Two Taras. Two Bikes. One Near Death Ride.

So I decided I needed a bike.  Well done and done, this week I made it happen.  And I am now a proud owner of two fabulous wheels and a new found love for riding around town on them.

This weekend was the perfect time to test out my new ride with my Berkeley twin, Tara Ilsely.  We made a day of it and road around Berkeley on mostly biker friendly roads… a minor near death experience may have occured when we thought it would be a good idea to cross over I-580 on University where merging traffic and exiting traffic from the highway occurs.  That’s just a side note to a beautiful day outside and around the Berkeley Marina.

We started out at Tara’s place and went to Berkeley Bowl (local food market) where we picked up a smorgasbord of trail mix, rice chips, hummus, a grapefruit, an avocado, a caprese salad and confectionary (aka yogurt) pretzels.

After packing away the goods in our bags, we pedaled over to the marina, through quaint quiet streets and across the foot bridge over I-580.  We should have done the same on the way back, but we’ll know better next time.

Once we found a grassy-slightly damp spot near the water, we plopped down for a picnic slash feast.  Soaking in the severely missed vitamin D and admiring the gorgeous blue sky could not have been easier this past Saturday.

We took a few photos to prove just how glorious the view and weather was.  Its January for goodness sake! Partial Photo Credits go to the other (slightly better looking) Tara.  We’ll definitely need to do this often.

Photos taken by Tara Ilsely:

Tara's Feet (apparently she has photos of her feet from various places.)Look of Death

Photos taken by me:

Falling down the "cliffside"

Were so adventurous. To the extreme.

Leprechaun Dance Moves

If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.

I have found a new appreciation for the word talkative in Tara.  I find myself absolutely and completely enveloped in her stories (she definitely has plenty) and also find myself racing the tracks of my neuro-pathways trying to keep up with her.

More double-T adventures to come…I hope!

Boom Snake and back in the Bay.

Boom Snake at the Hemlock

A last minute phone call from Hellacious Helena and I was hopping the public transit to the Hayes House (aka Helena’s house on Hayes St.).  We were headed to our favorite sushi spot, Sushi Domo for our splurge on their signature Domo Roll, Spicy Hulk and Sexy Mama Rolls.

Our next stop was Three Twins Organic Ice Cream. Three words: Honey Orange Blossom. One word: Mmmmhmmmm.

Later we stopped by and met up with Dustin before heading to Hemlock Tavern for a show.  On the agenda for the night was Silian Rail and Boom Snake.  Not having any expectations is usually the best way to go when seeing a band you have never heard of.  Silian Rail, a two person band mainly guitar and drums, played a good set of original acoustic instrumental tunes wavering up and down in bpm. The drummer impressively picked at a guitar while hitting the percussion at the same time.  Immediately following Silian Rail was Boom Snake, a band from San Diego.  I was even more impressed as their unconventional blend of melodious drumming kept with the lingering guitar riffs and echoing lyrics.

After their set, H and I went back to the merchandise bar at the back of the poorly lit parlor.  We spent a few minutes talking to a few of the band members, including Greg, the lead vocalist of Boom Snake.  One thing I always take away from shows like this is the sense of passion that musicians and artists permeate.  Small venues, intimate crowds and musical stories flow through from artist to audience and the impact is so much greater when sharing music is that personal.

Stop. Get going.

After getting on a bike again for the first time in over a year, I decided I need one.  Something about this scene reminds me of rides my dad and I used to do along the North Platte bike trail in Colorado when I was younger.

This photo is from Florida between Inverness and Floral City on the Gulf of Mexico side of the state.  Florida was so cold recently it was bizarre being there for a ‘vacation.’  It was a vacation though, just not your stereotypical lay-on-the-beach-swim-in-the-ocean-burn-to-a-crisp vacation. As some of my friends and I like to call it…rehab.

Its just a great place we can go to (thanks to the Hagles!) and relax, detox, think, visit and rejuvenate.

Sarah and I stopped at the Shamrock Inn on our bike ride to grab lunch.  Throughout the whole dive there were little signs that read, “Good friends, good food, good times.”  Seemed like the perfect quote for this trip. Simple and quaint.

Shamrock Inn (Floral City, FL)

Last Burger before my try at being Vegetarian.

Hello Beautiful.

Swampy Marsh

Good Company.

On our way back to the house in Homosassa, in Sarah’s grandpapa’s convertible, we drove with the top down and the country music up.  The end to a perfect bike ride was a car ride and our favorite Sugarland song, “Settlin’.”

So in conclusion, rehab helped me realize to stop for good food and good company but not to stay too long stagnant and settle for anything less than everything.

Memory Bank.

PC: Sarah Hagle

This winter break seems so much longer than any of the breaks I had in undergrad.  Probably because it is.  By about three weeks.

Its been great and strange at the same time.  I’ve had so much time to spend with family and friends which has made the time well worth it.

The breakdown was as follows: San Francisco to Des Moines, Des Moines to Chicago, Chicago back to Des Moines, Des Moines back to San Francisco, San Francisco to Tampa (Homosassa) and finally Tampa back to San Francisco.  Lots of time spent in airports and in the air across the country meant lots of time to think.

