Honeyberry dessert shop makes their yeasty, crusty, not too sweet buns every 15 minutes. They also have lychee sundaes, green tea shaved ice, and tiramisu. This combo of plain, warm roti bun, Pocky, hazelnut ice cream with espresso is the ultimate Sunday morning supercharged breakfast food and perfectly balanced.
Cleaned out my beauty stash today after accumulating a lot of tester products over the years for my sensitive, allergy prone, paradoxically dry and simultaneously broken out skin. Below are the items that made the cut, or ones that what I've strayed and returned to again and again. All of these need to be "retested" to see if they hold up now that I'm finally starting to get my skin under control. In any case...
Future Skin gel foundations from Chantecaille in Shea. Significant coverage, with a creamy formula that applies light or opaque, and looks moist. Silicone base = No adverse sensitivity. Works great on my dry skin. I've tried various clear foundation primers and found them to be irritants, so I just a little extra moisturizer and let it set if I need to. I also like the New Concealer stick. because it is more convenient to carry. The formula is slightly thicker but very blendable. The regular pressed powder compact has a sheer fine luxurious finish, but the cake cracks so easily I no longer carry it regularly. I may try their Protection Naturelle SPF stick powder since regular sunscreen lotions do not agree with me, solving two issues at once, and perhaps the Real Skin Compact.
Origins lip brush has a small flat side brush and a tapered tip capable of drawing a very thin line. I reserve one for my lips and a separate one for applying cream liner on my eyes.
Anna Sui full sized makeup brushes, because they are so quality, have good hand fee and are gothy/cute as heck. The matching accessories decorate your counter with femme fatale boudoir panache. I also used to buy her pressed powder that came in a black pot with a small purple puff even though it was a tad drying because the color #702, was spot on for my skin tone. Unfortunately discontinued in that format, but she still sells the color in a compact. Her skin products tend to have a lot of fragrance and after some close calls, I have mostly avoided them since to my chagrin.
Stila Color Pushup in a claret shade which goes on cheeks and lips with a sheer, just ate ripe strawberries look. Discontinued.
Prescriptives liquid foundation and concealer brushes. I usually prefer my fingers, but on special occasions I might use these brushes to get a more polished look. All Synthetic if you're into animals. Prescriptives also made one of my favorite lipsticks, also discontinued. The colors were a slightly metallic brown, Mattina Copper, and a similarly shimmery deep red, dated now, but the texture was perfect for me, matte, papery, that went on like china silk and stayed that way without being dry. Alas...
Sephora mini nail polish, because I hardly ever do my nails, so full size bottles just start to clump up under the sink. This way, I can experiment without collecting clutter.
Nars eyeshadow duos come in hues that are downright spectacular and stay on super intense. At the drugstore, the Black Opal line for women with darker skin is a cheaper alternative.
Phyto Shampoo and Phytomist Spray. The one for colored hair has a grapefruit scent that is bright and invigorating. Thank goodness they switched the glass bottles for metal.
Kiss Me Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara, Japanese brand that goes on easy, dark, and stays smooth.
MAC Cream Colour Base in Bronze, a shimmery copper color which I also use liberally on the eyes, and as a highlighter on cheeks or over lipstick for summer. Promotional, but I'm sure theres a good substitute out there somewhere.
Smashbox soft traveling case and mini makeup brushes in red, with matching Tweezerman slant tips. I use these brushes more than any others. Easy to find in a hurry. Don't love the lip brush, though. Promotional?
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser used as an all-over cleanser, makeup remover, and makeup brush soap. Despite what all my dermatologists have said, Cetaphil gives me hives and makes my itchies worse. Sigh.
