When I travel around Bangkok, I almost always have my camera out and ready because it seems inevitable that something interesting will cross my path. The other day it was this ancient pickup truck, parts of which looked like they were held together with bubble gum and baling twine.

Perhaps the driver was checking out that Toyota next to him? And check out the texture on that front fender - how many times has that been tapped back into shape with a hammer?

Living in Thailand, where English is taught in the schools but not very well, one encounters all sorts of examples of Thai English that provoke confusion, bewilderment, and hilarity. (Of course, being perfectly fair, my creative uses of the Thai language send normally polite and reserved locals into paroxysms of laughter.) The other day at a local mall, I stopped to admire the works of young artists who had created entries for an exhibit themed around environmental awareness.

A painter offers this moose imploring viewers to "please abstain us". The idea, according to the plaque on the base, was to not eat endangered species of animals. A thoughtful idea and a graphically arresting one, even if a bit off in its use of English. 

Not the first time I've written about Italian Sunday Gravy, the seminal slow-cooked tomato sauce filled with various cuts of meat. Shortly before leaving for the US, we visited a Swedish-Thai couple we know and prepared Italian Sunday Gravy for them and several other friends.

A plate full of meats - sausages, ribs, and loin - are seared to get some color into the pot. Then onions are sauteed, tomato sauce is caramelized, canned tomatoes are added, and then the meat is placed back in the sauce and the whole thing bakes in the oven for three hours.

Meanwhile, I made some homemade pasta using Thomas Keller's French Laundry pasta dough recipe. Since we were at friends' house and I didn't want to carry my KitchenAid mixer (which has a pasta rolling attachment) I just used a cutting board and rolling pin. A little more rustic, but it still turned out okay.

Letting the sheets of pasta dry for a few minutes before cutting them. This way, the individual pieces of pasta cut more easily.

The hand-cut pasta - I didn't have a ruler or straight edge handy so these are cut with all sorts of varying width. Very rustic, indeed! My technique (or lack thereof) would shame Italian grandmothers.

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water just as the sauce is finished. Fresh pasta cooks much more quickly than dried pasta so one needs to pay close attention.

Once the meat is tender, you pull it out of the sauce and serve it on a platter.

The remaining sauce is served directly from the pan and spooned over your pasta. Lots and lots of flavor in there!

A side dish of cabbage, fennel and radish cole slaw with a sesame dressing. Makes a nice accompaniment to the heavy Sunday gravy.

For dessert, one of our hosts cooked raspberry almond bars. These were fantastic. All in all, not only did we have a very fun time visiting with our friends, but the cooking was fun, too.

While eating lunch at the Central Chidlom department store Food Loft, I looked at the car park below and was startled to notice that, other than that pink taxi and one blue car on the left, every other car was black, white, grey, or beige. Bland, bland, bland...

When Tawn and I flew back from the United States to Bangkok in June, my sister Jenn and brother-in-law Kevin made the trip with us. It was an adventure as they have traveled very little outside the United States and never before to Asia. Thankfully, I was able to book seats on our same outbound flight and even arranged for seat assignments across the aisle from us. 

Jenn and Kevin were an adventurous pair, willingly trying new foods and having new experiences. Here, we venture out for a typical Thai breakfast of curries and stir-fries served with rice. 

We spent one morning seeing another side of Bangkok, going to Hualamphong railway station and boarding the intercity train for a trip to the suburbs.

Train cars in Thailand are antiques - most at least three decades old - and the third-class cars have no air conditioning. Definitely a different experience for visitors from the American midwest!

One morning, they took the Skytrain to Lumphini Park, the closest thing Bangkok has to a central park. I met them there in the late morning and then we walked to a nearby Isaan style restaurant famous for its fried chicken. In the above picture, the Dusit Thani hotel is the one on the left with the spire. It was the first high-rise building in Bangkok.

Another morning, we visited Wat Saket, also known as the Golden Mount. A steep, artificial hill and the highest terrain in the city, Golden Mount offers a nice view and also a nice breeze - much appreciated on a hot Bangkok day!

View from the top of Golden Mount, looking southwest. In the distance you can see the roofs of the Grand Palace.

Across the canal from Wat Saket is Wat Ratchanaddaram. The most famous building on the temple grounds is Loha Prasat, commonly referred to as the Metal Palace. This is a unique building, built in a pyramid shape with 37 spires (signifying the 37 virtues towards enlightenment) and modeled on two other similar buildings, one in India and another in Sri Lanka. Loha Prasat is the last of the three in existence and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The structure has recently undergone a full renovation and informative displays fill the hallways.

The symmetrical layout allows for refreshing cross-ventilation and also a sense of surprise as you turn corners and see the architectural features of the structure framed in interesting ways.

Loha Prasat has made its way onto my "must see in Bangkok" list, a list which I really need to update as I'm frequently asked for it.  

We made our requisite trip to the Chatuchak Weekend Market, where Jenn and Kevin hunted for gifts for friends and family members with Tawn's assistance.  

