This weekend, not only did I discover how to move cattle with a bellow and a stick, but I also located the prime mating grounds for ladybugs in Northern California, I tasted the best miso soup in San Francisco, and I was reminded that my friends and family are, indeed, amazing.

I started off Saturday with a muddy hike through Bay trees and cattle with Seth. It was sunny and warm...in January!? I love California weather. Days where I'm outside for a good chunk of time and with good people are just the best :)

Saturday night, I finally tried out Medicine Eatstation, a new restaurant on Sutter Street in San Francisco where my friend Evan waits (update on 3/8/07: it's closed!). The decor is austere; the lighting is indirect and soothing; the waitstaff is calm and congenial; and the food is cleansing.

We started out with the Kyoto White Miso soup. It was creamy and full-bodied in flavor and I could have had ten bowls of that for dinner and have been satisfied. It was served with a tiny basket of delicate lotus chips. After that, a series of small dishes were served...upon which were beautifully-formed sushi rolls, deep-hued greens garnished with tiny mushrooms, and fresh Yuba (soybean curd) paired with wakame gomaae (sea vegetable dressed with a thick sesame sauce).

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One of the most impressive things about the meal, though, was the most simple: the fresh-grated Wasabi. Most of what we generally get in this country that parades around as 'Wasabi' is actually dehydrated ground horseradish which is tinted with green food coloring. Real Wasabi is actually made from the root of a Japanese plant of the family Cruciferae, which is a large family with four-petaled flowers including mustards, cabbages, broccoli, turnips, cresses and horseradish. According to the Pacific Farms USA LP website, one of the only American farms to grow Wasabi, "real Wasabi is one of the most difficult vegetables in the world to grow [because few geographical areas are suited for growing fresh Wasabi] ... In traditional Japanese cuisine, Wasabi is prepared by grating the fresh rhizome against a rough surface. Some Japanese Sushi Chefs will only use a sharkskin grater. The sharkskin gives grated Wasabi a smooth, soft and aromatic finish." What I noticed about the fresh (and real) Wasabi was how truly fibrous it was, in that when I added it to my soy sauce and stirred it around with my chopstick, it dispersed immediately into tiny light-green specks. I'm used to having my "Wasabi" sit there in a clump like toothpaste. Anyhow, it was delicious.

For dessert, we were served, underneath a tiny origami crane which was brooding over them, two ginger-infused truffles rolled in matcha powder and two green tea truffles rolled in cocoa powder. Mmmmm! The chocolates were complimented by apple slices, pomegranate seeds and kumquats which had been sliced in half. It was a beautiful presentation and the flavors and textures complemented each other perfectly. I honestly think this was one of the best desserts I've ever had, not disregarding the fact that it was only $6.00!

Sunday was the perfect day for hiking at Redwood Regional Park, a gorgeous preserve full of hiking trails, towering redwoods and lush greenery, practically in my own backyard...I cannot believe I'd not yet been there! Chelsea, Louie, Ella and I explored for a couple hours up and down the hilly trails. At one point, along the left side of the path, we slowed down to look at the tree stumps and saw, I kid you not, thousands upon thousands of ladybugs! Amazing. I heard that they are only here at a certain time of year, so we were lucky to happen upon them.

That evening, my friends treated me to a wonderful birthday celebration at the Albatross Pub complete with pizza, cider, gifts, games, laughter and love. Thank you guys! I saw old friends and new, and that was simply awesome. Sam and Adrienne went all out and made two kinds of vegan cupcakes, which were *delicious*. Golden Vanilla cakes with Buttercream frosting and Mayan Chocolate cakes with crispy tops. MMMMM. We played my ever-fav'rite game, The Exquisite Corpse, in which various people draw different parts of a being on paper, unaware of what's already been drawn..you never know *what* you're going to end up with, especially with my friends :) For instance:

The celebrations tied up on Monday with a lunch that Chelsea generously made. I say it all the time, but I'll say it again: Chelsea is an **amazing** cook. She comes up with beautiful dishes and menus most people would never dream of, and they are always even more delicious than they look! We had Jerusalem Artichoke soup; a spinach salad with dried cherries, bacon and blue cheese atop a bed of warm lentils; toasted nutty bread with brie, drizzled in honey; and the KICKER: pistachio cupcakes filled with a raspberry cream filling, and topped with rose frosting. They floored me. I cannot **believe** that girl! It was such a tasty lunch, and I am so grateful. Thank You!!

