[eat to live]

Ryoko's in SF, best sushi I've ever had!

I am a sushi addict- no joke. I have to have sushi at least once a week or the cravings take over. So it was fitting that the first restaurant I went to in San Francisco was a sushi joint- Ryoko's in Nob Hill. Inside feels like an underwater cave (try to get one of the "booths" in the back) and the music is great. There's a grand piano, a dj on the weekends, and some great art on the walls. But the best part of Ryoko's is the food- the sushi is fresh and so tasty! Best sushi I've ever had and I eat sushi everywhere I go. The menu is a nice balance between traditional sushi and fun rolls. Everything we had was delicious including the Hot Tail and the Jumping tuna rolls. I'm not a fan of tempura rolls but even those were amazing at Ryoko's. I ate here twice while in SF- it's that good.

Mussels at Hog Island Oyster Co., sf

Seafood is perfect food. And oysters are the most fun shellfish to eat- eating them is like taking a seafood shot- a yummy, savory, refreshing shot! Hog Island Oyster Co. (in the ferry building) is an incredible San Francisco restaurant to eat oysters at. They have a happy hour special where their signature Sweetwater oysters are $1 and believe me you will want to take advantage of this deal. Oysters are really easy to eat and the average person can put away a dozen no problem. Hog Island has a scrumptious vinegar/cilantro sauce they serve with the oysters and it is all you need on these raw treats. Nic had the mussels which she said were heavenly. We also had the baked oysters appetizer, the warm olives, and a bottle of Sonoma white wine. A divine meal.

they love to put cucumber in their water on the west coast

Other SF food/drink spots:

Olive- a hidden gem. Their martinis are to die for. Example: "The Spicy Dirty One" -Ketel One vodka, jalapeño peppers, olive juice and house made jalapeño stuffed olives

Em's Place-cheap, fast breakfast spot. greasy spoon that's not so greasy. Also serves Chinese food. Mongolian chicken is yummy.

Brenda's French Soul Food- Do yourself a favor- eat at this Creole inspired spot. Just get there early as the wait can be serious- or go on an off day like I did. Read my review on Yelp.

Squat and Gobble- I really can't stand the name of this brunch spot but the food is delicious so I can't complain. Crepes, omlettes, you name it. Huge portions!

[fillmore to the mission]

[jazz lives on the west coast too]

I woke up early on my born day...then promptly fell back asleep. I was a bit hungover from the previous night of partying at Yoshi's. (Yoshi's is a jazz spot in the Fillmore district- which is referred to as the Harlem of the West). Brooklyn Circus (check them out!) had thrown a dope soiree and everyone had made sure I was extra saucy when the clock struck 12! The music was on point- everything from Jay-Z to Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, some dancehall riddims, and of course 2Pac! After those tequila shots (that a very friendly stranger bought for me) I don't remember much- but yezzir we got it in!

[get a burrito and try all of the salsas]

On my birthday day, after getting some much needed rest and pomegranate juice, we headed to the Mission to wander the streets, do a little birthday shopping, and just let the day take us where it would. We ate at Pancho Villa Taqueria (see picture above). If you like Mexican food you will love Pancho. It's affordable, offers huge portions, and seems to have a cult following in sf. After lunch we happened upon Clarion Alley. Here are pics from this artistic walkway:

[street art: little saigon]

beautiful wheat paste in Little Saigon, sf

My girl Nic lives in the Civic Center/Tenderloin hood of San Francisco. She is also right next to the area called "Little Saigon" which is on Larkin st. One night while strolling back to her place I noticed an incredible amount of street art in Little Saigon and surrounding blocks. Shepard Fairey's work was right near a dope art gallery called The Shooting Gallery (love the name!). I wasn't able to experience the gallery but I will definitely visit when I go back out west in May. Here are pictures I snapped on my crackberry :

[bay area music pt. II]

While I was in San Francisco I checked out True on Haight Street. They have a men's and women's store loaded with fresh clothing, accessories, and a respectable selection of music. I picked up an Acrylick ladies T and a bunch of Cd's. Here's the music I got:

Also picked up Dj Gary and Dj Romeo- Bay Flavor 8, and True Mixtape 12: DJ Supreme Nothing Special.

[the bay]

fat, lazy a** sea lions at fisherman's wharf, SF

I was quite lucky to have spent my birthday in San Francisco with my homegirl Nicky Nick Nic! Coming from upstate NY a week in the Bay area (in late January) is basically like a vacation in Barbados. I flew out of the Roc in a snow storm and stepped off the plane in sunshine and 70 degrees. After a brutal winter on the east coast SF felt tropical. Enough about the weather (which I will tell ya'll was perfect. Stayed around 70 degrees and sunny the whole week). If you're like me when you travel then you go to other places to experience the culture- music, art, fashion, food, and to learn how people do what they do in their hood. Music is an essential part of my life so I always make sure to pick up some mixtapes/cds/vinyl whenever I go someplace new. I especially like to hear what local musicians are doing and get that local flavor in my ear.

In SF I quickly realized that there aren't people slinging mixtapes on every corner like you find in NY or down in the subway in Philly. I asked around and ended up at Rasputin Music in union square. Here a very energetic employee (who reminded me of Jack Black) was literally jumping up and down with excitement to help me find some Bay area music to take back with me to the East Coast. Here are the cds i copped:
Outside Rasputin Music I talked to a dude named M.A. who was selling the "Been Official" mixtape hosted by DJ Mind Motion. I had heard Mind motion on 106 KMEL and he was pretty good so I flirted until M.A. gave me the cd for free. While I was on the west coast I also heard a bunch of tracks from this dude: Laroo. Now that I'm back in the Roc i'm delving into my new Bay area music collection and there's way more to it than just goin dumb, gettin hyphy, and thizzin with the homies. Yay area!