We also visited one of Bangkok's newest attractions, a nighttime market on the banks of the Chao Phraya River called Asiatique. Essentially a replacement for the now-closed Lumphini Night Bazaar, Asiatique is reached by free shuttle boats and has a range of restaurants and shopping. The space, a series of converted warehouses, is fun to visit although I was not particularly impressed by the goods for sale. That said, I'm not a shopper so my view may be biased.

Near the end of the trip, we went for drinks around sunset at the top of the Centara Grand Hotel at Central World. Bangkok has no shortage of rooftop restaurants and bars (a large increase from the two or three that existed when I moved here) and the Centara offers one of the best views, being centrally located. This also makes it onto my "must see" list.

We made a side trip to Chachoengsao Province to visit Wat Sothonwararamworaviharn, also known as Wat Hong. This beautiful temple is located on the banks of the Bang Pakong River and is the oldest temple in the province.  

Tawn, who was born in the year of the rabbit, poses with an appropriate statue at the temple. 

After two weeks, I think Jenn and Kevin were ready to head back to Kansas City. Hopefully, they will return next year with their two daughters and my parents in tow!

The afternoon that we departed San Francisco, our cousins from Salt Lake City flew in to see us. We had time for lunch at Chow restaurant on Church Street, right around the corner from where we were staying and where we used to live. Still one of our favorite restaurants. I didn't take pictures of everything, but there are a few shots that turned out nicely and are worth sharing.

Chow has been around since 1997 and its premise is simple: high-quality, healthy, affordable comfort food. Its menu reflects the Italian and Asian immigrant heritage of San Francisco. 

Hangar steak, grilled to a perfect rare and sliced thin. Served with mashed potatoes and a cherry tomato confit.

Rigatoni of spring lamb sugo. Simple, hearty, perfect for lunch before a long plane ride.

Home made peach pie with vanilla ice cream. Summer in a slice.

Classic menu item: ginger cake with pumpkin ice cream. Yum!

My cousin Alex with her son Tommy. Tommy looks mighty happy about his suacerful of ice cream!

Inspired by yesterday's entry about Cafe Jacqueline, last night I decided to try making a ham and cheese souffle for dinner.

Very cool to watch how it rises during the 30-35 minutes of baking.

It turned out quite nicely, although could have used a bit more salt and pepper to season it. 

For our final dinner in San Francisco, Tawn and I returned to Cafe Jacqueline, a charming restaurant in North Beach that specializes in souffles, both savory and sweet. We first went here a dozen years ago and the place remains as charming as ever.

The restaurant is not very large - a dozen tables, perhaps - and reservations are strongly encouraged. Reviews on yelp.com and other sites sometimes complain that the staff is rude to walk-in customers, but I think that perception is understandable when you consider that their style of restaurant is very different from the average well-reviewed restaurant. They serve only one thing (souffles) made by one person (Jacqueline) and so the pace of service is very leisurely. People - especially foreign tourists toting their guide books - arrive without reservations and confrontations ensue when their expectations differ from reality. Because of this, the wait staff interrogate walk-in customers in a brusque manner: "Do you know what kind of restaurant this is?"

If you have reservations - or if you are a walk-in and pass the interrogation - you are treated with old world courtesy by friendly, professional waiters who have worked at the cafe for years. It is an old-fashioned kind of place, in the best meaning of that term.

This is a restaurant made for romance. Next to several tables are small plaques commemorating special occasions that happened there. Our table had two such plaques: "George & Laura Vidalia - First Date... Married..." and the more interesting "Dav and Kate - Handshake of Monogamy, MLK Day 1997 - Proposal, MLK Day 2001".

There is a small selection of soups, salads, and appetizers, all of which are very French. Escargots, onion soup, caviar, and our choice: a spinach and bacon salad. 

It took some forty minutes for our savory souffle to arrive, but this was totally expected and we kept ourselves occupied with an amazing bottle of old vine Zinfandel from Lodi, California. We had the prosciutto and cheese souffle, which was a thing of beauty.

So that you don't muss it up, the waiter serves the first portion for you.

Truly, the souffle is a dish whose tremendous beauty is dashed just as soon as you cut into it. But despite its deflated appearance, the taste is tremendous and the textural contrasts energizing: rich and light, salty and eggy, crispy and smooth - all at the same time.

For dessert, we took advantage of the season and enjoyed a fresh strawberry souffle. This, of course, was another forty minute wait or so, but that meant that by the time it arrived, we actually had some room in our bellies to enjoy it. I'd say that this souffle was ever so slightly undercooked, but to such a minor degree that it remained very enjoyable.

Tawn and the dessert souffle.

Cafe Jacqueline is one of those restaurants that is a must-visit and very appropriate for a special occasion. I hope we'll make a return visit sooner than another dozen years from now, for I fear that once Mme Jacqueline reaches a certain age, she will decide to retire. As the cafe is a one-woman show, her retirement would likely mean the end of an era, and that would be a truly sad thing.

Along the way, I take photos that I find interesting, but which do not fit into the theme of other entries. Still, I thought they were worth sharing with you.

Graffiti in San Francisco, painted on a wall across the street from the United States Mint.

Japanese maple in the sunshine in Sacramento, California.

A rose in full bloom in the California State Capitol Building gardens.

