SF Weekend(s) - The New Guide

As my mother says, I've been gallivanting around like an idiot, mostly up and down the state of California. There are probably too many reasons to lay out for you why I need to be not here and rather up there,* or perhaps anywhere. Instead of delving into my maniacal mind, which is a terrifying and yet fruitless journey, Imma just give you a list of shit that's fun in the City.**

Reunited with my lucky charm - she's still not into selfies.

Coffee:
Four Barrel, The Mission: Obvs I go here every morning I'm in SF, unless someone (ahem, Joe), convinces me to go elsewhere. Its a tried and true iced Americano, with shaded outdoor seating and a plethora of San Francisco characters, including a man who looked oddly like a Keebler elf this past weekend.

Me without coffee - terrifying

Snowbird, Inner Sunset: My favorite coffee shop near Rob, where we meander down when getting in a car is more trouble than its worth. Lots of seating, hot baristas and a delish latte.
Ritual, The Mission: Bright and airy. Some of the best espresso, but my venture into this particular Ritual cafe was marred by a recovering BAC level and a hot, bright sun designed to torture me.
Craftsman and Wolves, The Mission: Just ranked by New Potato as one of the top spots to get coffee, I'd walked by this artisanal, beautifully pretentious cafe but never ventured inside (because, well Four Barrel - #creatureofhabit.) Had the opportunity to try their coffee and a ridiculously delicious croissant with tomato jam and bacon and basically died of satisfaction. The company wasn't bad either.

Tawsh singing Prince

Food:
Saiwaii Ramen, Outer Sunset - After a weekend with a total of 6 hours of sleep over three days and lots of partying, one needs life-giving food. I hadn't properly eaten for about a day and a half when we made it to this Outer Sunset spot. After I had that first sip of broth, suddenly my organs starting working again. It was that feeling of drinking water when you're hot and dehydrated and feeling the cool liquid spread through your chest? In hindsight, slightly disconcerting.

Probably the best ramen I've had in a minute

Hillside Supper Club, Bernal Heights - Super cute spot in Bernal Heights (Carrie's old stomping grounds!). I'd like to go back here for a proper brunch. Due to extenuating circumstances, I could only manage the ricotta lavender-honey(!!!) toast the morning we went, but the quality, service and ambience were great.
Kitchen Story, The Mission - Hit up this place for an extended brunch with Rob and Evan. Korean fusion brunch, with an amazing bulgogi and belly rancheros (pork belly tacos with avo and poached eggs). I thought Outerlands was my fave place for brunch in the city, but Kitchen Story might be the winner (the BMs help lol).

Things to do:
Dolores Park - But you knew this already. Grab some wine and cheese at Bi-Rite and chill the eff out - while watching outdoor movies, mime performances, hula-hoopers and musicians.

Dolores

The Mint Karaoke Lounge - It's my weakness. And everyone at this place is genius. Mint fans take their karaoke so seriously and it is so much fun. We hit up this place with a group of ten of us. The highlight was a Prince cover by Tawsh and Jackson, which I tots instagrammed but apparently Prince was the original Taylor and has all that stuff copyrighted.
Folsom Street Fair - This year was the second year I'd been to the world's largest leather fair. Lol, my friend was like "oh, I can wear my leather jacket." - hmmm, it not's that kind of fair, unless the jacket is the only thing you're wearing. It was soooo crowded this year, but equally intriguing, exhibitionist and crazy.
Buckshot Bar - old school hip-hop, plenty of room to dance, a photobooth, and huge PBRs - you had me at everything.

Ladi, Sophie and me at Folsom

*If you're a reader of this blog, you know that SF is my favorite city and I've been trying to make the move up there for ages. Now, or rather in the very near future, is the time. But more on that later. It will suffice to say that I'm just trying to keep my head on straight during this process, so bear with me (and my panic attacks, random texts, and contact requests).

**To give you an example of how loopy I've been, I texted someone wanting to lay down the law. I legit was like "I'm laying down the law:" and then I couldn't figure out what I wanted to actually say that wouldn't make me sound like a psychotic amoeba. So I just left the colon there hanging out and avoiding conversation. Communication at its best.

The best men I know

Oh Hai. Foods, Words and Things I Sing in The Shower.

Whoops. I sort of fell of the face of the earth, but being a lawyer kind of sucks all the life out of you. Just kidding. (No, but seriously.) That being said, I've had an amazing last few months, which I'll slowly fill you in on once I get more of my shit together. But at the behest of my gorgeous friend Ladi, who also happens to be incredibly demanding, I thought I'd take my lunch break to fill you in on the happenings of Amber and Sophie Lee - I know you've been waiting with bated breath.

