A Weekend of Food, Book and Chocolate

As it is always with me these days  - I am either eating or going somewhere to eat on weekends.  On Friday, I found myself on the corner of Shattuck and Vine in Berkeley smack in the middle of Alice Water's hood.  I literally stumbled upon Chez Panisse while the maitre'd (sp?) was posting that day's menu.  Interesting, but nah.  I opted to watch Mel foray into the library-like world of gourmet cheese (back when librarians use card catalogs) and came out with two stinking cheese from Italy and France.  Then we went for fast food sushi.  Saturday was spent scouting an arboretum plant sale where everyone acted as if they had never seen a lavender or salvia before - it was a mad rush I tell you.  Then we headed over to a used-book store where I found a copy of the Girl With Pearl Earring to occupy me on my commute - I ended up finishing the book before Sunday morning though.  The weekend is now best remembered with a Belgian chocolate with toasted orange peel with love poem inscribed inside its packaging in which Romeo professed his love for Juliet.

The Making of a Hiking Tradition

It had been a longing of mine to start a tradition of hiking in my family.   I have always trolled hiking sites and dreamed of a map where I could check off the trails I had been.  I would go to REI and covet hiking gear like bermuda shorts and walking sticks.  The only problem though is that I am the only in the family one who thinks that walking should be done voluntarily. So as it was, the hiking we'd done in this family most often involved coercion, bribery, and if either fails, threats.  So my hiking map - if it can be called that - looks more like my kids immunization card - there were a couple of spikes but mostly the gaps are about 7 years or so in between hikes.

For the past 3 weeks though, my husband and I had been engaging in what one might call mini-hikes.  This weekend, we drove to Calistoga and trudged up what appears to be the less-trodden trails of Table Rock deep in the Robert Louis Stevenson Park.  I would not call the trail pretty by any means and it was hard at times to tell if we were on the right path or not - in fact we ended up at a gate to a private property so I guess we were not.  The climb back up was heart-busting and sufficiently kicked our butts.  I kept reminding the hubby that it is not the destination but the journey that counts, but he was more about concentrating on catching his breath or not fainting.  Hardy trekkers we are so not.

Prelude & Postscript In-Between

Looking Out The Capitol Corridor Train

What I have been thinking about lately is a picture of my lolo in black and white leaning against the PNR(Philippine National Railroad) train along the tracks in Naga.  Funny how things in life go - circling around as they often do.  Funny still how trains would figure in my life too - maybe not so much as source of inspiration as they were to my lolo who was one of the pioneers of the PNR work in Bicol - but life-altering nonetheless.  Sigh - if only waking up at dawn would not be a mandatory part of it - it would be so much better.

Last Supper at the Oakland Cottage.  Both the Prelude and Postscript of the self-imposed time consuming daily commute.

Should Have Been Wearing Aviators.  Thinking I could be someone's Mom in the 70's.  Had to insert Napa in between commuter weeks - this one was at OxBow Market in Downtown Napa while waiting for my breakfast muffin from Gott's Roadside.

When All Else Fails, Cadbury Does It.

I won't exactly say that things are looking up if I am gnawing at Fruit & Nut at past 10 at night - off a sushi platter no less.  Anyway, such as it was, all the while thinking, I should really be doing far more relevant.  It must be the luke-cold (not too cold, but cold) water of Folsom Lake today - somehow I was driven to a sort of drunk-eating all afternoon long that needless to say led to a certain stupor.  No amount of twilight plant watering, pruning, and even weeding did my spirits any lift.  What a day! In a way it was good - spent with the family and stuff - but still took all day.

Opposite of Prolific

Finally, a light at the end of the tunnel, yes? It had been forever since I wrote anything on this space.  Maybe writing things down would make me feel that things are actually happening.  As Michael Kors said, Fall is the real New Year!  Thank goodness for that second chance at beginning - coz' God knows, the last 9 months were a bust for all intent and purposes!  As things brown, fall and rot, my mood goes to the other spectrum.  Ironic.