This meal was supposed to be for my birthday on 3.21.2020 before I left for Japan. Then the world went mad with a virus then the Northern California fires came, so it was postponed twice. My friend and I decided to go for the outdoor dining experience at Kistler Vineyards when that was an option. While I was disappointed that I did not get to experience SingleThread in its own space, I was so happy to have had this incredible experience when I needed it most.
I walked by SingleThread in Healdsburg Friday evening on my stroll around town. You can still book a room in their inn and they are also doing rooftop drinks.
I can only describe this meal as exquisite California kaiseki. Its ethos echoes that of the traditional Japanese kaiseki from Kyoto, where you use the most seasonal ingredients for each course and plate it accordingly with the serveware to match. The amuse-bouche was a very great indication of the meal to come and even for this extreme cynic I was actually impressed, a rarity. We opted for the wagyu addition and one of us got the wine pairing, since the other 2 had to drive back home after this 4.5 hour meal. If you are looking for an exceptional fine dining experience, then I would highly recommend it. Especially since they are extending this outdoor dining experience at Kistler until end of November. It's actually worked out better as dining at night in Sonoma County means you can see the stars. Since we went during a tiny crescent moon, the stars and planets were glowing brighter than usual. The price is definitely not for the faint of heart, but it was worth every penny. So perhaps you can make a weekend out of it like I did too. Perhaps even spend the night so you are able to have more wine. I look forward to my return in another season!
EARLY AUTUMN IN SONOMA
WILD KAGOSHIMA KANPACHI
Farm tomatoes, Cucumber, and Pickled Wasabi
BLACK COD IBUSHI-GIN
Matsutake, Purple barley Crepes, and Shio Koji Vinaigrette
FARM BABY GEM
Cured Wild Salmon, Smoked Roe, and Chive Bavarois
SUMMER SQUASH
Spot Prawn, Squash Blossom, and Prawn Head Broth
DUCLAIR DUCK
Calimyrna Fig, Turnip, and Kanpyo *with Wagyu addition
SONOMA GRAINS
Wagyu Shortrib, Pickled Ramps, Maitake, and Beef Consommé
On Sunday we went to Guerneville to grab lunch and hike Armstrong Woods. We stopped by Big Bottom Market to get sandwiches. My friend Bob owns the Guerneville Bank Club and I poked through the window to get a look inside finally. Sadly it was high fire warning so we had to skip the hiking. So instead we went to Andrea's vineyard and did a walk around there.
All the grapes on Andrea's vineyard were destroyed this year due to all the smoke from the fires.
We met Harvey, nicknamed Fabio due to his blonde mane. And I found my new sound system.
We also stopped by Lynn's art studio across the street.
Hilariously, Andrea's vineyard is right next to Kistler's where we were to dine at for the SingleThread Farms dinner.
Since both my holidays this year got cancelled, I decided to cash in all my credit card points for a nice hotel room at Hotel Healdsburg. I got myself a suite the size of my apartment and a tub the size of a submarine. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in my luxurious room and using all their spa products. Mostly I was outside around town in the shade or at the pool. I did not do daily room cleaning or turn down service due to COVID and it was very enjoyable.
I had dinner at the Spirit bar around the back since Dry Creek Kitchen was fairly booked, and I eat dinner early. It was extremely enjoyable and if you would like to dine at Dry Creek Kitchen, you should make a reservation in advance. Both have outdoor dining figured out and done right. There is also Pizzando down at the corner as well.
Since I had been stuck in my apartment mostly for 7 months, I realized how desperately I needed a change of scenery. I would highly recommend you all to do the same if you have beeb stuck at home for a bit. It does wonders for you!
I have not left my 400 square feet apartment in downtown San Francisco for more than 6 hours since 3.6.2020. I was long overdue for something different. Since I was to have dinner with SingleThread Farms at Kistler Vineyards on Sunday, I decided to cash in on all my credit card points and make a run for it in Healdsburg. It was exactly what I desperately needed. My only regret was taking so long to do a quick road trip.
Healdsburg is a cozy small town in wine country. There is a square in the middle and very walkable.
No trip to Healdsburg is complete without a stop at Noble Folk for a treat. Since the weather was so nice, I got a salted caramel Mississippi mud pie à la mode and ate it on a bench at the square.
I got breakfast with a friend at Costeaux one morning before farmer's market and had a proper catch up for half a day!
Shoffeitts is amazing for vintage shopping. I found some spectacular chandeliers and a ton of china that were amazing.
Last Wednesday I woke up to my alarm at my usual 7:40AM. It was very disorienting as there was an orange glow permeating through the blinds. Upon opening the blinds, I realized it was entirely orange outside.
I felt like K waking up in his apartment in Bladerunner 2049. It was also very disorienting as the orange lingered and I had to turn on the lights during the day due to the darkened skies. Day felt like night with an eerie orange glow.
It was around 11AM that it got even darker and that was when I decided I need to go outside and walk a block to capture this below as I will likely and hopefully never see this again in my lifetime despite the terrible air quality.
