tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85873494817904375352024-03-08T14:43:17.785-08:00Not So Plain JaneJanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-13039412062488480272010-09-20T21:22:00.000-07:002010-09-21T00:08:24.080-07:00Music Monday - The Walkmen<div>Taking a cue from <a href="http://catch-her-in-the-wry.blogspot.com/">Catcher in the Wry</a>, it's Music Monday here at the house of NSPJ. </div><div><br /></div><div>Last week, AB and I went to the Fillmore to see one of our favorite bands, the Walkmen. I guess you could say they're kind of "our" band--we went to our first Walkmen show together in 2002, roughly a year after we started dating, and the year their album <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everyone_Who_Pretended_to_Like_Me_Is_Gone">Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone</a> was released. Since then, we've seen them together more than a half-dozen times. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the show, they played some old favorites as well as a lot of stuff from their new album, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon_(album)">Lisbon</a>, which was released that very day. We picked up a copy, and it's been on heavy rotation at home ever since. </div><div><br /></div><div>At this point, my affection for the Walkmen is more than a little sentimental, but I have a feeling after a listen or two, you'll fall in love with their sound--a combination of gravelly vocals, vintage guitars, and delicate piano:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><object width="400" height="325"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2hKUJnMners?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2hKUJnMners?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="325"></embed></object><div><br /></div><div><object width="400" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CxWKWB5mhG0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CxWKWB5mhG0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="250"></embed></object></div><div><br /></div><div><object width="400" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WWcpSm5tXUk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WWcpSm5tXUk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="250"></embed></object></div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-32860337944672903762010-07-02T13:34:00.001-07:002010-07-02T14:10:19.600-07:00Reasons to love Minneapolis-St Paul<a href="http://collections.walkerart.org/item/object/962">Minneapolis Sculpture Garden</a> <div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5Qal9LUMI/AAAAAAAAAKM/sEW55Z1JP84/s1600/P5310359.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5Qal9LUMI/AAAAAAAAAKM/sEW55Z1JP84/s320/P5310359.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489413413606740162" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5QZ7CcfvI/AAAAAAAAAKE/qXtBGMC8NLw/s1600/P5310348.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5QZ7CcfvI/AAAAAAAAAKE/qXtBGMC8NLw/s320/P5310348.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489413402086113010" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.artsmia.org/foot-in-the-door-4/index.html">Foot in the Door</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5PTDtQNNI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/BLHTrbMpYpk/s1600/P5300210.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5PTDtQNNI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/BLHTrbMpYpk/s320/P5300210.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489412184642434258" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_tossing#Shoe_tree">University of Minnesota Shoe Tree</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5PQ5QBBEI/AAAAAAAAAJs/g_f2_7C8YJQ/s1600/P5280042.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5PQ5QBBEI/AAAAAAAAAJs/g_f2_7C8YJQ/s320/P5280042.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489412147475711042" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://www.izzysicecream.com/">The Izze's Hot Dish</a></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5PQfclqlI/AAAAAAAAAJk/4_BQgCxlRe4/s1600/P5290107.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5PQfclqlI/AAAAAAAAAJk/4_BQgCxlRe4/s320/P5290107.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489412140549122642" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.ax-man.com/">Ax-Man Surplus</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5PP5pXTBI/AAAAAAAAAJc/85t39IYiGuE/s1600/P5290096.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/TC5PP5pXTBI/AAAAAAAAAJc/85t39IYiGuE/s320/P5290096.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489412130402159634" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Underpass Art<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#551A8B;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxV1Ntn9J68WRvW3o33cjvzi7ZW9h-zm9rGmiC79ISYsSHq-hxunfnUABQWELpZ6PRgYKZMwKUU3Cw1bZic-A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-25320463426561732332010-06-23T21:58:00.000-07:002010-06-23T22:03:49.441-07:00Ever wish you could just do this?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Tahoma, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><object width="400" height="240"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VgCDcobtZHs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VgCDcobtZHs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="240"></embed></object></span></span></span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-39164300008388537662010-05-23T20:14:00.000-07:002010-05-23T21:16:18.034-07:00Midwest is BestI don't know if it's because we're headed to Minneapolis-St. Paul next weekend, or if it's because my friends are posting photos from their current trip to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, but I've been feeling nostalgic for the Midwest lately. <div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S_nwW2HfE0I/AAAAAAAAAJM/BC652YGoZGM/s320/Midwest+is+Best.jpg" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Over the past few weeks, I've been thinking about some of the recipes from my childhood, and the one that kept coming to mind was my grandmother's pineapple upside-down cake. Even though I haven't had it for years, I decided on impulse to buy a can of pineapple rings and a jar of maraschino cherries at the grocery store today, and I whipped up my own version of my grandma's recipe.