Better Together
On this day 23 years ago, we went to City Hall. It was a Wednesday. Did we take the day off from work? I don't remember, but we must have. It was a different time. There was no Uber or…
Amore per Amatrice
The news of this week's 6.2 quake in Central Italy shook me, halfway around the world. The epicenter is close to the town where my great-grandfather came from, Salle, which itself was destroyed in a quake in 1933. In this…
On Purpose and Satisfaction
I've been freelance for six years now. It's not a life for everyone. If you crave stability, regular pay, or the social environment of the office, don't quit your day job. However, these have been some of the most fulfilling years…
Two daddies had Reese
Nearly nine years ago, we brought Reese home from the SF SPCA. On January 20, we said goodbye to her. After nearly losing her back in October, she rebounded with the help of our amazing vet. Over the ensuing weeks…
Up the Hatch (chiles)
Ages ago, I lived in Santa Fe. Ask anyone who knows me; I talk about it a lot, even though it's been almost 25 years. New Mexico is where I developed my addiction for spice, since green chiles are the…
Continuing my conversation with Hugh Acheson
Continued excerpts from my interview with chef Hugh Acheson, discussing the state of dining in the South and beyond.
Ai Weiwei @Large, Alcatraz
Today's the last day to catch Ai Weiwei's @Large exhibit on Alcatraz. In case you missed it, here's a few shots from our visit earlier this week. As you enter the New Industries Building, you're faced with a tremendous, colorful…
A photo session with Erin Scott of Yummy Supper
I'm a member of the San Francisco Professional Food Society, a local networking group for folks engaged in all aspects of food, be they chefs, producers, writers and whatnot. Within the organization we have various Special Interest Groups, or SIGs, where we can meet up to socialize and learn. These SIGs really are worth the price of membership.
Today the food photography SIG met at the beautiful Berkeley home of Erin Scott of the blog Yummy Supper, and the soon-to-be-released book of the same name. Although self-taught, Erin has become an accomplished and skilled photographer, and she had us over to share some tips and talk about her process.
She's got a clever setup in a room off her kitchen, with large glass doors that allowed the soft, foggy light in. Saw horses and weathered wood boards become an instant tabletop, which she changes up with textiles and other props. She had some clever ideas about capturing light, like using prefab canvases from art stores as ready-made bounces, and also has a massive bifold bounce that stands behind her, helping further to fill in light as needed.
Kitchen tip: DIY panini press
As much as I adore Kathy's passion for the panini press, and recognize it as a true multifunction tool, and in spite of the fact that we have a bigger kitchen than most, I just cannot bring myself to invest…
Popeners, redux
A lot's gone on in the Vatican since we first wrote about our beloved Popeners. Benedict VXI came and went, and now Francis is garnering attention for his radical views of love and acceptance. We're not religious in this household.…