Advice you can taste. Adventure you can feel.

Springtime is Margarita Time

The much anticipated San Francisco springtime weather is upon us – let’s celebrate… ¡vamos a celebrarlo!

What better way to bask in the warmth of the sun than with an icy cold pitcher of margaritas and mouthwatering fresh ceviche! From the Mission to the Marina and the Financial District to SOMA, San Francisco is home to some of the best Mexican food north of the border.

The City’s Mexican food capital is the Mission district, so cha cha cha your way down to Valencia and 16th where you’ll find the always packed Puerto Alegre. Their carne asada nachos and steak quesadilla suiza don’t disappoint, especially if you were over-served when bar hopping across town the night before. You’ll never leave this mega-dive hungry, and after a pitcher of their ultra potent margaritas, you’ll be feeling no pain!

For those of you that like your Mexican food with a side of trendy, strut your stuff to the Marina for “the eat and be seen scene” at Mamacita’s on Chestnut Street. Dazzle your taste buds with the delectable ahi tacos or stick-to-your-ribs chicken enchiladas.

For a drinks only night, mingle at the eternally buzzing bar while sipping on fresh-squeezed pomegranate margaritas. After a long week, head out early for the 4pm Friday Happy Hour at Mexico DF Cocina and Cantina in the Financial District where you can drown your sorrows as you raise your margarita to yet another weak week on Wall Street.

Or, just say hit me with your best shot at Tres Agaves Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Lounge in SOMA where the seasoned aficionado can sip on some of the finest tequilas available. The uninitiated can get in on the fun too with a tequila cocktail or a perfect margarita poured with 100% agave tequila. Follow by devouring their delicious guacamole before heading over to watch the Giants game.

Weotta  have a Margarita or three… ! Arriba!

A Night in the Marina

Last Saturday night I decided to hang out with several friends in one of San Francisco’s most picturesque neighborhoods, the Marina.   Nestled between Russian Hill and Pacific Heights,  with beautiful bay views and the Golden Gate Bridge within walking distance, this small neighborhood transcends trendy. It is one of my favorite neighborhoods in all of SF and for good reason: it is full of attractive men and women, stylishly dressed patrons,  lots of fun intimate bars, exclusive boutiques,  and one-of-a-kind restaurants close enough to each other that a girl in the highest of heels has no prob hopping around. It truly is an experience for the uninitiated.

A proper night out in the Marina can take many turns, from trendy and hip, to downright divey.  Let’s take a look at one of the bars that dots Fillmore Street, a staple in the Marina pub crawl, the Matrix at Fillmore.

For those of you who don’t know, the Matrix has been a part of the Marina district since the mid-60’s. It was opened by Marty Balin, the lead singer of Jefferson Airplane, and has hosted music legends such as the Doors and the Grateful Dead.

Today, the Matrix is a cluster of lounge seats, dark lighting, inconspicuous “S-E-X” letter tables and sexy patrons. In the middle is a chic fireplace with comfortable lounge seating. On any weeknight the Matrix would be a perfect date venue, but on Friday or Saturday nights it’s a cluster of single men and women conversing, mingling, and of course checking out the procession of candidates who glide in through the doors.

Once you have your drinks, find a seat on the wall and watch the scene unfold before your eyes.  Better yet, for a little more privacy head through the short, dark hallway to the back room where a venerable playground of cushions, ottomans, and comfortable plush seating awaits.

After a warm-up drink at the Matrix, make a beeline for the Balboa Café across the street. This corner bar, with its brightly lit interior, is a stark contrast to the lounge feel of the Matrix.  Saddle up to the bar and order any one of the traditional cocktails that the attentive bartenders can muster up… a Manhattan, a gin and tonic, bourbon on the rocks. The venue oozes old school, where drinks are stiff, and the furniture and interior harkens back to a time and place when a bar was for drinking with your friends, not a game of beer pong.

If the night calls for another venue change, walk down Fillmore towards the bay, and at the corner of Chestnut and Fillmore sits one of the trendiest and coolest hot spots in the area, Circa.  Once you get past the bouncer and the tall, thin, impeccably dressed female patrons, you’re immersed in an expansive room with a large, almost circular bar. Here the libations have a tendency to run towards beer, mixed drinks and shots.  Don’t let the Banana Republic shirts and jackets donned by the young men scare you away, or the short Bebe skirts and dresses intimidate you.  Yes, the post-college crowd can dominate the scene; but if that doesn’t deter you, then by all means, come in and mingle with the stylish and hip 20 and 30-somethings.

