Well 2018 was QUITE the year for me. Certainly not what I expected the year to be about. Quick 2018 Stats Jobs Lost: 1 Countries Visited: 2 Dance Competitions / Showcases Entered: 4 Dance Competitions Won: 1 Theme Parks Visited: 2 Parties Thrown: 3 Number of Pastries Baked: MANY Losing my job was certainly not…
Category: SF Bay Area
Where to View Holiday Lights in San Francisco
I’ve updated my map of some of the best spots to view holiday lights in the city of San Francisco. I love driving or biking around the city to see the pretty displays at night. Enjoy and happy holidays! If I’m missing any of your favorite holiday displays or houses, let me know in the…
Alexis and Cyle Teaching a Free Lindy Hop Workshop for Bay Area Teens on October 28
All Bay Area teens are invited to a free lindy hop workshop taught by wonderful Cleveland based dancers Alexis Davila and Cyle Dixon happening on Sunday October 28 at the historic Bayview Opera House in San Francisco. The teen workshop will be followed by a community dance that is open to all. Here’s Cyle and Alexis…
What Caused California’s Housing Crisis? Sophie Breaks It Down.
My friend Sophie Rubin created this super helpful video that breaks down clearly and succinctly all the factors that play into why California, particularly the San Francisco Bay Area, has such a problem with affordable housing. I knew some of these things going into the video, but was totally floored by all the tax policy…
The Corpse Flower Blooms!
I have been hearing about the wonders of the “Corpse Flower” (Amorphophallus titanum) for years, but never had a chance to experience it until last night. My friend Diane posted on her Facebook wall that she was going that night to catch the extremely rare Corpse Flower blooming event at the San Francisco Conservatory of…
The Jazz Vault: Dreaming of a Home for Lindy Hop / Vernacular Jazz
It might be that I’m sick and somewhat addled, but I’ve been dreaming about what it might look like for lindy hoppers in my community to have a place we could call our own. The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most expensive places in the United States to live and run a…
Sabbatical Week Three!
I just realized I am already into the middle of week three of my work sabbatical! This is really the first day I have had completely schedule-free since I finished work at the Cal Academy. So far it has been completely wonderful to have this time to take a break and take stock of things….
On Dining, Dancing and Infectious Happiness
Another fantastic weekend of fine music and dancing I was talking with Gilles on Saturday about what makes a superlative dining experience. It’s more than just the food. It’s the setting, the servers, the energy of the people eating there, even the kind of lighting. Gilles put it more simply, “I like eating…
On the Perfect Pastry Cafe Experience
I had a small revelation this weekend about what makes a pleasurable pastry eating experience for me. I realized its much more than just the lamination of the dough, the kind of butter used, and the freshness of the fillings. (Although I care very deeply about all of those things.) It also has to do…
Locking + Waacking at “Waack,Crackle, Lock” Dance Battle in Berkeley
Photo credit: Rahul Doraiswami This weekend, I got to participate in a very dope dance contest in the Bay Area: “Waack, Crackle, Lock.” This unique dance battle brought together two styles with very different histories but that go perfectly together: locking and waacking. The brainchild of locker LilC and waacker Alice Hur, “Waack, Crackle, Lock” exemplified my…