It’s Not Always Sunny in San Francisco

Living in San Francisco, I often feel like I belong to a special club.  It is such a beautiful place with amazing people and so many things to do, that I hand over my exorbitant rent each month just happy they let me stay a member.  I chat up tourists on the bus about places to visit in my city, provide detailed recommendations to anyone new in town and am basically a goodwill ambassador for this unique corner of the world.

The last few weeks as we weathered day after day of torrential rain, my love for San Francisco never waned.  I made my way to work in the sideways rain and hail, jockeyed my way onto one overcrowded bus after another, and huddled under my covers to keep warm every frigid morning.  I suffered sleep deprivation every night when my little dog, Sadie, grew increasingly anxious as the wind howled, the rain beat against the window and tree branches pounded our building.  I protested in a downpour at City Hall, assured volunteers that we would be there rain or shine and passed out soggy flyers to anyone brave enough to cross the flood zone in Civic Center.

Four years ago when I moved here, I traded in my beloved summers for this beautiful city on the bay and never looked back.  I can still commiserate with tourists who come to California each June, optimistically sporting shirt sleeves and shorts, only to snatch up the first San Francisco embroidered sweatshirt they see to fight off the inevitable chill.  Before our wedding in July last summer, I tried to warn the guests that although the calendar said summer, most likely the temperatures would hover around 58 degrees with a cold breeze.  Some people willfully ignored these instructions and shivered throughout the ceremony, sheepishly mumbling in disbelief at the fog blanketing Golden Gate Park.  Even the comfort of our guests was sacrificed to celebrate our nuptials in our favorite city and we smiled through every chilly moment.

The reasons SFists continue to pay astronomical rents, ride out the seemingly endless season of fog, and sacrifice summers, is all for days like today.  The sky is a brilliant blue, nary a cloud in sight, the breeze just cool enough to refresh, and songbirds fill the air with their nosy chatter.  Residents flood the street, basking in the sun on every imaginable surface and soak up the weather with gusto.  At the park across the street from my house, dogs frolic on the cool green grass, a few homeless people are stretched out on the bench wiggling their toes and smartly dressed corporate drones eat their lunches on the steps, all in utter bliss.

We all delight in the weather together.  The barista at my local coffee hop leans forward and whispers confidentially, “How about this weather?!”  My coworkers and I swap secrets for the ultimate place to spend a sunny SF afternoon.  Every outdoor cafe, restaurant and bar is packed with smiling people looking like they just won the lottery.  The beaches are packed with pasty limbs, parrot colored umbrellas and people, kids and dogs giddy with relief from the never ending fog.

A San Francisco day such as this is rare and therefore, appreciated.  We love this city despite her weather- related flaws and when she gives us a rare reprieve, we are thankful.  SFists didn’t move here from around the world for the weather, but rather, in spite of it.  Many of us have stayed here because of the sun filled, magical promise of days like today that can pop up all year round.  Whether it be July, October or March, we squeeze every moment of enjoyment out of it, because we don’t know when it’s coming again.

Today, this San Francisco resident will lounge in the park with her dog and take a long, ambling walk in the park, thankful these days only come around once so often.  The rarity of these days protect us from even more people clamoring to live here, without fully appreciating our city’s charm.  All those fog filled, dreary days make today feel like a gift and the enjoyment of it is that much sweeter.

Trader Joe’s Brands Uncovered

Even though I am cleansing my body and soul of packaged products, I have to admit there are still a few things I purchase from Trader Joe’s.  In my ongoing quest to a) know more about what is going in my body, b) know more about where my food is coming from and c) save money, I’ve decided to find out more about the products labeled under the Trader Joe’s brand.

Trader Joe’s is a privately held company and not required to divulge their suppliers.  They buy from high quality third-party suppliers and repackage the product for their own customers.  The product is then sold at a lower price to the consumer because of the larger scale of production.  Often, the packaging looks extremely similar to the original products and they are sometimes even sold side by side.

When I developed an incurable addiction to Strauss European Style Yogurt, I remembered reading the rumor that Strauss Family Creamery

Image found here.

supplied Trader Joe’s with their branded European Style Yogurt.  As the Trader Joe’s version of the yogurt is $2.50 when the Strauss version runs about twice that, I thought if I could confirm this hunch I could save $2.50 a week, $10 a month and about $120 a year. I also wanted to make sure my hard earned cash wasn’t going to support any companies I don’t believe in and try to avoid (including Coca -Cola).  My childhood addiction to Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew books convinced me I had the investigative skills necessary to figure this mystery out.

I started by going to my favorite Trader Joe’s items and checking the ingredients against those products I suspected it matched.  I trolled message boards, asked friends to taste test and did some extensive google research on suspected doppelgängers.

