Yelp

I love Disneyland more than 90% of things in my life. That is in no way an exaggeration. So when I say the Ferry Building is the happiest place on earth it really does mean something.

This place has EVERYTHING. I can get lost all day at Sur La Table. I can eat my weight in cheese over at Cowgirl Creamery. I can buy bread with no corn syrup at Acme, I can buy tons of organic vegetables or oooh and ahhhh over tasty upscale organic treats. The veiw of the bay bridge is outstanding. Tuesday and Saturday has the BEST Farmer's Markets. You can catch a ferry to Vallejo or Angel Island.

When I die I hope Heaven is exactly like the Ferry Building but for FREE.

Don't waste yourself in rejection, nor bark against the bad, but chant the beauty of the good."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Oh Ralph...if only you were there next to me at Dada to coax me into approaching the bar and speaking to the absolute GORGEOUS bartender working there.Yes this bartender was of the finest quality eye candy....all others were just See's in comparison. Yes....I tell you she had more curves than Lombard....better put together than the Bay Bridge....and smile that could stop traffic (not that traffic ever moves during rush hour in SF) but you get the point. Next time...Lovely....next time.

Aside from the ocular feast before me, Dada has a lot of things going for it.

*pretty unpretentious crowd.
*patrons were of the better looking kind.
*comfy seats.
*a long bar to accommodate lots of patrons.
*located in downtown...near my office.

I did have a couple of recommendations.
*the place is tiny and it could get real crowded real fast. Maybe limit the # of people in there...the place was shoulder to shoulder for a bit.
*not being a club, I have no idea why the music was so loud.
*there could be more room if upstairs were opened up.

I had stopped drinking (at least for a while) so I can't comment on the prices of drinks. They did look good though. I will definitely come back and make Ralph proud when I order a Shirley Temple w/ confidence.

Let me just say: I used to be in kick-ass shape.  Like, ridiculously tight, toned, can-wear-anything-and-loo k-hotter-then-you shape.

And that was because I did ballet.  A lot.  I was never going to become a professional dancer, but I loved doing it, I was serious about it, and I had an amazing, incredibly inspiring teacher (and by "inspiring", I mean he thwacked people with his cane and hurled tear-inducing insults - which inspired me to not fuck up again and incur his wrath.  But all that came from a place of love).

Then  I went away to college and everything fell apart.  Up until Sunday, I hadn't taken a class in 8 years.  And while I haven't turned into a complete schlub, I am no longer at peak physical form.   And more than that, I haven't been truly challenged and motivated by anything workout-y in years (I did have a good run with yoga, but it's just not the same).

Enter Basic Ballet with Kathy Mata.  Not exactly basic - I wouldn't recommend this for someone new to ballet.  But it was a fantastic reintroduction to dance.  Frustrating, because I remembered what it looked and felt like to do the exercises properly  - and now, my body can barely remember what a sissone is, much less perform one.  

But all that will change.  Because as before, I am inspired.  The studio's environment is professional.  Kathy is extremely professional, and extremely detail-oriented: she'll notice the incorrect alignment of your ribcage and you will change it.  Ballet is all about these tiny details in technique - and I'm confident that by training here, I'll get mine back.

And the quarter-bounceable ass.  I am determined to get that back too.

Along the quiet neighborhood of outer Richmond, a small packet of restaurants sits firmly on Balboa Street. Despite a cult following at Shanghai Dumpling King just a few blocks away, Shanghai House surprised customers with amazing food and clean décor. Formerly the chef at Wu Kong, chef/owner Kam Yuen Lu successfully translates a few banquet style dishes in his neighborhood restaurant.

Ambiance.
In the twenty six seat restaurant, the ambiance is fit for a cozy dinner with friends. An all glass front allows customer a clear view of Richmond neighborhood. Clean white walls and bright ceiling lights create a minimalist décor allowing the food dishes play center stage. Dishes are served handsomely over a table filled with a scenic nature background.

Food.
Shanghainess cooking showcases a tad sweet in taste compared to their regional counterparts. I start off the meal with a few orders of cold plate dishes. Neatly assembled, the vegetarian goose ($4.25) appetizer is a great starter. Tender cake make from many thin layers of tofu skin, with a pan fried crispy top, wraps in a meaty shitake mushroom filling. A slight drizzle of red vinegar provide a tang enhancer. Neatly fanned across the plate, the five spice beef ($4.95) was a disappointment.

The beef lacked flavor and was dry. Served in a bamboo steamer, the pork dumpling (minced pork filling wrapped in a soft house made wonton like skin) revived my taste buds with a burst of soup and tender filling. Braised fish with white wine sauce ($9.95) feature tender flounder. Giving the dish character, crunchy wood ear fungus compliments the soft fish. My least favorite dish was the rice cake - $5.95. Seemingly presented without care, chewy rice cakes are work-tossed with shredded pork and Napa cabbage.

