GIVING THANKSDearest Family and Friends
57 Cumberland Street, San Francisco CA 94110
Phone Number: +1 415 738 2112
Nadine 415 595 0023
Colman 415 871 9920
Skype: nadinemellor
November Highlights
Esme
Now Two MonthsShe’s simply a delight. Really gorgeous. Easy going and smiley. Currently sleeping/gurgling beside me in her bouncy cradle as I type. What a sweetheart. She’s filling out – look at those cheeks – now 11lb9oz at the two month mark,
with a head circumference of 39.5cm and grown a little to 22.5” (weird how they measure in both Imperial and metric). She’s still a good sleeper – waking just once in the night to feed, going back to sleep again easily as, thus, we do. Without trying we have settled into a routine – waking at 6.30ish and going to bed at 9ish – feeding about every 3 hours during the day and napping at some point in the morning and afternoon.
She’s now really alert during the day, sleeping less, clearly responding to us – very endearing. Her facial expressions alter from shy to smiling to mopey to solemn to tentative questioning to embarrassment to laughing to chatting to thoughtful to squirming in nano-seconds. She has a marvellous ‘I’m not impressed’ look when being busy Mummy-hustled along; 
her charm when wide-blue-eyeing up strangers is canny.Her various nicknames no longer include Baldy and Winston.
A fine dark brown down of hair has grown back on her temporarily hairless pate into a unique style combining mullet, Mohican and dreadlocks; instead Little Frog – for her energetic limb movements - Wigeon – her womb name – and Squeaky Gate – reflecting her repertoire of noises are preferred. At times her grunts, squawks, snuffles, cries, heavy breathing and sighs bring to mind the soundtrack of a Hammer House of Horror. 
We have been bonding wonderfully enjoying our decadent lifestyle as Ladies that Lunch - together perfecting the art of table-top feeding in restaurants and cafes across the city – keeping company with Armani, Kristan, Sophia, Meredith, Christine, Amy H, Jen D and Laurel, among others. 
Esme’s gracious living education includes weekly cultural excursions to art galleries and museums, and she’s wriggled through various films including Ratatouille, Shane and Bonnie and Clyde. As well as accompanying her 
mother to regular yoga classes and stroller expeditions up and down the hills of Noe Valley. Mothers are not the only daytime habitués in the Mission – we are accompanied by the colourful myriad of deadbeat no hopers of every stripe who frequent the neighbourhood, along with incongruously suited estate agents – an amusing combination.Diaper Free
We have conceded defeat (temporarily) on the bottle, and I’ve managed a couple of nights out at the Opera (Stravinsky’s Rake’s Progress excellent production by Robert Lepage) with Adam, and to the DLG, so if timed correctly it can be done. 
Sophia also babysat for us one night and we went to the Castro to see a Bergman film - thank you hon. We are now trying – with great success – Natural Infant Hygiene – ie potty training. The idea is that parents can cue their child to pee and poo on request, and babies can communicate when they need to go. 
We started at 7 weeks – my jaw hit the floor when I cued her for the very first time and she peed right away! 2 weeks later she is without nappies while at home during the day (lying on cloth diapers and a little waterproof mat so the occasional accident doesn’t matter) 
and is performing on cue into potties, loos in a variety of establishments such as museums, cafes, shops, and even the Best Buy car park flower bed. She has diapers on while out and about and at night – although is still cued when possible. 
The benefits are manifest: better communication; she’s happier not in nappies kicking her legs with abandon; she’s never sitting in soggy nappies; 
and most crucially we are using less of the earth’s fragile resources. We reckon that we have to potty train her at some point, it’s easier and less disgusting to do so while she’s breastfeeding, 
and now is the time when I’m on maternity leave and with her constantly. For those of a delicate disposition, we’ll spare you further details – if you want to find out more, we have become bores on the subject so can provide all information required! Or check out this website: Diaper Free Top
Picnic of the Month
For Jen’s Birthday, a lavish picnic in Golden Gate Park on a beautifully bright and pretty warm Sunday autumnal afternoon – 
the weather has been phenomenal these past two months – clear sunny days nearly always. Nearby was a funky house music system blaring choons, 
which we all - including Sophia, Gerardo, Jason and Meredith - found to be an ideal aid to practicing our non-existent skills at hula-hooping – whizzkid Jen aside that is. Adam, in his self-appointed role as Esme-corrupter, tried his hand with force-feeding her chocolate cake, when not keeping the vibe rhythmic.