New Food and Drink – Los Angeles (I’ll be doing a Seattle, Palm Springs and SF version soon!)

Aline and I dressed up for dinner out.

Wolvesmouth – A double-digit course tasting menu, beautifully served in a renovated Craftsman bungalow buried in a Silverlake adjacent neighborhood. Unique flavor pairings, BYOB and hot chefs running around = best girls’ night ever. You have to basically apply each week via email and the cost is donation based, but you’re in the three-digits – AND IT IS TOTALLY WORTH IT.

Terrine – French inspired with a gorgeous outdoor patio, killer service and a foie gras burger that instantly clogged my arteries. Also check out the charcuterie board and the handcrafted cocktails for a summery afternoon.

Blue Bottle – I die. One of my favorite coffee places from SF opened up just down the block and I’ve been having to actively limit myself from inhaling their New Orleans cold brew, which contains milk, sugar, chicory and the meaning of life.

Preux and Proper – Southern style glammed up gastropub with po’ boys and remoulade up the wazoo. Dark wood, dim lighting, and plates to share = great date place… or one to drown your sorrows in with your best friends.

The girls at Malibu Wines

Malibu Wines – Finally, after years, checked this place our with my college posse. We loaded up on picnic supplies (read: cheese) and spent a warm summer afternoon on the grass doing wine flights and bottles. Parking is ample they provide a little shuttle and its an oasis in the middle of the Malibu Mountains. Also grrrrreat people watching (i.e. girls in inappropriate shoes and sheer dresses stumbling around screaming for more rose.)

Milkfarm – It totally makes sense that after doing an hour-long spin class at Revolutions in Eagle Rock on a Saturday morning, one should amble over to a cheese store and BUY EVERYTHING. Milkfarm has an extraordinary selection of imported and domestic cheeses, including Neal’s Yard Stilchelton – my favorite from London!

 The Books:


1. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot

• Okay, so a totally unique and beautifully fashion narrative of how a woman's "abandoned" cells became the starting block of most cell-lines and cell-based research, and she had no idea. And neither did her children. It's a loaded legal issue, but Skloot does a fantastic job of interweaving personal narrative and description into what could be a dry science book. Sort of like true crime, without the gore and some Bill Nye.

2. The Meaning of Human Existence, Edward Wilson

• Oddly enough, I've been having crazy, philosophical discussions about free will, determinism and the meaning of life with random people over the last couple of weeks. After listening to Brian Greene's podcast on On Being, I'd settled into a deterministic and not at all romantic view of human existence. But I picked this book up the other day, and the focus of human evolution, the need for belonging and altruism are all explained in a way that make human consciousness not mutually exclusive to a determinist view point -> somewhat romantic.

3. The Secret History, Donna Tartt

• Same author as The Goldfinch, this novel tells the story of a motley crew of intellectual students a couple decades ago, who get wrapped up in hedonism and murder. Sort of leaves with you a bad taste in your mouth, as Tartt skillfully demonstrates the complex nature of love and hate.

4. Modern Romance, Aziz Ansari

• Um, literally the best thing that's ever happened to bullshit relationship books, not that, I have, ahem, read any. Ansari pairs with great minds, including Columbia sociology professors and the founds of online dating (the sadistic individuals they are), to thoughtfully discuss the evolution of relationships with the advent of technology, social media and swiping. Hilarious, thoughtful, scientific and so many conversation starters. Except for the emphasis on the futility of finding your soulmate, I was pretty into this.

5. People Who Eat the Darkness, Richard Lloyd Parry

• Crazy, creepy, sleep with your lights on, and say a prayer kind of book. True crime at its best. Parry tells the story of a blonde-haired naive British "hostess" in Japan who goes missing. Her background, the disappearance, the investigation and the stuff that will give you nightmares is ridiculously well-told, complete with angst, anger, guilt, psychosis and desperation. I had to hide this book somewhere, just so I didn't have to be reminded about how bloody scary it was. 

6. Sweet Tooth, Ian McEwan

• One of my favorite authors, takes on a female "spy" in the 40s as she falls in love with her subject. Heartbreaking, complex, and wrought with tension, a total escapism novel. Perfect for a cloudy day in bed. 

