Tag Archives: San Francisco

Farmer’s Market Find: Snow or Spring?

Posted on February 28, 2011 | 1 Comment

Last week, San Franciscans were in a frenzy about the weather forecast. Supposedly, it has not snowed in SF in 35 years and it was supposed to snow this weekend! I, like many others, was very skeptical about this prediction. We did have a bad rainstorm, but the last few days have been really sunny. And hardly a cloud in the sky. It did snow for like a second on Twin Peaks. Anyway, you would never know it by looking at all of the things available at the market. I returned to the Fort Mason FM after a three week hiatus and was so delighted to see all of the changes in the produce.

Cara Cara Pink Naval Orange- Kens Top Notch Produce

The citrus season is going strong. I bought a bag full of Cara Cara Pink Naval Oranges and Blood Oranges from Hamadas Farm. The Cara Caras are my new favorite citrus, next to the blood oranges of course!

Leeks- Happy Boy Farms

Leeks were one my  best Farmer’s Markets finds last year. I like sauteing them will a little olive oil and add them in eggs, soups, rice dishes- in everything basically.

Mixed salad greens- Happy Boy Farms

A healthy looking mix of salad greens caught my eye and I couldn’t resist. At that moment, I could taste the crispness and freshness of the leaves. I am definitely going to add in the arugula, watermelon radish, and blood oranges with a drizzle of olive oil for a satisfying snack.

Watermelon radish- Happy Boy Farms

Don't these Romanesco Cauliflowers remind you of dinasours? -Rio de Parros Organics

Arugula with its Blossoms- Serendipity Farms

Tomatoes! Not the the greatest looking, but I could use these in a warming curry dish. - Swank Hill Farms

Truthfully, we were kind of getting tired of chard and kale. I am so glad to have stocked my fridge with Meyer lemons, turnips, mixed greens, arugula, leeks, and watermelon radish instead. I left my wallet at home and only had $27 with me, yet I came home with $6!

Meal Plan for the week*:
Monday: Vegetable pizza (Romanesco Cauliflower, Arugula, Ricotta), Lentil Stew
Tuesday: Butternut Squash + Turnip soup, mixed citrus and greens salad
Wednesday: Roasted leeks and soft-boiled eggs**, roasted watermelon radish+ mixed green salad, leftover lentil stew
Thursday: Baked romanesco, Crab cakes and blood orange salad***, Leftover squash soup
Friday: Leftovers or out with friends
Saturday: Pancakes, Warm Chickpea Salad with Arugula

*Most of the meals laid out here are recipes I have not published on the website yet. If you are interested, just leave a comment and I will share!
**From the cookbook, “Cooking With Italian Grandmothers” by Jessica Theroux
***From the cookbook, “Organic Marin: Recipes from Land to Table,” by Tim Porter and Farina Wong Kingsley

Did you know that Club Dine In! is on Twitter and Facebook? Follow @clubdinein for daily health, fitness, and social news, recipes and delicious tips! Join the Club Dine In! community on Facebook to connect with like-minded individuals and find out about exclusive Club Dine! events.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Farmer's Market, Meatless Mondays

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Weekend Guide: December 2010

Posted on December 2, 2010 | Leave a comment

Follow me on Twitter or Facebook.

Club Dine In! started out as a cookbook potluck club and has blossomed into a nutritional reference guide and community for people who want to engage in healthier lifestyle habits. Well, it’s time again for a cookbook potluck party! Pick up the selected cookbook,  meet the author, mingle with Club Dine In! and Slow Food SF members, and chat about which dishes you’d love to make for our upcoming potluck.   Book signing: December 11 at 3-4PM. Potluck Party: January 16, 2011 at 5PM.

Club Dine In!'s first Cookbook Potluck at We Olive SF.

December 2010 • City Ice Skating • Ongoing
Nothing screams the holidays and spreads cheer like hot chocolate and ice skating. It’s also a great way to burn calories so you can enjoy more great food. Check out the Yerba Buena, Embarcadero or Union Square ice rinks.

December 2010 • Reindeer at the Zoo • Ongoing
The San Francisco Zoo will bring the holidays to life with the return of Santa’s special reindeer – Holly, Velvet, Peppermint and Belle. The wildly popular event is the only opportunity in the Bay Area to see real live reindeer. Their beautiful velvet antlers are a must see and many visitors will be surprised to find out Santa’s reindeer are smaller than one might imagine.

Thursday Dec 2nd • Shop, Snack and Sip • 6-9PM
Urbanis, The Marina Merchants Association + The San Francisco Bay Guardian invite you to Sip Snack + Shop, a holiday shopping event in the Marina District of San Francisco. Enjoy drinks, appetizers and treats  as you shop during extended hours.

