CHRISTMAS TIME IN THE CITY

I know Christmas has come and gone but it's still the holidays so why not. Two weeks ago Bri and I headed to Union Square to get some last minute shopping done. Pardon the grainy pictures, I don't like carrying a bulky camera with me everywhere on top of my already bulky ass bag.

Christmas in San Francisco is dope. Christmas in New York wins though.

"Oh, Bri, you're so ridiculously good looking, and your girlfriend, she's so... funny!" My bad!

With the exception of an overcooked Father's Office burger, I don't eat hamburgers. But since Bri had just completed his first semester at Haas, I decided to treat my man out to a gourmet burger at Huber Keller's Burger Bar. Enjoy it now, baby! Because we're going (mostly) vegetarian in 2011.

His: Black angus beef, american cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, avocado on a sesame seed bun with onion rings on the side.

Hers: Chef's veggie burger with caramelized onions, bacon, egg on an onion bun with fat fries and a side of Fleur de Lys' peppercorn cream sauce.

Ours: Left- Irish Coffee Milkshake (yes, it had alcohol and it was awesome). Right- Nutella Milkshake. Seriously, I would come here for the milkshakes alone because they are that ridiculously good.

Wishing the photos did the food justice. And yes, I will admit, I have put on a litttttttto bit of holiday/ love weight and I'm starting to look very happy if you know what I'm saying. Since it happens to the best of us, I'm going to go ahead and say that everyone gets a shit talking free pass from me until February 1st. Come February 1st, if you still have that holiday weight on, prepared to be judged. Relax everyone, I am JUST KIDDING!!

Posted on 11:10 AM by charissa

TELLYPHOTOS

Random pictures taken with my blackberry and my boyfriend's iPhone. Clearly (the irony), the shittier photos hail from my mobile device.

View from the Maze. The sky looked awesome.

Jaiden hard at work in his blanket fort.

I got domestic for Nel's birthday. Who's wifey now?

Sometimes we get along.

Hurley, night 2, Pinkerton, Weezer.

Sagey!

Word I just learned: Campanile. [ˌkæmpəˈniːlɪ] n. a bell tower, not usually attached to another building.

Ringo, notorious leg humper.

Don't get it twisted. We did not say, "Let's take a picture of each other taking a picture of each other."

Posted on 1:55 AM by charissa

FIELD TRIP WITH FRIENDS

It took about 50 emails and over a month to organize, the troops rounded up and headed eastward bound. First stop, my favorite brunch spot in Berkeley, La Note. I swear, no matter where I go for brunch, from the lower end (Denny's) to the higher end, I always have to wait a long ass time to be seated. La Note is no exception; however, at least here I can enjoy a mimosa outside while waiting. And as you can see from the photo below... they kept us waiting.

Creme Fraiche Pancakes pour Jaiden.

Omelette des Pommes de Terre pour Bri et Baguette au Brie pour moi! Tres bien!

After our brunch, we migrated over to the Oakland Museum of California for the Pixar: 25 Years of Animation Exhibition. According to Jaiden the exhibition quote unquote blew his mind off-- his mind blew up. If a 5 year old, albeit a strange only child 5 year old, can not only appreciate the works on display but enjoy the whole museum experience, anyone can too. My afterthoughts? Dope, I now have a greater appreciation for being a bay area resident. And of course no photography allowed so the only snapshots I managed to take were in the foyer.

I spy with my little eyes.... Jeff & Rosiella.

A trip to Ici is obligatory when in the Oakland/Berkeley area. Even though we were still stuffed from our brunch, we had to go. No regrets.

Another round of spot the friends. Guess which couple with their backs turned is May & Rich.

We then traveled across the bridge to get rowdy, eat more, and watch Pacquaio fuck up Margarito. To explain the lack of photos of my Alpha Sisters, we all were too intrigued by the effects of FourLoko on our men (minus Jaiden obviously), and it was my anthropological duty to document the different stages of FourLoko inebriation.

Observing, commence.

Kudos to you if you noticed this post is a little over a month late.

Better late than never, right?

Posted on 12:05 AM by charissa

SANTA AKA MOMMY.

'Tis the season to spoil my already spoiled child. This Christmas I'm trying my hardest not to overdo it. 3 presents tops. 2 of those presents will be from Santa, 1 from me (yea.. that won't happen). Every year Jaiden has always asked for the the most random shit. Last year it was a golden harmonica. No joke. This year, it seems as though he ran out of random things to ask for, or perhaps he was just uninspired when he wrote his first letter to Santa (he writes two, one per household). Either way, I took it upon me to pick out cool gifts that would spark his imagination.

