Nighttime in North Beach

I love fall in San Francisco. Sure, we don't have the kind of beautiful foliage they have back east, but the air turns crisp and the city turns inward as everybody enjoys the quiet after the rush of summer tourism. Here are a few snapshots from some meanderings through a few of my favorite spots in North Beach.
    At Bow Bow Cocktail Lounge (both of the terms "cocktail" and "lounge" are used rather loosely in this instance) Barrels of candy at Z. Cioccolato   Shhhh  Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church 
Dinner at Park Tavern Beep beep - time to go home

Mission: Mission Beach Cafe

It's been way too long since I've posted, and I blame a lot of that on all of the food I've been eating. October has been such a crazy month, much of it spent eating delicious food and drinking delicious drinks with out-of-town guests. Just in case you don't believe me, here are a few snapshots from one of SF's famous brunch spots (a place I'd never been to before a few weekends ago). As you'll see, it's so popular people are forced into the sidewalk to wait for plates of greasy eggs and potatoes.

C'est le week-end (presque)

It's almost the weekend! Soon, I hope to be back at Cafe Des Amis, sipping one of their gorgeously-crafted cocktails, and scheming on plans for the long weekend.

Photo of a Cafe Des Amis postcard.

Mama A + Mama E @ Mama's

Last weekend, I had a good friend in town from Newport Beach who insisted on Mama's in North Beach for brunch. Fearing the restaurant's legendary hour+ wait, I had successfully avoided the place until then. I mean, I just don't like eggs that much. But it was the one and only thing on her to-do list for the weekend, so I obliged. Here is the photographic evidence from our expedition, including rarely-seen glimpses of the inside of the legendary Mama's on Washington Square.

Hour-and-a-half-long line

We made it!





Amazing carrot cake!

Avións y Chips y Salsa! Err...something like that

DELICIOUS Mexican food and really cool decor at El Camino in San Diego.

It felt like we were in the Mission for a minute!

Complimentary deliciouso salsas. I love how SD doesn't try to come between me and my chips and salsa by listing them as "appetizers" - I'm talkin' to you, East Coast!





This place is in the spot where Airport Lounge used to be, i.e. right in the landing path. The planes flying thisclose overhead got to be a bit much; think I'll sit inside next time.

Come again.

Brunch + Browsing

I've been a little lax with posting, but that's because I've been out there exploring! I'll be playing a little catch-up here with alllll of the pictures I've been snapping everywhere.

Weekend brunch (with bottomless mimosas!) at Ironside and shopping at Jeremy's in SOMA. I heart weekends.






I really loved that necklace!

Lychee + Roy's

I never thought my love for Lychee Martinis could be matched in another drink, but last night at Roy's in SOMA, that love was challenged with a Lychee Caiprihina. Wait...what?! you ask. It's true. There does exist a drink that combines the amazingness of lychee with the mudled-fruity goodness of the Caiprihina. Yum!

Warning: this might be a touch too sweet for you if you're the kind of person who chooses pie over cake, or leaves the frosting from a cheap sheet cake on the side of your plate.

In the end, the Lychee Martini is still at the top of my list, despite a somewhat sordid history involving the compulsory actions borne of too much lychee and too much martini... Anyway, the next time you're at Roy's, give the Lychee Caiprihina a try. It's actually a little bit tart, and very delicious!

No. 8 Fisherman's Wharf

Dinner + sunset at Alioto's. Fisherman's Wharf.

Foreign Cinema

Last weekend, I had the delightful experience known as brunch at Foreign Cinema. I went on a tip from a friend from high school who bar-tends here, and it was amazing. This little gem is situated in the back of a large building in the Mission. I had the chanterelle and gruyere omlette, and my friend had the fried eggs glazed with balsamic with prosciutto on top. We both tried the Fellini, which they bill as the Bellini's quirky cousin. The food was amazing and I wish I had brought along my camera to capture it. The drink was OK, but I would probably go with the traditional version over its quirky counterpart next time. I want to go back again when they're showing a film.

Doesn't that look fun?!

photo credits: 1st photo - jerry yoon photography, www.blogjerry.com; 2nd photo - www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com