Hong Kong: Temple Street Comes Alive After Dark

HONG KONG
This is my first day in Hong Kong, and after a 14-hour flight arriving in the early morning before this bustling, densely populated cosmopolitan city stirs awake, I was thoroughly beaten. But after a much-needed nap (and I never take afternoon naps) and an early dinner with my uncle for some refueling, I got my second wind and ventured out onto the streets this evening to the Temple Street night market.

Temple Street is in the Yau Ma Tei neighborhood on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. (If you're not familiar with Hong Kong, there's two distinctive areas connected by the popular ferry service -- Kowloon and what's known as Hong Kong island. I'm staying on the Kowloon side.) Everyday starting around 2 p.m., vendors set up stalls over a four-block area along Temple Street, but really much of the action begins around dinner time when the dai pai dong or restaurants with street-only seating go into full steam.

While there are a few food vendors, the majority of the hawkers sell souvenirs and tschokes. It reminds me of the Chinatown street festivals where booths are selling cheap leather products and T-shirts. It's like that multiplied by a hundred, with products ranging from the touristy Oriental items (silk blouses, tea cups, fake jade pendants) to the cheap goods (toys, fake electronics) to the just plain weird (dildos and lingerie).

This vendor was selling pickled items and preserved plums. I guess it's a nice way to start the evening and get your appetite going.

The tiny food vendors pour out onto the streets, creating their eating areas. This one with the sign "Spicy Crabs" seemed to have the largest gathering. Funny, though, the crowds seemed to be separated between the tourists and local Chinese. I didn't try any of the street food because I just had a big dinner with my uncle. But I have to say one vendor selling claypot rice dishes had some sweet smelling food!

Some vendors set up a table with displays of their dishes, like this food vendor selling a whole bunch of shellfish.

This guy was selling fresh water chestnuts on a stick. I'm not sure how this is a popular treat because water chestnut, while slightly sweet, can be pretty bland.

I saw this dog hanging out next to this big basket of durian, the smelly fruit that seems to be in a lot of Southeast Asian countries. The dog was totally sprayed out on the floor but popped his head up to pose for me.

I thought this print of the kids was creepy.

The weather is just starting to get warm as Hong Kong moves into spring, which makes this soft serve ice cream truck a good idea.

This sign is right in front of a row of stalls that had some explicit adult items like the aforementioned dildos, lingerie, g-strings, etc. I felt like a shower just walking by them.

The Temple Street night market is more a tourist attraction, with the exception of the dai pai dongs catering to the local Chinese looking for a cheap hearty dinner. To find it, take the subway (known as the MTR) to the Yau Ma Tei station and walk along Man Ming Lane until you hit Temple and just keep following the stalls.

Preparing For The Moment To Come

I believe everything in life happens for a reason, even if the lesson is unclear, it's still taught. I believe the more difficult and painful the lesson is, the more you learn from it. I believe the best lessons have the power to completely change our lives and move us entirely in a new direction. I believe Aron Ralston shares my beliefs.

Aron Ralston gained fame in 2003 after he became pinned by a half-ton boulder in a Utah canyoneering accident. Having told no one where he was going and no one around to hear his cries for help, he remains trapped alone in the canyon for nearly a week! With very limited food and water and no one coming to rescue him, Ralston struggles to keep his sanity and even documents a final goodbye to his family on a digital video camera he had been carrying. Realizing the inevitable, Ralston is forced to choose between his limb or his life!

Ralston choses life, surviving by amputating his own hand with a dull pocket knife! Without the luxury of pain meds, he breaks both bones in his arm and then saws away for over an hour at his hand - cutting through tendons, ligaments and muscle. Once freed, he then rappels 65 feet and hikes 7 miles to rescue.

Carnegie Mellon University alumnus Aron Ralston's incredible story has been, and continues to be, an inspiration to millions around the world. And because his tale is so remarkable, he's been asked to be the speaker at CMU's Commencement this May. His heroic story is also the subject of the film "127 Hours," starring James Franco. And of course the movie is based on Ralston's 2004 New York Times bestselling autobiography (appropriately titled), "Between A Rock and A Hard Place."

Just 27-years-old at the time, Aron Ralston's life would forever change in those 127 hours. And his reflection in those 127 hours would forever change the way I look at mine...

"You know, I’ve been thinking. Everything it...just comes together. It’s me. I chose this. I chose all this! This rock. This rock has been waiting for me my entire life. It’s entire life, ever since it was a bit of meteorite a million, billion years ago. In space. It’s been waiting, to come here. Right, right here. I’ve been moving towards it my entire life. The minute I was born, every breath that I’ve taken, every action has been leading me to this crack on the out surface."

