new favorito tumblr = this

I'm not usually into idolizing celebs, but I think rachel mcAdams just looks so much like my friend Laura.

u.p. records halloween showcase

The underwater peoples records west coast division, and several other cool groups, are hosting this totally awesome halloween costume music show. You should all come to this.  The bands are a secret but trust me, you're in for a real treat.

Mike at the Stork Club

I seem to always miss it when Mike S. plays live music.  The last time was...good grief, maybe in March?  Needless to say I'm heading over to Oakland thursday night to see the Wingmen @the Stork Club 2330 Telegraph Avenue

SF pumpkins

In anticipation of the Giants winning the world series, lucy, della, and I had an awesome day carving pumpkins. how orange, how festive! It poured non stop in kentfield, so we had a cosy pumpkin seed munching, movie watching kind of a day.

turkey and moo-cows joined in the fun. lucy provided an awesome former award-winning-radio-show-playlist




eek! the Rangers



   

Meanwhile libby went g-d overboard on cuteness...

and it rained, and rained, and rained 

NLCS title soaks in

Today Mike and I listened to Tusk and devoured a brie and fig-olive tapenade sandwich with fresh arugula on a sweet baguette.  Part of my bargaining to get a ride from him to the city included a free burrito, but the endless rain made bi-rite such an easy choice. I love how dreamy and retro this pic is. I always thought of stevie nicks as that person twirling around in VHI specials. I did not give her enough credit. This is one of my favs. 

"I try..not..to reach out!"

The day was made so much sweeter by the knowledge that the Giants, the little engine that could, chug-chug-chugged i think i can i think i can past the phillies to the World Series. Yes!

If i could apparate...

I would be at shea stadium in lovely brooklyn, NY.

Poster belongs to this blog.

Sad news for the Stillmans. We found out yesterday that the experimental cancer treatment my dad was trying for 8 weeks did not work.  In fact, it made his cancer levels shoot way up.  There was only a 1 and 7 chance that it would work, but I think we were all hoping that he would be a special case.  When you have a sick family member, how do you create boundaries between your every day life and the sinking knowledge that you will lose him or her so much sooner than you should have to? who knows.

the stillman's fridge.  Can you find.... President Reagan on the ranch, mike's busted knee, buster posey's jersey, Timmy throwing a pitch, and the traditional birthday breakfast dining room table? 



indulgence

One blog I love is written by an Oscar Wilde fan. She posted this for his birthday. Sheesh, what type of party would he have thrown?  My own guilt reflex is a bit over-active given my american values, irish catholic genes, and jesuit schooling. Maybe one day I'll leave it all behind and abandon my responsibilities in an endless pursuit of pleasure, like Wilde's hedonistic character Lord Henry Wotton.... haaa, never.

I heart ny

After the Child Neurology Society annual meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, I hopped on the train to meet my lovely DC friends half way in new york.  My first stop was a night with emy at her aunt's surreal james bond bungalow in greenwich....woah. makes me want a beehive and a martini please.

Laura led us bravely around SoHo where we all suffered our inital New York City Shock - so many people! All in one place! Thank you to the nice people at the little cafe who gave us a free cappuccino.

On my last day, I strolled over to 9th and 2nd ave to meet kristin at Mud. Despite the impossibly small space, everyone who worked there seemed rather relaxed and cheerful. The delicious iced chocolatey coffee drink plus bagel and lox revived me from my evening on the town the night before.   

Mimoun stayed in NY for CMJ while I flew back home to the fog and my lovely plants.

big basin redwood forest

The camping trip to Big Basin Redwood Forest was a success!  Lucy and I, camping novices, remembered flash lights and utensils this time. We went for a stunning day hike through old growth redwood forests, roasted tomatoes and fresh cloves of garlic, and drank a sampling of sam adams seasonal beers. Della provided the veteran camping knowledge and taught lulu and I to build a fire. The end of October means the end of Indian summer. I'd love to squeeze in one more camping trip before the rain starts.

lucy's pretty hiking braid

embarrassing...

I was completely entertained on my flight home from new york... how embarrassing! Oh to be 18 and in love with a vampire.

yummm

Just stumbled upon a delicious recipe for farro risotto! The first time I had farro was in a farro and fava bean salad at an authenitc italian deli, it was almost overly healthful for my american palate. Can't wait for mimsy to get back so we can make it together! Find the recipe and artful pics at cup and table.

haaa...

humanitarians

A few of my wonderful friends are various places around the globe contributing to their new communities.  Luckily for us, we can read about all of their adventures on the interweb.

Jeremy is living in Ukraine as a peace corps volunteer.  He shares funny stories of daily life and his un-edited thoughts about his experiences on A Ukranian Tale.

Rachel finds scant internet in a remote village in northern india, but when she can update us on her life, it's on her blog Peace Love and Daal.

path to the school rachel teaches in

 Jenny is going for year two in Indonesia where she's now working at a Democracy Building non profit in Jakarta.  No internet in her apartment, so she must blog while at work (!)

Afternoon snack at Jenny's office - cheese baked into the top of a buttery cake

globe genie

this ... is way cool. thanks for the link arielle!

single adventures

Mimoun, the jet setter that he is, has left our little SF apartment for a month split between Israel and the CMJ music festival in Brooklyn, NY (ps check out the UP show that week).  While I miss having my lover around, I enjoy finding ways to fill up the extra time, usually by hanging out with my awesome siblings. Hopefully, next Tuesday Mike S. and I can grab a $3 pint at the marin brew co.  First though, Lulu and I are going camping this weekend in Big Basin Redwoods State Park.

Our last camping trip in Big Sur, for the Woodsist Festival, was a blast! The stillmans were thrilled to see some of our favorite bands all in one show - Kurt Vile, Woods, our Real Estate buddies, and the Mantles.  Before going to the cosy festival at the Henry Miller Library, we set up our tent, had an avocado sandwich lunch, and walked through this heavenly looking tunnel out to a colorful bay where we could see kelp forests growing.

Ahhh how relaxing. What more could we need?

ka pow!

 

Love the color gene interactions of this plant. Additive genes, I would guess?

wonderful sunday

Oh the excitement! (MLB please don't sue me for using this exuberant image.)  Sunday started out at Rosamunde yet again, where stef, gio and I gave ourselves panic attacks watching the giants hold on to their lead for 6 innings, then went and bought champagne when they finally won!  I rode home smiling for some delicious avocado toast, coffee, and a quick SVU episode. Later that day we drove to marin for lucy's Fall Harvest Dinner Party.  Thanks to the unchanging san francisco weather, I really needed a dinner of pumpkin soup, spiced lentils with apples and spinach, and a seasonal Harvest Moon pumpkin ale for me to feel like the seasons are changing.

how lovely - two kinds of hot sauce, fresh flowers from our garden, and candles

Lucy used this heavy cast iron mold for corn bread, in the shape of little corn cobs!  After dinner, we sat outside together under the stars and pondered this funny upside down big dipper we all saw on the horizon, but was not the big dipper.  I was so happy to introduce Stef and Oliver to my home and to Libby, most imporantly.  Thanks Lucy, Mike, and Jonathan Sanchez for a great day!

yet another latte

Yet another reason why people in CA are usually in a good mood.

go treat yourself here