AdventuresInSF

Let the Obsession Begin!

2011-02-10T14:05:00.000-08:00

My friends know about my obsession. My obsession with kumquats. I've written about them before. Here back in Feb. of 2009. And then again twice in March of 2009 here and here.

I'm excited that it's that time of the year again! Last year there were kumquat margaritas. Delish! What will I do with them this year??

Friday Favorite: Scenic Drive

2010-12-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

I loved this exhibit at a local boutique. I couldn't buy all the pieces, so I took a photo!

Even in the winter, it makes me want to hop in the car with a loved one or friends, and just take a scenic drive.

Friday Favorite: A Bowl of Ramen

2010-12-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

For those cold winter days...what could be better than a bowl of hot ramen. Here are some pictures from a recent "Ramen Rave" I was at:

And the final product!

So good! I can't wait to have another bowl of Richie's ramen.

Friday Favorite: Boating Lights

2010-11-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

A pretty photo of some boats in the San Francisco Bay. This was taken the night they won their last home game of the World Series!

A Pretty Star

2010-11-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a little photo I took many months ago. I absolutely fell in love with it.

It was a bergamont meringue from Incanto. I'm looking at this star and thinking of my mom on her birthday and wishing she was here.

Friday Favorite: Pretty City Garden

2010-11-19T10:30:00.000-08:00

Anyone know where this garden is? A few hints. It's in San Francisco. It's in the back of a business, and kind of hidden.

I absolutely love this little sunny oasis. And sorry folks, if you don't know where this is, I'm not telling! I want to keep this little gem all to myself. :)

Friday Favorite: Big Weekend of Friends!

2010-11-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

I am so excited for this weekend! My Friday Favorite is dedicated to two of my best pals.

First, to Mr. JMB, who's coming to San Francisco for a conference and coming EARLY, just to hang with me. I feel so special.

Second, to my pal D, who's celebrating her BIRTHDAY! She has no idea what fun surprises are in store for her. :)

And to top it all off? An EARLY morning flight to NYC on Sunday. Looking forward to being in one of my favorite cities and seeing some of my dear friends. Yay!

Friday Favorite: Brunch

2010-11-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite brunch dishes--from NOPA restaurant here in San Francisco. A house made bagel (yum!) with smoked fish, fresh farm cheese, and cucumbers and lightly pickled onions. SO good! Makes me want to go back every weekend for this pretty platter.

Friday Favorite: Scary Halloween Movie

2010-10-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween weekend! One of my favorite Halloween's in recent memory--last year, my very first house party. And in addition to a small house project (thank you Kristin and Bahram!), there was pizza, lots of cocktails, and one scary movie.

Not joking. People, this is NOT a kid's movie. This is one creepy movie. Can't wait to see what this halloween will bring!

Friday Favorite: Giant Horseradish

2010-10-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

I've taken A TON of photos at the Farmer's Market before. But this one is one of my favorites. Check out the fresh horseradish. Makes me think of my friend's Bahram and John. We've got grand plans for a dinner party--and horseradish is going to have a role in it! Can't wait!

Friday Favorite: Best Tagline. Ever.

2010-10-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

New York really does have everything. Including awesome restaurant taglines.

Friday Favorite: Sexy Beast

2010-10-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite pics from my recent NY trip--adorable cookies from Dean & Deluca.

Absolutely adorable and hilarious!

Friday Favorite: Anchors!

2010-10-01T08:30:00.001-07:00

Here's a shout out to my friend Matt. Anchors! We spotted these anchors on a Mast Brothers Chocolate bar in NY. So cute! Huge regrets for not buying it...chocolate and sea salt? Ummm. Sounds delicious!

Friday Favorite: Blackberry Picking!

2010-09-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

Some friends and I recently had the best Sunday Funday. One of those days where we had no specific plans, and kind of just went where the wind took us. Where did we end up? In the North Bay, picking blackberries from a wild patch. It was my first blackberry picking experience!

I love those kinds of days...where you never know where you're going to end up or what you're going to end up doing. Thanks to Sarah and Evan for the fun day (and to Tatiana and Shawn for the tip and directions!)

Cardamom for Bowman

2010-09-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

I love this simple photo of a spice collection in a restaurant kitchen. In looking at it more closely, I noticed that one of the jars is labled "cardamom". Well, I can't hear the word "cardamom" without thinking about my friend Bowman. So on this day, his birthday, I'm posting this in his honor!

Happy Birthday Bowman!

Friday Favorite: Rum Tasting

2010-09-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

Some delicious rum, courtesy of Bar Agricole.

It was the perfect ending to an absolutely amazing (and tasty) evening!

Friday Favorite: A Return to NYC

2010-09-10T08:30:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago, I made my first visit to New York City. I met one of my closest friends, Matt, out there. We had an awesome NY weekend--filled with lots of amazing eats, fun nights out, shows on Broadway, and even a nap in Central Park.

And although I've been back many, MANY times, I've never gone back with my friend Matt. Well, this weekend, I am returning to NY. With Matt!

Here's a photo of us from 2002--in front of the theater on Broadway. I can't wait for our weekend...we already have so many things planned. We'll have to plan a return trip just to get them all done!

Friday Favorite: Watermelon!

2010-09-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the Labor Day long weekend...some delicious watermelon!

Not sure what is going on with all the news about seedless watermelons (you'll notice that the watermelon in the above photo don't have seeds). But personally? Even without seeds, there's nothing like a cold and refreshing watermelon on a hot day. Seed or no seeds.

Friday Favorite: A Photo for My Kitchen

2010-08-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

It was one of those moments. The second I saw the photo, I fell in love with it. Good thing it was taken by one of my friends, and talented photographer Michael Harlen Turkell. He was kind enough to give me a copy of the photo.

I love it. Perfect photo for my 'new' kitchen. Thanks Michael!

Friday Favorite: Whiskey!

2010-08-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

What's better than some good whiskey and good friends on a cold Friday night in San Francisco?

Thanks to my pal John for all of the tastes!

Friday Favorite: Waxy Tree

2010-08-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

When I was hiking through Marin earlier this year, I came across this waxy tree in the beautiful Zen Garden.

There was just something about it that struck me as cool. So here's an erie looking tree for a Friday the 13th!

Friday Favorite: Mr. Toad

2010-08-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

I was walking to work the other day, and I saw this. I was cracking up SO hard.

Then I saw in my favorite neighborhood blog, Mission Mission, this post. Turns out someone else had also seen it. They had snapped a photo (which I'm borrowing for this post since although I was laughing hysterically, I didn't actually stop to take a photo), and cleverly coined it "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride". Haha.

Oh just another day in SF...

Friday Favorite: Shrimp on the Barbee

2010-07-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

Consider this belated post, the official return of my Friday Favorite photo posts! Sorry for being gone for so long...this summer's been a busy one.

What have I been doing? Let's just say I've been keeping busy with friends, time in the sun (and fog), and well, I've been eating well.

From one of my favorite days this summer, check out these delicious shrimp!! Yum!!

Friday Favorite: Pretty SF Shot

2010-07-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

Just another gorgeous shot from San Francisco. I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life, and there are still days when I'm just taken aback by how pretty this city is. This shot was taken in an alley in North Beach--just so simple, but oh-so San Francisco.

Friday Favorite: Summer in Bloom

2010-07-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

Some pretty flowers from the Farmer's Market! Happy Summer!

Happy Fourth of July!!

2010-07-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July!! Below are some photos from a recent bbq I had with some friends...there's nothing that says summer like some grilling and outdoor eating.

I hope I'll have lots of chances to cook and spend time outside with good friends this summer. Check out the spread we had! Yum!

Friday Favorite: Elephants on Parade

2010-07-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

My fellow San Franciscans, where is this?

One of my favorite outdoor drinking spots in the city! Here's to summertime!

Friday Favorite: I'd Like S'More Please

2010-06-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

Absolutely, one of the most beautiful birthday cakes I have ever seen. Thank you Chef Grace Nguyen for preparing this s'mores cake for a dear friend. WOW!

In case you're curious, it was a graham cracker cake, with a chocolate ganache, and marshmallow topping. So good! Thank you Grace!

Friday Favorite: The Gateway Meat

2010-06-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

Saw this on the street a few months ago--hilarious! In case you can't read it, it says "BACON: The Gateway Meat". What does that even mean?

An Anniversary

2010-06-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today would have been my mom and dad's 35th anniversary. Here's to my mom and dad...two people that have influenced me in so many ways.

I'm dedicating one of the most romantic and beautiful images I have ever seen to them:

This is completely made out of chocolate--such a masterpiece! The creation of French chocolate maker and artist Mark, friend to San Francisco's extraordinary Michael Recchiuti.

Friday Favorite: Crab, Oysters, Tacos Oh My!

2010-06-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

On a recent Sunday drive home from Sonoma Country, my friends and I decided to make a pit stop in Tomales Bay for some Oysters.

We ended up at the Marshall Store.

