Dining About Town. Or Places I Would LIKE to Eat.

So as part of my Eating Well 2013 New Year resolution, I'm determined to hit up at least one of the restaurants in the Dine About Town line up for the winter season-- MAYBE two. Now, I've been seeing this event be brought up for the past year in random ads and bus-sides, but this is the first time I've actually investigated and have been all in. Hopefully I can make it by the last day!

Here are a few of the options that I would want to check out!

The Cliff House

http://www.sanfrancisco.travel/dine/dine-about-town/cliff-house-164373006.html
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-cliff-house-bistro-san-francisco

The menu is all things I wouldn't normally try, but that's exactly why I want to go and check this place out! Duck meatballs? Flounder? Brown butter cake?! And the views must be absolutely amazing from the restaurant. I've actually walked around outside on the beach, but haven't gotten a chance to really enjoy a full dinner experience from the terrace. And, to be honest, if I'm going for lunch by my lonesome, I still think I'd have a really great experience just looking outside, relaxing.

Cafe Tiramisu

http://www.sanfrancisco.travel/dine/dine-about-town/cafe-tiramisu-164371916.html
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-tiramisu-san-francisco

I walk by this place all the time on my way to work or to check the post office--- I think this place would be perfect on a day when I get out of work early for lunch. The atmosphere! The little alley it's in! It's so cute! Orecchiette? What's that? I would love to try it! Or a risotto that is made by professionals-- not me, messing around in my kitchen! Seared salmon and a tiramisu with espresso to finish it off? Ah, it honestly makes me hungry writing this post.

Butterfly

http://www.sanfrancisco.travel/dine/dine-about-town/butterfly-164371816.html
http://www.yelp.com/biz/butterfly-san-francisco

Californian food? Asian Fusion? What does that even mean? Well, looking at the menu, I was honestly surprised just how "Californian" it was. BUT-- I've never eaten at a place at the Embarcadero and I'm utterly intrigued! I'm in love with calamari but I think I'd really like to try the Duck Confit Spring Rolls which on reading Yelp, are delicious! Also, the Chicken Roulade seems decadent. And last but not least, who can say no to creme brûlée?


Overall, I'm absolutely excited for this event. Financials aside, if I could eat at every single one of the restaurants, I totally would. But, to at least squeeze in a couple of them, I'll probably just swing a couple of the lunches. Which, truth be told, are sometimes the same as the dinner menus! Still, though, I really think it'd be a fun and super fancy experience.

2-0-1-3 Just Looks Like a Weird Number

As 2012 draws to a close, I'm optimistic for 2013. I'm actually really happy I've had this blog for as long as I have--- I actually pulled up my posts for 2011 and 2012 and I can see my goals haven't been too off the mark. I know people say it's silly to come up with resolutions, but I think if the intentions are right, putting it out to the universe will make those intentions relevant to your life.

Reviewing 2012 goals---

• Wear More Heels. Well, sort of. I didn't wear them as often as I would have liked, but there was a definite upswing in me finding "heel occasions" and I'm upgrading my shoe collection, so that's a plus! (I was just gifted my first pair of legit designer shoes, so that's exciting!)
• Do More Yoga. That could have also been done a little bit better... but I'm getting to know my resources more. I'm not shy to pull out a yoga mat in front of the boyfriend anymore. Also not self conscious if I ever can't sleep at night and need to do a few sun salutations to stretch my body to try.
• Get Back into Drawing. Didn't do a lot of random drawing-- but I actually have more legit reasons to use my drawing skills now than I have ever before. I know that sounds weird, but I find that now whenever I draw, it's for some end purpose. Legit reasons to carry a notebook and a good pencil (need to upgrade to a pen- or at the very least a mechanical pencil!). For example, to draw out a look for a new outfit I'm planning to make (in a Fashion Illustration way)-- or to come up with a cute and cuddly animal to embroider onto my next project. Legit reasons to draw, unfrivolously. It behoves me to be at the ready, always.

