Just Me Devon

Seattle - Random Pics

2009-09-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

We had such a fantastic time in Seattle. I want to thank Fred's family for hosting us during our stay, it was nice to get to know them more and meet their beautiful baby girl. The wedding was incredible, one of the nicest and most fun weddings I have ever been to. Visiting with Fred's friends was fun too. I enjoyed exploring the city and getting to know more about Seattle. I can't wait to visit again. Here are some pics of Fred and I at the wedding, at Ballard Locks and the view of Mt. Shasta from I-5.

Ashland

2009-09-04T22:34:00.001-07:00

We stopped in Ashland on our way home and spent the night there. We stayed at the Ashland Springs Hotel, we really enjoyed staying downtown and exploring Ashland. We went to Lithia Springs Park and drank from the famed fountain with its famous spring water. It's such a cute town and seemed like there was lots to do there. We were glad to be able to spend some time there.

Seattle - Museum of History and Industry

2009-09-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

While we were at the library we saw a flyer for an Arts & Crafts exhibit at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). MOHAI is located in McCurdy Park, a short walk across the parking lot and you can see the UW Stadium. Fred said that during games people pull their boats up there to tailgate. MOHAI was a great museum, it had a lot of neat photos of Seattle and fun exhibits, there's even one where you can pretend to be a fisherman!

Seattle - Matthew's Beach

2009-09-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

I absolutely loved our visit to Matthew's Beach. It has a protected area for swimming as well as a boat launch for canoes/kayaks. It has a beautiful view of Lake Washington.

Seattle - Wedding

2009-09-04T21:59:00.001-07:00

The purpose of the visit to Seattle was to attend Matt and Darrah's wedding. Fred and I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend of festivities. Both the bride and groom have wonderful, welcoming families who were so much fun to spend time with. The wedding was held in Woodinville at Bassetti's Crooked Arbor Gardens. It was a gorgeous setting, the clouds parted as it got closer to the ceremony and we all marveled at the amazing weather. The ceremony was very touching and beautiful, many tears of joy were shed. Afterwards, at the reception we all enjoyed the good food, heartwarming speeches and of course, the dancing! The after-party was downtown at a karaoke bar!

Seattle - Gasworks Park

2009-09-04T21:51:00.000-07:00

Fred took me to Gasworks Park in the Wallingford neighborhood in Seattle. Amazing views of the city. Its proximity to the Burke-Gilman Trail makes it a popular spot for cyclists to depart from. Gasworks was originally used to manufacture gas from coal, it has since been converted to a park but remnants of its past life are evident.

Seattle Public Library

2009-09-04T21:44:00.000-07:00

We all know I'm a fan of checking out libraries! Fred and I have made it habit to seek them out and explore. We even stopped at the little library in the town of Langley when we were on Whidbey Island. This was my second trip to the downtown Seattle Public Library (SPL) and it was amazing! Just for fun I looked up a couple of books to see if we could actually find them in the stacks. It took a few minutes to figure out where everything was but was easy after that, SPL has call numbers listed on the floor to make searching easier. I also stopped at the gift shop on the way out, lots of cute things!

Whidbey Island

2009-09-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

On my first day in Seattle Fred and I took the ferry to Whidbey Island to explore. We enjoyed the town of Langley and then had lunch at Toby's Tavern in Coupeville. The towns had very cute downtown shopping areas and great views all around. We left the island by going over Deception Pass Bridge and driving back to Seattle through the Skagit Valley.

Sacramento - ZTA Reunion

2009-09-04T21:27:00.000-07:00

A dear friend from my college sorority was visiting last week from London. A few of us gathered in Sacramento and spent the evening together, a very fun time! Afterwards I walked down to the water and took some photos.

Hiking in Briones

2009-08-18T21:53:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago Fred and I went hiking in Briones. Very nice day, long hike but the view was well worth it!

Wild Turkeys are Invading

2009-08-18T21:49:00.000-07:00

We have a family of turkeys that has been making a few appearances around here. This was the best photo I could get of them, they run away really fast when they see me!

Healdsburg

2009-08-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

Fred and I went to Healdsburg on Saturday. Ate at Bovolo which was very yummy. Our favorite restaurant, Barn Diva, was closed for a wedding. We walked around the square, ate ice cream and enjoyed the beautiful day. Also drove up Dry Creek Valley, it was so pretty, harvest time is just around the corner! I'm looking forward to our next trip up there.

