*1194 - cat fart

Fun fact.  Did you know that cats are incredibly skilled (more so than most humans) at farting silently and not twitching so much as a whisker while doing so?

*1193 - from scratch pizza

Our latest discovery: homemade margherita pizza is AMAZING with fresh mozzarella balls.  You can't go wrong with the classic combination of freshly harvested basil leaves, fresh tomato, and fresh mozzarella (none of that packaged, shredded stuff).  On a thin from-scratch crust with a tomato base, fresh ground pepper and fresh ground salt, and you're good to go.  Yes, I'm really pushing the fresh aspect here.  Simple, wholesome ingredients, and you know exactly what goes into it.  Pizza doesn't have to be unhealthy and greasy.
(Pre-baked) 
And because we can never bear not to: half of the pizza was our "everything scrumptious" half: sausage, bacon, onions, red peppers, tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh grated parmesan.

Doesn't that sound lovely?  But at the end of the day, simple and classic won (margherita) for both of us by a hair.
The great thing about cooking your own food is being able to tailor flavors exactly to your liking.

*1192 - the best part about strawberry mini wheats

Besides the fact that Poka likes them too, the coolest part about strawberry mini wheats is that they turn your milk a delightful pink at the end.

*1191 - steamy flapjacks

I've always wanted to take a nice picture of steaming pancakes in a giant stack.  These were blueberry-peach-mango-chocolate chip-pancakes.  Ultra fluffy because of the soured milk I used--it was really strange, adding vinegar to milk and letting it sit and becoming gross and clumpy.  Ew?
... But these turned out to be the fluffiest pancakes yet so I am definitely keeping the recipe--really easy to make too!  We ended up eating half the stack and freezing the other half.  Which we actually finished up today, a week later, and it was as good as new.  No more pancake mix, ever (why did I ever use that stuff).
(Find the recipe HERE)

*1190 - today's accomplishment

... is conquering my very first 10a (the pink)!!  Albeit with a shrill squawk at every move, numerous falls, and inelegant flailing I'm sure.

This together with my recent weekly dance classes ... semblance of upper body strength, here I come!!!

(I've never had any even in the peak of my active youth, so what's making me think it might happen now?  Well, at least I am trying!)

*1189 - no more kitty

Has it been a little while at least since the last Poka picture?

It dawned upon us all of a sudden that we must have been tricked into adopting a kitten instead of a miniature adult cat as we were told.  We looked at old photos (old meaning half a year ago) and were taken aback at how tiny she was then vs. now!  This photo might have captured the moment when D runs to me screeching, "EV COME HERE AND LOOK, POKA LOOKS REALLY FAT FROM THIS ANGLE."  Just look at those neck rolls and that slab of a forearm.  Oh my.  Well, we think she's just growing normally and isn't fat yet but she's definitely bigger overall and more fluffy.

We were obviously cat noobs who had no idea how to identify kitty from adult and just believed what they told us her age was.  No harm done, I guess!  We just are going to end up with a larger cat than anticipated though all cats considered (and this is a terribly misleading statement because I have had significant personal involvement with about three other cats before Poka), I think she's still going to net out on the smallish side.

*1188 - chez maman

Chez Maman, a neighbourhood treasure, most unfortunately not located in our neighbourhood.  It's the sole reason why we want to move to the Potrero district, which is also most unfortunately not likely to happen as nothing's turning up in our apartment hunt there.

I'm not sure how many times we've been there, but given that I don't usually give restaurants a second chance seeing that we're in San Francisco, gastronomical paradise and hence no real need for every repeating restaurants, the fact that we've been there several times means a lot.  Also saying a lot is the fact that we've been there enough and know exactly what we want to order to the point that I've stopped taking photos of each dish (my little ritual as D sits and frowns longingly at the food he is not allowed to eat) because they all started looking the same.

For instance, the second time we had les moules:

 

vs. the third time we had les moules:

Our second burger, with brie:

 

And then we wised up and realised that the burgers were so phenomenal that they were best without any of the cheesy, bacony, avocadoy, etc. additions.  These burgers deserve to be eaten plain and unhindered because they burst with meaty flavour just the way they are.  Sis and I took one bite of the plain burger, our eyes bugged, and we pronounced it the best burger we had ever eaten in our lives.  That is quite something.  The patty is so flavorful and the veggies are seasoned beautifully and the ciabata is crisp and the aioli ... aiiyeee I can't even describe it.

Here's the croque madame that D really loves.  When we first got it, I thought to myself, oh cute little side to the awesome burger we're going to have.  But it was mindblowingly good even though it looks rather innocuous, just like the burger.  I think the power is in its creamy bechamel sauce.

 

We also tried a roasted brie with roasted garlic and dish.  Garlic and onion are so puzzling to be because they're so vile raw (I generally refuse to eat anything that has touched a raw onion or raw garlic) but they are just So Good cooked.  Especially when it's a whole head of garlic, roasted to soft, sweet perfection, spreadable like butter.

 

On crostini, of course.

 

One of the best things about Chez Maman is that it's a teensy little unassuming restaurant that's actually very affordable.  No airs, really like being at Mum's kitchen, well, assuming Mum is French.  The restaurant itself seats about ... 8 people at the bar, which is right in front of the entire kitchen set up where you try to spy on the magic that goes into your amazing mussels or watch your amazing little patty get grilled up.  Maybe 4 more at a small table squished in the corner.  And 4 more outside when the weather permits.  We've given up about twice or thrice due to ridiculously long waits, no reservations allowed.

 

Even Dad and Mum have been here twice.  Sis also has though she didn't go with us that time.  Aiyoh, so cute.  It was cold outside but we were basking under the outdoor heater.