It was the PERFECT casual spot for us. We splurged on steamed crab, fresh oysters, BBQ'ed oysters, oysters Rockefeller, and even fish tacos! YUM!

You can't beat all of that food, a few cold beers, amazing friends, and this view! Hope to make a return trip up there very soon!

Almost Summer Farmer's Market Bounty

2010-06-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite pics from my Saturday trip to the Farmer's Market! I love that all of my favorite summer fruits and vegetables are coming into season!

And check out these beautiful bouquets of flowers I saw, how beautiful!

Friday Favorite: Little Apron

2010-06-04T08:30:00.002-07:00

So adorable! Hanging at one of my new favorite spots in the city, Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous ice cream shop in Dog Patch!

I can just picture Ian and Anabelle's little daughter running around the store one day sporting this adorable apron.

Friday Favorite: A Small Urban Garden

2010-05-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Such a pretty garden! I walk by it every day and hold onto hope that some day I'll have enough space (and time!) for a serious garden of my own!

Friday Favorite: Sangria and Girls!

2010-05-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

Such a simple and beautiful thing. Good friends. Sun. Sangria. Ahhh. Perfect Sunday afternoon.

Salt!

2010-05-19T17:30:00.000-07:00

I recently read this post about salt and whether or not people had special containers for salt. It caught my attention because I am one of those people. Not only do I have a container for salt, I have many. But I never really thought about it.

When I took the time to think about it, I realized. I had five. There’s the kosher salt in the small round ceramic dish—which was once a cheese dish. It's kind of my go-to salt dish when I'm at the stove cooking.

There’s the “Salt Lady”, which I inherited from a college roommate. I’m not really sure the history or story behind the “Salt Lady”, but I love her. She (filled with regular table salt, not kosher) gives my little stove top area some character.

Then there’s the Brooklyn salt and pepper shaker that I picked up Fish’s Eddy—the New York dish store that an old crush first told me about (you can see behind them, there are a few other item in my kitchen from Fish's Eddy!) There’s the little woven ‘basket’ that I use for my sea salt crystals. Believe this was originally a take home from some event or another that I went to. Long after the event, and long after I can even remember where I got this from, it still sits on my counter and is something I look at every day.

My newest edition? These beautiful small containers for salt and pepper. They’re now sitting on my table ready for dinner guest. Don’t you just love these little spoons?

When I do stop and think about salt, something else comes to mind. I think of my friend’s Serene and Mark’s wedding and to something the priest said during their ceremony.

“It’s hard to keep a house without salt. It adds flavor and taste to just about every dish.

But if you run out of toothpaste, you can brush with a mixture of soda and salt because of salt’s cleansing qualities.

If you develop a sore throat, you can gargle with salt because of its healing properties.

If you’re hungry, you can cure a ham or other meat with salt because of its preserving qualities.

You can use salt to melt the ice that builds up in the winter cold; salt can also be used to put out fires that flare up.

So if you’ll bring to the marriage the qualities found in salt — the cleansing quality, the healing quality, the preserving quality —

If you use it to enhance the flavor of your life together; to melt the ice that will build up and put out the fires that will occasionally flare up between you; and, of course, if you take everything with a grain of it, you will have a long and happy life together.”

The night of the wedding, my date (also someone in the food world) and I talked about that verse. I think it stuck with us because of our love for all things food related. Almost a year later, I still think about that verse. My friend Serene still tells me that aside from she and Mark, we’re probably the only people that were at the wedding that remembers that verse. I guess some things just strike a chord and stay with you.

Strawberries!

2010-05-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

I recently became the proud owner of a small strawberry plant. Strawberries are one of my favorite fruits, so I'm especially excited to see if I could keep it alive and eventually, taste my own home grown strawberry!

Below you'll see two pictures. The one on the left? My humble little plant. Sitting on my window sill, with a teeny tiny berry popping out!

The photo on the right? Umm. Yea. That's how the professionals do it. Taken recently from a trip to Blue House Farm, check out how great their strawberry looks!

So yea. Let's see how my little plant does. I would be so happy if in a few more weeks I had a ripe red sweet berry growing in my home!

Friday Favorite: A Pretty Display

2010-05-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

Such a beautiful display--anyone know where this can be found? One of my favorite spots in the city...although I wish I could have this display in my home!

Attempted: Seasonal Fruit Desserts

2010-05-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

I was honored to be asked to participate in a blog cookbook spotlight to highlight Deborah Madison's new cookbook, Seasonal Fruit Desserts. I was THRILLED when the book arrived. Couldn't wait to flip through it. Read it cover to cover. And already thought about which recipes I wanted to make.

So I was SO excited to get started. I had loads and loads of fresh strawberries, and was ALL ready to tackle the Berry Galette. It sounded just perfect. And that was when it happened.

My oven broke. I had all of the ingredients out, and was all ready to make the pastry dough, when I went to turn on the oven to pre-heat it, I realized it didn't work. The clock was still on. And the timer button worked. But as I went to go touch the bake and broil buttons? Nada. The oven was broken. No Berry Galette for me.

Now, we're in the midst of going through warranties, having repair men come and look at the oven, getting parts ordered (expensive parts, might I add), and well. It's a waiting game.

So until the oven's fixed? Torture. Looking through all of the recipes. Mouth watering. I'm anxious to try a lot of the recipes. For example:

Nearly Candied Quince...I can't wait for quince season. Sounds SO good!

Yeasted Sugar Cake...I love simple cakes. And this one with some berries on top sounds perfect for a summer picnic.

Almond Corn Flour Cake...I love almonds. And I love corn. Sounds like the perfect combo to me.I'm guessing this is going to be a favorite in my house.

Ricotta Mousse...Yum!

Persimmon Pudding...We had persimmon trees in the backyard growing up. And although I couldn't really appreciate the persimmon when I was young, my sister and I would rake the large persimmon leaves every fall. So many great memories! Well, now, I've learned to appreciate the delicious presimmon, and can't wait to make this pudding!

Milk and Honey Custard...Custards. I'm a sucker for a good custard. I can't wait to make different versions of this custard, using different honeys!

Pomegranate Gelee...I love gelee. While I don't have that chocolate sweet tooth, I see a gelee put in front of me, and I can't resist.

So readers. Stay tuned. As soon as this oven is fixed. I'm going out, and buying more berries, and trying again. Let's just hope it won't be stone fruit season by the time this oven's done. Well, I guess if that's the case, I'll just have to change plans and go for the Berry and Peach Cobbler instead.

New York City Green Market

2010-05-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

I was in New York recently, and had about an hour to duck off to the Green Market in Union Square. It was an interesting experience to see what was in season on the East Coast, and to experience a New York City Farmer's Market.

I immediately noticed a ton of ramps. Ramps ramps ramps. They were beautiful. And there were plenty of them!

Apples! Apples were still around. That was a surprise to me...feels like it's been awhile since I'd seen them out here in San Francisco. But they were beautiful. And made me really want to make an apple pie.

And then asparagus was starting to make it's appearance. What I loved, was this farm's display:

South Jersey Asparagus?? Hmm. Something about that just doesn't feel right to me. I'm use to Cali grown asparagus, thank you very much!

No matter what city I'm in, or what season it is, I like checking out the local Farmer's Market. I love seeing what produce is available, talking to the local customers, meeting the regional farmers, and seeing what local producers are there.

However. After all is said and done, with the exception of maybe the Portland Farmer's Market, I tend to prefer my market here in San Francisco. Partly because I'm comfortable with it, I know the lay-out, I know the vendors, I know who's got the best Meyer lemons, who's got the best strawberries, etc. etc. And I've got all of my food vendors that I'm use to (the Green Market had NO coffee, can you believe that? My SF'ers, I was craving my Blue Bottle!) And on top of it all? My friends. Constantly running into friends, old and new. It's one of my favorite things about the market.

I guess when it's all said and one. There's no place like home!

Flowers for Mom

2010-05-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Thinking of my mom on this Mother's Day. Wishing every single day that I could talk to her again and that I could just see her and hug her. Tulips were my mom's favorite flowers, and each and every time I see some, I can't help but to snap a photo of them, and to pause. And to take a moment to think about my mom. Hoping you're all sending love to your moms on this Mother's Day.

Takin' My Time

2010-05-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

I have been a bad blogger. And I know I've said it before and in the past, this type of post has been my recommitment to my blog. Promising lots and lots of posts.

But this time, it's a little different. There's been a lot going on in my life. A great deal of soul searching. A lot of time with good friends. And a lot of realizing what makes me happy. And what doesn't. A lot of good things have been happening. And on top of that? Lots of sun. And lots less computer time. So what does this all mean?

I am going to try and get back to my little blog. But I'm also going to take a little bit of a different spin on it. And try to write about some different things. There'll still be some of my usual posts--hopefully continuing to post a Friday Favorite picture, and yes, don't worry. The ever popular Meal of the Month 'column' will stay.

So, stay tuned. Just give me a little bit of time.

Friday Favorite: Spring!

