The Icebreaker.

Perfect name for a boat where you meet new people and wear tutus. On Sunday, roomie Siobhan and I went to a literature-themed brunch on a boat in the Port of San Francisco. Guests were instructed to bring either a brunch item or libation inspired by a character from a book or an author.

The day started off with mimosas and a tour of the three-story ex-cargo ship from Iceland.

One genius brought locusts and honey (for St. John the Baptist, from the Bible). And yes, I ate one. Two, actually. They were crunchy. Not much else to be said about them.

View from the kitchen. Don't get tipsy wihle making your spaghetti here...you may just fall overboard.

The top level of the boat. A sundeck with a hot tub and fake grass. The Golden Gate Bridge is over that guy's left shoulder in the far distance. You won't be able to see it unless you're a hawk.

Looking down to level 2 from the deck. Again, don't fall. Thinking about it, this boat may not have been the best place to have a bunch of tipsy people. Booze + wake + lots of holes to fall through is like Jack Kerouac running through Alice in Wonderland.

One guy was dressed as a Captain and the hostess brought tutus for everyone to wear, so I decided to drag everyone up top for an impromptu photo shoot.

Having been watching The Tudors obsessively, I naturally had to turn my tutu into an English ruff.

A seagull on the uppermost deck had just hatched a baby seagull (possibly the cutest baby animal ever--fluffy white with black polka dots and big big flapping feet). Of course, me being me, I didn't take a picture of the cute thing, I took a picture of the gross thing. The hatched egg.

Captain Crush (as he is now nicknamed by me after our fashion editorial) and the girls waving to people in boats, who stare at us either in envy or fright. Afterall, Captain Crush can be seen for miles away with his gold lamé hoodie and the rest of us are wearing tutus, mine still around my neck. And no, I wasn't even drunk. The benefit of being an artist is that you can act weird all the time and people justify it with, "Oh, she's an artist." Free license.

Best. Idea. Ever.

The Science Academy in San Francisco has what is called "Nightlife" on Thursday nights. It's 21+ so that means no screaming children, no strollers to run into your heels, and they serve booze. You get to drink while exploring animals and bugs and cool shit. AND it's a third of the price of a regular admission ticket. Seriously, this is my dream come true.

 

 

 

The evening started at Off The Grid, which is a local gathering of food trucks a few blocks from my house. It ended up being a total pig-fest...we literally ate pork in every part of the meal (yes, even dessert).

Spicy pork belly fries. Could have been spicier. But damn good.

...I'm speechless. This was heaven in a bun. I almost proposed to the sweaty chef, but he was too busy slinging steamed buns of pork belly, turmeric pickled daikon and sriracha goodness at the hordes of people around the truck to hear my assertion of undying love and affection.

There were about 10 or 12 trucks in all. As much as I wanted to try all of them, I had to temper myself, lest I wind up with a charcoal digestif at the ER. Dessert included chocolate and toffee covered bacon plus a few nibbles of Josephine's nutella and strawberry creme brulee.

At the Science Center, standing inside an aquarium tunnel. I look like a homie because I'm trying to take a photo and not spill my sangria.

Starfish. I got to pet a starfish while drinking. I can't get over what a good invention this is.

This little dude had eyes like Yoda.

And at the end of it all...baby ostriches. I want one to keep my goat company someday.

Another day, another dollar spent on food.

My new boss is a foodie. Which is great because I can get all sorts of good recommendations from him. It's terrible because then I want to try all of them. Luckily, he told me to go buy some croissants from Thoroughbread Bakery in the Castro yesterday and as a pat on the back for good work, he paid for them. For me and my roomies. Yeehaw!! I'm liking the perks of this job...

First day of real sunshine since we got up here. Jane is loving it even though our lawn leaves something to be desired.

Thoroughbread Bakery in the Castro

It's a good thing boss man told me what to get otherwise I would have stood in front of the bakery case for 30 minutes drooling like an idiot before blowing the rest of my food budget for the month on sweets.

$1.25 coconut macaroon. I savored this tasty little treat out on Thoroughbread's patio at an old desk.

Being my father's daughter, I couldn't help but snoop inside the drawer (he's notorious for doing this same thing at doctor's offices)

This is the note inside, congratulating me on having found the treasure drawer. As you can see from the above photo, the treasures included one square chocolate of indeterminate age, a dying flower, cigarette butt, and dead spider. Thanks. Still, the coconut macaroon was worth every bite even knowing that I ate it on top of a cabinet that holds dead things. 

Cool statue and some dude who I swear was just messin' with me. I was holding my phone up to take a quick picture and he would stand directly in front of me, no matter which angle I tried to shoot it at. He was like those awful carnival ducks you have to try and shoot but they're too fast. But opposite. Since I was trying desperately NOT to shoot him.

Ahh, finally annoying duck man crossed the street, apparently confused over his fowl lineage, and I got a good shot.

There's a quote I really love in Spanish (I can't write in Spanish--or really read it or speak it for that matter) that translates to "God will find a mouth to tell you what you need to hear." I was lost in the Castro trying to find my way back to the N Line when I passed a seafood joint that had $1 oysters on Tuesdays. And it was a Tuesday. That's as much of a sign as I need, God, thanks for the tip.

This morning I ate my incredible almond croissant from Thoroughbread with some donut peach and Vietnamese coffee. Way to start the day off right.

Jean Paul Gaulthier

I wasn't supposed to take video apparently, but didn't know that when I shot this. Amazing exhibit, albeit a bit creepy. The mannequins had faces projected onto them. They were still for a while, then would talk, sigh, roll their eyes, or creepiest of all, would all start to sing in unison. 

This is made entirely of ribbons. RIBBONS. For anyone who has ever attempted sewing...imagine sewing a million ribbons together to make this. Unbelievable.

This was from the Frida Kahlo collection by JPG. Love it.

If you're going to San Francisco...

...be sure to wear some organic, biodegradable, sustainably farmed flowers in your hair. It's the end of week one in SF and having a great time so far. There's a lot to learn (pedestrians walk whenever, wherever they want so be careful if you're driving) and lots of explore (mostly food-based). After sending photos one by one to friends and family, I've decided just to upload them all here.

Wednesday, July 11. Boyfriend left me by train, so to I chose salty delicious pork products to fill the empty void.

Lunch later on Wednesday the 11th. Salty pork products accompanied by Acme bread (yum), cheese, nectarine, and jalapeno stuffed olives. I'm probably the only person who doesn't buy cereal and bread first thing. No, instead I walk through Trader Joes and decide marinated olives and a good Malbec are a good start to my pantry.

Discovered a market by my house where, again, I pass on potatoes and go straight for the Japanese eggplant and leeks.

Bored with Trader Joes, I discover Clement Street in the Richmond District (across the Golden Gate Park from my house). There are a bunch of ahh-mazing Asian markets with crazy produce (dragon fruit, lychees, bitter melon), offal (oxtail, pork belly, tongue), and walls lined with every type of seafood imaginable (yes, even turtles).

The final choices. Made roommates dinner that night of Chinese long beans, manila clams, and braised pork belly.

Friday, July 13. Dancing and drinks at a bar somewhere in the Mission. Everyone here drinks Pabst Blue Ribbon (it's only $2) so I jumped on the bandwagon. The headache is not worth the $15 I saved on good beer. Lesson learned.

Siobhan (roomie) went to Tartine and brought home delicious treats! An eclair and the best banana cream pie I've ever tasted.

The bread from Tartine...fresh out of the oven. Crispy outside, chewy inside. I dare say it's perfect. This was dinner last night along with some cheeses from the cheese shop a block from our house (danger, I know!), fruit, and butternut squash soup.

If anyone wants to buy me a present, these would be good. Whale knives!

At the General Store in Outer Sunset. Cute little shop with a greenhouse in back. Now we want to make one in our backyard and fill it with tomatoes.

Inside of the greenhouse

Out of reclaimed windows and wood. I think I can do this...

Mom, I know you like this.

Siobhan

The beach at Outer Sunset. We put our names on the waiting list for brunch at Outerland's in Outer Sunset. Took 2 hours to get a seat, so we went to the beach to kill time.

Not as cold as it looks.

Roomie Jo snapping some photos.

There's some great street art in SF. I liked this little nugget.

Best drink ever. I left my heart at the bottom of my hot apple cider-lemonade-bourbon cup.

Eggs in jail. Like eggs in a nest (V for Vendetta style) but with criss-crossed bacon on top for the jail bars.

Yummy bread with eggs and heirloom tomatoes. One of the wines on the list at this place had an icon next to it indicating that it was "biodynamic". Confused, I asked the waiter. His explain included witches and magic, cow hooves and moon cycles. When we asked if it was sustainable as well (it didn't have the "sustainable" icon next to it) he replied without batting an eyelash, "magic is a renewable resource." He got a good tip. Siobhan and I concluded that it wouldn't make sense to go through all the trouble of grinding hooves and antlers to make something more organic-than-organic if they had to chop down rainforests to grow endangered antelope whose feet they need to make it biodynamic. It feels like an episode of Portlandia here.

More street art by my house. 

Xoxo. More later. -Ash

Ashleigh Norman

with Jason John and Jerry Smith

Flight

May 22 - June 17

Opening reception 

Saturday, May 26, 3-5pm

at the Sylvia White Gallery

1783 E. Main St. Ventura, CA

Detail from Free Birds (The Beauty of Letting Go)

To see the whole painting, come to the opening reception May 26, 2012