Tag Archives: San Francisco

Yoga Sculpt followed by Spinning, Good Morning!

Posted in San Francisco, Working Out by

I had originally been signed up to go to Barry’s Bootcamp for my morning routine today, but due to an old back injury starting to flare up I decided running and jumping around would not be in my best interest. In the spirit of me trying to listen to my body more I decided to be spontaneous and try two new places this morning which would be more low impact on my back. Yes back to back new studios!

IMG_0728

First up was Yoga Sculpt at Hot Yoga Ocean Avenue. Class started at 6:00 am, which meant a nice 5:15 wake up call for me. Half asleep I got myself up and ready, then by 5:35 I was out the door and on the road. What I love about working out early in San Francisco is there is no traffic on the roads. You can zip from one side of the city to the other in no time. In a city only 7 miles by 7 miles you can get anywhere in about 15-20 minutes.

Parking was easy, I pulled right on up and was in the door with 5 minutes to spare. I setup my mat, grabbed my set of weights, and waited for the class to begin. The class was 45 minutes and it went by super fast! It was a great combination of stretching, yoga poses, cardio bursts, and weight lifting. I dont know if it was the workout or the fact I was moving around in a very heated room, but either way by the end of it I was sweating all over! Class was done at 6:45 and I quickly grabbed my mat to run out the door to head over to a spinning class which started at 7:00. This class was 8 minutes away so I was cutting it close on time.

IMG_0726

At 6:55 I pulled up to Fit Glen Fit located in Glen Park, a cute neighborhood I had never spent much time in. I was able to park right out front again, which was the only way I was able to pull this double workout off. I jumped out of the car and made my way into the studio. I had only been here once before back in November so I was excited to give this place another try. What I love about this spot is the neighborhood vibe it invokes. If there was a Cheers Bar of gyms this would be it.

IMG_0729

The spinning room is located in the back of the gym, a bright and warming space. There are only a handful of bikes, but it was the perfect amount for a pleasant and intimate class.  The instructor Claudine had a bright smile and a demeanor making you feel like you had been friends for years. Instead of setting her bike up in front of us, she jumped on a bike in the middle, a rider like the rest of us, guiding us through our ride. I appreciated the change and felt like I was riding with a group of friends instead of just sitting in a class being instructed on what to do next.

The spinning part of class was 45 minutes. Claudine had a good mix of music and varied up the routine from sitting, to standing, to hills, and sprints. It was a perfect sweat, not too hard, but not super easy either. The last 15 minutes of class was devoted to ab work on the floor, which was a nice active cool down.

Upon finishing my morning I walked over to the neighborhood market to explore what it had to offer. I could walk around a grocery store forever if I had the time. Next I grabbed coffee at the little shop around the corner, again another local neighborhood spot I was proud to have found. Although I was still in San Francisco, being in 2 completely new areas made me feel like I was on a little pleasant vacation. It is amazing how rejuvenated you can feel just by switching up your workout routine, trying a new studio, and being in a new area.  All I know is this routine might just have to be duplicated next week!

The Foodist, the Best Diet Book I have Read

Posted in Books and Articles by

The Foodist

Lately I have had a few people ask me if there were books I used during my weight loss that I would recommend out to others. Unfortunately I did not read anything specifically in my weight loss mode besides a lot of health magazines and internet articles, however I have read a lot of books since then on food, fitness, and overall healthy living. Some of the books I have read have been very science based, while others are more opinion focused. My favorite books are the ones which are real, where I can relate to the topics covered, the advice given, and feel like anyone can do it. In order to make something a habit it needs to be something you are able to sustain. Who wants to live life without the indulgences of good food? With this in mind my favorite book by far on this topic is the “Foodist: Using Real Food and Real Science to Lose Weight Without Dieting” by Darya Pino Rose.

I first learned about this book at a local bookstore in Noe Valley called Omnivore Books who deals solely in books on food. Brilliant right? The books cover everything, cooking it, growing it, eating it, you name it. It was about a year ago I had found the little store and decided I needed to plan a whole day around going to it, have I mentioned my love of bookstores yet? This meant one Sunday morning after convincing Dustin to join me we got up and started the 2 mile leisurely walk there grabbing coffee and breakfast along the way.

