Whole Paycheck

I don't usually shop at Whole Foods. It's too expensive - hence its moniker. But have you tried their flowers?!


I bought a bunch of mums for $5, which is cheap here, and they look just as fresh as the day I bought them - exactly one week ago!

Gin at Work

For reasons I won't go into here, I was concerned about Ginger being home alone all day yesterday, so she spent the afternoon in my office.

Union Square Holidays

Now that I live near Union Square, it's cool to check out the holiday decorations. The ice rink is open for business and, this weekend, I saw a woman in a cherry-picker putting lights on the gigantic Christmas tree.

Our Nation's Capitol

Yes. I'm back in lovely Washington, D.C. Seeing the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial as you arrive from Dulles at night is way cool. You can feel the power. Political power, that is.

Party Time!

Circumstances beyond my control have forced me to relocate (at the last minute!) my 40th birthday party.


I'm pretty excited about the Red Devil Lounge. From the Peacock to the Devil. Cool.

Good Movies

I watched two really great movies this weekend.


"Away We Go" was a really sweet and funny romp. I actually laughed aloud as these soon-to-be parents try to find the best place to raise their daughter.


"Nothing But the Truth" was a great story about a journalist who refused to reveal her source and went to jail for it.

Kava kava

"The word kava is used to refer both to the plant and the beverage produced from its roots. Kava is consumed throughout the Pacific Ocean cultures of Polynesia, Vanuatu, Melanesia and some parts of Micronesia and Australia. Kava is sedating and is primarily consumed to relax without disrupting mental clarity."


This herbal supplement has given me my dog back! Unbelievable! She's not sleepy or droopy, just her normal self. Yay!

A Passion for Turkey

Who knew? When left alone in the apartment with my lunch, Arthur demonstrated his passion for poultry.


First, he sniffed out the turkey sandwich in this bag, hanging on the closet door, climbed up and grabbed the Ziploc bag.


Next, he chewed a quarter-sized hole in the plastic and proceeded to eat the entire slice of turkey, leaving the cucumber slices and English muffin untouched. Clever boy.

Gin Goes to the Vet

Ginger's been rather stressed out since our move. Today we went to see the vet who thinks Gin's lost some cognitive ability (doggie dementia) and is having trouble adapting to her new environment. She pants, whimpers, hides and digs in the carpet.


Some suggested remedies: valerian, "dog-appeasing" pheromones, melatonin, kava kava and ... yes ... Xanax.

Doggie Anxiety

This is St. John's Wort. Isn't it lovely?


Gin's been very anxious since our move. She pants excessively, sleeps in the closet when I'm not home and digs in the carpet. Poor girl. I've started giving her St. John's Wort. We'll see if it works.

Tenderloin National Forest

Thanks to Liz for introducing Linda and me to this beautiful art/green space right around the corner from my apartment. It's designed to draw attention to the lack of green growing things in a neighborhood that's home to an estimated 7,000 kids.

Grand Cafe

One of the great things about a new neighborhood is checking out all the places you've never been to or never heard of. The Grand Cafe is one of those. It's inside the Hotel Monaco and it's absolutely gorgeous. Beth and I enjoyed a bottle of wine and a cheese plate there.

Lunch with Holden ...

... and his mom.




As you can see, Holden is quite an expressive little man. Despite his small size, he's also a big eater!

Alcatraz at Night

I hadn't been to Alcatraz in several years. Molly had never been, so we took the Monday night tour. Very cool.


The view of the city on the ferry ride across the Bay.


The city from the Rock. When the wind was blowing in the right direction, the prisoners could hear people celebrating - especially on New Year's Eve.

Dottie's True Blue Cafe

This place must be in all the tour books because usually there's a crazy line out the door and down the block, but Molly and I lucked out. I took Monday off and we started the day sharing a yummy spinach, corn and feta frittata. We sat at the counter and had a very colorful experience.


Watching the chef and his helper work together like a well-oiled machine was fascinating.