Archive for the ‘Family’ Category
A December spent holidaying in SF and Seattle
Another Christmas season has come and gone – and I’m wrapping up a December spent holidaying in San Francisco (SantaCon, a holiday lights tour via double decker bus, ice skating in Union Square and a Favorite Things party) and Seattle (12 days of Seattle Christmas, which included a fancy girls dinner and Snowflake Lane viewing, catch-up dinner with my Bali girls, 50s holiday party at a winery, two Taco Tuesdays, and the annual high school girls Christmas party gift exchange).
Ice skating in Union Square - a new annual tradition for me - so fun!
Posing with a rare, endangered polar bear at Snowflake Lane in Bellevue
A 50s holiday gala at Matthew's Estate Winery
Phew! It’s been a busy, fun Christmas for me this year. And the first one I’ve been totally healthy for in three years, so that felt amazing.
Santa skipped our house this year because in less than one month, my sister, mom, dad and I will be flying to Maui to celebrate my 30th birthday (which is just two weeks away)!!! I was happy to spend Christmas with my friends and family, and I feel lucky to have pretty much everything I want, so skipping presents was all right by me.
Each year, my mom plays gracious host of a large family holiday extravaganza at our house on Christmas Eve. The party is full of traditions – “Cosmo Chi Chis” that my dad mixes for the drinkers, a Honey Baked Ham for our sit-down dinner, zero presents allowing for zero stress, and lots of laughs.
This year's holiday outfit = festive burgundy tights, gold flats and feathers on my dress!
This year my mom threw together a new “Holiday Wreath Salad” from Icon Grill in Seattle. How gorgeous is this salad?! It includes dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, toasted hazelnuts, apples, red pepper, and a pomegranate vinaigrette. I love the festive presentation of it!
I’m utterly exhausted after two awesome weeks spent catching up with my Seattle loved ones and am so ready to go home and see my beauty queen kitty and lie on my couch for 48 hours. I’m planning a few posts over the next two weeks, including:
- The homemade sugar scrubs I made for some of my friends this year (that were AMAZING)
- All about my latest obsession – my FitBit!
- The epic 2011 recap (by far the biggest and brightest year I’ve had yet)
- A night spent delivering newspapers the old fashioned way!
- And a few more Best of SFs and fun recipes I’ve tried off Pinterest
Hope everyone is enjoying their quiet week before we head into 2012… I’m full on ready to start my first full year in San Francisco!
Currently Feeling: Annoyed my flight is delayed for two hours! Happens to me every time I fly from Seattle to SFO.
Currently Anticipating: Seeing my friends and finishing out this week with some fun plans in SF.
Currently Loving: Marzipan! Each year I get a ton in my Christmas stocking, and it’s just too dang yummy for words.
You will always return
I read somewhere that local legend says “Napa” translates to “you will always return,” which is true! Since my trip with my parents, I’ve been to Napa Valley three times. I’m totally in love – with dozens of beautiful estate wineries, world-acclaimed restaurants, HOT sun and cute little towns only an hour away from San Francisco Bay, it’s my new happy place (although Maui is still at the very tiptop).
I thought I’d share two short posts about Napa Valley – first THE WINE (of course) and second THE FOOD (cause it’s seriously drool worthy).
The first day my parents and I were in Napa, we rented bikes at the popular Napa Valley Bike Tours in Yountville. We had a bit of a bummer experience, but I would still recommend using the bike rental place. Just don’t start your bike tour at 2:30 p.m., make sure you check what wineries are open or closed, and bike straight up and back on Highway 29 instead of using their bike loop maps. Despite the pitfalls we ran into, biking through Napa was so pretty and warm! I totally experienced one of those “life is grande” moments while peddling under the trees on a quiet side road with birds singing and views of vineyards.
The second day, we drove all the way up to Calistoga then worked our way back (a highly recommended approach). There are literally dozens of beautiful wineries to stop at along the highway that links Napa (the city) to Calistoga. It’s hard to make it to all of them, and hitting three to five in one day is a FULL day, so expect to visit Napa over and over if you want to visit all the wineries.
We went to Sterling Vineyards, which has a gondola you have to ride to the top to wine taste. It was really fun and something you won’t find at any other winery!
