Memorial Mojitos: San Franciso by Stomach and by Foot

So I'm a little late in posting my entry this week, and a little later posting these photos at all. Memorial day weekend my mom came up for a little visit. Saturday morning after I picked her up from the airport, we went on a little culinary/cultural walking tour of San Francisco. Good times and a couple of large mojitos were had.

We started out at the Ferry Building to peruse the Saturday Farmer's Market and pick up a light picnic lunch. We went with local faves Cowgirl Creamery, Boccalone, and Acme Bread. I highly recommend Cowgirl's St. Pat cheese wrapped in nettle leaves - yum!

After the Ferry Building, we walked along the piers until we got to Fisherman's Wharf. We tried chocolate at Tcho and enjoyed all the tourist attractions Pier 39. Those sea lions really never get old, and the street performers were fun, too. I particularly enjoyed this family of circus students and this giant skeleton.

















After the Wharf we headed over to North Beach for a little pre-dinner cocktail and appetizer. Calzone's makes a great mojito, and the large open air bar and cafe seating make for great people watching. Then a quick walk through Chinatown and it was on to dinner at the Stinking Rose, a perennial favorite.













Later on it was back home to the East Bay, but not without a walk past one last city landmark. It was a very good day.

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Long Lunches are Essential for Good Mental Health

People over time have developed a need for shelter. Weird, I know. Why on earth would we ever want to put a roof over our heads. Further more these roofs are not just there when we sleep! We go inside to work, to learn, to cook and eat, and to live. This is all fine and good, but just because we go around spending so much time inside and being thankful for the roofs over our heads doesn't mean that we can forget about the outside, and how beautiful it can be all on its own.



I admit that I don't get outside in the fresh air often enough. I do occasionally have to leave my bubble of 'inside' though, to go to an appointment in the middle of the day for example. If that day happens to be one of the first and few sunny days of spring, and the cherry blossoms just happen to be in bloom, I might decide to walk to my appointment.



Of course, if taking the long way back to the office happens to walk me right by a little Mexican/El Salvadoran restaurant from which I have been meaning to procure an oft talked about but never experienced Plantain Burrito, I might just have to take the wide arch back and grab a bite for lunch.

Cuco's in the Lower Haight is not actually very far from my office, but its far enough that I never went from work to Cuco's. This was a dumb move on my part, I didn't know what I was missing. Cuco's the type of hole in the wall place you would completely pass by if you weren't looking for it, but you should definitely be looking for it. Completely unassuming and not much more than a doorway from the outside, it also happens to be situated right next door to a rather unpleasantly scented carniceria. The two are not related. Thank goodness.



The plantain burrito at Cuco's may just be the best thing I have ever eaten. And I am including in that consideration things which are made with bacon. The perfect balance of chewy/sweet/soft plantains, salty/melty/gooey cheese, nutty rice, earthy black beans, and a pretty darn good salsa (light on tomatoes, heavy on onion and REALLY heavy on the jalapeno) - words cannot describe.



The only thing is though, that I am not sure that I can ever eat another one. See, the burrito was SOOO good that I know that the next time I have one there is no way it can ever be as good as the first time. This was the ultimate burrito experience, and everything else can only be second best.

I suppose I will just have to hold on to the memory of my first Cuco's plantain burrito and savor the sweet sweet taste of that first perfect bite on a sunshiny day in San Francisco. It's depressing really. Maybe a plantain burrito from Cuco's would make me feel better.

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Wondercon 2010: The Reckoning

Okay, last of my Wondercon pics. I know... three posts in a row of photos, none of which involve food. Well, I do do other things. Some of them apparently quite nerdy. Anyways, enjoy the finale. I hope it fills you with wonder.



There is a video of this, but I think I will be kind to my heroines for the day.









If the highlight of the morning was a James Marters sighting, the highlight of the second half was definitely the only event I wanted to see that I actually got into. At 6:30, BBC America was hosting an early viewing of the new season of Dr. Who. Good stuff. Heeding the warning of my more experienced con-going friends, I lined up for this event TWO HOURS early. A good thing too because Wondercon apparently needs to go back to school on the whole crowd control issue. It was a cluster of idiocy with several hundred guests not quite sure what they were doing, where they were going, or why they were lined up around the entire lower level of the Moscone Center, and the staff direction was worse if you would believe it.

I ended up getting in to the panel before Dr. Who so I sat it out and listened to a preview of a new Green Lantern story arc. I don't really follow Green Lantern, but it sounded interesting and I got to hear some adorable little kids asking the writers and illustrators about their heroes which was pretty sweet.

Finally it was time. I was a little worried about the new Doctor. David Tennant is a hard act to follow. Matt Smith performed admirably and I can't wait to see the whole new season when it hits next weekend. Woot!

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Wondercon 2010 Pregame: Thai Fighter

Wondercon brings people together. Its true. You never know who you are going to find yourself bonding with over the new movie or tv show preview, a shared disapproval of a particular story element or artist re-imagining of your favorite character, or the search for that hard to find volume in the 50% off trade stacks.





Friday night I found myself brought together with a family friend from Los Angeles, his girlfriend and another local friend from Oakland, and their friends from SF. Old and new, all enjoying a bit of shop talk, a bit of geeking out, some great Thai food, and a few really good vegan cinnamon cupcakes - complete with dino-decorations. Thanks Wondercon!





I really need to get the recipe for those cupcakes, especially the frosting. It never hurts to have a good vegan baked good recipe in your back pocket.



Also, I failed to take photos of any of the restaurant's food because 1) I forgot I had my camera until after dinner, and 2) if I had remembered, the battery burnt out on me after only 5 shots anyways. The restaurant was a great recommendation from the Los Angeles team's hotel front desk man. If you are in the area, Bang San Thai on O'Farrell is a solid eatery that has a large vegetarian/vegan section in addition to the regular meat based Thai classics. The Pad Kee Mao was delicious, and the pumpkin curry got rave reviews.

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