This list is hardly exhaustive so please let me know in the comments what I am missing!  I plan to keep this as a regular, updated feature and include a price savings from the original product and Trader Joe’s branded item.  For a printable list, click here.

Trader Joe’s Branded Product	Supplier Branded Product
Trader Joe’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips	Callebaut Chocolate
TJ’s White Baking Chips	Guittard  Baking Chips
Trader Joe’s Vienna Style Lager	Gordon Biersch Marzen
Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale	Unibroue
Trader Joe’s Mission St. Pale Ale	Firestone Walker
Trader Joe’s Mission St.IPA	Firestone Walker
Trader Jose Beer	Tecate Brewery
Trader Jo’es Bottled Water	Poland Springs
Trader Joe’s Sprouted Wheat Bread	Alvarado Street Bakery
Trader Joe’s Newton’s Folly Cider	Woodchuck Cider
Trader Joe’s Granny Smith	Woodchuck Cider
Trader Joe’s Goddess Dressing	Annie’s Naturals
Trader Joe’s Organic Ranch Dressing	Earth Island Products
Trader Joe San’s Soyaki	Soy Vay’s Veri Veri Teriyaki
Trader Joe’s European style Yogurt	Strauss Family Creamery
Trader Joe’s Indian food	Tasty Bite
Trader Joe’s Shells and Cheese	Annie’s Homegrown
Trader Joe’s Frozen Spinach pizza	Amy’s Kitchen
Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough	Il Fornaio
Trader Joe’s Pita Chips	Stacy’s Pita Chips
Trader Joe’s Pure Butter Shortbread	Walker’s Shortbread
TJ’s Veggie Sticks Potato Snacks	Good Health Natural Foods Veggie Stix

Looks GOOD on Paper

Readers, are you familiar with GOOD magazine?  If you aren’t, I suggest taking some time to explore their website.  GOOD is true to its name in that it aspires to be a media platform for “people who want to live well and do good.”  The content is truly thought provoking and the integrated media, information graphs and charts really take complex issues and make them accessible to the average consumer.  I don’t think there is a better resource on the internet that provides valuable information on everything from world politics, food safety and environmentally responsible design.

While GOOD is a great resource for those of us interested in what we eat, consume or waste, it’s not as serious and intellectually exhausting as it sounds.  When they posted a map put out representing each states most well known beer by the The Daily Caller that included such villains as Budweiser, Coors and Miller, GOOD readers screamed in protest.  In response, they asked readers:

“What is the most awesome, best-tasting, sustainably brewed, independently owned, community-oriented, craft beer brewed in your state?”

The responses were crafted into a beer map of local and sustainable breweries that would make an amazing piece of art for any beer dining room.

 

Click here to print out the map.

If you are interested in finding out more about issues like America’s energy consumption, but get a little dizzy when reading extremely boring technical articles in mainstream news, check out GOOD’s take here.  You don’t even have to read all the text, because the main crux of the article is beautifully illustrated with numbers, graphics and pictures in a poster.  Or maybe you wonder how many gallons of fuel per passenger it takes to cover a distance of 350 miles?

 

Find larger image here.

 

GOOD also addresses the same  concerns we have here at WPP about reducing food packaging waste in their article found here.

I’m the first to admit that in this digital age of blogs, online newspapers and virtual forums, I crave the written word on good, old fashioned paper.   It is a rare occasion that  something will come along that revolutionizes the way I receive information.  GOOD is accessible, informative and has changed the way I learn.  Even better, you can receive it printed on earth friendly paper.

Now that’s revolutionary.

 

An Apple a Day: In Defense of Cider

I love beer.

I love brewing beer while sipping on a previous creation and experimenting like a mad scientist in the kitchen. I love the smell of the hops bubbling away in the cauldron with the richly sweet aroma of malts. I especially love tasting the beer, making notes on its fermentation status and sharing my creation with friends.

And I don’t only love my own beer. My relationship with beer extends to those that others create and I enthusiastically rate and review beers from around the world. I could (and do) wax philosophically for hours about flavor profiles, head retention and barnyard funk.

But I have a confession.

Sometimes I get tired of beer.

And it’s those times that I just can’t stomach the thought of yet another dark, malty beverage that I turn my attention to my other fling, artisanal cider. Now we are not talking about ciders such as the Woodchuck or Hornsby varieties that taste like sticky sweet concoctions of alcohol flavored juice boxes.

No. These ciders are as ephemeral as fine wines, expertly crafted with elusive sweetness and redolent of crispy ripe apples.

One of the reasons I like trying new beers so much is that you can buy a nice bottle of beer for under $20 and really taste a superbly made product that is one of the best made in the world. To get a bottle of wine at this level you would need to spend exponentially more. I don’t mind doing this every once in awhile, but I’d still rather pair a ridiculously good beer with my dinner rather than a fine wine, as the flavor of beer is often improved by food. For all of these reasons and more, high end cider is also an excellent choice.