We also visited Chateau Montelena, the winery that put Napa Valley wines on the map when their 1976 Chardonnay won a blind taste test in Paris. This winery was my all-time favorite! They had a splurge-worthy Cab that was $135 a bottle, but was hands-down the best wine I’ve ever tasted. My parents picked up a bottle to save until their 30th anniversary in four years. I’m already marking that date on my calendar with a big red star so I can just happen to be home when they pop that bottle. 
We also made a stop off at Castello di Amorosa – a huge castle winery, which was my dad’s fav. I’ve been told Sterling and Castello are “tourist traps,” but still think everyone should visit them once!
Let me know when/if you make plans to visit Napa, and I’ll share all my favs with you. By this time next year, I should be an expert! 
Currently Feeling: That usual pre-vacation stress. Why is it so difficult to get ready for vacation?
Currently Anticipating: My first Girls Dinner (San Francisco edition) on Wednesday!
Currently Loving: My new homemade popsicles – post on them coming soon!
The Best of SF is treasures uncovered at Treasure Island Flea
Let me share my secret with you about what I think makes a house a home … special, one-of-a-kind items or photos that you pick up on daily or vacation travels. This is the secret to my “home style.”
Also, “home style” potatoes = Lousiana Cajun seasoning + cayenne pepper.
There you go! Now you know all my secrets. My work is done here.
In all seriousness though, I love picking up home decor to make my apartment unique from all others – just the right touches that remind me of the people, places or things I love. One of my new favorite places to treasure hunt these days is the Treasure Island Flea. Treasure Island is this weird little unoccupied island (seriously, no stores, no homes) that used to be a naval base and is just off the Bay Bridge in San Francisco. The beauty of it though is that it has a gorgeous view of the entire San Francisco skyline! It also houses the Treasure Island Flea once a month, and the Treasure Island Music Festival in October every year (where this year I’ll be able to catch two of my favorite bands, Beach House and Cut Copy!).
Top: Me in front of the SF skyline; Bottom: a panoramic view of the view from Treasure Island
The flea market is a combination of my two favorite Seattle farmer’s markets – Fremont Sunday Market (more flea market type items such as vintage finds and furniture + local artists) and the Ballard Sunday Market (homemade jams/sauces, fresh produce + flowers). The TI Flea also has some pretty darn good food trucks and live music too. Since both the Fremont and Ballard Sunday markets were favorites for my parents and I during our Sunday family days in Seattle, I decided to take them to the TI Flea when they were here last weekend. Luckily the once-a-month event landed on the weekend they were here! Fate, I tell yah.
It ended up being the perfect way for us to spend a Sunday together in SF, doing what we loved to do together in Seattle. Here are some of my favorite finds I’ve taken home from the July and August Treasure Island Fleas:
A new sign for my kitchen that I purchased, and my dad helped me hang. How perfect is this?! Reminds me of driving through yellow lights in junior high.
A ceramic butterfly planter with succulents I purchased for $10. My mom calls succulents "Hens and chicks," which I'd never heard before! I call them "unkillable plants."
This light switch cover is handmade by a guy who makes these from all
one-of-a-kind prints he finds. It makes me smile every time I turn on the
light in my room. Now if that isn't worth $10, I don't know what is!
I was looking for a fruit bowl (since I didn't have one), and I saw this just as we were walking out. It's a handmade, decopaged wooden bowl that's so pretty in person, this photo doesn't do it justice. I was afraid it was going to be $40 or more. Nope - $10! This is probably my favorite TI Flea find so far.
AND... after posting those last three photos, I realize I'm officially cut off from buying things for my house with butterflies on them. C'est las vie!
Currently Feeling: Awesome after my first "balletone" class at the gym today. Amazing workout! Also, even though the instructor "liked the boys," he was cute to look at!
Currently Anticipating: Girls dinner tonight at a new fancy place in San Francisco - Heaven's Dog.
Currently Listening To: Friendly Fires - just bought their CD because I'll see them live at at the TI Music Fest in October!
Houseguests
Last night my parents left San Francisco after staying with me for five days. We had one-bedroom-apartment campouts which included an air mattress on the floor of my living room and testing my hot water heater’s shower limits. Good news is everyone was able to sleep somewhat comfortably and keep clean, so it was at least one step up from outdoor camping.
Their vacation, and my staycation, was a combo of staying really busy with fun, San Francisco local treats (not rice) and making time for naps, peppered with a few adult beverages and many delicious meals. I have some fun pictures and stories to share from our time together, which I’ll be doing over the next week or so in a couple different posts.
