Europe Part I: London

The first stop on my European adventure was London. This was my first time in London and despite it being the dead of winter—my friends and I loved this city. Everything about London took me by surprise. I was expecting a crowded, expensive and dreary city but what I experienced was a clean and sophisticated town full of culture, great food and friendly people (not to mention the awesome British accents!)

I was impressed with the Tube, charmed by the cobblestone streets and in love with the wrought black detailing found everywhere. Maybe London isn’t the stuff dreams are made of but it reminded me of classier New York. More than once, I thought to myself that I could live there. I wasn’t there long enough to try a proper fish and chips spot or even the Indian food but I enjoyed everything I ate. Costa coffee (British Starbucks?) was enjoyable. High tea at the Lanesborough was impressive and quite tasty. Champagne, tea and more food than any one person could eat. What’s not to love? It was beyond fancy and I couldn’t get enough of it.

Every pub I went to had great cheap beer and pretty good bar food. However, I noticed that most people in pubs, cafes and restaurants weren’t really eating. Tables were covered with beers and wine glasses, but food was sacred. Apparently the liquid diet was the norm since food is much more expensive than alcohol, according to expat friends who live in London. Combined with smoking and lots of walking, I was starting to understand the European secret to staying slim! Fortunately, I’m American and ate like an American. I love bar food and luckily stumbled upon places that had delicious eats. The pubs all blend together now so I can't remember every place (could also be a result of one too many pints!)

British pigs in a blanket = bacon wrapped sausage

burger with fried egg and onions rings

My last meal in London was at Riding House Cafe, a recommendation from friends who live there. I was pretty impressed with both the ambiance, which was lively and energetic and the food. I had a beef and bone marrow burger that was so utterly beefy and delicious. Lighting was dim so I won't even bother posting the crappy photo. I'm not sure what people are referring to when they say London has terrible food. This meal among others left a memorable and delicious impression on me. In my opinion, the London food scene is holding it's own.  I can't wait to visit again and try a few more places.


Signing off with one of my favorite photos on this trip, which I've aptly named: Two Bears Hugging

great statue seen in one of London's many parks

Stay tuned for more posts and pictures from Paris and Barcelona!

Getaway to Monterey

Over the holidays, I made a trip down to Monterey with a couple of friends from out of town. I haven't been to Monterey in years and it was reassuring to know it was every bit as charming as I remembered. With no real agenda besides getting a seafood fix, we made a our first stop for lunch a Sea Harvest Fish Market & Restaurant. A fresh seafood counter and a half hour wait set my expectations pretty high for this place. Thankfully--it didn't disappoint! Quick service. Fresh and delicious food. I recommend checking it out if you're in Monterey and looking for a casual lunch.

creamy clam chowder + edible bowl. what more could you want?

rich and creamy

perfectly golden fish & chips

For dessert, we wandered in the Candy Baron for a treat...or several. They had every salt water taffy flavor known to man.

whee! so much candy

something about this pile of taffy makes me want to jump right in it

remember these??? big ol cup of nosalgia

Christmas Dinner

Happy holidays! I hope your holiday have been filled with delicious eats. This year's Christmas dinner was protein heavy with some classic dishes. A little prime rib, some lamb chop and more butter than I care to admit was used. A full day of cooking resulted in a huge dinner with enough leftovers to last all week! But the holidays are all about indulgence, right?

Here are the highlights:

bacon wrapped dates stuffed with marcona almonds

prime rib

mmmm beefy

rosemary crusted lamb chops

parker house rolls

black bean noodles

sausage stuffing

cauliflower puree

creamy au gratin

buttered carrots

caramel budino

Sam's Chowder House

A couple weekends ago, I ventured out to Half Moon Bay with a couple friends. We started the day with an easy walk along Pillar Point Bluffs and were treated with gorgeous views of the ocean, beach and cloudless blue sky. Did I mention it was sunny, warm and not at all windy? It pays to get up early on weekend mornings, sometimes!

Following our "hike," we headed to Sam's Chowder House for lunch. I've heard such good things about this restaurant so my expectations were pretty high. I did, after all, drive over an hour just to get my hands on a tasty lobster roll! Luckily my expectations were met, as were my taste buds! The food was delicious and service was friendly and warm--exactly how it should be in a cozy seaside restaurant.

creamy clam chowder--not too thick and perfectly seasoned

my biggest issue with this lobster roll was that it was too small! i wanted MORE.

fried seafood platter was eh. don't bother getting this.

It was a perfect morning with a little exercise, great lunch and wonderful company. Doesn't get better than that. I can't wait to head back here for my seafood fix. 

Thanksgiving Feast

For this year's Thanksgiving, I decided to not go the traditional route. Instead of turkey, I roasted a small duck. Without a a giant turkey taking up my oven space and hours of cooking time, I was a lot less stressed. Either that or I've just gotten a lot better at prepping and staying organized! I have to admit though, it didn't feel like Thanksgiving without turkey. Dinner turned out great regardless. We had wayyyy too much food and were eating leftovers for days.

pistachio crusted goat cheese

roasted beet salad, pistachio crusted goat cheese, muscat champagne vinaigrette

roasted duck, cherry port sauce

beef bone marrow, capers, crostini

mashed sweet potatoes

green beans, shallots, garlic, lemon

honey glazed ham

lobster mac & cheese

spicy sausage corn bread stuffing

duck fat potatoes

chocolate chip pumpkin bread pudding

The Butler and the Chef

A surprisingly delicious brunch at The Butler and the Chef in SOMA has brought me back into the bloggersphere. Cute, cozy and oh so French, this spot is one of my favorites in the city.

french onion soup with ooey gooey cheese

french toast with strawberries and bananas

veggie croque monsieur

Food, Health, Skincare and all that Jazz

This update is a bit late, but better late than never! I recently was interviewed by YULI Skincare about my foodie view on health, nutrition and skincare. Yes, I use YULI products! Thanks Eddie and YULI Skincare for the opportunity to share my background and experience. I am very touched by all the wonderful comments left by readers. Knowing that I've had even the tiniest influence on helping someone follow their passion and be inspired to figure out what they really want to do is one of the most rewarding moments I've experienced. It reaffirms for me that I am truly in the right place right now.

For the full interview (warning: it's long), check out the YULI site.