If you have spent some time in Europe or consider yourself an Anglophile, you will be familiar with the cider I am referring to. It’s very crisp and slightly sweet, with an almost fruity wine quality that really showcases the fruit. It tastes wonderful with a piece of cheese, some bread and cured meats.

A curious thing about cider is if you homebrew and want some carbonation, you are going to be making a very dry (read little to no sweetness) cider. When you add sugar to your juice, your yeast will eat every bit it can get. When you add the priming sugar to the fermented juice before bottling, the yeast will eat all that too and leave you will a dry, crisp cider. If you prefer a sweeter drink, you would need to “back”sweeten the cider using either a non fermentable sugar (like lactose) or an artificial sugar (like Splenda). Many store bought brands do the same thing and you are left with a very sweet product that most hardcore beer drinkers won’t touch.

As cider experiences a resurgence in popularity, brewers and trend setting consumers alike have started to take notice. Talented sommeliers such as Frenchman Eric Bordelet have been making some amazing ciders that rival fine wines in their complexity and delicate, layered flavors. Now is the time to become a cider expert before there is a cider bar and gastro cider pub on every corner.

In colonial times, hard cider was actually one of America’s most popular beverages. European settlers brought apple seeds over with them to the new world and cultivated cider with the apple juice. Cider was easy to make and turned the sometimes bacteria filled water, into a safe and delicious beverage. It was considered healthy to drink and socially acceptable to imbibe throughout the day. Our second President, John Adams, even drank cider daily at his breakfast table to settle his stomach.

So this weekend, consider bringing home a nice bottle of Eric Bordelet’s Poire Authentique for about $15, and still have enough cash to take your date out to dinner. Or use your new found cider factoids including John Adams affinity for a breakfast brew to impress your buddies at the March Madness happy hour. Consider bringing cider instead of that overpriced bottle of Pinot to the next dinner party and educate your fellow companions about its dry, fruity flavor profile and sophisticated, European roots. You are now on the cutting edge of all that is fermentation.

Next up: A review of some Bordelet ciders.

Planning a Budget Honeymoon: Affordable Luxury

Once we bought our tickets and knew the beginning and end of our honeymoon trip, we got to work on the destinations.  In looking at the map, it seemed like the best route was to stay in Cancun a few days, cross into Belize and go down to the Cayes before heading into Belizean jungle, going over to Tikkal and ending up in Antigua, Guatemala. It kind of looked like this: Roem really wanted a nice hotel room for our first few nights so I researched Cancun and was just really hesitant to stay there after reading about the touristy

Our first night in Playa del Carmen at the Casa Ticul.

nature of the area.  We decided to stay right outside of Cancun in Playa del Carmen and booked a 4 star hotel room  for about $110 on Expedia.  Our room was at Casa Ticul, a well appointed, adults-only boutique hotel that was well situated to the beach, restaurants and shopping.  It is highly rated on tripadvisor, which is our go to travel review website and we felt pretty confident that our budget accommodations would be luxurious and relaxing.

The next leg of the trip was traveling from Playa del Carmen to a destination in the Belizean Cayes.  We knew the pricey flight from Cancun to Belize City was out, but Roem was resistant to taking a long dusty bus ride that would eat into our limited vacation time.  We decided to avoid a 12 hour trip to Belize City and instead take a bus to the border town of Corozal before taking the early morning ferry to the Cayes the next day.  We chose Corozal instead of the more popular crossing at Chetumal, because most reviews seemed to agree that Corozal was a charming little town with better accommodations.  We both decided that the night’s hotel would be a budget accommodation and we chose the Mirador Hotel for its convenient location and small price tag of $40.

As for the Belizean Cayes, we had heard Ambergris Caye was beautiful, but we were craving a more off the beaten path destination for our honeymoon.  A friend of mine had traveled to Caye Caulker a few years ago and raved about this secluded, sleepy village.  I did some reading on the wikitravel site and was

Reading from a hammock on our balcony in Caye Caulker.

bewitched by the description of Caye Caulker as “popular with backpackers and budget travelers for its (relatively) cheap prices, laid-back vibe, and abundance of restaurants and bars.”  I had also heard there was a popular bakery on the island that baked fresh cinnamon rolls each morning and that lobster was reasonably priced in July, so that sealed the deal for both of us.

There are very few hotels on Caye Caulker and the one that stood out to us right away was the Seaside Cabanas for its laid back vibe, beautiful rooms and excellent reviews.  Because we saved money on our room in Corozal, we could afford the $125 price tag for three nights.  Caye Caulker was also said to have more affordable dining and recreation options, so we knew our budget would go further by staying there than one of the more pricier islands.  A comparable room in Ambegris Caye would have cost us about 60% more so we ended up with more money to put into our beer fund.

