Perfect Respite

In April, in the midst of the worst days, G. told me to clear my calendar on a Friday and said he would handle the baby. My mom was shaky but in good hands, and in good spirits. So I thought I was in for a massage at a fancy schmancy spa. I was perfectly happy with that idea, when he woke me up early that morning and said, "Get up, you'll miss you're flight."
WHAT?!
I'd been fantasizing about road trips and transatlantic flights and days without doctors and paperwork detailing side effects or insurance details. Flight? Where? What? He booked a day trip to SF and made reservations at my favorite restaurant in the world, Chez Panisse. My friend and fellow new mom, Katie Murphy and I giggled all morning. Perfect lattes in French bowls on the edge of San Francisco's China Town, lunch in a hole in the wall place in China Town, BART ride across the bay, romp on campus, drop a little money in the student store, a perfect dinner and a wander around Black Oak Books. We were almost late for the last flight out, which brought back lots of memories of running for planes, being the last ones to board. The cab drive made a mad dash for Oakland Airport.

The best part of the meal at the Alice Waters Museum, was a pizzareta with pecarino cheese and sauteed stinging nettles. And of course the always amazing maitre d' who rescued my camera after we left. Here's the view from the window that points towards the bay. Squint and you can see the fog rolling in.

Martha's Pie Chart (Or Cheat Sheets for the Pastry Challenged)

Click on the link above to download a very cute pie chart thanks to everyone's favorite felon, Martha Stewart. It's a great cheat sheet with clues on how to throw a pie together. Keep in mind that the queen of calories loves butter. I don't think the pie fillings need any butter. Save the calories for the ice cream, a la modie.... And she's a little boring with spices. I like a little cardamon with the apple and lemon zest with the blueberry. But as my dad used to say, that's why they make Fords and Chevy's.

Independence Day...

So it was a little bittersweet, the first fourth without my mom. We used to celebrate big at her house, pool party, loads of food and of course pies galore. We went to the otherside of the earth this year, the Palisades to our friends Abby and Dylan's to watch fireworks. But it was a little foggy, which kind of matched my mood. Afton and Makena played until they dropped which is always wonderful to watch. The pure excitement when they see one another is really beautiful. Plenty of rolling around in the grass with the puppies and enjoying the foggy view of the ocean. I made two pies, blueberry and apple with cardamon and extra fancy cinnamon. I also made a new recipe for peanut butter, chocolate chip cookies, sans flour, butter and white sugar. You have to pay close attention to them because they burn fast, but they were great.