Hello from San Francisco!
I have been looking forward to my trip to this beautiful city for months. It’s absolutely gorgeous and I’ve loved my time here so far.
Unfortunately it was a big headache getting here! I ended up arriving in California in the wee hours of the morning on Wednesday thanks to lots of delays. By the time I crawled into my hotel bed, I had been awake for 24 hours.
It was a rocky start, but things have drastically improved thanks to the public relations and marketing team behind Smartfood, the company that sponsored my trip.
I am here with a team of bloggers to help unveil San Francisco as the SMARTest city in the United States (SMART = Savvy, Motivated, Accomplished, Responsible and Thoughtful), but I will share more about that later since the big media event surrounding this announcement is actually happening in Union Square this morning. If you live in San Francisco, please come say hi! We will be in Union Square through the early afternoon.
Wednesday
My first full day in San Francisco kicked off around lunchtime on Wednesday. I met up with four other bloggers (Kelly who contributes to Makobi Scribe, Sarah who writes for The Bold Italic, Sarah from Sarah Fit and Louise from Mom Start) and we grabbed a quick lunch at La Boulange with the public relations team from Smartfood.
Knowing we’d be sampling lots of goodies soon after lunch, we kept things light and I ordered a salad and a cappuccino.
It was really good and I can see why La Boulange is a hot spot in San Francisco!
After lunch, we had our first official event to attend with Chef Jody Denton.
Chef Jody has more than 30 years of experience and has worked with some famous chefs, including Wolfgang Puck! His mission for the afternoon was to create delicious dishes inspired by the flavors in Smartfood products. He said it was a bit of a reversal from his normal duties, since he now creates flavors for snack foods based on other dishes!
First up was a buffalo cheddar king ranch chicken dish, based on Smartfood Selects Buffalo Cheddar Popcorn. It was good, but a little heavier than something I would prepare for dinner myself. I’ll stick with the popcorn!
The second dish was a fava bean puree with garlic, tomato and basil, based on the Smartfood Garlic Tomato Basil Hummus Popped Chips.
It was vibrant, fresh and incredibly flavorful. Easily my favorite dish of the day!
We were given permission to share the recipes we tried today with you guys, and this is one I think many of you would really enjoy!
Fava Bean Puree with Garlic, Tomato and Basil
Serves 4 – 6
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound peeled, dried fava beans, soaked overnight in water
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 white onion, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup whole peeled garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 pints teardrop or grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup sliced garlic cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 cup (packed) fresh torn basil leaves
- Parmesan for grating
Directions:
- After the fava beans have soaked overnight, place them in a sauce pot along with the chicken stock through the sea salt and half of the olive oil (1/4 cup). Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook until beans are tender and falling apart. Add more water if the liquid level falls below the beans. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Preheat broiler on high. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet, toss lightly in olive oil and broil until they begin to pop open. Remove from broiler and set aside.
- In a skillet, warm remaining olive oil and sliced garlic cloves together until garlic just begins to brown. Add chili flakes, stir for 15 seconds and add basil leaves, stir, add blistered tomatoes and remove from heat.
- Place a large spoonful of warm fava bean puree on the plate. Spoon tomato basic mixture over puree. Grate parmesan over top and serve immediately.
After the fava bean dish, the next two dishes Chef Jody made for us to try were crowd favorites!
The spicy watermelon salad with feta cheese and mint was based on Smartfood Selects Feta Herb Hummus Popped Chips.
I am a huge fan of watermelon and feta salads and this one was delicious! Chef Jody added a pinch of cayenne pepper to the salad which added a nice kick to the dish.
The dish I couldn’t stop eating was the honey blackberry Greek yogurt dip that Chef Jody made to accompany the ridiculously addicting Smartfood Selects Cinnamon Brown Sugar Hummus Popped Chips.
To make the dip, simply combine, 1/2 pint of blackberries (smashed), 3 cups of Greek yogurt, 3 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Simple and tasty!
Our group had a really fun time talking the Chef Jody and made sure to thank him for sharing his delicious dishes with us!
Exploring San Francisco
After our event with Chef Jody was over, our group had the opportunity to explore the city. The weather was absolutely gorgeous (no sticky humidity!) and I loved walking around and taking in the sights.
Angry vizslas love San Francisco!
Of course we had to be total tourists and ride a cable car!
While we were out and about, we made a pit stop for cupcakes at Kara’s Cupcakes.
I bought the chocolate velvet cupcake made with bittersweet chocolate buttercream icing and it was fabulous! Yelp reviews promised the cupcakes would be delicious and they didn’t lie!