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S_n8XTnuWLI/AAAAAAAAAJU/tIF6Cg8UmtI/s320/Pineapple.jpg" /></div><div><br /></div><div>The hardest part was flipping it over... considering the amount of butter and oil that goes into this cake, you'd think it would be easy to get out in one piece. Luckily, even though I managed to break off a corner, I was able to put it back together enough that you can't really tell the difference! Clearly, I'm a Midwest Diva. :-)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/27hNImJ7aVU&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/27hNImJ7aVU&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></span></div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-79605180447829774172010-05-10T21:29:00.000-07:002010-05-10T22:34:44.145-07:00La Mission<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S-jrwzffKiI/AAAAAAAAAJE/N_0zgMhlFRk/s1600/lamission.jpg.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S-jrwzffKiI/AAAAAAAAAJE/N_0zgMhlFRk/s320/lamission.jpg.htm" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469880971129989666" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri, 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">A couple of nights ago, a small group of my friends went to see La Mission, a movie set in the Mission district of San Francisco, starring the Mission born-and-raised Benjamin Bratt, and directed by his brother David. I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in, but it turned out to be one of the best movies I've seen in a long time.</span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: normal; font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><p dir="LTR" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri, 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="LTR" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri, 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Okay, full disclosure here, I</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">’</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">ve lived in the Mission for a while now, and I</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">’</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">m completely sure it</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">’</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">s biased me toward liking this movie -- it's exciting to see the details of my neighborhood on the big screen (even the not-so-pretty ones), particularly when it's done with the careful attention of people who love then neighborhood as much or more than I do.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></span></span></span></span></p><p dir="LTR" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri, 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="LTR" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri, 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">But I also fell in love with the story, which felt extraordinarily honest as it addressed issues of sexuality, gender, race, and class without resorting to easy answers or neatly-tied-up happy endings. Although they were working with a limited budget and a relatively inexperienced cast (many of them Mission locals), the movie felt heart-wrenchingly real.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p dir="LTR" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri, 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="LTR" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri, 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Just I was planning to write up this post, I happened across Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano's writeup of their experience of the movie, which I thought was particularly moving (check it out here: </span></span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.racialicious.com/2010/05/10/la-mission-and-latino-masculinities/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">http://www.racialicious.com/2010/05/10/la-mission-and-latino-masculinities/</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">). If you're in San Francisco, you should get yourself over to the theater to see it while it's here! If you're not lucky enough to have this movie playing in your city, definitely track it down when it's out on DVD. It's a beautiful movie that's worth seeing even if you've never been to San Francisco.</span></span></span></p></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:12px;"><object width="400" height="240"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q8FIc2gyUB0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q8FIc2gyUB0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="240"></embed></object></span></div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: normal; font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:11px;"><p dir="LTR" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri, 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></p></span></span></span></div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-31880725008775345012010-05-05T23:34:00.000-07:002010-05-06T00:38:48.430-07:00I'll be there on Saturday... will you???<div>For all you Bay Area folks... </div><div><br /></div>This Saturday (5/8/10) is the release party for the latest issue of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.aortamagazine.com">Aorta Magazine,</a> a gorgeous publication that features really rad art and artists. Issues #1 and #2 are permanent fixtures on my coffee table, and I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on issue #3 in t-minus 3 days!