In Search of the Finer Things

In Search of the Finer Things The Finer Things include everything that make life beautiful and worth living. I blog about my community, food, travel, reading, and whatever strikes my fancy.

Web Site: http://insearchofthefinerthings.blogspot.com/


June 8th Garden

June 8th Garden

Here are some shots from the garden as of today. This year my focus was on tomatoes, as you will see, and many of them are doing well.I do have some pole beans growing up some chicken wire - here's a future bean:  And some cucumbers also growing u...

What to expect when you are expecting: a pre-baby trip to Napa

What to expect when you are expecting: a pre-baby trip to Napa

We spent a glorious day in Napa and Sonoma this weekend. It was one last trip we wanted to take with just the two of us, since I am officially due this month! We already did the olive oil tasting and vineyard thing back here, so this time we went with ...

5 weeks left!

5 weeks left!

I only have about 5.5 weeks left till my due date, which is, of course, making me feel like I need to make a pre-baby bucket list. Quick, time to go to the movies and eat at nice restaurants and go on spontaneous trips and... all that other stuff you d...

Recipe: Chocolate Oreo pie

Recipe: Chocolate Oreo pie

Chocolate? Store-bought cookies? This recipe is clearly not the norm for me, but sometimes you do what you gotta do for your mom on Mother's Day. And frankly, everyone in the family loved this pie, so I need to write down the recipe because it has a hi...

Big Sur: Check!

Big Sur: Check!

One thing I love about living in California is the repeated experience of discovering something new and wondering: "How have I lived in this state my whole life and never been here before?!" Such was the case in Big Sur.We drove up from Southern Califo...

My First Quarter Progress

Just wanted to include an update on my 30 before 30 list! I haven’t forgotten about my list and am chipping away at it, despite having my first baby shower last weekend and going out of town this weekend for Easter. Here’s what I’ve done so far (...

Recipe: Carrot ginger muffins

Recipe: Carrot ginger muffins

Sigh. How I love muffins. They freeze well and make a perfect breakfast or snack on the go. They're easy to make and easy to make healthy! I just can't get enough.Several months ago, I received the quarterly newspaper from my local Natural Foods Co-Op ...

Hidden Falls Regional Park in Auburn

Hidden Falls Regional Park in Auburn

I'm quite pleased that I have been making progress on my "30 Before 30" list despite being a week away from 6 months pregnant. I've been fortunate to enjoy good health and decent energy levels so far. It turns out that my list, instead of being a distr...

It’s February, and I Miss Tomatoes…

It’s February, and I Miss Tomatoes…

...And therefore, I am busy planning my garden for this summer! I already started my tomatoes,peppers and eggplants a few weeks ago, as pictured above. This year, I used peat pellets, two grow lights, a heated mat, and occasionally a fan (which is supp...

Recipe: The best New York cheesecake

Recipe: The best New York cheesecake

I stumbled upon a recipe for New York Cheesecake from Ruth Reichl, and my interest was piqued.