simply samantha

iSee iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 13 May 2016 01:48:00 +0000

I've been so busy lately with my new job (loving it so much!) that I've forgotten how nice it is to update this blog with what I've been doing lately. I wish that I was as diligent in blogging as I was in the past. I was recently going through old Livejournal entries and laughing/crying at how young, angsty, and naive I was, but at least I still have them to look back on and remember things I might have otherwise forgotten. I still curse the day that I deleted my first blogger account because I had some great posts written up there that I spent more time on than I did actually studying back in college, but oh well! This is probably good for me since most of those posts are probably too incriminating for myself and others. I hope to post more about the art and music that has been inspiring me lately, as well as my style that has totally changed from vintage babydoll twee chick to French/Japanese minimalist grandma--the best description I can think of at the moment, which probably makes zero sense to others.

At the moment, I am excited to be visiting Las Vegas next weekend to attend my godson Austin's baptism. My cousins will all be there and I am sure that we will have a great time "discovering" what the city in the desert has to offer. The following weekend, Z and I head to Ithaca, NY for his youngest sister's graduation. (I'm so old! I remember first meeting her when she was in high school!) I'm excited to see Cornell, which from her instagram posts proves to be such a beautiful campus. After the graduation, Z and I will be taking a train up to Montreal. I hope to document these trips and post them here! Until then, here are some iphone photos via my instagram from the past couple of weeks taken around San Francisco. Enjoy!

The Great Chili Cook-off!

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Last month, Z's mom helped organize a little event for their neighborhood with beer tasting and a chili cook-off competition for Oktoberfest. Even though I am not sure how chili fits in with Oktoberfest, Z decided to enter the competition competing against some of his family's friends and even against Z's own father. Z basically threw everything but the kitchen sink into his chili and then fretted about it being too spicy for his audience, whose idea of a good bowl of chili comes from a can prepared via the microwave. (Just kidding, but sadly this might be the American standard) Tasters were able to vote for their favorite chili, but halfway through the competition Z ran out of food. Rookie status! Z received a couple of votes though during his short time serving, so all was not lost. While Z was busy serving chili, I was busy drinking free beer from Das Brew (a local microbrewery from the area) and making Finnegan take ridiculous photos with all the hay bales and scarecrows in the vicinity. This probably was not a good idea considering how I talked about giving my liver a vacation in my last post, but apparently I forgot about this. After Oktoberfest beer, Z and I later joined some friends in Oakland at our favorite Tiki Bar for more drinks. It was a great weekend overall! Below are photos of an apathetic pig dog and a day-drunk Z. Cheers!

Z & S Go To Sacramento

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 20:22:00 +0000

Since I'm still catching up with blog posts of the past, this set of pictures are from a past trip that Z and I took up to Sacramento for a quick get-away for our joint birthday celebration. I've mentioned it in the past here and here, but Z and I try to plan for a trip to celebrate our birthdays since we were born on the same day! For this birthday, we decided to visit Sacramento. The last time that I went to Sacramento was when I was a freshman in high school. My mom's cousin was getting married and it was a whirlwind of a trip because I barely remember getting to do anything else. I do remember driving past the capital and thinking about how beautiful the buildings in the surrounding area were...and the trees! So many trees in Sacramento! Without the trees, Sacramento ground temperature would just be too unbearable!

Upon our arrival, we walked around Midtown and Mansion flats visiting various antique / thrift shops, followed by a stop at a local coffee shop. It was nice to visit shops that weren't bombarded by hoards of people compared to the city. I found a nice 100% cotton denim dress and a linen top that I made into a crop top with a frayed bottom. Later that evening, Z and I had dinner at a BBQ place with a couple of microbrews from the area. The next morning, we headed over to old town and toured the old buildings and saloons in the area. In retrospect, we probably should have done something else because everything in the area was a tourist trap and I would have preferred to check out other areas of Sacramento. Overall, this trip was pretty low-key but I'm getting old and turning into a Grandma. Gone are the days that I used to come thisclose to blacking out over too much alcohol consumption and dancing to indie hits in smokey, dirty, dive bars. Okay, who am I kidding...I still long for those days, but after getting my appendix surgery and finding out that my liver needs a vacation, I should probably take much better care of myself. Here are some photos of my Grandma Golden Age trip. Enjoy and sorry for such a late post!