<div><br /></div><div>The lineup looks great -- hopefully I'll see you all there! Here are the details, courtesy Aorta's Facebook fan page:<br /><div><br /><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S-JqdHjD1VI/AAAAAAAAAI0/npLyqq9yB0w/s320/Aorta+Issue+3+Party.jpg" /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><div id="tabMessageViewerBody_headeri4_51273129446054"></div><div id="cg_msg_content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; "><p dir="LTR" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;">Come see the biggest heartthrobs of the San Francisco literary scene reading some of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;">the hottest poetry and prose. Dance the night away with hard pumping beats courtesy of DJ<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"> Puppet. Buy some yummy swag and look at some fantastic art from our very new ISSUE 3 of Aorta Magazine</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p dir="LTR" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;">(www.aortamagazine.com).<br /><br />Words & performance:<br />Dusty Horn<br />Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha<br />Meliza Bañales<br />Charles Vasquez<br />Rose Sims<br /><br />Delicious visuals from:<br />Judith Page<br />Umayyah Cable<br /><br />Musical temptations by:<br />Linda Moody<br />Zoe Boekbinder<br />DJ Puppet<br /><br />SATURDAY MAY 8<br />DOORS @ 7<br />SHOW @ 8<br /><br />$5 - 10<br />(no one turned away for lack of funds)</span></span></p></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-31183028194439415282010-05-02T11:19:00.000-07:002010-05-02T14:58:12.235-07:00Too fat for leggings?<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S93gijRNWGI/AAAAAAAAAIk/jrIC9UjZrSQ/s1600/P5020020.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S93gijRNWGI/AAAAAAAAAIk/jrIC9UjZrSQ/s320/P5020020.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466772406885242978" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S93gijRNWGI/AAAAAAAAAIk/jrIC9UjZrSQ/s1600/P5020020.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></span></a><a href="http://www.definatalie.com/">Definatalie</a> wrote <a href="http://www.definatalie.com/2010/05/01/you-cant-bully-me-out-of-my-skinny-jeans/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+definatalie%2FpGmM+%28Definatalie%29">this</a> the other day, and I wanted to share it here because it really struck a chord with me.<div><div><div><br /></div><div>I love leggings because they're cute and comfortable, but every time I put them on I have a debate with myself about whether to leave the house wearing them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not because I felt unattractive (quite the opposite, actually), but because to wear leggings as a fat girl is a political statement, and I have to decide if I'm ready to deal with the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Theres-a-weight-limit-on-leggings-skinny-jeans/10150091003595072?ref=ts">hateful backlash</a> that might come with walking out my front door and into the general public. </div><div><br /></div><div>Today, I wore leggings, thank-you-very-much.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-89031175604899885002010-04-17T21:19:00.000-07:002010-04-17T23:05:35.844-07:00Eating Well in San FranciscoIt's been a decadent couple of weeks for me, and a reminder of what an amazing city I live in, when it comes to food. Since it's been a while since I've shared some drool-worthy photos (if I do say so myself), I thought I'd treat you all to a few of the highlights.<div><br /></div><div>Earlier this month, I got to check out the much-anticipated (at least, for me) <a href="http://www.localmissioneatery.com/">Local: Mission Eatery</a> on 24th Street at Folsom. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/local-mission-eatery-san-francisco">My Yelp review is here</a>.<div><br /></div><div>Now, on to the photos! First, the most lovely, fresh asparagus and poached eggs, with an out-of-this world sauce, on buttery brioche...</div><div><br /></div><div> <img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S8qKhZ8AneI/AAAAAAAAAHU/Wmvkwky0GII/s320/P4030010.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And, brown butter caramel-y french toast... </div><div><br /><div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S8qKhyVbLCI/AAAAAAAAAHc/izCBX5BOny4/s320/P4030014.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div>__________________________________________</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, this morning, we decided to head over to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/ti-couz-san-francisco">Ti Couz</a> for a crepe and Bloody Mary (or "Bloody Maree," as they call it). They make their savory crepes with buckwheat, as all awesome creperies do, and mine was filled with almonds, sauteed mushrooms, and swiss cheese.</div><div><br /><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S8qKjaNWr5I/AAAAAAAAAH0/a83VXRpatlQ/s320/P4170023.JPG" /><br /><br /></div><div> AB opted for the egg, ham and cheese and we were so excited to see the egg came sunny-side up, peeking through the top of the crepe. Gorgeous! </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S8qKibcGw_I/AAAAAAAAAHk/-Jg-AF3i5OE/s1600/P4170020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S8qKibcGw_I/AAAAAAAAAHk/-Jg-AF3i5OE/s320/P4170020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461329822225974258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The Bloody Mary was a work of art too, with lots of garnishes--including a chilled, spicy shrimp. It packed a punch with lots of hot sauce, cracked pepper, and horseradish.</div><div><br /><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S8qKikmDgFI/AAAAAAAAAHs/kTRezAJrE3Q/s320/P4170018.