“It is not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them – the character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas.” - Fyodor Dostoevsky

Neyah White pours Japanese whisky at SF Chefs' Hog in the Fog party

I’m proud of the innovation and spirit in the Bay Area. As I visit old and new favorite distilleries like St. George and Old World Spirits, sample a preview dinner of Daniel Patterson’s upcoming Plum, and celebrate the release of the first fair trade spirits, FAIR, it’s clear that it’s a vibrant time in the world of food and drink.

Top Tastes highlights major new openings like Benu from French Laundry chef, the exciting Sons & Daughters, street cart food, okonomiyaki and a tea house. Imbiber raves about cocktails from Healdsburg to the East Bay, with sips at Ministry of Rum 2010 and through Heaven Hill’s catalog.

Around the Bay goes for East Bay fine dining at the constantly hyped Commis, then down home Jamaican cooking at Sweet Fingers.

Bar Agricole's striking patio

Wandering Traveler returns to New Orleans for the best sno-balls, po boys, cocktails, coffee and meals from my July visit. On the Town is my photo recap of one our greatest local food & drink events, SF Chefs.

I’d love your feedback on any spots visited from my site. Please tell your friends and have them sign up for the newsletter. As your personal concierge who tells it to you like a good friend would, I also create personalized itineraries: trips, meals, explorations (under “Services“).

Let me guide you to the perfect spot!

Virginia

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ThePerfectSpot

Here’s recent entries in my SF Bay Guardian column, Appetite:
Studying Drink – 3 books to have on your shelf
Wine Country’s new hotspots
The Scene at SF Chefs
Two delicious street food events

**Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Virginia Miller**

“We are born for meaning, not pleasure, unless it is pleasure that is steeped in meaning.” – Jacob Needleman

Inside the Elms Mansion at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans

It’s been quite a week with the ongoing party of SF Chefs and more high profile restaurant openings (Commonwealth, Benu, Bar Agricole). At SF Chefs, besides attending numerous seminars, tastings & parties (recap in next issue), I was one of three judges at a Top Chef Happy Hour in the W Hotel (former Top Chef contestants from the show facing off for best cocktail). I also emceed a chef demo at Williams Sonoma’s flagship store with Chef Jason Berthold and Pastry Chef Nick Flores of RN74. A delightfully exhausting week!

On the home front, Top Tastes highlights new SF openings, molecular experimentation, Boston-style roast beef sandwiches and duck confit tacos. Around the Bay reviews a slew of new (and not so new) eats in Wine Country, from Morimoto Napa to Spoonbar.

Now for Tales of the Cocktail and New Orleans coverage: a rundown of most memorable moments in On the Town. On the Town Part Two covers winners along with my photos from Tales‘ Spirited Awards Ceremony (Mad Men celebrity shots included). Imbiber lists the most memorable cocktails at Tales.

Fence outside Fuel Coffee in New Orleans

Wandering Traveler eats and drinks through the French Quarter with proper cocktails, Italian Creole cuisine, burgers at 3am, and divine Creole Cream Cheese Red Velvet Cake ice cream.

I’d love your feedback on any spots visited from my site. Please tell your friends and have them sign up for the newsletter. As your personal concierge who tells it to you like a good friend would, I also create personalized itineraries: trips, meals, explorations (under “Services“).

Let me guide you to the perfect spot!

Virginia

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ThePerfectSpot

Here’s recent entries in my SF Bay Guardian column, Appetite:
Three Gourmet Cheap Eats in Sonoma
Tales from Tales in New Orleans
SF Chefs returns
Two Sodas for the Epicure

**Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Virginia Miller**

“Having found myself on business in New Orleans – or… having found it my business to find business in New Orleans...” – Calvin Trillin

Pot de creme at ever-satisfying Bar Tartine

I returned a mere few days ago from my adored New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail (yes, I found myself finding business there), where I averaged three hours of sleep a night, met wonderful people from around the world, drank and ate like a queen, attended dream-like events, and was sad to leave (despite the sweltering heat and humidity)! Stay tuned next issue (and in my Guardian column) for tales from Tales…

SF Guardian’s Best of the Bay issue came out on July 28 and yours truly selected and wrote 12 entries in both the Food & Drink and Arts & Nightlife sections. Check it out online, pick up a print issue around the Bay Area until Tuesday or at the Guardian offices. any time.

