Category Archives: San Francisco

I Spy Fall Cookie Decorating Tips

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I miss the immaculate falls of Spokane. In college, we would venture to Greenbluff to pick apples and take walks through the vibrant leaves. Sadly, the main downside of living in the San Francisco Bay Area is the lack of seasons.

Gonzaga University in the fall

Gonzaga University in the fall

To combat the missing absence of atmospheric changes, I’ve taken to baking and cooking my way through the seasons.

I decorated my favorite sugar cookies using two techniques; combining icing colors and chocolate melted candies.

Making the icing: 

2 1/4 tbs of meringue powder with 1 bag of powered sugar and 1 cup water. You can add flavoring such as vanilla or peppermint if desired. Use an electric mixer and beat for about 4-5 minutes.

Applying the icing: 

Outline the cookie using an icing bag with the tip used to write (it is just a small circle tip, nothing fancy). Then go back and forth horizontally between the outline to fill in the cookie. If you apply enough icing, it should spread out to fill between the cracks. Icing with meringue powder needs to dry overnight.

Fun ideas for mixing colors: 

I discovered by combing the icing (not blending the colors together but leaving them touching but separate in the container) makes a fun and somewhat realistic leaf cookie!

tri-color cookies

Applying the chocolate 

I really like adding chocolate to sugar cookies because it isn’t very common. I find that a little bit of chocolate goes a long way and adds some fun decorations! Use candy melts and follow the directors on the package. Use an icing bag to pipe designs onto your cookies. In the winter, I like to use white chocolate or even the mint/green color to decorate my cookies.

Supplies:

I’ve slowly collected the following supplies  to decorate my cookies (all supplies can be purchased at Michael’s):

1) Meringue Powder is an egg substitute, you can use 2 1/4 tbs of meringue powder for 2lb bag of powder sugar.

2) Food Coloring, I used the professional cake decorating food coloring listed below. However, the food network recently published a brilliant way to create all the colors through the convention food dye that you can buy at Target.

Professional cake decorating food coloring (not that much more expensive than the store bought ones, and lasts longer!)

3) Cupcake decorating kit using the tip to write on cakes.

4) Milk chocolate candy melts

Candy melts come in various flavors and colors

One last comment…  Because sugar cookies are so labor intensive, I always make a double batch, which allows me to send cookies to two small-to-moderate sized work environments and keep some for home. Have fun with your edible art project!

I Spy a Healthy Working Lunch

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Working in the city makes it very easy to get caught up in the hussel of life. Forgetting breakfast, lunch and morning coffee, while fun to retrive between the endless nooks and crannies of San Francisco corners, is also expensive and can be very unhealthy.

Last Sunday, I cooked up a batch of quinoa salad to serve cold over a bed of lettuce. I divided the batch into four containers and took it to work (where I often house vinaigrette and can easily access salad bar spinach for under 2 dollars).

 

Quinoa Salad:

1 1/2 cups of quinoa
1 can of chicken broth (or 2 cups) 
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
chopped yellow, red and orange bell peppers
1 can of rinsed black beans
1 handful of largely chopped cucumbers and shredded carrorts
For the dressing: 
2-3 Tbs of Olive Oil
1/3 of a cup of red wine vinegarette
salt, pepper and chopped fresh basil

Instructions:

1) Cook the quinoa in a small pot over medium heat. To cook quinoa rinse grain (or don’t), and pour the liquid into the pot with the grain. Stir occasionally until the liquid has absorbed. About 20 minutes
2) Chop veggies, wash beans, set in medium size bowl.
3) In a smaller bowl mix together the dressing. Taste as you go, more vinegar may be needed for people who enjoy a tangy experience.
4) Stir quinoa in and service over a bed of spinach. Add some salad dressing for a little extra flavor!

Quinoa Salad

 

I Spy Chicken Pot Pi

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For the sake of story telling, let’s pretend I baked this pie today. One of my all-time favorite subtleties of the calendar occurs on March 14th, known by the mathematically aware as Pi Day.

