make that: i GAVE up.

so i did as i said (p.s. what is the origin of "do as you say and say as you mean..."? i don't think it's dr. seuss, but maybe i am wrong) and visited my favorite nursery, sloat on 3rd, yesterday after work.

i still have A LOT of work to do in the garden, but here are a few of the pots that i've started. (click any image for a close-up.)
half of the succulents in the photo above were already lying about. now that they are all together, with some new friends, they look great! i was at ocean beach the other day and collected a bunch of sand dollars, just like i did as a kid, and i think they make a cute addition to the planters, no?

okay, how GORGEOUS is this purple guy? he's as big as my head and starting to flower. now i need to plant him and find him some colorful friends.

and this one - OMG. it's also the size of my head but the flower stalks are HUGE. i can't wait to see them bloom!

and here's a closer look. doesn't it look like a magnolia flower from outer space?


so in love with these things - i think i am officially obsessed!

just as i am mega obsessed with this song lately...

i give up.

this year has been a terrible one on the home gardening front. i used to have flowers and kittens and well manicured vines, but now it's just... well, it's just a g.d. mess out there!

i do think, with more "me" time, i could develop a green thumb. i mean, i did okay for the first year or so. but right now, if i am really honest with myself, it just ain't happenin'.

so what to do? i don't want it to be a total catastrophe out there. and you know how i love color. well, this is when our fog and no-frost climate comes in handy. i have decided, like everyone else these days, to convert my containers to a succulent garden.
luckily, san francisco weather is just about perfect for these hardy little plants. and, the more i learn, the more i love. it's insane how many sizes, colors and shapes you can find!

today, after work, i'm heading over to sloat's 3rd ave nursery - i hear they've got an amazing selection right now. in the meantime, i am LOVING these photos from a yard designed by isabelle greene in santa barbara. (all photos courtesy of brewbooks.)
i mean, these are just gorgeous, right? all of the color and texture!

high and dry has never sounded better!

dog days of summer.

dear readers,

i can't believe it's been so long since i've updated my little blog!

i know you are all AVID readers of fog city sparkle (ha! that was funny!) so i do hereby swear to begin updating this more regularly again - espcially with summer waning here in san francisco.

indian summer in san francisco: this morning's sunrise from my stoop

[tip for non-sf readers: always plan to visit our fair city in september and early october to get the very best weather. we don't have perpetual summer like they did on 90210 (the real one - not this silly remake filled with walking, talking twigs).]

so, what have i been up to on the home front? not too much that is of interest to you probably. we are working on converting our building from tics to condos and, with sf's myriad ridiculous laws, it is enough to make you bonkers. so our house fixes of late have all been of the "bring this up to code" variety - and not the "ooh, look at this amazing fabric i have to do something with it" kind.

however, i have some ideas percolating (and some new silk curtains to make), so it's time to get to work - and get to posting!

in the short term, here's something fun: my first (and only) tomato of the season!

it's finally been hot enough to ripen the two tomatoes that have been on the vine for months. one get eaten overnight but i managed to pick this one (a black cherry heirloom) this morning. huzzah!

okay - be back soon with some good stuff for you!

jen x

it's like the "wild kingdom" up in here!

wasn't that an amazing show? ah, the memories... i love me some tivo but sometimes i long for the days when the whole family would gather together to watch an amazing program together. it was pretty special.

anyway... i'm at home tonight working on some errands to prepare for the weekend and, a few minutes ago, i was about to go outside when i noticed a HUH-YOUGE cat sitting on the fence. i thought maybe it was this little guy's momma - but it turned around to look at me and...

SWEET BABY CHEESUS, THAT AIN'T NO KITTY CAT!

it is a ginormous, well-fed raccoon. seriously, WHAT is it with this house?! our wildlife (like bob the rat) grows to unbelievable proportions!

he's pretty cute though. if i didn't know he would bite and scratch me (seriously, doesn't it look like he's saying "b*tch, i will CUT you!"?), i would want to hug him!

and, while i was up in my library (i'm SO hoity-toity) watching him, i noticed how lovely the view is tonight. thought you might enjoy sharing it with me. *wink wink*

trumpeting a change?

this morning i woke to the first trumpet flower of the year. isn't she beautiful?

my back fences are covered in trumpet vine - and its lovely flowers are one of the many reasons i fell so in love with this home. the vine was in full bloom at the open house last july and the huge orange flowers looked so cheerful in the summer sun.

i'm hoping that this is a sign that we're finally done with the rain and that summer has arrived.