What I'm listening to:

1. Elle King - Love Stuff - soulful, southern, and perfect for me to embarrass myself while strolling home with an iced coffee. Plus, like damn this girl owns her shit, and I'm so into "Exes and Ohs" (such an accurate reflection of my poor relationship choices) and "Where the Devil Don't Go."
2. Ryan Adams covering Taylor Swift's 1989 - two favorites together. I cried listening to this, and I wasn't even hormonal. Pretty good stuff.
3. Runnin', Naughty Boy Featuring Beyonce - if you get a voicemail from post midnight, its probably me singing this to you. And I'm not going to apologize. Just enjoy it, k?
4. Roses, Couer De Pirate - my favorite breathy, poppy French Canadian makes perfect Sunday brunch cooking music. 

Weekend in Mammoth

Evan, Casey, Ladi, Sophie and I hightailed it to Mammoth for the weekend. Our Friday night was a long drive up, including too long of a respite at Little Ceasars in Lancaster. Saturday, we did a hike around the Rock Creek area after drooling over the pie selection at Pie in the Sky. We forgot that they always run out early, and unfortunately, 1:30pm was a little too late to get a taste. After a couple of hours of hiking (aka selfies), we went to the new location of Mammoth Brewing and tried out their AMAZING seasonal collection. My favorite was the Owens Valley Black IPA, although the Kung Fu apple was a close second. The hike wore us out, so we headed home quite early for wine and the hot tub, plus catching up on How to Get Away with Murder and Grey's Anatomy. (I totally have to start watching GA again!). Yesterday, Casey left us a bit early, but Evan, Ladi, Sophs and I took a leisurely drive home, stopping for roast beef sandwiches and cookies at Schats and eating it among the Aspens at the Bristlebrush campground.

It was the shortest amount of time I've spent in Mammoth and I wish we could have stayed a bit longer. However, with the changing seasons and the crisp air, I am grateful to get my dose of fall in. The last week was a lot of ups and downs and some time away from Los Angeles with my cheery friends was exactly the medicine I needed. I kept saying I needed a break from my family, but Mammoth reminded me that I love my loud, abrasive, overly intellectual foodie family. I have a ton of work to (start and) finish this week, but I feel a new spark for it. Also looking forward to American Horror Story starting this week, Soulcycle and sushi with Christina on Thursday, and a pumpkin beer tasting.

xx

A night in Queens and Brooklyn

Last Saturday, upon my arrival to JFK airport and the three hour hot, humid, gritty journey across the NY subway to Queens, I was withering away from exhaustion, dehydration and a general hate for all humans. I didn't sleep very well and was too enthralled with House of Cards on the plane to properly rest. 

But first stop saved me from an imminent demise: iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts at one of my subway stops - my saving grace, my oasis in the bleak landscape of 90 percent humidity and having to carry my overloaded Longchamp weekend bag over 9 miles of stairs, cement and trains. Only regret? Should have gotten a donut.

First stop:

Taverna Kyclades

33-07 Ditmars Blvd, New York, NY 11105

(718) 545-8666

So then I met Nat and E at our Airbnb and we ventured out of our apt in the face of a thunderstorm because with only coffee in my stomach, I was ready to kill. We decided on Taverna Kyclades, which served the best grilled octopus I've had since I backpacked through Greece four years ago. It was ridiculously amazing - perfectly cooked, tender, with a hint of that beautiful grilling char. Served with lemon, it was a simple refreshing dish.

We also ordered the fried calamari, mythos beers (a light Greek lager), and some dips, including taramosalata, tzatziki, and skordalia. It was a lovely little patio we sat in, under an umbrella with a cool breeze. It was perfect for hipster watching (so many cute pups). By the time we left, there was a line down the block for this place, with a wait of up to two hours. Nat and E said that the night before at around midnight, the line was still that crazy. It was perfect fare for a sweltering summer afternoon. 

Second stop:

Brooklyn Bridge Park

Before meeting up with old friends, Nat, E and I skedaddled around the park, taking a few selfies, checking out the phone charging stations (amazing!) and drooling over all the cute restaurants. 

Third stop:

Grimaldis

Under the Brooklyn Bridge,
1 Front Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone. 718-858-4300

5 Front St
Brooklyn, NY 11201

This is a must-stop for me every time I go to NYC. They have changed locations to a bright, white, industrial chic spot in the same area. Thin crust, thick cut pepperoni, and an adorably sweet waiters (Thanks Ernie!). The only downside is that their liquor license is still pending, but have no fear, in the midst of a crazy storm, we found a cute little margarita bar around the corner, housing delicious drinks (and my favorite from Gilmore Girls and Supernatural, Jared Padalecki!). 