The rusted roof of a van in a condo parking lot in Kihei, Maui, Hawai'i.

Rusted chain in the tidepools along downtown Lahaina, Maui, Hawai'i.

An elephant doll dressed as Santa Claus floats in the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.

A three-month old beagle plays with a seed pod at the Ma Du Zi Hotel in Bangkok.

A New York Times article on Thursday shared news about a small company that is trying to introduce a genetically modified apple that does not turn brown when cut or bruised. This is causing consternation with many in the apple growers' industry because they are concerned that it will tarnish the apple's image as a wholesome, natural fruit. 

Genetic modification is one of those topics I look at with great fascination. The wonders that science can create are truly amazing but at the same time I wonder if some of these advances perhaps go a bit too far. A quote from the article:

A whole apple is “for many people too big a commitment,” [the founder of Okanagan Specialty Fruits] said. “If you had a bowl of apples at a meeting, people wouldn’t take an apple out of the bowl. But if you had a plate of apple slices, everyone would take a slice.”

Really? A whole apple is too big a commitment? Most of the apples sold here in Thailand are smaller varieties, not the ones bred to be as large as grapefruit. Maybe the solution is to just grow smaller apples.

What are your thoughts on this?

While in the US, we flew back to Kansas City for a few days visiting family, then drove to Omaha for two nights to visit Andy and Sugi, whose wedding we had just attended in Maui. To make the trip even more fun, we brought my six- and nine-year old nieces along. The main event: ride one of Sugi's mother's horses.

On the three-hour drive north to Omaha, we skirted around a rather imposing storm front, managing to stay dry most of the way. The first evening at Andy and Sugi's house was a bit of a challenge as the girls were supposed to share a bed but the younger one takes a long time to fall asleep. Her older sister couldn't take it, so decamped to our bedroom, where we set up a comforter, blanket, and pillow on the floor.

The next day, we headed to Sugi's parent's house outside of the city. Sugi's mother has three horses, one of which is very gentle and perfect for children to ride. When we first came into the barn, I think the girls were a bit apprehensive. The older one, Emily, is a little more reticent than her sister, Ava. (Photo courtesy of Andy.)

We each took turns saddling up and riding for a little bit, first in the indoor riding area and then outdoors. (Photo courtesy of Andy.)

Don't I look like an old pro? (Photo courtesy of Andy.)

We had the girls wear a helmet for safety's sake. Their reactions to the horses were interesting to watch.

If you aren't familiar with horses, I can understand how you would be a little in awe of them. They're awful large, especially when you are a child.

We pose with our ride and Sugi's mother, Myra. Many thanks to her and her husband Mike for their hospitality. The girls had a great time and helped brush the horse after the ride.

Andy and Ava seemed to be the perfect foil for each other.

We stayed for dinner at Myra and Mike's house, which was a mixture of foods (including grilled items!) that included several things that spoke to Myra's heritage growing up in a Japanese-American household on Hawaii. There were a few dishes that the girls were unfamiliar with, but for the most part they gamely gave everything a try.

After dinner, it was some time for Dance Nation!

You can probably guess which song Andy and I were dancing to.

Sugi and Emily share some dessert at brunch the following morning.

After brunch, we went to the old Union Station in downtown Omaha, home of the Durham Museum, a science and technology museum geared towards children. The station's lobby has wonderful period sculptures, including this businessman reading the train schedule.

Downstairs at the station, there are several refurbished train cars you can walk through, to give you a sense of what life was like on the Union Pacific line back in the day.

Everyone enjoyed hanging out in the lounge car.

In the science part of the museum, we enjoyed an exhibit about puzzles. This one involved four people working together to raise and lower a "hot air balloon" to land on targets on the landscape. Each person controlled a rope that was attached to one of the four sides of the balloon. It took a lot of cooperations, communication, and coordination in order to land on the targets.

Ava and Uncle Tawn pose next to a sculpture of a soldier and his sweetheart waiting for a train to depart.

Ava and Andy got along quite animatedly.

It was a fantastic two days in Omaha and I hope Andy and Sugi weren't too overwhelmed by our nieces!

Once again, rainy season has arrived in Thailand. The skies fill with ominous, dark clouds and once the wind picks up you know you have just a few minutes in which to seek shelter, otherwise you will be drenched by the downpour. While the rain usually follows a consistent schedule, arriving in the late afternoon and early evening, Thursday morning the rain rebeled, giving us two hours of heavy rain at dawn followed by another two hours of drizzle.

That was too much for the drainage system to handle and our end of the soi (small road) flooded quickly. Sidewalks were covered by a few inches and water in the road was deep enough to stall a few cars.

(Short video)

The security and maintenance staff at our condo erected a barrier of sandbags, trying to minimize the amount of water that flowed into the first level of the car park.

Despite their efforts, the entire ground floor was wet.The basement level was flooded a few inches deep as the sump pump struggled to clear the water. The elevators were out of service once the mechanical rooms were breached by the water.

While most of the city recovered pretty quickly from the heavy rains, the morning commute was a mess and by late afternoon, several areas still had standing water. Just wait until September and October, the months when the rain is generally the heaviest!