To get back onto the mainland from the Cayes, we had to take a ferry to Belize City and then another bus to our destination in the Cayo Region of Belize.  For this stop, I had dreams of a romantic hidden property that would be cut off from the rest of the world where we could enjoy each other and have some amazing food.  It was only a short search until I found the place that fit the bill and I knew I had to find money in the budget to stay at Table Rock Lodge.  The website described

Roem taking a walk at Table Rock.

Table Rock as “a sustainable lodge in a canopied rainforest setting unlike any other in the Cayo District of Belize” and it looked like the ultimate honeymoon destination.  It was about a half an hour from the main town so all-inclusive meal options were available and every review raved about the quality of the food.  There were a few other lodges that looked beautiful so I waffled on this decision for a few days but ultimately went with Table Rock Lodge because of their timely email responses and exceptional customer service.  We booked the Aracari Room for $95.00 a night and added the breakfast and dinner option for $29.00 a person.  A full review will come in a later post but if you are considering traveling to this area of the world at all, please book a few nights at Table Rock.  It was easily the highlight of our entire trip.

Upon leaving the Cayo District, we planned on heading into Guatemala to tour the Tikal ruins.  There are only two options near Tikal and both get average reviews and tend to be pricey.  We booked a room at a budget hotel in a good location called Hotel Santana because there really wasn’t one a stellar option in our price range.  The Hotel Santana was $50 and we figured our room would only be used to sleep in considering the main objective in Flores, Guatemala was to see the ruins.

Our inexpensive hotel in Flores, left us with a little extra money for the last few nights of our honeymoon in Antigua.  We were both really excited to end our trip in Antigua as we’d heard it was a magnificent city with lots of attractions.  We decided to leave our accommodations open and gauge our budget a few days ahead of time before we booked a hotel.  We did not know at the time that we were visiting this ancient town during a religious festival and most hotels had been booked for weeks.  This led to an experience that included one of the worst hostel rooms in my entire life and one of the most beautiful hotel rooms I have ever stayed in.  More on that experience in our next installment of the Booking An Affordable Honeymoon.

Planning a Budget Honeymoon: Finding the Finances

When we first started talking about planning a wedding, we set our budget at a modest $5,000.  I had visions of a self catered, do it yourself affair with plenty of cash left over for a lavish, European honeymoon.  As Roem and I discussed our ideal wedding, I started adding up costs in my head.  Let’s just say that modest budget was doubled once we added in a photographer, my dream dress, and paying people to do a few things that were causing me to dissolve into tears on a regular basis.

Photo by: Karen Ling

I had my heart set on a romantic and extravagant honeymoon, and I was despondent over the fact we might not get to jet off anywhere.  Traveling is so much a part of our lives that I really wanted to take a trip and connect with my new husband.  We talked a bit about a destination wedding but knew it would put a strain on some our loved ones we really wanted to be there.  So we began planning the wedding and I put away whatever extra money I could into a savings account with all the optimism I could muster.

A few months before we were set to tie the knot I revisited the idea of a honeymoon.  Our reserve savings account had grown to about $2,000 after accounting for unforeseen wedding expenses.  I wasn’t tied to any one location and I was determined to plan a kick a$$ trip on a small budget with a few luxurious touches, even if it was in my own backyard.  After scouring the web for good deals, I spotted a 48 hour sale on flights to Mexico with tickets running about $300 each.

I love Mexico, but I hesitated to go there because I really wanted something a little more exotic and adventurous.  On a whim, I check flights into Cancun and out of Guatemala City, a place I had always wanted to visit.  Turns out the open jaw ticket was even a little cheaper than a round trip to Cancun, so I quickly purchased them before putting together a complete itinerary.  I think it’s always a good idea to act a bit impetuously when booking travel.  If you’ve done your research, then you will know a good price range for your ticket. That way you can act quickly when you find a deal, as chances are it will sell out fast.

I knew our meager budget wouldn’t cover our whole trip, especially with Roem requesting more luxurious accommodations than our usual budget hotel or hostel.  I did some research on virtual honeymoon registries  and finally decided to sign up for honeyfund.  I was a little nervous about how our guests would respond to this, but I liked honeyfund because it allowed guests to purchase “experiences” for you instead of just sending a paypal payment.  We set up our website with lots of different price points and added things like romantic dinners, casual meals on the beach, cave tubing and even hotels to our registry.  We personalized the site and wrote about our philosophy on travel and our plans for the trip.  The response from our guests was overwhelming.  Everyone from my Grandma to my Parents, loved the online registry and we had to scramble to add items because of everyone’s generosity.

You can check out our registry for ideas here: http://www.honeyfund.com/wedding/amberandroem

Sneak preview of our blissed out faces on our honeymoon.