Fourth Stop:
Gran/Electric 
5 Front St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 852-2700
We enjoyed a couple of rounds of their refreshing, not so sweet, margs with our reunited group of six and essentially got kicked out since we closed the place down. I almost reclaimed my youth until I realized the restaurant closes at midnight. 

Fifth Stop:

Brooklyn Bridge

It had to happen. We rapped Jay-Z, walking through the fog, checking out the skyline, the lights, and scaring the general population. We missed the rain, soaked in the city life, and collapsed into bed like zombies. An amazing time :)

Lexi's Wedding!

Last Saturday, I flew into NYC for a whirlwind trip for one my oldest and best friend's, Lexi's, wedding. (Excuse the overuse of apostrophes, I don't really get how to write that.) Anywho, a little on Lexi and I. We met in the fourth grade, when we both had awkwardly awful glasses and blindness to match, a penchant for literature and movies a bit beyond our age and a love for bacon and spicy food. Thank god, that latter things stuck, but we trashed those glasses the minute we hit puberty and have been making style improvements ever since. Lexi is the most open, warmest person you will ever meet and has the most magnetic personality, which is only amplified by her amazing sense of humor. Add that to the fact, she is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous and has no idea, and she's like almost perfect. I say almost because we've have a history of explosive fights over things we forget about two minutes later, although some are pretty good.


For instance, we've actually had a fight over who ate more chili cheese fries at FatBurger when our parents abandoned us on Birch Street when we saw like four movies in a row without telling them we would be unreachable. I believe it was Finding Neverland, the Grudge, Christmas at the Kranks and maybe Shark's Tale. This was 2004. We had like three dollars between us and we crawled to FatBurger in a post-movie stupor just before it closed and Lexi counted our pennies out and purchased fries, which we inhaled like ravenous animals before turning on each other for both failing to secure a parental ride home at midnight. Thank god Ellen picked us before blood was shed.

Another movie-inspired fight was when we saw Scoop, again on Birch Street, and we then began screaming at each other about Woody Allen. If you didn't know (but you should), Lexi is a die-hard fan. And by die-hard, she would KILL for Woody Allen. I fall to the other side of the spectrum. With some exceptions, I think he talks too much, which doesn't work well for me, because I like to talk and I refuse to have competitors. So we were walking to the car, at which point I mentioned my minor distaste and then World War III broke out in the middle of an intersection with traffic horns blaring and Lexi and I squaring off in a vicious stare-off. But then we laughed and got ice cream. It was a close one.


There was also the time we rented Match Point and some other movie. Lexi was sleeping on the top bunk, me on the bottom bunk. And one thing you should know about me is I turn homicidal when I want to go to bed and people won't let me. At the end of the first movie, I was done with the night and informed Lexi in rather abrasive terms that we were not watching the second movie, we were going to bed. We got in a verbal scuffle, which ended in me turning off all the lights and leaving Lexi hanging halfway down the bunk bed with no glasses on. Like I said, she is nearly blind and it took her more than a few minutes to secure both feet on the ground before she strode out to the living room couch, where she told me to either get it together OR get it together and watch the movie with me. We watched the movie and bonded over all the crispy bacon in the morning.


But all these "fights" weren't really fights, they were times where I realized (generally midst fight), that Lexi is my sister. We can scream, yell, slam doors, but never once have I ever doubted that within two minutes, we would be back to drinking our beers, eating our french fries with hot sauce or plotting out our respective career paths together. And if you know how high maintenance I am, you know that her loyalty and patience is incredibly laudable.


So clearly it would take a special person, and by special, I mean outstandingly amazing, for Lexi. Someone with humor, intelligence and warmth. And when Lexi skyped me from Ireland to tell me about this amazing boy, and was giddy and giggly and girly, I knew there was something up. A long while later in 2011, I finally got to meet this man, Stephen, when he and Lexi met me at Borough Market. Not only did he handle our obnoxiously loud reunion complete with high pitched squeals, traipsing around fashion markets, and gossip about random people he had no context for, he was an utter gentleman. The moment that sealed the deal about how much I loved Steve, was when I had secured air mattresses for their visit, which the label assured me were fit for a comfortable guest bed. I opened these ridiculous mattresses, blew them up and realized they were actually pool rafts and were so narrow, you could only sleep one your side in a straight line and were only inflated about an inch off the ground. Whoops. But because I procrastinated, I had no time to find an alternative arrangements. Although I asked that Steve and Lexi take my bed, he was absolutely against it. He demanded that Lexi and I share the bed and he proceeded to sleep on the pool raft, which rapidly deflated throughout the night, leaving him on a nearly cement floor (with a thin carpet) in a grimy London dorm room where the radiator didn't work. And the next morning, he arose, fresh as a daisy, even more gentlemanly than the day before, inviting me to visit London, where he could return the favor of accommodation (with slightly more comfort).


