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.