Pardon the mess...

If you are wondering where I have been, this picture is a great visual description of my life at the moment...

We moved last weekend, and we are still getting settled. Nights are dedicated to putting odds and ends away and rearranging items on shelves. Oh, and opening and closing windows and turning on and off light switches. I swear all I do these days is turn of lights.

Give me through the weekend, then I will be back full force will my latest obsession: Furniture to fill said new house.

Ending Hunger - One Backpack at a Time

UPDATE**

I wanted to take another moment to remind you of this great cause. The team is collecting backpacks THIS Saturday August 21 at Little Italy Mercato farmer's market.

If you can't make Saturday, you can still help by donating VITAL funds to the organization here: http://www.firstgiving.com/food4kids 

Join us tomorrow night, Aug 18 from 8-9 PM PDT for our twitter power hour! Follow the fun on Twitter with hash-tag #Food4KidsSD

Thanks for helping!

XOXO Beth

REPOST:

Everyday Jason packs Lucas' lunch for school. We buy things like fresh veggies, nice whole wheat bread, organic peanut butter and pack his box full of food to fuel his day of learning. For my child, always having fresh, yummy food to eat is a given - and getting to buy a hot lunch at school is a treat on Fridays or that day that we ran of bread in the morning. He is lucky. Many kids in San Diego are not. 

For many kids in San Diego getting a hot lunch isn't a treat, it's all they get. For many, it's the only food they are going to get. When they go home over the weekend there may not be food for them, or their siblings. 

In 2007, The San Diego Food Bank launched the Food 4 Kids Backpack Program to provide food to get chronically hungry elementary school students through the weekend.  Every Friday, participating children receive a backpack with child friendly items such as peanut butter, pop-top canned goods, cereal, juice boxes, fruit cups, raisins, pudding cups, granola bars, shelf-stable milk and macaroni and cheese  tucked inside.

To qualify, students must attend a school where at least 80 percent of the population receives free or reduced cost lunches, and receive a teacher referral. During the 2008-2009 school year, the program served just 200 children in eight schools throughout San Diego County. With our help, they are now serving 550 children in 19 schools and are looking to expand that to 850 children this year.

Three Ways You Can Help

• Make a donation! You can find the fundraising page at www.firstgiving.com/food4kids. You can make donations here, add comments, and keep track of our progress. This launches today and runs through the end of August. And, a BIG THANKS to NBC San Diego, which is contributing the 7 percent cut firstgiving.com takes of the total raised on the site so we don't lose any money you give!

• Collect neutral backpacks (as in no logos and preferably black or red since those are the kids’ favorite colors) and kid-friendly non-perishable foods (applesauce, cereal, fruit cups, mac ‘n cheese, pretzels, etc. While they ask for no "junk food" we need to be aware that the goal is not nutrition education, just filling hungry tummies.) The collection for this food and backpack drive will be at the Little Italy Mercato on August 21. Hold your own drive at your office, in your neighborhood, with your church or temple group, or your kid's scouting troop, then bring it all to us on August 21.

• A “dollar-a-dish” event throughout the month of August by participating restaurants. This started out as an offer by Matt Gordon and Scott Watkins of Urban Solace. This year there are 33 restaurants participating -- at every price point. These restaurants will select one of their best selling dishes and for the month of August will contribute $1 for every dish sold. See the list below and please go, order the featured dish, and help us by enjoying yourself! Organize a party with your friends or colleagues at your favorite restaurant and have everyone bring filled backpacks and order the featured dish.

Dollar-a-Dish Restaurants:

Alchemy: Sea Bass Ceviche
Bencotto: Pollo all Pizzaiola
Café Chloe: Steak Frites
Casa de Bandini
Casa de Pico
Casa Guadalajara
Cosmopolitan Restaurant: Watermelon Salad
Cowboy Star: Meyer Natural "Certified Humane" Filet
Croce’s
Cucina Urbana: Pizza ordered at lunch 
Dining Details (Caterer)
Gaglione Brothers: Meatball Sandwich "Father Joe"
George’s at the Cove: Date salad with arugula, goat cheese, walnuts, and pomegranite vinaigrette
JRDN: Lamb Lollipop
Jsix: Monthly Sustainable Seafood Dish
Kensington Grill:: Hog Bar 
Lotsa Pasta: Timpano
NINE-TEN: Hamachi Sashimi with marinated baby shitake mushrooms and scallion vinaigrette
O’Brothers: Big O Burger
Pizza Fusion: Farmers Market Pizza
Playa Grill: Carnitas Plate
Ritual Tavern: Niman Ranch Skirt Steak served with Roasted Market Vegetables, Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes and Sherry Demi Glace
Royal India: Chicken Tikka Masala
Sessions Public: Ribeye Fries
Soleluna Cafe: Pasta of the Day
SoNo Trading Company: Cuban Sandwich
Starlite: Jidori Chicken
Stingaree: Manage a Trois of Fried Point Vincente Calamari, Mexican White Shrimp, Bay Scallops with Sherry Chili Aioli and Lemon
Terra: Sea Bass
The Red Door: Meat Loaf
Urban Solace: Duckaroni (Mac n' Chese with Blue Cheese, Duck Confit, Roasted Garlic, Arugula, and Scallion and New York White Cheddar Mac n' Cheese with Caramalized Bacon and Charred Tomatoes
Zenbu: Hot Rock 

Spread the Word!

Please help us all spread the word about this fabulous program with your own blog, Liking theFacebook Page (our page is www.facebook.com/food4kids), and using the Twitter hash-tag #food4kidsSD. 

Delicious Dish: TORTILLA!

When Jason and I were first married, we lived in this adorable little beach duplex in Solana Beach. While the place oozed charm, it also had a few quirks; such as a ghost named Julie and the mobile tortilla truck. While the ghost IS a great story, today's post is about the tortilla truck.

Once a week, this truck would pull up in front of the apartment building next door and the little man would throw open the door and yell "TTTTOOOORRRRRTTTTTTTIIIILLLLAAAAASSSSS!!" While at first the truck kinda scared me, I loved the smell... the smell of fresh, homemade, lard filled deliciousness that emanated from the back of that truck. So when the nice people at Tortilla Land offered to send me some of their fresh, cook at home tortillas, all I could think of was that smell...

While I may hold the card that purchases the food - we all know who really chooses what we buy: The Kids. So I thought I would let them tell you about these new tortillas...

Tortilla Land tortilla are now available at Southern California CostCo's: $5.99 for 48. And while you can't freeze them they come in smaller packs of 12 within the big pack (for freshness) and sealed packs will stay good for a few months. Happy Eating!

Monday Funny: Lost Cat. It's a Design Thing..

If you need a smile on this Monday morning, you've come to the right place. This was an email forward I received that had me in tears. If you have ever had the pleasure of working with a creative-type, may I suggest peeing before you read this to avoid an accident.

Shannon (the secretary) has lost her cat and has asked David (the graphic designer) to help with a lost poster. This is their email correspondence...

 
From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  9.15am
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Poster

Hi 
I  opened the screen door yesterday and my cat got  out and has been missing since then so I was  wondering if you are not to busy you could make  a poster for me. It has to be A4 and I will  photocopy it and put it around my suburb this  afternoon.



This is the only  photo of her I have she answers to the name  Missy and is black and white and about 8 months  old. missing on Harper street and my phone  number.
Thanks  Shan.

  ____________________________________________________

  From:David  Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  9.26am
To: Shannon  Walkley
Subject: Re:  Poster

  Dear  Shannon,
That  is shocking news. Luckily I was sitting down  when I read your email and not half way up a  ladder or tree. How are you holding up? I am  surprised you managed to attend work at all what  with thinking about Missy out there cold,  frightened and alone... possibly lying on the  side of the road, her back legs squashed by a  vehicle, calling out "Shannon, where are  you?" 
Although I have two clients  expecting completed work this afternoon, I will,  of course, drop everything and do whatever it  takes to facilitate the speedy return of  Missy. 
Regards,  David. 
 
____________________________________________________

  From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  9.37am
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Re: Re:  Poster

yeah  ok thanks. I know you dont like cats but I am  really worried about mine. I have to leave at   1pm today. 

