Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Art and Food - All good!

Greetings from Boston - the last leg of my East Coast tour. I'm here for a design conference, but also enjoying the local seafood (lots of lobster!) and looking forward to visiting the art museum with an Edward Hopper exhibit.

But while I'm enjoying art and food Boston style, I just saw this listing on tablehopper for an event this friday, June 1, by the Red Poppy Art House. An art auction and food tasting extravaganza. The food is from some local favorites - Delfina and Chez Panisse! And I liked the one art piece photo they showed - could be worth checking out what else is there.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Hayes Valley Design Fest

Just a quick note while I'm reading about SF from NY. Every time I come here I think I might just stay, and then I come home and think, why would I leave? Here's another reason to stay in SF: Fun street festivals every weekend of the summer...

This one is the Capsule Design Festival in Hayes Valley - a design enclave itself. Check it out on Sunday and tell me how it is.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

BBQ Season

Memorial Day is officially the beginning of BBQ season and I can't wait! Last year I got totally into cedar plank grilling, so I definitely plan on experimenting with that some more.

Tablehopper recently published this link to a pretty interesting history of BBQ. Did you know it supposedly started in the Caribbean?

Along those lines, starting this Sunday, the 27th, the restaurant Front Porch is going to be offering a BBQ special on the first sunday of every month. (not sure why the last Sunday is part of the plan too - maybe it's just the kick-off.)
This info from Tablehopper:
~THE FRONT PORCH~ is going to be open on the first Sundays of every month through September, an all-you-can-eat Caribbean barbecue. The barbecue will go on from noon until sundown, with BBQ jerk steak, chicken, fish, and fresh veggie sides on offer. The price for a “roundtrip ticket” to the West Indies (i.e. all you can eat) is $25, and the price of a one-way ticket (i.e. one plate) is $17.50. There will also be a kid's plate price, and special prices on draft beer and select wine. No reservations necessary, and all the tables will be put together for family-style dining.

Sounds delish to me!

Monday, May 21, 2007

Celebrate SF

I'm going to be out of town for about 2 weeks, so no promises on daily updates, we'll see how it goes. But the whales are on their way back to sea, so at least we can be happy about that. :)

While I'm gone this weekend, there's and event I'd love to see - Carnival SF, complete with giant puppets. Those of you who know me, may have met my giant puppet the mermaid. She never got to go to a carnival. She now lives with a "Children's Entertainment Specialist" (aka professional clown) and I hope has had opportunities to leave the house more than the one time she came out with me for Halloween.

Anyway, Carnival SF looks like a lot of fun - Los Lonley Boys are performing Sunday, there's a festival on Sat and Sun that I'm sure will be complete with lots of food-on-a-stick options, and the parade, with the headdresses and puppets will be Sunday morning starting at 9:30am.

So, have a fantastic week everyone, and a great holiday weekend!

Friday, May 18, 2007

Whale of a Time

I don't know how many of you have been as fascinated by the whales in the Sacramento shipping channel as I am, but when I read about how they had been injured by boat propellers it literally brought tears to my eyes. I guess you could say I'm an animal lover.

Here's the article about their situation yesterday that made me so sad. After reading that I felt compelled to stay up to the minute on their progress in hopes of hearing the good news that they were headed back to sea. Alas, that is not the case yet.

Today when looking for the latest news, I came across the NOAA incident report where you can see close up pictures of the wound on the mom and hear the sounds the wales make (mostly just the scientists oohing and the sound of what I think was a blowhole spurt) and the sounds that they are using to lure the whales out. The "travel" one is pretty funny. I think I'd run the other way if I heard that coming from someone!

I hope they make it out of there soon. The experts say it could take a while, and the fact that the mom is nursing might make her less interested in the feeding sounds. Or that the sounds they're using are from a different pod of whales from alaska, so it might be like we're yelling in Chinese to whales who speak English.

Gotta hand it to the Chron today - their headline at the top of the paper was: Wii, Wine, Whales and Warriers. I guess those are the things that matter to this town.

And in other animal news - just came across this article too on the chron site. Baby peregrine falcons were born recently atop San Jose City hall. It's a heartwarming tale...

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Floating with art

This came to my attention because my friend is having an art opening here on Sat evening, (the 19th) and it seems like a really unique place.

It's called Float, and it's a floatation therapy center with an art gallery. I'm not totally sure yet what floatation therapy is, but it sounds nice. Basically it looks like from their website that there are these pods filled with salt water that you lay in and float away your worries.

It's worth checking out, and bonus to see the art there too! Tempe Sikora is the artist I know, and I love her photography. She said she's tried some new ways of presenting her work, so I'm looking forward to seeing what she's done.

Float on!

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Wine Making is Addictive

This is a somewhat self motivated post, but it's what I spent my afternoon on, and I thought I'd share it with you all!

