Painting with Tape

I was inspired by this post:
http://mariateorien.blogspot.dk/2012/06/tape-painting.html

...And this is what I got:

I love this sparkly bronze.

So there's that.

Jessie

Healthy artichoke kale dip with caramelized onions.

Disclaimer: Yes, this is a recipe. And I just improvised this recipe so everything has an 'ish' next to it. Have fun with this idea. If you don't like something I used, don't use it. If you want to add something that you think sounds good, do it. What's the worse that could happen?

MMMmmmmm...check out these yummy and healthy ingredients (please note the power these two adjectives have when they come together!):

1/4 of an onion
two huge handfuls of chopped kale
1 clove of garlic
1/2 can of water chestnuts (these are like my favorite things ever!)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Seasoning I used:
curry powder
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Saute onions until they are starting to get a little clear. Add kale and chopped garlic. After sauteing a little, add the chicken broth and keep it going until the kale looks nice and green and yummy.

Combine skillet contents and the rest of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and make it happen. Don't go too crazy (especially in the food processor) since you kind of want chunky.

This made about three cups of dip?

Enjoy!

So there's that.
Jessie

Mustache Bread

So I was inspired by this blog that I found on Pinterest:

http://www.kidskubby.com/peekaboo-pumpkin-pound-cake/

I took it and added my own personality to it. I made one with a mustache in the middle. The outside is banana bread and the mustache is ginger bread from box mixes from Trader Joes.

I first made the gingerbread loaf and then cut it into slices. I then used a mustache cookie cutter to cut out pieces. 

I put down a small layer of banana bread in the loaf pan and then cooked it for about 10 minutes. I then put the mustaches on top in the pan and poured the rest of the banana mix on top and finished cooking until the toothpick came out clean.

Surprise...MUSTACHE! I unlocked a new level of hipsterness...baking with mustaches.

The blog above has a great photo showing what they did. Have fun making it your own!

So there's that.

Jessie

Welcome to my Crib

It's been a busy month. But I feel like I am now settled into my new studio. Welcome to my crib. (PS in honor of the orange and black moving on, there are 4 distinct references to The Giants in the pics, some harder than others, see if you can catch them all.)

View from the entrance

Seasonal decorations

Dining table

Living room

Bed

Desk

Kitchen

Bathroom

Bathroom

So there's that.
Jessie

Dear Giants Fans...

Our San Francisco Giants have won more games away than at home. 42-31 v. 43-32. Yes, percentage wise, they've won more at home but the fact that it is this close is unacceptable. One place that we have struggled at home is in pitching. AT&T is a pitcher's park! Now it may sound like I am mad at our San Francisco Giants but the truth is, I think the blame lies with the fans.

Flash back to the beginning of the 2011 season. Even if the Giants were losing but it was still a close game going into the 8th inning, we won. The energy at the park was crazy. The fans believed in our team. Where did this go? Why don't our pitchers feel like we believe in them?

As much as I hate to say it: band wagon fans. 2010, we won. Awesome. 2011, everyone loved us. 2012 the honeymoon phase is over and the band wagon fans are getting to see what a relation with the San Francisco Giants is really about: torture.

But us forever fans will tell you it's the best kind of torture. John (Cougar) Melloncamp 'hurt so good' style of torture. I for one welcome our new band wagon fans, but I also want to invite you to really fall in love with the game. 

First things first. Don't EVER touch the ball if it's in play. We rarely saw this at AT&T Park. You would see fans respond to the ball like it was the 'happy fun ball' but this fallacy is more common now. Don't do it. Also, just say no to doing a wave.

But the real call to action goes to band wagoners and old timers alike. Get loud. Believe in the magic. Do whatever you can to get the energy up at the park. When we make it to the postseason, our team is going to need to know that we believe in them. 

GO GIANTS!

My sister and I on the field after running a 10K last Sunday!

So there's that.

Jessie

"Summer"

I had three weeks between Summer and Fall semester. Here is the short list of things I did in no particular order.

1. Hope's going away party - Yeehaw!
2. Outside Lands including seeing: Fitz and the Tantrums, Die Antwoord, Of Monsters and Men, Foo Fighters, Justice, Alabama Shakes, Explosions in the Sky, Big Boi, Passion Pit, Sigur Ros, Fun., Franz Ferdinand, Regina Spektor, Santigold, Stevie Wonder
3. Taco Tuesday with Christina and my favorite toddler
4. Lunch at the Ferry Building, walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, and Thai food in San Rafael with the seester
5. Meeting little Jameson, one of my sister's best friend's little baby boy
6. Beers and walks in downtown Santa Cruz with the roomie, Lisa Casagrande
7. Beers, Irish music, and Australian candies with camp friends in Berkeley
8. Lagunitas Brewery in Petaluma with the family
9. Listening to Douglas Adams books while driving many miles
10. Partying with the 1st years while I mentally try to comprehend the fact that I am now in my second year of PT school and I kind of know what I'm doing

So there's that,
Jessie

Disneyland 5K

(First off, I have to apologize for my very limited posting. I got caught in that place where you want to say so much but don't have the time/focus so you don't say anything but then you find more that you want to say but still don't have time. Circle of life. So my solution is going to be to get some quick, simple updates out there. I may go a little out of order. "People assume that time is a strict progression of cause and effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly time-y wimey stuff.")

So I ran a Disneyland 5K last weekend that was Cars Land themed. Okay, by ran, I mean mostly walked. There were a lot of people and the route wasn't the widest (think Main Street, USA). But it was a fun run and everyone was in a good mood. They had a lot of fun things on the side like cars characters to take pictures with and cast members dressed as mechanics cheering us on. We started at Mickey and Friends parking structure, ran the tram route, went behind the scenes a little, entered the park by Pooh Mountain, ran around the Rivers of America, backwards through the castle, around the Matterhorn, through Tomorrowland, took a stroll down Main Street, crossed over into California Adventure, around Grizzly Peak, circled Paradise Pier, and ended in Cars Land. Now that you are thoroughly impressed by my Disney knowledge, here are some Instagrams.

Mickey and Minnie above the start

Splash Mountain

Back of the castle

The (fake) Matterhorn

California Adventure

Ferris Wheel

Mile 3 marker

Entering Cars Land: Fillmore's snacks

The end!

Store at the new entrance to California Adventure

So there's that,
Jessie