work-around

Q-Tip is a very peculiar dog... He is the only creature I know who gives himself sores. I know it's unpleasant so I won't go into detail but he's been licking his hind paws a lot. This results in some mightily irritated feet.

Yesterday I went to Petco Unleashed at Westlake and saw that someone had ingeniously thought of footwear for dogs during colder weather. They were sold out of the Pugz Pet Boots (too cute!) but I didn't need outdoor shows for him. What I needed was something with more flexibility so Q-Tip could curl into any twisted pose he might want and nap peacefully. What I found were these awesome dog socks!

Fancy socks, eh?

For when intermittent paw-washing and treatment is not enough, put socks on your dog and call it a day!

tasty they are

It's time I put this present to use!

a very epic cast of cookies

Have a very, er, Forceful Christmas? And a Jedi New Year?

On another note, doesn't my Missoni tray look great?

oh tannenbaum

There are too many things that a mother can always do better than her children. For one...

This is what a young adult's Christmas tree might look like:

Small space needs small tree

This is how my mother decorates the tree... doing it right:

It's easy to make your tree look classy when you stock up on ornaments
after Christmas. That's when the whole collection is on sale!

Why are the stockings hung on the bottom branches? Because the sofa is blocking the mantel. Happy holidays!

happy endings

The perfect ending to a dinner in the Mission is a trip to Bi-Rite Creamery by Dolores Park...

pick your sweet poison

kid in a candy store

tonight's choice: honey lavender and salted caramel

The salted caramel is always good and most likely the flavor that put this creamery on the map. Sweet but not overly sweet, with a hint of burnt sugar that gives the ice cream an incredible richness. So yummy.

Honey lavender was my experiment of the night and it was quite nice. I thought the lavender overpowered the honey - after all, lavender is a strong scent. I was initially wary of this flavor as I have found that I don't like eating rose-flavored anything but Tater promised that Bi-Rite's honey lavender was top notch. And I have to agree: even though the lavender overshadows the honey, the ice cream is refreshing and strangely therapeutic.

But don't give lavender all the credit! After all, we are eating ice cream...

tilt!

keep it authentic, please!

Since Cabbage was in town, the old gang hit up some of her favorite places, including Limón Rotisserie. The flavors are still dancing circles around our tongues and leaving us smiling from ear to ear but some changes at the tasty restaurant are marring a the flavor story.

For one, I ordered a half chicken about a month ago on a first date. When the waiter brought over two measly pieces of chicken, I told him that this wasn't the same half chicken I received on prior visits. Then the waiter was in a hurry to fix the plate.

And this time, the tacu-tacu came spooned into a bowl, like red beans and rice. Now tacu-tacu is essentially a mixture of beans and rice but it's supposed to be molded into little balls or dumplings and quickly fried to achieve a nice crunch. Without frying, the mixture won't hold it's shape. And without the shape, it is simply arroz y frijoles.

So we let the waiter know and he explained that some customers had been complaining that the tacu-tacu was too greasy. So listen here, suckers: if you don't want something greasy, order something else so you don't screw up tacu-tacu for the rest of us. And if you find something as divine as tacu-tacu to be too greasy, maybe you should think twice about eating rotisserie chicken.

Other than that, dinner was delicious as expected:

Cristal... still the fanciest beer you can sip!

Pollo a la brasa and the mistreated tacu-tacu mixture

ceviche mixto, yucca fries, and more tasty but shapeless tacu-tacu

Dear Executive Chef Martin Castillo, please return to the traditional tacu-tacu recipe and fry those dumplings!

psychic!

Remember these Star Wars cookie cutters? Remember how I wished that Williams-Sonoma would make another set with my favorite characters: R2D2, C3PO, Chewy, and an ewok? Well three out of four ain't bad!

early Christmas presents!

Bunny just happened to waltz into a Williams-Sonoma store - because that's how we roll - and spotted the third set of Star Wars cookie cutters exclusive to the overpriced kitchen lifestyle brand. She immediately thought of me... I'm so flattered!

So now I have the cuter set of Star Wars cookie cutters! It would be perfect if the jawa was replaced with an ewok but I am thrilled nevertheless. I will need to bake cookies soon, and it will be the perfect opportunity to break in this lovely orange apron from Tater. Do these girls know me or what?