We started plotting the route and decided to spend a few days on the beach in Cancun before heading to the border and crossing into Belize and ending up in Guatemala for our flight back home.  I began searching for some budget-friendly stops along the way before I passed off the research to Roem.  It was hard to give up some of the control, but I knew I was overwhelmed and really couldn’t deal with another thing on my plate.  As we approached the one month out mark, I revisited the honeymoon and started booking what would be one of the most amazing trips we would take together.

Next up:

Planning a Budget Honeymoon: Affordable Luxury

Should you YUDU?

If you don’t know what a YUDU is already, you may want to skip this post and instead check out some of our travel-related content either here, here or here.  I’ve warned you because I’m about to make you want something expensive that is a huge pain in the a$$.   I am not going to apologize for this, because if there is already a tiny part of your brain that wants expensive craft toys that will drive you insane, there is probably little I can do to help you.

A YUDU is a personal screenprinting machine that is manufactured by a company named Provo Craft, which also happens to contain the same name of a city that is home to the largest Missionary Training Center for Mormons. This is not relevant at all, except I have a sneaking suspicion it was created by Mormons, for other Mormons to craft matching shirts for their entire Ward. I’m pretty sure they did not intend for it to be used for rockstar crafting projects like concert posters and CD covers, which is it’s current role in the WPP household.

The YUDU is marketed as “the easiest, cleanest way to let everyone know who you are and how you see the world”.  I’m not sure who would be convinced to buy a $200 screenprinting machine that is marketed as “easy” and “clean”, but I’m going to guess its Mormons Moms.  The Stepford wives in the YUDU training videos do look like they prefer cleanliness over creativity so let’s skip that tutorial all together.

Basically the YUDU is a big, plastic behemoth that has a built in light, internal fan and timer.  You print out your design on a transparency, burn it onto a screen, coat the screen in light sensitive photo emulsion, expose the screen to light and the image is then burned into the screen  You then rinse out the screen and the photo emulsion will dissolve where the black lines of your design were on the transparency.  Now when you pull ink through the screen, it will only seep in where the lines are clean of the emulsion.  If this totally doesn’t make sense to you, don’t worry.  I can attest that knowing the theory behind the screenprinting process doesn’t really affect the finished product.

At first glance, the YUDU process doesn’t seem that difficult, but you can tell from a preliminary google search that many an accomplished crafter has been defeated by it.  Bloggers everywhere lament its clunky design, blurry images and less than perfect prints.  Your experience will not be that different.  You will seriously question why the H$LL you ever thought you needed your own screenprinter but we both know you don’t and that’s the whole point.  Follow this guide and I promise you will be using this superfluous machine to its fullest potential.

Many users will warn you to NEVER purchase a YUDU in an effort to finish a

Image from: http://www.ohsobeautifulpaper.com

project with a deadline (ahem, wedding invitations).  After reading these warnings I concluded they were probably right and proceeded to purchase mine to make CD covers for Roem’s SXSW release, three days before he left for Austin.  Let’s face it, no one buys these things ahead of time to craft t-shirts 6 months down the road.  Most of us are subject to a late night search for creative wedding invitations and end up charging our credit card $200 plus rush shipping to screenprint our own, in an effort to save money, right before they need to go out.

Editor’s Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I resisted the urge to YUDU wedding invitations and instead created an elaborate LP album jacket with a real record inside and a concert ticket RSVP card.  Clearly, I chose the simple route on that one.  A post will be coming next week if you really want to have a bridal breakdown and attempt that project.

Coming back to the YUDU, the one thing I couldn’t find anywhere on the internet was whether this thing was really that difficult to use, or if it just took some practice.  Most people would blog in excitement about ordering the YUDU, print a design with fine lines, attempt it on the original 110 mesh screen, get horrible results, curse the YUDU in a string of expletives and then it was never discussed again.

I am here to make the bold statement that the YUDU screenprinting machine just takes practice and with a few extra tools, you can get really amazing results.  That is not to say you will not cry and try to repackage the machine already splattered in paint into the torn open box about an hour after you ripped into with unabated anticipation.  You will.  Just take a deep breath, pour yourself a glass of wine and send me your questions.

So go order your YUDU and head to your nearest art supply store to get the following: a speedball 9 inch squeegee, a 220 YUDU mesh screen, the Diazo Photo Emulsion kit, a spray bottle, a squirt bottle, a sponge, and some water-based speedball ink in your desired color.  I know this seems like a lot of extra items for a product that *says* it comes with “everything you need to start your first project” but I promise you, they are telling a lie.  You will end up trying to repackage your YUDU (see above), while simultaneously ordering this same list of supplies from three different stores with rush shipping to finish your time sensitive project (see above) to save money (see above).  So just throw it in your virtual cart and trust me.  These supplies will last much longer than anything the YUDU comes with and will also ensure you get stellar results.

