LifeLindstrom

Fabulous Fridays!!

2008-04-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Fridays! I work hard during the week as a school psychologist for Emotionally Disturbed/Court School students but come Friday I am ready for a change of pace--and it is my day off. Granted I often do the errands, keep appointments, pay the bills-- all that necessary routine stuff to keep the place flowing. Plus, I happen to love the nesting stuff-reorganizing, rearranging, placing the flowers in the right vase, finding just the right linens. I even enjoy doing the laundry (to be sure this is because there are only 2 of us living here!). So I putter and plan meals and watch my HGTV or (when cooking) the food network.

Mostly, I love the freedom of my Fridays. Today I met my husband downtown at Pete's for coffee and later met a girlfriend for lunch at the Black Crow. Chico is a university town so it is always fun to see the hustle and bustle of students during lunchtime. Warm weather is here so the shorts and summer dresses are showing up all over-fun! I had an appointment that was cancelled at the last minute so I high tailed it over to get myself a pedicure since it will be nearly 90 here this weekend.

Then home to get started on our dinner poolside tonight-all with freshly painted toes.

Summer is coming--bring it on!

Go taste this!!!

2008-03-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

Am I being unfaithful???

Living in northern California, we have the best American wine region within a two hour drive! Yes, we're talking about the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, and their various offshoots. So who would have thought I'd fall in love with a different California wine region? Sacrilege!!! Okay, maybe that’s a little over the top. It’s just wine, right?

First a little bit about a great trip, then the wine. Following a wedding, a visit to a beautiful newborn nephew, and time at the Getty Museum, we hit Buellton and Paso Robles for a couple days of tasting. If you’re not familiar with Buellton, think “Sideways”, the movie. And Paso Robles is just up the road a bit from that area. Wineries and vineyards are springing up as fast as the incredible purple, gold, blue and yellow wildflowers we saw on the hills. The best and most interesting wineries are in Los Olivos, Buellton area and on up toward Paso Robles. They tend to be small, family owned wineries. Although most charge a tasting fee, the tastes tend to be more generous than in my more familiar Napa… like 10 wines on the tasting menu.

So where to go? There are a couple of great back roads that take you through Los Olivos, then out Zaca Station and Foxen Canyon roads. There are many more wineries than can, or should, be hit in a day or two. We liked Fess Parker and Zaca Mesa. As I am always on the hunt for good reds, these two satisfied that need. We were okay with Tres Hermanas, except it seemed strange that the owners and servers do not particularly love to drink the nectar themselves. They did have a nice grouping of rose wines. Their reds were not nearly big enough for my taste.

So here’s the strange news: our favorite food AND wine was at none other than the infamous Hitching Post! It’s a down home funky place most of would not have stopped at were it not for Sideways. The steak was prime beef cooked over a fire of red oak, and the only steak I’ve had in years that was better than our local faves at 5th Street Steakhouse. Then imagine not one, but multiple really good Pinot Noirs! We ordered up three glasses—a “Corkdancer” (fruit forward), a St. Rita’s earth (you guessed it… earthy), and aaaah my new favorite wine, the Highliner. There is a reason you can only order two bottles of the latter nectar at a time. Check it out online, or even better, GO THERE!!!

Road trip!

2008-03-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

Scott here-

Central California Pinot Noir. It took a couple of stops, but we found it! A great, big-bodied Pinot. In fact, we found three over dinner. More soon, but think Hitching Post. Think "Sideways", but also think there's a chance that movie really did present us all with some real finds. Think prime steak over a wood fire to go along with those amazing Pinots. Add some romance and verdant hills popping with lupine, poppies and black-eyed Susans, and you have Heather and Scott on a blissful escape from the routine. Details will follow in about 3 days.

Wine of the Day

2008-03-12T22:10:00.000-07:00

Scott here... Okay, yes I like a little wine now and then. This pic shows a little taste we had at Mumm's in Napa Valley. Some good bubbly. Not sure what that cute little thing in my shirt pocket is. Probably my pocket protector. But where are my pens?

