Mullin' Around

Farmers market flash mob

2011-06-04T09:06:00.001-07:00

I obviously have neglected my blog for months, but decided it was time for a post to showcase a recent flash mob I was in at the Marin County Civic Center Farmer's Market on May 29. An "official" flash mob video may still be coming. This flash mob was organized by the Zumba Groove.

So. Much. Fun.

Travel: The journey begins

2011-02-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

We left San Francisco and headed to Mexico on a remarkably clear day (Jan. 19). I always feel special when I get to fly in a plane above the Bay Area when you can actually see the curves of where land meets water and even make out the faint tide marks and wind lines in the water. Oh Bay Area, you're so pretty.

Sausalito Lighted Boat Parade

2010-12-14T19:59:00.000-08:00

The annual Sausalito Lighted Boat Parade and Fireworks was on Dec. 11. We went out on Geronimo this year. The turnout was super impressive this year (almost 40 boats) and they were more decked out than i've seen them in the last few years. Happy holidays!

Our skipper, Michael.

There was an amazing sunset that evening. My favorite part of the parade was waiting along the shores of northern Sausalito with all the other boats in the parade. We motored backed and forth until it was time to start. It provided great photo opportunities of the boats, plus the sky was amazing until it was dark.

The above photo is Geronimo all decked out.

Travel: Boise snow

2010-12-01T10:33:00.000-08:00

Went back to Boise for a long Thanksgiving weekend. It was something like 14 degrees when I arrived, so it shouldn't be that surprising i'm now recovering from a cold. But figured I could muster up the strength to put up this picture of the snowy Boise hills, taken on Sunday. Nov. 28. (As i'm posting this, i've heard there's even more snow in Boise today - enough to cancel school.)

Travel: Tannerie de Fes

2010-11-17T08:51:00.000-08:00

The tannery in the heart of Fes (or Fez), Morocco.

Taken from the "terrasse de tannerie" in April 2007.

Travel: Venice

2010-11-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

I took this in June 2007

Food + Travel: A Food and Wine Affair

2010-11-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

As if wine tasting in Dry Creek Valley isn't amazing enough, Wine Road (an association of wineries and such in Sonoma County) adds food to the mix with the annual Food and Wine Affair, which includes Dry Creek, Russian River and Alexander valleys. The group I went with stuck to Dry Creek Valley.

We were lucky, because it was pouring the morning of November 7, but the rain had stopped by the time we made it to Healdsburg. It was beautiful.

Kokomo Winery paired wild mushroom risotto with camembert + butternut squash (above) with a 2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. (Best. Pinot. Ever.) Fun side note: Kokomo is named after Kokomo, Indiana (sorry Beach Boys), which is where the owners/founders are from. And the majority of the people in our group (below) were from Kansas.

Papapietro Perry Winery had wild mushroom soup (delicious but not photogenic) and these pretty chocolate truffles (above). They were tasting pinots and zins.

Bella Winery (above and below) had some kind of cornbread patty with a fig compote on top and a Louisiana gumbo that went really well with their Russian River Primitivo.

Bella also had hula hoops ...

Pedroncelli Winery had a leek and goat cheese torte flamiche with apple-endive salad (bel0w). Most people in our group liked their Mother Clone Zinfandel the best. They also had a port tasting with homemade truffles. Amazing.

Our final stop, Truett Hurst , had meatball sliders and was tasting a variety of wines including a zinfandel rose, zinfandels, a petit sirah, a blend, a cabernet sauvignon and a pinot noir, but their goats stole the show.

The sunset as we drove home. (Early sunset, I might add, as this was the day after daylight savings).

VIDEOS: Giants World Series mania

2010-10-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

I've never been a baseball fan. But I am a fan of extreme spirit that emerges for teams, such as, say, the Giants when they have made it into the World Series. I decided I needed to live it up on the bandwagon and check out the scene near AT&T Park for the first game in the World Series. Fortunately, we made it into the packed back room at Tres Agaves just in time for the string of scores (see way bottom) and made our way closer to the park in time for the end of the game and the Giants big win.

