Just don't call us Betty...

For many, the ramping up in intensity of the football season should lead to a corresponding step up when it comes to gameday snacks, peaking with the Superbowl Sunday food fest.  Considering that Jared and Jordan enjoyed a feast of $1 oysters and lamb belly sandwiches last weekend during the NFL quarterfinals at Hog and Rocks, our oft blogged about non-sports bar sports bar, we had quite a challenge ahead of ourselves for Sunday's semi-final games.

Nevertheless, the stars were aligned as we had the rare combination of non-achy heads on a Sunday morning with our new DINK status (acronym for: "Dual Income No Kids," and frequently heard in budgetary conversations of late: "who cares, its no big deal, we are totally DINKing it now").   After heading over to the most awesome beer store, Healthy Spirits, and stocking up on the finest, we decided to blow it out of the water with some phenomenal duck nachos.

Enter Jared's home-made salsa and an impromptu guac: 

Sprinkle in some cojita cheese, black beans refried in-house, an utterly delicious roast duck breast and... VOILA!:

Crack open a crisp and refreshing cerveza accompaniment:

And you get some very happy football fans....

Back in the Saddle Again

 



PERFORMANCE METRIC DASHBOARD*

Yes, its true- I have managed to gain meaningful employment! Although the exact parameters of the job are to be determined, I will once again be working with the Bay Area office of the KIPP charter schools and no longer have to try to think of crafty wording on my cover letter that might peak the interest of a potential employer.  So here's to a slam dunk in at least one category of the performance metric dashboard, which is really too bad because soon it will be Friday and I will in fact have sh*t to do....

*graphic supplied by Microsoft Clip Art and text art courtesy of Microsoft Paint 




Escape to LA

My lovely hosts

Only two weeks back in SF and a week into the new job (more to come on that one...) and I was already ready for a serious vacation!  Luckily, Whitney, Nicole and their posse are only a short plane ride away and MLK was a great man deserving of a national holiday.  Enter a 3-day weekend of fun in the sun and corresponding wardrobe makeover courtesy of my pint-sized friend (SF uniform of hoodie and jeans just wouldn't do on the Venice boardwalk).

 LA might be a lot of things, but no one ever called it dreary...

Enjoying memorable food & conversation at Gjelina



J'Adore Paris!

That's right folks, that's me, in the shadow of one of the most famous buildings in the world, shivering, with frozen toes and a steely reserve not to wait in line to ascend to the top of the tower to gaze upon the snow covered city below.

My week-long trip to Paris to visit Michelle and Joseph, students of the French language and tour guides extraordinaries, was too short to say the least. Despite Michelle's ability to keep me awake for longer than I had ever thought possible, I still feel as though I barely scratched the surface of the culture-packed French capital.  Visits to major museums, shows, excellent restaurants, cathedrals, monuments, and innumerable wine bars only left me with the feeling that I must come back.  And that I must learn a bit more French before doing so. 

Here are a few photo highlights from the trip:

Les amoureux at the Arc de Triomphe

The IM Pei pyramid at the Louvre

Checking in with some of the 6 million residents in the Paris catacombs

Running on pure adrenaline (and a bit of champagne) after lots of traveling and little sleeping

Too hungover for more champagne the next morning at Moet & Chandon?

Never!

Le Moulin Rouge

Feeling the love in the City of Lights

Happy New Year!

Not to worry, faithful readers- we will have holiday and travel updates posted soon! Hope everyone had a great holiday season and is geared up for the most cuddly of all Chinese zodiac years- year of the Rabbit.