That evening, I decided to take a ride down to the Bay. No sooner did I start pedaling, though, than I was hit by a car and thrown off my bike. My front tire snapped in half and my left arm started burning in pain, so I let more than a few nasty words fly, got pertinent information from the driver, and schlepped myself to the emergency room, where I spent the next four hours. There were some pretty pained folks in there. I met a little boy named Devon and we sang songs together while we waited for the doctors to see us. Turns out I'm okay, just a little banged up...my arm's gonna take a while to truly heal, but it could have been much worse.

All in all, a great weekend, a wonderful birthday, and a reminder that I've got some damn good people in my life. I love you all.

"The best achievement is selflessness.

The best worth is self-mastery.

The best quality is seeking to serve others.

The best precept is continual awareness.

The best medicine is the emptiness of everything.

The best conduct is not conforming with the ways of the world.

The best magic is transmuting the passions.

The best generosity is non-attachment.

The best morality is a peaceful mind.

The best patience is humility.

The best effort is not to care about the results.

The best meditation is a mind that lets go.

The best wisdom is seeing through appearances."

Om Mani Padme Hum Hri

I love my girlfriends - past and present. They have been and are such a crafty and creative and intelligent and funny and empowered bunch of ladies. Together, we've donned high heels and fishnets and gone out on the town carrying on like the lusty ladies that we are; we've hopped onto bikes and ridden miles and miles, stopping every so often to drop into dark bars and sip girly drinks or guzzle beers; we've rolled sushi, folded gyozas, and baked everything from vegan cream-filled cupcakes to marzipan-covered princess cakes; we've organized charity events; we've built rockets and launched them into water towers; we've sewn and crafted, but also traded baseball cards and wrenched on our bikes; we've casually discussed all those taboo topics we're all super curious to discuss; we've hiked to the upper reaches of national parks in the winter and flown downhill on slip n' slides in the summer; we've helped each other get over bad relationships and we've shared the giddiness of meeting cute, new boys ... and this is just part of it! Looking back specifically at this last year, though, I really must thank all the women in my life for getting me through some very tough times...okay, and also my boys that are also a lot like girlfriends sometimes: Kurt, my Dad, Royd and Kevin...but to all you ladies (and girly-men) - relatives and friends and neighbors and sisters-in-law and honorary relatives, I am deeply thankful. I am in a much better place than I have been in a very long time, and I am not sure I would have gotten here without all your love and support and straight-talk :)

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On Monday night, Holly and Alicia and I finished up yet another female feat of which I'm mightily proud: we bottled the beer that we began brewing *last* weekend with Sam. We coined ourselved the Cycle Brewing Company and named our beer "28 Day Ale." Double entendre. Get it? We ride bicycles. It takes 28 days from bottling before we can drink the beer ... but also ... cycle, 28 days ... you get it :)

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This was the first time that Alicia, Sam and I had made beer (although Alicia grew up on a vineyard and had often made wine and hard apple cider), but this was Holly's 20th time or so. We decided to start off simple with a kit from the Oak Barrel in Berkeley. I bought the Nut Brown Ale kit, which came with 6# Liquid Malt Extract, Dry Malt Extract, Crystal and Chocolate Malts, Northern Brewer and Cascade Hops, Dry Ale Yeast, Priming Sugar and Irish Moss.

First, Sam crushed the barley grains.

And then we packed them into a giant teabag and dropped it into a pot of water to boil.

After some time, we added the malt extracts. Glug, glug. About one second after the below photo was taken, I accidentally dropped this bucket into the pot of boiling barley tea. Sorry, Sam! That was a really cute shirt you were wearing. Too bad I ruined it :(

After adding the hops, Holly (AKA "Strong Like Bull") transferred the mixture into the fermenting carboy.

I was really amazed at the stratigraphy of our creation! Really pretty.

We added the yeast, popped on a fermentation lock and let the brew hang out under Holly's kitchen table for a week. On Monday night, we started off by sanitizing our bottles in a bleach solution.

We also sanitized the caps in boiling water.

We first transferred the soon-to-be ale into a secondary container to rack off some of the yeast sludge that had collected at the bottom of the carboy. It smelled **so** good and so yeasty! Alicia and I were brave and tasted the yeast that had collected on top of the carboy - it was disgusting. Don't ever do that. Learn from us :)

The final step was the actual bottling. We siphoned the near-ale into the bottles, and capped them with our fancy $20 capper.