Wines of the day? '04 Blackstone Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir? Not so much. Drinkable, just not that interesting. '06 Fess Parker Santa Barbara Pinot Noir? Better, but I wish I had the patience to give it another year in the bottle. Had some good fruit, but also a touch of spice. Tanins (that's what makes your mouth pucker or feel dry) were pretty strong for a Pinot. I think Fess Parker's wines are generally as his portrayal of Daniel Boone back in my childhood. Judging by Heather's childhood crush on him, the wines are worth a try. Bottom line: the Fess Parker Pinot was much more interesting than the Blackstone, even if it should wait another year. Besides, Blackstone is a long, ugly and boring street in Fresno. Boring, that is, unless your on the wrong part of Blackstone at the wrong time.

As far as other recent wines, we had a Menage a Trois Red Table wine that is really okay, but if I'm going to go that inexpensive route, I'll stick with my Red Guitar (Spain). Check it out. It's tasty for the price and has a cool name. Yep, I play, so there's the emotional bias for me.

If you want to take a look at more sophisticated wine reviews, check out the folks at Snooth. They're my favorite wine blog of the day... or week., maybe even month.

Okay, I'll say again I'm not a 2 buck (up)Chuck kind of guy. I know some tasters like Chuckie's chardonnay, but I'm a fan of decent red, and the two dollar variety just doesn't cut it for me. I'm a big boy now and I think I should be able to drink an every day wine that costs in the two figure range. Big spender, right? Well, keep in mind "two figures" can mean anything from 10 to 99. I like the lower end of two figures most days, but get me out for a few tastes in the Sonoma Valley and I might end up buying a case of $50 bottles. Yes, it has happened. Though that is a bit extravagant for me, we had a great laugh when the VISA bill came. Really...

Want to go taste at a lesser known name with good reds in the $30-$40 range? Say hello here and I'll give you some cool places. Even if you're not used to buying in that price range, and most wine drinkers are not, it is definitely worth the splurge once in awhile if you're out tasting. Keep in mind, most restaurants mark their wine prices up by a big chunk. So, you can take your own nice $40 bottle to a fine restaurant, pay a $12 corkage fee and end up with much better wine than you would get for that price if you bought off the restaurant's wine list.

Also, let me know if you have faves in the Santa Barbara-Paso Robles realm. We'll be there in the not-too-distant future. Hitching Post for some Pinots will be a definite stop. They were serving great Pinots before Sideways made a mockery of the scene. Aside from that, my dear Heather likes a good Pinot, so Scotty will provide! Hasta...

Off for some R and R

2008-03-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

We leave soon for a "whirlwind" trip. We start in SF with a stop at the school psychology conference (CASP). Scott will be receiving an award for national school psychologist in advocacy and legislation-quite exciting! We then head to Los Angeles for a Lindstrom family wedding weekend. Then off to Newport Beach to meet our darling new nephew, Beck. Finally, a few days just for us-a night in LA at the Hotel Angeleno and a couple of days winding up the lovely California coast, with a few stops in wine country (think movie 'Sideways' but with less angst).

Happy days and if it happens to be a vacation time for you-enjoy every minute! H and S

Sunset view from the terrace

2008-03-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

All about the views....and the sunset tonight (enhanced by a lush little pinot noir).

Overabundance OR "what was I thinking?"

2008-03-07T15:56:00.001-08:00

I have spent most of the afternoon in my closet......it's that time of year (at least in California) where the days are getting longer and it is likely I'll only wear the black boots a couple more times-for the effect more than to keep me warm. The pedicure is fresh and I have already worn the peep-toe pumps and new patent wedgies a few times.

So back to my closet.......At the age of 46, I truly embrace the concept of less is more. I am a little obsessed about using what we have (when it comes to dinner-what can I cook with these particular ingredients that will be good and save a trip to the store?). I am a long time fan of donating things I no longer use-whether it be clothing or household items. I actually keep a cute box in my closet to hold items that I decide are done. Sometimes I will actually wear something one more time as a test-it usually turns out to be done.

Today I went into the closet with some vengence--why do I have so much in here if I only wear the few things I feel good about over and over? There's that cute little skirt that hasn't really fit for a couple of years, I see those great jeans that shrunk in the dryer (darn!) and will never fit again, those favorite Cole Haan sandals that have been repaired but will come apart again, likely at a bad time......GET RID OF IT!!! I actually tried on most of my wardrobe this afternoon--my question was "do I feel good in this?" If I questioned it twice it was done-say bye-bye.