____________________________________________________

  From: David  Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  10.17am
To: Shannon  Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re:  Poster

Dear Shannon, 
I  never said I don't like cats. Once, having been  invited to a party, I went clothes shopping  beforehand and bought a pair of expensive G-Star  boots. They were two sizes too small but I  wanted them so badly I figured I could just wear  them without socks and cut my toenails very  short. As the party was only a few blocks from  my place, I decided to walk. After the first  block, I lost all feeling in my feet. Arriving  at the party, I stumbled into a guy named  Steven, spilling Malibu & coke onto his  white Wham 'Choose Life' t-shirt, and he punched  me. An hour or so after the incident, Steven sat  down in a chair already occupied by a cat. The  surprised cat clawed and snarled causing Steven  to leap out of the chair, slip on a rug and  strike his forehead onto the corner of a  speaker; resulting in a two inch open gash. In  its shock, the cat also defecated, leaving  Steven with a foul stain down the back of his  beige cargo pants. I liked that  cat. 
Attached  poster as requested. 
Regards,  David. 



____________________________________________________

  From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  10.24am
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Poster

yeah thats not what I was looking  for at all. it looks like a movie and how come  the photo of Missy is so  small? 

____________________________________________________

  From: David  Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  10.28am
To: Shannon  Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Poster

Dear Shannon, 
It's  a design thing. The cat is lost in the negative  space. 
Regards,  David. 
 
____________________________________________________

  From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  10.33am
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Poster

Thats just stupid. Can you do it  properly please? I am extremely emotional over  this and was up all night in tears. you seem to  think it is funny. Can you make the photo bigger  please and fix the text and do it in colour  please. Thanks. 
____________________________________________________

  From: David  Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  10.46am
To: Shannon  Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Poster

Dear Shannon, 
Having  worked with designers for a few years now, I  would have assumed you understood, despite our  vague suggestions otherwise, we do not welcome  constructive criticism. I don't come downstairs  and tell you how to send text messages, log onto  Facebook and look out of the window. I am  willing to overlook this faux pas due to you no  doubt being preoccupied with thoughts of Missy  attempting to make her way home across busy  intersections or being trapped in a drain as it  slowly fills with water. I spent three days down  a well once but that was just for  fun. 
I  have amended and attached the poster as per your  instructions.
Regards,  David.



____________________________________________________

  From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  10.59am
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Re: Poster

This is worse than the other  one. can you make it so it shows the whole photo  of Missy and delete the stupid text that says  missing missy off it? I just want it to say  Lost. 

____________________________________________________

  From: David  Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  11.14am
To: Shannon  Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Re: Re: Poster



____________________________________________________

  From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  11.21am
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah can you do the  poster or not? I just want a photo and the word  lost and the telephone number and when and where  she was lost and her name. Not like a movie  poster or anything stupid. I have to leave early  today. If it was your cat I would help you.  Thanks. 

____________________________________________________

  From: David  Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  11.32am
To: Shannon  Walkley
Subject: Awww

Dear  Shannon, 
I  don't have a cat. I once agreed to look after a  friend's cat for a week but after he dropped it  off at my apartment and explained the concept of  kitty litter, I kept the cat in a closed  cardboard box in the shed and forgot about it.  If I wanted to feed something and clean feces,  I wouldn't have put my mother in that home after  her stroke. A week later, when my friend came to  collect his cat, I pretended that I was not home  and mailed the box to him. Apparently I failed  to put enough stamps on the package and he had  to collect it from the post office and pay  eighteen dollars. He still goes on about that  sometimes, people need to learn to let go.
I  have attached the amended version of your poster  as per your detailed  instructions. 
Regards,  David. 



____________________________________________________

  From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  11.47am
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Re: Awww

Thats  not my cat. where did you get that picture from?  That cat is orange. I gave you a photo of my  cat. 

