Food Friday >> Would You Like a Spot of Tea?

I really do enjoy afternoon tea -- I love the sandwiches, salads, scones, desserts, teas, etc. If you've never been to a place that offers afternoon tea service, keep reading for more information as I compare three places around the Bay Area!

1. Dartealing Lounge

This place is located in SoMa with nothing much going on around it so there's usually plenty of parking nearby/on the streets -- but I would still recommend making a reservation. When you first walk in, you will notice the cute, English Victorian-style decor all around the room, which quickly transports you to the world of Alice in Wonderland. The cups, utensils, plates, pots, etc. are all different+miss-matched which adds to the quirky/cute design of the place.

Dartealing has a nice selection of teas and sandwiches -- 45 teas & 16 sandwiches to choose from.

Since there were 6 of us, we ordered 3 of the Taste-Tea service for two (3x$40) which came with 24 sandwiches (6 flavors -- we got the fish & chips (my fav!), turkey & pesto, curried chicken, smoked salmon & dill, cucumber & herb, and ham & cheese), 6 sausage rolls (so yum!), tea breads, scones, 6 macarons, tea cakes, and tea cookies, and 3 bottom-less pots of tea (Cabana Boy, Rice-Too-Crispy).

Everything was quite tasty and fresh -- my favorites included the fish & chips sandwich, the sausage rolls, and the scones+cream. Whoever said afternoon tea doesn't fill you up has not been to this place! My not so favorites would be the salmon (sad because I love smoked salmon, I think it has too much dill) and the cucumber sandwich. I also like how the teas are bottomless and the server was so helpful in telling us how long to steep the teas.
This is a great place to bring little girls or to host baby/bridal showers -- they will revel in the whimsy and beauty of it all.

Overall Evaluation >> 4.9/5
Service | 5/5
Taste | 4.5/5
Atmosphere | 5/5
Menu | 5/5
Presentation | 5/5

2. Crown & Crumpet

Crown & Crumpet used to be located inside Ghiradelli Square but is now located in The New People Building, Japantown. I thought it fit better inside Ghiradelli Square and I think it's really strange that they are now located inside a Japanese pop-culture building. They still managed to make it cute and classy as ever with the art prints and floral tablecloths -- however, being that it is located on the first floor of the building with people walking by/going upstairs/etc., it doesn't seem exclusive/other wordly like Dartealing Lounge. In other words, it's more like a cafe now, instead of a small boutique/restaurant. I also didn't know that their store/gift shop was located on the 2nd floor -- I would have loved a sign/arrow or something -- bummed.

I sat by the window on the bench because I thought it would be more comfortable and better lighting for photos -- but no. The bench seat was getting really hot from the sun and the sun made weird shadows on my face. Their cups, saucers, sugar pots, tea pots, etc. all have the classic crown symbol on it and the saucers have different quotes on them -- cute! Our server was really sweet and she didn't mind that my mom & sister were running late -- she let me sit down first -- granted, it wasn't too busy at that time (Tuesday afternoon).

Crown & Crumpet has 30+ teas and changes their selection of sandwiches, savories & sweets, and scones daily so you never know what to expect. I purchased a Gilt City voucher for Afternoon Tea for Two which included 6 tea sandwiches, 4 warm savories, 2 warm scones with clotted cream, jam and house made lemon curd, 6 sweets and treats, and a large pot of tea (Jasmine Fancy) to share (Tea for One is usually $24). Since we had 3 people, I also ordered a side of crumpets, a house salad, and a hot pressed tomato, mozzarella, chicken, & pesto sandwich for us to share -- it was just the right amount of food for us.

I really like their scones + clotted cream (I put a lot). Their famous crumpets are like an english muffin+biscuit hybrid, definitely worth trying if you've never had one. I really liked the chocolate covered strawberries -- but didn't like the cucumber/cream cheese thing. I wasn't too thrilled with the sandwich selections -- but I did enjoy the house salad. All in all, loved some things, didn't love some things -- but still love coming here!

Another great place for little girls; not sure about large groups/parties because this place is quite tiny -- but I think there might be a private room!

