Joix De Vivre!!!

A No Frills Irish Pub on the edge of the Financial district (near the entrance to China town), they actually serve traditional fare and a great pint of Smithwicks. With a diverse crowd of regulars, Steph and Ronan have done a fabulous job remodeling, and have established the #1 St. Patricks Day hot spot on the west coast. Their beverage list that is hard to beat (ask for Smithwicks). I of course prefer Mondays-Wednesdays, as the weekends tend to go crazy. We go for lunch too, usually sitting outside. They take over the whole of Mark Lane, with awnings and space heaters.

It has been a long time since I stopped into this Pan-Asian haven. Many people who were there when I worked the grill there in 2005 are still there, and the environment is an intriguing blend of Cozy, Classy, and Exotic. In addition to having some incredible cocktails, mango ribs and sweet potato naan, E&O still has my all-time favorite Ginger Salad. I would say the best part was taking my sis to a new restaurant, but it really is always a great surprise to get to visit with old friends, like Suze, Kamal, Tio, Amanda and Alfredo… and despite how hopping it was for a Tuesday evening, we still got incredible service. It brought back a lot of great memories, and was a huge reminder of the incredible diversity and Beauty of “The City by the Bay!”

The Nission is beautiful… but not necesarily for it’s religious significance as it is for it’s cinematic context. Jimmy Stewart, Kim Novac, and my daily trip past Dolores Park keep this fresh and alive in my mind.

The epitome of what it means to be in San Francisco s sitting here drinking espresso or having a panini. Thier pescatore is the closest to Sal’s I’ve ever had (that means its almost perfect!)! Its a great scene for the international crowd as well, giving it a very European flavor… that’s one of my favorite things about SF.

London has its “Lungs,” Hyde Park and Regent’s Park… We have this glorious strip of Nature that runs half-way through the city. I enjoy on occasion walking the length, from the heart of the peninsula , where its eastern-most end a-butts the notorious neighborhood of Haight/Ashbury, and descend through the park over the next 4 or so miles to Ocean Beach. In many places it is quite rugged, and that is almost enough to shut out the hustle and bustle of city-life… except for the traffic which down 19th Ave, which bisects the park. There are some incredible features, such as the Nature Conservatory and the incredible deYoung Museum, which has a tower from which one can see downtown and across the bay to the east, Golden Gate Bridge and Mount Tamalpias to the north, and on a good day the Farallone Islands to the west. The Japanese Tea Gardens are pretty spectacular, but the City’s Rose Garden is rather mediocre, easily beat by the rose gardens of Oakland and Berkeley. The Buffalo pen has been a work-in-progress for as long as I can remember, and as one walks westward, it is nice to stop and sit by the several lakes and streams. One can also find kids leagues for baseball and soccer in the flats, which manifests the broad spectrum of life SF entails.
A great surprise to me was to find at the end of my journey a restaurant/ brew-house called the Beach Chalet. The dining room has floor-to ceiling ocean views, soft ocean-themed decor and decent food to finish off the hike with, and the pint was extremely refreshing

This cozy hip bistro on the other side of “Pot Hill” just feels like home. From the Seared Ahi to the Beef Marrow and Skate, the food was delish, plus how many places can you actually order FOAM!!! Props to Chef Chad. plus, the decor…Decadent food, Red Curtains and dark Decor make it a great, cozy place for an intimate meeting or a gathering with friends. Add it to my top five favorites… with the other twenty.

Who embodies more the Joy of Life better than Francis Ford Coppola? Well, His restaurant strives for perfection, just like his movies and his wine. At the Base of Columbus, This corner restaurant is one of the more desirable establishments as much for the quality of the crew as for the qualities of the owner… and you don’t have to worry about sitting with your back to the door. Yes he owns the building and has an office on the top floor, but the only times I’ve seen him was heading to the loo.