dripping with passion

i’ve heard a lot of buzz about a new restaurant in the city that has been named the best new restaurant in the country and one of the best restaurants in the entire world. so much buzz, in fact, that eating at state bird provisions in san francisco has made it all the way onto my life bucket list . it is impossible to get a reservation at this place. i’ve checked the website probably a hundred times, and there is always no availability. this sense of unattainability just makes the restaurant all that more alluring. state bird provisions recently closed for renovations, and reopened the week before kelsey’s birthday (kelsey, my dear partner in foodie adventures, has also been super duper itching to try it). with the reopen came a pledge to reserve some tables for walk-ins. hallelujah! a perfect chance to experience an unreal meal in celebration of kelsey’s birthday! kelsey went to the restaurant at 4pm on the day before her birthday and waited on the street outside the front door fo

a couple of weekends ago, my bosom friend julie came to town! on friday night, i met up with julie, her friend elise (who i became fast friends with) and our friend christyn, who just moved to the bay area, at the firepits at the ritz carlton in half moon bay. although the fog meant no visible sunset, a bagpiper played for half an hour to usher in the nighttime and it was magical! we had such a great time catching up and making fancy s’mores around the fire. julie and elise slept over, and on saturday morning we headed back to half moon bay for the town’s annual pumpkin festival. when julie visited me a few years ago we went to this event together, and it was even better this year. it really got me in the spirit of autumn. julie put this pumpkin in front of her face for a cute little picture when we first got to the festival. and then since we had started, we just couldn’t stop… we found some interesting types of pumpkins…   a plastic pumpkin and a glass pumpkin…   ate pumpkin pan

i was so moved by the comments left on this post , about my broken heart. not only did you, dear dear readers, forgive my melodrama, but you left amazingly insightful and tender responses that sincerely inspired and uplifted me. the thread of thoughts that was left is full of goodness and wisdom and is a striking snippet example of the beauty of human connection. it’s incredible to me how we can all relate, despite great difference in background, location, life experience – i mean, really, isn’t that just so so beautiful?! truly, your comments are a treasure trove that i will go back to again and again whenever i or someone i love is hurting. thank you for sharing. i wanted to add to those comments by contributing some things that have been shared with me by those who know me well. it feels right to have these thoughts collected in one place. i wish this didn't have to feel so painful, but then again, your depth of emotion, your passion is one of your greatest qualities. be grat

celebrating grandma ruthie’s life together was wonderful. on sunday night we all gathered in the church grandma went to every sunday for decades prepartion for the funeral service, for a family dinner, and for the viewing. it was neat to all be together and to meet some of grandma’s friends from many years past. it was particularly wonderful to meet elder cook , who in his youth was greatly impacted by my grandpa dean.  here are grandma’s children then… and now… after the viewing, all of ruth’s posterity gathered at her beloved home on 5th north. i have a million memories in that house, which was very carefully designed by grandma herself. we all crammed in the living room and shared memories. the air was thick with love and gratitude and laughter and tenderness. we found some treasures in the house, like the puzzles grandma made by hand (each grandchild took one home), the kitchenware we remembered eating so many simple meals with, old games and toys grandma loved to share with us

it was really special to be with my parents and eight siblings in utah. i don’t think we’ve had such a gathering of just the original eleven of us since before shawni was married 18 years ago. i have absolutely the coolest most awesome in-laws and of course the best best best nieces and nephews ever , but it was neat to have time with just mom and dad, brothers and sisters. i can’t believe how blessed i am to have them. after some wonderful friday night reunions with the early-comers, the girls went to pick up shawni (who brought her gracie with her) at the airport and had a little sisters’ brunch in downtown salt lake.   then we met the boys and went on a hike in our parents’ glorious mountain backyard. we talked about all kinds of deep and beautiful things. there’s quite nothing i love more than stimulating conversations with my siblings and parents.     by saturday night, everyone’s planes had finally made it in. we made cookies and sat in the great room and there was so much