Crown & Crumpet Tea Salon

Crown & Crumpet, what a perfect place to bring out the girly girl in everyone. When I first walked through the door, I immediately fell in love with the feminine decor and at the same time I was shocked that I've never even heard of the place before. Turns out, they just opened this location in Ghirardelli Square since September of 2008.

I had such a great time celebrating bride to be, my old high school friend, Angelique. We ate tea cakes, sipped on various flavors of tea, folded origami butterflies and played a few bridal games. I also experienced my very first crumpet. These are unlike anything I've ever had before. The closest thing to it would be an english muffin. Nothing spectacular, but a great snack to pair with your hot tea. Whether you're looking to celebrate a bride to be or just want a fun afternoon outing with your closest girlfriends, this is a great place to visit. Plus, Kara's Cupcakes is next door!

The Boiling Crab

After Boiling Crab makes a name for itself in SoCal, it finally makes it's way up North.

This place is crab & crawfish heaven. Each time I visit, I never fail to order my pick drenched in the "whole sha-bang" seasoning which I can only describe as spicy, garlic & oil goodness. The "whole sha-bang" paired with the lime, salt & pepper concoction is a flavor combination that will have you hooked (I've been there 3 times in the last month).

I've been lucky enough to not have to wait for more than 10 minutes each time and lucky enough to be graced with meaty crawfish during my visits. Word on the street: the sizes are inconsistent, but come one people - that's how it is with seafood! Some days are always better than others.

P.S. Service is not spectacular, but you'd expect that from newly hired 16 year olds.

Happy Hour or Not So Happy Hour?

Anyone who works in San Francisco, or any major city for that matter, know that happy hours are part of your weekly work schedule. On this Sunny Friday, my coworker Caroline and I decided to head out to Harrington's in the FiDi (Financial District) for a few beers. Though we've both been to this place a million times, it wasn't until now that we realized they don't have a happy hour. Guess after a long day of work, all you really want is a drink and sometimes you just don't care how much you're paying for it. Luckily, we were able to find an empty table in the outdoor area to watch the now famous FiDi black bird that has been attacking pedestrians. If you're in the area check it out - if not, just click on the link!

After paying for a few overpriced beers, we decided to head over to Chevy's up the street. I'm not normally a fan of chain restaurants, but you can't complain when you're getting margaritas and appetizers for under $4 from 4-7pm.

Soooo many places for HAPPY HOUR in San Francisco. Gotta love it.

35th Annual Sunnyvale Art & Wine Festival

This past weekend, Sunnyvale held their 35th Annual Art & Wine Festival. Though I consider myself a Bay Area native, it was oddly my first time attending the famous festival. Better late than never! The sun and crowds were present which, in my eyes, always makes for a successful event.
Unlike many festivals in the Bay Area, parking was an ease. A (FREE) parking garage was conveniently located right before the main street closure. Upon arrival, we took a quick stroll past a few tents and decided we couldn't walk around empty-handed. An ATM was easy to find and we were on our way to the beer tent to indulge in a Firehouse Hefeweizen & Stella.

At first thought, paying $5 for a pint-glass in order to get a beer (in addition to $5 drink ticket = $10 total for beer/glass) was totally absurd and a complete rip off. But, after really thinking about it, I realized that it does saves time, money & the environment. Still expensive, but semi-worth it don't you think? Probably could've lowered the price of the glass just a tad.

In addition to food & drinks, the festival was fully equipped with artwork, jewelry, informational booths from local artists and companies. They
even had a few bands performing throughout. I'm glad we made it to the event - it was the perfect way to spend the afternoon outdoors.

Foreign Cinema

Before I go into my experience at Foreign Cinema, I have to make a quick note about Dine-About-Town. For those of you who have never taken part in this offer, the full menu of each restaurant is still available to everyone, but there is a limited selection for Dine-About-Town. For example, if you go on a date and one of you wants to choose the dine-about-town options and have a 3-course meal for $34.95 and one of you just wants one entree for $20 that's not on the special menu, you can both have your way.

My meal:

1. Appetizer - Smoked salmon, grapefruit, endives
   
2. Entree - Roast Pork Tenderloin
   
3. Dessert - Chocolate pot de crème (I actually ordered the Rose Geranium Creme Brulee and he gave me the wrong item :( I was too full and tired to make the switch
   

His meal:

1. Appetizer - Salad with beet puree
2. Entree - Lamb Skewer & Quail w/ Cous Cous
3. Dessert - Goat cheese w/ candied raisins
   

*We both shared a dozen mixed oysters


I absolutely loved my appetizer. Everything tasted so fresh and it was such a great flavor and texture combination. The entree was tasty, but nothing amazing. I was a bit upset that I ended up with a chocolate mousse type dessert considering I'm not a huge fan of chocolate like every other woman on the planet (I have to be in the mood). The funny thing about our meals was, we loved our own dishes, but were not very fond of each others. If you ever try this place, sit in the outdoor area and at dusk, the featured movie begins playing. It's worth a try!

SF Dine-About-Town

Dine-About-Town is finally here again! This semi-annual offer gives everyone the opportunity to try tons of restaurants for a great price. You can't beat $25.95 for lunch and $34.95 for dinner per person for a 3-course meal. This list includes famous SF eateries like Ana Mandara, Absinthe, Ruth Chris, Foreign Cinema and more!

Tonight, I'll be having a California/Mediterranean inspired dinner in the heart of the Mission at Foreign Cinema and they'll be featuring the movie Chinatown.

Update to follow. Make your reservation now because these offers are only valid from June 1-15.

Foreign Cinema ratings: three stars from The San Francisco Chronicle and six consecutive "Top 100" rankings as well as rave reviews from the New York Times, Gourmet, Cosmopolitan, The Examiner, SF Weekly, and San Francisco Magazine. They have published two cookbooks, Country Egg, City Egg in 2000 and Bride and Groom, just published in 2006.