a n h - m i n h . c o m

Wow. I'm surprised I still remember how to access/update this blog. Even Jon has started giving me a hard time about my lack of posting. Lately, all of my creative energy has been going towards writing for the SF Chronicle or working on my big new yet-to-really-be-announced editorial project.

And I still have a part-time job. And I still try to find time to hang out with Jon and other friends and family.

Like this weekend. We attended the Outstanding in the Field event at Route 1 Farms in Santa Cruz. It was amazing. (I am definitely planning to sign up for another dinner next year.)

After the OITF meal, we spent the night in Bonny Doon at this adorable place (which belongs to a friend's parents):

Other miscellaneous stuff:

• My new thing is to have the local dry cleaners add those little bra-strap holders to my sleeveless tops. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner.
• I recently started subscribing to New York magazine. Two issues ago, there was a big feature about the best sandwiches in the city — just in time for our trip later this month.
• In other food-related news: Buttermilk ice cream does not work. (I'm talking to you, Madera restaurant. Your rhubarb galette, on the other hand, was awesome.)
• I recently discovered the beauty site 3floz, which as its name implies only carries products that are sized just right for TSA approval. Perfect for travelers or people who just want to test out a new product, without committing to a full-sized version.

Posted at 09:58 AM | Link

So we're nearing the end of April and somehow I managed not to write a single post this month until now. I've been pretty busy with writing-related stuff, as well as a few other things ...

• We went to Mexico. And it was awesome. Nothing but hanging out by the pool and eating churros. Or going into town for mango popsicles and tamales from a lady with a cart. And one day, Jon went out fishing with friends and caught 15 tuna and a mahi mahi.
• Any place that serves beignets and bbq pork buns for breakfast is pretty much my idea of heaven. OTD on Bush Street is my new favorite and I'm on track to becoming a regular at this place.
• I always think that test-driving cars is going to be fun. But you know what? It never is.
• The SF Decorator Showcase is opening this weekend (I've been following the home's progress as part of an article for the SF Chronicle). In case there are still people reading this blog, I thought I'd give a little peek of the Showcase.
  
  Michael Burg

  
  Benjamin Dhong

  
  Gregg De Meza

  
  Darin Geise

  Disclaimer: My photos are not good, not good at all. If you're in SF during the month of May, it's definitely worth checking out for yourself.

  Posted at 05:37 PM | Link

On Saturday, we made good on our holiday gift coupon for my nieces. First, Jon and I took them to "Behind the Emerald Curtain," a behind-the-scenes look at "Wicked." The girls saw the show in London last year — lucky them! — and the older of the two is getting involved in drama department things in school. So we thought it would be the perfect outing. But we weren't really sure what to expect. Would there be 10 people? Or 100? Well, the usher said they were expecting 140 that morning. (Who knew it was so popular?) Here are a couple of the costumes that we got to see up close:

When you find out that some of the costumes weigh 20 pounds, it makes it that much more impressive that the performers can sing and dance and run around the way they do!

After "Behind the Emerald Curtain," we headed to The Slanted Door for lunch. Yum.

Although this dessert was described on the menu as "chocolate angel food cake," um, it's clearly a giant Ho Ho, right? And by the way, that peanut swirl ice cream was ridiculously good.

Posted at 08:21 AM | Link | Comments (1)

Pssst ... My guest post for Victoria's site, sfgirlbybay, is up! It's about fashion illustrations as home décor.

The above photo is from the June/July 2007 Domino, which I found myself re-reading the other day. It was a really great issue and Krista Ewart's home (that's her guest bedroom) remains one of my favorites that the magazine published.

UPDATE: Well, the post is sort of up. sfgirlbybay is experiencing some technical difficulties, so you may not be able to access the post from its home page; the link above works though.

Posted at 01:57 PM | Link | Comments (1)

Jon and I met up with his parents in Austin this past weekend; we flew out from CA and they flew out from SC. The main event was Sunday's LiveStrong Ride for the Roses, which Jon and his dad participated in.

In addition to the ride, there was a lot of relaxing, exploring of Austin, and good eating over the course of the three days. I especially liked the decor and food at La Condesa. We had to take the in-laws to Torchy's Tacos trailer. And the night before the bike ride, Jon and I went to Asti so he could load up on pasta. Delicious. (Loved their affogato and donuts dessert.)

We also visited the State Capitol. I just realized that I've been to Texas' capitol building twice now. California's? Zero.