2010-05-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Signs of spring are everywhere...and this girl is happy. Happy happy happy.

Here's hoping for more sun and less rain.

Friday Favorite: New Favorite Beer

2010-04-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

Such a delicious perfect summer beer! Thanks to the guys at 10 Downing for introducing me to this...I have a feeling I'll be drinking a lot of this all summer.

Friday Favorite: Oysters!

2010-04-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

On a sunny spring day...what could be better than bubbles, oysters and good friends??

Thanks Chad for planning such an amazing day!!

Happy Picnic Day!

2010-04-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's Picnic Day! One of my favorite days of the year. This beautiful chocolate 'painting' of cows that I saw back in February made me think of Picnic Day.

Such happy little cows. Happy cows come from Davis! To me, Picnic Day is all about the alumni pancake breakfast, the parade, the wiener dog races, and of course...Battle of the Bands!

Here's one of my favorite photos of my two brothers and I at Picnic Day two years ago:

Go Ags!

Friday Favorite: A Backyard

2010-04-16T10:21:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite pics. It makes me really want to have a backyard in San Francisco. I could read outside. Have a little herb garden. Have beautiful summer dinners al fresco. Ahhh. Some day.

You might be wondering how I snapped this shot? Well. Let's just say a run through the neighborhood one Sunday afternoon turned into a "let's pop into any open houses we see along the way..." and this GORGEOUS 3 story Noe Valley condo (complete with not one, but two balconies), also had this lovely backyard. So! Until I get a backyard of my own, I'll keep thinking of this one.

One Year Ago...Pebble Beach

2010-04-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that it was a year ago this weekend that I made the trek down to the Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival...it was such an amazing experience. The best part of it? It was a last minute, spur of the moment trip. Here's to taking last minute chances and to having a sense of adventure!

That seems so long ago...I wonder where I'll be next year at this time.

Friday Favorite: Bouquet of Chilies

2010-04-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

A shot from a recent trip to the Ferry Building Farmer's Market:

It was so simple, but this bouquet really caught my eye!

Range of Emotions

2010-04-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

I've recently been spending a few nights staging in a restaurant kitchen. I've only been in a few times, but I am hoping to go back. I'm still processing all of my feelings and digesting everything. And there's definitely been an adjustment period. This kitchen and this experience has been very different from my experience in the Postrio kitchen. Amazing and unique in it's own ways, but just different.

After my last shift? Some words came to my mind:

Adrenaline rush
Worn out
Stressed
Happy
Jealousy
Awe
Regret
Amazement
Sadness
Envy
Shame
Excitement
Rigid
Trust
Harsh
Opportunity

But the word I'm holding on to? Determination. I'm determined. Determined to do a good job. Determined to learn. Determined to contribute to the kitchen team and to the restaurant. Determined to be allowed back. And determined to take advantage of this unique experience.

Meal of the Month: March 2010

2010-04-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Well. March was a busy month. And not surprisingly, once again, filled with many amazing meals. There was a dinner at Scala’s (with a soon to be bride and groom), a Sunday brunch at OTD Bush Street with two busy chef friends, nibbles at the bar at Range (with two fun industry friends), checking out the newly opened Marlowe with a friend, nibbles at Cav after a long day of work (and getting to meet Chef Johnny in person after a long Twitter friendship), catching up with an old friend at OTD Bush Street, a pizza Pi date with friends in my neighborhood, and nibbles and drinks with old and new friends at Heaven’s Dog. Let’s not forget a crazy industry party/book launch party (on a Sunday night no less), that started off with drinks and food at Orson, and then lead a smaller group of us to Pizzeria Delfina for an ‘after party’ of sorts.

And there were lots of meals with family (and friends that are like family to me). Dinner in Martinez with my East Bay family, my dad’s birthday dinner at Incanto, a special pizza dinner with a special friend Mo (who is family to me), and then dinner at a very special occasion—my good friend Adam’s wedding. Oh. And speaking of family. There was family meal at Incanto. Twice.

The spread at Mo's table

We can’t forget about the fun nights with two of my closest girlfriends. There was the slightly crazy girls night out (ahem, which some boys crashed), that started at Bean Bag, then progressed to Nopa, Club Waziema, and finally Madrone Lounge…and then the even crazier girls night out which started off with nibbles at Slow Club but then moved onto crashing (kind of crashing) a crazy house party followed by crashing a bachelor party. Oh. And did I mention the seven plus course brunch at the Four Seasons that Defne and I had?? Ummm, yea. Extravagant. And yet oh so delicious.

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict

My Meal of the Month would have to be the Head to Tail dinner at Incanto. Chef Chris Cosentino’s annual dinner, it’s been a tradition of mine to go, and this year was no different. Why was it so special and why was it my Meal of the Month? Some of it? Tradition. A tradition I started a few years ago that I’m able to share with my food crazed friends. Another reason why? It’s a way for me to support my friend Chef Chris Cosentino. Another reason? It’s a meal that’s unlike anything else that I can find anywhere. There are always surprises! And most importantly? Part of the reason this meal is one of my favorites each year? The anticipation of it and then the discovery of all of these new dishes and new flavors. I always know I’m going to have a unique (and delicious) experience.

Friday Favorite: Moon Mountain

2010-04-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite wines...

To be fair, I have to say that it's not only the yummy taste of this wine that I love, but also because it brings back a lot of great memories. In fact, almost exactly a year ago to the date, I was celebrating my birthday in the gorgeous home on the vineyard with some of my closest friends. Since then, this wine has made an appearance at my Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and other all around fun meals. Here's to the many friends that I've had the pleasure of sharing some Moon Mountain wine with!

Needing To Go Back...

2010-04-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

I don't know what took me so long. Maybe I was scared? Maybe I wasn't sure if what I had was a fluke? A one time thing? That it was something so special, I shouldn't even try to recreate it.

What am I talking about? I'm talking about cooking. In a restaurant kitchen.

Although I often think about those days (and long nights) that I had been staging at Postrio, I didn't realize that it had almost been 18 months since I'd worked there. Many of you have read on this blog about my adventures in the kitchen. The trials and errors. The ups and the downs. The rushes. The highs.

I'd been thinking a lot about cooking again recently. And thanks to a friend, I even had the chance to enroll in some classes through the local culinary school. It took about an hour for me to realize. I needed to learn on the job. Not in the classroom. I'd been lucky enough to have spent time in a restaurant kitchen before, and this wasn't going to cut it anymore. I'm not looking to make a career change here, so the classroom stuff? While it was great fundamentals, I missed the adrenaline rush of the kitchen. I missed the energy. The team work. I missed working with, and learning from, serious cooks. It kicked me into high gear.

Now? Now, I'm searching. For a restaurant that will let me come and work. That will welcome the free help, that will be patient with me. Who has cooks that want to, and are able to, teach someone. I'm looking for a kitchen that recognizes that I have something to give. And that I will be dedicated to their kitchen. And continue to give my time, for as long as I'm learning. And having fun.

Head to Tail 2010!

2010-03-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite meals of the year--Incanto's Head to Tail dinner. It's an extravagant five course meal, always full of surprises and delicious dishes. This year, I went with some of my favorite people and we had a great time. Here's the menu:

I've written about this annual dinner before. And like all the other years, the anticipation of the dinner was building and building as the date got closer and closer. My friends and I eagerly gathered at the restaurant and could barely contain ourselves as we waited for our table.

As we sat down and were sipping on our vino, I made every person around the table guess which dish they thought might be their favorite. I always think it's interesting that despite the description on the menu, the dish often comes out very differently and what you had expected and what you thought you might not like, could very well end up being your favorite!

The first course started us off with a punch! There was no easing into the meal! But this was delicious. The mint was perfect to cut the heaviness of the meat, and I was obsessed with the onion ash.

venison pluck fra diavola, mint & onion ash

Then we moved onto a peasant pappa. And it was incredible. It was similar to a rice porridge. It was homey comforting and full of flavor. This dish ended up being one of my top two favorites. I loved breaking that egg and stirring it in with the rest of the dish. The more chefy types at the table were pretty intrigued by the blood mousse.

salted cured pork liver, blood mousse, egg & peasant pappa

We moved onto a lighter dish next--a terrina served with artichokes and tarragon. The dish was fresh and light and so good. Kind of the perfect course mid way through the meal. Definitely my other favorite dish of the night.

beef lip & oxtail terrina, artichokes, tarragon

We moved onto the next dish. The one that had garnered the most comments at the beginning of the meal.

Sicilian cod tripe & tongue

I have to admit, when this dish first came out, we all looked at it with our spoons, and tried to determine what was what. The cod tongue was the easiest to determine, and then either Joe or Evan picked out the cod milt and well, the tripe from there. My favorite component of this dish? (And probably my favorite component of the entire meal?) The broth! It was so good!

Our final course? Dessert! But not what you would expect.

lamb mincemeat pie & lavender hay ice cream

I enjoyed this dessert a lot (although maybe not my favorite desserts of all of the Head to Tail dinners.) But delicious nonetheless. The crust on the mincemeat pie was so good, and the lavender hay ice cream? YUM!