While in SF, I had the opportunity to meet up with a trio of Xangans (two of whom are AWOL from the site - ahem!) for dinner at Zarzuela, a Spanish restaurant on Russian Hill. The conversation was excellent and the food very good.

Located on the corner of Union and Hyde Streets, the cable cars climb the hill outside Zarzuela's front door. The room is cozy and the service friendly.

Jamon Serrano con Pan e Tomate - Serrano ham with toasted bread and tomato sauce. The ham was tasty, the bread was nice, the tomato sauce was weak and watery.

Gambas Ajillo - shrimp sauteed with garlic and olive oil. Very tasty but the portion was very small - this was the entire serving before any of us helped ourselves.

Mejillones Vinagretta - A specialty is the cold mussels served with chopped veggies and a sherry vinaigrette. Cold mussels seem less common than warm ones, but this dish is a good argument why cold mussels should be more comon.

Calamares a la Plancha con Aioli - Grilled calamari shells with a garlic mayonnaise sauce. The taste was fine but the presentation was awful. It looks like a three-year old just squiggled some mayo on top with a squeeze bottle.

Pollo con Setas - Sauteed chicken with mixed mushrooms and sherry wine sauce. This was tasty but not particularlly inspiring.

Pescado del Dia - Fish of the day, in this case salmon, served with a red tomato sauce and a side of green beans. Again, tasty but not very inspired. The type of dish that I feel most home cooks could easily create, which makes me wonder why I'm going to a restaurant to eat it.

Fideos con Marisco - Vermicelli and seafood tossed with white wine and saffron. This had a bit of a "boxed mac and cheese" quality to it. Again, tasty food but not very refined. Having not been to Spain, perhaps you can argue that the food there is rustic but for a restaurant in San Francisco, I'm expecting a little sophistication for $14.95.

Trio of desserts. I didn't catch what they were (other than the middle one, which is an almond cake kind of like an Italian Torta del Nonna). Actually, the one on the right might be a rice pudding.

The two AWOL Xangans, Jason and Sheening. Didn't catch a good picture of the third Xangan joining us, Piyapong. Even if they have largely abandoned blogging on Xanga, it is always a pleasure to catch up with them in person. 

Fantastic view of North Beach and Telegraph Hill (and Lombard Street) just a few blocks north of the restaurant.

Updates below. In about an hour, Tawn and I will drive to Central Chidlom, one of the most prestigious department stores in Thailand. We will arrive just as the store is closing for the night and in less than eight hours, with the help of a contractor and his crew, will install his first boutique. The previous occupant of the space will be moved out and their decorations demolished in less than two hours.

The remainder of the night will be spent installing the decorative items, shelves, display cases, lighting fixtures, and all the other pieces needed to create the retail space and project the Tawn C brand image. Our friend Ble, a well-known interior designer here in Bangkok (he also designed our condo's remodel) did the shop design and will arrive at 6:00 am to help with the final styling before the 10:00 am opening.

It will be a long night, but it is exciting to see two years of hard work finally turn into something real. Now, let's hope we can turn it into something profitable, too!

Update - 5:20 am

Am back at home for a little bit after a night at the department store. Some moving people are supposed to show up in ten minutes to pick up some chairs from our living room. The chairs will be used in the store until the correct chairs that our designer ordered, arrive.

The deinstall of the previous tenant's decorations ran late because of some stone tiles adhered to one wall. We insisted that they needed to be removed because the dimensions of our cabinetwork would not allow for that extra two centimeters of thickness on the wall. By 12:30, our workers started carrying cabinetwork into the space and assembling it.

After taking pictures of the crew installing the paneling on the front column, it occurred to me that it was facing the wrong way: it should be turned 90 degrees clockwise so the short panel that is visible in this shot faces the left of the picture. Tawn brought this to the workers' attention and they eventually moved it. Then they discovered that due to incorrect measurements, the front riser on which mannequins will stand is five centimeters too long and intrudes into the aisle.

The workers focused first on installing the rear cabinetwork and, once complete, turned their attention to resizing the riser. The mirrored borders were installed last and the worker was polishing them and peeling off the protective layer of plastic on the laminate.

Just before leaving the store - about 4:30 am at that point - the workers had disassembled the riser and were manually cutting it (and the metallic edging) to size with a hacksaw. Tawn warned them that the quality of work had to be perfect. We'll see how that turns out!

After the movers take the chairs, I'll drive back to the store with some items that the designer and Tawn can use to dress the store. What time do the coffee shops open?

During our final pass through San Francisco, we set out on a small project to revisit a trio of our favorite breakfast restaurants from when we lived there. San Francisco is a great city for breakfasts - the same cannot be said for Bangkok, at least for Western style breakfasts - and we were excited to indulge in some early morning reminiscing with a few cups of coffee and plates of eggs, pastries, and meat products.

Savor

Our first breakfast was at Savor, a southwestern themed restaurant located on 24th Street in Noe Valley. In addition to Miss Millie's, a now-defunct restaurant that was located on 24th at Castro Street, Savor was a frequent stop for breakfast when I first moved to San Francsico in the late 1990s.