Posted at 07:43 AM | Link | Comments (2)

OK, it was slightly more than 48 hours, but not much more. The weather was great. (Especially compared to this crazy storm that arrived in the Bay Area on Monday night.) The food was amazing. (How does Momofuku Milk Bar get that soft-serve to taste exactly like cereal milk?) The shopping was stellar. (I wish we had Uniqlo and Comptoir des Cotonnieres in the Bay Area.)

I think I ran into the editor publisher of Canadian House & Home in the hotel elevator one afternoon. By the time I was almost certain it was her, it was too late to strike up a conversation. Oh well ...

I've got some deadlines to meet, but will leave you with photos from one of my favorite H&H features. Stylist Sabrina Linn's home appeared in the August issue:

P.S. I subscribed to H&H back in June and finally got my first issue last week. So if anyone else out there is considering signing up for the magazine, prepare to be patient. But it's worth it!

Posted at 07:59 AM | Link | Comments (9)

Jon and I spent most of 2002 living in Oakland, directly across from the Rockridge BART station. Our bedroom window provided an awesome view of the Albertson's loading dock (it's now a Trader Joe's). The mice and termites eventually drove us out of the apartment. Still, we've maintained a soft spot for that neighborhood.

These days, we don't spend much time in the East Bay. But this weekend, we had a couple of great excuses to head over the San Mateo Bridge. Yesterday, we saw the matinee show of "American Idiot," which was a lot of fun. (The music is great, but there isn't much of an actual story.) Then we met up with my brother and his family for a delicious dinner at Wood Tavern.

Before dinner, Jon and I were strolling along College Avenue and happened upon Cupkates — a mobile cupcakery!

Yum. I hope the mobile food craze makes its way to the Peninsula soon. (So far, I've only seen taco trucks parked during lunchtime in front of the construction sites for several ridiculously large homes being built in Woodside.)

{Photo from the Cupkates website}

Posted at 07:37 AM | Link | Comments (2)

My sister recently completed her first marathon, so a group of us went to Las Vegas to celebrate. A vacation in Vegas always seems to require a post-vacation — at least a day or two of doing barely anything. (Unfortunately, I had to be at work bright and early this morning.)

One of the unexpected perks of our trip: While there, we found out that a friend was exhibiting her spring 2010 shoe line at the World Shoes + Accessories show at the Venetian. So of course we had to check that out. It was so fun to be able to get a sneak peek at several designer collections.

Speaking of sneak peeks, I'm loving the ones that Grace posted today on Design*Sponge. Looking at pretty interiors is always a nice way to start off the week.

Posted at 09:31 AM | Link

Last month, Jon and I went berry-picking at Webb Ranch in Portola Valley. We decided that it was something my six- and eight-year-old nephews would enjoy, too. So on Saturday morning, we got up bright and early to pick strawberries with them.

Although the strawberries were small, they were sweet and juicy. When we got back to our house, we made waffles and topped them with the morning's haul. Delicious!

Posted at 08:37 AM | Link | Comments (2)

When we were in Italy in April, we took a cooking class in Tuscany. I was in charge of jotting down notes because, seriously, no one wanted me actually participating in the preparation of food that would eventually be our lunch. (I'm a terrible cook!) I also took a ton of photos because I knew I'd eventually put everything together in a Blurb cookbook.

Since the recipes are pretty simple — I love that about Italian meals — the book has way more photos than text. Which I think actually makes it an even better memento from our trip. (My nephews were super cute in the kitchen.)

Posted at 08:51 PM | Link | Comments (4)

This past Christmas, we decided to give a present to our house: a Jill Bliss original. Last month, we were lucky enough to hang out with Jill while she painted this lovely mural in the bonus room (a.k.a., my craft room):

This is just half of the mural. Unfortunately, the (small) size of the room makes it impossible to photograph the entire wall in one shot. But trust me — it is really amazing. And my terrible photograph does not do it justice.

Posted at 08:10 PM | Link | Comments (5)

We kicked off the New Year by attending the wedding of one of Jon's college friends. Then, a few days later, we were on a plane headed to Park City for a family ski trip. (Well, it was a ski trip for everyone but me.)

The city and slopes weren't very crowded, but I suspect that will change drastically next week when the Sundance Film Festival starts.

Posted at 08:42 PM | Link | Comments (2)

We are done! That's right — done with our holiday shopping, with an entire week to spare. Now if only we could get started on those blank holiday cards that have been sitting on our coffee table for the past few days ...

Now that we don't have to make any more trips to the stores, we had to find *something* to occupy our time. So Jon and I have decided to try to start two new house projects over the next week. Yes, house projects — two of them — right before the holidays. And we're hosting Christmas Eve dinner this year. Hopefully, there won't be holes in the walls and small cans of paint everywhere.

