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ava

I took off two days last week to take care of this little girl. It entailed going to the doctor's office one day, a follow-up the next, and then a trip to children's ER just because the equipment in the hospital could do a bit more. Ava's back to almost healthy again.  It's hard when your child gets sick.  I'm glad she's doing fine now.

We went to Japantown last Sunday to pick up mochi and to stop by Paper Source.  We also went to la boulange (bay bread) to pick up almond croissants, chocolate croissants, meringues, and bread.

Ava in Japantown at the Peace Plaza (feeling much better).  The day we went was the one year anniversary of the tsunami in Japan. There were some events during the day.  We stayed a little to watch the large scale calligraphy performance.

kiki and coco in paris

Last Friday I took off early from work to take Ava to this event. My sister and cousin came as well.

It was a book signing and tea party for the Kiki and Coco in Paris book.  You can see images of the book here.

The author, photographer, and doll maker were present as well as Kiki, the young girl in the book to take pictures and sign books.

From left to right: Nina Gruener, Stephanie Rausser, and Jess Brown

Here is Kiki signing her autograph...

There was crafting and face painting for the little girls...

Champagne, tea, sandwiches and desserts for everyone...

Author Nina Gruener reading the story to all the little girls...

Decor at the tea salon...

The dolls...

Little Miss Ava smiling and ready to go home...

16th annual ghiradelli chocolate festival

This event was last month.  This time I went with Jason, my sister, and my brother-in-law.  Ava went to a birthday party.  The weather wasn't as nice as last year's but it was still okay.

Jason with his tasting card...

Vodka that really and truly tasted like chocolate...

Jason's bow and arrow...

Jason with his Aunt in front of the Paul Frank camper...

Inside the Paul Frank camper...

We each received a Paul Frank screen printed tote.  I was able to pick one up for Ava in her size.

They also passed out free "I'm Awesome" bracelets...

Since my sweet litte girl couldn't come to the festival, I picked up a little treat for her and she was so happy...

picasso

Picasso is in San Francisco for a limited time.  We took the kids to see the exhibit yesterday.  Jason probably may have appreciated it more than Ava.  She thought the pictures were "scary".  I've seen some of the pieces when I went to the museum in Paris so I didn't mind breezing through the collection.  I think the kids were the youngest ones there at the reserved time we went.  I heard my son say to a woman that he was an "artist".  She smiled and asked what he liked to draw.  She told me she loves when kids are creative.  We went to get a quick snack at Stow Lake before heading home.

 
 
 
 
 

 

t2 :: sfo

On April 9, we had tickets to see the new Terminal 2.  It was open to the public from 12:00 to 5:00 but employees at my work were offered VIP tickets to see the new terminal from 10:00 to 12:00 before the public.  Though I don't think it mattered because there were quite a few people early in the morning anyway.  You can read the article here.

 
We were early enough to take a picture with Tyler Florence.  I was snapping away while he was behind the counter and couldn't get a real good picture.  I went back outside, waited a bit, then saw him come around his counter speaking to someone.  I went back in, tapped him on the shoulder and asked if I could take a picture with him.  I was a bit excited and when he took his hand out to say "Hi, Tyler Florence" - I said "I know!" -- haha... My little two minutes of being star struck.  Wish I had my cookbook for him to sign.  It was great because I beat the crowd.  It did get crowded by the time we left.

 
 
They had a game for all to play. Eco/green questions meant for kids and adults.  You just had to fill your card with 10 stamps and then you can enter a drawing.

 
 
It was also Giants opening weekend so a lot of people were in their Giants gear.  Lincecum is my son's favorite.  He got lots of compliments on his jersey.  I think within a 50 foot radius, you would see someone in a Giants t-shirt.

 
The kids were excited to get SFPD stickers.

 
Xylophone on the wall for kids to play with.