Bookstores have always been a place of peace for me. I can spend hours in them. I take everything in around me. I walk from table to table looking at the curated assortment from someone else’s perspective. I take my fingers caressing the cover’s and picking up ever so gently the ones that peak my interest. I skim through the pages, pausing when I get to pictures. Looking, taking it all in. I found the foodist perched up towards the front window. As I started to read the summary my interest was immediately spiked even though I was no longer trying to lose weight. However the selling point for me from browsing to actually buying was seeing a little sign by the book talking to how in just a couple of weeks the author was going to be in the store doing a book reading and signing. I am a sucker for lectures, so in that moment the decision was made. I would purchase the book, read it, and attend the event.

First I am going to talk about the book, which we already know I loved. The author Darya had an ease to her writing that made it very educational without being preachy. It was refreshing to read a book that embraced food and health in a sustainable, which had been my focus at the time. Darya talks to how there is so much more to being healthy then constant exercise and watching everything that goes in your mouth. You don’t have to count every calorie or kill yourself at the gym to be able to lose weight and maintain it. Personally it made me feel confident that once the habits you make are established then your healthy lifestyle is easy to maintain, something I still struggle to fully trust. After reading her book my immediate reaction was feeling energized towards healthy living. I felt like I had just been talking to a friend who had given me some great advice.

In person Darya was very easy going. She talked to her book with a confidence and poise which made me want to befriend her.  I wanted to be engulfed with her knowledge. She seemed sweet, sincere, and grounded.  Nothing is better then hearing directly from someone on what inspired their work. It gives you context you would never get out of the book alone. Lastly I think what made me love this book even more was Darya lived in San Francisco, actually it turned out only a few blocks from where I lived. So the way she lived her life, the grocery stores she went to, the farmers markets, the gyms, those were the places I went to as well. If she could sustain this life only a few streets down from me, then I had no obstacles either.

To sum it all up, for anyone starting their healthy living journey, in the middle of it, or just needing to be inspired again I would recommend this book.  Trust me, you wont be disappointed.

 

Things I am Liking This Week-Christmas Edition

Posted in San Francisco, Things I Love by

IMG_0523

My favorite way to kick off the holidays is by getting my Christmas Tree. It does not feel like Christmas officially until the Christmas Tree is in hand, lights are on setting a comforting glow, and it is dressed up in it’s finest ornaments ready for the weeks ahead.  I had always had an artificial tree my entire life, until 4 Christmas’s ago when I met Dustin and he insisted we get a real one. That first holiday together we had big plans to go down to a tree park, walk around while sipping on hot cider or coco while picking out the perfect one for our first holiday together. In reality what happened was we got lazy and ended up going to Lowe’s, which has now become our yearly tradition. Usually we go for a much bigger tree, but this year the smaller one seemed to be giving us the eye. Her shape was perfect and when we both saw her we knew, this was our tree this year.

IMG_0559

I like all other 7 year old girls am in love with the movie Frozen. Is it because I am a big kid at heart or because I am engulfed with Toys all day for work? I am not sure, but either way this Elsa ornament was one of the best gifts I received this year. She was combined with Christmas yoga leggings and homemade champagne jam. How my dear Jaclyn knows me so well.

IMG_0548

This time of year my favorite treat in the morning is coffee. We have had an over abundance of rain this year and it has made weekend mornings more dreary then usual. I have found the best way to perk up the day is after a great sweat session making my way to a new place and ordering something in. I typically get my coffee to go, but there is something so comforting about drinking coffee from a giant mug.

FullSizeRender

We all know I already have an obsession with shows. I don’t know what it is, but getting dressed up, going out for a nice dinner, followed by a show screams the holiday season for me. I have been blessed over the last couple of months to attend almost a dozen different shows. They have ranged from live music, to comedians, and to musical’s my all time favorite. However the highlight has to be going to see a Christmas Ballet with one of my closest girlfriends. I have a fascination with ballerina’s. Their thin, yet muscular bodies moving in beautiful patterns across the stage just memorizes me. So of course once you add in bright red costumes and the song “Santa Baby” I am in pure Christmas heaven.

IMG_0552

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is driving around looking at Christmas lights. It amazes me the time and energy people put into making their houses Christmas statements and bursting with light all for others to see and enjoy. This year now being blessed to live in a neighborhood where walking is my preferred means of transportation I found myself taking my beloved golden retriever on longer walks just to explore the lights. This was by far my favorite house I came across.

IMG_0538

This time of year my two favorite past times are reading and going to see movies. Both are so comforting and relaxing. Right now I am engulfed reading “Wild” with a goal to finish it before the movie leaves the theater. Why not combine my two favorite past times? Add in Cooper and this is a dream night.

