it's all in his head

WHITEWATER--AND UNDERWATER--BIRTHDAY RAFTING ADVENTURES

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 04:43:00 +0000

Thought I'd share what we did for my birthday: I think you'll be able to tell the moment where I lost contact with the raft and felt completely enclosed by water--amazing, (literally) breathtaking, beautiful, and incredibly fun--and all David's sweet idea based upon me deciding to jump into the 42-degree Virgin River when we were in Utah. I was scared before, but not at all once we were on--and in and under--the water.

The water was running incredibly fast, high, and cold--making this stretch of the South Fork of the American River Class III+ whitewater rafting. Even the guides were surprised by power of the river, and we almost tipped over. David said it was more exciting than the week-long whitewater trip he did in Idaho years ago.

Obviously not my photographs: I thought it was pretty funny--and pretty smart--for them to have a camera set up at the wildest rapids.

Quick Pic Pix From Our Utah Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:16:00 +0000

PLUGGED-IN BY REQUEST: On-Line Art Show of The Photographs From My Recent Gallery Shows

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Friends beyond the Bay Area have been asking to see the photographs in my recent one-person show, "Catching the Sun," and the pieces Ken Baker chose for the recent show he juried, especially since there was some new work they hadn't seen before. So here goes (in no particular order):

"Tram Man"

This is a photograph I took during a 2007 trip David and I made around Oregon, of the newish aerial tram line between Portland's South Waterfront district and the OHSU campus. I was drawn to the confluence of angles and lines that cause you to question the perspective, and the various yellow-greens and blue-greys and the glow of reflected sunlight. The title can refer to the singular pedestrian or the anatomical likeness of the tram supports. I chose this image to be used for the printed material for "Catching The Sun."

"Elevated A"

I took this photograph on a stay in Chicago in 2007, while doing some consulting for the Kellogg Foundation. As a native New Yorker, I'd always looked down on the Second City, and on this first of many subsequent trips I fell in love with the muscular physicality of the place and its buildings and structures. I was drawn to how simple AND complex, and how gritty AND elegant this elevated train station structure was, and the blushes of color in the light on the almost-monochromatic surfaces.

"Crimson Stride"

This is the earliest work in the show--from my second visit in 2002 to two of my favorite places--Lisbon and Portugal. By then the country was modernizing quickly, but still had a feeling of a place left behind in its history, almost like a Mediterranean Vienna. I've always been attracted to taking pictures of people using public places, and the black-and-white, marble mosaic pavements in Lisbon were the perfect background, and the strong Iberian sun and shadow the perfect context. You may notice these particular mosaics also bear an anatomical likeness...

"Metal Man"

Taken on a visit to Minneapolis in 2007 this was shot in the interior of an old flour mill. I loved the subtle differences in and relationships between the light and shade, the materials and textures, and the shapes and scales, as well as the reflected light in the darkened industrial interior. And yes, another anatomical likeness...

"Arcs, Lines, + Grains"

This image is from that same 2007 Twin Cities site visit, and was taken along the St. Paul waterfront. What pulled me in was the monolithic grain silos, the juxtaposition of structural lines and arcs and those formed by shadow, and the how the beam angles amplify the foreshortening between the silos, waterfront, and bridge.

"L.A. Rising"

This photo was taken at the new wing of the L.A. County Museum of Art in 2008 when I started a longt-erm TOD planning project in L.A. for Metro and CalTrans. The main circulation path is a series of metal pavilions connected by outdoor stairs and escalators; and the escalators and terraces and palms; and the drama of the sun, shadow, and vanishing point seemed so quintessentially L.A.

"Autumn Rust"

This piece and the next were taken in Seattle in 2008, when I started a year-long, light-rail planning project there. They were both shot in the late afternoon in Olympic Park, a multi-level, sculpture space built on a remediated waterfront brownfield. I was caught by the firey, setting sun etching the shadow of the plum tree into the Serra sculpture.

"Urban Divide"

I seem to have an affinity for shooting chairs in public places in the afternoon sun; I'm drawn to the shadows the chairs cast, but also the patterns, placements, and combinations that the chairs were left in by their last occupants when the sun was higher and temperature warmer.

"Mayne Stairs"

This interior shot was taken on one of the upper floors of the brand-new, Thom Mayne-designed Cooper Union academic building in New York in 2009. It was great fun to move around and through, and shoot all of the planes, materials, angles, turns, and surfaces, and the interior partitions lit from within were great to work with at night.

"City Views"

These three images were taken during walks along the newish High Line in New York in 2009. In this one, I was taken with how people were gathered in a small amphitheatre area, mesmerized by watching traffic and pedestrians.

"Coming Soon"

This was taken inside one of the old warehouses that open onto the High Line that are being renovated into upscale lofts, hotels, condos, and shops. It kind of captured for me this really palpable zeitgeist I was feeling of everything being in the midst being rebuilt, and redone, and re-branded.

"Night Security"

I was drawn to the dramatic light and color and perspective in this night scene, as well as the isolation of the spotlit security guard necessary in this stage set of a park that's locked up at night.

"Mimickry of Nature"

This older photograph from 2003 wasn't in "Catching The Sun;" but along with "Arcs, Lines, + Grains" and "Urban Divide," it was chosen by The San Francisco Chronicle art critic Ken Baker to be included in the show he juried.

P.S. While these shows are over, you can still purchase framed photographs at Awaken's on-line store; we're also talking about another show for summer! I'm also working on a San Francisco gallery show, and etsy and cafepress sites--I'll keep you posted!