If you’ve read this entire blog entry and are still ready to order your YUDU, welcome to the crazy.  Join us back here Friday to start your first project.

South By South…What Just Happened?!

 

I’m sitting in the Austin airport after a wild week of music, more music, brisket and beer. (With a side of music.) Yes, folks… I “did” South by Southwest. What is SXSW, you ask?

Well… in short, it’s city wide film, technology and music festival and conference in Austin, Texas.

The first week is for independent film, the second for technology innovators and

startups, and the third week for independent and upcoming musicians… well, sorta.  Not just.  The last week of SXSW is how it all started and so the draw for music week is the most compelling, I would say.  So compelling in fact that anyone and everyone that has even so much as pressed play on an iPod shows up.  And every single place is a music venue.  Houses, corners, even elevators.  I’m not kidding.

It is a beast of a music festival, if you can even call it that, and it’s an event I’ll never miss after this one. How I’m saying that after sleeping so little and the fresh hum of guitar amps still ringing in my ears?  It’s hard to explain.  I can only attest to the energy around here. People are buzzing still, after non stop music 20 hours a day for a week.  The paint still hasn’t dried on some of the venues that were painted, rebranded and reinvented for SXSW.  Needless to say, for Austin, SXSW is a VERY BIG DEAL.

And here at the airport, flights are delayed. People are updating their Facebook status’ with “I made it through SXSZzzz.”Everyone is tired. Or hungover.  (Mostly both.) Everyone has raccoon eye tan lines.  And a guitar strapped to their back like a Baby Bjorns at a Lamaze convention.  I just realized that I have been walking around with BBQ sauce smeared on my tight jeans by seeing it on someone else.  And I don’t care.  It was delicious.  There are arms tattooed in multicolored, crunched paper bracelets from VIP parties and uber exclusive secret shows and unannounced mayhem at 4am where P-Diddy sang karoake and Kanye healed the sick. It was epic. It was also somehow, in all this craziness it manages to be special. Dare I say, intimate. Maybe it’s southern hospitality, the sweet drawl and manners, or simply too many Shiner Bocks, but Austin, in all her Lady Gaga-Madness managed to charm me.

• Foodtrucks sell Migas

Austinites love tacos. And they love that they love tacos. And they want you to love tacos too. My first night in Austin after landing was spent in a Mexican food joint with my cousin Kalyn on the outskirts of town eating “Migas” tacos and waffles, while drinking cold Negro Modelo. Not a bad start to the week, if you ask me.

Migas is a breakfast taco, essentially, my local tour guide informed me.  And since I’m not the Food Editor of this blog (or any blog, unless, if by “editor” you mean, “Nomnomnom…”, then yes, I “edit.”) so I’ll not wax poetic about the flavors, but they’re good. Eggy, peppery, veggie-y, good. I give them 3 out of 4 Nomnomnoms.

You’ll quickly notice upon arrival that Austin is a hotbed for foodtrucks. They’re EVERYWHERE. The locals call the gathering of foodtrucks “trailer parks” (probably because most of them are fat little mod’d airstreams) and when they gather, wagons circled in a little powwow, they deliver delicious foodie creations ranging from cupcakes to snowcones, paninis, crepes, waffle tacos, korean tacos, brisket tacos, breakfast tacos, and also… yes, you guessed it. Pizza.

• Beers of Austin

There are some very proud brewers in Austin. And rightly so.  I could go on and on about all the fabulous beers I tried, and probably will in a future post, but let me make 2 recommendations.

Drink a Shiner. It’s the unnofficial “good” beer of Texas (I’m not much for the fizzy yellow stuff), and it tastes better there than it does imported to your local corner store.  I have no scientific evidence to support this, but if we had enough of them, I’m sure I could convince you.

Go to The Ginger Man. If you’re a brewer or a fan of strong interesting beers, you’ve got to check this place out.  They’ve got everything and are quick to show you to the Texas Micro-brews if you ask, which I like.  A little local pride. The staff is very nice and drunk informed, and will make sure you get a cab find something delicious for you to try.

Now, to be honest, this is really just the tip of the iceberg for how many thousands of shows and activities that went on over the week at SXSW.  But you simply can’t make them all.  (I barely made my own show.)  Some more advice?

• Book Hotels EARLY

If you can book it a year in advance, great.  We booked ours a couple of months early when I booked the gig.  I recommend it.  We grabbed our comfy 2 bed La Quinta Inn room just a few minutes from downtown and took one convenient public bus right into the heart of the action.  Bus tickets are $1 each way or $2 for the whole day.  That’s a no-brainer for WPP. And busses run till 2am during SXSW.  Holla!

Also, when you get there, go with the flow.  Find friends.  People are nice there.  Don’t rush.  There’s so much to see in Austin.  I fell into an early trap of trying to make this huge schedule with times, and shows, and bands, and parties, and sharing that document with the entire world, whew.  I’m tired just trying to wrap my head around what a mess that would have been.  Luckily these guys did a much better job, and it helped.  But spontaneity is really where the fun is at SX.

• Don’t Forget H2O!

Get yourself a foldable water bottle.  (I know.  Why didn’t I invent that?!)  They’re genius, can fit in a man-purse (what?) and will keep you from falling down and going boom.  Not to mention, the oows and aws when you open that baby up.  Oh man…  I’m gonna go drink out of mine right now.

(Oh, and don’t forget the flush-able baby wipes!  Amber scoffs, but just trust me on this one.)

Bigger is better: Buying in Bulk

Until fairly recently, I did all my grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s.  At first I would just go there for a few specialty items.  Then I slowly realized that my nearest Safeway sojourns were netting me fewer and fewer items and most of my time was spend wandering the aisles, marveling at Trader Joe’s products.  I swiftly converted and did all my shopping there; grabbing my basics first and always throwing a few new curiosities into the cart.  I discovered frozen garlic naan that tasted homemade, unsweetened, dried mango that tasted like candy and marinated cannellini beans.  For years, I was content to wander, a tad self righteously, through TJ’s, picking out high quality items at affordable prices.

We don't need to add anything to this.

It was then that I began to notice how much waste our little family of two was throwing away.  At first I ignored it, I mean we were eating healthy! whole! foods!  But I had a sneaking suspicion that even though my frozen black bean and corn enchiladas were delicious they would probably be healthier and better for the environment if I made them myself.  So a few months ago, I made a commitment to cut down on packaged foods by 50 percent, including the whole foods I regularly purchased in packaging.  Because I really didn’t need the extra guilt that came with the shrink wrapped bok choy, bagged apples and microwavable butternut squash when I was trying to do the right thing..

Now your eyes may be glossing over right about now because this is sounding way too hippie for you to even consider implementing.  I’m not relying on the environmental concerns alone to sway you, because that wouldn’t work for me either.  Here at WPP we are always concerned about the environment and healthy eating, but the bottom line is it needs to be budget friendly  So I will add that it’s possible to cut your food budget in half by reducing your packaged foods.

Eliminating packaged produce was actually a welcome relief considering Trader Joe’s is a wonderful store but really has average vegetables and disappointing fruits.  We switched to a CSA called Farm Fresh to You and although my fantasies of farm visits have yet to materialize, we are very happy with the service.  We receive the medium regular basket every other week and that seems to fit our needs well and the produce is exponentially better than TJ’s even with the odd bruised or damaged item.  The best part is there is no wait list, you can opt out of those items you don’t care for and they deliver to your house.  It’s a little more expensive than other services but considering the WPP household is car-lessfree it is really convenient.

We cannot live on fruits and veggies alone so we also venture out every few weeks to the utopian wonderland known as Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco.   Let’s just say it’s a really good thing that I am on borrowed Zipcar time there because  I could easily spend a whole day in what I’ve dubbed “Adult Disneyland”.   And as it’s a workers’ co-op, it’s owned by the employees so you are supporting a business that is fair and equitable.  Not sure about you, but that just makes everything taste better to me.

A usual trip will find me starting out in the spice aisle and refilling my reusable spice jars, coffee tins and tea cans.  If you love to cook or bake you will be astounded at the variety of flours, (gluten-free and regular) sugars, cereals and pasta in the bulk area.  If you aren’t in San Francisco and you want to try shopping in bulk, make sure the place you are visiting has high turnover and seems to do brisk business.  No one wants the forgotten, weeks-old granola thats been sitting in the bin forever.

Some items you should always buy in bulk are spices, beans, grains and cereals.  Spices are significantly cheaper in bulk and you can try a variety of exotic blends that will make your food taste better.  Now is the time to get a little bit of smoked paprika and hickory salt which will only set you back a few dollars and really improve the flavor of your food.  When buying in bulk, you just get the amount you need, saving you from the unfortunate discovery of the dill seed you needed for a recipe three years later for a recipe, that now has gone rancid.

If you love to bake or are following a gluten free diet, then shopping in bulk is a good fit for you.  You have access to high gluten flour for bagel making, chickpea flour to try that new recipe for socca or a gluten-free version of yogurt cake with almond flour, without committing to an entire bag that could go bad.  I purchase my cereal and granola in bulk and transfer directly to my oxo containers at the store.  Don’t miss out on the dried pasta aisle for some whole wheat pasta, rigatoni for a meat based sauce, and throw in some orecchietta just because it is  so cute.

