[Super Duper Fantastic]

Wordless Wednesday – Unicorns in Costa Rica

Suki — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:03:48 +0000

To Charities of San Francisco and Beyond

Suki — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:58:34 +0000

I’ve officially been back from Costa Rica for two full days. When I booked the tickets, I decided to give myself a day or two to recover. Best idea ever. Now that I’m somewhat refreshed, a few things I wanted to share before recapping the trip. They’re opportunities that I’ve heard about for local and all charities.

Let’s start with local charities!

The Spinsters of San Francisco have opened up applications for Bay Area charities who want to work with the organization in the 2012-2013 year.

The Spinsters will sponsor the charity for the year, donating both time [volunteer hours] and money throughout the year. If you know of a charity that would like to apply, please send them the link above, which has more information regarding the application process. Applications are due by May 1st.

On to all other charities in the States, have you heard of Toyota’s 100 Cars For Good program? It’s a Facebook-enabled philanthropy initiative whereby Toyota will give 100 cars in 100 days to 100 deserving charitable organizations registered in the United States. Check out this video showcasing some winners from last year!

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Applications will be accepted starting March 12th for two weeks or until 5,000 applications have been received. All of this will be done through Toyota’s Facebook page. Disclosure: I am a member of the Toyota Women’s Influencer Network (TWIN), but I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Finally, an opportunity for all social benefit organizations and free agents for good, regardless of 501(c)(3) status or location! TechSoup is holding a digital storytelling challenge where you create a one-minute video or five-photo slideshow capturing your impact and mission. During the challenge, the TechSoup Digital Storytelling Challenge will provide organizations with free training, resources, and inspiration to create and tell their story through videos and pictures. Submissions will be accepted through February 29th. Check out this page for details!

I finished uploading all my photos from the trip today, so I will have those to share very soon.

Birchbox vs. MyGlam – Feb 2012

Suki — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:25:45 +0000

It’s time to compare the contents of February Birchbox and MyGlam subscriptions! The two arrived last week while we were out of the country.

Contents: colorescience pro – flow and go Travel Puff, dermalogica – Daily Microfoliant, EYE ROCK – Designer Liner, Jouer – Luminizing Moisture Tint

Contents: X Out – Shine Control, NYX – Roll On Shimmer, Premier – Dead Sea Cinderella Mask, NuMe – $100 Gift Card, Freeman – Facial Mask Sachets

I’m still leaning towards MyGlam, but this month’s Birchbox is definitely stuff I can use. Taking a look at these two deliveries for February, which would you prefer?

Our First Foraging Expedition

Suki — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:09:22 +0000

You might be wondering why there is a photo of a man in a Santa hat. This post has been sitting on the back of my mind for quite some time. Since December. Talk about major procrastination. I’m finally writing about it!

For Christmas, I bought tickets for a local foraging expedition with Kirk Lombard, a local blogger/fisherman whose blog Ryan follows quite religiously. When I found out that Kirk was offering Sea Forager Tours, I KNEW that would be the perfect gift. I must admit that Ryan is incredibly easy to shop for; he makes his interests known, and the gifts are readily available, at least in San Francisco.

On Christmas Eve, we drove down to Half Moon Bay for the tour. Ryan had his waders on, and everyone else had rubber boots since we were romping around in the mud flats. Having your boots suctioned off your feet is such a weird feeling.

The first creature Kirk introduced us to was the ghost shrimp, which is great bait for local fish. After spotting the air bubbles in the mud, he pulled up the mud with a clam gun and dug the shrimp out with his hands.

Tasty for the fish, not so much for humans!

Our second creature required a bit more work and time. They situate themselves much deeper in the mud than the ghost shrimp. Again, we looked for holes in the mud, and Kirk spent a lot of time like this. You can’t be afraid of a little mud, but do wear gloves!

Here’s what we were looking for – a horseneck clam.

Not the prettiest thing to look at, that’s for sure. It reminded me of a geoduck [pronounced "gooey duck"] clam, but after tasting this one, I can say that it’s not as flavorful. It’d probably make good clam strips.

