Celadon Cupcake

Halloween scares

2009-11-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

Eight bags of Halloween candy was not enough! Dan and I (and Arrow-as-Snoopy) ran out of candy in about an hour...we had over 150 trick-or-treaters in that time! We gave out Halloween stickers, pencils, and erasers after the candy was gone, but I think the kids were disappointed. We want candy!

Ernie & Bert

I carved Ernie and Bert pumpkins in the morning. I had a Charlie Brown pumpkin that was carved two weeks earlier at Mary and Marie's autumn party, but alas it was quite moldy when the day arrived.

Charlie Brown pumpkin

We didn't have any other decorations for our first Halloween back at the unhovel, but we are plotting for next year already! Lots of houses on our block have spiders and ghosts and more, and we want to join in the fun.

In other (scary) news, the chickens are still pecking away in the backyard. This morning a peregrine falcon made a swoop for them, but luckily they were in their enclosed run. It was exciting to see a falcon up close, but also quite scary when it went for the girls.

Goody, Henrietta & Rosie's chicken butt

More chicken butts

So now they do not leave their enclosed run unattended!

Backyard pecking

2009-09-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

The girls are six weeks old now, and they look like real chickens! They got to explore the backyard this afternoon, pecking and eating rocks and dirt. I fed them a few fronds from the old fennel plants that Dan planted during the hovel days.

Pecking at fennel

Whatcha looking at, Poppy?

Oh, it's Rosie!

Taking a rest

Hopefully there will be eggs in five months!

Urban farming

2009-08-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

The chickies are growing so fast! They are three weeks old now, and their feathers are coming in...I like to say they are going through their awkward stage.

Enjoying the sunshine

They are still living in the basement under the heat lamp, but we let them out in the backyard for some fresh air yesterday because it was SO HOT! Dan is going to build a coop for them in the backyard, where they will move to when they are fully-feathered in another five weeks.

For urban farming inspiration, Dan and I visited Ghost Town Farm yesterday, which turned out to be just around the corner from our friend Brian's old house. We had been so close to the vacant lot farm, but never knew it was there! I had read about Novella Carpenter's adventures in pig-raising and her farm in San Francisco magazine, and Dan found out there would be an open house as part of the Eat Real festival. He was particularly interested in seeing the humane chicken slaughter demo, in case one of our chicks turns out to be a rooster (please, no...though there is a 5% chance) or for when the girls are past their laying years. I am not so sure about this plan, but figured it would informative. Dan saw a Cuckoo Maran rooster die, but I looked away during the actual deed. I did watch the feather and innard removal...it was definitely a memorable morning.

Afterward, we walked around the farm and saw the beehives and a giant rabbit almost as big as Arrow. Then we visited the chicken coop, saw some of her hens and...little goats!

Goat on awesome green staircase

Posing with goats

We also enjoyed delicious peach cobbler and hibiscus tea, and bought a copy of Novella's book Farm City. (I had reserved it at the library but was #97). Dan has already started reading it.

Open unhovel

2009-08-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

Dan and I opened the unhovel to our friends last weekend...and the occasion called for cupcakes!

Getting ready

I made peanut butter cupcakes with chocolate ganache, apple cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting, vanilla bean coconut cupcakes, and flourless Mexican chocolate cupcakes...with my sister's help, thankfully! She had just returned from Africa a few days before, and I put her to work peeling and grating a huge pile of apples (from our box), among other things...thanks Katie!

Peanut butter tower

Vanilla bean coconut

Cookie Monster & cuppies

We had a great turnout, and cupcakes were eaten. The chickies were a big hit, and Arrow got some attention too. The kiddos followed her around, and a couple of them even went into her crate! It is toddler-sized, I suppose. I didn't take any photos, but my sister took a few for me, yay! Darcy kept calling Arrow "Harold," tee hee hee...

Darcy & Arrow (aka Harold)

Stefan & Arrow

Our friends brought many pretty flowers.

Summer color

We also had ice cream.

Reaching into the freezer for Mitchell's!

And I got to hold baby Nate! It was a good day. Thanks to all our friends for making it so much fun! We are very happy to be back in the city.

Here chicky chicky

2009-08-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

Four new residents joined the un-hovel today...we got chickies!!

Settling into their new digs

We got four chicks at Half Moon Bay Feed & Fuel...two Ameraucanas, one Rhode Island Red, and one Buff Orpington. They are three days old. The Rhode Island Red is Henrietta. Jeff came with us to Half Moon Bay and named the Buff Orpington Goody Goody Good Chicken...Goody, for short. The Ameraucanas are yet unnamed...any suggestions?

Stripeys are Ameraucanas

We are following the instructions from the Sunset chicken blog. Arrow is pretty excited too.

Wow, chickens, wow!

Wish us luck!

Outdoor summer fun

2009-08-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Summer is flying by...how can it be August already? Crazy! There are those who do not like the summer fog in the city, but the cool mist does not bother me that much...especially when unbearably sweltering heat covers so much of the state...ugh. But after a week of uninterrupted fog, it is nice to escape to some real summer weather...

Scenic hillside in Eden

So I was off to Eden, Utah! Last year my friend Bethany got a vacation place there, and we had talked about having a girls getaway...so we did it this summer! It was perfect. Bethany, her sister Robyn, Diana, and I took the quick flight there, explored Salt Lake City a bit, drove through a canyon, past a reservoir, and there we were...surrounded by gorgeous hills and pretty wildflowers so different from home.

Wildflowers in Eden

We admired the mountain views, went for cooling dips in the pool, watched movies, and lounged about...it was very relaxing. One day we packed a picnic and visited the nearby reservoir, where we swam in the water, read magazines, sunned and napped, and just enjoyed the view.

Water surrounded by mountains

Diana tests the water

A big house across the water

I even found a bottle of von Hovel Riesling at the State Liquor Store! I don't usually choose white wine, but I had to get it in honor of the un-hovel. We had it one evening, and it was actually quite nice...bright, crisp and slightly effervescent...apropos in my year of sparkling wines.

von Hovel

Dusk over the Cascades at Wolf Creek

Our time in Utah ended too quickly, and it was time to return home. I finally saw Salt Lake from the plane...and salt flats...and red salt! (I think.) Then of course the fog welcomed us back.

