Life's a Picnic

Peurto Vallarta Mexico

2009-12-07T08:16:00.000-08:00

At this point in our cruise we have been lulled into a constant state of happiness. The staff on the Norwegian Sun are stealth in their endeavor to make us happy. When we go out to breakfast they quickly clean our cabin and stock us with towels and such. While we are at dinner they remake the room and leave us towel animals. This is a pampered lifestyle I could get used to. The price in right if you shop wisely. This 12 day 11 night cruise cost us about $1200 for two, inclusive of room and board. There are extra charges for tips, alcohol, tours and any other activities. We threw caution to the wind, a bit' and spent extra for incidentals. I felt like it was a bargain for such luxury.

party animal!

We arrived in Puerto Vallarta early to perfect weather. I was not feeling like the intrepid traveler so we decided to take a tour of the town. I negotiated $30 for an hour tour that took us through town in a new Nissan Van. At first it was a little unnerving as other cabs and vans pulled alongside us and had excited conversations with our driver. He explained he was the captain of the cab company's soccer team and the other drivers wanted to know about that day's game. The narrow cobblestone streets were teaming with cars and buses belching fumes but the city was beautiful nevertheless.

photo by April
Just across from the ship there was a shopping area that included Walmart and next door was Galleria Vallarta, an upscale mall with Liverpool department store as an anchor.

We hit the mall after our tour and found an impressive offering on par with Nordstroms or Macys. The food court was just like the U.S. versions. Subway and McDonald's offered their wares in Spanish. The stunning view overlooking the port was certainly not ordinary.

It was time to head back to the ship and enjoy the rest of the journey.

Mazatlan Mexico

2009-12-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

The whirlwind tour moves to Mazatlan. One unique thing about taking a cruise is going to your hotel room and unpacking once. Each night your hotel moves you to the next town, all the while providing splendid amenities.

On this stop we partake in a ship endorsed tour called Shrimp Fest. From the port we are shuttled in air conditioned vans to a private home on cross hill overlooking the city. Not much to look at from the front but once inside it is quite spectacular. Besides the great view there is a pool, hot tub and small gift shop. We are offered margaritas, beer and soft drinks. After a brief introduction we wander about the grounds and enjoy. The mother of the owner gives April and I a tour of her adjoining residence where we admire the stone and tile work. It seems prices here are about a quarter of what we paid for our stone at home. The yard is lush but we are told that a recent storm had taken a toll on the trees.

It was time for a feast. Shrimp three ways, deep fried, boiled and garlic saute. Included was rice, beans, fresh tortillas, guacamole and some spicy salsas. More beer and margaritas were quaffed as we relaxed and kept an eye on the boats in the harbor.

Back to the boat and onward.

Peurto De Pichilingue/ La Paz

2009-11-25T09:51:00.000-08:00

Next day it's another port and accompanying city to explore. It's a rough job, but someone has to do it!
Peurto de Pichilingue is more of a tourist oriented port. It houses an attractive building with a marketplace and landscaping of Saguaro Cactus. A little farther down is the Baja Ferry that transports people, cars and cargo across the bay.

The ride into town is scenic as the desert grows to the sea. The Sagauro Cactus are everywhere and so are luxury resort residences and hotels. The bus dropped us in the Malecon area of town. The main street is next to the bay with restaurants, bars, shops and sights to see. It seems to be home to many artists and we purchased handmade earrings for our daughters. Statues and murals decorate a nearby courtyard.

We are here a few days before Dia De Los Muertos celebration. It is a remembrance of the departed and there are decorations in some of the stores

One thing I learned in Mexico is to be careful while walking. This was discussed somewhere in the shipboard tutorial that I mostly ignored. There is a more relaxed attitude towards building codes. The sidewalk will randomly drop a couple inches without notice. In the U.S. a construction zone will be lined with orange cones and signage. Here so is not the case. Someone was kind enough to place a plastic garbage can in an electrical box with no cover and a twelve inch drop. Watch your step! I did not follow my own advice as I stepped into the returning bus and flung myself in the open door unceremoniously. An elderly couple on board watched and lifted their beers to me. "Too much cerveza," they said. I replied, "Not enough!" and they pointed out a store nearby where I could purchase some for a dollar. Another observation I made was how tourists flock to the familiar. With all the unique restaurants and shops, a lot of our fellow passengers hung out at Applebee's and Thrifty ice cream.

