A Trip to the City

This past weekend, Tawsh, Jen, Jenna and I spent two days in the city with Leah, Benny, Jeff, Carrie, Rob, Max, Kevin, Lolly, Cassi and Alexandra. We met Jeff and Leah in Dolores Park, went to Four Barrel (my fave for the best latte in the city,) where we picked up Carrie and Cuco's Restaurant for the most amazing plantain burritos. The burritos were such an interesting texture and flavor, smoky and with heat but also a touch of sweetness. Afterwards, Max, Kevin, Cassi, Alexandra and Benny came with the crew to Smugger's Cove, a tiki bar, where we took up the entire top floor and sipped on rum cocktails all night long. I can't remember a lot of the specific drinks, but the daiquiris, the mojitos and the flaming volcano drinks were tremendous. After a couple of hours, we then headed to Underground SF, a gay dance club. So much fun and such good music - a mix of 90s pop and hiphop. Once the club closed, we headed to Kevin's, where I fell down the stairs - like what? After spending a few hours recovering, Carrie and I hit up a cheap Chinese place for lunch and Dynamo Donuts for coffee, took a nap and then met Rob at Philz for a delish chai tea latte before hitting up the Folsom Street Fair with the other amigos. The Folsom Street Fair was crazy overload of nudity, fun and general insanity. By then, we were all feeling rather awake so we walked to the Mission and had an array of delish Vietnamese dishes at Sunflower, which was Carrie's choice. And it was a good one. I had pan-fried garlic noodles with veggies, Carrie had vermicelli noodles with these phenomenal spring rolls. Others had pho, beef dishes, pot stickers. And I also had a Vietnamese iced tea - life-giving. It was a wonderful meal to end a wonderful weekend :-) (And the drive home at 4:30 in the morning was equally amazing though I was barely conscious for it.)

Once again, I am just overwhelmed by how lucky I am to have these people in my life. They are warm, intelligent, hilarious, and talented and I love them. So much.

*The song is Suckers - Get Your Body Moving

Four Barrel - 375 Valencia

Cuco's - 488 Haight

Smuggler's Cove - 650 Gough

Underground SF - 424 Haight

Dynamo Donuts - 2760 24th St

Philz Coffee - 748 Van Ness

Folsom Street Fair

Sunflower Cafe - 3111 16th

[From Scratch] Ending the Summer with a Dinner Party

A few weeks ago (during this blog interim of ours), my friends and I got together to celebrate the summer with a get-together at my home in Bernal Heights. Everyone brought food, we played records, and just had a generally amazing time.

Now it's time for fall. Is it wrong that I am so excited to break out my scarves again and sip coffee indoors and buy some vegan boots and watch leaves fall?

But though I'm excited for a new season, here is a photo homage to what went down at the dinner party and how much I have enjoyed this foggy summer here in San Francisco. Despite my complaints, I love the fact that I can eat ramen happily year-round.

Fig, prosciutto, and chevre on fresh bread

Maureen brought this Irish dish that had fortunes in it! What a surprise!

Mmm, parsley and heirloom tomatoes

Lovely wine

Ryan brought sushi at the last minute. Total save.

Marie's zucchini muffins

Then the food was pretty much decimated

Yep.

Nika wishing everyone a happy summer

[Get Involved Tuesdays] Kitchen Table Talks in SF

Image via Humble Seed

If you want to learn more about food politics, join in on the Kitchen Table Talks series. This month's installment will be on the political history of the tomato, heirloom varietes, and more. Fascinating!

It will take place in two weeks, on Tuesday, July 26. There is a $10 suggested donation, but to each their own. Maybe it will be incentive to you to know that Bi Rite will be providing snacks?

Find out the details on the Civil Eats blog.

[Friday Link Round-Up]

1. This Portabello Burger over at Design*Sponge. I'm kind of FREAKING OUT about it. Made by Green Kitchen Stories in Stockholm, but it includes a full recipe, which I fully intend to emulate. It's gluten-free too! If you're into that. Otherwise, just eat it on regular people bread.

via Design*Sponge

2. I'm finding the infographics over at Socialcast are actually helping me work better. Check them out for yourself.

3. It's Pride this weekend in San Francisco, and Pizzeria Delfina is celebrating with its own T-shirt for the Dyke March on Saturday. Loves it.

