The Bata Shoe Museum

To add a little variety to my travel schedule I spent this past week in Toronto, Canada. I've been to Canada a few times before, but this time I actually managed to do a tiny bit of non work related adventuring so I braved the public transit system and made my way over to The Bata Shoe Museum.  Hannah recommended this the first time I traveled to Toronto and although that didn't work out I kept thinking of it when I had Toronto on my itinerary so this time I found out that they are open late on Thursdays and I made my way over there.  The museum itself really isn't that big with only four exhibits total, but the building is a fun shape and is meant to resemble a shoe box with the lid askew.  On a regular basis they have a historical exhibit of footwear through history which is interesting and informational, but one of their current exhibits is The Roaring Twenties: Heels, Hemlines and High Spirits.  This was particularly fun because the shoes in the Twenties were really spectacular and the exhibit included clips of dancing in these amazing shoes that made me tired just to watch them.  The shoes in the twenties had such great lines, and colors, yet many had practical straps and heels of moderate height and width.  In particular, the collection included two really awesome pairs, one a black and gold starburst pair:

(from The Bata Shoe Museum website)

 and a black pair with rhinestone heel:

(from their brochure)

I have to admit that if they'd been selling modern reproductions I might have come home with a pair. 

One of their other fun exhibits included pairs of shoes donated by JUNO award winners.

 The showcase included this fun pair of beat up Harley Davidson boots worn by Nickleback. 

There was also a pair of amazing thigh high boots worn by Nelly Furtado in another case that I couldn't get a decent picture of.  Overall an excellent way to spend a couple of hours after work.

Beyond Downtown San Francisco

Now that I have a little more time to spend outside of work I was able to catch up with some friends that I've been meaning to see.  I caught the correct train in the right direction and got off at the right stop without mishap and even got a seat and got in some knitting.
I was a little early so I got to people watch outside the train until Sarah walked up at the appointed time.  After a little indecision we decided to go to a place we thought would be Oaxacan, but turned out to be Salvadoran instead.  But that turned out to be ok, because after a peek at Cafe Platano's delicious sounding menu we were sold.

While waiting for Alain, Sarah and I poured over the menu and had everything picked out before he arrived.  Although we didn't even make it off the small plates menu.  We made excellent choices including: fried platanos, fried yuca, an avocado salad, pastelitos, corn tamales and of course pupusas.  Sadly as often happens with food I was to excited to remember to take and pictures of anything.  But it was great to catch up with Sarah and Alain, to get a glimpse of their neighborhood, and to help them find a tasty new place to eat. 

Creme Brulee Cart

After my successful choice yesterday, the guys were willing to take my suggestion when I wanted to look for another cart from the list Todd found in November so we went over to the Creme Brulee Cart on Market at Sutter street. 

Unlike many of the places on the list, the creme brulee is really sold from a tiny cart, not a truck so we almost missed it.  There is just one guy at this cart which is really like a cooler with wheels.  When you make your order he takes out these small foil cups, sprinkles sugar on the top, torches it, adds more sugar, torches it again and then if you're not planning to eat it right away he puts a little lid on it.

I opted for the "Yes Please" which has balsamic glazed strawberries in a nutella custard.  It was amazing.  It could have been overwhelming but the proportions were just right and the moderate serving size was just right for a post lunch snack.

Curry Up Now

In November, for my birthday (for which I have a back post queued up), Todd planned out a wonderful trip to San Francisco. I don't want to steal too much content from that post, but although the trip centered around the amazing Cavalia show, Todd came up with a number of other exciting things to do. One of which involved tracking down reportedly delicious food with mobile places of businesses based on this article.  We picked and found Curry Up Now on our very first afternoon and discovered that at least this cart was even better than the article purported. 

Fast forward to today for lunch when I suggested this to my coworkers.  We were almost frightened off by the enormous line, but it moved quickly and it was worth it.  The food was every bit as good as I hoped and remembered, particularly the fresh and perfectly fried samosas which are good enough to eat without any condiments.  To further prove my point, we all decided no to head straight into food coma so we all saved some of our food for later, but by 5pm the guys polished off their leftovers and there was serious samosa envy.  Score 1 for Olivia's lunch suggestions!

After Work Adventures in SF

This is the first post in a while that lives up to the name of this blog: I'm currently waiting to fly home on a redeye.  I've been coming to San Francisco three days a week for six out of the last seven weeks and tonight is the first time I've had time after work to do anything not work related.

Here is my cute little swatch.

My first stop was this yarn store I've been stalking for a few weeks. On my way to work each day I walk through the Union Square and Chinatown areas and one day I looked up to see a bright red sigh that read "Yarn." When I looked it up I discovered that it actually belonged to ArtFibers and that each day they stay open until 6pm.  I also perused their blog and found some of their patterns that I really liked.  As matter of fact I happen to be wearing a shawl collared sweater today when this caught my eye.  I'd nipped in right before they closed at 6, but Roxanne was nice enough to let me pet all the luscious swatches and then whip up a mini swatch of a purply maroon to see if that would be a good color for the collar and cuffs of the cropped jacket.