With not enough time to fully explore this beautiful town, we head back to the ship. Tomorrow we will be in Mazatlan. Loving this vacation.

Topolobampo/ Los Mochis Mexico

2009-11-21T12:21:00.000-08:00

The itinerary of our recent Norwegian Cruise Line trip included five ports in Mexico. My plan is to write five blogs of impressions we had of each port.
Our first stop was the Port of Topolobampo. We woke up to a beautifully warm day. Customs arrangements for passengers to enter the country were being made, so we climbed on deck to peek out at our surroundings. The port is a no nonsense working pier. We had docked next to a freighter offloading as trucks and train cars stood by. Small fishing boats sped by as we waited for the word to go ashore.

Finally we had permission to disembark and headed for the gangway. The ship's photographers scrambled to take pictures to sell us later. I was busy with my own camera trying to shoot a photo of the ship's logo.

Then I realized that I was missing something - my wife! It seems the ship issued identification card had demagnetized and she had to return for a replacement. As I waited, I eyeballed the long lines for the buses to take us to Los Mochis. In an impulsive moment I decided we should take one of the taxis queued up nearby. This is the place where old eighties and nineties cars come to live. The price was right, $20 for nearly 30 minute trip into town. We rode in a late eighties Datsun with no shocks, a speedometer that did not work and the windshield wiper was tied on with a piece of cotton bandage. We were living the Vida Loca! We passed a lot of poverty as we drove into town. Some homes with children and chickens playing in the yard barely qualified as shacks. A cowboy herding several cows in the median seemed strange. I felt sad and out of place but the people in town seemed happy to see us and were welcoming. I imagine the tourists brought a little money to the local economy. The cab dropped us downtown at what I would describe as a sixties style strip mall. Therein was a Woolworths and a bowling alley as well as a Burger King and KFC. Glad to see we are exporting our lifestyle to our neighbors to the south.

We checked out the town square and the adjacent church. The folliage was lush and the warm weather was wearing us out. We decided it was time to return to the ship. This time we took the air conditioned bus. Back at the ship a group of local dancers entertained. We hung out on board and watched the sunset. Lovely!

Second Honeymooon

2009-11-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

We have reluctantly returned to reality after our second honeymoon. The experience was, in a word, magnificent. On Friday October 23 we boarded The Norwegian Cruise Lines Sun at pier 35 in San Francisco. We headed out under the Golden Gate Bridge for an eleven night, twelve day cruise to Mexico.

This was the longest time we have been away since our honeymoon 34 years ago. I am happy to report we still get along quite well and enjoyed every moment of the cruise. We stopped at five ports and had a whirlwind tour at each one. There really was not enough time to fully explore the towns but we tried to maximize our days. On the ship there is so many things to do you have to plot an agenda daily to to fully experience the boat. Even on our last day we were finding places on board we had not seen before. The food is excellent and abundant with many venues to try. At one of the nightly shows we attended the cruise director/ comedian said that the people boarded the ship as passengers and left as cargo. He was right on the money! With so many things to talk about I thought I would start with breakfast. Here is a small sample of what was available to start the day.

Blog Hiatus

2009-10-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

They say the acorn doesn't fall too far from the tree. April and I arrived home from work yesterday to find my son Patrick working away at the food processor. I asked what he was creating and he proudly announced he was making Chipotle Mayonnaise. He ate a sandwich at a local dive and loved the flavor. He did some internet research and aggregated a recipe. It is tasty and easy to make.

