Food: SEA Thai Bistro

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

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

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

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

On our way to jump photo success

Photos taken at Venice Beach, California. October 2009.

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

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

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

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

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

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.