Another San Francisco Winter

Weather has been amazingly wonderful in these parts. It's been surprisingly nice, even in San Francisco terms where it is relatively nice all the time. Here are some photos I snapped while enjoying a good start to the new year.


Enjoying a nice variety of loose-leaf teas on a Sunday morning while waiting for the sun to reappear.


I love the shelves of German groceries for sale at Schmidt's. For something that's a little different from your typical SF brunch, try their German-inspired weekend brunch menu, filled with a variety of sausages and fresh German pastries. Where else in this city can you get picked herring for breakfast?


Poutine from Gregoire Restaurant, in Gregoire's signature octagonal take-away box. Poutine is a French-Canadian dish consisting of fries topped with gravy and cheese curds. Brilliant.


This weather is great for visiting Alamo Square with Lillabelle. Lots of other dog owners had the same idea, and Lillabelle made a friend.


No trip to Alamo Square is complete without a touristy photo of the Painted Ladies.

| iPhone Photos by: Me. |

Today's Flavor: Pandamonium

Here are some photos of what happened when I tried to get Lillabelle to wear my panda hat. You can read more about the company that makes these hats and why they are so popular in San Francisco right here.

I think that one of the reasons I find pandas so appealing is because of the way they sport that classic combo of black and white. I'm a little confused by why they have not expanded their dietary horizons to something a little more nutrient-rich than bamboo by now considering their carnivorous digestive systems, but at least they look good while being inefficient. And while wearing a big, goofy panda face on your head might not be a look that works for you, anyone can sport this classic black-and-white spotted look with these finds.

| 1. Coach, Alex Sneakers | 2. Mini Figure USB Flash Drive | 3. Mossimo Mix & Match, Polka-Dot Twist Bandeau Swim Top & Polka-Dot Mock Side Tie Swim Bottom | 4. Tanya's Scrappin' & Stitchin', Panda Cupcake Toppers | 5. Iwako, Black Panda Eraser | 6. Jessie Steele, The Lady's Apron | 7. Mini Panda Skillet |

| Photo Credit: top. Me; 1–7. See links provided. |

Hoppin' Hounds and Easter Biscuits

Instead of going to an Easter egg hunt over the weekend, we went to an Easter biscuit hunt just for dogs. Every year at the Byrne Preserve in Los Altos Hills, there is a Hoppin' Hounds Easter Biscuit Hunt that raises money for Palo Alto Animal Services. The event runs from 9 to 10:30 but getting there on the earlier side is a good idea because by 10, things had already significantly died down. The doggie treats were not too deeply hidden in the hunt area, but Lillabelle didn't seem to care about looking for treats. I think she was just stoked to be outside, prancing around in the tall grass. I don't think we've ever let here run free in such a big open space before. We thought it was a pretty epic setting for an Easter hunt.

On Sunday, I made some paper bunny ears to put on Lillabelle and we tried to photograph her with a basket of plastic eggs. She was a lot less stoked about that.

| Photo Credit: Me. |

My Dog is 3 Years Old

Today is Lillabelle's 3rd birthday. Every year, to celebrate her birthday, I put a ridiculous bow on her and she poses politely for photos. What a good dog.
| Photo Credit: Me. |

My Dog Is a Good Listener

Here is more solicited/unsolicited advice about owning a small dog.

When Lillabelle was less than a year old, we enrolled her in a 7-week basic training course at PetSmart; I would definitely recommend this to all first-time dog owners because I think the training was just as much for us as it was for our dog. It taught us the correct way to give commands and got us in the habit of practicing them with Lillabelle while she was still young. People who have visited us tend to be surprised at how well Lillabelle listens, especially since small fluffy dogs have acquired a reputation for being annoying and difficult to train. Malteses are very easily motivated by treats, so they are actually very easy to train basic commands if you go about it the correct way.

Lillabelle also is very good about observing and understanding patterns. She responds excitedly when we ask her if she wants to go for a walk and knows to remind us to feed her if both Nick and I have sat down to dinner but she has not received hers. We will occasionally let her spend the night with us on weekends, so every night as we are getting ready for bed, she waits for instructions from Nick; she does not whine if he tells her to sleep in her own bed. I am pretty sure that with good training practices, other dogs can be trained to be this good, too.

One thing I can't get her to understand though is when Nick is out of town on business overnight. The other night, Lillabelle spent a very long time in her usual waiting spot, waiting for Nick to get home and perking up whenever the bus stopped outside. I couldn't explain to her that he wouldn't be coming home. Poor thing.

| Photo Credit: Me. |

My Dog Is an Indoor Dog

We took Lillabelle to the vet for her regular checkup on Saturday and when the nurse combed her for fleas, she seemed surprised that there weren't even traces of dirt in her fur. I think Lillabelle is an exceptionally clean dog because we rarely take her outside. We are trying to involve her more when we go out and about, especially since San Francisco is such a dog-friendly city, but she's not the sort of dog we could leave in the car or tied to a post if we step into a store.

People who are considering getting a small dog ask me what it is like having a dog like Lillabelle. Lillabelle is a purebred Maltese. After doing a bit of research on a few breeds, we decided on a Maltese primarily because they are suitable for apartments and smaller urban homes with no yards. If you are looking for a low-maintenance dog, Malteses are good because they don't need to run around outside, and are content in relatively small quarters. Lillabelle is house-trained so she does her business on a puppy pad we keep in the tiled area of the kitchen. We've experienced that even when the puppy pad is in a different place, such as when we visit my parents' house, she will recognize it and know what to do with it. She also doesn't shed, which has the upside of not coating all of your possessions with fur and the downside that she needs regular brushing when her fur is long in order to avoid matting; we always keep her hair pretty short in what's called a "puppy cut". When we are home, she spends a good chunk of time in our laps, but she also understands when we're occupied with other things that she should play with her toys by herself. She has a sense of ownership and therefore can distinguish which items in the home she is allowed to play with.

Stay tuned for more advice and information for people who are considering getting a Maltese.

| Photo Credit: Me. |

Santa Paws Had Come to Town.

Here are some photos from our very low-key Christmas. Lillabelle expressed her displeasure towards wearing her festive reindeer-antler headband by putting on her most pathetic face.

For our Christmas tree topper, I made a giant pom-pom out of a $1 pack of tissue paper following these instructions from the Martha Stewart site.

| Photo Credit: Me. |