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div>_____________________________________</div><div><br /></div><div>Last night, we paid a visit to <a href="http://foragesf.com/">ForageSF's</a> <a href="http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=5bb29e249d33f56d1f219edeb&id=8d3fb14231">SF Underground Market</a>, where we feasted on everything from vegan currywurst, to bacon caramel candy, to mushroom empanadas, to mortadella. The highlight of the evening for me was <a href="http://www.sfdelicious.com/">SF Delicious'</a> Salmon en Croute, with a garlic cream sauce, and topped with shaved asparagus. AMAZING. Unfortunately, the event was so packed with people, I could barely walk, let alone take decent photos of anything... so you'll have to make do with a photo of our loot from <a href="http://urbanpreserves.wordpress.com">Urban Preserves</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S8qTTMamUaI/AAAAAAAAAH8/yLJhwnaa024/s320/P4170024.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div>That's all for now... does anyone have suggestions for any other restaurants or events I should check out? I'm always looking for new and exciting food adventures!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-32901666319568117532010-04-04T14:49:00.001-07:002010-04-04T14:59:17.725-07:00Happy Easter!<div><br /></div><div>Every year in San Francisco, the <a href="www.thesisters.org">Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence</a> put on an Easter party like no other, complete with costumes, music, dancing, and a Hunky Jesus contest. </div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, they had to take the party indoors this year, but here are some photos from Easter 2009:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S7kKhTwlPrI/AAAAAAAAAHE/iBNGqJLMERs/s320/P4120169.JPG" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S7kKhstKAZI/AAAAAAAAAHM/Z-Nq6UMhdlk/s1600/P4120178.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S7kKhstKAZI/AAAAAAAAAHM/Z-Nq6UMhdlk/s320/P4120178.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456403997588586898" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S7kKgjL_eBI/AAAAAAAAAG8/_pe42hXskus/s1600/P4120086.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S7kKgjL_eBI/AAAAAAAAAG8/_pe42hXskus/s320/P4120086.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456403977853696018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S7kJ6e6tkSI/AAAAAAAAAG0/S43l5HIpEy4/s1600/P4120103.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/S7kJ6e6tkSI/AAAAAAAAAG0/S43l5HIpEy4/s320/P4120103.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456403323872448802" /></a>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-68494231366579349412010-03-26T20:09:00.000-07:002010-03-26T20:13:23.578-07:00Since I haven't been posting...I really do want to get back to the whole blogging thing, so I guess I'll ease into it... Via <a href="http://missionmission.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/meklit-hadero/">Mission Mission</a>, a beautiful song that deserves sharing:<div><br /></div><div><div><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sfB3rnaa5hE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sfB3rnaa5hE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-58246170765150986052009-12-17T18:46:00.000-08:002009-12-17T18:56:59.152-08:0060 years in 60 days<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Do3ctkS2rLQ/SygUrn9XpPI/AAAAAAAABJs/lW1rmcO2ZH4/s400/592377J3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 398px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Do3ctkS2rLQ/SygUrn9XpPI/AAAAAAAABJs/lW1rmcO2ZH4/s400/592377J3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>My mom has been working on a awesome mini-autobiography project, "60 years in 60 days," <a href="http://catch-her-in-the-wry.blogspot.com/">over at her blog...</a> check it out! <div><br /></div><div>It's inspiring me to jumpstart my blog again as a New Year's Resolution... more to come, I promise.</div>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-2138144793918302342009-06-07T11:07:00.000-07:002009-06-07T11:17:08.362-07:00My Favorite San Francisco BlogsI haven't been blogging so much myself, but I'm definitely still reading everyone else's blogs! Here are some of my favorites from San Francisco:<br /><br /><a href="http://missionmission.wordpress.com/">Mission Mission</a><br /><a href="http://beerandnosh.com/">Beer & Nosh</a><br /><a href="http://burritojustice.wordpress.com/">Burrito Justice</a><br /><a href="http://blog.missionstreetfood.com/">Mission Street Food</a><br /><a href="http://www.munidiaries.com/">Muni Diaries</a><br /><a href="http://njudahchronicles.com/">The N-Judah Chronicles</a><br /><a href="http://sfist.com/">SFist</a>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-43229030528250454312009-03-10T00:34:00.000-07:002009-03-10T01:01:37.343-07:00Because I can't be bothered to actually write anythingThanks <a href="http://catch-her-in-the-wry.blogspot.com">Mom</a>...<br /><br />1. <strong>How old do you look?</strong> Apparently not old enough, because I get carded all the time. <br /><br />2. <strong>Where do you live?</strong> Potrero Hill, but only technically.<br /><br />3. <strong>Are you waiting for something?</strong> Vacation.<br /><br />4. <strong>What’s one pet peeve of yours that is not common?</strong> unreliable people.<br /><br />5. <strong>Do you want/have kids?</strong> Not now, but probably someday.<br /><br />6. <strong>Have you ever thought about converting your religion?</strong> I've considered starting my own.<br /><br />7. <strong>Last shocking news you heard?</strong> Nothing shocks me anymore, but losing more than half of my retirement savings was a little disconcerting.<br /><br />8. <strong>What was the last thing you drank?</strong> Stale water out of a Guiness pint glass. I think it had been sitting on the table since this morning...<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br />9. <strong>Who do you most look like in your family?</strong> I'm a pretty even split between my mom and my dad.<br /><br />10. <strong>If you could have something right now, anything, what would it be?</strong> More quality time with my husband.<br /><br />11. <strong>Where does most of your family live?</strong> Illinois<br /><br />12. <strong>Where did you grow up?