Junblog

September 7, 2009

Bi-Rite Bliss

One of the best things in life is real good ice crea and Bi-Rite Creamery’s artisanal ice cream is beyond good. Made with Straus Family organic dairy products and organic fruit and flavorings, Bi-Rite ice cream is real good beyond words.

August 30, 2009

Sweet California Figs

I must admit I’ve never had figs before and now I cannot stop eating them. Ripe California black figs are so sweet and summer is the season to enjoy them. California figs are great in salads. Slice and toss them with some mixed greens, heirloom tomatoes and cheese and then drizzle with some balsamic vinaigrette…

August 23, 2009

Scrumptious Street Food

Saturday’s street food block-party at Folsom Street was a gastronomic treat! It was the San Francisco Street Food Festival, a day-long block-party of local foodies celebrating great street food from the city’s vibrant community of food entrepreneurs and renowned chefs. From savory to sweet, it was street food at its finest. My favorite was Aziza’s…

August 20, 2009

Wickedly Wonderful

Wicked is wonderful. And after seeing the show for the fourth time, Wicked is wonderful as ever. San Francisco was actually where Wicked first premiered back in 2003 before captivating Broadway. But the first time I saw the show was in 2005 when it first returned to San Francisco after its huge success in New…

August 17, 2009

Red Corgi

I am crazy about Stanford. I am crazy about the way he lays on his back and raises his short legs way up when he wants belly rubs. The way his butt sways when he walks. The way his pointed ears perk up when it’s time for his walk. The way he barks when you…

August 13, 2009

On Gardening

On top of Potrero Hill, at 20th and San Bruno, near McKinley Square Park, sits a lovely community garden. It overlooks the western side of the city, from Twin Peaks to downtown San Francisco. On a clear day, you can see Sutro Tower and if you’re lucky, even the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge.…

August 10, 2009

Jun and Julia

In her memoir, My Life in France, Julia Child writes effervescently about how her love of French food sparked her fiery passion for cooking and teaching. She was 36 when she moved to France with her husband, Paul. She spoke no French, knew absolutely nothing about France and had no clue what she wanted to…

August 6, 2009

Quack! Bay Quackers!

On a clear sunny day, the views of San Francisco on-board a DUKW on the Bay are simply wonderful. But, say what? What is a DUKW? Bay Quackers gives a very cool 80-minute tour of San Francisco and the Bay on-board an original, refurbished World War II amphibious landing craft, known as the DUKW or…

August 4, 2009

Fresh Farmers’ Fare

Heirlooms are here!! From green and red zebras to brandywines, sliced heirlooms drizzled with olive oil and dusted with salt and pepper are one of my favorite things! But there’s more. Golden yellow squash. Sweet corn. Snap peas. Peaches, plums and nectarines. Summer is a great time to enjoy fresh farmers’ fare and my favorite place…

July 29, 2009

On Running Races

When I was a kid growing up in Manila, I hated sports. Truly hated sports. Everyone was so into basketball and I simply did not see the point. I so dreaded gym class. In college, I almost flunked swim class because I freaked out in the middle of my freestyle exam when our instructor told us to start swimming at the deep end of the pool. I panicked because I had been training to start at the shallow end where I could reach the floor. They had to haul out a long wooden pole so I can hang on to it and they can pull me out of that pool…

July 22, 2009

I love San Francisco

I am so glad to be back in the city! Last weekend was our first weekend back and it reminded me very clearly of how much I missed and how much I love San Francisco. It was a wonderful weekend spent walking around our new neighborhood in the Dogpatch, enjoying breakfast at a café, playing ball with Stanford in the park and then running down the Embarcadero later that day. I really missed the city a lot, I realized. And I am so excited to be back! I first moved to the city four years ago and was instantly smitten by its charm. I have always wanted to live in…