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travel, photos, food, life
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Photo Friday - Nojoqui Falls
People are attracted to waterfalls almost unequivocally. It doesn't seem nutty to me in the least that I drove almost 300 miles round trip with a waterfall being pretty much my sole purpose. Something about the flowing water evokes peace for me. Even if the area is filled with lots of people clambering to see the same thing as you.
This 80' moss surrounded waterfall is just a short hop off the 101. If you've driven along the freeway you've probably noticed the sign in passing. Well I'm telling you, stop next time. You won't regret it. Even less if you happen to have the makings of a picnic in your car.
The road off the freeway will lead you to Alisal Road. It's a beautiful winding backroad barely wide enough for two vehicles. The signs will lead you to a park lot. It is a picnicking area, so don't be discouraged by the numerous cars. The trail will have several people, but I didn't feel like it was crowded. It is a popular destination for its beauty and also for the fact that the falls are just a short ten minute walk from the parking lot.
Stroll pass a bubbling stream, walk under dappled light on the trail, and enjoy the peaceful walk. I was able to do it even with loud children about. It's easy to forget noise when you're surrounded by woods. As you cross over a bridge, you will catch a small glimpse of the falls. Thick ferns surround the water and vivid moss practically drips off the travertine rocks. The water was clear and cold. The sound is just a small roar but it's enough to rage over all other sounds. I did the photographer thing and took photos from every possible angle. Then I just sat. And listened.
It was a good day.
 
Wandering North
Sometimes you just need to wander. Maybe with a destination in mind or maybe just a general direction. I got this itch in a bad way last Saturday. I wanted to visit a waterfall up near Solvang, about 120 miles north, and I let that guide my trip. Jumping in the car knowing that you're just going to meander gives you an incredible sense of freedom. I could have driven all the way to Canada given the time, inclination, and a cooperative vehicle. Crazy, huh?
As it is, I didn't go quite that far.
The sky was blue and crisp. It was the quintessential Southern California day, and I couldn't wait to leave Los Angeles in the dust. I loaded the car with cameras, snacks, a notepad, and coffee. I headed to the 101...and immediately got stuck in traffic. But I did not let it dampen my spirits or resolve. I just turned the music up. By the way, Anna Begins by the Counting Crows is the best song to sing along to when you're cruising.
Eventually I escaped the traffic, and right about the time I hit the beginning of the canyon roads, I felt the ocean air trickle in through my windows. Refreshing, salty breezes that brought the Pacific ocean into my car. It only strengthened as I headed further north.
Eventually I got to sections of the 101 where I only saw a few other cars. After about two and a half hours I spotted the sign for the park where my waterfall was. It led me off on a curvy background surrounded by lush hills and verdant fields. Sunlight rained in between the leaves of thick trees. I haven't felt so serene and relaxed in a long time.
Roadtrips kinda rock that way.
 
Amazing BBQ Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is another one of those foods that doesn't photograph so well. At least, not under my lens. It just looks like a pile of unappetizing meat. So, let me just stop whining about the lack of photogenic pork and get to the recipe.
A while ago, during the Shark Building period of 2010, I tried to play craft services to the crew in the backyard as best as I could. It only lasted for about a weekend with a few other meals in between, but hey, it's the thought, right? While planning, I realized I'd been dying to make BBQ pulled pork. You see, it's not something one should tackle with only one carnivore in the house. When there are more than five of them? Perfect time to pull out the slow cooker.
From past experience, I knew that a dry rub elicited the deepest flavors rather than just soaking the pork with liquids. I scoured pages of internet recipes, and finally settled on the below recipe from Cooks Illustrated. I modified it just slightly. Check your spices before you start mixing, I didn't quite realize how much 2 tablespoons makes a dent in that little jar.
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 6-8lb bone-in pork shoulder
2 cups barbecue sauce
- Mix all spice rub ingredients in small bowl.
- Massage spice rub into meat. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours (but it can be refrigerated up to 3 days).
- Unwrap roast and place it in slowe cooker liner. Add 1/4 cup water. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours, until meat is fork tender.
- Transfer roast to cutting board; discard the liquid left in the slow cooker. Pull the meat by tearing into thin shreds with two forks. Discard the fat.
- Place the shredded pork back into the slow cooker and toss with 1.5 cups barbecque sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's). Heat on low for 30-60 minutes and serve with additional barbecque sauce.
In the end, my meal for eight turned into twelve. I like when people magically appear because they know I'm cooking though. It makes my inner Sicilian grandmother happy. Every carnivore among these twelve (nine of them I think) said it was the best BBQ pork they'd ever eaten. I'm not exaggerating.
Sunday Stills - Sunrise/Sunsets
I took a long drive yesterday up the coast, intending to catch the sunset on my return. Alas, I timed it poorly and I was stuck in traffic and couldn't get to the beach in time. The challenge this week was no photos from archives, so I bring to you the closest thing I have to a sunset this week. The sun going down over this bizarre mural and twilight closing in on the city/cat.
And because I feel like a real sunset is needed, one from the archives:
See more photos of sunrises/sunsets for Sunday Stills here.
A brief intermission
I like to keep my life on a bearable level of insane. It keeps my brain active and keeps me working on things that I am passionate about outside of my day job. But right now I've got so many projects buzzing around in my little brain that I need to take a few days to prioritize and figure out some structure. I'm going to take a small break from posting for the rest of the week. Not that your lives will end if I don't post, but just wanted to let you know. :) Until then, enjoy this sunset. This photo was taken in Ohio, right after Hurricane Katrina.
Sunday Stills - Numbers
Step right into the McGillicuddy Manor. Check your weapons before entering and take a claim check number. Watch your back because you never know who is waiting to stab it.
Thus began an evening of merriment, food, and CLUE. Friends of ours hosted a CLUE dinner party last night. Each of the attendees had to choose the suspect they would portray. The only rule for the costume was that one had to wear the corresponding character color somewhere.
 