4. Heidi Montag is getting her own food show? Danielle from the Real Housewives of New Jersey is going to be on it? Gross. Barf. And yet... I might watch it anyway. Then barf. I'm hoping we can actually see a different side of these people, but something tells me they're pretty one-dimensional.

[Get Involved Tuesdays] Rally Around the Underground Market

Photo via High/Low Food/Drink

If you're in San Francisco, I'm sure you heard about the cease and desist delivered to the Underground Market at Public Works two weeks ago.

Well, now, the founder is encouraging the 50,000-something fans and vendors to act in order to keep the market going!

Check out the e-mail from the founder, Iso Rabins, and read all about the many vendors who have gotten a start at the market and all the creativity that has come out of these foodie-centered events. Then follow his suggestions at the end in order to support the market's continued existence. Food to the people!

[Get Involved Tuesdays] La Cocina Kitchen Incubator

via Truck Food Nation

Obviously, I've been doing a lot of research on starting a food-related business. I don't intend to quit my day job anytime soon after seeing the astronomical fees associated with starting such a business plan. There are insurance bills, business license fees, rent for a commercial kitchen space, and so on.

Enter La Cocina. In a city like San Francisco, so rich with diverse ethnic foods, La Cocina is one of the prime players in incubating new and interesting culinary talent. In fact, a La Cocina participant just opened up a piroshki shop down the street, called Anda Piroshki.

Want to get involved? Whether you want to volunteer at events, be a mentor, just donate money, or even participate in the program yourself, find all the infos at their beautiful website.  Next up on their calendar? This weekend they are publicizing an event by the non-profit group Fresh Approach. Fresh Approach offers free nutrition and cooking classes to low-income families, and they're hosting a big farmer's market-style brunch for only $10 per person at Jack London Square in Oakland. So go out and eat for a good cause!

[Get Involved Tuesdays] Porn and Community Events? Just another day in SF.

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Bay to Breakers 2011

We apologize (yet again?) for the non-posting. Amber's working on finishing up her master's program in London - she's such a smarty pants - and I really have no excuse other than the fact that I've been preparing for ridiculous events like Bay to Breakers. 

Bay to Breakers is one of San Francisco's premiere party weekends, and it's truly worth all the hype. My friend Marie (who raises the chickens among other things) and I went as Minnie Mice. You can pretty much dress up as whatever. So it's Halloween x 10,000, and it all starts at 7 am. Welcome back to college, Carrie. You did not do party hard enough the first time. No, but seriously, I didn't.

Marie and I in our costumes

These dudes went as bacon. They forgot that chicken nuggets are the new bacon in SF. Bacon is so last year. 

Some people actually run the race too. This is a view down Fell. 

The view from a house party we stopped in at in Hayes Valley

A legit DJ

That Sesame Street sign is part of someone's costume.

People do this a lot. It is just downright vile. Vile, I say! 

The view from a rooftop party on Divisadero just before you hit the Panhandle. Legit.

[Food + Drink Wednesdays] Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs

I ran into some of these babies last week at about midnight in the Mission. While normally I try to keep the bacon-eating to a minimum, I decided it would be a good time to give one of these a try. They passed the Carrie's Tummy Loves You test with flying colors.

And so did the guy who made them.

[Get Involved Tuesdays] San Francisco Food Blogger Bake Sale

If you're lucky enough to live in San Francisco comme moi, come out this weekend to eat some bombass baked goods and support a good cause. The proceeds go to Share Our Strength, an organization that seeks to end child hunger. 

Tons of San Francisco-based blogging superstars will be selling their goods, including Anita from Desserts First, Shauna from Piece of Cake, and lots more (over 50 volunteer bakers!) that are sure to impress. There will be two locations and it will be going from 10 AM to 6 PM. Or make a direct donation if you can't make it. Find all the details on the official press release. 

