Fun in San Francisco-part 2

On Sunday we headed to SF again to meet with some more friends for brunch. Again, we were lucky to find parking near our destination with relative ease. We waited in line at Tartine Bakery, at Mission. It is listed as one of the best in SF and certainly one of the must try places according to our friends. The sandwich combinations and desserts did really live up to its hype. We enjoyed a yummy coconut tart as we waited for our sandwiches. This time we were lucky to get a table outside. Afterwards we walked to Dolores Park again as were even closer to it today. The Spanish architecture and the palm trees surrounding the park gave it a unique feel. What really made this trip special was the time we got to spend with dear friends who we had n't seen in quite a while.

Fun in San Francisco-part 1

I had been in the South Bay (San Jose) for two weeks to work in the west coast lab. So the weekend in between was a perfect opportunity for Nelson to visit. On Saturday we drove up to San Francisco to meet our friend who lives in the Castro district. This area known for its gay community had a vibrant feel with several ad hoc street performers. We walked downtown towards a row of restaurants and got some good, affordable Thai food for lunch. Then we took about a 10min to Dolores Park, located in the Mission district. I didn't really notice the view until I walked up the hill and suddenly turned around to see the city sprawled over the mountains.

Then we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and went up the headlands to continue to enjoy this amazing view from several lookout points. It really was a magical combination of natural beauty and architecture. We were lucky that the weather was ideal for being outside and the mist hadn't yet set in. Afterwards we arrived in Sausalito and enjoyed some dessert and coffee in a nice roadside cafe.

It was early in the night when we went back to the city for dinner with friends. We were lucky to find great street parking close to our chosen restaurant. Our friends had chosen Calzones at the North Beach, the Little Italy of SF. Their appeal of the restaurant was the seating outside that enabled people watching in the comfort of heated lamps. Unfortunately we had to settle for a comfortable booth upstairs but we didn't mind. We enjoyed a great combination of mohitos, bruschetta, pizza and tiramisu.
Our last stop for the night was Top of the Mark. The 360 degree view of the city was thrilling on this clear night. The drinks menu consisted of more than 50 martinis. Desserts and finger foods were also available in the early hours of the evening. The live band was entertaining the much older crowd that was dancing the night away. We had a wonderful time catching up with old friends and just taking in this spectacular view. The waiter was very kind to waive the $15 cover charge as we left around 1pm after the band finished its run.

My Name is Khan

I was eagerly awaiting this movie for the past year. Even though I find Karan Johar's movies grandiose for my taste, he really knows how to make Sharukh and Kajol fall in love. After a sold out week in NYC, we decided to try a theater in the suburbs. We headed to Spring Valley across the Tappan Zee Bridge. The area has its share of Indian restaurants and grocery stores. I had not known this to be a South Asian locality. The movie theater too was Indian owned and screened Hindi and other south Indian cinema. The movie really tugged at my heart strings. Despite the extraneous plots twists, the central story line about a man with Aperger syndrome, who falls in love with a single mother and son was very well depicted. The acting and music were excellent. I was happy to have discovered this town and hope to come back when I need to satisfy my Asian food carvings.

Latin American Delight

We headed to Port Chester for the second time this winter for Friday night dinner. This time it was to celebrate a friend's birthday and they had picked the same restaurant that we had been to previously. Inca & Gaucho is a great place for a dinner date or a small gathering. The menu offered and array of choices of Peruvian cuisine with dishes from other Latin American countries such as Brazil, Uruguay & Argentina. Ceviche was a great appetizer and sangria was enjoyed by all.On both occasions I enjoyed my Peruvian seafood dishes as well. Port Chester has a number of great Latin American choices so I look forward to exploring this town further this spring.

V-Day in the city

We couldn't have asked for better winter weather on Sunday.I was excited about spending the day in the city after being away in Boston last weekend. Our initial plan of watching the latest Bollywood movie had to be shelved as it was sold out. After my getting over our initial disappointment, Nelson presented me with a number of options that made this day simply unforgettable.

Having arrived in the city early afternoon we headed uptown to Central Park. It really was a winter wonderland. Lots of families, couples and kids had come out making the park very lively on this sunny Sunday. We walked around and Nelson pointed out what has been voted as the most romantic bridge at Central Park. It really was a magical place to be and hard without having to pay a dime.

Then we headed to Chinatown hoping to see how the celebrations for the Chinese new year were going. The streets were bustling more than usual and all the bakeries were packed. We got some custard and coconuts buns and followed the direction of a drumbeat in air. What we saw were people in Chinese dragon costumes followed by drummers greeting each business. The mood was very festive with lots of Chinese confetti and crackers falling around us. It was such a pleasant day for walking that we were browsing through stores in SoHo before heading midtown for dinner.

We had dinner at Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar. The restaurant had a prix fixe menu for valentine's day that included champagne,a three course meal with dessert wine and a rose for the ladies. There were at least 4-5 choices for each meal. The artichokes hearts appetizer and the chocolate molten cake were my favorites. I'm looking forward to coming back to try some of their famed truffles in the near future.

Pre-Valentine's happenings

I was eagerly awaiting the "Valentine's Day movie on its namesake holiday. Even the negative reviews didn't discourage my plans to see it on Friday evening. It definitely didn't strike the same chord as last year's "He's just not that into you" but was nonetheless entertaining to see such a collection of stars in one movie.
Before the movie we grabbed a bite at Applebee's from their $20 for 2 menu. It didn't include dessert but it was quick and cheap and we were seated immediately.

Then on Valentine's eve, we headed to AntiPasti in White Plains. It had a great ambience for a romantic night out. The place seemed to fill up while we were there, so I was glad that I had a reservation. The restaurant offered a special cheese and prosciutto plate, which we enjoyed. Nelson ordered the chicken and I got the gnocchi as our main dishes and still made room for some great tiramisu. It was great meal and I will certainly keep this place in mind for a semi-fine dining option.

An afternoon in SoHo

Our first trip to the city this year was on a cold but sunny day at the very end of January. We headed to SoHo to meet up with a couple of friends for brunch at L' Ecole, the restaurant of the French culinary institute. It was a lovely brunch, very reasonable for the a $19.99 prix fixe menu that included an appetizer and the main course. At the end I had to have my favorite dessert of the season, the crème brûlée which was totally delightful.

Then we headed down Broadway indulging in some shopping. This is really a great street for clothes, shoes and accessory shopping. It has a great mix of high end and low end stores with some eclectic boutiques. Among them, I really enjoyed visiting Kiteya, a Japanese store that carried various traditional and fusion items. It is a great place to shop for unusual and interesting gifts. The earrings and bracelets, which were all under $20 especially caught my eye. Inspite of the winter blues, SoHo was a bustling hub of activity as usual. The street vendors too had braved the weather to give SoHo its unique flavor and despite my lack of tolerance for the cold, I was tempted to stop by and admire their assorted collection of jewelery.