Where to Eat Dessert in San Francisco

I have a huge sweet tooth and would prefer to eat dessert over a real meal. Keeping that in mind, my list of favorite dessert spots is much shorter.

1. Bi-Rite Creamery - This place comes highly recommended by any SF resident due to the variety of flavors. My personal favorite are Balsamic Strawberry (seasonal), Earl Grey, Honey Lavender, or a generic brownie sundae with Salted Caramel ice cream. Honestly, any flavor here is amazing and I plan to try them all. 
2. Candybar - A great date night spot. They have sweet drinks, board games, and dessert. I love the sundae bites and restaurant vibe. 
3. Toy Boat - Another great spot for ice cream! There have one of the best sundae's Iv'e had in the city (hot fudge included!)
4. Fraiche - A great place if you're trying to stay on the healthier side of dessert snacking. They serve frozen yogurt in limited flavors but my favorite is "original" and I usually top it with fresh berries and chocolate shavings. 
5. Smitten Ice Cream - A cute little stand in the middle of Hayes Valley. Smitten serves churned-to-order ice cream! The ice cream is delicious but it's also a very cool experience. 

Affordable Skin Care Routine

My skin care routine is ever-changing based on what my skin needs at the time - Dark under eye treatment, intense moisturizer, skin mask, etc. I recently found a combination of products that satisfies all my needs and doesn't take much time.

Here is a list my right-now, favorite (and affordable) skin care products.

My skin is prone to break out, but that all changed when I found an affordable skin care line called "Vichy" which caters to acne-prone skin (and other skins types as well). Every night I wash my face with either the "3-in-1 cleansing mask" or the "Purifying deep cleansing gel." I alternate between these two because sometime I need to fight a break out or just need a deep exfoliation.

After washing, I spritz my skin with Benedetta's Hydrosol Rose spray (rose lotion here). The spray can help reduce eye puffiness, soften dry skin, be used as a toner, and it smells amazing! 

After the spray dries, I then apply Boot No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream (for normal/oily skin) to my face and neck. I love this product because it's light weight, so I don't feel oily in the morning, plus my skins feel silky soft after a night of rest. 

I wrap up my nightly skin routine with Boots No7 Lift and Luminate Eye Cream. I've tried a few eye products recently (including Vichy Aqualia Eye Roller), but I have seen the best results with No7 because it brightens and evens my under eye skin, plus it successfully reduced lines and wrinkles as well. I apply the eye cream before bed and in the morning under make up.

I believe that a balanced and affordable skin care routine is important. I love that all these products can be found on Amazon or even Target and are all under $35. 

Where to Happy Hour in San Francisco

Everybody loves happy hours, but this list is more than just that. I compiled all my favorite spots for breakfast, happy hour, and late night cocktails around SF. 

1. The View at the Marriott - This one I actually discovered this weekend. The View is located at the top of the Marriott in SOMA and has a great view of skyline. I was there during sunset and it was very pretty! The drinks are a bit overpriced but it more about the location. (Right top)
2. Buena Vista Cafe - My all time favorite Irish coffee in SF! I actually prefer the Bailey's coffee, but both options are amazing and a must try. The staff is dressed in all white and they pour out coffees in a line up. Such an amazing and delicious spot. (Header image)
3. Maven - This was also on my dinner list but part of the reason I love this place so much is because of the tasty cocktails. I don't have a favorite because of the ever-changing menu, but I always side with a gin based drink or the sorbet cocktail, and they have yet to disappoint. (Right bottom)
4. Cafe Flore - This is more of a brunch spot. They have yummy food and outdoor seating, but I mostly like the DIY "mimosa bottle service" because I can choose my OJ to champaign ratio. They set you up with a bottle of each and let you pour. 
5. SOMA Food Trucks - This is a great spot for a big group of people. There are many food options and tons of picnic bench seating. Best of all is the option to buy carafe sized sangria and mimosas in a variety of flavors. 
6. TSK TSK - A new bar in my part of town, offers boozy slushies. I tried the beet down and banana hammock, and honestly both were amazingly delicious! Who doesn't love adult slushies or feeling like you're back on vacation with mini umbrellas in your drink? (Footer photo)
7. Smugglers Cove - Also a great spot for groups. This place is decked out in pirate theme
   (including waterfalls), and they serve up tiki drinks and fire punch bowls. I usually love any drink with coconut milk or passion fruit flavors. 