Now, all we have to do is wait! 28 days from bottling, on February 19th, we'll crack open our ale and celebrate our womanhood by drinking and cursing like sailors! Woo hoo!

"Pirate \Pi"rate\, n. : A robber on the high seas; one who by open violence takes the property of another on the high seas; especially, one who makes it his business to cruise for robbery or plunder; a freebooter on the seas; also, one who steals in a harbor."

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Dear blog readers, it's a wonder that I'm still alive this morning to be writing for you, for I found myself, last night, in the midst of a wandering rove of pirates! I know, it's difficult to believe, as I live in a highly-populted urban area ... but it's true. One minute, I was riding my bike through the Port of Oakland with my new friend Seth, exploring and laughing, and the next minute I was sitting amongst a raucous group of eye-patched, hook-armed, accordian-playing, beer-drinking, whisky-gulping pirates in the attic of Quinn's Lighthouse! They enticed me to drink a huge bottle of Arrogant Bastard Ale and even coerced me into joining their crew on February 2nd at Speisekammer in Alameda, where I'm to wear my best pirate gear in return for a free whisky drink.

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So Aye, ye Scurvy dogs in Oakland! Come n' swill a pint or two o' grog with us next time!

"Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark."

-Henri Frederic Amiel

"In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy." - William Blake

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If ever there were a winter in Northern California, this is it. I heard someone refer to our recent weather as an 'arctic blast,' and even though I hail from the land of snowy and windy winters, I have to agree that I feel like I'm in the midst of a bit of an arctic blast here in Oakland ... and I am enjoying it. There's something about the cold weather and forced hibernation that comforts me; perhaps it's memories of 22 years of living with true seasons. This weekend I plan to do lots of cooking, baking and crafting while the winds gust outside.

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When I think about winter food, I think about potatoes and parsnips and radishes and brussles sprouts on one hand and lemons and limes and cherimoyas and grapefruit and mandarins on the other. Recently, the stalls at the farmers markets here have been full of various shades of yellow and green and orange, and I've been unable to resist buying some of the sweet (or sour) little treats! This past weekend, I made some Lime Meltaways with Persian Limes that I got at the Grand-Lake Market ... yum. I also bought some Meyer Lemons and I'm going to try the same recipe with those ... I'll let you know how it turns out.

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I picked up some Key Limes this past weekend, too. Key Limes, or 'Bartender's Limes, are smaller, seedier, more acidic, and have a more distinctive aroma than their larger cousins, the Persian Limes. Their skins are also markedly thinner. Admittedly, I bought the limes at a grocery store and not my local market, and after researching their history a bit, I've learned that they're not widely grown in the United States. I'm anxious to check out my local farmer's markets to see if anyone does grow and sell them locally ... if you know of a Key Lime purveyor, let me know!

Last night I used these little guys to make a Vegan Key Lime Pie. I looked at several recipes and mixed them together to form my own recipe, and I was rather pleased with how it turned out. Alicia and Sam, the two best judges of vegan baked goods in my life, loved it, too! I brought it to Lanesplitter for our garden club meeting, and Alicia couldn't even wait until her dinner came before digging into the pie :) That was a total compliment.

I made the crust from graham crackers, macadamia nuts, sugar and canola oil...and for the filling, I zested and squeezed juice from lots and lots of key limes, and added in some silken tofu, vanilla pudding mix and (!!) avocado for color! I got the avocado idea from the "I Am Awakening" dessert at Cafe Gratitude in Berkeley...that pie was what I was shooting for, in fact, because it is the best Key Lime Pie I've had, vegan or not, in my *life*. At the cafe, they use avocado and macadamia nuts in their pie. I'm close to re-creating their dessert...but still not there. I may have to go back to Cafe Gratitude for another taste ... and further inspiration :)

Picking up where I left off, on Wednesday afternoon we braved the post-Christmas shopping crowds on State Street in Chicago searching for some good deals. State Street was once called State Road and was the main road traveling south through Illinois. Over the years, it was improved from its unpaved and muddy beginnings to a high-class route touting theaters, fancy hotels and stores.

That evening we had a small celebration to honor my brother, who just got his PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois. Yay, Kurt!