Friends of mine from elsewhere thought I Photoshopped the orange into these photos. It wasn't until they saw Obama's post of images in the SF Chronicle that they then realized that I in fact did not and sent me messages from all over.
Climate change is real. How are you being more green? Please vote to elect officials in that will work toward preserving our world rather than personal interests.
I recycle and compost religiously. If I am out and about, I will carry with me my recyclables until I get to a recycle bin. At home, I store my compostables in the freezer in a brown paper bag (from my produce purchases) and take it down to the compost bin when that is full so it's not disgusting and rotting in room temperature.
I am quite a minimalist and live in a studio apartment so my ethos is always waste not want not. I avoid buying as much as humanly possible in general.If I buy anything, I try to avoid online shopping as much as possible to reduce on transport and packaging waste.
I always have at least 2 cloth totes in my bag for purchases so I do not waste additional bags while out shopping. I also reuse all my produce plastic bags as well.
I have never been a fan of fast fashion/anything. I tend to buy things that are well made that I love that lasts forever instead. It's both better for the environment and better quality. Since they last forever, you end up spending less in the long run.
I bring my own water bottle and thermos rather than wasting a paper or plastic cup. Sadly due to COVID, this is not so doable currently. But we will get there again. I also have a metal straw in my bag in its own cloth tote so I don't waste disposable straws.
Since I never finish my food when I eat out, I always bring my own deli cups in my bag to avoid more packaging to bring my food home.
Currently I am working hard to phasing out as much plastic out of my life as possible.
I turn off all my lights and electronics if not in use.
I replaced all my lightbulbs with LED energy saving alternatives.
In lieu of a heater/fan, I dress appropriately and use my radiator. It's nice to cozy up in a thick bathrobe and add another throw under the comforter when it's chilly anyhow.
Did you know that you are pulling energy by plugging in the electrical outlets in general even if they are not in use?
I use these surge protectors with master appliance control so that all my peripherals will only turn on if my master appliance is on. For instance, if my laptop is on then I can turn on my monitor/printer/harddrives. Or if my TV is on then I can turn on the Apple TV/Bluray/etc.
I have these timed outlets around my home for appliances that only need limited charging. Because you don't need your phone/toothbrush/etc. plugged in the entire time to fully charge them. You can even change them from .5/3/6 hours.
For appliances that are used rarely, I plug them into these energy saving plugs and turn them on only when I use them and off when I am done. I use this for my toaster.
Instead of buying new candles when they are done, I buy beautiful glass candles and refill them with my own soy wax instead.
I have implemented a new rule for acquiring new items of clothing: I must donate the equal number of items before acquiring new ones.
When I travel, I always bring all my own toiletries so I do not have to use the single use options offered to me at my hotel. I also reuse all my towels.
Like most people, I have been spending a lot more time as of late pondering race and privilege in America currently. The story of Ahmaud Arbery really shook me: how is it possible that we are in 2020 and we have white men murdering a black man on a run in broad day light? I was talking to a friend about it that weekend and he said, "And this is what you hear about. Imagine how many more doesn't even get written up?"
I moved to Oakland in 1987 as a Chinese immigrant with a British accent. That was my first exposure to black people as Hong Kong is extremely culturally monogamous. You cannot help but notice the racial tension in Oakland in the 80s and through the 90s, as it was predominately lower and working class black and I have not lived in the best parts of Oakland mostly. In fact, when I grew up in Oakland it was one of the most violent cities in America. There was plenty of police brutality in Oakland in addition to the rampant racial profiling, and even as a 10 year old I recognized all that. I remember the Rodney King riots in 1992 and the looting that followed in Oakland. Granted, I was only 15 at the time so I didn't quite understand what that actually meant. I also lacked emotional and intelligence intelligence at that young age to be able to comprehend the events.
While I have experienced discrimination as a minority female throughout my life in various forms, I can say with conviction that not once have I feared for my life, and especially not when I am dealing with authority figures. Which is clearly not the case for people that are black. This is why we are having this discussion. I have black friends and I did not understand the burden that they carry on a daily basis. When I really sat with this in the recent months, it makes me incredibly sad and angry that this is still happening in this day and age, and in some instances, encouraged. How is it even an option that violence or murder is encouraged or justified to those that are not a threat to you? How can anyone be so callous and shoot anyone, and due to the color of their skin? How is this different than when the Mayflower came filled with white pilgrims and they took over this land from the indigenous people and drove them out? How is this that much different really than the black slaves that arrived in 1619? How is it still possible that America is still taking advantage of the black communities that built this country up (literally) with their blood, sweat, tears and endless abuse?
Racism does not exist without white privilege. Because you are more likely able to get away with the murder of a black person if you are white, which history has proven repeatedly since the arrival of slaves on this land. Which now brings us to Amy Cooper, the white woman who claimed a black man is threatening her life when calling the NYPD while in fact he was telling her to leash her dog in an effort to protect the natural habitat while bird watching. Had Christian Cooper not taken the video of the entire ordeal, his name may also end in tragedy in the third paragraph above. That is the ultimate white privilege power move: a white woman not wanting to abide by the rule and instead calls the police on a black man claiming he is threatening her life and putting on an act lying about it. She knew exactly how to work the race card to her advantage in this situation with malicious intent.
Brittainy Newman. New York Times.
I have witnessed a fair share of white privilege in my days. I have been questioning 2 incidences in particular where 3 white women thought it was acceptable to invite and/or book themselves on trips I had planned for myself for years. I used to think that was because they have terrible etiquette. Because who invite/book themselves on someone else's holiday without asking if that is ok and then vilify you and lash out when you tell them that you did not invite them? Now I wonder if it's also white privilege that emboldened them to feel this entitlement and to not bother to apologize for these invasive actions. One of them half heartedly said, "I am so sorry things got so fucked up," before she lashed out of course.
I digress...
Then you have Breonna Taylor and George Floyd who were clearly peaceful, yet both were killed by the police separately. How is it that law enforcement get so many passes when there are clearly problem individuals? How are you protecting and serving when you are taking the lives of lawful individuals? And how convenient for them that they all happen to be white men?
To not be angry at the injustice would be immoral. Hence the global protests. Sadly, with protests you always have trouble makers, be it the right winged trying to take away from the peaceful protests or the authorities that use unnecessary force and tactics to "contain" the situation and to instigate a riot. Protesters are protesters, and opportunistic individuals with a different agenda should never be confused with protesters. Sadly, sometimes these opportunistic individuals are police or law enforcement officers.
On Saturday 5.30.2020, I stumbled upon the peaceful protest demanding justice for George Floyd on Market Street in San Francisco. I normally am a protester myself, but due to the fact that I am immune compromised in the time of COVID-19, I have to participate and cheer from the sidewalk instead. It was a peaceful protest during the day and I saw beginning to end the thousands of people that marched.
I was walking around to take inventory of what has changed downtown afterwards, since this has become a new hobby of mine since the lock down mid March. In fact, I recall some of the high end shops removing all their merchandise as early as 3.14.2020 and many stores have followed suit afterwards. It was until this weekend that stores started to restock their inventory and remove the boards in getting ready for curb side pick ups and for in store sales in 2 weeks. I was chatting with Daniel, the security guard at Cartier, about all this as Coach was redoing all their window displays and restocking their store. Dior was just in the process of reputting back up the boards that they had just removed. Dolce & Gabbana was fully restocked and boards moved. I even had walked by the Swarovski store to marvel at all their glass windows with full merchandise on display...
Apple Store.
Apple Store detail.
Swarovski.
Dolve & Gabbana detail.
Christian Louboutin.
Christian Louboutin.
Acne Studios.
Bottega Veneta.
Saint Laurent.
All Saints.
Old Navy.
Union Square is 2 blocks from my apartment. I was taking a bath Saturday past 10PM when I heard a good amount of fireworks go off. Soon after, it sounded like a war zone filled with sirens, helicopters, gunshots, yelling, screeching, and explosions. That's when I knew the looting had begun. Speaking of opportunists, let us not confuse these looters from the protesters earlier in the day. I saw the footage (start at 1:10:50) of the looting myself and this was definitely not even close to the same crowd I saw peacefully protesting in the day. These were premeditated looters that came in with all the tools: hammers, electric saws, jackhammer, wooden planks, cinder blocks, guns, bats, etc. In fact, they broke through the extra thick bullet proof glass at Tourbillon and got the watches. They also came with their SUVs and trucks to hull it all away and quickly. What I saw Sunday morning at 8:30AM was only a single necklace left on a Dolce & Gabbana mannequin from the fully merchandised store I witnessed the afternoon before. The looting last for at least 4 hours as I was unable to sleep with all the ruckus, and it was also on my block at one point. They even looted the liquor store half a block from my apartment as you can see below.
What was the most surprising to me was that they broke into a building on Grant Ave in Chinatown a few blocks up in addition to a few jewelry stores there. My friend and I walked past the building as they were boarding up the front door. The tenants were outside talking about how the looters broke through and assaulted them and they got robbed. I was not crazy about that as my building also has a glass front door.
I have been talking to friends lately as we have been checking on each other to see how we are all doing throughout all this and our feelings about racial injustice. It has been a perfect storm to bring us to this point. The collective mourning and anger we have been feeling has been built up from the creation of America and not just from recent events with 400 years of oppression in various forms. I really wish that the history books would be rewritten so we can all be more aware of this and from a different point of view than white male historians. I am no expert on American history, in fact, I fell asleep in ALL my history classes throughout school. But I do read up on it on my own and educate myself when I have interest in specific subjects. Last night I forced myself to watch The 13th on Netflix. This articulated the suppression of blacks in America in such an intelligent way that it will break your heart, as it certainly broke mine. I am really tired of all the tears for all this. Aren't you?
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