After digging for a few clams, we headed out towards the ocean. Kirk schedules his tours during low tide because that’s the best time to forage for these creatures, so we were able to go out pretty far.

What we found out there – mussels [not the kind you find in stores], sea urchin [UNI!], various fish, and the monkeyface eel.

The tour made foraging seem so much more accessible! Keep in mind one would need a fishing license to collect any of these, and the Department of Fish and Game keeps an eye on that.

If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area and are interested in stuff like this (local food, sustainability, seafood, foraging), you should definitely check out Kirk’s tours. He is incredibly knowledgeable and ready to share information, especially if you’re eager to learn.

We enjoyed ourselves so much that we’re checking out another one of his tours at the end of the month. I told Ryan that it’s his Valentine’s Day gift! I’ll report back on how that one goes.

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Wine and Love #28

Suki — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:20:13 +0000

It’s time for another edition of Wine and Love, a series brought to you by Walking With Nora. It’s a list of what makes us reach for the wine this week and a list of stuff we’re loving.

Wine…

* Blog funk. I’m sure you’ve noticed. I’ve been posting only twice a week max.

* Allergies – still on my list this week. I’ll have to remember to bring sinus meds for the plane ride because there’s no greater pain than that feeling you get as the plane is landing. You know, where you feel like your eyeballs are about to explode out of their sockets.

* Money money money – always an issue. I should be able to save more and spend less. I’ll deal with this when I get back from Costa Rica. Speaking of which, I misread my budget, and it’ll be a tad more than I thought it would be. Still we are doing all the things we want to do in the time frame that we have set for ourselves, so it’s not so bad.

* On the topic of money, I am thinking of refinancing the house while interest rates are low, but it means I have to take the time to get all the paperwork together. Yay, grown-up problems!

Love…

* All of the travel in 2012. We leave for Costa Rica TOMORROW! Then there are a few trips up to Oregon in the works, summer trips to Colorado and New York. I’ve booked flights and reserved rooms, so it’s all official!

* Good beer with good friends. We went up to Russian River Brewing Co. last weekend in celebration of the 14-day release of Pliny the Younger. We went last year and waited under two hours. This year, we waited five. YIKES. I know it’s crazy, but it’s worth it. Like last year, I sampled a bunch of sour beers again. More photos to follow!

What’s up with you this week?

My Travel ABC’s

Suki — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:47:20 +0000

A – Age you went on your first international trip:

One of those things I wish I could remember. I pulled up this photo that I think was taken in China. It’s a bit blurry [blame the scan], but after closer examination, the calendar on the right is May 1983. I would have been about 1.5 years old. Even then, I was wearing short dresses.

B – Best (foreign) beer you’ve had and where:

I will always have a special place in my heart for Asahi Super Dry. It was one of the first beers I ever tried at the ripe age of 20 [Japan's drinking age]. It lacks the flavor of the craft beers that I love these days, but anytime you put one of these in my hand, it’s not just light and refreshing; it brings back memories.

C – Cuisine (favorite):

If you ask Ryan, he would tell you that my palate is very Asian. It’s what I grew up with. It’s what “home” and “comfort food” taste like to me. I don’t have one favorite cuisine, but I lean towards Asian flavors – fish sauce, lemongrass, ginger garlic, black bean sauce, green onion, Sriracha… I also prefer the light [not bland] flavors of rice noodles and raw or steamed fish, not usually at once.

D – Destinations – favorite, least favorite, and why:

I’m going to have to wimp out on this question and say I don’t have one. So many places, so many different reasons for being there.

E – Event you experienced abroad that made you say “wow”:

I’ve always thought that people are inherently good, but it really gets me each time to see it in action. While traveling in both South Korea and Singapore, people who I only just met offered to show me their home. The kindness of strangers – absolutely amazing.

F – Favorite mode of transportation:

My two feet – walking is a lot more tiring on long trips, but I find myself noticing so much more.

G – Greatest feeling while traveling:

Besides the satisfaction of stuffing your face with delicious food from all over the world, it’s the sense of connection you get when meeting someone new. It’s crazy that you can travel halfway around the world and find so much in common or to learn so much from someone you wouldn’t have encountered had you stayed at home.