Every person you've ever encountered.
Every decision you've ever made.
Every wince of pain you've ever felt.
Every struggle you've ever overcome.
Every tear you've ever shed.

It's all leading up to something. Something bigger than you can fathom. Something you currently may not feel prepared for and may fear. Perhaps something good. Perhaps something awful. Either way, something you've been moving towards your entire life. Something that will change you forever. Something that will make you believe you are here for a reason. That you serve a purpose on this Earth and you have a story to tell.

Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for the moment that is to come. For a story that has yet to be written.

Single Guy’s Planner

OK guys, I’m heading off to the airport for my flight to Hong Kong (yikes, 14 hours stuck in the window seat), but that doesn’t mean you guys should just be sitting at home waiting for my next blog post live from Hong Kong. (OK, if you want to sit and wait, whom am I to stop you!) Instead you should head out and check out the many food events occurring in San Francisco. Because of the tragic events in Japan, many of these events are local fund-raisers as the food community tries to do something to pitch in. Go out and support one of them and feel good helping out.

April 2, Saturday – Eat Real Bake Sale for Japan. The first of several fund-raisers for the tragic situation in Japan, this national bake sale put on by food bloggers and with food from local restaurants and bakeries will spring up in sites across the country from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on this day to raise money for relief. Proceeds go to Peace Winds Japan. There’ll be several locations for the bake sale in the Bay area, including Pizzaiolo in Oakland and the Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco’s Mission District. Visit bakesaleforjapan.com to find a participating bake sale near you.

April 3, Sunday – Chefs United for Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Farm Aid Dinner. For a more fancier affair and fund-raiser, go to this major dinner at San Francisco’s Prospect Restaurant and features local chefs like Ravi Kapur (Prospect), Sho Kamio (Yoshi’s), Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani (Ame and Terra), Bruce Hill (Bix), Staffan Terje (Perbacco) and Paul Canales (most recently the chef of Oliveto). Cost is $300 per person with all proceeds going to disaster relief. Cocktails and appetizers start at 6 p.m. with the 6-course dinner with wine and sake pairing begin at 7 p.m. For tickets, click here.

April 3, Sunday – Indian Home Cooking Class at 18 Reasons. Like Indian food? Always wanted to make your own raita? Learn from two Indian moms and food bloggers Simran Singh and Stacie Dong at this Mission district community food art space. Cost is $30 for members and $40 for everyone else. Class runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 593 Guerrero St., San Francisco. Click here to purchase tickets.

April 5, Tuesday – Hope to Japan: Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster Relief. The Northern California Japanese Restaurant Association and Nikko Hotel San Francisco has partnered to put on this special fund-raiser for the victims in Japan. An evening of drinks, food, music and “generous spirits” will take place at the Nikko Hotel, 222 Mason St., in Union Square starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are $150, and funds support the Japan Red Cross. For more information and to purchase tickets go to www.hopetojapan.com.

April 7, Thursday – Toast of the Town San Francisco. This major wine fete by the Wine Enthusiast takes over City Hall this year to feature more than 500 wines and 30 local restaurants serving up small bites. Like previous years, VIP tickets for $169 allows you early bird entry at 6 p.m. and then the grand event for the regular $109 price lets you in an hour later. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to the website.

April 7, Thursday – Taste of the Nation. Across town on the same night is this annual fund-raiser for the Share our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. Local chefs gather to produce small bites for tasting, all for a fun evening benefit. This year the event takes place from 6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. if you’re a VIP ticketholder) at the Bentley Reserve building at 301 Battery St., San Francisco. Tickets cost $95 and $165 for VIP entry. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the website.

April 16, Thursday – Third Annual Goat Festival by CUESA. No kidding around, it’s all things goat at the San Francisco Ferry Building with this day of goat products (and actual goats). Come meet goat ranchers, taste goat milk’s cheese, meet authors Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarborough of “GOAT: Meat, Milk, Cheese” and Laura Werlin, author of “Grilled Cheese Please.” As usual for these Saturday farmers market events, activities are free. For more information, visit www.cuesa.org.

April 17, Sunday – San Francisco International Chocolate Salon. OK, you know where I’ll be on this Sunday. That’s right, it’s the annual cocoa crazy crowds at Fort Mason Center. This is the larger event (compared to the smaller fall event I judged last year), running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. But organizers this year will keep vendors to a select few but with a lot more space to wander and explore … and stuff your face with chocolate. Tickets for adults is $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Children between 6 and 12 pay $10 while younger kids get in free. (The kids going in free must be accompanied by an adult, and limit is two free kids per adult.) For more information and tickets, visit www.sfchocolatesalon.com.

April 17, Sunday – A Taste of Tequila and Tamales by the Bay. This annual event for those tasty tamales take place at the Design Center this year at 11 Henry Adams St., from noon to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 if you purchase before April 10 and $50 afterwards. For information, visit www.tamalesbythebay.org.

April 23, Saturday – Book Signing for “Salad as a Meal” by Patricia Wells. I never used to make salads as a meal, but later in life as I focus in on healthy eating, I find salads can be made pretty hefty. So get more ideas for salad entrees from this author, who will be appearng at the Pasta Shop in Berkeley from noon to 2 p.m., and then later in the day at 3 p.m. at Omnivore Books in San Francisco. Pasta Shop, 1786 Fourth St., Berkeley, and Omnivore Books, 3885A Cesar Chavez St., San Francisco.

Burmese Kitchen in San Francisco

Home-style Dishes from Across the Pacific
452 Larkin St., San Francisco
Civic Center/Tenderloin
PH: 415.474.5569
Open Mon., 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m., Tue.–Sat., 10:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m. (closed Sunday)
Reservations, major credit cards accepted
www.burmesekitchen.com

Last week my friend Hector and I checked out the Bali exhibit at the Asian Art Museum, and afterwards we decided to look for dinner in nearby Little Saigon. And while Hector had his mind set on Vietnamese, which I’m always gamed for, I threw a twist and suggested Burmese Kitchen.

The restaurant used to be a fast lunch deli called Larkin Express, but its owner Dennis Lin transformed it two years ago into a place to serve up dishes of his homeland of Burma.

While the exterior with the fading photos of dishes in the window make the place seem like a dive, the inside was surprisingly warm and comfortable with a quaint Southeast Asian décor. It was also very popular with all the tables pretty much taken. Hector and I were able to grab the last two-top near the entrance.

We started dinner with one of the popular salads. The tea leaf salad is a classic, but we wanted to try something different and went with the Gin Dok, or Ginger Salad ($5.95). When it arrived, it wasn’t the most prettiest plate, looking like a pile of beige food.

But when we ate it, we tasted the crunch of the many nuts mixed in (I tasted sunflower, peanuts, and maybe soybeans) with the freshness of the lettuce combined with the tang of the fresh ginger. The ginger flavor was nice and subtle, and not overpowering like it could be. This was a clear winner for the dish of the night.

Our waiter convinced Hector to order the Fried Golden Tofu ($4.95), which you know I wouldn’t suggest since I don’t eat deep fried foods. And this dish is almost representative of why I’m not a fan of deep frying. You get this nice home-made tofu that’s immersed in hot oil, creating almost a sponge for the oil.

I tried one just to see what it was like, and it wasn’t anything special. Because the tofu was thinly sliced, it was almost like tofu chips. Hector said he thought it would come out like Japanese agedashi tofu, but that’s a more refined dish of fried tofu sitting in a broth. This was just fried tofu, although Hector did like the dipping sauce and didn’t have any problems eating most of the plate.

For our mains, first came the Fish with Tamarind Sauce ($6.50), which looked a bit like a curry. It was basically fish filets covered by the brown sauce. I didn’t get any distinctive flavor, and Hector agreed that the tamarind wasn’t very prominent.

Then came another dish that also seemed like a curry. It was the Pork with Pickled Mango ($6.50), which I’ve never heard of before. Again, the dish just looked like a plate of brown clumps, not very appetizing. But the pork cubes were nice and tender, and I would sometimes bite into the chunks of pickled mango. And while that taste can be to strong for people not used to it, it reminded me of eating preserved plum candy as a kid.

Dinner started off with a blast with the ginger salad, but then just didn’t go any where with the home-cooked dishes that lacked any visual appeal on the plate. Still, the comfy feel of the restaurant and the prices make Burmese Kitchen an affordable option in the neighborhood.

Single guy rating: 2.5 stars (salads shine)

Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner

Short Ribs or Spare Ribs? Let's Just Ad Hoc Them

OK, I really need to read the recipes in this Test Kitchen series. Remember when I got confused about how much chipotle to add? And sometimes I end up doing a recipe and realize I don't have all the equipment to make it per the cookbook.

