“Bar Hopping”

Today was a lot of driving from dealership to dealership.  We also moved all of my belongings out of San Francisco.  I’ll miss living in the city (and my roommate Nicole!) but the convenience of my new place will be 100% worth it!  I think the stress of transition is making me crave sugar hardcore.  I kept “bar hopping”, you know hopping from bar to bar in between big meals.  No idea how I was able to eat so much!

First, I hit up this (chocolate) bar and finished it off.

Then I was on to this bar: Gingersnap Larabar – I’ve never had this flavor but now it’s easily one of my faves.  It reminds me of Anna’s Cookies which I loved growing up!

And let’s not forget the bar that gave me a sugar crash today: The Chocolate Dipped Coconut Luna Bar.  It’s a healthified, glorified candy bar.  But then again, my mom used to call me the candy witch when I was little.  I hoarded and ate candy in an “Is my child normal?” type of way.  Now I only only hoard Lunas and Laras.

In between all that “bar hopping”, we ate Mexican at a highly yelp-ed Mountain View Taqueria.

We got chips, guacamole and two kinds of salsa.  My mom got a Shrimp quesadilla and a fish taco.   That quesadilla looks wimpy from a birds eye view, but it definitely delivered.

The fish tacos were good but not too flavorful.  They were pretty though!

My sauteed shrimp taco and fish taco.  I polished off my plate and then ate half of my mom’s quesadilla 🙂 She’s not a big eater like myself.

Sauteed Shrimp Taco close-up

Let’s not forget the Indian.  We popped into Amber Cafe, the more casual sister restaurant to the fancier Amber (in San Francisco and San Jose).  I love Southern Indian food because they have more Gluten-Free Carb options.  I usually get Idli to start (Rice + Lentil patties) but I wanted something snackier to dip in the complimentary sweet tamarind and cilantro sauces.

My pappad (a.k.a. Pappadum) My mom  is more of a naan gal.  I would be too if naan didn’t have wheat.  I’ll stick to my fried lentil chips!

I ordered the Tandoori Salmon with Basmati Rice.  The salmon looks skimpy but they were actually huge pieces that were perfectly juicy, tender and charred on the outside.

My mom rolled with the Lamb Curry w/ Naan + Daal.  We ended up trading a little bit.  She gave me her daal, and I gave her my best smile.  Works for me 🙂

Tomorrow morning, we are going to tackle some more dealerships and have brunch with Matt’s family.  I’m so lucky to have my favorite people around me this weekend.

Do you go “bar hopping” sometimes too?  I try to avoid eating more than 1 bar a day (which is usually a late morning or late afternoon snack) because it’s so processed.  But, I do LOVE my bars.  During finals time in college, I would often camp out in Butler (our school’s library) with half a dozen Lara bars and a 4-pack of Sugarfree Redbull.  Kinda gross, I know! What can I say …Convenient energy sources can sometimes streamline studying.

What are your favorite dishes at Mexican and Indian restaurants? 

Mexican – seafood tacos (on corn tortillas), tamales!!!!, guacamole (obvi), crema fresca, roasted corn w/ cotija cheese + lime.  By the way, we called my dad tonight and he was his good friend Patty’s house for dinner.  If you’re in the NYC area, check out her restaurant Mexican Mama.  There are two locations.  Her mexican food was the only mexican that I grew up on.  Once I branched out, I realized that not all mexican is mouthwatering.  Mexican Mama ALWAYS is!!

Indian –  Idli, Dosas (thin crepe-like lentil wraps usually stuffed w/ potatoes etc.), Tandoori Salmon, Raita (yogurt sauce), Saag Paneer (sauteed spinach + paneer cheese).  Matt is an aloo gobi (cauliflower + potatoes) man.  My dad is all for lamb vindaloo.  My mom loves her curries.  And my brother always orders chicken tikka masala.  Our Fave Indian restaurants in NYC: our local shindig, Bombay Talkie and for more special occassions Tamarind

The perfect weekend

This weekend was absolutely perfect!

Friday night started off with dinner at Eiji in the Castro with one of my oldest family friends.  He was my neighbor back in New York and we’ve known each other since I was a newborn and he was just 2 years old.  He and my brother were attached at the hip from day one up until high school, and our moms are still best friends.  We moved out here around the same time and hung out in NYC a few times to discuss our California dreams before we headed west.  Now lives in the Mission (a really fun somewhat mexican neighborhood in SF known for hipsters and overpriced coffee – the equivalent in NYC being the Lower East Side) and works as a Legal Assistant at Google.  We had a really great time catching up!  Of course, I asked him all about the amazing amenities at work.  And of course like the spoiled googler he is, he complained about the cafeterias becoming healthier and replacing Mexican Coca-Colas (the ones with pure cane sugar instead of High Fructose Corn Syrup) with Hint Water.  HA! He told me a funny story about how the chef at the Google headquarters loves cooking Duck.  Four or Five times a week the chef would serve duck paninis or duck fat  french fries.  The employees were getting sick of duck all of the time so someone drew a sign with ducks saying “We Surrender!!!” and hung it up on the cafe wall.  I thought that was pretty funny.

Dinner was Eiji’s homemade tofu and our own Sashimi specials.

Saturday morning, Matt and I woke up at 7 to meet some of his family at iFly in Union City (just 30 minutes from Palo Alto).  iFly is a vertical wind tunnel a.k.a. indoor skydiving.  One day i’d love to go skydiving…One day.  iFly is a really fun alternative! You first suit up in jumpsuits of all different colors.  We looked like the Power Rangers.  More pics to come…

Matt and his cousin Adam were the blue and yellow rangers.  I was the red ranger (not pictured).

Everyone took two turns in the wind tunnel.  It wasn’t scary because an instructor is in there with you helping you correct your posture, and making sure you don’t ram into the walls or float to the ceiling.  We all experienced a few tumbles.  Matt took a really funny fall when the instructor let him walk out of the wind tunnel and he was sucked back in.  The instructor gave an amazing showcase after.  He scaled the walls and flew up to the ceiling only to land hovering a foot off the ground in “I Dream of Jeannie” style.

The day continued with Brunch at Plant Cafe Organic on the Embarcadero, My favorite Farmer’s Market (@ The Ferry Building), Muir Woods, Stinson Beach, Lombard St. and Dinner at B Star Bar by the Presidio.  Matt’s uncle’s fiance had her cousin and sister in town from Rio, so we were celebrating her cousin’s 40th Birthday.  Matt’s uncle’s fiance works in Integrative Medicine and eats an oil-free plant based diet.  In other words, she is the definition of health and is SO incredibly inspiring.  I could talk to her for hours on end trying to absorb her wealth of knowledge!

California PLant Burger at Plant Cafe Organic  Matt and Adam in Muir WoodsThe view from a landing near Muir Woods in Mill Valley, CA

After winding roads and just before Lombard St. (The most crooked st.) one of our party go-ers got sick.  The day started super early and we were in the car for a long time trying to get as many sights in as possible.  We wound up in a daze at a 7-11.  After stocking up on some road snacks, we drove to Stinson beach to stick our toes in the sand.

The next stop was BStar Bar (a sister restaurant to the well-known Burma Superstar restaurant in the Richmond district).  We started off with grilled calamari salad w/ cucumbers, grape tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and a spicy tamarind sauce.  This was great! The boys also enjoyed “Sticky Fingers” which were dark hoisin pork ribs, several pitchers of beer and tempura mushrooms.

For my entrée, I ordered the Black Rice Salad with Salmon.  It ended up coming with Avocado too and was PERFECT.  The Salmon was grilled and the rice was warm, nutty and tossed in a wonderfully light dressing.  It was a long day and I just needed some carbs and sea protein!

Matt got the Basil Tofu w/ Coconut rice.  I probably ate half of his coconut rice.  What can I say? I love coconut.

The rest of the gang ordered Chicken Curry, an Asian Tuna Nicoise Salad, Pork and Shrimp Wonton Soup, The “Green Plate” and Fresh Veggie Spring rolls.  Dessert was lychee ice cream and an not-pictured chocolate cake.

We slept well that night.

But we had to wake up early for our  1st Half Marathon run by the Dolphin South End Running Group (?) over at Lake Merced.

After fueling with Oats, a huge banana w/ numerous (5?) spoonfuls of Almond Butter and a handful of trail mix… I was ready.  But, I still felt like this:

Matt finally got up, took a shower, sang Nsync’s “Here We Go” and did some pushups.  I guess this is his new pre-race routine? Later he exclaimed “Betcha didn’t know that I knew that song!”  He is definitely someone who likes to amp himself up before any physical activity.  I made him eat a half banana in the car.  He probably did it just to shut me up as I lectured him on the importance of breakfast for the millionth time.

I have run 10 miles at once before, but Matt has probably run 7 miles at once max.  But, we did it! We arrived 6 minutes late and saw the runners take off.  We scurried to sign in and get our bibs and pin them down.  My garmin helped time us since we didn’t run with the pack.  Our favorite part was passing people.  No one wanted us to pass them… In fact some old lady was trying to race both of us as we approached her.  Now that I think about it, approaching people on either side must have been intimidating.  We get a little competitive… what can I say!  During the race, volunteers handed out Cytomax (an electrolyte drink) and Water.  Drinking and running is a difficult task that really meant me throwing beverages up at my face hoping that I could catch some of it in my mouth.  Matt and I are kind of opposite runners, but we compliment each other well.

I listen to indie rock and sometimes even slow Radiohead songs.  He listens to house music and loud hip hop.

I like to conserve my energy and not move my body side to side too much.  He likes to box the air when he runs.

But, I have to say his energy keeps me going.  And he does nice things like run through a flock of pigeons gathered on the trail just so I don’t have to.  What a guy.

 The pin on the bib made him a little bloody 😦

I must have eaten 3 bananas and a few oranges at the Post-race snack table.  We clapped as the winners got their medals, and then headed into the city to shower.  We ate a lot that day.  I almost can’t even get into it… Let’s just say a feast made my Matt’s mom (I contributed a roasted root veggie dish – butternut squash, turnips, parsnips, zucchini slathered in EVOO and roasted at 375 F), copious amounts of ice cream, fro-yo and Trader Joe’s Chocolate covered sea salt almonds (go out and buy these now!)

This morning my body clock woke me up early again.  I enjoyed breakfast in the garden… 

Lunch on a shady bench in the Whole Foods parking lotSpinach, Kale, Black Beans (hidden), Salsa, Scallions + Cilantro, Feta (underneath the spinach), Tuna, Artichoke, Curried Quinoa w/ Chickpeas, Fruit Salad.  What a weird mix.  It hit the spot.

I did some errands and snacked on a couple handfuls of almonds.  Off to do some more errands…

What did you do this weekend? Did you go anywhere you hadn’t been before?