H – Hottest place you’ve traveled to:

Surprisingly, Las Vegas. It was a dry heat that made it difficult to keep one’s eyes open! Other places FELT hotter because of the humidity, but if you compared the numbers, Vegas was it.

I – Incredible service you’ve experienced and where:

On a cruise to Mexico. I would love to go on a cruise again!

J – Journey that took the longest:

Driving from San Francisco to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah during Memorial Day Weekend a few years ago. The road we wanted to take was blocked off, so we had to take a very long detour.

K – Keepsakes from your travels:

I don’t really buy souvenirs. Ryan and I started buying magnetic bottle openers – we have two. I’m a National Parks Passport holder, so I collect stamps if I am traveling to one of the national parks.

L – Let-down sight, why and where:

It’s very easy to feel let down if you set yourself up with expectations. I think I was let down by the size of the Statue of Liberty. We took the stairs up to her head, and it was much smaller than I had expected. Of course, I couldn’t even enjoy it because I had gone all the way up and down with a bloody nose.

M – Moment where you fell in love with travel:

Since the beginning. I am still in awe that you can go so many miles on a plane and reach an entirely different place than the one you know.

N – Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in:

Most of the nice hotels I’ve stayed in were when I traveled for work. One such place was the Barton Creek Resort. Since my current job no longer requires travel, I only stay in nice hotels if I happen to make the right bid on them through Priceline or if I have earned enough hotel points.

O – Obsession – what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling and why:

Food = YUM, graffiti = PRETTY.

P – Passport stamps – how many and where from:

Not enough in my current passport. I traveled more in my early years, but that passport has long gone missing.

Q – Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where:

Puzzling World in Wanaka, New Zealand. It’s all optical illusions! It reminded me a bit of The Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz.

R – Recommended sight, event, or experience:

I can’t possibly pick, but my recommendation? Just go!

S – Splurge – something you have no problem forking over money for while traveling:

The plane ticket because getting there is important. From there, it’s the experience of being there, going from place to place, eating the food, and meeting the people.

T – Touristy thing you’ve done:

Lots. I even explore my own city as a tourist.

U – Unforgettable travel memory:

Walking across the bridge from Singapore to Malaysia because I missed the bus stop. Oops!

V – Visas – how many and for where:

None in my current passport. In my former one, mostly China and Japan.

W – Wine – best glass of wine while traveling and where:

The first glass of wine after the sister’s stomach issues went away while we were in Spain! It’s always better to enjoy a glass of wine with someone.

X – eXcellent view and from where:

Hard to pick [By now, it sounds like an excuse], but here is a recent one. From atop Half Dome, it feels like you’re on top of the world. I didn’t have a digital camera while studying abroad in Japan, so no Mount Fuji photos!

Y – Years spent traveling:

Nearly 30 – woo!

Z – Zealous sports fans and where:

Japan and South Korea during World Cup 2002. I remember watching the games with friends, and then when I went to South Korea over the summer, I was able to catch a soccer game there. Even though the World Cup was over, the emotions carried over into their other games. AH-MAZING.

——————-

Thanks for the tag, Aaron! It took me a while to complete since it’s the entire alphabet! Here are my tags to continue the project:

Ashley @ The WanderScapes

Donna @ Poo is Watching

Gina @ Gina Marie Rose

Keane @ Keane is Cool

Linda @ Curious Notions

Treavor @ Endeavors

Look forward to reading your answers! If anyone else decides to participate in this meme, please let me know, so I can come over and learn all about your travel experiences.

Wine and Love #27

Suki — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:08:42 +0000

Wine and Love is a series brought to you by Walking With Nora. It’s basically a list of what makes us reach for the wine this week and a list of stuff we’re loving.

Wine…

* After recovering from what I thought was a sore throat, I have other symptoms that lead me to believe that my allergies are just really bad. According to the news report I watched last night, there’s a ton of mold in the air. :/

* Money money money. I am paying for a lot of things early in the year – travel, conferences, cleanses. February is a shorter month. Since I’m non-exempt, it means less money this month. *shake fist*

Love…

* A well-behaved and well-exercised dog. I’ll probably dedicate an entire post to this, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. You know that as soon as I talk about all the things we’re doing that are working with Sasha, they won’t work anymore. She’ll retaliate.