IMG_0587

We all know I have an obsession with beer. Not just any beer though, really good beer. I love dark, creamy, sweet beers. Stouts, barley wines, porters, dubbels, browns, you name it. Every year the anticipation of coming home to Colorado always starts to build when I think about all of the new amazing beer I will get to try. New breweries are popping up constantly and last night I was able to try a new one in my hometown. Although none of their beer was on my drink again list, the place felt like Christmas just sitting by the fire.

IMG_0586

IMG_0585

Christmas is about spending time with the people you love. I feel as we get older,  your family starts to grow and blend, Christmas becomes about carrying on your family traditions while also creating new ones. Today my longest and best friend Kristen started a new Christmas Eve morning tradition. A brunch of healthy, homemade, and delicious food paired with beer mimosas, and topped off with homemade cookies. I have to say this by far has been one of my favorite moments this holiday.

I wish all of you a happy and healthy Christmas!!!

Nothing Pure about Pure Barre

Posted in San Francisco, Working Out by

IMG_0543

Over the last year I have tried a lot of various barre classes from coast to coast. What can I say, when I love something on the verge of slight obsession I try to get my fix in whenever and wherever I can. Barre is different from other workout classes though. Unlike a spinning class where even if an instructor is just ok or the music is not as motivating as you would like you can still always manage to get a great workout in. The same is not true for barre.

A barre class can range from feeling like a slight warm up where you leave feeling relaxed and stretched or it can be a full on sweat heart pounding session. If barre is going to be my primary workout for the day then I prefer the later. However after a cardio session a more mellow class can be preferred. For myself there are very few barre studios out there where the class feels like a truly hard workout. However it has happened. I can now say I have finally found my match and its name is Pure Barre.

Image-1

I have wanted to try Pure Barre for a while, but since the only two locations in the city have never been the most convenient to where I live I just never got around to doing it. A couple of month’s ago I decided it might be time to try one out. I had gone to a spinning class in the morning and after a stressful day at work I thought why not do a barre class to help me relax and unwind before heading home. I picked Pure Barre based on the time and figured it would probably be a mild workout at best so my body would not be too exhausted from what I had already done. Wow was I wrong.

IMG_0544

Unlike most barre classes where you focus on a set of work and then follow it by stretching the muscles you just used, Pure Barre just keeps you moving through sections one after another, after another, after another. Essentially the class is “Pure Barre.” Just when you think you are going to get a break from a hard sequence and be rewarded with a nice downward dog or leg stretch you are hit with another set. Every part of my body was shaking and quivering throughout the hour session. By the time the cool down hit I was truly worked, but in a way that brings a giant smile to your face.

I have now been to Pure Barre over a handful of times at both locations. Each time I leave happier then when I entered. Their studios are not as posh as some of the other barre studios in the city, aka Pop Physique in Russian Hill with the hard wood floors and floor length windows overlooking the lush trees in the back or The Bar Method in the Marina with the glitzy chandelier and velvet couches in the main lobby. However there is something I appreciate about a place that holds itself up on the content of what it has to offer. A truly hard, fun, and uplifting workout. Just writing this makes me want to sign up for my next fix.

 

Getting All Hot and Sweaty From Barry…..

Posted in San Francisco, Working Out by

IMG_0504

Yes it is true. For the last few weeks I have been getting all hot and sweaty from a new man in my life, Barry’s Bootcamp. The first time I remember hearing about Barry’s was while reading my dirty little pleasure US Weekly magazine. One of the segments the magazine features from time to time is where they showcase celebrities doing regular activities and try to convince  us how normal they are. Well this was one of those segments. I cant remember which celebrity was coming out of Barry’s Bootcamp in LA, but I do remember being impressed by her and thinking to myself how I  wanted to try Barry’s to workout.  Yes the magazine had sold me, if it was good enough for her why not me?  Slowly I started seeing more and more buzz on this new workout. It was starting to garner the hype Soul Cycle had, but alas it was only in NYC and LA. So when it came to San Francisco a few months ago I knew I was going to have to give it a try.

Now I am going to be real for a minute. I hate bootcamp workout’s. First off I hate being told what to do, then you combine that with someone yelling at you, all while doing something hard that my body does not want to do. Yep not my favorite. In my mind this is exactly what Barry’s was going to be. So the idea of doing Barry’s was not because I really wanted to try the workout, it was because I wanted to see what the hype was about.