Grandpa's 90th Birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 19:00:00 +0000

Back in August, I organized a family event to celebrate my Grandpa's 90th birthday! Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins flew from various states across America in honor of my Grandpa's celebration. It was so satisfying to see the huge smile on his face when he realized that this party was for him and to see all this children (He has a total of 8!) together again under one roof! He was constantly smiling and laughing all day, which definitely meant the world to my mom, who primarily takes care of him daily. It is a tough job, but my mom is a very strong woman (cancer survivor!) and she seems to be the only one that can truly care for my Grandpa. He's the kind of man to sneak in a mini bottle or two of Johnny Walker to any event and will readily share his party favors with you! I am so lucky to have this man in my life, at a time when my own father disappeared from my life. Happiest of birthdays to my amazing Grandpa and hope you have a happy, healthy year with many more to come!

Lake Life

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:45:00 +0000

I've fallen behind again at blogging again...big surprise! I've had this post in a draft, but I just never pushed that publish button. It's taken a surgery to remove my appendix, a new job back in the psychology field, and a new laptop to finally sit down and organize some thoughts and photos to reflect on. More on this later! I promise!

Back in June, Z's sister graduated from UCSF Dental school and their family decided to celebrate by packing up and heading up to the Northern / Nevada side of Lake Tahoe for a bit of a vacation. Below are are snaps from my time there. Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite places to visit because it is always incredibly beautiful to visit; it does not matter what time of the year it is. From the lush green trees to the sparkling blue lake and its endless activities, Tahoe is definitely going to be a great time for all. When the time comes and I've saved fifty billion dollars instead of blowing it on dresses, shoes, and things for my spoiled pug--maybe I can buy a vacation home up here to escape from the busyness of the city every once and a while. Hope you all had a great weekend!

Wave Runner

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 29 May 2015 21:52:00 +0000

I remember the first time we took Finnegan to the beach. He didn't understand that you couldn't and shouldn't eat the sand, but that it is also okay to get your paws wet. Finnegan has some OCD tendencies in that he hates having dirty paws and will go out of his way to avoid stepping in puddles, on rain drains/grates on sidewalks, and other things that we may encounter on our walks through-out the city. This is great for me since a clean dog makes me a happy pug mom. Flash forward to today and Finnegan has finally embraced running head on into the crashing waves at a beach and was totally bro-ing out. He went for the waves, immersing himself, when usually he would not dare come near them. After romping around Fort Funston, our usual go-to spot for Finnegan, we stopped by Unleashed by Petco in Daly City to self-serve bath him. I love taking him there because I don't have to worry about cleaning up tons of little black furs in my tub and the selection of shampoos are pretty swell as well. Hope you all have a lovely week! Cheers!

Mother's Day in Livermore

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 13 May 2015 22:29:00 +0000

Mother's Day always makes me a little bit sad that I do not live near my Mama. I called her earlier in the day and left her messages, but she unfortunately had to work the weekend at the hospital. My aunts texted me that they all had went and had coffee together before she headed off to work. Luckily, later that day I was able to talk to her on the phone and catch up on the latest family gossip. I miss her so much and I can't wait until I get to visit her later this month!

I spent the day with Z's family and we made his mom breakfast in the morning. We had an Italian Frittata (sausage, bell peppers, tomatoes, pesto, mushrooms, spinach), hash browns, fruit salad, and freshly squeezed mimosas! Afterwards, we drove out East to Livermore to check out 4 different wineries. My favorite wineries on this tour were the Singing Winemaker at Tesla Vinters and Fenestra Winery. The first winery not only offered generous tastings, but provided entertainment in the form of the Owner/Winemaker himself singing all the greatest hits! The second winery was more rustic and had a beautiful picnic area to share some wine, cheese, and appetizers with friends/family. I would highly recommend these wineries if you're ever in the area, which I am not sure why you would be since Livermore is way the heck out there. Hope you had a lovely Mother's Day!

Pug Sunday!

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 04 May 2015 20:31:00 +0000

They're squat, fat, and prone to a myriad of health issues. They resemble miniature Ewoks and can be heard blocks away by their heavy snorting and grunting. Of course the people of San Francisco want to dedicate one day each month to this creature, the pug. Pug owners, enthusiasts, and friends of the pug gather every first Sunday of the month at Alta Plaza Park in Pacific Heights to play, socialize, and butt sniff. As many as 75 pugs are known to take over the park. All breeds are welcome to the gathering as long as they're pug friendly. Some people (pugophiles?) even like to lay down a blanket, have a picnic, and simply enjoy the pugs in the sun.

On this day, Z and I set up a blanket and let Finnegan run loose. He hopped over to every pug and picnicking owner in order to try and ham it up for a few pats on the head. At times, it was a bit difficult to capture Finnegan's photo because he kept darting back and forth trying to get pugs to chase him. We saw so many pugs of all shapes and sizes. We even saw Winston and his owner Susan of Modcloth! This is probably my favorite day of the month because I get to "ooh" and "ahh" over the myriads of pugs and not feel out of place. Hope that you can come and check out Pug Sunday next time you're in the area. Maybe you'll see the chunky black pug wearing a stripped harness prancing around, trying to sneak some food out of your picnic basket.