Henry Miller Library

2009-07-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Fred and I were in Big Sur and stopped by the Henry Miller Library. As part of one of the classes I'm taking (Intro to Library Studies) I had to visit a library and write a paper about it. The HML was amazing, a very spiritual place. We spent part of the visit watching a concert that was taking place on the grounds. What an amazing place to hold an event, I've even seen wedding blogs talk about holding the ceremony and reception there (seen here and here). It's not your traditional Library where you can check out books, this is a small community center/artist's retreat/performance space/coffeeshop/meditation space. Very fun, I wish we had more time to visit and hang out there. Definitely worth a trip back.

Alameda County Fair

2009-07-18T23:05:00.000-07:00

Fred and I spent the evening at the Alameda County Fair. We ate fried foods and looked at the exhibits. I think the most interesting exhibit was the displays of collections, anything and everything under the sun; matchbooks, bobbleheads, playbills, 'The Sound of Music' collectibles, etc. I think most deserving of the first prize was the Wayne Newton collection, it even had a limited edition Wayne Newton decanter that was never mass produced (only 24 prototypes exist in the world)!

We also checked out the livestock and small animals, they were so cute! I wanted to buy some chicks and baby geese to take home. Another favorite of mine was a plate of cookies decorated with a California theme - poppy, redwood tree, quail, etc. very creative!

Alameda County Fair

2009-07-18T23:02:00.001-07:00

Diablo Foothills

2009-07-18T22:49:00.000-07:00

Fred and I went hiking last weekend at Diablo Foothills, it was an absolutely gorgeous day. We did a short hike up in the foothills and then ended in the Castle Rock Recreation Area. It was so quiet and peaceful there, it would be the perfect place for a fun BBQ.

4th of July

2009-07-05T10:46:00.001-07:00

We all went to the Officer's Club at Fort Mason Center for 4th of July Fireworks. It was a lot of fun, we had a little picnic on the lawn, they had hotdogs and potato salad and afterwards we roasted marshmallows! There was a concert going on below us at Aquatic Park which was fun to listen to. We had a great view of the fireworks and we were even able to see a couple other fireworks shows that took place around the bay. On our drive home we saw the fireworks show at Jack London Square.

Lunch at Post Ranch Inn

2009-07-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

Fred and I went with his parents to Post Ranch Inn for lunch last weekend. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. It was warm and sunny in Big Sur, no hint of fog until we drove further down the coast to see McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.

Shadowbrook

2009-06-27T21:45:00.000-07:00

Dinner tonight at Shadowbrook in Capitola, such a gorgeous restaurant. Fred and I enjoyed being able to walk there on a very quite trail that went along the river. They even have a tram (see the second photo) that takes you from the top of their gardens down to the restaurant or you can walk along the pathway if you prefer.

Lafayette Juniors Kitchen Tour

2009-04-25T12:13:00.000-07:00

I wrote about this a few weeks ago but wanted to remind you that the Lafayette Juniors Kitchen Tour is coming up Saturday May 16th. If you would like to buy tickets just e-mail me at justmedevon@gmail.com

I hope you can make it!

Vital Life Services

2009-04-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

Vital Life Services is having their annual "Dining Out For Life event." I went last year to Shelby's in Orinda. Have a nice meal in a restaurant and support a wonderful charity. Here is some information for their website about the services they provide -

For over 20 years, Vital Life Services has been a resource and a refuge for low-income and homeless people living with the effects of HIV or AIDS, and the constellations of health, social and emotional issues so often encountered. We are the only drop-in day center of its kind in the East Bay, serving both Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Our services include:

* Two nutritious meals per day
* Acupuncture and herbs/vitamins
* Mental health therapy
* Case management
* Van transportation to medical and social service appointments
* Massage therapy
* Phone, mail, shower & laundry facilities
* Referrals to other community service providers
* Emergency housing & utilities assistance
* Activities such as hikes, concerts, and other events
* Guest speakers & workshops

The Glass Jar Kitchen

2009-04-25T11:56:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Fred and I went to see Zach's final presentation for his green MBA program. He presented his new business venture The Glass Jar Kitchen which he hopes to open in Santa Cruz in the coming months. His business partner is Kendra Baker who is a very talented pastry chef. I wish them luck and can't wait to eat there when they open!

