Sri Lanka Mask4/10/2012 Chris banished this mask from the house because she found it too disturbing to see. Now that I'm studying Asian art, I'm learning the good side of these frightening images. Frightening images called makaras are often found above doorways of temples. They serve to mark the transition between the material e world and the spiritual world. The frightening mask holds at bay and dispels evil -- so actually it is a guardian.
Why so frightening? the protective guardian, must be EQUAL to whatever evil it may encounter.
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Turtle Tower Pho3/26/2012 Vietnamese Restaurants abound in San Francisco and almost all feature their own version of Pho commonly made with a flavorful beef stock. Turtle Tower Restaurant prepares a northern Hanoi style Pho made with chicken stock. Its clear carefully prepared stock is one of the best around. Here is chicken noodle soup -- Vietnamese style -- with large flat rice noodles, shreds of chicken and a handful of green onions - comfort food on a cold rainly night.
In my last blog on handrails, I showed the Pine Street handrail being changed with new brackets and a wood rail. It's done now I now I happily feel the handrail daily as I go up and down the stairs.
The Chair3/19/2012 I've taken a few pictures of our flat as we empty it and prepare it for renting. This is the master bedroom.
San Francisco Victorian Flat for Rent3/17/2012 If you're looking for a beautiful flat in San Francisco, check this out. It's available in April.
Respect and Preservation3/13/2012 Last January I showed this photo of beaded redwood panel in the entry porch of our Victorian in San Francisco. We installed new intercoms and the old doorbell was removed leaving an unslightly hole. I was afraid we would need to resort to a cover plate or a repair of the hole would always be visible. Our contractor, Kenji said he would repair the hole so I anxiously awaited the outcome as I feared something unslightly. Finally he painted the whole thing to match the rest of panel. If you didn't see it before, you would never know there was a patch. Our contractor, Kenji Hasegawa did a fantastic job! See more of his work on his website here. Crema at Vega Cafe3/8/2012 Vega Cafe Blue Bottle Short Americano My morning coffee at Vega Cafe is the best I can find near my office. They use Blue Bottle coffee beans, but yet I find that Blue Bottle served at different cafes aren't equally good. Maybe it's the machine or the barrista, but Vega almost always has a superior brew. Although individually dripped coffee seems to be the new standard, I stick with the a short Americano which is an expresso with a little hot water. That way I get this beautiful crema that needs to be sipped before its essense evaporates in the morning air. What a way to start the day! Mirror Mirror on the Wall3/2/2012 The expansion of Brenda's Restaurant at Polk and Eddy in San Francisco has doubled the dining room size. The new section features an assortment of old mirrors hung on the concrete wall -- a nice contrast. If you go, try the shrimp and grits.
Pine Street Remodel - One more thing!2/27/2012 Pine Street Hearth There one more thing that needs attention in our remodel. The wood fireplace is one of the few remaining original items in the building. The wood mantle itself is in great condition but the hearth has beautiful old tiles that show its age (photo left). I actually find this aged look beautiful, but unfortunately a noticeable area has broken and missing pieces. After spending some time searching, finding replacement tiles in the right size and colors seems impossible. We're trying to find a replacement that will be similar in appearance. Asian Art Museum Docent Training2/23/2012 The training of future docents became a little more real to me last week. My assignment was to "shadow" a 6th grade field trip visit to the Asian Art Museum and observe the docents, kids, and parents to see learn what to expect. I found 6th graders are great. Their old enough to really engage with the art yet not too old to feel the whole experience is just not cool enough to warrant their attention. In this photo above they are lining up in front of the museum as the teacher distributes tickets to each one. Bless public school teachers!
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