreciates. ($13)

Takeshi roll. Shrimp tempura, spicy scallops, avocado and cucumber. On top is tuna and shiso leaf. Turns out I'm a big fan of shiso leaf. ($15)

Explosion roll. (Right, huh?) Yellow tail, scallop, the perfect amount of jalapeño and fish roe.

On top is fried onion. ($11)

We also had hot sake (trying to keep the feeling of our March trip to Japan alive), as well as fresh hamachi nigiri. I almost ordered green tea ice cream. Yum.