Patriotic aerial salt display

But I didn't stay in the fog long...the next morning Dan and I embarked on a weekend camping adventure with friends. We went to Armstrong Redwoods State Park in Guerneville, where Marie, Mary and Brian had staked out a great spot by Bullfrog Pond. We had lunch in town, walked along the bridge over the Russian River, and took a hike in the afternoon. The view of the forested hills and fog in the distance was lovely.

Fog over the hills

Though there were three campstoves between all of us, none were brought...but we managed to have a delicious dinner...as Dan says, food always tastes better outdoors. And he roasted marshmallows over the fire...s'mores just might be the most important part of camping for me! The next morning we picked blackberries, and by nightfall I was enjoying blackberry crumble back in the foggy city. I had been skeptical of camping for just one night since we usually go for a few days, but it was a lot of fun.

Summer crumble yum

Hopefully August will bring sunny days in San Francisco!

Summer travels: Into Honduras (part 4)

2009-07-24T23:04:00.001-07:00

As Dan and I were traveling through Guatemala, we were not sure if we would make it to Honduras because of the political situation...but we met several travelers who had come from there, and they felt that it was completely safe. We also were scheduled to fly home from Roatan, so ultimately we decided to go for it! We took a bus from Rio Dulce to the border, and arrived in Copan Ruinas on a warm afternoon. We were greeted with hammocks and iced tea at Casa de Cafe B&B,...so far, so good! I spent a lot of time lounging in the hammock, reading, and admiring the garden and view of the Guatemalan hills.

Idyllic Casa de Cafe B&B

Guatemalan hills

We ate yummy pupusas at Comedor Mary's and wandered around the cobblestone streets of town. After a delicious breakfast the next morning with Francesca the kitty, we walked to the Mayan ruins site of Copan, where there are many impressive and intricate carvings, and tall trees growing out of the piles of stones. We also saw brilliant scarlet macaws and capybara-like critters at the entrance to the site.

Stela & hieroglyphic staircase

Skulls & glyphs

Big head

Big foot

Watch out!

Nap time

After more hammocking and relaxing in the garden, and another tasty breakfast the next morning, we planned to take a morning bus to San Pedro Sula, then catch a plane to the island of Roatan. Not so fast! The bus did not leave because of road closures...due to demonstrations...and it was not clear when the roads would re-open. After some sulking on my part (it was my birthday) and several calls by the B&B owners, we learned an afternoon bus was departing, so we got on it while we had the chance. Unfortunately there were no more flights that day, instead we took another bus to La Ceiba, spent the night, and took the ferry to Roatan the next morning. So we spent a lot more time traveling than I would have liked, and missed a day of fun...but we arrived at our destination safely! A delicious lobster avocado salad lunch at the Lighthouse cheered me up considerably.

View from the Lighthouse restaurant

It was really hot and humid on the island. After lunch we went snorkeling in Half Moon Bay, where we saw lots of fish, conches, and a hawksbill turtle! I love sea turtles.

Half Moon Bay

It was nice to relax and enjoy the view of the Carribean as the sun set outside our room at Luna Beach, especially after all the effort to get there! Then we walked down the beach to the Lobster Pot, where I had grilled shrimp in rum butter sauce for dinner...yum! They also served homemade key lime pie on the house. It was my new favorite restaurant.

Luna Beach

Sun setting over Carribean

The next morning we took a water taxi to West Bay, which is a beautiful beach. It was so quiet...very few travelers...and this was during the high season. We went snorkeling in the bay; the coral seemed healthier here than in Half Moon Bay. We saw more fish, and about ten little squid all hanging out in a neat row...so cute! During our lunch on the beach, we saw an impressive display of balance...a woman walking with a cooler on her head!

West Bay

Turquoise & blue

Balancing act

Later in the afternoon we went out with a dive boat and snorkeled some more...the water is much choppier out there! In one spot there was a huge school of fish...seemed like hundreds...it was amazing to be so close to so many. It was also neat to see the divers go overboard and descend into the deep waters. I'm still too scared to dive though!

After watching the sunset from the dock, we returned to the Lobster Pot, where Dan and I treated ourselves to surf 'n turf (steak and lobster!) for our last dinner of the trip. And more key lime pie! The people at the restaurant were so nice. Dan asked to see the menu after discovering they serve breakfast...but then found out the restaurant is closed on Sunday! So we bought a loaf of their delicious coconut bread, and they gave us a jar of homemade mango jam to eat with it! We really enjoyed our time in Honduras, and hope the political situtation is resolved peacefully...and soon. The livelihood of so many people on the island depends on tourism. We were glad we were able to visit, and hope that others can too.

We had a wonderful trip on our first visit to Central America, but it was great to come home to the foggy city by the bay!

Summer travels: Jungle & river (part 3)

2009-07-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

Our journey through Guatemala continues...there was a beautiful mist covering the treetops our last morning in the Verapaz mountains...

Misty green in the morning

Dan and I made our way north to the jungle of Peten, taking a "shuttle" that involved first riding a pick-up truck through the twisty-turny, bumpy, muddy roads to Lanquin, where we switched to a van with more passengers...then we actually backtracked to Coban, which we had visited days earlier...argh! But after that, the driver went very, very fast...one of our fellow travelers called the ride "terrifying," and I would have to agree. But we arrived safely, and it was nearly dusk when Dan and I walked to the shore of Lake Peten Itza in El Remate.

Shades of blue

There were people swimming in the lake, and we went for a dip before dark as well...the water was quite warm.

Swimmers in the lake

The next morning we went to Tikal, where walked through the jungle and climbed several tall Mayan ruins.

