I'm in San Francisco this morning. Typical winter morning. Cool, crisp, foggy upon awakening and now sunny as I sit at brunch. I rode the trolly from Embarcadero to Market and Van Ness and proceeded to leisurely stroll to NOPA, the district of town and now what I'll venture to say my favorite brunch spot in all the City. The atmosphere is warm, inviting, open, conversationally loud but pleasant enough to hear those around you or your thoughts without distraction if solo. It reminds me of Clyde Common in Portland, OR which hands down was my favorite restraunt during my Pacific Northwwest stint. NOPA's menu is complexly simple. Educated and elegant cocktails with Cava as the base. Organic, hearty yet a bit daring dishes as simple as a Cream Biscuit accompanied with pumpkin butter and as complex as wood grilled green chorizo with creamy farro or even a goat cheese bread pudding with fennel and barhi dates. Odd to comment on the restroom facilities butni find them ingenious. They have one small solo womens, one small solo mens and one unisex. In the middle of them is a common area mirror and 3 sink wash. Brilliant again to continue with the warm, welcoming, and community atmosphere.
As i returned to the bar, I ordered. My choices for the day were progressive. I took my time at the elongated concrete bar as it filled faster then the main dining area. I started with an Americano and Negroni Frizzante and added the Chicory Salad. The salad was phenomenal! Pomegranate fuyu persimmon and bacon topped it. Talk about complextion and complimentary flavors! Upon completion of the meal I ended and contemplated over a Supernova. It was delightful. It's a champagne cocktail with a dash of ten-year-old Ardberg whiskey, vanilla tincture, raw sugar (that settles to the bottom so it doesn't override the cava) and an orange twist that permeates the slightest yet perfect amount of zest both to the taste buds and nostrils. A beautiful end to a Beautiful brunch. Next time in the City I highly recommend NOPA. There is upstairs seating that I may ask for next time. It's open and overlooks the entire place. There are a good amount of booths and tables as well as a few height community style seating arrangements. Thus whether your flying solo, with a date, or together amongst friends, NOPA will surely deliver. Now onto meandering Divis and the Western Addition area to see what my future home consist of! Cheers to you all, wherever you may be and whatever you want your Saturday the 29th of December, 2012 to be. May your year end in beauty and the new year begin in focused sustainable intentionality.
Cheers from the City,
sc
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Have you ever gone a day?
Have you ever gone a day where all you spoke were questions? Is this even possible? Do you think it is? For instance, I am currently watching it snow and I like it, but why do I like it? And furthermore, what causes snow? Why are flakes big sometimes but small other times? Why is snow white? Isn't it just frozen water? Isn't water clear and or colorless? Can you imagine if for one day, one full day, how different conversations and communications would be if all that was spoke were questions. What if when you ate your favorite meal from your favorite restaurant, rather than just basking in it's flavor glory you asked what ingredients were involved in it's making? What if when someone gave you their advice on a situation that you didn't ask for, you asked them why they think that or how did they come to that advisory conclusion? What if before you bought your last gift for Christmas you asked yourself why you were buying it? Were you buying it because you liked it? Were you buying it because you knew without a doubt that the recipient would like it? Was it purchased because 'we are told that we have to buy things and or give gifts for Christmas because of tradition'. Where did that tradition even start? Do you even like that tradition? Will that tradition ever come to an end and a new tradition based upon a new circumstance and new stories ever begin? Correct me if I am wrong but Christmas is a Holiday started by people to celebrate the birth date of Jesus Christ, but how do we know when this date was? Haven't scholars found it to be closer in date to mid-September? Why then do we celebrate it late December? Why doesn't the whole world celebrate Christmas? Maybe an even better question, because some questions may be unanswerable, is why do you celebrate certain Holidays? Why does one celebrate Thanksgiving? Is it because of the Pilgrims? Or what Christopher Columbus did? Or maybe because of the discovery of America? But weren't there already people in America when America was discovered? What do you think? Why do you celebrate anything? Is it because someone at some point in time told you to do so, or is it because of a feeling, belief, desire, thought, or knowledge within yourself that drives you to celebrate?
What are you doing right now? What are you thinking about right now? If you wrote down your last 10 thoughts on paper, what would they be? Can you even remember your last ten thoughts? Are you even thinking? Is it possible to not think? Is it possible to not do anything, for even a second? Why do billions and billions of people speak differently, think differently, act differently, play differently, create differently, drive differently, walk differently, look differently, listen differently, have sex differently, see differently, and taste differently? Are there even possible answers to such questions? If not, why do so many insist on giving answers. Is silence a good enough answer? Is wonder within the present energy a good enough answer. Do answers even change the reality at hand? What if rather than seeing difference, we saw variety? What if humans saw the world as One Unique Sameness with many colors, forms, dialects, creations, art forms, and uniqueness's that all speak the same thing just in various forms?