Thursday Dec 2nd • After Dark: Sugar • 6-10PM
Meet culinary historian Michael Krondl, who will take us on a tour of the history and culture of desserts, both secular and divine. Learn about the patricians of Venice who served French King Henri III a banquet where tablecloths, knives, forks, and even glasses were made of sugar. Discover how our taste for sweetness has led to some of humanity’s worst crimes while inspiring some of its most delightful inventions.

Friday Dec 3rd • Chestnuts on Chestnut • 5-8PM
Let the spirit of the season embrace you as you create lasting memories with your friends and family at our annual “Chestnuts on Chestnut” celebration. Stroll down Chestnut Street as you sip hot cocoa and admire the holiday lights and family entertainment. A new tradition not to be missed!

Friday Dec 3rd • Yuppie Friday’s Toy Drive Mixer • 5:30-8:30PM
Yuppie Friday is hosting a very special holiday happy hour toy drive to support the San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program. $15 entry fee includes 2 drinks and a donation. Bring a Toy to donate and get 5 free raffle tickets & $5 BarTab credit. Last year the donation shelves were empty the night before our event and families were coming in the next day to pick out toys. We were able to gather over eight barrels of toys so that disadvantages San Francisco kids could have toys for the holiday season.

Friday Dec 3rd • Drink For A Cause • 6-10PM
It’s become an annual tradition that Drink For A Cause support the SF Firefighters Toy Program with their December Happy Hour. In lieu of a monetary donation, please bring at least 1 UNWRAPPED toy per person as entry. But feel free to give much more as always! Some awesome people come with a bagful of toys. We love seeing that Christmas spirit.

Saturday Dec 4th • Outside India • 12PM
Join Soul Cocina for an afternoon of Indian street food and music to benefit Doctors Without Borders.

Saturday Dec 4th • Union Street Fantasy of Lights • 3-9PM
On December 4, Union Street kicks off its annual Fantasy of Lights Holiday celebration, where young and old alike can enjoy festivities to begin the holiday season. Thousands of holiday lights set off the Victorians, transforming Union Street into a magical backdrop for Santa and a team of elves to celebrate along with jugglers, live ponies dressed as reindeer, a monkey, face painters and balloon artists.

Saturday Dec 4th • General Store Anniversary • 4-8PM
General Store is a collaborative entity created by Serena Mitnik-Miller and Mason St. Peter which features carefully curated items from both new and vintage sources. Local Artisans and Craftspeople contribute to the mix of furniture, clothing, tools, plants, household items, books, jewelry, cards and small electronics, a little bit of everything useful! They are celebrating with lemonade, beer, banh mi, and performances by Sonny (of Sonny & the Sunsets), Ruben Diaz & The Objects, and Also.

Saturday Dec 4th • Slow Crab Dinner • 6-9PM

Dungeness crab ready to eat at Fisherman's Wha...
Image via Wikipedia

Celebrate the start of Dungeness Crab season at the Slow Crab Festival co-hosted by the San Francisco Brewers Guild. The dinner will be prepared by California Culinary Academy and will include live entertainment, products from local artisan food producers, delicious locally caught crab and tons of local beer courtesy of the SF Brewer’s Guild. Ticket sales information will be made available shortly. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go towards the Slow Food San Francisco School Garden Projects.

Sunday Dec 5th • Repeal Day Holiday Party • 6-10PM
It’s time to celebrate the 77th Anniversary of the day we got our right to drink back and that jolly time of year when the snow doesn’t fall in San Francisco, but the temperature does- all in one party! Join the Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail welcomes you to the first full-blown party at The Cocktail Bill Boothby Center for the Beverage Arts!

Sunday Dec 5th • Bicycle Coalition Party • 6-10:30PM
This is where over 1,000 SF bike enthusiasts of all stripes — SF Bicycle Coalition members, bike industry leaders, local business supporters, local artists and politicians come together for a festive evening to celebrate the love of riding a bike in San Francisco. An occasion to raise a glass to the 11,000 SF Bicycle Coalition members and the organization that makes biking more enjoyable throughout the year. To top it off, the event included New Belgium beer, entertainment, a 200 item silent auction, a 60 piece art auction, food and over 1,000 bike-friendly party-folk.

Sunday Dec 5th • Venezulan Tamales Class • 5:30-7:30PM
Learn to make an HALLACA- Venezuelan traditional holiday treat! Corn dough, with a 3 meat stew (vegetarian option available too), wrapped in a plantain leaf and steamed. Sweet, sour, spicy! Or you could just order them!

