Well, I haven't been alone. I have been running around like mad between wedding planning, freelance designing and temping full-time. I know this is no excuse but because of this..my blog...Toy Salsa...has been alone in San Francisco. But never fear little blog as I will be back in full force very soon.
Until then, I leave you with a wonderful piece by one of my favorite musicians and albums of all time: Thelonious Monk, Alone in San Francisco and the song is called Ruby My Dear. Perfect for this foggy San Francisco morning.
Showing posts with label san francisco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label san francisco. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunny Sundays With a View
Having just spent an evening Remembering Playland, a craving forced us back to the crash of Ocean Beach waves. This time, it was for brunch at the iconic lookout point that has had many face lifts, the Cliff House.
Still a huge hot spot for double-decker buses to drop off tourists, the restaurant that was established in 1863 shows them what they want, but especially opens it's arms to locals. They offer week day dinner specials and have two different dining levels depending on what style you are going for. The downstairs portion, Sutro's, is gorgeous, modern and costs a pretty penny. The upstairs section, Bistro, is more casual with a large wooden bar, wicker furniture and tiled floors. The waiter are loud and proud to spout off to you why it is so great to live in the most beautiful city in the world.
Our preference is Bistro as it is more in our price range and they make AMAZING Bloody Mary's. While we waited, we were served a basket of beautiful buttery popovers. Better than croissants, these little wonders made it hard to save room for the main course. We ordered the famous Johnson omelet with huge chunks of Dungeness crab, avocado and a dollop of sour cream on top. This isn't a cheap omelet (18.95) but you certainly get your a ton of crab and a priceless view.
It's true that this is a special occasion-kind-of-place, but when the weather is sunny and warm (a rarity in SF) then that's an occasion all on it's own. Head out there and stare off into the waves.
The Bistro at the Cliff House doesn't take reservations but most of the crowd there is to just look around and not eat, so don't get intimidated. Sutro's strongly recommends making reservations. The Cliff House is located at the end of Geary and the top of The Great Highway. They are open every day.
Still a huge hot spot for double-decker buses to drop off tourists, the restaurant that was established in 1863 shows them what they want, but especially opens it's arms to locals. They offer week day dinner specials and have two different dining levels depending on what style you are going for. The downstairs portion, Sutro's, is gorgeous, modern and costs a pretty penny. The upstairs section, Bistro, is more casual with a large wooden bar, wicker furniture and tiled floors. The waiter are loud and proud to spout off to you why it is so great to live in the most beautiful city in the world.
Our preference is Bistro as it is more in our price range and they make AMAZING Bloody Mary's. While we waited, we were served a basket of beautiful buttery popovers. Better than croissants, these little wonders made it hard to save room for the main course. We ordered the famous Johnson omelet with huge chunks of Dungeness crab, avocado and a dollop of sour cream on top. This isn't a cheap omelet (18.95) but you certainly get your a ton of crab and a priceless view.
It's true that this is a special occasion-kind-of-place, but when the weather is sunny and warm (a rarity in SF) then that's an occasion all on it's own. Head out there and stare off into the waves.
The Bistro at the Cliff House doesn't take reservations but most of the crowd there is to just look around and not eat, so don't get intimidated. Sutro's strongly recommends making reservations. The Cliff House is located at the end of Geary and the top of The Great Highway. They are open every day.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Putting the Soul back in Food
Finch and I had an amazing discovery on one beautiful San Francisco Sunday morning. We had heard rumors of all you could eat fried chicken and cornbread brunch in the Tenderloin. There were even whispers that it was under $20 per person. We had to see if this was a dream come true or a cruel urban legend.
Farmer Brown is everything we wanted. The rumors were all true. This is one of those places that is so hip that it makes you grateful to live the city. A place like this wouldn't fly in a small town. When you first walk in, there are thumping beats from the live band. The dude on the mic is into it and you instantly get in a better mood due to their rhythm. We were seated right next to them and didn't mind at all.
Finch can never say no to a Bloody Mary at brunch and I had to try the mimosa. Both a little pricey ($9 and $7) but tasty. We were then shown the buffet. Hot fried chicken, homemade biscuits, thick country gravy (with or without sausage), a steaming pot of grits, spicy cornbread, crisp bacon, fluffy eggs, flapjacks, grapefruit, and an assortment of desserts including sweet potato pie. This was my first real experience with grits. I tried them Finch's way, with salt and butter, then my moms way, syrup on top and then the waitress' way, mixed with sausage gravy. I couldn't pick a favorite. Everything was scrumptious! The fried chicken especially deserves a spotlight. It is crispy and will leave grease all around your face. This place must really go through some napkins. The soul in the food, the music and the atmosphere had a lasting impression on us. For the rest of the day we were in great moods and our souls kept purring.