Outside AT&T Park after the game ended

Inside the Giants Dugout Store.

Right after the game was over:

The scene inside the Giants Dugout Store

Gorillas leaving the Dugout Store

Outside AT&T near the end of the game

People were spilling out of bars and such during the game

The back room at Tres Agaves

Style: Sarah's latest

2010-10-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

My friend Sarah Rosandic recently graduated from FIDM and has joined many others in looking for work in fashion. Here's some of her designs. She did a little photo shoot in her LA dining room. You might remember her from the special fashion show she did in August.

Travel: San Clemente sunset

2010-10-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

October sunset in San Clemente, California.

No iPhoto/Photoshop/photo editing done. Just the little Canon Powershot on its sunset setting. Possibly one of the most amazing sunsets, ever.

Travel: Where grapes grow

2010-10-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

More shots from Dry Creek Valley. Am I the slowest blogger ever? I think so.

Travel: West Dry Creek Road

2010-10-07T21:33:00.000-07:00

I went through this phase where I was obsessed with taking photos of trees while I travel (it started when I went to Israel in 2006, my first big trip out of the country). I've come a long way since, but still can take a moment to appreciate a spectacular tree here and there. Or in this case, a row of trees on West Dry Creek Road in Dry Creek Valley. The vineyard behind the trees is actually one we picked grapes at several months ago.

We biked along West Dry Creek Road. So spectacular.

Travel + Style: Dry Creek General Store

2010-10-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

The Dry Creek General Store in Dry Creek Valley (minutes from Healdsburg) is a popular spot to get yummy sandwiches and picnic supplies before heading to a winery. The spot has preserved its vintage charm, while keeping its offerings at par with exactly what would cater to wine-os, or people caught up with the wine country atmosphere. Gourmet sandwiches, cheese, snacks, wine, stainless steel and glass water bottles. Oh, and there's a bar.

And i'm apparently going through a wooden lounge chair obsession.

The planters at the stores had strawberries in them, which gave the place 1 million extra points in my book.

Travel + Style: Wine Haven

2010-10-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

There's a reason Dry Creek Valley's "Wine Road" is called "Heaven Condensed." Cute, right?

I'm just lucky my aunt and uncle have property on West Dry Creek Road (the place is actually for sale now), which we were able to spend a night in a few weekends ago. (Gotta milk it while we still can.) It's just a few minutes from Healdsburg and right in the middle of Dry Creek Valley, probably one of my favorite places on earth (more wine country photos coming soonish).

Food: My new addiction

2010-09-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

Ice cream sandwiches from San Francisco's Bi-Rite Creamery.

Did you know you can personalize your sandwich? YUM.

Food: SEA Thai Bistro

2010-09-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

Really terrible Thai food is hard to stumble upon. But extremely photogenic Thai food, on the other hand, isn't the norm. Good thing Corte Madera's SEA Thai Bistro has food that's delicious and incredibly glamourous in the foodie's world.

The bruschetta (above) seems to be one of the more popular appetizers.

It's pretty much Thai + California fusion.

My aunt and I went recently and shared

appetizers at the tiny restaurant.

Go when craving prawns.

The restaurant has an excellent

use of bold colors. It feels über-bistro-like.

Travel: Californ I Away

2010-09-07T22:23:00.000-07:00

As the amount of time i've lived in California keeps increasing (two years as of August), i'm beginning to enjoy trips out of the state more and more. Reno, our Labor Day weekend destination, was the perfect spot to slow-down and enjoy time with friends.

It seemed like a careless idea to drive to an epic outdoor destination region on Labor Day weekend. But we dodged the California traffic (just what we're getting so sick of) by leaving early Friday afternoon. We returned late on Monday, sharing a highway (the perpetually under construction I-80) with people returning from Tahoe vacations and

playa-dust covered vehicles,

bicycles attached, leaving Burning Man.

Lake Tahoe

We spent one day on the shores of Lake Tahoe.

On the Nevada side.

I'd tell you the name of the beach we went to,

but we can't let it become too popular.

We made a, uh, sand castle.

Reno

I like Reno. It's a crustier version of Boise that isn't so much of an oasis.