This is my swatch next to the sample of the body yarn. 
This picture really doesn't do justice to the rich colors of the yarn.

We thought it picked up enough of the colors in the multicolored main body that I should go ahead and use it.  The next step will be for me to go back next week when Roxanne will even adjust the pattern for my measurements and help me to figure out how much yarn I'll need.  And they are having a 15% off anniversary sale.  How nice is that!

After my fiber fix I had an nice little side trip to Victoria's Secret where I actually managed to use a couple of those coupons that turn up periodically in the mail and usually end up in the trash.  Don't think to hard about this - I bought something sensible. 

For my next stop I revisited a place Todd and I ended up at by accident during our trip in the fall: Lori's Diner.  I stopped by just to look at the menu and was lured in by the mozzarella sticks.  Then once I sat down at the table I decided to be adventurous and ordered the BBQ ranch salad too.  I turned out to be worth the gamble as it was a lightly dressed pile of crunchy (romaine) and healthy (mixed) greens with a zippy ranch/bbq dressing and nearly a whole avocado hidden under the entire chicken breast and the yummy dollop of shoestring onions.  

I know I should have had some self-restraint , but I ended up indulging and having a banana split to round things out.  The bananas, strawberries and cherries make this healthy right.  Anyway, I made a valiant effort and reduced their generous portion to this:

The nice people at Lori's even let me use their wireless internet and didn't seem to mind when I whipped out my laptop and monopolized a table for almost three hours (don't worry I left a very nice tip).  Now I just have a few more hours to kill until wheels up....

Wicket Ties the Knot!

Whitney and Evan are married!

We'll do another post about the actual wedding, but this part is about Todd's role. In looking for a way to include all the people that were important to them in the wedding Whitney and Evan asked me and Melissa to be bridesmaids, Scott to be a groomsmen, and Todd to be the officiant. It was a clever way to get everyone involved without adding even more bridesmaids and groomsmen. Luckily in Massachusetts you can apply to be an officiant for one day.

Asking Todd to be involved by performing the ceremony was both exciting and daunting.  The paperwork was the straightforward piece, and special thanks to Jess for writing a character reference.  We sent the application in and then six weeks later got an official certificate with a seal and the governor's signature.  Then the harder part was to decide what to say during the ceremony.  For our own wedding we'd poured over the RRUUC Wedding & Commitment Ceremony Workbook so we started there.  Unfortunately they don't seem to have the workbook posted so I was glad that I'd saved and printed it out because it had really great stuff.  Whitney and Evan faced a similar problem to us:  they wanted a serious ceremony, but not an overtly religious ceremony.  Todd worked with them to get a feel for what they wanted to include and then took it from there, adding a modified wine ceremony at Wicket's request.

Although Todd was nervous and was tweaking things up until the weekend of the wedding, he did a wonderful job performing the ceremony, with a serious and attentive audience - until he accidentally knocked over a wine glass (it didn't break).  Not that I'm not biased or anything, both having helped write the ceremony and being married to the officiant, but I thought the ceremony was wonderful and a perfect fit for Whitney and Evan.

Home from PDX 2010

Our PDX 2010 trip was a great success and we can hardly wait to go back. In fact the more time we spend there the more we wish we could move there.
As always we brought back loads of great stuff.  In fact we actually ended up buying a new suitcase to fit it all.  From the left to right starting at the bottom: a myrtle spurtle from Bob's Red Mill country store, samples from Bob's Red Mill, a free bag clip and measuring scoop from Bob's Red Mill, chia seed purchased at Bob's Red Mill country store, a Bob's Red Mill magnet, books from Powell's, nail polish without formaldehyde, assorted chocolates from Moonstruck Chocolate, candy and a brochure from Ponzi winery, lovely purple sock yarn from Twisted, bright green yarn for a cedar leaf shawlette from Make One, tasty pastries from Two Tarts Bakery,  a DIY cheese kit from Powell's, linzer tart tea set cookie cutters from a pastry supply store, beer from Belmont Station‎, three cones of custom yarn from Yarnia, black and white yarn for a Jollyfish hat, and a sample of yarn soak from Yarnia.
What didn't make it into the picture is an assortment of wine from two wine tasting jaunts.  The wineries we visited included the Ponzi winery which produced a really fantastic bottle of wine we had once at The Tasting Room.  The reason they didn't make it into the picture is because Continental didn't manage to include the box we packed them in on our actual flight. 

PDX 2010 - Day 2

Bob's Red Mill

PDX 2010 - Day 1

This year we got to visit one of our favorite places with some of our very favorite people. We started off with a delicious brunch at Slappy Cakes where you can get anything on a pancake.  We opted for ginger batter and for toppings we chose scallions and lemon curd.  Although those sound like a bizarre combination, both really worked.  