Guys, You Know What?

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 19:08:00 +0000

Enjoy Finnegan's take on this meme.

Beached Whale Pug

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:55:00 +0000

After hiking through McNee Ranch State Park, we headed down to the Montara State beach located across the way on PCH. Whenever Finnegan first steps in sand, he freaks out a little bit, squats down (like the downward dog yoga position), and his tail spins around like a helicopter. When in this "frisky puppy mode", he runs around and kicks up sand everywhere. This in turn makes him run around even more, trying to play with the sand--something that we don't have the heart to tell him will never reciprocate his playful advances. This is exactly what happened once we made our way down the steps to one of the most beautiful beaches with soft white sand. After inhaling more sand than he could handle, Finnegan finally plopped himself down behind me (since I could provide him adequate shade from the sun--a human umbrella if you will) and took a quick nap sprawled out on his side. Finnegan's body form actually looked similar to a beached whale. His snoring did pique the interest of children passing by, trying to get their kites to soar in the air. Z decided to relax as well and we had a quick break from the hike before driving back into the city to pick up some much needed coffee. Can't wait until this weekend. It is the monthly "Pug Sunday" at Alta Plaza Park in the city and Finnegan can roam around grass hills with his fellow pugs. I'm looking forward to being surrounded by tons of pugs to fully confirm the fact that I am a crazy pug lady.

McNee Ranch State Park

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 20:39:00 +0000

Hiking. One of the things that strengthened my appreciation for living in the Bay Area was its close proximity to beaches, mountains, whatever you would want for a quick day trip activity outside of the city. Last weekend, Z and I drove about 15 minutes down the coast towards Pacifica on Highway 1 to try out a new dog-friendly hiking trail. McNee Ranch State Park is a beautiful, scenic, and easy hike if you take the Gray Whale Cove Trail north from the trail-head to the incredibly scenic rest bench facing west. This short hike is a wonderful choice when you just need a break from the world. The trail information recommended bringing binoculars in the winter for whale watching. The Gray Whale Cove Trail hugged the coast-line with sweeping views of the ocean and beach down below. Its small dirt path was flanked by the beautiful California wildflowers, blackberry bushes, shrubs, ferns, and succulents. I really wished I had a pocket-sized botanical guide with me, so that I could learn to identify more of the plant life in the area. I highly recommend checking out this hike if you're ever in the area. Z and I are going to try at least one new hiking trail each month and this guide for dog-friendly hikes is an awesome jumping point. Now, for the never-ending picture filled post:

Tiny Boxes On A Hill

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 18:23:00 +0000

During my walks with Finnegan in the afternoon, I try not to only capture him in playful poses for his pugstagram, but of the pretty houses that I see. One of the things that I love about San Francisco are that the blocks of houses are not the cookie-cutter identical homes that sprawl through-out suburbia, but instead are various colors in pastel shades reminiscent of Easter eggs. Each home tries to make itself different from its neighbor, which is great if you're trying to give your friends/family directions about which building you live in. I find myself day-dreaming about owning one of these homes and arranging how I would decorate the inside. Sigh! A girl can dream! Below are some photos of houses that Finnegan and I have walked passed during our pre-dinner walk. Don't forget to follow me or Finnegan on Instagram. Enjoy!

Ginisang Monggo at Chicharon (Mung Bean Soup with Pork Cracklings)

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 22:07:00 +0000

I have been craving my mom's Filipino cooking! Living so far away from her compared to when I used to come home and visit almost every other weekend back in college has been such a drastic change for me. Now that I don't have much family up here in the Bay area anymore, I've decided to learn more Filipino dishes when I am able to see my mom. I tried my hand the other week at re-creating her dish that I hope will do her version justice. So, I present to you my feeble attempt at Filipino food.

To try more recipes, click here!

Ginisang Monggo at Chicharon (Mung Bean Soup with Pork Cracklings)

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 1 hour 20 mins

Total time: 1 hour 25 mins

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup dried monggo (mung beans), washed and drained
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 medium onion, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 pound shrimp--cleaned
1-2 tablespoons fish flakes (fish seasoning) or 1 packet of Mama Sita's Ginisang Monggo seasoning
7 cups shrimp stalk (I boiled the shrimp shells and pork bones in some water to create a stalk before-hand. This is optional, but highly recommended.)
2 cups chicharon (pork cracklings with attached meat) or very crisp lechon kawali (I recommend the later, but at this time I only had chicharon. in my pantry.)
1 bunch fresh spinach, stems trimmed
fish sauce to taste with your level of saltiness
2 medium sized bitter-melon
1/2 pound pork (cut into bite sized strips)

