A Side of Sweet

San Francisco Secret Spots :: Bernal Heights Hill

I have a secret.

Twin Peaks isn’t the best place in San Francisco to see a great view of the city. Not even close. The real best place to catch the view is away from the tourists with their fancy cameras. Tucked away in the Southeast corner of the city. Off the beaten path.

The views! I’m talking 360 panoramic views of the entire city. And both bridges! The streetlights dot the city like a parade of little fireflies. And it’s so quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The perfect place for a cheap date night, which is right up our alley…. Read More »

Friday Faves // 12

Happy Friday! I hope you have something fun planned for this upcoming weekend! I had to work a 24 hour shift on Pat’s birthday and he went to Tahoe, so we’re doing a belated celebration.

P.S. – I wanted to let all my Bay Area peeps know about a fun event that’s coming up in San Francisco. Big time chef Nancy Silverton will be at Macy’s Union Square on March 28th at 2pm sharing recipes inspired by the Macy’s Flower Show!

Chef Silverton will be demonstrating how to make the recipes and talking aout the latest in cookware and gadgets for your kitchen. Also important – there will be plenty of samples for all of us in the audience to enjoy!

With any purchase of $35 or more in the home department, you will get a $10 Macy’s gift card and a signed copy of Nancy’s The Mozza Cookbook.

Seating is limited, so make sure to RSVP at ChefSilvertonMacysUSQ.eventbrite.com! Follow the Culinary Council on Twitter for updates.

The Deets:

Macy’s Culinary Council + Chef Nancy Silverton
Macy’s Union Square
170 O’Farrell Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
RSVP: ChefSilvertonMacysUSQ.eventbrite.com

Here are some other things I’m loving from around the web…… Read More »

Chinese Bao Buns with Spicy Beef #LivingGrand

A few weeks ago, Pat and I had the opportunity to celebrate the Chinese New Year at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco. It was an amazing night full of delicious food, fabulous decor and great company! We were joined by several other bloggers and media folks from the San Francisco area. It was great to network and meet the people behind many of the blogs that I admire.

The Grand Hyatt really knows how to party! The night started with Chinese street food-inspired appetizers which were SO good. So good in fact that I asked for the recipe for Chef Kevin Villalovos’s Bao Buns with Spicy Stir Fried Beef. Do you ever do that when you’re out to eat? I love asking for recipes and most of the time people are more than happy to oblige. What better way to remember an amazing night than to re-create some of the food you had?… Read More »

Fresh Meals Delivered – Munchery

If you’re like me, you try to do home cooked meals as much as possible. And sometimes despite your best intentions, more mights than you care to admit ‘dinner’ means cheese and crackers with a side of apple. It’s a little embarrassing. In order to step up our dinner game on those nights when the fridge is empty and the triscuits are calling our names, we’ve started ordering from Munchery.

For us, Munchery fills an important void – they provide healthy, almost home-cooked meals that are easy to heat up and enjoy in minutes! So much tastier and better for us than the usual oily Chinese takeout that we turn to in a pinch. In partnership with Munchery, I just wanted to share a recent meal that we had and also share with you a discount for your first Munchery meal!… Read More »

Pie Ranch Barn Dance // Pescadero

Words I never thought I’d say – we went to a barn dance last weekend! I was definitely skeptical at first, but the night went down as completely memorable. Such an amazing night of laughing, eating, and of course, dancing! It was all thanks to the planning our dear friend Ana, who is an expert adventurer and fellow blogger.

Along with a group of friends, we did the pretty drive down Highway One to Pie Ranch with a few stops along the way to enjoy the beach, the food and the sights. You can read more our stops in Pacifica, Half Moon Bay and Pescadero in this post!

Highway 1 Day Trip + Pescadero Travel Guide

No matter how wonderful San Francisco is, and how much there is to do, sometimes we just need to get out of the city for a bit. With work constraints, driving hours and hours is out of the question. Luckily, a quick drive south on Highway One offers a ton of options for easy day trips!

We hit the road with a few friends and made the lazy drive down to Pescadero, with plenty of stops along the way…. Read More »