When I learned that the San Francisco Symphony was opening the 76th season of the Stern Grove Festival, I immediately made plans for family Sunday at the park. Hooray for free concerts!

We arrived 45 minutes prior to the concert and could find a spot only at top of the eucalyptus grove. It was a steep hike to get to and on a steep slope. That the climb down was going to be problematic briefly occurred to me. That we might slide off our perch before the concert ended continuously occurred to me. We had to keep pulling our blankets and bums up the hill every 20 minutes. Nevertheless, we enjoyed music, the fragrant eucalyptus, and my awesome sandwiches on a beautiful San Francisco day. Hehe.

Amelia looking doubtful about our nosebleed seats.

I'm sharing some of the things I picked up on my last trip to the Philippines. Showcasing ingenuity in merging design, functionality, sustainability, and fair trade, they make me feel proudly Filipino.

Banago is a collection of hand woven bags and home accessories, expertly hand crafted by artisans in the Pacific Islands. The collection is made up of vibrant colors and exotic patterns, including the unique and colorful pattern design based on the body-painting traditions of the ancient tattooed "Pintados" warriors in the Philippine islands. With each piece being hand crafted, BANAGO supports the local communities and their households.

Made out of a single piece of bamboo, the loudbasstard sound amplifier uses passive sound amplification to project music without electronics. Designed and handmade by Cebuano artisans, each piece is organically treated to prevent borers and cured to achieve desired moisture level suitable for temperate climates. It is then hand cut, hand dyed, and hand packaged in-house in Cebu, Philippines. 100% awesome.

Lagu is the world's first beach-friendly beach blanket. Unlike ordinary towels, it repels sand allowing you to lay with ease while also conserving the beach. It's unique linen blend is allergen-free and has quick-dry properties, keeping it fresh for repeated use. Save the Sand, Save the Beach.

Indigenous textiles by Anthill Fabric Gallery, a creative social enterprise and a lifestyle store celebrating a communal spirit among Filipino artisans, bringing into one nest ingenuity, fashion, culture, advocacy and art. It highlights the beauty of intricately woven indigenous fabrics from the Philippine hill tribes to restore and promote the richness of Philippine culture and living traditions.

El Nido Resorts is a group of eco-resorts located in northern Palawan, Philippines. The resorts offer genuine, local hospitality and unique and enriching experiences amidst the beautiful natural landscape. Embracing a strong commitment to sustainability, El Nido Resorts exercise stewardship over the flourishing diverse environment, stressing the importance of preserving nature to its guests.

Don't let the color fool you. The kale gives the smoothie its bright green color and lots of nutrients, but it definitely tastes like melon. Try it for breakfast.

Ingredients:

2 large kale leaves
1/4 galia melon (or cantaloupe or honeydew)

1/2 avocado

juice of 1 lime

splash of milk (or coconut water)

Lately I've been adding chia seeds to my smoothies for their omega-3s, which can help reduce inflammation, enhance cognitive performance and reduce high cholesterol. Soak 1 tbsp chia seeds in 4 tbsp water until the water is absorbed, then add to your smoothie.

Blend on liquify setting for 45 seconds and enjoy. Green is good!

Girls day continues at Spa Terra, where everyone gets a massage. Ahhh.

Four hours and an outfit change later we are at Oxbow Public Market shopping for pasalubongs for the boys. Ya, we are so thoughtful.

Cheers!

Sometimes moms need a day off, a chance to eat a meal without feeding someone else, without restraining a child, without keeping an eye on every plate and glass on the table, without scarfing down food in order to restrain said child from jumping off the high chair/throwing food/grabbing sharp utensils/spilling drinks/general mischief. 

Amelia and I just came back from a 7-week trip to the Philippines, where we had lots of willing babysitters between grandmas, aunts, and yayas. In short, we were spoiled and are grateful for it. My brilliant friend Han provided the brilliant idea of a mom's day off. After 3 weeks of being back home, I declared a day off for myself and I was going to take hostages with me!

My sister Ricci has been living in the SF Bay Area for 3 years and has never been to Napa (oh, except for that time when she ate at French Laundry and had every course topped with white truffles). As a 4th year medical resident, she has few days off so we decided to go on her very next day off.

One of Ricci's best friends Rosie is a new mom of 2. Enough said. When Ricci texted her, Rosie readily agreed (after checking with her baby daddy).

Here we go!

 On to Cakebread for wine tasting!

How to make my 5-minute, no-bake, fat-free July 4th Cupcakes

 Enjoy! Happy 4th of July, everyone!

5 places that are new and/or new to us


3) Amelia and I spent a day in Berkeley with my good friend Han and her almost-2-year-old son Otto. We popped in La Farine Boulangerie and Patisserie to pick up a few treats. This place has been around a long time but it was new to us. I think Amelia had her eye on something.

4) Again this restaurant is not new but it was new to us. We finally tried Asian fusion hot spot The House in North Beach and really enjoyed it. Our favorites were the hamachi special, scallops with lemon ponzu sauce, truffle mushroom rice, and coconut creme brulee.

5) Our first time at a new bar in TenderNob with my husband Marcus, daughter Amelia, cousin Jenessa visiting from Manila, brother Roy and his girlfriend Wendy. Basil gimlets all around and a Boylan's rootbeer for our DD. Yes, that's a baby in a bar. They allow that in San Francisco.