Although this pie was inspired by a story I heard on NPR driving home from Yosemite National Park on Sunday, ever so serendipitously, I baked chicken pot pie on the week of Pi day.

Upper Lake Hike at Yosemite National Park

In the process of cooking a chicken pot pie with very little planning, I realized this is the perfect left over/end-of-the-week meal. You can literally put any vegetable or pre-cooked meat into a pie crust.

Like most people, I don’t have the luxuries of the day to be snobbish and make my own pie crust. However, Trader Joe’s has a great frozen crust, and if you feel like a health-nut, whole foods even has gluten free crusts in their freezer section. For my crust, I picked up whatever I could find in Target grocery section.

My easy-peasy Chicken Pot Pie

What you need:

Frozen or refrigerated pie crust (try to thaw in advance, if not place in watertight baggie in bowl of hot water for 10 minutes)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 egg
Veggies! (I used sweet snap peas, potatoes radishes, carrots and onion) 
Chicken breast or chicken scraps from leftover dinner (cooked & chopped)
A little bit of olive oil for sauteed onions

To make this pie, I literally opened my fridge and pulled out everything that was on the verge of wilting. Other idea: Mix pesto with chicken soup.

Instructions:

1) Butter/grease pie pan, put first pie crust down.

2) Saute chicken (if raw) in one pan

3) Saute onion and garlic until translucent

4) If you are using potatoes or carrots, boil water and cook for 5ish minutes. I used finger potatoes. I do this because my oven cooks so poorly, if you have a rockin’ oven, you can omit this step.

5) Throw the veggies and chicken into the pie pan

6) Top off with second pie crust, pinch sides. Brush whisked egg over the top. Cut slits to avoid an explosion.

7) Follow directions on pie crust, I baked mine at about 350 for 20 minutes, turned the over up to 400 for about 10 minutes, to reduced heat to 350 until golden brown. Again, I have a funky oven —

Happy Pi Day!

I spy something taboo

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The Alcatraz Jail blocks are named after well known locations such as Broadway and Times Square.

Driving  past San Quentin Prison reminded me just how much of a separation we create from those who break our laws and those who do not. As a culture and perhaps as a race, humanity pulls a lot of resources, time and effort into ignoring the taboo. For example, on my way to work I daily drive by one of the nation’s largest prisons without even a glimpse in its direction. When my dad pointed to the prison quietly sitting off of 580 west, I realized this car ride marked the first time I consciously noticed the epicenter.  Going to Alcatraz was a not-so-subtile reminder of how little effort it takes to ignore those who break the rules.

Alcatraz ferry, Alcatraz view

View from the Rock of the Bay Bridge

I have tried to visit Alcatraz on numerous occasions. Since the day my dad successfully purchased tickets, (a month in advance of his visit) I’ve been looking forward to this adventure. To get to the island we boarded a 12 minute ferry that whisked us away from the city onto a steep Rock.

Alcatraz Stairwell

The eeriness expected was subsided by hundreds of toursits, wailing children and cheerful park rangers. Nonetheless the slamming of cell blocks, worn walls and aged-old photographs speak for those who have passed through.

The trip to Alcatraz was a slightly sobering realization of how times changed. Hearing stories of inmates picking up their lives after returning from Alcatraz forced me to think about the shift in the economy and the job market. Now, the only place (I know) that hires on ex-cons is KFC and 7/11.  Back when Alcatraz was in full force, inmates were released  into the economy to support their families through manufacturing pipes, zippers and the like.

Prison with a view. Prisoners would walk down this stairway (not pictured below) to play baseball and spend some time outside. On a clear day you can see the Golden Gate Bridge and the City of San Francisco

To reel this post back to future visitors, I would advise from bringing kids under the age of 10 to the exhibit. At the risk of potentially putting the overly anxious child in therapy for a few months, the Alcatraz exhibit is simply too dark for the little ones. While there is no food  on the Rock, there are designated picnic areas and bottled water can be purchased on-site. Make sure to plan ahead and buy tickets in advanced. The City Pass is an exceptionally affordable way to see Alcatraz and the surrounding touristy sites of San Francisco, but the Alcatraz option is always the first to sell out.