WHAT KIND OF SHOWERS COME OUT OF A GOLDEN HYDRANT? (A Quick 'Where Is This? Post)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Okay, a quick, sidewalk-themed, two-part-er. First, an easy one (you should know this one); it's in San Francisco (and no, it's not a prop for the big Academy of Friends party):

And the real quiz; it's on a pavement in San Francisco (and they're not some fish that fell out of a bin in Chinatown and onto the sidewalk):

Just like last time, the first person to come up with the right answer gets a prize (the first person to guess the first one'll get something).

And the winner of the last "Where?" is...my dear friend Kali! Sorta. She guessed that she'd seen this view from somewhere around 16th & Valencia in San Francisco (because it was "close, but no cigar, she gets a set of postcards instead of notecards :-P ):

View Larger Map

In reality, it's on Capp just south of 18th; it was interesting to see how the three small cottages had been placed on one standard lot with a small alley entrance and a small garden in back, and the view to the church just closed the deal. In the great way that histories and peoples and communities overlap in an older urban neighborhood, the 19th century religious structure is now the Korean United Presbyterian Church; the corner of Capp and 18th houses Balompie Cafe, a great Salvadorean eatery; and out of view to the left of the church is the classic early-60's era Whiz Burger Drive-In. Anyone know if these may be "earthquake cottages?"

View Larger Map

ON THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

A zeizen pesach, y'all.

Okay, I have to admit something embarrassing and shameful: I'm addicted to "The Streets of San Francisco" re-runs on KOFY. I record it daily and probably watch one or two episodes each week.

But how can I resist?! The great low-tech montage opening (I wish I'd had the Fisherman's Wharf segment when I ran a workshop with their business improvement district!), the Henry Mancini score, Karl Malden and Michael Douglas, old-style single-stream plotlines, police work without glitzy CSI techniques or even cellphones, the vintage cars and clothes and slang, "special guest stars" like Desi Arnaz Jr. or Ricky Nelson or Susan Dey, and all the tv character actors I remember from my youth. You can literally see the smoke of the whole post- Summer of Love/Patty Hearst/Zebra Killer middle-America/establishment fascination and fear of San Francisco swirling around in the long shots. And of course there are token African-American, Latino, Asian-American, and women good and bad guys, and so far I've seen one lesbian killer and two different male characters in two different episodes pretending to be gay...

I remember watching the show with my father as a kid in New York. Now one of the great attractions is seeing familiar or lost buildings and sections of the city--a common locale is the flophouses along the Embarcadero. And while, as a San Franciscan, I'm still not up to my New York caliber of "that's the corner of 28th & 8th," it's a joy to be able to recognize quite a bit even in the nabes, and catch those "they just turned from Market onto 19th Ave" splices.

KOFY airs the episodes in order, and the time slot right after TSOSF is a viewer-chosen half-hour; right now it's "The Flying Nun." I kid you not, peeps voted for it ("you really like her, you really like her"). You know what that's a play on, right???

SOME FAVE OAKTOWN EATS: FALAFEL, VIETNAMESE, & KOREAN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Here are some of our food faves in Oakland; each one is our fave for that type of food in the Bay Area:

Oasis Market: Even though I really like the humorously-named Ali Baba's Cave in The Mission for shwerma and wraps and appetizers, I think the best falafel I have ever had are at the Oasis, a newish Yemeni market at Telegrah and 31st in Oakland's Pill Hill neighborhood: they're light, crunchy, and full of flavor and texture, with no oiliness; really a joy to pop in your mouth. I'm eager to try some of their Yemeni specialties, desserts, olives, and cheeses.

Ohgane: If you saw my recent post on about being served eighteen (!!!) amazing panchan at a recent dinner at Ohgane, at 40th and Broadway, you know I think they have the best Korean food in the Bay Area. Great and generous panchan, but everything else we've had has also been first-rate, including appetizer pancakes, soups, and bibimbop in all its variations. It can get quite crowded and smokey late in the evening with big Korean parties.

Pho 84: For awhile, this was our fave Friday evening take-out spot, and Pho 84, downtown (or Uptown?) at 17th and Franklin is still our fave Vietnamese place in the Bay Area. They have great soups, appetizers, curries, and claypot dishes, and make their own lemonade. Michelle or her husband, sister, or mother are usually there and everyone's always welcoming. They have a sister restaurant, Ba Vo, on 13th Street, with the same menu, that's busier at lunch; and are opening another in Walnut Creek. They can get really busy at dinner.

Any faves (Oaktown or otherwise) you wanna share, or comments or additions?

A GOOD HOMEMADE BAGEL ("and from a deli-owner that's a rave...")

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Over the holidays I decided to try my hand at making home-made, whole-wheat bagels. My recent New York City sojourn was the impetus: having regular access to real bagels made we want to see if I could re-create them at home in San Francisco, where pretty much all we have are typical, 21st-century, American pseudo-bagels that are fist-sized and spongey. I wanted to see if I could create the small, dense, chewy authentic bagels I remember fondly from the Sunday brunches of my New York youth. And I wanted to see if I could do it with whole-wheat flour.

With a little experimentation, trial-and-error (the first batch resembled pretzels more than bagels), and tweaking of recipes, I think I crafted apretty good version in terms of taste, consistency, density, and look. And people, including other native New Yorkers seemed to agree. The multi-step process of kneading, proofing, boiling, and baking was more fun than hard. I'll definitely be doing them again, and a couple of people have expressed interest in learning, so I may host some sort of bagel-making get-together-cum-workshop! Especially if there's real interest...