If you want to try Farmer Brown for yourself, it is located at:
25 Mason St (between Turk St & Market St) in San Francisco.
$16.50 gets you all you can eat brunch.
Brunch 9:00-2:30 Saturdays and Sundays
They are also open for dinner and soon for lunch (starting April 20th)
Farmer Brown is everything we wanted. The rumors were all true. This is one of those places that is so hip that it makes you grateful to live the city. A place like this wouldn't fly in a small town. When you first walk in, there are thumping beats from the live band. The dude on the mic is into it and you instantly get in a better mood due to their rhythm. We were seated right next to them and didn't mind at all.
Finch can never say no to a Bloody Mary at brunch and I had to try the mimosa. Both a little pricey ($9 and $7) but tasty. We were then shown the buffet. Hot fried chicken, homemade biscuits, thick country gravy (with or without sausage), a steaming pot of grits, spicy cornbread, crisp bacon, fluffy eggs, flapjacks, grapefruit, and an assortment of desserts including sweet potato pie. This was my first real experience with grits. I tried them Finch's way, with salt and butter, then my moms way, syrup on top and then the waitress' way, mixed with sausage gravy. I couldn't pick a favorite. Everything was scrumptious! The fried chicken especially deserves a spotlight. It is crispy and will leave grease all around your face. This place must really go through some napkins. The soul in the food, the music and the atmosphere had a lasting impression on us. For the rest of the day we were in great moods and our souls kept purring.
If you want to try Farmer Brown for yourself, it is located at:
25 Mason St (between Turk St & Market St) in San Francisco.
$16.50 gets you all you can eat brunch.
Brunch 9:00-2:30 Saturdays and Sundays
They are also open for dinner and soon for lunch (starting April 20th)
Sunday, April 11, 2010
An Evening at Playland
Not long ago the amazing little theater that could, The Balboa, hosted the premiere of a documentary about an amusement park on Ocean Beach in San Francisco called Remembering Playland at the Beach. Long before I was born, the amusement park had been torn down to make way for housing. Being raised in the small coastal town of Pacifica, about 15 miles down the coast from the city, I always dreamed of the perfect palace of dreams where heavenly inventions like It's-Its were born and where Laughing Sal would greet and terrify children.
It was a sold out show on a Tuesday at 7:00pm. To celebrate the opening, the theater sold It's-Its treats, showed a Donald Duck cartoon and then clips of old movies that had been filmed at Playland by the Beach. The crowd was also treated to a mentalist reading cards and sharing secrets of why it is so hard to win at carnival games. The documentary wasn't anything special, but the footage of the old rides, children giggling in the old Funhouse and tiny twinkling lights in the wet damp fog made it worthwhile. As we were leaving the theater, the It's-It truck pulled up and gave everyone a free ice cream! Two It's-Its in one night?! Oh yes I said.
After our dessert, we headed over to the whole-in-the-wall bar across the street called Hockey Haven. They were having Playland drink specials so I of course ordered the Laughing Sal, which was nothing more than a vodka cranberry with a splash of something else. It tasted good though and added to my to my jolliness.
Then low and behold! Four Laughing Sals came in for a drink before the next show. They even had a boom box playing recordings of the eerie laughing. Seeing these "ladies," was the perfect ending to an evening of homage to the long lost Playland at the Beach.
The Balboa is going to start showing this film again on April 23rd if you're interested in checking it out!
It was a sold out show on a Tuesday at 7:00pm. To celebrate the opening, the theater sold It's-Its treats, showed a Donald Duck cartoon and then clips of old movies that had been filmed at Playland by the Beach. The crowd was also treated to a mentalist reading cards and sharing secrets of why it is so hard to win at carnival games. The documentary wasn't anything special, but the footage of the old rides, children giggling in the old Funhouse and tiny twinkling lights in the wet damp fog made it worthwhile. As we were leaving the theater, the It's-It truck pulled up and gave everyone a free ice cream! Two It's-Its in one night?! Oh yes I said.
After our dessert, we headed over to the whole-in-the-wall bar across the street called Hockey Haven. They were having Playland drink specials so I of course ordered the Laughing Sal, which was nothing more than a vodka cranberry with a splash of something else. It tasted good though and added to my to my jolliness.