I ended up with a huge bag of give away items-including that bridesmaid dress that never quite fit right (which will go to a prom closet), that velour track suit I lived in last winter, that great brown/turquoise floral blouse that shrunk (or something!) and tons of other pieces-gone! I feel lighter somehow.

My next assignment was to "shop" my closet-taking some time to pull together outfits/accessories that would be fresh and fun. Honestly-this is the step I often miss-somehow it doesn't come completely naturally to me. I end up frustrated and end up going out to purchase something new that I know will work-the complex piece is putting it all together in a different way. Though I love clothes (and was even voted best dressed one year in high school-blah!), I am much more comfortable in the home design section (super high thread count linens and egyptian towels sections-do it for me!). I also happen to love those trips with my husband to Lowe's for new plants and garden stuff.

I love fashion but I don't love to spend lots of money on fashion and I am a little insecure about it. See me last December in NYC on Canal St. (D & G bronze bag abd sunglasses- is all I will say about that). It's funny, my sister is a head designer for a high end fashion house (St. John Knits-Angelina Jolie is the current face of St. John-ohhlala!) My sis is very down to earth and yet so sophisticated in her style. It doesn't hurt that she can actually design pieces that will look fabulous on her-and they do. She has been sewing her own clothes since 4th grade. I guess I never had that passion (it must be said that though we are full blooded sisters we met about 12 years ago- so that's another story). If I had grown up with her I am positive my sense of fashion would be better. She wears high end fashion, believes strongly in having things tailored (although SHE can do that ) but has also shared great tips-like the Merona brand from Target is very well made and it's true. I do watch 'What Not to Wear' and 'Tim Gunn's Guide to Style' on occasion and have gleaned some tips (although I think it's harsh when they go into the bra drawer as a surprise-important still!).

One thing I do know and adore is SHOES.....though my husband still doesn't get the concept that if they are cute and sexy they might hurt sometimes, they might actually draw blood AND it's still worth it to some of us die hards. FABU-shoe!! Here are a couple of favorites:

These a gift from my sister-St.John (made in Italy) drew blood at an event and it was SO worth it! They even have little zippers up the back.

And finally, from San Francisco last month, came these crazy orange patent, peep-toe pumps......I can't explain it, I am not sure how I will wear them-but at 46-I just had to have 'em.....go figure!

Spring Forward!!

2008-03-07T08:53:00.001-08:00

Cheers for Trader Joe's!!

2008-03-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

I realize that Trader Joe's gourmet market is not in all states across the country-but if you are lucky enough to have this fantastic store near you-you KNOW what I am talking about. If you don't have a T.J. near you, I know the pain.

When I lived in Southern California I shopped at the very first Trader Joe's in Pasadena on Arroyo Parkway. When I lived in the San Francisco bay area (with several Trader Joe's in the area) I continued to be a loyal fan. It was perfect for that quick stop-a tasty little assortment of imported cheeses, fresh baquette, a bottle of wine and a frozen canape--very easy to be a gourmet "coordinator" ( if not a gourmet chef exactly). It's all about knowing how to shop!

When I moved to the smaller university town of Chico to marry my dear husband I was in culture shock without a local Trader Joe's. I ended up taking my freezer bags and ice packs and traveling 3 hours roundtrip to the nearest T.J. in Roseville--definitely NOT the same.

At long last, 5 years after moving to Chico, they finally opened my favorite gourmet market...it was packed with locals in a true food frenzy. I actually felt a little choked up at my first check out-I really did. It felt like home again in my recently adopted home town. I was back on the entertaining circuit in a much more gourmet way.

My friends and I trade tricks and tips for our gatherings. We have even been known to run into each other just before a party loading up....fun stuff!!

My Current Top Ten Trader Joe Favorites:

Blue Cheese Pecan Spread
White Bean & Basil Hummus
Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar
Goat Cheese (chevre) by the log
Champagne Pear Vinegarette Salad Dressing
Dark Chocolate Almonds-(Belgian chocolate/seasalt/turbinado sugar)
Dry Toasted Pignolias (pine nuts)
Dark Chocolate Covered Mini-pretzels
Chocolate Ice Cream Bon Bons
Chateau St. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc!!!

