My Top 5 Obsessions This Week

Hello again my semi- costant readers. I have some new favorites this week. Food, wine and a new find on Netflix. So here goes:

1) I checked out a mostly vegetarian Chinese Dim Sum spot in the Mission on 16th and Mission in SF called Big Lantern. The Chive Dumplings and Meatless Sesame Chicken are standouts. Huge portions and a spicy kick make this a perfect place on a rainy night.

2) Ram's Gate Winery in Sonoma is a great first stop or the perfect end on your way back into the city after a day of wine tasting. Breath taking vistas and beautiful decor make this winery several notches above the others. A crisp Chardonnay and a lovely Pinot by the fireplace and some of their delicious food pairings are a perfect end or beginning.

3) If you have not seen the Australian series on Netflix "Glitch " yet, waste no time and binge the first season. Eerie and palpably suspenseful, this story about a group of people who have risen from the dead in the sleepy little town of  Yoorana have made the constable's life a living hell. Award winning show and cast are a delight to watch. A must see!

4) A remix of my favorite Dolly Parton song "Jolene" by Pentatonix is pristine. A haunting new version with Dolly vocals make this classic song even more timeless. Check it out on iTunes.

5) A final entry is the new book The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North is a captivating read. The story is about Harry August and each time he dies, he is reborn in exactly the same place, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has lived countless times before. I expect to see movie rights on this soon.

My Top 5 Obsessions This Week

Hello  my semi constant readers! I am back a little sooner than usual with some new treats this Halloween . All treats and no tricks.

1) The Exorcist, the scary new series on Fox featuring Geena Davis and Alan Ruck and newcomer Alfonso Herrera as the hunky priest. Rounding out the cast are some fresh faces Hannah Kasulka and Brianne Howey as the daughters. No spoilers here for the surprisingly twisty plot.

2) Noir Lounge in Hayes Valley in San Francisco is an atmospheric sensory delight from the 1940's with a dark  clubby feel with beautiful leather chairs to sink into and mood lighting and luxe sofas to relax and try some of the hand crafted cocktails or tasty wine offerings and delicious food. Oh , and there are several screens showing old movies like Noir Classic -The Maltese Falcon, filmed right in SF. And on certain days in October- Classic Horror films.

3)  Ms. Mary's Southern Kitchen in Carrollton Texas, right outside of Dallas proper harkens  back to the best old school soulful cooking with Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Mac 'n' Cheese, Green Beans and fresh Cornbread. But the triple tiered cake - The Butter Butter Cake  with heavenly buttercream frosting is the perfect ending with their Lemony Sweet Tea.

4) Miranda Sings, the Youtube sensation for a number of years is on Netflix with a new series - Haters Back Off. the darkly comic parody  of the power of social media and the quest for fame without the talent is at times hilarious and full of squeamish pathos. Featuring the rubber faced Colleen Ballenger as Miranda, Angela Kinsey ( from The Office) as her adoring mother and Francesca Reale as her long suffering sister, sweet wannabe boyfriend Patrick (Erik Stocklin) and the scene stealing Steve Little as Uncle Jim her creepy agent-manager/uncle.

5) Rounding out number five this week is a close friend Gregg Plummer. Check out his catalog of ambient music at www.greggplummer.com. owner of Greggwerx Studios in San Francisco, he has a huge following all over the world with his hypnotic ambient sounds. Check out his new single release _Gregg Plummer Violet Bliss Slap Happy Mix on YouTube.

My Top 5 0bsessions This Week

Hello everyone,we are rapidly approaching the holidays and so many events. Some great tv watching and wonderful food. Here are some of my highlights.

1) Hedwig and the Angry Inch with Darren Criss and Lena Hall. A high recommendation for The musicality and joy Darren brings to the role

. Lena Hall's voice is gorgeous and haunting.

2) Nomica restaurant on Market St in San Francisco. I went with my good friend Denise Bellotti.  Well crafted cocktails are tasty and served with flair. Presentation was on point but the food was the star . The Karaage fried chicken and waffles, the gyoza wings and Shigoku  raw oysters with seaweed granita were amazing.

