WORK • Friday Routine

Folk music

KEVIN ELMORE • co-owner • Food Folk
Neighborhood you live in: Outer Sunset

It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
We open by 10a, though with two kids under two, my wife and I are usually up no later than 7. Turning on our espresso machine is always step one, then it’s the morning routine — getting our dog out, kids changed and fed, and entering negotiations with our toddler over something different every day. Once I get to the shop, I try to knock out admin work first — invoices, emails — before starting a game of Tetris (i.e., getting new backstock into the fridge and storage shelves).

What’s on the agenda for today?
Beyond the usual stuff, I’ve been spending a bunch of time on our liquor license lately. The months-long application saga is finally in its final stretch (just got Lurie’s OK!), which means a lot of decisions all at once: landing on our initial beer, wine, and sake curation, getting distribution in place, and figuring out where everything will actually go. That’ll likely mean at least one new fridge, which always brings more spatial challenges and, possibly, a visit from our electrician. Exciting stuff though — we can’t wait to host a beverage selection sourced by the same standards as our food offerings and introduce the neighborhood to a bunch of producers we’re geeked about.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
We cook at home a ton, but feeling lazy tonight, so we’ll probably start the rice cooker then grab a pound of char siu and an order of chow fun from our neighborhood Cheung Hing. I also obsess over a good burrito, and for me, nothing beats the al pastor from Taqueria San Bruno. And while down the Peninsula, we love splitting a monstrous sandwich on Dutch crunch from Little Lucca in Burlingame, a spot we both grew up on. If beer is involved, we’re usually at Woods Outbound or Cellarmaker.

How about a little leisure or culture?
Shopkeeping lands me inside most of the day, so when I’m off I like to get out and explore. Mostly around the city, though I love dropping into Pacifica and Half Moon Bay for beaches and day hikes. Otherwise, the usual rotation of stroller-friendly spots is between Golden Gate Park, Sunset Dunes, the SF Zoo, and the Discovery Museum in Sausalito.

What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I’m a cast-iron enthusiast, and recently caved to my YouTube algorithm and built an electrolysis setup at home for restoring pans (a large tank, car battery charger, piece of steel). It’s been a total game changer, and it’s been fun bringing old skillets into the shop now to find new homes.

What store or service do you love to recommend?
I love sending friends to check out Scrap (SF) and Urban Ore (Berkeley) for secondhand treasures, supplies, art, vintage, and furniture. And Narrative (Oakland) hosts my favorite dealers of midcentury and antique decor, whether I’m just window shopping or trying to find something special. I’ve also been going to Treasure Paws Thrift (Burlingame) since I was a kid. They’re a nonprofit thrift/donation shop where I almost always leave with something, plus you get to support a good cause.

Where are you donating your time or money?
My wife and I give to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. It’s a cause close to our family, and they’re doing incredible work in the search for a cure and advancing treatment.

GOODS & SERVICES LINKS: USF-area Lucky to shutter next month • AI-run Andon Market continuing its candle-heavy experiment for at least three years • Shoppers turn to Reddit for beauty/wellness recs.

REAL ESTATE • On the Market

Three homes that came to market in Woodside in the last 30 days.

→ 26 Big Tree Rd (Woodside) • 4BR/4BA • 2483 SF • Ask: $1.888M • 1963 build surrounded by mature trees • Days on market: 7 • Agent: Matthew Dapolito, Intero.

→ 188 Martinez Rd (Woodside) • 3BR/2BA • 2304 SF • Ask: $2.175M • single-story 1960 build on 3.25 acres • Days on market: 13 • Agent: Mercedes Roses, Compass.

→ 245 Heacox Rd (Woodside, above) • 7BR/5.1BA • 8885 SF • Ask: $2.87M • expansive estate on private hillside • Days on market: 29 • Agent: Aaron Derbacher, Bay Area Estates.

REAL ESTATE LINKS: SF’s skyrocketing apartment prices prompt ‘renter fatigue’ • Shuttered San Francisco Centre sets new buyer bid date • Groundbreaking approaches for 270-acre masterplanned community at Candlestick.

GETAWAYS • Seattle

Space, needled

The Skinny: The Populus Seattle touts itself as carbon-positive — sequestering more carbon than it emits — thanks to its adaptive reuse of a historic 1907 warehouse. Another green touch: the new hotel, which opened last year, includes a six-story moss-covered wall that runs from the lobby to the rooftop skylight.

GETAWAYS LINKS: Tracking SFO’s $11 billion capital improvement plan • San Jose-based air taxis move forward • United launching new daily flights from SFO to CVG (Cincinatti) and DJT (West Palm Beach) this fall • Delta launches in-air DraftKings access — but don’t call it gambling.