Top Tastes highlights impeccable food at a restaurant that is also a wine haven, and fills up on lasagna and spaetzle gratin.

Chris Cosentino's Albacore Puttanesca at Incanto

I’m in love with Camus Cognac and sipping beers in Half Moon Bay in Imbiber. Wandering Traveler imbibes the latest cocktails at some of NY’s greats.  The Established revisits two of my all-time favorites via photos: Incanto and Michael Mina. I am On the Town at winemaker dinners with wines from Alsace to Argentina.

I’d love your feedback on any spots visited from my site. Please tell your friends and have them sign up for the newsletter. As your personal concierge who tells it to you like a good friend would, I also create personalized itineraries: trips, meals, explorations (under “Services“).

Let me guide you to the perfect spot!

Virginia

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ThePerfectSpot

Here’s recent entries in my SF Bay Guardian column, Appetite:
Smoothing Out with Camus’ Fabulous Cognac
Paging Through M.F.K. Fisher’s Kitchen
NYC Food Cheat Sheet, Part Two

**Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Virginia Miller**

“I write to discover what I know.” – Flannery O’Connor

Greens' Bing Cherry Cake

Summer riches surround me with a Wine Country wedding, BBQs, film nights in the park and visiting family. I am off to New Orleans in a few days for Tales of the Cocktail, so you know more is on its way from one of my favorite cities!

Top Tastes runs the gamut from lobster in a Mad Men-era setting, oysters and ham contrasted with vegetarian, to cheap eats like falafel, Ethiopian, arepas or Peking duck in a Chinese donut (!)

Check out my top new coffee stop and the drink that could divert from my beloved Negroni in Imbiber. Wandering Traveler continues through NY, eating Scandinavian food, uncovering cheap eats and prix fixe deals, contemplating David Chang.

Thermidor cocktails

Bibliophile reflects on M.F.K. Fisher’s July birthday via the kitchens she cooked in. The Established revisits the latest reasons to love Mission Beach Cafe. Around the Bay follows chef Scott Howard to Marin.

I’d love your feedback on any spots visited from my site. Please tell your friends and have them sign up for the newsletter. As your personal concierge who tells it to you like a good friend would, I also create personalized itineraries: trips, meals, explorations (under “Services“).

Let me guide you to the perfect spot!

Virginia

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ThePerfectSpot

Here’s recent entries in my SF Bay Guardian column, Appetite:
Campo de Encanto – SF’s own Pisco
Don’t Forget to Remember Mission Beach Cafe
Rouge Wines and Hearty Burgers

**Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Virginia Miller**

Saison re-opens as a nightly restaurant in the Mission

“… there is only the unattended
Moment, the moment in and out of time,
The distraction fit, lost in a shaft of sunlight,
The wild thyme unseen, or the winter lightning
Or the waterfall, or music heard so deeply
That it is not heard at all…” – T.S. Eliot, “The Four Quartets”

The past two weeks have kept me hopping (and fighting off the pounds) with a constant stream of new openings and accompanying pre-opening parties and dinners, plus two straight weeks of dear friends and siblings visiting (which always means eating at old favorites), so sit tight for another packed issue!

Returning to one-of-a-kind Aziza

On that note, Top Tastes is a two-parter. Part One consists of mid-range restaurants and celebratory meals: two new, two long-timers. Top Tastes, Cheap Eats edition, enjoys Japanese seafood on a sunny patio, bolani at a quirky cafe, red apple curry, old school vs. new burgers, and the best sea salt chocolate caramels. Imbiber highlights the latest in new or seasonal cocktails, an intriguing local soda, and wines at the Golden Glass event.

