Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Monday mornings with five things/ideas/events for the week:

I.  All of my former roommates (and anyone who has woken up next to me) will attest that my hair au natural is more freshly electrocuted than silky smooth…  After decades of bleach and flat irons, I have no one to blame but myself.  In college, one of my sorority sisters had similar frizzy locks, but much to my surprise when I saw her over the weekend the frizz was replaced by a long gorgeous mane.  What surprised me even more is how she got it.  Evidently, there is a movement among the beauty community to completely remove shampoo from our hygienic repertoire - and my sorority sister is living proof that it works.  While I’m weary of the idea, it makes sense that the harsh chemicals in shampoo strip our hair of the natural oils it needs to stay strong and grow.  I’m excited to give it a try.  Fingers crossed for luscious Brigitte Bardot locks this time next year!

II.  Among my friends, there is a sharp divide between those who insist on living in modern SOMA construction, and those who prefer classic San Francisco architecture.  I fall decidedly in the latter group.  Old bones, hardwood floors, crown molding, and charming remnants of hundred-year-old decor provide the perfect foundation for my interior design aesthetic.  A big draw-back is that older apartments come with older kitchens.  Lacking a dishwasher is one thing, but my kitchen was literally falling apart (the paint from the counters often peeled off onto damp dishes and my sink was so tiny that I couldn’t fill a pot with water).

Luckily, my amazing mother loaned me her handymen and helped me design a functional kitchen that was inexpensive enough that we wouldn’t mind leaving it when I finally move out of the Marina.  Here’s what we did: painted the walls and cabinets with high-gloss black, installed shelves with gold-spray painted hardware, replaced drawer pulls with brass knobs, covered the existing counters with granite tiles (much cheaper than full slabs of granite, but equally beautiful), used white subway tiles and dark gray grout as a backsplash, replaced the tiny sink with an extra-deep stainless steel version, and added an 18-inch dishwasher.  I couldn’t be happier with the result, and highly encourage you to implement some of these easy fixes in your own kitchen!

III. Inspired even more so than usual to cook in my new kitchen, I decided to make one of my favorite dessert recipes this morning Blueberry Cupcakes.  This recipe is extra special, because rather than throwing raw blueberries into the cake batter, I roast them first.  The method deepens the juicy berry flavor and turns the cupcakes a beautiful shade of periwinkle.  I’m also obsessed with the pop of tart lemon in the buttercream frosting.

IV.  While perusing the New York Times op-ed section last night, a piece called “Searching for Sex” caught my eye.  Harvard economist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz collected data from Google search histories relating to sex to find truths about our sex lives that we don’t publicly share.  The article is both amusing and informative.  I especially enjoy Stephens-Davidowitz’s conclusion that “maybe if we worried less about sex, we’d have more of it.”

V.  Forgive me for sharing this event again, but I am SO EXCITED about it that I can’t resist.  If you don’t have plans on Saturday, February 7th (and given the current state of the snow in Tahoe, you probably don’t), snap up tickets to the Keith Haring Gala at the de Young Museum before they sell-out.  Haring was a street artist and social activist whose pieces capture his political and philosophical ideologies.  Haring’s collection will be on display along with performances by Tainted Love, DJ Matt Haze, The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, and an open bar!  80’s Black Tie is encouraged.  I can’t wait to see everyone there!!

Have a wonderful week!  xx tt