Oh! One gift-y thing I wanted to mention, without giving away too much here: We used Blurb for the first time and are super pleased with the results. (Putting together the book, with its photo layouts and captions, brought back memories of working on the high school yearbook.)

Posted at 08:01 AM | Link | Comments (3)

I don't need a holiday to remind me just how fortunate I am; I wake up thankful for so much every single day. And four-day weekends are definitely on that list.

Jon and I spent our Thanksgiving weekend in Southern California visiting with his side of the family. His parents flew out from Hilton Head Island, SC, and we drove down last Thursday morning. (Although Jon grew up in New York, he was born in the L.A. area and still has relatives there.) Within hours of arriving, we were feasting on turkey and all sorts of fixings. And the fixings really are my favorite part: the yams, the mashed potatoes, the stuffing (or dressing), the gravy. The gravy alone made me go up a full size, I'm sure.

In addition to quality family time, I also got to hang out with a couple of very talented ladies: Abby and Laure, who write for Apartment Therapy: Los Angeles. (Some of you may also know Laure from her fantastic blog, At Home At Home.)

A great time was had; so great that I hardly opened my laptop all weekend. Which means I now have two deadlines today. As in, I should be writing *right now*.

Posted at 07:51 AM | Link

You may recall that my sister's housewarming gift to us was a set of four Cherner chairs for the dining room. Well, here is further proof that my siblings do housewarming gifts right: My brother's family came over on Saturday with a Wii for us! I can't believe we've had it for more than 24 hours and haven't set it up yet. That's definitely at the top of the to-do list.

Posted at 08:55 AM | Link

A while back, Meg put out a call for some helping hands for her fabulous Modern Economy sales. I couldn't make it to the SF event in April, but signed up for the Portland sale. It went down this weekend, which also marked my birthday. Initially, I was going to travel solo ... But then my sister wanted to join me, since her best friend lives up there. And then Jon decided to tag along as well.

So, in the end, I got to spend my birthday weekend with all sorts of great people. Which, of course, makes me one lucky lady. But on top of the awesome company I kept? I picked up some fantastic stuff at the sale. AND I enjoyed meals at Clyde Common and Saucebox. AND I met Lise (from Apartment Therapy) and Sally in person! AND I just had to squeeze in multiple trips to Stumptown Coffee.

Not only was the Stumptown coffee excellent, but they had these beautiful glass light fixtures. Pretty, pretty.

Posted at 08:07 AM | Link

• Yesterday, Jon completed his first century ride. Ever. And it was for an incredible cause: the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Because he raised a certain level of funds for the San Jose Livestrong Challenge, we were invited to a dinner on Saturday night. (Yes, Lance was there with Kate Hudson.) It was amazing to hear all of these inspirational stories and we're looking forward to possibly going to Austin later this year for the Ride for the Roses.
• I visited the home of a shoe designer this weekend for a future SF Chronicle article. This is what I learned: I am not a size 4 in women's shoes afterall. I'm a frickin' size THREE. And I have narrow heels. Perhaps I'm destined to shop in the children's shoe department forever.
• Elizabeth came over yesterday to take photos of the areas of our house that she's been especially instrumental in designing. The whole move/new house thing is just now starting to feel real. I've even started packing up some boxes, but there are many many more boxes to go.

Posted at 08:17 AM | Link

When I saw Jill's collection of house drawings over at Together Gallery, I had to ask if she would consider a commissioned piece of my own house. I was thrilled that she agreed, and even more thrilled when I received the drawing yesterday:

I love the way she's captured our house with her unique style of illustration. And this is definitely something we'll proudly display for many years to come — no matter where we live.

Posted at 07:38 AM | Link

One of the booths I'm most looking forward to at next week's National Stationery Show is that of Mixed Co.:

Last year, some of the super-talented ladies who make up this collective shared a booth that was one of the best I saw at Javits. And I can't wait to see what they've come up with for this year's show!

Posted at 08:22 AM | Link

• A good Friday indeed! The office was closed, so I spent the day running around SF with Elizabeth. Lots of design stuff accomplished for the house. And even a yummy lunch at Luna Park. (Mmmm ... mini-corndogs ...)
• Saturday entailed more driving — this time to Berkeley. I made a stop at Bette's Oceanview Diner's take-out for old time's sake (years ago, I worked on Fourth Street). The lemon-pistachio cookies are just as good as I remember.
• I was in the (510) working on an article and was lucky enough to squeeze in a lunch with Lisa and Nancy at 900 Grayson. I had never heard of the restaurant before, but I'd definitely go back for the spicy chicken and waffles.
• Today, I had to work off some of the calories from the cookies and fried chicken. Yes, it was my morning with the trainer. Afterwards, I watched my nephews scour the backyard for Easter treats.
• Jon was in Tahoe the past few days, so I made some progress on a couple of house projects, too. Well, my productivity had more to do with the lovely weather than his absence. Spraypainting the guest bedroom nightstands has been on the list for a long time, but the weather finally cooperated.