In food processor mince one large garlic clove
Add one canned Chipotle in Adobo and about a scant teaspoon of the sauce. (use more if you like it real spicy)
Blend in one cup of Best Foods Mayonnaise.
Add a teaspoon or so of olive oil and the juice of half a lime to complete sauce

Life's a Picnic will be on Hiatus for about three weeks on a second honeymoon of sorts. Adios!

Full Disclosure

2009-10-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

The following blog post event actually occurred on Easter Weekend 2009. I disclose this fact because I have been reading that the government is cracking down on bloggers who accept money in return for favorable posts. We are a group that is out of control with no editors, no structure and are basically without scrutiny. Be advised that I have not accepted any money for my blogs and in fact have spent tons of my own money. Why you ask? I write this blog to express to my readers my appreciation of life and adventure. I have been fortunate to have a wonderful wife and we enjoy our time together. We are lucky to have a few dollars of disposable income we can part with on our adventures. That being said, on with on with the post.

We had a weekend with no responsibilities pending. I cruised the internet for likely places to visit and came up with a highly rated resort in Napa on Hotwire.com for under $150 (at this writing the rates on the hotel website are running over $400). The Meritage Resort and Spa is located in an business park just a short drive from downtown Napa. The building and grounds are immaculate. A large swimming pool and spa are inviting and the weather warm enough for dip and lounging. Just behind the pool is the Trinitas Wine Cave and Spa Terra. After a little exploration there we hiked the adjacent vineyard that has plenty of picnic spots, art work and stautary. Jack rabbits bounded through fields and remarkably we spotted a Great Blue Heron about twenty feet away oblivious to our presence.

On our last visit to Napa we enjoyed the Oxbow Market. On this visit we tried Picapica Maize Kitchen and were rewarded with tasty Venezuelan corn arepas and a maize'wich.

I also want to disclose we had a wonderful weekend and will continue to seek out and report on new, exciting and reasonably priced travel, food and adventure.

Coffee Ritual

2009-10-04T09:18:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I am not a coffee connoisseur. I drink one or two cups in the morning and have no brand loyalty. Weekdays I normally hit the Starbucks kiosk at the local Safeway. I drink brewed coffee and cringe when I hear the complex orders that people request. Another hot button I have is when the counter person corrects me when I order a "small" and somehow that becomes a "tall". That doesn't seem to happen much lately and that makes me happy. Weekends we drink Trader Joe's coffee that we grind in store.

Over the last couple of weeks my coffee habits have been challenged. The first change happened when I forgot to replenish our supply. The only coffee in house was some very expensive beans that my daughter had procured in Hawaii. The problem was no grinder. I was going to drink tea but all we had was decaf. I thought about pounding the beans with the bottom of a heavy pan but nixed the idea. I spied the marble mortar and pestle unused on the self. Hence, the first pot of hand ground Hawaiian coffee was made. It was superb and has spoiled me for the cheap stuff.

The second experience was on our getaway weekend. We headed over to Acme bread in the Ferry Plaza for their exceptional pastries. Just a few doors down the line at Blue Bottle Coffee was only about eight deep. Normally the line is at least three times that. We decided to see what everybody was willing to wait for. Talk about ritual! This place has more reverent moves than a Catholic High Mass. Each cup of brewed coffee is crafted individually. The water is swirled above a cone filter with a motion that reminds me of the incense vessel used in Mass. We defended our position in line from a marauding little old lady with a cane and a handsome young fellow who tried to flirt his way to the front. That endured, we got our coffee and it was excellent, albeit lukewarm for my taste. The wife's latte was a visual work of art.The two things I require from a coffee place: It should be hot and be served in the immediate future.

The most recent coffee adventure is the arrival of Starbucks Via Ready Brew. The commercials say you can't tell the difference. I had mine with one of my wife's homemade pumpkin scones and it was hot and ready. Can I tell the difference? Yeah.

