nb and chinatown faves
I was telling some friends about my mission to find the best bbq pork bun in Chinatown, and the best tiramisu in North Beach, and one suggested that I post my findings here. I originally intended to list all my SF faves, but that’s just not possible…there are way too many categories so I’ll just stick to my environs for now.
1. Steamed BBQ Pork Bun/any steamed Chinese bun/congee: Good Mong Kwok on Stockton at Washington. The window says “Nice Dim Sum” and the store has an orange awning. Cheap. Best all around bakery in Chinatown for sure.
2. Baked BBQ Pork Bun: Golden Gate Bakery, on Grant at Jackson.
3. Other Baked Chinese buns (yes, really, there is a need for three separate listings of this): Napoleon Bakery on Stockton at Washington.
4. Tiramisu: Cafe Greco – it’s the least liquor-ish tasting, which I prefer.
5. Best dessert in NB: Sacrapantina at Stella’s Bakery on Columbus. I’ve turned a-many onto it. Skip the gelato shops here…they’re no good.
6. Italian: Avoid the touristy places on Columbus and hit up Trattoria Contandina on Union at Mason.
7. Other restaurant in NB: The House. One of my favorite restaurants in the city, and conveniently located close by!
8. Bar: Rogue, North Star for the casuals; 15 Romolo for something a bit more zipped up…although actually I haven’t been there for awhile. Impala’s worth checking out if you want to dance.
9. Hidden-sort-of secret: Filbert Steps. But go down them, not up.
10. Sandwiches: The Nature Stop on Grant – a small grocery store with organic tendencies. Do note, however, that these sandwiches are vegematarian. Oh, they have a great salad bar too.
Wowee how did it become 1am already? Time to sleep!
from the kate spade website
Yes indeed folks, snatch it up before they run out:
…I hope you will spend your disposable income on other goods. But if you must buy it, I will have you know that it also comes in white. And, I guess, at least it’s on sale.
The company does get one point back, however, because there’s a baby bag named Serena.
fyi
Did you know that kangaroos and emus can’t walk backwards?
and…
Wakko Warner’s voice is a modeled after Elvis and The Beatles (but higher because Wakko’s a little guy)
*First fact from the Times, second fact from Volume 1, Disk 3 of my new Animaniacs DVDs!!!!!!!!
the funnies
I love the news. In particular, I love the idiosyncratic blips of humor that can be found in otherwise serious and established news publications.
First, we’ll start with my favorite…NPR’s podcast, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me. Highly educational; highly entertaining. When the grand prize is the voice of reporter Carl Kassel on your home answering machine, you know it’s bound to be a good time.
Then we have The Lede, a New York Times blog. It features one reader’s comment in response to any given article and does a great job at selecting a really funny one. Today’s is in response to a piece detailing FEMA’s superfluous ordering of ice for the Hurricane Katrina disaster: “Why not ship it up to where the glaciers are receding?” Teeheehee. 
The Washington Post is also consistently random and silly when you don’t expect it. Par example, Robin Gihvan wrote about Hillary Clinton’s cleavage last Friday. See “Hillary Clinton’s Tentative Dip Into New Neckline Territory.” Yes, we are talking about her cleavage (I have to add though, that I disagree with Gihvan’s criticisms of Clinton). There was also this hilarious video narrated by some Post reporter (can’t find the link right now) of the Democrat’s overnight cloture stunt last week. He did the coverage in his PJs. The Post’s Sunday Style Invitational is always amusing as well.
**
As I was trying to find that video though, I came across what we will now call Your Random Fact of the Day: Dick Cheney was technically president for 2 hours and 5 minutes today. President Bush underwent surgery to remove some non-cancerous polyps from his colon and invoked the 25th to temporarily transfer powers over to our veep. How ironic, given that Cheney claimed not to be a part of the executive branch a few weeks back.
gotta admit, it is a catchy tune…
This very well may be politics week. You’ll have to forgive me because I’m currently in DC through the wkend.
This is my current gchat away message, but I really have no idea who bothers to read this blog (which is probably why I repeat myself infinitely…I only have so many stories to tell 
) On YouTube:
Barak’s gal is much hotter than Rudy’s. Love the comment at the bottom: “This is why you shouldn’t let people under age 30 vote…” hehe
The precursor was “I Got a Crush on Obama.”
Backstory here.
where art thou?
I was trying to find coverage of a wonderful Chelsea vs Club America exhibition match I attended last night (Red Rover, Red Rover, send the San Jose Earthquakes back over…) and entered search term “Chelsea Stanford,” as the game was at Stanford Stadium. One of the first hits was an old article about Chelsea Clinton’s decision to attend Stanford in ‘97, which then made me re-remember that she does indeed exist…and wait a minute…where has she disappeared to, particularly with all the hubbub around mommy dearest?
There’s barely any coverage of Chelsea now. The only information I dug up informed me that she is working for a hedge fund in NYC and is dating a childhood friend. She is unnoticeably inconspicuous – that’s how low-profile she is – from Hillary’s bid for presidency.
I am, however, quite aware of the role Mitt Romney’s five sons, plus extended family, play in Romney’s campaign. The Romney brothers blog on their nice and wholesome site Five Brothers, where, in the banner logo, Brother at Far Right has a frighteningly white teeth. Ok this is funny…I’m watching this video of Tagg Romney, oldest of the clan, and he says their favorite family activity is go to the living room, turn off the lights, and talk in the dark. Nice. Perhaps it’s good that Chelsea isn’t as involved, for fear of revealing pieces of cheese like this.
Anyway, I’d be curious to see greater involvement on Chelsea’s part – it could help Hillary edge out Obama in her neck to neck popularity among younger Americans. It’ll be interesting to see what role, if any, she plays in the future.
An aside, but as I type this, I’ve just realized that I’m more interested in the stories and lives of the presidential candidates rather than their issues. Great, now I have to learn about the actual politics too? :p Dear me, there’s too much to learn about in this world, and I’m already way behind.
let us now render merriam-webster obsolete
Oh my goodness! I just made an accidental discovery! If you double click on any word of a NYTimes article online, another page pops up with the definition. Neato frito.
mackey is wacky
John Mackey, what are you doing??
For the past seven years, Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods, has been using a pseudonym to post entries on the Yahoo Finance bulletin board criticizing rival Wild Oats – which, incidentally, Whole Foods is currently trying to acquire. He also posted flattering messages about himself on occasion, such as the following: “Mackey looks like a model for Brooks Brothers!”
Oh, I hate to find negative press about Whole Foods but seriously? Mackey is so nutty.
the world is amazing
The first 65 episodes of Animaniacs are out on DVD!!! And I just bought all!!! Yes kids, that’s volumes 1, 2, and 3. Furthermore, I shall anxiously await for the remaining 24 episodes, plus Wakko’s Wish, to come out on DVD. This is definitely noteworthy news, coming from someone who’s only bought one DVD in her life (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), and who only owns 3 DVDs total, including the one she bought on her own.
Life is good. Really really good.
are you really not a pipe?
Made me laugh.