Next we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through Portland's Rose Gardens.  I had no idea there we so many different types of roses is all different colors and smells. 

Next

This is just one of the many (many) pictures we took on our walk. 

In addition to the hundreds of types of roses, the gardens had sculptures

One of the gardens was the Shakespeare Garden.

And there was an outdoor theater.

Next

In the afternoon we visited a knitting store and our favorite book store. 

Todd opted for a coffee shop during the first half of the yarn store adventure.  He was nice enough to bring coffees for the yarn addicted admiring yarn and knitted samples at Knit-Purl. 

The yarn store also featured an extremely friendly Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that Todd made friends with.

After our yarn fix we poured over books, stationary, graphic novels and more at our favorite book store, Powell's.

Our first day was also Hannah's birthday so we celebrated with happy hour drinks and food at a local pub with an outdoor garden.

Last but not least we had fantastic birthday desserts at Papa Hayden's where we tried not to over do it. 

Esteban's Graduation

  

This weekend we drove all the way to Buffalo to see Esteban graduate with his bachelors degree from Buffalo State. The ceremony was held in the gymnasium (although the weather held out in the end), but it turned out to be one of the better graduation ceremonies I've attended.  The key note address was given by Judy L. Elliott, Ph.D., Class of 1982, Chief Academic Officer, Los Angeles Unified School District. As commencement speeches go it was good, but the best part was that she read If by Rudyard Kipling. While it is not unusual for commencement speeches to include inspirational quotes and references, this was perfect for Esteban because mom made him memorize If when he was in elementary school and then used it to encourage him thereafter. Almost as good as the coincidence of Rudyard Kipling's poem was a surprise visit from Senator Charles Schumer, to say a few words and congratulate the class.

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

- Rudyard Kipling

Four computers no clothes

Hmmm...not our best planning work ever. Last weekend we packed up (or so we thought) for a weekend trip to visit Whitney and Evan. When we got there we discovered we had forgotten all the bags with any sort of clothing in them. We did, however, manage to bring no less than four computers and several other electonic items. We are nerds and have been punished accordingly.

[But everything ended happily with a quick shopping trip for summer clothes. And for once I was happy that clothing stores had scrapped the clothes for the current season in favor of next season's attire (normally that pisses me off). Because it was unseasonably warm and summer clothing was exactly what we needed.  --Todd]

Regardless, the weekend was a fantastic success. Evan and Todd brewed a Trois Monts Flanders golden ale clone and we had a thrilling late-night pickup adventure at the brew store. We also took a trip to visit the location for Whitney and Evan's wedding. It's absolutely gorgeous and I'm super excited for their wedding now. On top of that Whitney and Evan are fellow foodies and we had a few great meals while we were there. More on that later. But one of those places was Martha's Exchange, which is where they're having the rehearsal dinner. They brew all their own beers and the food was uniformly excellent. I predict a huge success.

Buddy and Dakota Meet Tiny Friends!

We went to visit Whitney and Evan this weekend (see numerous other posts) and we got to play with their pet rats! Todd's family had rats growing up, but being from New York City I have trouble not thinking of them as a little icky at.  But they were so much fun and clearly clever little guys.  As you can tell from these picture, I had a good time playing with them.

Dakota and Buddy were also intrigued by them and also quite gentle.  Puzzled, mostly.  And the little critters were surprisingly unphased.

Super Bowk Ski Trip 2010 - Killington

Three years ago Todd and Clint started an awesome Super Bowl tradition: skiing.  It started out fairly serendipitously - we wanted to do a ski trip and we tried to find a weekend everyone was free.  Super Bowl weekend is a weird American institution; nearly everyone knows when it is and either throws a party or goes to one.  We were in the weird middle ground where we didn't really care either way about the Super Bowl, but now we do and it's because we look forward to a ski trip every year.

This year we chose Killington as our mountain which is conveniently located near the Long Trail Brewery.  They have a nice operation there with good food and interesting beers.  The have a self guided "tour" where you can stare at their equipment.  Sadly they don't fill growlers - evidently it is a different license that they don't own.  On the first night I decided to do something that we'd done on the first trip, which was to chase people around and take mug shots, then make a slide show with an info slide per person and add pictures from the rest of the trip.  It's fun because the group on this trip is a mix of Todd's family and friends, Clint's friends and Sofia's and my friends and family.  Consequently there were people on the first trip that had never met each other, but the group on this trip is a great group and I really look forward to seeing everyone.

 

Here we are bundled up and ready to go out on the mountain.  

  

The view was amazing from just about everywhere on this huge mountain.  

  

Here Esteban and I take a short break from our morning runs. 

  

And in the afternoon we managed to catch up with Sofia and some others.

Just about everyone managed to stay awake for the Super Bowl this year. Congratulations, all!

  

On Monday we packed up all our stuff and headed home.  Dakota kept trying to escape from the picture and explore.  

 

Here we are in front of the cabin on our last day.