Weekly Wrap: Some of My Favorite 2011 Gadgets

I look forward to each month's post filled with catalogs from some of my favorite stores: Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma, and more. I clip recipes, ideas for dinner parties, and of course, gadgets. Here's a roundup of some of my favorite gadgets from 2011.

The Finds: Cooper Cooler Rapid Beverage & Wine Chiller, $79.95; Chicago Metallic Pie Mold, $24.95; Cuisinart Pulp Control Citrus Juicer, $29.95; Waring DF175 Deep Fryer, 3L Digital, $99.99; Kuhn Rikon Spill STOP Lids, Small $24.95 and Large $29.95; All-Clad Belgian Waffle Makers, 2-square, $179.95, and 4-square, $199.95; Calphalon Classic Round Waffle Maker, $69.95; Personal Embosser with Stand, $39.95.

Not all of the gadgets I clip/pick are practical; for example, waffle makers - haven't yet found a non-dairy recipe that satisfies my tastebuds or a deep fryer - I'm deathly afraid of cooking with hot oil.

Did you get any cool gadgets in 2011?

Bon Apetit!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by their respective sellers: Macy's, Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma, Wine Enthusiast. Collage created by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

In the Moment: 2011 in Review

2011 can be summarized as a year in which cubes and I spent a lot of time together, ate lots of good food, and traveled near and far.

Of all the places we ate, two stand out the most: The French Laundry and Rebel. In 2010, we missed out on dining at The French Laundry for our mini-moon. A local gave us a tip for grabbing a table and in February, just in time for my birthday, we received a call that a table was available. The French Laundry lived up to the hype and exceeded our very high expectations.

Rebel stood out because until it opened down the street from us, barbecue that gave my Texas barbecue memories a run for the money was in short supply in California. Rebel offers many sauces; two are my faves: Original and Carolina Mustard. I love Original on all the meats and Carolina Mustard on the fries.

In addition to great food, there were two transitions. The first, cubes and I got pregnant and are expecting a baby girl in March 2012. The second, after years of being a member of Jewish communities, I became a Jew.

We went many places: Puerto Rico for our honeymoon, the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo for Labor Day weekend, New York for cubes' birthday, and Monterey for our babymoon.

What are your most memorable moments from 2011?

Happy New Year!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Dining Out: Mission Beach Cafe - December Menu

Besides my craving for Sour Cherry pie, how does a restaurant keep us coming back again and again? Two words: creativity and consistency. Mission Beach Cafe's menu presents new interpretations of old favorites and consistently delivers well-prepared dishes.

First let me say that Mission Beach Cafe has spoiled me when it comes to soup. On Christmas, I immediately compared the first taste I took of a Kombucha Squash Soup at TusCa to the squash soups I get here. And of course, it didn't live up. I don't how they can make vegan soup so flavorful, but they do. When the weather is cool (and even when it's not), I frequently find myself craving soup. Not any soup, but soup prepared like Mission Beach Cafe's soup. (In a pinch, I used to be able to satisfy my soup cravings with Pacific Natural Foods' Organic Creamy Butternut Squash Soup, but now I can't. I'm really going to have to perfect my soup making abilities as we can't always get a table spur of the moment at Mission Beach Cafe.)

I was also craving salad, so cubes and I split the Little Gem Lettuces. The only difference from the regular preparation that we made was the removal of fennel. (Fennel is one of the spices that not enough is known about and hence is recommended for pregnant women to avoid. cubes and I have taken a super-cautious approach to what I eat.) The flavors in the dish were a little out of balance, which might have been a result of us removing the fennel. The Buddha's hand, which we hadn't had before, was a little too sweet for our palettes. With a little experimentation, we found that having a touch of the Buddha's hand puree rather than a liberal dosing brought all of the flavors into balance.

Being pregnant means a lot of times I'm unable to Mission Beach Cafe's fish entree. Some types of fish - Halibut for example - are absolute no no's. I was excited to see Cod on the menu as it's a pregnancy-friendly fish and boy did Chef Thomas Martinez deliver with this entree. Of all the fish I've eaten at Mission Beach Cafe (and remember we've been frequenting this restaurant for over three years now through all of the chef shuffles), this is my favorite fish entree. The Cod and risotto were cooked to perfection, flaky goodness balanced with creamy texture with a touch of bite - not hard or runny. And the flavors were spot on. Nothing in the preparation overpowered. Each bite was as good as the first.

cubes went for the American Kobe Bavette. (Oh how I hope this remains a staple on the menu until April when I'll be able to eat beef again. I know I can eat beef if it's thoroughly cooked. For me though, the guilt of taking a perfect cut of meat and overcooking it, is horrifying. One I have a hard time eating anything the texture of shoe leather. And two, I know how hard chefs work to put together a beautifully presented and prepared dish and how heartbroken they get when a diner requests a meat to be killed.) cubes had been debating between the Duck Breast and this entree, but Jeff steered him the right direction. cubes is a notoriously fast eater, but this dish was polished off in record time. (I think he was trying to save me from temptation.)

Full-size photos of the food we ate are up on Flickr.

Bon Apetit!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Friday Funnies: Prenatal Nutrition

It seems as though every time I have a blood test, a new vitamin is prescribed: D3 the first time and now Iron. So today's Friday Funny comes from Stan and Jan Berenstain's Marital Blitz (Third Printing, 1969).

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Font Fun: VivaldiD CL

Like past years when my stylist was in Palo Alto, I'm getting my hair done for New Year's Eve. Unlike previous years, I'm also getting my makeup done. Because I'm going to be glamorous, I wanted an elegant party font for Font Friday. Hence my choice of VivaldiD CL.