Have a look http://www.traderjoes.com/

I want to know--if you are a loyal shopper like me what are YOUR favorite hot tips from Trader Joe's?

My Brief History of Wine

2008-02-28T23:46:00.000-08:00

Scott here--

I’m going to need to write about wine from time to time… maybe regularly. I’m just not sure where to start. Wine tasting trips? Which California valley offers the best combination of fun, value and beauty on a wine excursion? Why I feel so connected to the earthy aspects of wine growing? What the wine reviews say? Or just which wines I find to be tasty. Hmmm. Lets start with this and see where we go: A Brief History of Wine (and my relationship with it)

I've come to the point where we drink wine almost daily, primarily for its antioxidant qualities. Though I knew it at a “gut level”, I more fully embraced wine when people like Dr. Oz recommended its inclusion in the daily diet. (That’s my story and we’re sticking to it.) I tend to go for the reds fall to spring, and then switch to whites or change my antioxidant source to hops or agave (Corona, Sierra Nevada or margarita) once the swimming pool reaches a usable temp.

But where did this wine thing begin? (picture a wavy screen with a harp playing as we go back in time.)

Confessions (circa 1969): I did not come from a family that talked about or admitted to drinking, though I realize now that Mom and Dad probably knocked back a couple in the days when they had date night and went dancing. They were protecting us from exposure to things that might not be good for us. (In retrospect, that was not such a bad parenting idea.) Now, we typically share a happy hour when visiting Mom, Dad. I'ts fun and good for the flow of conversaton.

My first recollection of tasting wine was in high school, after a successful foray to the parking lot of the liquor store at Lincoln and Manchester in Los Angeles, where my buddy convinced a stranger to buy us a gallon of Red Mountain wine. I can’t remember much more about that evening except that I didn’t have much of a taste for Red Mountain. It was fun drinking out of a gallon jug, though.

A few years later, the popular wine for weekends in the Fresno dorms* was Spañada, Boone’s Farm Annie Green Springs or Strawberry Hill. All three are sweet and stupid, but we were young. I think the high point of that wine experience was watching my friend Bob drink it from the glass he made by cutting the bottom off the wine bottle, inverting the bottle and gluing the pouring end of the bottle to the base. Truth is, I quickly converted to one of the lesser brands of beer, while the others nursed their sweet-wine hangovers.

At this point, let me qualify my current level of partaking in wine. I am well past the days of overindulging on a semi-regular basis. There’s just too much work and fun to be had to waste time with queasy stomach, sleeping off last night’s foolishness, and wearing shades all day because my head feels like it’s gonna bust right open. (Anyone remember that commercial?) Over the past few or several years, lovely Heather and I have reached a point with wine where we don’t just buy the cheapest Cab on the shelf. I pass on Woodbridge and 2 buck Chuck (Charles Shaw). That’s not to say I judge anyone who happens to like those wines. Some of my best friends drink 2 buck Chuck. In fact, I’d rather drink either of those wines than have to taste another sip of Boone’s Farm.

I now claim to be among the many in my peer group with a taste for good quality wine at moderate to inexpensive prices. I know what I like: a big, jammy red with some complexity (fancy words), while the lovely Heather likes a little lighter but full flavored Pinot Noir, a buttery chardonnay, or one of the amazingly refreshing, citrusy sauvignon blancs. We also love heading over to the Napa or Sonoma Valleys, or one of the lesser traveled wine regions in California for some tasting. With that, I’ll end this nonsense and plan to get a bit more serious with info and opinions and wine travel thoughts next time.

Tip-of-the-day: Just say, Red Guitar. It’s an inexpensive, decently full-bodied blend available at Target! As a lover of tasty wine for $15 or less, this one goes into my rotation. Let me know if you try it.

How about you? Any fun early wine stories? Any favorite “every day” wines?

Next entry for me: a few wines worth checking out.