Instructions

In a pot over medium heat, combine mung beans (or you may pre-soak them in water the nigh before to decrease cooking time--your preference), shrimp stalk, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, skimming off froth that accumulates and any beans that float on top. Lower heat, cover and cook for about 1 hour or until beans are softened and skins have burst.
In another pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender and aromatic. Add tomatoes and cook, mashing with back of spoon, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until softened and release juice. Add fish sauce and continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add pork and saute until cooked. Then add the shrimp and bitter-melon.
Once shrimp change color, add to the cooked mung bean including liquid. Bring to a boil. Continue to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until softened. Season with additional salt, fish sauce, fish flakes, and pepper to taste.
Add spinach, turn off heat and cover pot for about 2 to 3 minutes or until spinach are just wilted. Top with pork cracklings before serving. Serve hot and over rice.

Vacation Dreamin'

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 21:36:00 +0000

I made a couple of collages for some pieces that are currently on my wishlist--outfits that I would wear for "springtime" here in San Francisco. Unfortunately, not pictured would be tights, sweaters, and a coat because let's face it. It's always the same lower 60 degree temperature year-round--which is the reason why I love living in the Bay Area. It's the perfect environment for becoming an expert at layering.

I've been experiencing a bit of a wanderlust lately. I've seen pictures of my friends traveling to various places around the world. I haven't been on a proper vacation in such a long time that I think I may have forgotten how to have fun outside of work and school. I'm hoping to plan a trip this summer to get away from the City-life for a bit. Hopefully it comes to fruition!

Making these collages showed me that I am loving anything with a pale pink color. I never used to like the color pink before because most "pink" items were the gaudy hot pink shade reminiscent of Barbie's plastic shoes, but when paired with darker accessories (to ground the outfit) or objects in the similar pastel neutral shades--it really works! Now I want fill my closet with more items in this dreamy shade. To see my previous Polyvore collages, click to view this post and to view additional information on any of the items I used, click through to my Polyvore.

Pink / Plants by kamanaka featuring an artificial arrangement

Shoes / Bracelet / Shay diamond stud earrings / Leather cord necklace / Sunglasses / NARS Cosmetics lips makeup / Makeup / Lux Art Silks flower arrangement / Lux Art Silks artificial arrangement / Lux Art Silks flower arrangement / Black and Natural Zipper Linen Pouch Amelia / Dress / Clutch / Drinkware / Artificial bouquet / Pinterest / Color Block Planner Poketo / Ca Va Aelfie / Monstera

Spring Fling by kamanaka featuring fake bouquets

Dusen Dusen pink pleated dress / Ankle booties / Ring / NARS Cosmetics satin lipstick, $30 / West Elm new york home decor / Geometric home decor / Madewell fragrance candle / Dusen Dusen Cube Tube Dog Sweater, $37 / Convertible Dot Clutch / Necklace / Fake bouquet / Fake bouquet / Snake Plant Sansevieria trifasciata / Monstera

Pink Lemonade by kamanaka featuring ceramic planters

ASOS felt hat, $25 / Coral wall art / Watercolor painting / Nautical home decor / Ceramic planter / Takeya Modern Glass Water Bottle with Silicone Sleeve, Snow/Ice Blue,... / Cotton & Flax Linen Plus Print Tea Towel | LEIF / Antibes / Lizzie Fortunato Palm Zip Pouch Black – Beklina / Rachel Comey - Tulip - Sandals - Shoes - Women's Store / R1601W / Kertis Leather Sunglasses Case / NLD Seaweed (4).png / Juniper Shift- Black – Fable / LARGE ZIPPER-TOP TOTE : BOOK/SHOP / Sunday Mornings Pin Pack – Explorer's Press / Shapes Clay Necklace Poketo | Nuji

Lastly, I would also recommend listening to Tennis because they are the perfect blend of dreamy vibes for any relaxing vacation.

The Green Room

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 18:23:00 +0000

I've had success so far (still crossing my fingers) at keeping the plants alive in our low light apartment alive this year. I've had a few casualties, but have learned from those mistake in the hopes of keeping our apartment green! When my cousin moved, I adopted a couple of their plants that they were not able to take with them. Initially, I was worried that the plants would perish in our apartment because they would be coming from a well-lit, warm environment--everything our apartment does not have. Much to my surprise (actually, I hope that my plant nurturing skills might have improved), the plants have been thriving with a bunch of "budding" new growth. I think I may have finally figured out a watering schedule that works with the plants and their new environment! I've been wants to de-clutter / re-decorate everything and just have plants as decor with a minimal backdrop setting with basic functional furniture. This is still a work in progress! I have other plants scattered through-out the apartment, but pictured are some of the ones in our bedroom. The plants make be feel like we're sleeping in a Green Room nursery, which I guess might be weird for some but works for me!

