San Francisco Treat
Mike and I spent our first Thanksgiving as a married couple in San Francisco with Mr. Chef Ryan Cooper. All we had to do was show up, and so we did. We flew in Thursday afternoon (1 hr 23 minutes seems SO short compared to 4+ hours to get to STL), took the BART in to the city, walked up a few (major) hills and found ourselves in the Noe Valley.
Ryan's first turkey. He had it in a brine (sp?) with stock, and salt, and fire roasted veggies since Monday. It was SO tender and juicy.
Mike mixing up some cornbread
Thanksgiving was me and the boys. The three in the front are Alvero, Liam, and Boris. Liam is the Chef at Ryan's work (ie his boss), and Alvero and Boris work the front. They hail from El Salvador. Nothing says party like some drunk boys from El Salvador. They were hillarious. I learned that Mike can actually hold his own in Spanish, and Ryan speaks to them mostly in Spanish. Pretty cool. yo hablo un poquito espanol. (I'm sure that's incorrect)
Ryan took the fire roasted veggie stock and created this delicious soup shown above. I am so impressed with him, and I am drooling over his LeCreuset cookware.
I am checking out the wonderful aroma of these purple mashed potatoes with roasted garlic and goat cheese. I don't even have words to describe it.
Hot apple cider, organic beets and greens, skillet cornbread with honey butter.
Friday we had a post-turkey sleep-in, and then we headed down to Chinatown. We had so not-so-good Dim Sum, and then Ryan had to head to work. Mike and I proceded to work off the pumpkin brownies and walked all over the city.
xg8_4/s320/San+Fran+026.JPG" border=0> I am sure it's not a surprise that our first stop was Coit Tower. We have to see all cities from an aerial view=) I love it too.
Mike has been talking about this truffle shop since we've been together. He found it on a trip to SF a few years ago, and he has been wanting to take me. It is in the North Beach area, and it's called xoxochocolates. My favorite were the amaretto. mmm.
Ryan's first turkey. He had it in a brine (sp?) with stock, and salt, and fire roasted veggies since Monday. It was SO tender and juicy.
Mike mixing up some cornbread
Thanksgiving was me and the boys. The three in the front are Alvero, Liam, and Boris. Liam is the Chef at Ryan's work (ie his boss), and Alvero and Boris work the front. They hail from El Salvador. Nothing says party like some drunk boys from El Salvador. They were hillarious. I learned that Mike can actually hold his own in Spanish, and Ryan speaks to them mostly in Spanish. Pretty cool. yo hablo un poquito espanol. (I'm sure that's incorrect)
Ryan took the fire roasted veggie stock and created this delicious soup shown above. I am so impressed with him, and I am drooling over his LeCreuset cookware. 
I am checking out the wonderful aroma of these purple mashed potatoes with roasted garlic and goat cheese. I don't even have words to describe it. 
Hot apple cider, organic beets and greens, skillet cornbread with honey butter.Dessert was pumpkin brownies with espresso gelato.
Friday we had a post-turkey sleep-in, and then we headed down to Chinatown. We had so not-so-good Dim Sum, and then Ryan had to head to work. Mike and I proceded to work off the pumpkin brownies and walked all over the city.
xg8_4/s320/San+Fran+026.JPG" border=0> I am sure it's not a surprise that our first stop was Coit Tower. We have to see all cities from an aerial view=) I love it too.
Mike has been talking about this truffle shop since we've been together. He found it on a trip to SF a few years ago, and he has been wanting to take me. It is in the North Beach area, and it's called xoxochocolates. My favorite were the amaretto. mmm.="http:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3c8auIYUnThWRaPxchi3y0yPhNiw6WsJZc8pXCejZOcLAMafZgs2I7BlWVrPG-fgJvWm13fCwwGSMU-TEQsKkOIxeLVFwAxsYDZIzrLD9s2DdMvcTABgtlP90FURvPqcSmU7/s320/San+Fran+033.JPG" border=0> Next we trecked down to the Wharf to get some good pics of us in front of landmarks. One of my favorite things about Mike is that we travel so well together. We go at the same pace, and we enjoy the same things. We would rather walk and explore than spend money on transportation, and we just have so much fun in each other's company. I never thought I would find anyone else that I travelled with as well as Britt.. but I think Mike might qualify for a tie.
This is one small picture to depict perhaps the best meal I have ever enjoyed in a restaurant. (maybe even better than Mama's Fish House and our fancy date night in Paris). This is Ryan and I outside of Zuppa.. He works at this SoMa Southern Italian restaurant as a sous chef. We were able to eat dinner there on Friday night, and we sat at the bar so we could watch him cook. He is a sight to see! We sat down and were immediately served a glass of Italian Champagne. Ryan gave us instructions to pick out our entree and he would take care of the rest. For the next two hours, Mike and I ate our way through 6 appetizers, salad, 2 pastas, our entrees, and gelato. Oh my goodness. We had fresh bread with fresh (not out of a plastic container) Ricotta cheese.. It was so good Mike even ate it! Oysters on the half shell, a plate of Italian meats, ricotta balls stuffed with sausage, seafood soup, something else delicious.. I don't even know what it was, salad (with pine nuts), their award winning ragu, wild mushroom risotto, wood oven roasted halibut, pino noir, gelato, and a lemoncello liquor to wash it all down. Even though they sent us 'smaller' portions, we were overwhelmed with deliciousness.