This little restaurant has a big place in my heart.  It has yet to fail us despite my expectations being sky high every time we go there!

*1187 - improved fabric flowers

One of my DIY projects for the sister's wedding ...

Coral, peach, and gold fabric flowers!  Aiyoh, my hand is so wrinkly.  (I always wondered about that because most people have lovely, smooth, soft hands, but I've always had these little wrinkly hands ever since I was a child ...)

Painstakingly sewn petal by petal from three different textures of fabrics, worn in the hair of all the bridesmaids and flower girls, and also double up as brooches. 

Yes, I am very pleased with how these turned out!  Even though there are fabric flowers available for purchase everywhere nowadays for a couple of dollars each ... these were made with love, totally customized to the wedding colors, involved hours of pricked fingers and battling Poka (she likes attacking the thread while I'm sewing), and you won't find anyone else with anything quite like this!

*1186 - favorite rose and seals

One adventurous weekend, we decided to go for a bike ride around the Golden Gate Park.  It sounded like a brilliant idea until we actually did it, and we have since been so scarred from the experience that it's going to be a long time before you catch us riding bikes in a city again.

What did us in: narrow roads packed with cars.  I scarcely looked up to admire the views around me the entire time because weaving in and out of traffic was so harrowing and required my full attention.  There were just a few, too few, glorious moments on pedestrian/cyclist-only paths but those weren't quite enough to make up for the otherwise terrifying experience.

Well.  I discovered my favorite rose by far in the beautiful rose garden in the park.  Unfortunately for me, I didn't take note of its species.  Someone please tell me what this is:

I think that is just so gorgeous.  And a little rebellious, because most roses open up but these stay curled up in those lovely circles.

We did turn up unexpectedly at a beach somewhere along the way.  I couldn't tell you how we got there, but that was a nice break for me to collect myself and enjoy the views.  In the distance are the Seal Rocks.  They ... really don't look like seals to me.  Maybe they do at a different angle?

Never again.

*1185 - burgers

For the second July 4th in a row that I've been in the US (I've always been at home over summer otherwise), I flaked out of the crowd-pushing frenzy of watching fireworks in person and opted for July 4th sales, homemade burgers, and watching fireworks from around the country--on TV.

Behold, our very yummy from-scratch burgers.  Spicy pepperjack, spicy southwestern honey mustard, bacon, sauteed mushrooms and onions, tomatoes, balsamic-seasoned arugula, and turkey-beef patties.  I discovered the secret to making a Very Amazing Burger after devouring numerous Chez Maman burgers (best burgers I've ever had and that's saying a lot)--season your veggies (arugula is my favorite for that bitter, nutty contrast) with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh ground salt and pepper.  Mmmm.  The other secret is also to mix your meats; I heard it on a cooking show and I don't know why but it does make a really juicy burger!

*1184 - don quixote

A few months back: D brought me out for my birthday to a ballet!  It's been a while.  San Francisco Ballet, Don Quixote.  

His first ballet, and I think Don Quixote works very well as a "first ballet".  It's more story-driven and playful and humorous and flirty--easier to digest than something more technically-focused.

*1183 - cutout wedges

My coolest pair of wedges and my coolest pair of tights, together.



I'm not the funkiest dresser so this is as funky as it gets.  I really need to stop purchasing boring office basics and get some edge into my wardrobe ...

*1182 - coffee and cream

Coffee spare ribs, served with a dollop of cream.  Sounds so strange but it's so very clever and worked perfectly!

*1181 - ame

Every once in a blue moon, we like to don our fancy knickers (I think I picked that phrase up from Gordon Ramsay) and pretend we're chichi enough to dine at the type of restaurants that have a few too many dollar sign ratings on Yelp.

Ame was a quick stride from our apartment, so we put on our Sunday best and (I) tottered over for dinner.  My favorite part was when the server asked "so what occasion are we celebrating here?" and we looked at him snootily down the tips of our noses and said "oh, no occasion at all, just enjoying a regular dinner."

Food was amazing, delicate, complex, balanced.  The server was so knowledgeable (e.g. about the sake that we really wanted to have but were completely ignorant about) and perfectly attentive.  We had a good time.  And are waiting for the day we become chichi for real.  Til then, we'll very carefully savour these gourmet meals as they don't come by often. 

Our appetizer: a tuna poke disguised as a sushi roll that was very lightly tempura-ed.  

 

His: Grilled quail with foie gras sauce.

 

Hers: Lobster and scallops with sea urchin butter sauce.

*1180 - pride

But what fun to live just down the road from Market Street during the SF pride parade!  It was a very ... SATURATED experience.  Take everything a normal parade or festival embodies and condense that into the festival of festivals.  Not just costumes but Costumes or Extreme Lack Thereof, not just dancing people on floats but Really Dancing On Floats, not just a cheering crowd but a Roaring Waving Excited Gleeful Appreciative (Likely High) Crowd.

Seeing all those naked men (normal to see an occasional one casually walking down the streets of SF, but never so many all at one go) and topless women (ok, this one was more surprising to me) was probably not very necessary--especially found it odd that there were Mums happily bouncing their little children on their hips, watching the parade go by as all these outrageous people milled around ... it must be different growing up in San Francisco.

I thought the spectators were far more interesting than the actual paraders but that's probably because I was too short and couldn't see anything that was happening on the road anyway.  Lots of underwear (seriously, I think some were unprepared with costumes and just decided to strip off their outer layers to blend in with the crowd, so saw lots of granny-type undies running around), rainbows, wings, tutus, boas, matching outfits, booty shorts, bare skin (and all these apply to both the ladies and the men, of course).  Didn't dare to take pictures of the Truly Interesting folks so just stuck the camera in the air and snapped a few blind shots here and there.  Not the best day photographically but here are a few.