I have also been gathering new decor for the bedroom that is functional, yet still a bit stylish. Z and I were lucky to find this beautiful antique brass bed frame 4 years ago, and it has held up well thus far. Wanting to keep this brass motif in the bedroom, I found some interesting angular-shaped brass jewelry display cases from Urban Outfitters and these white lamps from IKEA. I really hope to save enough money to purchase new matching (grown up-style and not hand me downs from your family) night stands for Z and I--similar to these ones here. I'll see if I can thrift a similar looking set when I have a break from work. After I took these photos, Z installed a lamp above the bed in this style to replace his bed-side lamp, which looks pretty fabulous as well. Other than that, Z and I did not do much this weekend. We had dinner at our favorite pupuseria on 18th street and then walked around the Mission district--amazed at how much has changed in the tiny time that we've lived here. There are more people moving into the neighborhood, but we don't want it to loose the charm that we fell in love with upon first moving here. The next day was spent doing laundry and cleaning up the apartment for the week. It's ridiculous how much fur comes from a little pug. If I did not constantly sweep up or vacuum the fur, we could be living in a huge black fur ball! Hope you all had a nice, relaxing weekend! Let's get this week started off right!

The Pugs Bunny Wishing You a Hoppy Be-lated Easter!

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 21:19:00 +0000

I finally decided to succumb to my crazy-pug lady ways and start an Instagram featuring my one and only spoiled pug--Finnegan McDuff. Make sure to follow him and his ridiculous adventures on Instagram!

Burgers, Beer, Bands, and Boobs

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 22:43:00 +0000

Z and I spent the last weekend of March traveling down to Southern California (specifically Los Angeles and Santa Ana) to meet up with friends, family, and to attend Burgerama IV! Before driving down for Burgerama IV, Z and I stopped in Burbank to have lunch at Porto's Bakery & Cafe and feasted on their Cuban sandwiches, potato balls, and horchatta / dulce de leche lattes. Since we were going to stay at our old friend from UCSD's apartment in Silverlake, we decided to drive through Griffith Park and check out the scenery. I forgot that LA does have its beautiful parts that can sometimes be forgotten among the traffic congested freeways and urban sprawl.

We arrived to our friend Di's apartment who's area that had the cutest little streets leading down to Sunset Blvd, where we went and grabbed a quick cup of coffee at Intelligentsia Coffee before heading to see a Comedy Central taping of The Meltdown With Jonah and Kumail at Meltdown Comics. In this comic book shop's backroom basement, we were able to see comedy sketches by Fred Armisen and more thanks to Di's boyfriend! After the show, we drove into the boroughs of South LA to find a little food stand at a Tire Shop that only opens late at night after the tire shops closes. (No permits, but whatever--good food!) This Tire Shop taqueria has Tijuana style tacos that I absolutely miss since leaving San Diego to move up to San Francisco. Finally putting my Spanish skills to use, we ordered tacos upon tacos and I am going to cry right now reminiscing about the handmade tortillas and grilled to perfection meats and spicy salsas. Could I have been shot or mugged going to obtain these tacos? Yes, but at least my stomach would have been extremely happy. TOTALLY WORTH IT.

After spending time with Di, we headed down to Santa Ana to stay with my sister and her boyfriend. I miss my sister so much! Seeing her made me wish that we lived closer to each other, but she is the happiest I have seen her for the longest time and it just makes me happy to see her this way! We ate at BCD Tofu House (for the best silken tofu dumpling soup around) and Alerto's (to fulfill Z's California burrito cravings) while we were there, but also managed to sneak in some Guitar Hero and Mario Party Wii battles in-between.

Burgers, beer, bands and boobs--Burgerama IV definitely brought the essentials. For Christmas, I bought Z and I tickets to Burgerama IV because the line-up was ridiculously amazing and any excuse to come down South and eat better Mexican food is okay with us. The sold-out two-day festival at the Observatory also showed its ability to super-size itself with big-budget headliners while still keeping the local flavor of a packed parking lot festival filled with tie-dyed Burger ilk of all ages. Going into its fourth year, the festival wasn't short on growing pains as it continued to figure out the constraints of holding a massive festival in the middle of a business park. Some of my favorite bands at Burgerama this year were: Cherry Glazerr, Tennis, Death Valley Girls, Gang of Four, Weezer, Bone Thugs, La Luz, The Aquadolls, and ummm...I guess just about every band that played. Thanks Burger!

