Category Archives: Fun Finds

My Sunday “Staycation” in Tuscany

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Always love a sunday at the second hand bookstore. Full of treasures waiting to be discovered. This weekend’s find was a cool cookbook called “Tuscany”. Just finished reading it; and yes I read cookbooks cover to cover and tab pages I like for later. I found several cool regional dishes that will get tried the next few weeks.

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This is the description from Amazon;

A unique cookbook containing 50 recipes from the tables of Tuscany, the finest gastronomic region of Italy and birthpace of most Italian cuisine as we know it today. Recipes are accompanied by texts detailing traditional Tuscan ingredients, producers, food markets and speciality stores. Contains specially commissioned photography of landscapes and products from all provinces of Tuscany, from Florence and Siena to Pisa and Lucca. All-new, authentic and easy-to-follow recipes from the Silver Spoon kitchen, ranging from simple crostini to delicious desserts.

Any one can knock out a lava cake these days.

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My Pal Jacque found an organic mix for Molten Lava Cake by Wildtree that allows you the ability to toss some of these babies together in

less than 15 min. The recipes is easy and as is comes out good. I altered the recipe a bit and added vanilla and a splash of espresso to make the chocolate taste more chocolaty.. The package comes sized for 6 small ramekins – so you may need to purchase them as well. Bake time says 12 – 15 min. I suggest you check them at 10 min, then take them out by 12 min to really get the gooey center. Otherwise you will end up with a pretty nice brownie cake. The cost of the premix box is around $9 makes 6.

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Bak-klene ZT cooking spray – get your glide on

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This Christmas one of my work colleagues gifted me with Bak-klene ZT cooking spray.

Yes – I know – you might wonder why?? Well  – we often all talk about food and She had heard about this particular brand and thought of me ( Note – this is what gifting is all about – thinking before hand and knowing the person – not because its been marketed since october and with the biggest most  budget).IMG_9673

So, I digress.. I had always tended to use what ever spray I had around the house – but never found them great. Till now – Bak-klene converted me! Not only does it go on easy and provided me with the non-stick coverage I wanted – it has no after taste or leave a funky texture on the cookware.  It also has zero-transfat and is used in many profession kitchens I have heard tell. I have been working with it now since December and even the stickiest messes  I have managed to bake up – have simply slid out!

Available at Williams-Sonoma or Amazon – at almost $10 its not cheap – but its well worth it.

Ahh… Valentines day is a memory and Easter and the Peeps hit the shelves at Walgreens!

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Spring must not be far behind – as the sticky, squishy, slightly crunchy Peeps have invaded the stores. Recently at Walgreens here in the Castro – I ran right in to not 1 but three shelves. I think along with cockroaches and some conservative politicians, Peeps my outlast us all.

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According too Wikipedia and a a short visit the website for Just Born – Peeps are produced by Just Born,[2] a candy manufacturer founded in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, by Russian immigrant Sam Born. In 1953, Just Born acquired the Rodda Candy Company and its marshmallow chick line, and replaced the painstaking process of hand-forming the chicks with mass production.[3] When founder Sam Born would display a sign for his freshly-made candy, he would title it “Just Born,” playing off of his last name and the fact that he made his candy fresh daily.[4]

I think what tickles me most – is how Peeps and Just Born has harnessed its Social Media – be it with Twitter under hashtag  #peepsLove,  Instagram, Facebook ( yes you can friend and follow), a counter and even a “show and share what can you create with peeps” and other promo that keep these little day glow monsters coming… and yes they even have a Pinterest following

Gluten Free goes mainstream – Safeway Castro Street

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Over that last few years – we have all seen the increase in folks talking about the health benefits of moving towards a Gluten Free diet. We’ve several sets of friends who have switched over to it, so I am always on the look out for ways to edit my menus to accommodate them. Was nice to see how Safeway Castro  is figuring this out – especially with the new Whole Foods across the street. We have tried several of the new Safeway branded gluten free line and found them pretty good and reasonably priced.

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February BirchBox Arrived!

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My February BirchBox order arrived this week with a great assortment of new finds.  For those of you who don’t know what Birchboc.com is – click here for your invitation to join. They offer a variety of new and trending products and for a monthly members fee – they send you a sample “box” of the month’s top hits. Essentially as they describe themselves – it’s a “discovery commerce platform”.