The interior space is pleasant. You walk past the kitchen at the front of the restaurant and find a large dining room and a bright but shaded patio behind the restaurant. The interior is, as mentioned, southwestern and a fireplace lends a cozy atmosphere to the high-ceilinged space. We visited on a weekday morning and the restaurant wasn't crowded. A friendly bear was our server and he had an amiable, almost maternal manner.

Tawn ordered the Coronado frittata. Years ago, frittatas were on the menu but have been removed and only omelettes remain. Tawn enquired with the waiter, though, and he said they'd be happy to make any of the omelettes as a frittata. This was a nice touch. The Coronado has avocado, sharp cheddar cheese, and onions and is topped with black bean chili, salsa fresca, and sour cream. 

I ordered the Santa Fe, one of Savor's many crepe selections. The Santa Fe has grilled chicken apple sausage with scrambled eggs, green onions, provolone cheese, and salsa fresca. The side of home fried potatoes was disappointing as they are under seasoned and would benefit from the use of some herbs.

One treat at Savor is their spicy cornbread, which is toasted and served with jalapeno jelly. This is what I remembered about the restaurant and was eager to try it again. Like the potatoes, I found the cornbread underseasoned, begging for a little more salt.

Overall conclusion was that Savor remains a comfortable place with friendly service and decent food, but the food seems more about quantity than quality. The quality isn't bad, mind you, but it doesn't stand out from the crowd. If they could reduce portion sizes slightly and improve the flavors, then they would have something really special.

Ella's

The second of the trio is Ella's, a self-described "neo-classical American" restaurant located on Presidio Avenue where Laurel Heights meets Lower Pacific Heights. More upscale, Ella's has a sophisticated but inviting look. Waits can be long on weekends but on a weekday morning, we were seated immediately.

One of the two dining areas. Banquettes line the windows and tables are tightly spaced. On a busy morning, there is an energetic vibe and service is very prompt, encouraging a quick turnover. Service was detached and while employees were not outwardly rude, they also weren't very friendly.

We started by sharing one of Ella's famous cinnamon pecan rolls. These gooey delights are generous enough for a quartet to share but not as overwhelmingly sweet as, say, the rolls from Cinnabon.

Perhaps the most famous item on the menu is the chicken hash. (Which, unfortunately, is hidden under the eggs so you can't see it!) Made with a combination of Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes, their hash is an immensely satisfying breakfast. The lumpy mashed potatoes are combined with sage, thyme, parsley, sauteed onions, and mustard, then formed into a patty and fried. My only complaint with this dish is that they garnish it with a heap of raw green onions, which give it a "grassy" feel. I just brush them to the side and enjoy the hash ungarnished. 

Tawn tried some French Toast, which was nicely battered and cooked to that perfect point where the bread is rich with the eggy custard but not soggy. Portion sizes are more moderate than at Savor, leaving you feeling satisfied but not stuffed.

One of Ella's charms is that they bake their own, very good bread. The entry area shows off their baked goods, which are available for takeaway purchase. Overall, Ella's hasn't changed in the years since I left and remains a nice place for a special breakfast.

Chloe's

My final morning in San Francisco, I headed down Church Street to Chloe's while Tawn slept in. Arriving a few minutes before the restaurant opened, I browsed the newspaper and waited on the seats outside. A long-time neighborhood attraction that occupies a small space, Chloe's quickly has a queue and waits can be long on weekends.

Not fifteen minutes after they opened, most of the inside tables were full. The space is cozy and the staff is buzzing about, refilling coffee, taking orders, and keeping things moving without ever making you feel rushed. Only open for breakfast and lunch, the restaurant's daily specials are written on the chalkboard and always include a scramble of some kind as well as a soup of the day.

I decided on buttermilk blueberry pancakes with scrambled eggs. Most breakfasts come with the option of toast, a pastry, or a bowl of fresh fruit. Obviously, I took the healthier option. While simple, the food is made with top-notch ingredients and is well-prepared. Your cup of coffee never gets cold thanks to the attentive employees who keep filling it up.

An F-Market car passes Chloe's, heading up Church Street to start its day. There's enough housing the in neighborhood to support a restaurant twice Chloe's size, but they keep it small and are able to stay on top of the details. Chloe's really has a neighborhood charm to it.

Conclusions:

Of the three restaurants, Chloe's remains my favorite. While the food at Ella's is a little fancier, Chloe's has the scale and charm of a true neighborhood restaurant. Ella's, located on a busy corner, seems more isolated. Although not a bad choice, Savor is a distant third when compared with the other two restaurants. Its service is friendly but its food isn't as good as at the other two restaurants.

On one of our passes through San Francisco, Tawn and I made a day trip up to the state capital, Sacramento, to see a high school friend and her family. While we attended her wedding in 2000, the opportunity never arose to meet her children, who are now eight and five years old. It was a lovely day and I'm glad we made the effort to go there.

We loaded into the minivan (ah, suburban parenthood!) and drove to downtown Sacramento. First stop, lunch at Burgers and Brew on R Street. Lively place in a renovated neighborhood near the light rail line. We had a tasty meal and an opportunity to bond with the children over French fries.