And that was my weekend!

Posted at 07:57 PM | Link

We spent the weekend in Carmel, celebrating Jon's birthday. There were gifts (though sadly his big present requires a six-month wait). There was cake (tiramisu). There was a much-needed visit to the spa (him, not me). And, of course, a trip to the Big Sur Bakery (one of my favorite spots).

Posted at 10:18 AM | Link

We are all done with our holiday shopping! Woo-hoo! And we didn't venture into a single store. I am loving all of the free shipping offers that abound right now, as well as the Amazon two-day free shipping that Jon's dad hooked us up with.

But the really big decision remains: What to get for dessert on Christmas Eve? I think we may have to hit up Miette *and* Noe Valley Bakery.

Posted at 06:56 PM | Link

So how did we end up spending Thanksgiving in Mexico?

Earlier this year, my dad put in a request for a family vacation to Los Cabos. Now, this is a man who doesn't ask for much. Which means that when he does ask for something, everyone pays attention. But with the kids' school schedules and other vacation plans already on the calendar, the only time we could all travel together was Thanksgiving week. So off we went — 12 of us — down to Mexico last Tuesday.

While we still managed to have turkey for Thanksgiving dinner (well, everyone except my brother, who opted for a grouper entree), it was the empanadas, the churros, the hot chocolate (good in the evenings), the fish tacos, the chile rellenos, the mango smoothies and the buñuelos that I have the fondest memories of. Food-wise, that is.

In terms of quality family-time, there was plenty of that as well. In addition to days (and I do mean entire days) spent at the beach or pool, there was a dolphin outing and a fishing excursion (we've got the mahi mahi sitting in our freezer as a souvenir). My brother's family took the bulk of the photos, but here are a few from my camera:

The view from our beachfront balcony.

Continue reading "Thanksgiving Travels" »

Posted at 08:17 PM | Link

Since our anniversary fell on a Tuesday this year, we put off our anniverary trip a few days and headed up to Napa on Friday afternoon. Every year, around our anniversary, we take a trip somewhere. Somewhere close, somewhere far — doesn't matter. The only rule is that it can't be a destination where we've already stayed overnight together. We're supposed to alternate planning the trip, so it's a surprise to the other person. But I blew it this year so Jon knew in advance that we were heading to the Wine Country.

We stayed at the fantastic Carneros Inn, which I *loved*. I've been wanting to check out this place for years, and it did not disappoint. At all. Food highlights included dinner at FARM, lunch at Bistro Jeanty (the tomato soup in puff pastry is excellent), and dinner at Ad Hoc. Of course, we enjoyed a few tastings (Joseph Phelps, Twomey and Silver Oak). Here are some photos from the weekend — taken despite the fact that I dropped/broke our camera:*

Among the grapes at Clos Pegase, which features architecture by Michael Graves.

Eh. We weren't that impressed really.

Our cottage at the Carneros Inn.

Mmmm ... Yummy wood fence post.

* Jon is always harassing me about using the wrist-strap when I'm taking pictures. This just further proves that I really should listen to him more often.

Posted at 06:04 PM | Link

Poor Jon. In the name of our anniversary, I dragged him up to the city last night after work. First stop: The Curiosity Shoppe. I got a sneak preview of the store, which is officially opening tomorrow night. (You can read more about that at AT:SF.) Next up: Dinner at The Salt House. We love Town Hall (the same folks are behind both restaurants), but were disappointed in the fare at SH. At least the dessert was tasty. Final destination: Meg's Craft, Inc. launch party. it was fun seeing so many familiar faces, and there was a steady stream of people lining up to have Meg sign their books. We joined the line, just so we'd have a chance to chat with the busy lady!

And speaking of busy! Not only are Derek and Lauren of The Curiosity Shoppe working feverishly to get the store open, they are also kicking off a new craft column over at design*sponge. Today, they're showing us how to make wine crate display cases. Awesome.

Posted at 10:10 AM | Link

This marriage thing? Pretty great.

Posted at 08:38 AM | Link

Look what has been officially announced! I'm planning on attending ... hopefully you will, too?

