Pool Party

It has been a hot, hot day. I think it was somewhere around 100°F, way too hot for the dogs to have any fun outside without collapsing. So we set up the doggie pool on the patio for them to play in a bit late this afternoon. It was very nice to dip my feet in and then relax in a patio chair while watching Ayla and Mac play too.

Mac enjoyed just pushing his glow-ball around in the water.

He also likes hoarding the toys so Ayla can't play with with, little jerk.

Caught mid-shake - those jowls make for some magnificent shaking!

Ayla planning to get in there for the tennis ball. She'll put her front legs in the pool only.

Mac shaking again, and it looks like Ayla is laughing at him.

Gretel pretending she cannot see such tomfoolery.

We recently took down our 29 gallon aquarium. F*cker, the blue cichlid, went to that big fish tank in the sky recently, so the only fish left was the Chinese algae eater. We decided to downsize and bought a small hexagonal tank to set on the pass-through bar in place of the big tank. I also picked up four mollies (two Dalmatian, one silver, and one black) since I'm in the mood for a friendly community tank now.

Fish are hard to photograph!

I transferred the algae eater to the new tank and he looks like a sea monster now. It might be a little small for him, so I'll keep an eye on things. I can always set the big tank back up if he's not happy. He spends most of the time hanging out in the Tiki hut anyway.

The Kracken!

The assistant at the fish store must have given me a pregnant female because I woke up this morning to four little baby mollies in the tank. I'm pretty sure I haven't had them long enough for them to mate and gestate. If they survive, anyone want some cute little fishes? Seriously, mollies are like the dumb adolescent Labradors of the fish world: cute, friendly, and hardy. They like to nibble my fingers when I clean the tank!

Small fry

Too Much Fun

In fact, I had so much fun last weekend that I just now have the energy to write about it.

It has been far too long since Stef, Katie, Liz and I got together and acted like our usual immature selves, and that's exactly what we did Friday through Sunday last week. And it was awesome.

Katie drove through a snowstorm to get to my place Friday around noon. She met the dogs, and Ayla surprised me by instantly liking her. I showed Katie around and we took Ayla out to play some fetch. Then we headed out to Stef's place to meet up with Stef and Liz. Then we all piled into Katie's car and drove up to San Francisco. We parked the car and checked in to our room at the Hyatt in Union Square. Then we hopped on a cable car, packed like sardines in with the other passengers, and headed to Fisherman's Wharf. He had dinner and drinks at Cioppino's On The Wharf. I had the three cheese tortellini that was nice, and a great peach bellini that was even better. Yum! After dinner we walked to Pier 39 and barked at the sea lions, checked out Alcatraz from a distance, and enjoyed the street performers. As evening fell we walked down to Houston's at the Embarcadero to have wine and beer on their gorgeous patio by the fire pit. Then he hopped on a Muni car (free ride night!) and headed back to Union Square. We went to the top of the Hyatt to the Grandviews Lounge for more drinks and listened to the piano player's last set. Finally we went back to our room to laugh ourselves to sleep.

Saturday morning we blearily and pre-coffee dragged ourselves to Max's for breakfast (yummy blueberry pancakes!). After the coffee perked us up a bit we walked around the city. We stopped to check out The Palace Hotel, with its stunning Garden Court. Then we walked through the financial district where we saw some really weird and cool horse statues made out of driftwood and cement. Once we got the the Embarcadero we walked around an arts and crafts fair, and then to the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market. We walked down a pier and watched people catching their dinners, and then headed up to Chinatown. Then we had to get back to Union Square to see Spamalot, which was fantastic! I think quite a few in the audience didn't know what they were in for, which confused me, but we were laughing until our faces and stomaches hurt. The Lady of the Lake was especially great, and she really stole the show.