Ode to Nob Hill

2008-02-27T22:31:00.000-08:00

View from our house in Nob Hill

I am a school psychologist by profession but a home & garden design enthusiast at heart. Scott and I spent the first 7 years of our married life (while not working, traveling or raising his 3 daughters) designing our first home together. It was a passion for us and we thoroughly enjoyed the process, with the exception of working in really horrible rock strewn soil (they call them Chico potatoes), which made it almost impossible to plant even a rose bush, let alone a 15 gallon birch tree. On weekend mornings we would grab a cup of coffee and take either the 'walk of fame' or 'walk of shame' depending on what condition the garden was in. This walk usually generated the plans for the rest of the day or weekend . As the years went by and the garden (including about 3,000 or so plants) flourished, we realized we had created quite the maintenance project as well. Ahhhhh, it's always something......

We once heard the phrase "1st year sleeps, 2nd year creeps, 3rd year leaps" in regards to the garden. In our experience this is so true in creating a garden from the ground up. When we actually had to do a bit of trimming I was excited that first year. By year 3 and on-WOWZA! We started to rethink this project of ours, lovely though it could be.

Summer in Chico can be very hot. Our first summer in the house, working to put in this garden from scratch, I remember dripping in sweat while attempting to dig a hole for a plant (rocks making it almost impossible) when I suddenly gave up....seriously. I told Scott I absolutely couldn't live in Chico without a pool--and I meant it. In order to maintain marital harmony and to prevent a long distance marriage (me moving back to the cooler climes of the bay area) he gave it some thought. 3 months later we were happily swimming in our new pool. Nothing like a float on the King Kool lounger in the pool with a cool beverage and a little Dave Matthews on the patio speakers. An even more favorite memory: a midnight swim in 84 degree water on a sultry night with candles, tuberose and nightblooming jasmine in full bloom. A little Water Club downtempo chill music on the poolside speakers, and a full moon. Absolute perfection!

Are we crazy? Once we finished this place we were itching to move on to a new adventure. We ended up selling our Nob Hill house Summer of 2006 and starting ALL over with a new place. This time we went with less to landscape (though we did start from scratch again-like I said crazy!) but with an inspiring view (no maintenance there).

More to come on our new adventure up on the hill at Siena--it's all about the view!

Chic in San Francisco

2008-02-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

Heather & Scott here:

Like we said, we love to travel. December NYC, last month Sonoma, this month San Francisco--our favorite city in the world (though Paris is a close 2nd) conveniently located 3 hours from home.

Scott meticulously researched the hotels and decided to spend a few extra bucks for the treat of staying at the Clift Hotel for this trip. It is sleek and very modern. The San Francisco version of Asia de Cuba Restaurant is located in the hotel, as is the super chic Redwood Room lounge-where the beautiful people go to see and be seen-excellent people watching.

As usual, Heather cajoled the front desk into giving us a light, airy corner room with city views from both windows; by nightfall the city lights sparkled. The color scheme was a cool lavender and gray, with very hip orange acrylic side tables. The TV/entertainment armoire was made of sycamore with incredible grain. The only downside was the street noise through the windows. With all the beeping, I still wonder why so many trucks needed to back up right below our window. The weather was warmish--that false spring that happens every February in Northern California that serves to remind you spring is coming.

Scott used citysearch for fresh ideas on where to explore. Our first stop was Sociale, a bistro/wine bar on Sacramento Street with an extensive Italian wine list. It has a charming courtyard but it was a bit breezy so we opted for the inside seats. We shared a delicious chicory citrus salad and BLT panini. The grapefruit twist in the sauvignon blanc was a perfect pairing with the citrus salad.

On on our way to dinner we took a leisurely walk through the always lively Union Square. As we walked toward our restaurant, we heard this amazing saxaphone echoing through the buildings. (click below)

One of those unexpected, fabulous city moments...............

Then on to Cafe Claude. Again, in the mood for French (we were celebrating Valentine's day after all). Scott used the Open Table website to secure our dinner reservation days ahead for free. Love this service-makes life easy!

Cafe Claude is a lively, authenic French cafe with live jazz on weekends. The bar is hopping, the martini list is extensive, and the service is very friendly. The jazz that night had an Asian flair, with some unusual instruments.

After dinner, it was back to the Clift, this time via cab, for a perfect finish to our night in San Francisco...