Of course, it being me, Project Bagel steamrolled from there to include making home-made soy cream cheeses, home-made whitefish salad, home-made braunschweiger (liverwurst), and home-brined pickled onions and kosher-style dill pickles. And of course I had to include two old favorite go-alongs: home-cured gravlax and home-made chopped liver. I'll post the bagel and other recipes soon.

It was pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. "And from a deli owner, that's a rave!" Anyone know where that's from?

HULA & TONY BENNETT: ANOTHER UNLIKELY DUET

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

The invitation for this year's San Francisco Symphony Black & White Ball fundraiser, featuring a performance by Tony Bennett and k.d. lang made me think of something I love running across on tv: the old Union Bank-sponsored short that KQED has recently started playing again between regular programming. I know it's corny, but I really love this piece and the combo of hula, SF scenes, and the old standard; and when it comes on it makes me slow down, appreciate home, and I just get a warm, fuzzy feeling :-P...

The dancers are from the local hula group and school Na Lei Hulu who we've seen perform at the SF Aloha Festival in the Presidio, a fun annual event with great performers and food. I find the whole Bay Area-Hawaii connection really interesting: Did you know the Bay Area has the largest Hawaiian population outside Hawaii? And the reverse connection too: I have two dear (non-Hawaiian) Bay Area friends who spent part of their childhoods in Hawaii, and that seems to be not uncommon.

We recently saw Tony Bennett perform on PBS when Obama presented Stevie Wonder with the Gershwin Prize at the White House. Did you know Bennett was actively involved in the civil rights movement in the 60s?

I KNOW I SHOULD BE HAPPIER THE HEALTHCARE BILL PASSED: But I also know the work of real health, medicine, cost, and insurance change has to be ahead. And just in case you didn't hear how low our 'national conversation' sank this past weekend:

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 06:32:00 +0000

Tea Party Protesters Scream 'Nigger' And 'Faggot' at Congressmen

By William Douglas  | McClatchy Newspapers
 WASHINGTON — Demonstrators outside the U.S. Capitol, angry over the proposed health care bill, shouted "nigger" Saturday at U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia congressman and civil rights icon who was nearly beaten to death during an Alabama march in the 1960s. 

Protesters also shouted obscenities at other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, spat on at least one black lawmaker and confronted an openly gay congressman with taunts. 

Capitol Police escorted the members of Congress into the Capitol after the confrontation. At least one demonstrator was reported arrested. 

"They were shouting, sort of harassing," Lewis said. "But, it's okay, I've faced this before. It reminded me of the 60s. It was a lot of downright hate and anger and people being downright mean."

Lewis said he was leaving the Cannon office building to walk to the Capitol to vote when protesters shouted "Kill the bill, kill the bill," Lewis said.

"I said 'I'm for the bill, I support the bill, I'm voting for the bill'," Lewis said.

A colleague who was accompanying Lewis said people in the crowd responded by saying "Kill the bill, then the n-word."

"It surprised me that people are so mean and we can't engage in a civil dialogue and debate," Lewis said.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., said he was a few yards behind Lewis and distinctly heard "nigger."

"It was a chorus," Cleaver said. "In a way, I feel sorry for those people who are doing this nasty stuff - they're being whipped up. I decided I wouldn't be angry with any of them."
Cleaver's office said later in a statement that he'd also been spat upon and that Capitol Police had arrested his assailant. The statement praised the police, who Cleaver said escorted the members of Congress into the Capitol past the demonstrators.

   "The man who spat on the congressman was arrested, but the congressman has chosen not to press charges," the statement said. 

 "This is not the first time the Congressman has been called the 'n' word and certainly not the worst assault he has endured in his years fighting for equal rights for all Americans," the statement said. "That being said, he is disappointed that in the 21st century our national discourse has devolved to the point of name calling and spitting." 

Protesters also used a slur as they confronted Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., an openly gay member of Congress. 

Frank told the Boston Globe that the incident happened as he was walking from the Longworth office building to the Rayburn office building, both a short distance from the Capitol. Frank said the crowd consisted of a couple of hundred of people and that they referred to him as 'homo.' A writer for The Huffington Post said the protesters called Frank a "faggot."

"I'm disappointed with the unwillingness to be civil," Frank told the Globe. "I was, I guess, surprised by the rancor. What it means is obviously the health care bill is proxy for a lot of other sentiments, some of which are perfectly reasonable, but some of which are not."

"People out there today, on the whole, were really hateful," Frank said. "The leaders of this movement have a responsibility to speak out more."

Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the Capitol on Saturday as the House Democratic leadership worked to gather enough votes to enact a health care overhaul proposal that has become the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's domestic agenda. Most were affiliated with so-called tea party organizations that originally sprang up during last summer's protests of the health care proposals.

Heated debate has surrounded what role race plays in the motivations of the tea party demonstrators. During protests last summer, demonstrators displayed a poster depicting Obama as an African witch doctor complete with headdress, above the words "OBAMACARE coming to a clinic near you." Former President Jimmy Carter asserted in September that racism was a major factor behind the hostility that Obama's proposals had faced.

The claim brought angry rebuttals from Republicans. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, who is black, accused Carter of playing the "race card."

On Saturday, Frank, however, said he was sorry Republican leaders didn't do more to disown the protesters.