RESTAURANTS • The Nines

Dining, Bernal Heights

The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in the Bay Area and surrounds. Paid subscribers have access to the complete Nines archive.

• Claws of Mantis at Fat Cat (Mission St), innovative and challenging Vietnamese in charming and queer wine bar setting, intel, walk-ins only

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KEVIN ELMORE • co-owner • Food Folk
Neighborhood you live in: Outer Sunset

It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
We open by 10a, though with two kids under two, my wife and I are usually up no later than 7. Turning on our espresso machine is always step one, then it’s the morning routine — getting our dog out, kids c…

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The Skinny: Formerly a sleepy motel on Coronado Island’s main drag (across from the iconic Hotel Del Coronado), the 31-room Baby Grand has been remade into one of Southern California’s boldest boutique hotels, a wonderland of jungle foliage, Grecian statues, clamshell beds, mirrored bars, and enough patterned wallpaper to make even m…

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JOHN FULTON • writer • The Eastside Rag
Neighborhood you live & work in: Echo Park

It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
On a Thursday morning around 7a, I’m one of the first people at Canyon Coffee in Echo Park. I order a cold brew, pop open my laptop, and for the next two hours or so, I’m writing the day’s issu…

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ASK FOUND

Today, recent subscriber answers to the query, I need a caterer for a casual summer party. Any ideas?

• Garrett Adair: “Simply the best around! We’ve used Garrett for events over many years, small and large, and he has always done a great job. And he’s a great guy to work with!”

Today, two more PROMPTS for which we continue to seek your answers:

• What Bay Area store or service do you love to recommend?

• What’s your favorite specialty bookstore in the Bay Area?

If we publish your answer, we’ll comp you a 90-day paid subscription to FOUND SF. Hit reply or email found@itsfoundsf.com with more answers or questions.

RESTAURANTS • First Word

Baja baby

The Skinny: With the long-awaited opening of Chicano Nuevo, SF’s best fried fish taco finally has a permanent home. Husband-and-wife team Abraham Nuñez and Courtney Fujita have been popping up since 2015, including a popular residency at Broken Record. The couple first snagged the keys to their Bernal Heights brick-and-mortar in 2022, opening the front bar last December and back dining room this June, with a liquor license still in the works.

RESTAURANT LINKS: Jennifer Garner lingers at Epic Steak • Chicken Fried Palace shutters two months after massive city grant • The last Horn Barbecue has closed.

WORK • Wednesday Routine

Local catch

THOMAS EDGINGTON • executive chef • Broad Street Oyster Company
Neighborhood you live in: Nob Hill

It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Like most mornings, I come in early, have a cold brew from our friends at Hardware Coffee, and get eyes on the day’s seafood delivery. When it comes to fresh seafood, I like to personally check and process just about everything we receive, from local oysters and halibut to the king salmon that we get almost every day.

What’s on the agenda for today?
I’m scanning invoices for our finance department and working through some small menu adjustments for late summer. We’re in a very luxurious position here in San Francisco when it comes to seafood and produce, but I still think it’s important to switch it up and try new things.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
As a chef, I don’t get to eat out as much as I’d like, but I’ve found a few places I love to grab a late-night bite after work. Brazen Head is a quick walk away, and treating myself to a slab of prime rib after a long day is very rewarding. The Public Izakaya on Post Street is another go-to: Japanese food has always been very comforting for me, and they serve late into the night.

Any weekend getaways?
Chico is a home away from home for me. I have friends and family out there whom I love to visit, plus hiking in Bidwell Park is phenomenal.

What was your last great vacation?
I’ve had a few very fun road trips and adventures, but my last great vacation was to Madrid. I spent about two weeks staying in a flat right near Puerta del Sol. The food in Spain is the pinnacle of quality through simplicity, and the Prado might be my favorite museum I’ve ever visited.

What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
A Gore-Tex rain jacket. While we didn’t get rained on too badly this year, it’s an essential item for any full-time bike commuter.

WORK LINKS: JPMorgan ramps up SF presence • Employee happiness is on the rise • Lululemon’s war against itself.

CULTURE & LEISURE • Hour of chaos

• Danny Jolles • Punch Line (FiDi) • Fri @ 945p • Preferred, $46 per

• Public Enemy • Big Picnic Weekend Day One • Stern Grove (Parkside) • Sat @ 12p • Free

• Giants v Rockies • Oracle Park (Embarcadero) • Sun @ 105p • FC115, Row L, $209 per

GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Bakery

Overdue dough

Brittany Dunn-Holden’s Saltwater Bakeshop journey began in 2018, when the Mr. Holmes veteran launched her wholesale and farmers market operation. She signed a lease for a Richmond District storefront in 2023, but permitting issues snarled that plan. In May, she opened that long-awaited brick-and-mortar in SoMa, on an industrial stretch of Howard St.