After that jam-packed weekend, Z and I drove up the 101 North this time instead of taking the dreary 5 North and toured the little coastal town that I was born and raised in: Lompoc. Where is Lompoc exactly? It is probably best summarized by this Fresh Prince of Bel Air clip. Growing up in a predominately Caucasian-small town definitely had its ups and downs for me, but I'll save that for another blog post. We drove by my parents' old house and my old high school--Cabrillo High . The school looks exactly the same from the day that I first attended. Glad to see that some things don't change. Hope you all had a great weekend as well! Cheers!

DIY: Polymer Clay Necklaces

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 20:36:00 +0000

My style has been evolving lately. One weekend, I went through my entire closet and purged a lot of clothes that I have not been wearing and gave them to Z's sisters, dedicated one bag to selling in my upcoming store, and then another to donate to the Salvation Army / Goodwill thrift stores. I gave away three whole bags of clothes! I have been horrible at cleaning out my closet and would just hoard things just for the sake of saying "Hey! I might wear this in the future..." It felt amazing to get rid of some of my material things for a more minimal and stream-lined wardrobe. My closet is still a work in progress, but I can find things and decide what to wear in the morning that much faster than before.

I have been opting to wear more 100% cotton "mom jeans" in that they are ultra durable, high-waisted, fit more straight legged, and then taper down at the bottom with a petite rise length. I've been collecting vintage Levi's in the 501 and 550 (my favorite even though it's been discontinued and a rarer find) styles from various sources in dark and light washes. I know these jeans may not be for everyone, but they are so comfortable to me that it doesn't really matter if they give me mom-jean-butt. I love them! I will usually wear a basic shirt tucked in and some clogs or ankle boots. I really wanted to add more visual interest to my daily looks, so I decided to make statement clay necklaces that I have seen everyone wearing...also because I secretly want to dress like a 90's art school teacher / pottery professor. ;)

With that image burned into your minds, here is my first run at making clay necklaces. I really wanted a semi-circle clay piece with a marbled effect to imitate beautiful porcelain ones I had seen online. After a quick trip to the craft store, I took out the clay and experimented with different mixing effects and methods of creating semi-circle tube structures and beads. I think that next time, I will have more refined pieces since I actually made these necklaces without the use of a rolling pin. Why? Well, because sometimes I like to make things exceedingly more difficult for myself than they need to be! (But perhaps because I only had the use of a near-by cup) Also, I would like to try out different bead shapes and apply various textures to the clay. Please remember this was my way of creating these necklaces, but I am sure there are probably better (ah!), easier ways of creating them if you Google around the inter-webs. (I recommend this one too!)

So without further adieu, here's my first try (Sorry I am horrible!) at making necklaces,but I hope to try again soon! It was a nice break from my daily routine to sit down and be more creative during the weekend. Enjoy!

SUPPLIES:

2 colors of polymer clay (Fimo or Sculpey are good. You can find them at a craft stores.)
Metal skewer (or other metal rod about the same thickness)
Something to cut the clay with (I have a blade like this one but an Exacto knife or something similar would work fine)
Rolling pin (Not pictured)
Wax paper / foil for baking
Various cords to string your necklaces: suede / leather cording
Beads or copper metal tubes to embellish your pieces (Optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Massage the clay in your hands until it’s soft enough to work with. For the color that you want less of, use a ball about 3/4″ in diameter. The other color should be about 1 3/4″ in diameter.

Roll each ball of clay between your hands until it’s slightly oblong (oval). Roll them out with a rolling pin. Roll from tip to tip of the oval, if that makes since. You want to make the shape longer. Once the clay is pretty thin (around 2mm), cut off the edges so you have a clean rectangle. Gently press the two rectangles together (see below). Use your finger to carefully smudge the crease to hold the two rectangles together, but don’t go overboard or you’ll destroy that nice straight line. The two rectangles will adhere securely in a later step when you roll it out some more.

Place the skewer on one of the long sides of your clay. carefully wrap the skewer with the clay. Cut off the extra. The edges should overlap just slightly.

Use the palm of your hand to gently roll the clay wrapped skewer on a clean surface. This will flatten out the bulk where the two edges overlap and start to blend them. Use your finger to smudge the clay to get rid of the seam.

Once the seam is gone, roll the clay wrapped skewer under your palm some more to make the shape clean and consistent and to get rid of finger prints

Use your cutting tool to cut off the uneven edges. You’ll have to work your way around the skewer carefully since you can’t cut through the skewer. I did this while it was still on the skewer so I wouldn’t squish the opening with the blade.

Bend the shape to create a smile. :) Place it on a cookie sheet and bake it at 275˚F for 30 minutes.