I thought I was good at origami

until I spotted the holiday window display for Hermès on Grant at Maiden Lane...

a pegasus and a horse wrapped up in Hermès scarves

a paper creation so strong it can hold its own saddle

Leave it to the world's premier brand of luxury goods to show me how to fold animals out of paper!

bad luck

If you were a life-changing, world-shaking, politically active superstar, chances are today wasn't the best day in your life.

Because three men who made huge impacts on millions of lives have passed away today:

• philanthropist-billionaire Warren Hellman, the force behind many a San Francisco power deal and the free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival
• first president of free a free Czechoslovakia Vaclav Havel who fought Soviet influence
• eccentric and brutal North Korean president Kim Jong-Il

I know it's morbid but the third one is for the best. It's likely that the Demarcation Zone won't be done away with anytime soon but any transfer of power is sure to cause some unrest. Also, since Kim Jong-Il had such a strong cult of personality, no one else will have the same charisma with the people. Even if the executive power passes down to the son Kim Jong-Un, his reign will be dimmer than Kim Jong-Il's.

Saddam, Quaddafi, and Kim... it looks like dictators are dropping like flies from my Axis of Evil cookbook:

full of trivia tidbits and recipes for delicacies

the new baby

Oddjob is so happy that the eleven year-old little sister hasn't bugged anybody to play with their iphone since Thursday! Just what is it that demands so much of her attention?

Meet Lola!

surprise!
Lola plays on Hulk

Lola is a Beagle puppy girl, just over eight weeks old. Somehow, my dad Popsy caved in; he and my stepmom agreed to adopt the happy little puppy from the San Francisco SPCA. Oddjob has never been so occupied- or dedicated! According to her mom, she wakes up in the dead of night and early in the morning to tend to Lola. And who could resist? Lola is bursting with curiosity, radiating adorableness, and jiggling with baby fat that you can pinch. I heard that the veterinarian said she's a little overweight. I think she's perfect!

so soft and huggable

It has been a long time since I handled an actual puppy - almost all of our dogs come to Mumsy as "adults," arriving to our house no younger than 5 years of age. There was one puppy named Farley but the boy was one of those big breeds (he was a hybrid of unknown origins) and quickly grew from a cuddly creature that could fit in my hand to a mischievous puppy that outgrew his extra-large kennel and began eating the house. I was just a young girl when we got Farley and we kept him less than a year as it became increasingly obvious he was too big to live within the cramped quarters of a city. He was taken to the SPCA in Marin or Sonoma County, where I like to think he quickly became a working dog by day and wino by night. Yup, it's just small dogs for us!

The beagle is on the small end of medium-sized dogs so I think it will be a bit of a challenge for Oddjob (and the family) to care for a canine that will grow to a size that is not easily portable. But I think she'll do alright... after all, Lola seems to enjoy napping quite a bit!

sleepy time!

I know this is weird but one my favorite things about Lola is the way she smells. Combined with all the other dogs at the shelter, it's not so pleasant. But on her own, Lola carries the smell of salty mucus-y boogers, a smell I find irresistibly endearing on dogs. I think part of this reminds me of the way Benji the Yorkshire Terrier used to smell in the morning until I picked the boogers out of his eyes. I know it's peculiar but I love it!

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Neatly-wrapped presents are always a lovely sight...

chock full of happiness

I like buying things for myself but I get a serious high when shopping for other people. So you? I just love looking for unusual presents that I think my friends and family will fawn over (results may vary with family members!) This year I feel like retailers have definitely slashed prices way more than other holiday seasons, making shopping that much more enjoyable.

Some of the places I've shopped this season:

• Target stores in Colma and Daly City as well as target.com (for pet treats, a few toys, and wrapping paper)
• fredflare.com (for tons of kitschy gifts for friends)
• gap.com (so my brother Hulk can look like a man, and for fun socks as stocking stuffers)
• ticketmaster.com (tickets to see Il Divo)
• shopruche.com (the clothes are cute but I bought housewares for friends)
• Hallmark (they have a great selection of Snoopy-themed ornaments)
• Paul Frank Store on Sutter Street (because Oddjob loves that monkey)
• piperlime.com (they sell jewelry from the Marc by Marc Jacobs line)
• Trader Joe's (for dark chocolate oranges)

I've been doing a lot of online shopping pretty much since I bought myself a computer when I was 19 so not seeing the product in person doesn't really faze me. Customer reviews also help a ton with putting the item in perspective. By the way, I'm still using that desktop from 2006.