![]()
: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1gRWKeHwK4JDuqiPt4zyOhQrwfAQRdhgALJDokkDjNr9lxWwlnFb2ocnT7nzliszV0CvsnKHNn9wL3VlzUv0niwXXqymVedvNLPoY-1V6-ZkAZle7mqPav6m06NiATfYxFUt/s320/San+Fran+046.JPG" border=0> Oh San Franciso, how I love you.
Brothers. I think it is so neat that they are now family, and I hope they enjoyed the opportunity to get to know each other even better this weekend.
Ryan was so generous.. check out the weather he ordered for us!
This is one small picture to depict perhaps the best meal I have ever enjoyed in a restaurant. (maybe even better than Mama's Fish House and our fancy date night in Paris). This is Ryan and I outside of Zuppa.. He works at this SoMa Southern Italian restaurant as a sous chef. We were able to eat dinner there on Friday night, and we sat at the bar so we could watch him cook. He is a sight to see! We sat down and were immediately served a glass of Italian Champagne. Ryan gave us instructions to pick out our entree and he would take care of the rest. For the next two hours, Mike and I ate our way through 6 appetizers, salad, 2 pastas, our entrees, and gelato. Oh my goodness. We had fresh bread with fresh (not out of a plastic container) Ricotta cheese.. It was so good Mike even ate it! Oysters on the half shell, a plate of Italian meats, ricotta balls stuffed with sausage, seafood soup, something else delicious.. I don't even know what it was, salad (with pine nuts), their award winning ragu, wild mushroom risotto, wood oven roasted halibut, pino noir, gelato, and a lemoncello liquor to wash it all down. Even though they sent us 'smaller' portions, we were overwhelmed with deliciousness.
: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1gRWKeHwK4JDuqiPt4zyOhQrwfAQRdhgALJDokkDjNr9lxWwlnFb2ocnT7nzliszV0CvsnKHNn9wL3VlzUv0niwXXqymVedvNLPoY-1V6-ZkAZle7mqPav6m06NiATfYxFUt/s320/San+Fran+046.JPG" border=0> Oh San Franciso, how I love you.
Brothers. I think it is so neat that they are now family, and I hope they enjoyed the opportunity to get to know each other even better this weekend. 
Ryan was so generous.. check out the weather he ordered for us!src="http:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4lVEvzPPPfEV0LxXZZIN4sxBWQGvuPyf6aHTEWhTm73KnEhrxFY2OERTkW5Y7okW6S1vQqIYC4ANZPZWVzaWRNY19rzrJ6fe6Y8dlo8mMh6bYuphjnmhfz025BuMe_9jwOQL/s320/San+Fran+058.JPG" border=0> On Saturday we toured the wine country. Ryan drove us up through Sonoma, Napa, and St. Helena. Everytime I go wine tasting, I am never disappointed. It's really amazing, and I think it is the perfect activity for a beautiful November afternoon in northern Cal.
![]()
EIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpKh49VKlReh5EFHvHsqkB0u-8hyphenhyphenCo68dVZfsCtmnj93u0p45JQxAcEG9pGEM6Pd4oD_N3FRJuKAmkgdFOK77Ys814R8lI8XG28mbRq6-XQAqA2q04WBNvxrq-zx_5gp1xl1X/s320/San+Fran+063.JPG" border=0> Ryan and I recreated our trip to V. Sattui from two years ago. He made a muffuletta (delicious layered sandwich on San Francisco sourdough), and a delicious spiced turkey soup created from the carcas (sounds grosss but tastes good) of the turkey from Thursday. We enjoyed our lunch with a bottle of Semillon.. a nice, light, dry, white wine.
Mike and I woke up early on Sunday and hijacked Ryan's car to take it down to the Marina (my old stomping grounds). It was an absolutely stunning morning in the city. We walked along the beach and watched the dogs play. When I lived there, I would often take that walk. However, I was accompanied by my ipod and my thoughts along. I dreamed of a day and an opportunity to share this beauty that I so appreciate with my life's partner. I am so blessed that Mike also enjoys beautiful scenes like this, and he allows me to gush and gush over them.
EIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpKh49VKlReh5EFHvHsqkB0u-8hyphenhyphenCo68dVZfsCtmnj93u0p45JQxAcEG9pGEM6Pd4oD_N3FRJuKAmkgdFOK77Ys814R8lI8XG28mbRq6-XQAqA2q04WBNvxrq-zx_5gp1xl1X/s320/San+Fran+063.JPG" border=0> Ryan and I recreated our trip to V. Sattui from two years ago. He made a muffuletta (delicious layered sandwich on San Francisco sourdough), and a delicious spiced turkey soup created from the carcas (sounds grosss but tastes good) of the turkey from Thursday. We enjoyed our lunch with a bottle of Semillon.. a nice, light, dry, white wine.
Mike and I woke up early on Sunday and hijacked Ryan's car to take it down to the Marina (my old stomping grounds). It was an absolutely stunning morning in the city. We walked along the beach and watched the dogs play. When I lived there, I would often take that walk. However, I was accompanied by my ipod and my thoughts along. I dreamed of a day and an opportunity to share this beauty that I so appreciate with my life's partner. I am so blessed that Mike also enjoys beautiful scenes like this, and he allows me to gush and gush over them. All in all, our Thanksgiving was actually a break. We had wonderful time with Ryan and each other, and I was acutally able to avoid all homework until the plane ride home! I think I've gained 5 pounds already this holiday season, and it is only Dec 2. Oh well! Cheers to the Christmas season!
posted by Heather at
6:05 PM
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