The hipsters (and pretty much everyone else) are super friendly and it has some extraordinary mom-and-pop establishments that we appreciate most.

Favorite stops include the bars Strega (am I in a bar, or in a historic private home?), St. James Infirmary (big second-level deck, photo booth, giant illuminated sign that says "society" along one wall); Blue Moon Gourmet Pizza and Sushi Lover for food (all you can eat sushi).

We road bikes around and swam in the river that runs through downtown.

The new coffee shop the Hub was probably the coolest stop during our ride.

The Hub

Think bikes + coffee.

It's a tiny garage that's now a cute coffee shop.

The two friendly baristas took the time to explain the kinds

of coffee they were serving (lots of different countries and flavors).

The selection was vast, and i'd go into further detail

if I was more of a coffee drinker (i'm really not).

But it was still pretty amazing.

Style: Sarah's first fashion show

2010-08-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

It wouldn’t be wrong to say Sarah Rosandick’s style

made a big debut at her first fashion show.

All too often, the fashion industry is criticized for its tiny sizes and toothpick-thin models, which constantly reinforce endless weight and image battles for women of all ages.

But fashion student Sarah, a close friend of mine, was recently presented with an unique opportunity to prove her talent beyond the fashion norms.

It was an annual special fashion show held for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA). Sarah won a $1,000 scholarship for the featured student slot. And it was her first fashion show. Ever.

Here are some photos of model Jessica in Sarah's creation on the runway.

The NAAFA competition provided the ideal challenge – designing more than a stylish outfit that would fit a stick-figured woman. The best pieces in the show creatively used layers.

“All women deserve to look and feel beautiful, and express themselves through fashion in a variety of styles to suit their unique personality,” Sarah said as she presented the plus-sized outfit she designed.

Sarah (top left) is finishing up her studies at the Fashion Institute in Design and Marketing (FIDM) in LA.

The Curvy Fashionista Blogger Marie Denee (pictured above in the blue dress) emceed the event. Sarah's model, Jessica (pictured above at far right with Sarah), said she would definitely buy the coat Sarah designed.

Sarah's family (at right) flew from Boise, Idaho to San Francisco for the show.

Bravo, Sarah. The NAAFA is excited to see your career as it blossoms, and so am I.

Travel: Japan favorites

2010-08-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

A few favorites from a March Japan trip

Trying to take a jump photo

Tokyo tower

Kyoto steps

Style + Travel: Jump photo evolution #4 - Venice Beach series

2010-08-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

On our way to jump photo success

Photos taken at Venice Beach, California. October 2009.

Family + Music: Sammy sings 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'

2010-08-10T09:28:00.002-07:00

My brother Sam, who has autism, singing at our grandmother's funeral last April.

Travel: Road Trip #3 - Trail of the Molten Land

2010-08-08T20:15:00.001-07:00

Final (and very delayed) post from our Oregon road trip.

Visiting lava lands - the Trail of the Molten Land

Travel: Road Trip #2 - Smith Rock, Oregon

2010-08-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

Exploring Smith Rock State Park

July 24, 2010

Hiking up "Misery Ridge" trail. Yep, that's its name.

It's not that long of a hike, but you gain just under 1,000 feet in elevation.

Brutal, but pretty views pay off.

Monkey Face. Three people in our group climbed it.

Apparently it's a relatively easy climb (5.7),

just a little intimidating because it's a 350-foot spire.

But for me, just making it up Misery Ridge without

fainting was enough of an accomplishment.

More shots of Monkey Face.

The below one is the angle where you can actually see the head of a monkey.

When you zoom in, you can see my three friends around the monkey's neck.

Travel: Road Trip #1 - Driving to Oregon

2010-08-02T20:31:00.001-07:00

We drove eight hours from Marin to Bend, Oregon.

Thankfully, the trip was well worth it.

Some images from the drive:

Mount Shasta

Approaching a storm.

From here, it didn't look like the kind of storm with

giant stick-to-the-road hail and thick fog.

It was intense.

Mount Shasta as we emerged from the storm.

More photos from the trip to come.