Remember, presents bought in a store aren't the only way to share the holiday spirit. Just this past weekend I cooked a big beouf bourguignon dinner for my dad and his family since I honestly had no idea what to get him. Everyone loved it and it was a very enjoyable evening... and not just because of the fantastic soup! Oddjob got an early Christmas present... read on.

they filed it under hot sandwiches

but it didn't quite live up to the name.

Dropped by The Sentinel last week for lunch to try a new sandwich, the lamb and pork meatball sandwich with cabbage and spicy tomato sauce:

so saucy the meatballs just slid right out!
Pickle greatly appreciated!

I like the hearty size of the meatballs. There are more than three, a couple slipped right off the tomato sauce and hid behind the sandwich. The meatballs taste very savory, always a plus. The tomato sauce packs a little heat but not enough to deter any delicate palates. The delicious buttery bread they use is always a winner and works wonders at sopping up the tomato sauce. And The Sentinel strikes again with their use of cabbage, which keeps it's crunchy texture despite been drenched in sauce. Lettuce, take note!

The only problem is that the sandwich wasn't very hot temperature-wise when I sat down to eat. You may think that I lollygagged along Montgomery Street on my way back to work but unfortunately, that was not the case. In fact, the distance from The Sentinel to my new office is much shorter than the journey to the main building. So friends at The Sentinel, please heat those meatballs up!

Warning: for fans of the minty-chocolate Andes that accompanied each sandwich, it appears that The Sentinel has switched to Werther's Butterscotch candies. Werther's is delicious but I prefer Andes.

take that!

Relaxing with mi favorito vinho verde Espiral while flipping between The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the January issue of Martha Stewart Living...

punk hackers and psychotic homemakers are all I want to be!

right now, it's the only thing on my mind.

whoopie pie factory

My kitchen is where it's at...

Mt. Whoopie

Two- count 'em, two flavors of buttercream!
Peppermint is pink, orange is light orange.
Very light orange.
Fine, it's ivory!

Whoopie Pie buffet!

can I get this butter to go?

And the mussel broth, too?

To celebrate Tater's birthday, we went to À Côté in Oakland, near Rockridge Bart. None of us had ever been here before but this might be a place we return when we want to eat really well while laughing as loudly as we please. To start, we got tripped up by a red herring menu thrown into the midst of the actual menus. The waitress explained that it was the menu for New Year's Eve and that every year À Côté throws a huge and crazy bash. Not only are there eleven special plates created just for that night, but the owner of the place encourages dancing on the bar. Makes perfect sense for a small plates eatery that is inspired by casual European dining but does not pretend to be an authentic tapas place. For example, most of the portions are much larger than a tapas size but not quite a proper entrée.

Now back to the food... we were told that the food is seasonal and everything on the menu changes, except for their famous mussels. Changing menus just mean a reason to return, right? Let me show you why:

Check out the huge wine glass!
A friend picked out this fantastic smoky Italian wine.
We snabbed the last bottle in the cellar.
Luckily, they will be getting more next week.

Mussels! Some of the best I've ever had!
À Côté adds some peppery spice to their broth.
If the staff doesn't offer to bring you more bread to sop up the broth
(ours were absolutely lovely about it)
speak up!

scallops with red beet risotto, golden beet salad, and tangerine beurre blanc.
Sweet but small compared to everything else we ordered.

Flat iron steak and delectable duck.
Both meats were tender and very good.
But my favorite part?
The smear of watercress-laden butter on the side of the steak.
Sublime.

We pretty much devoured the cheese plate before I remembered to snap a photo
so I took a picture of the cheese menu instead.
We got Lou Rey, a sheep cheese.
It was the first cheese plate I have ever ordered but I LOVE it.
Though not as much as that watercress butter...

Pricewise, the bill didn't hit us too badly. And that watercress butter is worth every penny.

Unfortunately I won't be at À Côté for New Year's - I'll be in Trujillo, Peru - but my guess is that this is where all the cool kids with taste will be. And by taste, I mean quite literally, a good palate.

al fresco in December

It was cold but it was worth it to have lunch with some familiar faces. I know it's only been a week in my new department but it is hard remembering who's who when there are five Vijays!

