All posts tagged: Marin

spring in the air, bubble waffles + my new bedford pullover

Published by fairfaxhill

Spring is in the air, flowers are blooming, and birthday season is just beginning for our family. This week we celebrated Patrick’s birthday. A nice dinner at Marinitas, the local restaurant which we’ve decided sells the best margaritas in town, was the perfect place to celebrate mid-week. The celebrations continue for the other March babies this weekend, which should be fun. Center Depot in San Anselmo: a nice treat after a morning walk I’ve been eyeing the Center Depot in San Anselmo for months — I drive past it right when they open after I drop my son off at school in the mornings. It is located about a mile from downtown San Anselmo, and I keep imagining myself stopping by with Patrick or one of my friends after a brisk morning walk on the weekend. (We’d deserve it!) I find the little camper truck super charming. Plus, the fact that it’s located in a less commercial section of town makes it even cuter. You can get bubble waffles, Italian sodas, a.k.a. “sparklers,” doughnuts, hot cocoa, and espresso drinks out of …

a relaxing afternon at stinson beach

Published by fairfaxhill

So, I did it. I took myself to the beach last weekend and had the most relaxing afternoon. I watched the waves and the seagulls, the young people playing volleyball and surfing, and I worked on my sweater. It was a gorgeous day with almost no wind. I’d forgotten how pretty it is at Stinson. I am so glad I went! I highly recommend a day trip to Stinson in the wintertime. Believe it or not, it can be warmer on a winter day when there is little fog at the beach than at the height of summer. Here’s how my afternoon went and what you could do: Get some food Grab brunch or lunch at the Parkside Cafe (my favorite place for breakfast with Patrick and reading the Sunday paper back when we lived there), or grab a burger or hot dog next door at the Parkside Snack Bar. Sitting by myself at the restaurant didn’t sound fun, so I ordered a sandwich from the Snack Bar and sat on a bench to eat …

Zucchini dish

carpaccio di zucchini inspired by our family dinner at cucina

Published by fairfaxhill

Cucina is one of our favorite restaurants. Slowly, it has turned into our go-to place for birthday dinners, especially when they fall in the middle of the week and we don’t have enough time to cook something special. Our order typically includes pizza and pasta. Bombolotti al Sugo is a favorite, and we all like to share the Frito Misto as our starter. We rarely order dessert, since the cake and presents are typically waiting for us back at the house. A few weekends ago we were there again to celebrate Patrick’s parents’ wedding anniversary and got to try some new dishes, including Funghi Ripieni, Carpaccio di Zucchini, Insalata con Bettole, and Donna’s Amazing Almond Cake.  I liked the Carpaccio di Zucchini so much, I had to try to recreate it at home. And guess what? It turned out pretty good. So, I’m sharing my recipe with you. But before I do that, I need to highlight that the key to getting this dish right is to move quickly. And, to make the salad look as pretty as the one …