Inside you’ll find her farmers market favorites: seasonal danishes, chocolate-pistachio croissants, and golden country loaves. I beelined for the new menu items, ordering a turkey baguette with toum and pickled onions, and the burnt sugar cake with a tender crumb, caramelized flavor, and tall layers.

While the space’s former tenant, Chantal Guillon Patisserie, was clean and minimal, Saltwater Bakeshop has added pops of color with a mural of the Golden Gate Bridge, as well as tables, couches, and cushions scattered throughout the large shop. –Becky Duffett

→ Saltwater Bakeshop (SoMa) • 1309 Howard St • Tue-Fri 7a-3p, Sat-Sun 8a-3p.

CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: SF to host Vogue World in 2027 • Reconsidering the San Francisco ‘Godzilla’ • George Lopez returns to the Bay Area stand-up stage.

GETAWAYS • The Nines

Dining, Santa Cruz

The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in the Bay Area and surrounds. Paid subscribers have access to the complete Nines archive.

• Bad Animal (Downtown), natural wine bar and used bookstore w/ farmers market bistro fare, order the gougères, reserve

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Wide awake

RYAN SHELTON • executive chef & owner • Merchant Roots, Bar Orso & The Roost
Neighborhood you work in: SoMa

It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
It’s 915a. I’ve dropped my son Ellory off at daycare, and I’m first at the restaurant. It’s empty and quiet, and typically I have an hour or two of peace to figure out how much of a dent I can make in my to-do list. On some lucky days, I have 21 burners, six ovens, a smoker, grill, fryer, liquid nitrogen, freeze dryers, charcuterie curing fridge, force carbonator, vapor distiller, and rotary evaporator all to myself to play with and figure out an ongoing cooking project that requires some extra focus. Merchant Roots is a quarterly rotating and themed tasting menu, so our R&D period is constant.

What’s on the agenda for today?
My current project is perfecting our new seasonal cocktail for our speakeasy Bar Orso (intel). We have a lot of tomato-based ideas that we can’t decide between, so we’re going to make it a trio of mini cocktails (why not?): a tomato water “up” drink, a roasted tomato-infused rye on the rocks, and a Bloody Mary-style sipper. It’s listed as an à la carte flight we affectionately call the Toma-trio.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
My wife Megan has her sights on nabbing a reservation at Enclos (intel) in Sonoma. She’s a master planner, and I look forward to her imminent success! I’ve heard nothing but amazing things and I’m so excited to experience everything for myself.

How about a little leisure or culture?
This weekend the family is headed to PayPal Park to watch a Bay FC women’s soccer game vs North Carolina. My son is starting to understand sports a bit, and we’re looking forward to watching a live game. Knowing him, I’m sure he’ll be most excited about the hot dogs and nachos.

Any weekend getaways?
Haven’t done one of these in a while, but the most recent was a family trip to San Diego. The Little Italy Mercato farmers market was really lively and full of super unique offerings from craft producers. We didn’t eat anything there that wasn’t absolutely delicious. The fish tacos at Fish Guts are the best I’ve ever had.

What was your last great vacation?
Costa Rica. It’s probably the most vacation-able place on Earth, for lack of a better word. It feels like such a unique corner of the world where jungle meets Caribbean meets Pacific islands, volcanoes, and beaches. The comfort of civilization is everywhere, but you’re always adjacent to an incredibly beautiful, wild world. The Chira Glamping Hotel in Monteverde, high in the cloud forests, is such a luxurious place, and though we didn’t stay there, we dined in their restaurant. The San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience is very well-named, and we enjoyed a tasting menu there that brought us to every corner of Costa Rica. Cucumber soursop ceviche blew my mind.

What store or service do you always recommend?
Turquaz is a Turkish café right by Merchant Roots. Somehow, they manage to have a huge selection of satisfying traditional Turkish dishes, an ocean of beautifully made pastries, more types of Turkish delight than I’ve ever seen, tea cookies, amazing Turkish coffee service. It’s a super cute space, the staff all seem really proud of what they are offering, and it’s a beautiful gem that I’m excited to share a neighborhood with.

Where are you donating your time or money?
Each quarter, a Merchant Roots employee gets to select a charity, and $6 from every meal we serve is donated to their selected nonprofit organization. For our summer season we’re donating to DISH (Delivering Innovation in Supportive Housing). They provide high-quality, permanent housing to San Franciscans who suffer from serious health issues. We’ve been proud in the past to donate to Save the Redwoods League, as well as La Cocina.

GOODS & SERVICES LINKS: Kith plans Union Square outpost • After 50 years, Buffalo Whole Foods Market shuts down in the Castro • Teens’ hoodie collections are out of control.

GETAWAYS • Sonoma

Pack behavior

The Skinny: Opened last year, Wolves Lovers + Thieves is the second Glen Ellen tasting room from winemakers Lindsey Blanchard and Ryan Kuhlmann, who debuted their popular Wine Snob in the small Sonoma town about five years ago. Their new spot leans on patron-chosen vinyl, and serves sparkling wine only.

REAL ESTATE • On the Market

Three homes that came to market in Berkeley in the last 30 days.

→ 1010 Keeler Ave (Cragmont) • 4BR/3BA • 2342 SF • Ask: $1.225M • 1957 build, first time to market in 60+ years • Days on market: 9 • Agent: Anna Bellomo, District Homes.

→ 2388 Vine St (North Berkeley) • 4BR/2.2BA • 2499 SF • Ask: $1.995M •Euro-style 1926 build w/ Golden Gate Bridge and Bay views • Days on market: 9 • Agent: Alexis Thompson, Village Asc.

→ 8 Maybeck Twin Dr (Northside, above) • 4BR/4BA • 3643 SF • Ask: $2.895M • California modern w/ wraparound terrace, patio atrium • Days on market: 9 • Agent: David Gunderman, KW Advisors East Bay.

REAL ESTATE LINKS: SF housing market boom spreads to Oakland • How a development group’s buying spree will change the face of Union Square • Atherton might soon see its first-ever multi-unit housing development.

RESTAURANTS •The Nines

Dining, FiDi

Our 9 favorite restaurants in the neighborhood. Paid subscribers have access to the complete Nines archive.

• Crustacean (Pine St), swanky Vietnamese from the famed An family, intel, reserve

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• San Francisco

• Los Angeles

• New York City

• Miami

• London

• Paris

ASK FOUND

Today, three PROMPTS for which we continue to seek your answers:

• What’s your favorite specialty bookstore in the Bay Area?

• What Bay Area store or service do you love to recommend?

• I need a caterer for a casual summer party. Any ideas?

Hit reply or email found@itsfoundsf.com with answers or more questions. If we publish your answer, we’ll comp you a 90-day paid subscription to FOUND SF.

RESTAURANTS • First Word

Roots revival

The Skinny: Last month, Reem’s Jack London Square opened in the space kitty-corner to Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon as the premier spot for waterfront picnic provisions. It’s a triumphant return for chef Reem Assil, whose acclaimed Arab street food business got its start in the town in 2017.

RESTAURANT LINKS: Tartine plots huge FiDi outpost • Burdell’s Geoff Davis to open Uncle’s in Rockridge • Local cafes make hay after Starbucks flees Bay Area.

WORK • Wednesday Routine

Out west

TANYA KOLLAR • food program director • Outside Lands Music Festival
Neighborhood you live in: NoPa

It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I get out to Golden Gate Park early this morning and dive right into doing layouts, which involves looking at tent placements. Particularly, we’re in the VIP area of the festival, looking at the placement of the A16 food vending tent. We’re doing something really cool and giving them a little front porch with bistro tables, making it a little more of a vibe. After that, I pop over to the operations trailer, get on my laptop, answer as many emails as I can pretty quickly. I then tie in with my team; I’ve got two on site with me right now. One is our refrigeration coordinator, dropping 43 refrigerated shipping containers all over the festival site. My other is overseeing the placement of the food vendor tents and getting their water totes ready, since we provide fresh water for all of the food vendors.

What’s on the agenda for today?
The operational part of my job takes up the first half of my day. Later, I’ll jump into liaising with our restaurants, especially our 18 new restaurant partners: a big part of my job is working with them on translating their operation from a brick-and-mortar location to a festival vending booth. It’s a big lift, and this is a time where they could potentially feel overwhelmed. So I try to talk to them as much as possible, make sure all their questions are answered, that they understand what’s gonna happen at Outside Lands.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Tonight, I’m definitely in the mood for a martini to unwind, so I’ll probably go to Balboa Cafe or pop into Perry’s in Cow Hollow. They’ve been around forever and they’re really close to each other. Tomorrow I have a dinner reservation at Tiya. I’ve been there once before and I’m really excited to go back.

I went to Um.Ma last week, the Korean spot in the Inner Sunset, and had a killer meal with some friends. After the festival, I’m heading to Meski. Their blend of different types of cuisines that chef Nelson German works with is really complex. He’s melding Ethiopian flavors with Afro-Latin vibes (Dominican flavors specifically), and it’s such a brilliant marriage. There’s some intersection in the spices used by those two types of cuisines, and I can’t wait to see how he marries that fusion concept together. I’m also heading to Restaurant Naides. Chef Patrick is a genius; his work is so beautiful, and I’m pumped for the full experience there.

