All my trips revolve around food. Seeing friends, sure. Seeing sights, sometimes. But food is always number one. And for short ones like my recent 1.5 days in San Francisco, it’s all about packing in as much as my stomach will allow.
Having visited SF a handful of times already, I’ve seen most of the neighborhoods, so my friends recommended Eaman and I spend our day off from wedding festivities in the Mission, which I had been to during my last visit, and Hayes Valley, which was new to me. Both areas are filled with cafes, trendy boutiques, and popular eateries (i.e. Pizzeria Delfina), but Hayes is slightly more upscale—like New York City’s SoHo or West Village.
Here, 6 things to eat, drink, and do, but first, let me set the scene…
I had always wondered why Californians were so passionately pro-California. As an East Coaster without much experience on the Left Coast, I was baffled by the superiority complex. Also, having been born in New York and spending my formative post-college years in Manhattan, I was contractually obligated to always lend a pfft whenever a Calfornian got on his or her high horse. But after driving up the scenic Highway 1 (or Pacific Coast Highway or PCH) last week to a wedding in San Francisco, I get it. California is friggin’ awesome. The classic route traverses some of the most dramatic and awe-inspiring vistas I’ve ever seen—a mix of yell0w-green hills, verdant mountains, and spooky bluffs—and it never failed to impress me that everything we were seeing was encapsulated into one state.
Our route involved going inland around nearby Orange County and L.A. (which we can visit anytime) and starting the PCH in Santa Barbara. As it got dark towards the tail end of the Big Sur region, we decided to hit the faster inland route. I wish we had more time to stop and explore—2 weeks would’ve been ideal—but we had to get to SF that night. So we stopped for brunch and wherever a view piqued our interest, and though we rarely paused for more than 10 minutes and were really booking it the last few hours, we spent a whopping 17 hours in the car. Not for the faint of heart.
Yes, we were a tad delirious when we rolled up into the Applebee’s in Gilroy* for something, anything to eat. Yes, I was completely bleary-eyed when we stumbled into our friends’ SF apartment. And yes, it took us a few days to recover from the exhuastion, but it was still worth it. Absolutely. And here’s my photo diary that explains why:
When I think Santa Barbara, I think beaches and glitz, but the downtown area is funky, beautiful, and quaint. It reminded us of The Hamptons, Orange County, and a university town rolled into one. Brunch at Tupelo Junction Cafe was wonderful because you could tell just how fresh everything was, from the berry compote in my baguette-style French toast to the meat in Eaman’s burger. And for good measure, we hit up one beach, Goleta Beach by UCSB’s campus. Those are some spoiled and lucky students right there.
I’ve walked by Hanna’s Gourmet in the quiet neighborhood of Normal Heights a handful of times. Cute, intimate bistro, small space, multicultural menu—those were my first impressions. But the menu was what always held me back. I think the notion of “if they do everything, they do nothing well” often holds true, and I assumed that a menu that pulled from cuisines all over the world was bound to be a misstep. Now that I’ve tried Hanna’s, I can get the foot out of my mouth, apologize to dear Hanna, and tell you that this place is one of the best restaurants in San Diego. In fact, the meal I had there was one of the best in my life! (And I’ve been fortunate enough to eat at really spectacular places, so I’d like to think my opinion carries decent weight.)
Ethiopian-born Hanna Tesfamichael moved to the States in 1983 and went on to study food and nutrition at SDSU. Once she accumulated all those culinary skills, she worked at a catering company in La Jolla and finally launched a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Adams Avenue in 2011. That global perspective and nod to nutrition is evident in her menu that pulls from South Africa, India, France, and other countries. In addition to the eclectic menu, Hanna also offers a rotating selection of a few dishes from one country each week. When I first came across the restaurant, the “world tour” menu was from Iran. For the World Cup’s first week of games, it was Brazil.
Best of all, there’s now more room to sit! Back in 2011, Hanna’s Gourmet was just a couple of tables with a to-go counter. Now there are about a dozen tables with a roomy patio. The space itself feels like home. Hanna brings out the dishes and checks on your experience, while the patrons are regulars who aren’t afraid to champion the restaurant as San Diego’s best. (One guy wasn’t shy to stop and tell me that.) From what I’ve heard, many have done the brunch thing at Hanna’s, but you should definitely check it out for dinner. Here’s why:
Hale Holistic. June was a tough month for me. I went back to working at home, for myself, and by myself after 3 wonderful months filling in at San Diego Magazine, and that meant relearning the freelancer hustle. Frankly, it’s exhausting. I also dealt with Teddy’s mystery GI issues—a new antibiotic has him back to normal for now—as well as his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad behavior. It was like he forgot all commands and was a wild heathen at the park. There was also that general feeling of blah. I spent a few weeks wallowing and then snapped out of it because I realized being so negative and putting so much pressure on myself would get me nowhere.
