Potato Puffs....mmm....

I had a doctor's appt. today on Piedmont and went to check out the new Gregoire. It's an upscale takeout place right next to AG Ferrari. I had been reading about this place for awhile, but I didn't feel like dealing with the hassle of Shattuck parking, but when I heard a new store opened on Piedmont, I was SO there...

Walked in to what looked like a huge line, but in fact, folks were just waiting for their food. I ordered these potato puffs, not knowing what they were, only that everyone raves about them. I watched the cook/chef making them. Basically a little scooper of something going into the deep fryer. I had thought that maybe they're little baked puffs (ala creme puff) or that they were deep fried like binets or doughnuts. But what I got were light fried mashed potato balls with a really yummy sauce. I refrained from eating all of them and brought some home for z's dad to try. They are really good.

So, their menu changes every month and I've heard that their blue cheese burgers are absolutely to die for...I'll be checking to see if they have those in March.

Oh, knitting content. I went to check out Article Pract for #2 or #1 Addis for my next pair of socks, only to realize that today is Monday, and they're not open on Mondays (that would be Skein Lane that's open). Of course my next doctor's appointment is also on a Monday, so I'll have to make a special trip to Article Pract for the needles. Yes, I could have should have bought the needles at Stitches West, but I had a budget, darn it!

Walk-on Olympics

I'm totally not like this kid -- first, I'm not autistic, not in highschool, nor did I shoot 6 three pointers and another shot during a game...however, I did manage to finish a whole project (non-dishcloth) during the Olympics allotted time.

Of course, I didn't sign up for the competition or anything. I wasn't doing the Knitting Olympics 'cause I wasn't sure I'd finish anything in that amount of time. But, I managed to get some ribbon yarn (Moda Dea Ticker tape) and casted on for a clapotis some time after the opening ceremonies. Maybe I can be Emily Hughes, kinda like a walk-on for the Olympics.

So, amidst the Closing ceremonies last night, I realized I was 13 stitches from finishing the clapotis, and w/ much super fast knitting (as fast as I can, anyway), I casted off the last stitch...

I'd show you a pic, but z's dad has the camera in his car and he just left...

Stitches West (and I'm now South)

After trying to find folks that would like to carpool (or even a ride), I ended up going by my lonesome. Not bad tho'...no enablers to tell me...'really, that's a great yarn...just buy it'

I got down there pretty quickly and started shopping. Note to self: buy tix ahead of time to increase time at Marketplace.

What did I get? yarn and more yarn. You don't get to see them because I'm w/o them right now (maybe later). I got yarn for a green sweater and one for a read sweater (don't know which pattern yet, but I think possibly one that I saw on Knitty. A little Noro too. I also got a skein of Socks that Rock yarn (med weight). They were out of the light weight except for yarn of Cal colors -- and I decided that z's dad may not appreciate handmade socks yet, and there really is no way in heck he would wear socks that weren't white or black anyway. Also, if I'm knitting socks, folks better be able to see them, so they'll be worn by self w/ burks. Yes. I'm going to make myself another pair of socks (after I'm done w/ the first pair, anyway). I also got very cool yarn for a present--1400yds of loveliness. Actually, as soon as I got home, I wound that up to 3 skeins (w/o cutting them, so there's some twist to it now) and am working on the project while down south.

I did see some very cool shawl pins at Stitches West. But, you know, I can do that myself -- when I get around to taking another glass fusing class...

Oh, what else...oh, it took z and I less than 6hrs. to Magic Mountain and then we hit LA traffic and sat on the 405 for a good long time. We made it to destination at 4:30pm. I really recommend leaving on the earlier side on a weekend.

While I'm down here, I'll work on socks, secret project, and another clapotis (this time using 13's and ribbon yarn).

While down here, I was originally thinking about going to the Yarn Lady's store in Laguna Hills, but after seeing their stuff at Stitches West, I've sorta lost interest...their stuff at Stitches did not dazzle (but I may have just been overwhelmed w/ the cashmere and luxury yarns of some of the other vendors). I will try to head to the HB LYS tho'. Last time I was there, I got some neat 100% wool yarn there.

May post more from behind the Orange Curtain--you know, Reagan Country, and now more familiarly known as 'The O.C.'

Artfiber in SF

All I can say is 'very cool'. That and everyone should go to Artfibers in the City. It was too easy to get to. BART to Montgomery and then it's on Sutter Street. I was surprised at the size of the store. It was much smaller than I expected, but man, it was packed w/ amazing yarn goodness.

You may be asking what I got there...I was good -- nada. I ran out of time browsing around (since I had to meet friends for lunch). I had all intentions of stopping by after lunch and picking up some lovely yarn, but after lunch, I headed over to Old Navy instead. Never managed to come back that way. It's all good, tho. I can now go to Stitches West without guilt (or too much guilt).

Stitches West...

I really want to go to Stitches. My goodness, folks are coming down from Oregon and up from SoCal...sheesh...the least I can do is to go check it out since it's not really that far (and no bridges).

We've got a huge amount of stuff scheduled this week, culminating in z and I going down south to SoCal to visit the newest nephew (born in November). z's dad can be the single guy (woo hoo!). We were originally planning to go down Sunday (Stitches on Sat) so that we can do a weekend down there, but it's looking like we'll be back on Friday...so...Friday to Stitches it is.

But it looks like no one is interested in going on Friday...so, it looks like I'll be solo. Of course, this also means that I won't have an enabler w/ me, telling me what great yarns those are and how I can't get it anywhere else...

Wish me luck! And I am going to really try to limit my yarn purchases to stuff I'll use. I have been super duper good. I have not bought any yarn since October/November. I've been trying to bust the stash.

Uhmmm...of course, I'm having lunch w/ a friend today in the City, and realized that Artfibers is literally around the corner from her building....I will go and see what all the hoobaloo is about.

Even sock pics!

Here's my first sock! (and then some). As I said, the sock yarn is from ??? and I used a very simple pattern. I think that the toe part is wonky but once you put it on, no probs. I just need to find out how to sew the ends in w/o bothering me...

At last.... (no really, can I have a drumroll?...)

Here's my pics. errr...finally. Prefelted


Wait...they magically turned brown in the felting process...just kidding. If you've read my previous posts, you'll know that the blue pair didn't shrink down to quite what I was hoping for.


Specs:
-for the Blue pair: Galway medium woman's clogs
-for the Brown pair: Patons brown/black small woman's clogs

Walking around Alameda

I was reading the local paper and there's a story about this guy

How cool. To walk every street on the Island. Altho' the geek in me is thinking what is the optimal path to not double back on routes...

The other thing I was reading about was knitting while using a treadmill (on knitlist)...I really don't think I can knit and treadmill-- I barely can knit while watching TV or while reading. And definitely not while exerting myself --wouldn't the yarn get nasty? Anyway, there was a slight flickering of a nanosecond where I thought, hey, knit and walk theIsland? Naw. Part of the niceness about walking around Alameda is looking at the yards and buildings and such.

So, I'll stick to reading on the Orbital machine and knitting with the TV on...

I may be lame about blogging, but hey, I'm working on...

socks! Okay, I'm working on the first sock. (And it's not the same sock I worked on previously). This time, I'm using #2's w/ a neat blue sock yarn. I have no idea what type of yarn it is, it's part of the stash I got at the garage sale last summer. Anyway, I knitted following directions from the web -- it was some simple standard sock protocol. However, there are little bits of critical (to me) information that was omitted. For example, how many stitches to knit for the heel. Now, when comparing to another simple sock pattern that was downloaded, it appeared that half of the stitches goes for the heel, and that's what I did. 60st start results in 30st for heel, right? After I was done w/ this part, I read the next section (turning the heel) and thought wait, how come for both socks (the other used 56st), they start by knitting 18 stitches. Oh, crap. Did I screw up? Well, I ripped the 30 rows out and knitted 28 stitches for 30 rows.

Okay, note to self: please read all of the directions to a pattern/protocol before freaking out. Well, ends up the next section clearly states to knit the 30 stitches -- oh, doublecrap. Ripped again and well, that's where I'm at.

How sad is that?!