Why is this the most difficult blog post that I have written? Is it because I am not giving my incredibly limited skew of reality through opinions of mine own to the vastly large and never ending technological world? Or am I still stating some of my incredibly limited skews of reality through opinions, but just in a different form? Is it possible to withhold ones incredibly limited skew of reality through opinions at all? I don't know, do you?
What if the word conclusions ceased and the word inquiry prevailed? What if the thought of judgement subsided and the thought of curiosity was created? Would life be different? Would you be different? What do you think?
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
~ Elizabeth ~
The recent Reno rain reminds me of my three years I spent in the luscious land of Portland, Oregon. This morning as I arose and got ready for work, Tess Henley's Pandora station serenaded me. My mind is filled with romanticism this time of year and Tess Henley's voice and lyrics exude romanticism. Her music brought back a beautiful memory. Here it is.
It was a drizzly cool night in November. A close friend and I sat at North45, a bar known for their whiskey. Over two-hundred in fact, from around the world. The warmth of the whiskey on our lips, and the oak flavor on the back of our tongues assisted the night. The bar was full. The night's energy was high but in a rhythmical balance. Many women walked through the 'fogged up' glass door. The window seats were filled. We had prime spots at the center of the bar and were managing our space powerfully. We chatted work. We discussed future ideas, travel, events. And then we talked women. What we desire. What we are frustrated with. What we find beautiful, seductive, alluring, and enticing. We surveyed the room, we laughed, we gazed, we debated and then we went back to talking life and science. That is until she walked in. Her boots were sturdy, her leather jacket was weathered in a beautiful life experience way and her hair was long and free flowing with subtle curls that were incongruent yet elegantly balanced. Her scarf was bound around her neck tightly while her blouse was brilliantly unbuttoned just enough to see her soft and sensual skin. She was elegantly simple and seductively stunning. I hit my friends arm and with a smirk on my face and eyes wide open I gave him the head nod to check out the beauty that had entered our space. "She is stunning," I said. "You think," he replied. "Yes, I do." I began to share that she had just enough elegance with thankfully enough life experience and inner confidence. I could see it from her demeanor. She had lived, experience trials, persevered and knew she was beautiful. She knew she didn't have to try to hard though. She knew a like minded individual would see her depth of beauty and I'm still thankful to our universe that somehow I did! I leaned over to my friend and said, she looks like an Elizabeth. We had been guessing names periodically throughout the night. I had no reason for saying her name was Elizabeth other than a feeling. The bartender waited on them as they sat in a small two person table slightly just behind my left shoulder. The bartender returned to her post behind the bar to make their drinks. I knew the bartender enough to converse with her. I told her I thought she was stunning. She made their drinks, dropped them off and returned to the bar. I asked her if she knew her name and she said no. I asked her if she would go find out. She was curious why, but without question went with it and returned to the table. After a moment she returned to the bar and told me her name was Elizabeth! I turned to my friend with shock and confidence, actually more confidence for something resided within me when I first guessed. We laughed, embraced hands and might of even hugged a bit. It was a beautiful and powerful moment.
After some time, we bought the second round of drinks and asked if we could join their table. They looked at each other and obliged. Conversation was fun. Many laughs filled the table. A few more drinks, many stories of our travels and current scenarios passed the night. We exchanged numbers and wished each other a beautiful night. We met a few times after. Never engaged physically, but that doesn't negate the beauty and sensuality of life and one another that we shared. She travelled and lived in Europe for close to a year after. I followed her travels through her artwork and beautiful photography she would post. I believe she is back in the majestic city of Portland, Oregon. Wherever she is, I know she continues to bring beauty into this day. So here's to Elizabeth. Here's to life. Here's to the moment and the energies that are present. May we tap into them, embrace them, and understand their names so that we can feel the power that I believe is intended. This season breathes romanticism for me, may it breathe whatever you will and desire it to breathe into you.
Cheers, Elizabeth and all, wherever you may be.
