East vs. West: Sol Food + GIVEAWAY!

This week's East vs. West is very special. I am talking about one of my very favorite places and there is also a GIVEAWAY! Yay! As a request from one great reader (thanks, Britt!) Abby and I decided to highlight one of our favorite lunch spots where we live. Dai and I were visiting my sister in San Rafael (about 15 minutes north over the Golden Gate Bridge), and decided to stop at Sol Food on our way home for a late lunch because no trip to Marin County is complete without eating at Sol Food, this lovely bright green building.


Sol Food is a Puerto Rican Cuisine restaurant that specializes in only using organic, gluten-free, locally grown products. Their menu is quite extensive and unique, though I always get the same thing! That's what boyfriends and husbands are for right? They get new things and you can try them, but still have your go-to favorite as well. It's a wonderful system.



The decor is colorful, vibrant, and full of character. One of my favorite parts of the restaurant is the long table with barstools that run along the windows that slide completely open. It is the nicest place to enjoy a meal on a breezy day. Sometimes we even bring Marly and he sits happily at my feet, between the pavement and the restaurant.

They make wonderful drinks, like this limade that Dai always gets. Plus they all come in a mason jar, so I am a happy camper.

Plantain chips! With a perfect sauce. I don't like cooked plantains very much, but in chip form they are awesome.


While Dai prefers the limeade, I am all about their mango-orange iced tea. It is simply the best. I could drink it every day and wish Sol Food were closer to home so I could just stop in for a drink!






I always, always get this glorious steak sandwich. It has thinly sliced steak, carmelized onions, avocado, swiss cheese, and a sauce I could just bathe in. It is just so wonderful that I hardly have any words for it. You just need to come here and try it for yourself!


Dai got rotisserie chicken with rice, black beans, salad, and plantains. His was also very good! The chicken was so tender and moist, and all of their classic sides are just great and complimented it well.

The steak sandwich is also very good with some of their homemade hot sauce on it! I still need to buy a bottle of this stuff to put on everything at home.

Pretty dreamy, right? I know you already have that Southwest tab open so you can see when the next flight to the Bay Area leaves so you can make it here for lunch. I just know it. At any rate, I have loved sharing with you this unique place! I will be dreaming of that steak sandwich and iced tea tonight...

I think this is my favorite East vs. West post yet, and it only gets better with this awesome giveaway we have for you as well! I decided to make my package a surprise to build up the suspense, you know, but you can find out what Abby is giving away over at her blog! I am really excited for this giveaway and for a lucky winner to get our east and west coast themed packages!

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East vs. West: Land's End

Hello all! I am a little bit late in the game today, but life happens and what can you do? I am here now though and have another installment of East vs. West for you all! Today Abby and I are talking about our favorite hiking spots in our cities. There are a few places that I like to venture around in this big city by the bay, but my favorite by far is Lands End, on the west tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. It is called Lands End because it is quite literally where the...land...ends. Quite (not) creative, right? At any rate, onward we go!

This is one of my most favorite spots in the city because it really has everything that I love: stunning views, the ocean, dog friendliness (and off-leash at that!), and beautiful nature. What's not to love?




My lovely friend, Ola, accompanied me here this past Sunday. It was great to show her a new part of the city since she moved here from Poland only a year ago, and have nice company along the way.


Have I mentioned it is one of this boy's favorite places too? He cries and whines once we reach the edge of the city because he just knows somehow that we are going here. He just runs and runs up the stairs and down the trails, looking back at me every few moments to make sure I'm okay. Then, of course, he is sound asleep, curled up in a ball in the backseat before I even pull out of the parking lot.

This unique hiking spot begins in a parking lot (duh) and takes you out onto a dirt trail, that winds through the woods, and spits you out on cliffs that overlook the ocean, like this one. There are many wooden stair cases leading to new places and adventures, and eventually down to the beach. In all honesty, I hardly ever know just where I am going in this place, and often end up somewhere new each time. It was particularly frustrating this time since I had a specific vision in mind for what kind of picture I wanted to paint of this place for you all. But, fate would not have it that way (and my silly lack of direction in this giant place), and I had to learn to just roll with it.


Though I sometimes have a hard time making it back to my favorite spots in this wilderness built into the side of the cliff, it just goes to show you how much there is to explore here, and I am always up for a new adventure :)

If there is any non-touristy spot I recommend in San Francisco, it is definitely this one. There is just no other one place that can give you a beach, a view of the Golden Gate Bridge & the ocean & the bay, the woods, and great hiking. I dare you to find one!

Definitely be sure to head over to Little City Adventures to see what kind of hiking Abby has in store for you, AND next week come back for a very special GIVEAWAY we are putting together to celebrate this wonderful series that has become a highlight of my week :)

East vs. West: Boutique

We took a break last week, but Abby of Little City Adventures and I are back for another round of East vs. West! This week, we are taking a look at boutiques in our cities. Therapy is a great little boutique that has several locations throughout the Bay Area. I have enjoyed shopping here for a few years now, so I thought I would share it with you!

There are always so many cute nick-nacks and unique items to look at. I love that I can easily find things here for myself, but also find funny and thoughtful gifts for others. I could spend a whole hour looking at every little detail!

I also like the graphic signs and the art on the walls. It gives the store a lot of character! Plus, most of it for sale, so if you really do like something, you can buy it!

A little map of SF for you! I actually really like this bag and want to get it for myself :)

Their book collection has a great variety of fun and inspiring things.

This is just a little piece of what the Therapy clothing style is like. Though this is outfit is not necessariuly my style, I do always fall in love with their dresses, sweaters, shirts, and accessories.

These little cupcake pouches are so fun! They make me hungry...

One thing that Therapy has an abundance of is unique, handmade jewelry. They have tons of it and you can usually be sure to find just what you were looking for, and more!

Aren't these coin purses so funky? I know two of my best friends would just love them!

I hope that you have enjoyed this little peek into Therapy! There is so much more to see and I hope that if you are ever int the Bay Area that you will stop by and see it all for yourself :)

We will be continuing this series next week and changing the theme up a bit, so be sure to check back then as well! Also, I just thought I would throw this out here, is there anything you would like to see in this series?!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to head over to see what Abby has for you today as well :)

Therapy

1348 Burlingame Ave.

Burlingame, CA