A sign at a Gay Marriage rally

Slip-n-Slide in Dolores Park!

It was hot in Dolores Park...it's slip-n-slide time!

The gift of flowers

My mother taught me many things and the importance of flowers was one of them. Flowers are the perfect gift when attending a dinner party, going to someones home for drinks who will most likely be paying for your meal, meeting a friends mother or father at their home for the first time, or trying to live out ones hopeless romantic fantasy. They say thank you, I'm cultured, I have taste and so much more. Coupled with a bottle of wine, you have to do something really bad not to make an excellent first impression.

When purchasing flowers, try to think what colors/style the person you are giving them to might like. For example, if the person is more traditional, you might want to stick with blue and white flowers. If they are more progressive, a colorful organic combination of flowers might be best.

Bias due to my involvement in the wedding world, I try to purchase flowers that are in season. Certain colors are popular in different seasons. It shows excellent taste to have flowers that are both beautiful and in season.

If and when you do buy a bundle of beautiful flowers, be sure to ask the person selling them that you want them wrapped in paper/clear plastic and tied with a ribbon. Often times this is free of charge and adds a whole new level of decadence to the gift.

Below is a guide to purchasing flowers in season:

Easy To Get All Year
Baby's Breath white and delicate, used to mix with other flowers.
Bachelor's Button available in white, pink, red, or blue, symbolizes hope.
Carnation available in a million colors, means you'll "love many".
Gardenia white and fragrant, this lovely bloom represents joy.
Gladiolus million colors, stands for sincerity.
Lily of the Valley white and pink, and symbolizes humility.
Orchid pink, white or purple orchids mean beauty.
Rose any color of the rainbow, almost, and will always mean, "I love you".
Stephanotis white and delicate, this flower symbolizes a happy marriage.


Winter Wonderland
Calla Lily white, purveyor of purity.
Camellia lovely in pink and white, this flower represents gratitude.
Forget-Me-Not blue, stands for remembrance.
Holly luscious green with deep red berries, holly brings domestic bliss.
Ivy mostly green or variegated, with the true quality of fidelity.
Orchid pink, purple, and white, symbolizing beauty.
Poinsettia traditional holiday flower, comes in red, white, and pink.
Tulip many colors, means "perfect lover".


Spring Flowers
Anemone available in many bright, poppy-like colors, it means "forsaken many".
Apple Blossom soft, romantic, and white.
Calla Lily available in a few colors, but most popular in white, this elegant flower symbolizes purity.
Daffodil yellow, means unity.
Forsythia yellow, and symbolizes anticipation.
Geranium most common in red and pink, this traditional flower stands for unity.
Hyacinth purple, pink, or white, this flower stands for constancy.
Iris in many colors, this flower always means good health.
Jonquil perfectly spring pale yellow, means affection shared.
Lilac fragrant in violet or white, lilacs are the sign of new love.
Larkspur comes in blue, and means decidedly fickle.
Magnolia thick white blossoms, symbolizes love of nature.
Narcissus this white bloom represents formality.
Orange Blossom traditional white wedding flower, symbolizes happiness.
Tulip any color you wish, give this to your lover and tell them they're perfect.
Violetrichly purple, symbolizes faithfulness.

Summer Blossoms
Aster white, pink, and rose colors, means daintiness.
Calla Lily several colors, most popular white for purity.
Daisy bright and white with a touch of yellow, means you'll share your feelings.
Hydrangea purple, symbolizes understanding.
Forget-Me-Not delicate and blue, this is the flower of remembrance.
Peony get them pink, magenta, or white, and they'll symbolize a happy marriage.
Sweet Pea comes in many colors, perfect for someone you're just meeting.
Zinnia red, orange, or pink are most popular, and means "thinking of you".


Autumn Blooms
Aster white, pink, or rose Asters represent daintiness.
Chrysanthemum whether it's gold, red, or white, it means a good friend.
Dahlia tons of colors for this traditional autumn flower.
Marigold blazing gold/red, marigolds harbor sacred affection.
Zinnia red, orange, or pink, symbolizes "thinking of you".
Leaves and Foliage symbol of wedded love.
Dried Flowers represent sadness.