Style + Travel: Jump photo chronology # 3

2010-07-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-20T21:19:00.001-07:00

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

2010-07-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-15T22:24:00.001-07:00

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

Travel + Photos: Switzerland fog

2010-07-13T07:50:00.001-07:00

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

2010-07-08T19:37:00.001-07:00

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

2010-07-01T08:13:00.001-07:00

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.

Photos + Style: 40 and Fabulous

2010-06-28T21:47:00.000-07:00

San Francisco Pride: 40 and Fabulous

Sarah and Anthony picked the best possible time to visit San Francisco - Pride weekend! We all took the ferry into the city early Sunday morning from Marin County to see our first SF Pride parade.

Hundreds of dykes on bikes (or scooters in this case) started the parade.

Then there were the cyclists...

I enjoyed the variety of organizations and groups that were in the lengthy parade.

I hope you can read all the signs.

And of course the costumes were... well... fabulous

And pride had a ton of adorable moments

The mom with a cute and fittingly content smile was clutching her

sign that says "This mom is proud to stand beside her son."

And i've discovered in the last two years that

every San Francisco street party event comes with cute party girls in tu-tus.

Photos: Warm Summer Nights

2010-06-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

It finally feels like

summer in Marin County.

I can't call a time of the year "summer" unless it includes warm summer nights. Idaho summer days were always so hot, a refreshing summer night is active time. Time to eat ice cream on the curb, and time to walk around the neighborhood (do people still do that? ). And before it gets cool and dark, there's that time of the day when the sun starts to set and everything is a little golden.

I took these photos in Sausalito two weekends ago (one one of those rare extremely hot days). The golden start of a sunset.

Sausalito boats

Mount Tamalpais

View of Belvedere, Angel Island

Photos + Culture: Italian street painting in San Rafael

2010-06-16T21:07:00.001-07:00

Images from the Youth in Arts' Italian Street Painting Festival (June 12-13)

There's nothing that compares with artwork done by kids.

Food + News: Ways to help the seas

2010-06-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

We definitely need our oceans

Here's a quick guide, based on the last week of my life, of how you can help. And yes, one thing you can do is go out to dinner.

That ever-growing Gulf of oil, plus some special recent encounters, has left me caring about oceans more than, perhaps, ever.

Last week I interviewed Jimmy Galle, a Sausalito-based seafood distributor who organized the national "Dine out for the Gulf Coast," where restaurants in Marin County, San Francisco and lots of other places will donate part of their proceeds today, tomorrow and Saturday to help those affected by the spill. He's also going to be donating part of his proceeds as long as he's in business. The article I wrote on him came out on Wednesday.

Also last week, Brett and I went to the Academy of Sciences and heard Jacque Cousteau's grandchildren talk about ocean advocacy. I wrote about it for Marinscope. My favorite local photographer, Hans Roenau, took the above photo of a diver in the Academy of Sciences aquarium. The occasion for the Cousteaus' visit? World's Ocean Day (which was June 8) and the would-be 100th birthday of Jacque Cousteau.

While we were there we found the handy Seafood Watch guidelines that help you chose ocean-friendly seafood.

Also, Oceana has a petition underway to ban new offshore oil and gas drilling off the US coast.

And on a happier marine life note, on Tuesday the Marine Mammal Center released several of its rehabilitated critters. With every year they see more malnourished pups. We'll be putting lots of those photos in the papers next week. Nothing beats a cute seal or sea lion. Hans took this photo too.

Food + Travel: Tapas and sushi

2010-06-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

Sushi AND tapas??

UPDATE: Hours after first posting this I found out the restaurant has just closed a few days ago. One of the investors from Japan pulled out. Bummer. At least you can still enjoy the photos...

An invitation to Art’s Tapas and Sushi lounge in San Francisco was one I couldn’t resist. The new(ish) restaurant encompasses my two favorite types of food. The complimentary meal, authentic tapas aside, was pretty darn good. And it definitely was photogenic.

To summarize the place, I’m starting with dessert first. (There's a reason and it's not my inner fat kid. I think.)