Overall Evaluation >> 4.8/5
Service | 5/5
Taste | 4.5/5
Atmosphere | 5/5
Menu | 4.5/5
Presentation | 5/5

3. Rue Du The

Unlike Dartealing Lounge and Crown & Crumpet which are English style/themed and located in San Francisco, Rue Du The is French style/themed and located in Burlingame. It is part of the Leland Tea Company which has another storefront in San Francisco. The back wall is filled with San Francisco Art Prints of the different districts/regions -- very cool -- and there are many murals/paintings all over the store/under the counter/restroom of people enjoying tea. There is indoor and outdoor seating and they were really busy on a Sunday afternoon -- there seems to be one guy who makes all the decisions. Rue Du The has 7 sandwiches and 70+ teas to choose from. I purchased a Groupon for the Tea for Two (normally $27.95) which came with 2 sandwiches (Salmon Salad and Ham & Cheese), house salad, 2 scones, 2 madeleines (they ran out), 2 shortbread and house tea (I changed it to a green tea though).

I was really not impressed by the sandwiches, salad, or sweets (or lack there of) after having been to Dartealing Lounge and Crown & Crumpet. Nothing wowed me and I only enjoyed the scones which came with those pre-packaged butter (not house made clotted cream like the other places). I was really disappointed because I brought my little sister here as a surprise birthday treat -- thinking that it would be wonderful/fanciful/whimsical like the other two places -- but it wasn't up-to-par (in my opinion) to what I've experienced at other tea houses. The only plus side is that they have A LOT of teas to choose from, and since the Tea for Two only comes with house tea, I paid extra for a different pot of tea. Indeed, this is the least expensive of the three places, but I would much rather a pay a bit more to have the full afternoon tea experience with my little sister than to be sitting here eating underwhelming cafeteria food.

This would not be the best place for children -- more for older people who enjoy tea more than anything else.

Overall Evaluation >> 3.5/5
Service | 4/5
Taste | 3/5
Atmosphere | 4/5
Menu | 3/5
Presentation | 3.5/5

Overall, I highly recommend Dartealing Lounge (for more tea & sandwich selections) and Crown & Crumpet (for their famous crumpets & unique location) and I do not recommend Rue Du The (for their underwhelming everything).

Comment below on where you love to get afternoon tea!

Links San Francisco >> Dartealing Lounge
      San Francisco >> Crown & Crumpet
      Burlingame >> Rue Du The

What's Up Wednesday >> Weekend in Wine Country

This past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Napa/Sonoma/Yountville aka Wine Country as part of my friend's 25th BIRTHDAY celebration. I experienced wine tasting for the first time and I finally found a bakery line longer than 85 Degrees Bakery!

Fremont Diner

We almost drove right past this place because of its obscure location and the run-down dirt roads -- but there was a crowd and a fairly large sign -- so we were able to turn in time. There is a parking lot, quite gravelly and sandy, so I recommend wearing boots (no high heels ladies).

The cuisine here is farm-fresh/Southern/diner/breakfast+brunch style. Seating is outdoor picnic tables under a canopy/tent with plastic side drapes -- which is great because it's right next to the sandy/dirt parking lot -- and the drapes keep the dust out of the food. There is one restroom on site -- pretty clean for being shack-like.

 Breakfast menu and lunch menu are different -- be sure to get there before 12 if you want breakfast!

Photo Credit Adrianna from Hazel Beginnings

The birthday girl ordered the Oyster Po' Boy Sandwich and I ordered the Chicken & Waffle. Both were delicious (special seasoning) and portions were just right. I prefer my waffles Belgian style though -- this waffle was more like Eggo style. The only other thing I can complain about is the small plate -- it made it very difficult to eat these messy/finger foods without it getting all over the place (only one cloth napkin, no paper napkins or wet naps). Overall, great place for brunch/lunch and I would come back to try some of the sides next time -- mac&cheese, biscuits, and eggs.

Gundlach Bundschu Winery

Almost drove right past this place as well because you have to turn into a small road (with a small sign) off the main road. There is a gravelly parking lot, covered outdoor picnic area, and outdoor restrooms.

The property is very well-maintained and beautiful (but the signs pointing to the tasting room were a bit confusing). On the plus side -- no reservations required -- and tasting of 6 wines for only $10!

We had a group of 13 people so they could not accommodate such a large party for wine tasting all at the same time -- we split off into smaller groups (3-5) and went to the next available representative at the bar.