Mirrored Sunnies

Mirrored sunglasses have been popping up everywhere lately - I've seen everything from bright and neon to black with colorful lenses. I'm definitely picking up on the tend because I love wearing simple outfits and dressing it up with a statement accessory.

I plan to purchase the Quay Lana sunglasses, but check out some these other great styles that I found while on the hunt (click image to purchase) :

Quay Australia - Lana in Gold 

Steve Madden - Cat Eye in Pink

Crap Eyeware - No Wave in Flat Black

TOMS - Bellevue Retro Sunglasses in Blonde Tortoise

ZeroUV - Retro Glam Round in Tortoise Sun

Where to Eat Dinner in San Francisco

San Francisco has many great dinner spots so I try to eat somewhere new at least once a week. Using Open Table (because I like to rack up points), I search by neighborhood and food type. There are always so many option (even with a filtered search), I decided to put together a list of my favorite dinner restaurants in SF...

Waraku Ramen Izakaya - In my opinion, one of the best ramen spots in SF. I usually order the delux tonkotsu because of the extra meat and whole (leaky) egg. Aside from Waraku, I also enjoy Men oh Tokushima which is located in the Richmond District. (See middle right)

Alamo Square Seafood Grill - Besides the fact that this place is less than a block from my apartment, it's one of SF's hidden gems. This restaurant is located right behind Alamo Square Park is a more residential area, so not many people know about it. They offer delicious food at an addordable price, plus every Wednesday is free corkage night. Great deal!

Ragazza - Best thin crust in SF! I love the option to top my pizza with an over easy egg - Who doesn't? Ragazza also has an adorable back patio that you can rent for larger parties. It's hard to find outdoor seating in SF so I tend to call it out. (See top right)

Fat Angel - I recently discovered this restaurant and instantly found my new favorite wine - Lioco Pinot Noir. My opinion of it might be swayed, but I love their meat and cheese platters and the kale salad. It's a great spot for a girls wine and cheese night. (See bottom right)

Bar Crudo - One of my favorite spots for oysters, plus they offer a great happy hour deal - $1 oysters! You can't go wrong with a deal like that. They also have additional items on their happy hour menu, so I tend to mix it up with some fish tacos as well. (See header photo)

Little Star - Best deep dish in SF! I usually order the Brass Monkey deep dish from the secret menu. If you're eating in, they also have great cocktails and wine!

Maven - My all time favorite restaurant in SF! I instantly fell in love with Maven because of the ever changing menu, amazing food, and tasty cocktails. You literally can't go wrong with anything you order here. They have everything from burgers to salmon crudo. Don't forget to try the pickles!

Blue Barn - When I'm looking for a meal on the lighter side - usually during the work week - Blue Barn is my go-to. Although their salads are slightly overpriced, they are definitely worth it. My favorite is Spicy Tuna but sometimes I switch it up and get the Detox or the Cesar with chicken. Blue Bar has limited seating (and the line can be long!) so I like to call in my order and take dinner to the park or back home.

Where to Brunch in SF

I'm a huge fan of brunch - Eggs Benedict, hash browns, and of course mimosas. Luckily, San Francisco is not limited to great restaurants and food, so I thought I would compile a list of my favorite brunch, dinner and after dinner spots around the city. Brunch is up first...

For the Food

1. Green Chile Kitchen - One of my all-time favorite restaurants. They serve "new Mexican" food, but include all the breakfast originals like potatoes. I usually order the meat sopapillas in red sauce or breakfast burrito in green spicy sauce. Don't forget agua fresca!  
2. The Corner Store - They have everything from burgers to waffles. The food is delicious and they have outdoor seating perfect for warm mornings (top photo to the right).
3. The Grove -Great for a quick breakfast. The Grove has a large selection of tasty food - Pot pie, turkey club, huevos rancheros, and more! They also have outdoor seating so it's one of my go-to's on a warm weekend. I also love the ice latte (bottom photo to right).
4. Jane on Fillmore -A cute little cafe on Fillmore street. They have delicious small bites - avocado toast, and yummy lattes (header photo).
5. The Mill - Another great coffee shop, known for their strong coffee - Four Barrel (I call it crack barrel). The coffee drinks are slightly overpriced, but they are most know for their toast. My favorite is the season preservative jam. yum! (middle photo to right)