 
The lounge chairs:

 
 
Acme bread is one of my favorites so if you haven't tried it before, buy some with Cowgirl Creamery and snack right there if you ever find yourself in the new T2 terminal.

balenciaga and spain

I went to the exhibit a couple weeks ago.

 
The collection is so beautiful.  You can see The Style Saloniste's post here. 

There were two jackets that really caught my interest.  I think they were the same but just shown differently.  I bought this book through Amazon because even though I have a membership at the museum, the discount on Amazon is way cheaper.

 
 
This green jacket is displayed in a case where you can actually go behind and see the back.  It looked like one whole piece where the only connection was where the sleeves met.  This is the image from the book.  It's interesting how they put the color of the swatch on the page.

 
Here is the jacket again but in yellow.  I like the visual at the exhibit on a dress form but here in the book you get to see it on a real person.

 
This outfit is another one that was interesting to see.  In the glass case, it was like a caterpillar type of dress and you wonder where your arms go or where they are.  There's a video in the exhibit that shows vintage runway shows.  The women in these dresses walk up and down the runway and then out of nowhere, their arms open up the top like a cape and underneath is a beautiful strapless dress.  It was great to see it in motion.

 
This is a must see exhibit if you're in the area.  Sometimes with membership you still have to pay for certain exhibits but since this one is actually free, I may be visiting this exhibit again.  Tip: We went early in the morning when the doors opened on a Sunday.  You're free to roam without it being crowded which it did two hours later.

gingerbread houses - roy's

A couple weeks ago the whole family along with Anne's whole family went to a gingerbread house event at Roy's.  They provided the gingerbread houses and fixings along with lunch for the kids and the parents.  

world series champions!!!

On 10/26 my cousin told me she had 4 World Series tickets for Game 1. She was torn about who to take.  She made a list of all the people who wanted to go but couldn't decide. I told her not to think about who to take just right out of the top of her head, name 3 names. I wasn't one of them because I knew she knew more diehard fans and I was fine about that (but hoping).  The next day she mentioned that if her friend couldn't go, she would tell me by 12:00 noon on 10/27 that I was next in line.  It was 11:30 a.m. and I didn't hear so I figured I wasn't going.  Who would give up World Series tickets, right?  So my co-worker and I took a long lunch and walked around AT&T Park to feel the excitement of the crowded streets.  When I got back to my desk I see an e-mail.  In the subject line in capital letters were "WHERE ARE YOU?  CALL ME ASAP!"  At that moment I knew I was going!!  It was quite the San Francisco experience.  The parade was quite the experience as well when the San Francisco Giants won the World Series!!

 

 

 
John Legend

 
Steve Perry (had to sneak the photo).  We were told he doesn't do photographs but does autographs.

 
There goes Timmy!

 

15th annual ghiradelli square chocolate festival

I went to the chocolate festival at Ghiradelli Square today with my sister and the kiddies.  It turned out to be a nice day.  Not hot, not cold, and not foggy.  One of the workers told my sister that today was a good day to come because yesterday there were twice as many people.  Twenty dollars paid for 15 samples of various types of chocolate goodies.  We bought two tickets and it was actually a lot.  One kind person was leaving and gave us her ticket which had 6 more samples left to try.  We didn't even get to finish our own tickets by the time we left.  We went to the kids' favorite vendors 2 or 3 times because they liked the samples.  Reuschelle's Cheescakes was one they really liked a lot. Ava's allergic to nuts - all the kinds there are so I always had to ask about nuts in the ingredients. It was a nice afternoon.

My pictures...

Ava with her bubble...(a balloon filled with soap samples)

Jason sampling some ice cream

 
Sampling from Ciao Bella

 

Kid activites - coloring a picture that inserts into a cup

Sampling chocolates from The Tea Room

 

 Toffee samples (their display) from goodytwos

 

 Tea sampled and bought from Crown and Crumpet

 

The kiddes with auntie waiting in a sample line

 

The kiddies by the bay