____________________________________________________

  From: David  Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010  11.58am
To: Shannon  Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Awww

I  know, but that one is cute. As Missy has quite  possibly met any one of several violent ends, it  is possible you might get a better cat out of  this. If anybody calls and says "I haven't seen  your orange cat but I did find a black and white  one with its hind legs run over by a car, do you  want it?" you can politely decline and save  yourself a costly veterinarian  bill. 
I  knew someone who had a basset hound that had its  hind legs removed after an accident and it had  to walk around with one of those little buggies  with wheels. If it had been my dog I would have  asked for all its legs to be removed and  replaced with wheels and had a remote control  installed. I could charge neighbourhood kids for  rides and enter it in races. If I did the same  with a horse I could drive it to work. I would  call it Steven.
Regards,  David. 
 
____________________________________________________

  From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010   12.07pm
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re:  Awww

Please just use the photo I gave  you. 

____________________________________________________

From: David  Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010   12.22pm
To: Shannon  Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Awww

 ____________________________________________________

  From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010   12.34pm
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Awww

I didnt say there was a reward. I  dont have $2000 dollars. What did you even put  that there for? Apart from that it is perfect  can you please remove the reward bit. Thanks  Shan. 

____________________________________________________

  From: David  Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010   12.42pm
To: Shannon  Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Awww



____________________________________________________

  From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010   12.51pm
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Re: Awww

Can you just please take the  reward bit off altogether? I have to leave in  ten minutes and I still have to make photocopies  of it.

____________________________________________________

  From: David  Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010   12.56pm
To: Shannon  Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Re: Re: Awww



____________________________________________________

  From: Shannon  Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010   1.03pm
To: David  Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:  Re: Re: Re: Awww

Fine. That will have to  do.

Sephora: Wow Me. Please. I beg you.

I feel like over the past few weeks I've expired. I was feeling good, feeling like I looked decent, then something went seriously wrong. It was like I had an expiration date; I woke up one morning 10 lbs heavier, 10x wrinklier and with 10 inch roots. I've been going back and taking stock on what was different and wanting to blame something other than my newly renewed love for all things bacon, but instead decided that I just needed new face make-up. Any excuse for a trip to Sephora.

I love Sephora. For awhile I tossed around the idea of a "SephoraWhora" blog dedicated to all things make-up and products, but nixed the idea for fear that the only thing I would have left to talk about on this blog would be my kids. In my head, Sephora is this wonderful garden of eden, where one can always have full lips, rosy cheeks and perfect skin. And they also have a pretty amazing return policy.

Unbeknownst to me and my overflowing make-up drawer until recently, you can return that lipstick that you bought that you wore twice before realizing it make you look like more like a $2 hooker than a Victoria Secret model. Which was great because I had purchased a rather pricey foundation just a few weeks ago. After seeing a few pictures which made me look like I had my own personal oil spill spreading across my forehead, I realized this particular product just wasn't the one for me. At the counter, the sales person happily exchanged it for me and pointed me in the direction of someone who could help me chose one with a little bit more of the matte finish I needed.

But could they really help me?

Recently I've come to the realization that Sephora isn't doing enough to train their sales consultants properly. They have this wonderful magical store filled with color, sparkles and the hope of ageless, timeless beauty. And they have me, 30-something-year-old mom trying to stop their child from drawing on the walls with lipstick samples, the glimmer in my eye of lost youth and the desperate NEED to try and feel cool and hip. One would think they'd look at me and see a walking commission check. That the ability to up-sell me rests completely in the uttering of phrases such as "hottest at the moment" or "can't keep this in stock."

This particular salesperson showed me the matte finish make-up I was inquiring about, tested the color on my cheek and was about to just send me on my way when I posed the question: "What's the hottest thing I need to have right now?" To which, I get in response a look look of confusion as the sales clerk desperately looked around the store while asking "Well, what do you need?"

NEED?! I don't NEED anything from this place! Sephora is about want and possibility. NEED is the Target cosmetics section for plastic hair bands and eye make-up remover. When I walk into a store and I ask them to tell me what to buy that will trick me into thinking that I look 10 years younger, they should sit me down, hand me a mimosa and put on a freaking Broadway-esque performance of products.

Had this situation only happened once, I would blame on the sales person having an off-day. But this happens almost every time, in any store I go to. Which is why tomorrow I have to go back and again return the foundation that this time ended up being about two-shades too light for my skin tone. 

Sigh.