Friday Dec 10th • La Cocina  Gift Fair • 4-9PM
Join us at the 2nd Annual La Cocina Gift Fair! It’s the perfect place to find every type of food related gift you can imagine – from local cookbooks to artisan jams and the best chocolate you’ve ever tasted. It is going to be insanely good.

Sat-Sun Dec 11-12th • Wild Kitchen Dinners • 6PM
Each Wild Kitchen dinner is a community affair. We sit together, eat together, and talk together. Everyone sits and eats at communal tables, while the forager explains the wild ingredients in the dishes and why we used them. Tickets are very limited, so please sign up soon. So we can help make sure more people get seats, we are having three nights of dinners this month. Same time, place, menu; different days.

Saturday Dec 11th • Marin Organic Holiday Dinner • 6PM
Become part of a Marin Organic tradition by celebrating their 4th Annual MarketBar Holiday Dinner! Chef Rick Hackett has created a festive brasserie-style menu featuring food from Marin Organic producer members that will delight the senses and inspire the spirit.

Wednesday Dec 15th • Grub Crawl • 6:30-9:30PM
Join Club Dine In! and Grub Crawl on a grub crawl! We will visit three restaurants in Cow Hollow for a progressive dining experience. Please save the date!


Did you know that Club Dine In! is on Twitter and Facebook? Follow @clubdinein for daily health, fitness, and social news, recipes and delicious tips! Join the Club Dine In! community on Facebook to connect with like-minded individuals and find out about exclusive Club Dine! events.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Weekend Guide

Tagged ,

Tyler Florence: Wayfare Tavern

Posted on June 25, 2010 | 3 Comments

Restaurant Review: Wayfare Tavern
Crowd: Blazers with loosened ties and blouses with black pumps
Vibe: Lively and loud
Music: Jazz
Decor: Turn-of-the-century San Francisco Barbary Coast
Layout: Four floors: 1. Basement floor for the restrooms and an entrance to the kitchen 2. Main floor with a raw bar, full bar, open kitchen with a Chef’s Counter, and booth seating 3. Second floor with a smaller bar, more seating, and a Billiard Room 4. A rustic, private dining room with a wine cellar.
Service: Genuinely Friendly, Professional, and Precise
Portion Size: Large
Imbibe: Jasmine Green Tea Cooler (non-alcoholic)
Enjoy: Fresh out of the oven Popovers and Goat Cheese Ravioli
Waist Slimmers: Chilled Watermelon Salad, Marin Tomato Salad, and Crisp Pacific Catch Halibut
Price: $177.85 across four people, three appetizers, three entrees, 3 glasses of wine, and one non-alcoholic beverage

The instant you walk in and pass the four eager hostesses, you feel like you have stepped away into another time and place. A feeling of mischievousness overcomes you, and you begin to wonder about all of the secrets this place might have, just like in the 1800’s. The bar is packed and the open kitchen is full of action. It feels a little chaotic, while I wait at the bar for the rest of my party to show. Despite, the opening week crowd, the bartenders are upbeat and do not give off the “I feel the pressure, I am too busy” vibe. There is a whirlwind of staff buzzing around and attending to your every need. At times, it feels like there is more staff than patrons. The general manager is very kind and talks to us in length about the making of Wayfare Tavern. The size and style of the menu is very representative of Old America, with a modern-Californian twist. It’s large with ample choices for the meat lover and pescatarians. However, there is only one vegetarian entrée with quite a few salads and sides to pick from.  We watch Mr. Florence carefully inspect and perfect each dish before it goes out, which is really amazing to see. He even tries to take a few minutes away and talk to patrons, which I really appreciate in a celebrity and chef.  As for the taste, I am a little disappointed. Maybe, my expectations were too high, but as a gourmet foodie, I find the food to be good, not great. The entrées are a little overpriced, but justifiable for the neighborhood. Though, I do plan to go back, just not too soon.

Wayfare Tavern l 558 Sacramento St San Francisco, CA 94111 l 415-772-9060

The Parlor

Stuffed animals and birds are common fixtures

The Classic American Menu

Elegant, rustic tablescape

Organic Marin Tomatoes with Black-Eyed Beans, Goat Cheese, and Chive Blossoms

Smoked Olive Oil Mac n' Cheese

Goat Cheese Ravoli with Summer Squash

21-Day Dry Aged Grass Fed Sirloin

The men on the table claimed it was above average

Intrigued by Club Dine In!

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Restaurants

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Happy Hour

Posted on May 29, 2010 | Leave a comment

To celebrate the kick-off of Club Dine In! we are having a Happy Hour on Thursday, June 3rd.