Some Republicans "think they are benefiting from this rancor," he said.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., said Saturday's ugliness underscored for him that the health care overhaul isn't the only motivation for many protesters.

"I heard people saying things today I've not heard since March 15th, 1960, when I was marching to try and get off the back of the bus," Clyburn said. "This is incredible, shocking to me."

He added, "A lot of us have said for a long time that none of this is about health care at all. It's about extending a basic fundamental right to people who are less powerful."

BACHELOR BREAKFASTS: SECRET MEALS FOR ONE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:02:00 +0000

The Fiancé had a workshop the other weekend, so The Omnivore got to make a Bachelor Breakfast: real, smoked pork bacon--two whole slices!--and two slices of red onion; two eggs added to the cast iron skillet when the bacon and onions are turned and almost done; and a handful of fresh spinach added and tossed with the onions just before turning off the flame. And then served--to myself--by bringing the skillet to table. I do love it. And you know the sin of omission in the description above is that everything's cooked in the bacon renderings and nothing's drained, right?

What constitutes a Bachelor Meal? It's a one-pot dish that's quick, easy, and cooked and ideally served--or eaten--from the pot. And if it has the slight whiff of treyf, all the better. My dear friend Dena's food blog has a bunch of great posts illuminating the genre. An old favorite of mine used to be packaged mac 'n' cheese with hotdogs cooked in the same water; with frozen peas added just before draining, slicing the 'dogs, and finishing it off, and--maybe--dishing it all out into a bowl. Even with Annie's mac-in-cheese, turkey dogs, and soy milk; the treyf's still the processed, packaged food and white pasta. But the real deterent is that it's unbelievably hard not to treat the whole shebang as a single serving.

But I swear, my weekday breakfast is much healthier:

And some of the more usual weekend breakfasts of turkey hash, breakfast quesadillas, and homemade turkey sausage chez nous:

I'll have to post about my recent re-obsession with omelet-making...

CAVORTING AT BAKER BEACH (WE'RE TALKIN' 'BOUT... DOLPHINS*)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:40:00 +0000

Did you know there's a regular pod of dolphins hanging out at Baker Beach? Pretty damn amazing. I saw these three in November when I was doing site visits as a committeemember advising the Presidio Trust about changes to the Coastal Trail.

(My main recommendation was to start with a matrix of users and place typologies because, like so many other natural and coastal areas in San Francisco, there's such a broad range of visitors, i.e. tourists, birders, seniors, hikers, nudists. And then the best re-design would address which places are best for what mix of users, rather than broadly making this narrow, steep ribbon of coast just a little better for everyone.)

I'd read about the dolphins, and arrived early before the trail got busy and was just scanning the water while I waited. And then they were there: jumping and moving about 150 feet offshore. It was pretty amazing and really makes me appreciate how close nature is here in our city.

What reminded me about the Baker Beach dolphins were two separate radio interviews on KALW today; the local "Your Call" and "Earthbeat," a great Dutch environmental program, both featured the makers of "The Cove," the Academy Award-winning documentary about dolphin hunting in Japan, that we haven't seen yet, but want to very much (and are simultaneously a little afraid of--can anyone vouch for it???).

What they described about the hunt was pretty frightening, and what they described about dolphins was pretty amazing. Which reminded me of a great David Attenborough documentary on dolphins (with clips here in three different parts). And an on-line conversation I'd had with my dear friend Dena about a scientist who considers dolphins "non-human persons" because of their intelligence. What do you think, or have you seen them?

*I'll do a post soon about a great hike we enjoy on a recently-reconstructed trail leading down to a small, beautiful, clothes-optional beach in the Presidio.

THE STORY'S IN THE RETAILING: Some Weird & Wonderful Store Signage & Packaging

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:54:00 +0000

WTF?! Do these retailers have no clue? :-P

This first one makes me remember the time on Upper Broadway, when my dear friend Martha said, "Nice box!" to this big, handsome man in an expensive suit passing us in the crosswalk, sporting a sizeable...suit box from Barneys.

Or my idea for a Hooter's counterpoint called, "The Big Basket," staffed by muscle-y men in tight clothes, where all the food is served...in baskets.

But I digress--to get back to unintentionally funny retail signage--the Target sign was actually an Easter promotion for a company oddly named 'A Brilliant Basket.'

This one (sorry for the bad pic taken at Sur La Table back in the day with the bad camera on my old bad Blackberry) is hilarious--almost like those sadly misguided--and clueless--"teabaggers." The manufacturer's website has better images of their flavored mixes intended for 'rimming' glasses for mixed drinks.

And finally, this one from 99 Ranch, the California Asian supermarket chain, over a refrigerated case with pre-marinated meats. I know this starts to cross over into ethnic-restaurant-menu territory and that's really a whole other story...

Any you'd like to share?

KNOW WHERE THIS IS ??? GUESS CORRECTLY AND WIN A PRIZE...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:31:00 +0000

Ah... an early-spring view of picturesque whaling cottages set in a salt-air swept Nantucket garden, with the village Congregationalist church in the background.

NOT. It's in San Francisco. Do you know where?

I realize I've been collecting these unexpected glimpses as I explore and photograph the Bay Area, New York, and other places. And I thought a fun way to share them would be to see if anyone else recognizes them. Then I can give you the skinny in an upcoming post.

So if you think you know your city, and are first to guess correctly, you'll get a prize: a limited-edition set of four notecards and envelopes from my recent photography show. Hey, people paid ten bucks for them during the show (and they'll soon be available on etsy)!