I was thrilled to have Art's green tea ice cream—mainly because we were in Japan a few months ago. That was a wonderful way to take an authentic Japanese dish and make it more appealing to the American palate (less purple bean paste and add whip cream). Brilliant, although I’m not a whip cream fan.

Pictured at right is a green tea ice cream dessert we were served at the amazing Donguri restaurant in Kyoto, Japan, for comparison. See, lots of purple bean paste.

Seafood (and Japanese influences) definitely seems to be Art’s strength. Takaaki Yamaguchi, general manager and chef, told us about their lengthy process of getting concepts from a chef in Japan then deciding how to adapt them to the American palate.

The beef carpaccio ($9) was the best item we had. Two words: wasabi aioli.

The sizzling Chilean sea bass plate ($12) melted in our mouths. The veggies underneath it (bean sprouts, yellow zucchini, green peas, meyer lemon and a sweet garlic sauce) were surprisingly tasty.

The Dragon roll ($12) was sensational. BBQ unagi, avocado, hamachi, cucumber, masago. I wish I had tried more of their sushi rolls.

The Albacore Tartare ($8) was also one of my favorites. Fuji apples, cucumbers with blended miso and mizuna greens.

The Yellowtail Crudo ($9) was really good, but so spicy! Definitely an item for a group of four to share. Hamachi, sliced jalapeño, truffle ponzu, mixed radish.

I loved the idea behind the Marinated Tuna Pintxos ($9.5) served with mozzarella and tomatoes, but we decided we felt the tuna was too marinated. There are so many spices and competing flavors in the item. Soy sauce, mirin, red wine, garlic.

Art’s effort to “Americanize” its dishes is something I can understand, can work quite well, but I personally don’t prefer. They seemed to have done a pretty good job of it.

We didn’t bother ordering the more American tapas options, such as the Spiced Chicken Taco ($6), Cali Cheese Fries ($5), or Chicken Wings ($6), but the wings looked really good at neighboring tables.

Instead, I wanted to taste the “real” tapas, or those most authentic to Spain. I consider myself well-versed when it comes to tapas. I lived in Spain for six months and I’ve had spectacular tapas dining experiences in California. My favorites for legit tapas are Esperpento in SF’s Mission District and Bar Pintxo in Santa Monica. Above, me in la Sagrada Família in Barcelona. Did you know that in Granada, Spain, you get free tapas with every drink you order?

I told the restaurant’s publicist I felt the tapas portion of the menu needs work.

The Cheese Croquettes ($9), above, and the Kurobuta Pintxos ($6) disappointed me. The cheddar croquettes were better than the mozzarella, which were essentially mozzarella sticks. (If you want mozzarella sticks, get em, they’re good. But don’t get them expecting croquettes.) I recommended they avoid the texture of the mozzarella and try adding garlic spices and other fillings (chicken, fish, pork). The Kurobuta Pintxos were breaded and fried pork. That’s about it.

I’m planning on returning to Art’s with a group of friends. Happy hour specials and a parking lot make it even more appealing.

Art’s Tapas and Sushi Lounge is located at 2353 Lombard Street in San Francisco.

Travel + Family: Boise

2010-06-02T22:12:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I returned to my

roots for a quick holiday in Boise.

It's always refreshing to escape California's craziness and visit a friendly place with a significantly lower population. I find lots of people in Idaho really know how to slow down and appreciate the little things. Ah, smaller cities.

The trip occasion? My 21-year-old cheerful brother

Sam has graduated from high school.

It's an especially significant milestone because Sam, who has severe autism, received an official diploma from Timberline High School. The family came together for the occasion. And my dad organized a killer party complete with a live band and light show.

Here we all are holding portraits Sam drew of us.

Below are a few clips from Sam's sweet graduation party, where a good amount of friends and community members stopped by to congratulate Sam. He sure is popular.

Here is Sam right when the party started:

Sam couldn't get enough of the lights and live music:

And since Boise is on the mind...

And a trip "home" to Boise always includes time spent with longtime friends in the surprisingly hipster-filled downtown Boise. Below, we had drinks on the Red Feather Lounge, which I highly recommend for beverages (below) and food at prices that might be high for an Idahoan but are pretty darn good for a San Franciscan.

