BAMPFA: Art

I barely read any of the labels or didactic text. Once I came to grips with the architecture of the new museum, I started to pay attention to the work.

Cerebral, analytic, mathematical, geometrical. In a nearby room I was stunned to find two pieces by Luca Cambiaso, a late 16th Century Genoese painter I came to know about when Texas acquired the Suida-Manning Collection. The pieces here are drawings, ink on paper, bare bones geometry lacking the full breath of Cambiaso works such as Esther And Ahasuerus, an study of silks, velvet and flesh in a theme on humility, tenderness and grace. 

Matrix.

Ruth Asawa.

Buckminster Fuller.

BAMPFA: Inside

Some really interesting angles.

The folks in line in front of us said that the wood in this foyer was milled from the trees formerly living on this space. If you look carefully, you'll notice Robin with her back to the camera, top center. Green shirt, black skirt.

The Pacific Film Archive is off to itself. Checked out its theatre though. State of the art.

BAMPFA: Outside

Impressive how quickly Cal got their shit together to build the new Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Robin and I went on the last day of the old museum with its Brutalist architecture. She thinks this is similar, but I don't. The outside looks like a hangar for a Zeppelin, at least to these eyes.

We got there just before the hoards descended.

Not sure about the Feng Shui. I guess some of the severe angles are mitigated by rounded edges.

These lines look a bit like chemtrails. No black helicopters in sight!

Otaez Mexican Brunch

Robin heard about this place years ago from some guys familiar with the scene in Alameda and Fruitvale.

The salsas were amazing.

Everything on this plate was great, especially the chicken enchilada, which was perfectly executed.

Note the Pozole on the left. Something pretty distinct about this version. Can't put my finger on it. Outstanding, like someone's grandma made it.

Alameda Natural Grocery

Paella

I describe the making of this dish in my second novel. But, simply put: I hydrated some strands of Persian saffron in chicken stock while sauteeing salt cured anchovy with Meyer lemon zest in olive oil for a couple of minutes. Into that I added some dry arborio rice (which had been in a jar with a black truffle, absorbing its essence), let the dry rice saute, then added a little stock, stirring all the while. I gradually added shallots, red bell pepper, green beans, Spanish chorizo, mussels, garlic and peeled shrimp. And some smoked paprika.

I put the seafood and garlic in at the last minute so it wouldn't overcook, naturally. Also added a pinch of sea salt to taste.

Used a bit of bread to sop up the remaining sauce.

Winco

I love this place. My understanding is Winco is owned by Mormons in Idaho, or at least was started by them. Mainly, I love this bulk section, which is enormous. The stuff I get typically is grains: black forbidden rice, hemp seeds, steel cut oats, oat groats, flax seeds, wheat berries. You get the idea. But then there's all this other stuff.

I'm fascinated by the colors.

Nearby is freeze-dried garlic.

Dry Tang!