the golden gate

i will never tire of driving across this bridge.

parklet

parkette parkie parkish wee-park parklet

Realizing the Inner Sunset's need for outdoor public gathering spaces, local Inner Sunset leaders and Inner Sunset architect Jack Verdon have worked with the popular Arizmendi Bakery at 1331 9th Avenue to submit a "parklet" proposal to the SF Planning Department. A parklet is a sidewalk extension that provides on-street public seating via repurposed parking spaces.

we used to live a block away from this arizmendi. i ate one of their corn cherry scones just about every single day of my maternity leave.

via sf foodie. and here.

pics and more about parklets here.

gabe took the photo below and posted in the flickr group, Guess Where SF.

i'm going to the la cocina gift fair this friday, and if you're in san francisco, you should go, too!

there will be tons of amazing, locally made food, drink and wares.

friday, 12/10

at the mission cultural center for latino arts

4-9 pm

our halloween

we went to belvedere street in cole valley. maegan calls it "castro for kids," which is an apt description.

devo was a little testy and not so into wearing his hat. he also tired very early on. it's okay, though -- i was tired, too.

i heart kenan thompson. jean k. jean is my favorite weekend update guest.

ollie and i went to the academy of sciences this weekend with my girlfriend and her daughter. i really want to check out nightlife.

i love our farmer's market. the past couple weeks it's been all about apples and tomatoes. i'm going to be sad after november 22 when it goes on hiatus for the winter.

sundays with my boys are the best: we wake up, have breakfast, ollie naps, then we go the market. after the market we go the playground behind the de young in golden gate park. sundays are good and slow.

goodbye weekend. here's to a good week!

where the wild things are

a while back i posted about the where the wild things are movie.

i found out today, there's an exhibit at the contemporary jewish museum,

sendak on sendak. i want to go check this out before i see the movie. yeah!

flora grubb gardens

we went to flora grubb gardens today and explored.

here's what we were looking for:

• items to replace some expired plants in the terrarium. i swear i kill all plants.
• a new base for our plant in our living room because we have visions of ollie pulling the whole thing down on him, which is a scary thought.
• a new air plant for the shelf in the hallway. i've managed to kill my second air plant in 2 years. (do you know how hard it is to kill an air plant?! do you?!)

we didn't manage to accomplish all of our list, but not for lack of selection. i think it'll require a second trip back. we did get a ritual coffee to drink as we browsed. can't beat that.

and we bought a base for the plant, which we've decided to park on the floor.

if you haven't been to flora grubb yet, it's so worth the trip. i'm still thinking about it 4 hours later.

check out the vertical garden, it's incredible.

it's summer in the sunset.

yep, indeed.

parks

this whole going to the park as a mom thing is kinda weird. it's like there's this whole park world i never even new existed.

last week there was a dad who was talking to a YOUNG babysitter for a loooooooooongggg time.

there was also the nanny in her hat, scarf and sunglasses, slinging her venti iced startbucks thing and totally ignoring the little burden she was in charge of.

the other day ollie and i were at the playground. first we went on the swings. then i put him in the sand. then we walked around.

a mother/nanny came up to me and asked me how old he was. i told her. then she looks down at his bare feet and goes, "doesn't that hurt his feet?" and i said no, i think it's okay. and i don't think she was trying to be bitchy. i think she was a little lonely.

so then she asks me what his name is. and i tell her, "oliver." and another mom walks up and goes, "MY SON'S NAME IS OLIVER!" and i was all, "no way!" and then i asked her what her son's middle name was and she goes, "max." and then i got all exited and said, "OLLIE'S MIDDLE NAME IS MAXIMILLIAN!" and she said, "my husband's name is max and i call him maximillian!" she was really sweet. and her oliver was super cute.

another thing i noticed at the park -- ollie doesn't seem like a baby anymore:

last summer i was at a leadership training seminar thingy and the owner of  my company told me that his three daughters made some of their oldest closest friends in play groups when they were babies.  he asked if i had plans to join a play group.  i hadn't really thought about before that moment.  

then finding childcare became hard.  someone g. works with suggested that i join a mother's group.  i did.  though we didn't find childcare i did score some great petit bateau onesies. 

and i signed up for a play group.  tomorrow ollie and i will go check it out and see how it goes.  i'm not so sure what to expect.  

based on the emails, here are the names of the kids so far:

edina

cameron
melody
caelin
asher
callum
soren
maya
annaliese

what ever happened to names like sally, joe, cindy, or matt?  

