Happy New Year from Oakland Breakfast!

Wishing you a safe, healthy and fun 2011!

xo

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streetsscenes.blogspot.com



Alameda Antique Faire

Ok, so I like flea markets, yard sales and antique fairs.  I've bought lots of stuff (some of which I DO NOT NEED) but just couldn't walk away from......empty ink bottles, "vintage" dinner plates, fabric and lots and lots of greeting cards, ribbon and wrapping paper.

On the first Sunday of every month, there is a great outdoor antique market in Alameda which  is located at the former Alameda Naval Supply Center.  I went last month and if you have the time, you should stop by (Alameda Point Antique and Collectible Fair) and take a look at all the interesting stuff.

This time I was shopping for:

     wine glasses
     silverware
     mirror/picture frames
     metal cafe tables

I have no idea why I want/need any of this but what the heck................
    

P.S.  Take comfortable shoes and while it's part of the game to negotiate prices, you might run across a vendor who won't budge.  If you have time to spare, you can also visit the USS Hornet which is next door.

The gates open at 6 am (!!) but I got there at 8 am....come early if you are serious....

There's lots of french stuff - pillows, linens, posters....

Lambs, coffee/tea pots, angels..they've got it all...

Throw a comfy mattress on this and you have a country day bed....would you paint this too??

Need a chandelier??

4,9,3,8,5,6, etc....

See....lots of "french" stuff.....

I found a box full of embroidered fabric...

..wait -  I think I have something like this at home.....?

Bring a big bag for your loot.........

I admit it....I got a sandwich....

How would you get this bird house/motel into a tree???

Heading out until next month...........or the next garage sale....

Bye Alameda Antique Faire!

I Better Get Busy - Part 2

After lots of starts and stops, I finally got it together for Christmas.  I put up a tiny tree and angels and Santas of all sizes and then.....

Went shopping for presents for Joaquin, Natalia, Papi and Evi and then.....

Stood in line at La Finca for 1/2 hour for masa and hojas for tamales.....

They were giving away cool calendarios for 2011......

And then me, myself and I made 10 dozen pork tamales while listening to Oprah.....

Tick tock, tick tock............

Ta da!!!!!!!!!!!

I finished my hard work with way too many yummy New Mexico Biscochos ... thanks, Rafaela.....

So, I am now DONE until next Christmas!!!!!!

Merry Christmas from Oakland

                                                 
                                                             Peace - Love - Happiness

                   P.S.  I have a new blog on street art in/around Oakland and the world -check it out at
                                                        streetsscenes.blogspot.com 
                                                                                  xo

Sweet Wraps - Panforte

I was out grocery shopping  this weekend and noticed holiday wrappings on lots of food items.  The one that really caught my eye was the Panforte (aka Italian fruitcake).  What  makes it really stand out is the wrapping...it fits the season, don't you think?

You can have your Panforte with coffee........

Or with dessert wine after a meal.

                                                        Panforte is made of  17 ingredients!!
                                               For sure, it has sugar, honey, nuts, fruits and spices. 

 Panforte (which means strong bread) is a specialty of Siena, Italy

This what Panforte looks like under "wraps" - better than fruitcake!

Panforte for the Holidays!

Stripes

Hi!  I am re-running this post as I was fooling around with my pictures and messed stuff up...sorry!!!!

                           
I've started to notice stripes....................

Monsieur Bartender at a Paris bistro in his best striped shirt.....

A striped apron in the 17th...wonder what she's wrapping??  I think it was pate and cheese..yum!

Back at home, the mall had a striped curling iron...do they still call them that?

.......curling iron that is.....

I found these handsome Marines on Park Avenue in NYC.  Love their stripes!

A hip zebra with his cool brim on College Avenue

And just in time for the holidays, a striped Blowfish decked out in Christmas Lights at the Oakland Marina!

Seen any stripes today, OaklandBreakfasters?

I Better Get Busy - Part I

The clock is ticking....Christmas is around the corner and I haven't done much of my usual holiday decorating.  I did manage, though, to start looking at/for my holiday stuff and found my greeting cards....

   

The best part of sending cards (for me) is using my cool pens. I've got calligraphy, ballpoint, fountain, even mechanical...I'll use them all!  Here's some of my collection

                                     

                                          

                                  Next, I found reindeers...............and Commander Marco!

I carefully unwrapped ornaments and peeked at what I could use this year...not too bad....

I wonder if I can get my table to look like this???

I am tired of pre-decorating..I think I'll just put my list Santa list together.

I'll let you know how it all ends up!


Happy Weekend OaklandBreakfasters!

The Fab Four

This weekend I drove across the Bay Bridge into San Francisco and saw this poster of the Fab Four  not once, but 5 times! 
I think this is a great photograph of the Beatles. At first, my favorite Beatle was Paul but then over the years George took first place.  In this photo, George looks extra  fabulouso.

My favorite Beatle songs are:

Something
Eleanor Rigby
I am a Walrus
Twist and Shout
I want to hold your hand
Norwegian Wood
P.S. I love you



                           

     So what's your favorite Beatle's song OaklandBreakfasters?

                           In memory of John Lennon

Winter

Here are some winter photos that I took in Germany, China and New York. 

 Snow is snow wherever you go! 

Bicycles in Frankfurt, Germany

It was coming down hard in Heidelberg, Germany but that didn't stop this group.  I wonder if they were deciding where to go for hot apple cider?

This is all that is left of castle in Heidelberg, Germany

Even this barber in Shanghai, China  is prepared for the cold!

Mr. W. Shakespeare in Central Park

Stay warm OaklandBreakfasters!

Bottle Day

Along with Louie and friends, I  recently visited Reid Family Winery (jkirkwood)  in Napa and spent the day bottling a entire barrel of 2007 Merlot. It was fun to go through the bottling process, especially since we were bottling under the direction of someone who knew what they were doing.

Our "job" began at 10 a.m and when we finished a few hours later, we had bottled 120 bottles of  wine. Maybe you'll find a bottle at your table next time I visit!

Bottles waiting to be filled

The filling station

A baster is used to adjust the ullage

Definition - Ullage:  "the amount by which the contents fall short of filling a container, as a cask or bottle"

Whatever....

You  need to pump this machine with your foot to insert the cork

(cork must be put in straight otherwise the foil, which comes next, gets crinkly)

Orange shoes optional.

Foiler adds foil and then sticks bottle in this machine to seal it up

Voile!

Waiting for the lunch crowd......

A poolside lunch is always tre cool

Fern Buddha checking things out

Bird Casita

Found items

These weren't the exact grapes we used but you get the "picture"

Salud!!