1. A Fort/ Tent/ Sanctuary/ Headquarters. I wanted to give Jaiden a place he could escape to and find solitude. His own little club house where he can use his imagination uninterrupted and the blanket forts weren't cutting it anymore. Eventually they became a pain to fashion and clean up. So I've decided to buy him a fort and by fort I mean a cool Toy Story 3 camping kit-- tent, sleeping bag, flashlight, backpack.

images found via google image

2. Superhero Handbooks. These handbooks cover essential super hero topics from how to train a sidekick to how to how to withstand poisonous kisses. They're well above Jaiden's reading level but might as well challenge him. Perfect for him to study while in his fort.

3. A Cool Set of Colored Pencils & Sketchbook. Just the other day Jaiden was complaining that he never has enough paper to draw on. Then the little light bulb popped up over my head. Why not get the kid a cool sketchbook and a set of colored pencils to carry around with him? I figure I'll get him a special set of colored pencils so he learns how to care and cherish them, and an incredibly cool sketchbook that meets my standards for him to doodle in. Years from now Jaiden can pull the sketchbook from my future dream bookshelf and admire his drawings as a 5 year old. This present also satisfies one of my 2011 new years resolutions that I promise I will post as the end of the year is closer.

4. The stuff he actually asked Santa for: lego sets and a double light saber a la Darth Maul because he likes being the bad guy.

(source & source)

Posted on 12:48 PM by charissa

MY SEMI DELUSIONAL CHRISTMAS LIST.

In no particular order...

1. A loaded FasTrak Toll Tag. Since my Bri moved to Berkeley I've spent a shit load in fines. $126 in parking violations (3 tickets), I've been towed at $160, and the cherry on top- one FasTrak volation at $5. While the parking situation is always going to suck balls, a loaded FasTrak Toll Tag would be a practical gift for this bay area trotter.

(source)

2. A complete detail for Audi Klum. Cars need pampering too and I'm one of those people who would rather have a professional do it for me. A complete interior and exterior detailing, including carpets and floor mats steam cleaned, every little crumb extracted from every one of her nooks and crannies, clay bar wax, leather conditioned. Audi Klum deserves it and you can grant her Christmas wish with a generous gift card from AJ Auto Detailing.

3. A soak- off gel manicure like the photo below and an organic spa pedicure complete with an exfoliating sea salt scrub, hot stone massage, and paraffin wax treatment.

(I wish I remembered the source.)

4. Bookcase. Contrary to what some people think about my reading preferences, I have/do read more than just the Twilight Saga, fuckers! However, all the reading I seem to have time for these days are children's books, couple skims of my google reader, and emails. Either way, both Jaiden and I have accumulated heaps of awesome reads that are overtaking my bedroom dresser and it just so happens to be one of my 2011 new year's resolutions to keep organized and to read more (2011 new years resolution post to follow). Why not organize and display my books in style with Dave Choe furniture (I wish)? Though I will settle for something practical and Ikea.

(source)

5. Anything Steve Martin. This guy gets no hype. Silly movies aside, he's brilliant.

6. A mame shiba inu whom I will call Ichigo. Preferably fully trained and house broken please.

7. Mugs/ Reusable Watter Vessels. Though I have hopped on the green wagon with my reusable water bottle of choice, I still suffer from a mild case of Green Guilt. Watching how wasteful people are around my office (I swear I'm not judging), it makes me feel a extra guilty whenever I use a paper cup for my water or coffee. A cool mug to keep at my desk and extra BPA- free water bottle would help ease my conscience.

8. You could never go wrong with a gift card. But if you really want to do it right, consider purchasing for one of the retailers below ;)

9+ fancy skincare products, a professional makeup train case, a really cool jewelery box, an ice ball maker, a fancy Japanese wallet, a vacation, cutesy silicone cupcake molds, uggs (don't hate), new lenses for both cameras..... ETC.

Posted on 5:39 PM by charissa

Girls Gone Wild

Two weekends ago I found myself childless and boyfriendless. You know what that means... party time with my girls! One shot o' whiskey, one beer and under an hour later, they're in bed fast asleep and I'm awake pondering the irony of the events that unraveled that evening. Partying was replaced with eating, socializing with movie nights in. Boring and loving it.