seeconrun

philly in photos

2013-03-25T21:02:00.001-07:00

City Hall. An architectural delight.

Independence Hall. I can only imagine the lavish meals that took place in this dining room.

Ben Franklin Bridge. I was snoozing while B took this photo.

Our AirBnB accommodation One of the most inspiring interiors I've ever slept in..and an added bonus, we were near a bunch of Vietnamese sandwich (or hoagies as they call 'em) shops!!

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

the before and after

2013-03-23T15:56:00.001-07:00

before with YOLO Colorhouse's Water 06. YOLO's paints are non-toxic, carry little odor and dry fast. plus, they produce the freshest colors in town!

and after with YOLO's Night Beacon. The wall carries its own drama and needs nothing else.

paint, booze and the harlem shake

2013-02-17T23:06:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was miraculous. It made me think that if B and I were in a couples competition like The Amazing Race or something of that nature, we'd totally kick ass. We repainted our living room, which involved running back and forth to paint stores for supplies and to Berkeley because we underestimated the amount of paint we needed. We like YOLO Colorhouse because it doesn't smell, dries fast and is good to the environment. The only bad thing is that the one shop in San Francisco that carried it closed down! It was a good day's effort. My hands are calloused and still sore from working that paint roller. I was working like a mad woman. I'll share some video footage in a future post.

Then that evening we hosted a cocktail party AND, wait for it..

DID THE HARLEM SHAKE.

During the party, a friend brought it up in conversation -- and the mystery continues-- but another friend suggested we recreate the video (some hadn't heard of youtube sensation so we played a few versions)-- and then we all thought it a great idea to follow. After two takes and one too many cocktails, we went cray. It was ridiculous and fabulous on so many levels.

Some photos of last night with a sneak peak of the new living room color!

And my absolute favorite..

p.s.

I'm saving the before and after living room photos for a future post. Stay tuned!

valentine's day

2013-02-16T00:06:00.001-08:00

B and I decided to stay in for Valentine's Day and make a home-cooked meal. Actually, it was more like B had made dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant, and I convinced him otherwise in hopes of saving some cha-ching. We both have big trips ahead (including Philly, Palm Springs, South Korea, and just recently added, Spain!!!)

As an homage to our beloved San Francisco, we made cioppino. Before making a new dish, I like to reference a number of recipes and get a sense of the ingredients and the cooking process--and then when I cook, I let my instincts and taste buds dictate the rest. I first developed the broth later added crab, mussels and basa fish from our favorite seafood market. (Note to self: ask for help from a veteran fishmonger.) B shucked some oysters and made a beautiful vinaigrette that turned a vibrant pink from the shallots). We added a red leaf lettuce salad with toasted almonds, cranberries and chopped Persian cucumbers, and paired our meal with a Sauvignon Blanc. The meal was elegant and full of depth (and after some slurping, there was plenty of cracking of crab shells!)

I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate love with my honey, and one of our favorite passions-- cooking. And let's be real, eating!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

2012 in cities

2013-02-14T15:07:00.001-08:00

Anh-Minh of Anthology Magazine inspired me to think about my past year in travel. The rule is that one or more nights must be spent in each city. Going through my calendar, I realized how many times I visited home. This past year may be a record!

1. San Gabriel, CA

2. Pasadena, CA

3. Seattle, WA

4. Buenos Aires, Argentina

5. Los Cabos, Mexico

6. San Gabriel, CA

7. Las Vegas, NV

8. Pebble Beach, CA

9. San Luis Obispo, CA

10. Napa, CA / Healdsburg, CA

11. San Gabriel, CA

12. San Gabriel, CA

Some notable moments include:

- Catching Dashboard Confessional with my big sis (even though I hadn't planned to go with her because we got in a big fight). I'm glad we did and made up.

- Eating non-stop Vietnamese meals with my Aunt Tina in San Francisco (she was visiting from Minot, ND and one happy camper!)

- Taking my cousins out to get ice cream and play at the park. I remember when they started singing this repetitive song (I think it goes like this "This is the song that never ends...")that they thought was getting on my nerves. I tried to play it off like I liked it, believing in reverse psychology, but in reality, it was driving me nuts! There was another time we went to the beach and we scarfed on cheesesteaks and fries.. These memories make my day.

- Falling in love with Seattle, their food, decor, walkability and cleanliness (oh the fresh air!) and being there with my honey (We had the hippest airbnb studio)

- Getting creeped out in our old Buenos Aires airbnb apartment (not the fondest memory, but one that stands out). And then coming home to host a fabulous cocktail party with fernet and alfajores.

- Celebrating my 25th Birthday and first girls' trip to Cabo. It was full of drama, sunshine and warm water.

- Reuniting with an old college friend in SLO and celebrating her 30th birthday.