</strong> Illinois<br /><br />13. <strong>Where do you want to go on vacation?</strong> Everywhere. Starting with Vancouver (next week) & Australia (this fall). <br /><br />14. <strong>Have you ever had a panic attack?</strong> Yes... not in a long time, but I still have some serious anxiety issues.<br /><br />15. <strong>What can’t you wait for?</strong> Long waiting lists for restaurants that are only halfway decent.<br /><br />16. <strong>When’s the last time you told someone you loved him or her and meant it?</strong> today.<br /><br />17. <strong>Have your parents ever smoked pot?</strong> Well mom? Have they?<br /><br />18. <strong>Want someone back in your life? </strong> Definitely. I've lost touch with a lot of friends over the years.<br /><br />19. <strong>What do you order at the bar?</strong> Gin & tonic<br /><br />20. <strong>When was the last time you cried really, really hard?</strong> hmm... I'm not sure, which is weird because I think of myself as a pretty frequent crier.<br /><br />21. <strong>Ever licked someone’s cheek?</strong> yup.<br /><br />22. <strong>What is your favorite thing to eat with peanut butter?</strong> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Apple slices</span><br /><br />23. <strong>Where were you on July 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span>, 2008?</strong> Throwing a party at my house... well, actually AB was throwing a party, and I was sitting around with a broken foot watching him do all the work.<br /><br />24. <strong>What are your nicknames?</strong> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Janer</span><br /><br />25. <strong>If you could go back in time, how far back would you go?</strong> I think I'd rather go to the future...Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-20478031668019471372009-01-11T13:53:00.000-08:002009-01-11T14:25:34.840-08:00PurgingWhen AB & I moved to San Francisco from the Midwest, we were thrilled by the amount of space in our apartment. We weren't expecting to find a place we could afford that was bigger than a shoebox, let alone a 2-bedroom apartment with four large closets! And yet, there we were, with more room than we knew what to do with.<br /><br />Oh, how times have changed... Like most people, we have an amazing ability to fill up any space we're given. Three years after moving into our spacious apartment, our closet doors will barely close, every last inch of cabinet space is filled, and now our collection of junk has spread to most of the flat surfaces in our house. As I write this, my desk is covered with stacks of paper, and the dining room table is covered with an assortment of Christmas gifts that we haven't yet found a place for.<br /><br />Up until recently, we still had enough storage space to hide the clutter for the rare occasions when we would have guests over, but we recently moved AB's drum kit back into the house (he recently gave up a shared practice space), and we took a bunch of stuff from a friend when he moved out of his apartment a couple of weeks ago. We literally have no place to put this new stuff, and for me, that turned out to be the last straw.<br /><br />So, last weekend AB & I started a major de-cluttering project. Unfortunately, the job was even bigger than we first thought... We only managed to clean one room in our house that weekend, mostly because we discovered three boxes (that hadn't been opened since we lived in Illinois) filled with random junk that needed to be sorted through to decide what to keep.<br /><br />But even that small bit of progress was extremely satisfying. We were able to throw out and give away a TON of crap, and now we have at least one spot in our house that's organized. Only five more rooms and three more closets to go!<br /><br />Here's a photo of all the junk we're getting rid of:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SWpxN-cq7DI/AAAAAAAAAGc/bg4srkJHFbE/s1600-h/Clutter.htm"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SWpxN-cq7DI/AAAAAAAAAGc/bg4srkJHFbE/s400/Clutter.htm" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290165197215558706" border="0" /></a>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-17463283640904181962009-01-02T21:58:00.000-08:002009-01-02T22:49:07.863-08:00NYE at the Monk's Kettle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV8KXDL01WI/AAAAAAAAAF8/O0-mQB3AlqQ/s1600-h/MOnks+Kettle.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV8KXDL01WI/AAAAAAAAAF8/O0-mQB3AlqQ/s400/MOnks+Kettle.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286955878664426850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />AB and I hadn't really made plans for New Year's Eve, so when friends suggested going to the <a href="http://monkskettle.com/">Monk's Kettle</a> with them, we jumped at the chance. We were lucky enough to score the last two seats for dinner, and even luckier that we got to sit with our friends at the bar, instead of at two separate tables.<br /><br />The four-course dinner featured <a href="http://www.malheur.be/index2.php?l=francais">Malheur</a> beers -- each course included a Malheur beer as an ingredient, and the dish was paired with a glass of the same beer. The menu can be found <a href="http://www.monkskettle.com/images/MalheurDinner.pdf">here.</a><br /><br />First Course - Portobello Mushroom Soup<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV8IvxW4HjI/AAAAAAAAAFk/0mfkQQkUc2E/s1600-h/Soup+at+Monks+Kettle.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV8IvxW4HjI/AAAAAAAAAFk/0mfkQQkUc2E/s400/Soup+at+Monks+Kettle.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286954104352415282" border="0" /></a>For me, this was an amazing start to the night. The presentation was lovely, with a gruyere-covered crostini floating in the middle of the bowl, the way you get a crouton on top of your french onion soup. The mushroom soup was creamy and rich with truffle oil, and the crostini was delicious (although a little awkward to eat, since it was larger than bite-size, and difficult to cut while it was floating in the soup). Unfortunately, it was so good, that the second course was a little bit of a letdown.