VivaldiD CL is available for download from SearchFreeFonts.com.

What are you doing for New Year's Eve?

Happy New Year and Happy Designing!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life. Font Fun is a monthly series showcasing a roundup of free fonts or featuring a free printable with a favorite font.

Bedside Reading: Our Share in the Home

Sexism and stereotypes. I expect that from a 1945 Home Economics text. I'd hope that toy manufacturers and retail stores in 2011 were beyond that as well, but as LEGO proved with their recent launch of LEGOs for girls they're not. Target's toy catalog included checklists for boys (which included LEGOs) and checklists for girls (which included Barbie and other pink items; of course no LEGOs - they weren't yet pink).
 

I certainly don't expect sexism in a presentation given at the 28th Chaos Communication Congress (#28C3) - a "congress ... organized by the community [that] appreciates all kinds of participation" and that has a "no nerd left behind" approach. On their FAQ page, they even highlight that "[t]he Chaos Computer Club is, by its chapter and by common consent, a galactic organization of all life forms, regardless of their age, gender or upbringing. We are dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable experience for everybody attending our events." Yet sexism in a technology setting continues to occur and garners applause from an audience.
 

 

A 1940s Father's Responsibilities

From Our Share of the Home (pp14-16): What are the father's responsibilities to his family?

• The father is the head of the house.
• The father shares with the mother in the plans for spending the family income. Working together, they decide whether the family shall own or rent its home, whether it shall have a new car or new furniture or save for the education of the children.
• The father's influence on the speech, courtesy, and manners of the family is strong. ... If he speaks with precision, this will show in the children's manner of speech. If the father is courteous and polite in his treatment of the family members, his influence will be far greater than many warnings, "Now be polite!"
• Fathers often help with the work of the home.

A 1940s Mother's Responsibilities

What are the mother's responsibilities to her family?

• She must know what foods you should have; how to provide them on the money she has for food; how the food can be prepared so as to be interesting and attractive; what can be done with the leftovers so that no food will be wasted; how to care for all the utensils, dishes, silver, and linen used in preparing and serving the food; how to plan her time so that she can get everything done; what provisions should be made for your growth from a baby to an adult; how to select and care for all furnishings of the home; and how to keep all the family members happy.
• Home nursing is a responsibility mothers usually carry, except for serious illness that requires expert care.
• Mothers have always taken the major responsibility in caring and guiding the children. The mother helps them become adjusted to this strange world; answers millions of questions; joins in their play; directs their reading and music; and keeps a thoughtful eye on their friends, manners, and speech.

Isn't time to stop perpetuating and teaching gender-biased stereotypes? For our daughter's name, we chose a gender-neutral name. Why? Because, even in 2011, people still judge by a name. We want our daughter to be able to make her own first impressions when people met her, not when they read her name on a class roster. I'd have hoped that gender-bias would be less prevalent now than when I went to school (1970s/1980s). Unfortunately, it appears it's even worse.
 

Fair warning to family and friends who may want to get a gift for Gates at some point in her life: no pink and no girl-specific toys (check out TrueChild for more details). Vintage toys from the 1950s and 1960s such as American Logs, erector sets, LEGOs, and others that aren't gender-labeled are preferred.
 

Happy Reading!

Eden
 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Thursday Purseday: Tory Burch Metallics for New Year's

With New Year's Eve celebrations just around the corner, I've been dreaming of eye catching evening attire and metallic clutches.

The Finds: Platinum Band Champagne Flutes, Riedel, $44. Sparkle and Span Dress, Max and Cleo, $117.99 with Gold Accessories (from back to front) - Metallic Reva Clutch, $325, Metallic Logo Clutch, $325, and Metallic Mini Bag, $265. Beaded Lace Shift, Maggie London, $158 with Silver Accessories (from back to front) - Metallic Reva Clutch, $325, Metallic Logo Clutch, $325, and Metallic Mini Bag, $265.

What do you think: Metallics - hot or not?

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by their respective sellers: ModCloth, Nordstrom, Tory Burch, and Williams Sonoma. Collage created by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Road Trip: Food at The Clement Monterey

Lots of Eden-friendly food was to be had in Monterey. We started each day with breakfast at the C Restaurant + Bar. While most days we wandered down Cannery Row for lunch and snack options (check back tomorrow), we ate in on Christmas. Food at the Intercontinental Hotel was delicious.

cubes and I had the same breakfast two out of three mornings. cubes favored The Clement Eggs Benedict (top left photo in the collage above), while I favored the Belgian Waffle (bottom left photo in the collage above). On the second morning, I had the Huevos Rancheros de Marisco (top right photo in the collage above). It was a lighter version of the traditional Huevos Rancheros, with Shrimp and Dungeness Crab substituted for pork or beef. The portion was very hearty - I wasn't able to eat all of it. cubes enjoyed his bite of mine so much that he ordered the dish on our last day.

On Christmas, the hotel had a modified room service menu. Luckily for me, my favorite entree was available, Pasta with Marinara Sauce. While my choice came from the Children's menu, the portion was enough for an adult. It also came with a fruit salad and juice. Room service was reasonably priced, arrived quickly to the room, and was still steaming. We sampled the desserts for a late evening snack after we returned from dinner at TusCa. cubes had the Panettone Bread Pudding and I had the Apple Tart. They were a sweet ending for a beautiful day.

Bon Apetit!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Road Trip: Our Accommodations in Monterey

For our babymoon we wanted accommodations that offered comfort and service. We chose The Clement Monterey, an Intercontinental Hotel, built in 2007. The hotel is impeccably kept, the staff polite and incredibly accommodating.