Tall pyramid in the Gran Plaza

Pyramids in the jungle

Atop a pyramid, more in the distance

Even more exciting, we saw toucans! One toucan turned its head from side to side, showing off its colorfull bill...it was so cute! We also saw monkeys swinging in the treetops, oscillated turkeys pecking on the ground, and many Montezuma's oropendolas with their bright yellow tail feathers and long, woven nests hanging from the tree branches.

After a big rainstorm in the afternoon, we walked along the shore of Lake Peten Itza, looking for birds and other wildlife. Other than the occasional rooster crowing and motorcycle speeding by, it is very quiet and serene.

Horses by the lake

Palapa on a pier

The next morning we headed south to Rio Dulce, near the Carribean coast. Many lodges and hotels are located along the river, where fancy boats are docked as well...we stayed in a bungalow at Tortugal.

Rio Dulce

Approaching Tortugal from the water taxi

The afternoon we arrived, we took a bus from town to the hot springs at Finca El Paraiso. A guide showed us the way through the forested trails to the source of the hot springs...there had been rain in recent days, so the river was silty and not a beautiful emerald green...but the hot springs were still amazing...waterfalls of hot water flowing over a cave into the cold water of the river. The guide pointed above the waterfall, where there were pools of hot water, so we climbed up the rocks over the cave to soak in the hot pools...it started to rain, and we could smell the sulfur in the air...I also heard bats squeaking in the cave...it was so fun!

Refreshed from the hot springs

We saw a lot of cattle and banana plantations on the bus ride back to town. Dan was reading Bananas: How The United Fruit Company Shaped the World on our trip, so it was interesting to actually see the reality...in some places, bananas as far as the eye can see.

The next morning we took a boat trip down the Rio Dulce to the coastal town of Livingston. On the way we passed Castillo de San Felipe, an island where egrets and cormorants nest, lots of water lilies, local fisherman's boats, and we soaked in another spot where hot springs flow into the river...ahhh...

Shades of green

We had lunch in Livingston, where we tried the local specialty tapado, a coconut seafood stew, with plantains, crab, fish, and big shrimp... sooo yummy!

Big bowl of yumminess

We walked around town after lunch and saw kids playing soccer on the beach. We also got coconut bread, coconut cookie bars, and coconut popsicles...then, after the boat ride back, we cooled off with a swim outside Tortugal.

Soccer by the Carribean

Yay, a popsicle shop!

Dan swimming in Rio Dulce

We enjoyed Rio Dulce, but it was time to move on...next up, crossing the border to Honduras!

Summer travels: Las Verapaces (part 2)

2009-07-22T22:26:00.000-07:00

Continuing on our journey through Guatemala...Dan and I took a "chicken bus" from Santiago Atitlan to Guatemala City. Waiting for the bus to leave, we saw piles of avocados in the streets of the village...so many avocados!

Mmm...avocado...

For those of you who may not know, chicken buses are the primary mode of transportation for many Guatemalans. They are old schoolbuses painted bright colors, and they are notoriously fast. I was so enthralled by the avocados that I did not think to take a photo of the shiny red and yellow one we rode. Dan and I heard various statistics...every month a bus goes off a cliff...on average a chicken bus driver is shot monthly...luckily we heard these stories after we rode the chicken bus. (Also, they are known as chicken buses because one may encounter chickens riding on the bus. This happened to us twice, both times it was a box of chirping chickies.) After three hours of more twisty-turny roads, a miracle drug sales pitch, passing by many coffee plantations and corn fields, with lively music the entire way, we arrived in Guatemala City, and rode the Muni (really!) to the bus station for the first-class bus (former Greyhound) to the mountain town of Coban. Finally, we arrived at Casa Duranta, where the rooms surround a beautiful courtyard garden.

Outside our room

Pretty courtyard

While in Coban, Dan and I visited the Finca Santa Margarita coffee plantation. We saw different varieties of coffee plants and tasted ripe coffee berries during the tour...they are sweet! We also learned what cardomam plants look like, crushed allspice leaves to release the aroma, saw coffee beans being roasted, enjoyed a tasty cup of coffee, and even played with a dashchund! The farm also had two pet peccaries, who did a mutual double-nuzzle that was so cute.

Shade-grown coffee

Dan and I explored the town a bit, and climbed a great many steps up to the old temple to see the view of the city. There was a large group of local people gathered outside the temple...not sure why, but we felt like we were intruding, so we headed back down the steps. Dan spotted a Logitech logo outside a shop, so he had to get a picture!

View of Coban from atop the steps

Dan and Logitech logo

In the afternoon we went to the orchid nursery just outside of town, Vivero Verapaz...their collection includes hundreds of orchids native to Guatemala. Most of them bloom between November and February, but we did see some incredibly teeny-tiny orchids...you care barely see the flower! So amazing. There also were several tall pink bromeliads growing on the trees that Dan had never seen before.

From Coban, we took yet another twisty-turn bus ride to Semuc Champey. It was a bumpy ride too, though the views of the lush green hills of the Verapaces were quite lovely. And we saw many, many cornfields in the hills. The Guatemalans seem to grow corn in every available space possible.

We stayed in a cabin at Hostal El Portal, which overlooks the Rio Cahabon. Many of the travelers staying there enjoyed jumping off the bridge into the river...it is a long way down. I wanted to, but was a scaredy-cat. Dan jumped though! The local boys also jumped off, and one little boy named Julio who was selling chocolate was especially impressive...he was so quick and nimble climbing up a tree to get back up to the bridge from the river. Many children in the area sell chocolate that their families have made...we even saw a cacao plant at the entrance of El Portal. I had four round bars during our stay...flavored with cardomam, cinnamon, or vanilla...the chocolate had a slightly grainy texture from the cacao nibs and sugar. So yummy.

Our cabin on the left, bridge in the background

Big pink cacao beans

We heard some other travelers discussing a cave tour the afternoon we arrived, so we decided to join them on a tour of the river-filled caves of K'anba. We were each given a candle, and waded through water to enter the cave. We climbed up and down the rock formations, behind a waterfall, and swam along the way...seeing incredible stalactites and the rushing water of the Rio Cahabon, as well as an occasional bat! It was an unforgettable experience.

