StephanieL

When the pandemic hit, I was working in a building on Sansome and Clay. Lots of businesses in the area, with only a few empty storefronts (including a Walgreen's). Cut to last week, and the number of empty storefronts has increased dramatically, including the big space on the corner of Sansome and Pine where a Target was. I don't think any space that was vacant in February 2020 has found a tenant. OTOH, the number of tourists here at Fisherman's Wharf hasn't gone down, and we just got a square pie restaurant and a SoCal lobster roll place in Ghirardelli Square. I hope some of those shuttered seafood restaurants reopen; they may have been tourist traps, but at least they were keeping the neighborhood going.

There are, but they're not printable.

A beautiful Chrysanthemum to mark the start of spring. 2 oz. dry vermouth 1 oz. Benedictine 3 dashes absinthe Stir with ice, strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with a twist of orange.

Meals fit for a Viking.

And the former always has a big float in the Tournament of Roses parade. 🙂

Yup, went to Duarte's a few years ago.

To me, the whole coast around here is wonderful. All of the coastline in my part of the East Coast is flat flat flat. Over the weekend, we did some glorious driving and trail walking around Pacifica, Princeton Point, and Half Moon Bay.

For a late celebration of St. Patrick's Day, I made a Blackthorn: 2 oz. Irish whiskey 1/2 oz. dry vermouth 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth 2 dashes Angostura 1 dash absinthe Shake over ice and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Heh. Reminds me of our time in Paris, when we bought a nice ripe cheese specifically to have for breakfast on the day we left....3 days after purchase. It was glorious, BTW--we devoured it with Poilane bread right outside of the bakery.

N used packaged puff pastry to make a freeform tart with chard (from our garden), feta, and lightly baked eggs.

The Pantheon: 1 oz. Scotch 1/2 oz. Benedictine 1/2 oz. lemon juice Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Last night, I watched a documentary from 2019 called "All We've Got", about the death/redefinition of lesbian spaces, and I was astounded to see myself twice in the background of some archival footage. I'm still embarrassed about how dorky I looked at 22.

Man, that takes me back. I did go to her place in Jackson Heights once.

I think you should make some room on your playlist for a few light comedies. 😉

I used to love his dosas.

Tonight's dinner will be quiche, featuring broccoli, cauliflower, and Egyptian walking onions from our garden. We'll probably have a side salad with lettuces and such from the garden too.

Excellent choices all around.

On our to-go list, natch. You've lucked out with the weather for sure. Nice panorama of Washington Square.

At 88. I thought he was much older. My parents used to go to Steve & Eydie concerts when they'd play the Garden State Arts Center.

That's a hella expensive bottle of Everclear.

Welcome back! I recommend Local Edition on Market and 3rd, especially between the post-work crowd and the start of live music.

The definition of irony: Tahoe City's Snow Festival was cancelled yesterday due to too much snow.

As a tribute to Dave Myers of Hairy Bikers fame, who passed away a few days ago from cancer, N is making the potato-topped spicy bean hot pot from The Hairy Bikers' Perfect Pies. It uses a combination of kidney and cannelini beans, so she's using RG Domingo Rojos and Marcellas. A warming meal for today and the next few cold rainy days.

Homemade vegetarian borscht from the local Eastern European market, augmented with a dollop of sour cream. Slice of Boudin sourdough to mop things up.

I've had them in Chinese restaurants in NYC.