Last weekend, I tracked grass fires and fireworks for the evening news shows. During the week, I produced slideshows and logged a news conference on a scary house explosion for the website. I suppose it all adds up to a typical week for the gal who produces shows and web content.

When I survive the work week, I hit the road in search of new flavors and comfort food. Thank God for my hubby and friends who enjoy eating and drinking.


A few months ago, Susan invited us to the first Noodlefest in San Francisco.

North Beach and Chinatown restaurants blocked off streets and served up tasty twists on noodle dishes.

From San Francisco noodles to Lodi Wine – we checked out LangeTwin’s BBQ party at the Tin Roof with Susan and Tom.

The ribs were so tender and I couldn’t stop popping the stuffed mushrooms. Mark and I fell in love with the 2008 Petite Sirah Petit Verdot. That bottle prompted us to become wine club members.

For Mark’s birthday weekend, we checked out the Raley Field Brewfest.

It had an impressive selection of beer makers from California and around the country.

Finally, Susan and Tom introduced us to Compassionate Chefs at New Dehli. This fundraiser made sure Tenderloin students had the chance to make beautiful music with the help of world-class musicians.

For a small price, we ate amazing Indian food and a did a little belly dancing. OK – I was the idiot who allowed herself to be pulled up for the belly dancing. Seriously. Yes – there is video of the dancing. No, I don’t know if I’m posting it.

We also met Miss United Nations. At the time, Miss Chinatown was not wearing her sash – so I couldn’t pick her out from the crowd.

Ahoy Facebook peeps and RSS readers – wanna see a cool photo of me aiming an HD camera? You can by checking out the Raley Field slideshow on my blog.

So, it was a pleasure to eat good food and chill with Susan and Tom. Over the last two years, we put a lot of miles on Mark’s Corolla, crossing the Carquinez and Bay Bridges. I think it’s totally worth the mileage to spend time with people I consider I close enough to be family.

This is the third year that we’ve done something special for Easter Sunday in SF, growing into a lovely tradition.

We followed Susan’s suggestion of Easter dinner at the Waterbar on the Embarcadero. The stormy weather offered a romantic backdrop to our classy feast of seafood, wine and other gourmet treats.

Before the weather turned stormy, we marked the end of Lent with steaks on the grill. When I smelled the savory, rich aroma of meat sizzling over hot flames, I nearly melted.

One disclaimer – I made exceptions for going veggie during Lent when it came to eating at other people’s homes. I didn’t want to impose my semi-Pescetarian lifestyle other people’s hospitality.

Standing in the kitchen, I watched my Daisy beg for scraps by Mark as he flipped the meat. I inhaled all those amazing flavors wafting over from the grill.

I felt blessed to be back in the land of the carnivore.

Hey Facebook peeps – if you want to see more photos from our grilling adventure – go to my blog page.

Back in San Francisco, I ordered the halibut topped with caviar. The delicate flavors of the halibut played nicely with olive oil and seasonal vegetables. Yum! In fact, all of the Waterbar’s Easter Menu showcased fresh seafood paired with first-class ingredients. We also took advantage of the Happy Hour deal on oysters – $1 oysters before 6 PM.

I’d love to come back to the Waterbar on a sunny, warm day. They have patio seating and a stunning view of the Bay. I imagine outdoor cocktails and $1 oysters would be the perfect way to end the work week.

Again, if you’re reading this blog on Facebook – click on the blog link to check out more yummy pictures from Easter Sunday!

Brian Goggin’s "Defenestration", originally uploaded by threecee.

I stumbled on the Brian Goggin’s Defenestration project over on Laughing Squid.

ABC 7 also covered Goggin’s fundraising party. I enjoyed the soundbite with the lady who wanted to save the toaster. Seeing the toaster hanging on a wall cheers her up daily.

I’m sure this appliance and its crew of hanging furniture, tools and gadgets would make anybody smile.

In San Francisco, we fried up 2 pounds of porky goodness last night. The fatty smoke warmed up the kitchen and left our clothes smelling yummy.

After saving all the juicy guanciale and bacon fat, Susan showed me how she did Pasta all Carbonara: raw eggs, Parmesan cheese, fried bacon bits and of course – all that rendered fat. We also baked garlic bread and sauteed some mushrooms and onions with garlic salt, thyme and butter.

It all added up to a delicious, hearty, gourmet dinner in the Mission.

Good times.

Even though I jump on the upgrade wagon when it comes to my computers, I still want to hail anybody who’s willing to rock Windows 95 in a public space.

Agents for Impov Everywhere boggled minds when they carted in huge desktop monitors and towers into an NYC Starbucks. It looks like a one day deal. In my new role as a “woman of leisure,” I would love to do something like this in the Bay Area.

Almost a decade ago, Mark introduced me to some folks who pulled off similar public performance stunts. They organized a thrift store scavenger hunt in the Mission. That was also our first date. We met artists, programmers freelance writers and photographers and others who wanted a break from the rules and expectations of everyday life. The organized some lovely adult outings in the Bay Area. The legal ones included brunch at a Thai Buddhist Temple and a hiking tour of some of San Francisco’s free gardens, hidden in the hilly neighborhoods. One of the illegal outings ended with an angry train operation who yelled about calling the police.

Good times.

I suppose I express my creative side on this blog as well as in photos and video. It keeps me out of jail and it helps me remember those crazy good times.

