Cool Gifts for Craft Lovers from the West Coast Craft Festival

Classic Book Reissue: SAN FRANCISCO DOGS

Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel debuts Fredericks for Breakfast and Lunch in San Francisco

The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel in San Francisco recently opened their new eatery called Fredericks.

Fredericks is helmed by Executive Chef Daniel Corey (formerly of Michelin Star LUCE at the InterContinental), paying homage to Frederick C. Clift, the original owner of the property. The restaurant has a black and white floor similar to what adorned the space in the 1920s, as well as neutral walls with exposed brick, also part of the earlier space. The floor itself was the inspiration for the rest of the decor, which features a classical look from the hotel’s original restaurant while echoing the chic feel of modern day San Francisco.

Fredericks has a combination of booth, banquette and square table seating for guests who want to linger, enjoy their meal, and soak up the ambiance. A sampling of the breakfast menu reveals sweet pastries at breakfast such as a Kouign-Amann Baton and savory pastries like the Union Square with Sausage, Hash Browns, Egg & Cheese, as well as tasty offerings such as a Gravlax Plate with Bagel, Salmon, Cream Cheese, Tomato, Red Onion & Capers; Avocado Toast on Sourdough with an 8 Minute Egg; and a California Shakshuka with two Poached Eggs, Tomatoes, Peppers, Cilantro, and Yogurt.

The restaurant also serves lunch, where patrons will find soups and salads including the Kale Salad with Medjool Date, Almonds, Aged White Cheddar and Sherry Vinaigrette, alongside sandwiches and more substantial fare such as Fish Tacos made with Crispy Local Rock Cod, Smoked Jalapeno Crema, &  Marinated Cabbage and a Half-Roasted Chicken with Marble Potatoes and Grilled Lemon.

In addition, in a section with high seating and smaller tables, Fredericks also serves to-go food and drinks – with selections designed to complement the offerings in the Redwood Room – including a high-end coffee program with partner roaster, Peerless, gourmet pastries and snacks, elevated comfort food, and wine, beer and cocktails on tap.

The Clift’s legendary Redwood Room reopened on July 1, 2021 with a new sumptuous food menu, handcrafted cocktails, and a revitalized look. The room retains its namesake redwood walls and glamorous lighting, only undergoing a change in furniture, flooring, and wall art. The new bar is manufactured from an 800-year-old redwood tree found by a custom woodworker in Montana. Also new — original Gustav Klimt paintings [reproductions created by students of Klimt, under his direction] uncovered onsite during the hotel renovations — have been painstakingly restored and re-hung, lending the room an art nouveau ambiance.  Menu items include Warm Orange Pull-Apart Buns with Honey Butter made with honey from The Clift’s own rooftop beehives, Waygu Beef “Double Double” Sliders with White Cheddar and Onion Jam on a Brioche Bun, and Oysters on the Half Shell with Passion Fruit Mignonette and Caviar.  Newer cocktails include an updated Old Fashioned (“The Big Chair”) – a nod to the famed oversized chair that every visitor to The Clift has likely taken a photo with, and “The Mr. Clift”, the lounge’s take on a Manhattan.

More information at:
https://www.redwoodroomsf.com/

Fredericks is open seven days a week, Reservations are not required. https://www.sonesta.com/us/california/san-francisco/clift-royal-sonesta-hotel/fredericks

 

The Benefits of Walking Yourself to Better Health and Fitness

What is one of the most productive and effective ways of exercise? Walking!

Walking in fact is not just one of the most effective ways of exercise, it’s also one of the oldest. Humans are designed to walk, it is how they evolved and thrived. It is how they overcame obstacles in the wild, found food and water, and expanded territory. You could say that in fact humans are literally meant to walk. So if this is true, it’s clear what happens when you don’t do what you’re supposed to do. You are not as healthy, not as fit, and not as happy. This is exactly why walking is great for you.

Some of the benefits of walking include increased cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness for your heart and lungs. Walking also increases provides benefit, which is reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It also improves the management of chronic conditions such as hypertension and high cholesterol, as well as decreased joint and muscular pain, stiffness, and diabetes. Plus it can lead to stronger bones and better balance. Mentally, there is nothing more refreshing than taking a nice, calm, and refreshing walk to clear the cobwebs out of your mind, and getting good air into your lungs.

Most cities and states in North America and Europe have parks and hiking trails in which you can get out and walk. California has a lot of great spots where you can walk. In cities like San Francisco, it seems like everyone either walks or hikes on a regular basis. In Los Angeles, there are beautiful places along the boardwalk and the beaches where you can walk and walk and walk.

It is recommended that you walk at least 30 to 45 minutes nearly every day. You don’t have to do it all at once, you can break it up into a 10 minute chunks, but the pace that you set is important. You don’t need to break a sweat, but your goal is to get your heart pumping.

So get out there and take a walk, your body and your mind will thank you

TasteTV’s TASTEABLE Television Series releases Season 6 Episode 603 Intro

TASTEABLE Television Series, Episode Intro, Season 6 Episode 603, featuring the Mill Valley Lumbar Yard retail and restaurant collection, Cantina Frida in Beverly Hills, Vivian Lui the author of Eat California, and a cocktail recipe from Pacifica.

This food, wine and travel television series takes viewers on a lifestyle tour of California and beyond. TASTEABLE can be watched on these PBS-affiliate television stations in Northern California, reaching over 2.5 million households from the San Francisco Bay Area to Wine Country.