(P.S. Keep posted: Awaken's asked me to create a new show for sometime in the summer!)

GREAT FINDS: FAVE DOUGHNUTS, BURGERS, AND ICE CREAM IN THE BAY AREA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:24:00 +0000

No surprise that all this good food's in San Francisco's Mission. None of these three places are brand-new, but if you haven't tried them you owe yourself a visit; each has great food and focuses on sourcing ingredients locally and from organic providers. Any faves you wanna share?

Best Doughnuts: It's weird the Bay Area doesn't have that many great doughnuts (though the vegan doughnuts at Awaken Cafe in Oakland are yum-my). We've only tried a quarter of the varieties Dynamo Donuts carries, but they've all been amazing: spiced chocolate with cinnamon and chipotle, pistachio and lemon, coconut and coconut milk (needless to say only the person who doesn't think coconut tastes like nail clippings really savored that one), and maple-glazed bacon apple (obviously only The Omnivore devoured that one.) They're on 24th Street between York and Hampshire (why, even before PDAs, Google, and Yelp, have Bay Area papers never listed cross streets in reviews???!!!) and their storefront window is always hopping and the staff is really friendly.

Best Burger: Urbun Burger (NOT Urban Burger) is now my fave non-restaurant burger--heads above local mini-chains Bistro Burger, Barney's, and Burger Joint--and while the food at Mission Burger may be good, the the distracted, blank stares from the greasy-haired hipster cooks kinda spoils the experience--and besides it's only to-go. The beef and turkey burgers here are great, as are the whole-wheat buns, and the sweet-potato fries and onion rings. The burgers are customizable, they have veggie burgers, and the staff is really helpful. They're on Valencia near 17th Street.

Best Ice Cream: Okay, by now everybody, even friends and strangers in fa-flung places like Eugene, New York, and France know about Bi-Rite Creamery and their great flavors, combinations, cones, ice-cream sandwiches and other treats. And you may even be hip to their recent expansion and additional seating. But did you know that any day now, their store-front window dispensing soft-serve (or custard ) will open ???!!! Yes. Everything Sam and his family does is wonderful from the grocery to his gallery, so I have no doubts about this new addition, at 18th Street near Dolores. They have great sorbets and soy ice cream options, so I'm hoping against hope they've figured out a custard (as we used to call it in New York) for the lactose-intolerant...

Q.W.E.P.*: TWO MEDIA FINDS + THAT 'OTHER' DEXTER

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:54:00 +0000

"The Most Dangerous Man in America:" I really recommend this documentary about Daniel Ellsberg and the "Pentagon Papers" that my friend Tom and I saw recently; I'm embarrassed to say that I had only a very general understanding and the vaguest childhood recollection about this pivotal episode in American history and the major role it played in the Vietnam War, the downfall of the Nixon administration, and freedom of the press. (Fellow Hunter College High School Alumnae/i: Did we spend time on this in American History??? Or was I just cutting class that day/week/month/year?) I thought it told a great story about one "establishment" man's evolution, choices, and eventual devotion to peace.

"This Emotional Life:" David and I really enjoyed this PBS three-part, six-hour series produced by Nova and created by Harvard social psychologist Dan Gilbert; it goes beyond the recent 'happiness studies' to really examine the scientific basis of how we live in this world, interact with others, and react to and change our circumstances. It explains new scientific discoveries as well as common perceptions and misperceptions; shows real-life, powerful, case studies; and includes short comments from well-known, popular-culture individuals who talk about or use their emotional stories in their writing, acting, or work. Gilbert's personal/professional story's also pretty cool: high-school drop-out to Harvard professor and Guggenheim Fellow.

Dexter Wells: Does anyone else who reads The Sunday New York Times Magazine regularly get weirded out by Pete Wells' regular column about his experiences cooking with and for his son Dexter? Food, and the growing, cooking, and eating of it is a very, very, very big thing in my life; and a kid who enjoys food, eating, and cooking is great; but Wells' obsession with how his life is being shaped by how his child's life is being shaped by food makes the child seem almost ... Damien-esque. Or Wells himself like Shirley Partridge chasing after the schoolbus to keep up with her hipster kids. Anyway, what reminded me about that was that this week's column had a recipe for Cuban Black Beans (and in my earlier black beans post I forgot to link you to my dear friend Dena's great recipe too...).

And, Oops, Actual Affordability: Lastly, I updated yesterday's post, because I neglected to mention the important point that, in addition to not being TOD or green, how 'affordable' is affordable housing that's sited where residents will need to own and run cars to get anyplace?

*quick week's end post

THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS NO CLOTHES: THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE NEITHER TOD* OR GREEN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:28:00 +0000

I like local architect David Baker: he runs a cool firm, supports good orgs and causes, bikes everywhere, and has designed a lot of in-fill, multi-family projects around the Bay in recent years, with a lot more on the drawing boards.

And I'm a big supporter of SPUR--the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association--and their work and programming, which until recently was headed by the amazing Jim Chappell.

But two recent SPUR events were billed as tours of new green, *transit-oriented development (TOD) projects designed by Baker: Ironhorse in West Oakland and Tassafaronga Village in East Oakland. And I would venture that ultimately, because of where they are and how unconnected they are, they are definitely not TOD, and ultimately not green.

