Sundance Steakhouse Mud Pie

Sundance Steakhouse 1921 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94306

This is a traditional steak house with a dark setting that my husband and I have been going to since we were dating. We always come back here for not only the yummy food but one of the best desserts ever, their Mud pie. This is probably the best Mud pie I have ever had. I guess a close second would be at Rusty Pelican in Newport Beach. When it's first brought to the table we think we are never going to finish this. But we always devour it all still wanting more. It comes as a dense, thick piece topped with whipped cream, nuts and surrounded by hot fudge sauce all supported with a thick chocolate cookie crust. We have really enjoyed our dinners there as well. I usually get the Seared Ahi Tuna Sashimi for my entree and start off with their homemade Lobster Bisque. Then we always end our meal with the Mud pie no matter how full we are.

Lately we have been trying some new places in Palo Alto for dinner but still going to Sundance for dessert. You can be seated right away in the bar area for dinner or dessert. The last time we did this was the night I went into labor. We planned the afternoon and evening for our last date night before baby. After going to a movie that afternoon we had dinner at Bistro Elan in Palo Alto which I also recommend. Following our meal we headed over to Sundance for our favorite dessert. I had already been having contractions since the movie that afternoon. By the time we were ready for desert I was pretty much ready to head to the hospital. But we stayed just so I could finish my Mud pie before going to give birth. It's that worth it! : )

Shokolaat Palo Alto

Shokolaat 516 University Ave Palo Alto, CA 94301.

Last week my husband 

wanted to try a new

restaurant in Palo Alto. 

The name Shokolaat 

caught my attention 

since Chocolate is one 

of my favorite foods. They serve California /European 

Cuisine along with a chocolate patisserie menu.

The atmosphere had a modern vibe and the decor was 

pristine. We both ordered the carmelized Scallops with 

sauteed Gnocchi, wilted butter lettuce, preserved lemon, 

and Tarragon butter. All of the elements of the dish 

complemented each other. The Gnocchi were a special 

touch, they melted in your mouth along with the scallops. 

We also ordered something from the patisserie for dessert. 

It's called the Mochassippi and it was to die for. 

The blend of coffee soaked lady finger sponge cake with 

Chocolate Mousse and bittersweet chocolate was a 

perfect mix. It wasn't too rich, just the right amount to finish off a perfect evening. I definitely recommend trying out this new gem http://www.shokolaat.com/

Mora Iced Creamery

Mora Iced Creamery 

139 Madrone Lane Bainbridge Island, WA

moraicedcreamery.com

This creamery on Bainbridge Island across from Seattle is a little gem. My husband and I recently took a romantic trip to Seattle. We spent an afternoon on the quaint Bainbridge Island. We had a great lunch at Cafe Nola at 101 Winslow Way. Afterwards we walked around an enjoyed the island a bit. We both were in the mood for a sweet treat and noticed off of Winslow Way down a little lane was an ice cream place. We expected it to be just a regular place with your typical flavors but to our surprise it was much more. All of there ice creams and sorbets are homemade. There were so many choices we didn't know where to begin. I had the mint with shaved chocolate. My husband had a strawberry smoothie made with there homemade strawberry sorbet. The mint chocolate was to die for so refreshing as the chocolate melted in my mouth. It was even better in a waffle cone.  The interior of the creamery was very pristine with a nice streamlined design. The ice cream and atmosphere made it a memorable experience. It was a little pricey for dairy but well worth it. I highly recommend it if you ever get over to Bainbridge Island from Seattle. 

San Jose Museum of Art Warhol exhibit

The San Jose Museum of Art 110 South Market Street San Jose, CA 95113. After living in San Francisco it has been difficult to find many cultural things to do in San Jose. The San Jose Museum of art has become one of my favorite places to visit. The museum has a collection of West Cost artists of the 20th and 21st Century. It is located downtown next to the Fairmont Hotel. This area of downtown is the most charming section next to the Circle of Palms and Plaza de César Chavez Park. The museum cafe "Café Too!" is a great place for lunch after strolling around the museum. 