Looking for: a new lip color (preferably not a gloss) with liner, replacement for my Stila all-over stick, better all over moisturizer (Theraplex), exfoliant (Komenuka Bijin Facial Cleansing Powder), eyebrow (Sana Naginata), Sources: Sasa, Cosmeland, YesAsia
Fun products to try: Tokidoki (lip stain, eyeshadow), Watosa (packaging sold me, I admit), BeautyBlender, Aqua Eyeliner Makeup Forever
Other foundations to try for drier skin: Chantecaille (Real Skin - Glow, Biolift Concealer - Cream, Protection Naturelle), Shu Uemura Nobara Stick, Bobbi Brown Cream Foundation
Future Skin gel foundations from Chantecaille in Shea. Significant coverage, with a creamy formula that applies light or opaque, and looks moist. Silicone base = No adverse sensitivity. Works great on my dry skin. I've tried various clear foundation primers and found them to be irritants, so I just a little extra moisturizer and let it set if I need to. I also like the New Concealer stick. because it is more convenient to carry. The formula is slightly thicker but very blendable. The regular pressed powder compact has a sheer fine luxurious finish, but the cake cracks so easily I no longer carry it regularly. I may try their Protection Naturelle SPF stick powder since regular sunscreen lotions do not agree with me, solving two issues at once, and perhaps the Real Skin Compact.
Origins lip brush has a small flat side brush and a tapered tip capable of drawing a very thin line. I reserve one for my lips and a separate one for applying cream liner on my eyes.Anna Sui full sized makeup brushes, because they are so quality, have good hand fee and are gothy/cute as heck. The matching accessories decorate your counter with femme fatale boudoir panache. I also used to buy her pressed powder that came in a black pot with a small purple puff even though it was a tad drying because the color #702, was spot on for my skin tone. Unfortunately discontinued in that format, but she still sells the color in a compact. Her skin products tend to have a lot of fragrance and after some close calls, I have mostly avoided them since to my chagrin.
Stila Color Pushup in a claret shade which goes on cheeks and lips with a sheer, just ate ripe strawberries look. Discontinued.Prescriptives liquid foundation and concealer brushes. I usually prefer my fingers, but on special occasions I might use these brushes to get a more polished look. All Synthetic if you're into animals. Prescriptives also made one of my favorite lipsticks, also discontinued. The colors were a slightly metallic brown, Mattina Copper, and a similarly shimmery deep red, dated now, but the texture was perfect for me, matte, papery, that went on like china silk and stayed that way without being dry. Alas...
Sephora mini nail polish, because I hardly ever do my nails, so full size bottles just start to clump up under the sink. This way, I can experiment without collecting clutter.Nars eyeshadow duos come in hues that are downright spectacular and stay on super intense. At the drugstore, the Black Opal line for women with darker skin is a cheaper alternative.
Phyto Shampoo and Phytomist Spray. The one for colored hair has a grapefruit scent that is bright and invigorating. Thank goodness they switched the glass bottles for metal.
Kiss Me Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara, Japanese brand that goes on easy, dark, and stays smooth.MAC Cream Colour Base in Bronze, a shimmery copper color which I also use liberally on the eyes, and as a highlighter on cheeks or over lipstick for summer. Promotional, but I'm sure theres a good substitute out there somewhere.
Smashbox soft traveling case and mini makeup brushes in red, with matching Tweezerman slant tips. I use these brushes more than any others. Easy to find in a hurry. Don't love the lip brush, though. Promotional?
Looking for: a new lip color (preferably not a gloss) with liner, replacement for my Stila all-over stick, better all over moisturizer (Theraplex), exfoliant (Komenuka Bijin Facial Cleansing Powder), eyebrow (Sana Naginata), Sources: Sasa, Cosmeland, YesAsia
Fun products to try: Tokidoki (lip stain, eyeshadow), Watosa (packaging sold me, I admit), BeautyBlender, Aqua Eyeliner Makeup Forever
Other foundations to try for drier skin: Chantecaille (Real Skin - Glow, Biolift Concealer - Cream, Protection Naturelle), Shu Uemura Nobara Stick, Bobbi Brown Cream Foundation
Two locations of this San Francisco Seafood restaurant serve fresh and steamed shellfish, red or white clam chowder, lobster rolls, and crab cakes with chipotle sauce. The food is hearty, basic and mostly straightforward. My dining partner thought the New England chowder needed a little more brine in her broth, but I enjoyed the thick, creamy soup and tender chunks of clam. My lobster roll came as a lightly toasted slice of white bread and needed a touch of butter and little more heat, but the meat was fresh and the dressing simple enough to let the lobster shine.