Fred's New Place

2009-04-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

Fred and I spent Sunday moving him into his new place in Capitola. It's cute and small with a very good location, right near downtown. It was a full day and there's still a lot of work left to do! I felt bad leaving him all alone Sunday night! We're still in the process of furnishing the place, I'll have more photos as the weeks go by.

You Should Make This

2009-04-13T21:25:00.001-07:00

For Easter I made a sausage and sun dried tomato strata, it turned out pretty good. The recipe can be found here on Epicurious.

Easter

2009-04-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

We had a good time this Easter. Delicious food. A good part of the morning was spent hunting for Easter eggs. In the afternoon, we played hide and go seek, played with the bunny, R and L explored the creek, M tried out a very old fire extinguisher (it still worked), and Julie jumped through a burning ring of fire (ok, it was just a hula hoop). I think Mom and I win the prize for most talented hula hoopers.

Pedicure!

2009-04-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

R and I got pedicures this morning. I love getting a pedicure and I love taking pictures of my feet! Lucky you, I did just that and now you can bask in the wonderfulness that are my feet. Here are my gratuitous foot pictures!

Santa Cruz

2009-04-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

Fred and I were in Santa Cruz last weekend. Here's a photo from Seabright Beach (aka Castle Beach) and a photo of a house I love! Fred just found a place in Capitola, photos of that soon! I'm excited about decorating his new apartment. I just stopped by a consignment furniture place this morning to look for some good buys.

You Should Make This

2009-04-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

I made crockpot lasagna this weekend and it turned out great. The recipe can be found here. Once again, I forgot to take a picture. Oh well. Also, I modified the recipe slightly, I didn't use any squash. This lasagna doesn't call for noodles, it has eggplant instead and it ended up tasting great.

Photo Shoot Part II

2009-04-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple more by Deborah -

Photo Shoot

2009-04-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I did a photo shoot with Deborah Atalig. Here are a few of the shots. Thanks Deborah!

The Secret to the Best Chicken Ever!

2009-03-29T18:40:00.000-07:00

I hate chicken, don't like it at all. Fred likes it, in fact he LOVES it when I make it. I make the best chicken ever, the secret, you ask? I make it in the crockpot.

This picture doesn't look particularly appetizing but trust me (actually, trust Fred since I won't eat it), this is so good. I based it on this recipe. I coat the chicken in onion flakes and then pour a whole bunch of salad dressing on it, then some more onion flakes. Also, I had a mini jar of strawberry jam that had been sitting in my fridge for a while so I threw that in too (the jam, not the jar). Also, I squeezed an orange and a lemon on the chicken. The result is moist, tender and very tasty chicken. You should try it.

You Should Make This

2009-03-29T10:37:00.000-07:00

Fred and I were so hungry last night we gobbled this up and I totally forgot to take a picture of it. Oh well, you'll have to settle for the picture in the magazine. This is from Better Homes and Gardens 2006. This was incredibly quick to throw together, it took 30 minutes from start to finish.
To go along with the fish I steamed asparagus from the farmer's market and topped it with my awesome sauce recipe. For a great sauce for veggies I use some plain yogurt mixed with my favorite mustard and some flax seed oil. Very creamy and good. Also served this with a slice of crusty sourdough topped with goat cheese. If you want the recipe, e-mail me and I would be happy to send it to you in a pdf. Or, click on the photo below for a bigger version -

UC Botanical Gardens

2009-03-29T10:12:00.001-07:00

The UC Botanical Gardens are beautiful and if you haven't been you should really check it out. The weather was gorgeous yesterday and we could even see the Golden Gate Bridge while we explored the grounds.

Felting

2009-03-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Christina, Mom and I went to the Berkeley Botanical Gardens for a felting class. It was interesting, I am excited to learn this new craft and try it out. I mad a potholder, pretty exciting, I know. I am going to decorate it a little more and then send it off to my swap buddy, Gail. Here's some photos from the day.

Noe Valley

2009-03-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

I haven't spent much time in Noe Valley but I really like what I have seen there. Noe Valley has such a great atmosphere, it feels like a true neighborhood. I absolutely love the plant arrangements hanging from the lamp posts.

The Windmill

2009-03-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

Fred and I also checked out the Windmill in Golden Gate Park, it is one of my all time favorite things to visit when I'm there. The garden surrounding the windmill is gorgeous, there are so many tulips in bloom right now.