Today I went to the museum to check out the Prints of Andy Warhol exhibit. Having majored in Commercial Art and designing artwork for screen-printing, I was very inspired. All of his work consists of lithographs and screen prints on paper. The print I have included was my favorite piece "Flower" 1964. This print is an offset lithograph on paper. I love the bright colors and composition. I can see now how influential Warhol is to the Graphic design world. I highly recommend checking out the exhibit.  

E Angelo Restaurant San Francisco

E Angelo's Restaurant 

2234 Chestnut St San Francisco

This little Italian Gem in the Marina is one of husband and my favorite places to go for a cheap date night. They don't take reservations but it's worth the wait. They also only take cash so come prepared. When you arrive you are greeted buy a friendly Italian staff. The restaurant only seats about 30 so don't expect to have a romantic intimate dinner. This is a great place to make some new friends. We always start are meal off with the very unhealthy spinach salad it's to die for. It is topped with a tangy dressing, crumbled blue cheese, walnuts, and yummy pancetta. My favorite main dish is the Veal Piccata one of the best I've every had. The sauce and thin slices of veal just melt in your mouth. After you finish the veal dip the table bread in the extra sauce it's well worth it. The veal is served with a side of grilled vegetables and roasted potatoes. They also have many excellent homemade pasta dishes and thin crust pizzas that are worth trying. Our favorite dessert to end our meal is their Tiramisu, which is presented in glass dish topped with strawberries and cream. 

Best Napoleon in San Francisco

One of the best bakeries in San Francisco is Stella Pastry & Cafe. This bakery is in North Beach at 446 Columbus Ave. When I first moved to the city I discovered this little gem in North Beach. It is my favorite place for dessert after having dinner in Russian Hill. You can just hop on the 45 bus off of Union and take it all the way to Columbus. I recommend ordering the classic Napoleon pastry. 

It is the best I have ever had. My second favorite choice is the cannoli. It almost compares to one in the North End of Boston at Mikes Pastry. This is still the best cannoli if you are ever in Boston. 

Eating an Éclair in Paris

Not only is Paris one of my favorite cities but éclairs are one of my favorite desserts. I must say I will never forget the éclair that I had on the Left Bank on Ave De Villars at a Boulanger. It not only had the perfect crispness in the pastry but was filled with a decadent chocolate custard which made it more unique. If you ever get to the Left Bank I recommend trying this place especially after visiting the Musée d'Orsay. 

Sharffen Berger Chocolate Maker

Sharffen Berger Chocolate Maker - 914 Heinz Ave Berkeley, CA. This is my favorite artisan chocolate maker in the Bay Area. You can take a free factory tour in the Berkeley main headquarters. You get to do chocolate tasting and learn the differences between dark and milk chocolate. I recommend taking the time to check it out. It's a charming old brick building in the industrial section of Berkeley. You can make your reservation on line for any day at scharffenberger.com

Hyde Street Bistro San Francisco

Hyde Street Bistro at 1521 Hyde Street San Francisco, CA 

(Russian Hill neighborhood) It's one of my husband's and my favorite French Bistros. It is a small quaint place with a very French staff, which adds to the whole experience. They have the best scallop dish ever! I highly recommend it. To start off the meal we always order the warm goat cheese salad and we end it with a very traditional Créme Brulee.

Noix De Coquille St Jacques Provencales

Seared Maine Scallops with Provencal Sauce 

served with Saffron Rice Pilaf and Ratatouille

Polk A Dot Stationers San Francisco

Polk A Dot Stationers in San Francisco's Russian Hill -

1742 Polk Street.

This has become a new inspirational place for me. I have always had a fetish for stationary and wrapping paper - maybe that is why I am a textile designer. They have retro party favors that bring me back to going to birthday parties when I was a kid. This place was a great find and I'm glad it's in one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Francisco.