Eat up, and I hope to see you there! I'm going to Six Flags afterwards, so it's sure to be a very, very happy Saturday. 

much love, 

Carrie Melissa

Droolsies! (via Desserts First)

[Travel Saturdays] The Mission

Spent Thursday roaming around the Mission with Rob, Max and Tawsh and we were later joined by Carrie. Hit up some great coffee places, including Four Barrel and The Summit. Four Barrel had the best latte I have had in a while, and both cafes had this amazing modern, loft-style vibe going on. Love it. Also, Four Barrel had amazing donuts from Dynamo Donut... We tried the apricot cardamom one and the maple bacon one. Were those good decisions or were those good decisions? The apricot one had a perfect amount of cardamom and was impressively scrumptious. We browsed through the Community Thrift Shop, a few vintage stores and took photos along the way. For lunch, Max, Rob, Tawsh and I had delicious pupusas at El Majahual Restaurant (only $2.50 each!) Carrie met us at The Painted Bird, a tiny, well-curated vintage store and I found a vintage Coach purse I had been searching for.

Our friend Jeff helped organize a fundraiser for STOP AIDS Project at The Thirsty Bear, a brewery/tapas place. The beers were great, especially the IPA and the vanilla one. We then proceeded to drink beers at Zietgeist, Casanova, and Blondie's for more beer and tequila shots (the last part may have been a bit excessive.) However, all in all, it was an amazing day in the city with some amazing people. How much more could I ask for?

[Get Involved Tuesdays] The Gardens at Alcatraz

If you love to garden and also love Nicolas Cage movies about Alcatraz, boy, do I have an opportunity for you. Alcatraz needs volunteers to help in their gardens on Wednesday and Friday mornings. In 2003, the gardens were all but non-existent. Weeds had grown over everything and the whole area was a mess. But thanks to all the volunteers who have committed time over the years, the Gardens of Alcatraz are now blossoming and beautiful. This opportunity does require a bit of a commitment, but you can also arrange a group volunteer day. All the training, tools, and a ferry to and from Alcatraz are provided to volunteers.

Get all the details at the website here, and start weeding, pruning, and planting!

Images via Gardens of Alcatraz site

[Food + Drink Wednesday] SF Food Blog Log: The All-You-Can Eat Guide to the Bay Area

I present to you, lovely readers, a semi-definitive list of San Francisco food blogs. San Francisco loves food almost as much as it loves talking about how much it loves food. So these blogs are by San Franciscans, about San Francisco food culture, and usually contain epic photos of food-related greatness. This list is a work in progress, but I think I've brought together the most notable tastemakers (please excuse my terrible pun) the Bay has to offer. 

Blogs by San Francisco Writers

• Cooking with Amy: gourmet recipes; restaurant, book, and travel reviews.
• Chez Pim: a “professional eater” chronicles cooking, baking in San Francisco and around the world
• An Obsession with Food: An SF food writer’s take on the local “food scene” and offers tips on wine, cooking techniques, etc. No recipes.
• 101 Cookbooks: A blog written by an SF-based food writer, cookbook author, and photographer. Beautiful photos and great, inventive recipes.

via 101 Cookbooks

• The Certifiable Foodie: Food news, recipes, local farm news, and so on.
• Italy in SF: Italian food in the Bay Area
• becks & posh: An English girl explores SF's culinary adventures.

Via becks & posh

• Gastronomichael
• No Salad as a Meal: Food reviews, etc.
• Married with Dinner: A couple’s blog on SF food.
• Food Wishes: So cool. Chock full of VIDEO recipes from this SF chef.
• Briciole: An Italian girl in California.

Food News & Review Blogs

• 7x7: The food section of the San Francisco magazine
• SF Eater: News, Reviews. Part of the larger Eater.com blog

Via SF Eater

• KelsEats: Reviews of restaurants, dining
• Mission Mission: Not a food blog, but does have a food and drink category, which gives reviews, SF-centric food news, and good local information (even though it’s crazy hipster)
• Uptown Almanac: Not a food blog, but has an extensive “Eats and Beers” category (their largest category behind “Mission District,” “Street Art” but slightly larger than “Douchebaggery”). Contains reviews and food-related news.

Via Uptown Almanac

• GrubStreet SF: Local and national/international news.
• SFoodie: SFWeekly’s Food Blog
• Bay Area Bites: KQED’s SF food blog.
• Beer & Nosh: Beer news and reviews, beer dinners, market news.

