Welcome to the world Lance Shimasaki

My friend Ann and Dale gave birth to a little bundle of joy - Baby Lance. Born 5lbs. 12 ounces on March 29th at 1:57am. Ironically, this is the same time of the Solar Eclipse, of which I had planned on blogging about since Shelaine are over there at the moment partying it up like 1999.

Perhaps we shall meet him in a month. I can't wait... so precious. 

Florida - Orlando

Finally had a few minutes to lay in the sun. This is the pool at the Caribe Resort (www. cariberoyale.com).

I'm not fond of resorts, they are scary. Resorts are structured so you don't want, need or can leave, so they can suck up all of your money. That concept alone should scare any traveler. Additionally, it's completely counter-intuitive to the idea of traveling. Traveling should have you experiencing something different, see something new. Traveling should be an adventure. Being in a resort is comparable to living in a dark bubble. Two words: "Tourist Trap." So yeah, I'm a little bored here. The conference was so packed with activities, I didn't have time to get outside of the resort.

However, I did get out and last night and went to a bar by myself. Haven't done that in awhile and it's different. People look at you a bit oddly. But I enjoyed the beer, the music and the fact that I wasn't in the dark bubble.

Wished I had time to drive down to Miami, anywhere near the water. Maybe next month when AG travels here for a conference I'll tag along, maybe....

Breakfast at Cafe Lalo

Our last meal in NYC was the best. Cafe Lola is located 5 minutes from our apartment on 83rd and Amsterdam (201 West 83rd Street www.cafelalo.com) on the upper west side. We were casually strolling down Amsterdam sipping our our coffee, as we passed by this cute little French Cafe. We took a chance and headed in. Best decision we made all weekend. They are well known for having organic, international brunches and 4 levels of dessert trays.

AG ordered the traditional Jewish brunch - bagels and locks. I took another risk and ordered what our waitress recommended - the Cauliflower Sandwhich with tomatoes, red & yellow bell peppers on fresh mozzarella cheese. It was delicious! The service was great and the prices were extremely reasonable.

We were so stuffed we could only look at the dessert. Next time! We found a hidden gem!!!!!  

Jett Superstar

This is Gypsy Superstar's daughter, Jett. Two and a half and precious. After work yesterday, AG and I walked to Karina's house, ordered dinner and hung out until 9 (Jett's bedtime). It was nice to Karina and Stephan. Another Superstar is due in August.

Afterwards, AG and I went home to freshen up. We hung around the upper west side at a quaint little bar (since it was so fareezing out I could barely feel my ears). Got up at noon and ate brunch at Pax. AG went to work while I took off downtown to shop at the infamous Century 21. I was told to prepare myself for the melee, but it really wasn't that bad. I'm a seasoned Filene's Basement veteran and I've fought off worse at the Bebe's annual clearance sale in SF - these women can shop and they are quick and mean.

I didn't go too crazy, lots of lingerie and a DKNY trenchcoat (I'm a coat-whore) that I fell in love with immediately. Perhaps if I hand more time I would have made a bigger dent. God I miss good shopping.



Tonight AG and I intend to check out the Village. Perhaps tomorrow we'd include the Planetarium. Stephan and Karina highly recommended the Museum of Natural History as well. Oh so much to do. Perhaps on our next visit.

















This is Jett's before and after bath pictures. She's really quite adorable.

St. Patty's Parade in NYC

Got into NYC last night after a grueling day of travel. Had finished packing at 12:30 and got up at 4am. Fed the pups (gave them an extra bowel of chicken outside - I'm sure they were pleasantly surprised). Flight from OAK to Chicago was a blurr. When I finally got dropped off at the apartment on West End and 81st (I had a sinking feeling this was going to happen, but when it is actually happening you just can't believe it, you know?) one of the passengers on SuperShuttle had mistakenly taken my bag. Driver was unsure what to do, but I wasn't going to let him leave until I got my bag back cuz I know how this works - I might not see my bag until I'm ready to leave on Sunday. So while he was calling his office to determine protocol, I grabbed the remaining bag, got the name off the tag (remembered his name and that he was dropped him off at the Waldorf)... called the hotel, got his info and exchanged bags within the hour.

AG and I walked around a bit, then ate at Monsoon's, a Vietnamese restaurant he'd been wanting to take me to. Afterwards we snuggled up (brrr, it's freaking freezing here) in the apartment. It has an amazing view on the 20th floor. This morning we took the subway to his office on 34th and ran smack into the St. Patty's Day Parade. Last time I was here there was a parade also... NYers love parades I'm guessing. I liked watching the bustle of people jostling through the streets, it's quite festive. I also had a really great bagel for breakfast... how do I like my bagels AG asked me? Well, it's gotta be soft to bite into and chewey and a little bit of a crunch just as you bite into it.... yeah, yum. It's a fun city, lots of energy and always something going on. I could see us living here if we needed to - but I'm too in love with SF and the bay area.

Tonight, we get to hang out with Karina and Stephan, her daughter Jett and the little guy that's snuggled in Karina's belly. Then off to someplace in the city for coffee, dessert and a romantic stroll in the Village - just us two... 

Circles

Most dogs can reach their ass so it's understandable that if you didn't see this picture and I was describing what Sienna was doing (i.e. curled up in a ball sleeping), it wouldn't be all that impressive. But there's something impressive about THIS. She could be a dog contortionist or something. Of course, I woke her up with my flash photography. See the similar irritated look from previous pictures below?

Tomorrow I fly out to NYC to meet up with AG and hopefully enjoy a little bite of the apple. Then to Orlando to attend a Telecom Contracts Negotiation conference... It's great to get out of the city once in awhile, even if it's within the states.

I received an email from my Aussie friend Jennifer Curcio - who I met in Pai, Thailand. Pai is a cool mix of expats and BM vibe 3 hours west from Chiang Mai. I walked into this cafe one evening when they were having Trivia Tuesday contests. I sat next to Jennifer and we connected immediately. I was surprised to discover later that she was only 19. Such an old soul. Unfortunately, I was leaving the next evening (to meet XT in Chiang Mai) and didn't have much time left, but had to "do" the natural hotsprings there. The hotsprings was a popular place and we wanted to get there early to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the place before it got crowded. It was magical. The morning mists and the steam from the hotsprings created a mystical shroud of privacy. When the sun finally streamed through the mists and branches, and the birds started chirping...it was so dreamlike. JC also gave me a list of the best places for desserts, dinners, teas, coffees to check out when I returned with AG. She also recommended the Sun Hut where we stayed. Since then, JC has been around the world and back - and AG is very excited to talk to her about Israel. She's coming to SF in two weeks, and it will be nice to have an international friend to talk to. Mabe her stories will inspire us to travel again.

The Little Lady

I'm amazed at how quickly she's growing... I have her baby picture in my office and everytime Helsley sends an update, I can't help but compare. It's Helsley's eyes looking back at me. The eyebrows, the "look.." gentle yet pensive... I have such mixed emotions when I look at her. A part of me is sad for not knowing her - this part of Helsley that he's created. Another part of me is in amazement that she's his flesh and blood but yet separate.

I feel connected to her, that's for sure, if only because I'm connected to her daddy and there's a huge part of him in her.

Little watchers...

This was just a cute picture of them watching me cook in their new little hideout underneath the coffee side table. 

Vietnamese Home Cooking

I love cooking simply and with lots of veggies. Even though most people know me as a meat lover, I love vegetables more and eat my veggies first - not because my parents told me to. My love of veggies stemmed from having a fresh vegetable garden growing up. My mom would have us pick the veggies just before dinner so they were amazingly fresh and sweet. We had corn, potatoes, zuchini, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, green beans, sweat peas and even brussel sprouts. We also had two huge apples trees, a plum tree and 5 blueberry bushes. I reminsce still of waking up in the summer, running outside barefoot to pick fresh blueberries for breakfast. I'd love to have a fruit and vegetable garden some day.... sigh

So lately I've been cooking and introducing AG to Vietnamese home style cooking. You can't order these dishes in restaurants. I'm self-conscious about what I like - thinking that few will like them - so I don't often cook these dishes for anyone but myself. However, AG loves my cooking and it's inspired me to cook more often. For lunch today, I stir fried baby bokchoy in oyster sauce; sauted chicken breast in oyster sauce, sweet onions and jalepenos peppers. Vietnamese home style cooking requires one soup dish. The broth should be sweet (not sugar sweet but soupy sweet) with greens to balance the fiery peppers and or salty dishes. Today, I made OnChoy (dark leafy veggies) with shrimp in chicken broth and bean thread vermicilli (made with bean curds and not rice ergo less starch and carbs more protien).

The only missing ingredient to my traditional home style meal is rice, but as Sion puts it, I have green rice.

The problem with Vietnamese Style home cooking is that no one writes down the recipes. I'm making these dishes from memory and from tinkering with the ingredients to adjust the flavors for my likes. That's the point of learning to cook right? To take a dish you like and tailor it even more to your liking. 

Dinner: Seared Ahi Tuna

For the last two nights dinner included seared Ahi Tuna marinated with cayenne and pepper soy sauce on a bed of organic greens, green beans sauteed in olive oil with a dash of salt and black pepper and baked sweet yam. I likes my food with a huge kick and I likes my veggies crisp.

When I first moved into this place, I cooked nonstop nightly for a month maybe two. My culinary skills were adapted from my mom's. I get tidbits here and there from watching friends cook and Iron Chef (not). Lately I've gotten into more salads because AG is so fond of them - but a healthy, light but tasty meal is right up my alley - so it works for both of us. Still can't eat get past the raw meats (i.e. carpaccio and sushi) - but I can do seared for now.