How about a little leisure or culture?
My favorite thing to do in my downtime is to go running in the Panhandle. I love experiencing nature and people-watching. When I’m running, I’m looking around at all the people picnicking, or playing games or working out, lots of kids… it’s this beautiful moment of feeling so lucky that I live in such a gorgeous city, with so much incredible culture and nature.

I also love cooking, and I have a bunch of cookbooks. Normally, on a weeknight, I’m cooking something quick, but on a weekend I’ll often open up one of my cookbooks. I’ve got Melissa King’s Cook Like a King, and I’ve cooked almost every recipe out of that book because they’re so easy to follow and I have a pantry filled with all of those ingredients. Reem Assil recently gave me her cookbook, Arabyya, and the Lion Dance Cafe book as well. Their recipes are really involved vegan recipes. Also, I love shopping at H Mart, the Korean grocery store down in Oceanview. I’ll go and get the five things that I need and then buy 20 things that I didn’t really need, because I love Asian grocery stores so much.

Any weekend getaways?
Almost every weekend I go to Walnut Creek to my gym, Lifetime, which has a spa with a hot tub, cold plunge, a steam room, dry sauna and then they’ve got a rooftop pool with lounge chairs, a bar, and another hot tub, too. My friends laugh at me and ask why I’m driving an hour to the gym. But it’s a gorgeous facility, and there’s something about the pilgrimage, going out there… I’m taking time for myself.

What was your last great vacation?
Japan is my favorite place on Earth. I go there at least once a year and I’ve been there twice in the past six months. On one of those trips, I went to the Snow Machine Festival in Hakuba. I don’t often go to music festivals for fun, so this was definitely out of the norm for me. There are seven resorts you have access to with your festival ticket, so you go snowboarding during the day, there are après-ski parties at the bottom of the mountain, and then there’s a main arena venue with larger electronic music shows at night. It was probably one of my favorite trips of my life.

What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I just bought a new Shiftpod and a Waykar portable camping air conditioner to bring to Burning Man, because I haven’t been in seven years, and I can’t camp the way I did in my 20s. The Shift Pod is a dome-shaped tent that’s big and has plenty of room for all my stuff. So I can put a queen mattress in there and make my own little sanctuary. I also got a Jackery solar battery, to try and be as sustainable as possible.

What store or service do you always recommend?
I love Falletti Foods near my house. They’re a higher-end grocery store, and they have a super high quality fresh meat and seafood section, as well as beautiful produce and a fun international food section. I can find any type of international ingredient I need without having to go to another specialty store. I also find that their pricing for one of the more boutique high-end grocery stores is actually very reasonable.

Where are you donating your time or money?
I donate every year to SF SPCA on my dad’s birthday. He passed away in 2012 and he loved animals. I had lambs, pigs, and chickens growing up, and I’ve always been an animal lover too, so I donate to them every year in his honor.

WORK LINKS: How workplace instability benefits women • Gen-Z workers’ micro-breaks just might boost productivity • Inside the $4K midlife retreat for burned-out execs • Helicopter parents are invading the workplace.

BARS • The Nines

Summer spritzes

The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in the Bay Area and surrounds. Paid subscribers have access to the complete Nines archive.

• Alembic (Upper Haight), sparkling Arnold Palmer made w/ or sans booze, eye-opening espresso tonic

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RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favorites

Favorite new restaurants that we’ve recently visited.

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RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favorites

Favorite new restaurants that we’ve recently visited.

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RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favorites

Favorite new restaurants that we’ve recently visited.

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RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favorites

Favorite new restaurants that we’ve recently visited.

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RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favourites

Favourite new restaurants we’ve visited recently.

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Paid subscribers, keep your eyes open for links to Summer Reports from our other cities in this week’s newsletter.

RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favorites

Favorite new restaurants that we’ve recently visited.

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The Skinny: Merchant Roots chef-owner Ryan Shelton has found a new use for the bar space at the back of their new SoMa digs. After the addition of its own spooky entrance corridor, Bar Orso opened in February, with magical cocktails served in a relatively unique environment.

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• San Francisco

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• Miami

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WORK • Friday Routine

Wide awake

NICOLE MARCHESI • director of winemaking • Far Niente Winery
Neighborhood you work in: Oakville, Napa Valley

It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
The property at Far Niente is usually already buzzing with activity when I arrive. The grounds team is already at work maintaining the landscaping, and the hospitality team is moving between the old stone winery building, carriage house, and outdoor patio setting up to greet guests. My cellar team works down in the caves, underneath the little knoll upon which Far Niente sits. After settling into my office on the fermentation level of the stone winery building, mornings this time of year are great for vineyard visits before it gets too hot, and blend tastings when my palate is at its best.