It was a drizzly cool night in November. A close friend and I sat at North45, a bar known for their whiskey. Over two-hundred in fact, from around the world. The warmth of the whiskey on our lips, and the oak flavor on the back of our tongues assisted the night. The bar was full. The night's energy was high but in a rhythmical balance. Many women walked through the 'fogged up' glass door. The window seats were filled. We had prime spots at the center of the bar and were managing our space powerfully. We chatted work. We discussed future ideas, travel, events. And then we talked women. What we desire. What we are frustrated with. What we find beautiful, seductive, alluring, and enticing. We surveyed the room, we laughed, we gazed, we debated and then we went back to talking life and science. That is until she walked in. Her boots were sturdy, her leather jacket was weathered in a beautiful life experience way and her hair was long and free flowing with subtle curls that were incongruent yet elegantly balanced. Her scarf was bound around her neck tightly while her blouse was brilliantly unbuttoned just enough to see her soft and sensual skin. She was elegantly simple and seductively stunning. I hit my friends arm and with a smirk on my face and eyes wide open I gave him the head nod to check out the beauty that had entered our space. "She is stunning," I said. "You think," he replied. "Yes, I do." I began to share that she had just enough elegance with thankfully enough life experience and inner confidence. I could see it from her demeanor. She had lived, experience trials, persevered and knew she was beautiful. She knew she didn't have to try to hard though. She knew a like minded individual would see her depth of beauty and I'm still thankful to our universe that somehow I did! I leaned over to my friend and said, she looks like an Elizabeth. We had been guessing names periodically throughout the night. I had no reason for saying her name was Elizabeth other than a feeling. The bartender waited on them as they sat in a small two person table slightly just behind my left shoulder. The bartender returned to her post behind the bar to make their drinks. I knew the bartender enough to converse with her. I told her I thought she was stunning. She made their drinks, dropped them off and returned to the bar. I asked her if she knew her name and she said no. I asked her if she would go find out. She was curious why, but without question went with it and returned to the table. After a moment she returned to the bar and told me her name was Elizabeth! I turned to my friend with shock and confidence, actually more confidence for something resided within me when I first guessed. We laughed, embraced hands and might of even hugged a bit. It was a beautiful and powerful moment.
After some time, we bought the second round of drinks and asked if we could join their table. They looked at each other and obliged. Conversation was fun. Many laughs filled the table. A few more drinks, many stories of our travels and current scenarios passed the night. We exchanged numbers and wished each other a beautiful night. We met a few times after. Never engaged physically, but that doesn't negate the beauty and sensuality of life and one another that we shared. She travelled and lived in Europe for close to a year after. I followed her travels through her artwork and beautiful photography she would post. I believe she is back in the majestic city of Portland, Oregon. Wherever she is, I know she continues to bring beauty into this day. So here's to Elizabeth. Here's to life. Here's to the moment and the energies that are present. May we tap into them, embrace them, and understand their names so that we can feel the power that I believe is intended. This season breathes romanticism for me, may it breathe whatever you will and desire it to breathe into you.
Cheers, Elizabeth and all, wherever you may be.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
~ it is time to get on the bus ~
I arose this morning to the sun. My alarm didn't sound, but the bright morning sun shone through my chinese paper shades and through my prayer flags to lighten the room enough to know it was morning. I could feel the chill in the air as it flowed through the slightly open window. Fall is amongst us in Reno, NV. The leaves are turning color and beginning to fall on the streets and in the parks and I'm finally able to throw my leather jacket on both as I venture out for a libation in the evening and my coffee in the morning. I love changing seasons and fall has to be my favorite. It's still warm enough during the day to explore the outdoors and be in nature, the most powerful form of energy known to man. But it is cool enough to be creative with your attire. To show individuals whom you may encounter a little bit about you, without ever having to say a word. Do you know that every decision you make speaks. Every thought you think reverberates through the energetic airwaves we as humans like to call wind, air, or oxygen. I've written this before but maybe the reason I like the changing of seasons is because of well, change. Change is inevitable. Change is constant, yet always changing and or moving. Isn't this a paradox, but isn't this truth? How can that be? How can change be the only constant, but then the only constant not be constant? Huh. If change is the only constant, what does that say about what one can truly know. If scientifically speaking, change is the only thing that one can truly know, but that is always changing, do we fully know anything? Am I the only one following this thought process, God I sure hope not! Of course I'm not the only one. Whether we understand it or not, can process it or not, can verbalize it or not, we all exist within it and the majority of us succeeding to some degree. Thus, don't we all know it to some degree?
Change is inevitable and if you are anything like me, curious, it is hard for me to control my mind enough so that it doesn't try to deductively break things down to understand why. However, I'm seeing this might not be beneficial in all situations. Or maybe it is, because it is who I am, and exactly where I need to be within this cosmic sphere of energy. Who knows? I've been thinking lately about honesty amidst this change. I have been wired through society, people, religion, technology, culture (geographically and time periodically) and well religion, to think a certain way, act a certain way, speak a certain way, and well frankly live a certain way. Fuck, as I sit and ponder this, I sure hope that the few thousand of people who taught me these black and white ways out of the presently 8 billion plus humans living amongst this earth not to mention the millions of years and trillions of humans prior to us and who the fuck knows how many after us, are right. What if we already know who we are from birth? What if we already have something engrained within us that will guide us for the rest of our lives? What if rather than teaching people certain ways, we just loved one another along every way. What if there was no right or wrong way because every way is always moving and always changing. Is this just a philosophical hope or is this scientific actuality that exists?
