moss-taches, a banana slug and the hilliest city

after a lovely stay at a san fran 'sanctuary' we found on airbnb,

and an incredible birthday dinner at bar jules in san fran...

we journeyed north in search of the oldest trees.

they towered above in massive, humbling splendor

at the Humboldt Redwoods State Park

where moss covers everything

and we (well, just Jon, really) made friends with this banana slug.

we stayed warm by the fire and camped in a tent, and journeyed back towards san fran along the coast passing through old towns like ferndale

and stopped to smell the coastal air.

we stumbled upon an amazing bed & breakfast in Fort Bragg which happened to also be a pretty serious establishment for Tango.

and had this sweet water tower attached to it.

we didn't become tango experts, but had a beautiful and memorable trip!

Ides of MaRCHlissa

you can rock the term "ides" on the 15th of March, May, July and October and on the 13th of all other months.

best known for the murder of Julius Caesar in 44 BC, the ides of March is also revered for the birth of legendary Italian model, Fabio.

beyond Caesar and Fabio, March 15th must also be celebrated for the birth of Alissa Munoz; an incredibly spectacular human being who is as bright and warm as the sun and a fountain of literary talent and creative genius.

happy birthday, pretty!

elevatorology

humans and elevators make strange combos.

on my way to floor 13 this morning, i reached for the button to find 3 floors already lit.

there is something inexplicably and UTTERLY irksome about being the 4th stop in an elevator.

so this morning, I actually left the elevator i was in--i put my hand in the door as it was closing and got out. it felt weird...

but liberating.

i'm almost certain it took more time to wait for the next elevator, then make a stop at floor 12 for someone--but it was worth it!

i know i felt more at ease in this elevator situation than being the fourth stop. how silly!

Marching Forth and Fork!

spring is s l o w l y rearing its head and we are getting closer and closer to warmth, sunshine and new opportunities!

jon got into his doctor of public health program!

(small coffee celebration at my favorite cafe in the world,

fork etc. )

and things are taking off once again with activities at Clemente Park and Playground!

rain or shine!

let's talk teeth

went to my favorite Philadelphia dentist in the world today, Dr. Joel Davidson. he hums little diddies while checking my teeth. he is wonderful. my favorite Maryland dentist is Dr. Susan Pearson . she doesn't hum but she's excellent and very thorough!

bottom line, i'm still in the "no cavity club."

i attribute this to:

great genes. thanks kati and ricsi.

but also the fact that I've been using a Sonicare for many years now--and i can tell you--it's worth the investment. get one!!! now! it's for the life of your teeth and the teeth of your life!

i think darwin would be stumped

by the one...the only....mimic-pus:

seriously.

in the next week, i am going to try to track down several octopus specialists and find out how to explain this creature in the context of natural selection.

ode to the otter

...in a lovely building on green street,

twas a twist of fate,

who knew my jolly neighbor would end up as my mate?

i knew it was meant to be and thought it a bit funny,

when i found out that growing up, we each had a pet bunny.

i am so very grateful that he entered my world,

with his sweet eyes and his luscious head of curls.

so silly together, he always makes me smile,

he's even run with raven and completed the 8-mile.

he's wonderfully loving and generous to all creatures

my mom loves him very much, but that's not his best feature!

he's brilliant and bright,

with an appetite for life

he's generous and sweet

he knows how to roast beets,

day in and day out, he sweeps me off my feet!

i love you, jonny otter!

snowsnowsnow!

snow, it's all the rage!

tried to board down Green Street! it wasn't very fast.

there are snowmen everywhere! it seems their creators make a point to showcase their manhood...

sledding down the art museum steps is so hot right now--though some people use boxes, air mattresses, garbage can tops, shopping baskets, snowboards,
AND BICYCLES!

I LOVE IT! being in this snowy wonderland is like we've suddenly won a free trip to Vail, Colorado without all of the pesky air travel, hotel expenditures and snooty skiiers! i'll take it!

pretty pretty funny

didn't watch the superbowl, but I did hear some buzz about a few ads.

this is my favorite:

maybe it's because I secretly wish there was a green police, and I could join the squad!

swell dwelling

last weekend we drank a lot!

...of chai from our french press, our new favorite device for all hot beverages!

all this drinking happened while moving jon's things upstairs!

it was fun to have his things and art mingling with my things and art.

we even mingled our mirrors to create a mirror universe!

our things are very happy together!

O-fish-uary

Less than a year ago, I wrote about my adventures with Margot and Richie, Jon's beloved pet goldfish. Margot left us over the summer, but Richie prevailed.

Until this weekend.

Richie was a great fish; charming, loving, with a great appetite for life and a passion for swimming. On the night of January 16th, Richie was made victim of a practical joke played on Jon by one of his friends who thought it would be funny to put Richie in a wine glass and replace him in his bowl with a can of gravy. Richie could not handle the trauma and fell sick, passing early this morning. Richie lived a rich life--he will be missed greatly and honored forever!

warm highlights

the weather outside is frightful!

in miami, iguanas are falling out of the trees because they are going numb.

we were lucky to enjoy a few days of warmth before the big freeze.

basking at the Botanical Gardens

eating a sandwich from la sandwicherie, purveyors of possibly the best sandies in the world

new years in the ocean

and it wouldn't be south beach without some beautiful creatures.

this is casper the bunny

all I want for new years...

is for the puppet show to happen!

you see, at christmas there was a perfectly wonderful puppet theater constructed with great care and love, but it seems the energy ran out and the puppet show never happened.

but alas...

i have faith that 2010 will bring a puppet show...or two!

family means fabulous food

hanging out in miami always includes awesome meals prepared by my mom and sister.

hats off to the chefs!

highlights included a delicious orzo, tomato and chick pea salad

tasty snap pea, ricotta ensalata, radish and mint salad!

petra's mascarpone and strawberry dessert creation was insane!

mom's traditional hungarian pea soup

quick mushroom and spinach quiche

and late one night jon and i ventured to a place that only makes empanadas...they were tasty!

overall it was a delicious time to share!