Bacon burger, extra crispy fries. Yum... (You didn't think I could do a post without sneaking in some food porn, did you?)

We then drove to the nearby capitol grounds, which are covered with a beautiful park, lots of flowers and trees, and an impressive capitol building. Jack and Kaitlyn posed gamely for many photos. Very well-mannered children, friendly and engaging but also well-behaved.

The capitol grounds have many trees that represent California's agricultural industry, including many different varieties of oranges. The trees were fully of fruit and we were curious what the oranges tasted like, so Uncle Tawn kicked off his shoes and climbed the tree to pick one. A very uncharacteristic act!

Yay - we have our orange! When we returned home, we tried it. Unfortunately, very sour.

We made our way to the west side of the capitol building, which is the most photogenic side. Here, Tawn and I pose with Sandy. Not sure if the low shooting angle flatters us, but at least the entire dome is in the shot. Interesting trivia: the California state capitol's design was based on that of the United States capitol building in Washington, D.C. The dome is the same height - 210 feet.

Back at home, Sandy's husband Neuzil started preparing some baked barbecue ribs for dinner while the children entertained us. As you can see, Uncle Tawn discovered Wii.

Later, Jack picked up his tape measure and was measuring anything and everything: walls, doors, the television, Uncle Tawn's neck size.

Time for an early dinner with the whole family before we drove back to San Francisco. It was such a pleasure meeting the children and seeing Sandy and Neuzil again. We'll have to make it a point to include Sacramento on our travel plans again soon.

Located in the Mission District (Valencia Street between 14th and 15th), Four Barrel Coffee is a place that takes its artisanal coffee to a level of seriousness that you might expect from a master sommelier. Their attention to detail, bordering on the obsessive, would be ripe for parody if the results weren't so impressive. The coffee is amazing, the pastries are fantastic, and the atmosphere is communal in the best sense of the word.

The space is a large warehouse. From the front, you could breeze by (as I almost did) without realizing that there is a coffee house inside. If in doubt, look for the funky bicycle racks and outdoor seating (above).

Immediately on your left as you walk in is a pour-over coffee bar. This "next thing" in coffee is all about the slow brew of coffee through a cone shape filter. Sound familiar? Yes, that's the way most home coffee machines brew coffee. It seems, though, that you can get really particular about the details.

Anyhow, the person working at the bar can also answer questions about their coffees (sourced from micro-regions all over the world and brewed at the back of the shop) and other coffee making paraphernalia. In fact, one lady spent twenty minutes demonstrating the various Japanese made ceramic coffee grinders to me.

The counter and espresso machines are in the center of the room. The baristas have their own personality and flair, demonstrating a level of artistry that your average Starbucks barista will not. Of course, your average Starbucks barista is also now using a fully automated machine that requires no more skill to use than the average coffee vending machine minus the coins.

The coffee roasting takes place in the back half of the warehouse. You can sit at a counter watching the action take place and it gives the space an especially industrial feel, which may explain what attracts the huge number of hipsters.

Besides the coffee, Four Barrel offers really amazing pastries, sources from three different bakeries.

One that caught my heart (and caused me to make two return trips) was the kouign amann, a butter pastry from Brittany that seems to be the new cupcake on the west coast. These are provided by Starter Bakery in Oakland.

Layers of buttery, sugary goodness that caramelize as they bake. You are not allowed to think about diets while you eat this. Just don't.

Another wonderful treat (not sure what bakery it was from but possibly Dynamo Donuts on 24th Street) was a lemon-thyme donut. I'm not generally a huge donut fan, but this was a spectacularly light, pleasant, and surprising donut. The lemon-thyme flavor is refreshing and much more complex than you might expect.

And then there is the coffee. You can order any of Four Barrel's single-origin coffees as an espresso. Not sure what the default espresso is, but I found it nicely balanced, not too acidic, and just what I needed to start the day.

East Coast transplants to Baghdad by the Bay long bemoaned the City's lack of good pastrami. Over the years, the deli scene has scarcely improved. Good news has arrived: Located on 24th Street near South Van Ness, Wise Sons Deli brings San Francisco an authentic Jewish deli, ironically in a corner of the Mission district where tacquerias are more common.

Owners Evan Bloom and Leo Beckerman had been serving their deli food for more than a year at pop-up restaurants and from a cart at the San Francisco Ferry Building. This spring they opened a storefront of their own and have quickly gained a lot of publicity. While in the City in May, Tawn and I stopped by for an early lunch.

The interior is homey and comfortable. There is a line out the door throughout lunch and popular items do sell out. Service is friendly and efficient, which makes you feel welcome.

Something you don't see often enough on the West Coast: New Jersey based Boylan Bottling Company's Black Cherry soda. Tasty!

Waiting patiently for our food. You place orders at the register behind me. Food is then delivered to your table.

Matzo ball soup with a tender but not mushy matzo ball and a broth so rich and satisfying that you could easily ascribe to it all sorts of magical healing powers.

Pastrami on rye with a side of potato salad and homemade pickle spears. This is the true test of any deli, right? The good news: it exceeded expectations. The pastrami, sliced just a bit thick for my tastes, is moist and flavorful. The pickles are fantastic and make you wonder why more people don't make their own pickles.