Conclusion:  Cherish the time you have and make time for the little things.

While I was in Florida visiting my friend, Sarah and her family, I realized there are lots of little pieces of life that make us who we are. We need to take the time to tell the stories of where we came from and who we are.

The night I arrived, the family spent hours looking through old home videos of past Christmases, vacations, soccer games and other special events on an old projector.  We played cards and listened to stories from the families past.  It was like a movie being played out in front of me and I was intrigued not only by their stories but began to remember trinkets from my past as well.  I wondered what videos still existed in the boxes in storage of my family.

I sometimes think that I take too many photos (or pictures as Sarah would prefer that I say).  But when I see their home videos and old pictures, I remember that these moments are meant to be conserved.  Whether small or grand, insignificant or of the utmost importance, they all play a vital role in who I became and will continue to become.

So although this vacation to Florida was not the warmest, I did avoid some crazy Bay Area storms and got to know a friend and her history while taking a break from my future.

Some tokens to put in the memory bank:

Beer in a Mason Jar at Peck's (via waitress named Heaven Leigh)

Signs on the fence of a local gift shop in FL

Wendy and Bill sharing a 'Medium' Margharita @ Margharita Grill

Here birdie, birdie.

Sarah loves her Marghs.

So even if I do take too many pictures photos, these are going in the memory bank as “the time I realized the importance of family archives.” I can’t wait to see what my photos will look like to future generations.

The Little Pieces

Its time for a little pre-spring cleaning clean-up.  I’m sitting here on the plane on my way to Florida thinking about the pieces of my life that are the glue to my sanity.

Over my Iowa ‘vacation’ I went to see Leap Year with my sis, Erin and cousin, Jill.  Cheesy chick flicks are a guilty pleasure of mine but one particular thing from this movie did stick with me…If your house was burning and you had 60 seconds to grab valuables and get out, what would you take?

Well my thought process was: “Hard Drive, Camera, Lenses.” And I thought again and although it may sound materialistic,  its not at all.  My external hard drive has all of my photos from the past five years of my life on it.  So my rationale is that I don’t want to lose all those memories.

Luckily there is more than one way to store media these days but my little red external hard drive (given to me by my good friend, Nate) is equal to a gallon size container of rubber cement when talking about adhesive materials in relationship to keeping it together.

So as a dedication to this red magic media box I’d like to post a few photos of random things that are the treasures in my day to day.

Coffee (elixir of life)

Hats

Fuzzy and Warm

Flat haired Cats

Tall and Thins

Soft and Plush

Soft and Smoosh

Snail Mail

Laughs

Reflections (literal and metaphorical)

Old School and New Technology

Innocence

Family and Friends (usually the line blurs)

So when my 60 seconds comes up and you see me reaching for a little piece of plastic and metal this is why.

My Grasshopper.

So as many of you have seen over the past few weeks, I have started another blog with my cousin, Jill Anderson.  We spent most of my winter break galavanting around, taking photos and adventuring in the subzero temperatures of Ankeny, Iowa.

Its been great to share my acquired knowledge with another photography enthusiast.  Its helped me practice my skills while helping her out as well.  Although we started our own blog/photoproject, Im still going to be posting here frequently with thoughts about my personal photography/adventures.

While we were shooting at various locations and in different environments, I thought of the Karate Kid.  In no way am I a master photographer (yet) but when Jill had questions, I usually had the answer.  It felt reassuring that I haven’t been wasting away in grad school just avoiding getting a real job.  This really is my passion.

I had the opportunity to be creative and we bounced ideas off of each other through each excursion.  With those juices flowing, I grew as a photographer and as an artist.  I’m really proud of that and of my grasshopper.

Here’s a few of her shots of me and my lil sis, Erin:

Botanicals.

As many of you may have already seen, my cousin Jill Anderson and I have started a new project, the Dipstychs.  It’s a collaboration of photographs throughout the year from separate parts of the country. Anyway, these photos are an extension of the trip we took to the Des Moines Botanical Center.  When bored with a small budget and looking for a way to spend an afternoon, check out your local botanical garden/center.

As a little winter promotion, the center features jazz/blues music for a couple hours every Sunday afternoon.  So we ventured with our cameras.  Although we don’t agree on camera brand (Jill for Canon and I, Nikon) we agreed on the therapeutic and contemplative qualities of this adventure.

Textures and subtle colors popped into our photos.  My favorite part of our adventures has been the growth we have both seen in our skills.  Extended relaxation time allowed new fresh thoughts and ideas to form in my head.  Here’s just the beginning…

There are 12 days of Christmas you know?

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (Reindeer) had a very shiny nose (like a flashlight).

And if you ever saw it (saw it) you would even say it glows (like a light bulb).

Then add something about Pinocchio and George Washington and you’ve got it down.

Even though it was after Christmas (a day actually) we (as in the Anderson/Kaiser Duo) celebrated the holiday with a wonderful evening of fondue, carols, treats and a white elephant gift exchange. What could be better?