I Spy Grapes

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Andretti Winery, Grapes, vinyard, napa valley, CA, Wine Country

I love Napa Valley because most vineyards allow people to walk right up to the vine.

Since moving here in June, I’ve visited Napa Vally/Sonoma seven times. The first few visits were looped into a marathon family wine tasting adventure, since then I drove the short distance (about an hour) from Berkeley to go to the outlet stores and enable my glutinous persona with Ritual coffee and the like. This weekend, we decided to trek to Napa Valley to experience wine country, yet again.

Andretti Winery

Since sleeping-in and large breakfasts are necessary on Saturday mornings, we hit the road later than anticipated. Between a late start and uncertain directionality, we visited three vineyards and only tasted at two; Andretti Winery, Hall Winery and  Sequoia Grove Winery.  Although I’ve been tasting at Hall before, they had a huge event going on and closed early.

Sunflower on the counter at Andretti Winery

Andretti Winery was interesting. As with most unplanned adventures, we just happened upon Andretti. After the tasting began, we realized that the Andretti Winery is also linked to the famous race car driver. Overall the tasting experience was expensive for the quality. I tasted two wines which I would purchase, the 2009 Barbera and the “mystery cab”, as described by a tasting room staff. While I wasn’t super impressed by the wines, the grounds were beautiful and well-kept with picnic areas and large grassy plots.

Andretti Winery's backyard

Our visit to the Sequoia Winery was splendid. With a quirky fun wine staff, an upbeat environment and wonderful wine, I will definitely add Sequoia Winery to my return list.  Although their reserve Cabernet was incredible and also untouchable by my meager budget, the Rebellious Red bled proved to be both delicious and affordable.

Next time I visit wine country I am going to:

1) Leave my GPS on and not discredit the directions

2) Try to go at off times. Saturday traffic is frustrating on a two-lane road.

3) Be prepared to purchase wine in larger quantities

I Spy Gardens

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An unusual rose in the Berkeley Botanical Rose Garden

The University of California Botanical Garden of Berkeley has been on the forefront of my blog-mind for two weeks. I expected to see many interesting types of plants (this expectation was upheld), but much to my surprise, I also found  micro-climates intertwined within my two-hour experience. As I walked from the dry cactus heat into a woodland stream full of fern growth, I realized that the UC Botanical Garden makes for a truly distinct afternoon.

berkeley botanical gardens, native califonian plants, tree, photograph, CA, UC Berkeley, UCB

Native Californian Tree at the Berkeley Botanical Gardens

Nestled at the top of UC Berkeley’s campus, the gardens most likely require wheeled transportation. If you can catch a ride, you may also catch a view of San Francisco in the distance. Admission is free for UC Berkeley Students. Certain benches are sure to be hidden gems if you feel cooped up in the lab or library and need to Thoreau your way back to life. For us non-UC students, admission is nine dollars, except for Thursdays when the public can visit for free.  Upon entrance there is a large map, which I recommend everyone study before embarking into the gardens

berkeley botantical gardens, UCB, UC Berkeley, California plants

A pretty plant that will remain nameless

Since I quickly discredited the map (and later on, could no longer find the map) my group missed some parts of the gardens. The website boasts that in order to see the whole park, a person must view over 200 plants per minute for an hour and a half. This is a large place.

study spot, japaneese gardens, Berkeley Japaneese Gardens, UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens

I want to return here and read a good book

In many ways, the landscape to the UC Botanical Garden reminded me of the “choose your own adventure” chapter books I read in second grade. At every turn, we decided what direction and which climate to enter. One path wove into the next and a couple of hours later, we returned home. As with other public gardens, the plants are categorized into themes such as: tropical, rose, northwest, redwoods, high desert and agricultural. Many themes also have subcategories arranged by culture and location.

