MAGiC

Marin Art and Garden Center, where I volunteer twice a week, has a picture of me on their website!  Check it out.  As a thank-you, a few volunteers were invited to attend a flower-arranging class.  That's a picture of me working on my arrangement. Above is a picture of the arrangement I completed that day.  

Fuff

I've been meaning to try making vegetable puffs using frozen puff pastry dough for... oh... two years now.  Finally did it this evening with a simple potato, peas and carrots filling. They were delightful.

Six "fuffs" cooling on a tray.

A bite with tomato sauce.  Not far behind sits a contented man, three fuffs down.

Outing: Tennessee Valley Trail

This past Sunday, Caylie led us on spring plant walk along the Tennessee Valley Trail off the Marin Headlands.  We learned to identify native plants and discover their medicinal properties.  
The trail was lovely with gently sloping hills on both sides that were a riot of wildflowers.  But it was hot, hot, hot!
This view kept me going until...
... nirvana.

On shaky grounds

Last week in the city:

Putting Down Roots (Golden Gate Park)

At Dusk (Eastern End of Clement Street)

Warm April Day at the Marina

Outing: Berkeley botanical gardens

Nancy, at the entrance to the gardens on a glorious April day.
As we overheard a passing visitor exclaim: "South Africa is off the charts this year!"  And so it was.  Above is a picture of the garden devoted to plants native to South Africa, one of the world's five regions with mediterranean-like climes.  The others are parts of Australia, Chile, around the Mediterranean sea and Northern California.
Our picnic lunch.

Cupcakes!

I have been wanting to try this recipe for so long now!  I am so glad I did and better yet, paid attention to the reviews and tips.  They really made a difference.  I added a teaspoon of baking powder to the batter and halved the amount of ganache.  Here is a picture post-production:

And here are a dozen chocolate cupcakes cooling off!

Soul food

Hands-down, favorite eatery in town, Sol Food, on Lincoln and 3rd. We've been there four times in two weeks and I always get the vegetarian platter with salad greens, rice and pink pinto beans with spanish olives and bananas prepared two ways: sweet and with garlic. The food hasn't stayed long enough on the plate to pose for a picture.  Maybe next time.

Weekday lunch for two

The ultimate compliment: "This tastes like what you might get at a restaurant!"  But of course, when you eat out you want it to taste just like home-cooked food.

P.S. I wonder if Easwar will recognize the checkered plate.

On shaky grounds

Last week in the city:

Acu

Heady Spring Jasmine

Miette, the candy store in Hayes Valley

In progress

With the $1-a-yard fabric I found on Craigslist I finally went to work making a slipcover for the love seat.  Roughly eight hours into the project and I am still cutting and basting.  It is going to be a while till this actually hits the sewing machine.  But its well begun and (nearly) half done.