Well, in the masterful "Ad Hoc at Home" cookbook (award-winning cookbook, that is) by Thomas Keller, everyone voted to have me test the roasted pork short ribs recipe (40%), over the pan-roasted duck breast (31%), lemon bars (18%) or romanesco sauce (9%). Simple enough.

So I got started on getting my ingredients, and this was an extremely easy recipe because it was just salt and pepper, and letting the pork slow roast in the oven. So what went wrong? I misread that the recipe calls for pork short ribs. I bought pork spareribs.

Is there a difference? I'm not exactly sure, but I think it probably is because the spareribs I got didn't necessarily seem "short." I blame it on the fact that 1) I had spareribs on my mind because I recently used a recipe that called for pork spareribs and 2) the Ad Hoc cookbook had a glazed pork spareribs recipe right next to the short ribs recipe.

Well, it is what it is. So here's how the roasted pork spareribs recipe turned out if Ad Hoc wanted you to make roasted pork spareribs.

First of all, not everyone stocks pork spareribs. The baby back ribs are more popular, but the spareribs are more fatty. (Wonder if it would be easier shopping for short ribs?) After letting the spareribs get to room temperature, I generously seasoned them in salt and pepper. Keller specifically says to use gray salt (or coarse sea salt) and I happened to have gray salt, so I was good there.

Then I had to pan-fry them in a pan in batches to get them brown, using Canola oil in the pan. This was a real chore because to fry up all my spareribs, I had to fry four times to fit all the spareribs in the pan. And because this cut was fatty, there was a lot of oil splashing around. After awhile with my pan all fatty, it created a lot of smoke and my place started to get really smokey.
But once I was done browning the spareribs, I placed them on two baking sheets with racks and cooked them in the oven at 350 degrees for about two hours. (I love my new oven with the window and light. I can monitor the cooking without opening the door like I used to do.) Again, because the spareribs were so fatty, my new oven got a lot of oil splatter that I used the self-cleaning option for the first time afterward.

Here are the spareribs after they came out of the oven. I let it rest for about 30 minutes before cutting into them. And that was it. See, pretty easy recipe. But was it too simple?

Here's the final dish, served up with some braised Savoy cabbage as suggested by Chef Keller. I have to say, even though they weren't short ribs, they still looked pretty scrumptious, huh?

My tips and warnings about this recipe:

1. Buy "short ribs," not spareribs or baby back ribs.
2. The cut of pork meat is very fatty, so be prepared for a lot of clean up. Use a splatter guard if you have it.

Ease of cooking: The instructions are so simple, and that's part of the Ad Hoc approach, to make simple dishes that are home-like but delicious. But actually, not every recipe in the cookbook is this simple. So of the simplest sounding dishes actually require a lot of steps. But this one can't be any easier. Just season and bake and forget about it.

Taste: I had my doubts because this recipe didn't call for anything but salt and pepper. I thought it'd taste plain and boring, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. By generously seasoning with salt and pepper, these roasted spareribs tasted like one of my favorite Chinese spareribs dish that's like a dry roast. The natural fatty flavors of the pork add to the whole experience, brought out by the salt and pepper. And because the fatty parts get all crispy, it was like eating crispy bacon in certain parts.

Overall grade: A- because this was super simple to make and satisfying to eat. I just knocked it off a bit because it's so fatty (translation: bad for my cholesterol).

Don't forget to vote for next month's Test Kitchen in the poll on the upper right hand column. The featured cookbook is actually a Christmas gift from my sister. It's the "Antojitos" cookbook by Barbara Sibley and Margaritte Maley and it's from a New York Mexican restaurant. I thought it might be interesting to try a Latin recipe because some of you know I'm not a fan of Mexican dishes because I think they seem pretty much the same (meat, lettuce, tortilla, beans). So maybe trying a Mexican recipe will change my mind about Mexican cuisine. Pick a good one!

Boot and Shoe Service in Oakland

Fire Hot Pizza Near the Lake
3308 Grand Ave., Oakland
Grand Lake neighborhood
PH: 510.763.2668
Tue.-–Thu., 5:30–10 p.m.; Fri.–Sat., 5–10:30 p.m.; Sun., 5–10 p.m. (closed Mondays)
Major credit cards accepted, no reservations
www.bootandshoeservice.com

Typically, the word “boot” isn’t associated with pizza, unless you’re thinking about a leathery crust. So yeah, not what you’d want to imagine when thinking pizza. But somehow, the people behind Boot and Shoe Service in Oakland make it work as evident by the regular crowds who make their way to this neighborhood pizzeria.

