San FranCelia

San Francisco has a way of being innovative without even trying, and for that reason, it continues to be the pinnacle of cool.  Last night I experienced another example of this original city when I visited Mission Street Food after a friend’s show.  It’s this incredible idea for an eatery, and is in fact a hole in the wall.  Mission Street Food is a travelling restaurant that takes over the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant called Lung Shan’s in the Mission each Thursday and Saturday night.  Starting as a taco truck originally, thiship place was hosting lines running three hours long and so came to the conclusion that they needed a real live space.  Trying to keep overhead low, they rented a place that if you looked at it during the day is the epitome of a Chinese dive restaurant.  Posters of random scenery (no frames, mind you) and Chinese artifacts are sprinkled throughout.  But, somehow, with a few twinkle light and candles and all the other lights off, you get a slightly romantic and wholly fabulous feel.

As you sit in the completely packed space, you are given a menu that consists of about eight choices that change depending on the night.  Mission Street Food hosts guest chefs each night, and so every visit is ensured to be a different experience.  They are almost like tapas, where everything is mini – this keeps it affordable, as well.  We had a vegan wonton miso dish, wonton shrimp in a crab bisque sauce, short ribs with mashed potatoes (the beef literally fell apart… delicious!), and salmon cakes with polenta, among other delights.  Each was delectable and different, leaving us wanting more (which we quickly satisfied by ordering a second and even third round).  We even brought two bottle of wine and paid a really minimal corkage.  Amazing.  You get the meal of a high-end restaurant  (chefs come from places such as Gary Danko’s) and the vibe of the Mission.  Can’t get better than that.

The pièce de résistance of this wonderful hot spot is the giving aspect to their little operation.  While they are raising money for newer kitchen equipment through private donation now, all of the proceeds of the restaurant, above and beyond the cost of the food, goes to a charity of the guest chef’s choice.  Servers only work for tips.  How amazing is that?!  It’s a full-time charitable restaurant.  Now that’s a true San Francisco innovation.  Enjoy!

Peace and love Xo

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Everyone’s heard of Mama’s; if you haven’t, it’s time to get on the bandwagon, and I mean now.  For those of you in the dark, it’s a super famous (and deservedly so) brunch spot in my favorite neighborhood, North Beach.  This tucked away treasure is not on the main drag, but well worth the detour.  Their food has been featured several times on the Food Network®, as the massive line outside can attest to.  While this wait can be up to an hour and a half, there’s always a way to get through this and still stay excited for the upcoming deliciousness.  Try bringing your own mimosas like we did.  While they are $7.50 for a small glass inside (and don’t get me wrong, I AM encouraging ordering them), you can fill up on the cheap with the B.Y.O.M. method.  On a sunny day in North Beach, nothing beats a little day drinking with friends, even while standing in line.

Once in, you order straight away (cash only, keep in mind) so your food can start to cook before you sit (how efficient!).  It’s the cutest place too – small and quaint, with hints of old world charm.  Then the food comes out and all other stimulus turns into white noise.  Gorgeous presentation combined with mouth-watering ingredients makes for a spectacular Sunday brunch experience.  A

favorite of my group, and a must try, was the Monte Cristo sandwich.  Ham and turkey on warm bread, toasted with cheese, then egg battered and fried – they pair this delight with a sweet jam for the perfect savory/sweet blend.   I mean, are you kidding me?  It’s perfect!

All this and the service is impeccable, too.  They are friendly, fast, and your glass is never empty, whether it be water, coffee, or something stronger.   I can’t recommend this place enough.  Go try Mama’s if you haven’t, and if it’s one of your favorites too, I’ll see you in line.

Peach and love Xo

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There are many reasons to be stressed, but none of them is more important than your health.  In my recent state of health flux, I have definitely felt this to the fullest extent, and decided that being healthy needs to encompass not just my body, but my mind, as well (I mean, we all know this, but what do we really do about it?).  All this being said, I’ve been trying to meditate and be super calm, but as you can imagine, this is always a hard prospect.  Determining that I could not do it alone, I decided to pull out the big guns in the form of a meditation class.  I found a great one near where I live in the Richmond District, and best of all, it’s free (donations encouraged, of course).  What a great way to bring everything back to center and create inner peace!  I am a San Franciscan, after all, and you know we’re about the peace.  The class I took is through Urban Dharma and is held at the Cultural Integration Fellowship center on Fulton Street.

As you walk into the center, a sense of calm washes over you.  The people attending are friendly and ready to relax their minds. Good vibes abound.  Once the instructor comes in (we had Gene, who was AMAZING.  What a comforting presence, and a cute smile, to boot…), you set straight to meditating.  It’s guided, so initially, Gene led our breathing.  Then you meditate on your own – take whatever thought comes in and reflect, observe.  An almost trans-like state comes over you as this occurs, and it’s truly empowering.  Taking 30 minutes to feel your body and feel your mind is incredible.  Why we never do this is now beyond me.

After the meditation ended, Gene led a discussion on participant questions, observations, etc.  Being a gifted orator, in my opinion, he brought humor, emotion, and comfort to all aspects of what he taught.  It was truly amazing to hear him clarify questions we all had on how and why to meditate.

This is one of those experiences that I feel blessed to have had.  Best part is, it’s every Friday at 7:30pm, and so I’m able to go back time and time again.  Definitely check it out if you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or if you need to find some clarity.  The calm that meditation brings to the mind is a true gift, and thankfully for me, I’ve now opened the box.

Peace and love Xo

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