After the show we headed back to the room to relax a bit and share a bottle of wine that Stef had brought. Then we had dinner at Scala's Bistro, where we had another bottle of wine along with our dinners (pesto ravioli with lemon cream sauce for me, yum!) and where Katie and I developed a crush on the sommelier. After dinner we took silly pictures in front of the store windows in Union Square, and then went to The Carnelian Room at the top of the Bank of America Building, the tallest building in the city. The view was amazing, and the apricot colada was good too. Stef, Liz, and Katie went downstairs to meet up with Stef's fiance and the kids (who brought us really cute plush flowers) while I held our table and just enjoyed watching the sun set over the city. Then we walked to North Beach, got chocolate at a candy store, and walked back to Union Square again. We stopped in at Lefty O'Doul's for a beer and then went back to the room. Liz was hungry again so we ordered a pizza from room-service. Then it was one or two in the morning, so we hit the hay. One more day to go!

Sunday morning we checked out of the hotel and went across the street to Starbuck's for coffee and food. Then we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and stopped at Battery Spencer on the north side to take photos. Then it was onward to Napa and wine tasting! Our first stop was Viansa, a gorgeous winery and marketplace where the tasting was a mere $5. Our favorite was the Frescolina, a dessert wine. We drove a bit further down the road and stopped at Domaine Carneros, which was very impressive. We shared the sparkling wine flight (the rose was the best) and a cheese plate with the best goat cheese I've ever had. We headed up to Beringer, and though we missed the tour we had a nice lunch. Then we drove back down Highway 29 and stopped at Heitz Cellar where I made friends with the resident dog. She was so cute, as soon as she woke up she rolled over for belly rubs. The port here was very good too. Our final stop was V. Sattui, one of Stef's favorite places. They have a very nice lawn where I hung out while Liz and Katie tasted wines - I was a bit wined out by this point, but I hear the wines here are very good.

Finally we drove back home to my place so Liz could see the condo and meet the beasts. Then it was time for everyone to go home. We had such a fantastic time and laughed ourselves silly; our voices were hoarse toward the end because of all the talking and laughing. It was so great to be with the girls again. We're so lucky to be able to pick up right where we left off the last time we saw each other. And I'm very lucky to have such wonderful people for my friends. Love you guys!

The full set of pictures is here.

Fresh Pasta

Two ingredients - just 1 cup of flour and 2 eggs - and you can have your own fresh pasta made in not much time at all. Crazy!


I came across this post over at The Pioneer Woman and knew immediately that I had to try it. Crack the eggs into a well in the flour and mix by hand. It takes a while, but its good and sticky.


I always enjoy kneading dough. Its a good way to get your aggression out. This dough was a bit of a workout for my hands too (keeps carpal tunnel at bay). After the dough is smooth and you've let it rest a little, roll it out as thin as possible. Mine wasn't thin enough. And I love my pastry mat - its much easier to clean than a sticky, doughy counter top.


I used a pizza cutter to make long thin noodles. Now I'm interested in a pasta machine.


A quick boil in salted water, and its done! My noodles could have been thinner, or perhaps cooked a little longer, but this was fun and good. I melted some butter in a sauce pan and threw in chopped tomatoes, garlic, and dried basil while the pasta was cooking. Then I tossed it all together and served topped with a dollop of ricotta cheese.


And while I was over on The Pioneer Woman Cooks, I came across a dead-easy recipe for a quick dessert: Apple Tarts. I made four smaller tarts from one sheet of puffed pastry and two apples tossed with 1/2 cup brown sugar, a dash of salt, a squeeze of lemon, and about a teaspoon of vanilla (maybe too much - they were boozy but I liked it; you might want to use less vanilla). I used canned whipped cream since I'm all out of heavy cream to make my own, and let it get all melty on the tarts.

Mac loves the canned whipped cream. We used to spray it directly into my parents' dog's mouth, and Mac has taken up that torch. He can sense when I've even just touched the can in the fridge and comes running. Then he sits at my feet and acts cute, looking up at me with eagerness in his eyes.


See? Its a little blurry since he was so excited he could barely contain himself, but just look at those bottom teeth sticking out. He's already pulled his jowls back in anticipation!.

The Little Brother Graduates

Full album/bigger pictures here

This past Tuesday was my little brother's graduation from Western Nevada College with an Associate of Arts degree. I took Ayla and went up to my parents' place Monday morning to be there for the ceremony and spend some time with the family. Later Monday evening my Nana and Ted (grandparents on my mother's side) arrived too. We had a nice dinner of grilled vegetable, tofu, and shrimp (for the omnivores) kebabs, with my favorite quinoa salad on the side.