Have you ever dreamed of making your own wine? Well, here's your chance, and it's even somewhat affordable! Visit Crushpad to learn about how you can form your own group to make a barrel or join one that's already somewhat organized. For a per barrel fee that you divide up with your fellow winemakers, you get to pick the vineyard that your chosen variety comes from, come up with a winemaking plan while consulting with a professional, participate in sorting and crushing, and taste along the way as it ages. In the end you get 25 cases from a barrel of wine to call your own! And you can name and label it however you want.

I may have an in for you on a group making a Rousanne, Syrah (rhone blend), Grenache, or Pinot, and maybe even a Merlot. Drop me a note at heatherl at mac dot com and let me know if you might want to make some with us! You don't have to be in SF, but you should come visit sometime if you want to see the operation.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Artsy Craftsy, DIY heaven

If you watch too much HGTV, Discovery Channel, or other similar cable shows, then this event is for you. This weekend, visit the San Mateo Fairgrounds for the Maker Faire 2007.

Per their website, it's a: "A two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates arts, crafts, engineering, science projects and the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset. It's for creative, resourceful folks who like to tinker and love to make things."

It looks like there will be all sorts of goofy projects on display, great ideas for sharing and other crazy ways to geek out on doing projects at home. I know I've already got too many, but hey, this could be inspiration for more. And if you don't feel like going to San Mateo for the show, just go to the Edinburgh Castle for the "after party" and meet some other makers!

Monday, May 14, 2007

80s indie grunge is back

You may remember them from high school or college - they were on the indie grunge scene then, and they're back in SF - Dinosaur Jr. They're not New Wave or that other poppy stuff from the 80's - more friends of Sonic Youth and Pearl Jam.

Get out your Doc Martens and flannel shirts and head over to Amoeba tomorrow (Tuesday May 15) to see Dino Jr. in action. The clips I listened to on iTunes totally brought me back to a time when I made mix tapes and listened to music for hours in my room, while reading every word of the liner notes. I miss those days sometimes...

Friday, May 11, 2007

The take-anywhere hot tub

There are so many things going on in the city this weekend, but I couldn't pick one to feature since I'm going to be spending a lot of my free time at Wag, the new dog hotel I worked on. But have fun at Kaboom, Mission Open Studios, or even Horse Show Jumping in GG Park.

But if you can't decide either, and just want to relax and slip away from the world, then you need to get a Dutchtub. It's a hot tub that looks like a kettle where you fill it with a hose (or just dump water in from the lake or wherever you are) fill the burner with wood and start heating it up. Soon you'll have your own tub ready to go! It's super cute in fun colors and it even fits in the back of a pick-up or on the roof of your SUV. Take it to the mountains in the winter, the lake in the summer or just leave it on your back deck. And when your landlord hears that you had a hot tub on the premises, throw a plant in it and call it a planter.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

A Cause for Chocolate

I'm letting my politics come through today. There are a few things that we should really stand behind. Against global warming, for saving the dolphins, and definitely for keeping chocolate real. This may sound silly, but it's for your own health.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a chocolate standard of identity requiring manufacturers to use approved ingredients in making chocolate, and it protects the consumer from any substitution of inferior ingredients. This means that in order for a product to be called chocolate, it must use cocoa butter and real milk. But the change on the docket would make it OK to use vegetable fats and whey to replace these ingredients, making chocolate cheaper to manufacture, but sacrificing the standards we know and love as chocolate. These vegetable oils would contain high amounts of trans fats, not something we need to add to our list of indulgences when eating chocolate!

So, I heartily urge you to take some time out of your busy day and fill out the petition at the Don't Mess With Our Chocolate website. It looks more complicated than it is. They give you the copy to cut and paste into the comments section and they don't collect your e-mail address.

Thanks for your support. Chocolate lovers unite!

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Philanthropy by wine

Since I published the note about the Taste of New Zealand event, I've been overwhelmed by wine tasting events that contribute to the common good. I'm not sure what this says about our society here, but a summary is below:

California Wine Classic - Wed May 16
Benefiting the Northern California Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Taste wines from more than 20 of California's finest wineries, lavish delicacies from The Ritz-Carlton, incredible array of auction items, and a wine presentation from Karen MacNeil.

Urban Services Wine Tasting and Auction
- Fri, May 18
For the fifth consecutive year the Urban Sevices Board of Managers is hosting their fundraising Wine Event and Silent Auction. Once again the event will take place at the beautiful Caldwell Snyder Gallery near Union Square in San Francisco. Prominent area winemakers are contributing exquisite wines to the cause, and the evening as always promises to be a fun and festive event.
Urban Services is the "Y" without walls. We collaborate with partners from the local to national level to provide diverse and accessible programs which value and empower youth and their families.

Vine and Dine Charity Event - Saturday, May 19
This year, Vine & Dine benefits Today's Youth Matter, a charitable organization that helps keep at-risk youth off the streets. Winemakers will pour wines from the ultra-premium market segment, which will be individually matched with food, expertly prepared by Chef Cynthia Bloebaum with David and Michelle King. It is held at the private estate of the 2006 Mayor of Atherton.

Taste of New Zealand - Wed, May 30
a New Zealand wine tasting to benefit the Taproot Foundation. The Taproot Foundation exists ensure all nonprofits have the infrastructure they need to thrive.

Vintage Affaire / Wine Auction and Gourmet Supper - Saturday July 21st 2007
Vintage Affaire 2007 will take place in the gardens of a private estate in Woodside. It is one of the largest wine auctions in California and benefits Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Palo Alto.The afternoon begins with a stroll through the estate gardens, sampling award winning wines and hors d'oeuvres prepared by some of the Bay Area's outstanding chefs. A string quartet will add to the atmosphere while guests examine and bid on a unique array of silent auction items. The day culminates in the live auction and a gourmet sunset supper accompanied by fine wines.

Waves to Wine, Start to Finish MS Bike Tour - September 29-30, 2007
Start training now! A ride from Ocean Beach to Healdsburg to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Socitey. No tasting while riding but there is a festival at the end.

Here's to doing some good while drinking some wine!

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

A Hip Hotel for Dogs and Cats

I've been holding off on posting this one since I wanted to make sure it is actually happening! It's a little shameless self promotion, but I think still worthy of my list. The weekend is finally arriving when the opening of my first big project as a solo graphic designer is happening.

Wag Hotels, San Francisco, a hotel exclusively for dogs and cats opens its doors Saturday, May 12 and 13 with a grand opening celebration. There will be treats for pets and people alike all weekend so come on by and check it out. There's a pool, luxury suites, a boutique and salon. And make sure you stop to look at the restroom signs too. I designed those (along with the other big graphics in the store/hotel). :)

Oh yeah - it's from 10 am - 8 pm at 25 14th street - by Best Buy and Rainbow Grocery. I'll be there from about 6-8 on Sat and in the afternoon on Sunday so stop by and say hi!

Monday, May 7, 2007

Kiwi Wines and Golden Girls Review

I know I said only one thing of the day, but the other is a review of a prior thing of the day, so I think it's OK, right?

First, if you're in town the Wed before Memorial Day, you should absolutely go to Taste of New Zealand, a wine tasting event at SFMOMA benefiting the Taproot Foundation. I went last year, and it was a lot of fun! They say the tickets sell out, so get them ahead of time. The wines are good, and it's a great chance to see what NZ is all about. And the MOMA as a backdrop is never a bad thing.

Second, The Golden Girls: The Play was FANTASTIC! A true SF experience. First surprise (besides that the women were men, I hope you know that going in) was that it is performed "Salon Style" in someone's beautiful BIG old Victorian home. That meant there were also beverages being served to get you in the mood with the "Girls," and it's a pretty intimate setting. The Girls were great - it took me a minute to adjust to the gender illusion, but once they got into it, they were totally in character and it brought back all sorts of memories of the 80s. So, go see it! The shows are selling out fast, so book now.

Friday, May 4, 2007

Golden Girls of SF

Now this has to be hilarious - a live tranny version of 2 episodes of the Golden Girls. I can't think of a more perfect idea for interpreting that show!

Check out The Golden Girls: The Play weekends in May in Hayes Valley. I'm going sat nite - I have high hopes, but I'll let you know how it is.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Cinco de Soccer

Now, this sounds like just the right thing to do on Saturday for Cinco de Mayo - catch team California Victory play Mexican Club Nexaca at Kezar Stadium, 2pm May 5.

Apparently, Cinco de Mayo festivities start at 11am, and the game starts at 2. Live music, food (proper cinco fare, for sure!) and even soccer clinics for the kids.

Ole!

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Sake Fest

We do lots of wine around here, but now it's time to go east and check out the world of Sake. The Banzai Sake Tasting Event is coming to Fort Mason on next wed, May 9. For $50 (or less if you purchase tix in advance) you can taste all the sake you want, and probably learn a thing or two about it also.

Their ad says 25 brewers offering over 55 sakes. That's a lot of sake. Get that asprin ready for Thursday morning!

Just note, if you show up at the door, it's cash only admission.

Kompai!

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Run for the Roses

Saturday is the Kentucky Derby, and after a recent trip to the races at Bay Meadows, I'm kind of into this horse racing thing. Too bad Bay Meadows is closing!

I did come across a Kentucky Derby Party on sat, May 6 at Pier 23. It's a fundraiser for the Hopscotch Network, which, as you can probably figure out, does good things for kids. And they seem to have a good idea for a party too! Garden party attire is strongly encouraged, seersucker and big hats will be more than welcome. There will be mint juleps and bourbon, so it sounds like they've got it all figured out.

See you at the races!