cookie zen

What can be more amazing than gingerbread men practicing yoga? Todd's cousins gave me this fantastic cookie cutter set for Christmas,...

another gift

Seen during last Sunday's post-Christmas brunch with the in-laws: A woman parallel-parking her horse and cart....

pop up, chow down and sin

We went to the Hapa Ramen pop-up tonight at Bar Tartine.As a result, I am in a partial food coma and am having trouble doing things...

a christmas miracle

I was typing and blowing my nose and blowing my nose again (yes, somehow I've managed to come down with a cold in the past 24 hours),...

in the off-season

As illustrated by this giant tray full of desserts, I've been indulging a little. (In fact, this mountain of postprandial goodness...

taking photos of the moon

I am trying to stay awake long enough to see history.(Will it have a soundtrack?)...

eating l.a.

I left L.A. before I was old enough to explore it. I turned 18, went away to college and pretty much never looked back. Except for...

happy cakes

I just scrolled through some of my recent posts, and it seems my definition of post-race recovery involves eating extraordinary quantities...

pie!

Yesterday we stumbled across perhaps the most exciting thing that's ever happened in Chickenland: A brand-new restaurant that serves...

chairman bao

Part of what makes the food truck phenomenon so exciting is the thrill of the hunt. I follow my favorite trucks -- as well as the...

the 'it' bag

Here is an excerpt of a recent e-mail exchange among my training group friends.Me: [Forwards message about volunteering at the Napa...

shoyu goodness

Perhaps the reason I powered through Sunday's really tough race -- when I really, really wanted to quit -- was the promise of ramen...

in recovery

The thing about the marathon: You work so hard for so many months, and then after a few hours, it's all over.I had to go to Shollenberger...

three days and counting

I was doing just fine until I got this e-mail.And then I started wondering: Am I really ready for Sunday?*The forecast says 40 percent...

a harvest tradition

Let us take a short break from the pre-CIM freakout (six days and counting!) to turn our attention to harvest.Yes, this post is,...

grateful

A weekend for which to be thankful:There was the gathering with family in a cabin blanketed with snow. Everyone brought a bottle...

san francisco morning

Meet training group friends at Golden Gate Park to cheer for your coach -- and the rest of Sonoma County's Empire Runners team --...

for a good cause

Did my final 18-miler of this training cycle, and I'm happy to report this run was not the GI nightmare that my last 18-miler was....

no boogers

I wonder if cats get as self-conscious as people do when it comes to really close-up photos.I hope not....

thoughts on training plans

Snapped this photo yesterday when I was driving the route for this morning's run: Almost 13 crazy-hilly miles with my friend Russ,...

big bowl of guilt?

Spent the day in San Francisco.Of course, this meant I ate a bowl of ramen. Today's order was the green onion ramen in soy sauce...

viva las vegas

I am in Vegas for work.I think maybe I am this city's worst nightmare: I go to bed early, I don't like to gamble and I hate strange...

afraid of the dark

The headlamp signals the end of one season, the beginning of the next.I thought this -- coupled with my fashionable reflective vest...

I want in

Yesterday I woke up at 6 a.m. to watch the New York Marathon.And I was blown away. The elites were absolutely amazing -- they made...

learning the hard way

You know how your running buddies, coach and pretty much every article ever written about running advises you never to try anything...

peas in a pod

The perfect cupcake for a baby shower: Double chocolate chip with a dollop of vanilla buttercream frosting and a pea-in-a-pod edible...

avert your eyes

There is no such thing as TMI when it comes to running. We share it all: Poo stories, group pees behind trees, snot rockets, the...

firsts

Two things I have never done until recently:Cheered out loud at my TV. By myself. In pajamas. While eating Chinese takeout. But this...

fear the beard

Apparently, Meep is a Giants fan....

photo finish

This is my favorite picture from Portland. Look how sweaty I am. Look how rainy it was. My shirt is so soaked it's sagging off of...

happy cup

I could use a big bowl of this right now. But unfortunately, Chickenland is sans ramen shop, so I'm settling for sighing over the...

special delivery

We told our landlord to help herself to the padron peppers we are growing in pots near the front door. In exchange, she leaves yellow...

when wine meets food truck

It's a good feeling when the event you've been working on for months and months comes to fruition. Who would've thought the casual...

rain, rain, go away

Don't be surprised if I look like this in 24 hours.Only perhaps soggier and more bedraggled.Because tomorrow is the big day: Showtime...

for a little blue box

Apparently, I will go through a lot for a necklace from Tiffany.Ran the Nike Women's Half this morning. Official results aren't posted...

shoulder to shoulder

Headed down to San Francisco after work today for the Nike Women's Marathon and Half Marathon "expotique." Race organizers described...

can't f-ing wait to go back

I flew down to L.A. for the day yesterday with my co-worker Robin to wrap up the final details on an event we are hosting next week....

26.2 miles in rain? check.

At first, I attempted to stay dry. I wore a trash bag. As we walked from the hotel to the start, I dodged puddles.But within minutes...