I’m so excited about today’s post because it combines my two favorite things in life: food and travel. Whole Foods invited me to take part in a blogger challenge on behalf of their new travel venture, Whole Journeys, which creates specialized, multi-day international and domestic trips for small groups. The trips are all about engaging with culture through food, whether that means wine tastings, lessons in cheese making, or hands-on cooking classes.
If you read our travel blog, then you’d know that this way of seeing the world is right up my alley, and there were more than a few examples to prove it. We asked the staff at a restaurant in Myanmar to teach us a traditional recipe. We worked on a Patagonian farm to gain a greater appreciation for food sources. We did a homestay in Mysore to try local meals. Food with travel makes us happy and fulfilled.
So my task was to create a recipe using an ingredient from one of the Whole Journeys destinations, and together we decided on Peru. Whole Journeys’ Peru trip includes meetings with Whole Planet Foundation microentrepreneurs and the COCLA Cooperative farmers whose organic coffee can be found in Whole Foods. For me, not only was Peru the first country of 14 in our backpacking trip, but we still think about the kind people, the rich history, and the innovative cuisine to this day.
My ingredient was cilantro, and even though I could make anything my traveling heart desired, I wanted to pay tribute to the country of the hour. Enter: the goes-with-everything aji amarillo sauce.
There are two things I love about the new boutique Hi Sweetheart. One is the sunny, well-curated collection of home decor, kitchenware, gifts, and jewelry. It’s one of those places where I could very well see every single piece finding a home in my apartment. The second is its owner, Molly Rossettie, an Orange County native who just moved back to the West Coast after spending a handful of years between New York and Philadelphia. Even though her background is SoCal, I could feel that East Coast connection as soon as I met Molly. There’s just an instant recognition and familiarity. Plus, she has the best of both worlds: a totally relaxed personality paired with big-city style and sensibility.
So I wanted to find out how a SoCal native is adjusting back to a more laid-back life after living in two of the busiest East Coast cities. Today she shares her favorite La Jolla happy hour spot, Hi Sweetheart’s music playlist, and more.
Lazy Hummingbird is yet another reason to love the wonderful coastal hippie ‘hood of Ocean Beach. This friendly locals cafe offers coffee, tea, pastries, live music, and even Fair Trade Peruvian textiles, but what it’s most famous for are its acai bowls. They recently stopped serving the bowls while figuring out new health code regulations, but once the acai was back on the menu, my friend (who lives across the street—jealous!) and I ventured over for a weekend breakfast.
What you first notice about the bowls is the size. They’re gargantuan, really. If you’re hungry, Lazy Hummingbird is your jam. If you like nut toppings, Lazy Hummingbird is your jam. If you want banana slices, Lazy Hummingbird may not be your jam. Apparently they’re not allowed to slice bananas due to health regulations. How they slice the strawberries, I’m not sure. As far as the actual acai blend, it was tasty with the consistency of a thick smoothie, which I appreciated, because those icy mixes are just never good. It may not be my favorite acai bowl in the city—still figuring out that one—but it’s certainly in my top 3.
But it is one of my new favorite cafes in San Diego. I love the intimacy and why-don’t-you-stay-a-while vibe, even though it strangely shares a space with FedEx. (That said, it’s the most laid-back, non-corporate FedEx you’ll ever see!) Lazy Hummingbird also has a welcoming patio, where customers and their four-legged friends relax, a comfy working area with free wifi, and a sweet, fun staff to boot. We happened to be there on the cafe’s 3rd birthday, and they were all wearing party hats to celebrate. Local-driven, cozy, and friendly—all the makings of an excellent hang-out. Check it out:
I’m that girl (woman? person? what are we saying nowadays?) who will get up in your grill if you don’t slather on SPF. I’m that girl who feels unlike herself if she doesn’t moisturizer her face after washing it. And I’m that girl who is devoted to weekly exfoliating sessions, not to mention face oils and eye cream every day.
So you could say, I’m a wee bit into skincare. I’m not a makeup fan, but I get so much satisfaction out of nurturing and nourishing my skin. A part of it is vain (wanting great skin when I’m older), and the other part is common sense (avoiding skin cancer).
So when Simple Skincare asked me to review some of their products as part of their Kind to City Skin campaign, I figured it was a great fit. The campaign is a global initiative to help women understand the impact that city living—both environmental and lifestyle-related factors—can have on their faces. My years in New York City came with plenty of skin assaults, from the pollution and humidity to the stress and late nights out, but San Diego presents its own set of challenges, the biggest of which is the constant sun and need for SPF. (I know, life is really rough.)
Simple prides themselves on zero harsh chemicals and zero artificial perfumes or dyes, and these days I’m looking to eliminate as many negative ingredients as possible. Bonus points for the brand’s efforts to keep prices low; you can find Simple at Target!
Here’s a look at what I loved, along with a chance to win a skincare pack giveaway!