Runaway Weekend - San Fran

2009-09-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

We have a cruise to Mexico in the near future and have been trying to limit our travel expense to accumulate a little nest egg for that. I have a habit of checking out hotel prices in San Francisco. In my explorations I discovered a four star hotel in the Embarcadero area of the city. The price was $126, about half the price of rooms listed in the last few months. So with reckless abandon I booked it. Hotwire.com only tells you the hotel name after you pay them, so I was pleasantly surprised to find we were staying at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero.

This Hyatt is a large hotel with magnificent lobby and glass elevators. We checked into a spacious well decorated room on the twelfth floor. Just down the hall, floor to ceiling windows provide a stellar view of the Ferry Building.

We brunched with my oldest daughter and her boyfriend at Perry's a couple of blocks away and did a little exploring around the the Embarcadero Center. They have always done a superb job of landscaping here, but we loved the idea of the herbs and edible plants that provided color to the planters. There was basil, chives, chard, lettuces, strawberries, parsley and flowers.

Later that evening, I was online looking at places to go for dinner and down on the street someone was playing I Left My Heart in San Francisco on the violin. Sometimes one can leave their wallet in the city because the restaurant prices are so high. We had thoughts of going to the Tonga Room at the Fairmont but that would require a trek we had no energy for. We headed out for a cocktail before dinner. Fuzio, a restaurant adjacent to the Embarcadero Cinema, has a cute little bar we checked out. They have a Martini menu priced at about $10 but the drinks are so huge one is enough. I had a traditional gin marty and April had a cosmo.

As we sipped, the bartender slipped us the bar menu. For around $7 each we had pizza and spring rolls for dinner. This night I did not leave my wallet in San Francisco.

Donuts Duh - Oh!

2009-09-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

Some say the best things in life are free. This week at least they are reasonably priced. There is a Cash and Carry restaurant supply store in Santa Rosa that we visit on occasion. Most of the time to purchase food for a party, on this occasion to stock up on some restaurant style to-go packaging. There are always things that "need" to be purchased, so an hour flew by. After loading the goods, a reward was in order. Sam's donuts is located a few doors down. We had always wanted to try the place but for some reason never had. The place is definitely lacking in atmosphere and decor and perhaps is a bit dodgy. I ordered a huge apple fritter and April, a crumb covered raised to go. As I backed up the car the wife began to channel Meg Ryan from the deli scene in When Harry met Sally. A little startled I wondered what all the happiness was about.

"These donuts are so good, Greg!
"Come on they are just donuts..."

With my first bite I discovered the source of her pleasure. Imagine an apple fritter with real apple in it, perfectly fried and glazed. Oh my!

I'll have what she's having!

Chilling and Munching Sebastopol Style

2009-09-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we took a drive to the Sebastopol Farmer's Market. It is a smallish market but makes up for its size with a great variety of pristine produce, colorful products and a laid back atmosphere. There were couples cuddling and parents with young children dancing in front of the bandstand. We staked out a bench and sipped coffee from Run Around Brew. The coffee was wonderful but I kept hearing the lyrics from Run Around Sue roll around in my head. I hate when that happens.

We had plans for lunch to follow our visit but as we people-watched, we kept seeing wonderful looking pizzas from a mobile oven pass in front of us. We decided we must change our lunch plans. The wife wanted to try the sausage pizza so I went to the counter and inadvertently ordered what I always get, a pepperoni pizza. Well, my bad. This pizza rocks! I asked the chef if he also had a restaurant and he provided a card for Rosso Pizzeria and wine bar in Santa Rosa. They have a cool logo to match the great pizza. After a little internet research I find that Chef John Franchetti has worked at some high end venues and opened his Santa Rosa restaurant to great reviews. We will be checking that out soon but for now we will be chilling and munching pizza at the market.

Rosso pizza - Delicious!

Danger ! Scary Dog

2009-08-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

You can't pick up a food magazine or newspaper these days without some mention of food trucks or carts, some of them legal and some not. People looking to eat cheap or make a living in this crazy economy have taken to the streets. I've always had a hidden urge to run a hot dog stand so, after reading articles about street vendors in LA Weekly and the NY Times that produce Mexican Style hot dogs, I thought I would try and come up with dog that could compete. These dogs are also known as scary or danger dogs because of the clandestine nature of production.

My dogs are probably not so scary because I used products I had on hand in the house. If I was making these on the street I might not be using organic hot dogs, apple wood smoked bacon and whole wheat buns. On the other hand, that might be a good selling point here in the Bay Area. I added some sharp cheddar, pickled jalapenos, barbecue sauce and a short shake of hot sauce. Danger Will Robinson! Pass the Pepcid AC.

Not so danger dog

Wine Country

2009-08-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

Back in my bar tending days at hotel fancy I noticed that most of my upscale guests would not consider a trip to San Francisco complete without a requisite trip to wine country. They would load up in limos, vans and buses and be off en masse to day trip and return later clutching their cardboard wine boxes. We are lucky here because wine country is a leisurely drive away. Now is a perfect time to visit, the weather is grand and the grapes hang heavy on the vine. Wine in the raw, if you will.

Dry Creek 2009

We chose Sonoma County wine country last Sunday. We toured the Dry Creek and Alexander Valley designations. There are so many wineries to chose from, but as they say travel is the journey and not the destination. The views are beautiful and the pace is easy. We stopped at Preston Vineyards. On Sundays they sell Guadagni red table wine, it reminds me of days when the small Italian wineries sold wines in large jugs. At Preston you go into the cellar and the jug is filled and labeled as you watch. Of course we also purchased some of their homemade olive oil and bread.

Preston's Jug wine and olive trees

We started early and decided it was time for lunch. Man does not live by wine tasting and bread samples alone! We motored over to the Jimtown Store which is located northeast of Healdsburg on Highway 128. This place is so fun! They have an eclectic collection of doodads and thingamajigs that will bring out the kid in anyone. In addition they have some really good food. We split a huge ham and brie sandwich with butter and Mendocino Mustard. I'm giving this sandwich an official OMG! award.

Windsor Farmer's Market

2009-08-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

All farmer's markets are not created equal. Each has it's own personality and flow. Normally if we go to market on Sunday we head for the Marin Market in San Rafael, a large and popular place. Today we ventured a little farther north to Windsor, Ca. We arrived as the market was just beginning. The vendors had just finished setting up their displays and were ready for business.The market has a small hometown feel and the smell of brewing coffee and breakfast burritos beckoned. We purchased some vegetables to fill the larder at home. Our find of the day was McClelland's Dairy Organic Artisan Butter. This Petaluma dairy's butter is creamy and rich. Samples are offered spread on a small bread stick and will convince you to to take some butter home. Behind the stand is a photo logo of the beautiful daughter of the family that appears on the product. It is a bit surreal to see the daughter Jana standing in front of the sign. Almost like a mirror in a mirror.

Flash Back Flash Foward

2009-08-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

We took an afternoon in Mill Valley to watch my son play club soccer. The game had a late start time so we took a brief detour over to Sausalito to visit Heath Ceramics. April has been wanting to tile the entryway to our humble abode, so we decided to check out the goods.

As we walked through the doors we were graciously welcomed and asked if we had been there before. The question interrupted my gazing upon displays of rustic, colorful dinnerware. I answered yes we had, about a million years ago. This response drew a few laughs, but my mind was flashing back to the seventies when we had received a few pieces of Heath dinnerware as wedding gifts. We had visited the place a couple of times on dates in Sausalito. It remains pretty much the same as it was then, perhaps a little more upscale but still earthy and wonderful. If you are in neighborhood check it out.

Heath Ceramics
400 Gate Five Rd.
Sausalito, Ca. 94965

Meet you halfway

2009-07-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

We got a chance to hang out with my brother and his wife last weekend. He lives near Reno, so we met in Davis to minimize both of our driving times. I've blogged before about Davis. It's a town filled with restaurants and a great destination for a one night visit.

We had pizza and cold beer for lunch at Uncle Vito's Slice of New York Pizza. Stimulating conversation and laughter followed. A dip in the pool, a nap followed by free cocktails at the Hallmark Inn and it was time for dinner at Seasons Restaurant.

Starters
Warm Local Olives
Kennebec Fries - Housemade Poblano Ketchup

Entrees
BBQ Shrimp - Anson Mills Cheddar Grits - Bacon Cracklings
Bledsoe Lamb Chops - Del Rio Braised Greens - Sausage - Peach Jam

A lucky pick off the wine list, Rominger West Sauvignon Blanc was crisp with enough flavor to stand up to the entrees.

Oh yes we did have dessert!
My brother and I had items off the "sweet bites" section of the menu. I like the idea of just a small taste for dessert.
Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie
Gelato Du Jour

The wives split a standard dessert
Bellweather Ricotta, Berries, Organic Honey, Shortbread

Hanging at the house

2009-07-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

We've been hanging out closer to home the last few weeks. Plans for a big vacation adventure later in the year, have us saving the dough for then. With a little ingenuity and some dough, one can have a fun food adventure. A trip to the farmers' market, a cruise of the internet and behold the feast.

Marin Sunday farmer's market

Tyler Florence's recipe inspired my wife to create a peach and strawberry crostata.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

Novato Parade

San Francisco Soup Company

2009-06-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

We were hanging out in the mall checking out the food court. Plans were made for lunch later so this was supposed to be an exploratory mission. Both of us had skipped breakfast and lunch was a couple hours away, so we did decide on a little something to nosh. We watched as a worker at the San Francisco Soup Company struggled with the sign board that lists the soups available that day. Just when it looked like the sign was winning the worker attached a couple of rubber bands to secure the last two selections. The list is long and includes both hot and cold soups. They also offer fresh salads and sandwiches. We decided to split a large bowl of "Grandma Mary's Chicken Noodle Soup." I really wasn't expecting much but to my surprise the soup was wonderful. It's chock full of large chicken pieces, vegetables and comforting broth. Noodles were added to the bowl and the the soup ladled over. This kept the broth nice and clear. At under seven dollars for a large, filling bowl this is definitely a bargain. As is turns out there are many locations all over town. Soups on!

Can I meet this Grandma Mary?

Modern Day Lemonade Stand

2009-06-11T18:43:00.000-07:00

On the way home from the day job, sign-waving kids caught my eye. What was it - a protest? Support the cause of the day? Nope just a couple of entrepreneurial kids with the twenty first century updated version of a lemonade stand. In this version in addition to lemonade they have fresh fruit. I inquire of the vendor " do you guys grow the fruit?" He patiently explains that the fruit in grown in the San Joaquin Valley and is organic. Sold American! Local ,organic and putting dollars in the hands of future of our state. I have to love the optimism and promise of youth.

Chez Pierre Novato

2009-05-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

We had originally planned a runaway weekend for Memorial Day but procrastinated until the last moment and could not find a deal, so we decided to stay local and relax. We had a lazy morning and made an executive decision to go out to lunch. There is a local restaurant that has been around town a long time in many forms. In its first incarnation it was a Denny's. Now with several stops in between it is Chez Pierre. I had read several reviews online and all had been favorable but for whatever reason we had not tried it. Talk about hiding your treasure in plain sight, this place is so far from a Denny's, all I can say is it rocks!

We arrived at noon and had several dining options. There are the traditional American breakfasts, burgers and sandwiches but we choose to go with with the French items. April had the Tartine aux Lardons, an open face foccacia sandwich with bacon, onions and cheese. I went with the Croque Monsieur, a hot ham and cheese. Each comes with a choice of soup, salad or fries. Both sandwiches were magnificent and we had some leftover to take home. I was about to call for the check when the waiter served profiteroles to the next table. Of course we had to have some. Pierre, I'm so going to be back for dinner. Merci Beaucoup!