I’m trying to keep track of all the amazing food we sampled over the past few months. So far, I have tweeted several gourmet experiences. Now – I’ll try to sum up some of those dining adventures, beyond 140 characters.

We did a Thanksgiving Lunch at the Bistro in downtown Sonoma. I needed a relaxing afternoon after spending 10-plus hours in the newsroom. This Charcuterie plate had a lovely mix of foie gras, pork tartine and sausage. I loved spreading the rich foie on white bread.

We continue to head east for comfort food in Davis. I enjoy the handmade noodles from the Noodle House. I always order these dim sum plates as appetizers: pork BBQ buns and onion pancakes. These hearty flavors fill me up on a chilly autumn day or soothe my stomach after a night of drinking.

In Berkeley, we celebrated Scott’s birthday at T-Rex BBQ. I had to try the chicken-fried bacon. Crazy! A bit chewy and I managed to sample some hints of bacon goodness in this hor d’oeuvre.

I enjoyed introducing our Bay Area Buddies to the sights, sounds and flavors of Second Saturday in Sacramento. Everyone was quite pleased with this plate of Spanish Tri-tip and garlic mashed potatoes from Tapa The World.

Earlier this month, Susan and Tom introduced us to an amazing spot for sushi in the Mission: The Sushi Bistro. The bistro has a huge selection of sushi – from butterfish sashimi to some more playful sushi rolls with unagi. This monkfish pate melted in my mouth.

Also in the Mission, Susan also hosted a Halloween Feast. We had fun shaping the meatloaf into a scary hand and shaping the fingernails from onion slices. I also loved Mark’s Halloween costume. Brilliant – from the badge to the sunglasses. Next year, I hope I have some flash of inspiration for a costume. Maybe.
(If you’re reading this in the RSS Reader or on Facebook – click on the blog link to see Mark’s costume and a slideshow of our Halloween Feast!)

Only one week left…

Susan is one of my oldest friends. It’s been a pleasure to watch their relationship grow over the last 9 years.

They held their wedding rehearsal dinner at Hana Zen. The dinner party had a lovely, diverse mix of family and friends. The sushi melted in my mouth. The lobster was so fresh – it couldn’t stop moving its claws.

The last few weekends have been packed with wedding prep stuff: shopping for groomsmen, mint chutney shots at the wedding venue, bachelor party in Vegas, girls’ night out in the Mission and more.

I scored a three-day weekend for this happy event. We spent one night tying up “Terrified” pickles for wedding party favors.

Terrified Pickles from Kris Vera-Phillips on Vimeo.

If you’re reading this entry on Facebook or a RSS reader, click on my blog link to see video of our adventures with pickles. I also posted a slide show of the wedding rehearsal dinner and other wedding stuff.

Typically, I head down to Pier 39 in San Francisco. for the official July 4th show. I’m crammed in with hundreds of people and we watch the colorful lights disappear into the fog. Not great, but still memorable.

A totally different experience this year. After dark, people kicked-off an impromptu fireworks show. Wowa! It’s my first time watching people light up so many fireworks in the middle of the street.

Things That Go Boom from Kris Vera-Phillips on Vimeo.

Loud bangs and a rainbow of sparkles lighting up the sky.
Good times.

I love this shot of the Golden Gate Bridge. The winds blew fierce as we sailed underneath it. I thought it was totally worth braving the chilly gusts to see the underbelly of the bridge.

I wish I found a box or a chair to boost myself up in this 4-shot. Why do I have to be the short one in these pictures? Still, it always a pleasure to enjoy any beautiful day on the San Francisco Bay with Susan and Tom.

Easter Sunday felt like breathing a sigh of relief. I survived another rough week in the newsroom. We covered some really sad news out of Tracy with the murder of an 8-year-old girl. As I focused on stacking my show, producing up the lead to our reporters on the ground and in the air, I said a quick prayer for her family. It’s one of the ways I stay sane when I have to work on brutal stories like this one.

My hubby and I also survived 40 days without alcohol. I made exceptions for special occasions, like my executive producer’s Crab Feed. It raised money for an elementary school and I’m always up for eating & drinking for a good cause. I also don’t remember much of the Crab Feed. That’s probably a good thing. There are rumors that I danced like a go-go girl on a stage. Those allegations have yet to be verified.

Working hard and playing harder in California. It feels like a sweet life.

Check out all the green leaves. I have three sunflowers standing up. There’s also green vines growing from my white potato seedlings. It’s quite exciting and satisfying to hang out in the garden and observe all the changes.

I love how the First Lady’s helping DC kids learn about the wonders of gardening with the White House Lawn.

The California Academy of Sciences is also helping kids explore the natural world.

We visited the Academy on the President’s Day Weekend. I loved seeing the changes from the multi-million dollar makeover. However, the museum was also very, very crowded.

Our meteorologist takes his family to the Academy during the week. He says they have the place to themselves. On a weekend, the place is packed to capacity: 5,000 people. That adds up to an hour+ wait on the popular exhibits, from the Morrison Planetarium to the Rainforest. I guess that’s why I have so many pictures of the Steinhart Aquarium. No wait.

Still, we enjoyed exploring the other exhibits. I also liked watching kids discover the different dimensions of Science.

Someday, I’ll have some little KVP’s running around. Maybe some little Mark’s as well. Come to think of it, I think I’m better of with baby boys versus baby girls. Little girls can be trouble. I should know.

Ask my parents.