San Francisco, April 2023

 Springtime in SF

Palace of Fine Arts

On the first day of cousin Steve's visit we visited San Francisco.

Cherry blossom time!  It has been so windy that this might be the last tree with flowers.  Then a quick lunch at Mel's diner in preparation for walking across the Golden Gate bridge.

First time at the San Francisco visitor center.  Nice exhibits!  Here is the inside of one of the cables

You can test the stability of different bridge designs.

Gorgeous day for walking across the bridge.

Barely windy in most parts

Such a clear day!  

I didn't take pictures, but on the last day, we drove up Ocean Beach, stopped at the Legion of Honor for another beautiful view, visited Lombard street, visited the Wave Organ near Crissy field, and had shave ice.

Pineapple Week!

Pineapple week!

We bought a restaurant size can of pineapple at the restaurant supply store.  Total impulse buy.

What to do with all this?!?

Baking day 1

First up, Caribbean cornbread.  Add creamed corn and pineapple.  The recipe I found used a ton of butter and cheese and eggs and full fat milk.  I just couldn't do it, so I made a plain version, adding in creamed corn and pineapple.  

Very wet and heavy.  The plain recipe bakes for 15 minutes, the fancy one for 55 minutes. 

Had to dig into the center to convince myself it was done after 35 minutes.  I don't think I will ever make this again, but it is fine.

Pina Coladas!

Next up, pineapple walnut muffins.  This is to use up my sourdough discard and walnuts.

It is practically pineapple and walnuts barely held together with dough.

Tasty!  Into the freezer for my go to dessert for the near future.

After that we still have 8 cups of pineapple and a big thing of pineapple flavored syrup.

Did also manage to get in some nice sourdough.

Chicken al Pastor

Here are all the marinade ingredients-blend and you are good to go.  The key are the chiles packed in adobo sauce.

Cover the chicken, onions and pineapples in the marinade.

Onto a baking sheet for about a half hour.  It looks like the dogs dinner, lol.

After baking, just chop up and you are good to go.  Best recipe of the bunch!!

Love the pineapple coconut combo.

Pineapple fried rice

Quick saute

Final product.  Pretty good, but I should have used a less sticky rice.

SoCal libraries, March 2023

 March 2023

During this trip, we visited quite a few libraries.

Cerritos library

The only library we have encountered where you must be a resident of Cerritos, not just California.  

It is a strange history, but the city has built an amazing library.

An exhibit of origami by a local high schooler in the First Ladies room.  All the books are about, or written by, first ladies.  Pat Nixon was sort of from Cerritos, so they went all in with the theme.

Chiluly in the entryway, an aquarium worthy of a Vegas hotel, art deco themed stacks, and plenty of cozy seating.  

Cool book themed art exhibits.

Nearby Cerritos, you can get your LA county library card in Artesia.  Cute!

Then there is the old school grandeur of the LA City library.  Lots of info about the 1986 fire and the immense effort to restore/repair/replace.

Fantastic story about how, in the 70s, they made a huge collection of photos using local people's home pictures.

Original ceiling.

Donors got their names on card catalog drawers.

Meanwhile, Santa Clarita's library is quite new.  Very fresh and up to date everywhere and a charming outside.

Love a good bike rack!

Touch of whimsy in the kids section.