As for my goals for 2013, I've put some thought into them and they are as follows:

• Eat Better. I don't just mean "eat three meals a day, nothing but healthy stuff"--- well, that, too. But I mean "better" in a real deep way: I want to savor better foods and better meals. Maybe something of a ritual eater. It'd be nice to try at least a couple new restaurants a month that are maybe off the beaten track of what I'd normally go to. I loved my tried-and-true.... but I would love to try new places, too. Plus, I think it'd also make me appreciate the food better when I go to Paris in 2014 (my goal!!).
• Become an SF Culture Addict. I've lived in San Francisco for 2+ years now and I still feel like such a noobie in this city! There is still so much I haven't done or experienced here! While bouncing this off an acquaintance, he pointed out that there aren't nearly enough events here as there used to be... and he might be right. But if I can hit up at least one new cultural experience a month, I think it'd be a win. I just want to know I do more "San Franciscan things". Maybe I'll lay out at Dolores Park more often. I feel like I'm just missing out.
• Make 50,000k in 2013. Lofty goal? Not even! I don't even make half of that right now in earnings, but I have high goals for myself and aspirations of using my creativity more openly. I don't know... I just have a feeling that financially, 2013 will be a great year for me. 

Also for the New Year I went ahead and spruced up my layout page-- and I'm absolutely loving it! The background image is from Shabby Blogs which is great for pre-designed layout backgrounds~ They have a lot of images I adore and would love to use later. All the other stuff was put together in Photoshop. 

Toast with extra butter and marmalade doesn't make me a fatty.

I'm not going to lie, it's nice being ("decently") connected to the internet again. I love my iPhone to pieces but holy cow. There really is nothing like being able to see my favorite websites again at full screen. Granted, my hopes for 2011 of finally getting a new computer are still in the wings, at least my janky laptop still connects and the keys still can click away at a blogger's speed. Ah, it's nice to be back.

I have tons of pictures to post but in the meantime, New Year Resolutions! I will start by saying that my resolutions from last year turned out positively! I quit Starbucks once and for all and am now a happy specialist at an Apple retail store which is exciting and amazing. I didn't quite stretch for France, but there's always this year. Anyway- resolutions for 2012:

 

To further explain each one...

#1: I've upped my shoe heel pain tolerance for 2011 but in all honesty, my heel collection is limited to... 3 pairs. I've gotta step it up a notch and not only buy more of these beautiful stilts, but really practice my swagger. I don't look like an awkward giraffe in the pairs I own (unlike the very unclassy ladies I saw being trashy on NYE!), but eventually I'd like to comfortably rock a 4" heel. Besides, look how amazing! Yey for Miu Miu!

 

#2: I quit my gym membership which is kind of funny for it happening at the beginning of the year. Everyone is rushing to go join and I up and quit! I realized that the only reason I wanted the membership was to go to yoga classes... which I can comfortably download podcasts for on my phone. Now that I've recently moved to my own apartment, finding space for my yoga mat isn't a problem... and doing corpse pose on my bedroom floor with sunlight warming me up feels amaaaazing. Now I just have to do it more than once every few months. Any improvement- even if once a week- would make me proud and call this resolution a win.

#3: I didn't quite realize how much my drawing skills have deteriorated since I last drew my New Year drawings so I figured this is very appropriate! On an aside, I'll be attending a Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School next week so if anything, that should wrangle me back on track. I've heard of this group randomly here and there, but I think it'd be fun to start doing something like this. Get a drink in hand and do some amazing drawings. I just have to warm myself up before hand otherwise the two hours of awesome poses will be lost!

Either way, please look forward to my next few posts which will include drawings, inspirational images, and well, shoes. I have a lot of high hopes for 2012!

To celebrate, my boyfriend stole a Wet Floor sign

2011 New Year celebrations were definitely a stark contrast from last year. While 2010's "party" involved pounding down faderade at the local Motel 6, this year was spent atop an apartment building in downtown San Francisco, shouting at the pedestrians below. There was of course plenty of smooching Kyle passionately at the stroke of midnight.

But it is of course that time of year when everyone promises things for themselves that they may or may not accomplish but I'm being optimistic here and going with it. It's healthy and fun and fuck it, why not?

It's been something of a shock to hear the snarky remarks at a couple of my goals for the year. The negative critisism (or "jokes") do get to me a little bit... not because of the words themselves but because of the automatic rush to put someone down. Yes, there's a lot of negative stigma at New Years Resolutions but it gets a little bit out of control when it turns around and ridicules a person. I don't know. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth hearing some of what people have to say. I don't like it.