Have you ever caught a
glimpse of a photograph, a painting or read a poem and immediately identified
with the artist? Me too. I knew I’d like Tina Case the first time I viewed one
of her pictures on the Internet. (Similar to her breathtaking shot of the
Golden Gate Bridge you see above this article.) Tina, a talented professional
photographer based in San Francisco posts some of her photos to Facebook.
Yes, we have a Facebook
friendship. I’ve never met Tina in person. So when San Francisco was announced
as the site of the International Association of Professional's (IACP) 2013 conference, I was one of the first to sign up. I am
excited about the educational offerings, but am equally ready to see the city
through a fun and interesting local who can steer me to the not-to-miss-places,
both gustatory and visual.
You may not be as lucky as I
am – and be striking out in the city on your own. As cooking teachers and
school owners, I know we’re all interested in the best experiences in our
conference city. Here are some of Tina’s
suggestions for things to do, see and eat in San Francisco!
What’s your
favorite restaurant in SFO? Why?
There are two great restaurants I love in SF, they are Lulus (http://www.restaurantlulu.com) and the other
is the Slanted Door (http://www.slanteddoor.com).
You can smell the wonderful flavors as you walk up the door to Lulus of
roasted chicken, garlic Brussels sprouts (never liked them until I tried
theirs) and roaring wood burning stove. Their food is rustic and amazing.
Slanted Door is Vietnamese with an urban flair, some of the dishes like
Shaking Beef leave you wanting more. The dish is addicting!
What’s your favorite
hole-in-the-wall that tourists don’t frequent?
I don't think I have one I can name. I like to try random restaurants in
Chinatown for dim sum (sometimes called yum cha). I'll look in the window to
see if locals are eating there and then try it out.
 |
| Beach Blanket Babylon |
Favorite
Restaurant off the beaten path?
We also love to go to Little Italy or North Beach and sit outside people
watching. Go to "Beach Blanket Babylon" and have a meal in North
Beach afterwards.
What’s your
favorite grocery store or market? What do you always buy there?
I love to shop at the Ferry Building to get bread, cheese, meat. It's got a
European feeling to me of small food stores. I actually shop a lot at Whole
Foods.
 |
| The Fun at Buena Vista! |
As a
Photographer, what are your favorite three places to capture the essence of San
Francisco in a photo?
Bakers Beach or Chrissy Fields, Fisherman's Wharf/Ghiradelli Square (we
love to get an Irish Coffee at Buena Vista http://thebuenavista.com/index1.html. We've seen
Governor Jerry Brown there plus it's near a cable car spot.
I also love going to Sausalito, which you can get to by ferry or car and
see the city across the bay.
What dish best
describes San Francisco? Where do you go to eat it?
Gosh if I were to answer that off the bat I would have to say my first
memory of San Francisco as a tourist before I moved here was going to
Fisherman's Wharf and having a bowl of clam chowder in a sour dough bread bowl.
That or lobster bisque are still my favorites to get when we bring visitors. So
when I think of SF and eating, I have to say soup in a sour dough bread bowl by
Fisherman's Wharf. Now it is a tradition and whenever we have time to meet
friends from out of town we try to fit that experience in.
After reading Tina’s answers I am ready to go! Can’t wait to start the day
at the BV (Buena Vista) with an Irish coffee and a big fluffy omelet. I haven’t
seen Beach Blanket Babylon yet, so it’s high on my list and I am ready for the
juicy chicken and roasted brussels sprouts at Lulus. I’ve read so much about
the Slanted Door in national food publications, its great to know that it is as
good as its press. The Ferry Building is right by our hotel, so it will be easy
to nip over and pick up a healthy snack and gaze longingly at all the beautiful
produce and food.
One of the most-dos on my long conference list is to meet Tina and her
family in person. I feel like I know them already! Tina’s daughter Allie is a
chef, so I know that we will all share lots of good food and laughter. San
Francisco, here I come!
No comments:
Post a Comment