Newsletter

This week's tablehopper: pop and lock.                     Last year: burrata, greens from Pizza Antica. What on earth am I trying to do to myself, implode? Yeah, it makes for a busy week when you have to plan a 300-person event. Life=consumed. Tonight’s Happy Ending is going to…

This week's tablehopper: mountain mama. Today is my annual sad day—the day I leave the lake. My family understands, heck, anyone who comes up to Lake Tahoe regularly does. This place is so special—and it’s not just because I’ve spent every summer in the…

This week's tablehopper: operation sunshine.                     Aziza’s albacore with sea beans, cucumber, and black garlic. I am so ready to punch the clock. Lake Tahoe, your 80-degree weather and sun and squirrels and chilly nights (and even colder lake) and mountain air are calllllling meeeeee. Although boy, do…

This week's tablehopper: a tale of phoenixes.                     Panisse frites at Frances. Oh yeah, let’s hear it for another foggy and cold-ass weekend. AM I CRANKY? What on earth gave you that idea? Fortunately, there were many things to keep me from becoming toooo fussy this week, from…

This week's tablehopper: hamburgling.                     The pastrami burger from Ahn’s. Look at that burger. Isn’t it begging for a serious chomping? Thanks to a tip from an East Bay food-savvy friend, I can now say I have experienced the Ahn’s pastrami burger—an indulgent, messy, and…

This week's tablehopper: put on the feedbag.                     The bar at Café Rouge (Berkeley). Boy, someone was the queen of naps this past weekend. I wasn’t sure if I was in a food coma, or just tired, or fighting something. Perhaps all three, because this kind of a…

This week's tablehopper: some like it hot.                     Pulling shots at Equator. Hello from ‘hopper HQ. Guess who was out a little late last night? Yes, yours truly had a dear friend in town, so we had to tear it up a little. And speaking of tearing it up,…

This week's tablehopper: in the mix.                     A refrigerator at Citizen’s Band. Hola, peeps. Up for something new to do this Friday evening? Last Friday night, a friend and I went to check out the new-ish Off the Grid gathering in the Fort Mason parking lot. What a…

This week's tablehopper: home stretch.                     Corned beef brisket at Local Mission Eatery. You’ve almost made it to the finish line—well, those of you who work normal office hours. Congrats. I’ve been off that track for 10 years, but I can still appreciate Friday. I am…

This week's tablehopper: on (and off) the road.                     Joe’s breakfast pizza from Downtown Bakery & Creamery. How was your holiday weekend, folks? Let’s hear it for destination weddings. I got to spend the weekend up in Hopland; it’s past Healdsburg and Cloverdale on the 101—…