Ironhorse is one of the new developments around the historic, but still abandoned, Central Station in West Oakland. The tour included a twenty-five minute walk through blocks of empty lots, warehouses, and manufacturing from the West Oakland BART station--how is that TOD? We know there are few places to build new, affordable housing in the Bay Area, and I believe fervently in brownfield remediation, but how green is it--in fact how healthy is it--to build new housing between manufacturing, the Nimitz Freeway, and the Bay Area's major shipping port?

It's nice to see that the tour of Tassafaronga Village involved getting SPUR members out on their bikes, but that's probably because again, it's a twenty-five minute walk through warehouses, empty lots, manufacturing, and major trucking routes to the Coliseum BART station.

I'm not saying that these are not worthwhile, well-designed, and much-needed affordable housing developments; but they are not TOD; and I think we need to have more thought and discussion about the inaccessible, unhealthy places we build new affordable housing in the Bay Area, and that ultimately, 'affordable' housing where residents need to own cars isn't even affordable housing.

And in case you've never seen the inside of Central Station, abandoned since rail service was discontinued in the 70s, here are some pictures from a recent event I attended there--pretty amazing:

DOES THOM MAYNE HATE BICYCLES??? (and insider photos from special tours of two Thom Mayne-designed buildings)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:40:00 +0000

A short piece in Momentum, a magazine for urban cyclists, about the struggle by employees to get bike racks installed in San Francisco's newish Thom Mayne-designed Federal Building, made me remember these posters I saw put up by frustrated students advocating for bike racks in the brand-new, Mayne-designed Cooper Union academic building in New York.

We know that architects can only design in response to their clients' project programs, but Mayne and his morphosis architecture firm--who have utilized their starchitect heft to ensure specific design elements remain in their projects--pride themselves on their progressive green and urban vision. But how sustainable and connected can new, large-scale, central city projects be without secure and accessible bike storage for tenants?

I actually love the overall aesthetic and design vocabulary for both these projects (I grew up in a mid-60s Brutalist/Corbu inspired building so I get my affinity for raw concrete honest) the way they fit into and relate to their urban contexts, and the attempt to create gathering spaces within the buildings. But I think the bike issue is a good example of a lack of follow-through: I saw first-hand that the implementation isn't well-done, detailing and construction are not top-drawer, and most importantly, many of the spaces and connections within the buildings don't work well for users.

I also got a look inside the newish, Caltran Los Angeles District headquarters when I was working with the City, Caltran, and Metro on a Los Angeles TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) Strategic Plan.

SPILLING THE BEANS + A QUICK MAGAZINE RANT

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:51:00 +0000

Carbs of Color: My dear friend Dena's mention in her great food blog about a recent post of mine made me realize that, in typical fashion, when I talked about our "non-white food diet" (i.e. whole foods and grains as much as possible, processed foods and 'white' carbs as little as possible), I alluded to the increasingly well-known health benefits, but neglected to mention the equally important personal reason was, as time went by, whenever I ate processed carbs, I would fall into a "carb coma," feeling tired and sluggish after meals. Now, even with whole grains and less processed carbs, I try to limit grains and starches at breakfast and lunch, since feeling a little sleepy after dinner is actually a good thing :-P And yes, that does mean no white potatoes, too.

Ecumenical Beans: To follow up that explanation and requests, here's another legume meal that we love: Black Bean Soup over brown rice (often called Moors and Christians in Latin America) and Braised Broccoli Rabe. The little egghead-y touch we love is the Chinese fermented black beans or sauce I add--I kinda love the idea of black beans and black beans--and it adds a nice salty/smokiness.

Soaking the dried beans overnight results in an approximately 45 minute cooking time the next day: I brown sliced turkey bacon in hot olive oil in a hot pot; saute large-diced onions, carrots, and celery until soft; stir in diced green pepper, sliced cremini mushrooms, minced garlic, and ginger, fermented black beans or sauce, sage, and bay leaves; stir in some diced tomatoes or tomato paste and red wine; add the drained black beans and stock to cover; bring to a boil and lower to a simmer until the beans are tender; adjust the salt and pepper added at each stage. Serve with parsley and lemon wedges over brown rice.

Slice off any tough parts of broccoli rabe stems. Heat olive oil in a hot pan; add sliced garlic, ginger, and hot pepper flakes; add broccoli rabe (no need to dry from rinsing) and salt and pepper and cook until tender; squeeze some lemon and serve.

The Ultimate Food City???: Dena's post also reminded me about March's Saveur, a magazine I usually love because of the great way the focus on the food of a place and culture in each issue. But this cover story focused on L.A. as the "ultimate food city," and waxed poetic about their pizza, farmers' markets, Asian cuisines, and local food. Um, at the risk of offending you Angelenos, NOT. I admit I have a strange love-hate relationship with Lala-land, but compared to San Francisco, New York, smaller places like Portland (OR and ME) and many, many other places, there is good, innovative food, but definitely not the best and not even a place incubating new trends or tastes (unless you count 80's Wolfgang Puck pizzas as a good thing)--and how can anything be local when you have to drive thirty miles of seven-lane highways just to get to dinner?

(From) HAIL TO DARWIN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:21:00 +0000

Hail, Hail, the Hail's All Here: We occasionally get the odd bit of hail, but San Francisco had a truly freak hailstorm today--lasting a good five minutes with hail the size of peas, accompanied by a ten degree drop in temperature, and bracketed by rain. In my quick vid you can see my window fogging up because the temp was dropping so quickly, and that's the sound of it bouncing off the windowsill, not popcorn popping:

Half an hour of rain later, the hail was still in drifts in the tree beds and in the corners of the garage doorway.

