From Tokyo with Love

I met these two ladies on the bus. I found their little craft fascinating. They sell these little "bobin thread holder" $25.00 in Tokyo. They are on vacation and still work everywhere they go. Charming no?

Re-Discovering San Francisco

San Francisco or Cannes?
Don't you love the "1/2"?
This is a beautiful Florist!
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We lost our Golden Gate view from our Tiburon home but views are everywhere when you walk around the city
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3-D Billboard we adored
It is not Halloween...A fashion designer in the streets of SF

From Marianne's Kitchen: One Woman Show in Sausalito

I went to visit another bread production but this one is ONE WOMAN. Meet Marianne, from Denmark: her rye bread is very popular around San Francisco fine supermarkets and this woman does not seem to want to retire..we asked her! She produces hundreds of loaves in her small industrial kitchen and I can tell you, they sell like hot cakes!

A slice of France in the Heart of San Francisco: Pascal Baker and Founder of Bay Bread

This is dedicated to Pascal Rigo, a friend and TOP baker for the last 10 years. In 1998, I met Pascal on Pine Street a few weeks after moving to San Francisco. Pascal's bakery was not opened yet but he gave me free bread while trying his new ovens. (If I remember 6 baguettes) I gave him the "symbolic" dollar that he has kept as of today. In 2009, Pascal has 11 bakeries and provide food to all major hotels like the Hilton around San Francisco and companies as Trader Joes, Williams Sonoma, Whole Food,and Restaurants like Gary Danko *to name a few. Pascal makes the BEST BREAD, THE BEST PASTRIES, THE BEST BAGUETTES, THE BEST MACAROONS, THE BEST GRANOLA, THE BEST JAMS...I can go on. And today he opened his doors of his new factory. And we took a peak at 100 p. cent butter food. What a smell, what an operation, what a guy! The baker meets the Bantransfats.com man a.k.a. Steve.

Tasting a bad croissant from another bakery. We are talking butter, "pate feuilletee"
Making Croissants
B U T T E R
The dough is almost ready
Machines, machines...
Ciabatta cut and getting ready for the oven
Finished products

There were more things to do but we did not want to abuse our host's kindness but we knew behind all these machines, tropeziennes, mille feuille (napoleons), tarts and chocolate under all its shapes were being made. Pascal, MERCI BEAUCOUP!

The Israeli Consul and the Korean Consul at USF...Food was there too!

Yes, they came together and enjoyed a movie together with 120 people tonight And Bon Appetit was there to serve fruit, cheese and wines! The Korean Consul was impressed by my few Korean words: Mr. Consul, I was more impressed by your French! Of course, it was a piece of cake to say a few words in Hebrew: Mr. Consul, next time you come to any Bon Appetit events, remind us about your dietary needs: we do Kosher food too, remember the Maccabiades are being catered by Bon Appetit this summer! And I promise you a Rabbi came and certified our kitchen! Lehitraot, anyongaseyo!

The Boss is in Town…Not alone. Californian Farmers at USF too…

Imagine being surrounded by 8 farmers coming from California with their freshly picked vegetable and fruit? Well this happened at work on Tuesday and Fedele Bauticcio, the big boss was here too. Another Italian man in my life (Sorry Fidele, Giorgio -as Armani- was there before you! )
The best oranges of California and may be ....the world!!
The best almonds ever..freshly picked, and transformed into brittle, chocolate, mint coated : Gary you are my best friend!

So almonds, organics greens, honey, apple juice, all there for the students, staff. Our chefs were getting updated on last seasonal vegetable




“Low carbon diet” was the theme: the marketing sentences were brilliant “You have changed your lightbulbs, now change your life” “Does your seafood get more frequent flyer miles. Check our company low carbon diet game: http://www.eatlowcarbon.org/
..Oh did I mention the television was there too?

How many towels, knives or sheets do you own?

While I moved this past week, I learned that I own 42 big towels, 48 sheets and 19 tableclothes... as far as knives are concerned, only 72. So my point is “Can we live without less things, less quantities, less of everything. “ THIS IS MY NEW LIFE. No need to accumulate. I never forgot Paul Auster’s book “The Invention of Solitude”: when Paul's father passed away, he is forced to sort out his dad’s belongings and decides what to throw away...I decided I will not wait until that.