You would think with all the engineers from the Subcontinent employed by Silicon Valley tech firms, the South Bay would have plenty of good Indian restaurants to choose from. You would be right. Drive down El Camino Real in Sunnyvale and Santa Clara and it starts to look like one big Indian restaurant bazaar. There’s so many, I heard they even opened one inside a Starbucks. (Badaboom) Okay maybe not, but it’s also no surprise to find some of the best curries and dosas and naan in the Bay Area down south. Continue reading Best Indian food in the Bay Area (hint: look south)
A craftsman original: for the love of Swedenborg
I love craftsman architecture, the natural elements of wood and stone at its heart, the whimsical artistic flourishes reflected in the decorative and woodcut art of the same period (early 1900s), the functional nooks and crannies, and a pleasing solidness to the structures. It’s a very warm and charming style. The original British creator of craftsman style, William Morris, was responding to the dehumanizing utility of the industrial revolution, so the best craftsman homes are an homage to nature–a sort of English garden fairyland nature–that produces a feeling both fanciful and secure.
Fortunately for admirers of the form like myself, there are a number of craftsman buildings found throughout Northern California. One of the most remarkable I’ve come across is the Swedenborgian Church on the corner of Lyon and Washington near the Presidio. Continue reading A craftsman original: for the love of Swedenborg
Best taro bun in the Bay Area (and most vegetarian-friendly dim sum)
I realize most people don’t plan their dining experience around taro buns.* And I don’t know for fact if this is the best: it’s true, I haven’t tried every taro bun in every Asian restaurant in the Bay Area. But if any of them can outdo the delicate fluffiness and light, sweet taro innards on offer at Fu Lam Mum Chinese Restaurant in Mountain View, I’ll gladly devote an entire blog in their honor. Not only do the taro buns at Fu Lam Mum rise above all other taro buns, but they’re also on par with some of the best pastries around, whatever the ethnic origins of said bread, French, Danish, or, dare I say, Tartine. And it’s not just me saying this. My dining companion, with in-depth knowledge of taro buns from living five years in Japan and traveling throughout Asia, was equally impressed. Continue reading Best taro bun in the Bay Area (and most vegetarian-friendly dim sum)
The mysteriously unpeopled city of San Jose
This is not what I expected when I first came here. It is, after all, the third largest city in California (and tenth largest in the US) with a population pushing 1 million. A city that calls itself the capital of one of the most vital economic engines in the world, Silicon Valley, with headquarters of Cisco Systems, Adobe, Hitachi and eBay all located here. And it has a downtown that rivals any in the Bay Area, with wide streets, tall office buildings, major hotels like the Fairmont San Jose, and plenty of high-end and/or big chain restaurants like Il Fornaio, Paolo’s, Gordon Biersch Brewery, PF Changs, Los Gatos Brewing Company, lots of decent bars, a Philz coffee, theater, opera, symphony, cinemas, etc, etc. Continue reading The mysteriously unpeopled city of San Jose
The best free museum in the Bay Area
Yes, those are Rodin’s in the garden (Rodin!), lots of them, sprouting up from the ground like mushrooms after a rain. And of course they’re free to view, to even touch I suppose, though the thought never occurred to me (until now) out of reverence for the art and artist. Continue reading The best free museum in the Bay Area
The wonderful world of Pescadero: it’s a small town after all
I used to think of Pescadero as an overlooked gem. Not so much anymore, what with all the cars lining the main (and only) street on weekends. But this charming village of 643 human souls 15 miles south of Half Moon Bay and two miles east of Hwy 1 takes some effort to get to, whether driving south from the city or over the Santa Cruz mountains from the Peninsula, so it’s not a place to simply ‘drop by’. Which I suppose keeps it from being overrun by tourists. Continue reading The wonderful world of Pescadero: it’s a small town after all
Best beaches in the Bay Area
Northern California isn’t exactly Maui when it comes to beaches, but they’re still pretty great, even if the weather requires a sweater and a wetsuit. I mean, it’s a beach! (just ask your friends in Kansas to explain). Besides the rocky cliffs along much of our coastline, providing lots of dramatic and inspiring views, you’ll also plenty of find sandy stretches for rolling out a blanket or long easy strolls. And on a warm, sunny day in the Bay Area, there’s no better place to be. Continue reading Best beaches in the Bay Area
Alice’s gives you what you want
Drive along Hwy 84 in the Santa Cruz mountains and you’ll come across the occasional Grateful Dead flag flapping in the wind, a reminder that this area was once the stomping ground of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, and their Hell’s Angels friends (in nearby La Honda). Just up the road where Hwy 84 meets Skyline Blvd (Hwy 35), and fitting right in with the counter-culture vibe is Alice’s Restaurant, named for Arlo Guthrie’s ’60s anthem. And just like the song (and the menu) says, apparently you can get anything you want here, within reason. Continue reading Alice’s gives you what you want
Lucky Mojo’s voodoo paradise
If you can’t find the magic potion you’re looking for at Miss Cat’s Lucky Mojo Curio Co., it probably doesn’t exist. Of course, if you make the journey to this out-of-the-way shop in the North Bay village of Forestville eight miles west of Santa Rosa, you’re probably a tad more motivated than the average casual shopper. No one accidentally happens upon the Lucky Mojo, except maybe in a Rocky Horror kind of way. Even armed with a map and a well-tuned GPS, the shop is barely marked from the road and set well back behind hedges and trees. Continue reading Lucky Mojo’s voodoo paradise
The best little general store in San Gregorio
Okay, so it’s the only general store in San Gregorio. In fact, it is San Gregorio, unless you want to count a nearby farmhouse, an old barn and a rusted out VW bug. And this general store is not your grandpappy’s general store, with old-timers sitting on creaky chairs under a rickety front overhang. Located less than a mile off Hwy 1 in San Gregorio (pop. 287), the setting is appropriately country, with the closest town being Pescadero eight miles to the south and Half Moon Bay 12 miles north. But the big difference at this general store is the old-timers ride Harleys. Continue reading The best little general store in San Gregorio
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