Evolving Darwin: Following in the natural phenomena vein, the Oscars hoopla reminded me about "Creation" a film about Charles Darwin writing and struggling with "On the Origin of Species," and based upon the book "Annie's Box" by Darwin's great-great grandson that my friend Tom and I saw last month. It was a well-done period piece with interesting insight into Darwin and his marriage and family, but the premise that the twenty years delay between his voyage on The Beagle and publication were due solely to internal and domestic (Unitarian!) religious angst and family tragedy seemed simplistic. So it was serendipitous to find an old Smithsonian magazine in my doctor's office with a great article on how it took that long for him to fully grasp evolution. One unbelievable thing is that the film got such a small U.S. release because of anti-evolutionist concerns.

QUICK WEEK'S END POSTS: GARDEN UPDATE, HEIRLOOM SEEDS, HIDDEN PG&E BEAUX-ARTS INTERIOR (and mini SF CHRON rant...)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:42:00 +0000

Reworking the Plot: I finally admitted to myself that some of those older seeds I'd sown just weren't going to germinate--the only way to know was try--and filled in with new arugula, mache, and mizuna seeds. It was a joy working in the garden on the first recent sunny day: the adjoining mini-park was packed with parents watching their kids play, dogs and their owners, young couples, and best of all, a classical violinist playing Grieg sonatas.

Heirloom Possessions: I purchased the new seeds at the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds retail store recently opened in the historic Sonoma Bank Building in downtown Petaluma. A fitting home for an exhaustive heirloom 'seed bank,' and the staff is warm and knowledgeable; I'll definitely be back for summer vegetable seeds once I kit out a seed-starting set-up in the garage.

Hidden Beaux-Arts Interior: PG&E was doing work on a substation I pass on my bike on the way to the garden, and it was a treat to get a glimpse of the hidden, early-20th century Beaux-Arts industrial interior with three-story colonnades supported by classical columns surrounding a central, skylighted atrium for heavy machinery. This is the kind of stuff John King could highlight in the San Francisco Chronicle if he actually knew and walked the city, or had a real curiosity or knowledge about architecture, urban design, communities, context, or precedence.

ORGANIC FARM IRON CHEF, or LIVING (LARGE) OFF THE LAND: GETAWAY PART III

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:28:00 +0000

As good as getting to see the farm animals up close was the Full House Farm organic vegetable garden just for guests where we (literally) had the pick of beautiful, cool weather produce.

I'd decided not to bring any food, supplies, or equipment (not even my trusty cast-iron skillet)--or spices, herbs, oils, or vinegars. For those who know me, this was big, especially because we were hoping to eat in quite a bit: but I decided it was a lesson in trust--that the garden would provide, that a 'fully-equipped kitchen' meant just that, and that we could create good meals with whatever we found.

What we found, cooked, and ate was great: broccoli, cauliflower, onions, carrots, and beets for roasting; swiss chard and beet and mustard greens for sauteing; all different types of kale for soup; and arugula, mesclun, mizuna, and other greens for salads topped by broccoli flowers. And plenty of rosemary, thyme, and other herbs.

The great Wild Flour Breads also got turned into croutons for salad and soup, and the freshly-laid eggs (can you tell which ones came from the araucanas?) made great omelets and breakfasts (can you see the color and height of those yolks??). Christine's homemade goat cheese was great on the beets and toast, and we got to sample her homemade goat ice milk and yoghurt too.

It was fun trying a completely vegetarian getaway with such incredible materials at hand. We heartily recommend the Full House Farm experience; we found it on the Weekend Sherpa blog, a favorite resource for Bay Area outdoor adventures.

And to end this trip, some veggie porn (or truly raw food): "Aloha, from Carrot Man!" (May not be suitable for all ages! :-P )

HORSES AND CHICKENS AND GOATS, OH MY!: RECENT GETAWAY PART II

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:48:00 +0000

On our recent West Sonoma trip, an incredible find was Full House Farm, where we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in the Studio Cottage. Cozy, comfortable, fully fitted out and perfectly sited on a secluded, wooded slope on a working, organic farm west of Sebastopol.

Included in the very reasonable rate was a farm tour by owner Christine Cole. Christine really took the time to tell us about and introduce us to her animals, and really let us interact with them, and answer all of our questions. She clearly loves her animals and caring for and sharing them with her guests.

We talked in the stables as she led her horses in and fed them, we helped to feed the chickens, and Willow and Oreo, her two goats, nuzzled like puppies eager to be scratched. We can't wait to go back and learn how to milk them.

Christine also keeps sheep and has plenty of wild turkeys roaming her fields.

It was such a treat to stay right on the farm and get an introduction to farm life, and also be some place so quiet, removed, and relaxing. We didn't do much beyond walking the farm and country roads, visiting the animals, listening to the birds, sipping wine on the deck, watching the fog and sunsets, and soaking in the hot tub each day of our stay.

THREE GREAT WEST SONOMA FINDS: RECENT GETAWAY PART I

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:25:00 +0000

We recently had a great getaway in West Sonoma County, and on our first day's transition to a slower pace, we made a couple of stops along the way:

A winery, a general store, day spa, and Wild Flour Bread make up the entire town of Freestone, but it's worth a detour just for the bakery: all of the baked goods that come out of their wood-fired, brick oven are incredible--we stocked up on savory breads and sweet rolls that we enjoyed our whole trip--and the staff is so warm, they have a beautiful organic garden to tour, and the place is a treat for all your senses.