When I made my way to Barry’s for the first time I was impressed by the facilities, it was new sleek, and just gave you a feeling of being part of the elite. They are located right across from the ballpark, so getting there early morning to park was not a huge hassle. The class was packed with a mix of men and women, all of which were extremely attractive and fit. San Francisco in general is a young and fit city, but the people here were  the cream of the crop.

The class was broken out into 4 segments, all about 10-15 minutes in length. You have the option to start either on the floor with weights or on the treadmill. I of course picked the treadmill as I wanted to end with weights. All of the segments were focused on high intensity workouts. You would go all out, then break for a minute, then go all out again, and so forth. The first segment was focused on sprinting and by the end of it I was already sweating a ton. Then we swapped with the group on the floor and started with the weights. This particular class was focused on arms and back, so all of the weight exercises involved those muscle groups. Again it was all about the high intensity reps. After the weight segment was complete we traded again and I went back to the treadmill. This time it was focused on hills and taking the treadmill into dynamic mode where you move the machine. I have to say it was HARD! There were moments where I almost had to stop, but of course being super competitive I pushed through. Next was back to the floor to wrap up weights.

By the end of class I felt as worked as I do after an hour long spinning class at full intensity. I loved the combination of cardio and strength training. To me it is the perfect combination! I have now gone to Barry’s a handful of times and every time I leave with a smile on my face and exhausted. Did I mention they also have really amazing bath products in the locker room! It makes getting ready there quite enjoyable.

The one downside of Barry’s is the price. It is about $30 a class, which for me was probably the main reason I had not already tried it. But low and behold, my new lover Class Pass offers Barry’s Bootcamp. I highly recommend trying Barry’s for anyone who wants a group fitness class that is different and will work your body!. I am already looking forward to going later this week.

 

 

 

Things I am Loving This Week- Halloween

Posted in Things I Love by

IMG_0342

I love and adore  Fall. There are so many reasons why. One is due to the new abundance of fall squashes and pumpkins. There are so many types and varieties or squashes. Roasting them is so easy and they all taste amazing. They can be sweet, savory, simple, or decadent. The first time you go to cook one of these big guys it is intimidating to say the least. Once you learn the tricks of the trade you wont be able to stop! My favorite type right now kabocha squash. If you have never tried it I recommend you go out and get one this week!

IMG_0359

Nothing quite makes an October  Saturday morning like being all bundled up and walking to your neighborhood coffee shop through the morning fog. Upon ordering my almond milk latte I found a smiling cat looking back up at me. It is funny how something so simple can really make you so happy.

IMG_0350

My absolute favorite day of the year is Halloween! I use the whole month of October as a tribute to the 31st and try to surround myself with scary movies, pumpkin flavored anything, haunted houses, and all while wearing cozy sweaters. On this spectacular night it was a slumber party at one of my close girlfriends house. We all wore witches hats, drank wine, cooked, and watched The Craft. All in all amazing!

FullSizeRender[2]

Part of getting ready for a holiday is engulfing yourself in everything it has to offer, which includes decorating. It is nice to transform your home into a story, fairy tale. I bought this wreath and am obsessed with the bright colors, sparkle, and fun of it.

IMG_0411

Part of decorating is also doing it for others to enjoy. I came across this house in Pacific Heights coming home from the gym last Saturday morning. I immediately pulled over and had to capture it. Pictures do not do this place any justice.

IMG_0415

Nothing is better then close girlfriends, especially those who know you so well. I have 3 amazing friends who brought me a homemade center piece for my annual Halloween party. The pumpkin even came from the pumpkin patch in Half Moon Bay. It is one of the most amazing and thoughtful gifts I have ever received. Nothing but love!

IMG_0378 IMG_0431

This year for Halloween I ended up dressing up twice. Once for an annual karaoke event called Scareokee where I decided to channel Lady Gaga for singing inspiration.  The other was for my annual Halloween party, Cruella Deville anyone? I love transforming myself into another person for an evening. I like to take on a whole new persona and really get into character. I also decided now being over the age of 30 it was time to embrace this body I work so hard for. I never thought I would be brave enough to wear a leotard out. I remember seeing girls wearing them at parties and thought if only I had the body, the confidence, and the self esteem. Although these feelings may still be with me now, I have found it is important to just let go and let yourself be free. Even if it is for one night only.