Afterwards, the girls and I spend some quality time - me watching tv while they nap (Lila's preference is to nap on any lap while Sienna prefers the floor - this is her at the bottom, not too happy that I flashed a picture while she was sleeping). She's ignoring me, as usual.

Mission and 24th street

Before I moved to this area, I thought Potrero Hill was the best little secret in SF. It's a quaint little suburb within the city and it has some of the best views of downtown, but it's still a little too far to walk anywhere. That's what living in SF is all about - being able to walk to your local mom and dad coffee shop in the mornings for your coffee and purchasing fresh fruits and veggies from your local store.

These red delicious strawberries and fresh crisp green beans are on 24th street - my favorite local produce store. I know it's not organic and such, but the produce is actualy much fresher and better tasting than Safeway, perhaps because they are picked and distributed locally and not processed and shipped through the chain store distribution routes. On the way there, we stop at Phil's coffee www.philzcoffee.com - which is our second favorite coffee shop owned by none other than Phil and his son. They are entertaining characters. It's awesome that Phil knows most of his customers by name since we are regulars, and he's there every morning to make his magic Turkish coffee. If you haven't tried his brew, it's downright delicioius but sometimes a little too strong for me. He adds secret ingredients including mint, cinnamon and cardoman.

24th Street is a great street lined with mostly Mexican and Hispanic grocery and clothing stores, but scattered here and there are some interesting restaurants and bars. Chile Lemon Garlic is a favorite Thai restaurant and they have an authentic 50's diner as well (can't remember the name).

Our other walks include Mission and Valencia street. Valencia is the home of our favorite coffee shop - Rituals (22nd and Valencia) - opened by this young kid and his wife. They've introduced me to Stumptown Coffee, which is rated the best coffee in the U.S. - from Oregon. You get french pressed coffee as a standard cup. He rotates the artwork constantly with local artists. The decor is uptown cool with a Mission vibe. The barrista's are all good looking but very cool Mission Misfits with nose rings, punked black spikey hair and they smile at you and seem to really enjoy working there. There's also Thanh Tam II - our little Vietnamese restaurant where the salad and soup is a great backup to nights when we don't feel like cooking.

Just recently we started walking towards Bernal Heights - lots of hidden gems there as well. I'm sure every part of the city has hidden gems and that's why this lovely city is such a wonderful place to live. SF's got it right by keeping chain stores out and maintaining charachter and charm of the mom and pop owned stores.

We've fallen in love with this area. The weather here is gorgeous - the warmest in the city. The cultural diversity is expansive. Finally, to top it off the freeways on and off ramps are so close. I've noticed that since moving here, I rarely go outside of the Mission, except to see friends. Fortunately most of our friends have moved here or are in the process of moving here.

It's Spring in SF.....

And everything is blooming, including the flowers and fruit trees in my garden. This lovely red tulip is an early bloomer. And my Mexican Lime Tree has limes already. It's been astonishing to watch the leaves unfurl from bushes, stems and stalks... and flowers emerging and then little fruits bud out of the flowers. I've never had a green thumb so this magic garden is growing of its own accord. I'm just a fortunate bystander.

I don't remember seeing any limes last year when I moved in. There definately weren't flowers on the orange tree either. This year I think there will be oranges as well. And my beautiful ever-blooming gardenia bush is so ready to blossom. There's so many lovely buds and they keep getting larger each day.

If I have the energy I'd love to plant purple wisteria or climbing jasmine.
 

The Explorer goes where no man has gone before...

AG caught a picture of Miss Sienna after our housewarming party. Not quite sure what she was doing down there - it's possible that one of my friends is super ingeniously evil and hid some treats underneath the rug hoping that our little explorer would find it. Or maybe, she's taking a nap and didn't want to be disturbed. I'm hoping it's the former, it's something I'd do, and I hope there's other like-minded mischieviants out there like me. Either way, I think it's hilarious. This little one constantly surprises me with her personality. As many of my close friends know, I rule the pack with an iron hand. But she's not scared of me, not really. She pretends to be - just enough to give me a show of respect cuz she's figured it out that I'm the head honcho who also happens to control the treat bag. She's also a stubborn hellraiser but gets away with everything cuz she's so charismatic. She follows me everywhere, but not adoringly clingy... she knows I'd hate that. She's subtle and in her quiet way, I'd turn around in the bathroom and there she is lying right behind me - or I'm cooking in the kitchen and she plops down in the livingroom where she can see me. She's not spoiled, she doesn't like being on my lap, she doesn't like being petted and coddled like a baby, she just likes being near me and as it turns out... she was perfectly matched for me. And I know you guys think she acts like a cat, but she ain't no kitty - she's a ferocious protector of her sis and our home ;).