sketching and reflecting on a lunch break

I had a little work break and decided to sit outside, listen to the birds chirping, and sketch a tree limb... I need to do this more often. 

more Mission wisdom and a fresh berry scone from Arizmendi to stash away for tomorrows breakfast

roof peak peaking through

on the walk to Arizmendi

walk to school in the Mission

lavanderia as a sunrise and Rosy's couldn't be any more adorable

Emeralds in her eyes

garage door mural 

fro yo, yo

G'ahhhhhhhh. Pumpkin frozen yogurt and still melty milk chocolate cookie time. Fraiche on Fillmore serves up organic fresh and frozen yogurt with the tastiest toppings like apple crisp or fresh shaved chocolate. When I gt a craving for fro yo I often tell myself that if I want it badly enough to walk the 40+ minutes up and over SF hills to get it then I should get it..... I usually walk over and it's always worth it. 

here's my empty cup and then someone else's frozen yogurt with organic magic shell and almonds that I had to snap on my way out. 

wildflowers in the city

lots of lines

walked through Pac Heights this afternoon and saw a few homes that I hadn't come across before and a lot of lines. I like the little flowers clustered at the street corner, nestled in the grooves and the trim on this house had me gobsmacked. 

light at the end of the tunnel

grapes

I love that concord grapes are in abundance here in Northern California and I try to do my part in appreciating them which has translated to eating a few clusters a week or whatever I buy within a day of them making it home, if they make it home. Yum

deep shades

... of purple kinda day. purple marionberries on my Sandbox treat, this purple dahlia with neon pink petals waits patiently by my car clock as it dries in the sun, and then devoured these deep purple concord grapes as an after school snack (late lunch). I notice color trends and often wonder if other people do too. Sometimes my whole lunch will be monochromatic and it makes me wonder. hmm, deep shades and deep thoughts, ha.  

Bernal hill charm

Bernal hill is a charming neighborhood on the outskirts of town that often feels like a time warp back to a simpler time. There's a little main street lined with mom and pop stores, a stellar local meat butcher shop, quaint restaurants like the Liberty Cafe (try the chicken pot pie) and little coffee shops and bakeries like Sandbox that I was lucky enough to explore this afternoon. There's a cheese and fruit danish at San Francisco Street Bakery in Olympia, WA and when I lived there this was my favorite sweet indulgence. Today, I found the SF version in SF and I couldn't be happier. 

art as inspiration

the embroidery work is a small part of a large piece that celebrates Island Culture and it's just across the hall from this mural that is easy to love for so many reasons. I love the mix of skill levels and that they really did try to represent everyone in the community.

brownie scout

I've been hoping to find an easy brownie recipe that just had a few ingredients and preferably pantry staples. Well, I find a favorite recipe in an old Donna Hay cookbook. I love her cookbooks so much that I took one with me when I moved to New Zealand for 6 months. Here's the recipe! I'll come back and type in the converted version soon, only 6 ingredients! I made a half batch and still baked it in a square pan and it's still great.... I highly recommend a half batch 'cause they're just so good it's hard to share. Don't worry, Mikayla I'm still saving a few for you.

sauna night and city lights

My friend Courtney and I decided to spend part of our Saturday night at Archimedes Banya, an international bath, sauna, and spa in SF. We lounged in steam saunas where the steam was so thick we could barely see our hands in front of our face, dry hot saunas well over 100* with eucalyptus branches to flog/brush your skin, and then I alternated with an ice cold plunge. After cycling through the sauna rooms with jacuzzi and pool breaks we decided to drink kombucha (on tap) and take in the rooftop view. I must have been in the cold plunge when the sun set but the city lights are always breathtaking. My iPhone 3 managed to catch the SF skyline on the top left pics with slow shutter speed and then horizon line dotted with city lights is the east bay. We took in a few deep breaths and headed back in for more heat, but not before catching a few minutes of the Kardashians on the lounge t.v. They were lounging in an outdoor pool and Court and I laughed about how our lives are just like theirs. (I'm really joking).

cute little felt hats that help regulate your body temp as you sweat in the sauna. Here's the robe and sandals I was issued. I really want to make a banya hat.