Near-Fail: Layered Jello

I adore Jello.

I luv it's perpetual wiggle-jiggle and brighter-than-bright (and undoubtedly unnatural) coloring.  And how red...not cherry, strawberry or raspberry is the flavor, because to me, cherry tastes like strawberry tastes like raspberry as far as jello goes.  And berry blue?  I mean honestly...berry...blue?  Almost as bad as blue raspberry Ice-e.  Which I also luv.

So really, what's not to like?  Well, apparently lots...as I found out today. 

For some it's a textural thing, which I get...I guess the jiggly isn't for everyone.  And well, yes, I know what's in Jello.  And yeah, it smells kinda weird when you make it.  But ummm...isn't that's why it's good for your bones? And what's wrong with a little jiggle in your food?

I personally luv the stuff.  So much so that I actually crave it from time to time.  Especially around holidays.  Because in Hawaii, that's when all the amazing Jello creations make their appearance.  7 Layer Jello, Broken Glass Jello, Care Bear Jello, Cake Jello (yes! cake jello!)  Definitely not the paltry dessert people think of here in California. 

So when the 4th of July rolled around, I was all hot about making red, white and blue layered jello to spread the jello gospel.  But, as I found out (and perhaps should have known), but a level fridge shelf is absolutely key to layered jello success.  My fridge is always stuffed full, and I guess one side is fuller than the other...as evidenced by my slip slide-y jello. 

So much so that I chalked it up as a failure and didn't take it to the BBQ.  And I sulked.  But perhaps hastily.  Because when I got home and started cubing up my jello failure, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn't so bad after all!

I mean, yeah, some of them got that extra 4th layer of condensed milk jello and some didn't...

Seriously...isn't that so adorable??

Now, Where Were We?

Seriously.  It's been months!

Ok.  A month.  But still!  And normally, in my little corner of the world, not much changes from month to month...cupcake this, cookie that...the occassional muffin.  So has not been the case this last month.

There was a trip to San Francisco, getting ditched on a hiking yoga tour while in San Francisco, cupcakes and all sorts of deliciousness, beyond belief spicy chana masala, mashed potato pancakes, moving! (I'm moving!), the layered jello that was almost a failure, my discovery of the wonders of the broiler, discovering that I actually do get the new Cooking Channel (squeallll!), Disneyland, the Lakers, Kobe at Disneyland!

I could go on.  But my memory is fleeting and fuzzy.

But up first, the hiking yoga fail of 2010.

Last time we spoke, I was raving about the shower at our hotel in San Francisco.  Amazing.  But what I neglected to share was me and Nicole's hiking yoga disaster. 

Oh and of course it was my idea.  But doesn't it sound awesome in theory?  Hiking + yoga?  Just try and tell me you're not intrigued.  And yes, it is exactly what it sounds like.  You "hike" around the city (up and down hills) and through many scenic spots that I wanted to see anyway...the Coit Tower, the Filbert steps...so it was like exercise + sightseeing.  You know how I feel about multi-tasking.  And the icing on the cake?  It was free!  Or so I thought, and I guess that's just where the trouble started.

We met in front of the Ferry Tower at about 10 a.m.  And the first thing the lady says is, "Oh, you're the ones that signed up with the groupon...did you bring it?"  My mind is of course totally blank at this point as I rapidly try to re-trace my payment steps.  The idea about having a physical coupon never crossed my mind...for some reason.  I mean...I just clicked "free - groupon" for the payment method.  I never thought they would actually want the non-existant coupon.  "Email it to me later," yoga teacher says.  Mmhmm...sure, you got it, lady.

So we hike, we yoga, we hike, we yoga...

I stop to take pictures.

More pictures.

Even more pictures.

I went a little overboard.  I can't help myself.  I luv plants.

And well, you can see where this is going.  As it became more about pictures, and less about hiking.

Even Nicole liked the foliage.

Strawberry flowers.  Reminds me of the little strawberry plant I used to have.  I just had to take a picture of these.

And this unidentified purple flower.

Everything was going well...we made it up to Coit Tower...

And then poof!  Everyone was gone! 

But, we didn't care.  The hike pretty much was supposed to end at Coit Tower.  So we went to lunch, and had the most amazing Pasta Puttanesca and Pizza Biana in North Beach.

Since, you know...we had such a good workout...taking pictures. 

Oh and in case you were wondering, no, I never emailed the coupon.  I figured that getting ditched on the hike made us even.