International Waters

The Golden Gate Bridge will be the backdrop of the 2013 America's Cup next summer

   
I love sport of all kind, especially events that combine best in class competition with great spectacle for fans. And that's exactly what happened a couple weeks ago when the America's Cup World Series jibed into town----the first time this internationally ranked event has taken place in the USA in decades. And what a back drop....the beautiful San Francisco Bay. What a thrill to see eight teams from Korea to Sweden take to the Big Blue in these wing-sailed catamarans flying beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, sometimes hauling at over 30 mph (it's not NASCAR but that's really fast in the boat world). Many of the racers interviewed after each event declared San Francisco one of the best venues in the world (natch), as much for the setting as the proximity to the fans who lined the city's northern waterfront. But it's not over yet.

Come October the America's Cup World Series meets a San Francisco tradition----Fleet Week!  Nearly 1 million visitors each year head to the Marina Green (just a few minute's walk from my house, lucky me) and the water front to watch a parade of naval ships and an aerial show from the Blue Angels. But this year the added bonus of America's Cup racing (October 3-7) is the cherry on top. All this in preparation for next summer's main event— The 34th America's Cup, the oldest trophy in sport.

There are ticketed seats for purchase, but no need. Bring a blanket and a camera. The Marina Green offers plenty of viewing spots along the water and the atmosphere is energizing.

Hope to see you out there.  Go team USA!

Italian Team Luna Rossa celebrates in style

Oracle Team USA with the mayor of San Francisco Ed Lee

Happy New Year!

First sunrise of 2012

As much as I love to pack my suitcase and leave, I never forget how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place. During 2012 and beyond, take time to stop and enjoy the view! Happy New Year. Thanks for reading.

First sunset of 2012

Happy Macaron Day

Cute-as-a-button cookies

One of the reasons I love France so much is for its unabashed passion for food.

All year long there are wine festivals, cheese fairs, and fruit fests. Shops close for a few hours at noon for lunch almost everywhere in France, and meals are to be savored, never to be eaten from a cardboard box or retrieved from a clown's mouth.  There are even dedicated days to certain palate pleasers–like Crepe Day (February 2). And if you’ve spent any time in Paris, you know the French are especially fou about macarons, so it comes as no surprise to me that a day would also be dedicated to these cute-as-a-button confections. Yep, you guessed it… Macaron Day!  March 20, all over France, is officially Le Jour du Macaron–and how sweet it is.

Don’t confuse the French macarons, two delicate dome-shaped meringue cookies with a flavor-infused cream or ganache in between, with the American macaroon (note the double-o), a dense glop of a cookie made with coconut or almond paste.

The window displays of Paris’ macaron masters (Pierre Hermé and Laudurée are among the best) reflect the cookie’s revered status as the queen of confections. The displays change with the season but you can always count on jewelry boxes filled with the sugary gems, or macarons stacked into pyramids and lined up like rows of obedient school children with their colorful uniforms on parade for all to admire. These displays give new meaning to the French expression lécher les vitrines, which means to window shop but literally translates ‘to lick the windows.’

Lucky for us we don’t have to jet off to Paris to find authentic French macarons (even though we want to). We can just head to Paulette Macarons in Hayes Valley where the former Parisian has brought the sweet taste of Paris to San Francisco.  Read more Click Here