"summer breeze... makes me feel fine... blowing through the jasmine in my mind..."

well, what do we have here?!

came home on sunday from a FUN girls' weekend with my mom (facials, massages, shopping, dinner on the town) loaded up with new flowers for the yard (YAY). as i was heading out back to put them in a nice sunny spot, something gray and fuzzy caught my eye.

this is, generally, cause for alarm in my house, as our vines are the secret hiding place of bob - the biggest rat i have ever seen in my life. (seriously, he's the size of a chihuahua and totally unafraid of us).

luckily for me this time it was a kitten!

he ran for one quick second but, upon hearing my friendly (and sultry - i assure you) voice, he came running. he's quite the little loverboy! i'm really hoping he comes back soon but, in the meantime, here are some photos.




are you in love yet?

rain, rain, go away! come again another day!

new mat for the back door. "is it ME you're looking for.......?"

you know, i'm usually a great lover of fog and rain - but EVEN I am growing tired of it this year. it's felt like monsoon season around here lately (only without all of the lovely tropical temperatures and foods) and, frankly, i'm sick of it. sick, i tell you!

the one benefit, i hope, is that "Sweet April showers - Do spring May flowers." (courtesy Thomas Tusser, "A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry", circa 1557).

to that end, light gardening continues in the yard. i thought some of you would enjoy a few updated photos of the progress.

this is a view from the second floor office. as you can see, the yard is quite small. even so, i am trying to create a few spaces for seating guests.

the first is obvious, but i have added a small outdoor area rug under the table for extra color and definition. i'd also like to run tall flowers along the right side fence for extra color near the table.

the second will go where the "yet to be potted" plants currently sit - in the back left corner. i plan to pick up some antique park bench ends and build one to put at an angle there. a nice, cozy spot for romance.

the third will be on the landing, just outside of the kitchen, at the top of these stairs. i'm thinking another antique park bench - but this one scaled down to seat just two.

my new sago palm, potted with violas and alyssium

and i'm on the lookout for tomatoes that do well during our famously gray summer months. i just hate the ones that are available at the store - no taste! didn't they used to taste like something when we were kids? not just some amorphous, reddish, mealy blob that we somehow feel OBLIGATED to put on salads and summer burgers? *sigh* (i think it's time for my afternoon cocktail.)

what else do you think would suit my little urban garden?

i want to go to there.

"it's spring fever. that is what the name of it is. and when you've got it, you want... oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!" ~mark twain

well, it seems spring has sprung (although it's been in fits and starts - as is usually the case here in san francisco). it's hard not to be excited - the skies are clear, the air is fresh and everything is starting to bloom.

when we bought this house, the backyard trumpet vine was in bloom (you can see some of the original photos here). i can't wait for them to come back and to enjoy a summer in our new home!

as you well know, we have been spending A LOT of time working on the interior of the house, but this weather has rgot me thinking about how to make the most of my backyard (which is really just a small patio - but it's BIG deal to have private outdoor space in this town!).

here are some small outdoor spaces that inspire me. i want to go to there!

i LOVE the color in this one - and how lush it is! don't you just want to grab a bag of marshmallows and stick and cozy up to that fire?!

more fantastic landscaping in a small space - i think it gives the illusion that the yard is much bigger than it actually is!

more fab colors - and shine!

so, this weekend, my friend nicole and i hit home depot for a few starters for my "garden" - which will consist of lots of colorful pots and plants.

i fell in love with these pansies - their little "faces" are so cheerful. and of course i need some lavender for my drawers (yes, that kind!).