What’s on the agenda for today?
Regardless of the time of year, we’re always working on multiple vintages of wine in the cellar, while also prepping for the next harvest. Right now we’ve been meeting with our vineyard director and team to dial in our leaf-removal protocols in our vineyards, while at the same time prepping for blending and bottling our 2025 Chardonnay in the cellar. My assistant and I have been tasting blend trials and working on scheduling and logistics with our cellar master. So much of successful winemaking is good planning and calendar management!

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Because I work and live in two different valleys, I tend to have my lunches out in Napa and dinners in Sonoma. My favorite for lunch after visiting our Grand Sky Vineyard in Carneros is Southside Café. Everything’s amazing and so satisfying! On Fridays, they offer fried chicken buckets for takeout, and with two teenage boys at home, it’s always a hit in our house. One of our family’s favorite dinner spots in Sonoma is Tasca Tasca for Portuguese tapas. We love sharing a wide variety of flavors. And of course, both Napa and Sonoma are teeming with great food trucks. My favorite is Costa’s Tacos in Sonoma. You can’t go wrong with the tripa tacos!

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How about a little leisure or culture?
Our family loves live music. Both of my boys play instruments (guitar and drums), and we’ve found music to be a great way for the four of us to connect. Last year, we managed to squeeze in two shows at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley: The Flaming Lips and Djo. Besides live music, we’ve been trying to get out and see more theater. Recently, my older son and I enjoyed a great production at Berkeley Rep: ‘How Shakespeare Saved My Life.’

Any weekend getaways?
To be honest, our weekend getaways are usually to soccer tournaments! However, when we can get there, Lake Tahoe is our favorite, especially in the summer. We have a family cabin on the West Shore with great access to the lake. We love hiking out at Barker Pass; there’s an awesome section of the PCT and Tahoe Rim Trail with absolutely incredible and dramatic views. And we never miss getting giant deli sandwiches from the Tahoma Market and Deli to enjoy on the beach at Meeks Bay.

What was your last great vacation?
Our last great vacation was to Ireland last summer. My younger son’s soccer team was playing in a youth tournament at the University of Limerick, so we turned the trip into a family vacation with my parents. We spent time in Dublin, Killarney, and Adare (outside of Limerick). A big highlight for us was the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin, especially with our kids because it was not only informative but interactive. We also found a hidden gem for dinner in The Vintage House restaurant — very intimate, and an eclectic vibe, with thoughtful and seasonal dishes. Definitely not your typical tourist fare. Killarney was all about the outdoors — we stayed at an Airbnb in the Gap of Dunloe so we could hike and visit the national park. The Muckross House and Gardens were spectacular, and dinner at Kate Kearney’s Cottage offered delicious traditional pub fare. We loved our time in Ireland, with its beautiful landscapes, welcoming people, and incredible history.

What store or service do you always recommend?
In Sonoma, I always recommend the wine shop Sonoma’s Best. While somewhat small, the wine selection is fantastic, with a range of price points from both local and international wineries. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable; they’ve never steered me wrong when trying new wines.

Where are you donating your time or money?
Personally, we donate our money locally to the public schools in Sonoma, our local community center, and the Redwood Empire Food Bank. We feel strongly about supporting programs that help our community whether through with education, art programs, or food. At Far Niente, I am proud to be a supporter of the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis (my alma mater). Over the years we’ve given money and wine donations for fundraising, been involved in research projects, and spoken at conferences (and to students). The V&E program has only gotten better since my time at Davis, and I love seeing the students thrive!

GOODS & SERVICES LINKS: Geary Blvd PetSmart to shutter • East Bay malls are filling back up • RH scraps ambitious Walnut Creek plans.

REAL ESTATE • On the Market

Three four-bedroom homes that came to market in San Francisco in the last 30 days.

→ 2306 16th Ave (Parkside) • 4BR/2.1BA • 2160 SF • Ask: $1.68M • Bay windows, original fireplace, fully-detached • Days on market: 8 • Agent: Juanjuan Huang, Compass.

→ 10 Westwood Dr (Westwood Park) • 4BR/4BA • 2761 SF • Ask: $2.598.8M • fully renovated 1921 build w/ potential-packed yard • Days on market: 7 • Agent: Pri Ruan, Kinetic.

→ 49 Turquoise Way (Diamond Heights, above) • 4BR/3.1BA • 2700 SF • Ask: $2.68M • indoor/outdoor first floor, two garages, terraced yard • Days on market: 9 • Agent: Juanjuan Huang, Compass.

REAL ESTATE LINKS: Marina’s Julia Morgan Building faces redevelopment • Approval granted for 85-foot Inner Richmond condo tower • Highway-adjacent Edgar Mathews-designed residence to be razed for duo of four-story apartment buildings.

RESTAURANTS •The Nines

Brunch

The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in the Bay Area and surrounds. Paid subscribers have access to the complete Nines archive.