Now. You might say eating this meal just once a year is probably enough. Well, yea. For most people. But for me? I had to go back for seconds. Ok. Not of the entire menu, but I was lucky enough to go back on the second night to sit with some of my friends as they experienced the meal for the first time. (Oh, and well, since I was there, I couldn't help but have seconds of the lip and oxtail terrina!)

Happy girl coming back for seconds!

Another year has come and gone, another Head to Tail dinner under my belt. What will next year bring? Know one knows. But until then? I'll be dreaming of that peasant pappa...

Friday Favorite: Urban Hike Home

2010-03-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

On a recent urban hike, this home caught my eye. It looked so idyllic. So warm and inviting. Cottage like. I love the little gate. And the potential of having a small garden too!

Guess I've always been a sucker for these picture perfect homes. Maybe someday I'll have a home like this. But until then? My little home is pretty darn perfect.

Pen Pals

2010-03-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

I still remember the days of pen pals. From when we were young, and you'd have that friend that maybe lived in another country, or another state, or at that time, even just the next town over. I had a few different pen pals after our first sleep over camp in elementary school. There was no email back then. And sure, there was the phone, but it wasn't the same. There was something special about taking out that 'special' stationary, sitting down and writing.

Well. In this day and age, even despite email, IM, GChat, Twitter, Facebook, and my blog, I've managed to get myself a pen pal. Ok, so it's not exactly the same. We're not mailing each other letters. We do it over email. But the emails we share with each other are long and thoughtful. They're reminiscent of the letters I use to receive from my childhood pen pals.

Each and every time I receive an email from my pen pal, I drop everything. I have to read it right away. I'm always excited to see what story the email will bring. To hear what's going on in my dear friend's life. And to search for the pearls of wisdom that are always shared. I know I can always share my honest thoughts, and that there is no self editing. We're ourselves. And not trying to be anyone else with each other.

I feel lucky. My pen pal and I have only met in person a handful of times. And I really think we became friends via phone and email even before our first meeting. There was an instant connection. I felt 'good energy' and knew that there was a special bond.

In this day of technology, where I fall asleep to tweets and wake up to Facebook status updates, my pen pal provides me with a breath of fresh air.

Head to Tail!

2010-03-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the annual Incanto Head to Tail dinner. And I absolutely can't wait to see what my friend Chris Cosentino and his team have whipped up for us. I'll be sure to post full details of the meal and photos (and I'm sure will be Tweeting live from the dinner! Check it out here.) But until then. Here's a fun picture to get you all ready.

My friend Tatiana's slippers--SO CUTE! Oink oink!

Balancing Happiness and Sadness

2010-03-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today's a special day for my friend Adam. He's getting married. And while I am so excited for him and thrilled to be a part of his special day, I'm also feeling a little down. Today is the day, three years ago, that my mom passed away.

I think about my mom all the time. Literally every day. And there are times still, when even just getting up in the morning is difficult. But today, Mother's Day, my birthday, her birthday, and around the holidays (especially Thanksgiving), I get especially sad. And today, what's on my mind? The fact that my mom will never see me get married.

But, I balance that out with being happy for my friend. Who's found a partner to share his life with. I guess the lesson for today is to cherish the loved ones in your life. And spend as much time with them as you can. Here's to new beginnings and many fond memories.

Friday Favorite: Spring Herbs

2010-03-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

A thoughtful housewarming present from a friend of mine--an herb plant! So perfect for me!

I'm loving having these fresh herbs at my fingertips. Now I just hope it'll survive. I'm not exactly known for having a green thumb, so let's just hope this little guy makes it through the spring.

A High

2010-03-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

I'm coming off one of the most exhilarating, stressful, intense, and fun experiences from this weekend. I'm still processing all of it and can't wait for a bit of free time to get it all down on 'paper' and to share my experience with all of you. I think it's a combination of my experiences this weekend and Day Light Savings time--but I have been one happy girl all day.

Porky Goodness

2010-03-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Food porn at it's best. Some Chinese style roasted pork. One of my favorite things to eat when I was young, and it's still one of my favorites. I mean really. Who could pass this up? My mouth is watering thinking about the tender meat and crispy skin. Delicious

Friday Favorite: Cup of Vietnamese Coffee

2010-03-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

A simple cup of Vietnamese coffee. In my special cow mug from my good friend Matt. The start of a good day.

Age Appropriate

2010-03-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

Dear AARP,

Ahem. How old do you think I am? A membership card? Don't you think I'm a little young? I think you can take me off the mailing list for now. Thanks.

Sincerely,
Jamie

Meal of the Month: February 2009

2010-03-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

February was kind of a hard month for me--emotionally. I was still getting over the holidays and the horribly rainy weather was not making it any easier. Spent a lot of time in Pilates and at home by myself. But what else? I spent a lot of time with my friends.

I had a great catch up night with my friend Jason (which included a delicious carbonara pizza from Pizzeria Delfina.) There was an awesome night of ramen and cupcake baking with my friend Wendy (ahem, we baked DOZENS of cupcakes in one night!)

There was a simple night of nibbles with my friend Vanessa (at Beretta of course.) My LA visitor loved it! A fun night with old college friends, Bahram and John (and Justy!) We had pre-dinner drinks at my house (can anyone say negroni?), and then a delicious dinner at Incanto. We had the MOST delicious pig snouts. And amazing prosciutto--who knew pig thigh could be so good?

My friend Tatiana made me the most delicious dinner one chilly night. Ossabaw ham wrapped asparagus, dandelion greens with lardons, chicken (confit in duck fat!), and braised cabbage (with guanciale just for good measure). Oh so good. Can anyone say comfort food?? There was the cozy Sunday night with Chinese take-out (and Humphy Slocombe ice cream) and a good friend (and a bad Lifetime movie.) Then the rainy night meal at Barbacco with old friends Lil and Micah. Highlights for me? The nduja and egg, and the delicious Brussels sprouts.

There were MANY additional good meals at Incanto. Checking out the new decor with my friend Paolo, taking my friends Joe and Lil, and then my good friend from college who was in town. Denise, Jen and I had a great evening there. Thank you to Chris and his team for SO many good and comforting meals. Highlights? Asparagus salad. The strozzapreti, broccoli rabe pesto, ricotta & pinenuts. SO GOOD. The stinging nettle and chanterelle risotto was also yummy. And the duck leg. Served with greens and faro--yum.

There was no shortage of home cooked meals. Home made won-tons for my friend Lisa. A dinner party where I made my mom's delicious stew with my friends Jen, Troy, Michael, Robert, Lisa and Jonathan. Thanks for all the wine kids--and the yummy chocolate cake!! Then there was the yummy roasted chicken dinner with Tim and Lisa, and a fun night out with those two (which ended in a late night Tommy's Joynt snack.)

There were the nibbles at the Ferry Building during the annual Food from the Heart event. And a Chinese New Year meal with my family. I remembered once again why I love my great aunt so much all while realizing just how much I missed my mom. Those family moments are especially difficult without her.

My very good friends Sarah and Evan kept me sane all month long. And are such a good support system for me. Evan and I have our Saturday Farmer's Market routine (and it's always so much more fun when Sarah can join us!) and then we have our Sunday night catch up times. From the casual and yet amazing pasta dinner at their house, to finally seeing Avatar and then dinner at Nopa. Of all of the times I've had the flat bread there? This time was the best! Just perfect--not too soft, not too crispy. Everything else was absolutely perfect. The salt cod brandade with marinated artichokes were my favorite.

But what really got me through the month? My good girlfriends. So what would my Meal of the Month be? Well, it would have to be all of the great meals I shared with my gals, Defne and Lisa. It all started with a night at Nombe (and then Lazlo), that solidified the bond. Maybe we need to learn to say "no more sake". Then there was a fun dinner at Tuba (after a long afternoon at Zeigeist, and oh, a bottle of tequila.) A mid week night out at Yoshi's where we ate EVERYTHING on the menu, and it was ALL delicious. Umm, can we say bar snacks?? SO GOOD. And then the night that started off with drinks at Bar Drake, and then Fifth Floor, and then ended at a fun night at Uva. What can I say? I don't know if I would have made it through the month without these ladies. They make every meal I share with them a Meal of the Month.

Na What?

2010-03-08T18:15:00.000-08:00

NDUJA! A soft spreadable salami that has been quite the hot thing lately. Made popular in San Francisco recently by Chef Chris Cosentino who's making it at his salumaria, Boccalone. I love the stuff. Over crackers. With some scrambled eggs. About a billion other ways. Good in so many things. Two of my favorite dishes in San Francisco right now?

Sardines and nduja at Incanto:

And a farm egg over some nduja at Perbacco:

Really. Both dishes are SO good. Go check these dishes out people. They're amazing.

Friday Favorite: Cranberry Beans

2010-03-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

There is just something about them that I love. They're so simple. So pretty. So pink!