Despite all the plans I packed into their five-day stay (including our first time in Napa!), it was really great to just be around my parents, doing regular stuff. We took neighborhood walks, grilled at my house, fixed a few things on my car, and talked a lot about everything going on in each of our worlds. My parents are so great; I really miss being able to share regular dinners and day trips with them in Seattle. But I look forward to us exploring SF together a couple times a year, and I’m working on convincing them to move to Napa wine country! Sneaky, sneaky…
Currently Feeling: So sad about Ben’s proposal on The Bachelorette finale. Man, that was brutal! I JUST caught the finale – what did you think?!
Currently Anticipating: A pirate pub crawl tomorrow for a friend’s birthday, and a barbecue birthday scavenger hunt in Sonoma on Sunday!
Currently Loving: Tamales! I’m obsessed now!
Knitted slippers and the glue that keeps a family together
My great grandmother rocks (literally my socks off) because she knits handmade yarn slippers for every single one of her 10+ great grand kids and 10+ grand kids. FROM HAND. And she’s 90+ years old (the “+” is because I hate to admit I’ve lost track).
My parents keep a large wooden box in the living room at their house, full of the yearly gifts of yarn slippers – orange, yellow with green, light pink, blue for boys, with pom-poms and with bows. It’s customary for us to offer guests slippers to borrow at Christmas parties and such since my parents have a “shoes off” policy at their house.
She recently sent me in the mail a hot pink pair I requested – aren’t they totally tubular?!
My great grandmother’s name is Elnora (my mom’s middle name too). Not only does she rock because she sends us handmade knitted slippers, but she also throws a New Year’s Day party, once-a-year, for my mom’s side of the family. As many families tend to be, my mom’s is somewhat divided between sibling rivalries, hurt feelings, conflicting personalities, different places everyone calls home and other unknown reasons. If it weren’t for my great-grandmother, Elnora, I don’t know that any of us would really see each other. She has been the glue, keeping the family meeting up year-after-year to catch up on life’s changes, and for that, I am thankful to have her around. Plus, my tootsies are totes warm year-round!
Do/did you have a great-grandmother? If so, what makes/made her special?
Currently Feeling: A bit better! It makes me want to get on top of the rooftops and SING. I can’t wait to get back on the workout train.
Currently Anticipating: My perfume-making class I’m taking this weekend, thanks to Groupon!
Currently Loving: That I’m signing, sealing and delivering details for a MAJOR trip this year with my sis. Can’t wait to get out of the country again!
The Worry
I recently read a friend’s old blog post where she referenced The Worry.
“The Worry is back,” she says.
“It’s the little bit of me that I don’t mind being without. It’s infiltrated the little things – like if I said goodbye the right way or if I’ll remember the way the music sounds when you are in the room.”
This is me. This is part of me – this Worry.
I’m not sure if it’s a change in chemicals, or getting older, or just part of being in my late 20s. I explained something along the lines of the above – my Worry – to someone recently and they said, “Oh yeah – I started worrying about things like that in my late 20s all the time, then it eventually went away.”
I’m hoping it’s just a phase, and this constant Worry of mine will go away. I’ve been wondering lately if it’s a bad habit I’ve formed or just a natural part of life. Worrying.
Lately I worry so much – I don’t know what to do with myself. It feels like it’s gotten worse. And it’s not basic worrying. Like I don’t worry about work, or if people will like me, or if I left my curling iron on.
I worry about death. All the time. I think about losing my parents, my real dad, my grandparents, my sister. Especially my sister. I worry about her driving five hours back to school on a two-lane road. I worry about her texting while driving and becoming someone featured in this video. I worry about something happening to her like those freak accidents you hear about kids in college like falling off a balcony while drunk. I think nearly every day how terrible it would be to lose my sister. I think about how I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed, or go to work. I go over terrifying phone calls in my mind – like what my parents would say if they called me to tell me she was in an accident.
I know this is grossly morbid – but the morbidity follows me daily… Worry, worry, morbid worry.
A co-worker of mine says it’s only magnified when you have children, which I’ve thought about too. I suppose it’s natural to feel like you love something so much, you couldn’t possibly live without them. But I’d like to think that this Worry isn’t going to be around all the time, in the back of my mind, from now until eternity.