My funny Valentine '08

2008-02-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

Scott here:

Feb 13, I lovingly said, “Honey, leave the cooking for Valentine’s Day to me.” Let me frame this with the fact that Scotty-boy is not a great planner, nor a great cook. In fact, Heather has asked many times, “Wouldn’t it be fun to take some classes and learn to cook more together?” Uh… not really, say I.

February 14, 3:15 p.m. At work, I wonder how I’m going to finish what needs to be done today AND decide on a menu AND shop AND get home by 4:00 to begin a romantic evening. (Keep in mind, I set myself up for this by preparing fondue on a previous Valentine’s Day. Not that this is a bad thing, honey.)

What to do… I’ve become a search any question kind of guy, so I Google “holiday meals”, thinking maybe there would be an obvious resource. After chasing a couple of dead ends, my heart starts beating a little faster, my keyboarding skills regress, and I begin leaning into my laptop. Finally I click on a link to food network. Brilliant! They have a “Holidays and Parties” link with recipes for special occasions. After perusing a couple of Emeril Lagasse’s tasty looking but complicated recipes, I’m getting more nervous. I don’t have 2 ½ hours for prep! I finally land on an awesome recipe from Michael Chiarello: “Grilled Pesto Marinated Skirt Steak with Blue Cheese Fondue.” Pesto? Steak? Blue cheese? I recommend going for the Maytag Blue. It costs a bit more than the cheap stuff, but the flavor is amazing.) These are all my friends! Add skewers, a grill, a prep time of 30 minutes, and I’m good to go!

5:40 p.m. I arrive home 1 ½ hours later than I hoped (promised?), groceries in hand and begin the process. First step… open the champagne (Chandon). Thankfully, the champagne and anticipation of a fun meal cancels any concern about my far-too-typical tardiness.

As for the meal, I must say, it worked. Of course, Heather added her usual touches of candlelight and ambient music (. I might add some white wine to the fondue next time (did I say “next time”?), but all-in-all the meal was dayum good, especially when the champagne flowed into red wine and the blue cheese was chased with Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolates. As the Ghirardelli package says: Moments of Timeless Pleasure… Really! That’s what it says.

Lessons learned:
food network: Heather watches it, I Google it
for special occasions go with the good blue cheese, the decent champagne and the dark chocolate
If you’re a guy who doesn’t normally cook—take a risk on Valentine’s Day! If nothing else, your effort could end with “Moments of Timeless Pleasure.”

Got any fun comments or hints for next year’s Valentine?

Let's Get This Party Started

2008-02-17T16:00:00.000-08:00

Heather here: So here we are...excited to start a new adventure in blog world, yet realizing it can take some time to get up and running on a new project.

Though we didn't get it blog worthy, for the sake of continuity, here is our first blog of the year.

January 1st, 2008

It's New Years Day and we are sipping on a bottle of Freixinet and wondering what excitement we can come up with for the New Year. Goodness knows-we need a plan. That's not to say we don't have a great life, but at 46 (she) and 55 (he) it's time we make the most out of this proverbial "mid-life" chapter.

A few days later we find ourselves at home in Chico packing for a getaway to Sonoma, CA.

Tips for packing:
*always bring a scented candle (for mood lighting or to refresh your room as needed)
*always bring comfortable shoes (for when the sexy ones are bringing you to tears, and only then)
*always bring a wine opener--you never know....

The weather in northern California has been cool but sunny all week. The biggest storm of the year is predicted for the next 2 days. Oh well, we figure we can stay indoors, crack open a bottle of red with bread and cheese and "catch up" if the weather is horrid.

We are staying at the 'Inn at Sonoma' http://www.innatsomoma.com/ a charming place with an extravagant wine/hors d'oeuvre hour and a full breakfast. Our room has a gas fireplace, a mood setter at the flick of a switch.

We dined at Sonoma-Meritage Martini Oyster Bar and Grill just steps off the square with a storm raging outside. We were warm, deliciously fed and happy as clams at an oyster bar.

A note about the Napa/Sonoma Valleys--truly some of the most beautiful, verdant country in the U.S. As travelers to Europe, we find a trip to our local wine country to be like a slice of Provence or Tuscany. Or perhaps San Casciano is really like a slice of Yountville or Glen Ellen? Either way, a fabulous way to spend even a quick weekend.