- Going wine tasting in Napa and Sonoma with some of my favorite lady friends. BILL. Or was it Bob?

- All the holiday parties (the one at Marta's, Dennie's, our holiday brunch, and Alice's at the Tonga Room and the Fairmont that ended too quick to remember, but is fully accounted for on Facebook).

- The meals with my family-- there are so many!!

I can go on. So many memories come to mind, and now I'm getting tired and have to pee! I am so, so thankful for the people in my life, the experiences, new adventures, and for my job (just the other day, I realized I have a dream job, live it up!) While I tend to think that the grass is greener on the other side, and am always striving to improve myself, I'm taking this moment to live in the present. I am oh, so lucky and grateful.

xoxo,

connie

p.s. Hopefully 2013 will bring more regular blog postings!

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

a little about b

2012-06-18T22:43:00.002-07:00

b surprises me in so many ways. when i'm quick to lose my patience, he's there--calm and content. centered as can be. and with jokes that catch me by surprise. like i didn't know you had that one up your sleeve. he makes me laugh. and smile. especially when he lays his head next to me. he's loving and generous. he listens while i ramble. and he asks questions. sometimes we disagree. he's naturally reserved, and when he opens up, it's like finding a treasure. i make sure to hold on tight.

might i also add, he's a mighty fine cook.

seattle

2012-06-08T17:44:00.001-07:00

Just a few weeks ago, B and I visted Seattle. It was my first time and it was fabulous. Cool and sunny, and so walkable. We were spoiled with what felt like summer, or the perfect time of spring, where in San Francisco, you'll just get wind. Our humble abode for the weekend was the most charming of studios in Capitol Hill. All the little details were well thought out, and yet, looked effortless. The bronze duck bookends are my favorite. I found the whole place very inspiring.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Some highlights from our first days in the city:

Smith. Just two blocks away. Dark and handsome, rustic and romantic. B and I got drinks here around 11pm, shortly after we landed and settled into our studio. Two tasty local brews and a stack of fries. Good sleep ahead.

Volunteer Park & Volunteer Park Cafe. B and I made a valliant effort to go running in the morning the next day. We ran through Volunteer Park (just a little over a mile-- but hey, we're on vacation.) The houses we passed were huge and gorgeous, engulfed by luscious greenery. Certainly a perk to the yearly rainfall. We headed to the cafe after our run. There was a big dog laying outside with its tongue sticking out, just smiling and having a good ol' time. That place just radiates with pleasant vibes.

Sitka & Spruce. A light and airy gem of a restaurant hidden in the back of an indoor marketplace. Quaint and charming. We got lost trying to find a post office right before lunch so we sure were hungry when we arrived. Two of my favorite things about traveling during the summertime: getting lost (except when it frustrates me and B) and ordering wine during the daytime.:)

See the full gallery on Posterous

Anchovies & Olives. Another classic example of rustic and charming. Excellent service, plentiful food. My kinda restaurant. B gets ultimate props for scouting out S&S and A&O. Lots of eating and exploring. Life is good.

There's more of Seattle to come!

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

blogger is back

2012-06-08T15:45:00.001-07:00

I've avoided blogging for so long that I have no excuse, but to get right to it. I can't tell you how many times I envisioned a blog post only to never let it leave my head. No more!

Some highlights of the past 6 months or so:

Getting a new job! I'm now working in fund development at Asian Women's Shelter, and it feels so right.
Traveling throughout Vietnam with B! (It was our first international trip together - we visited a number of cities, survived the suffocating humidity, slurped on countless bowls of pho, and had a blast.)
Performing with NAPAWF in the first-ever APA production of the Vagina Monologues.
Spending quality time with my friends and family (rooftop bbq, spa and game nights, some dancing and lots of laughing, couldn't ask for more).
Cooking a number of yummy meals, and much, much more.

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

sloppy joe

2011-11-15T14:32:00.001-08:00

Oh man, this is probably one of favorite burgers. Homemade veggie chili (major chunks of tomatoes and earthy beans), shredded pepperjack cheese and some cilantro in between two wheaty buns. Sooo good!

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

Poof

2011-11-02T22:27:00.001-07:00

These flat breads aren't so flat. They each have a cute little puff in them making for a pillowy crisp.

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

apple pie cookies!

2011-10-24T20:07:00.001-07:00

I don't like apples much although apple juice I love. My mom gave me a bunch of apples and I didn't want to eat them raw. And so came apple pie cookies. Thanks to Smitten Kitchen for the recipe.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

pasta! pasta!