The stew pork ($7.25) stole the show. Each thinly pork slice flaunts the dual textures of savory meat with a fatty cap. Hiding under the buttery pork, dried vegetables provide a slight savory note. The dark maple sauce brings the entire dish together. An order of fluffy white rich diffused the sweetness.
Having been here previously for brunch, the savory rice roll ($2.50) warms up the stomach. Resembling a sushi roll, sticky rice wraps around dried shredded pork and vegetables. The sweet soy bean milk ($1.25) makes a great breakfast drink. The savory soy bean milk is an acquired taste.

Dried vegetables, friend Chinese doughnut, along with a drizzle of chilli oil swim in the silky milk. Cut into triangular pizza slices and fried till golden brown, onion pancakes ($3.95) highlights the aroma of fried onion. Enriched in a dark sweet sauce, Shanghai style pan fried noodle (noodles stir fried with cabbage and shredded prok-$5.50) gives patrons a taste of chewy noodles that rounds out a dish.

While chef/owner Kam Yuen Lu is busy in the kitchen, wife Teresa Hai serves patrons in the front of the house. Hai said, "the most challenging part of owning a restaurant is finding local fresh ingredients." Another dish I have yet to try but recommend is the pig's knuckle which must be ordered one day in advance.

I don't really know how to explain this without sounding like a poser but half the reason I read comics (ONLY HALF, OKAY?) is because I'm really into nerdy looking dudes who understand the difference between their, there, and they're.  I'm into guys who read comics.  I'm into them.  I find them very attractive.  

Now that we got that out of the way... I was surprised when I accidentally stumbled into Isotope.

Why?  Many non-comic reading (or buying, rather) folk would assume that this is just another comic store.  Far from!  ALL comic book stores smell like online gaming and look like dogshit.  I'm sorry, but they do.  And you know what?  That doesn't bother me!  But it should be noted that that's the norm for comic book store design.  

Isotope successfully designed a BEAUTIFUL comic store that is SUPER BADASS and would MAKE STAN LEE proud.  It is AWESOME.  Plush red sofas, lots of metal, it's sexy.  It reminds me of a 1957 Dodge Coronet (this one:  http://www.dodgecorone...).  

But anyway, I DO really appreciate the fact that Isotope takes the "we're grown-ups" approach to design and actually TRIES to make it a nice place to visit.  Because, well, it IS a nice store to visit.  

If I were more comfortable around that many cool dudes I would have gladly curled up on one of their red sofas (see photos) and read some B+W crime novel or tried to talk to a hottie about how I really like Brian Wood and his style, how he is kinda like a new, hipster version of Transmetropolitan, etc.  But I digress.  

Isotope gets 5 funtastic stars.  I love it and I can't wait to go back!  Maybe I will score a date (or at least some Halo Jones).

Chicory coffee. Sometimes, the flavor is overpowering in some brands, but the Community chicory coffee they serve here is out of this world. I put a nice swath of cream in my large mug and sip it slowly, letting the hot liquid swirl into my mouth.

The beignets are fantastic. We've gotten the flight of beignets twice now, and they are a meal unto themselves. The plain tastes great dipped into the coffee. The Ghiradelli dark chocolate is sticky-icky good. The cinnamon apple tastes like a mini pie. Yet, my favorite is still the savory crawfish and cheese beignet with cajun seasoning. Spicy, gooey and soul satisfying.

I'm so in love with all of the creole and cajun flavors. The grits are creamy, cheesy, buttery and hearty. My heart belongs to the cream biscuits; so light, fluffy and flaky. Topped with soft butter and homemade strawberry jam, it's like biting into a little piece of heaven.

The wait is long, but if you get there early enough, you don't have to endure the bitter, foggy and drizzly cold of a San Francisco summer morning although once seated, the people and the food immediately brings Southern warmth to Northern California.

After numerous visits to Postrio over the years, I would have been more inclined to rate it a solid 4. Delicious food, expansive wine list, and great staff make for a solid standby in the Union Square area and a safe place to send family, friends, and business associates from out of town.

Last night, I had the distinct and profound pleasure of actually having a private meal for 15 prepared by Jordan Grosser, head chef, and his delightful crew from Postrio. Charming, professional, and clearly passionate about their work, these guys set to lighting my heart on fire  with each course they turned out.