If you love food and are trying to improve the way your dishes taste, switch to dried beas immediately  Not only do they taste SO much better, they are cheaper, healthier, and take up less space.  The selection you have when buying dried beans in seemingly endless and you can cook up your own heritage varieties like the Rancho Gordo.  Not only do they taste better, they are so easy to make.  All it takes is an overnight soak and some extended cooking for dried beans to come into their own.  I always soak at least a double batch and put half my cooked beans in the freezer.  That way I can whip up a quick chili or hummus whenever the mood strike,  Beans are a budget shopper’s dream and I implore you to give up on those cans with their mushy product and extra sodium immediately.  I promise you will never go back.

You can refill everything from your peanut butter jar, soy sauce bottle and shampoo container.  That’s right, even your personal products can be refilled at the co-op for much less than those costly salon bottles.  While you are there, make sure to pick up some Strauss Whole Milk Yogurt and organic beer after hitting the exceptional cheese department that is truly a foodie’s dream.  It’s also a great place to get rennet if you are interested in making cheese or raw milk if you’ve never tried it.

Don’t be intimated if this is your first trip to the bulk bin or food co-op.  My first time, I was nervous they would spot me as an imposter as soon as I entered the line with my shameful disposable bags.  Just remember, you are making the first step and going much further than most people do.   Next time, just bring your own containers and weigh them ahead of time when it’s empty.  Record the weight on a sticker at the bottom and fill with you desired product.   This is called the tare weight and will be subtracted from your final purchase.

See that’s not so hard!  Just beware that these little changes will slowly begin to change you and before you know it, you’ll be proselytizing too.  Your food will taste better,  your impact on the planet will decrease and you’ll be saving money on your monthly food bill.  I’m not asking you to create your own dairy products or bake your own bread, but I bet that’s not too far off.  Embrace your inner hippie!

A Few of My Favorite Things: Remodelista and Microwave Popcorn

There are two thing rocking my world right now that I must tell you about immediately.  You may remember back in January I wrote about my obsession with the restaurant Caseros in Buenos Aires and its gorgeous design.  I have recently found a website that is basically page after page of jaw dropping, gorgeous images that have turned my dropbox account into a fan club for the website known as Remodelista.

I know I’m a little late to the party in my obsession with Remodelista, which is even more apparent as I spend hours browsing their four years of archives.  This is not a website that I am content with just reading the highlights of each entry and tapering off when I hit the two year out mark.  I am literally at March 2008 and not stopping till I get to the end.  I love every category of home inspiration but I have to admit I’m partial to Steal This Look which features beautifully designed private and commercial spaces around the world and then translates them into home decor.

One image they use on Steal This Look is an inspiration photo that I used for our wedding reception.

Courtesy of http://sunday-suppers.blogspot.com

Our cheese table for the Champagne reception in Golden Gate Park after our wedding.

They provide some beautiful sources to recreate this tablescape and although most of the items are out of my price range, it gives any design addict that’s good with research a place to start.   As soon as I discovered this mutual love for organic materials, raw edges, neutral tones and simplicity, I knew we would be able to go the distance.

Some other spaces that are causing me mini heart attacks over at Remodelista are their take on Delfina Pizza in SF, Mill Valley Beerworks and this exotic bathroom.  I wish I could bring this website to life and walk its hallowed halls for hours, completely absorbed in its chicness.  Blogs such as Remodelista are so special and such labors of love, and to this girl they are an art gallery.  Roem was not immune to her charms either, last night I fed him carefully prepared tidbits of the gorgeous images and he was still clicking late into the night.  When I nagged urged him to bed, he distractedly said, “I can’t.  I’m still looking at that BLOG.”

The other amazing thing I have to share with you is a hack for microwave popcorn.  It’s kind of a ritual around here in my office to make and share some afternoon popcorn.  Actually, the ritual really is that my amazing coworker makes popcorn for herself and generously shares some with me.  As she’s somewhere out in the Bahamas right now, I have had to fend for myself come 3:00pm.

I love microwave popcorn but hate all the sodium and artificial flavors that come in the packaged kind.  I’ve heard you can grab your own plain kernels and throw some in a paper bag to be popped in a microwave.  I finally brought the popcorn to work and using a stapler, had my packet ready to test.  After about 3.5 minutes in the microwave, it’s ready to share.

Microwave Popcorn

1/4 to 1/2 popcorn

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon oil, if desired (I don’t add any oil and mine is delicious)

Just put all the ingredients in the bag and fold over once and staple twice.  Let pop about 3.5 minutes or until there is a pause between popping kernels.

And that’s it!  it’s almost silly to write a recipe but I know when going the oil-free route I was a little nervous it wouldn’t work.  Just be sure and catch your popcorn before it burns or you will go from the most popular coworker to the one on par with the guy who puts the coffee pot back on the burner with just a sip left instead of remaking it.  No one likes that guy.