My Pops

2010-03-01T11:30:00.000-08:00

Today is a special day. My dad's birthday! Happy Birthday to my dear dad. As life hits us with ups and downs, my relationship with my dad has changed and evolved. While we're still figuring it all out but through it all, one thing's been clear. We both love each other.

Thank you dad for everything you've done for me, taught me, and continue to teach me.

Breakfast of Champions

2010-02-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

A recent breakfast with my pal Evan at the Saturday Ferry Building Farmer's Market:

Lamb merguez sausage with an egg fom 4505 Meats and some delicious Korean fries from Namu. So delicious! Such a Saturday morning treat.

Friday Favorite: Afternoon Snack

2010-02-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

The perfect nibble to go along with your cocktail at 4 pm on a Monday you have off of work.

Wishing I could do a repeat of that day today.

Friday Favorite: Spices!

2010-02-19T08:30:00.001-08:00

Anyone know where this photo was taken??

One of the BEST spice collections I've ever seen. I love it there. I feel the need to get some of every single herb and spice. I wish those shelves were mine. I wish I had a little bit of each and ever jar. Until then? I guess I'm making lots and lots of return trips!

Friday Favorite: Some Porky Love

2010-02-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

Some people just know me oh so well. Kissing pigs. With little magnetic noses drawing them together. So adorable! Thank you Jason!!

Slowing Down...

2010-02-11T22:30:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

I still love my little blog. I still love you all. And I still love blogging. But why haven't I been doing it you ask? Time. Energy. Other projects. But I'm thinking about you all lots and lots. I promise.

And in the meantime, a few things.

This piece on Yahoo! about the decline of blogging with the younger generation caught my eye. So interesting. I promise I don't completely fall into that category. I DO still love blogging.

You want to hear what's on my mind? Follow my Tweets! I do have to admit, those short, succinct, 140 character bursts are a lot easier to keep up with. Find me there. All the same random thoughts. And many more thoughts about food, friends, life...and did I mention food?

You want to read about some of my recent eating escapades? Here's a review I wrote about Out the Door Bush Street...AND here's a review about the new wine bar, Heart, that's in my neighborhood. Hopefully I'll be channeling the reviewer in me to write a few more reviews online. We'll see.

Ok. So before I leave you. Here's a photo to keep you drooling for more!

From a recent dinner out with my good friends Wendy and Mark. Fried chicken and ramen--can someone say comfort food?

Hang in there readers. I'll be back. I hope you will be too!

The Comfort of Food...and a Sister

2010-02-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

It must be the weather. Or the time of year. Or just the mood I'm in. But I've been down. And in some serious need for comfort.

My sister and I have both been busy at work. And now that we don't have the luxury of living blocks from each other, seeing each other can be a bit more difficult. On a recent Sat when neither of us had plans, we decided to get together and to make the trek to the inner Sunset for some noodles and dumplings. It was just what I needed.

It ended up not being a horribly rainy day, but there was still enough of a chill in the air that we were both excited for some noodles, soup, and dumplings. We ended up at San Tung where in addition to all of that, we ate a plate of their famous dried fried chicken. So good!

As we sat there slurping up noodles, piercing the skins of the steamy dumplings and licking our fingers of the sweet sauce from the chicken, we talked and caught up. We talked about our recent work stresses and unhappiness. Upcoming trips we had planned. Our friends. Our dad. For a few hours that day, my sister and I were brought back to the comforting foods of our childhood and it almost felt like time stood still while we caught up.

After lunch, we ended up walking around some of the Chinese shops and grocery stores. And I was reminded that there is NO ONE out there that knows me like my sister. So many things that just come as second nature to us, things that are familiar to just the two of us from our childhoods, things that she knows I like, and things I know she likes.

It was a much needed afternoon outing. The good food was what my stomach needed and the good company what my heart needed.

Friday Favorite: Another Bench

2010-02-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

There's something about these benches that I love. On a few of my recent hikes, I've come across random benches perched up on hills. The romantic in me has visions of some day going on all of these hikes with someone special, taking a little rest at these benches and spending some quality time chatting and taking in the views.

Opps. Bench is a teeny bit hard to see, but squint, it's there!

Meal of the Month: January

2010-02-04T11:30:00.000-08:00

January was one of those gray and gloomy months. The holidays were over. And back to work. Back to ‘normal’ life. So how did I get through the month? Lots and lots of comfort foods. And some really good friends.

Let’s see. How did it all start? The new year started with a special and fun New Year’s Day brunch at my house. And brunches at Starbelly and Out the Door Bush Street—DELISH!

Then a special dinner (and party!) for my sister’s birthday. Love birthday’s—there’s always so many chances to celebrate.

Then Yosemite happened. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Chef’s Holiday event at the Ahwahnee Hotel. It was an amazing weekend. Filled with lots and lots of good food, good wine, and good people. We kicked off the weekend with some pizza at the hot spot in the park (good luck finding it!) We had a great meal in the beautiful Mountain Room at the Lodge in Yosemite the second night, and ended our weekend trip with the fancy Chefs’ Holiday dinner.

I had a lot of repeats. I was lucky enough to have dinner TWICE at my friend Michael’s house (talk about a sweet grill!) Beretta TWICE! Once with my friend Chip who was in town and once with my pal Defne. A new neighborhood restaurant, Tuba, was so good, I went TWICE! The second time we were even lucky enough to have a secret off the menu Turkish dessert. YUM! And then there was Nopa TWICE—delicious both times. And noodles, dumplings and Chinese comfort foods…THREE times. Twice at San Tung and once at King of Noodles…so good!

I dined at Incanto twice—once right after the Incanto refresh with my pal Wendy. And the second time for the 7x7 Flash Mob Friday (read all about that FUN FUN experience here.)

There was a great night at Nopalito catching up with my friend Joe. And a very special night of pizzas and beers at Pi with some of my favorite peeps- T, Shawn and Mark. There was the meal that pleasantly surprised me at Flour + Water with Sarah, Evan and Josh…oh, and did I mention? Boar six ways.

I had friends over for dinners…and lots of home cooked meals in. And there were drinks. Drinks at Beretta, Lucky 13, Lone Palm, Fish & Farm, Alembic, Heart, and at home. Lots of drinks at home. So if ALL of those meals weren’t my meal of the month. Than what was?

A late night meal at Nopa, at the end of a very long week, and with a special friend. The food was simple and perfect. The cocktails hit the spot. And it was one of those special experiences and special nights. People come into our lives for a reason. Sometimes you just have chemistry with someone and special friendships. This night was proof of that.

Picture Perfect

2010-02-03T13:30:00.000-08:00

At a recent dinner, as always, I was trying to capture pictures of everything we ate. I realized as we were scarfing down our desserts, that I hadn't taken a picture yet! So I quickly grabbed my camera to try and at least snap a picture of the empty plates. Something like this...

Simple right? Not so fast. Thanks to the fast fingers of my friend Evan, this picture was much harder than it should have been. It took a few tries to get the perfect picture...

The good news? We had lots and lots of laughs through it all. And in the end? A special and memorable (and delicious!) meal.

Friday Favorite: My Tagine!

2010-01-29T08:30:00.000-08:00

Ever since I made my preserved lemons, I've been wanting to do some more Moroccan cooking! I've been reading up on recipes, cookbooks, etc--but was missing one thing. A tagine. Until now.

Thanks to my good friend Tarlan, I am now equipped with my very own tagine! I can't wait to cook up some yummy Moroccan food in my new tagine.

Lonely Day Pie

2010-01-27T19:30:00.000-08:00

What do you do when you're down or lonely? I have friends that work out (jealous, wish that was me), and others that clean (also jealous.) Some drink (yea, been there too.) Others? They must sit at home and just sulk (ok, been guilty of that too.)

But me? I have to do something to make my mind off of things. I will often turn to the kitchen and cook or bake. What did I choose to do Sunday when I was feeling lazy and slightly down on a grey Sunday? I chose baking.

Decided to take out one of my new cookbooks and try a new recipe. And since I had some fresh yummy apples from the Farmer's Market, an apple pie sounded as good as anything. Plus I needed practice rolling out dough and making pie crust.

The only problem? When the pie was done, I didn't feel like cutting into it. It seemed so silly and like such a waste to cut a small sliver of pie for just one person. (plus, shhh, but I really don't have that much of a sweet tooth.) Back to the original problem, the whole lonely thing. What's the fun in cooking and baking if there's no one to cook and bake for??

The only saving grace? All of my wonderful friends that while not physically with me, with me on email, text message, Facebook, and Twitter. Thanks for the love and support. Guess I'm only physically alone. Until then? Anyone want some apple pie?

My Turkish Coffee

2010-01-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

One look into my empty coffee cup, and even the manager of my new favorite local restaurant, Tuba, could tell. My heart hurt. Those were his exact words. Ouch.

As he, with insane accuracy, told me what the coffee grounds said, I couldn't help but wonder. Will my luck turn around this year? Will there be new love interests? Maybe the next time I get my coffee grounds read, the outcome won't be so gloomy.