The next morning we hiked up a steep, muddy trail to the lookout point, and saw the limestone pools of Semuc Champey, surrounded by the lush green cloudforest...such a lovely setting. The water from Rio Cahabon flows over the pools, as well as through a cave underneath the pools. We walked down to the first series of pools, where we saw the rushing water beneath the limestone caves. Then we made our way through the pools, swimming and jumping from pool to pool...so fun! At the end of the pools, Dan climbed down a rope ladder through a waterfall into the cave beneath, but I was too scared. He actually went underneath Semuc Champey...so amazing!

Semuc Champey from the lookout

Fast-flowing Rio into the cave

Each pool flows down to another layer

Another pool close-up

Dan and I both loved Semuc Champey, and thought the long haul to get there was worth it. We enjoyed the communal meals and meeting fellow travelers...it would have been nice to stay longer, but it was time for our next destination...the jungle of Peten comes up next!

Summer travels: Antigua & Lake Atitlan (part 1)

2009-07-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

I am back in the foggy city after nearly three weeks in Central America! Dan and I went to Guatemala and Honduras for the first time...our friends who have visited both places gave rave reviews, so I decided we should go...I planned the trip as a distraction during the hovel horridness. It was a bit nerve-wracking because we left the day after the news broke about the political situation in Honduras, but in the end we made it there and had a safe trip.

We started our trip in Antigua, the old capital of Guatemala. The entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so the old cobblestone streets and faded pastel buildings are preserved. We stayed at Casa Cristina, near La Merced and the Arch at Santa Catalina. We had breakfast each morning on the rooftop garden, which had a great view of the yellow church and Volcan Agua.

Our room at Casa Cristina

La Merced

Arch of Santa Catalina

We visited the ruins of the Cathedral, La Merced, and Las Capuchinas; sampled tasty street food; climbed 333 steps to take in the view from Cerro de la Cruz; and even saw two beagles!

Ruins of the old Cathedral

Fuente de Pescados at La Merced

Cloisters at Las Capuchinas

Cerro de la Cruz

Antigua is surrounded by volcanoes...there are over thirty volcanoes in Guatemala! We climbed one of them, Volcan Pacaya, on a day trip from Antigua. After an early rise and a twisty-turny drive, we were greeted by children selling walking sticks and the services of horses at the trailhead. Dan is allergic to horses. The children were persistent, following our group for what seemed like half of the hike up...though finally they returned to the trailhead after one person in the group accepted the services of a horse. I was worried because we didn't bring Benadryl, and the hike was very steep without having to worry about horse-induced anaphylaxis! We saw views of the volcanoes Agua, Fuego, and Acatenengo on our way up the trail.

Three volcanoes

Eventually though the trail ended, and the crater of Pacaya was in view! It was quite exciting, until I realized we had to scale piles of lava rock the rest of the way.

Posing with the crater

It was a difficult climb up, but even harder getting down. We were stepping on loose piles of lava rock that would move and slip as we climbed...but we made it to the top and felt the heat of the lava beneath the rocks. And then!

Red hot flowing lava!

The thick slow-moving lava was a sight to behold, and the heat was so intense. Also a bit scary though, as the rock surface we were standing on was very porous and fragile, and the lava was right beneath us...people even roasted marshmallows in the heat vents! I ate a roasted marshmallow on a volcano! It was definitely a memorable hike.

From Antigua, we took another twisty-turny drive through the Western Highlands to Lake Atitlan, a huge crater lake ringed by several volcanoes. We barely made the last ferry across the lake...the boat had left the dock and actually came back to get us...phew! Dusk was falling when we arrived in Santiago Atitlan.

Volcan San Pedro

We went canoeing on the lake; visited the textile museum, cathedral, and Sunday market in the village; swam and lounged by the pool; feasted at a Fourth of July BBQ; rode bikes along the lake; hiked the hanging bridges at Reserva Natural Atitlan...and just relaxed and enjoyed the view from the mirador lookout of the hotel, one of my favorite spots during our stay there.

Dan canoeing

Angel, our stone cottage

Women washing in the morning

Sunday market in the village

Fourth of July BBQ pig

Mural at the village entrance

Crossing a hanging bridge

Volcan San Pedro looms over the lake

View from the mirador

The lake is beautiful, but it was time for our next adventure...onto the Verapaces...stay tuned!

Spring lambies redux

2009-04-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung, and yet, the hovel still is not ready. The plan to move back in early April went out the window when it was discovered that the kitchen cabinets for almost all the appliances and both sinks were not the right size (ordered by a large hardware store chain that shall remain nameless). Frustration and anger ensued (and continues)...an oven and sink were exchanged...there was waiting...a replacement cabinet was ordered...more waiting. And so we wait...and hope that the replacement will be the right size. *Sigh*It would be nice to live in San Francisco again.

But there was some spring fun in the country this weekend. Dana's Cheviot sheep mamas had lambs, and she hosted an afternoon of sheep shearing/lamb viewing/sit 'n knit/honey tasting fun. Dan helped hold down one of the last year's lambs, now full-grown, to be sheared.

Time for a trim

The sheep looked a bit silly after the shearing, but a lot less raggedy.

Newly shorn

There was a lot of wool, from papa ram and his two sheep (who were last year's lambs). Arrow tried to eat a fallen piece of wool...maybe the lanolin was tasty?

Arrow checks out the wool

The newborn lamb -- born just that morning! -- was the star of the afternoon. People took turns holding her, while mama sheep bleated loudly at everyone.

Little lambykins with mama

Darcy Rose wanted to pet the mama sheep, but she was too fast for the humans. She did get to pet the newborn lamb though.

Gentle pats

After seeing the animals, we noshed on cupcakes and sampled delicious goat cheeses, truly local honey from a beehive recently discovered on the property, and some teas Dana's friend brought to share. It was a lovely spring afternoon in the country!

Progress

2009-03-17T15:35:00.000-07:00

Spring is near, and perhaps more cupcakes! (Actually, many-a-cupcake has been baked and consumed in 2009, but the lack of light was uninspiring.) I've been in a funk these past few months, but I was in San Francisco last week, dog/house-sitting for a friend, and noticed I was in a great mood. So I think the long commute has been bringing me down even more than I realize...but we *may* be close to moving back into the hovel. Still a lot of delays to contend with, and problems along the way, but it actually is starting to look like a house. The un-hovel, let's say.

Here's a preview of the progress so far...it's been over a year, after all...

Cheery yellow paint, partway

Green living room

Blue bathroom with wainscotting

More progress shots from the past year...not too much documentation though, because it turns out I am not a process person. I just want it to be done! When I first started knitting I remember reading about process knitters, those who enjoy the process of learning a new technique more than the finished piece. And I thought to myself, how odd! Going through the hovel remodel has reaffirmed that I am not a process person. The activities I enjoy doing, liking knitting and baking, I find meditative (when I am not messing up), but I definitely want to finish!

Happy winter

2008-12-31T12:38:00.000-08:00

I have been lazing through the winter break...reading, drinking tea and eating holiday treats, watching movies, catching up with friends and family, and sleeping...but how did the time go by so quickly?

Dan and I went up to Rocklin see his family on Christmas Eve, then returned to Chez Maman on Christmas Day. My sister made an origami dog for me...crafty, eh? The quilted espresso is from Dan's mother.

Cute samolian pooch on pink and green

My brother picked pomegranates from the tree in the backyard, decked out in a bicycle helmet and hospital scrubs...

Beware falling fruit

I was so lazy I did not even send out holiday cards this year...the hovel is my excuse. In my one bit of craftyness, I knit a chocolate brown Puff Daddy neck warmer for Joanne, with one skein of Biggy Print. I thought it turned out pretty well...hopefully the puff holds up...

Puff chocolate

And I got to catch up with some friends' babies and toddlers, who are growing up so fast! Dan and I met baby Georgia, daughter of Cheya and Rick...

Holding lil' baby Georgia

We also visited with Darcy Rose, who we had not seen since her 2nd birthday! Her family moved to new digs, and we walked to the park near their new abode, where Dan pushed her on the swings...

Higher! Faster!

After the walk, we shared some cookies Dan's sister had made for Christmas. Look at that smile!

Such a cutie

After Darcy finished her cooky, she was interested in the last one, which was for daddy. "Not yours," she told her mother. Also, "not Oliver's" (the dog). Ownership seems to be quite the thing...

Cooky time

She is talking a lot more now, toddling all about, and so, so fun to be around!

Putting magnets up on the fridge

My college friend Portia and her family visited from Texas, and we celebrated her son DJ's 3rd birthday with them! DJ is dairy-free, so for my first foray into dairy-free cupcakery I made dairy-free vanilla cupcakes with dairy-free chocolate ganache.

Blowing out the candles

DJ and his sister Veronica seemed to enjoy the birthday cupcakes...

DJ and Veronica, with birthday cuppies

After cake, there were presents to open, of course. DJ loves trucks, and received an impressive collection of toy trucks and cars. Dan and I gave him a vehicle-themed floor puzzle. But nothing could top the final gift, big boy underwear!

Big boy underwear, wow!

After presents, Dan had fun playing with the energetic birthday boy, although I am not sure the restaurant staff enjoyed it as much...

Gotcha!

Twas a relaxing break, with just a few more days of lazing for me...also, I finally took my mother's old Singer sewing machine to the shop for a long-overdue tune-up, so mayhaps there will be more crafting in 2009?

Happy new year!

Holiday cheer

2008-12-14T13:30:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for gingerbread cupcakes and peppermint bark! Joanne hosted a holiday open house last weekend, kicking off the holiday baking...I made gingerbread cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting, which may be my new favorite frosting. I mixed chopped candied ginger into the batter, and the cupcakes were filled with cranberry apple butter and topped with a pomegranate seed (from the tree in the backyard at Chez Maman)...twas a nice combination of flavors.

Holiday cuppies

And of course, peppermint bark, an annual tradition...

Bark bark

The highlight of the party was holding baby Ryan. He really is adorable!

October fly-by

2008-11-15T22:04:00.000-08:00

Where does the time go? All of a sudden mid-November is upon us, and it is dark by 5 pm. Grr. But the solstice is next month, and the daylight hours will get longer again. Dan and I have been busy with the hovel, as usual. And I caught another bug, second time in less than a month, boo. But it has not been all bad, thankfully.

During Fleet Week, Dan had a work function at the Carnelian Room, and we saw the Blue Angels from the 52nd floor, a rare treat.

Red, white and blue

We saw the planes fly by the Transameria Pyramid and the Golden Gate Bridge, quite a sight. Dan and I also visited the newly-opened California Academy of Sciences, which we had been looking forward to for quite some time. The place was packed, so we just checked out the aquarium. We will return to see the rainforest, the planetarium, the living roof, so many things to see. The albino alligator seemed very much at home in the new digs...

Just relaxing

And earlier this month Dan and I went to our friends' impromptu wedding, just a handful of friends with colorful umbrellas, on a gray rainy afternoon at Baker Beach, witnessing two people's love and commitment for each other. I was so grateful and happy to witness such a beautiful celebration. I am hopeful that someday the people of this state will think so too. And I hope it will be soon!

C is for cooky

2008-10-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

Autumn is here! It even rained in the Bay Area over the weekend. Sadly, no creative output to speak of here at Chez Maman...too busy commuting, worrying (about the hovel and everything in general), and feeling tired of being tired...but trying to remember that I am an optimist!

And I find a home-baked cooky sometimes can lift one's spirits...so I made flourless almond chocolate chip cookies for book club this past weekend. I think this is the perfect cooky recipe that is both gluten-free and dairy-free...celiac and lactose intolerant book club members should be able to enjoy a sweet treat too! I usually use peanut butter, but have tried almond butter the past couple times, which also makes a tasty cooky. Dan made the almond butter this time with unsalted dry-roasted almonds in the food processor...fresh almond butter!

