I was waiting for the bus the other morning and across the street I saw a man by a 2nd-storey window that had the blinds partially down so his face couldnt be seen. Unfortunately they were not low enough for me to realize after a while figuring what the hell he was doing. If the priests of our childhood were right he would have been blind by now.
Monthly Archive for September, 2007
One of the joys of living in San Francisco is going to the Saturday Ferry Plaza Market. Some would say “the Alemany one is better” and “Ferry Plaza overpriced tourist trap and parking is a bitch blah blah” but really it is soooo fine and when you’re there and the sun is out while you’re sitting on a bench drinking your iced coffee and staring at the bay bridge across the water after getting your goodies you know the weekend has just started and work is far away, for another day at least.
I really like:
5 star Star Thistle, Napa Valley Wildflower. I like my honey crystallized and it comes out almost the consistency of peanut butter so you can spread it over toast and butter or (how I do it) eat it with a spoon.
Bella Viva Orchards dried orange slices
Thin and chewy sweet-tart snacks. I keep the leftover rind-rings for the smell.
Cowgirl Creamery cheeses
The lines may be daunting, and the crowd makes it difficult to browse, but its worth the wait to get the Mt. Tam double cream cheese which I would say is a people-pleaser, (and the St. Pat/Pierce Pt seasonal variations are pretty good too) But if you’re in a hurry just grab some cheese from the cooler — 1 round of Mt. Tam, some Mozzarella di Bufala (great with olive oil, basil leaves, cherry tomatoes and salt — or — with anchovies, garlic, sliced tomatoes, and olive oil sizzling on a pan), and if you’re lucky you’ll find some Burrata, which is sort of like a bag of fresh mozzarella filled with buttery cream and mozzarella bits (this one you just pop open in a low bowl, drizzle with some olive oil and rock salt, then sop up with crusty bread) Tangina cholesterol joy.
Lagier Farms grapes
little sweet smelling pinky-green seedless grapes with really thin skins so they explode in your mouth. They are so sweet they almost dont taste like grape but honey…or aratilis (if you know what that is)
Andante Dairy cheeses
My current obsession. Meltyshly delicious. I will try all their cheeses.
I’ve been drooling over their website trying to decide what to get and so far I’ve bought three.
Picolo is a triple cream cow cheese. Rich and creamy but not nakakaumay. Dont have too much ha you might raise your cholesterol +++ hahah
Acapella is a goat cheese that comes in a small disk. It is creamy and has that “bite” of goatiness. I liked it with a bit of quince jelly on toasted baguette slices.
Metronome is a mixed milk cheese, tangy and rich. Mine was quite ripe so part of the cheese was almost liquid and gooped out once I sliced the cheese. This one you can use your finger to make simot every dribble from the cheese plate.
I like how the goat cheeses have that goaty quality but don’t reek of it. The Ferry Plaza prices are way better than the Wholefoods prices. Plus free taste pa!
We like our coffee with milk so we go with Yemen, Giant Steps, Three Giants and Mesa delos Santos. They have some specials like the Ethiopian Wotona we bought today (supposedly bright and fruity but can take milk well).
When I feel daring I pick up a glass of their chicory-laced New Orleans iced coffee. I say daring because about 15minutes after I drink my coffee my stomach goes crazy and sends me rushing to the nearest restroom of peace (which happens to be in a parking building 2 blocks away).
delicious with buttered crumpets. I like the Blood Orange marmalade, and just got a jar of the Blackberry Lemon Verbena.
Fatted Calf charcuterie salumi
I love the rabbit rillette and merguez, while J likes the duck crepinettes. Got a pack of rabbit boudin today and will update once I’ve gobbled it.
More to follow…
It is only my fear of how nothing is ever lost once it is on the internet that prevents me from doing a full blown rant about my late but not great job. Suffice to say that if not for the fact that I got a work visa because of it I would not have toiled at that dungeon. I had terrific coworkers and the work, because it was something new and there was a lot to learn, was interesting. Pero yung may ari nakow…nakakainsulto ang trato sa akin para talaga akong 2ndclass na tao. Mantakin nyo bang tawagin akong “lowest person on the totem pole” sa harap ko. 
Shoosh. Mabuti pa wag na isipin. Happy thoughts happy thoughts.
I really tried to get over the aggravation and just do my work, but things came to a head last July when he was really on my back about a job I was working on (which wasn’t even mine — I took over for a coworker who was on leave). I just thought “Puta nakakadegrade na ito talaga” and after some resume polishing assistance from J, sent my resume to each and every company that put out an ad looking for someone (at times even vaguely) like me.
The first interview found me barfingly nervous. But surprisingly it went well. Corporate interiors, some architecture, project management in the future if I wanted etc etc etc. Yummy! I think they got spooked when I told them all the requirements for processing a work visa transfer and that was it, they chose someone else. Hay, I was quite despondent.
And then came the next interview, and the next, and the next, and the next. And I have to say, by the time I was on my last couple interviews I had the talk down so pat the words would roll off my mouth so smooooth hahah. I was most interested in 2 companies and got job offers from both of them.
In the end I decided to work with the smaller company (not small small, there are about 30 people, but the other one was a 250 person firm) because the job description allowed for more exposure in project management. And the people seemed very nice too.
Anyway, resigning was a pain. Mostly because my leaving came just a few weeks after one of my coworkers left. And in an office of 10 thats quite a loss in manpower. Plus I think the owner never saw it (my leaving) coming. It went from “What??? You dont want to resign…youre learning soo much here..interiors is for stupid people…this is the hard work…the HARD WORK.” (translation in my mind: were not done bleeding you cadmonkey yet) to “You screwed me you’re supposed to work here for 3 years thats our contract” (translation in my mind: “I didn’t read the employment letter that said employment is ‘at will’ but if I freak you out and bully you I can make you stay for 3 years you cadmonkey) till (1) I didn’t bother listening further because (2) I didnt give a flying foofoo anymore.
But hey, last day is tomorrow 
And then on Monday I will be taking the bus and walking from Market St. to just off Jackson Square. Theres lots to be nervous about starting a new job, but then happy thoughts happy thoughts.
duck sausages from the grocery, fettucine with some pre-made arugula and walnut pesto, and a caesar salad.
So good I forgot to take photos
Edit:
Had it a 2nd time.
ME!!! I am starting work with a new company soon.
more later, just wanted to share the good news 
Losing control is..well, losing. Haay.
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A.I.O.N.*
I did finally get my framed Mia & Mai print back. I take terrible photos but here it is.
I haven’t decided where to place it yet, I’m vacillating between over the bed (must get good quakeresistant hooks) or over the dresser (must clean up the cosmetic junk there).
It should go pretty well with this new bedding set I bought (half off siempre, because aren’t I allergic to paying full price heeh)
The pattern colors
sort of ties the new print in with our chambray curtains.
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I got a print called Stockboy by Alex Noriega.
Still unframed but will frame during the next 1-cent sale (the frame shop near our apartment does a buy 1, get another for 1 cent sale every so often)
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I will also probably be buying another print, animals this time. I’m still trying to decide between 2, will post a photo as soon as I make up my mind.
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We’re actually out of wallspace but hey, I can keep these till we move into a bigger place…
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* And In Other News
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