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Second Course - Parmesan Risotto Crusted Loch Duart Salmon<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV8JH1laR6I/AAAAAAAAAFs/-tmG24fO44M/s1600-h/Salmon+at+Monks+Kettle.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV8JH1laR6I/AAAAAAAAAFs/-tmG24fO44M/s400/Salmon+at+Monks+Kettle.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286954517803976610" border="0" /></a>Although it was good, this course didn't really stand out for me -- it wasn't especially flavorful or unique, and it reminded me of something that I might make at home for dinner. The salmon was cooked well, and the lemon flavors were nice, but predictable. Although I've never had a crispy scoop of risotto on top of my fish, that part wasn't especially exciting either. The salmon was also served with some sauteed broccolini, which again, I felt like I could have made at home.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Third Course - Pork Tenderloin<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV8JUiMudgI/AAAAAAAAAF0/bZGD9o8VbRk/s1600-h/Pork+at+Monks+Kettle.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV8JUiMudgI/AAAAAAAAAF0/bZGD9o8VbRk/s400/Pork+at+Monks+Kettle.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286954735938467330" border="0" /></a>The chef definitely got back on track with the pork tenderloin, which was tender and delicious. The cheddar potato cake on the side was also amazing, with a breadcrumb crust and warm cheesy goodness inside. When I first saw the menu a few days ago, I was really looking forward to the caramelized parsnips and brussels sprouts, and they lived up to my expectations -- perfectly browned and buttery.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Fourth Course - Chocolate Fondant Cake<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV8IbCvU5jI/AAAAAAAAAFc/_gP_hBdrmsM/s1600-h/Dessert+at+Monks+Kettle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV8IbCvU5jI/AAAAAAAAAFc/_gP_hBdrmsM/s400/Dessert+at+Monks+Kettle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286953748241114674" border="0" /></a>Dessert was also wonderful, although at this point I was far too full of beer and food to finish. :-) The cake was moist, with a melted chocolate filling, and the vanilla sauce surrounding the cake was garnished with just a little bit of raspberry sauce. Yum....<br /><br />Overall, it was a wonderful dinner. They were also extremely generous with the beer all night long -- although I was expecting small tastes of each beer, they kept refilling our glasses the whole evening. The beers were interesting and delicious, and we toasted at midnight with the Malheur Brut, which was as close to champagne as any beer I've ever tasted -- they carbonate the beer in a similar style, and the flavor was light and fresh.Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-5778800685669033512009-01-02T21:49:00.001-08:002009-01-02T21:58:42.276-08:00Christmas in Illinois<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV7-NHHgKKI/AAAAAAAAAFU/XrAw0HvqnoI/s1600-h/PC240057.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV7-NHHgKKI/AAAAAAAAAFU/XrAw0HvqnoI/s400/PC240057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286942513781811362" border="0" /></a>Going home for Christmas is always an adventure - we fly across the country, then drive all over Central Illinois and Chicagoland visiting three sets of family and two sets of friends, we eat too much and drink too much, stay up late, and finally we fly back to San Francisco exhausted, but so happy that we went.<br /><br />On top of the usual excitement, we had stranger-than-usual Illinois weather to contend with. In the time that we were there, the temperature swung from 3 degrees below zero to 65 degrees above. We experienced rain, sleet, snow, ice storms, thunderstorms, tornado warnings, and flash flood warnings... I'd practically forgotten what real weather is like, coming from a city where the temperature is always between 40-70 degrees, and the only precipitation we get is a light drizzle once in a while.<br /><br />Here are some pictures of the snow, which was especially nice:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV7-MjqVcPI/AAAAAAAAAFM/RK51IwtL-VM/s1600-h/PC230045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV7-MjqVcPI/AAAAAAAAAFM/RK51IwtL-VM/s400/PC230045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286942504264233202" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV7-MYbIOgI/AAAAAAAAAFE/xJrqmIKjbqM/s1600-h/PC230039.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SV7-MYbIOgI/AAAAAAAAAFE/xJrqmIKjbqM/s400/PC230039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286942501247662594" border="0" /></a>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-91322076960880070612008-12-14T23:30:00.000-08:002008-12-14T23:31:49.897-08:00Hamster on a Piano...eating popcorn.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tRzTfgds0UI&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tRzTfgds0UI&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />One of these days, I'll get back to posting actual text, I promise.Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-5586996386082178732008-11-22T00:32:00.000-08:002008-11-22T00:37:22.159-08:00MilkEver since they started filming in San Francisco last year, I've been looking forward to the release of this movie. AB just bought tickets for us to see it on my birthday.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/K57fOU_GhsA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/K57fOU_GhsA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-66716392738873604422008-11-17T23:01:00.000-08:002008-11-17T23:18:54.844-08:00Thai Cooking NightFor your enjoyment... Photos from Thai Cooking Night at our friend's house.<br /><br /><br />Making banana-leaf boats:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJpBA8txJI/AAAAAAAAAEE/iU0klpfqAno/s1600-h/PB020064.