steak tacos at Pacific Catch

 From the left: Neti, Jeanine, Pat and your blogger in the often seen red vest. We celebrated Pat's birthday at Pacific Catch on 9th Avenue yesterday and that was a great choice as it was not too busy and we all enjoyed the good food and reasonable (truly!) prices. It was a bright spot in a very rainy day. 

It's Lunar New Year today

 This is a good one ~ the Year of the Fire Horse. This is the year that pushes us forward with bold movement rather than hesitation. In the Chinese Horoscope the Horse is admired for its resilience, independence and power.  Gun hay fat choy.

a poem for President's Day

 (no reason for this long poem, it just speaks to me. So there. Here.)

Woof, This Heat

Kate Partridge

The dentist is now the same age as me, which is troubling, mostly because of what I have and have not done with my life, emphasized overhead by the pop star our age whose music keeps time as the dentist shakes his head and laments the incredible heat. “Woof,” he says, “this heat,” and I remember that while I hate dentists generally, as a profession (I’m sorry), I love this one, and want to keep him close for observation, the way it’s possible to love and hate at once birds or old country songs—like the one my daughter and I listened to one morning on the drive to school, five minutes, which affected her so deeply that her teacher asked the trouble before she even crossed the threshold, and the child, pointing at me, revealed: “I didn’t like her music.” What a wonder that among the worst things that has ever happened in her life is Loretta Lynn. The other day a boy down the street carried over for an introduction one of the ducks he keeps (I like that phrase, like they have somewhere else they need to go). He ferried the duck through the air on his forearms and presented her, announcing, as the duck entered, her given name: Bikini. (Sometimes, he added, called Keen.) Keen indeed was this bird, who held so perfectly still to receive the little child’s rough pets. Not like me, in the corner at a party, all flapping and fluttering hands—this bird so calm, unbothered by the indignity of taking bodily form at all. These three, a portrait of grace: one with a beak, thinking nothing of it; another, grants his finest treasure for display. The third, in stripes and patterns both, reaches open-palmed toward the strange being directly before her, a vision of how, without worry, one can be.

Valentine's Day 2026

 

A sweet Saturday at home featuring tulips, popcorn, tea, a devoted cat and a really fine movie. Hamnet tells the story of William and Agnes Shakespeare as they grapple with grief in olde England. Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are terrific and then what a nice surprise to see Emily Watson again. And yes, I do recommend this film. 

trying to get hooked!

 Everyone loves Industry on HBO and I am trying, but a slow beginning for me. How to get to Heaven from Belfast is new on the Flix® and it is pretty good so far. Today I will be a good little Valentine and watch Hamnet, the movie. 

What is BIGFACE?

 Yesterday I met Terri for a latte ($9 and delicious!) at Jimmy Butler's pop-up coffee shop at Valencia and 22nd Street. We have no idea why it is called BIGFACE, but it is a fun and friendly place. Jimmy plays for the Warriors and is currently on crutches but fans keep coming in to soak up the atmosphere. The best part for me, of course, was catching up with Terri and I enjoyed my nice long walk in the lovely sunshine.

happy Heist brunch

 What a cheery little restaurant on Post Street! But best of all was catching up with Dancing Jen over my delicious French toast and latte. The rains came down but I made it to Macy's for some smart shopping, a very good Wednesday indeed.