Almond chocolate chip cooky

The cookies have a nice chewy texture, chewier than the peanut butter version. Both are delicious. We discussed A Thousand Splendid Suns...reading the book made me so grateful for being a woman in America...despite all the things I worry about and disagree with...I am thankful.

Pink cupcake gig

2008-09-19T20:33:00.000-07:00

I had a cupcake gig over the weekend, almost a year to the day of my first one. Dan's coworker Josh requested pink cupcakes for a baby shower for his wife Marlena (my birthday twin!). I got organic strawberries at the farmer's market and tried two strawberry cupcake recipes. The first recipe used strawberry chunks, but I thought it tasted a bit muffin-y, so I tried a second recipe with strawberry puree. (I used twice the amount of puree.)

Strawberry cupcakes

The cupcakes were a slightly pink color with a faint berry flavor. The cake was dense, but not too dry. (When I sampled the chunk recipe cupcake the next day, it didn't seem so muffin-y...and the strawberry chunks were rather nice...will need to conduct more strawberry cupcake taste testing!) I also made two dozen vanilla cupcakes, also topped with pink strawberry frosting. The frosting was very sweet, but had a nice strawberry flavor.

Vanilla cupcakes with pink dots

I need a Cupcake Courier, but it is always out of stock. What's the story? These disposable trays will have to do for now...and the cupcakes made it to the shower safely.

Strawberry-to-go

We were greeted with mimosas on arrival...what a treat...Dan and I also were charmed by Victoria, big sister to the new baby, who arrived (early) during the week! Congratulations!

Tahoe birthday weekend

2008-09-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

Dan and I took Arrow to Lake Tahoe last weekend to celebrate Joanne's birthday and Sally's one year anniversary with the Lo family, and what a weekend it was! There were 13 humans and five dogs at the festivities...lots of fun! Joanne's husband Newt and dear friend Steven also rode the Tour de Tahoe, 72 miles around the lake...congratulations, boys!

And of course there were birthday cupcakes! Joanne likes mango, so I made this recipe using mango puree instead of papaya (yuck). The cupcakes were filled with mango buttercream filling, topped with cream cheese frosting and a dried mango circle (cut out with my trusty apple corer, which was used to make the holes for the filling too).

Can you see the birthday girl?

There were red beets in the weekly CSA box, so I decided to try a chocolate beet cupcake recipe also. The batter was a pretty deep red, but the baked cupcakes just looked like chocolate. They were topped with white chocolate buttercream and a chocolate disc.

Dimly lit cupcakes, with presents!

I think I overbaked both kinds of cupcakes, but they still were pretty tasty. (Frosting always helps.) It was a great weekend. We went to the lake, where the beagles stayed far away from the water. (Except for the ones who got thrown in.)

Sally, Arrow & Bonnie pose for Andy

Brody (golden retriever) and Dodger (lab/border collie) played in the water with the sporty humans while the beagles and the lazy humans lounged on the beach. (Yes, that would be me.)

Arrow cuddles with Bonnie

We also were introduced to a fun and addicting new game that Steven brought, Wits and Wagers. And the beagles napped in the sun every chance they got.

Napping on the deck

Thanks for such a fun weekend, everyone! Happy birthday Joanne!

Back to school

2008-08-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

The kiddos returned to school this week, and I am exhausted! The long commute from Chez Maman is tiring, but hopefully I will adjust in time. Slow progress continues on the hovel. Dan and I spent the last several weekends on house stuff...researching kitchen cabinets and appliances...making multiple visits to the plumbing fixture showroom....it has been frustrating, exciting, exhausting...and it continues...

We did squeeze in some fun with the house craziness earlier this month. We attended my old friend Max's wedding...he and his longtime sweetie Nancy had a picnic potluck wedding at Tilden Park on a gorgeous summer day. I made mojito cupcakes for the occasion.

Wedding cupcakery

It was a festive wedding....cheery yellow parasols protected from the sun, and the guests worked together to find the missing rings....with clues from our wedding invitations. Well, many of the guests did. I mostly ate pie and forgot to take pictures. Dan was fascinated by one of the locks, which was like a puzzle, involving many keys (that had to be found) and some trick locks. In the end the rings were unlocked and the bride and groom exchanged vows. Hooray!

After the wedding , we went down the road to celebrate Darcy Rose's second birthday, riding the steam trains!

Riding the train with Darcy Rose

Darcy loves riding the train, especially going through the tunnel. There were also presents to open, of course.

Opening presents with grandma

All in all, a nice respite from the house craziness, and a great day at Tilden Park!

Berry day

2008-07-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

I celebrated another year with a belated berry picking day at Phipps Farm in Pescadero. Unfortunately, it was a bit late in the season and very few ollalieberries remained. But it was a beautiful day, and lovely to see everyone...especially the kiddos!

Darcy eats a berry from Diana

Darcy Rose loves berries and toddled through the fields picking and eating with enthusiasm. Unlike me she was deterred neither by tartness nor thorns, and I was told she even consumed a leaf still attached to one berry. Watching her made me very, very happy. I also got to meet Zoe for the first time...she reminds me of a muppet, so so cute!

Vivian and Zoe

Her big sister Chloe is pretty cute too.

Matching pink hat and hoodie

After searching for berries, we had pie. I made strawberry pie with gluten-free animal cracker crust. And my first double-crust pie, blueberry pie from Cooks Illustrated, with my favorite vodka pie crust. I forgot to photograph the pies. They were quite yummy though.

Darcy samples the blueberry pie

And birthday loot! Joanne and Newt got me a cupcake jersey. Cupcakes! Maybe I'll actually get on my bike with such cute, inspiring attire.

Posing with cupcakes and Bonnie beagle

Thank you everyone for such a fun day!

Cancro cupcakes

2008-07-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

Fellow crab Diana celebrated her birthday this week, so it was cupcake time! Peach season calls for peach cupcakes...plus, the birthday girl loves cheese cream frosting.

