1. Invite family and friends who are family. Think about the menu a few days in advance, and make up a list of ingredients (not only does it keep you organized, it’s very satisfying). Plan to buy most of your vegetables at your Saturday farmers’ market the morning of, but also check out [...]

[Dinner, July 2008.]
Of course I love to cook, but sometimes I love even more when I don’t have to do so — say when I’ve woken up before 6a, worked most of the day, run 4 miles, and then using what remains of my energy to plug away on something else. Tonight I am [...]

[First g&t of the summer, June 2008.]

Aaaaaah. That was nice. I was only out of the city for a few days, but man, it was needed, and wonderful.
This weekend I: went to the beach; read the New York Times Sunday section, for once; learned to like brussels sprouts; remembered I actually do like [...]

I would like to call a do-over on this weekend. I had plans to sleep in, bake some muffins, go to yoga, go to Pt. Reyes, make some phone calls, enjoy some of the deliciously hot weather … but I was waylaid, unexpectedly, by some sort of cold/flu/unpleasantness that has kept me downing Cold [...]

[Cherries, June 2008.]
I must confess it’s mostly the little things that make up my quiet happinesses: a week of sun, waking up every day except Monday to warmth and light and summer; my near-daily americano, an indulgence at $2/per, with organic milk and sugar; a perfect peach, cut in long juicy slices for my breakfast; [...]