Cappuccino Snobs: Four Barrel, San Francisco, CA

I love hanging out at cafes when I'm traveling.  I feel part of the local grind when I sit with my coffee and newspaper, unhurried, as though I don't have sightseeing plans.  And the honest truth is these places offer a delightful space to congregate for either strangers or friends.  The aesthetics are bespoke (always!).  The music always encourages good vibes.  The people are passionate perfectionists of love in a cup, ergo, the coffee is always impeccable!

It's hard not to compare Four Barrel to the other coffee powerhouse of San Francisco, Sightglass.  But I love the roasts of Four Barrel more.  And the temperature of the coffee is perfect.  And the cups are gorgeous.  Sorry, Sightglass.  I think I just traded loyalties.

#sorrynotsorry!

Four Barrel is located at 375 Valencia, San Francisco, CA.  Their coffee is also served at The Mill  on 736 Divisadero.  

Photo Diary: San Francisco: Chinatown, Locanda, Etc.

Happy February!

Time's a-flying lately.  Or am I just the one lagging?

Over the next few days, I'll be catching up on some terribly tardy posts, beginning with some photos of San Francisco where we spent New Years.  I've said this multiple times in this blog - I love San Francisco.  There's always pockets of this dynamic city always left to be discovered!

Digs:  Intercontinental Mark Hopkins

Chinatown
I never really gave Chinatown much of a second glance outside of dim sum houses.  With an SLR with a new lens that I got for Christmas (yay!), however, a colorful, vibrant, intriguing neighborhood is revealed.  We also stepped into an authentic free tea tasting.  If only to learn about the nuances of Chinese tea while caffeinating, you must go!

Grandview Park

This is what happens sometimes when one wanders around without an itinerary: one surreptitiously runs into discoveries!  The views of city from up here were nothing short of grand.  From up here, one could appreciate the organized grid that San Francisco is.  On a clear, bright day, one could see all the way across town! 

Locanda

I've been wanting to come to this restaurant in the Mission for the longest time.  We were able to get a reservation and thus, our first amazing meal of 2015 finally happened at this Italian restaurant.  The food was spectacular.  It took me and The Dutch back to our Italian holiday in May.  And because of that astounding glass of Barolo, we just might find ourselves back in Italia this year!

Photo Diary: San Francisco's Presidio

I've gushed about The Presidio neighborhood of San Francisco many times before on this blog.  Whenever I come for a visit, this is the neighborhood where I really feel a sharp pang of postal code envy.  It has full access to the ocean and the many beautiful beaches.  Tall forests of eucalyptus are visible (and can be smelled) almost almost everywhere.  If biophilia is your thing as much as it is ours, then Presidio will make you wish you lived here.

Fort Point
One of the most astounding views of the Golden Gate Bridge is from the top of Fort Point, a National Historic Site that sits right underneath the red steel structure.  It's free to get in and while you're there, sit in on one of the ranger-led tours and get a free history lesson while you're at it!

The Commissary
There are apparently a number of exciting places to dine at The Presidio as well.  The Commissary by James Beard Awardee chef Traci des Jardins just opened and I knew we had to go there.

Happy New Year!

First of all, let me be the last to greet you a Happy New Year!

It's always a good thing to be behind on this blogging business because that means I've been too busy living life that documenting it takes the back seat.  It seems like I’ve crawled under a rock after the holidays, but the reality is I have been willingly buried under an infinite stream of spreadsheets at work. 

New years (and birthdays) are always events of self reflection for me, as it is for many people. Allow me to share what I've been mulling over the first two weeks of 2015.

1.  I am only measured against myself, and not somebody else’s impression of myself.   

2.  It is a known fact that mojos are a transient thing. They come and go all the time. And although the case is no different for me, my practice is for it to linger as long as it possibly could.  And for that to happen, I learned that one must allow an environment in your life for mojo to thrive, and should you lose it for short periods of time, one should have enough space that allows the return of that beautiful, inspired self quick and often. 

3.  Unhappy people are usually the bored ones.  I’m not saying overcompensate by spreading yourself too thin on a million different hobbies.  But instead, hone a couple latent or dormant ones.  For me, this means taking better photos (which I’ve already taken the major leap to accomplishing) and being better at a third language.  It’s still a toss up between Spanish and French, but my planned trips for the year make French the more obvious choice.  And yeah, well, being stronger and faster at climbing steep hills on a mountain bike.  

The new year is also that nascent time for one of my most publicized passions of all time: Travel.  It’s the time I look forward to which uncharted territory (in my terms), I will be venturing off to.  The sights are already set on some destinations with some serious altitude and as soon as I unbury myself from the aforementioned spreadsheet situation, my head will literally (and I’m sure, figuratively) be above the clouds. 

The Dutch and I have rattled off the highlights of our 2014 in a conversation on NYE.  Not many people know this, and despite all the beautiful places I’ve traveled to last year, including a dream road trip in Italy, the best part of my year was my short and sweet visit to the Philippines.  Nothing absolutely compares to quality time spent with family and friends who have known me all my life and who love me regardless.  I never ever have to throw a pitch to sell myself.  I don’t have to compete.  I come home and I could just be.  I have seen many people come and go in my life, some more heartbreaking than most, but being back in my roots, I feel that I have profoundly circumnavigated all the character building stuff the last four years and I’ve banished away any thoughts that I should be a forever recluse.  A total, unequivocal,indubitable full circle, ladies and gentlemen. 

So to all my family and great friends from Manila that I go way back with, if you did not know yet, I am grateful for you.  Thank you for creating space for me while I was home.  My heart swells with my love for you.  You are irreplaceable in my books. 

Happy New Year!