Obama Street

All the Bush Street signs in San Francisco have been changed to OBAMA Street signs.  



Link from Gabriel, Photo from Violet.Blue

De Young

On Friday afternoon Maegan and Ella came over so the four of us could head over to the De Young to check out the Yves Saint Laurent exhibit.

We took advantage of the insanely gorgeous weather we've been having (in January!) and walked over the museum.

The future happy couple:

Maegan has decided they'll travel Europe together after high school, before college.  I can already picture them.

As we were entering Golden Gate Park, Maegan spotted Radhika from Top Chef leaving the park.

We knew the museum was open late, however, neither of us knew about Friday Night at the De Young:

On Friday Nights, the entire museum stays open until 8:45 p.m. offering a variety of interdisciplinary arts programs, including live music, poetry, films, dance, tours, and lectures. The cafe and a no-host cocktail bar are open for dinner and drinks. There are hands-on art-making activities available for children and adults. 

We ordered beers and sat down to drink them, chat and people watch before working our way through the YSL exhibit.

The exhibit itself was great.  I've never seen such exquisite clothes that close up.  I was looking forward to seeing the dress that Catherine Deneuve wore in Belle de Jour, having been tipped off by my friend Jane, with whom I'd seen the movie with years ago and it didn't disappoint.  (Catherine Deneuve was so thin.)  

Three little girls came through with their folks. One kept loudly saying, "It's Jesus' mom! It's Jesus' mom!"  I think I know which dress reminded her of Jesus' mom: I think it was the dress on the left though, because after thirteen years in Catholic school, I am pretty confident in my assumption.  (Hee hee, assumption, get it?)

When we exited the exhibit Friday Night at the De Young was in full swing. There was music, there were kids doing art projects, and parents walking around with beers, pushing strollers. (This is what parents do when they have children and can no longer go out to bars. They drink at the museum and are home a little after 9. I get it!)

Academy of Sciences

Today Ollie and I brought some friends to the California Academy of Sciences.  Ollie slept the entire time we were there, blocking out the sound of screaming kids and grown ups. (Funny that creaking floorboards in our house wake him up but he was dead to the world there.) My girlfriend's little guy is 2 1/2 and he LOVED it.
  

We started off by walking through the 4-story rainforest.  Each level represents a rainforest from a different part of the world.  Here there were frogs, bats, tall trees and beautifully colored butterflies and birds flying around.  Upon leaving the young man who was working the elevator asked everyone to make sure that none of the butterflies were stuck to their clothes.  And, "that there were no frogs in your throat and ants in your pants." 

Next, we walked through the impressive Steinhart Aquarium.  There's a 25-feet deep Philippine Coral Reef, a recreation of the Nothern California Coast, a Water Planet and more.  There were sharks, and piranha.  There were fish that looked glittery.  I can't remember what they were called but they were so very disco.    There were fish that looked like tree branches.  

I took some shoddy pictures with my camera phone:



It was really neat to be there with a two-year old.  I can't wait to take Ollie when he's older.

There were several (like 8!) old ladies sitting on a bench, across from what you see above.  It's so pretty and calming I totally get why they hang out here.  I plan on joining them again next week.  

Finally, we hit the African Hall, and here we saw the real live penguins. This was the highlight of the day for my girlfriend's little boy. He screamed with delight while watching the penguins, eliciting smiles from the adults around him.  

I still have yet to check out the Morrison Planetarium, which is the largest digital planetarium in the world.