Croque Monsieur and Tartine aux lardons

dessert

How to pick a restaurant

2009-05-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

It is about as warm as it gets around here today. We attended an outdoor event, stood in the sun, forgot to bring the sunscreen and water. We darn near melted! It was well past lunch time when we got to the car. We cranked up the air conditioning and headed towards home. We passed the new mini mall in Ignacio that has a huge Safeway and a bunch of new restaurants. Lunch now! We did a brief walkthrough of each restaurant and landed at Sonoma Latina Grill. Why? They had the coldest air conditioning!

Sometimes you get lucky when you follow your intuition. I expected another mediocre Mexican joint but this place is far from it. Local, no preservatives, no high fructose corn syrup, all worth extra points. Most importantly the food is fabulous, reasonably priced and comes in generous portions.

Sonoma Latina Grill
5800 Nave Dr.
Novato, Ca.

Platos Classiscos

Sonoma Latina Salad

Mooshie Mooshie

2009-05-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

Just after we got married, a Japanese friend taught my wife how to make gyoza dumplings. The variations are plentiful, we used beef spiced with garlic, ginger and green onions folded into a wonton wrapper. At our first dinner party we served fillet Mignon trying to be all upscale. We got worried when we thought we had miscalculated the amount of food we would need to serve our guests. April went to the freezer, pulled out the dumplings, steam fried them, and served with a spicy soy dipping sauce. The fillets sat lonely on the plate while the dumplings disappeared post haste. There were problems though. As hard as we tried we could not remember the name of the dumplings, so they were christened as mooshie mooshies and remained a staple in our meal plans. Another problem was they were labor intensive and for the life of me I could not make the pleated folds required to seal them.

It had been sometime since we've made mooshie mooshies but now with our newfound gadget they are simple to seal and the freezer is again full of these wonderful goodies. The gadget of which I speak is a dumpling maker by Joyce Chen, a source for a number of Asian cooking tools.

Just put a store bought wonton wrapper in the center add a small amount of meat, wet the edges with water and fold.

easy peasey
Here is a link for dumplings made by Good Fork Restaurant in Red Hook New York. Chef Kim used it to beat Bobby Flay on his Throw down show.

Sunday Streets

2009-05-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

Last week we participated in Sunday Streets. On a number of Sundays this year different streets in San Francisco will be closed, so you can bike, blade or walk and enjoy car free activities. I would vote to have them closed every day but that's not likely to happen so we enjoyed this event to the fullest. On this particular day the Embarcadero was closed from AT&T all the way down to Fisherman's Wharf. We began our trip at the Ferry Building and hoofed it down to the park. Beautiful people enjoying the bay views.

AT&T opened the field so you could run the bases and of course April had to "slide" into home plate. Kids of all ages found this a blast.

After all this excitement our thoughts turned to food. We headed to Perry's, which is turning into our new favorite spot. We had a brunch and watched the Giant's, who were playing in Arizona.

Living for the Weekend. Enjoy!

It's no secret

2009-04-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

I'm giving up some secrets here today. My wife loves shoes and I like to indulge her shoe habit. We don't have a Sex in the City Dolce & Gabbana budget so we stay on the lookout for bargains. One unlikely store we found for bargain stylish shoes is in the Nordstroms shopping center on Market in San Francisco. This whole mall is a salute to expensive fashion but down on the BART level next to food court is a Payless Shoe Source store. I know they are everywhere but this particular one has a collection not seen at their other locations. We never pay more than thirty dollars and normally much less. This day we scored three pairs for less than fifty dollars.

After we shop it is normally lunch time and the ritual dance of deciding on where to eat begins. I say what do you feeling like eating and she replies " I would like a nice salad." This phrase in the past has caused some trepidation because in San Fran a "nice salad" comes at a price. The shopping center has food courts galore that are jammed with hungry hordes. A short elevator ride up to Nordstroms Bistro brings us to a more calm and civil place. The Bistro overlooks the Powell Street cable car turnaround and offers sit down service, a bar and most importantly nice salads. The prices are less than some of the food court offerings and we get to eyeball some of the really expensive shoes in the adjacent ladies shoe department.

fancy ham and cheese sandwich

A "nice" salad indeed!