Restaurant Reviews and Etc.

Last weekend our good friends Jesse and Rachelle drove up to visit.  It was a great time, spent exploring the City and finding new places to eat and drink.  The main event of the weekend was attending the Pride Festival on Sunday.  This was one of the most unique and outrageous spectacles I have ever seen.  The entire duration of our time there was spent people watching and it was consistently entertaining.  In my opinion, this was the most diverse group of people you will ever see.  There was a mix of gay people,  flamboyantly gay people wearing outrageous costumes, straight people, straight people wearing outrageous costumes, thugs, families, homeless people, naked people, tourists, and one guy that was on stilts and dressed in a furry purple costume who ran back and forth for no discernible reason.  All in all it was well worth attending.  

We also hit up some of the best restaurants that I have eaten at since moving here.  I listed my top three below with links to the websites:

1) Suppenkuche - thanks to Katie and JP we went to my new favorite German restaurant.  It is located in Hayes Valley, and is kind of a mix of hipster bar and old school beer garden.  Huge German beer selection and the food is spot on.

2) Pizza Orgasmica - the beer is above average and the pizza is the best I have had in a hot minute.  The standard Orgasmica is outstanding as well as the Chicken pizzas.

3) Pancho Villa - casual Mexican Restaurant located in the Mission District.  This was our second time there and I expect there will be many more.  Shrimp Burrito with the Orange salsa.

As for pictures... I didn't take any this weekend.  Mostly, because I wanted to be fully engaged with entertaining our guests.  However, the last few days I have been taking pictures in and around my home.  Below are some of the ones I liked best.  Thank you as always and take care.

I took this picture in my pitch black living room at 2am.  I set a very long shutter speed and wrote my name with Rachel's iPod Touch.

Again, using iPod Touch to make light graffiti.

Self Portrait.

Tree along the Sawyer Camp Trail.

Sign bordering the SF Fish and Game Refuge.

Close up of a sign along trail.  It caught my eye because the lettering looks like it was written in blood and flesh.

This made me laugh.

Abandoned Movie Theater near SF Airport.

Construction site.

Construction site with Large Frosty.

The City: Part 1

This past Saturday, I finally went exploring in the City.  My goal is to canvas the entire City by end of the Summer, and photograph as much as possible.  For Part 1, I walked along the Bay from AT&T Park to Ghiradelli Square.  Rachel had a company sponsored concert to attend at the Stadium, so I accompanied her on the Caltrain and then went on my way (quick review: the Caltrain is great).  These pictures were all taken from the path along the bay.  Thank you.

Black and White

Full Color

Miniature Effect

Redwood City

This past Friday, Rachel and I visited Redwood City.  I really like downtown Redwood City because it seems similar to downtown Irvine... if it only existed.  On Friday nights they have live music on the city square.  This past Friday was great because there was an Irish Band, and Rachel somehow got us into VIP seats for free.  We also visited Gourmet Haus Straudt which is a hole in the wall beer garden with incredible beer and food.  If you ever find yourself in Redwood City, I highly recommend it.  Please check out the pictures below and take care.

Inside Gourmet Haus Straudt.

Crowd at the Redwood City Music on the Square.

This picture does not do her justice.  Killing it on the dance floor during the Fiddle solo.

Lead Singer.

Sound check. San Mateo History Museum in the background.

I was playing around with saturation and came up with this.  I really like it.

Cute little girl that was listening to her own beats.  I assume old NWA.  

Duplicate Images

This is an idea that I have seen a few times on different websites and really liked it.  I made a half hearted attempt at it a few months ago, and was motivated yesterday to try again.  Definitely with better results, but still a work in process.  Ideally, I think it works best with at least three images and a more coherent concept.

I don't see my picture as a truly accurate portrayal of my personality.  My drinking is mostly social these days and I have only a mild interest in the Economist. However, the picture of Rachel is fairly accurate because if it was possible she would love to party with herself.

As always, thank you for taking the time to stop by.  Take care.

Me and Me 

Rach and Rach in B/W

Bay Area Brewfest

This past Saturday Rachel and I attended the 2nd Annual Bay Area Brewfest at the Fort Mason Center in the City.  I love spending time with Rachel and I love beer, so overall the event was a success.  However, compared to the 2010 Irvine Lake Beerfest that I attended, my opinion is that this event was somewhat lacking.  The Fort Mason Center is an interesting venue, basically a large indoor hangar on the water.  Plenty of room, but in my opinion beer tasting is better outdoors.  There were many breweries represented, but most were large brew houses and there was a noticeable lack of local flavor.

The standouts being Crispin Cider, Lagunitas, Old Chub, and of course Abita Purple Haze.  Pizza Orgasmica sponsored the event.  They had good beer and great pizza.  Rachel and I both had a slice of the Orgasmica Special and it was definitely the best pizza I have had in a very long time (obviously I was already drunk, but I do think this is the case).

Since this was a drinking expedition I thought it a bad idea to bring my new Canon 60D camera.  So instead I brought the Canon Rebel XT with just the kit lens.  The brewers did not offer much in the way of the decoration, so there are no pictures of them.  Also, I got sidetracked with all the beers and didn't take many pictures.  Below are a few that I like and hope you do too.  Thanks for taking the time.

On the way to the event, I noticed this building near Chinatown.  I really liked the color and details on the building.

If you ever see this truck, buy the steak skewers.  They are incredible, this is not my opinion, this is fact.

Rachel.

Beer tasting mini mugs (mine is on the left, very emasculating)

Now Rachel has her's and mine.  Alcatraz in the background.

Beer tasting isn't for everyone.

Passed out on the BART, Rachel has this sticker as acknowledgment of her beer tasting adventure.

Introduction #2

I created this blog over a month ago and obviously have not been attentive to providing content.   However, now that I have been in my new home for almost 2 weeks and we have a couch, I feel good about getting this going.  A brief summary of highlights since my last introduction... tore my hamstring... spent 2 weeks with my good friends Brad, Morgan, and Sandy who provided excellent hospitality... spent a week sightseeing with my Mom, Aunt, and brother... went on the Huddle Shuttle... visited the one and only Santa Ana Zoo with Jesse and Rachelle... packed all of my possessions in the Malibu and drove north with Sammy Bookends... reunited with my beautiful girlfriend in the beautiful apartment that she found for us... ate a burrito filled with Tikka Masala (better in theory than reality)... accidentally walked through the Tenderloin late at night and saw a grown man shitting in the street... Foster City Wine Festival (supposedly)... visited the SF MOMA... and took a few pictures.

Here are some of my favorite pictures over the past few weeks:

Thank you for taking the time to check out my site, more to come.

-Devin-