Vicky lead us into a festive succession of songs while she played cheerfully at the piano.

Music Teacher at work

Whether harmonizing or completely out of tune, we all sang along with joyous spirit.  Santa Clause came to town, bells were jingling in the winter wonderland and Frosty was definitely somewhere around.  After almost every carol we could think of was sung, we put on our stockin’ caps, booties, mittens and scarves.  Oh and grabbed a coozie for the cold ones (wedding favors provided by newly-weds Seth and Erin Anne).

We greeted neighbors in a van passing by, newcomers to the hood and a few other houses who thought the crazy Griswolds had come to light their tree on fire.

Although chilly, still a merry merry lil’ tradition that should definitely continue for years to come.  This was definitely the first time the Kaiser side has done anything so Christmas-y as caroling.  And on to the gifts…

A lot, a lot, a LOT of laughs were had here. One main cause that normally would cause a fit of embarrassment to most: FLARP.

The game involved dice, giving, taking, receiving and jumping, scrambling, running, falling, etc. around the living room.  Various little nifties from the dollar section were the biggest hits, as well as recycled coupon books (the proud owner was not happy to have lost), and well the main kicker, the FLARP.  If you do not know what this substance in a plastic container is, please google it.

At the end of the chaos, Joeli decided to start a round of what I would like to call flatulent, gut-wrenching, infectious hysterics.  It turned into a competition of various lengths, volumes and pitches.  Let’s just say for a very educated group of people it never ceased to get old from start to finish.

The fun never seems to stop. And I hope it never does with our two families, who know what will come to be in the future.  More to come.

Martha Stewart. Tree Huggers. Elephants. Christmas.

Having a good time is always the objective when the Kaiser and Anderson family come together.  If a brief history were to be written about these two families, it might involve growing up in two different states (Colorado and Iowa), pranks/adventures/quarrels, hunting, skiing, choir concerts, sports matches and two great weddings.

Who would have thought Ankeny, Iowa would be the place where such a perfect match would take place? As just a first of few entries involving our two families, I would like to introduce the crew with just a few of their best shots from holiday festivity #1:

Vicky Anderson - sweetest music teacher ever

Larry Anderson - Funny Man Sr.

Jeremy Anderson - Funny Man Jr.

Jill Anderson - Singer Sultry Photographer

Missing from this night but still a HUGE part of the Anderson family are Joeli (formerly Anderson) and Brad Field.

And for the Kaisers:

Jim Kaiser - Missing Appendage Story Man

Shellie Kaiser - Endearing Little Mama

Erin Kaiser - Princess Lil Sis

Missing from the Kaiser Family in this entry are: younger brother Josh Kaiser, older brother Seth Kaiser and his wife, Erin Anne Kaiser.  Josh is overseas in Afghanistan but still in our thoughts all the time!

Christmas Eve this year consisted of two kinds of nummy soup: chicken enchilada and chili.  Campbells you ain’t got nothin’ on these home-mades.  (Apparently my writing takes on a midwestern vocab style while I am here.)

After each of us were done swimming in our second bowl of soup, we played a few rounds of Apples to Apples.  From Martha Stewart being described as ’sexy’ to Elephants being ‘fragrant’ we pinned down the best and worst adjectives with various pop culture icons.

I’m pretty sure between cocktails, beers, wine and soda (for the lil’ one) we laughed at an increasingly louder volume every minute. Sharing is definitely caring between these two families as each person shared a little TMI throughout each round.  And although we hate to admit how cute our parents are… Larry and Vicky and Jim and Shellie are pretty darn adorable.

Blessed.  Probably the best word to describe this new found family friendship.  We are so blessed. (And pretty good looking too, I’d dare to say).

Ambitiously Baking in Chicago.

After a reunion  night out with my faves in the Windy City, my friend Gina and I decided to bake.  As if we hadn’t had enough delicious treats the night before (previous post) a few more goodies sounded like just the ticket on the first class lazy train.

Off to Whole Foods in the freezing cold we went.  We picked up the goods and taste tested a few items on display…mmmmm sweet cherry salsa anyone?  Don’t mind if I do, twice!

Checkout, back to the cold and up the three flights of stairs back to the warm comfort of slothfulness.

First on the agenda was cherry almond sugar cookie jumbles. Um, hello, Delicious.

They are scrumdiddliumptious. Next we took on PB Cookies. Classic, buttery wonderfulness.

Result #2:

Amazing. We made them from scratch…this is a very large sidenote, because we had to jackhammer the brown sugar to mix in with this batter.  Note to self: Tightly seal the brown sugar bag when not in use.  (there should be a warning label: Seal tightly or brown sugar will take on a cement like state rendering it a supersolid.)

After I notified the neighbors of our antics through constant pounding on the counter for about 25 min, we had 1 cup of reasonably soften brown sugar.

Bake, remove from oven, taste test (eat two or three cookies) and repeat process.

We then opened our one and only “box” recipe for brownies. Double batch, smooth in pan and 35 minutes in the oven later we had a batch of chocolaty goodness ready for mang-ing.

The best part about baking: the cleanup and the company: