Worth The Price of Admission

Friday night we went to Alison Krauss / Robert Plant concert at The Greek. Wow, T-Bone Burnett is an amazing producer and they did some awesome re-arrangements of Zeppelin songs. This was my favorite:

Got a Marshmallow?

Interactive Map of California Fires

Let's hope the crazies don't blame gay marriages on all the fires. I can see it now, "God hates California"

So Sad... Really Sad

Croatian Fans to Get Counseling for Shock Euro 2008 Exit - Euro 2008

It was a nail-biter of a game. But I can't imagine the whole country needs therapy.

I want to feel young again

Looking for Fun

See you there? I know it's not on the first Friday but we'll let that slide by this time. Click the title of this post to see the cool flier for the event.

Friday, July 11
FIRST FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE/East Bay Express
5pm–Midnight
FIRST FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE/East Bay Express BEST OF THE EAST BAY FFAF blues and jazz summer series continues with Billy Dunn and the Ladies Choice Band in the café. At 7 p.m. the East Bay Express rolls in with their rockin' Best of the East Bay Party. Live music and performances throughout the museum until midnight. The amazing lineup of the East Bay's best talent includes The Uptones, Flipper, Detstroyer-KISS cover band, Dyloot of DeepVoices, HOTTUB, Kev Choice Ensemble, DJ Malachi, Amoeba artist Brandi Shearer, The Whoreshoes, Mike Glendinning, Monarchs, + more music from Amoeba Music; performances by Splash Circus and Savage Jazz Dance Company; screenings of the Express 24-Hour Digital Film Festival; your favorite food and drink vendors; and a Kids Party Zone sponsored by Chabot Space and Science Center. And this year's party is going Green: come on a bike and get a free tune-up and valet parking. Flash a public transportation pass for a tote bag of goodies. Free!

Finally ...

People who sum it up perfectly for me.

Red Flag

Santa Cruz Mountain fire grows to 700 acres; no containment yet I just got home from camping here. Pray for rain, cooler weather, less wind, anything to help the firefighters contain the blaze.

One night last weekend we noticed the camp site next to us had a huge fire in their ring. We all commented on what idiots they were for allowing the flames to get so high. I guess people who don't live near the woods don't understand how quickly a fire can get out of hand.

I'm going back at the end of August. It will be interesting to see the damage first hand.

In the words of my friend Smokey Bear... Only YOU can prevent forest fires. Be careful out there.

Happy Birthday Laney

I know it's a few days early.. but you deserve the best!

Don't send a lame Birthday eCard.
Try JibJab Sendables!

Another reason to continue to rebuild

Oh how I love NOLA.
Taste of New Orleans | Bay Area Bites: by Thy Tran | posted in food and drink |

One needs many lifetimes to enjoy all that the Crescent City has to offer. Alas, I only have ten days and one stomach.

That hasn’t stopped me from trying, though. Here are just a few of the highlights from the past week….

If you’re here during the winter and if someone you know owns an oyster boat, be sure to pack a bottle of hot sauce and an oyster knife. A screwdriver from the engine room works almost as well. Otherwise, head to Casamento’s during the R months — like any proper oyster house they’re closed during the summer — or squeeze in with the tourists at Acme in the French Quarter.

If you’re here in the springtime, ask for wild crawfish from the Atchafalaya Basin. (Resist calling them crayfish or mudbugs, please.) At other times of the year, try to track down ones raised in the rice country surrounding nearby Lafayette. They’re on menus everywhere, but perhaps the best way to find some good crawfish boil is to take the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar all the way uptown to Audubon Park on the weekend. Make friends with one of the families gathered for a reunion or birthday (or at least, get to know the people tending the 60 gall"

click here to continue reading & seeing the pictures

Tree Huggers

I went camping this weekend. It was great fun. Four days without a shower. Maybe the redwoods felt this way about me.