• Tur (West Portal), Khao Tiew team’s brunch-only spot, seven types of jook, honey walnut shrimp and waffles, intel, walk-ins only

• Dalida (Presidio), Turkish eggs, spreads, pita, Golden Gate Bridge view, reserve

• Early to Rise (NoPa, above), from-scratch bagels, bacon, benedicts from former fine dining crew, intel, reserve

• Piglet & Co (Mission), rice porridge, pork belly, milk tea French toast, reserve

• Plow (Potrero Hill) seasonal scrambles, perfect potatoes, damn fine biscuit, walk-ins only

• City View (Chinatown) old-school dim sum in new modern space on Portsmouth Square, walk-ins only

• Hilda and Jesse (North Beach) clubby prix fixe brunch, thick buttermilk pancakes, reserve

• Bon Délire (Embarcadero) hot new modern bistro, truffled croques, pain perdu, intel, reserve

• Abacá (Fisherman’s Wharf) steak silog, Dungeness crepes, ensaymada buns, reserve

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BARS • First Round

Bear in mind

The Skinny: Merchant Roots chef-owner Ryan Shelton has found a new use for the bar space at the back of their new SoMa digs. After the addition of its own spooky entrance corridor, Bar Orso opened in February, with magical cocktails served in a relatively unique environment.

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ASK FOUND

Today, recent subscriber answers to the query, What Bay Area store or service do you love to recommend?

• Sun Fat Seafood (Mission), “A wonderful fresh seafood market that’s been there for years. They primarily sell to the restaurant industry, but the retail location has some incredible (and affordable) fish options. Freshly flown whole fish covered in crushed ice line most of the counter; oysters and clams live in water tanks, and are infinitely more fresh than those sitting in bags on ice.”

• Britex Fabrics (Union Square), “It exudes elegance, mystery and history, much like walking into the Musée d’Orsay or the Prado in Madrid. It is the holy grail for people who sew, and a place you’ll want to visit even if you never threaded a needle. Four floors of silks, wools, lace, buttons, ribbons, and trims make even the non-crafter appreciate craftsmanship. Half the fun is running your hands over fabrics that look like they belong on a red carpet or in a Broadway costume shop.”

Today, two more PROMPTS for which we continue to seek your answers:

• What’s your favorite specialty bookstore in the Bay Area?

• I need a caterer for a casual summer party. Any ideas?

Hit reply or email found@itsfoundsf.com with more answers or questions. If we publish your answer, we’ll comp you a 90-day paid subscription to FOUND SF.

THE NINES • FOUND Sponsor

Zest, Hidden Gems

Our partners at Zest, a new app that lets you see where your friends actually eat, share their favorite hidden gems across SF. Because Zest is built on real dining history instead of reviews, these are the under-the-radar spots people keep coming back to, not the names with the biggest buzz. Check out the best dishes, get insider tips, and save your favorites in Zest.

• Zitouna (Outer Richmond, above), a Tunisian mom-and-pop on Clement from Mehdi and Anna, where North African cooking is the point. Get the brik, the hooriya carrot dip, and pita from their own bakery

• Tequila Mockingbird (SoMa), a low-key tequila and mezcal bar where SF’s off-shift bartenders come to unwind. Look for the flashing star in the window, grab the long bar, and order the grapefruit namesake. Cheap for SF.

• Chic n’ Time (Mission), Taiwanese-Vietnamese fried chicken and garlic noodles worth the trip. The owner used to run Perilla, which explains the drool-worthy noodles. Get the five-spice chicken and peppercorn wings

• Judahlicious (Outer Sunset), a raw-and-vegan beach cafe a few blocks from Ocean Beach, going since 2004. Fuel up on açaí bowls, gluten-free waffles, and a wet burrito drowned in cashew crème

• Corks (Inner Richmond), a tiny family-run wine bar on California with handmade pasta and a deep Italian list. Grab a window seat, order the gnocchi and the amatriciana, and let Giuseppe pick the wine

• Glen Park Cafe (Glen Park), a cheery corner spot in Glen Park’s little Village doing American breakfast all day. Come for the classic breakfast sandwich, or the sleeper order, Banana Pudding French Toast

• El Toreador (West Portal), a West Portal fixture since 1957 where every inch is covered in kitsch: cowboy hats, stuffed parrots, cartoon placemats. Come for the mole and the huge plates. Expect a wait

• Hologram (Outer Richmond), a brand-new Filipino-heritage cafe on Clement with immaculate design and a real point of view. Order the Manila Sky ube coffee and the Gold Coast breakfast sandwich stuffed with a hashbrown

• Baklavastory (Mission), one tiny Mission kitchen making the best baklava in the city. The owner flies to Turkey to hand-pick his pistachios, and the phyllo is sheer as silk. Sold by the tray

YOUR BRAND HERE: 93% of FOUND subscribers recommend products, services, and/or experiences to friends and family. Hit reply or email sales@itsfound.com, and we’ll get to work on your next great sponsorship campaign.