Baby of the MonthLaurel and John delivered Ruby safely at the end of September and we met her at 2 weeks of age. Such a sweet little button! Esme learned her first life lesson – there will always be someone younger and cuter than you!
For once Esme was a bit fretful in contrast to the perfect blissed out newborn – not actually surprising given that we had been to museums all day on the only day of rain in November and she was tired and damp. It was lovely to see Laurel and John doing so well.Top
Los Angeles
Adventure of the Month
We flew to LA mid-November for a long weekend.
We were determined to have an excursion and try her on a flight before going to Pittsburgh for Christmas, and had long intended to sample the City of Angels. She was an absolute cherub on the flight there, not one squeak emitted as she fed and slept all the way. Our base was Santa Monica as unfortunately our friend Luke was in New York for a few days, but fortunately we got to stay in his apartment. We had a leisurely first afternoon, ambling around, a hot day. We found LA to be much more shoddy round the edges than expected,
with areas of really nice living, views to die for, excellent shopping but along with unbridled consumerism including the dreaded malls, exotic plants and shrubs everywhere including the iconic palm trees which lean oceanwards, chained to the car so naturally there are gyms everywhere, an obsession with real estate, and the widest range of modern architecture to be found. These caught our eye from the car: trashylingerie.com; 'interested in plastic surgery? high quality low prices!'; and the Church of Scientology Celebrity Center International.
That evening we met up with Jemma and Sid al fresco in a French restaurant in Culver City – great to see them as we moved to San Francisco a month before their wedding – friends from London in LA for 3 months for work. Esme was immaculately behaved, feeding and sleeping on the table blissfully, under the fairy lights.
Museum of the MonthFriday spent at the billion dollar Getty Center, which, amazingly, is free. You take a funicular railway up to its eyrie-like position atop two ridges – sadly its renowned views were lost in hazy smog that day – thus making it one of the few car free experiences in LA.
The buildings themselves are stunning – the art collection is housed in several square travertine-clad pavilions connected with glass-boxed walkways and by a sociable concourse. Contemporary landscaping including fountains, terraces and seasonally adjusting gardens surrounds the complex. Facilities are up to the minute and the art worth spending the day there for. We spent most time in the medieval and Renaissance sections, loving especially the inspirational Flemish school. At lunch we were joined by Jane and Mike, old friends from Australia now living in San Diego,
and their brand new baby daughter, Grace, just 5 days younger than Esme – which was fabulous. Jane and I had spent much time emailing and phoning during our pregnancies and post-partum so it was wonderful to see them on such good form and to meet Grace. We strolled through the misty geometrically cascading gardens, checked out the photography section, breastfed in front of dramatic oils and caught up.
Restaurant of the MonthFrom the Getty we drove to Venice to meet up with Anna and Mido in Axe (pronounced Ashay), a trendy new place on Abbot Kinney – candle lit with warm yet functional décor – a successful mix of industrial and natural themes. Anna and I had lived together in London for a few years and we hadn’t seen each other for over a year - super to see her looking very foxy. Our evening was slightly curtailed by Esme’s batteries running out. (Oddly with children as they run out of energy they get louder – the reverse of what you’d expect).
We had time to imbibe fine wine and enjoy delicious food of the Californian variety. This meant organic, artful cuisine: I had the pork belly for starters and the trout as a main; Colman the short ribs braised in soy. By an amusing lucky coincidence, Jane and Mike were also booked in to the same restaurant so more time to hang out with them.
Hollywood HillsSaturday was spent with Anna and Mido, driving around Mulholland Drive, chowing down at the 101 Diner,
and being touristy by looking at the Hollywood Sign and the Warners lot. Another misty day, but visibility was much better than at the Getty, and romantic hazy vistas presented themselves at every road twist. 
We drove to Griffith Park and the Observatory (where Rebel Without a Cause was filmed) at the end of the afternoon for sublime shrouded views stretching into infinity – one could almost not be in a conurbation. The Observatory provided clear sightings of the moon’s craters through amateur telescopes, and interesting exhibits.Santa Monica
Saturday night we spent at dinner with Jason, a friend of Colman’s from Players’ days, and his wife Paige and son David, both of whom we were meeting for the first time. Old friends make for the easiest and most relaxing evenings - even when there’s been little contact for several years. Charming handsome David was wonderful with Esme - we had a lovely time at their home.
On Sunday – a grey day – we had brunch at the right on eco-sustainable farmers market (every food stall had biodegradable packaging and utensils), listening to the local bluegrass band, before wandering up and down Main Street shopping, then taking a turn along the beach front. I also managed to dive into the second hand boutiques before we packed up the apartment, and headed for a funky Chinese dinner in Venice.