Miniature bonsai, orchids, a zen garden, and sea otters graced our room. These were nice touches. I hadn't stayed at a hotel that had plants before; it definitely made the room feel more like a home. On Christmas Day, we discovered a candy cane had been hooked to our door - an unexpected touch.

The Clement Monterey was also the first property that actually followed its water conservation policy regarding linen replacement. No matter what I've done at other places, wet towels have always been replaced. Here the room was tidied, but as we wanted the linens were not replaced.

There were only two minor nits with our room. The package we chose included breakfast. The only downside with this was that we had to go across the street to the restaurant to redeem the coupons. Had we known that we couldn't have breakfast delivered to the room with this package, we'd probably have skipped the package. I don't remember seeing this restriction when I booked; it should be a little clearer. Our room had a view of the main pedestrian/cyclist trail. In the summer, this trail is packed and noisy. Over the Christmas holidays, few people were on the trail. During tourist season, to ensure a quiet room, be sure to select a room with a water view.

The hotel has a VIP Kids Club area and offers in-room babysitting. It's definitely on our list of places for a weekend getaway when we have Gates. This trip we chose not to take the sea otters home with us; with Gates, we may leave with the sea otters in hand.

Tomorrow I'll share our experiences with room service as well as our breakfasts.

What did you do over the Holiday?

Happy Travels!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

In the Moment: Company Holiday Parties

Over a week ago, I joined cubes at his company's holiday party. They had a photo booth so we took our moment in the spotlight. (We took two turns; the film strip on the right features the best shots.) If you look closely you can see my baby bump.

This week on the blog, I'll share memories from our babymoon to Monterey, CA and catch you up on a few places we dined at recently - Farina and Another Monkey - for dinner. I'll also reveal the progress or lack thereof we've made on Gates' nursery.

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: Collage created by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Road Trip: Babymoon Must Haves

I'm super excited about our upcoming babymoon. We decided to follow our friends' lead and not go too far from home. (Early in the pregnancy I hd grand plans of flying to Austin, TX, one of my favorite spots in the US, but our favorite airline Virgin America doesn't yet fly there. And the potential of TSA pat downs while pregnant sends shivers up my spine.) The theme for our babymoon is simple: Pampering and Comfort.

Unlike our December 2009 getaway to Jenner, CA, we'll be going to a well traveled tourist destination - Monterey, CA. We'll be staying at a hotel that has 24 hour room service, so hopefully we won't spend the majority of our trip driving in search of Eden-friendly food. The other benefit of room service is that someone other than cubes can fetch for me so he gets a break as well. We've also made dinner reservations - and confirmed them - to avoid being turned away by Maitre d's.

Besides food, this trip is all about relaxation. To ensure total comfort, as with our mini-moon to Calistoga, CA last year, we'll have a fireplace that we can curl up in front of and read.

Some of my must haves (from top clockwise) that I'll be packing into our Honda CRV are:

• The Sandman by Neil Gaiman
• Plush robe
• Ultrasoft toilet paper
• Maternity pillow
• Comfy slippers
• Camera
• iPad 2

What are your must haves for comfort away from home?

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by their respective sellers: Amazon.com, Apple, Charmin, Neil Gaiman, Plush Necessities, and Zappos.com. Collage created by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Working with Fonts: Picking a San Serif font for Gates' Monthly Snapshot

Earlier this month I came up with the idea of creating a 7x7 photo book of Gates' first 24 months. I think I've finally narrowed my picks for the last of the other two San Serif fonts to two choices:

Big Noodle

and Telegrafico. Both have very different personalities.

Which is your favorite: Big Noodle or Telegrafico?

Here's what each font looks like in the layout with the Serif font I chose: Berylium. (Remember that my inspiration for the layout of each page came from a package of tea which has one Serif font and two San Serif fonts.) I'm not sure which font treatment I like better. What's your preference? Big Noodle with Berylium or Big Noodle with Telegrafico?

Big Noodle with Berylium

Telegrafico with Berylium

Both Big Noodle from Sentinel Type and Telegrafico by Salvo Nicolosi are available for free for personal use from Dafonts.com. (The other San Serif font used in the layout (not shown) is Tall Films by GemFonts, also available for free for personal use from Dafonts.com.)

Happy Designing!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life. Font Fun is a monthly series showcasing a roundup of free fonts or featuring a free printable with a favorite font.

What I Love: Latkes and Sufganiyot

One of the best things about Jewish holidays is the food, specifically the sweets. Sufganiyot for Chanukah and Hamantashen for Purim. Where does one get these delicacies in the Bay Area if they don't want to bake? Saul's in Berkeley.

Last night I came home with a dozen latkes, a pint of applesauce, and a dozen Sufganiyot. cubes had not tried Sufganiyot before and bit in eagerly. He really liked the jam filling. (I love the jam filling and never think Syfganiyot can have enough. Maybe next year I'll try my hand at making a batch.) He tends to prefer savory over sweet so latkes remain his favorite Chanukah treat.

What holiday treats have you been overindulging in?

Sprite, once again, wanted to be in on the lighting. Instead of watching the candles and enjoying our treats, we spent most of the time catching Sprite before a whisker or tail brushed the flames. Any suggestions for keeping curious cats away from lit menorahs?

Bon Apetit!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Thursday Tools: Klout (And Becoming a Conversationalist)

For almost a year now, I've watched my Klout scores (yes I mean scores) rise and fall while I remained an Explorer. (Klout attempts to measure one's online influence.) While Klout occasionally has hiccups, it can be a tool for learning.