* Beach Blanket Babylon tonight. SO EXCITED.

* As of a few days ago, I am a contributor at Art of Backpacking, a website all about sharing the experience of travel. I’ll keep you all posted on when I have something up!

What’s up with you this week?

PS – My change for February 2012 is hydration.

January 2012 Reflections

Suki — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:10:54 +0000

And just like that, the first month of the year is over. These reflection posts are a good exercise for me. They help jog the memory as I seem to forget more and more these days. It’s time to start taking some gingko biloba! Oh, that’s all what I did in the month!

January was…

Starting the year off with a museum hop. It was a quiet start to the year – the calm before the storm, I’m sure.

Exploring several parks around the city and the Bay Area with Sasha. My goal for the month [12 changes in 12 months] was to take her out every day. It has definitely paid off. She doesn’t give me as difficult a time each morning, and she sleeps when we do at night.

Having a blast at one of the Yelp Holiday Hangover parties.

Learning how to use my camera in manual mode with Emily’s photography workshop. I haven’t had a chance to practice more since then, but I would love to squeeze in some practice before I head off to Costa Rica next month.

Sampling foods/drinks at Fancy Food Show and Food Fete this year. We chatted it up with members of the Oregon Cheese Guild and plan on checking out the Oregon Cheese Festival next month!

Chinese New Year was early this year. Lots of family time.

Keeping fit with weekly Zumba classes with the sister. It’s a lot of fun, especially since others aren’t really paying attention to what you’re doing, and you can just roll with it.

Spending so much money on travel this year. I don’t mind it too much, only wish I’d come across a winning lottery ticket. Priorities, people.

Did your January fly by like mine?

Wine and Love #26

Suki — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:03:36 +0000

Wine and Love is a series brought to you by Walking With Nora. It’s basically a list of what makes us reach for the wine this week and a list of stuff we’re loving.

Wine…

* My neighbor’s car was the victim of a hit-and-run this morning. They were parked in that spot in front of our house where people like blocking us in, but they weren’t the ones who blocked our driveway.

Hit-and-runs = NOT COOL. They took down the license plate, so hopefully they catch the guy.

* Someone maliciously knocked over the Vespa while it was sitting outside of the store waiting for our pickup, and now it’s got scratches all along one side. Ugh. I have insurance, but it’s one of those things that was bound to happen while driving in a city.

Love…

* Chinese New Year! It’s been one family dinner after another. So much good food and quality family time! We have more this weekend.

* I’m sore, but for good reason. Free Zumba and Yoga. I’m going with the sister, so definitely happy to be spending more time with her.

What’s up with you this week?

Always a Toyota Girl

Suki — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:53:10 +0000

I’ve owned two cars in my life and have really only driven three regularly. Every single one was a Toyota – Corolla, Matrix, and Prius. You can’t really blame me though. It started in the family. Aside from my father’s ’85 Accord, every car since then has been a Toyota – Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and my sister’s Scion TC. My dad is about to buy his next car, and he has his eyes set on a Lexus, another Toyota brand. See, it can’t be helped!

I was recently invited to join Toyota Women Influencer Network [TWIN], and of course, I jumped at the chance. It is an online discussion group focused on vehicle choice, driving, and the Toyota brand. They asked that we share with our readers what our dream Toyota vehicle is.

I’m pretty happy with my current 2nd Generation Prius. If I had to pick a dream vehicle, it’d have to be the Prius V look [like an older Matrix] with the gas mileage of the hybrid plug-in. 87 mpg ftw! With Sasha in tow, I might opt for one of the SUV-types instead. Here’s dreaming that they one day will have amazing gas mileage!

What’s your dream car look like? Has your family influenced your automobile preferences?

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I am a member of the Toyota Women’s Influencer Network (TWIN). All opinions are 100% my own.

[Super Duper Fantastic]

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