Boot and Shoe is the second restaurant from Charlie Hallowell, who opened the highly successful Pizzaiolo in the Temescal neighborhood. In Grand Lake, he took over the space of a former café that was once a shoe cobbler. Like Pizzaiolo, the focus is on the wood-fire Neapolitan-style pizzas but Boot and Shoe seems to focus on it more with its limited menu.

The Grand Lake area is also close to my gym, so that made it convenient for me to drop in for pizza after a work out. (What? You never heard of the post-work out pizza diet?) I try to get to Boot and Shoe soon after it opens because a few minutes later and you’ll end up having to wait since it doesn’t take reservations.

It’s easy to find a spot at the bar, however, which is a separate room in the back where I ended up on one visit. The bartenders are friendly and laid back, but it is a pretty dark spot so not that great for taking pictures.

I started off with the arugula and frisee salad with toasted hazelnut and moliterno al tartufo ($9). While a salad sounds simple, there’s something about Boot and Shoe’s salads that are just so refreshing and bright. It must be the quality ingredients, like the fresh moliterno a tartufo, a sheep’s milk cheese.

For the main event, I got the housemade sausage pizza with greens ($16). The pizza crust is puffy and airy on the edges and slightly chewy in the center, but it’s a nice complement to the massive toppings of sausages and greens, which I think was rapini or nettles. But what Boot and Shoe’s pizza makers do well is the burst of flavors you get here and there (but mostly in the center of the pizza).

My only gripe was that the pizza came with red onions, which I’m not a fan of but a common ingredient in pizza. It wasn’t included in the menu description, so I always have to remember to ask.

On my next visit, I sat in the front dining area, which is made up with a few communal tables. Even though the restaurant was crowded already soon after it opened at 5 p.m. on a Friday, I was able to get a seat on the edge of one table since I was by myself.

In the main dining area you can see the pizza makers busy pumping out those pies, which meant the service is really fast and you get your food fairly quickly. This time I tried the fluke crudo with kumquat ($12) as a starter, and the combination of raw fish and kumquat looked really familiar. Boot and Shoe’s version adds avocado and some celery, and everything combined nicely with the fresh, raw fluke. Again, a simple presentation highlighting the quality of the ingredients.

For my pizza, I got the wild nettles and ricotta salata pizza ($16), one of the regular options on the menu because of its popularity. And it was a good thing my server described the pizza, which has no tomato sauce, because the main ingredients include wilted wild nettles and thinly sliced red onions. So I ordered it without the red onions.

The pizza, even without the red onions, looked heavy with the toppings because of the ribbons of fresh ricotta salata cheese. With so much of the nettles, it is a bit of a challenge eating the slices that couldn't hold up their shape when picked up, but I loved the combination of the nettles and the light sauce.

This time I got dessert, which was a caramel pot de crème ($6.50), which tasted like a combination of caramel and butterscotch, with just the right amount of creamy texture and density for richness.

The pizza at Boot and Shoe can be creative with ingredients like wild nettles, potatoes, or spring onions, which is what East Coast people must think of when they think California pizza. But Boot and Shoe definitely does it with a modern twist while still offering something for the purists like the marinara or margherita.

While the pizzas are just as good as Pizzaiolo, there’s a different vibe at Boot and Shoe, which has more of a rustic or rougher edge to it, like the unfinished walls exposing the crawl space of an office. Not exactly polished, but warm and satisfying.

Single guy rating: 3.5 stars (Modern California Pizzas)

Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner

Money Matters

Ever come across those blogs or books from people who try to get you all riled up about life? I won't name any names, but you know the ones. The ones that encourage you to quit your job (just like they did). Follow your passion (just like they did). Start your own business (just like they did). Travel the world (just like they did). And how you should clone your life after theirs because it's amazing and how on Earth would you not want to live this amazing life too! However, one lifestyle does not fit all. But let's pretend for a minute that the lifestyle I just described above does fit you. Or rather, you think it might fit you so you want to give it try. So you take the leap. You quit your job and you're free to full-time passion pursue. Good for you! But the most important question remains. The one they NEVER talk about. The one no one dares to EVER ask. The question...

So how much money are you making now?

"Oh, how rude! How could anyone ask such an impolite question or disclose such personal information?" That's what you say outloud, but in your head a very different dialog is going on. You're curious. You want to know. In fact, you NEED to know! How else are you going to live this wonderful life they are all preaching about if they refuse to reveal one of the most important details of all - MONEY!