Last Friday, before I started playing with my profiles again, my scores were 28 and 34. My Klout styles were Conversationalist ("You love to connect and always have the inside scoop. Good conversation is not just a skill, it's an art. You might not know it, but when you are witty, your followers hang on every word.") and Socializer ("You are the hub of social scene and people can count on you to find out what's happening. You are quick to connect people and readily share your social savvy. Your followers appreciate your network and generosity."), respectively. (By the way, I'm pretty excited that I've graduated from Explorer where I was firmly planted for most of the year.) With one profile, I've earned 3 achievements (On My List, The 20s, and Klout OG) with 2 legacy achievements (25 Message Retweets and 25 Unique Retweeters). With the second profile, I've earned 3 achievements (On My List, The 20s, and Klout OG) with 1 legacy achievement (50 Unique Mentioners).

On Friday, I decided to delete one of my profiles. The profile I kept was initially linked to a public Twitter account, a public Facebook account, and my LinkedIn account. To complete it, I added my Instagram account, a public Flickr account, my FourSquare account, and my Blogger account. I tend to share on Facebook maybe once a week, Tweet an average of once a day, and check into a place on FourSquare once or twice a week. I'm more active on Flickr and Blogger - inconsistent on Instagram.

Let's forget score for a moment. Earlier I mentioned that Klout can be a tool for learning. How? Take FourSquare for example. Currently my use of FourSquare consists of checking into places to acquire badges. (In case you're curious, I don't post my FourSquare updates to Twitter or Facebook.) For FourSquare to impact my Klout score, I need to do more than just check into a place. Klout measures your power to influence others. A checkin doesn't by itself influence people. The actions they track, Tips, ToDo's, Done, do. I regularly review places I've checked into via FourSquare here on the blog, but my FourSquare stream is basically just noise. I'm not adding value to others who might want to visit an establishment I've checked into. Sharing my favorite entree or tip for getting the most value for your dollar does add value.

It's easy to focus solely on a Klout score rather than what that score is trying to represent. Maybe they should add a tab you your Klout profile that offers suggestions for improving one's information and encouraging interactions, similar to Statigram's Optimization view.

I'm glad to see that Klout has added an Understanding Klout section to their site. I still think Klout needs to reveal more about their algorithms. I know the argument here is that they'd lose their competitive advantage. But hey, did Google's sharing of the basic model for Page Rank prevent it from becoming a standard measure?

Today's tip: when looking at your Klout profile, think about the interactions you're having. Are you merely sharing information in an empty lecture hall or have you packed the theater full and are actively engaging a standing-room-only audience?

Happy Thursday!

Eden

 

P.S. The addition of my other social media accounts didn't influence my score positively or negatively. According to Klout, "[they are] working to measure are Facebook Pages, Youtube, Instagram, Tumblr, Blogger, Wordpress, Last.fm and Flickr." Over the past week, my overall Klout score dropped to 27. The only positive difference is that I'm influential in two topics, Marketing and B2B, where I wasn't before.

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

In the Moment: Happy Chanukah

Last night cubes and I lit our menorah for the first night of Chanukah. Even though it's a minor holiday, I was excited as it's my first holiday as a Jew. It was nice to spend a quiet hour with him eating dinner without a TV show playing in the background as the candles burned down.

The celebration begins by putting the candles into the menorah from right to left. (The candle in the middle is the shamash or helper candle. It's used to light the other candles.) On the first night of Chanukah, three blessings are said before the menorah is lit. (In the collage above, the two blessings that are said each night appear below the menorah.) From Chabad.org, the three Chanukah blessings are:

1. (Said only on the first night) Phonetic pronunciation:
   Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam
   a-sher ki-de-sha-nu be-mitz-vo-tav ve-tzi-va-nu le-had-lik ner Cha-nu-kah.
   English translation: Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.
2. Phonetic pronunciation:
   Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam
   she-a-sa ni-sim la-avo-te-nu ba-ya-mim ha-hem bi-zman ha-zeh.
   English translation: Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.
3. Phonetic pronunciation:
   Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam
   she-heche-ya-nu ve-ki-yi-ma-nu ve-higi-a-nu liz-man ha-zeh.
   English translation: Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

Chabad.org also has an audio recording of the three prayers if you're curious how the Hebrew sounds. Once the blessings are said, the candles are lit from left to right (newest to the oldest) with the shamash.

This time last year, Rabbi Adar was teaching my Introduction to the Jewish Experience class the prayers for Chanukah and explaining the back story for the minor holiday. (I'll share the history in my next post. I asked cubes when we should let Gates know about the Maccabees and the slaughter of the Syrians, and he said from the beginning so that she can be that precocious child in Hebrew School who knows all the answers.) The students responsible for snacks had brought in homemade latkes with applesauce and someone had brought wine. We lit the menorah at the beginning of class and watched carefully as the candles burned down. We even played some dreidel - looking back I can't believe I was having trouble matching four letters from the Hebrew alphabet with their names. (Thanks to my recent Beginning Prayerbook/Biblical Hebrew class I can easily do that now.) My class notes on the phonetic pronunciation of the prayers are also comical.

Tonight I'm swinging by Saul's in Berkeley on my way home and picking up latkes and sufganiyot (jelly donuts). (I'll share photos from our fried feast this week.) I can't wait!

How are you celebrating Chanukah?

