It’s new. It’s filled with tempting artisan chocolates. And it features delicous products handmade in small batches. It’s Charles Chocolates, with a retail store next to the factory, in fashionable Emeryville, right off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on the east side of S.F. Bay. What is Charles Chocolates? It’s the story of one man’s…
If Pink is the new Black, then Cheese is the new Wine, and Sommeliers will have to make room for Affineurs*. And if you don’t know what an Affineur is, then Sara Vivenzio’s The Cheese School of San Francisco will make the perfect alma mater. I don’t think I’ve ever taken more notes or learned…
Many major cities have a culinary academy and San Francisco is no exception. In fact, the California Culinary Academy on Polk Street has churned out dozens, if not hundreds, of prominent chefs who now are making names for themselves throughout the Bay Area and beyond with its Le Cordon Bleu Program. If you ever have…
Movies have their Oscars. The Theatre, their Tony Awards. Not to mention the Clios, Pulitzer’s or the Nobel! And, as all culinary insiders know…. Chefs have their Rising Star Chef Award! The StarChefs.com Rising Stars Revue is a national award that recognizes chefs from around the country as they come into their own as young…
In a space that housed Julia’s and Winterland, both which received wide culinary acclaim yet had extremely rocky soap-opera like pasts, it was a delight to dine at Cassis, hopefully the last reincarnation at the corner of Sutter & Steiner. The charming co-owners, Jerome and Stephane Meloni, had me at “Bonjour,” (although the grand-opening complimentary…
Not even the brightest, greenest, limiest colored exterior paint can deprive foodies from enjoying the authentic Puerto Rican cuisine at Sol Food in downtown San Rafael, about 15 miles north of San Francisco. l’ve squeezed into their first locale two blocks north that features a bustle of activity amid a few indoor and outdoor tables,…
GREAT NEWS: One of my favorite televison and travel writers, Doug McConnell, has just launched his new Website, the traveler’s guide to The Great American West. The site is loaded to the gills with superb ideas for anyone planning a trip out west — from the best in flora to fauna, where to find your…
You don’t have to be old enough to remember the “Summer of Love” in San Francisco in 1967 to enjoy three nights for the price of two across 16 upscale San Francisco hotels. From June 1 through 30, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of that trippy time when thousands of hippies descended on The City,…
First, there was the Slow Food Movement. Now, a few retailers in San Francisco’s hip and trendy Hayes Valley district are launching the Slow Clothing movement. It combines revolutionary ideas about beauty with time-honored concepts of utility that are now regaining popularity. One store and art gallery, called MAC (Modern Appealing Clothing), is making a…
“There is never a dull moment for our guests — whether they’re enjoying play groups, swimming laps in the pool, relaxing with a massage or taking a quiet nap. Wag days are full of activity, from check-in to check-out.” ( I know- you’re probably thinking- Big Whoop! ) “We offer flat screen TV’s, micro-suede beds,…
Campton Place has got to have one of the most convenient locations of any luxury hotel in San Francisco. It’s right on Union Square. It’s adjacent to great upscale shopping, from Neiman-Marcus and Sax Fifth Avenue to Macy’s and Tiffany’s. And it’s now part of the Taj Group’s collection of 76 exquisite hotels, resorts and…
My friend and associate Ms. Pat Miller is florist to San Francisco’s most upscale hotels, restaurants and people. So for Mother’s Day, who you gonna call? She’s been dazzling and delighting hundreds of folks with her floral artistry over the past 25 years. She’s also been called the ‘Alice Waters of flowers’ for her fresh…