This is the tasting room, well air-conditioned/cool, nice bar atmosphere. There are some merchandise/gifts for sale as well -- blankets, cheese boards, cork screws, wine charms, etc. I personally do not know anything about wine and this was my first time wine tasting. I guess I expected a brief history/background about the winery but the lady went straight for our wine orders. I sampled quite a lot (almost all of them) because my friend and I would taste different wines then switch glasses. As I am not a wine expert, I can only say that I enjoyed the experience and am happy that I opened my palate to new things -- I guess I prefer lighter wines like the Pinot Noir, and my friend really enjoyed the richer wines like their Cabernet Sauvignon.

After the tasting, we soaked in some rays lounging by the watering hole/pond on some nice wooden lawn chairs and tried on each other's sunglasses.

Bouchon Bakery

The Bouchon Restaurant and Bakery are located right next to each other -- I only went to the bakery though. The line was really long and it didn't help that the sun was BLAZING down upon me.

The bakery storefront is very tiny -- it can fit up to maybe 10 customers at a time -- hence the long line outside. I do love bread and pastries though so I was super excited nonetheless!

The pricing is pretty standard for specialty pastries ($$) -- $3.5 for macarons (quite large) and $3-5 for the other pastries. I ordered 1 epi baguette, 2 almond croissants, 2 macarons, 1 oh oh (their take on the ho ho), and 1 sugared donut -- total was about $26. I really wanted to try their kouign amann but it was sold out by the time we got there - late afternoon (3pm). Overall, a nice pit stop in Wine Country and definitely the right place to go to satisfy any sweet-tooth cravings.

Scribe Winery

Before I get started on this place, I just want to say that we didn't get the full Scribe Winery experience -- there were a lot of miscommunication issues, attitude, and negative vibes -- that being said, I am on the fence about coming back here.
The property is right next to Gundlach Bundschu -- the main road to the main building is lined with palm trees, there's a creepy abandoned haunted house-like building, and there are two small parking lots -- one closer, and one down the hill. There are a number of picnic tables and blankets available to sit on the lawn and a very cute tree swing. This is a very different winery compared to Gundlach Bundschu -- very focused in terms of their clientele, aesthetic, and wines (I think there were only 4 or 5). They are by-appointment only and cannot accommodate groups larger than 6.

Now this is why it was so frustrating -- we had a group of 11 so I didn't understand why they couldn't just split us off into 2 groups -- plus, they didn't mention the group size restriction over the phone. Second, not all of us wanted to drink, so I didn't understand why 6 people couldn't get the wine tasting and the rest of us could have just chilled on the side (apparently they didn't want us hanging out there if we weren't going to drink). Third, ok I understand we were late to the reservation but even if we had been on time they said that they would not have been able to accommodate us (again, why didn't they clarify over the phone). Fourth, we spoke with two representatives and both of them were giving us different stories about what they could do to accommodate us and what not -- if one person okays something and another person says otherwise it makes it very confusing to the customer at which point I really just wanted to leave. Fifth, one lady kept saying how this reservation time (4pm) is exclusive to their members and that we were supposed to come in the morning if we had such a large group -- which again, did not make sense because they don't accommodate large groups to begin with -- and they should not have confirmed our 4pm reservation if they knew we had so many people. AND finally, it's very rude to treat new customers like they are not worthy of your winery/product when you did not make it clear to anyone, not even your employee, about the rules/restrictions surrounding large groups; we made an extremely long trek to visit your winery and it was not a welcoming reception at all, it felt very uncomfortable, full of rules/restrictions/excuses, at which point made me believe that you were just making this all up just to shut us out.

In the end, we were not able to get the wine tasting (normally it's $25/person but one lady said they could accommodate us for $50/person -- which is again a lie because what one person said did not hold true for another). We ended up purchasing a bottle for $50 and sat out on one of the picnic tables. We brushed off the drama and tried to enjoy the remainder of the afternoon watching the sunset over the hills.

I had an amazing experience overall -- I would love to try wine tasting again but perhaps with dessert wines/moscato and with some cheese+bread next time because my chest was on fire!
Comment below on some of your favorite wineries!