We hope you can join us and bring all your friends. We are looking forward to seeing you and meeting new friends. We’ll have drink specials, light appetizers, and a fabulous raffle! Find out what all of the buzz is about!

Please RSVP here.


Raffle Prizes include:
Two 1 month passes for Boot Camp ($180 each)
Blue Bottle Coffee Beans ($24)
Sustainable Flower Arrangement by Yasi Faraziani ($20)

When: Thursday, June 3rd, 6-9PM
Where: Palomino, 345 Spear St. San Francisco CA 94105


→ Leave a comment

Posted in Events, Uncategorized

Tagged , , ,

Working It Off

Posted on April 27, 2010 | Leave a comment
Boot Camp Progression
The plan has been to do boot camp three times a week, with Pilates and light cardio on the off days. So far, I have not been able to stick to a schedule. It all boils down discipline and being accountable. And of course, waking up on time early enough to make it to the sessions.
Week 1: Boot Camp or any other fitness class is pretty intimidating for first timers. You don’t want to be the slowest runner, the one who can’t coordinate hands and feet, the one who lifts up her/his left leg, even though the instructor said the right. I was happy to find my best friend in this first class. She is more fit than I am, but she is understanding and knows where my strengths and weaknesses lay. I didn’t need to prove anything to her! She also calls me to make sure I am going to the next class. Running up the steep hills of Presidio, lunging and squatting up and down the Lyon Street Steps,  push-ups on the hard, cold concrete, are just a few of the things we did in the grueling 60 minutes. I hated that I was almost the last one to make it up the hills and one of the first ones to take a break. I thought about quitting half way through the class, but I was determined. The next couple of days, I was completely sore, but convinced myself to keeping going to the gym and work through the soreness. Not to mention, my craving for more wholesome food started to overtake my sweet, carb cravings.
Week 2: To say in the least, the first class seemed like it was the baby boot camp class! Lunges on the ledge, crunches and planks on the vertical sandbox, running up to Inspiration Point…I barely made it. I had no idea how out of shape my heart was! The mixed bursts of cardio with strength conditioning left me gasping and coughing. It is true- skinny doesn’t mean heart healthy. I have to admit, I am not very athletic and it’s hard! I have always been the girl that was picked last in P.E. and always chose the easiest route of being sidelined during sporting activities. If only I knew at the age of 10 that one day I would be pudgy and my heart would be so out of shape from lack of exercise.  Anyway, after a hot shower and a yummy lentil salad, I convinced myself that it will all be worth it in the end. Mentally, I keep picturing how I used to look and how I look now. This alone is enough to keep me pushing harder. Satish and I do eat nutritionally sound most of the time, but I have a penchant for carbs-baaaad carbs! The only way boot camp and hard work in the gym is going to payoff is by eating better. Or at least cutting out the sweet stuff.
Week 3: From the gym, we ran up to Lyon Street Steps. I did much better. I was able to breathe without feeling like my lungs were going to jump out of my chest and I actually enjoyed the drills. Not to mention the breathtaking views! Even though, it looked like it would rain any second, the view of the Marina, Marin County, and Angel Island is a retreat after running up and down all those steps.  I highly recommend everyone visiting the Lyon Street Steps, whether to exercise or just to be mesmerized by San Francisco’s beauty!


→ Leave a comment

Posted in The Work Out

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gained It and Now Loosing It

Posted on April 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

A few months after we started dating, still a size 2.

I had been fortunate to be on the thinner side my whole life, being able to get away with eating a whole 6” cake as my day’s meal to 3 AM post debauchery, juicy turkey burgers. Then, I turned 26, and these careless eating habits finally caught up to me. I’d like to blame my boyfriend, turned fiancé, turned husband for this extra weight. My consumption size had gone up, since my significant other had a metabolism of a 16 year old and yet a perfect 29” waist size, and my activity level had not increased. Or it could be from the satisfaction of being completely in love. Or maybe biology has some part to do with it- my body is changing. Whatever the reasons maybe, I need to make serious lifestyle changes if I still want to look hot in my backless, mini dresses. Not to mention, chase the kids I will have someday around the park. This means, saving dessert for truly dessert deserving moments and amping up the workout regime.

Picking out our registry gifts, size creeping up steadily.

I love to workout- but just not to the point where I feel like my lungs are going to burst or getting dirty outdoors. Though, I know only a diet change isn’t going to help me loose the extra weight. I decided to join the outdoor Boot Camp classes offered by my gym. I know this is going to be a whole different demon- since the entire class is outdoors, rain, fog, wind, or shine. So here is pushing myself to the limit, while being mindful about what I eat.

5 months after getting married, gained major poundage!

Stay tuned for my progress!

→ Leave a comment

Posted in The Work Out

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,