More San Francisco fun to come!!
Fab Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to…
- Lydia: “I would love the ice tea maker, my family loves tea and adding fresh mint or fruit would be tasty and save some $$$ making it at home!!!”
Please email me at pbfingers@gmail.com with your mailing address and I’ll ship the iced tea maker to you right away!
Question of the Morning
- San Francisco folks: What are some of your must-see sights in the city? Any restaurants I must try while I’m here? We have a free evening tonight, so if you’re a San Francisco local or have visited the city in the past, I’d love some restaurant recommendations!
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I’m grew up near SF and honestly I don’t think you can really go wrong ANYWHERE as far as eating goes! So many great places.
You might want to try Blue Botttle, its super good coffee and definitely a San Francisco right of passage. There’s also a pizza place in North Beach (that I cannot remember the name of unfortunately) that has THE BEST dessert pizza. I hear really great things about Sweet Maple (http://www.sweetmaplesf.com/Sweet_Maple/Sweet_Maple_the_Best_Breakfast_and_Lunch_San_Francisco_California_Bay_Area.html) but haven’t tried it myself to confirm!
If you want to go out for a drink at night Bourbon and Branch is a really cool speakeasy but can be hard to find. My friends and I liked to go to the Tipsy Pig in the Marina for dinner and drinks as well.
Have fun! There’s so much to do its basically impossible to not!
I live just east of SF! Love that city. Have a blast!!
The yogurt dip looks super yummy! I bet it would taste good with any type of berries. Raspberries maybe? Question: How much honey is supposed to be in it? You put 3 tbsp and then right after 2 tbsp.
that was a typo! it was supposed to be 3 tbsp. honey, 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice! the post is edited now! 😀
I moved to downtown SF in January from the East Coast and absolutely ADORE it! Hands down my favorite city in the US (and I used to be a Flight Attendant, so I’ve been to many cities haha).. If you are free before the sun sets, I would highly recommend heading out to Outer Richmond area to see the Sutro Baths. It’s incredible watching the sunset there. Also, from there it is an easy walk/hike to Sea Cliff, where you will get that awesome view of the Golden Gate. Enjoy your time in the City 🙂
You lucked out on the weather, it is beautiful in San Francisco this week! I live in San Francisco and highly recommend going to Fort Mason’s Off The Grid on Friday night for the food trucks or the Ferry Building for the Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning. The Top of the Mark is a great spot to get a drink and view of the city.
If you get a chance to go on a run to the top of the Lyon’s steps you will get an amazing view!
I used to live in the East Bay and our 4th grade field trip was to pretend we were old fashioned sailors and sleep over night on the Balclutha (the boat in your pic). I was part of the Boat Crew and we practiced all year how to row with oars- when the time came though, we only ended up rowing about 6 1/2 ft. And the bungee cord to my sleeping bag fell out the porthole so I was the only kid dragging a sleeping bag as we walked the plank the next day.
I live in SF- my favorite restaurants to try: Kokkari, Terzo, Seven Hills, Tony’s Napoletana Pizza. The first three take reservations – I’d go make one now if you can!! If not – enjoy a drink at the bar while you wait for your table 🙂
Try to go tour Alcatraz – fascinating!
Def check out Antony’s Cookies in the mission (for the Cookies and Cream cookies), and/or get the celebration cake from a Susie Cakes. And lay out in Dolores Park for a minute!
I live in SF and it is very hard to have a bad meal here. You’d literally have to go out of your way to do it! Today, (Thursday) is the Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Building and that is always fun and just pretty to look at all the fresh produce. Good food too! The Ferry Building also has plenty of good restaurants. Plant Cafe is a good lunch spot that has plenty of healthy options. The Marina area (Chestnut St/Fillmore St/Union St) is filled with good restaurants and great shopping. Squat and Gobble is a great spot there. Enjoy your stay in our beautiful city!
Love your green blazer!! It looks so cute and professional at the same time! 🙂
I live in SF and have a million recommendations! I think you would love the Marina neighborhood- super vibrant, great restaurants, and good bars (yes it also has a “fratty” reputation, but hey, good food and close to the water? people need to deal)… Highly highly recommend Mamacita or Tacolicious (you’re in CA, you need Mexican food!). Both have superb menus, amazing margaritas and other cocktails, and a super fun vibe. Have fun!
Go to The Grove! Its such a cute spot to eat and the food is delicious!
Absinthe…absolutely delicious food and great vibe! I went a few months ago on my honeymoon and I am still thinking about the meal…it was amazing! 🙂 Also, great perk, you can make reservations on Open Table.