Cream cheesy peachiness

I had a bit of difficulty with the baking...I tested for doneness with a toothpick and all seemed well, so I let them cool. But when I cut into a cupcake after cooling, the batter inside was raw...ewww! Oops. I suspect the peaches I used were too big...it is peach season, after all...and maybe the pieces I cut were too big as well. So the batter around the peaches was not baked through. I put the cupcakes back in the oven, which resulted in overly brown tops. Luckily the cupcakes still tasted pretty good...cream cheese frosting always helps!

Since the celiac attendees of the birthday festivities cannot partake in gluten, I made flourless chocolate cupcakes as well. One of my (many) favorite ice cream flavors at the neighborhood ice cream spot is Mexican chocolate, which has a delicious hint of cinnamon...mmm! So I used cinnamon in the cupcakes (replacing the ancho chili powder), and the result was quite nice.

Gluten-free chocolate cinnamon cuppies

The cupcakes sink a bit since they are flourless. All the better to fill with chocolate sour cream frosting!

Cooky time

2008-07-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

When my friend Diana told me about the New York Times chocolate chip cookie recipe, of course I had to try it. It was hard waiting for the dough to rest, but 24 hours later...

24 hour cooky

The warm cookie was quite nice, though a wee bit too sweet. I used a combination of 60% and 72% chocolate discs...next time I will try all 72%. Also, instead of the 1 1/4 lb chocolate called for in the original recipe, I used 15 oz chocolate and 5 oz chopped pecans...I like a nutty cooky and thought the nuts would help cut the sweetness. (While the cookies were in the oven, I read about Orangette making the cookies...serendipitous, yes?)

Part of the inspiration to make this cooky was to see Darcy Rose eating one!

Darcy tests the cooky

I was hoping the cooky would be the size of her head, but it wasn't quite that big. It still made my day watching her bite into it...and after she put it down, she picked it back up and sneaked a few more bites. So cute! The next day I made the 36 hour cooky with the rest of the dough, which also was yummy, but sweet.

Since I was still on a chocolate fix, I made chocolate cherry granola over the weekend as well. Little bits of 72% bittersweet chocolate flecked throughout. Yum.

Chocolate for breakfast

Yucatan summer redux: Journey's end (part 4)

2008-07-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

From the islands, to Merida and Celestun, then the Ruta Puuc, Dan and I were nearing the end of our two-week Yucatan summer adventure...but with great reluctance! On our way to Vallodolid, we stopped for a tour of the cenotes of Cuzuma...a horse-and-buggy took us along the tracks on a former henequen plantation to three picturesque underwater sinkholes, perfect for swimming.

Hard-working pony stops for a rest

If another buggy approached from the opposite direction, we stopped and the drivers lifted the buggy off the tracks to allow the other to pass...cute the first time, but not-so-fun after it started raining. The cenotes were lovely. Lots of ceiba tree roots hang down into the cool, clear waters.

Looking down into Cenote Chansinic'che

Also lots of stalactites...beautiful limestone formations hanging down...

Big stalactites above us

In Valladolid we visted the market and a few churches. A small anteroom next to the main sanctuary of San Gervasio Cathedral was filled with tombstones.

Tombstones inside the church

I enjoyed exploring the city, but it was very hot and humid.

Sweaty in the town square

We cooled off with a swim at Cenote Dzitnup, the biggest one I have seen so far. Its huge stalactite formations were spectacular, but unfortunately my camera could not capture the underground beauty in the darkness. Valladolid is home to many zapaterias, where you can see leather sandals being made. I had to get new shoes, of course.

Shoemakers at work

We also had the yummiest agua frescas in a food court by our hotel in Valladolid. We had been drinking agua frescas nearly everyday during our trip, most places offered jamaica (hibiscus) and limonada (lime); I also had a tasty melon agua fresca on Holbox. But these were the best. Dan had pitaya, or dragonfruit. It is not my favorite fruit, but it was so delicious and refreshing!

Chunks of pitaya and seeds

I had pina, or pineapple. Yum!

Big pina agua fresca

After lunch I managed to lose my prescription glasses at one of the shops we stopped in...we were literally about to drive out of town when I realized this. We then discovered the shops close after lunch and do not re-open until 5 pm...siesta time...so we waited...and I got to practice my Spanish as we went from shop to shop..."Estoy buscando mis lentes. Estan aqui?" But in the end we found them, hooray! Then we were off to Coba, to climb the Nohoch Mul pyramid. We went early in the morning, but the ruins were very crowded...and not so well preserved...probably my least favorite ruins in all of Yucatan. But we did see crocodiles in Laguna Coba and other wildlife.

Caterpillar parade on a trail

After Coba we drove up the coast and stopped for a swim in Akumal Bay to look for sea turtles. We saw three! First a medium one, then a wee little one eating turtle grass, which lead us to a big sea turtle. The big one swam fast. The next day we snorkeled in the coral reef off the shore of Puerto Morelos, so beautiful. We saw so many pretty fish and corals, including a huge brain coral....also, queen conches, an eagle ray, sea cucumber, and more...but no sea turtles. So Dan and I went back to Akumal Bay, where we saw two more turtles! I love sea turtles...swimming with them and just watching them swim makes me so happy. We also saw a family of reef squid, very cute with their big eyes peering intently...and a huge long barracuda! As I remember all that we saw, I wish we had an underground camera to capture the beauty of the sea.

Pelican preening in Puerto Morelos

The Yucatan Peninsula is a wonderful and beautiful place. We enjoyed our journey...and I hope to return again someday.

Yucatan summer redux: Mostly Mayan (part 3)

2008-07-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

After the islands and going west across the peninsula, Dan and I made our way back east along the Ruta Puuc, the hilly region of the Yucatan. I saw several roadrunners scurry across the road! We stayed at a delightful B&B in Santa Elena, a small village with a big church.