For the Bottomless

1. Stock In Trade - Although the food isn't the best, I love having bottomless here because of indoor bocce courts and many flavors of of mimosas (below large photo)
2. Dr. Teeth and Electric Mayhem - My favorite bottomless place in SF. Known for its great patio that sits in the middle of the Mission district. It's the perfect place to brunch on a summer morning. 
3. Don Pisto's - Since it's hard to find great food and bottomless at the same restaurant, I love Don Pisto's because of the tasty Mexican food and your choice of bottomless mimosa, margarita, sangria. 
4. The Sycamore - Pork belly donuts! Not the healthiest selection of food, but the pork belly donuts are a must (just make sure you share with someone else). This place also has an outdoor area in the Mission so it's best on a nice day.
5. 1300 - A refreshing atmosphere, different than your normal bottomless brunch. 1300 has delicious soul food and live music. The only downside is their bottomless ends early and you pay extra for the live music, but whose complaining?

Coffe Table Inspiration

My coffee table has been a mixture of candles and a few old magazines for a while now. I made the jump and finally purchased colorful hard covered books and decorative tray. Below are some of my favorite looks and links to items I purchased in order to accomplish these looks!

I love the simplicity of adding a tray to hold a few decorative items, so I picked up a white lacquered tray from West Elm. It come in a rainbow of colors and is very reasonably priced.

I also purchases 4 hardcover books from Amazon: This, this, this, and this. They stack perfectly into two piles of two and even add a pop of color.

I'll decorate the tray with two candles and will search local flea markets for trinkets to add dimension. Also, flowers in a small vase always look nice. Pictures of the final product coming soon!

Hello, Warm Weather

I'm headed off to Cabo San Lucas in a few weeks and realizing I have some shopping to do before I leave. My closet is calling for a few new bathing suits, a great straw hat, and a few beach essentials. 

Some bikinis I picked up this week:

I have a hard time finding a good-fitting bikini. Many stores only offer S, M, L options - A small would fit me around, but a large would be necessary for coverage. I picked out these suits above because the left one has a tie back for adjustable sizing, and the second two come in cup sizing. I'm excited to get these in the mail and try them on! 

Shop here: One Two Three

Here are some other items I'm looking into:

Straw Hat - Shirt Dress - Pink Cover up - Knotted Tank

Straw Tote - Red Romper - Crochet Midi Dress

UDATE: unfortunately, bikini one and two above did not fit as expected. I returned both and found an amazing alternative by Vix (this) in Navy. I love that I can buy in D or DD cup but still have the XS dimensions. Very pleased!

How to: Gallery Wall

Creating a beautiful and cohesive gallery wall can take some time. I've been searching for pieces that look great together and don't make my wall look too chaotic. I decided to go with a light and bright theme which has various white and beach-y photos in a mix of photography and prints. Photos of the final product coming soon once I get it up!

The best place to find photos is on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Google images. I searched phrases like beach or white building, and then dragged the photo into Google images to find the highest quality version. I had them printed at Walgreens in various sizes and framed at Michael's (craft store). 

Another option for prints is to search Pinterest for "free printable wall art." You can find tons of pretty images as well! Find some here, on my "spaces" Pinterest board. 

Perforated Booties

Perforated booties seem like the perfect Summer to Fall transition shoe. I love that they're as substantial as a bootie but the holes offer a more casual and summery vibe, which can be worn with either a dress or pant. Here are some of my favorite looks and outfit inspiration:

Shop them here.. From left to right... one, two, three, four 

OSL Round Up

Outside lands is always an amazing time. I love trying new food every meal, lounging in the park to live music, and seeing all of the landmarks people create in order to find their friends. Cait Jenner was obviously a popular theme this year!

OSL is a step into a different world, covered in twinkle lights and art. Attendees are dressed in cliche festival attire or either a silly banana suit. Everyone is there to have a good time and it's great company. 

