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Bio: In 1977 I was born in Pasadena, California to an absent-minded scientist and a school teacher / law student. I grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, a city of gardens and Tudor houses, home of the Fig Newton. More importantly, Newton is home to Death Hill, a wintertime sledding Mecca in Braeburn Country Club, and TeeGee's pizzeria, Harris Cyclery, Dinosaur Rock, and the Newton North Tigers.

During childhood summers I got a taste for the outdoors during family trips to Colorado, and at Camp Merrovista in New Hampshire. At camp I swam, sailed, hiked, and took longer and longer bicycling trips around New England and Nova Scotia. When my father and I shopped for the mountain bike that would take me across the country in the summer of 1994, he thought it would soon accompany my remote control monster truck and rock tumbling kit in the basement. But, I still ride that bike, a teal-green Stumpjumper, and have since worked at a fantastic bike shop in the Boston area, Belmont Wheelworks, and an innovative sport-utility bicycle (SUB) company from California, Xtracycle.

Carrying three kids on the back of my Xtracycle at the San Francisco farmer's market.

The photograph at right shows me carrying three kids on the back of my Xtracycle at the San Francisco farmer's market.

During college I developed other ongoing passions including: cooking, jazz, and rapping.

I started my rapping career in High School as "MC Snoop Dr. DJ Hammer Ice Paul." At Harvard I shortened my moniker to Paully P, and released the smash hit "No Bikes in the Yard," and the follow-up hit "I'm the Next Marky Mark," in addition to some lesser known outings. Now, in San Francisco, I've once again reinvented myself, as "Fossil Fool." This time it's for real. My first hit, "Who's Foolin' Who?" has been heard at residences and street corners around San Fran. Future appearances at open mic nights and poetry slams are in order.

My jazz interest also blossomed at Harvard, when a friend urged me to try out for the radio station. For two years I took to the airwaves at WHRB, Boston's best morning jazz station. My first show was at five in the morning, and my sleep deprivation resulted in many embarrassments on the air: playing two songs at once, letting a record skip for two minutes while I talked to my father about his insomnia and the stock market, declaring that Ornette Coleman died in 1969 (he is still performing.) But eventually I got buttery smooth and moved up to a nine o'clock slot, when I had a chance to meet such Jazz greats as Elvin Jones, Tommy Flanagan, and Max Roach, who all passed through the station to be interviewed (not by me.)

Cooking has always been an interest but became a passion when I lived at the Dudley Coop, a.k.a. Center for High Energy Metaphysics, at Harvard. It was a house rule that we baked bread every night, and cooking for thirty people taught me in a hurry about efficiency in the kitchen. Now in the Bay Area, the Yay Area, the bounty of fresh and exotic ingredients overwhelms me. I'm a regular at my farmer's market, and the fishmongers at Sun Fat on Mission Street greet me by name. I greet them by name also: Shirley, Scott, and Andy (all Chinese).

A recent dinner guest wrote a mock review of a summer gastronomic blowout I hosted:

"Tutti Paulo, S.F.’s newest and most exclusive bistro, set in an unlikely perch atop Bernal Heights, has quickly won a place in the hearts of knowing Bay Area food fiends.... Particularly worthy of repeat visits to this quirky locale was the spinach and ricotta rolled into logs with sheets of homemade pasta, cut into thick slices and served under a blanket of fresh tomatoes, onions and béchamel. This dish was complimented by a rich plate of squid rings stuffed and smothered with porcini mushrooms, two distinctive bruscettas, each with their own exquisite greens (and one on homemade olive bread), and an array of marinated grilled summer vegetables that was worth every bit of the excruciating injuries that were said to have been sustained in its preparation. We give Tutti Paulo our highest endorsement—five stars and a firm promise to help wash the dishes at our next visit. Bravo Paulo!" -- Nick Weiss, MD

So there you have it! A quick run-down of the things that make me tick. There are many others, of course. I haven't mentioned my friends, my martial art Capoeira, and my love of Europe. And there is only one picture here, but please be patient. It'll fill it out, promise.

You can get in touch with me by email: paul at post dot harvard dot edu, phone: 415.824.1551, or US Mail: 302 Montcalm, San Francisco, CA 94110. I hope to hear from you!