Pelican Point

On a recent Friday evening, we spontaneously went over the hill and took a walk at Pelican Point, followed by dinner at Sushi Main Street. Their Half Moon Bay roll has artichoke hearts, avocado and radish sprouts.

Here is another photo that Jay took after Devo and I climbed down from the rock.

This Was a Ten

The other day I was feeling a little ho-hum. I looked at Devo and through telepathy, he suggested that I take him to the beach.

A couple of summers ago, Jay and his sister invented a Mickey Mouse voice for Devo and a numbering system where he would rate his experiences. For example. We leave him at home while we go out to dinner and perhaps close the door to our bedroom so he can't lie on our pillows. "Hey guys, this is a two". We take Devo to play frisbee at the park. "Guys, that was a nine"!

We drove to Half Moon Bay and stopped at a farm stand for a pint of strawberries. Then it was off to Pelican Point, a place I've been coming to since college, where my friends Susie and Marnie and I would escape to during (ahem, I mean after) classes.

I love running on the sand. Devo and I ran down to the end of this beach and then we went exploring.

Doesn't this look like a bouquet? Very nice arrangement, mussels!

The sand at this beach was nice. It was the kind that falls off of you really easily. I picked some up and rubbed it on my arms and legs and then easily brushed it off. Instant spa.

I like these sea grasses.

We sat down for awhile with the cliffs overhead.

After a couple of hours I felt so happy. When we were leaving, Devo said, "That was a ten".

Noir Beach

It was a hot afternoon in the city. The girl and her dog decided to get out of town and head over the hill to the place known as Half Moon Bay. Jay would meet them there later after his business at the skate park. With only a sweater, sunglasses, lipstick and a leash, the two vagabonds hit the highway and made it to the water in 30 minutes flat. Good timing, she thought. Someday she might live here, but for now, a visit would do. Checking out the scene, all looked fairly quiet. The dog did his own surveying out the window. After some time on the wet sand, they both looked at each other and said, Let's go. The phone rang. It was the man calling. He said he was on his way to the brewery - would we meet him there? Sure, sure, we'd be delighted. A stout for the man, a summer ale for the lady, a bite of hamburger for the dog. As the sun set into the Pacific Ocean, the night became black and sweet dreams were not far behind.

Surf Fridays!

I couldn't wait to tell you guys about the winners and my surf story.

OK, so I don't love surfing in Pacifica. Everyone is super nice there though and that is worth a lot. I think I don't love it because that's where I learned to surf and I'd go there a lot and just get worked. But I am so glad we went today and here's why.

After suiting up, I was waxing my board on the bed of the truck. All kinds of old, dirty wax started easily coming off and I grabbed a comb and started removing it all. It was long overdue. I ended up with a huge ball of grey wax, as big as a softball. I walked over to the garbage can at the wall near the beach, and there was a group of guys there who'd just gotten out of the water and were standing next to a white van, chatting.

One of them said, "Whoa is that wax?" I said "Yes", and the guy said, "Can I have it?" I said, "Sure" and my heart skipped a beat because I handed my dirty ball of wax to none other than one of my art heroes, Mr. Barry McGee. In my mind, I was running and skipping back to the truck to tell Jay, but I'm pretty sure I walked. Check out this great article about the man also known as Twist...

Other than that, the water was extra cold and it was pretty windy, but how do you do it, ocean? It cleansed my soul. Seriously, that feeling like if you have any kinds of irritation inside of you - poof, gone. Gone and then you eat tacos and pick up some farm fresh strawberries, and maybe take a little nap.





Devo was taking a nap too, but I woke him up and gave him a dog biscuit and he was ready to pick the winners of Saltwater Buddha. Big congratulations to Ashley Moffat of Southern California and Kate Banazi of Sydney, Australia! Ashley is a surfer who rocks it on a Michael Junod pumpkin seed and Kate is an amazing artist who specializes in bold, graphic silkscreens. Please send your mailing address to pineappleluv @ gmail dot com.

Time to reward Devo with a walk. Happy weekend to you! I hope you smile a lot.

2009 will be amazing!

Devo, shake!

Devo is my first dog that I've had as an adult. I grew up with two Australian Shepards, Beau & Vader (yes, named after Darth Vader). So far, Jay has taught Devo how to sit, roll over and bang! (play dead). I really wanted to teach him a trick on my own, and I'm so proud because by golly I've done it. "Devo, shake! Good boy".

Saturday shenanigans

50 mph

The wind knocked over our table.
Oops, I think we should have put the umbrella in the garage for winter.

Willie is being pelted by rain but that didn't stop her
from asking for a few peanuts!

Meanwhile, someone is in one of his odd yoga poses,
happily snoozing by the heater.

Ooo, we have big gusts of wind here in the Bay Area right now, averaging about 36 mph and up to 50 mph at times. It's kind of exciting! The electricity is out at Jay's co-worker's house in Burlingame. From the news we just learned that 57,000 people are affected by power outages on the peninsula. Skiers are happy because about 10 feet of snow is going to drop in Tahoe. Also, there will be 25 foot waves at the ocean on Saturday. That is really something to behold, so we'll have to go take a look. Don't worry, we won't be bringing our surfboards.

I love you Jay and Devo

Cupcakes for a Cupcake

Who me?

Recently there was a small flurry of e-mails between friends, discussing cupcakes. So I thought I'd bust out these photos from my birthday last month. A special delivery was made from my sis-in-law in B'more. She stealthily found a cupcakery nearby. I don't just like cupcakes, I adore and demolish them.

Oh boy, Frisbee, oh boy!

Morning walk

Create a Free Slideshow

Crudite, Devo?

When I'm at the chopping board, Devo sidles up to me and waits patiently. I never give him a scrap of meat. I always give him a piece of fruit or a vegetable and wait for the day that he'll refuse it. He never does. He does not jump or wag his tail or drool. He always has the same look on his face. "Thank you, mistress, for that delicious cherry tomato. I will wait patiently for perhaps a grape or a piece of lettuce".

My dog wears eyeliner

Photo by Shari Palmer-Leith

Peaceful, easy feeling

Fall coat

Back when we first got Devo, I mentioned to my Mom that since whippets have such short coats, I may need to get him a little sweater. I never thought I'd be one of those people who dress up their dogs. Mom alerted me that Land's End was having a sale on doggie clothing. $9.95 for a coat normally $20. OK, turns out I love shopping for dogs even.

It arrived in the mail yesterday and he modeled it for me. He was a little stiff, but so cute. Then, it came time to undo the two velcro straps around his girth. The undoing of the velcro undid Devo. It was such a loud ripping sound that he jumped and wriggled away. I finally got the last one, more quietly and I tossed his new coat on the nearby chair. Devo immediately lunged toward the chair, grabbed that coat by his teeth, ran into the living room and gave it a good shaking. What a card.

Devolicious

Devolicious and his new friends...
Candy the Poodle
Chico the Chihuahua

Beach day

Devo and Willie...the showdown!

Devo spots Willie in the yard.
Fact: Whippets were bred to chase small furry animals!

Jay, the animal wrangler, gets Devo to sit and Willie to come closer.

The moment of magic ~ What a squirrel! What a dog!
(We gave Devo a treat too).