Before the clay cools, you can also take your Exacto knife again to the end edges to make sure they are nice, clean cuts. Once cool, thread a chain through the opening and wear your lovely new necklace! I tried both a short chain and a long chain. Both have a pretty different look, so hopefully my pictures here will help you figure out which chain length you prefer. Below are the finished necklaces:

Falling For Cataract Falls

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 21:38:00 +0000

After reading the Bold Italic's article about the best hikes in the area with waterfalls, Z and I decided to check out Cataract Falls since it was dog friendly and no mountain bikes were allowed on the trails. It's difficult to keep your pig dog out of the way when there's bikers zooming back and forth on the path. Not fun! Despite the fact that we went on Valentine's Day and it was super cheesy (Not our fault Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday this year), the trail was one of the best hikes we have done in the past year. We drove by Fairfax and Bolinas, which are other areas I would like to check out another time since their small town charm appeals to me--having grown up in a ridiculous small town where-everybody-knows-your-name area as well.

The trail begins lush and green, taking you ever higher alongside a series of swiftly flowing, rushing waterfalls. Stairs, both wooden and stone, overladen with moss and cracked with heavy use intersperse with a well-trodden dirt path. The heady scent of fresh water and sharp, piercing, satisfying wilderness fills the air as the warm sunlight cascades around you.

Once you leave the Cataract trail and step onto the High Marsh Trail, the noise of other hikers quickly fade away and you find yourself surrounded by a forest silence, broken only by the sound of your own breath. The tall, wooded glen you are in will break into an open hill, sloped with wild grass and shrouded by a rolling fog. It is beautiful, mysterious, and lonely--as the path before you meanders further into the hills you cannot help but be amazed.

The High Marsh Trail will eventually take you onto the forested Kent Trail, wavering between open, hilltop trails and strange, wooded paths. You'll find blood-red, mahogany-like, smooth branches that loom and watch above you. As you wander North, Kent Trail will break west and emerge on the shores of an immense, blue-green lake. Alpine lake lies before you, waters unbroken and far shores dotted with trees, beckoning. It is quiet here, and beautiful, and you find that for a time you need not be anything more than a witness.

After the 3 mile hike or so to the picnic grounds, Finnegan was getting pretty tired--being the Prince that he is. Z opted to carry him in his backpack and Finnegan seemed to enjoy the view and ability to catch his breath. Some hikers spotted him in the backpack and Finnegan made sure to ham it up with his cuteness for a couple of "Aww's" and pats on the head. I highly recommend visiting Cataract Falls. Make sure to take some time to travel out here, bring food for a picnic, and enjoy all that the Bay area has to offer!

White Pines Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 22:07:00 +0000

White Pines Lake is a quiet little lake, well known to local residents, but often overlooked by visitors scurrying up to Big Trees State Park or Lake Alpine. Only a mile from Arnold, the lake makes a great family destination for fishing, picnicking, or just taking the kids to a playground. For hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians, the new Arnold Rim Trail leads south from the lake 10.5 miles to Sheep Ranch Road near Avery. As you enter White Pines off of Blagen Road, you may see a small sign proclaiming, “White Pines is not Arnold.” Although the two communities share a zip code, White Pines has a proud history all its own. The area around White Pines Lake was originally a lumber mill. After the mill closed, a dam was put in and a lake established with thoughts of selling lots around the lake. When the plan fell through, the lake and surrounding property were sold to the Calaveras Water District.

The Sierra Nevada Logging Museum on the western shore of White Pines Lake draws hundreds of visitors every year. Across its six acres are spread many of the old machines used in logging in Calaveras County. The 2400-square foot museum building contains exhibits which convey the history of logging and the lumbering industry in the Sierra Nevada. Around the grounds is an array of fascinating logging machines, from a 66,000 pound steam donkey to a Shay locomotive. Visitors can also view crawler tractors, logging arches, a logging cabin, and various saws. I highly recommend checking out White Pines around sunset, which was when the below photos were taken. Calaveras county is definitely more beautiful in person, so make a trip up to the area when you can! Perhaps go during the famous county fair and jumpin' frog jubilee that Mark Twain based his short story on. Cheers!

Calaveras Big Trees State Park

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 20:15:00 +0000

One of the most beautiful things about living in Northern California are its state parks filled with protected redwood trees. We ventured over to the Calaveras Big Trees State Park, located 4 miles northeast of Arnold, California in the middle elevations of the Sierra Nevada. Calaveras became a State Park in 1931 to preserve the North Grove of giant sequoias. On this day, we chose to hike the North grove trail to the Grove Overlook trail and circle back down towards the entrance. The North Grove is quite the popular trail because it includes the 'Discovery Tree'. This tree was noted by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852 and felled in 1853, leaving a giant stump which is the only remainder of its former glory. It measured 24 feet in diameter at its base (wow!) and was determined by ring count to be 1,244 years old when felled. If you're ever in the area, make sure to check it out and learn more about redwood forests, the neighboring wildlife, and the surrounding area's gold-mining history.