Take the receipt next door and then get some probiotic yogurt with toppings to go, sweet frozen or regular sour, at Fraiche.
Take the receipt next door and then get some probiotic yogurt with toppings to go, sweet frozen or regular sour, at Fraiche.
1 egg white
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups pecans
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Beat egg white into stiff peaks. Fold in sugar and salt till smooth. Coat pecans and spread in a single layer on a flat baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool, then break up into pieces.
Use over ice cream, or in salads.
In lieu of salt and sugar...
Holiday Cheer:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove
Spicy Savory:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cayenne or tabasco to taste
1/4 cracked fresh pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Vermont Fall:
1 oz maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups pecans
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Beat egg white into stiff peaks. Fold in sugar and salt till smooth. Coat pecans and spread in a single layer on a flat baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool, then break up into pieces.
Use over ice cream, or in salads.
In lieu of salt and sugar...
Holiday Cheer:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove
Spicy Savory:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cayenne or tabasco to taste
1/4 cracked fresh pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Vermont Fall:
1 oz maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
A rich dish without any dairy cream and less spicy than the Chinese version.
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 oz finely minced chicken or pork
2 green onions
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp ground sesame seeds
2 teaspoons chili paste
2 tbsp white miso
2 cups soy milk
1.5 cups chicken stock
2 servings ramen or udon
1 japanese cucumber or parboiled baby bok choy, cut in strips
Heat oil and fry ground meat till crumbly. Briefly toss green onions and garlic, then add ground sesame seeds, chili paste, and miso. Stir fry till combined. After pouring in soy milk and stock, bring to a boil then lower to a high simmer. Meanwhile, cook noodles and portion into bowls. Ladle sauce over the top and garnish with greens. Minced shitake mushrooms might work as well.
Adapted from the Nijiya circular.
Purist? The Sichuan way.
Taiwanese or Chinese-American? Add sesame paste to the Sichuan recipe, sugar to taste, and a touch of salt.
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 oz finely minced chicken or pork
2 green onions
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp ground sesame seeds
2 teaspoons chili paste
2 tbsp white miso
2 cups soy milk
1.5 cups chicken stock
2 servings ramen or udon
1 japanese cucumber or parboiled baby bok choy, cut in strips
Heat oil and fry ground meat till crumbly. Briefly toss green onions and garlic, then add ground sesame seeds, chili paste, and miso. Stir fry till combined. After pouring in soy milk and stock, bring to a boil then lower to a high simmer. Meanwhile, cook noodles and portion into bowls. Ladle sauce over the top and garnish with greens. Minced shitake mushrooms might work as well.
Adapted from the Nijiya circular.
Purist? The Sichuan way.
Taiwanese or Chinese-American? Add sesame paste to the Sichuan recipe, sugar to taste, and a touch of salt.
New izakaya joint in San Mateo. They just opened yesterday, so we got a surprise 20% discount on our meal for our custom - all the below plus, grilled mushrooms, chicken skin skewers and red bean ice cream about $30 plus tip. Nice way to end the night, and a confident method of obtaining repeat business on the part of Genji. Needless gesture though, because I'm already addicted to the fried udon with kimchi and will be back for a plate as soon as I can.
Cheese and eggplant miso dengaku. Greasy and a cloyingly sweet, almost a savory desert. Cons possibly mitigated by grilled rice balls. By no means a fan.
Tender juicy Petaluma chicken breast and tokyo negi, from the wood fired grill manned by a stubbly headed older gentleman who seems to take great care in his task of flipping, seasoning, and tending of specially sourced wood faggots perfectly dusted with a layer of white ash to signify the achievement of correct cooking temperature.