Via Beer & Nosh

• Tablehopper: Not a blog, per se. It’s a website for the author’s weekly newsletter, focusing on SF dining reviews and the like.
• Hidden Menu: An amazing blog with amazing photos from restaurants around the Bay Area that details all the “secret menu items” that you’d never know existed.
• SF Cart Project: Food cart news galore.
• Edible San Francisco: A blog for the big, glossy magazine, called Edible.

Academy of Sciences Chef via Edible

• Inside Scoop SF: Michael Bauer’s Blog for the San Francisco Chronicle
• Summer Tomato: Tips on healthy, local, sustainable eating by San Francisco-based food scientist, Darya Pino, Phd.

Baker Blogs by Bay Area bakers

• Bake with Mars
• Dessert First (see microblog for SF-centric posts)

Via Dessert First

• Ciao Samin
• Eat the Love
• The Tomato Tart
• The Flirty Guide
• La Vie en Route
• Piece of Cake



Via Piece of Cake

Food Communities:

• SF Food Wars
• I'm sure there are more of these, but I'm having trouble tracking them down. 

Vermont Cheese Forests via SF Food Wars

Bay Area Book Expo Starts Tonight!

And by tonight, I mean tomorrow night.

[Get Involved Tuesdays] Princess Project

Photo via Princess Project Gallery

One of my co-workers was just telling me that they heard about this organization on NPR a few days ago. The Princess Project allows Bay Area women to donate their old prom and formal dresses to girls who can love them all over again but who maybe couldn't afford a brand-new dress to wear once. That means it's a win-win: you get that black and white Jessica McClintock dress out of your closet to make room for some new stuff (and you don't have to worry about how the zipper doesn't seem to zip up quite the same) and a girl gets to feel beautiful for her prom night. You loved that dress once, but get real, you'll never wear it again. Let someone else make it their own.

Read more about how it works here.

Or give your time instead of your dresses year-round by volunteering.

[Food + Drink Wednesdays] Weekly Produce News Bites from Draeger's

These are from Peru, which is kiiiinda far.

Is it wrong that this reads like fine poetry to me?

It's also a shame that there is no RSS feed for the Draeger's Produce News Bites because I want daily updates on the quality and sourcing of my produce. No joke. Also, you've just gotta love the funny descriptions and puns that sometimes slip in.

I also love the Fruit of the Month postings.

Yes, there is officially something wrong with me.

[Food + Drink Wednesdays] Food Porn: Maple Glazed Bacon Donuts

I DIE!

(from Dynamo Donuts in the Mission)

[Food + Drink Wednesdays] ForageSF Seeking Interns, Foragers

Macaroons galore at the Forage Markets

This just in: The fabulous ForageSF, the group that brings you the not-so-top-secret underground farmer's markets across the Bay Area, is looking for interns and "foragers". Interns will help set up and organize all their cool events, and foragers will help to gather food for the group's monthly foraged dinners. To apply, just email rachel@foragesf.com. More info about the organization is located on their website and blog. 


In other wonderful food news, their next big underground market event will take place at Public Works in San Francisco on January 15. If you haven't been to one of their underground night markets, you're missing out. Just make sure you bring lots of cash. The cake lollipops and banh mi burgers will call out to you, and you will not be able to resist. 

Learn more about next week's market at the ForageSF blog. 

And there will be a full bar. Stop thinking about going and mark it in your planners already!

[Get Involved Tuesdays] San Francisco Food Bank

Camilo, one of the kids at the food bank

This year, I feel so lucky to be with my family in the Bay Area for the holidays. Last year, I spent Christmas on a deserted island in Tonga. And even though a guy in a red cowboy hat roasted a pig underground for our feast, there's just nothing like being with your totally dysfunctional family during these times (that, and some Mormons were trying to actively convert me to their religion while I ate dinner on said island).

This year, it's been my mission to give back during the holidays.

A great organization that constantly requires volunteers is the San Francisco Food Bank. This isn't a kitchen. It's a distribution network for kitchens, non-profits, and homeless shelters, so your efforts would go towards packaging and distributing food instead of preparing it. And, thankfully, there are lots of good people in SF who have taken all the volunteering spots in December.

Think of this as something to put on your list of New Year's resolutions. And if you have any extra food after the holidays or want to organize a post-holiday food drive, look into dropping off food at their warehouse. You can do it any day of the year.