San Francisco

2009-03-27T20:26:00.001-07:00

Fred and I took the day off of work today and went and had some fun! Our first priority was to see the Rainforest exhibit at the Cal Academy of Sciences. Done! It was a gorgeous day today and we also went to Twin Peaks and walked around.

Had lunch in Noe Valley. Rounded out the day with a trip to Sports Basement and some shopping on Fillmore Street. Went to the San Francisco Junior League's benefit shop, bought some really cute tops and skirts. That place always has great deals.

Buttercup the Bunny

2009-03-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

Buttercup has moved in! Christina brought home Buttercup, her long hair angora rabbit. She is in the process of moving back to mom and dad's for a while. She even has a leash that she walks her on.

You Should Make This

2009-03-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

I did a lot of cooking this weekend. For breakfast I highly recommend this, it is a giant apple popover, very yummy. Next time I make it I will cut down the amount of butter and add another apple.

Also, I highly recommend this. It was soooo good over vanilla ice cream. I actually used frozen blueberries and blackberries. It turned out great and only took a few hours in the crockpot, so even though I started it late in the day it was ready when we wanted dessert.

View From my Window

2009-03-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

My office has a courtyard behind it, it's pretty nice. Here's a picture!

I also went to the farmer's market that is held at my work every Thursday. I love that we have a farmer's market! This week I bought a bag of produce that had a sampling from each of the vendors at the market. I just finished eating the strawberries, they were so good.

Here's the azalea that Laurie gave me for my birthday, every other day I put it outside for some sunlight!

I hope my posts this weekend are more interesting!

Tiny Toy Storytelling

2009-03-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

For my Storytelling class at DVC I had to create a digital story. Here it is. This is the story behind Team Lexington's Tiny Toy Burly-Q performance (see last post for more info). Let me know what you think of my first digital storytelling attempt!

Tiny Toy

2009-03-14T22:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a little info about an upcoming performance my sister is in. Pictures at the top are of her.

The Tiny Toy BurlyQ Extravaganza: A Burlesque Opera

Created and Performed by

Team Lexington Productions

Witness the true story of Snow White, as she escapes certain death through a mechanical theatrical wonderland, risking everything to get away.

Filled with giant toys and broken dreams, The Tiny Toy BurlyQ Extravaganza

is a dazzling ravagement of the senses that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about the fairy tales you've grown to love.

Wednesday, March 18

Thursday, March 19, 2009

8pm

The Garage

975 Howard at 6th

San Francisco, CA

www.975howard.com

$10 - $20 Sliding Scale

Go Team Lexington!

Home Redesign

2009-03-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

I just "discovered" this blog last week. Layla is an interior designer in Alabama. I absolutely love how she decorates. One of the best parts is that she does over the internet designing, you just paypal her and send your photos. Her prices seem very very reasonable. I think I might send a picture of my studio to her, I could definitely use her help!

Flora

2009-03-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

Oops, I'm a week late posting this. A, M and I enjoyed dinner together last week at Flora in Oakland. Yum! Although I was not too impressed with my salad the salted caramel pudding totally redeemed the entire meal.

The Fox Theater is just down the street and I am so looking forward to going to a concert there. Maybe The Decemberists on May 20th?

Lafayette Juniors Kitchen Tour

2009-03-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

I am involved with the Lafayette Juniors, a group of women who volunteer in the community and raise money for different charities. This year the main beneficiary of the funds will be "Youth Homes." The 10th annual Kitchen Tour is coming up on Saturday, May 16th. Consider this your "Save the Date!"

We had our monthly meeting last night and got to see photographs from all six of the different homes. The kitchens are absolutely gorgeous. The tour is not to be missed! There is more information about the tour here. Of course, if anyone is interested in buying tickets, please feel free to e-mail me. Hope to see you there!

Visit with Julie

2009-03-06T08:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday R and I went to the city to visit Julie. R is currently taking classes at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) and I thought it would be great for her to meet Julie. We both had a great time, her studio is amazing. The place is huge and it was so cool to walk around and see everything in it. She even has a pilates studio! The photo above is of Julie looking at one of her French design books.

I asked Julie about how she has Weston Wear stuff archived. The short answer, she doesn't. I see a prime opportunity to put some of my library skills to use! R immediately said "sounds like an internship!"