Links Sonoma >> The Fremont Diner
      Sonoma >> Gundlach Bundschu Winery
      Yountville >> Bouchon Bakery
      Sonoma >> Scribe Winery

Mani Monday >> Chinese New Year Cherry Blossom Nails Tutorial

Chinese New Year is fast approaching (this Friday!) and I thought this would be a fun+festive nail design to celebrate the new year. It's relatively easy to create but you will need several polishes+tools and some patience. But it's well worth it because you'll be getting lots of compliments, I promise!

What You Need
-Nail File
-Base Coat
-Sheer Pale Pink Polish
-Black Nail Art Polish with Skinny Brush Tip
-White Polish
-Lime Green Polish
-Bubblegum Pink Polish
-Buttercup Yellow Polish
-Nail Dotting Tool
-Piece of Cardboard with Glossy Side
-Top Coat

Directions
1. Prep your nails by filing them down to your desired shape. This design looks best with medium length nails (it's quite difficult to do on short nails).

2. Apply one layer of base coat then let dry (I'm using the Essie Grow Stronger base coat).

3. Apply 2-3 coats of a sheer pale pink nail polish then let dry (I'm using the Essie Adore-A-Ball nail polish).

4. Using a black nail polish (specifically for nail art), draw some branches on each nail -- can be random or all the same. Keep the base of the branch thicker than the tip of the branch.

5. Place a few drops of the white, green, pink, & yellow nail polish on the glossy side of a piece of cardboard. Dip a nail dotting tool into the white polish (I'm using the Rimmel French White Tip Pro) and create five-petaled flowers + some random petals on the branches (about 3-4 on the thumb & 2-3 on the other fingers). Tip -- dip your tool into the white polish after every 2 petals.

6. Using the nail dotting tool and a lime green nail polish (I'm using one from Nature Republic which is impossible to find here in the US), dot some leaves on the branches and around the flowers.

7. Using the nail dotting tool and a bubblegum pink polish (I'm using the BH Cosmetics Dolly nail polish), dot some tiny dots in the center of the flowers.

8. Using the nail dotting tool and a buttercup yellow polish (I'm using the Revlon Top Speed Electric nail polish), dot some tiny dots in the center of the flowers but not covering the pink dots.

9. Apply one layer of your favorite top coat and you're done! Tip -- my top coat smeared all my nails (even after letting it dry overnight) so I would be really careful with this step by trying on the pinky nail first.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and let me know what designs you'd like to see next!

Links Essie >> Grow Stronger Base Coat
      Essie >> Adore-A-Ball Nail Polish
      LA Colors >> Black Art Deco Nail Polish
      Rimmel >> French White Tip Pro Nail Polish
      Loreal >> New Money Nail Polish
      BH Cosmetics >> Dotty from the Flirty Nail Polish Set
      Revlon >> Electric Nail Polish
      Sephora >> Nail Art Set

Food Friday >> Quick & Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries

When I'm craving something sweet but don't really want to pack on the pounds and the deathly sugar+butter+flour combo -- I just make this quick dessert to quickly satisfy my sweet tooth!

Ingredients
-Chocolate Chips
-Strawberries

Other Things 
-Microwave-safe Bowl
-Spatula
-Cookie Sheet
-Parchment Paper

Directions

1. Wash your strawberries thoroughly, keeping the leaves (& stems) intact. Set aside to dry.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, add about one handful of chocolate chips (I'm using Ghiradelli's Dark Chocolate Chips), and microwave for about 25-30 seconds. Stir with a spatula. Add another handful of chocolate chips and microwave for another 25-30 seconds. Stir with a spatula. You should get a creamy consistency -- add more chips or microwave a bit longer if you desire/depending on how many strawberries you have.
3. Dip a strawberry in the melted chocolate (holding the leaves/stem part) and coat the entire strawberry except the leaves/stem.
4. Place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and slide it forwards about one centimeter (this helps give it a smooth bottom and prevents it from sticking to the parchment paper).
5. Repeat steps 3+4 for all the strawberries.
6. (Optional) Place each strawberry in a cupcake wrapper then arrange them on a large plate.
7. Place the chocolate covered strawberries in the refrigerator for about 5-10 minutes to cool.
8. Ready to eat!

What's Up Wednesday >> DIY Chinese New Year Decorations

It's almost that time of the year again! I'm so excited to share with all of you some DIY Chinese New Year decorations! Everything was pretty easy to make and at very little cost. So let's get started!