Here are some of my favorites from this years festivities: 

• Eat: Plantain burrito from Little Chihuahua, spicy pizza, noodle bowl with egg roll and potsticker
• Listen: Classixx, Kidnap Kid, ODESZA, Slightly Stoopid, Toro y Moi
• Drink: Strawberry or berry lemonade
  
  
  

Napa for Wine Tasting

Napa is one of my favorite local get aways. It's 1.5 hour drive from SF, but the weather drastically improves with every mile. Being in multiple wine clubs up north, it's a great excuse to get out of the city for the day, drink some wine, and enjoy the warm weather. 

On Saturday I went to Imagery which is one of my favorite wineries because of their seasonal blueberry wine (I got the last bottle of summer!) and bocce courts. Imagery has a spacious grass area where you can lounge with newly purchased bottles of wine and snack on their famous espresso crusted cheese. 

If you're looking for other Napa wine tasting recommendations, some of my other favorite wineries include:

• Coppola - Visa Signature card holders can get 2 free tastings per card. Plus, they have a pool!
• St. Francis Winery - Outdoor patio and manicured lawn leading directly to the the vines. Take a walk
• Robert Sinskey Vineyard - Wine tasting with tasty appetizers 
• Chateau Montelena Winery - Beautiful grounds and pond area for photo ops
• Van Der Heyden Vineyard - Small quaint winery with great service

WTW: Outside lands 2015

San Francisco is home to a 3-day music festival called Outside Lands, which happens in Golden Gate Park every August. I have attended the last 2 years and it's always a guaranteed great time. The festival has delicious food (plantain burritos!) and I always discover new artists.

As Outside Lands approaches, I'm thinking about what to wear (WTW) to the 3-day music festival. I have to keep in mind the ever changing weather and that the fog could roll in at any moment. Here are OSL inspired outfits for this year: 

I will likely wear a dress or romper for the day-time portion of the festival, but will bring layers (scarf & hoodie) or even pants for the evening. With each of these outfits, I plan to wear black combat boots (similar here), because the park is covered in dust and dirty which will ruin any type of open shoe, not to mention your feet will get extremely dirty! 

1. Downtown Field Jacket in Brown 
2. Straw Panama Hat
3. Chambray Romper
4. Little White Lies Dress
5. Dreamdrift Overlay dress in red
6. Wool Hat 
7. Wild World Mini
8. Sheer-stripe Cami Dress in Pink 

Guide to: Sorrento

Sorrento wasn't initially included in the trip, but because it was a short car ride to Naples (where I were flying out of), it worked it's way into my plans. I'm glad it did! The sunsets were beautiful and I was nice to lay by the pool and enjoy the hot weather.

Stay: 2 nights. I stayed both nights at small hotel called Residence Miramare. This hotel was great because it has a sun deck, free breakfast, and a pool. Also, the hotel cat, which I named Fred, was very sweet.

Eat:

• One of the most memorable meals of the trip was in Sorrento. Since Sorrento is on a large cliffside, many of the restaurants offer pick up and drop off if you dine with them. It's too expensive to get around by taxi and too far on foot. On the last night in Sorrento, I was picked up and we started heading up the mountain. The roads began to get so narrow that the concrete walls were just inches away from the car. I felt like I was in a scene from Indiana Jones. Finally, I arrived at restaurant Donna Sofia, which was tucked in between local's homes and the mountain side. The restaurant had garden seating, great service, and tasty food! I even left with a free bottle of wine from the owner. 

Don't miss: There isn't much to do in Sorrento other than relax and enjoy the food and sunsets, so just do that!

Highlight: The best thing about Sorrento was being able to relax. After 18 days of constant walking and sightseeing, I was so excited to sit by the pool and enjoy a glass of wine.

Get around: Like I mentioned before, it's hard to get around Sorrento because of the steep moutains. I would recommend eating at restaurant that offer free transportation. The only other option is to walk or take a 20 Euro taxi (no matter where you go).

Pack:

• 7 summer dresses (which I wore between Venice, Rome, Capri, and here) 
• 4 sandals 
• 3 bathing suits 
• 1 cover up