SNOW!

Today it snowed! As I was walking to campus to teach my Saturday class, the rain turned into big flakes, and by the time class was over things were coated in white. Now I know for sure that cowgirl boots are not snow boots, mostly because they are treadless. Time to go boot shoppin'!

It was exciting to see the snow pile on top of my iPhone weather app.

Looking down Broadway.

Bundled! Sweatshirt, jacket with fur collar, peacoat, fleece scarf, giant knitted hat, boots. Toasty!

After we got home, we had hot chocolate and graham crackers and watched the snowflakes flurry around. I'd been to the snow before, but that's the thing: in California, the snow is somewhere you go, it doesn't come to you. It's really exciting to have it happen where I live!

Rhymes with Door Hinge

You guessed it (maybe)! October and the color orange are almost synonymous in my mind.

Today I made a salad with arugula, feta, and honey and red pepper roasted butternut squash.

The dressing was really zingy, and included lime juice, roasted garlic, honey, and dijon. I adapted the recipe from "Power Foods," which was complied by the editors of Whole Living Magazine-- a slightly off-putting name (reminds me of 80's power suits), but the recipes are awesome.

I also made a sweet potato and Romanesco broccoli gratin with crispy sage leaves, adapted from the November issue of Whole Living (so I'm a little addicted to that publication...).

Romanesco is a fun vegetable because it's so crazy and alien-looking, though it tastes almost exactly like earthly cauliflower. A good example of fractals found in nature!

I made the sage and parmesan béchamel sauce with greek yogurt and chicken stock rather than whole milk and water, and it was delicious.

Even the afternoon sun coats everything in orange light. I'm excited for the leaves to catch up. Hear that, leaves? Get to it!

Entombed

Happy almost Halloween! Today we walked the half mile north to Grant's Tomb and tried to look spooky. It's an impressive monument, and well-restored...apparently it languished into decay until 1935. It's also right behind the Columbia Theological Seminary, a strikingly spired structure.

Boo!

Nolita!

It's cold! This new phenomenon caused me to pile on the three warmest things I own: A flannel button up, wollen pullover, and this massive and beautiful tentacle scarf my multitalented friend Danielle knitted for me.

Standing right smack dab in the middle of Broadway before boarding the subway for Cuban food in Nolita.

Plaid and stripes? I think so!

Once downtown, we went to Café Habana, and I had my first Cuban sandwich! As a connoisseur of the sandwich, having a Cuban has long been on my to-do list. Though the Bay Area is rich in banh mi and tortas, there was nary a Cuban sandwich to be found. I've been missing out--slow roasted pork, ham, pickle, and swiss, yum!

As an appetizer we got their "Grilled Corn Mexican Style," which is served with chili powder, lime, and cotija cheese. It was yummy, but the secret scene stealer were the delicious fries that came with my sandwich.

Devin got the Enchiladas Suizas (grilled chicken with a creamy tomatillo sauce, black beans, and rice.) This platter encompasses the best Mexican food we've had here so far.

Afterwards we wandered around and found McNally Jackson Books. They curated a really stellar collection (me=extensive comics, Devin=a lot of rare fiction), and I dug the little tableaus they scattered about the small space. The cookbook selection on a dinner table...

Travel book nook.