and some neon orange geraniums and pink jasmine waiting to be potted. (please ignore the mess - i had just potted the pansies.)

need to grab some more pots to add to this wall! and maybe a fun vintage plant stand?

the vines are just about ready to bloom!

have any small garden ideas or tips to share? i'd love to hear 'em!

punkinpatchpunkinpartypunkinpatchpunkinparty

i'm finally starting to feel settled in to the new place - so it felt like a good time to celebrate my favorite season and, equally as important, being able to SLEEP IN on a saturday (!).

this weekend there was to be no painting, no unpacking, no hammering, no laundering, no gardening - nothing but fun with a few of my friends.

on saturday, some of the girls (and dave, who was a total gentleman and very patient with all of our photo taking and general giddiness) joined me on my annual road trip, complete with spiced apple cider, to farmer john's pumpkin patch in half moon bay. (this place is so famous that even martha has visited!)

this is a truly special place. while it is very well known, it is set away from all of the other pumpkin patches in half moon bay - so it is quieter and more relaxed than the craziness of all of the bouncy houses and rides that happen on highway 92.

but, even better is the riot of colors. this place specializes in heirloom pumpkins and squash - so they have every color and shape of pumpkin you could ever dream of. for someone who loves fall as much as i do, this is a dream come true.

just a very few of the species available. can't believe i forgot to take photos of the white stars!

so, we indulged our inner dorks and this happened:
and we got to spend some time with the man himself:

(seriously, WHAT is up with my hair?!)

mineminemine! one of the 3 wagon-loads of pumpkins that made it home with me!

after workin' up some FIERCE appetites huntin' punkins, i took the girls to my absolute favorite seafood resturant-slash-stand in princeton-by-the-sea, barbara's seafood parlor. if you've never been there, do yourself a favor and GET THERE SOON.

barbara's is across the street from the half moon bay brewery - where you pay many more dollars for both mediocre food and service. instead, park at the brewery, grab some cash from their atm, and walk right up to the window at barbara's.

i'm not usually bossy (i lie) but I AM TELLING YOU to order the tempura-fried day boat scallops. they're as big as silver dollars, moist and juicy, with a light and crispy tempura shell.

then steal a picnic table (with amazing views of the marina and the bay), spritz a little lemon on yer scallops and grab a sierra nevada pale ale to wash it down. i mean, seriously, people - LIFE IS GOOD.

...after the lunch, we headed home to prep for the carvin' party.

how could i have a carvin' party without a spooky cake?

and to relax by the fire...
lots of my favorite tricks showed up with their favorite treats (i.e. boyfriends and hubbys), with some fabulous pumpkins in tow (and one very adorable bulldog puppy in a yoda costume).

so, fortified with my "famous" applewood-smoked bacon mac 'n' cheese, we got to carving.

lots o' carvin', in fact...

and there were many jack o'lanterns...

and just general cuteness...

followed by some whiskey with the girls, resulting in some late-night mac 'n' cheese thievery.

good night! hope you all had as much fun as sarah did (ha ha)!

for more photos, click here!

p.s. anyone know how to set picture widths WITHOUT resorting to the html editor?

what comes before part b?

partaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. ha! that one just never gets old for me.

i think it's very important, when moving, to put an immediate stamp on your new place. what better way to do so than with a party?

now that i am blessed with my very own yard, i decided i should do some grillin' for the besties. it wasn't fancy (read: we had no dishes yet and no furniture in the house at all - thank god i remembered some t.p. at least!), but it was sure fun.

i have a minor obsession with korean barbecue so i decided to try to make some on my own. it was supposed to be a nice day, sunny and hot, so what better? especially with a bit of kimchi on the side? and ice cream sammies? with lots of chilled bubbly on the side?

i mean, seriously, who would even notice that we don't have furniture?

you'll note from the photos below that the new recipe was a success. but, more importantly, what a great opportunity to share such a major milestone with some of the people i love most.

fire!

wha so funnay?


after the story about kicking a guy's face in on muni i am wary of the look on v's face.


meat


meat gone


auntie jennifer always has the best party favors


my lovely charlotte