Here are things to remember on your next visit to Postrio: Anything with salmon or beets is to-die-for. The duck confit ravioli with parmesan ragout and some rich sauce made my mouth water and my nether-regions tingle. The big, meaty, rare lamb loin all dressed up with root vegetables and bitter greens had me on one knee in front of the chopping block, proposing marriage to Mr. Grosser and promising my first born to the lovely kitchen staff accompanying him. And the butternut squash panna cotta? Well, let's just say that's when the host of the dinner had to have me escorted out, wrapped in a towel , and threatening me with legal action.

OK, that's not all accurate. I am one of the event organizers, it was for charity, and Mr. Grosser didn't take any of my offers seriously enough to petition for a restraining order. I'm sure he inspires this kind of behavior in ladies nightly at Postrio.

Bottom line: Postrio is a classic San Francisco establishment serving delicious upscale food in a great atmosphere AND they do good for the community by putting up with drunk ladies and gentlemen like myself in the name of charity. This is not food for people on a diet, but if you can turn a blind eye to the calorie count for one night only, you will be richly rewarded.

Perhaps after reading this review, my better (maler) half will feel differently about accompanying me to these sorts of events in the future...

Sometimes I feel as if my life is a floating speck that is handled by the dirty, finger-paint marked palms of sweaty little children. No matter where I turn, there's no escaping them.
I was a nanny for awhile.
Then I taught preschool.
Then I took care of orphans.
Now I feel like I'm going out with a 6 year old.

Yes, my current S.O has hardcore Peter Pan syndrome. I'm not talking about "Child at Heart" ... but straight up touring the city for playgrounds, singing Disney songs on long walks, getting as excited from "Office Monkey" figures as one would get from The World Series, would eat ice cream for every meal if he could. Sometimes I feel like a pedophile*, but most of the time I absolutely adore it. So of course when he came into town, The Exploratorium was my #1 stop. No flashy dinners, the opera or The Power Exchange (well at least not that day) but the best place I can possibly think of that can make a 3 year toddler or a 26 year old man go "ohhhhhhhhhh!!!" Even I can't get enough of the place. It's like little Mary escaped with her Asian bowl cut and lace fringed tights and squealed over her refound love for physics. The exhibits are ridiculous fun and educational. Whoa-de-whoa! And the surrounding Palace of Fine Arts is breathtaking.

Minus one star for the staff. All the disgruntled, oh-so-cool emo kids decided to take a joint break to sing My Chemical Romance in the shadow room. EXCUSE ME!!! I wanted to jump and have my shadow frozen on the wall. I mean.... these little kids did. OK, I lie, it was me.

Overall a near perfect place for kids... or 2 super cool adults.

*I am trying so hard so hold back the jokes. I'm like bursting. Please god, PM me if you want to hear them.

I've been too busy enriching my child's cultural life closer to home to get to the not-so-new-anymore DeYoung...but hubby and I finally made a date to explore the museum and see the Chihuly glass.  

I pre-purchased tix (with audio) online, and was thrilled to bypass the big line for ticket purchasing and walk right up to the non-member will call table.  We loved the Chihuly exhibit and were glad we had the audio tour, as much of it is in Chihuly's own voice and with the heavy Saturday crowds it would have been tough to read the posted notes in each room.

Although there are hundreds of pieces in the Chihuly exhibit, you get through fairly quickly because so many pieces combine to make displays like the room with two boats filled with amazingly colorful glass and the overhead ceiling of "sea creatures."  We used the time to see several of the other exhibits with everything from a Stickley sideboard to a room of wonderful Teotihuacan frescoes that were part of a "collection" bequethed by some guy (now gone) who had no business possessing them in the first place.  

I felt like the much touted tower, while it did offer a clear view on a beautiful day, was not probably worth the long line waiting for the elevator to get down.  Although I might feel differently on a day without crowds.  

We took BART and the N Judah to get to the museum, which was easy breezy...until we had to literally jam ourselves into a streetcar on the way home.  Can't wait to take the little guy...he'll love the adventure of the ride there and back...and those nice triangular benches they have everywhere in the DeYoung.  The benches are generally his favorite part of most museum visits...but I'm not discouraged.  I felt the same way at his age...and I ended up majoring in Art History.

Okay, I realize the irony of purchasing a shirt with "The Richmond" emblazoned across the front at a store on Irving Street, but unless you're into track suits, the Richmond doesn't have a whole hell of a lot as far as clothing stores.

This is the place for those old Warriors-style (http://theassociation....) neighborhood shirts.  The have Sunset, Richmond, and Mission gear there, in t-shirt and hoodie form (might have been some babydolls there as well).  The shirts are like $20 each or two for $35.  And, well, that's about it.  It's not a lot (it is also a shoe store) but hey, those shirts are badass.

:throws up tha R: