San Francisco

I left Sausalito on January 16 for San Francisco to stay with my dear friends Nina & Kim (see photo). The drive into SF across the Golden Gate Bridge never gets old. This is one of the reasons people leave their hearts here.

Nina & Kim have a flat on Grove Street, right on the panhandle of Golden Gate Park in the Haight/Ashbury district of SF. It is just wonderful to be in San Francisco and walk this neighborhood. Nina is 2 blocks from Golden Gate Park, so we walk even if it's raining. A little water falling from the sky can't keep us from the beauty and diversity of this neighborhood.

The girls got a dinner party together here in The City with a bunch of our old work mates from UC Berkeley. What a blast catching up on old times! Whew! What a party! We had drinks at Nina & Kim's place first and then ventured out to a Moroccan belly dancing restaurant called El Mansour on Clement St. I will let the photos speak for themselves with just a little narrative from me.

This was the perfect place to be taken for dinner. Definitely getting me ready for our trip to

India. Takes one right out of their own comfort zone for food and culture. Loved it! The first thing they did for us was bring us all a towel and then a huge bowl and a pot of hot water arrived at the table. The hot water was poured over our hands to wash them. The reason they do this is everything they bring you is eaten with your hands. Finally! It's OK to eat with my hands!!! :o)

The food started to arrive. Plate after plate. Lentils, couscous, marinated vegetables were first. Then came more vegetables for the salad course. Bread is handed out and you just dig in with your hands!

Then, the most FABULOUS appetizer arrived called Bastela Du Chef, a crispy pastry filled with

chicken, almonds and assorted spices. All covered in powdered sugar. HEAVEN! (see photo here)........Then, came the rabbit kabob, Cicken with lemons and olives, chicken with honey and prunes, lamb with honey and almonds, lamb with eggplants and couscous with vegetables. Ugh! I think this has turned into another food blog!

Thank goodness the music started so we could take a breath between our courses. Suddenly, we were graced with the presence of the most beautiful belly dancer. If you have never seen one. You should. Graceful, elegant, sensual, mystical, beautiful. Here are some photos.

It was such a pleasure to sit and take in all of this culture. The dancing was just magnificent! I couldn't wait to get up and tip this very talented woman. And, of course she wanted me to try and dance 'the belly'. How can one resist when asked by such a beautiful woman with all of your friends egging you on! Oh dear! (Paula, I couldn't resist putting you in here too!) What a night.

More Food!

Don't be afraid. It's only food. REALLY good food! I learned not to be afraid of so much of it years ago. I mean
I do have a German mother who grew up on a farm and made everything from scratch my entire life! When you make mashed potatoes, you ALWAYS use real butter and 1/2 & 1/2. When you make a piece of meat, you make enough for the family and then some extra for, well, breakfast and maybe lunch the next day!
I will now share with you the rest of my eating adventures during my stay with Charles. There was the cheese and lamb steak dinner. Yum! Did I say yum? YUM! YUM! YUM! 5 kids of cheese (drippy, gooey, french and fabulous) and there were 3 steaks for 2 of us which made for a KILLER lamb sandwich the next day. Oh, and mom, we did have broccoli too. We've got to have SOMETHING to scrub the fat out of our arteries! :o)

One of my other favorite meals was a three courser. Cheese (of course) then a fantastic plate of luscious, tender, melt-in-your-mouth chicken livers (they were so delicious, I almost passed out!) Then came the grass fed pork chops, sauteed king mushrooms in garlic & ginger, and sauteed kale with onions and garlic. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to really make sure I am still alive and not in heaven. I'm thinking maybe Charles and I should take up that 250 miles a week on the bike again. RIGHT NOW!

Then, there was the steamed mussels, crab cakes and salmon dinner too! UGH! I swear I don't weigh 250 pounds........... YET! Thank goodness for the walking we do to shop for all of this food. We have to lose an ounce here and there some how. :o) I just really can't get enough sea food.

The grand finale of

meals was a doozy! Thank goodness Kevin came over to help us with this one. Again, there was

the cheese! We then fell into the ginormous side-or-beef steaks, sauteed mushroom, grilled onions and mashed potatoes (yes mom, I used the real

butter and 1/2 & 1/2!). Oh, and lets not forget the salad. Got to scrub those arteries. I must say that the thing makes me happiest in my life (besides Rowan) is the magic that takes place while cooking good food, with good friends and eating it while drinking good wine over good conversation. Cheers!