Flash Mob: Dining Style

2010-01-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

Where was I and what was I doing at exactly 8:00 p.m. last Friday? Here are some hints:

I was at Incanto! It was 7x7 magazine's first ever Flash Mob Friday, and my friend Defne and I wanted to participate. And participate we did. We sent in more than our fair share of pictures for the Flash Mob.

And with each snap, we'd break out into endless giggles. We came up with funny captions for each of our photos and while they may not have been funny to anyone else, we thought we were hilarious.

On top of the great laughs and girl time? We had some amazing food in the newly renovated Incanto (referred to as Incanto 2.0)

The delicious 'Head and Shoulders' (which we referred to as 'Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes, Knees and Toes') was so good! If you ever see that on the menu, you MUST get it. The Boccalone sausage and smoked eel was another hit. As was my old favorite, the spaghettini. We ended the night with the most delicious caramel corn ice cream. SO GOOD!

I can't wait for the next flash mob. Until then, click here on 7x7's website to see the other pictures submitted. Kind of fun to see what was happening in SF restaurant's all around town at the exact same moment in time.

Friday Favorite: My KitchenAid

2010-01-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

This little guy was working OVERTIME over the holidays:

One of the best purchases I've ever made. And sadly, for most of the last few years, due to lack of kitchen counter space and outlets, I rarely used it. Now? In my new home? Not only is there space for it on the counter, but also space for it in my cabinets when I conveniently need to hide it. What should I make next?? Maybe something from my new Baking cookbook? I can't wait!

Brothers

2010-01-20T13:30:00.000-08:00

I am a lucky gal. I have an amazing sister and although I didn't grow up with brothers, I've since been given the gift of brothers. My very good friend Matt is like an older brother to me. I've known him for more than 10 years, and have been through a lot of ups and downs with him. We've known each other through boyfriends, through living abroad, through new jobs, through new homes, through his parents' divorce and through my mom's death. He is one of my dearest friends, and I am so thankful to have him in my life.

With Matt, came Adam and Brendan. His brothers. They became my friends too. What I love the most is seeing how different they all are. I love and appreciate each of them for their own uniqueness and for their own traits. I love that they each have their own lives and are happily pursuing their dreams. I love watching them come together and I love being a part of their family. I also love what each of them bring out in me.

I save my small knowledge of pop culture for Matt, and get fashion tips and celebrity gossip from him. He is one of the best traveled people I know and I'm always trying to meet up with him in some exotic location. He is the best person to go shopping with, and is one of the most stylish people I know. I love that I can talk about anything with Matt. I appreciate that I can be myself around Matt. Matt is fiercely loyal and incredibly generous with his loved ones. Matt and I can be in different time zones and a world away and not talk for weeks and then just pick up right where we left off...

Adam is someone I look to for inspiration. Adam inspires me to get out of the city and to spend more time outdoors. I respect Adam's ability to make a difference in the lives of so many people. I love reading about the trips and hikes he takes and goes on with his dad and mom, and I find myself envious of his close relationship with them both. I have utter respect for Adam's incredible independence.

And Brendan. He has the distinction of not just being like a brother to me, but a younger brother. Brendan is who I go to when I need to feel young again. When I want to hear how much my alma mater has changed since I graduated, and the person that makes me dig up old college pictures and memories. He's also who I go to when I want to be someone's big sis. Brendan has been politically charged since he was young, and is going to have a place in politics. Brendan is going to change the world. He is a natural leader and is already rallying his friends and peers, getting them out there and educating people an issues that matter most to him.

I am thankful for Matt, and for his friendship. But I'm also forever indebted to him for sharing his family with me as well. I absolutely cherish my time with this family of mine and hope for many many more good memories with them.

And in the meantime, Happy Birthday Brendan!!

Scenes from an Urban Hike

2010-01-17T10:45:00.000-08:00

On my recent urban hike through San Francisco, I was surprised by how many different types of architecture there was!

This was practically a palace right out of the Mediterranean

I loved this little earthquake cottage!

GORGEOUS! Almost like a cabin in Lake Tahoe

And one of my favorites? This bush outside of this house--they were the perfect little round balls. Straight out of a Dr. Seuss book

I loved checking out all that SF had to offer. So many different types of homes. I can't wait to explore a different neighborhood on my next urban hike!

Friday Favorite: Pink Pig

2010-01-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist. Christmas Eve--my cousins and sister are at my house. We were making Christmas cookies! My sister had this great set of cookie cutters--Christmas trees, snowmen, gingerbread men, snowflakes, etc. But me? What shape cookies did I want to make? Pig shaped cookies.

I had received this adorable pig cookie cutter and had never had the chance to use it. No time like the present!

Take A Hike!

2010-01-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

I am kicking off the New Year with lots of time out doors. And am quite proud of myself. I recently had the opportunity to go on a beautiful hike in Marin, and it was GORGEOUS. Martha and Kevin, two ‘new friends’ of mine that I barely knew, were kind enough to invite me to their housewarming party. Which was a hike and then bbq in their new home afterward. It was perfect!

The hike was a combo of trails, the Miwok trail, Coyote Ridge Trail, and a few other trails that we were on for a short period of time. We weaved through the eucalyptus trees at the start of the hike, went through a narrow portion where we were hiking single file, and then hiked through a more open pasture section. We made our way through the Zen Center, through the gardens there, pass some stables, and then ended up on Muir Beach. It was a bit of a chilly day, but the scenery there was still incredible. The hike back home was a little bit more difficult, with a good portion of the hike being a virtual vertical climb. Ouch.

But all in all? A really nice way to spend a Saturday morning. And here are some of the stunning photos from our hike. I can’t wait to get back out there. Enjoy!

The eucalyptus scent was so fresh!

It was a bit cloudy, but you could see the SF skyline peeking through the clouds

As we hiked down this ridge, we could see the beautiful Zen Garden below us

An amazing field of flowers...so pretty

We made it to Muir Beach!

The long (and steep) hike back...but with such pretty views of the water!

Loner

2010-01-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

After back to back days of craziness and of running around, this girl, just wants to be alone. And personally? I have found that I am loving my time alone a little bit more and more the older I get. Sure, I crave time with my friends. And I love having friends over for wine, for dinner, or just to hang out. But sometimes? A little time solo? Perfecto.

Friday Favorite: Silver Oak

2010-01-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

A delicious bottle of wine I recently had the opportunity to drink. What a treat!

Thanks Jim!!

Memorable Meals of 2009

2010-01-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

Well. In looking back at all of the meals I’ve had in 2009, I couldn’t help but feel incredibly lucky. And a little bit full. But seriously. I ate amazing meals in two country this year (Hong Kong and the U.S.), and within the U.S., I ate in tons of cities including San Francisco, Miami, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, New York City, Sonoma, Sacramento, Bodega Bay and Pebble Beach.

There were last meals at some favorite restaurants and first meals at some new restaurants. There were lots of old favorites and some old solid stand bys. Many meals at NOPA, Nopalito, Beretta, A16, SPQR, Fish & Farm, OTD Bush Street, Poleng Lounge, midi, Frances, Quince (old and new, thank you very much), Starbelly, Maverick, and Humphy Slocombe (yes, I consider those delicious ice cream cones a meal!)…

And then a delicious meal at Canteen with a dear new friend, seven courses of beef in the Tenderloin, an amazing warm summer night dinner at Park Chalet, and a fun fun FUN meal at El Dorado Kitchen.

Meals in my old SF neighborhood: Rex Café, Pesce, ZA Pizza, Café Meuse, U-Lee, Nick’s Crispy Tacos, Okozu, Polkers…

Meals in my new SF neighborhood: Beretta, Bar Tartine, Range, Monk’s Kettle, Contigo, Incanto…

And of course, some of the best meals were meals had at home! Dad’s home, my home, Tatiana’s many feasts, crabs in Defne’s new home, Sabine and Rohit’s house, many meals at Chad and Grace’s house-especially while Chad was in between gigs, my Michelle’s houses—my sister, Huie and Mah, Jen and Troy’s house, and lots and lots and LOTS of meals at Sarah and Evan’s house. To all of my friends and family that fed me—THANK YOU!

I had great meals in Miami at Sra. Martinez, Area 31, and at my dear friend Jorge’s house. Great meals in Washington, D.C. at Oyamel, Urbana, Tabard Inn, Proof, Circa, and then drinks at Marvin and The Gibson (again, yes, it counts as a meal!)

There were beautiful weddings were we of course indulged in delicious food—Mark and Serene, Nancy and Greg, and Bahram and Kristin.

Special events/meals including the Share Our Strength SF Gala dinner, Pebble Beach Food & Wine festival, Cochon555 and the SF. Chefs. Food. Wine Event.