Kimchi udon with pork. Surprising asian fusion from the Eastern rather than Western direction, done the fanciful way only Japanese street fare or Hong Kong cafes know how. More delicately flavored than you would think, laced with resilient translucent noodles and creamy sauce. Warming and filling, this dish is like something I would make with leftover crap in my fridge, but actually tasty. This is my new go to comfort meal for takeout.
These books are dense, if a little bit compressed, tidy, full of anticipation, and for most of those reasons are delightful novelettes to delve into. Elizabeth Bear, the author, has an easy prose style and a vivid goth/steampunk sensibility. And while these stories are very full with themes of aging, death and transcendence, Bear's imagery doesn't get overburdened with just symbolism - wilted rose petals and maggots for death, or skeletal animations that represent a reincarnation of sorts. Rather, her facility with narrative modes underscores the personal amidst the incipient death drive behind the Wizard's War in Bone and Jewel Creatures, or the weary inevitability of war in Seven for a Secret. Those half buried resentments or regrets, still feral - as in Highsmith's animal books - rattle in fabulist worlds, highly honed with detail, and take on the atmosphere of an old school fairy tale - a grisly Grimm one.
To make baking powder:
2 part cream of tartar
1 part baking soda
To use homemade baking powder, substitute 1:1 for recipe quantity.
If storing add:
1 part cornstarch substitute, used to stabilize the activators
Substitutes for cornstarch:
1 part cornstarch = 2 part ap flour = 1 part potato flour, rice flour = 1 1/3 part tapioca flour = 2/3 part arrowroot, water chestnut flour
A great resource for understanding the applications of various thickeners is here, while a summary of baking soda leavening chemistry is here.
2 part cream of tartar
1 part baking soda
To use homemade baking powder, substitute 1:1 for recipe quantity.
If storing add:
1 part cornstarch substitute, used to stabilize the activators
Substitutes for cornstarch:
1 part cornstarch = 2 part ap flour = 1 part potato flour, rice flour = 1 1/3 part tapioca flour = 2/3 part arrowroot, water chestnut flour
A great resource for understanding the applications of various thickeners is here, while a summary of baking soda leavening chemistry is here.
I finally betook myself to the allergist, a visit to which confirmed certain suspicions regarding my symptoms, mainly that all things green and growing, particularly grasses and elms, are nasal kryptonite along with the usual suspects such as mold, mildew, dust mites, etc. But there were also a few surprises in my bill of health, namely that I'm actively allergic to tobacco, and not, in fact, allergic to wheat, honeydew, or walnuts. Unfortunately, many types of nuts and grains are often manufactured in the same place, so cross contamination is a factor. Perhaps my aversion to honeydew was because kitchens often serve it with canteloupe? Furthermore, milk or wheat intolerance is a separate issue and those need to be diagnosed through a battery of blood tests. For now, it looks like I can still have my baked goods, made with eggs, milk, wheat and the like. However, being allergic to corn and soy is very troublesome. Corn syrup flavors countless products, soy lecithin is a common binder, and common baking powder is a mix of leavening and corn starch. Buying any bread, ice cream, snacks, and drinks were a task last night at the grocery market. Lucky me though, I now get to have organic apple juice and make food from scratch 24-7.
In the interest of health, a list of things I will be eliminating from my diet this next month.
Almond
Avocado
Barley
Bean, Lima
Black Bass
Blueberry
Brazil Nut
Broccoli
Buckwheat
Cantaloupe
Cashew
Catfish
Celery
Codfish
Corn
Flounder
Green Pea
Halibut
Hazelnut
Lobster
Mustard
Peanut
Pistachio Nut
Potato, Sweet
Pumpkin
Sesame
Shrimp
Soybean
In the interest of health, a list of things I will be eliminating from my diet this next month.
Almond
Avocado
Barley
Bean, Lima
Black Bass
Blueberry
Brazil Nut
Broccoli
Buckwheat
Cantaloupe
Cashew
Catfish
Celery
Codfish
Corn
Flounder
Green Pea
Halibut
Hazelnut
Lobster
Mustard
Peanut
Pistachio Nut
Potato, Sweet
Pumpkin
Sesame
Shrimp
Soybean
