Gracias Madre

Gracias Madre is a vegan Mexican restaurant in the Mission. Yes, vegan Mexican. To me, that means heaven.


I had wonderful enchiladas with mole sauce and cashew "cheese" and a side of greens.


Louise ordered the tamale. Both were scrumptious!

Wilma

It's great watching this lucky lady let her personality come out. The progress she's made in just four days in SF has been amazine! She attracts a ton of attention on the streets. I think we need to go to Fort Funston this weekend.

Giant Run!

Margaret ran a half-marathon on Saturday and it was my job to meet her at the finish line. While I didn't quite get there on time (Margaret was a speed demon!), we did enjoy hanging out in the VIP section (pictured) and later, across the street at Momo's.

John Legend and Sade

I met Michelle after work yesterday for drinks and planned to take the train home. When our restaurant suddenly filled with people, we wondered what was going on. Turns out John Legend and Sade were playing right across the street. I ran over, bought a $50 ticket and enjoyed an unexpected night of great music!


My view of Sade strutting her stuff. She changed clothes four times and looked beautiful as ever.


The very sexy John Legend also was a fantastic showman.

Jasper's

Last night, Beth and I checked out Jasper's, the new gastropub in the old space occupied by Ponzu. What an improvement!


In addition to a cute bartender from Wauwatosa, the place now offers a better menu, tastier food and a more pleasant ambiance. The crudo - thin strips of fish marinated ceviche-style - was superb. My only complaint is the dim lighting, which made the menu nearly impossible to read. (I'm sure the problem isn't my aging eyes.)

Muttville

Muttville is an organization that specializes in older dogs. They rescue them from shelters, clean them up a bit, then find new homes for them.


I've decided to foster this guy. He was seized from his owner who left him in the backyard for more than a year with no food or water. He survived because of the kindness of a neighbor who fed him through the fence. Stay tuned for more details.

Golfing with Shaelin

My nephew is 7 and, boy, do they grow fast when you only see them once or twice a year!


Grandpa and Grandma gave him golfing lessons this summer.


Look at that form!


You can't call it a golf outing unless you finish it off with lunch.

Miller Park

Brian, Mike, Kristine and I went to see the Brewers win - again! - on Tuesday night. If you're following baseball at all this season, you'll know that Milwaukee can do no wrong. World Series? In my hometown? Time will tell.

V Bar

San Jose, hip? Who knew? Last night, my colleagues and I met at V Bar on Santana Row for happy hour.


First off, Santana Row is an outdoor promenade and shopping area. I thought it had a really quaint, European feel.


Then, V Bar is a rooftop bar with lovely views and stunning decor. Every place in San Jose has outdoor seating because the weather is always so lovely - certainly a nice break from cold and foggy SF.

HSBG (to those in the know)

From Elbow to Emmylou. And Ryan Bingham to Fitz and the Tantrums. I'm already excited about the 11th Annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Usually, I hate big outdoor concerts, but I've attended every one (except two) of these extravaganzas and they keep getting better and better.

Ranch Dog #2

This is a photo of Lulu, courtesy of her owner. If this photo doesn't make you smile, nothing will.

Oakdale Ranch

Cutest rental car ever - the Fiat! Although I thought the paint job clashed with my hair :)


The cabin, on the left, and the saloon with fire pit in front. It's been quite a while since I've seen so many stars.


Me, in my element - the sun, with the cabin in the background.


Pono, one of my buddies for the weekend. Buddy #2, Lulu, never slowed down enough to get a good shot.

Paso Robles

I'm going away for the weekend to Paso Robles. I've rented a house, which, hopefully, is as cute in real life as it is in the photos.

The Twilight Singers

Every now and then, I hear about a band that simply knocks my socks off. The Twilight Singers is one of them. Check them out here.

Lunch at Home

Working at home twice a week affords me the opportunity to make a wonderful lunch for myself.


Yesterday, I grilled onions and a veggie burger, sliced Early Girl tomatoes purchased Sunday at the farmer's market, added a homemade pickle and some left-over cauliflower salad and I had a feast! All for five WW points! (For the non-Weight Watchers among you, I get 29 points for the whole day.)

Fruit on the Grill

Right now, the farmer's markets are full of gorgeous stone fruit and berries. I couldn't resist getting a bag of nectarines for $1 pound. I had heard stone fruit did well on the grill and I persuaded Beth to try it. The peaches carmelized and produced a lovely syrup after about 15 minutes over the coals. She tossed in some blackberries and served it all with vanilla ice cream. Yum.