We scrim-scrammed frantically to the airport negotiating freeways and maps, dropped the car off, panted into the terminal just in time to check in to be told our flight was delayed for 3 hours. To say we were dismayed was an understatement; we were waitlisted for the next flight – also delayed. Esme had had enough by now of 4 days being parcelled and paraded about in the Baby Bjorn 
and the bright lights of the airport didn’t calm her any. So we had a difficult hour or so crying and agitated. Luckily when we eventually did get onto the earlier (also delayed) flight, she had calmed enough to be an absolute angel again on the journey back. We fell into bed at midnight, shattered but elated about such a successful weekend.Bird of the Month
On Santa Monica beach we saw several: Heermann’s Gulls Larus heermanni, at the northern edge of their range, which differ from normal ‘seagull’ by their slate-coloured tummies matching their white-edged wings, and red beaks. The younger ones are a pleasing earth brown all over. They fought energetically with the Western Gulls for scraps and territory.Top
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving DayThe following weekend – oh bliss – was also a four day affair. On Thanksgiving Day to Dan and Dayna’s along with Adam and Jen and five others, for a gourmet repast to beat all comers.
No less than two different kinds of cranberry sauce (one with a balsamic reduction), cinnamon spiced sweet potatoes, a plump and tasty turkey, exquisite exotic stuffing, proper home made gravy – yummmmo! 
We had a splendid time of it – not least because Esme decided to sleep very soundly for six hours until 11pm. We felt almost childless – quite strange. 
Entertaining conversation and wine flowed freely; so much so that an impromptu singalong of our combined repertoire of show tunes permeated one snoozing guest’s consciousness for her to declare that the neighbours were being lively tonight. The evening culminated in a proper session with Adam singing away on the guitar, song after song, while the rest of us shot pool. A perfect holiday day.
Marin
The next day was beautiful. Not a cloud in the sky nor wind in the air. Amy had lent us her car for the weekend (thank you my dear) and we drove over
Golden Gate bridge to Tennessee Valley for a stiff 4-5 mile hike with 
Geoff, Armani and Marcus. Our circular route took us up the ridge for amazing views north as far as Point Reyes, west to the Farollen Islands, east to the high hills behind Berkeley, and south 
through gaps in the ranges to the skyscrapers of the city itself. The sea resembled a jewel-encrusted mirror – a magical afternoon. 
Visitors of the Month
The following day, after a really sumptuous brunch with our downstairs neighbours, we met up with my old friend from London and uni, Tom, his wife Helen, and their two charming daughters, Lily and Freya, who came up from LA to San Francisco for Thanksgiving weekend.
We introduced our daughters to each other, and hung out in Dolores Park before sampling undoubtedly the best ice cream in the city at Bi-rite Creamery.
Thanksgiving weekend also brought visitors from the South Bay to the Big Smoke. We had dinner with Daniel (at school with Colman) and his fiancé Akemi at La Provence – Esme slept the whole way through the meal which was very pleasing. And on the Sunday we met up with Alan and Marilyn with their three (including 4 month old Zach) in town to ride on the Carousel (Esme’s first merry go round) and play in the Yerba Buena playground. Top
San Francisco Moment of the Month
A day out with Kristan (and Soren), Armani (and Marcus) and Christine starting at San Fran institution Café Gratitude - ‘an experiment in sacred commerce’ that serves organic vegan live cuisine of the highest order. Every item on the rainbow coloured menu is entitled ‘I am…’ My choices were I am Enlivened (blue green algae in coconut juice) along with I am Abundant plate (including kale sea salad, hemp seed pesto, sprouted almond humous, 
live spring roll and live spicy carrot avocado soup); we shared I am Bliss (raw chocolate and hazelnut cream pie) and I am Devoted (coconut cream pie with macadamia nut crust) for pudding. 
You are asked by your waiter what you are grateful for; he also recites positive thinking mantras at regular intervals that complement the quotes painted on the walls. At our table were a trio of women studying for their MBA in green management. We followed this by visiting the de Young museum to check out the Louise Nevelson sculptures and a Day of the Dead display – on cue a very scary facelift lady tottered past as we entered the exhibition.
Mural of the MonthBumper Sticker of the Month
Pay Your Taxes, Endless War Ain’t Cheap
Stencil of the MonthLove and hugs
Nadine and Colman xxx
PS Come and visit – even better exchange rate!!!
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