Alex loves macaroons and I thought of him when I bought these at Tartine Bakery.  These are small ones, so I thought it was one of the better choices there.

I remember as a kid, coming home to the welcoming smell of the long slow cooked soups that Mom made.  Now, Alex has moved into his own apartment and he surprised me by saying, he misses the Chinese soups we make at home . . . . and the other night, Katie asked me to teach her how to make Winter Melon Soup.  See my recipe here.

 

 Poesia Restaurant in the Castro is located on the second floor of a former house.  Although comfortable, the conversion of the house to a restaurant seemed incomplete as it didn't have the charm and cozy feeling of being in someone's home and yet it didn't have the polish of a sophistication restaurant either.  The food, however, was the best part of the experience.  Dinner here was a gift from Alex.  Thanks Alex.  

Click here or on the photo for the Poesia Restaurant website.

 

Fog City Diner at 1300 Battery is in a beautiful section of town adjacent to the Levi Gardens (designed by the noted landscape architect Lawrence Halprin)  with a view down the Embarcadero.  Situated at the tip of a triangular shaped corner you get great views much like Zuni Cafe on Market Street.  Although designed as a diner, it's more reminiscent of an old luxury train car like the Orient Express with polished dark woods and booths.  Fog City has been around for a least 20 years and although not the hot spot it once was, it is still popular.

Any diner must serve a decent hamburger and Fog City is no exception.  Alex almost always orders a burger if it is on the menu.  Fog City's is classic in every way and served with fries!

I had my first "real" pastrami sandwich at the famous Carnegie Deli in Manhattan - piled high and impossibly delicious. Katie always ordered the Chicken Soup, Alex always wants a piece of cheesecake, and Chris wants the dill pickles. Too bad it's so far away.

Ted, at Mock/Wallace Architects is the "Pastrami King" and blogs about all things pastrami at this blog-site.  He'll tell you everything you want to know about Pastrami in the Bay Area and beyond.  He says Millers East Coast Deli  has the best Pastrami in San Francisco.  When Alex suggested going there last week, I said "YES!"   How does it compare to Carnegie? -- close. . . 

   

A struggling restaurant closed recently on California Street near Divisidero.  It always was empty and forbidding -- dark and gloomy.  Bistro SF Grill moved into the space and suddenly everything changed.  Accented with bold red curtains, walls and chairs, the all burger restaurant is a beehive of activity.  Changing the colors and adding two table outside made a big difference.  Suddenly everything is more inviting.  Clearly that was the case the other night when there was a large group having a birthday celebration.

Alex invited me to dinner and as a test, I had their basic bistro burger piled high with cheese, grilled onions and roasted red peppers.  It was juicy warm and delicious.  Different from the Zuni Cafe burger I really liked, but very good in a different way.  This restaurant is dedicated to burgers in every form.  And -- to top it off, they serve Blue Bottle coffee.   It's dangerously close to my home on Pine Street.

Congratulations to Alexander Ahn  Mock, college graduate.  We're proud of your achievement.

 

 

There's nothing like Green Apple Bookstore in the City and probably in the Bay Area.  It has some of the same vibe as the famous Strand Bookstore in Manhattan.  It doesn't nearly compare in volume to the Strand.  Then probably nothing else does either.  

Alex and Katie called it Luk Ping Guo (Green Apple in Cantonese).    It's in the heart of San Francisco's  inner Richmond shopping district on Clement Street, conveniently near a lot of places I frequent.
As much as I enjoy the convenience of getting information on-line, there's nothing quite like the tactile quality of a book, the quality of the paper, the design of the layout and cover.  Chris has organized our library by the color of the book -- reds in one area, blue in another.  It doesn't make it easier to find a book, but it sure is enjoyable to look at the shelves.    For the most part, architects love books and Chris and I are among those who do.