Tropical Garden Flower

Overall, my personal highlights were seeing the giant cactus, a coco tree and the inside of a beehive.

giant cactus, berkeley botanical gardens, UC berkeley

The giant cactus greeting garden visitors

I Spy Fish

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This Saturday I visited The Aquarium of the Bay with my friends, Piper and gang*. I always enjoy going to aquariums because I find each layout uniquely memorable.  What I will remember most about the San Francisco Aquarium of the Bay is twofold: the conscious staff and the incredibly creative/developmentally appropriate exhibits.

San Francisco Aquarium, Pier 39, tropical fish, Aquarium, SF, CA

A tropical fish in the entry of the aquarium

Perhaps marine life is a universal perplexity that crosses all age barriers… Regardless, the San Francisco Aquarium of the Bay thoughtfully displays many exhibits that are both developmentally significant for the ten-year old standing in awe and a Berkeley graduate student taking a reprieve from the lab.  While you can literally touch an octopus skin replica, mounted four feet above a movie depicts an octopus climbing into an Erlenmeyer flask.

Jelly Fish at the Aquarium of the Bay

Aquarium at the Bay, San Francisco Aquarium, early childhood education, puzzels

The aquarium also provide age appropriate puzzles, even for the 3 year olds

I am always impressed when aquariums successfully incorporate early childhood education into the exhibit. As a once preschool teacher, I learned that the preschool years cry out for simplicity.  The Aquarium at the Bay provides easy puzzles placed at an autonomous three-year old level so children can participate in the activities. For older kids, the aquarium displays more complex mind games and a critter visitation center staffed during operating hours.

Aside from the developmentally appropriate exhibits, I was most impressed by watching an interaction between a staff member and a family.  From the start of our visit, a child entered into the environment mid-panic attack. His parents clearly were unaware of the severity of the attack, or just uneducated about anxiety in general. Pushing him along to the flow of traffic, this kiddo was in system meltdown. As I ran around to the different tanks taking pictures, I kept my eye on the child.  His threshold for anxiety reached as the elevator doors opened to take visitors down into the underwater tunnels.  As the child erratically protested and refused to walk into the elevator, a staff member stepped in and helped re-direct the family. She assigned another staff member to help the family finish the exhibit and assist. After teaching preschool for a year, I realize how easily people confuse needs for attention seeking behavior/temper tantrums. The staff member’s ability to address this child’s behavior as a need shows that she is conscious and well equipped to work in a family centered environment.

Aquarium at the Bay, CA, San Francisco

Native Californian Toads

Taking off my child-psychology hat, the aquarium was a great escape that provided a lovely and entertaining Saturday afternoon. My pseudo photographer enjoyed the challenges of capturing fleeting fish in low light conditions and the less challenging photography task of the magnificently lit jelly fish exhibit.  Between the variety of typical aquarium fish to the native Californian toads, the Aquarium at the Bay is thoughtful exhibit to both the critters and the kiddos.

Another Jelly Fish

*as I try to keep my blog somewhat anonymous, only those who request shall be named

I spy something touristy

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seattle, WA, Pike's Street, Marketing, Pike's

Tourist trap photograph, Seattle

As a tourist, I too battle the complexity of blending in and simultaneously capturing that perfect capstone photograph. In Seattle, wearing my hipster plaid, I will undoubtedly pause mid cross walk to photograph Pike’s. Flaunting my black pea coat, I took a Marilyn Monroe-esc photo standing below the Statue of Liberty. New York, New York City, NYC, NY NYCIn returning from Las Vegas, I loaded many tripodless photographs of the Bellagio fountain into iPhoto.

Living in Santa Fe, New Mexico changed my perspective on tourist season from mere oblivion to near vengeance. While I always enjoy the hustle and bustle of small towns, tourist season in Santa Fe translated into a constant state of being, in slow motion.