TRX- Not Just For The Boys

Posted in San Francisco, Working Out by

Image-2

Three years ago when I first started dating my main squeeze, we used to spend a lot of time walking the streets of Russian Hill where he lived at the time.  I had always lived in Potrero Hill, which I loved for its amazing views, sunny disposition, and all while having a small neighborhood feel in a big city. However getting to know Russian Hill was like getting to know the heart of the city. There was constant hustle and bustle, bars and restaurants galore, and young people as far as the eyes could see. We would walk everywhere on the weekend, just getting to know each other all while exploring what the neighborhood had to offer. For me it was not only a chance to get to know this new amazing guy, but also learn a part of the city I never even knew existed. One place we would pass by consistently on our walks was the TRX Training Center. I would walk by and stare in the window amazed at what these strong and fit athletes were doing. I remember thinking to myself how intimidating it looked and how I would never be so intense to try such a thing. Well I was wrong…..

I have done TRX a handful of times over the last year, but not enough to feel 100% comfortable in the workout yet. When looking at places to try with my Class Pass account I stumbled upon the TRX Training Center and thought what a better time then now. So I signed up for this last Sunday’S class at 9:30 am.

Upon waking up in the morning to go I felt nervous and excited. I went on a quick 3 mile run to get my body loosened up before heading into class. Once in there I was impressed by the lay out. It was a large, bright, space, which just felt legitimate. The instructor was great, he pulled all of the new people together to give them a quick run down of the studio and the workout ahead. After he finished explaining everything a 60 minute timer mounted on the wall was set to start timing down and the fun began.

The class started with 2 minutes of jumping rope and then moved into more boot camp drills like mountain climbers, high knees, and butt kicks. From here we moved onto a TRX circut where we used the machine along with other various tools around the studio and we would alternate between stations. After every 10 minutes or so we would stop the circut to do more jump roping. I had no idea how hard jumping rope was! This format continued like this through the rest of the hour and by the end of it I felt pretty good! The only thing I didn’t like about the class was you are so busy trying to figure out what you are going to be doing next that it made it hard to really focus in on what you are doing.

Overall I liked the workout and the studio. I would not say this is one I am dying to go to every week, but will be nice to through into the mix every so often.  At the end of the day though I am proud of myself for trying something I thought I never would do. It is nice to push yourself sometimes.

Ride Oakland- Spinning in the East Bay

Posted in San Francisco, Working Out by

Image-1

Friday night I had the pleasure of being able to spend the night in Oakland at one of my close girlfriend’s new house for a girls night. We made homemade pizza, drank wine, watched classic Halloween movies like The Craft and Hocus Pocus, all while wearing witches hats. Which as you can imagine made for a fabulous night! You can never be too old for slumber parties in my book. Something about reliving nights from your youth just makes you feel rejuvenated. Just to be able to leave behind the stress of adult like and reenact adolescence. Knowing that I had this amazing night ahead of me and since I was going to be staying the night in Oakland I decided had to try a new studio in the East Bay.

Of course with working out in a new area I had to start my research process early. Fist I looked on yelp to find a place close to my girlfriends place and found Ride Oakland, a spinning studio only a few minutes away. Perfect! Next I checked my Class Pass site, yep it was one of the studios featured. Yes! Then it was about selecting the times. To my despair the 8:30 am class was all booked and only the 7:00 am or 10:00 am were open, both not ideal times. I looked at the studio website and saw you could try your first class for free there. I gave the studio a call hoping I could get on the wait-list. Sure enough I was able to and got a confirmed spot later in the day.

Saturday morning with a slight headache and only 5 1/2 hours of sleep I got up, threw on my gear, and made my way over to the studio. Parking was super easy, something I am no longer accustomed to in my new neighborhood.  It felt like a luxury to not have to drive around the block several times before finding a space. Walking into the studio I could immediately picked up on the neighborhood vibe, however the studio also felt new, modern, and up to par with some of the nice mainstream studios in the city.

The crowd was slightly older then what I am used to in the city, however Helen the instructor had great energy and definitely kept us all on our game for the full hour. The music was great and the class utilized weights, which I am a big fan of in spinning classes. It creates an extra added benefit. By the end of the ride I was sweaty and quite pleased with my overall workout. Also my headache was gone! I would highly recommend this studio out to others. I don’t know if I would ever make my way to the East Bay just for this studio, but if I happen to be over in the East Bay I would go again!

A New Love, Perhaps an Obsession….

Posted in San Francisco, Working Out by

photo

Yes it is true, I have a new love, well maybe more of an obsession. I might even go as far as to say it could become an addiction. What is it? Well my first hint is it deals specifically with group fitness classes, however before I reveal  I am going to be honest here. There was a small part of me that was debating on whether to share this new amazing site out with everyone. I felt this small inclination of protectiveness with what I had just recently found and a small part of me that wanted to be selfish, to keep it all to myself. I felt like I had this special secret no one else had, I wanted to protect it.  After some quick internal debate however I decided this is something too good to not share with my fellow health and fitness enthusiasts. Plus anything that will help others to be more active needs to be shared.