TISSUE PAPER TASSEL GARLAND

Materials

-Red and Gold Tissue Paper
-Tape
-Scissors
-String/Ribbon

Instructions

1. Get a large piece of tissue paper (usually ~20 x 24 in.) and cut it in half (~10 x 12 in.) as shown in photo (you should have two pieces of tissue paper now). Fold a piece of tissue paper in half width-wise.

2. Cut 1 cm. strips up towards the fold, leaving about 1 in. space uncut before the fold.

3. Open up the tissue paper with the fringe out to the left and right.

5. Starting from the bottom of the tissue paper, roll the tissue paper up towards the top of the page.

6. Fold the tissue paper in half forming a loop in the center of the fold. Twist and secure with tape.

7. Repeat steps 1-6 for each piece of tissue paper. Create as many tassels as you want.

8. String each tassel through with either string or ribbon (secure with tape if you want) and you're done!

CHINESE TAKEOUT BOXES

Materials

-Template Download Here
-Red, Gold, Cream Cardstock (or any color you desire)
-Bone Folder
-Score Board or Ruler
-Scissors
-Stapler or Glue Dots
-"Double Happiness" Paper Punch (or any type of decoration/stamp/sticker)

Instructions

1. Print out the template on 8 x 11 in. paper of your choice. Make sure to print on the side you're not displaying -- I messed up on the gold one :(. Cut along the solid black line.

2. Using the bone folder and a score board (or ruler), score along the red lines and the black dotted lines. This helps with the folding/assembly of the boxes.

3. Assemble the boxes by following the folding guidelines -- valley fold (black dotted line) or mountain fold  (red line) -- and secure the sides with glue dots or a stapler (glue dots look more polished -- stapler is easy and more secure).

4. You can decorate the boxes however you like -- I'm using a "double happiness" character paper punch that I got during my travels in China. Glue the cut-out onto the boxes and you're done!

RED ENVELOPES LANTERN

Materials

-9 Red Envelopes (preferably all the same pattern/size)

-Tape or Photo Splits

-Stapler

-Bone Folder

-Scissors

-Ribbon

Instructions

1. Fold down the tops of 9 red envelopes and secure with tape or photo splits. Set aside 1 envelope which will be used for the tassel.

2. Fold in half width-wise and then length-wise. Use a bone folder to crease down the edges. 

3. Fold the envelope into a diamond shape -- using the previous creases to guide your folds. Repeat steps 2-3 for each of the 8 envelopes.

4. Staple the top corners of 4 of the red envelopes together -- line up the creases and edges and staple along the crease -- this will be the top of the lantern.

5. Before stapling the third and fourth envelope together, tape a folded piece of 10 in. ribbon to the back which will be used for hanging.

6. This is what the top half of the lantern should look like at this point.

7. For the tassel, cut 1/8 in. strips starting from the bottom of the envelope towards the top -- leaving about 1 in. space uncut at the top of the envelope.

8. Tape another folded 8 in. piece of ribbon to the back of the envelope.

9. Roll up the envelope starting from the left side and secure with tape or stapler.

10. For the bottom of the lantern, staple the bottom corners of the remaining 4 envelopes together.

11. Before stapling the third and fourth envelope together, tape the tassel to the back of the envelope -- it will be hanging from the bottom of the lantern.

12. This is what the bottom half of the lantern should look like at this point.

13. To assemble the top and bottom halves together, staple together the remaining corners -- note that these will not perfectly overlap like the previous ones -- line up the corner crease to create a two mountain peak edge then staple along the crease. The face of each envelope should now look like an eight point star.

OTHER DECORATIONS/TIPS

-Display some cuties/tangerines around the house. When gifting these, be sure to give them in pairs.

-Hang lanterns anywhere -- even from the edge of the table!

-It is customary to offer sweets to guests when they're over during Chinese New Year (usually displayed in an octagonal candy box). Chocolate wrapped in gold foil works too!

-2014 is The Year of the Horse so it is nice to have horses displayed around the house. You can purchase these cute horse red envelopes from my shop!

Thank you for sticking out through this entire post! I hope you enjoyed the DIY tutorials -- I'd love to see pictures of what you create!