The following day Mom, Nana, and I headed into Carson to do a little shopping. And look who I got to see!!!!

Apologies for the crappy iPhone picture

Katie and Eric! Katie's parents live not too far from my parents, and they just happened to be visiting and in Carson for lunch. They came over to the store we were in to say hi, take a picture, and give me a chance to embarrass Eric by hanging out in the women's lingerie section. I'm so happy we got to see each other, even if it was for only a few minutes. I'm even happier that we'll be getting together soon with the other two members of the Four Musketeers. I love you guys! And by the way, nice catch Katie!

Tuesday evening we attended Clay's graduation. We got there an hour early and were lucky we did, because not everyone who showed up got into the auditorium. The ceremonies were about to begin when we suddenly hear a huge shout from the back. I thought it was some crazy dude, but then the bagpipes began. The shout had come from the major(?) of the Scottish band, and he along with the pipes and drums led the processional into the hall. An improvement on the usual Pomp and Circumstance, if a loud one. Anyway, I didn't get many good pictures during the ceremony since the lighting in the hall wasn't great and when Clay walked across the stage to receive his diploma I was yelling for him, which made my camera shaky.


After the graduation we went to dinner at El Charro Avita where we had yummy food and large margaritas. By this time it was late so we went back to my parents' place where Clay opened a few presents and then we sat around chatting.

The next morning we had a leisurely breakfast and then I headed home. Ayla managed to make everyone fall in love with her of course (Ted was referring to her as his dog after about ten minutes - she adored him!), but I know she was happy to head home where she could really rest. Its just so exciting up at my folks' house, with so many people to watch and play with, and so many cats to sniff. The drive home was uneventful, and Mac was more excited to see Ayla than he was to see me when we finally walked in the door.

Overall it was a great trip: I got to see both sets of grandparents, see my little brother graduate, and spend time with my family. Thanks everyone!

Bananas for Zin

Clockwise from top left: Souvenir wine glass; me sipping something-or-other;
my patio Princess lilies; wine glass and festival flyer.

Today Chris and I went to the ZinFest Wine Festival at Lodi Lake. I found out about this event a few months ago and had been looking forward to going for quite a while, simply because it was something new and I got a killer deal on the tickets. We arrived about half an hour after the opening, which I think was perfect. It was hot, being Lodi in the summertime so it was somewhere in the 90°s F, but we were on the lake and there was ample shade to help keep us cool.

After parking in the lot we walked to the entrance, rather than wait for the shuttle where we would just be riding pressed up against other sweaty people. There are very few people I want to be that intimate with, and the ten minute walk was probably just as fast with the added benefit of getting a little exercise. Then our IDs were checked, a little further down we handed over our tickets and they stamped our hand with a little red smiley face indicating we were of drinking age, then a bit more further down they slapped an orange wristband on us, I think it was for re-entry if we left. Another short walk and we were handed a souvenir glass and program, then a small loaf of bread to help soak up the wine that would soon be in our bellies. After the intricate entry procedures we were free to roam.

There were fifty local wineries present, pouring more than 250 different wines. I wonder if anyone tried them all? Or at least every winery? I ended up trying less than ten, but honestly I cannot recall how many. The standout wine from what I tasted was the Gnekow Family Winery Old Vine Zin: it was incredibly mellow and smooth. There were also a number of local restaurant booths with food, some arts and crafts (though far fewer than I would have expected), live music, and a few roaming entertainers. Some people came ready for the day with picnic blankets, camp chairs, and I even saw a tent. We ended up staying a few hours overall before heading back to the car; I can only sip so much wine in one afternoon.

On our way home we stopped off in Tracy for lunch at The Olive Garden, to use up an ancient gift card that I think my parents gave us at least five years ago. It was a predictably bland meal: Chris said his lasagna tasted like Chef Boyardee, and my fettuccine Alfredo was passable. But free food always tastes better, we were hungry, and the service was actually quite good. The rest of the day has been spent relaxing, with a quick BBQ on the patio for Chris' steak and my double-stuffed wasabi "baked" potatoes. Its been very nice sitting here, playing on the computer with a Midori sour in my other hand, a dog or two at my feet, and enjoying the warm night. Everyone should be this lucky.

