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After about 2 years of not having an online portfolio, I'm feeling the pressure to put some work up again. I created a bare bones online portfolio the other day, in record time -- you can see it here. I'll probably create something more robust in the future. Above is an image from the Bodega Party in a Box I've been designing for the Neighbors Project, for the last many months. It's going to print this week I think.
There truly is a book for everything. It was gone when I returned.
Last weekend Jason went with me on a training walk through Golden Gate Park. We'd been there a few times previously, but weren't entirely familiar with what's there. It's kind of like Central Park that way, I suppose - something unexpected around every corner, be it a small zoo or a vagrant camp.
Our first surprise was a lawn bowling field. A couple of old timers were out there playing, along with a few newer recruits. Seeing the sign above, we imagined a confrontation between the lawn bowlers and the bocce enthusiasts, ala West Side Story.
Another surprise was the Botanical Garden. It's actually quite large, with little warrens of paths that are pleasant to walk through. Different sections have names like Eastern Australia Garden, Moon-Viewing Garden (Japan), Garden of Fragrance, Old World (Asian) Cloud Forest, John Muir Nature Trail, etc. You can actually see a real variety of plants there, thanks to SF's mediterrenean climate.
Last week I went to another Trannyshack Golden Girls event with a bunch of people – Marcia, Maria, Madeleine, Matthew, Omar, Kaho and Magi. Nothing is more comforting than watching Golden Girls episodes lovingly reenacted by transvestites... We especially enjoyed the garment selection – Dorothy's various textured and voluminous ensembles were faithful to the show.
Last week, Gail took me to a press dinner at McCormick and Schmicks, at Ghirardelli Square. The dinner was to showcase the new season of wild salmon; we had 4 salmon courses, and they were quite good. Outside, we walked by the Keane Gallery. You may remember these as the "big eye" paintings from the '70s. I had no idea they were still being created/sold. This is for you Britt.
I've been working hard on a pro bono design project for the last several months. It's called Bodega Party in a Box, and is for the Neighbors Project.
Basically, it helps you throw a party at your house, using only ingredients from your local bodega (corner store). It will help you meet your neighbors and patronize your local bodega, plus Bodega Party in a Box funds the Food & Liquor project, which helps get more fresh produce into local corner and liquor stores.
The kit will include a (lovingly designed) recipe book, featuring recipes by Chef Daisy Martinez, and many food bloggers; invitation cards; decorations; and a cool, reusable silkscreened shopping bag.
It will be available soon... just gotta get that production done!
In the meantime, Kit, the head of Neighbors Project, has posted some lolcat photos of lovely model Butterscotch perusing the goods, in our bodega bag. See the others here.
Jason and I went to Napa Valley last weekend, and stayed in Calistoga. And to help me train for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk, we went on a pretty, 7 mile hike in the mountains nearby (I went on two 3 mile hikes last week to keep up the momentum). We were surprised at all the animals we saw. A wild turkey strutted around the parking lot. Lizard rustled in the underbrush and scurried across the trails, and several hawks circled above.
At one point, a jackrabbit was casually hopped into a clearing by us. It saw us and actually came within 5 feet. Of course I didn't whip out my camera phone in time for a closer shot. We walked by a small reservoir, and later saw a deer in the woods.
After the hike, we rewarded ourselves to a nice dinner in Calistoga; my steak was excellent, and of course the wine was good. Our appetizer was fun too -- fried green olives stuffed with bleu cheese. Even better than it sounds.
Calistoga feels more down to earth than some other parts of the valley, and we found it relaxing. The town's big attraction is natural hot springs. Native Americans previously lived near the springs. In the 1800s, spas were developed where people could soak in the spring water, and take mud baths. It has had resorts centered on hot springs since then.
We stayed at Indian Springs,
a hotel and resort with an Olympic sized mineral pool. The pool,
outbuildings, and surrounding cottages are really charming
architecturally. I'm not sure when they were all built, but mostly 50's
or before. The pool itself is a jewel-like aquamarine and is bathtub
temperature. Sunday was quite hot – about 90 degrees – so it was a
little strange swimming in such a hot pool, but pleasant. Laying on a
lounger by the pool, under a striped awning, you see the beautiful
green mountains surrounding the valley. It's a very pleasant
Mediterranean-looking view.
Near the pool, you can see where the water comes up from the spring – it steams as it meets the air. Two cooling pools cool the water till it's the right temperature to transfer to the pool.
Pretty gardens and a pond flank the pool and spa. Red, blue and black and white dragonflies skim across the pond. A Thai-style Buddha sits at the edge the pond, with oranges in his lap. That and several other design touches reminded me of spas and hotels in Thailand. And our room had a Thai flavor as well, with its black, white, beige and acid green palette, black faux bamboo furniture, modern forms, and black and white photographs of Buddhas. It's interesting that this kind of "Thai-Modern" style is currently so popular in hotels, spas and restaurants, even if they have nothing to do with Thai culture. For instance, the last place we stayed on our long honeymoon trip was a boutique hotel in Cartagena, Colombia. And its decor was a kind of Thai-Indonesian inspired hybrid, although of course Cartagena has nothing to do with Thailand either.
On the way home, we briefly stopped in St. Helena for ice cream. There's also a cool interior store there. We'd never been to Yountville, so we drove through, and past French Laundry, which we'd like to try. And we stopped briefly in the town of Napa as well.
Marcia and I went on a 5 mile training walk (for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk) in Golden Gate Park yesterday, and on a shorter one today in the Mission. After the knee and back pain that followed the 14 mile walk did a couple weeks ago, I had a trainer develop a more realistic training plan for me, and it seems to be working out well. The Golden Gate walk was fun, though it was cold and foggy out. We stopped to see flowers by the Dutch windmill; and wandered through the Beach Chalet, a cool WPA project by the shore, decorated with some great old mosaics and paintings. Some of Marcia's resin art pieces are in the more recently decorated upstairs restaurant.
Today, Jason and I went to Mike and Tricia's baby shower at their friends' home in Oakland. The group was fun, food was tasty, and we always like seeing Oakland's great bungalows.