And New York meals…who could forget the many many MANY New York meals? Blue Ribbon Sushi, Momofuku Saam, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Milk Bar, Boqueria, Harrison, 10 Downing, and The Breslin. There was also the brunch at Spotted Pig where I truly learned the meaning of “it’s a small world.” I can’t forget about my NY liquid dinners—Bobo, Jane Ballroom, Randolph, Whiskey Ward, PDT, Pegu Club, Employees Only and Summit Bar.

There were also some awesome Brooklyn eats: Prime Meats, Diner, Clover Club, Char No 4 and Marlowe and Sons.

Incredible.

If I had to pick my Top 10 Meals of 2009? Oy vey. Not a particularly easy task…but nevertheless. Amongst the many amazing experiences and meals, here are some of my favorites (in chronological order…)

1. One of my last meals in Hong Kong at the very start of 2009 at Tai Woo in Kowloon. (Read about that meal here in this old post.)

2. The special pre-opening meal at midi restaurant in San Francisco with my friend Michelle...it reminded me of why I love the restaurant industry so much. (Read about that meal here in this old post.)

3. My 30th birthday weekend in Sonoma—so many delicious meals over the weekend, but especially my birthday dinner prepared by my dear friend Wendy. (Read about that meal here in this old post.)

4. Pebble Beach Food & Wine weekend! From a special meal at Peppoli restaurant to the L.A. Michelin stars dinner…it was an amazing weekend, in a beautiful setting and with some good friends. (Read about that meal here in this old post.)

5. My Chinese French Laundry experience at Jai Yun restaurant with good friends, both old and new. That meal completely changed the way I think about Chinese food. (Read about that meal here in this old post.)

6. My Last Supper at Postrio. Delicious. Sad. Happy. Sentimental. Anger. I had so many feelings that night. But at the end of it all? I realized I was one of the lucky ones--I had been part of something special. (Read about that meal here in this old post.)

7. My dear friend Bahram’s wedding—which was not just a one night affair. It included a whole four days of festivities, fun and good food. (Read about that meal here in this old post.)

8. The many, MANY meals at Incanto…from taking two good friends, Seis and Lisa, to Cucina Poverna with good friends on a warm Sunday night, to a last minute Girl’s Night at the Incanto bar, to taking pals Defne and Joe there, to sharing the Leg of the Beast meal with a special 13 year old. I am never disappointed, I always love taking friends in to experience all that Chef Chris and his team have up their sleeves. (Read about that meal here in this old post, and here and here and here.)

9. My TWO Thanksgiving dinners. Because one just isn't enough. And I'm surrounded by people that love me (and good food.) (Read about both of those meals here in this old post.)

10. My TWO Christmas dinners. You can't have just one Christmas dinner after having two Thanksgiving dinners. (Read about both of those meals here in this old post.)

Ok. So that’s maybe a few more than ten meals. But hey, how is a girl suppose to choose from all of those amazing meals? 2010 is already starting off with a bang, and I know it’s going to be just as hard at the end of this year to choose ten amazing meals. But hey, I think I’m ok with that. I’m up for the challenge. In the meantime, thank you to everyone for sharing so many wonderful meals with me. Here’s to many more amazing meals in the new year!!

Urban Hike--Liberty Hill

2010-01-03T18:30:00.000-08:00

What a great way to kick off the new year. I was suppose to be hiking in Marin with some friends today, but that was canceled due to the recent rains and muddy paths. So instead? I talked two of my good friends into an urban hike instead! And it turned out to be a beautiful morning for it.

Check out these photos from the various parts of our hike on and all around Liberty Hill today:

And to think--all of this, within the SF city limits. I saw SO many cool spots this morning, and all relatively close to my house. There were some intense hills, some stairs, some STEEP downhills, and lots of curves and turns. It was an AWESOME hike. I can't wait to explore more of the local hills, neighborhoods, and sights. Thanks to Jason and Eric for the great company and especially to Eric for leading us on this great hike. When are we going again??

Mt. Wanda

2010-01-02T20:00:00.000-08:00

Some gorgeous photos from my recent Christmas Eve hike on Mt. Wanda. Many of the photos are courtesy of Cycling Teaching Guy, who has a fancy new camera and took many gorgeous pics.

The path...

Great views of the East Bay!

I loved this little barn in the distance and am glad my friend Adam's camera was able to capture this image framed by the pretty trees.

It was sunny and surprisingly not too cold--gotta love living in California!

I LOVED this picture of the leaves up close.

Gorgeous shot as you're approaching the final stretch of the hike. You can see how the trees almost create an awning overhead.

And one of the things I loved the most? This little bench just off of the path. I know I'll be back on this hike, and I have visions of sitting on this bench and contemplating the world with a good friend.

Here's to getting out on more hikes in 2010!!

Friday Favorite: A Three Legged Pig

2010-01-01T08:30:00.000-08:00

One of the best house warming gifts I received after my big move.

According to the little tag, in the village of Pomaire, Chile, it's believed that little pigs bring good luck, and three legged pigs bring especially good luck.

So my thoughtful friends Sarah and Evan, appropriately, thought of me! Here's hoping this little piggy and new home bring me lots and lots of good luck in the new year! Happy New Year everyone!!

Meal of the Month: December

2009-12-31T17:00:00.000-08:00

As 2009 comes to an end, I think about my December meals. What a treat to have had so many delicious meals. As I fully settled into my new neighborhood, many of my meals were local!

Two great experiences at Frances, Osha Thai food (after an afternoon of decorating my Christmas tree!), margaritas and nibbles at Velvet Cantina after a VERY long Saturday of working, an awesome meal with an awesome girlfriend at Monk’s Kettle (which lead to LOTS of drinks at the Phoenix!), a Mission food and drink crawl which included Range and Bar Tartine, and well, yes, of course, a number of meals at Beretta.

There was also dinners at Fritz, Delarosa, Poleng Lounge, an extra special dinner at Fish & Farm with my favorite 2 little boys, and nibbles (and Manhattans) at Postrio after an successful day of post-Christmas shopping.

And then there were lots of dinners at home. Well, not necessarily my home. There was a yummy night getting our fingers nice and dirty and eating some crabs at my pal Defne’s house. And then the yummy pasta night at Tatiana’s house with her and Easton (followed by lots of wine and good TV). And then dinner at my friend Adam’s sweet pad in Danville (which was followed by some trampolining in the rain…umm, that's a whole other story!)

But the Meal of the Month? Well, how could it not be my Christmas dinners? Oh yes. Dinners. Plural. Did I mention there was more than one? Like Thanksgiving, I have good fortune of having two meals that were very Christmasy. One with my good friend’s family and one with my own.

I’m very lucky to love my family, but the family that you choose, or have the good luck of meeting, can also be very special. It’s wonderful to have people in your life that have welcomed you into their life. And into their homes. An early Christmasy dinner with the Mo, Matt, Adam, Brendan and Jim sure reminded me how lucky I was to have these people in my life. To be invited into their home time and time again, to be able to take part in the precious family time that they all get together, and to be able to cook, drink wine, and eat with them was a treat.

Photos courtesy of Adam

Just a short day later, Christmas with my own family. In my own home. It was great to be able to have them all over for such a special meal. My first Christmas in my own home. It might have been my first Christmas in my home, but it certainly wasn't a new menu. We ate our traditional Christmas dinner--prime rib, Chinese broccoli, bok choy, baked potatoes, yams...and our secret recipe gravy! YUM! No matter what, Christmas won't be Christmas until I share this meal with my loved ones.

Photos courtesy of Michelle

To my friends and family--thanks for a yummy December!! Happy New Year!!

Resolutions

2009-12-30T11:30:00.000-08:00

I don't always do the whole resolution thing. But this year, I've been doing a lot of thinking. About this past year, next year, and this next decade. What do I have in store for myself? What do I want? And what do I want to change?

In no particular order, here are some things I want to focus on:

Put down the BlackBerry
I'm addicted. It's practically attached to my hand and it never leaves my side. Why? I have a friend Jonathan, who when ever he is with you, he puts away his phone. And he makes a point not to take phone calls. I'm not saying I'll go completely 180 degrees, but there is a time and a place for the BlackBerry. I'm gonna walk away more.

Make healthier choices
Whether it’s choosing the healthier option when looking at the menu at dinner, or choosing the hilly route home, or skipping that glass of wine and opting for the early morning Pilates class instead, I’m going to make healthier choices.

Letting go
Sometimes, I hold on too much. I have grudges. It's not healthy. Either those people are no longer in my life, or I just have to let go of it and not let them bother me. I'm likely the only one being bothered by it at all! Why hang on to these negative feelings? So to those old friends, frustrating colleagues, family members I've lost respect for and ex boyfriends, I'm letting go.

Go solo
I like being around people. I like having company. I like talking to friends. I like bouncing ideas off of someone else. I like sharing my thoughts and feelings. But I'm with people a lot. It wouldn't be a bad thing for me to do more things alone. Eat out. Go for a hike. Sit in a coffee shop. Go to a bar. One of the best memories I have, is from sitting alone in a coffee shop in Paris while my friend Matt was at work. Having those days alone and wandering the city solo was incredible. Why wait for Paris? Why not do it here too?

Pilates pilates pilates!
Every single time I do Pilates, I feel instantly better. I'm thinking about the next time I can go to a class before the session's even over! So why is it so hard for me to stick to a routine? (Hmm, likely because very little in my life is routine...) I'm going to stick to it next year. Really schedule it in-and let very few things get in the way of it.

Clear the clutter
When I moved this last year, I threw away a lot of things. But even so, I still have a lot of things. And I need to continue to focus on clearing the clutter. I'm going to just keep what is important. And if something's old, worn, or no longer needed, I'm tossing it (or donating it!) Before I bring anything else into my house, I'm going to think about it and make sure it is something I absolutely need and want to have. Here's to less stuff and more empty space.

Pen to paper
I love writing. And it’s a stress reliever for me. But I find that I’m not setting aside enough time to write. I have these thoughts, or ideas of posts I want to write, and what do I need to do? Set aside time. I need to put PEN TO PAPER. So. Here’s hoping for more posts in 2010.

Take more risks
I’m generally not a huge risk taker (ok, so there have been a handful of exceptions). I tend to play it safe. Why play it safe though? Life’s short. And we don’t know how much time we all have. And who knows? That one risk may lead to other opportunities, or another unexpected surprise.

Be a photog
I love photos. And I generally take my camera with me most every where I go. But I often forget to take it out and USE it. Or I’m too embarrassed to stop everyone in the middle of what they’re doing to take a photo. Well. No more. I love photos. And I want to capture it all. Not only the foods I eat, and the places I go, but my friends, and the people I’m with. Time goes by so quickly, and at the end of the day, all of those really amazing moments will forever remain in my memory, but why not try and capture them on ‘film’ as well? So watch out friends. You hang around me, and you’re bound to get your picture taken.

Tell my family and friends that I love them more often
Ok. This is dumb, but Brittany Murphy got me thinking about this. Her very sudden death made me remember, our time here is short. And you never know what is going to happen. Do the people you love know how you feel about them? I know my family and friends knows how much I love them, but could it hurt to say it more often? We need to remember that if we loose our tempers, or we get angry, or if we disagree on something, we need to put it past us. So to my dad, sister, and friends, I LOVE YOU!

Guest food blogging...

2009-12-28T15:21:00.000-08:00

Hola, this is Adam from CyclingTeacherGuy and I’m here guest blogging for Jamie. It was easy to choose a theme for the guest blog, food… I hope you enjoy...

Eating when you travel can be a bit tumultuous at times, especially when it’s your first time in a new country. With that being said, so many new experiences can develop throughout a trip. My favorites from Peru are below…

Lima is considered the gastronomical capital of South America, and they’re known for their ceviche and pisco sours, mmmm. We were told the ceviche was so fresh, it was caught only hours before, the flavor can attest to their claim. Anthony Bourdain did a feature on Peru and their cuisine, even having lunch at Segundo Muelle where the photos below were taken during our lunch. Next time you're in Lima, this restaurant is a must visit!

As in any large city, different neighborhoods can offer so much variety and character. The Baranco neighborhood just south of Miraflores was very special. Having been revitalized in recent years, we had to check out the food, markets and local bars to see for ourselves.

A great local restaurant, found us having goat cheese pizzas and lots of wine. Isidro was our waiter, and it turns out he was 85 years old and has never traveled outside of Peru. Our Spanish is above average, and his English was non-existent, so the communication came from our end. After four bottles of wine, and a few extra pizzas to get us home, we promised to come back for a visit.

When the wine spills in Baranco, just tie a napkin around the stem...

Isidro, 85 and full of character...

Breakfast in other countries is always somewhat of a toss up. Yogurt is the norm in Europe, eggs and lots of meat in Germany, so what does Peru serve at first light.

Well, bread and coffee. Some hotels had jam or butter, but it was always just bread and coffee. It took us about four to five of these bread rolls to fill up, some protein would have been nice, but the coffee was excellent!

We bought bags of bread from this local woman...

I had to include this non-food photo. Pisac was a great little town just over the hill from Cusco, and it's a must see for any traveler headed to Peru.

A huge thanks to Jamie for letting me guest blog on Adventures in SF!

The Holiday Season

2009-12-28T15:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy few weeks and months, so while I wish I had gotten into the Christmas spirit a tad bit earlier, the past few weeks finally did put me into the holiday spirit.

It started with getting a Christmas tree! Nothing puts you in the holiday spirit quite like the smell of pine. My sister and good friend Tarlan (who's practically another sister to me) were with me for this outing/adventure. We had a great lazy Saturday picking up the tree and then spending the afternoon decorating it.

A few weeks later, I had an amazing outing ice skating with my sister and two of my favorite little boys. And even though it had been YEARS since I had been on skates, it all came right back to me. It was also so incredible to see these two boys learning to skate. Adorable!

Then there was a weekend of baking. Lots of baking. Let's just say my friends received lots and lots of yummy cookies and goodies for the holidays.

Then what really kicked it into high gear? An amazing night at a good friend's family's house for a pre Christmas dinner. It was so special to be invited into this wonderful family's home for such a special meal. We started with a blind taste taste of some of Napa's finest Cabernets. (My personal fav? The Silver Oak 2004--YUM! Thanks Jim!)

Then we kicked off Christmas Eve with a beautiful hike on Mt. Wanda. It was such a perfect leisurely hike and I loved having a chance to chit chat one on one with Mo, Matt, Adam and B-dog all along the hike. I hope they'll invite me back and we can continue our Christmas tradition.

Post hike? One of the most delicious brunches ever! Complete with marmalade made from fruit from a tree that was more than 100 years old in Roquebrune. The blue table cloth almost transported me right to France.

Christmas Eve, my cousins and sister came over, and we spent hours like little kids, decorating cookies! It was nice to be able to spend some time with my cousins--we caught up on each other's lives, chatted about our grandparents and reminisced together about the 'good old days'.

What became obvious to me this holiday? Christmas isn't about just one day. It's about the entire holiday season. And finding the chance to spend time with all of your loved ones through many days. I'm thankful to have so many amazing family and friends in my life. And thankful that I was able to see so many of them this holiday season.

When Life Gives You Lemons

2009-12-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

Preserve them!!

On my preserving kick, and in an effort to make home-made Christmas presents, I decided to take a big bag of lemons I recently got off my dad's tree, and put them to good use!

I had the concept in my head, and then over dinner with some friends, my friend Evan talked me through the process. A quick search on the internet and I found a super simple 'recipe' from Epicurious.com courtesy of Paula Wolfert.

I wasn't exactly sure how many lemons it would take to fill a jar...and as usual with me, I was kind of winging it. I may have squished them down a little too much. Oh well. My kitchen is my laboratory, but methods are certainly not very scientific. I planned to take notes and continue to tweak for future batches. In the meantime, thanks to @mando66, I had some perfect size mason jars. (See? Another Twitter miracle!)

With the number of lemons I had, I yielded 4 jars in my first batch. And they were beautiful! The bright yellow made these the perfect holiday gift.

Now comes the hard part. Waiting a few weeks until I can open a jar and taste. Oh. And deciding who's going to get the remaining 3 jars.

Friday Favorite: Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone!! Hoping you're spending the day relaxing, sleeping in, eating, drinking, and being merry with lots of loved ones around you.

Here's a cute (and crocked) picture of my Christmas tree in my living room taken by one of my favorite little budding photographers. Thanks Nate for the pic!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 12--A Village

2009-12-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

Ok. Quite possibly, my FAVORITE collection of ornaments. The little village people! They're these little wooden characters--one is holding an old fashioned oil lamp, one has a little broom, one's got a little Christmas tree--and they're all just so cute!

I remember when we were little, my sister and I would play with the little people before we hung up the ornaments. And we'd make up little stories and play out the lives of these little guys in their village. To this day, these are still some of my absolute favorite ornaments and they bring back so many happy memories.

Surprise Christmas Present--Guest Blogging

2009-12-24T15:45:00.000-08:00

What a treat. I've never been asked to be a guest blogger before! So when I was at my friend's for our annual holiday get together, I was pleasantly surprised when his brother, and my friend, Adam asked me to guest post on his blog. And by guest blog, he meant right then and there!

So while he was in the shower, the fastest shower in the world, I was put to the test. It's a little bit of pressure to write something on someone else's blog. And in so little time! But here it is--on his blog: Cycling Teacher Guy.

So thanks to Adam for letting me write a little something on his blog. Hopefully I'll be able to convince him to write a few guests posts for me too! He's always out hiking and riding, and has great stories from his classroom and travels. I'm jealous of the things he gets to see and do. So maybe he'll share some of it with all of us here!

Hoping you're all enjoying the holiday season with your friends and family!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 11--Home is Where the Heart Is

2009-12-23T18:00:00.000-08:00

One of my simpler ornaments. But in it's simplicity is it's beauty.

After all, aren't the holidays all about family, friends, and loved ones?