The highlights of the evening, for me, were the saganaki (flaming cheese) and getting to talk at length with my neighbor Enriquetta from Columbia, and spending time with my family. Here's my Grandma Joan (at the young age of 85) posing for the papparazzi;

Here's my Mom whispering sweet nothings into my cousin Cindy's ear;

Here's my Mom with my brother;

Here are my cousins Cindy and Alyssa from Texas at the petting zoo inside the restaurant;

and here are my Auntie Kris and Uncle Tom trying to stay awake and engaged as Kurt explains his doctoral thesis: "Development of a Pile Condition Index and a Road Map for the Development of a Structural Section Rating."

I didn't realize until I *left* Chicagoland years ago that saganaki isn't something that just anybody knows about. Apparently, it was invented in 1968 at the Parthenon on Halsted Street, Chicago's oldest Greek restaurant. Saganaki pretty much combines all that is good in this world for hedonists like me: cheese, alcohol and flames. Essentially, kasseri cheese is fried in olive oil or butter, doused in brandy, and set aflame while the waiter shouts 'Opaa!' (I did not take the below photo)

The flame is then extinguished with a few squirts of lemon juice and the sizzling treat is brought to the table to be devoured with pita or bread. It's funny to know that this popular Greek food originated not in the Greek Islands, but in the Windy City itself! It's SOOOO good.

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Later in the week, my Mom and I made our traditional journey down south to go antiquing. My love for sifting through other people's old junk is certainly genetic; my Mom and I spent three hours at the Indian Oaks Antique Mall near Kankakee. This is honestly one of the best antiquing sites I have ever been to. It just has fun, affordable stuff ... and lots of it. I found some awesome old tins, a handmade kitchen apron, and best of all - a tiny salt cellar and an even tinier salt cellar spoon. Totally worth the 4.5 hours of driving it took us to get to/from there.

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That night my parents and I went to the home of some old family friends to celebrate the engagement of their daughter. It was great to see Olga, Ralph, Monica and Scotty after so many years. Monica and her 'pre-husband' were on a move across the country from Menlo Park, CA to Boston where they'll both be doing post-Docs at Harvard. We had a great time talking about northern California and I promised them I'd have triple the fun this next year for them as I camp and hike since they are leaving! As a side note, I ate one of the most delicious cheesecakes I've ever had that night. Ralph is a master cheesecake maker, and I must get his recipe. Maybe he won't mind if I blog it for ya'll, too! Mmm!

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Saturday was work. Work, work, work. Cindy, Colette, Kris, my Mom and I spent over ten hours helping my Grandma clean out her basement in preparation for her move to Texas this summer. We came across canned food that had expired in 1992! But of course, we had fun with it. There is nobody I laugh with more than the ladies in my family. We're all such goofballs, and proud of it. My Grandma was very generous and gave away a lot of her treasures. She is the best sewer/quilter/knitter/crocheter that I know. I can only hope that I've inherited her craftiness when it comes to those areas, because I've never much attempted to do any of that. But she had boxes and boxes of fabrics and such ... and she gave me these beautiful silk fabrics that she got in Hong Kong when she went there year and years ago with my Grandfather. I don't know what I'll do with them; for now, I just want to look at them. We also came across some old photos. Here I am, barely able to stand, washing dishes at my Grandma's sink. My family believes not in abiding by the child labor laws, clearly.

We took a short break for Mexican food and margaritas. The waiters also brought out three birthday treats to celebrate the upcoming 21st, 28th and 86th birthdays of Cindy, myself and my Grandma, respectively.

Sunday was New Year's Eve, and I shot out to Chicago to see my oldest girlfriends, Katie and Sharon. Both of these ladies are getting their PhD's at Northwestern, and Katie just recently bought a condo in a really cute part of the city. We talked and shopped, just like old times.

That evening, Kevin and Jane were kind enough to invite me along to their New Year's Eve festivities.

We spent the bulk of the evening eating good food, drinking stellar punch and laughing until our sides hurt at one of their friend's houses in Chicago. I met some fun folks and got some incriminating photos of Kevin overeating. Thanks, you two, for including me! Maybe next year *I* can kiss someone when the clock strikes midnight, too, instead of sitting there and blowing into the sad, dejected plastic horn while others smooch :)

The last few festivities before I left included a tasty Mexican dinner with my Mom and Dad at Fuego in Arlington Heights, and a gathering with Kevin, Jane, Kurt and Masha at The Handlebar Bar and Grill in Wicker Park. I chose the spot because I heard it was aimed at vegetarians and bike messengers, and it made me miss my bike really badly. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was great, and it was a wonderful way to spend my last night in Chi-Town. Thanks to you all for an excellent vacation!!