Happy Chanukah!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Dining Out: Pauline's Pizza

Until last Thursday, cubes and I had never dined at Pauline's Pizza on Valencia, even though we walked by it many times. I'd always assumed that Pauline's served deep dish pies, something that typically is off limits for me. And... Pauline's is almost always packed with a crowd gathered outside, waiting patiently for their turn to dine. Last Thursday there was no line, and with the exception of the private dining room, the main room was empty save for one family.

First, let me say that Pauline's doesn't serve deep dish pies. They specialize in a thin crust that's more like a focaccia or flat bread. They offer fresh, in season, organic ingredients from one of their farms and wine from their winery. (The asterisk on the specials menu identifies produce from their farms.)

We decided to split the salad special, an appetizer, and a medium Pesto Pizza. The salad special arrived at the table, arranged like a work of art. It was hard to take the first portion and mess up the arrangement. The Belgian endive was not bitter (we're guessing that the leaves had been blanched as we'd been taught last year at Casa Lana's). The persimmon slices were paper thin; I'd have liked a little thicker piece for more flavor. The persimmon was overpowered by the beets, endive, and greens.

Next to arrive was our appetizer. The Brussels Sprouts were roasted and seasoned with a touch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. The sweetness of the balsamic vinegar offset the tartness of the Brussels Sprouts beautifully. When cubes went outside to talk on his phone, I wolfed down more than half of the dish.

Until I got pregnant, I'd not been a fan of pesto - even the pesto made without Parmesan that I could eat. I know, with my love of Thai and Italian cooking and their pervasive use of basil, you'd think I would have loved it. Pauline's signature Pesto Pizza satisfied a craving I didn't know I had. The ratio of pesto to pizza crust to Romano was just right. Even though I was comfortably full after two slices, I just had to have a third. It was that good.

Now that we know they offer thin crust pizza, we'll definitely be making our way to Pauline's more often. And if we arrive when there's a crowd, we'll be ordering take out. (More photos from our dinner are up on Flickr.)

What's your favorite pizza spot in the city?

Bon Apetit!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Dining Out: Destino for Sunday Brunch

On Sunday, we finally made it out to Destino for brunch. (Lately most mornings I'm feeling too tired to leave the apartment, so cubes brings food to me.) In short, great flavor and healthy portions at reasonable prices. If you love Latin American flavors, add Destino to your list of must go to stops.

Destino's brunch menu starts with favorites from their dinner menu - Ceviches, Lomo Saltado, and more - and adds traditional breakfast favorites such as Eggs Benedict, Huevos Rancheros, and Omelets. They also offer a three-course prix fixe for $24. (I ordered the prix fixe, expecting that the portions would be smaller than if I ordered the selections a la carte. I was wrong - the portions were the same!)

For my brunch, I chose the 3-course prix fixe as I couldn't decide between a couple of items. I had Triple Chocolate Chile Bunuelos (top right in the collage), Tacos de Pescado (bottom right in the collage), and Arepas con Ropa Vieja (top left in the collage). cubes went old school and ordered Eggs Benedict (bottom left in the collage). The bunuelos - chocolate fritters, cinnamon sugar, salted caramel, and vanilla bean creme anglaise - came out first. They were light and fluffy and melted in your mouth, with no hint of oil. The cinnamon sugar was applied with a light touch, balancing the chocolate nicely.

Next to come out was the Eggs Benedict that cubes ordered and the Arepas con Ropa Vieja. (The Arepas con Ropa Vieja is one of the items from their dinner menu. I fell in love with Ropa Vieja when we traveled to Puerto Rico on our honeymoon and am excited it's now available just around the corner.) The Ropa Vieja (braised pork shoulder with pineapple salsa) tops a Venezuelan cornmeal biscuit that is stuffed with Fontina cheese. The biscuit has a nice crust with no soggy or doughy spots. The ratio of biscuit to cheese was just right, both flavors come across in each bite. I didn't have one bite that was just biscuit. (I'm going to eat as many of these as I can while pregnant as the biscuits will be off limits when my dairy allergy returns.)

The last dish to arrive at our table was the Tacos de Pescado (again another one of the items from their dinner menu). Right now I love anything with Mango and this dish - Jerked Red Snapper with Serrano-Tomatillo Salsa - came topped with Brazilian Mango. This dish wasn't at the same level as the other two; the fish was unevenly cooked. I'd forgotten to ask for the fish cooked through (a requirement when pregnant) but luckily two of the tacos were cooked through. One of the tacos - luckily the one cubes grabbed - had the snapper cooked perfectly. With freshly squeezed lime juice, the flavors were similar to one of their ceviches (something I can't have at the moment and am craving intensely). I'll definitely be having more of these tacos.

If you're in a hurry to get your drinks or food, brunch at Destino might not be for you. We waited awhile for my orange juice to come to the table. (Waters were filled quickly, as was cubes' coffee which is made fresh and not your typical restaurant fare.) Once the food started arriving at the table, the pacing was good, but again there was a noticeable delay between when we ordered and when the food arrived. We'll definitely be back, but we'll make sure we have our iPhones so that we can Sanfransocialize. I definitely recommend giving Destino a try for brunch.

Bon Apetit!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Font Fun: Geomancy

Today's font choice - Geomancy from One by Four Studio - is perfect for a night out on the town. (For those who've been following my dress saga this week, good news the black lace cocktail dress fits!)

Happy Designing!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life. Font Fun is a monthly series showcasing a roundup of free fonts or featuring a free printable with a favorite font.

DIY Tools: Digital Washi Tape

Who doesn't love washi tape? Other than my husband. (I now have a Lincoln Beautyware kitchen wrap and paper towel organizer filled with washi tape of all sizes, designs, and colors and am constantly on the hunt for more as new patterns and colors are released each season.) Today I have a roundup that even he'll love: digital washi tape.
 

