Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I. An enormous family Easter feast completely derailed my “tiny gown diet” for Mid-Winter Gala at the Legion of Honor this week. Consequently, I’m swapping red meat for fish and carbs for leafy greens until then. My absolute favorite way to serve seafood is with a beurre blanc (white wine, shallots, vinegar,...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I. Every Easter, my mother hosts a tea in her rose garden that looks like it fell directly out of a J. Crew catalog. Nautical, pastel, and just the appropriate amount of neon combine to create the perfect palette for petits fours and gin fizz. Preferring savory to sweet, my contribution is typically some...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I. When I woke up this morning and realized it was Pi Day, I immediately knew that I had to post a pie on Monday Merriment. The only problem with this plan is that I’ve never made a pie… At least of the sweet variety. Browsing through my recipes, it occurred to me that a pizza pie is just as pi-ish as a...

 Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I. Lately, I’ve been catering back-to-back extravagant multiple-course dinners with over-the-top menus. Yet, at the end of the evening, I always find myself craving simple comfort food. And there is nothing more comforting than a basic cheeseburger. No aioli, no caramelized onion, no truffle oil. Just meat,...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I.  Typically, the weather dictates my menu. But this week, the weather has absolutely no idea what it wants (sunny skies Monday to rain storms Wednesday) leaving me to make my culinary decisions on my own. And so I decided Tuna Tostadas with Chipotle Aioli and Crispy Leekssound like the most delicious dinner...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I. I just spent the weekend in Lake Tahoe with my dad’s side of the family, some of whom I hadn’t seen since my first big case as a lawyer (circa 2011). After attempting to explain why I left big law, I decided the easiest way to show them what I do now is to make a ridiculous meal Saturday evening. My aunt,...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I. Technically, spring doesn’t spring until March 19th this year. Though you’d never gather that from the weather today. After weeks of relentless rain that turned everything in the Bay Area gray and soggy, a faux printemps is decidedly upon us. Which means that I’m craving everything grilled. Tonight I’m...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I. San Francisco has been completely consumed by the Super Bowl. Pre-parties, concerts, “Super Bowl City” and the traffic these activities induce are all anyone can talk about. While I won’t be among those who managed to snag tickets to the actual game, I will be attending a few house parties this Sunday. And...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I. The number one food-related question I get from friends is, “a boy is coming over and I’m cooking for him - what do I make?” Regardless of your culinary expertise, my answer is always the same: roast a chicken. It’s incredibly easy (I’d go so far as to say it’s foolproof), tastes delicious, and makes your...