Bakesale Betty’s + The Roller Rink

I have previously posted about Bakesale Betty’s here. But really, it's just that good.

Sadly, strawberries are not in season and you cannot procure the delectable strawberry shortcake right now. However, Betty’s is never a shortage of goodness.

On my last visit I finally made it there early enough (during the lunch hour) to get one of their famous fried chicken sandwiches:


It didn’t disappoint. Even though it looks like a hard baguette, it was actually very soft and nicely contrasted by the crunch of the chicken and the coleslaw. Plus, I added hot sauce of course!



I also got some pumpkin pie and gingerbread cookies since strawberries are out of season. The pumpkin pie was SO good I had my friend bring me some on his most recent visit from Oakland.

Took a bite before I took the picture ;)


I don't know if you can see the middle, it's soft but not quite gooey.

To make sure the weekend wasn’t all food indulgence, I went to the roller rink with my best friend. I wanted to start rollerblading again so last year I bought some used ones off craigslist for $15 instead of the $80ish for new ones. Good thing since this is the first time I’ve actually used them since the purchase!

It was great to get back into it on a hardwood floor rather than the often harsh and bumpy pavement. Better yet I will be all ready for Ice Skating in the park. Have to build up the much needed ankle strength!

Funny observation: Kids don’t look when they peel off the roller rink because they don’t drive! My friend and I kept looking left and right like we were merging and changing lanes. 5 year olds are more likely to cut you off or fall in front of you, so that was something to get used to.

Pescadero, CA

An old co-worker told me about this great hostel just south of Pescadero, CA, which is itself just south of SF an hour. Pigeon Point Lighthouse and Hostel is indeed awesome. It's a hostile, so, keeping that in mind, there are a few perks here. Location, location, location. They also have a hot tub you can reserve for 30min. increments that looks over the ocean. It was fabulous. After a failed attempt to stay at the hostel last year for my girlfriends' birthday, we planned ahead and were able to book a private room for my birthday this past July.



The hostel is right on the ocean, and the only downside to the whole trip was the windy, cold, foggy weather. I guess you can't expect too much on the pacific coast, but it was the end of July so we were hoping for sun!



The lighthouse itself is a tourist spot, and the grounds are gorgeous.


I had never seen a plant like this. It seemed to be of the cacti family more than of the rose family.

Once we left the coast and headed about 3 miles inland to Pescadero, we were met with warmth and sunshine from both nature and the towns people.


The girl and her goat are actually leading you to the Pescadero goat farm and cheese shop, Harley Farms. You can buy some amazing artisan goat cheese and pet the goats. Also, when we stopped in, they informed us that they had just got their license to start making goats milk ice cream and were preparing to bring it to market. That is enough to get me back to Pescadero next summer.

The main drag in Pescadero is less than a quarter mile long, but there are some gems to be found. The mexican place inside the gas station makes amazing quesadillas. Fresh baked olallaberry pie and bread can be found at Arcangeli Grocery Co./Norms Market. Finger-licking-good BBQ in a picnic setting, can only be found on the weekends at the Pescadero Country Store. Gorgeous furniture and gift purveyors line the street along with a ton of cyclists and tourists. In a town so small, you are spotted straight off, so just enjoy it, the town has embraced itself as a tourist stop. Overall, it was a fabulous weekend on the coast.

Having explored and noted the highlights, I can't wait to share this with family and friends as a relaxing day trip next summer. Look out for my next post on the kiteboarding we witnessed a little further south.

Kiteboarding @ Waddell Beach

To be clear, I wasn't kiteboarding. I was just lucky enough to get some pictures of the guys that were.

This beach and popular kiteboarding spot is south of Pescadero, CA about 25 miles, but before you get to Santa Cruz, CA.


The kite is in his backpack and he is carrying the pump to blow up the frame of the kite.


Prepping to hit the waves. Getting the kite up is often a two person job.


One of the few but smart guys wearing a helmet.


Going old school...


Windsurfing


Yet, harmony on the water. This shot only captures about 1/4 of the surfers out there.

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2008/2009 TV Round Up - The year of the FBI and The Wire alums

I have to say I probably wouldn’t have managed law school without my dvr. I finished my first year (more on that in a later post) and managed not only to keep up with most of my favorite shows but I took on some new ones. To see some of the shows I watch, check out my previous post.

I have to say I am disappointed that NBC’s Life was canceled. Not only is Det. Reese played by Sarah Sashi incredibly hot in her cop get up, Det. Crews played by Damian Lewis was one of the most dynamic and interesting characters a cop show has seen in a while. Ultimately I think this show played out too slowly for American audiences seeking instant gratification or at least a lot of flash bang to keep them interested.


Compared to my original list - see earlier post linked above - I only had a few minor mishaps. Mid-season my dvr crashed, thank you Comcast for continuing to give me refurbished pieces of crap. It recorded an episode of Trust Me in 1 minute installments until it deleted everything else and crashed. The two shows I was “saving”, or more realistically hadn’t had a chance to catch up on, were Lost and Gossip Girl. I’ll have to catch them over summer because I was pretty much SOL after losing half the season of both and wasn’t in the mood to watch it online nor did I have the time. I also did not take on the new show Cruso because I wasn’t that interested.

My favorite shows this year are all newbies:

First, my absolute favorite this year was J.J. Abrams’ Fringe. Not only does it star the amazingly beautiful and talented Anna Torv as Agent Dunham and Wire alum Lance Reddick (Det. Daniels) as Agent Broyles but Joshua Jackson makes his return to the small screen as Peter Bishop. Fringe aired on Fox with limited commercials in each episode keeping a fast pace and suspense high. Knowing next to nothing about science lets me buy into this show and really enjoy it. Fringe centers around an FBI task force set out to figure out the who/what/why of a bunch of recent attacks on citizens of the fringe science variety. This is a show worth watching from the beginning and the investment had an excellent payoff with an information and answer filled season finale. See a review here.



My lack of knowledge in the science arena also helped me enjoy CBS’s Eleventh Hour based on an English series of the same name. Dr. Hood, played by Rufus Sewell, is a consultant to the FBI with his own protective detail. Each episode is a new case for Dr. Hood to unravel and a chance for him and his protective detail Rachel Young, played by Marley Shelton, to get to know each other better. They forge a bond throughout the season that becomes brother/sister like by the end and I hope they continue to explore this dynamic.

I absolutely loved FX’s Son’s of Anarchy that aired in early fall. This show followed a motorcycle gang that could be modeled after the hells angels. They deal in arms but are good people and complicated characters. I can’t wait for its return.

The Beast, Patrick Swayze’s new project is gripping. Airing on A&E, both Swayze and newcomer Travis Fimmel delivered a gritty performance that could only be broadcast on cable. As undercover operatives for the FBI they live in the shadows and I can’t wait to go on their next adventure. This show also features Wire alum Larry Gilliard Jr. (D’Angelo Barksdale) as Ray.


One of the newest shows around, Southland, fills the slot of the departed ER. Female creator Ann Biderman has brought us a cop show we can really love. It reminds me a lot of NYPD Blue. The cop drama follows a group of 4 beat cops, a squad of detectives and 2 homicide detectives. The cinematography is excellent, it follows the beat cops on the calls they get, both bogus and life threatening. The newest member of the squad, officer Ben Sherman, is a standout character played by OC alum Ben McKenzie. The pacing is perfect. There is a good mix of politics, personal drama, cases, and street work to make this a great cop show with a viable future.

Keep a look out for Summer TV and post 1st yr. of law school debriefing...