Tobias Wolff At Writer's With Drinks!!!

While I was gushing all over Corrina Bain on how amazing her performance was, she was commenting on how many people (the place was packed) were at The Make out Room on Saturday night, when Stephen Elliot enthusiastically chimed in with, "Because, the line up tonight is OFF THE HOOK" and he was absolutely right.

Charlie Jane Anders

Writer's With Drinks, a monthly book reading in San Francisco hosted by Charlie Jane Anders, is never a let down. As far as I'm concerned it's the best show in town. However, last Saturday did boast an exceptional line up, with Tobias Wolff, Lev Grossman, Taylor Mali, Andrew Lam, Corrina Bain, and Bill Carter!

 Tobias Wolff

Tobias Wolff wrote This Boy's Life, (1989) which was turned into a movie, with the same name starring Robert De Niro, Ellen Barkin,  and Leonardo DiCaprio.

 Taylor Mali

Taylor Mai Was a teacher who wrote poems, now he is a poet who writes about teaching.
 

Andrew Lam

Andrew Lam read his short story "The Palmist" which was read by David Strathairn on the NPR series Selected Shorts.  

I heard that broadcast while I was driving and when I reached my destination I sat in my parked car to hear the whole story. I never knew who wrote it...until last Saturday night.

Lev Grossman and Corrina Bain

If you look closely at Corrina Bain's Photo, you will see Stephen Elliot's head growing out of her neck.

Bill Carter (photo from his website)

Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of Bill Carter. Here's a snippet from his bio online at http://www.billcarter.cc/, "In the last 15 years he has traveled to more than 45 countries. He is the director of Miss Sarajevo, the award-winning documentary, produced by Bono, who also wrote the theme song for the film. 

Tayor Mali reciting "What Teachers Make"
BullisSchool — April 23, 2010 — 

I Made Vegan Heart Shaped Banana Muffins!

I came back at around 8pm last night, after abandoning my 100 degree kitchen with melted (fake) butter spilled on the floor, baking flour that had dusted every surface, a bowl of mashed bananas, and every jar and package of baking ingredients open squeezed on the tiny counter. I figured I'd give the great idea of baking vegan banana muffins another shot...and I'm glad I did.

I took this recipe from
http://www.catcancook.com/awesome-banana-muffin-recipe/

My modifications and notes are in red

Banana Muffins (makes 12 muffins) Mine yielded 8

3 or 4 Large bananas, mashed (the more bananas the moister, so I use 4) I used five

1/2 cup white sugar (original recipe calls for 1 cup, but I don’t like them too sweet) I used raw sugar

1 slightly beaten egg I used the product Egg Replacer

1/3 cup melted margarine or butter I used Earth Balance Original

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and margarine together. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Mix wet and dry ingredients all together! Pour into greased muffin tins, and bake in 350 degrees F oven for approximately 20 minutes. Enjoy! 

Mine were in an extra 10 minutes.

They came out looking and tasting really good!

It Seemed Like A good Idea

Last Monday, Thomas and I went to see "Exit Through The Gift Shop" a movie about street art. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the documentary. I recommend anyone even remotely interested in art, sociology, anthropology, visual anthropology, and/or film to see this flick. And it is my opinion that it should be seen on the big screen, because it is about art.

 Sycamore Alley

After seeing the movie I got caught up in learning more about Banksy's art and who I thought Banksy was in the film. The story is sewn together with clips of the guerrilla artist Banksy in shadow, wearing a hoody, with his voice distorted. Immediately I figured since he was the only one protecting his identity, so to speak, out of many people who were featured throughout the piece, that someone else interviewed was probably him. So, every time a new face would pop up on the screen I'd wonder if that was in fact Banksy and not who they wanted you to think they were.

 Parking lot on Mission Street

It turns out, Banksy tagged the streets of San Francisco right around the movie opened here in the theaters...what a coincidence!  OK, well I went on line and found out where they were and decided Thomas and I would go around and take pictures of them before they were painted over or stolen by art galleries looking to cash in. We didn't really have a lot of time so I just stuck with the Mission area. The first one I tried to find was already painted over. That surprised me, because it was right above Amnesia, I mean really. However, the other ones I had chosen to see were still there. After stopping and taking pictures of the first one, I realized how Bourgeois this was, but we pushed on.

 

The Article I Wrote For Today's Vintage Is Up!

The article I wrote for the 

June issue of Today's Vintage is up on line 

and out on the news stands!

Let's Do The Time Warp Again! 

My Experience At The Oriental Theatre

Please, check it out...

Todaysvintage.com

 

The Article I Wrote For Today's Vintage Is Up!

The article I wrote for the May issue of Today's Vintage is out in the news stands, mail boxes, and on line!

http://www.todaysvintage.com/decorating/contentview.asp?c=268764

Of course the editor changed the title.

My title was

Would You Like A Licorice Pizza Under Your Fuzzy Navel?

I guess it was too long, or something...

I Have A Stalker!!

I am terribly sorry for not posting anything in over a month. 

It turns out I have a stalker. 

I can't really go into the details, but I felt uncomfortable publishing excerpts from my life with someone waiting for incriminating evidence to bring me down, so to speak. 

However, I don't care anymore...she's the one going off the deep end!

Ananda Fuara & The SF EcoCenter

Sometimes all I want is the Neat Loaf Sandwich from Ananda Fuara. Ananda Fuara is a vegetarian restaurant on the corner of Market and Larkin, run by the disciples of Sri Chinmoy a guru. The ambiance of the restaurant is, basically a shrine to the beloved leader with all of the walls covered by his artwork, a designated area of his numerous books for sale, the music blaring through the speakers composed and performed by him, and a TV that is almost always showing tapes of him doing something amazing. The service consists of his converts shuffling around (the women wearing Saris and the men in blue polo shirts and white pants) like they were told Sri was going to speak and then realized they were actually expected to work. Dazed and confused would be a nice way to put how the staff look and act. I am sure Sri never set foot in the place before his Mahasamadhi in 2007. 

However, the food is excellent! 

My suggestion is the Neatloaf combo only available for lunch, the Neatloaf Sandwich, or the Neatloaf Dinner, which comes with mash potatoes and gravy. The Neatloaf is vegetarian made with some dairy, but now they have a vegan version that tastes pretty good also. 

Yesterday, en route to Ananda Fuara, I ended up parking on Grove Street across from the library and noticed a building I had never paid much attention to before. The big sign read SF Environment and the little sign (on paper) said it was the EcoCenter. The EcoCenter is a facility, run by the city of San Francisco that focuses on better ways we can all be more green. There happens to be a small gallery in their lobby that is showcasing Art Furniture made by Larry Berger. All of his pieces are made from found materials and recycled or milled wood.

http://www.intothewoodsstudio.com/Site/Welcome.html

I would like to leave you with some words of wisdom from the late great Sri Chinmoy

Be Happy
Be happy in the morning with what you have. Be happy in the evening with what you are. Be happy. Don't complain. Who complains? The blind beggar in you. When you complain, you dance in the mire of ignorance-condition. When you don't complain, all conditions of the world are at your feet, and God gives you a new name: aspiration. Aspiration is the supreme wealth in the world of light and delight.