So while I am a pretty big techno geek – of late I have been enjoying the idea of old school communication techniques with the trending resurgence in notecards, custom journals and writing implements. So off the bat I loved that they included a 

box of blank note card and envelopes with a more masculine theme. Slightly retro-themed embossed imprints offer a nod towards old school male imagery. In fact BirchBox is promoting them as part of the “Art of Manliness Stationary”. In a warm sand/cream color, with a crisp embossed art-image – these cards will definitely be used over the next few months. Birchbox is selling the box of 15 cards for $24. 

Also included in the monthly box, were samples of facial products geared for men. This month the goodies included both a brushless shave cream and face wash by “apothecary-isque” looking Schullz & Malley. They definitely are offering a nod towards the vintage.

Now, not being someone who likes a lot of fragrance or heavy smells emanating from the skin and face products I use – I was less than hopeful when I saw the samples. But I was willing to give them a try. I was pleasantly surprised with my initial reaction on opening them. The scent is subtle – almost offering an echo-smell – one you get a wiff of then it sort or comes back a minute later in your mind. Immediately reminding me of being a kid and the smells associated with my Dad’s closet and his “man-cave” back then – the attic. I would describe the scent of  Schullz & Malley samples as a balance of smoky and earthy with just enough sweet to mellow it. It made me think of freshly aired wool sweaters, pipe tobacco, old wood and well used fireplaces.

The Cleansing Face Wash has pours out as a thick lotion, then mutates to nice creamy feel when rubbed and applied. It has a medium lather and being someone with a shaved head and beard, a nickel-sized amount was plenty for a solid coverage.  After rinsing my face had a nice clean feel and my beard responded nicely to the wash and even a few hours later felt softer than with other wash products I have used. The wash runs about $18 for 6 oz on BirchBox. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Brushless Shave Cream is a semi-solid type cream. The kind that is thick and very “nozema” like – but rubbed on your neck & face spreads well but not at thick as for instance The Art of Shaving’s shave cream. (Ed. Note: I am a long time fan and devotee of the unscented version of the Art of Shaving product line and the brush and shave cream has saved me lots of cuts.  So they remain the standard by which I compare products against, which luckily BirchBox also sells!)

The coverage was great and the shave smooth. With two scented products layered I was worried that I was going to smell them all day (even a good scent is too much for me after a while) – but again I was pleasantly surprised that by the time I had dried off and dressed – the fragrance with pretty much well I the background and dissipated nicely.  The Shave cream is $18 for 8oz on Birchbox

Now also included in this months box were:

  • A sample fragrance from English Laundry’s Signature line – which I prompting gave to a younger colleague at work who sniffed and liked depth and fresh smell. But at $84 for 3.4 oz not sure he would buy it.
  • A sampler of dr. brandt® pores no more® pore refiner. This one didn’t get tied yet – but once I do – I will share my thoughts. Not cheap at $45 for 1 oz – I am not sure its one that I would invest in on a regular basis.

 

Vietnamese at PPQ, 2/8/14

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On Saturday I got the urge that Vietnamese was in order. I put the call out on Facebook to see who my peeps thought were venues worth checking out.

Keeping in mind a few variables – 1) the place needed to offer more than just Pho, 2) it couldn’t be too exotic (not everyone in my dinner family is adventurous – and some have “food issues” I won’t go into) and 3) as much as I like the TL in SF – with the crappy weather last night – I wanted to stay out of the downtown and TL or new my office (those places I can get to for lunch)

So the trending recommendations are listed below- with PPQ being our choice for the night. (note – I will most likely try all them on the list eventually!)

  • PPQ: 2332 Clement St (between 24th Ave & 25th Ave)   San Francisco, CA 94121

 

Of course, without thinking – we arrived around 6:45 with-out reservations – – the place was hopping but the very efficient host, once we asked, put us on the list and we were seated about 30 min later. Hint – there seemed to be an early crowd then a around 8:30/8:45 lull in the crowd, with another hit coming soon after. 

