San Francisco

On my recent visit to San Francisco, I decided to escape the cold and the city with an overnight trip to Sonoma. California wine country boasts some of the world’s finest dining and drinking experiences- so it’s really a shame to go out for only a day trip. We decided to make Healdsburg, a beautiful, centrally located town our home base, and drive to all the vineyards surrounding it. After having done some research on lodging options in the town, I decided to check into Healdsburg Inn, a very charming, chic, and best of all comfortable hotel that is centrally located right in the town’s main plaza. (more…)

Usually when one thinks of San Francisco- there are certain must-visit attractions that come to mind- The Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, Palace of Fine Arts Theater- just to name a few.  A few weeks ago on my most recent trip to the city, I discovered, while spotting tour groups walking through my hotel lobby, that the Fairmont San Francisco also makes the list, and deservingly so! Situated atop the beautiful Nob Hill, the Fairmont is one of the city’s landmark hotels and a true local icon.  It’s deeply steeped in history- both as the original Fairmont Hotel- and as a historic building in the city of San Francisco. (more…)

What: Chaya Brasserie

Who: Executive Chef Shigefumi Tachibe

Where: 132 Embarcadero in San Francisco

When: For lunch, M-F: 11:30am-2pm. For dinner, M-W: 5:30pm-10pm, Th-S: 5:30pm-10:30pm, Sun: 5:30pm-9pm. For happy hour, begins at 4pm M-F, at 5pm on weekends.

Why: Located on the Embarcadero, Chaya Brasserie will give you a delectable dining French-Japanese experience with unobstructed views of the Bay Bridge. (more…)

A few weekends ago, one of my lovely girlfriends got married in San Francisco and had an amazingly beautiful wedding. (Congratulations, Emily!) She was the first of in our group of gals to get hitched, so we all planned for an unforgettable weekend in California. That included a side trip to Sonoma for wine tasting, which I was, of course, super excited for! We gathered recommendations from friends and did some research of our own to start planning our wine country tour. Although not all the ladies could make it, with our group size, it turned out to be only slightly more expensive to book a private limo than to do a shuttle bus tour. The flexibility to choose wineries and schedules was definitely worth it for us, and armed with a list of wineries we wanted to check out, we began our trip… (more…)

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Yes my friends, you are looking at a picture of pieces from the highly anticipated Rodarte for Target line for sale weeks before the official release.  And how do you get your hands on such coveted pieces before the masses?  Well, dear reader, that entirely depends on if you are lucky enough to be in New York, Washington DC, or San Francisco this weekend. Target is hosting Target To-Go, a 3 day only pop-up shopping experience starting today, where residents can shop for holiday gifts in an innovative and hassle free manner.

How does it work?  Well you simply walk up to the pop-up sidewalk shop, pick out what you want, fill out an order sheet, and then take it to checkout where each item will be presented to you, all wrapped and ready to go. In New York, if you buy over $100 of products, they will even deliver them right to your doorstep for free! Hours are 10am-8pm, NYC at the High-Line (13th and Washington), DC in Georgetown (M St. NW and Wisconsin Ave) and San Francisco at Mint Plaza.

We sent our friend Samantha to check out a media preview yesterday (and get us some Rodarte).  She reported back that the experience was super easy and fun- even on a freezing cold day in New York!  So what can you hope to score this weekend?  Check out the full list at Target.com/ToGo and below for some highlights and pictures. (more…)

As I’ve mentioned before (and before, and before), I have quite an addiction to cupcakes. In my mind, no vacation is complete without a cupcake crawl, and I always seek out and plan my route before my arrival. My San Francisco vacation was no exception, as I visited four cupcake bakeries; believe it or not, we even missed a few, and I actually learned there IS such a thing as cupcake overload!

Cako Bakery

Our first stop was newly opened Cako Bakery, located in bustling Union Square. Cako’s interior is minimal and teeny-tiny, so we decided to buy our cupcakes and run. Cako’s cupcakes are huge and beautiful, but overpriced at $3.50/cupcake. I sampled the Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcake; the peanut butter buttercream topped with crunchy salted peanuts was a delicious combination, but the cake was uninspired and boring. Cako offers many traditional flavors, as well as fun varieties like S’Mores and Andes Mint Chocolate Chip. (more…)

When it comes to cocktails, San Francisco and New York City arguably offer the best in the country. With the resurgence of classic cocktails and speakeasies, there were many appealing establishments to choose from during my recent getaway, but unfortunately, limited time! Here’s a few of the best places I visited during my time in San Fran!

San Francisco’s most notable speakeasy is Bourbon and Branch. As stated on their website, “Bourbon & Branch is a glimpse back on the 1920′s and the era of Prohibition when the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverage was outlawed. You’ll experience the ambiance of that time in an actual speakeasy that operated illegally at this location from 1921 to 1933.” Reservations and a password are required, as well as a list of rules to follow during your time at Bourbon and Branch. While it sounds strict and stuffy, B&B is anything but; the servers and bartenders are incredibly knowledgeable, beyond talented, and  more than happy to offer their wisdom and advice to craft the perfect cocktail for you! From the amuse-bouche to delicate cloth cocktail napkins, nothing is overlooked! Their menu is extensive and slightly overwhelming, but I finally settled on the Millionaires Cocktail (dark rum, gin, apricot brandy, lime juice) and the Clermont Affair (rye, Amaro Nonino, whiskey barrel aged bitters and clove tincture float). They also have an extensive array of whiskeys, bourbons, rums, and tequilas. Finally, do some wandering around, as there are hidden doors, rooms, and even exits to be discovered. If you have only one night in San Francisco, make sure you visit Bourbon and Branch. It’s a destination not to be missed. (more…)

Located in the Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins proved to be a solid hotel choice on my recent San Francisco vacation. The hotel itself is in of the quieter areas of the city, so if you’re looking for something more removed from the crowds and lights of Union Square but still in a convenient location, this is a great option.  It’s a short cable car ride (or hilly walk) to Chinatown, Union Square, and the Ferry Building, among other hot spots. (more…)

Opened in summer 2007 in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood, South is a food and wine bar that’s all about delectable “down under” food — one of the first restaurants that I’ve ever heard of to do this. Founded by chef Luke Mangan, wine maven Liz O’Connell and restaurateur Anna Weinberg, you’ll find diverse dishes to pique your curiosity and expand your palate.  (With dishes like Tandoori Quail with Cucumber Yogurt and Herb Salad and Braised Victorian Lamb with Celeriac, Pomegrante, Baby Chard and Olive Tapenade – how could it not?) (more…)