Life in San Francisco

Labels: January 15 2010 - Broccoli Romanesco

Labels: January 14 2010 - Sleeping Lily

January 13, 2010

Lily's baby Julie got some new clothes.

Lily's pretty excited about it. Even Julie looks pretty happy.

Had lunch today with Lynn at Pera on Potrero Hill. Food was pretty good, but the company was even better.

Labels: January 13 2010 - Lily with Julie

Labels: January 12 2010 - All the lonely socks

January 11, 2010

Old Wallet, New Wallet

I desperately needed a new wallet. The last new wallet I bought about a year and a half ago, then I lost it. First time I ever lost a wallet. I've been too lazy or too preoccupied to replace it.

We'll have to see if I like the new one. The old one won't stay closed any longer, so it's definitely time to replace it.

By the way, today is a pallindrome (01/11/10)

Labels: 2010 - Old Wallet New Wallet, January 11

Craft and Shmooze

This is the counted cross stitch cat that I am currently working on during BIJ's monthly "craft and shmooze" get together. I have been working on this cat since my mom gave it to me back in May, 2009.

Once a month, for up to 2 hours, I work on the cat. There are a total of 6 cats in the picture, and since I have been working on this for nearly 7 months, I figure I should finish this in about 5 1/2 years. The only time I work on it during this monthly get together.

Craft and Shmooze was interesting today. I was the only "non-knitter" there. It was almost as if they were speaking another language!

I used to do counted cross stitch when I traveled, but now that things are so tight with security, I'm not sure they would allow me to bring the needle on board the airplane. I figured out a way to deal with the scissors though - use the cutter on the dental floss container. Pretty smart, huh? My friend Ann Morgenstern gave me that nifty little trick.

I will post a picture of the cats monthly after each craft and shmooze. Next one is on February 14, 2010 at 1pm. Stop by if you get a chance, and bring your project that you've been meaning to complete. I think it will be fun to see the progress I make, if any.

Labels: 2010 - Cats from Craft and Shmooze, January 10

Dinner and Game Night with Elizabeth and John


We had the most fun tonight at our friend's house for homemade pizzas and games.

Labels: 2010 - Dinner at Elizabeth and John's house., January 9

Fire in the 'Hood


I came home today from my weekly BNI meeting, and saw the tell-tale smoke as I exited the freeway. We've had plenty of fires on the hillside that our house sits on, but they are almost exclusively around the 4th of July.

Fortunately, this fire was not on our hillside, and was of no danger to our house. However, when I tried to actually get to my house, the streets were blocked, and there were more police cars and fire trucks than I have ever seen in one place.

I must have arrived shortly after the fire department, as when I was trying to find a side street to go down, I under estimated, and ended up on a one way street that was totally blocked at the bottom by the fire department.

When I realized that I could not go down, and the alternative was to go back up (in reverse), found out that I am a fine driver going backwards. The cop at the top of the hill, who arrived after I had turned down the street, just waved me on.

And I was worried that I would not have a good picture for today, and would be forced to show you all my dinner again.

Labels: 2010 - Fire Trucks in the Neighborhood, January 7

All the Fixins for a Yummy Dinner


Dinner tonight was grilled cheese sandwiches and Carrot Lentil Soup. The photo shows everything that went into the soup. The biggest surprise is that the soup is smokey and thick and delicious, and everyone in the house likes it.


This is Ben's favorite soup, and he's been bugging me to make it for dinner for weeks. I finally got around to making it for him.

You should have seen all 3 kids dunking their sandwiches into the soup, and proclaiming it to be the best thing they've ever eaten.

Labels: January 6 2010 - Lentil Soup for Dinner

January 5, 2010

Psychic Merchants "Anticipating" my purchase?

This is the sign at the self-pay machine in the Portsmouth Square garage in Chinatown. It all looks good, until you get down to the bottom of the sign where the "Anticipating Merchants" are mentioned. What are Anticipating Merchants? Does anything happen if I don't visit them?

I am one of those people that finds mistakes in nearly everything I read - newpapers, restaurant menus, books. I just find it weird when I see them in signs. Oh well.

Labels: 2010 - Sign in Portsmouth Square Garage, January 5

Labels: 2010 - The Sign in the Restroom, January 4

New Year, New Closet

I had breakfast with my friend Hallie today, and she's been ruthlessly purging and reorganizing her house. And she's now inspired me.

After a trip to her newly organized closet, I decided that it was time for my closet to look better, and be more organized. At Hallie's suggestion, I went to Bed Bath and Beyond, and after 20 minutes of trying to find a place to park, I was able to go into the store and 5 minutes later walk out with my "complete closet kit."

Now I just need to get the energy to actually get the closet organized. If only the clothes would rehang themselves, everything would be great!

Labels: 2010 - Organizing the closet, January 3

Bat Mitzvah Party Boogie

Tonight we attended Leah Safford's Bat Mitzvah. It was a really sweet affair, complete with a very well spoken Bat Mitzvah girl, a great vegetarian dinner (Indian no less), and some pretty good music and dancing.

Seth and his friend from both school and Sunday School, Shiloh Atkinson, seemed to have a great time dancing and eating together. These two always seem to have fun when they are together, and I am so happy that they are so nice to each other. It doesn't hurt that I am pretty good friends with Shiloh's mom, Beth, and that they go to school together in addition to seeing each other at BIJ.

I seem to be in full on Bar Mitzvah mode, now that Ben's Bar Mitzvah is only 10 months away. I spent part of Leah's Bat Mitzvah just thinking about which of the things from the evening might be incorporated into Ben's Bar Mitzvah, and which changes I would make. I guess this is going to be sitting in the back of my mind a lot for the next 10 months. Thankfully, we have a lot of great friends who I'm certain will help us make our event a fabulous one for Ben. Oy Vey!

Labels: 2010. Seth and Shiloh, January 2

Labels: 2010 First photo of 2010, January 1