 

For those without an abundance of space or who prefer pixels and those on a budget, here's a roundup of some of the free washi tape downloads I've come across in my Internet travels.

• Tape strips (PNG) from &Cute
• Tape strips (polka dots) (PNG) from A Typical English Home
• Tape strips (stripes) (PSD) or (PNG) from Creative Comforts (site no longer online)
• Tape strips (PNG): 6 from Bonjour! Our Life and A Little Inspiration
• Lace strips (PNG) from Sweetly Scrapped
• Old sticky tape (JPG) or Photoshop brushes from Fuzzimo
• Tape strips (PNG) from Designs By Miss Mandee
• Tape brushes (PSD): 57 from Colorburned

 

Credits: All layouts designed by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life with tapes from Pugly Pixel (no longer available) and Creative Comforts (site no longer online).

Post updated and all downloads and links verified September 26, 2016.

What I Crave: Things I Can't Have

Today's post was going to be about my travels to date around the bay area searching for the perfect Chicago-style dog. While flipping through my endless supply of food photos, I got distracted by other goodies I can't have at the moment. Two such goodies I forgot to include in Monday's list: ceviche and Another Monkey's Thai-style Tom Yum Shrimp Nachos.

In case you're curious about why I was on the hunt for the perfect Chicago-style dog before we got pregnant here's the story. When I lived in Austin I fell in love with this hot dog: Vienna Beef dog on a Poppyseed bun served with a crunchy dill pickle spear, two beefsteak tomato wedges, and two sport peppers, topped with sweet pickle relish, diced onions, yellow mustard, and a dash of celery salt. Surprisingly it's hard to find this delicacy in the bay area. In a future post, I'll reveal the hits and misses from my search.

Know of a spot that serves up a Chicago-style dog in the Bay Area? Please share!

Bon Apetit!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Fashion Details: Bows on Toni Lynn Maternity Dresses

One detail that both of my holiday dresses share is a bow. One option (the one that might not fit come Friday) has two bows. The other option has one. Both are from the 1950s/1960s, designed by Toni Lynn.

Not familiar with Toni Lynn? She designed the maternity clothes for Samantha of Bewitched. You can see more photos of my Toni Lynn finds on Flickr.

Bows: Do you love them or hate them?

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

 

Tuesday Shoesday: Complementing A Magenta Gown

Now that I might not be able to wear my black cocktail dress, I need to find a pair of shoes to wear with my alternate outfit - a floor-length, magenta gown. I'm thinking a pair of simple grey mary janes or sandals.

The Finds (top clockwise): 15-A5105 F11 by Amiana, Grey Satin, $83, Zappos.com; Tinah Sandal, Metallic Kidskin, Lauren, $49.99; Driven Pumps by Naturalizer, Elephant Skin Suede, $79, Macys.

What color would you wear with magenta and bubble gum pink: Metallic Silver/Gray, Metallic Gold, Something Else?

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by their respective sellers: Macys, Ralph Lauren, and Zappos.com. Collage created by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

In the Moment: Things I Miss

Come Friday I may not fit my gorgeous, black lace vintage cocktail dress. I definitely won't fit it come New Year's Eve. Up until last week I fit it, I had inches to spare even. Now I don't.

If the baby bump was the culprit, I'd be less sad, but it's not. The dress doesn't fit across the bust. I do have other options: a less formal dress that still fits and a floor length, magenta linen gown with matching evening coat.

Rather than focusing on something I can't control, I'm going focus on what I'll be able to have again soon (we've only got 1/3rd to go!).

What I'm Most Looking Forward to About Not Being Pregnant

1. Oysters on the half shell


2. Medium rare steak


3. Bacon


4. French toast


5. Poached eggs


6. Charcuterie


7. Hot dogs


8. Hot dogs with cheese beans


9. Potato salad


10. Hot toddies


11. A steaming hot soak in a bubble bath


12. A dip in a hot tub


13. A hot stone massage


14. Small talk about the weather or what I did this past weekend


15. Personal space


16. Sleeping comfortably on my back


17. My waist


18. My wardrobe: vintage shoe collection, vintage dress collection, coat collection, evening gowns and cocktail dresses, vintage petticoat and crinoline collection


19. Energy


20. Bending over and touching the floor in front of my toes

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Road Trip: Hearst Castle, San Simeon

I love wandering through old houses, admiring the architecture and furnishings. One "ranch" that I frequented a lot as a child was Hearst Castle. Over Labor Day, cubes and I joined friends on a tour there.

Not much has changed since I was a child. Zebras still roam the ranch; we saw some grazing along the edge of the highway as we drove in. The architecture and decor is still larger than life.

The tours themselves have changed. All now include viewing the gardens unescorted (a boon for photographers as you have as much time as you want exploring and capturing the details). It was in the 70s when we visited, a little too hot for me to comfortably tackle stairs and explore the grounds while pregnant. The "gardens" include both the outdoor Neptune pool as well as the Indoor Roman pool. (More photos of the Indoor Roman pool - my favorite spot at Hearst Castle are on Flickr.) Getting to walk on the gold leaf tiled floor after years of tours warning you to be careful not to was a little disconcerting. On the downside, tours of the interior are shorter. Tour 1, the tour we took, covered only the Grand Salon, the Dining Room, and the Movie Theater.

I want to go back when the weather is a little cooler to explore the grounds more and to take cubes on the Guest House tour, my favorite tour growing up.

What were your favorite childhood haunts?

