Sweater Weather

Don't mind the Harman photo paper. This aspiring photographer, who went for anonymity, pulls together a classic 49ers sweater, fitted pants, and men's chukka boots. New age with a hint of vintage.


Saturated colors balanced by neutral hues of both the coat and printed tights. Anime-inspired? Maybe. Leave it to Berkeley...

Spinach Dippin'

Joy of Cooking Spinach Dip

We decided to go classic cook book with this one...Spinach Dip!

Before Hitting the Oven. (sprinkled with bread crumbs and parmesan)

Homemade dippers. (french baguette, salt, pepper, & EVOO)

The finished product! You can't go wrong with Joy of Cooking :)

Something to consider: Joy's recipes make for quick, easy, and yummy meals, but many of their recipes call for canned, pre-made, or frozen ingredients. Fresh ingredients always win, so grow some and dare yourself to change up the recipes a little. For example, we added crumbs and cheese into our recipe even though it didn't call for it. Happy Eats!

Super Bowl XLV Eats

We originally planned on watching the game at a local bar. But, after much deliberation, we decided that we couldn't pass up the Super Bowl specials on ribs and other delicious goodies. The end result: BBQ Ribs & Hasselback Potatoes, washed down with some Roscoe's Pale Ale and homemade sangria (which we forgot to take a picture of, damn).

Ribs!

BBQ'd Ribs!

Hasselback Potatoes!

The Plate! Simple goodness.

Beat the Winter Blues

Downtown Berkeley

Professional, casual, yet funky with a pop of color...who ever said you can't wear color in winter?

See Foods, Pier 39

Fisherman's Wharf -- the San Francisco tourist must-do -- although, some San Franciscians would argue Pier 39 isn't real San Francisco. Anyway, it's late seafood crab season in the bay area, so we checked it out and this is what we found:

Cold Foods!

Fried Foods!

Fresh Cooked Crab - you choose it!

Fried Shrimp & Fries!

For about $20, we got drinks, shrimp, fries, and the popular clam chowder bowl.

You can get free parking if you park in the lot across from where all the vendors are located.

While its not the most ideal place to eat, as it can get chilly and we've been attacked by seagulls before in an attempt to sit and eat on a bench (as opposed to standing near the carts), its definitely something to try if you're in the area. Friends visiting from outside of the bay area always ask about Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf when they visit; let's just say, you're missing out if you've never been there and tried some of the food.

C.R.E.A.M?, Berkeley

Cash Rules Everything Around Me? Not at this place. Cookies rule here.

Mint and Chip ice cream in between White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies & Banana Nut ice cream between WCMN Cookies.

The store name is a play on one of Wu-Tang Clan's famous singles, C.R.E.A.M. While this place doesnt play Wu-tang music all day (thankfully), it does make some pretty good ice-cream cookie sandwiches for a cheap $1.50.

This is a fairly new place near the UC Berkeley Campus that opened a few months ago. So far, they've earned 4.5 stars on Yelp. Not bad.

Check 'em out on Yelp and/or facebook.

Velvet Birthday

Red Velvet Birthday Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Lightly Roasted Walnuts. My little sister made it for me for my birthday! :)

Little sister puts more cocoa in the recipe than most recipes call for, so it was chocolaty and therefore had a darker color. 

Mexi New Year

Traditional Mexican food for the Holidays and New Years Season.

White Pozole. Pozole is a popular Mexican soup made for special occasions, including Christmas and New Years. While there are different types of pozole, green, red and white, my family makes white pozole. This recipe traces back to the state of Guerrero in Mexico. It cooks over a period of 24 hours, includes three types of meats and several different cuts. It is topped off with shredded cabbage, radish, oregano and crushed chile de arbol.

Tamal Rojo de Puerco (Tamale with red sauce and pork) Tamales are another Mexican tradition during the holidays. Like pozole, there are countless ways to make tamales. They vary from country to country. Some are spicier (such as this one) and others are sweeter, being made with strawberries and cream.

Tamal de Rajas con Frijoles Negros. (Tamale with jalapeno strips, cheese, and black beans)

Another variation.

Gramma's Buñuelos.

Buñuelos are dessert made specifically during the Holiday/New Years Season. Essentially, it is a sweeter-cinnamon fresh flour tortilla that is deep fried, then coated in cinnamon sugar.

The Holidays

The Classic Gingerbread House. 

The more Classic Hot Cocoa w/whipped cream and marshmallow.

'Tis the Season

Make-Out Room, Mission