The place has a great casual faced-paced vibe – this is not the place you go to be chatty with the wait staff unless you happen to be fluent in Vietnamese and even then – the side talk we brief. But once seated they pretty much leave you be while you eat – so we weren’t feeling rushed which I liked. We were hungry, so sat and ordered the fried calamari and the fried spring rolls right off. While debating our main meal options – we devided and went with Lemongrass chicken (which has a little spice/heat to it), the 5-spice chicken (which is more deeper flavor but not hot spicy) and the Roasted Crab. We also ordered the garlic noodles (of course) and the string beans  – which were rocken. We had ordered the crab fried rice – but the kitchen never sent it out – so thats on the next try. Oh and we gilded the dining lily and also order the fried Banana’s with the ice cream to share.

The food comes out pretty fast – and is very hot. The Calamari was some of the best I have had. They use the Calamari steaks with the breading – quick fried – they were tender and melted at the bite. The Springs rolls  were dense and chewy  – when dipped in the sauce with the basil and lettuce was a great start. As the main courses came out, we dug in. They weren’t sent out in any order or all out at once – so it was good that we had lots of options. Both chicken dishes were good. Rich in flavor and a nice sized portion. The Crab –  which came out last, was we heard while waiting in line – one of the crowd favorites. Hot, messy, packed with a garlic butter sauce, and just enough of the innards left in that you got the flavors of crab. It comes partially prepped – but you will still need to be prepared to get “as one” with your food to get to the meat.  (FYI -the drunken crab is the version with the white wine). Oh –  there is a reason they call the place PPQ – Dungeness Island – they offer the crab 6 ways. The garlic noodles were good as well – but make sure you specify how many to order -if you are getting lots of dishes start with one order to share – you will find a little goes a long way unless its your primary meal. Over all a good time – the place does well with couples, to groups and is deceptively large with a back room and second floor. While we were standing there at least 5 calls came in for reservations on  valentines day.. hint hint. The prices are moderate – entrees running $10 – $14, the Crab around $38. But we also had enough food to bring home for lunch  – our average price of the meal was about $50 each.

  • Tu Lan:  8 6th St (at Stevenson St)  San Francisco, CA 94103 Neighborhood: SoMa (415) 626-0927
  • PPQ: 2332 Clement St (between 24th Ave & 25th Ave)   San Francisco, CA 94121
  • Hai Ky Mi Gia: 707 Ellis St (between Larkin St & Polk St) San Francisco, CA 94109 Neighborhood: Tenderloin (415) 771-2577
  • Sunflower in Potrero Hill or Mission:  3111 16th St (at Valencia St)  San Francisco, CA 94103 Neighborhood: Mission (415) 626-5022,  288 Connecticut St San Francisco, CA 94107 Phone number(415) 861-2336
  • Jasmine Garden:  708 14th St San Francisco, CA 94114 Phone number(415) 861-2682
  • Tin Vietnamese
  • Mau:  665 Valencia St (between Sycamore St & 18th St)  San Francisco, CA 94110 Neighborhood: Mission (415) 934-8889
  • Vietnam Cafe ( Recommended for late night)
  • Evergreen Garden: 3100 18th St (between Treat Ave & Harrison St)  San Francisco, CA 94110 Neighborhood: Mission (415) 864-1657

 

Getting my fire on…

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Rocken with my new SF Fire Dept- Engine 32 shirt today at the gym.
Thanks Lance & Brad. While I an not a big “T” wearer, preferring tank or sleeveless, these look great and go to a great cause.

What one of your own, you ask? A few may still be available. Leave a message below.

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No scurvey with this lime infused cream cleanser

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One of my fun yet usefull finds earlier in the year while in Palm Springs  is BlueBeards Original Beard Saver. This lime-based cream goes on smooth and helps to get the skin underneath my beard feeling clean (thats the citris) while softening the beard itself. The scent is mild and disapears quick — but if you take a swim you may taste lime-cream a bit.  You can purchase this at the shaving store downtown Palm Springs.

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From its manufacturer:
Beard Saver : This daily skin and facial hair lotion acts as an outstanding anti-itch and conditioner for new growth. And for the established beard, just a dab rubbed throughout the facial hair, from root to tip, will manage even the most unruly facial hair. With aloe vera to soothe and protect, and lime essential oils, which helps to dissolve oils trapped by whiskers. Great for both your scruff and your skin.