Do YOU worry all the time to? Or am I alone in this? Is this the sign of some freak personality syndrome that I should worry about? (Worrying right now!)
Turkey Lurkey Gobble Gobble
Happy Thanksgiving, from my family to yours.
I’m thankful for my small four-person family who supports and loves me unconditionally no matter what. For a stepdad who has never treated me less than his own daughter, and stepped up to be a great father from the minute he married my mom. For my mom, who spends every day of her life trying to be the best mother she can be -the type of mother she never had. And for my little sister, who is smart, beautiful, funny and one of my most favorite people to be around.
I’m thankful for every single friend who surrounds me in my ridiculously full life – from high school to college, new friends and old. I laugh on a daily basis, and have more parties, happy hours, dinners, and general all around fun in my life than a girl could ever want.
I’m thankful to have an amazing job that I want to go into every day – that I’m passionate and excited about- where I can make an income, doing what I love, that fulfill my every want and need outside of work.
I’m thankful for my apartment, in one of the best locations, in one of the best cities in the nation. For my white fluffy Persian who makes me smile and feel loved on a daily basis. And for my health and my family’s health – that up until now, there have been no major problems, no cancer and no accidents. *fingers crossed*
I’m thankful for so much, I could go on for days and days, but will spare you more cheese than I’ve already put here.
But I do have to give one more hat tip to wine… I’m thankful for you, wine. Because without you, I probably wouldn’t get through all the hard moments and crappy times with enough gumption to step back, recognize and enjoy all of the above.
Happy Turkey Day, lovelies! xoxo
Stay kizzity cation
Last week, I took my very first staycation – a “vacation” where I just stick around (stay home, if you will) and do nothing.
Not really my style.
It’d been nearly two years since I’ve visited with my biological father and his side of the family (grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins). Since my weekends are consumed with events, birthdays, cabins, mini trips and being a selfish 28-year-old, single woman, I needed to take time off work to actually visit family.
One would think I would have all the time in the world to get to blogging with a whole week just hanging around – but noooo. I was stuck in my own personal hell. See, my family lives in a tiny town in Washington State, population 2,000, and I stayed at my grandparents’ house. They don’t own a computer or have Internet, nor does my phone get service there. Talk about testing my inner being. I’m all for unplugging in the name of lying on a sand beach, or meditating in India. I’m not in love with it if all you’re doing is lying around in the rain, eating and watching TV. It’s like I have restless body syndrome.
However, I did manage to survive three days there – thanks to the company. I don’t think I talk much here about my dad’s side of the family, or my roots with them. I’m lucky enough to have an amazing grandma and grandpa, both with Southern accents, a knackering for sweet tea and buttery, homemade cooking and hearts as big as Jupiter. I miss them daily. (And I gain 10 pounds every time I go there thanks to buttery biscuits, fried eggs, grits and bacon for breakfast, homemade cornbread with every dinner meal and a big bowl of peach cobbler for dessert after that!)
I wrapped up my staycation in the only way I know how to exist – busy, busy, busy. From one end of the spectrum to the other this past week, I tell ya.
I took a bacon cooking and wine workshop, which was AMAZING. (Separate post coming on that), celebrated the third anniversary of Girl Power Hour with a long-awaited and lots-of-time-spent-planning birthday bash (separate post coming on that too). And wrapped it all up with a long weekend at my second favorite Seattle festival next to Summer Solstice Parade – Fremont Oktoberfest! Tiny beers unite! I even signed up to volunteer this year and spent Sunday in a custom-made beer barrel on wheels, pouring beer for Deschutes Brewery (whose hometown is Bend, Oregon). Huzzah!
And now back to our irregularly scheduled programming…
Currently Feeling: Stuffy, coughy and tired. The fall cold has caught me! Dammit.
Currently Anticipating: A Mai Tai making competition tomorrow with my GPH girls, hosted by Seattle Met; Girls Who Dine Out October at Spinasse on Thursday, then an entire cabin weekend at Leavenworth Oktoberfest!
Currently Reading: “One Day” by David Nicholls. The ladies at the book store told me it’s the greatest love story and everyone can’t put it down!
When I was a kid
So, pumpkin time is here. So says Starbucks. And every blog, Twitter and Facebook account that have been talking about pumpkin lattes since they launched on September 1st.
You know what pumpkins make me think of – HALLOWEEN!