WORK • Wednesday Routine

Train station

CAROLYN WARSHAM • founder & CEO • Awake at Work & Carolyn Warsham Coaching
Neighborhood you work in: Woodacre

It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I’m in downward dog at Amber Charne‘s Vinyasa class at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center. In the words of my friend Emily, Amber is “her own magic show.” Last week I met an author who travels all the way from the East Bay for Amber’s community class to kick off her Marin County writing days. It’s that sweet.

After yoga, it’s either a client day or a writing day. Client days, I’m focused on the common trap successful people with high-pressure jobs fall into: Work gets everything to the point where personal life is dysfunctional. I help these folks learn how to live more sustainably and enjoyably. We go from the personal to the practical, meaning: we might discuss nervous system regulation and energy management, in the same hour as promotion strategy and internal politics. If it’s a writing day, I’m working on my memoir, or writing for my business accounts on LinkedIn and Substack.

What’s on the agenda for today?
This second? I’m fine-tuning the Awake at Work community experience, set to open in the fall. This is a dream I’ve been sitting on for several years: a community where high-achieving leaders can be seen and heard in the personal challenges that happen behind the corporate smoke and mirrors. It’s going to be that much-needed place where you can talk about your boss, your latest wins, and your deepest fears in a trusted, confidential setting.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
I went to Marinitas for tacos and salad today with my friend Alexis Haselberger, a fellow coach who teaches busy tech workers how to manage their time. She’s a cool nerd (like me) and you should definitely check her out. We’ve got a babysitter on Sunday and I’m excited to go to Insalata’s in San Anselmo. It’s an icon.

Some of my other local Fairfax faves are Mas Masa, for Mexican with house-made tortillas; Fradelizio’s, where hokey Italian red sauce warmth meets organic, locally sourced ingredients; and Arti Cafe, a beloved family-run Goan fixture that puts so much care into their food (If you go, don’t miss the pakoras.)

How about a little leisure or culture?
We love meeting up with other families at Rancho Nicasio for live music on the lawn. On Sundays their kitchen serves a great, all-ages country barbecue outdoors. The scene is 70-something hippies in cowboy hats and Teslas meets local Western Marin parents and kids. We dig it. We also love outings to Roy’s Redwoods, which is right down the street from our house. It’s like Muir Woods light: a magical forest glen recently upgraded with paths made from fallen redwoods that wind through creeks, fairy rings, and 500-year-old trees.

Any weekend getaways?
We recently spent a weekend in Occidental. We drove over to Bodega Head to look for seals and then headed over to Fisheterian for super fresh rock cod sandwiches.

What was your last great vacation?
We went to Playa Grande in Costa Rica for Thanksgiving last year. Most of the restaurants aren’t anything to write home about in this area, but we had some good food with a gorgeous beach view at Hemmingway’s on Playa Potrero, and everything we ordered from Pots & Bowls passed my 9-year-old’s discriminating palate. If you’re in the area, check out the farmer’s market in Tamarindo, Tama Market, and find Natalie’s Slow Food truck.

Our Airbnb was impeccably managed by Vie-La Vacation Rentals. Our favorite day was a trip to La Leona, where you can swim through a gorgeous waterfall and then go warm up in hot springs afterwards. Use Offie Tours, their guides are so knowledgeable and kind.

What store or service do you always recommend?
I send a lot of people to Nicole Withrow for acupuncture and energy work. Her expertise spans multiple disciplines. I’ve never met anyone quite like her.

WORK LINKS: Japan PM’s sleep habits prompt global work culture debate • Goop hasn’t given up on work/life balance • Gen Z’s first stop for professional advice? TikTok.

CULTURE & LEISURE • The One

• Lil Wayne • Toyota Pavilion (Concord) • Fri @ 8p • floor, $402 per

• Air Guitar National Finals • The Independent (NoPa) • Sat @ 9p • GA, $31 per

• The Marvelous Miss Gender starring BOSCO • Palace of Fine Arts (Marina) • Sun @ 8p • $64 per

CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: Kim Gordon sets Castro show • Inside Gray Loft Gallery’s summer exhibit • SoMa music venue Hotel Utah Saloon hits market for $235K.

RESTAURANTS • First Word

Small wonder

The Skinny: French-Californian bistro Esme is the latest from chef-restaurateur Susan Dunn, who co-owns the ever-popular Pearl 6101 and Pizzetta 211 in the Richmond. It opened last month on the ground floor of the Metro Hotel, in the Divisadero space last occupied by Ragazza.

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Essentials

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Essentials

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Essentials

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New guard

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