SF local here! If you can, come to the Mission! Tons of great restaurants and amazing drinks to be had. I went to Garçon last week and it was one of the besteals I’ve had in a long time. If you want to stay close to downtown, try Zarzuela in Nob Hill, great tapas. Have fun! You lucked out on the weather!!
Love San Fran! If you have a chance to grab breakfast somewhere, make sure you go to Mamas (http://www.yelp.com/biz/mamas-san-francisco). It was amazing and totally worth the wait! The Slanted Door (http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-slanted-door-san-francisco) was also excellent for dinner. It was right near the water, so you can see the bridge light up at night!
I went to San Francisco in August two years ago and the weather was not nearly as nice as it is for you! It was foggy and our flight almost got delayed TWO DAYS before my sophomore year of high school. I was a mess. Fun trip though!
The grove on chestnut street! Chestnut street has super cute shopping and lots of restaurants! Also try out Phillz coffee!
This looks like such a fun trip! Ive always wanted to visit San Francisco and I’m only a 6 hour drive away, I need to get on that!
I love the blazer you are wearing. Plane delays are the worst but I’m glad things started to pick up once you got to San Fran. ENJOY THE CITY! I LOVE IT 🙂
What fun!!! This looks incredible! I also love this Greek yogurt dip. I think it would be a nice addition to the baby/bridal showers I am planning.
Thanks!
So happy you love SF! I’m a local and never get tired of how beautiful the city is. A few recommendations:
*Tony’s Pizza in North Beach (unbeatable)
*Arizmendi Bakery in the Sunset (amazing pastries)
*Run or hike along Land’s End trail by Ocean Beach (gorgeous GG bridge views)
*The Plant Cafe (so delish and healthy)
*Ferry Building farmer’s market Thursday and Saturday
*Picnic in the sun in Dolores Park in the Mission
*Strawberries Wild cocktail on the back patio of Tipsy Pig in the Marina
*Sliders and whiskey at Marengo on Union Street in Cow Hollow
Have fun!
thanks for the recommendations!
SF is my city 🙂 Check out Fisherman’s Wharf, or the Ferry Building! I am running 2 upcoming halfs in SF!
If you like sushi, The Delica Sushi Bar inside the Ferry Building is delicious! I went there when I was visiting last week. The waitress said they get their fish fresh from Japan every Tuesday. Cha Cha Cha in the Haight also has great tapas and sangria!
I live right outside SF and my favorite food experience in the city by far was a New Year’s Eve dinner at Limon in the Mission district. Limon serves Peruvian food, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was blown away!
As a Bay Area local, the lobster thermadore at a restaurant called Scomas is the best! It’s so good and near Pier 39 for good sightseeing!
Since you’re a big seafood fan, you should hit up Swan Oyster Depot – 1517 Polk Street in Nob Hill. They have incredibly fresh seafood and some of the best oysters/seafood I’ve ever had! I promise you won’t be disappointed! 🙂 The place is pretty small, the counter probably seats 20 people and they are only open from 10:30am-5:30pm. That being said, it gets pretty crowded, but its sooooo worth the wait. It’s a family run business and they guys working behind the counter have great stories to share!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/swan-oyster-depot-san-francisco
Thanks for posting the recipe to the Fava Bean Puree with Garlic, Tomato and Basil. That looks so good! I have basil, garlic, and grape tomatoes growing in my garden. Can’t wait to give it a try! Enjoy SF!
Does anyone have any recommendations for where to stay in San Francisco?! I’m right in the middle of planning a trip and it’s so hard to research hotels online – so many conflicting opinions! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! 🙂
What a great trip! I think it’s so cool that brands provide these great opportunities for bloggers. And I must say, coming from PR, it’s such a smart thing to do, because I can honestly say as your target audience that I will be looking for these products 🙂
Love the city by the Bay! Good thing Kara’s Cupcakes is checked off your list, it’s my FAVE cupcakes! If you love Greek food I’ve never been disappointed with Kokkari’s. You may need a reservation as it gets busy and you might want to dress up a bit. You HAVE to get yourself a cup of Blue Bottle coffee too! The Stinking Rose is famous in North Beach for everything garlic (it’s an Italian restaurant)…Garlic Ice Cream too! It’s pretty amazing 🙂 I’ve also always wanted to go to the Ice Cream Bar but haven’t had the chance. It looks like great fun with it’s diner decor. Have fun and enjoy!
NOPA in San Francisco is awesome and serves farm fresh food that is absolutely delicious! Reservations will be tough, but if you go early, you can put your name in and explore the neighborhood while you wait. Grab an app and/or drinks at a few local places and your table will be ready in no time!