3) One of the shows I am obsessed with is the darkly comic Better Things with the fantastic Pamela Adlon. A working mildly successful Hollywood actress with 3 quirky daughters are different kind of family than what we have seen before. I cannot wait for each episode.

4) Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen in the heart of Berkeley is a treat for all of us who love Nola. The Buttermilk Fried Chicken with ginger vanilla sweet potato mash and blue lake green beans and the Vodoo Shrimp with rice are standouts.

5) Westworld is everything I had hoped for and more. This dark and haunting version has a great cast including Evan Rachel Wood , Thandie Newton and Ed Harris in a villainous role. Production values and cinematography are of the highest degree.

My Top 5 Obsessions This Week

Hey everyone, I have been fighting a cold the last week or so but I haven't forgotten about you. So my top five is all over the place.

1)  I am reading The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R Carey. I am loving it and cannot wait for the movie. Rooting for amazing Melanie.

2). Spent some time at The Russian River recently. We went to a beautiful winery. MacRostie. The kindest people , lovely tables overlooking luscious ripening grapes in the vineyards. The reds and whites are equally great and the staff is super friendly.

3) My always obsession is Devil's Teeth Baking Company in the sunset near the beach in San Francisco.All the baked goods are amazing but the dense flakey cinnamon rolls are like nothing else.

4) American Horror Story season six is super creepy and scary this time around loosely based on a true story as usual and full of bump scares and screams. This may be one of the best seasons ever!!

5) One new show this season is This Is Us a very interesting premise with some characters we haven't seen before at a turning point in their lives. A big twist in the first episode makes this a must watch. Oh and Milo Ventmiglia!!!

My Top 5 Obsessions This Week

Hello constant readers and new readers alike. I have some new favorites this week.

1)  I am completely enamoured with HBO's limited series " The Night Of" with the amazing John Turturro. 

2)  Britney Spears' new album  Glory has a handful of gems but Clumsy is a favorite

3)  Avant garde Grace Jones new summer tour is not to be missed. She wowed the audience with some of her biggest hits and  multiple costume changes that prove she is an "Original" first and foremost.

4)  The Fireman by Joe Hill  is a twisty modern horror post apocalyptic tale with memorable characters that make this a great thrilling read.

5)  For all the Meryl Streep fans - Florence Foster Jenkins is hilarious. Hugh Grant is in one of his best performances since Notting Hill.

My Top 5 Obsessions This Week

Hey gang, time to visit my top 5 again. so many things to choose from. Here is a few.

1) Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes the sequel to the bestseller You. Thrilling and Deeply engrossing, a must summer read.

2) Lights Out the perfect scary movies is taut thrill ride. A few real scares make this a perfect summer movie.


3) My favorite drink this summer is a drink I found on Tipsy Bartender called Northern Lights - made with Blueberry Red Bull, Smirnoff Lemon Berry Sour and Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka- top with crushed and garnish with blueberries and a lemon squeeze.

 4) Top of my music playlist is the trippy dance jazz juggernaut This Girl by Kungs & Cookin On 3 Burners.

5) Rounding out number 5 is Stranger Things a Netflix Original- starring Winona Ryder. It is the surprise hit of the summer and binge worthy.

My Top 5 Obsessions this Week

I just spent some time in sunny Seoul Korea and a few of my obsessions are from there.

1) The Ritz Carlton Gangnum was amazing. the customer service was beyond anything I have ever seen.

2) The most delicious fried chicken. try the Kyochon Red!

3)  One of the Hilarious Cat Cafes in Seoul. Lots of caffeine and kitties 

4) End of Watch the third and final installment of the Mr. Mercedes trilogy by Stephen King. Definitely worth the wait.

5) And finally my new margarita, a charred Meyer lemon Margarita, a sweet and tart summer treat made with grilled Meyer lemon infused simple syrup