Why am I sitting around on a Saturday night, you might ask gentle reader? Because, unfortunately, I'm a soap widower!
What does that mean? Rusty and Yosiell spend an awful lot of time on their new cottage industry venture, Tassology Soap Company. Both are currently on computers creating labels and internet searching for affordable all natural essential oils to add into soaps.
Anytime there is a craft fair in the area, we go there to "check out the competition"…I say competition but Soap makers aren't even remotely competitive, they are mostly just nurturing and enjoy talking about the minutia of creating soaps and soaping products.
As far as hobbies and or entrepreneur businesses are concerned, at least this one is easy to clean up, so I really can't complain…factoring in all of the soap making supplies, these must be the most expensive soaps made in Oakland…Rusty assures me the price will amortize over time but my experience with the beer making venture tells me that might not exactly be true.
November passed in an "augenblick"! We celebrated Thanksgiving in the traditional method, by ordering out from Whole Foods! The day was spent with good friends, good food, and a healthy dose of cocktails.
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| A small intimate gathering for Thanksgiving, complete with Oscar and Tyler. |
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| Not so much cooking as just warming... |
December has rolled around and we of course must celebrate the most holy of holidays, Rusty's fiftieth Birthday. When we first in our youth moved to San Francisco, we followed a formula on Rusty's Birthday, a midday jaunt to the SF Embarcadero for a session of ice skating, and then back to the house for tree decorating and chili. We decided to recreate the memories of our youth for this, his milestone Birthday. Yes, I did say ice skating! Ice skating is a painful and terrifying experience when you aren't in your twenties anymore. Hundreds of children crowded onto a patch of ice, flailing around and tumbling down every few seconds. We spent the Saturday after Thanksgiving with Patti, Jayme and their children on the ice in the Embarcadero.
Speed skater extraordinaire!
The birthday boy!
Who doesn't love the Zamboni!
After the longest ninety minutes of my life, we took our bruised and battered bodies back to the house for chili and a warm fire in the back yard. Many guests brought over one of Rusty's favorite gift, Christmas Ornaments. Thanks to all for filling in the tree.
This is my attempt at a home made yellow cake with chocolate frosting, Rusty's favorite. Not bad considering a complete handicap in baking almost anything.
On Rusty's actual Birthday, we went out to Plum Restaurant, in downtown Oakland. The creamy garlic soup was worth the trip alone. For those of you unaware, my favorite cocktail is a Manhattan, and this place served the best one out of the thousands I have tried. We will only be enjoying this restaurant for major celebrations, owing to an exorbitant price tag! But still, great to treat ourselves to overpriced California Cuisine with that forced casualness so common in this state. You know what I mean, gentle readers, the kind of place of place that serves only the finest artisan ingredients to one percenters "relaxing" for the evening in their $500 cashmere ski sweaters. Still…totes delish!
And of course the best part of Birthdays are presents, Rusty received a Yosiell Lorenzo original:
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| Wonder Woman, who can't love an outfit made entirely of femininium! |
Macklemore covered "And They Danced…" by David Bowie. Awesome!
My friend, Nicole Brodeuer, a columnist for the Seattle Times, had said that Macklemore is really a very sincere person after meeting him several times during his rise to fame. After seeing the concert, I had the same sense. His lyrics are provocative without being misogynistic, racist or homophobic. The pyrotechnics of course were great, with flames shooting to the rafters. As far back as we were, we could feel the heat from the flames and I can only imagine those in the front row must have felt a scorch or two. And with the end of the concert came the end of the Birthday tour for Rusty! Despite the milestone Birthday, Rusty remains as young at heart as the day I met him. May the next fifty years be as filled with love and life as his first half century.
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| Rusty at Faultline's December show, titled "8x10"…over 65 artists represented with about 100 different 8 X 10 wood panels. Great show…one in which we managed to walk away from with out purchasing anything. If in the Oakland area, stop by and see the show… |
My friends Becky and Tom participated in this madness. Instead of frosting in the cake, we all picked up a cupcake and on the bottom of one of the cupcakes was the colored frosting. Becky actually picked up the last cupcake and the pink frosting was underneath.
Despite my constant balking at this type of party, it was really suspense filled and I felt honored to be a part of the reveal. What a great way to share a very intimate moment. And the good news? It's a girl.
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| Pink…another beautiful little girl on the way. |
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| A little sister for Cassandra and Marianna. And another daughter for Tom and Becky. |
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| A little mimosa to calm the nerves! |
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| A little pink frosting for the baby too! |
So, gentle readers, as we move quickly toward Christmas, I'm looking forward to a few weeks off from work to regroup, and a week long trip to North Carolina to visit family. Krampus passed by my house on December 6th without throwing me in the sack and beating me with his switches…so I guess I've been pretty good…
This is the time of year when we start looking back at the year and reminiscing on loved ones. I think back to my simple New Year's resolutions and look forward to creating a new set of resolutions, ones focused more on keeping in better contact with all of the wonderfully supportive people in my life. Enjoy, gentle readers, holidays filled with peace, and love.
1 comment:
very pretty tree
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