Close up on the meat.

Tawn had a special, a chicken cutlet pounded thin, breaded, and fried in a Schnitzel style. It was very tasty, too. Fries were nice, although nothing substantially different.

Conclusion: Wise Sons is the type of place that, if I lived in San Francisco, I'd visit regularly. The ambience and service are pleasant and the food is top-notch. Will definitely put it on the list to revisit next time I'm in town.

While most people have a limited appreciation for it, after I take a long trip I long to post some airplane porn for Matt and the few other people who read this blog who are aviation enthusiasts. If your pulse doesn't quicken when you watch an airplane take off, feel free to skip this entry and come back tomorrow when we'll return to regular programming.

San Francisco to Maui

While waiting for our flight to Maui, I capture this picture of a pair of United Boeing 757-200s, a United 747, and a Lufthansa Airbus A380 (the largest commercial plane in the world) at the international terminal. Sadly, didn't get to see the "whale jet" depart while we were there.

A United Airlines Boeing 747-400 taxies to the runway for a trip to somewhere in Asia. Its wings are heavy with fuel and you can see how far they flex back downwards. Pity the poor economy class customers who, on United, are still stuck watching inflight entertainment on "the main screen" at the front of the cabin.

Our plane to Maui, a Boeing 767-300, pulls up to the gate more than a half-hour late. The hills of Oyster Point in South San Francisco are in the background and some of the Genentech campus is visible. Our plane is in the new United color scheme, an uninspired hybrid of the Continental pain job and the United name.

Video of our take off roll from San Francisco as well as our landing over the sugar cane fields in Maui.

Interisland Flying

Early morning at Kahului Airport on Maui. An Island Air flight pushes back as an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 beings its take off roll to one of the more than a half-dozen destinations they serve from Maui.

Video of our departure from Kahului Airport on Maui and the beautiful reefs just off the end of the runway.

The beautiful view of West Maui as we climb out of Kahului and head towards Honolulu. If you are flying in the islands, I recommend a window seat.

Our inflight service on the short Maui to Honolulu flight consisted of a container of passion-orange "nectar" - which contains only 10% juice. This is the same thing served on every Hawaiian Airlines interisland flight. Talk about simplicity of service!

Alaska Airlines has built up its presence in the Hawaiian islands the past few years, operating these Boeing 737-800s which are certified for longer-distance overwater flights. Alaska specializes in flying to connecting smaller markets (Sacramento, for example) to the islands, trying to avoid as much direct competition with the larger mainland carriers.

Delta Airlines has a large presence in Hawaii since their merger with Northwest Airlines a few years ago. They operate daily flights to Tokyo and Osaka, and seasonal flights to Nagoya and Fukuyoka, Japan. There is a Boeing 747-400 on the left and a Boeing 767-300 on the right. You can just see the tail of an All-Nippon Airways (ANA) jet and the rugged silhouette of Diamond Head in the background.

This United Airlines Boeing 767-400 is originally from the Continental Airlines fleet and operates daily flights to Guam. We flew this flight last year when coming to Kauai, with an interesting Bangkok-Hong Kong-Guam-Honolulu-Kauai routing.

A pair of Japan Airlines Boeing 767-300s, one almost obscuring the other. Hawaii is a popular destination for Japanese tourists and five different airlines complete to carry them.

A view of the Hawaiian Airlines maintenance facility behind the interisland terminal. Must be nice to work out in the fresh air every day, although it must be a mess when a rain shower comes through. Hawaiian usually is at the top of the Department of Transportation's on-time list even though their aircraft work a very busy schedule with a higher-than-average number of flights each day.

Our bird for the twenty-five minute flight from Honolulu to Kona, a Boeing MD-87. This plane is an updated version of the Douglas DC-9, which traces its roots to the early 1960s.

A pair of Korean jets at the gate in Honolulu. In the foreground is an Asiana Airlines Airbus A330. A Korean Airlines Boeing 747-400 is in the background. Interesting that Korean flies such a bigger jet - nearly twice the passenger capacity - in Honolulu. Perhaps this is because of their code share with Hawaiian Airlines.

A United Airlines 767-300 touches down as we taxi to the end of the runway. Tough to shoot these action shots and I missed the burst of smoke when the tires first hit the pavement.

Video of our departure from the "reef runway" at Honolulu International Airport.

Climbing out of Honolulu, you see Waikiki Beach on the left and Diamond Head crater on the right. Our hotel was on the beach right where that large patch of grass is to the immediate left of Diamond Head.

Flying over Maui. Just below the middle of the cloud line on the left side of the picture, you can make out a speck of an island. That's Molokini crater, a fantastic spot where we went snorkeling.

We arrived in Kona and deplaned using this accessible ramp. Much easier for people with mobility impairments to use, although sort of ungainly looking.