I chose Miss Scarlett. Tim was Colonel Mustard. The dinner was wonderful enough to stave off hunger, but not murderous intentions. After eating in the Dining Room, we moved to the Lounge. There we played the longest game of CLUE I have ever been involved in. We took lots of notes and confused ourselves, partook in wine, and made many sounds along the line of "Hmmm." It may have been the highest use of the word "interesting" in a period of two hours. After one wrong guess, Mr. Green determined that it was Mrs. White in the Billiard Room with the Wrench.
You can't trust those maids.
 
See what numbers everyone else found over here.
Photo Friday - Green
What wannabe photographer can resist droplets on green leaves? I never can. It just screams LUSH to me (not at me, I don't think the leaves think I'm a lush, how could they know?). It says I am green and alive and looking pretty just for you and your lense. And I listen every time.
Egg in a Mushroom
Sunday night I looked through the fridge to figure out what looked good for dinner. I wanted to try something new, but I didn't feel like looking up a recipe in a cookbook. Mostly because that would result in me not having the key ingredient and having to go back to the grocery store.
Cookbook & recipe first, then the grocery story. I have trouble with this. Don't ask me why.
The portabellas I just purchased were sitting on top of the egg carton. Huh. Mushrooms always taste amazing with eggs, scrambled or in an omelette or quiche. An egg would find nicely into the mushroom cap and with some herbs, maybe a little cream on top. Hmmm. The above photo was the result. It didn't suck, just a tweak or two next time. Also, it took just a few minutes of prep which means I will be using this recipe again on weeknights. Enjoy!
Egg in a Mushroom
Serves 2
2 portabella mushrooms, stalk removed
2 eggs
1-2 tsp cream (optional)
1 tsp fresh tarragon (optional)
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
small amount of olive oil
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
- Brush the outside of your mushrooms with olive oil.
- Place the mushrooms upside down in a baking dish. Crack your egg into the middle.
- Mix the cream with the tarragon and drizzle over the egg white. Top with the grated cheese.
- Put in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. The yolk was set, but still a little soft.
-Serve with some freshly ground salt and pepper.
Just Because Giveaway
Because it's almost the anniversary of this blog and well, just because I want to, I'm giving away a book to store your postcards in. This lovely Cartes Postales book can hold 64 postcards without adhesive, they just slid right in. This album is a duplicate of some unearthed at a Parisian flea market. I am not sure if the pages are acid-free though, so it may not keep your treasures at archival quality for centuries to come. But I'm pretty sure it will keep all your postcards nicely stored for a couple of generations anyway.
I leave mine out near the coffee table, and sometimes guests will pick it up. It's fun to tell stories about who I got the postcards from or places I've been. I have some dating back to age 8 from friends who went to the beach.
I will also include a handful of postcards from my stash with this delightful book. You have to start somewhere, right? They might include Disneyland, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, China, or Puerto Rico.
To enter, just leave a comment by Thursday, 9pm Pacific time. I will randomly choose a winner from the comments, and get it in the mail by the beginning of next week. Feel free to tell your friends!
ALSO - I will ship internationally!!
Sunday Stills - Fruit
Since it is winter for most parts, we had permission to pull from archives today. Now, really, I'm in SoCal. I have no excuse. I'm sure the farmer's market was piled high with all kinds of fruits this weekend, but I was unfortunately too busy to make it out. So I grabbed a photo from the archives too. This beautiful pile of heirlooms caught my eye a few months ago - for photography and food. Tomatoes are technically fruits after all. ;) They made a delicious tomato salad, topped with just a little olive oil and salt.
See what fruit everyone else is posting over here.
Also, keep an eye out for news on a giveaway tomorrow!
Wildflowers in the Desert
I know the rain brings mudslides to our neck of the woods, but as the talented photographer Stickup Artist (go check out her blog, you'll be happy you did) reminded me - it brings flowers to the desert.
I'm sure that part of my love from the desert comes from the visit when I took these photos. It was only my second or so trip to the desert, I'd lived here for just a few months (I moved to LA in 2007). I didn't know the desert could explode into these kind of colors. Then again, I don't know if most people are aware of this. You have to hit the desert at just the right time. The carpet of flowers is there one week, vivid and fragrant. Then, the next week... sand, sage, and cholla cacti. It's hard to get it right unless you live in or next to the desert. For us city dwellers, this wildflower report site is helpful.
Apparently even that year of wildflowers was a mild one. Some areas were carpeted in purples, yellows, and whites. The photo below gives you an idea, but this part of the low desert was a little more sparse than the rest. Sometimes abundant rains bring out all kinds of rare desert plants and botanists flood in to document the treasures. Or so I've heard.
I'll be watching the wildflower report with both eyes whenever I can spare them. I hate to miss them after the rains we've got so far this year; the show in the Mojave is sure to be spectacular.
Sunday Stills - G is for...
This week's challenge was shoot something that starts with the letter G. I thought that was going to be impossible for some reason. But then you look around and realize that G words abound - grass, guitar, gorilla (yep, I saw an inflatable one yesterday), geeks, and glass. Which I eventually settled on.
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