A-Frame Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 19:05:00 +0000

The A-frame that Z found for our weekend in Arnold was absolutely amazing. The owner, who frequents the Alameda Point Antiques Fair, decorated the cabin with a kitschy ski lodge theme. The cabin had two bedrooms (plenty of room for more people!) and we chose to stay in the bedroom upstairs loft. This presented quite the problem for our little pig pug, since he was absolutely terrified of using the small spiral staircase that lead up to the sleeping area. Prince Finnegan had to be carried up the stairs for fear that he might topple over. In the mornings, I was able to make breakfast using the pantry's supplies and some groceries that we had purchased at the near-by market when we went out for firewood. It was nice being able to spread out in this cabin compared to our own tiny apartment in the city. I am absolutely in love with this cabin/area and hope to visit it again soon in the near future. Below are more photos of the interior with Finnegan modeling with some of the decor.

Where's Arnold?

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 22:59:00 +0000

At the end of January, Z and I traveled out of the city to a little town called Arnold. Where's Arnold? I had no clue before this trip that Z had booked for us as my late Christmas / early anniversary present. With Lake Tahoe to the north and Yosemite National Park to the south, the town of Arnold boasts a truly central location in the Sierra. Arnold is home to Calaveras Big Trees State Park, where the continent’s biggest trees grow. Featuring giant Sequoias over 300’ tall and 30’ in diameter, the park flanks the Stanislaus River with terrific fishing and swimming, too.

On Friday, we left to make the drive over to stay in the most charming little A-frame cabin. Z did an awesome job finding the home, since I've probably talked his ear off about how beautiful A-frames are and how I would love to stay in one. We were lucky that the owner let us bring our piglet pug along with us too. Finnegan was super excited to run around and hang out on the deck porch of the cabin while we unloaded our car for the weekend. Below are some photos of the exterior of the cabin with a little nosy pug prancing around. If you look closely at the last photos, you might see an emo pug peering out from the glass door because his owner left him inside while she took too many photos of the cabin and outdoor surroundings. More to come shortly!

Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia con Granchio

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 21:06:00 +0000

My cousin recently received a promotion and could not turn down a great opportunity to live in Las Vegas. I am saddened by him leaving San Francisco because I have such great memories hanging out with him and he was definitely one of the reasons I ultimately fell in love with the city. While I will be losing family up here in the Bay area, I wish him and his family all the best. I can't wait to visit Las Vegas and see how they're doing in the future.

Since my cousin's moving date is fast approaching, he gave me some squid ink pasta (from my aunt's trip to Italy) and some crab meat to use. I researched a couple of recipes online and decided that I would put two of my favorite ones (incorporating ingredients that I liked) into one. The result was delicious and I will definitely have to make more crab pasta again since it was pretty simple, fast, and easy to create.

Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia con Granchio

Yields about 4 servings

Ingredients

½ pound squid ink pasta

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup jarred sweet pickled / smoked peppers (Trader Joe's has a good one)

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Garlic cloves to preference, very thinly sliced (I use a lot because I love garlic)

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup white wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

8 ounces fresh lump crab-meat
¼ cup basil leaves, shredded
1 1/2 cup of cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 lemon juiced
Lemon zest for garnish

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente.
While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic begins to become fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the sweetened/smoked peppers and cook until peppers are softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the white wine, lemon juice, and tomato paste, increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Lower the flame and add in the cream, stirring to combine until the tomato paste is well mixed with the cream. Keep warm over low heat. Season as needed.
When the pasta is done, drain it, reserving a few tablespoons of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to coat with the sauce, moistening it with the reserved pasta water as desired.
Just before serving, add the crabmeat and basil to the sauce and toss gently. Divide the pasta evenly among 4 plates, garnish with lemon zest, and serve immediately.

Salute!

Happy Howloween!

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 17:35:00 +0000

Happy Halloween...errr...I guess Howloween! It's raining right now in San Francisco, but that didn't stop this crazy pug lady from forcing her pug to take multiple photos in costumes. A certain little pug was not amused because I was depriving him from his precious sleeping time, but HEY! I HAVE PHOTOS OF A PUG WEARING RIDICULOUS COSTUMES for your enjoyment! We're heading over to Fremont tonight for a house party and I made some dark chocolate peanut butter marshmallow treats and a spiced pumpkin rum drink. Hope your weekend is happier and less grumpy than these photos of Finnegan!

Finnegan's Costumes:
Pirate + Peg Leg (Toilet paper roll) : Target
Bumble Bee : Nordstrom Rack (gift)
Mummy : Extra fabric scraps
Ghost : Extra fabric scraps
Punk Skull Sweater :PetSmart