If you haven't checked out Weston Wear, you should. The retail store is located on Valencia Street, it has loads of fun stuff in it.
Afterwards, R treated me to lunch at Metro, such a treat to go there in the middle of the day (or really anytime). We had the whole restaurant to ourselves and to top it all off, a cute waiter! Can't beat that. For dessert? Salted caramel pot de creme, yum!

We're Going to Seattle!

2009-03-02T10:53:00.001-08:00

Fred told me last night that M & D set a date for their wedding, it will be August 29th. It will be up near Seattle which means Fred and I get to go on a trip, I can't wait! We're thinking we may take a week or two off and rent a condo up there. Fred was asked to be in the wedding party.

I'm going to be checking out a whole mess of books about Seattle and plan some fun things for us to do. I can't wait! I've never been to the Space Needle so that is one thing on my list. Check out some museums and maybe some new trendy restaurants.

Story Poem

2009-02-18T21:54:00.001-08:00

For class next week I have to memorize and perform a story poem. I'm leaning towards this one by Rick Agran that I heard on the Writer's Almanac a long time ago. Obviously it stuck with me. Any comments?

Black Umbrellas

by Rick Agran

On a rainy day in Seattle stumble into any coffee shop
and look wounded by the rain.

Say Last time I was in I left my black umbrella here.
A waitress in a blue beret will pull a black umbrella

from behind the counter and surrender it to you
like a sword at your knighting.

Unlike New Englanders, she'll never ask you
to describe it, never ask what day you came in,

she's intimate with rain and its appointments.
Look positively reunited with this black umbrella

and proceed to Belltown and Pike Place.
Sip cappuccino at the Cowgirl Luncheonette on First Ave.

Visit Buster selling tin salmon silhouettes
undulant in the wind, nosing ever into the oncoming,

meandering watery worlds, like you and the black umbrella,
the one you will lose on purpose at the day's end

so you can go the way you came
into the world, wet looking.

The Creek

2009-02-18T19:31:00.000-08:00

The creek next to my house has finally filled up! It was sad looking at it all dry and empty for the month of January (and most of December too). Now it's finally showing some life!

Well, Will & Grace reruns and a big bowl of popcorn are calling my name. Be back later!

Check out the giveaway on the Long Thread, that's some very cute fabric!

Hiking

2009-02-18T19:11:00.001-08:00

Fred and I did a great hike a couple weeks ago. Man it was tough. Who needs a stairmaster? Great view from the top too. My buns were burning! We're going to practice doing that hike and get really good, hopefully so good that we can do it under 2 hours and will be able to walk the next day!

We've done some other great hikes in the Santa Cruz area, one of my favorites is at Nisene Marks State Park. It is absolutely beautiful there.

Up next... pictures of the creek next to my house. I can hear the oohs and ahhs!

Back to Work

2009-02-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

Well. Did everyone have a nice weekend? Fred and I mostly did homework and also took the time to watch some movies. I loved Vicky Christina Barcelona. Two thumbs up! Of course, I'm a sucker for anything by Woody Allen.

I'm very excited that I just signed up for a swap on Rhonda Jean's blog Down-to-earth. http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-swap.html
Her blog is filled with so many amazing ideas, she is creative and thrifty and very informative. She shares a lot of very useful information. My first swap! I will be sure to post what I win so everyone can see (I'm talkin' 'bout you, Fred).

It was great to have a long weekend. Rained the whole time and we didn't get to go hiking like I had planned on. Hopefully we'll have more time to do fun stuff like that next weekend. And maybe go to a museum or two, just for fun.

Stay dry and I'll be back later!

Introductions

2009-02-13T23:29:00.000-08:00

Please allow me to introduce myself...

I'm very excited to be entering the blog world. I have found so much inspiration from the women whose blogs I read. I want to be just like them when I grow up! I read a variety of blogs, the topics I look range from simple living (a la Down-To-Earth) to wedding planning (A Practical Wedding). Take a look at my reader for information about who I follow.

So far I haven't decided on a set theme for my blog. I'd like to follow in the footsteps of some of my favorite bloggers and talk about things like simplicity, cooking, travel, crafty things, etc. As you can see I'm having trouble narrowing it down but I do think it will be fun to delve into many different subjects.

Big news! I just purchased a 1983 Mercedes Turbo Diesel today. Biodiesel here I come! It's something I've been wanting to do for a long time and it has finally happened! I'll give updates and post some pictures of it soon!

That's all for now!