Happy Travels!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Thursday Purseday: All Set for Traveling

Today I'm off to Redwood City for Marketo's Revenue Rockstar Tour. So all I'm thinking about is a purse roomy enough to hold my devices and notepad and a cozy jacket.

The Finds:Westfield Faux Fur Red Coat, $75.99, Ruche; Elegant Entourage Bag, $49.99, ModCloth.

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All product images taken by their respective sellers: ModCloth and Ruche. Collage created by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Bedside Reading: Decorating for a Nursery

One book that's a permanent fixture on my bedside nightstand is The American Woman's Encyclopedia of Home Decorating by Helen Koues, originally published in 1945, printed in 1952 by The Garden City Publishing Company. Everything you ever wanted to know about home decor is covered. For example, do you want to bleach or stain when you refinish furniture? Can you recognize the difference between English Tudor and English Jacobean?

When I began thinking about Gates' nursery I wondered if any of my books had advice; of course this encyclopedia did - an entire chapter! (Larger photos of a few of the pages can be viewed on Flickr.)

Some of the advice I found:

• As they begin to notice what is about them, their education should begin. Animals, flowers, trees, the alphabet, boats, trains, and objects with which they will live the rest of their lives, may gradually be introduced (by pictures) into the surroundings. (p.266)
• A sense of beauty can be cultivated by the care you take in planning their bedrooms for color, type and furniture. It is not a question of money but of ingenuity in using paint and inexpensive fabrics. (p.276)
• Many a colorless room can be turned into a very gay one by the use of attractive chintz. (p.281)
• Whatever the size of the room you have, and whether you spend little or much on it, there is ample opportunity to make it pretty and practical, through the use of color. (p.290)
• Arrange for built-in features where worth-while toys and games can be kept. (p.287)
• Let shelves and cupboards be low enough for little children to reach easily. (p.308)

Where do you go for decorating inspiration or advice?

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life. Bedside Reading is a monthly series, published the first week of each month (Monday for family-related picks, Tuesday for fashion, Wednesday for home, Thursday for food, and Friday for design), featuring books, magazines, or blogs that I enjoy.

Road Trip: The Madonna Inn

On our one year wedding anniversary, cubes and I headed down the coast to join friends at the Madonna Inn over Labor Day weekend. For me, coming back to San Luis Obispo and the Madonna Inn was like coming home. Special events, such as my grandparents' 40th wedding anniversary and my grandfather's 90th birthday party were held here.

Each room at the Madonna Inn is themed. Our room, the Love Nest, was decorated with birds and hearts. Because it was our anniversary, we were greeted with a balloon and a complementary bottle of champagne. With the exception of the flat screen television, when you stay at the Madonna Inn you step back in time.

For dinner, we dined at Alexander's Gold Rush Steak House. The dining room had the animatronic showgirl on a swing that I remembered from childhood. Between booths, butterflies flitted. (If you visit during the Holiday season, you'll see carolers instead.)

On Friday, I'll share the rest of the photos (Hearst Castle in San Simeon) from our road trip.

Have you come across any gems that time has forgotten?

Happy Travels!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Tuesday Shoesday: Boots and Buckles

With the cold weather upon us all I want to do is buckle up and toss on my favorite pair of boots. Maybe it's all the pirate movies I watched growing up but when I think of buckles and stepping out on the town I think ruffles and lace.

The Look: Fur Hood Duffle Coat, $119, Dorothy Perkins; "Imply" boot, Franco Sarto, $149.90, Nordstrom; Marcella Tiered Lace Dress, $49.99, Ruche.

Yes or no to buckles and lace?

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by their respective sellers: Dorothy Perkins, Nordstrom, and Ruche. Collage created by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Dining Out: Locanda

For months, we've walked by Locanda. Every once in awhile we'd pop in to see how long the wait was - never a wait less than an hour or more. Last night while dining with our PR team, I found out why. Amazing food. Great service.

First let me say that everyone should start with the Jewish Style Artichokes. The sweetness of the artichoke is offset beautifully by oregano, salt, and pepper. The stem was moist and juicy while the leaves were crisp. A simple presentation with full flavor. I ate my half very slowly savoring each bite.

Along with the artichokes, we ordered a couple of sides as appetizers: the brussels sprouts and the broccoli romanesco. I wasn't able to eat the brussels sprouts as they were finished with pancetta. We'd order two plates for six of us. Everyone oohed and ahhed over them and those who were sharing the plate with me, happily snapped up my portion. In exchange, I was treated to extra of the broccoli. If anchovy puts you off, don't fear; the flavor is very subtle.

The table sampled the pasta family style. Three of the pastas tried were the Crescenza Tortelli (pictured above top left), the Chestnut Agnolotti (pictured above bottom left), and the Fettuccini with rabbit sugo. I think the fourth sampled was the Bucatini all'Amatriciana but I'm not sure. Everything our waiter recommended sounded so good.

I had the Radiatore "Pecora e Pecorino" - lamb ragu, pecorino, and mint (pictured above top right). My favorite dressing for pasta is a hearty ragu. There's just something about it. (My favorite dish at Farina is their seasonal Wild Boar ragu with the duck ragu coming in a close second.) Of all the pasta plates, I think I got the healthiest serving. My only criticism would have been a little less pecorino. Other than that I'd change nothing about the dish.

For dessert, the table finished with a cheese plate, a mix of cow's, sheep's, and goat's milk selections, and warm chocolate cake (pictured above bottom right). (Again, being pregnant I was treated to my very own dessert. I could get used to not having to share. Too bad my tolerance for dairy won't last past the pregnancy.)

