salty chocolate chia cookies with cardamom

this recipe is very much joy the baker and very little bold + flow but i love the idea, i'm moving and flooded with work, and chia seeds make so much sense as a substitute!

so, here we go.. one ingredient, three ways: part 3, salty chocolate chia cookies (plus bonus toward the end of the post:)

 follow recipe as indicated just substitute chia seeds for sesame seeds, nix the soy sauce and add almond extract + cardamom powder

wallah! i love chia seeds and hope you will play with them -- add to salad for a bit of crunch, use as a crust for baked fish (so good and keeps lean fish very moist), and mix into a smoothie for some good, old fashion energy! 

and here we end the cha cha cha chia series.. one ingredient, three ways: part 1 + part 2

organize. pack. repeat.

we have been a bunch of busy bees over here in the lower haight - organizing bits and pieces, updating to-do lists, and packing lots and lots of boxes in preparation for our big move on friday! so it was such a treat when one of my (oldest) dearest friends stopped by for an impromptu picnic in our living room! we drank mint tea, ate beautiful oranges from the farmer's market, her + n enjoyed some rustic black olive bread, and we reminisced about a very full year together.  i was totally re-energized by our time together and finished my entire closet just in time for my weekly energy session with david (life saver!) +  a sweet dinner at the clay oven.

and now i'm off to tape up a few boxes + put on my pjs and cozy up with mad men.. xo

sharon van etten

i've been listening to this talented lady a lot lately.

one day + save yourself (image via)

san francisco folk are my favorite.

these pictures from purim make me so happy, warm and fuzzy, and incredibly grateful to the awesome folk who have entered my life this year! wow, i am so lucky. i arrived in san francisco feeling quite alone and friendless and just one year later, i leave with genuinely dear friends who brought loads of laughter and play, many beautiful gatherings filled with meaningful conversation + joyful connection, and a LOT of bright light into my life. i am so grateful to all of you (pictured + others -- you know who you are:) and will miss you so much!!
cheers to community + friendship! you rock my world.

the brain on love.

image via

the brain on love - an interesting piece + fantastic reminder about the transformative power of a loving, committed partnership. (thanks to my partner for sharing this article)

come together!

here we are, and here, over there, and on this too.. maybe it's time to simplify + de-clutter a bit? let's focus our attention right here for now and see how it feels..

-- 

and for your weekend pleasure:

• road to nowhere jewelry 
• fresh flower garlands
• beautiful diy note cards
• adrianna glaviano
• on losing ourselves
• this elixir + pomegranate juice
• experimental education
• pantry basics
• kate's march mix
• whiskey sour popsicles + these molds 
• and lastly, i just ordered this cookbook

sleep tight, sweet folk.. xo

69.99 + tax

roadtrip nap somewhere along the 101, la -> sf

this is spring.

*all photos by moi unless noted otherwise (please credit accordingly)

 my favorite spring dress minus accessories - forever 21, forever ago

morning light

comfy shoes - urban outfitters, also old

dried fruit tarts - using up last bits of flour before move

latte at duboce park cafe - perfect spot for people watching

fresh flowers - an unusual bunch for me

* *

the last few days have been rough. while everyone around me seems to be springing forward, fresh with ideas, inspiration, and pretty pictures to boot, i've been cranky, irritable, and feeling defeated. 

this year has been a lot - change of place, change of job, growing partnership, an upcoming return to brooklyn. it has been a time of exploration, forging deeper and more meaningful relationships with myself, n, and others, of healing and growth but it has also been super challenging with mourning old habits and ways of being in the world and stepping into a very uncertain and unfamiliar creative space. every other year i have left winter and entered spring with tangible, specific results that have seeded from a year's worth of focus and hard, outward work. this year, i entered spring without these bits and felt like i was of little value a total loser. while everyone was blooming and running around in the park celebrating their pretty outfits + beautiful picnics, i was hiding my sense of disappointment from n and other close friends hoping it would just go away. yeah, not so much. 

last night, during my daily check-in with n, i fell part and began to share what was going on inside.. how it felt to enter spring without a strong sense of identity and without the positive feedback i was so used to receiving from my professional work, and how painful it felt to still have so much uncertainty around my art. it wasn't easy but in sharing my vulnerabilities and having them received by n, someone i truly respect, i was able release a lot of the insecurity and make space to celebrate spring and the intangible but really important work i've done over the past few months.. it was so healing!

and this morning, instead of forcing myself out of bed, i woke up feeling light, happy, and open hearted. in fact i did some stretching and sun salutations, put on my favorite spring dress, SAT down for a latte at a local cafe, ran a bunch of errands/returned phone calls, did some baking, and even made it to the gym for a good run (thank you, exercise gods). sure, i don't know when uncomfortable feelings will resurface but i do know when they start to bubble, i can share them with my loving partner and amazing group of friends who are so supportive and often remind me of all of the beautiful, new buds in bloom.

happy spring and much love! 

button-down genius

life has been a bit wild and crazy: we finally began to post our furniture, bikes, and prius on craigslist late last night and since then sold both bikes, prius, and some furniture (thank you, craiglist!) + we tied up lots of loose ends + n rocked my fashion world in between to-dos.. yes, n. yes, it's true.

confession: i'm pretty really flat chested and i actually like love it that way most of the time.. i rarely wear a bra, never experience back pain when i run, etc.. my only challenge? the beloved button-down -  they always look droopy and sad on me.. until now! n and i were in the mission yesterday and randomly walked into a shop where nothing fit in the ladies department (hello, where do all the super small women go?!) and n suggested (enter stream of bright light), "why not shop for kids shirts?" so, i did and it was awesome. i walked out of the thrift store with a rad new plaid shirt (courtesy of gap kids) for only $2.49!! sure i have to roll up the sleeves and tuck it in to hide the little tyke evidence but it's totally worth the clean lines and perfect fit on my narrow shoulders. thank you baby, total score!

below are a few shots of my shirt + other bits from the last hour..

in my cozy 'burning man' hat (which i may dye for next winter - it's that comfy) + new plaid shirt in our messy closet.. n snapped this one in a frenzy between craigslist folk

the shirt..

 a well-organized couple used to live here.. i swear.

and dinner - n went out with an old friend who stopped by to pick up some books so i whipped up a super fast, super yummy meal for moi: cut one chicken breast into thin strips and put in a small pot on medium heat, add 1/2 diced large onion + 3 tbsp. nutritional yeast + salt + pepper + 1 tbsp. raw coconut oil + cumin + 1/4 c. water and cover for 10 minutes. turn off heat, add a handful of baby spinach and cover for another minute. wallah!

p.s. i am getting my hair colored tomorrow - wish me luck. :)

food combining for better digestion.

from the fabulous sarah of my new roots

chia + apple cider elixir

lately, i've been drinking a lot of this elixir.. it's easy to make and has loads of benefits from the chia seeds + raw apple cider vinegar.. a perfect beverage to keep me healthy inside this transition + it's cheap and it tastes good.

one ingredient, three ways: chia seeds, part 2: chia + apple cider elixir

in a glass cup mix 1/4 c. apple juice (use good stuff) + 1 tbsp. chia seeds and let sit for a few minutes. add 1.5 tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar and fill with filtered water + ice. can be served warm too with 1 tsp. raw honey.

stay tuned for one ingredient, three ways: chia seeds, part 3! part 1 here.

bold + flow

i was really struck by this horse and her elegance, vulnerability, and strength.. she reminded me of my friend jacqueline's advice the other day for this time of transition: be bold, and flow! wow, thanks lady. i resonate with j's thoughts so much that i changed my blog's title to reflect this intention - a reminder each day when i return to share with you.. be bold, and flow!

my better half

totally dig this sweet series by amanda jane jones

sunday.

before the week gets crazy, i thought it would be fun to share our sunday adventure.. which ended with sorting through drawers in our kitchen and living area (god knows where half the stuff came from), eating a dinner of chard + roasted beets + chicken in a raw coconut oil/nutritional yeast sauce (yum and nourishing), and paying bills before bed.