For a late night bite, you can’t go wrong with Pizza Orgasmica right next to the Balboa Café.  Wait, you’re a little short on cash?  You’ve only got $6 in your wallet because you’ve been buying rounds of Patron instead of Jose Cuervo?   If your expensive tequila habit drains your wallet have no fear.  At Pizza Orgasmica you can get 2 slices for the lonely Lincoln and Washington inhabiting your wallet… make one a pepperoni, and the other a sausage with cheese.

If your palate requires a more “sophisticated fare”, i.e. a 24-hour joint, you have 2 options right around the corner on Lombard Street.  The International House of Pancakes, affectionately known as IHOP, serves up a cornucopia of delightful pancake pairings to curb your late-night hunger.  Feel free to top off the pancakes or Belgian waffles with strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream and/or 4 different types of syrup.  If you’re craving more of the mom & pop feel of a good old-fashioned 50’s establishment, head a couple of blocks down Lombard to Mel’s Diner. This long-standing San Francisco institution has burgers, fries, shakes, and an extensive menu of late night grub to help you forget how inebriated you are.

Enjoy your night out in the Marina, and stay tuned for more about one of my favorite neighbourhoods in SF…

Party Weotta Style (Part 1)

We love our friends and we really enjoy throwing parties. For those of you who were able to join us for our New Year’s Eve affair you know what I mean : ) It was pretty sweet! Thanks for joining us and thanks to all those who helped us put it on. A lot of people have asked how we throw such nice affairs. Well, that is a big question and it is going to take more than one post to answer. So let’s start off with drinks.

Champagne: Now, who doesn’t love bubbles? Always a party draw and oh so much fun. As many of you know we had quite the selection on New Years thanks to our very own sommelier, Nivi. And before that we had Jim’s Champs party co-hosted by Patti and Rob. At this point I think we have tried everything from the driest dry to the sweetest sweet and the whitest white to the pinkest pink. Bottom line, there is the good stuff and there is everything else, and price is not the best indicator of what is good. Check out K&L liquors, ask for Scott and tell him we sent you. Tell him the flavors you like and I bet you will get something pretty darn good for around $30. Or stop by BiRite in the Mission, they always have something interesting for about $15 or so. One of our personal favorites, Henriot, pronounced On-ri-oh, is at K&L for a steal of $32… you will love its crisp fresh flavor.

Gin: It sits and looks boring… for some reason people love gin and tonics at bars but at house parties it never flows… you can do without it.  But if you gotta have it, try Anchor Steam Junipero Gin, made in SF by Anchor Brewing.

Vodka: Goes like water at parties so get lots of it. If you are mixing, Smirnoff is fine. On the rocks, you will want Ketel or better. Our personal favorite is Hanger One, made here in the Bay Area. It is a little pricey, but o so smooth… drink it on the rocks or with a splash of soda or tonic. You will see what we mean. You may want to keep it out of sight for it has been known to sprout legs.

Whiskey: It is always good to have a bottle of Makers or Bullet on the bar… fills it out nicely. Forget about putting out the really good stuff, few people really appreciate it and Bullet really drinks quite well. If you want to try something a few steps up try Michter’s Rye… so tasty… so sweet… you may not want to leave this one on the bar, it just screams, “I am special. I am different, drink me”.

Rum: Ok, it goes with Coke and a few juices. Definitely a distant second or third – nothing special, but a must-have for your tropical drink friends. Although, you can have some fun with it, try making The Pineapple Express.

Tequila: There is such thing as tasty tequila and it’s not Patron. Patrons isn’t bad, but try Partida or Don Julio Anejo neat. People love Margaritas, and that is what Jose Cuervo is for… it should always be mixed and never done as a shot. But if you really want to know what tequila is good for ask Joe Nichols.

Wine: We really enjoy good wine from all over the world – Pinots, Cabs, Malbecs. But the problem with wine at parties is everyone and their mother is always bringing it, and usually it is just some random bottle. Know why? Re-gifting. You know, the act of taking something someone gave you and giving it to someone else. Wine might very well be the #1 re-gifted thing in the world. If you want to have good wine at a party ,don’t put it on the bar. Carry it around, pour it for your friends, and let them know what they are drinking. They will appreciate it more and you look like quite the consummate host.

Glassware: One more thing, we like to have real stemware and highball glasses to drink out of. Nowhere is better for this than Ikea. They have champagne flutes for $0.75 a glass, you can’t even buy plastic ones for that. If we have to do plastic, the clear small plastic ones are ok. No big red cups! Just forget them. People drink too much and trash your house; trust me, I know from experience.

That should cover things for you alcoholics. Weotta get a drink

Next up, cheese and after that all the other tasty bites.