Not just that, but its the way Steve looks at Lexi - with warmth and sweetness and romance - the same way he looked at her when he walked down the aisle. They mirror each other's grace and sense of fun and I couldn't imagine anyone better for Lex. So when I was invited to the wedding in the Catskills, I had to go. Not only was it a pleasure to see Lexi and Steve and both of their amazing families, but I also got to meet a lot of Lexi's NY friends that I have heard so much about. They are just as wonderful as she described them and I hope to see them again. And seeing Beej and Ellen reminded me how much I miss them and how much time I have missed with them being wrapped up in all that useless law school business. Also special shout-out to Nat and E for being my adoptive parents this weekend, xx. Thank you to Lex and Steve for an amazing weekend and I love you both!

I'm back! (With wine)

Sorry for the silence, but I'm still recovering from the beast that is the California bar exam. Exhaustion, anxiety, hyper-ness, insomnia are all residual effects I am slowly getting over.
The whole thing is a bit ridiculous but I have been keeping busy with music (i.e. Outside Lands, Echo Park Rising, and other shows), road trips to SF, Santa Cruz, Big Sur, and eating out far too much (i.e. Hinoki and the Bird). More on all that later, but I wanted to share photos of wine tasting in Sonoma with Carrie. First, Carrie and I haven't properly hung out in ages. Second, I'd never been to Sonoma and it surprised me with its warmth (both people and weather wise) and the amazing quality of wine. Third, someone should really confiscate my credit card after my second tastings.


We tried out the Ferrar sparking wine (along with amazing french pate and cowgirl creamery brie - omg), the Larson family vineyard and Jacuzzi. I purchased the 2012 Montepulciano from Jacuzzi, which was my favorite of the day. I am a sucker for violet, for sure. My favorite vineyard was the Larson. We had an amazing guy pouring us wines, totally sweet, and they are completely dog friendly. They even have their Three Lab Cab(ernet) in honor of their three beloved labradors, who wander the premises. I would definitely return with Sophie :)


I plan on getting back into blogging slowly as I get the rest of my life together, post law school, post bar, and as I finally find those dream job(s) and finish up some contract work.

So be patient and I figure out the rest of my life. Until then, enjoy the pics!

xx

First 36 Hours in Brussels

Hello my darlings -

My last day has been phenomenal.

I arrived yesterday morning to my new place and Matheus was home to greet me. We had breakfast of yogurt, kiwi and raspberry-chocolate muesli, and listened to the Beatles Abbey Road record. (Matheus and I have very similar taste in music).

Afterwards, we walked to the market in Saint-Gilles. It's amazing: fresh fruit and veg, cheese, dried goods, flowers, even clothes. It's open during the afternoons on the weekends and in the morning during the week. I have a feeling it will be my morning stop since I don't start work until 10 :-) We stopped for a coffee, which then turned into sampling the resident standard beer, Jupiter, and a shrimp and avo salad. We then visited Matheus' 87 year old aunt who is hilarious and friendly and offered us Campari and orange juice while very animatedly discussing international politics.

Later I took a nap (damn jetlag) and skyped Sophie and my mom. I met Matheus and his friends later at Stam Eat and Drink. Two musicians performed favorite hits, including the talking heads and abba. We had cheeseburgers and more beer before heading to a bar that was playing 80s and 90s music. We had a large group - maybe 10 - lots of Italians and French and Spanish and one other American. Such a fun and open group of people. We danced and sang and sat outside, enjoying the warm weather. And then we got home at 3:30 and I skyped Sophie again (I know - its an obsession.)

Matheus and I woke up a bit late and headed to the market for fresh apricots and plums, grabbed a coffee and then stopped by Momma Roma for lunch. Truffle pizza, pancetta and mushroom pizza, and prosciutto white pizza along with a cold coke. Yum.

I'm planning on doing some research for work. Matheus is going to visit his friend's baby and then we are then meeting up with his friends again.

I'm a bit nervous about my first day at work, but I think it will be fun. And then I am going to London Thursday night :-)

xoxo