My family lives in the historic north end of Boise, a liberal enclave with lofty trees and cute bungalows. And how I love Hyde Park, which embodies that local charm (Marin County would approve).

I took the below photo while we were walking to Hyde Park.

News - Bay to Breakers loses its sponsor

2010-05-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

The day after I made my final Bay to Breakers photos post I have discovered that Bay to Breakers sponsor ING, a dutch global financial services company, has turned its back on Bay to Breakers. Click here to see the SFGate mention of this.

Apparently the event has caused too much bad press. Fair enough.

That means the run and the preceding costumes and booze craziness may not get to celebrate its 100-year anniversary next year.

Do you think it will still happen? I hope so, for the sake of San Francisco traditions.

Style + Photos: Bay to Breakers (part 3)

2010-05-24T21:52:00.000-07:00

Tired of Bay to Breakers photos yet?

Of course not. This is the last B2B photos post.

Just had to share some only in San Francisco images.

Alamo Square.

This photo might not be as awesome

without the "freshly cut meat" sign.

So much compassion.

When in doubt for a Bay to Breakers costume, go with colored spandex.

Is Bay to Breakers the only day you can get away with this?

Propeller head mom.

He was part of a Tool Academy group.

Tutus - another street party costume staple. Please notice Whitney's boat shoes.

She was happy to pose for me.

Quite the complete outfit.

This definitely does not fit into the "only in San Francisco" category.

Style + Photos — Bay to Breakers trends (part 2)

2010-05-19T10:43:00.001-07:00

Bay to Breakers RAWR trend:

animal prints and fabrics

I was going to be a peacock this year for Bay to Breakers (and I saw quite a few), but changed my mind when I realized how chilly it was going to be, especially compared to last year's scorching weather. I raided my roommates closet and borrowed her golden zebra leggings and a psychedelic top. I also threw on mittens and my panda hat I bought at a Chinatown in Japan (yep) a few months ago.

I was warm ... and ... hideous...

Panda hat side note: I was not aware that SF Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval, nicknamed "Kung Foo Panda," has inspired tons of fans to own panda hats. The hats were out in full force at B2B. So much for wearing a unique hat.

Likely due to what I was wearing,

I couldn't stop noticing all the fur and animal prints.

Here are some of my favorites.

Tiger power stance.

This bunny was swinging his leg back and forth.

Pink bunny #1.

Pink bunny #2.

Fur booties.

And the animal prints.

And the hats:

This guy gets bonus points for his neon colors.

Brett in his panda hat. Plus a mustache leftover from our "ocho de Mayo" party.

More animal hats.

Big bird?

Style + Photos — Bay to Breakers costumes (part 1)

2010-05-17T21:23:00.000-07:00

Just in case you haven't already heard, the 99th annual ING Bay to Breakers was last Sunday. Just a few of the hundreds of photos I snapped will be featured in a series of blog posts.

This first one focuses on some of super amazing and creative costumes we spotted.

B2B attire that is perhaps the most

famous is wearing nothing at all.

Here was a creative spin on the birthday suit,

captured in front of the painted ladies in Alamo Square.

Each one of these ladies (their group was much bigger)

was a different Mr. Sketch scented markers color.

You know, it's the markers that smelt so good you ended up with marks on your nose.

Turtle power.

Smurfs.

One of my favorites...

Lady Gaga bubble outfit.

She hot glued clear plastic ornaments together.

Synchronized swimmers.

Tiger Woods and fans.

Rainbow full body suit. Of course.

BP worker.

Her sticker is of Sarah Palin and says "Drill Baby Drill!"

Travel + Style — Inside Sausalito’s Yellow Ferry

2010-05-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

Houseboat fans unite.

Here's some photos from Sausalito's famous yellow ferry, which few get to see inside.

Briefly, here's how I got to see the extraordinary interior.

Some influential architects (below) came to Sausalito from China recently to study the community’s distinctive houseboats and floating homes. They’ll use Sausalito as a model for a huge waterfront development in Shandong, China. I wrote about their visit for Marinscope Newspapers (click here to see it) and then we gave the site Buoyant Life permission to publish it.