Santa Fe, NM, Railyard, New Mexico, Photography

The Santa Fe Railyard

For example, as Santa Fe’s motto is the day after mañana, one can only imagine exactly how slow cashier lines progress. On top of the generational pull to walk at a glacial speed, navigating Santa Fe during tourist season became frustrating.

One reason why I enjoy living in the Bay Area is because similar to the warm weather, you can choose to see abundant tourism.  Just as I drive an hour south to get my 85 degree mid-summer fix, I can choose to venture into Fisherman’s wharf and play tourist.  A few days back, I set out on a bamboo seeking mission. This mission included china town.

I love china town simply from a sociological sense of assimilation. I enjoy walking two blocks from the nearest BART and entering a culture where the dominant language is not English and suddenly I am in minority.  Through personal discovery, the best parts of china town are off the beaten tourist path, but that day I was mission driven and did not indulge. In my petite adventure, I watched the tourists. Ultimately these interactions inspired my post about tourist season and photography.

Contextually, the assent into China Town was unusual and involved construction men, a sledge-hammer and concrete. I observed as people dined outdoors adjacent to this hoopla and tried to maintain conversations. As I walked up the hill into the more consumer stores of cheap scarves and Buddhas, the noise dulled.

China Town, San Francisco, Construction, San Francisco Sightseeing, china town san francisco california,

The Facade of Perfection, China Town

Although I never found the perfect bamboo plant, on my exit out of china town I witnessed a tourist capturing moments as tourists do best. A man knelt down amidst a cross walk to photograph his wife standing in front of the china town entrance. This photograph took special skills to block out the scene portrayed in the above photo. As I walked past, I turned around and snapped the photo shown. In the 20 minute stroll up (and then down) china town, I suddenly felt no need to hide the imperfections and realized I am becoming a Californian.

I Spy Adverbs

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Albiet six years of sitting through seemingly endless Spanish classes, this (este) and that (ese) seem remarkably indistinguishable. On second thought, maybe this is a testament to how wretched I am at learning foreign languages…

I am experiencing a similar grammatical deja vu when it comes to identifying the Berkeley/Oakland boarder. Luckily near my own home, Berkeley and Oakland have identified this common confusion by displaying a giant sculptures; “HERE” on the Berkeley side, and “THERE” on the Oakland side.

Berkeley, Oakland, Boarder, CA

Berkeley/Oakland boarder landmark, Berkeley side

What is almost painfully ironic about this confusion is although Berkeley and Oakland are hard to identify physically, cognitively these two cities are generalized as worlds apart.  Just as the word, Berkeley will forever be here, in the center of the action, in the center of innovated thought. Oakland, on the other-hand will always be there, as in someplace else.

Berkeley/Oakland Boarder, landmark

Berkeley/Oakland boarder landmark, Oakland side

Due to the university presence in Berkeley, this distinction is naturally clear. But so rarely are these differentiations so blunt.

Today I embarked on a photographic mission of distinguishing the factors between Berkeley and Oakland.

Aside from the Here/There signs, a few other keepsakes help distinguish the boarder in my neighborhood.

berkeley neighborhood art

Hand Prints

In my neighborhood we have awesome art by the people. For example, bench art! Also, nearby is a full wall mural depicting the faces of the neighborhood.

Bench art in Berkeley

One world, bench art, Berkeley

Bench art in Berkeley

Another universal way to identify the Berkeley boarder are the Nuclear Free Signs. People often spend time defacing these 1986 relics into witty statements that say something along the lines of “Nuclear Zone”.

Nuclear Free Zone, Berkeley, CA

Nuclear Free Zone

One last sign typically helps distinguish the Berkeley/Oakland boarder. Conveniently located next to Sweet Adeline Bakeshop, with dangerous lemon pound cake, is this STOP sign.

Stop Sign, Berkeley

While I am aware that this post lacks little to no comparison for the Oakland side, stay tuned for more to come!