Posted at 02:27 PM | Link

So I completely forgot to take any pictures last Saturday — even though I was all psyched to participate in "24 Hours of Flickr." At least Evo had her camera by her side ...

Look at all the pretty colors!

Notice how ridiculously large that chocolate cake is. We managed to drive that beast from SF all the way to The Sea Ranch without much damage to the towering chocolate pieces. What can I say? My husband knows how to work those windy roads when there's a two-foot cake in a cooler in the way back of the car. (Apparently, all of that extra-careful driving made him really hungry.)

My feet are the ones that look like they belong to a seven-year-old. (I wear a size 2 in children's shoes.)

I like this picture because I look really tall. Thank goodness for big rocks to stand on.

One last look:

Posted at 03:26 PM | Link

We spent the weekend down at Sea Ranch, where the coastal breezes were quite welcome. We grilled lots of yummy meats, walked down to the beach, caught up on magazine reading, relaxed on the deck, stayed up way past our usual bedtime, and barely made a dent in a chocolate cake the size of my torso (we were there celebrating Phill's birthday).

Now we're back at home — where it's 80+ degrees in the house. Yep, it's around that time of year when we start wishing we had a/c in the house.

Posted at 08:59 PM | Link

• The in-laws were in town this weekend and on Friday night, we headed to The Village Pub — one of our local favorites — for dinner. After we had consumed our entrees, the GM stopped by our table. It turns out, he was familiar with my food blog! And he comped our desserts! And he remembered Jon's name! And that someone in the family was from South Carolina! The food that night had already left a favorable impression on all of us, but after the GM's visit, my father-in-law remarked that THAT is how you run a successful business. Indeed.
• Yesterday, I had the pleasure of hanging out with Jill and Meg in San Francisco. I cannot wait to see what these two talented ladies come up with for the Stationery Show in NYC in May.
• Today, I was back in the city — this time, with Jon in tow. Our good friend Nick's one-act play was performed as part of the 6th Annual BOA Festival. It had SUCH a good twist at the end! No wonder it had already been selected for festivals in Chicago and San Diego, too!

Posted at 08:33 PM | Link

Further proof that our friends have the cutest babies:

Noah - born February 26

Posted at 01:53 PM | Link

I love my sister dearly, but when it comes to Christmas, she sucks. She's one of those people who buys things whenever she wants, so there's nothing left in the entire world to get her when the holidays roll around. Plus, she is so generous, and loves giving so much, that she 1) has trouble keeping presents a secret, or 2) wants to be the giver of all great gifts.

Example #1:
Us, entering the bookstore...
Me: I need your help with ideas on what to buy Mike (her husband).
Her: Okay. I'll try to think of something.
We separate for 15 minutes, meeting up again at the cash register.
Me: Hey, is that a guitar book for Mike?
Her: Yes.
Silence.
Me: Maybe I can buy it for him for Christmas?
Her: Yeah, I thought about that when I picked it up. But no.

Example #2:
Her: What do you think of this sweater?
Me: It's cute. I like it.
Her: I got you one for Christmas! Act surprised.

Example #3:
Conversation two days ago...
Me: We need wishlists for the boys.
Her: Okay. I'll try to think of things they need.
Conversation today...
Her: So I bought the boys some clothes at GapKids...
Me: Why did you buy it? Why not just put them on the wishlists!!!
Her: Sorry.

Posted at 06:03 PM | Link

Wow. This was the first year I actually did eat way too much. My brother and sister-in-law cook with enough butter to even shock Paula Dean.

And just so you understand why I'll be on the couch recovering for the next 18 hours, this was tonight's dessert consumption: pumpkin pie, carrot cake, rugalach, cupcakes AND apple bread.

I'm thankful we only eat like this once a year. And I'm thankful for elastic-waistband pants.

Posted at 08:58 PM | Link

Everyone thinks that the kids related to them are THE cutest ever, right? Well, I'm no exception. Here are my nephews — the astronaut and the San Jose Sharks hockey player:

We took the boys trick-or-treating, checked out all of the scary houses on the block, admired the other kiddies dressed up for the holiday, and returned home to dole out fistfuls of candy. Just like last year, the sweets went fast. We shut off our lights at 8pm and then retreated to the back of the house, where we're still hiding out from the remaining trick-or-treaters wandering about our neighborhood. (Jon's actually working on a take-home midterm, while I'm sifting through the many holiday catalogs that have already started flooding our mailbox.)

And, yes, we got at least one Steve Irwin at our door tonight.

Posted at 08:31 PM | Link