As I got my coffee this morning I noticed a change. The cute blonde that normally takes my money and smiles heavily at me as I walk through the door, and I her because she is lovely, wasn't behind the counter to take my money. Where was she? She was a few feet to the right behind the espresso machine. Don't take this lightly, please. This is powerful. I ordered my coffee and paid the attendant. I received my coffee and proceeded to put a bit of milk in it which is unusual for me but I wanted to communicate with the lovely blonde. She smiled and said hello. I responded. She asked me how I was and I said that I was well. I replied with the same question and she said, "I'm good. I'm behind this (looking down at the espresso machine) now instead of that (she turned and looked at the register)". I asked her if that was new? She said yes. She then began to share with me how she was excited but a bit scared. I listened as I slowly stirred my overly stirred coffee. I then shared with her, "most things that are scary are good, at least from my experience". She smiled, agreed, and proceeded to share with me that she loved scary movies. I listened a bit more as she shared more, but I think you get the point. Change is always occurring and in my eyes, mind and soul it is a beautiful thing. Change does happen every moment of every day whether we want it to or not. Change can also occur because we choose it as well. I'm changing a lot in my life currently, and this is why I have been pondering it and or realizing it on a more frequent basis. Are you? What is changing in your life? Are you wanting change? Do you embrace change or are you scared of change? For the barista this morning, she recognized her emotions that change brought to her, but her bright eyes and stinging smile encouraged me that change is all we have sometimes and that I truly don't need to know anything other than that! One thing is for certain, change is rolling through this universe constantly. It's about time I bought a ticket and hopped on the bus. The ride is beautiful and one day in the soon future I may even be driving my own bus of change!
There is a shift in our universe that is happening. No matter your race, religion, sexuality, preferences, likes, dislikes, hobbies, and or even your name, the Universe that we all exist within is changing. Find your bus and get on it! My bus is Love and all are welcome! Be a part of the shift! It is time to get on the bus.
-namaste
Change is inevitable and if you are anything like me, curious, it is hard for me to control my mind enough so that it doesn't try to deductively break things down to understand why. However, I'm seeing this might not be beneficial in all situations. Or maybe it is, because it is who I am, and exactly where I need to be within this cosmic sphere of energy. Who knows? I've been thinking lately about honesty amidst this change. I have been wired through society, people, religion, technology, culture (geographically and time periodically) and well religion, to think a certain way, act a certain way, speak a certain way, and well frankly live a certain way. Fuck, as I sit and ponder this, I sure hope that the few thousand of people who taught me these black and white ways out of the presently 8 billion plus humans living amongst this earth not to mention the millions of years and trillions of humans prior to us and who the fuck knows how many after us, are right. What if we already know who we are from birth? What if we already have something engrained within us that will guide us for the rest of our lives? What if rather than teaching people certain ways, we just loved one another along every way. What if there was no right or wrong way because every way is always moving and always changing. Is this just a philosophical hope or is this scientific actuality that exists?
As I got my coffee this morning I noticed a change. The cute blonde that normally takes my money and smiles heavily at me as I walk through the door, and I her because she is lovely, wasn't behind the counter to take my money. Where was she? She was a few feet to the right behind the espresso machine. Don't take this lightly, please. This is powerful. I ordered my coffee and paid the attendant. I received my coffee and proceeded to put a bit of milk in it which is unusual for me but I wanted to communicate with the lovely blonde. She smiled and said hello. I responded. She asked me how I was and I said that I was well. I replied with the same question and she said, "I'm good. I'm behind this (looking down at the espresso machine) now instead of that (she turned and looked at the register)". I asked her if that was new? She said yes. She then began to share with me how she was excited but a bit scared. I listened as I slowly stirred my overly stirred coffee. I then shared with her, "most things that are scary are good, at least from my experience". She smiled, agreed, and proceeded to share with me that she loved scary movies. I listened a bit more as she shared more, but I think you get the point. Change is always occurring and in my eyes, mind and soul it is a beautiful thing. Change does happen every moment of every day whether we want it to or not. Change can also occur because we choose it as well. I'm changing a lot in my life currently, and this is why I have been pondering it and or realizing it on a more frequent basis. Are you? What is changing in your life? Are you wanting change? Do you embrace change or are you scared of change? For the barista this morning, she recognized her emotions that change brought to her, but her bright eyes and stinging smile encouraged me that change is all we have sometimes and that I truly don't need to know anything other than that! One thing is for certain, change is rolling through this universe constantly. It's about time I bought a ticket and hopped on the bus. The ride is beautiful and one day in the soon future I may even be driving my own bus of change!
There is a shift in our universe that is happening. No matter your race, religion, sexuality, preferences, likes, dislikes, hobbies, and or even your name, the Universe that we all exist within is changing. Find your bus and get on it! My bus is Love and all are welcome! Be a part of the shift! It is time to get on the bus.
-namaste
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