early afternoon trail run in marin headlands - first in forever (i've been so distracted and laaazy), very windy and hilly but totally worth the breath taking views at the top

on our way into sausalito we stopped at presidio riding club - a collective with lovely, warm folk who were happy to entertain our curiosities

one of many happy, well-cared for horses

an old military balloon hanger transformed into an indoor riding arena - gorgeous, overgrown, eerie

sausalito main drag - dogs dominate the sidewalk

we refueled at taste of rome - i had a diet coke for the first time since.. 2005? that stuff tastes funky but strangely addictive

and chicken soup with veggies and shitakes - clean broth, very simple, perfect for the nippy weather

n had a veggie lasagna with garlic bread

while we were enjoying the afternoon sunlight in the cafe, we made a list of all of our to-dos for the move.. somehow it feels way more manageable now

a novelty store in downtown sausalito - ranch toothpicks? hmm..

more tchochkes

a huge piece from dynamic energy crystals - lovely owners, incredible crystals

on our way home, we looked at each other and shared our amazement for how lucky we are in our lives.. so many things are working and flourishing - love, community, family, adventure, n's work (his film got into tribeca among other fests!), etc - and it hasn't always been this way. we worked really hard to get here but we are here and super grateful.

here's to a calm, happy week! xo

34

this last week was so busy, happy, nourishing, exciting, overwhelming.. o, and exhausting! n came back from chicago and we drove directly to la to scout out neighborhoods and look for an apartment for april 1 (!). in our short time in la, we felt like our hearts were calling us back to the east coast and so we are returning to brooklyn. which is crazy but also feels really good. after loading up on intelligentsia coffee (so good), a visit with my brother, and a short detour to the beach for a run + roadside picnic, we returned to a very rainy sf and went straight into moving/packing mode while i put the finishing touches on n's birthday dinner. it was a busy, busy week and i am so happy it ended with n's birthday celebration last night -- it was so cozy, playful, and full of love and community.. perfect nourishment for another week full of to-dos..

below are some photos from yesterday + today: 

 morning coffee at la boulange in hayes valley - a perfect spot in between errands

a birthday note for n

these babies arrived in the mail while i was building a middle-eastern tent in our living room - thanks to my wonderful momma

i made a few dishes for the evening and asked others to fill in the gaps.. here is my kohlrabi slaw with asian pear, celery, red onion, cumin seeds, and mint. it turned out to be super yummy with the yogurt dip (yogurt, orange juice + rind, cilantro, salt, and pepper) that i made as a condiment for the javaher polow (similar here)

spices (curry powder, sumac, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin) + olive oil for roasted chickpeas that turned out to be a great snack with white wine as we waited for our last guests to arrive

a pile of fabrics and floor pillows gathered for our indoor tent

after a bit of a sun tease in the morning, it rained and poured all day leading up to the dinner

 our low table (created by a friend using unfolded tables + egg crates) nestled inside our cozy tent which was built with fabrics and scarves - this picture does not do it justice!

as the night went on and folk shared stories and wishes, the candles began to fade into a peaceful glow

n and i decided to move our bed into the living room to sleep in the tent -- it was fun and felt like a mini-vacation to a far away land.. 

we woke up feeling so relaxed and well rested

 folding fabrics + clean up this morning

 a pile of cards, gifts, and the birthday garland which contained wishes for n from around the world

the last batch of clean dishes.. somehow we go through all of our dishes, no matter how many people we have over or how many dishes we serve (dishwasher, please)

after we cleaned up and ate some of the leftover, insanely good, raw chocolate tart made by n's sister, we headed to trader joe's for our weekly shop where one of the employees gave me four bouquets of fresh flowers for free.. !

they are now in jars all over the apartment - happy to have some vibrant color hanging out on this dreary day

after groceries were put away and flowers in water, we went straight for the bed (still in our living room) to relax and read for the rest of the afternoon

and here we are.. my amazing partner is 34, we are moving to a beautiful spot in brooklyn, our apartment is clean and filled with fresh flowers, there is a lot of love hanging on the walls (birthday garland), and we are getting ready to make tacos for dinner..  thank you, life! i feel like such a lucky duck.

happy day! xo