Source: "Choosing Flowers in Season" by Jennifer Baumann

The hipster gay? Hardly.

I'm not sure who is turned on to this homosexual personality. It sure as hell isn't me. However, if this is what turns you on, be sure to attend HYP at Club Eight in the South of Market district of San Francisco. Around 75% of the guests in attendance were gay Asian males...

Chicken & Rice in 30 Minutes

These days, I'm getting lazier and lazier in the kitchen. I often get home at 8:00 or even 9:00PM. Cooking alone is not on the top of my list of activities. (The single life...) Sure, two blocks away a plethora of $10 meals are available for my choosing, but even then, eating Mexican food gets old real fast.

Bored and alone a few days ago, I made this chicken and rice dish. Below are the directions for creating this simple and delicious meal in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients/appliances:

• Chicken breast
• George Foreman grill
• Rice cooker
• Jasmine rice
• Onion salt
• Garlic salt
• Butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Place one cup of rice in rice cooker with 2 cups of water. Hit the "cook" button. The rice will be cooked in about 10 minutes. Then it automatically switches to a "warm" function. Amazing.
2. Take the Parmesan cheese and butter out of refrigerator.
3. Heat your Grill (I use a George Foreman...I know, so classy).
4. Once the grill is preheated (about 5 minutes) place chicken on grill. If the chicken is frozen it will take about 8 minutes longer to grill.
5. Put as much rice as you want to eat in a bowl. Add butter, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Depending on what you like to taste, add garlic and onion salt. You can obviously use fresh garlic (SF food snobs...), but again, this is a 30 minute meal with limited clean-up.
6. Once the chicken is done cooking, cut the breast into little pieces.
7. On a large plate, sculpt the rice into a nice dome shape in the middle of the plate.
8. Place the little pieces of chicken over the dome of rice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Add a flower for color. You can also add fresh parsley to the rice for color.

Enjoy, your meal is done in less than 30 minutes.

Macy's 63rd Annual Flower Show: A Bohemian Garden

The 63rd Annual Macy's Flower Show begins today at the Union Square location. The show is FREE and lasts until April 18th. On Sunday the 19th, all the real flowers used in the store will be sold and the money will go to charity. This years theme, “A Bohemian Garden,” transports customers to a magical fantasyland of enchanted forests and storybook castles inspired by the historic countryside of Prague—the true Bohemian city.

For two weeks, Macy’s Union Square will be transformed into a captivating wonderland of enchanted forests, magical marshlands and settings inspired by castles and bright and pastel color palettes. Mystical creatures like fairies, unicorns, wood nymphs and fireflies play and hide in unconventional presentations of thousands of spring blooms, lush greens, and oak, maple and manzanita forests. Hand crafted bejeweled Easter eggs inspired by Fabergé, landscape murals commissioned by a local artist, rabbit topiaries and candy garlands complete the exquisite kingdom.

Fairies are everywhere!

Below is a chandelier that is inspired from a trees root system.

You'd think we were in a recession...not when it comes to corporate marketing!

The Macy's Flower Show takes place in NYC, Philadelphia, Chicago, Minnesota and San Francisco. Believe it or not, San Francisco has the best show. After all, we are the best when it comes to all things green!

The enchantment of “A Bohemian Garden” continues in Macy’s exterior windows on Stockton and O’Farrell streets. The heart of the store’s corner window is a spectacular tree that grows jewel-encrusted eggs. Butterfly rainbows, peek-a-boo fairies, richly colored peacocks and twinkling fireflies complete the captivating scene. Other exterior windows feature curious hideaways like a private marshland with a magnificent queen swan, a magical spider in a web, a gazebo covered in climbing vines of wisteria and jasmine, and roses, water lilies, orchids, azaleas and rhododendron.

(Exerts of this blog post taken from the Macy's West Flower Show Press Release available at: www.macys.com/pressroom)