Until last night my favorite Italian restaurant in The Mission hands down had been Farina. Now I'm torn; I think I have a tie for favorite - Locanda and Farina. I'll definitely be going back soon - I have to introduce cubes to the amazing fare and I want more of the artichokes.

Where's your favorite Italian spot?

Bon Apetit!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Road Trip: Linn's Original Farmstore

Growing up we'd often head to Morro Bay for part of our summer vacation. For dessert, Grandmother would serve a fresh baked pie, either one she'd made or one from Linn's.

This past Labor Day weekend, cubes and I headed down the coast to San Luis Obispo. (I'll post other snapshots from the trip throughout the week, where we stayed and what we saw on our Hearst Castle tour.) On our way home we had some time to kill before our tour at Hearst Castle. We decided to follow the signs and visit Linn's Original Farmstore.

At the farmstore, we picked up some potpourri, olliberry preserves, and an olliberry pie. While we sat outside on the patio, we were greeted by a farm dog and a peacock. The pie was delicious and the day was gorgeous.

Happy Travels!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

Dining Out: It's Tops Diner

Sunday I awoke craving waffles. Most weekends cubes and I go out for brunch at least one day. Unfortunately none of our regular haunts Mission Beach Cafe, Chow, or Pork Store Cafe offer waffles. A quick search on the Internet revealed waffles were just around the corner at It's Tops Diner.

It's Tops Diner has been open since 1935 and is styled as a 1950s diner. There's a jukebox at each table. You pick artists you like - none of the songs are listed. The tables are covered with Formica, the booths in vinyl. The one waitress greets you with a smile and waves you in.

The food is simple, all day breakfast, hamburgers, sandwiches, and milkshakes. Tips on FourSquare recommend the pancakes, plain and simple. They've also received best burger in the city. It's good, reasonably priced comfort food.

I had the standard buttermilk waffles. cubes had the 49ers Touchdown. The waffles were good, nice and light. I prefer a slightly crisper waffle but they hit the spot and I polished off the entire waffle. cubes dug into his plate as well, clearly enjoying the fare. I asked him how the blueberry pancakes compared to those at Chow; he rated the It's Tops blueberry pancakes higher. We'll definitely be back as I want to try the blueberry pancakes next. Visit Flickr to see more photos from our visit.

Do you have a favorite diner?

Bon Apetit!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

In the Moment: Making Room for Baby

We live in a gorgeous one bedroom Edwardian apartment. Since May, we've been trying to find a similar space with two bedrooms in The Mission, Potrero Hill, or Noe Valley neighborhoods. We've been unlucky enough to come in second on multiple places. So we're going to make our cozy apartment work for three.

Our apartment has lots of storage space: a small closet with drawers in the bedroom, a walk-in linen closet off the hall, an old maintenance closet that's been converted to a storage room, and a walk through closet that runs the length of our living room.

Unfortunately, we - or rather I - have a lot of stuff. So our storage space is pretty much full to capacity. We've decided to convert the old maintenance closet/storage room, a 4' by 11' space, into a nursery for Gates. It was originally going to be an office for cubes (photo in top left of the collage above). This means that with the exception of part of the shelving system, everything in the "office" needs to move elsewhere. My sewing nook, a 3' by 3' space in the living walk through closet, needs to become dual purpose (photo in bottom right of the collage above).

We also need to baby proof the apartment. A somewhat unstable bookcase needs to find a spot where Gates won't be tempted to climb it. (This task was surprisingly not that hard to achieve once I cleaned out space under the bed. Stacked luggage that sat next to our wardrobe moved under the bed and voila instant space for a bookcase in the bedroom.) An unstable shelving unit in the bathroom also needs to move. You get the idea, right now our apartment looks like a war zone.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll show you the transformation of the old maintenance closet/storage room into a nursery.

Do you have any big projects you're tackling over the holidays?

On the blog this week, I'll post snapshots from our Labor Day weekend road trip (the first of three posts happens this afternoon), share some design tips from 1950s decorating books about nurseries and rooms for children, and reveal two of the vintage party dresses I got for cubes' company's holiday party and our December babymoon.

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

The Scene Today: SpriteKat

We share our apartment with a four-legged ball of fur - a Maine Coon Cat named SpriteKat. I take that back, she grants us permission to live in her domicile.

SpriteKat has been in my life since 2006, when I dreamed her into existence. I wrote down the description of a cat I wanted into a lease and within a week, I found SpriteKat (the living replica of the cat I described) on a rescue site. She was abandoned by her first owners when they moved and had been living on the street for approximately six months, without any front claws. When the first shelter in Modesto found her, her fur was a tangled mess. She was transferred to San Carlos, a no-kill rescue facility, and adopted. Unfortunately for her, her first forever home tried to sell her on Craigslist. Luckily for me the rescue facility found her again.

Why did I fall in love with SpriteKat? Her personality. Every morning at the rescue facility, the workers would find her out of her kennel, curled up on the front desk. Replaying the video tapes revealed that SpriteKat was an escape artist as well as a tease. She'd walk up to the other kennels, casually let her tail fall in, swish it back and forth until the other cat(s) came pouncing. I knew right then that she'd be a great companion.

I should be careful what I wish for though. SpriteKat five years later is still full of energy and mischief. Her favorite mischief? Trying to eat our food. SpriteKat is a junk food addict. She loves Fritos chips, thinks she needs Taco Bell, drinks Peppermint tea as if it's water, and adores carbohydrates - especially Sour Batard and Saltine crackers.

Do you have pets that rule your household?

Happy Sunday!

Eden

 

Credits: All images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.