* * * * *

The other night I had an insatiable craving for banana bread. My mom makes a great one, and I have her recipe, but I wanted to try something a little different so I opened my copy of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. With a few adjustments based on what I had on hand, I came up with this, and it was good.

Peek-a-boo, little chocolate chips!

Banana Bread with Macadamia Nuts and Chocolate Chips
adapted from "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"

8 tablespoons (1 stick butter), plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons half-and-half cream
1/4 chopped macadamia nuts
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Mix the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl and with a hand mixer, cream the butter and beat in the eggs and bananas (I didn't bother pre-mashing my bananas; I added them whole here and used the beaters to mash them). Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients just enough to combine; lumps are okay. If your batter seems a bit too dry, like mine did, add the half-and-half at this point. Gently stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out mostly clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing the bread from the pan.

Enjoy slathered with melty butter and a good cup of coffee. I've had a thick slice of this for breakfast for a few days now. Its great to start off the day with chocolate!

* * * * *

I think I'm about ready to curl up in bed with my newest read - The Lunatic Cafe, the fourth installment of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series - and perhaps a slice of pie.

What, you don't eat pie in bed?

Dippy

One of our favorite weekend snacks is Artichoke Dip. I probably whip some up every other weekend or so. It is very easy, very tasty, and a bit fattening, so serve it with veggies to dip and tell yourself that makes it healthier.

Artichoke Dip

6 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 c. cream cheese
1/4 c. mayonnaise
salt and pepper
shredded Parmesan

Put the artichoke hearts (remember to drain them or you'll have a soupy mess, believe me) in a food processor with the cream cheese, mayo, salt and pepper and blend until its just a little chunky. I'll often add frozen chopped spinach, shredded mozzarella cheese, and other spices (garlic is good, as is basil) to this. And sometimes I'll use plain low fat yogurt instead of mayo. My measurements above are approximate, so if your dip is looking to thick add more mayo or yogurt.

Transfer to an oven-safe dish and top with Parmesan, or use breadcrumbs like I did here since I was out of Parmesan. You just want something to form a nice crust on the top. I also used three ramekins rather than one dish this time. Bake in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the Parmesan or what have you has become golden.

Serve with fresh veggies (broccoli, sugar snap peas, baby carrots, tomatoes), crackers, or some good sourdough. Mangia!

And do yourself a favor: go to Costco and pick up the roasted garlic cheddar. Its a whitish cheese with a green rind, behind the dip in the picture above. If you like garlic, this cheese is fantastic (and stinking up my fridge). If you don't like garlic you probably don't want to come to my house for a while.

* * * * *

I took the pups for a walk on Saturday, one we've done quite a few times in the past. Its only about two miles round trip, but I think Mac is turning into a real bulldog and this might have been his last big walk for the summer. The heat is just too much for the little guy, and on the return trip we were ambling along at a snail's pace. Its too bad because he loves to get out in the public where he can be properly adored by everyone who will stop to say hi.

We got to the park, got a drink of water at the dog fountain, and then sat on the hill under a tree for a while. I poured a water bottle over Mac to cool him down a bit, and I'm sure the cool grass felt nice. Check out that tongue lolling out the side of his giant mouth.

Ayla hopped around us, since she's the Energizer Bunny. She loves running in the grass, even when she tries to corner and wipes out, skidding along on her face. She's... special. I like this picture where she's running because she looks rabid, vicious, and insane. And you can see her pretty teeth.

































She's really just a big scaredy-cat, sweetie of a goofball though.

Flower Walk

I took Ayla on a walk this afternoon, along with my camera and a resolution to focus on the small things. There are so many different plants along our usual route, and I could hear little creatures rustling in the hedges along the sidewalk. While the grasses are browning out with the coming of summer there are still a wide variety of flowers begging to be noticed.

It was a nice reminder to slow down and be present more often.