2011-10-20T23:00:00.001-07:00

Wide eggy noodles with crushed red pepper on olive oil and Parmesan cheese. So simple and so good. A side of crisp greens with sweet cherry tomatoes and homemade croutons. Dinner in summery San Francisco served,

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

Carbs galore

2011-10-19T22:24:00.001-07:00

My brother Timmy got me the Tartine bread book for my birthday, I was so enthused, and then I read about the process, and felt so overwhelmed. But B and I attempted, made our starter, fed it a lot, forgot about it almost as much and finally went through the long haul. I made a big boo boo by accidentally putting in the wheat flour for the amount of white, which is way too much. That mixed with some lax 'resting' period and our loaf came out really dense.

A month or so later B takes another stab, follows the instructions to a T and voila. Two heavenly loaves of goodness. The best thing was that he woke up super early to bake them in the oven after long day and night of various resting and bench periods. Not to mention, lots of kneading in between. Nothing's better than warm fresh bread out of the oven. One's got olives and lemon zest. B never ceases to amaze me. Later for dinner I made a winter squash soup with lots of roasted veggies. It was the perfect comfort accompaniment.

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

"hee-bar-ito" the famous, Jibarito

2011-10-18T21:35:00.001-07:00

Hello. Meet Jibarito. Pronounced "he bar ito." It's a Puerto Rican-Chicagoan fusion, and the most tantalizing sandwich on this planet.

With our spin on it-- it's smashed and twice fried plantains as the "bread" and in between, a layer of refried beans, sliced avocados, panko-crusted tofu cutlet, and chunky slices of tomatoes. A dollop of sour cream and it's golden. Nom nom nom.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

summertime in san francisco

2011-10-13T22:21:00.001-07:00

The weather this past week has been incredible. Sunny blue skies throughout the city and warm, cool breeze throughout the night. Perfect for sangria drinking and long walks afterwards. This photo is a tribute to NYC and all the sangria B and I drank there...in the hot, hot heat.

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

a little pizzaz

2011-10-12T09:05:00.001-07:00

While I was ecstatic about our CSA box, B totally forgot and brought home the whole she-bang of ingredients to make pizza. I couldn't protest (as I do love the combo of dough, mozzarella cheese and lots of tomato sauce!) Oh and mushrooms and green bell peppers, of course..they're my favorite pizza toppings!

Goat Hill is much to be thanked for their take-home dough, which we used for our pizzas and cesar salad croutons. The salad is super simple and super delicious. Chopped red leaf romaine lettuce, a squeeze of half a lemon, drizzle of your finest olive oil and lots of shaved parmesan cheese. I picked up a $5 small block of Capricious, an artisan goat's milk cheese that looks and is used similar to a parmesan from the farmers market. While I almost regretted the purchase at the time (oh not to mention, the cheesemonger gave it to me at a discounted price because the market was about to close), I'm impressed that it's lasted so long and has complimented so many dishes. Oh, and because B brought home a basket of figs, I had to chop those in bits for a little sweet bite of surprise. In goes the lightly fried nuggets of sourdough, and it's the perfect balance to your Tuesday dinner.

And so without further adieu, our deliciousness.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

Cookie craze

2011-10-11T22:53:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow's my fist staff meeting at work. To celebrate - I made some blueberry chocolate cookies! I just had a bite and was a bit disappointed. It was too late in the night before I realized I was out of baking powder so I axed the idea of cupcakes and scrounged around through recipes until I came across one for baking powder-free chocolate cookies. Of course, that's not what they were called.

My measurements are always off, and something's always off as a result. For example, these cookies are way too sugary and a little undercooked. I think that's why I prefer cooking. No precise measurements are required whatsoever.

But here they are nonetheless.

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

Boxed up

2011-10-11T22:34:00.001-07:00

MY CSA box came in today! For the longest time I didn't know what CSA stood for except that it sounded like something good. So just in case you're wondering ( because I just looked t up), CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. CSA in short is about real people like you and me supporting real farmers who grow our foods. You pay for what you get and you're supporting people who make a living off their land as opposed to large corporations and manufacturers that genetically mass modify everything at a discounted race. That's not to say I'm a purist--far from it. But when I can, like in this instance, purchase a CSA box (at a discounted price thanks to one of those Groupon coupons!) I say, why not?

It was a mystery as to what I'd get in the box because the same fruits and veggies don't grow year-round. I had my predictions of kale, but not of white beats and funny looking squash. It stirs up my creative cooking juices!

Alright time to get cooking..

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

Blogger is back w/ Vietnamese crepe- banh xeo!

2011-10-09T20:50:00.001-07:00

I keep saying I want to get back to blogging, but so many things have been holding me back. Laziness. Lack of inspiration. New transitions. Who reads this anyway? Enough with the excuses. I'm back and that's all I gotta say about that.

