reyes-chow :: FAITH

Ritual Roasters, we always knew

The cat is out of the bag as they say and now the subsversive nature of uber-cool urban hipster hangout, Ritual Roasters, may no longer be so cool.  Last week the New York Times highlighted SF's famous roaster in, Cafe Capitalism, San Francisco Style.  But we always knew the truth.  The coffee is certainly good, but lets just admit it, the PR and hype is REALLY where the brilliance lies.  Damn, now we have to acknowledge our lemming-like life go anyway . . . or head on down to Muddy's.

Yet Ms. Hassi, 30, demurs at the suggestion that her cafe espouses Marxist principles. Ms. Hassi said her choice of logos was purely aesthetic.

And the fact that some of the coffee mugs are red, as well as some of  the walls? Again, strictly a design decision, she said.

In fact, Ms. Hassi, 30, who majored in religious studies at Brown, has not read a single word of  Marx or Lenin.

“I’m a capitalist, I’ll admit that,” said Ms. Hassi, who has a second, smaller outlet in San Francisco and soon plans to open a third cafe in Napa, in the heart of the wine country.

Interesting 2005 article here from Wired Magazine on the opening of Ritual Roasters, Cafe 2.0 After the Gold Rush.

San Francisco is good freaky

As we get ready to head to the "other" California and participate in the debauchery that is Disney, I am reminded about what a very cool city San Francisco is. 

First, apparently White People like San Francisco.

Second, we seemingly cannot grow up.  For example, the 8th Annual Bring Your Own Big Wheel races.  Crazy kids. [image: leslieveen]

Thirdly, Market Street in the sun.

When dad makes you cut school

Monday morning Robin and I woke up and thought that the girls and I could use a mental healthy day.  These MDS's are a long standing tradition in our family.  Take a day every once in a while and just hang out and play.  Of course, uber-responsible Eldest was worried that she would get in trouble for "cutting" school.  Ahem, I do think that it is not "cutting" when your dad is with you.  Unfortunately mom has one of the jobs thingy's that require a 9-5 corporeal presence so it was just dad and the girls.

This is how the day went:

• Lounging in pajamas
• Lunch at Fuddruckers complete with yummy plastic cheese.
• Pretend to fall into the fountain
• Horton Hears a Who
• Eat Candy
• Pose with Kung Fu Panda
• Stop off at the church
• Jamba Juice break
• Thift store shopping
• BBQ leftovers

We teased the eldest a bit and told her that someday she would appreciate the fact that her parents where not so intense about school and that we highly valued re-creation and play .  I don't think she believed us.

Art, Community and Children

[MORE PICTURES]

Last night was our kids' school's annual Children's Art Show and Auction.  There are too many reasons to name why we believe our girls are thriving here, this being only one of them.

We are a school that always talks about community, community, community.  Often people come to the annual tours and says, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, everyone talks about it, but do you really do it?"

I think we do.  The Auction "experience" with all the trauma, turmoil and work is one of the ways we model being in community.   Last night was the 15th annual such event, one of two big fundraisers we put on every year.  I am particularly proud of the fact that our focus is not solely on brining in the Benjamin's but three-fold:

SUPPORT our children by raising money to support vital PTA programs and services;
STRENGTHEN our school and relationships by sharing in a process of planning and leadership;
BUILD our community by gathering for an evening of friendship and fun;

Some would like us to focus more on the money-making aspect, but I think we are better off modeling for our kids the entire process of a community working towards a goal.  This place really is like being in a church community: all the joys and struggles of people brought together around a common center.  This place has basically been an extension of the values that we already try to instill in our kids . . . minus all the Jesus-talk.  We are blessed to be a part of it all.

And then there is the artwork.  This year's school-wide focus was on the Blues.  Guided by artist-in-residence Marcus Shelby, the entire school experienced the story and impact of the Blues.  Our school is one of the highest performing schools in the district - both in testing and in helping to form all-around great kids - and the integration of art and creativity are vital aspects of our success.  Blues inspired art-work along with some of the other creative pieces once again illustrate the impact and importance of art and creativity in the development of our kids.

Plus . . . we won some cool stuff ;-)

One more view

While our new place may be small, in the midst of my whining about our cramped nature, there is a view that I have pretty much been taking for granted.   

@ night'ish

in the daytime

St. Patty's Day Parade and Walking Coffee

Upon exiting MUNI this afternoon on the way to the Eldest's acting class, we were immediately confronted with sights of many many green people and a walking coffee cup. 

Yes, I made her take a picture with the coffee. 
No way in hell she we taking one with the crazy, drunk leprechaun.

MBCC Easter postcard tradition continues

Every year MBCC puts out some kind of Easter graphic.  In the past we have been visited by peeps and bobble heads. The tradition continues in 2008.

ABOUT THIS YEAR'S POSTCARD
This years "postcard" once again design by Debbie Yoon.  For those of you who are not video "gamers," this year's postcard is in reference to the worldwide craze that is Nintendo Wii.

MBCC INVITATION
FACEBOOK EVENT

2007 Peeps

2006 Bobble Head

SF AIDS Walk 2008

Love the logo for this years walk.  So . . . i am not sure if i will actually get to walk this year, but if you really want to make the baby Jesus giggle you will consider doing one or two things:

• Register yourself, friends, family, neighbor or stranger in the check-out line to walk.  In order to qualify for a larger able and stand our amongst the BAZILLION walkers, we need to register a ton of people for our "Presbyterians Fight AIDS" team.  JOIN UP TODAY!

• DONATE some duckets.  You can sponsor me me me me or the general team.

More to come . . .

Urban Picnic

The girls and our neighbor's daughter wanted to eat BBQ outside, so we just put a blanket out on the driveway and voila!  Grass is way overrated. Pink helmet not required.

God, San Francisco and that Nature stuff

This morning I took a few minutes before class and went up to Twin Peaks here in San Francisco, one of the best views in The City.  I fully-embrace my snobby view of San Francisco and am mostly joking when I say that God lives in San Francisco and vacations in other places because God wants to put on airs of loving all places equally.  Jokes people.

But you have to give me this AM.  Here are a couple of pics and a quick vid to prove my point.