Then low and behold! Four Laughing Sals came in for a drink before the next show. They even had a boom box playing recordings of the eerie laughing. Seeing these "ladies," was the perfect ending to an evening of homage to the long lost Playland at the Beach.
The Balboa is going to start showing this film again on April 23rd if you're interested in checking it out!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Joy Salsa in the FieDie
I have spent the last several weeks working in the financial district, lovingly referred to as the FieDie. The buildings are tall, the wind is cold and the people are in a hurry. But living in this world of what I like to call "grown-ups," I find that like anywhere else, there is joy to be found. For example, on St. Patrick's Day, no where else in the city did I see so many people dressing in green for the occasion. Walking across an intersection in a diagonal (Tokyo Style) the street was filled with pastel greens mixed into business suits and high heels.
Another joy I discovered recently is just how other smaller business (mainly eateries) feed off of their monster-sized skyscraper hosts. Every restaurant is focused on take-out at lightening speed. This proves to be difficult for me as I am a slooooooow eater and decision-maker. On several occasions I have become check-out road kill as people plow past me. Today, I also experienced being check-out road kill at an amazing little frozen yogurt stand called Yoppi on Montgomery. First off, I had to choose which flavor I wanted out of the six they offered. Did I want them swirled? A sampler of each flavor? A giant cup of only one? As I was deciding, a stampede of people charged in to the tiny shop and I hastily picked two flavors. But then came the toppings! Chocolate Chips? Fruity Pebbles? Oreo Cookies? Cap'n Crunch!? By this time, my friends had already paid for their creations so I quickly chose Cap'n Crunch on the recommendation of Amymole. But what spoon color do I want? Ah! So many fun decisions! Pink! I chose pink! After I paid for my snack, the clerk moved my cup of joy off the scale to hurry me along right after I paid. I can't help it. I don't move fast. I savor. Even if it involves choosing a spoon color.
We giggled like giddy children as we headed back to the office with our prizes. Amymole took the cake for most amazing creation. I couldn't even really tell all that was involved in this masterpiece, but it looks like I feel on my birthday.
Wednesday was my last day working in the financial district and I know a part of me is going to miss it. When you're a kid, or at least when I was, I always pictured being in an Ally McBeal suit, walking with many other people in suits to my important office in a big and important building, making important decisions every day. In reality, I am a freelancer who craves travel, scraping by each month's rent, wearing whatever was on sale and working in various locales. Both are great as long as you find happiness in to some degree. We can't always be 100% happy all of the time, that's just unrealistic, but we can sure shoot for 80% of the time. That's my goal anyway. And having Cap'n Crunch on top of frozen yogurt raises me at least 15% for the day.
Another joy I discovered recently is just how other smaller business (mainly eateries) feed off of their monster-sized skyscraper hosts. Every restaurant is focused on take-out at lightening speed. This proves to be difficult for me as I am a slooooooow eater and decision-maker. On several occasions I have become check-out road kill as people plow past me. Today, I also experienced being check-out road kill at an amazing little frozen yogurt stand called Yoppi on Montgomery. First off, I had to choose which flavor I wanted out of the six they offered. Did I want them swirled? A sampler of each flavor? A giant cup of only one? As I was deciding, a stampede of people charged in to the tiny shop and I hastily picked two flavors. But then came the toppings! Chocolate Chips? Fruity Pebbles? Oreo Cookies? Cap'n Crunch!? By this time, my friends had already paid for their creations so I quickly chose Cap'n Crunch on the recommendation of Amymole. But what spoon color do I want? Ah! So many fun decisions! Pink! I chose pink! After I paid for my snack, the clerk moved my cup of joy off the scale to hurry me along right after I paid. I can't help it. I don't move fast. I savor. Even if it involves choosing a spoon color.
We giggled like giddy children as we headed back to the office with our prizes. Amymole took the cake for most amazing creation. I couldn't even really tell all that was involved in this masterpiece, but it looks like I feel on my birthday.
Wednesday was my last day working in the financial district and I know a part of me is going to miss it. When you're a kid, or at least when I was, I always pictured being in an Ally McBeal suit, walking with many other people in suits to my important office in a big and important building, making important decisions every day. In reality, I am a freelancer who craves travel, scraping by each month's rent, wearing whatever was on sale and working in various locales. Both are great as long as you find happiness in to some degree. We can't always be 100% happy all of the time, that's just unrealistic, but we can sure shoot for 80% of the time. That's my goal anyway. And having Cap'n Crunch on top of frozen yogurt raises me at least 15% for the day.
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