Another Hawaiian Airlines MD-87 at Kona. Kona is a small airport with two gate area "clusters". While we had purchased our ticket from United Airlines with the code-share flight on Hawaiian from Honolulu to Kona, connecting to a United flight to San Francisco, schedule changes from both airlines resulted in a short, 45-minute connection time. At most airports, this would be sufficent, but we (and about 20 other passengers who were making the same connection) discovered that you have to exit security from the Hawaiian Airlines gate area, walk around the front of the terminal building, and pass through security again to enter the United gate area. Inconvenient.

Back to the Mainland

While heading out to our plane, I caught this picture of a Boeing 757-200 preparing for its trip to Los Angeles. This plane leaves just a half-hour after the San Francisco-bound plane, resulting in a bit of congestion at the security screening for the United gates.

While we were in a rush to get to this fight, we still took time to pause for a picture. It is a shame that so few airports in the United States board by air stairs anymore. In fact, Kona is the only major airport in Hawaii that hasn't moved to loading bridges. There's a certain romance to walking across the tarmac and it certainly makes you appreciate the size of the planes.

View looking towards the tail moments before entering the plane. Tawn and I were the last passengers aboard.

Short video of us departing Kona airport.

Departing out of Kona, I made sure to select a window seat on the right-hand side of the plane. Tremendous view of Mauna Kea, the 13,796-foot (4200-meter) high mountain that forms the Big Island of Hawai'i. Hard to see in this resolution of the picture, but when I look at it in Picasa, you can see the white specks that are the observatory.

Chicken wrap "meal" for sale on the five-hour flight from Kona to San Francisco. This plane does a turn-around in Kona with the same crew that flew in from San Francisco in the morning. All of the catering, including the food, is boarded in SFO, flies across the Pacific, and then is served (er, "sold") on the return leg. When I was considering my options, the flight attendant mentioned that she still had some breakfasts from the morning flight, in case I wanted to buy one of those.

Back to Thailand

On approach into San Francisco International after our trip to Kansas City. You can see the salt evaporation ponds in the Mountain View, East Palo Alto, and Redwood City area. Taken from a CRJ-700 regional jet, which operates this three-and-a-half hour flight. Long time to be in an RJ but at least United is operating two nonstops a day after years of having to connect in Denver.

A view of the F gates at San Francisco international airport with Mount San Bruno in the background.

EVA Airways lounge in San Francisco. I cashed in some miles so my travel companions could have lounge access, figuring since this was their first time flying so far, it would be good to make the experience as relaxing as possible. The lounge isn't the nicest in the world but offers more comfort than the gate area seats.

Wonton soup. The bowls of wontons are covered with plastic wrap, then you ladle the hot broth yourself. Seems to work pretty well.

A selection of small desserts and a passable latte from an automatic machine.

Before leaving the lounge, I asked the attendant to take a picture of us: Tawn and me with my sister, brother-in-law, and some random man who is looking for a magazine to read. This was their first trip to Asia and you can see the anticipation on their faces.

On the way to our gate, I see a Swiss Airbus A340 preparing to depart for Zurich. A United Boeing 777-200 taxies by in the background.

Brother and sister posing in front of a United Airlines B747-400. We grew up the children of a United Airlines employee and I worked for them briefly after high school, so we have a strong emotional connection to the airline, despite everything it does to try and ruin the travel experience.

Our "Elite Class" (premium economy) cabin for the EVA Airways flight from San Francisco to Taipei. Since it was a daylight departure, I gave Jenn and Kevin the window seats so they could enjoy the view as we climbed out of San Francisco.

A final entry about our trip to Oahu, then we'll be done!

Saturday morning after breakfast, we set out for a drive around the island. We headed southeast from the hotel, past Diamond Head and onto Highway 72. It is a beautiful drive with lots of points where you can pull off the road and take in the magnificent views.

Despite the barriers and warning signs, nearly everybody (including Tawn) decided they needed to climb down the rocks and get closer to the waves that were crashing ashore. I stayed back and caught some pictures of Tawn trying to protect himself from the spray.

After you drive around the easternmost point of the island, the spectacular views continue. We ended up driving all the way around the north shore to Waialua, then drove straight down the middle of the island back to Honolulu. Honestly, I think we would have been fine to have turned back at Kailua, seeing only the southeastern quadrant of the island. The views north of that point were nice, but most of the time you couldn't see much from the main road.

There's lots of free culture available in Honolulu. Every Friday night at 6:00 you can enjoy classical Hawaiian music performed at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center in the heart of Waikiki. There's also a free torch lighting ceremony and hula shows four nights a week at nearby Kuhio Beach Park.

On Monday and Friday evenings, browse the farmer's market at King's Village shopping center, also in Waikiki. While the selection of produce is limited, there is still a lot to see.

Among the attractions are fresh baked goods including (left hand side) malasadas filled with a variety of flavors. Feeling peckish before dinner? A stop here will tide you over!

Sunday morning we headed to the outdoor restaurant at the New Otani hotel, where we stayed. With a view of the beach just beyond, it is a enjoyable place to start your day.

Special item from the menu: macadamia nut French toast. Seemed like the right way to end our trip.

One last picture of the two of us at the tail end of our ten days in Hawai'i. I hope you've enjoyed the many entries about our time on the islands. Now we'll get back to the mainland and, eventually, back to Bangkok (where I've actually been for more than two weeks now!)