I’m not going to lie – the first, “What are you going to be for Halloween?” question came from my little sister during our road trip back from a cabin on Memorial Day weekend, four months ago. The two of us share a love for Halloween that far surpasses any love that creepy fat guy feels for double rainbows. Perhaps it’s genetic – the Halloween love, not the fat. Well, the fat might be genetic too. But then we’d call it “big boned.”
Anywhoosit – TANgent.
What my sister and I don’t share, however, that sometimes becomes painfully apparent to me, is a generation. There’s a gap. Sometimes that seven year gap makes no difference in the world, and then sometimes it slaps me right in the face and just makes me feel G.D. OLD. Take our conversation via the ole el telephono tonight:
Me: Have you decided what you’re going to be for Halloween yet?
My sister: Yeah – I think I’m going to be a green M&M…with a green leotard, paint a white M on the front, wear red lipstick and white gloves. I think it’ll be really cute.
Me: Are you just looking for an excuse to wear a leotard? I don’t get it – I thought M&M costumes were usually round.
My sister: Yeah – but I don’t want to be round.
Me: Oh, okay. Yeah, I guess you’re right. Round’s no good. That’ll be cute!
My sister: What are you thinking?
Me: Kristen, Adam and I have been talking about being Three’s Company for a couple years now, so I kinda want to do it this year.
My sister: Huh?
Me: Three’s Company!
My sister: …
…
Me: You know – “Come and knock on my door… we’ll be waiting for you…”
My sister: …
…
what?
Me: It’s this really popular 80s sitcom with three people who live in an apartment together, and er, one of them wears cute socks to her knees and pigtails and one girl wears a red sweater with hearts, and the guy is, er, Jack and he’s the only guy, and they’re um all friends, and well, it’s super funny and well known.
My sister: Oh. Well seven years and I’m totally socially out of it.
Or I’m totally socially OLD.
Gawd, save me from myself. I’m just years away from mom jeans and referencing, “When I was a kid…”
“…we had Blockbuster stores! Like ones you walked INto to rent movies. And I remember when we rented VHS!!”
Currently Feeling: Great that I ran around Greenlake tonight on a whim – back to boot camp tomorrow. This week is going to be a great fitness week.
Currently Anticipating: Knocking through my to-do list the next three days, so I can relax during my staycation next week. Going to visit some family down state!
Currently Recommending: “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” movie – it’s so dang good! Listening to Swedish and reading subtitles for two hours kinda makes you go bonkers, but totally worth it!
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
How does your garden grow?
Yesterday I went to the Ballard Sunday Farmer’s Market with my family as part of our Mother’s Day adventures. Usually, we’re partial to the Fremont Sunday Market, which is a regular agenda for our family days. However, we decided to mix it up, and thank God for that. The Ballard market is amazing - full of organic fruit, homemade pies, ice cream bars, soaps, chocolate sauces and salsa, cheese and meat from local, grass-fed animals, funky jewelry, scarves, hats and more. It was a feast for all senses.
The many booths of organic herb and vegetable plants inspired me to finally start that urban garden that’s been on my bucket list, and all the veggies available to buy were my oyster. I decided on lettuce, chives, green peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, basil, strawberries and a Stevia plan (natural sweetener – like Splenda, but better). I handpicked each of my plants and packed them up with love, excited to give them a home in planters on my patio.
And then it became a family affair – my mom helped me select pots, soil and such (being the gardener of the family), my dad lugged up the 10-pound sacks of soil and filled the pots, and my mom and I planted them together. It was a veggie growing party with a side of wine and cheese. (I didn’t realize my little urban veggie garden was going to cost $100 after all the plant purchasing, soil purchasing and pots purchasing was said and done with. Whoopsie. That’s where the wine came in).
Even my curious little kitty, Stella, wanted to get involved… I think she approves. I’m just kicking myself for not picking up a catnip plant (I think I’ll have to make a quick trip back to the store).
And finally… what I’m most excited for – new recipes and dinners made with my fresh herbs and veggies, paired with a glass of wine.
Ahhhh – welcome spring.
How did you spend your Mother’s Day?
Currently Feeling: Healthy! Last week was full of great salads, fresh dinners and lots of working out. Glad to be back on track.
Currently Anticipating: A week full of fun exercise classes, and events, including the Girls in Tech launch party this Thursday and a kickball double header!
Currently Reading: “The Little Stranger” by Sarah Walters.