Their elaborate visit to Sausalito (unfortunately the sea plane tour was cancelled due to weather) included a stop at the Yellow Ferry Dock, where they met with the dock owner Chris Tellis, inside his historic yellow ferry, the S.S. City of Seattle.

The yellow ferry is one of the oldest houseboats in Sausalito — originally built in 1888, it was the first ferry boat in the Puget Sound. Tellis has done some amazing work on the boat, which he lives on (it’s divided up for different family members).

Tellis spoke to the architects about the history of Sausalito houseboats. He has designed quite a few, including the area's first green houseboat, and has big plans for the dock he owns and operates. If the architects get the gig they want in China, they will use Tellis as a consultant.

Now here's some photos of the ferry interior:

(The above right photo shows a couch swing. Sweet idea for a home on the water.)

The decor in the ferry is bohemian and inviting, but the half with lots of books and bookshelves was the coziest.

Chris Tellis (left) gives his presentation to the architects from China.

One of the newest parts of the ferry, a sunroom with a view of Mount Tamalpais.

The living spaces make excellent use of large window and doors that open to decks.

My favorite feature is below. Chris Tellis put a motor on this dock, equipped with a sound system and heaters. He hosts dinner parties on the small dock, driving it to the middle of the bay.

Most of the photos are courtesy of Photography by Privette.

Food — Beyond Cornbread

2010-05-11T19:03:00.000-07:00

The Pica Pica Maize Kitchen opens in San Francisco’s Mission District this Friday.

At a media preview last week I tasted samples of the Venezuelan kitchen’s three different maize (corn) breads (patrons have 10 fillings to chose from) and sangria (it’s licensed for beer and wine).

Here's the sample platter we ate:

My big winner was the cachapa pabellón — it’s a sweet yellow corn pancake with shredded skirt steak, sweet plantains, black beans and cheese. (I stole the below pabellón image from their menu.)

The “maize’wich,” grilled sweet cornbread, with ham and cheese (Clásica) could be considered a far superior cousin to the grilled cheese. (I also stole the below photo.)

The arepa, the third bread on the menu, wasn't nearly as flavorful as its two sisters. The grilled corn flour flatbread tasted dry and is probably most dependent on a wise filling choice. Of course my inner fat kid tells me it would be best with something spicy or greasy.

Co-owner Adriana Lopéz Vermut said the kitchen was a spin on traditional Venezuelan arepas, 24-hour street food spots that offer arepas (flatbread sandwiches) and beyond. Adriana, her father Leopoldo Lopéz Gil, and Luis Sosa opened the first Pica Pica Maize Kitchen in Napa in January 2008. Below, Adriana (far left) speaks to food samplers at a Pica Pica preview night last week in the Mission.

Adriana told my friend and me that to Americanize the food they offer six different salsas ranging from garlic and olive oil aioli to a signature hot sauce (Pica’Pun).

They remodeled their small corner space in the Mission in a hurry once they found it, Adriana said. Large operable windows should make it a favorable food stop during sunny and warm weather. You can see all the sunlight filling the space in the above photo (many occupants kept their sunglasses on for the event). I'm a huge fan of ample daylighting.

Everything is wheat and gluten free.

Prices range from $7.99 to $8.99 for the filled maize bread. Menu also includes empanadas ($3.99), soups ($3.99-$5.75) and a house salad ($3.99).

The new eatery is located at 401 Valencia Street (at 15th Street). For more info, call (415) 400-5453 or visit http://www.picapicakitchen.com.

Travel — We Are Golden

2010-05-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

Two years ago my best friend and I reached road trip euphoria.

We shared the driving. I did most of the filming.

We left Boise, Idaho in May 2008 and over the course of six weeks went to Buckley (Washington), the San Juan Islands, Seattle, the Oregon Coast, Chico, San Francisco, Newport Beach, Catalina Island, San Clemente, Las Vegas and Reno. At each destination we stayed with a friend or relative.

Music - "We are Golden" by Mika