ice cream

i love ice cream.  i love ice creameries.  a list:

• bi-rite.  1.5 blocks away and so good.
• mitchell's.  so many flavors, so delicious.
• xanath.  a newbie.  i'm not sold.
• humphrey slocombe.  interesting combinations of flavors.
• bombay indian ice cream.  interesting flavors.
  
• ici.  cute, delicious.
• tara's.  they ramp up the essential taste of each flavor.  wonderful!
• fenton's.  how can you not love the black and tan.  and it's in up!

what are your favorites?

school

as anyone who knows me knows, i've been thinking about returning to school for quite some time. in the past four years, i've considered the following masters or professional programs:

• information science
• museum science
• library science
• urban planning
• public policy
• public health
• law
• business administration
• education
• social welfare
• acupuncture
• medicine

and in the past 2 months, i've been researching public policy programs and business programs with strong non-profit and public sector-focus. i thought i'd put thoughts of law school behind me...

...but they're coming back.

lately (meaning the past 5 days), i've been wondering about whether a career in environmental law would be a good fit for me. these thoughts are informed by the following:

• on earth day, my company brought in a presenter from a baykeeper advocacy group. they litigate to keep the bay clean. i felt really inspired by the organization.
• my recreational and personal interests continually intersect with conservation and environmental protection (whether its growing vegetables on my fire escape or camping / hiking). that kind of lifestyle is important to me.
• i think a lot about my "working style" and what kind of "leader" i am. i'm good in small groups, but work best alone. not so great at "managing" large tasks, "motivating" people to reach an outcome, or implementing plans. i wonder if that means legal work (rather than management -- whether it's nonprofit or for-profit) would be a better fit personality and work-style wise for me.
• i communicate best on paper and worst in person.
• i don't like direct conflict in day to day interactions. but i like having something to fight against or to fight about.

i don't know if those are compelling enough reasons to retake the LSAT and apply to law school. but, i feel kind of good about them.

anyway, those are my most recent career and school thoughts. thought i'd document them for posterity and share them with you!

week end notes

• mostly girls.  drinks and dessert with kat, melissa, matt
• volunteering. trail restoration and maintenance with sydney
• berkeley fun.  ici, wine tasting, and shopping with sydney
• delicious food.  udupi palace with sydney and matt, my new favorite indian joint
• movie.  watched objectified (documentary about industrial design) with jimmy's gang
• errands.
• relax.  pandemic and home-made pizza with pete and jane.

home made

here's to sinking to another level of domesticity...

 

i made brandied cherries and apricot jam with all of the fruit last weekend.  it was actually quite easy and the jars are beautiful! 

 

the tomatoes on my fire escape are getting bigger.  i can't wait to eat them :)

a fed bear is a dead bear

this weekend, matt and i went on a 3 day hike in kings canyon national park. a description from sierra south:


it was really nice to revisit the sierras and to go on another backpacking trip. and it made me want hike the full john muir trail, again.

a day by day descrption of our adventure:

cooking

• saving.  it started out as a way to save money.  i found i could do well even with just $25 of groceries a week.
• health.  restaurant food can often be too oily / salty and meat-focused.  i get a better balance by cooking at home.
• variety.  it's hard to sample lots of little things at restaurants.
• creating.  it's nice to create dishes (or entire meals) through my own efforts.  a mini project every day.
• meditating.  i really like having the kitchen to myself, turning up the music, chopping things up, and putting it all together. 
• puzzle.  i like figuring out how to repurpose leftovers or how to make new dishes from pantry items + the fewest number of new items.
• friends.  i like making things for friends and food is a great excuse to get together.

week summary

• catch up with katherine and irena
• menlo park farewells
• crazy space- and animal- themed boardgames with brendan, dan, john, joanna
• brunch at mission beach cafe with drew, susan, and matt
• shopping for gear -- motorcycles and camping
• au revoir simone
• picking nectarines, apricots, and cherries with matt & gang

summer days

i love may and june!

 

matt's sister, megan, was in town this week. fun times.

• dinner parteez.  executive chef matt 's menu:  spinach walnut pear salad, beef stroganoff and asparagus, apple strudel.  pete and jane's menu:  chicken with milk, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, and almond soup.
• good eats -- pizzeria del fina, tartine, universal cafe, and humphrey slocombe.
• mt. tam hike and kites at stinson beach.
• wandering around the sunday streets route.

goings ons

last last weekend, back in texas

• drove to austin with michael, visiting the czech stop in west, texas and cafe mozart's near the lake.  linford's wedding reception, the first of us to finally "grow up."  not much time to see anyone.
• eating with the family at the usual places -- ren ji and tokyo one.
• iron chef and smash brothers brawl adventuring with michelle.

 

last weekend, everywhere but san francisco

• staying around the neighborhood -- pakwan, chai at samovar, and up at the castro theater
• a long bike ride to belmont and caltrain back.  30 miles, a personal record! 
• jimmy's birthday in berkeley
• maker faire via bart and bike
• stir fry and star trek at home