The old railroad town of Occidental isn't much larger, but it is at one end of my favorite country drive in California--Coleman Valley Road--and home to two, competing, old-fashioned, family-run, Italian-American, red-sauce eateries of the kind that have disappeared from San Francisco's North Beach. They're both good, fun, and historic, but my vote goes to Negri's: it's not fancy or specifically organic, but it's incredibly good, generous, and everything's served with open arms and smiles, original 50's decor and music--and it's the kind of honest, homemade food I remember feasting on as a kid on visits to New York's Little Italy. Full dinners are served family-style with (a tureen of) minestrone, salads, antipasti, salami, ravioli, and zucchini fritters, all included and brought to the table to share. And it's reasonable and they work hard to accommodate any dietary needs.

Patrick Amiot is a Sebastopol artist who works with found objects, and his larger pieces can be seen all over town and West Sonoma. A great treat is to stop at Screamin' Mimi's for some all-natural ice cream cones and walk down four-block long Florence Avenue, where Patrick lives and works, and where he creates smaller-scaled sculptures for his neighbors' front lawns. Neighbors bring him parts, and many of the sculptures reflect his neighbors' vocations or avocations.

At the south end of the street are the Florence Lofts, a well-designed, small live-work development that nicely separates and integrates retail, offices, and homes; public and private space, parking and walkability, and storm and graywater remediation. The aesthetics aren't mine, but the design and scale are great, with a larger building with retail facing busier Bodega Avenue, and the office/residential along Florence, with good land-, hard-, and waterscape details throughout.

QUICK FOOD POST: LENTILS, CROQUETTES, and BREAKFAST SAMMIES

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:37:00 +0000

After seeing an article that referred to some actor's "weird, no-white food diet," I felt like I wanted to show some of the ways we've been trying to eliminate as much processing as possible in our diet, and focusing on whole food and grains, and combos of ingredients and cooking that help us better access nutrients. And my dear friend Dena and other friends exploring gluten-free diets got me thinking about how much we like beans and legumes. So here's a dinner and breakfast from a recent weekend:

Braised Lentils
I browned turkey bacon and turkey kielbasa in hot olive oil; and added cut celery, carrots, leeks, and red onion, and salt and pepper and cooked until softened; and stirred in garlic, bay leaves, sage, and thyme; and added sliced mustard and turnip greens and kale to wilt, and then lentils, chicken stock, red wine, and water to cover, and brought to a boil and simmered for about 30 minutes until lentils were tender. We had it over barley, followed by an arugula and spinach salad.

Whole-Wheat/Yoghurt Biscuits
I mixed 1 cup whole-wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and salt and pepper in the food processor; thoroughly mixed in 2 tablespoons cut-up, cold butter, and mixed in 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt until the dough gathered together. I kneaded it briefly, and formed the dough into 4 1/2 thick circles and baked on parchment paper in a 450' oven for 10 minutes.

I didn't add cheese, shallots, or chives to the dough because I was using in breakfast sandwiches: I sliced the biscuits in half and melted muenster on them, and added spinach, caramelized onions, turkey bacon, and a fried egg to each.

Sweet Potato Croquettes
I mashed sweet potatoes boiled until tender with grated asiago, pinches of nutmeg and sage, salt and pepper, an egg, and enough whole-wheat flour to form croquettes; coated them with panko crumbs, and pan fried them in hot olive oil until browned.

I'm sure I'll have new recipe and menu ideas after finishing Michael Pollan's Food Rules; it's next up on my nightstand. In the meantime, any good-food-choice strategies you use? Or gluten-free ideas I can pass along to friends?

QUICK POSTS: YOGA TOES + THE PLOT THICKENS + 18 PANCHAN!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:32:00 +0000

YOGA TOES: I'm feeling very grateful for yoga this week. We take a regular restorative hatha yoga class, and I am constantly amazed at how such a gentle practice challenges, strengthens, centers, and opens me. It's a great class: people are serious and committed but low-key, and there's no jockeying for a spot and no 'yoga' clothing. One man brings lemons from his tree, and I've brought lemon bars and lemon shortbread made from them to share, and people came to see my "Catching The Sun" show, but the class is too small to be cliquish. And I love our teacher Erin, who really thinks about and explains the poses, how we progress through them, why we are doing them, how they should feel, and how we can ease or extend them. And I really appreciate taking the class with David: as something to share, and also for the place I am for the yoga.

But my feet get cold in class (this is NOT bikram!) and I've seen some special yoga socks--anyone have recommendations???

THE PLOT THICKENS: Week Two at the community garden plot. I know you can barely see the little lettuce and greens sprouts, but I get a certain frisson...from germinating frisée. And one of the fun things about lettuces is how fast they sprout. I'm glad these older seeds are still viable, and I'm very happy with my cage and screen: when I've stopped by the birds have been voraciously partaking of the garden buffet in other plots, and my seeds have been undisturbed by them or our heavy rains (but nicely damp).

18 PANCHAN: I love, love, love Korean food, and one of the ways I judge Korean restaurants is by the quality and generosity of panchan, the little tastes that come with and are incorporated into every meal. Our favorite place in the Bay Area is Ohgane in Oakland, and I just had to share this quick pic of...18 panchan! That's the most I've ever been served anywhere, including there, and every single one--including the scary little fishies--was the tastiest, freshest morsel of goodness!