Just a travelin' lady - US style

With the new job I've found a whole new world that doesn't begin at 4:15 a.m. It's exciting times, though I've been perhaps spending too much money going out to eat and drink in the evenings. What can you do? There are so many delicious places here... but this is not another San Francisco food blog. Not yet anyway.

The end of October had me and Mike heading to Baltimore to visit his parents; they moved in May to Ellicot City and now live in what used to be a huge textile mill (since converted into apartments). It was gorgeous, right on the river with a train track near by and woods. We walked one morning into the little town, just a mile or so along the river on a slightly muddy path. Lots of antiques, little shops that you wonder how they stay open (answer: tourists).

Crab is the food of, well, always in the Baltimore area. First restaurant we went to was a great place right on the water. A crab stuffed pretzel covered with cheese made for delicious - the fact that you could get anything stuffed with crab on the menu was eye-opening. As were the crab cakes. One afternoon met my friend Robin from Earlham down at Fell's Point and explored a gentrifying neighborhood. There was a chess store - with tables for playing - as well as incredible gelato. Sunday we explored the Baltimore Art Museum and saw excellent Matisse print exhibition. The museum was also part of the Antioch mosaic excavation so saw floors from where we'd been in Turkey in '08. It was like seeing old friends unexpectedly. A copy of Rodin's The Thinker completed the glass-walled courtyard.

And then Maggie was there in a flurry of excitement having driven up from D.C. We got snacks and chatted, then drove to have dinner with Mike's folks and chat the evening away. A lovely time overall even if transnational flights seem to never end.

This past Sunday, traveling on the brain, I took off for Tahoe to see Alojzya for the first time. Driving up mountains in the dark late at night perhaps wasn't the most convenient way of doing things, but it was what needed to be done. Tahoe was incredible with its lake, the mountains, the pine forests, the coyotes singing at night... even if high altitudes make me sleepy and everything just a little bit more exhausting. Will post pictures soon!

you sunk my... battleship?

Looking at my spam hoping that a job offer went in there by mistake, I'm amazed at how many, cough cough, euphemisms there are for, let's call them, virility drugs. And why everyone seems to assume that I'm in need of either greater length, girth, or staying power. Add to that all the messages in languages I don't speak and you have an amazing amount of... spam.

Been exploring some more; old friend Mart was in town so good excuse for Nopalito, one of my favorite Mexican places. Meditating on how sometimes you don't know why you're in part of your journey until later... and hoping that my patience and perseverance will see me through. Here's to good thoughts. And reading in the park!

C is for cookie

Job hunting is never easy, but I've landed another part time gig (to start) working at Paulette, a small place 5 minutes from my house that sells French macarons (delicious cookies). The owner is a Parisian woman who I talked to months ago about English classes. That's still a possibility, but as we talked more about food and my work in coffee and the neighborhood she asked if I'd be interested for working with her at the shop. Yum, yes! I start tomorrow officially and am totally pumped. Even if I will be working double shifts the next 2 days - 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. with an hour off in between. Woo!

The summer mural class I was co-teaching was a rousing success as well; we finished it yesterday even though our dedicated mass of students had dwindled. I'll try to get a photo up sometime soon; need to go and take one once we've finished the edges. And they've figured out where to hang it.

So times, they are a changin' for the better. I can't wait to speak French and English during a shift and work in a totally different service environment to see what that's like. I also interviewed with an international relocation company yesterday and will be put into their tutor network for working with their clients, it sounds much like what I was doing in Beograd. Good stuff...

Summertime... not so easy

Yes. I have been slacking on this here blog front.

Now that's out in the open - my birthday was grand. Chocolate fondue fountain is always a success. Also champagne. And good company. I was pleased by the whole event, especially one of my favorite customers who, finding out it was my birthday, went and got me flowers that she brought back a few moments later. I love that woman. They were gorgeous too...

Mike and I trekked to Seattle for a not so relaxing vacation involving his friend Genna getting married (which was a grand occasion and one of the quickest ceremonies I have ever been to in my life. Under ten minutes I think). It was fabulous to meet his friends from Boise and explore a new city that actually does experience summer. We rode a ferry and resolved to do more riding in boats; it's always a good time.

Fourth of July brought hordes to our home for 6 racks of ribs plus tons of other dead animal parts on the grill (with fixin's); a diverse mix made our stoop into a block party as all the roommates had friends (and their friends) show up. We discovered that people don't do much on sidewalks here so we got some funny looks. But the foldup couch/futon is a great seating arrangement next to the little tree out front. And watching fireworks through fog is kind of like being on the ground during the blitz. There's haze of colored lights, not the details. Especially as they explode in the fog so you get half firework, half fuzzy light.

Sarah's ribs were off the hook. BBQ sauce was a revelation - it simmered for seemingly hours on the stove. Have I mentioned that I love my roommates?

The job search is revived again. Will keep you posted. Promise.

In other recent news, got a visit from uncle Jim and aunt Chuck, cousins Henry & Joe. We walked around a large part of San Francisco. Ate sourdough, got fortune cookies from a bakery/factory... and walked some more. I loved it!