Year: 2020

Weekend Recap and A Few Thoughts

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The topic of conversation during one of the most beautiful weekends in San Francisco – meaning lots of sun and warm weather – which is highly unlikely during the summer months. Anyway, the topic was – would you buy a mask in all sorts of color and my partner in crime instantly shook his head to imply not a chance, he would stick to only black. Which was the original mask I ordered online at the start of the COVID wear a mask don’t wear a mask debate. I do wonder though, if perhaps buying a mask that best expresses a person would actually force them to wear the mask? Anyway, past the mask the weirdest attention we received during our walk about the park was – us carrying a pizza box from the corner pizzeria to the park for lunch and having families point it out to their kids. 🙂 Besides the walks and FaceTime talks with family and friends, I watched movies of course – like most of us and did a few …

Zoom, Cocktails and Conversation

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A friend asked if we could zoom at some point or another, sooner or later, and all things you type over text. But she actually organized the invite, which had me running to the grocers to pick up a bottle of wine to pair with ‘already made pizza dough’ I had in the fridge while stocking up a month back to avoid going to the grocery store and stand in a long line. Every time I opened the freezer door, I stared at the dough wondering when I was going to actually use it. So – wine and sheet pan pizza it is going to be instead of the normal cocktails and dinner we opted for over the years. By the way this recipe settled my decision: INGREDIENTS 1/2 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought 3 cups cherry tomatoes 4 cloves garlic, 2 whole smashed, 2 grated 2 teaspoons fig preserves or use honey 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried) 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes 1 pinch kosher salt and black pepper 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for serving (or 1 …

Lifestyles We Share

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I think we can all agree and some may disagree that we have lots in common during this pandemic lockdown/half-lockdown/possible opening/maybe closing/much reservation in the season ahead – that we have found new ways to keep busy or distracted. In my case, updating the house, swooning over travel destinations, cooking, watching movies on various apps, and tapping into my artistic side – oh and don’t forget walking, lots of walking (which I used to do anyway) I’ve never been a fan of the gym. So this Thursday, while juggling a bathroom renovation, painting the kitchen cabinets to a lighter color – grayish-blue, and updating the bedroom, I am mostly focused on home renovations and what I am taking from each one: What’s got you distracted, or busy these days?

Home Decor At Its Best

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I went on my normal or usual walk on Saturday across the city, towards Pacific Heights, and as always, marveled at the beautiful architecture and renovation projects taking shape in the neighborhood. One home in particular that stood out was the same I saw in a magazine, showcasing the perfect interior renovation – which I often do wonder about – the inside of each home and choice of design and decor. And here’s a glimpse into the interior of this wonderfully old Victorian home turned modern on the inside. Or how about you take the video tour here and see the spectacular renovation project Do you ever walk through neighborhoods in your neck of the woods and wonder about renovations taking place?

Travel: Travel Abroad On Your Staycation

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I’ve been a bit grumpy lately over the fact, the U.S. has relapsed, causing all states to retract parts of their post-lockdown phased openings. Not to mention the fact, we’ve been banned from travel to Europe. This too has caused my mind to hurt. Last week, I did a bit of staycation, where I ventured 20-60 miles out of San Francisco to explore parks and small towns mostly by driving through, hoping to find similarities in places in Europe I so miss. This list naturally caught my attention, about places in America’s western region where one can experience a bit of Europe. This also works well for all those stuck in the U.S. since the lockdown. Just remember to wear a mask, if you plan to drive through these towns for the fourth of July weekend holiday. Where in your neck of the woods can be compared to a European destination? {featured image full credit and source}

Thoughts for Today

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As the world moves forward and we stagnate or worse in the U.S. in terms of COVID-19, I cannot help but wonder what topics are on everyone’s mind from across the world these days? Are Europeans thinking about travel? Is the continent of Asia in mixed state, some exploring Disneyland in their own ways while others are being arrested for protesting? Why isn’t anyone talking about Africa? Is the pandemic worse or stabilized in those nations? I feel the news is often contradicting and my stress level elevating and my hopelessness growing. Is anyone else feeling this way on this first day of July? Or your thoughts are shifting based on this thought process? And then there is this weirdly happy/scary scene… Have we stopped caring? Or is this our way of coping and warding off the stress and anxiety about what the future holds? These are the thoughts going through my mind today. I apologize if this is not in line with what you have hoped to see on RS&S today.

Food: Dinner Tonight – Salmon

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I’ve been craving salmon almost every day and normally, I’d oven-grill one with ginger, butter/olive oil, salt/pepper and that’s it. This morning, I found this recipe I want to try, which is very close to the way I grill mine – except there is feta cheese and orzo and a whole bunch of other wonderful components. So, here you go – in case you want to attempt the same recipe for tonight’s dinner: INGREDIENTS 4 (5-6 ounce) salmon fillets 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tablespoon dried oregano) 1 shallot, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1-2 lemons, sliced and seeds removed – use to your taste 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled 1/2 cup fresh basil, dill, and or mint, chopped (I use a mix) ORZO SUMMER SALAD 3 cups cooked orzo 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 cup fresh basil, dill, and or chives, chopped (I use a mix) 1 roasted red pepper, chopped 1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas drained 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup green olives 1/2 cup cucumber 1 avocado, diced {more} {featured image and recipe full credit}