Tonight B and I brought a little of Vietnam and my mom's specialty to our kitchen with one of my favorite dishes- banh xeo (which sounds like bun say-o). It's a savory Vietnamese crepe made with a turmeric flour mixture, which you can pick up at any Asian grocer. All you have to do is add one can of coconut milk, that amount and a half of water and chopped green onions. I'm going to do a little more investigation into the flour mixture bc it seems simple enough to make at home.

The first thing you do is stir fry some onions, pork and shrimp. I substituted the latter with tofu and broccoli, giving it a little California flair. B put leftover chicken in his. That's the nice thing about banh xeo. You can stuff it with whatever you like or have in the fridge! Then pour a ladle of the crepe batter and make sure it's spread evenly into a thin layer. Ass the bean sprouts and put the lid on to steam for a minute. Remove the lid and fry until the edges brown, making sure your crepe has a nice crispy texture. Flip half of the crepe on top and serve hot. Wrap chunks of that goodness in fresh red leaf lettuce with cilantro, mint and sliced carrots. Dip in mom's homemade nuoc mam (fish sauce) and mmmm. It's as if we never left Vietnam.

Here are some photos of the process. Enjoy!

Flour, turmeric mixture with coconut milk, water and green onions

Chopping up veggies

first step on the pan- fry onions, tofu and broccoli

The finished product

B's banh xeo with chicken and all the trimmings!

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

nay nay muffins!

2011-09-25T14:31:00.001-07:00

days like these i wish i was home with my little sister, britt. she bakes the most decadent desserts. check these puppies out-- whole wheat banana muffins sweetened with agave.

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

to make up for the absence

2011-07-21T14:03:00.001-07:00

It's been so long since I've updated. Lots of exciting stuff going on!

And here I hope to rei-nspire you with this:

B and I took our first big international trip together and ventured off to Vietnam. We had a blast walking miles and getting lost, eating bowls of brothy, piping hot pho in the sweltering heat. The Vietnamese like to eat their hot foods in hot weather it seems. We scootered around towns and crossed the chaotic streets of Ho Chi Minh ALIVE. Wheh. We went snorkeling in Nha Trang islands and sled down the white sand dunes in Mui Ne. One night our hotel room flooded due to an unexpected storm. Another we stayed in and read novels into the wee hours. The best part was just being with B. The two of us in a whole new environment taking it all in together.

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring
will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.
T.S. Eliot

http://seeconrun.posterous.com

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

In VIETNAM

2011-06-13T17:51:00.001-07:00

seeconrun is on vacation!

I'm writing from Ha Noi, probably my favorite city in Vietnam. It's so
much more calm compared to the roaring madness of Ho Chi Minh and
Hanoi, although I enjoyed both those cities very much. There are
streets designated for pedestrians and primitive vehicles as they call
it. Yay for not having to worry about being run over, which is also a
thrill of roaming Vietnam. Each is very unique and in this country,
everything is so colorful and full of life with motorbikes and cars
coming in every direction. Not to mention women with carts of fresh
fruits and noodle soups. It's a food lover's destination. I've eaten
lots of dishes that remind me of my ma's cooking and the restaurants
in good ol' SGV-- ban xeo (this fried crepe full of bean sprouts and
other veggies), ban can (more of a steamed rice cake filled with lots
of meat..), I ate mine with fried yams. Yay for lots of fried foods.
Oh, and pho! Yum, yum pho. Cha ca (grilled fish) ..sooo good, and you
add rice noodles to it with fresh mint and stir fried greens and
peanuts and fish sauce. My favorite is ban cuon (I think that's the
spelling; I've left out all the accents and these Vietnamese
spellings, forgive me)..It's a Chinese-Vietnamese noodle dish. B and I
went to Cholon--the Chinatown in Vietnam, and in the morning got two
hearty bowls of ban cuon--rice noodle with a savory broth, served with
ground meat, I think and chopped green onions). It's the best..sitting
on the cramped side of the streets on plastic bright colored short
stools eating hot noodle soups in sweaty hot, humid weather while loud
honking motorbikes and cars vroom by. It's madness I tell ya, but oh,
so exciting!

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

pizza shmeeza

2011-05-26T16:52:00.001-07:00

I love pizza. Melted cheese, sweet tomato sauce, flaky crust. What more could you want? This time I experimented with leftover dough I had from the cheese rolls I made here. With farmers cheese in the dough, these were extra cheesy. I piled on top of that all that I had in the kitchen--thick slices of tomatoes, fresh basil, and lots and lots of mozzarella Yum Yum!

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

go bananas

2011-05-19T15:18:00.001-07:00

Bread is so beautiful to make. Here's a tiny loaf of banana bread perfectly complimented with a strawberry orange smoothie.

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous

what happens when you mix lemon, dulce de leche and lots of coconut flakes..

2011-05-13T10:51:00.001-07:00

alfajores!!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from seeconrun's posterous