Wandering Traveler continues through NY, this time eating of the affordable bounty in Queens and Brooklyn. The Latest goes in-depth with Elizabeth Falkner’s new dessert menu and fine champagne pairings at Bubble Lounge. On the Town recaps a fabulous food event: 6/16 StarChefs Rising Star Revue.

I’d love your feedback on any spots visited from my site. Please tell your friends and have them sign up for the newsletter. As your personal concierge who tells it to you like a good friend would, I also create personalized itineraries: trips, meals, explorations (under “Services“).

Let me guide you to the perfect spot!

Virginia

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ThePerfectSpot

Here’s recent entries in my SF Bay Guardian column, Appetite:
Bar Buzz: the latest in seasonal cocktail menus & pop-up bars
More Intriguing June openings
Intriguing June openings
Elizabeth Falkner’s new Bubble Lounge dessert menu
NYC Food Cheat Sheet, Part One

**Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Virginia Miller**

“I believe that the great American burger is a thing of beauty, its simple charms noble, pristine. The basic recipe… is, to my mind, un-improvable by man or God.” – Anthony Bourdain, “Medium Raw”

Raines Law Room's enchanting garden, NYC

As I sip Ritual Coffee prepared with Italian family flair from Potrero Hill’s charming new corner cafe, Caffe La Stazione (I’m delighted they plan to soon offer free Italian language classes), I come to you with mid-June offerings.

I had a great time as one of the judges for the June 7 Charbay/Perfect Puree Cocktail Competition at Rye, and have been reveling in Summer events, from Golden Glass to tomorrow night’s StarChefs event.

On the new-openings-and-old-favorites tip, Top Tastes eats the likes of beer & pretzel ice cream, grilled cheese sandwiches and buns from a Chinese bun truck. Imbiber visits two awesome new SF bars with classic cocktails and spirit.

Comstock Saloon

As promised, there’s more New York, this time visiting four intriguing new (ish) cocktail havens in Wandering Traveler. On the Town takes in a memorable Persian Pub Grub dinner with beer and wine pairings facing off.

I’d love your feedback on any spots visited from my site. Please tell your friends and have them sign up for the newsletter. As your personal concierge who tells it to you like a good friend would, I also create personalized itineraries: trips, meals, explorations (under “Services“).

Let me guide you to the perfect spot!

Virginia

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ThePerfectSpot

Here’s recent entries in my SF Bay Guardian column, Appetite:
3 May Openings Worth Checking Out
Persian Pub Grub – Iranian food paired with beer & wine
Celebrating Sailor Jerry – tattoos & rum
3 Delectable June Events

**Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Virginia Miller**

“Love, with very young people, is a heartless business. We drink at that age from thirst, or to get drunk; it is only later in life that we occupy ourselves with the individuality of our wine.” – Isak Dinesen

Breakfast at Manhattan Cocktail Classic Astor Bar

Is it really Summer? Just returned from a bustling trip to New York, this issue is NY-centric with Manhattan Cocktail Classic coverage. But SF locals pay attention to details on a new Mission burger and wine bar concept I’m particularly excited about in The Latest. I only begin to scratch the surface of my latest NY visit, so stay tuned for more food and drink recommends in future issues.

Cayenne Tequila shots at MCC Astor Bar

Wandering Traveler eats well in NYC from bagels to burgers to breakfast… with a little creative Indian food thrown in for good measure. On the Town covers the best and the worst that was the first annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic, including the top sips I tasted during the event. Imbiber gets all coffee snob on the hunt for a proper espresso and cappuccino in the Big Apple. 

I’d love your feedback on any spots visited from my site. Please tell your friends and have them sign up for the newsletter. As your personal concierge who tells it to you like a good friend would, I also create personalized itineraries: trips, meals, explorations (under “Services“).

Let me guide you to the perfect spot!

Virginia

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ThePerfectSpot

Here’s recent entries in my SF Bay Guardian column, Appetite:
Firelit: Coffee with Benefits
Giant Legs & Willy Wonka – my adventures at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic

**Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Virginia Miller**