Let's be serious. Money matters. Those that say money doesn't matter obviously don't need to eat food in order to sustain life. So quit the modern day hippie bullshit that money doesn't matter and life is all about being happy. Money matters and you know it matters. While money may not buy happiness entirely on it's own, it sure makes it a hell of a lot easier to smile when you have some. It puts a roof over your head, food in your belly and clothes on your back. So unless your idea of happiness consists of being naked, hungry and homeless, money matters.

I don't know about all of you, but personally I like money. I like not having to run calculations in my head as to whether or not I can afford to go out to dinner or see a movie on a whim. I like not having to put up with a roommate because I can swing my mortgage solo. I like buying furniture that comes preassembled and truck delivered rather than hauling a heavy Swedish cardboard box home filled with faux wood planks and tedious DIY instructions. And I like being able to buy the latest overpriced tech gadget on release day not because I need it, but because I can. I like money because I like freedom. The two go hand in hand. And it's that simple.

But what isn't simple is the secret to money. Or rather, how all these unconventional lifestyle livers are making money. I'm not referring to making a few bucks off some ebook or affiliate links either. I'm talking real money. Serious money or at least a respectable amount of it. Money that can sustain you comfortably. Keyword: comfortably. Because while I'm sure anyone can scrape by living an unconventional lifestyle, most of us don't want to "scrape by" in life. Scrapping by in life makes few people happy. And isn't THAT exactly what living an unconventional lifestyle is suppose to provide - happiness and freedom? And how do you get happiness and freedom? It's fueled by dollar bills, yo.

You should never let a lack of money stand in the way of your dreams, but at the same time, you should never let your dreams cloud the fact that money matters. Being able to eat matters. Money is one of those taboo topics no one wants to talk about, but if you're thinking of taking the leap to unconventional living, you need to get a realistic money conversation started. I would be curious what these people made in their previous conventional lifestyle when compared to their current unconventional lifestyle. Are they living in their parent's basements or a van down by the river? Do they have money for health benefits, investments, savings and retirement? Have they racked up a crazy amount of credit card debt? Are they too proud to admit to having a 2nd secret job with a steady paycheck? More than likely, there are a whole slew of other unglamorous secrets they aren't telling you in their personal manifestoes. They never disclose anything relating to money, which is why it's easy to get caught up in the inspiring soapbox chants and glossy bubble of it all. Plus, everyone loves a rebel!

But sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly, to put life in proper perspective. You need to know if this lifestyle is livable, if you need to embrace a side hustle, or if you need to crawl back to your 9-5 grind in order to fill your empty stomach with vital nutrients. If life has taught us anything it's that for every success story there are hundreds of others that have failed. So there's a good chance you'll become a statistic as opposed to an inspiring tale of unconventional living. I don't say that to be a pessimist and to squash your dream. I say it because some people need to wakeup! And nothing will wake you up faster than money matters.



***NOTE***
Related post of interest: 12/7/10 - Top 10 Cold Hard Truths About Entrepreneurship

Jane on Fillmore in San Francisco

There’s been a lot happening in the lower Pacific Heights area of San Francisco, specifically along the busy Fillmore corridor. While a lot of focus has been on Elizabeth Faulkner’s Citizen’s Cake moving from Hayes Valley to the old Vivande spot, a newcomer right next door is also getting some attention.

Jane is an upscale coffee and tea house that’s hard to describe. The spacious room with a tiny mezzanine nook has a bakery feel because of the abundance of baked goods from coffee cakes to scones to cookies. But then in the back you see an open kitchen counter where chefs are prepping ingredients for the salads and soups, making it seem like a fast-casual café.

Owner Amanda Michael, a former pastry chef who named the place after her daughter, says the décor is a little bit of 70s punk-rocker in an English tea parlour. The design is definitely bold and conversation-inspiring, from the patterned walls to the yak head above.


When I checked out the place on a rainy Saturday afternoon, there were a lot of people sitting at the tables in the front, sipping either the Four Barrels coffee or the heirloom organic tea from San Francisco’s Five Mountains.

I tried a slice of the layered coconut cake ($3), and it was a comforting but elegant treat. The flavors were spot on and the cake was light, with a just-as-light cream that was definitely restaurant-quality.

Jane is a bold new space for the neighborhood and the offering of coffee, tea and treats make it a place you’ll come back again and again to try each one or a soon-to-be favorite.



Jane on Fillmore, 2123 Fillmore St., San Francisco. PH: 415.931.JANE. www.janeonfillmore.com