Written by Candace on April 1, 2013 | 4 Comments

April Fool’s Failure

I have not been a fan of April Fool’s Day for many years.

When I was a young girl, I got a brilliant idea for an April Fool’s joke while watching one of my after school programs on TV. I went to bed early that night because I would need to wake up before anyone else to avoid getting caught. I snuck down to the kitchen before the sun came up and completed the task. Then I climbed back in bed, eager with excitement, and tried to lay still until my mom or dad woke me later that morning for school.

With my whole family in the kitchen and breakfast complete, we were all gathering our things to get ready to leave. The anticipation was killing me, but the telephone would not ring. I knew there was no way I could make it through the day without unveiling my genius plan that very moment. I decided the idea itself was brilliant enough and I didn’t need to actually “fool” anyone. So, before anyone took another step, I grabbed the receiver and unveiled my April Fool’s joke. I had lathered the receiver with peanut butter hoping that whoever answered the phone that morning would get an ear full.

Awaiting applause and possibly a standing ovation, I was dismayed to find my mom grow red with anger. There were two things I failed to take into consideration. 1. The phone was brand new and expensive. 2. Peanut Butter is sticky and seeps into small crevices. My plan was further demoralizing when my older brother began making fun of me for my failed plan that landed me in trouble. I went to school that day with a stomach ache of guilt and a bad case of humiliation. I’ve never been a fan of April Fool’s Day since.

For those of you planning an April Fool’s joke today, be nice and just assume peanut butter is irremovable.

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Written by Candace on March 20, 2013 | 4 Comments

Umami Burger

America is well known for it’s hamburger, but unfortunately, it is grossly misrepresented by McDonald’s.

I grew up eating McDonald’s and every other food chain, but thankfully my palette matured with my age. I am now somewhat of a foodie and much more selective of my beef patties. While on a lunch date in the city last year, we were recommended by a good friend to check out Umami Burger. Let me just tell you, it was love at first bite!

Umami is one of the five basic taste sensations along with sweet, sour, bitter and salty. But I swear dictionary.com has it all wrong because to my taste umami seems to be a combination of all the basic taste sensations exploding with a new found sensation of pure awesome-sauce. Speaking of sauce, theirs are all homemade. We recently rummaged through google to find their ketchup recipe to make at home. But nothing I say is going to quite define how incredible this place is so go check it out for yourself.

It’s a perfect spot for a lunch date or dinner date in SF. You can stroll the neighborhood which has lots of cute shops. Umami has even become part of our itinerary when we play tour-guide to friends and family coming for a visit. Here are a few photos we took during a double date with my cousin and his girlfriend when they were in town last.

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Written by Candace on March 18, 2013 | 4 Comments

Rolling Hills

I realized recently that I’ve started to take my surroundings for granted.

I remember when I first moved to northern California I would often drive to work each morning amazed at where I now lived. I still occasionally have these moments, but they are fewer and farther between. The bay area has become home to me. I’m finally comfortable here, and if you’re like me, it’s easy to put off exploring and appreciating the world around you.

Vitaliy and I discussed this and decided to make a better effort at getting away from our computers and out enjoying our beautiful surroundings. We were thrilled last week when our friends from Choco Studio invited us on a hike at the Garin Regional Park.

The sun shone brightly and the breeze kept my warm skin the perfect temperature. Everything seemed to be lush with life. Like nature was announcing that spring is near. The rolling hills were dressed in a rich green that only accentuated their depths and layers as far as you could see. I tried to watch my step, but I couldn’t seem to take my eyes away from the beauty around me. There were moments I was tempted to walk backwards because I didn’t feel quite finished gazing at the last view before being taken by the new one.

These same hills will be a sweet shade of gold in a few months. But I’m happy I didn’t put off seeing them just as they are in this season. Both deserve to be celebrated. I’m thankful we were able to capture this memory so that we won’t soon forget.

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