Here, There, and Everywhere

After a relatively steady stream of posts, I've lapsed into the writing gaps of yore. I have valid reasons, though. I've been busy...

1. Watching baseball. ESPN's been televising (or streaming, in my case) a high number of Yankees games in the past week and a half. I'm out of territory, and need to capitalize on these opportunities when they present themselves.

2. Preparing (through lists, mostly) for my first ever trip to Denver. I better love it as much as I'm being told I will.

3. Transferring the emptiness brought on by the end of the Olympics by immersing myself in Breaking Bad. I've put it off long enough and am finally ready to see what all the fuss is about. Horrors* aside, I am intrigued thus far. Also, it's re-excited me to someday (hopefully in the next year) visit New Mexico. 

4. Seeing some of my close family after far too long. I spent Friday night on Berkeley's campus, and in addition to feeling nostalgic for the start of a new school year, I also felt about 800 years old. 

5. Completing my Fantasy Football draft, and then spending hours poring over ESPN's coverage, in an effort to bolster my confidence in my team. For the record, defense aside, I'm feeling pretty good about my team. I am also choosing to ignore, until the last possible second, that as I've drafted Tom Brady, I will now need to cheer for the Patriots all. season. long. 

In an effort to bring some relevance to this post, I'm including a link to the winning entries in National Geographic Traveler's annual photo contest: Check it out.

* I'd link to video of said horrors, but would rather not scar people (i.e. my nonexistent readers). You cannot un-see these things. 

The Seaweed Is Always Greener

A friend and I have great plans to work our way down the restaurants of Mountain View's Castro Street. About a month ago, we started this journey at Rose International Market, a Middle Eastern market that also offers kabobs and falafel.

An aside: The Market is well worth a visit (or few). Their chicken is delicious, and I'm fairly certain their rice is laced with crack. There is no other explanation for how delicious some mostly plain rice can be. 

This week, in an effort to continue our eating expedition, we decided to dine at Sono Sushi. This place seemed fun, in theory, due to their having little sushi boats that float around a bar-like island. If you see some sushi that you like float by, you can just grab it and dig in. 

We were a party of three, and so opted for a table, rather than linear seating, so the art of sushi boats was inconsequential to our meal.

On a basic level, the restaurant does well: The establishment is cozy without being claustrophobic, the wait staff is polite and attentive, and the food is inexpensive.

Where the restaurant does not-so-well is where it pertains to the main event: the food.

The edamame, which we ordered as an appetizer, was cold. This problem didn't stop us from eating the entirety of our serving, but it's atypical of edamame to be served this way.

When it comes to Japanese food, I tend to lean the way of chicken teriyaki or udon, not because I don't love sushi, but because I don't love seafood. Yesterday, however, I opted for a cucumber roll and a chicken teriyaki roll. The former was fine--I imagine a cucumber roll is one of the most difficult to screw up--and while the latter wasn't terrible, it wasn't something I'd seek out again. 

My friends ordered seafood-based rolls, such as the Philadelphia roll, and while they weren't put off by their meals, they weren't impressed, either. 

In a place like the Bay Area, which hosts a bevy of restaurants, there's little room for mediocrity. I say this not to be snobby, but to be realistic. I don't spend every meal dining out, so on occasions where I do so, I want to make my experience and meal worthwhile. 

I'll head over to Sushi 85 if I need a local sushi fix, instead. 

Who's Got It Better Than Us?

Well, I finally accomplished the short-term goal of going to Candlestick Park, home of my darling 49ers. I accomplished at this goal a little differently than I'd hoped; I found myself at the stadium not for a game, but for The Color Run, a low-intensive, uniquely-designed 5k. 

At the conclusion of the run, a large crowed gathered around the exterior of the stadium to celebrate with colored powder, a DJ, and a plethora of free beverages. 

My friend and I used this opportunity to people-watch and take an assortment of pictures of us covered head-to-toe in said colored powder. 
But I also jumped at the chance to explore the periphery of the stadium, camera in tow:

I refuse to move away from San Francisco without attending a game at this stadium, so a return to Candlestick will be happening again. Someday.

Also, for those unfamiliar with the Harbaugh-ism referenced in the post's title, check out the product inspired by his words. 

Cover It with Chocolate and a Miracle or Two

A San Francisco bachelorette weekend included a stop at Bi-Rite Creamery, located near Dolores Park.

The ice cream shop and bakery boasts a menu of ice cream, soft serve, and baked goods, all of which are homemade and with organic ingredients.

Bi-Rite sits atop many lists naming it one of the best ice cream establishments in the country, and it has a local reputation to match. The line curled around the block, and we waited about a half hour to be served. 

True to my boring form when it comes to sweets, I ordered a double scoop of chocolate and vanilla. My friends, however, happily experimented with some of the more unique flavors. All were well received, but the salted caramel, in particular, was a big hit. 

Bottom line: I don't think it's the most incredible ice cream I've ever had, but I also don't adventure much when it comes to dessert. If you enjoy fun and distinctive flavors, it's certainly worth a visit—just make sure to bring a friend (or more) with whom you can combat what's sure to be a lengthy wait.

And They Sit at the Bar and Put Bread in My Jar

Last Thursday, a friend and I had dinner and drinks at The Brick Yard, a sports bar in San Francisco's Marina District. Game 2 of the NBA Finals was on, and we wanted a fun establishment to cheer on the Thunder together (sadly, to a less-than-positive outcome). 

The Brick Yard is an upscale sports bar, and from the moment I stepped in, I fell in love with the establishment. Sports bars are pretty much the only type of bar that I genuinely enjoy, so I guess I'm both a little biased, and relatively easy to please. That said, The Brick Yard is one of better sports bar that I've frequented. There are several television screens along the walls, facing in various directions, and offering a variety of sports-related fare.

My friend and I sat facing each other and the abundance of screens provided each of us the perfect vantage point from which to watch the game.

The bar's interior manages to balance modernity and rusticity, with its wooden embellishments and sparse furnishings.

 Also, in case it isn't evident, the seating at the tables is extremely comfortable.

Another thing I loved: The food. The Brick Yard serves slightly gourmet bar fare, boasting a menu ranging from a variety of pizzas, to chicken satay skewers, to citrus BBQ baby back ribs. 

Since we were in the Marina, all the females around us—of which there were only a few; sports bar and all—nibbled on their salads. Meanwhile, we dug into a plate of Buffalo and garlic wings, as well as a dish of mac & cheese (made with parmesan, gruyere, cheddar, and mozzarella). The food was unsurprisingly fantastic, but I think that even if it'd been sub-par (as American food has a tendency to be), the environment of the establishment would have proved to be adequate compensation. A good bar is hard to find, especially a good sports bar in San Francisco. 

While sports bars are my favorite type of bar, this preference tends not to hold true for the vast majority of my friends, and so I doubt I'll be back anytime soon. But I'd return in a heartbeat. If you ever pay it a visit, I bet you'd agree.

Picture credit: 1 / 2