happy golden year, daddy

on september 24th, we celebrated my dad's big 5-0. it was low key and relaxed. no frills, just good food and many laughs. yep, it reflected daddy perfectly. the following is a tribute to a man filled with surprises. a man who knows what he wants. a man who understands simplicity, but feels deeply. a man who protects, provides, and makes you roll on the ground as you laugh hysterically. he will forever be my daddy...happy birthday!

as the romans do

the roman empire. known for its architectural superiority, scientific achievements, societal progressivism, and by and large, its gluttony. its lust. its obsession with all things rich. and let us not forget...it's fall. i do believe our society bears much resemblance to the roman empire - a society on-the-go, overwhelming itself with the latest and greatest, and slowly and slowly facing the obstacles that signal financial, political, and economic demise. however, if one thing can be said about how americans differ substantially from the romans of antiquity, it's this: leisure.

where are the velvet couches to lie on while eating? where are the feasts that beckon you to linger. where is the time to just be?

so on sunday, mama and i paid homage to those great romans. we picnicked. we lounged. we dreamed. and indulged. no agenda. no guilt. just bliss. yes, we did as the romans do (or did)...

mini

i am on the verge of buying a mini cooper. it must be the sign of the times...yep, i'm a working woman. and i have mixed feelings. after 7 years with lady, i just don't know how i can bear the thought of letting her go. through high school and college, she has been by my side. my little red lady. 

but this morning, i had a moment of peace with the coming addition. there i was on the website, customizing my mini.  giving it character, with a splash of charm. making it my own. when i think about my first encounter with lady, i remember how i was instantly enamored. a cherry-red beetle with a smile on her face and flowers in view. it was love at first sight. but as i customize my mini, i feel like it's my baby. a product of me. it's on the brink of life. and adventure. as i enter this new phase in my life, i am so excited to do it with this car-child. i'm ready!

oh, and to bring even more peace in my heart...while accepting the terms and conditions for my online account, i agreed "to chase squirrels around the park every now and then and giggle like a madman while doing it." i also agreed "to at least think strongly about learning to play a musical instrument" and "to consider painting the roof of my house in contrasting colors." the wit! the humor! this is going to be a beautiful relationship.

pumpkin, for amateurs

you know fall is just around the bend when your senses are overwhelmed with pumpkin. pumpkin spice lattes. pumpkin frozen yogurt. pumpkin-walnut loaf bread. on every corner and in every baked-good store, this fall favorite is brought back to life - resurrected from the dead of past seasons - ready to inspire something tasty for the months to come. but why must pumpkin be seasonal? why must mid-september be the harbinger of pure bliss? and why do people claim to be true pumpkin-lovers only when it is convenient for them: during the holidays? as i contemplate the subtleties of this rather involved issue, i've come up with my own conclusion: amateurs. 


pumpkin is rich, deep, and when prepared certain ways, sultry. it is warm. it is familiar. during the day, pumpkin is your pal, your comfort. but as soon as the sun goes down, it is spicy. and playful. not for the faint of heart. unfortunately, when pumpkin is subjected to a time-limit, pumpkin amateurs are created. these people wait and wait for the "season." they eat and eat while pumpkin is "available." and in due time, they are exhausted of all things pumpkin, burying it in the trenches for the next year. in my mind, this love-hate relationship deprives people of the joy that is pumpkin. the very lovely nature of something so flavorful.

and so now i introduce urth caffe's pumpkin pie...

so complex and seductive, it forces you to strip down its layers to identify the ingredients that make up its essence. and far from seasonal, it is available year-round! a rebel. going against the status quo of "fall = pumpkin." the availability of urth pumpkin pie has saved me from being an amateur - that person who doesn't quite know how to handle the intricacies of pure delight, in moderation. urth pumpkin pie allows me to feel the warmth all year long, never exhausting me of pumpkin loveliness. and when i really think about it, shouldn't we all find something to enjoy throughout the year, rather than waiting for the store windows to say it's time?

on a mission

i take my treats very seriously. given a choice between salty and sweet, i'll choose the latter. i don't pride myself on this, but i do find joy in planning my day around the perfect sweet fix. warm outside? go for the fruit tart. feeling a little cozy? go for the chocolate chip banana bread. i'd like to think of myself as a "sharing" kind of person, but when it comes to treats, i tend to be a little selfish. and so you can guess when i go out with someone for a treat, i'm hoping that person has room in his stomach...because he's getting his own!

sweet rose creamery was the choice location last night. as soon as we entered, i was already categorizing the ice cream flavors: fruity, decadent, odd, must try. after sampling two flavors, i was sold on salted caramel. velvety. full. bold. a blanket of cream coating an eager palate. as i was handed my scoops, i abandoned my dream world, stepped back into reality, and remembered i had come with someone. and then was i ever so swooned...

the mere thought of someone saying "i'll have what she's having" is rather unnerving. or even worse..."let's share." but, nope, this definitely did not happen last night. instead, sample after sample was tried. horchata. lemon verbana. macha green tea. peanut butter. banana. a man on a mission. someone who was in his own world, experiencing the depth of the flavors. creating his own categories. he didn't have to ask me what i was having. nope. for those moments of taste testing, he probably fell guilty of the same crime...forgetting he was with me. but no harm feelings here! as long as he took his time to identify with the perfect flavor for him, i didn't mind being second on the radar. handed his scoops of banana, i knew he was just as happy as me.

as we met each other back in reality, eating our own ice cream, i must say that the whole experience was quite a dream.

images

i love those select few songs that evoke memories. when you are taken back to the exact place with the exact people, feeling the exact same way you felt when you first heard it. oh, the meaning! as much as i delight in the nostalgia, familiarity, and giddiness triggered by those songs, i must say something about how much i adore the songs that haven't been lived yet. the ones that compel you to paint a mental picture. to create the sights, people, feelings. these songs are the lyrical and rhythmic equivalents of dreams. and who doesn't love to dream?!

every time i listen to Wave by Joao Gilberto, my mind wanders...

 i am no longer erica in los angeles. instead, i am sitting in the passenger seat of a classic convertible. it is a crisp autumn afternoon and mi amore and i are driving down a winding road through the tuscan countryside. we have a picnic packed. we are giggling and waving our arms in pure bliss. sunflowers galore. life couldn't be sweeter. and i am wearing a mustard-yellow scarf.

when a color speaks

red. it speaks to me, ever so passionately, seductively, and plain ol' cheerfully. apparently my camera felt inclined to capture this affair today. and thank goodness for its instincts...red is in fact the color of amore.