Glad things are looking up since your travel disaster! Love the idea of the tomato dish, sounds delicious!
Delfina for Italian (or its counter-part for casual pizza next door); La Mar Cebicheria for gorgeous view and seafood; Slanted Door for gorgeous view and Vietnamese; Boulevard for classic SF
Haven’t been there since the 89 earthquakes. It was so sad to see the devastation.It is such a beautiful city.
Hi Julie! I love your blog and have been following it for years. I don’t usually comment, but since you’re in my neighborhood (how exciting!), I feel like I have to speak up! One of my favorite restaurants in the city Gracias Madre. It’s an amazing vegan Mexican restaurant in the Mission, and to be honest, you probably wouldn’t even notice that it’s vegan if no one told you. Another great restaurant is State Bird Provisions, which serves small dishes dim-sum style, so it’s a lot of fun to go to with a group of friends. It’s pretty tough to get reservations there, but I’ve heard you can try to line up in front of the restaurant right when it opens to hopefully get a walk-in spot. Have fun!
I love when I see my favorite bloggers cross paths! I follow SarahFit on youtube! ^_^
Tony’s Pizza in North Beach. They’ll have a long wait, but it’s totally worth it and you can put a phone number in and go grab drinks while you wait. There’s a wine bar near there, as well as a bunch of other spots to grab a drink!
Thanks for posting the recipe! That’s the one I would have picked, too. And I haven’t tried it yet, but I def plan on trying the curried sweet potato salad soon. Have a great time and love the blazer!
You’re making me really wanna go to SF! I’ve only been there a few times for a few days at a time, but it’s always so fun and delicious to stay there, hehe. I love the boulange, and I just love walking around Ghirardelli and trying the different restaurants there. oh yeah! One place I loved that my friends took me to for my bridal party was a Greek restaurant called Kokkari. It was so good and fancy, but not over the top! 😀
Oh yeah, and an Ethiopian restaurant called Axom’s, or something like that?
So fun seeing you in my city! Such a great time to come as well, we’ve had amazing weather this week (much better than our usual FREEZING summers).
If you’re free for lunch at all, I’d really recommend going to The Plant Cafe. Amazing healthy food and there’s multiple locations around the city! http://www.theplantcafe.com/ Also, if you have a free evening, I’d suggest heading to Absinthe in Hayes Valley: http://www.absinthe.com/ for delicious cocktails/drinks OR head to the Mission for El Techo de Lolinda which is an awesome rooftop bar/restaurant with an unbelievable view of the city: http://www.eltechosf.com/
Have fun!!
San Fran is def on my list of must see cities!! I had to laugh when you said that “angry” Vizslas <3 San Fran! A friend of mine got me a car decal that says "Vizsla on board" and it's the same angry looking one! I really would drive around town with it on, but I don't want people to think I have a killer dog!!! There are so many cuter pics they could have used for those darn things!!
ENJOY!!! 🙂
I’m going to SF in two weeks with a few of my girlfriends! This just made me soooo excited! And so many great recommendations in the comments section! Also the fava beans look fantabulous!
I saw your update on Insragram. I bet you were tired!
I live in SF, and tend to get overly enthusiastic about meal/caffeine recommendations.
That said, you must head to the Mission – we have the best restaurants around.. I’d recommend Velvet Cantina or Tacolicious for awesome Mexican food/fun ambiance and both have great margaritas. Foreign Cinema is also a favorite, though a bit more upscale (makes for a fabulous brunch, if you have time). OR go to Bi-Rite and get some amazing produce and picnic stuff and head to Dolores Park for the best people watching.
For dessert: Anthony’s cookies or Humphrey Slocombe’s ice cream.
And please, find one of the many Philz locations throughout SF. Each coffee is made individually, and though the Mint Mojito is the best (it literally tastes like happiness in a cup), I’ve yet to ever have a bad cup!
Fog City Diner, Palomino’s..and if you have wheels, Mitchell’s ice cream is super popular. Just down the street from my dad’s house!
The fava bean pics look delish- thanks for shraring the recipe! Hope you’re having a great time, I’m jealous!
Enjoy your trip in SanFran. It looks like a gorgeous day! My boyfriend is in SanFran today actually as well for his first time, he is visiting all the way from New Zealand and is going to the basball game. I should tell him about SF being the SMARTest city. Pretty cool !
Slanted Door @ the Ferry Bldg. Also @ the Ferry Bldg, Hog Island Oysters & Blue Bottle Coffee.