Fountain in the village square

From there we visited Uxmal, probably my favorite of all the Mayan ruins we have seen. The first structure upon entering the site is the Pyramid of the Magician. It is massive, and one of the few known Mayan pyramids with a rounded base.

Can you see Dan?

Uxmal features impressive feats of architecture. The Governor's Palace is big and long, considered one of the greatest of Mayan buildings.

The Governor's Palace

The Dovecote is another interesting structure...perhaps used as a lookout?

View of the Dovecote from the Grand Pyramid

There are many intricate carvings on all the structures throughout the site...

Parrot carvings atop the Grand Pyramid

The House of the Turtles

Serpent carving at the Nunnery

We also saw lots of iguanas and birds, including mot-mots! Their turquoise color and long tail are quite spectacular, and we spotted the pretty birds at all of the Ruta Puuc sites. At Kabah we saw the Codz Poop, a structure composed of hundreds upon hundreds of masks of Chac, the rain god.

Obsessed with Chac

It was amazing and also a bit frightening. The ancient Maya definitely must have been very concerned about water in this region.

A Chac close-up, with broken nose

Next stop was Sayil, where the Palace features carvings of the inverted diving god, which we also saw at Tulum and Coba.

Carol and Dan at el Palacio

The diving god, flanked by serpents

We also spotted pretty big-leafed plants at Sayil. They look like they've been painted pink and white.

Dan's hand for size comparison

The Arch of Labna is very beautiful, with intricate carvings on both sides.

Traditional palapa hut carvings on one side

At Labna we also walked along the sacbe, raised white road believed to connect all the way to Uxmal at one time. And we saw the impressive el Mirador, believed to be a lookout structure. It rises out above a high hill of stones.

High lookout

Hundreds of butterflies fluttered on the road from Sayil to Labna, so beautiful! We also visited the Loltun caves, believed to be the largest cave system in the Yucatan. It was amazing, but alas I did not bring the camera underground.

Along the way we stopped in many small villages, visiting the church of each village square. Probably the most famous is el Convento de San Miguel Arcangel in Mani, believed to be the site where Fray Diego de Landa burned the Mayan codices, their important written works. The church has an attached capilla abierta, open chapel where the Mayan worshipped, similar to the one we saw at Dzibichaltun.

The church at Mani

There was so much to see and do in the Ruta Puuc region; Dan and I really enjoyed visiting the area. Next time, the conclusion of our summer Yucatan adventure!

Yucatan summer redux: Westward ho (part 2)

2008-07-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

After a week of island relaxation, Dan and I headed inland via bus to Merida, the capital of Yucatan state. We stayed at Luz en Yucatan, which turned out to be one of our favorite spots the entire trip. Lounging in the hammock was a top priority.

Note the second hammock in the room

Since my hat flew off during a ferry ride, we hit the market in search of a jipijapa, Panama hat. Jipis are made in Becal, in Campeche state...in caves, I was told, where the temperature and humidity are just right for weaving and shaping the palm fronds. Above ground, the hats hold their shape. To demonstrate, the shopkeeper rolled up the hat, which bounced back when unfolded...I was sold.

Posing with jaunty new hat

Merida is a bustling city, and great for walking...though the heat, humidity and afternoon rain showers of summer did slow us down a bit. We walked along Paseo de Montejo, admiring the grand old mansions and interesting art sculptures that line the parkway. We also visited MACAY, the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Yucatan, and the Anthropology Museum, which houses a large collection of Mayan artifacts. And we went to see the Mayan ruins at Dzibitalchun, north of Merida. During the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sun lines up perfectly in the window of the Temple of the Seven Dolls, incredible! But we were there during the summer equinox...ah well...we did go swimming in Cenote Xlacah, very refreshing!

Path to Temple of the Seven Dolls

We were lucky to be in the city on a Saturday night, when there are outdoor performances, food vendors, lots of people out strolling...very fun and lively atmosphere. On Sunday morning there were more festivities, and a bicycle ride through the city too. Dan and I enjoyed Merida very much.

Cathedral lit up at night

From Merida we continued further west, to the coastal fishing village of Celestun. Getting the rental car was a bit of nightmare, but finally we were on our way. I did not like the hotel we checked into though, and my crabbiness was increasing. We found a spot for dinner on the beach just as soon as it began to rain...there would be no pretty sunsets for us! Then, thunder and lightning too...lots of it...and we saw a dog sitting in a boat, looking quite nervous.

Poor pooch

The storm went on all night, and the electricity flashed on and off constantly...it was rather scary. Finally the electricity was out for good, so no air-conditioning in the room. Phooey. So why did we come to Celestun anyway?

Pink in the distance

Flamingos, of course! At first, they were like a pink mirage in the distance, but as the boat got closer, I realized we had finally found them. Our boat caption was very good and did not get too close to the flamingos, so as not to disturb them. (Apparently many tour boats get very close to scare the flamingos into flight, for photographs, but it is very detrimental to the flamingos well-being.) But we did get to see one flamingo flap and fly just a bit, from a distance!

Black striped wings

The not-so-hot photos do not show the full degree of their pinkness. And they have such long, long necks and odd curved bills. The waters of the estuary are shallow, and the flamingos feed for most of the day. It was quite wonderful to see them....there were hundreds...Dan thinks maybe even a thousand flamingos.

Super-long neck

We also saw egrets, herons, so many other birds, and fishermen working on the day's catch. We went through a mangrove forest and stopped at an ojo de agua, where the freshwater spring bubbles up and mixes with the salt water of the estuary. Dan and I went for a swim in the cool water.

Bubbling ojo de agua

The petrified forest was the last stop of the tour. Eerie trunk remains of trees killed by the salty waters of the estuary.

Tree graveyard

So Celestun wasn't too bad in the end, but I would recommend taking a day trip from Merida. That is what we should have done! Dan and I left town, taking the old hacienda route that passes through villages and hacienda ruins, the remains of old henequen plantations.

Hacienda Santa Rosa

Next stop, Uxmal and the Ruta Puuc...more adventures in Yucatan to come!