So again what is it? Well it is a website called Class Pass which for $100 a month you can go to a huge variety of different fitness studios in your area and try all sorts of various types of workout classes. As the website says “ClassPass is an alternative to a gym membership. With ClassPass, you get access to the best boutique fitness classes in your city. There are over 1,000 classes available to ClassPass members, including cycling, pilates, yoga, strength training, dance, martial arts, and more.  For $99 a month, ClassPass members get unlimited classes to use at studios in the ClassPass network. While a member can take as many classes per month as they’d like, they can only visit the same studio 3 times per month.”

At dinner with a girlfriend last week she told me about the site and I of course went home, slightly tipsy, and immediately joined. My girlfriend had warned me that when you ask to join they will first do a little teaser where there is no open spots and you have to get on a “wait-list.” Once they have space they will let you know. Well then a few days later you get in. You have 48 hours to accept the invitation and join. Once you do, then you get to let the fun begin. I got my invite to join Monday morning and of course by the early afternoon I was already signed up for a yoga class to try. Had I already been to a spinning class that morning, yes. Was I going to let that stop me, no. Of course I also had my workout’s planned and already booked for most of the week, but how could I pass up going to more classes for free? What is a girl to do. Well this girl ended up doing a little bit of double dipping, one class in the morning and one at night. I made sure to focus my night classes on more stretching and less vigorous activity. It needed to compliment what I was doing in the morning, not add on a lot more working out, otherwise that would not be sustainable.

So far I love the concept although I will be honest their website has a few little flaws. The one I find the most annoying is it is not mobile optimized, so you cant actually book anything from your phone since they have a pop up you have to click to confirm and on your phone the screen is too small and the pop up does not shrink down. It is the E-commerce side in me coming out.  I also ran into a little issue with canceling one class to re-book another and had to e-mail the customer service. They got back to me the next morning, which was great. However I then ended up not being able to sign up for the class I wanted as it was full. I ended up actually calling that studio directly since you can try your first class for free with them anyways and got added in that way.

Now my plan is to report out on all of the different studios I try out and give the scoop on the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am not going to lie, it is a little intimidating the idea of trying so many new places and different types of workouts. But I am all about pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. This morning it was spinning in Oakland and tomorrow it is TRX in the city. Stay tuned!

A Weekend of Food in Pictures

Posted in Food and Drinks, San Francisco by

IMG_0234

What does someone do after they have spent all week on a rotation diet, well I can answer that. You go and enjoy food and drinks all weekend. Which is exactly what I did!

IMG_0235

The weekend started at a restaurant called Bar Crudo in my new neighborhood, which has an amazing happy hour.  Also can I say happy hour is genius in my opinion. You get a deal just for starting your night off early, why would someone not want to participate. I have also found now living in an area closer to a college campus that happy hour is very prominent at most of the neighborhood establishments.

IMG_0236

Bar Crudo is a great seafood spot, but can be a little pricey. This is why the happy hour specials are so killer. They have $1 Oysters, $1 mussels, $10 for 2 fish tacos, and $6 for a healthy pour of wine. The food and wine was all delicious and I recommend to anyone to check out this hidden gem.

IMG_0239

The following day after one of the hardest spinning classes I have ever been to and then a hike with some girlfriends, it was decided brunch was needed.  We made our way to a neighborhood spot called Sparrow Bar and Kitchen. I have been here only once before and found their food to be a little hit or miss. However the atmosphere is quite nice. They have a huge outdoor back patio where we enjoyed our breakfast in the rare San Francisco sun. I ordered the smoked salmon quiche with maple crème fraîche.  It was yummy, just the right amount of food, and was accompanied by a small green salad. Pair this with a cup of coffee and it totally hit the spot!

photo 3

After brunch Dustin and I went to see the musical Pippin, AMAZING! If you have the chance to see it you should. Afterwards we had to go to one of our favorite brewery restaurants in the city Mikkeller Bar. Of course when you go here you have to order a bratwurst. I ordered the muffuletta bratwurst and replaced the french fries with a salad. I paired it with a Dubbel beer, which made me a little buzzed afterwards. All in all it was a great weekend of food! Of course this week I have been back on track making all my meals for the week. However I am getting ready to enjoy the weekend again!