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJpBA8txJI/AAAAAAAAAEE/iU0klpfqAno/s400/PB020064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269889980132344978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Delicious beef strips:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJrZ-G05KI/AAAAAAAAAE8/5d1kKfwZL4w/s1600-h/PB020177.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJrZ-G05KI/AAAAAAAAAE8/5d1kKfwZL4w/s400/PB020177.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269892607889433762" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Banana-leaf boats filled with fish curry, topped with coconut milk, thai basil, and hot peppers:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJrZgiUXXI/AAAAAAAAAE0/nq1ewAiDIms/s1600-h/PB020160.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJrZgiUXXI/AAAAAAAAAE0/nq1ewAiDIms/s400/PB020160.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269892599951678834" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Abundance:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJrZdEwS9I/AAAAAAAAAEs/zKV9-6ay62s/s1600-h/PB020113.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJrZdEwS9I/AAAAAAAAAEs/zKV9-6ay62s/s400/PB020113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269892599022373842" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Crispy fried rice noodles:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJrYzhDE0I/AAAAAAAAAEk/zWCe-5M6t4Y/s1600-h/PB020070.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJrYzhDE0I/AAAAAAAAAEk/zWCe-5M6t4Y/s400/PB020070.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269892587866755906" border="0" /></a><br />Tasty toppings, including fried egg, bean sprouts, green onion, pickled garlic, and tofu:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJrYbzXG1I/AAAAAAAAAEc/0pG-Si_4uZQ/s1600-h/PB020050.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SSJrYbzXG1I/AAAAAAAAAEc/0pG-Si_4uZQ/s400/PB020050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269892581501115218" border="0" /></a>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-25209467699569700662008-11-17T22:26:00.000-08:002008-11-17T22:58:26.155-08:00Good News/Bad NewsI've been meaning to write about election night for a while now, and I know it's a little late at this point... but it's my blog so I can do whatever I want. :-)<br /><br /><br /><br />I guess our biggest mistake was starting our evening too late. AB and I had met our friends around 7:30 at 16th & Valencia, about a mile away from a bar called El Rio where we wanted to eventually end up. After a quick pizza break, we started walking south, past all of the bars on Valencia street. Every bar was filled with people, all of them glued to the television screen. Block by block, we could feel the excitement growing, until all of a sudden people were running out onto the sidewalk, honking their car horns, calling their friends and family on their cell phones... CNN had called the election for Barack Obama, and San Franciso was celebrating like it was New Year's Eve. <br /><br />For a few minutes, we didn't quite believe it had already been won -- between the time difference (this was my first Presidential election on the west coast) and the quicker-than-expected results, we were caught a little bit off guard. My first thought was to call JM back in Illinois... I knew she'd be glued to the television, so she'd be able to confirm whether it was true. For the first five minutes or so, I couldn't get through. Everyone in San Francisco was on their cell phone at the same time, and the lines were all clogged up. Finally, on my third or fourth attempt, the phone rang through, and JM was able to confirm that he had indeed won. <br /><br />At this point, we knew we had to hurry if we wanted to catch the concession/acceptance speeches, so we hailed a cab to get us the rest of the way to El Rio. While we were driving, JM was narrating over the phone, and even held her microphone up to her television, so I could follow along. Once we arrived, we were disappointed to discover that El Rio was at capacity and the line was about a dozen people long. We went to Nap's next door instead, and managed to get settled in just in time to see the end of McCain's concession speech. And then, Obama accepted the presidency, and the bar was full of happy cheering (and even some joyful crying).<br /><br />Once the speeches were over, most of the bar cleared out. We were able to go back to El Rio, and get a seat outside to watch the local election results roll in. <br /><br />We probably should have gone home instead. <br /><br />We were all feeling high from the good news about the presidential election, but that feeling disappeared as the results for Prop 8 came in. For those of you who haven't heard about it, Proposition 8 was an amendment to the California constitution that banned gay marriage. I had heard, in the weeks leading up to the election, that it was going to be a close call... but as a native Midwesterner, I was POSITIVE that Californians are generally super-liberal and would shoot this proposition down. Unfortunately, the predictions were right, and Prop 8 passed. I think the final numbers were something like 52% to 48%. <br /> <br />So, the night ended on a very depressing note. One step forward, two steps back. The good news is that various groups are trying to fight this in the courts now, and there's still some hope that it could be overturned.Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-4217891012067529742008-11-01T14:37:00.000-07:002008-11-01T15:23:47.712-07:00Halloween 2008As usual, I procrastinated about finding a Halloween costume this year. When I did finally get around to it on Wednesday night, I headed over to the Haight. Normally this wouldn't be my first choice, because most of the used clothing stores in the neighborhood are really overpriced, and I knew that all of the stores would be packed with other last-minute shoppers. But this late in the game, I didn't have much choice -- the sheer quantity of stores there meant that I could go after work and hit 7-8 stores in a couple of hours. So, I sucked it up and went. <br /><br />After an hour of sifting through dozens of incredibly picked-over clothing racks, nothing was inspiring me. The few lame costume ideas that I had come up with weren't panning out with the limited selection of clothing that was left. I couldn't even find a 70's-style shirt with a butterfly collar, and I was seriously running out of time. <br /><br />But then! <br /><br />I was sifting through the dress racks, getting more and more depressed, when I saw it. THE PERFECT COSTUME. I walked around the store a few more times, just to make sure I wasn't missing out on anything, but I kept coming back to this fantastic, light blue, sparkly dress. It was a little bit more than I wanted to spend, but finally I had to try it on. I was afraid that it wouldn't fit (which is often my biggest hurdle when I'm Halloween shopping), and I almost didn't want to try for fear of being horribly disappointed. Tentatively, I stepped behind the dressing room curtain, pulled the dress over my head, and lo and behold... IT FIT! And it looked pretty damn good, if I do say so myself.<br /><br />Once the question of the outfit was resolved, it only took a half hour or so to find the accessories I needed -- a long blonde wig, a crown, and some white fabric that I could get crafty with. Here's the final result:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SQzPxZQ9NDI/AAAAAAAAAD8/sjCEBRP7c7s/s1600-h/Prom+queen+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SQzPxZQ9NDI/AAAAAAAAAD8/sjCEBRP7c7s/s400/Prom+queen+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263810511991813170" /></a><br /><br />I also tried to fashion a wrist corsage out of some purple roses from Walgreens, a couple feet of ribbon, and safety pins, but it fell apart in about two seconds. <br /><br />On Halloween night, I went out to <a href="http://www.mezzaninesf.com/calendar.asp"> The Mezzanine </a> with SM and AB to see <a href="http://www.myspace.com/iloveyelle"> Yelle </a>, a band I knew absolutely nothing about, but SM recommended highly. They were great to watch live -- highly energetic, fun, french electro-pop goodness. The performance totally made up for the fact that the crowd kind of sucked -- full of clubby people wearing skimpy costumes and pushing their sweaty drunk asses past me, trying to get closer to the stage and totally blocking my view in the process. <br /><br />Here's a pre-show photo of SM and me -- I'm the prom queen, and she's my college boyfriend who hooked me up with the Strawberry Acai Smirnoff:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SQzOzbK37aI/AAAAAAAAAD0/jkYBB67WXDA/s1600-h/prom+queen.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3ErkUozuo2Q/SQzOzbK37aI/AAAAAAAAAD0/jkYBB67WXDA/s400/prom+queen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263809447351283106" /></a>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-61412296605944979972008-10-11T22:22:00.000-07:002008-10-11T22:43:20.146-07:00PodcastsNow that I'm back to commuting, I've started to get back in the habit of listening to podcasts on the bus in addition to at home. Here's what I'm listening to right now:<br /><br /><a href= "http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=37"> All Songs Considered </a><br /><a href= "http://www.mediageek.net/"> Mediageek </a><br /><a href= "http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/?gclid=CMaFvcb8oJYCFQkiagodu3KK7Q"> RadioLab </a><br /><a href= "http://scrabblepodcast.blogspot.com/"> The Weekly Scrabbler </a> (yes, I'm a huge nerd)<br /><a href= "http://www.thisamericanlife.org/"> This American Life </a><br /><a href= "http://podcasts.thestranger.com/savagelove/"> Savage Love </a><br /><br />What do you listen to? I'm always looking for new stuff... I have 90 minutes to two hours of commute time every day, depending on how things go, so I still have a lot of time to kill!Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-5072171947513854892008-10-09T19:08:00.000-07:002008-10-11T22:22:00.892-07:00For all the library geeksThis is just about the most wonderful room I can imagine:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-10/ff_walker?currentPage=all">http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-10/ff_walker?currentPage=all</a>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-4690161386421550502008-10-08T20:26:00.000-07:002008-10-11T22:21:07.573-07:00Another foot update...By special request, I'm posting an update on my broken foot. :-)<br /><br />I've been to two physical therapy visits, and I'm making good progress. The biggest change is that I'm done with the crutches! I've downgraded to an old-lady cane, and I'm allowed to wear sneakers instead of the big black boot, which is a lovely change of pace.<br /><br />The bad news is that I've really been forced to start building my muscles again, and as a result my foot, ankle, and calf are really sore right now. I'm also getting around much more slowly than I had been--I'd gotten really efficient at crutches, and I'm not so efficient at walking normally.<br /><br />I'm taking the bus to work again, which is a huge relief to AB (he had been giving me rides to and from work several times a week). It also saves me about $100 a week on taxi fares. <br /><br />Anyway, that's the update!Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587349481790437535.post-52172815458477847102008-09-18T20:35:00.001-07:002008-09-18T20:40:32.437-07:00Broken Foot Update: Week 12I had my 12-week checkup with the doctor, and although my foot is healing <span style="font-style: italic;">extremely </span>slowly, it is in fact healing. The biggest relief is that surgery most likely isn't in my future; instead, I'm starting physical therapy next week, and I'll start putting some weight on my foot again. Hopefully the physical therapy will jump-start the healing process, and with any luck, I'll be walking again sooner rather than later.Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13199787764636231734noreply@blogger.com4