The old eating gang trekked off to Truckstop on Friday for a double drop: Kara's Cupcakes for sweets and Eat Curbside for food!

lunch of epic indulgence

Kara's seasonal flavor this winter is a peppermint twist, glaringly distinguished by the crushed peppermint candies on top. The box was rounded out by Meyer Lemon, Fleur de Sel, S'more, Sweet Vanilla, and Chocolate Velvet... mmm, Chocolate Velvet. I never get tired of that cupcake, though S'more is pretty outstanding, too!

Instead of the overprices Ahi Tuna Sliders, I gave in and picked the Bacon Dog, also known as the Curbside Dog. Delicously warmed cabbage, bacon, and mustard infused with beer pile onto a very tasty and slightly spicy sausage, all of which is enveloped in a pillow of bread. Very tasty, but - like the Ahi Tuna Sliders - not quite worth the price tag. I'm really bent on having a pickle if you're going to charge me $7! But the potatoes appeased my hunger - still just salty enought, and this time the taters were sliced thinner so as to have more surface area for fried goodness. Yummy.

I don't know, I jump at the opportunity to pay $3 for a cupcake but gripe at paying $7 for a hot dog. Go figure.

a spin on Quay's

Between the holiday preparations, getting accustomed to my new department at work, chasing Q-Tip the dog, and planning for Peru, I have been very bad about posting regularly. This here is yet amother delightful Martha Stewart recipe: Braised Short Rib Potpie. The thing is I made this over two weeks ago for my brother's birthday.

But that certainly doesn't mean you can't make it now!

Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Guinness beer is essential for making this suspiciously Irish potpie.

Start with about 4 pounds of short ribs. I did all my de-boning and major de-fatting during the prep work. If you keep the bones in, advise your audience accordingly. Otherwise, heat up the bones and bone meat in a pot of boiling water for beef stock or cook and give to your favorite little pooch. Just cover the floor in old newspapers first so your dog doesn't grease up the floor.

Note: I kept the bones in the pot during my first try so I could cook the meal and a treat for Q-Tip at the same time. After finding that there is no added level of difficulty by keeping the bones in, I advise that you omit the bones from the pot so that less fat is introduced to the stew. Just my opinion...

De-boning... essential for classy meals.

Coat rib meat in flour. Heat a little canola oil in your Le Creuset/Staub/cast iron Dutch oven and brown the rib meat on each side... similar to making beouf bourguignon.

Just a few minutes on each side!

Set the beef aside on a plate.

Thinly slice up one onion...

surefire tearjerker

Add a little more oil to the pot if desired and cook the onions until they smell delicious, about 10 minutes over medium heat. Be sure to stir to loosen up the slices into slivers.

Funny how cooked onions don't cause tears...

While the onion cooks, cut the beef into manageable portions ready for eating.

it's snippy time

Add some minced garlic to the onions and stir, cooking for a few minutes more.

you can't go wrong with garlic!

When the onions and garlic are cooked, reintroduce the rib meat to the pot. Add a few sprigs of rosemary and two bottles of Guinness.

Heavenly!

love that chocolate flavor!

freshness!

Bring to a simmer...

boil, boil, toil and trouble

Then cover and stick this baby in the oven. Bake for 2 hours.

this little Creuset might be on to something here...

Sleep, read, relax for about two hours.

When the two hour mark approaches, peel your cipollini onions.

Please count your onions carefully...

and remember that the quantity stated in the Nutrition Facts is an estimated value.

Remove the pot from the oven. If you left the bones in the soup, remove them now.

Dogs go crazy over a mound like this!

Add the peeled cipollini onions to the pot. Stir in so that they are covered in rich stewy goodness.

plop plop!

Return the Dutch oven to the real oven and bake for thirty minutes more, covered.

When those thirty minutes are up, remove the pot from the oven and raise the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

let this baby rest on the stove for a bit

Slice up a few potatoes crosswise, as thinly as you can. This should give the stew a few minutes to cool down. The it's time for the most important part: skimming the fat! If you left the bones in, you should have about two-thirds of a cup.

not the stuff you want to eat

Season the stew with salt and pepper as desired.

Pour the beef-Guinness stew into the dish or pie pan in which you plan on serving the pot pie. Layer the thinly-sliced potatoes over the top and brush with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

under construction!

Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes, then ENJOY! This pot pie takes a lot of time and effort but tastes really rich. Impress your friends and tell them that they serve the same stew in Quay's at the Temple district in Dublin because this potpie bears a dangerously delectable resemblance to Quay's Guinness Stew.

a welcome birthday gift for any brother you may have!