Lacy edges
Tokyo tips, Maillards Smash Burgers, upscale vintage, Sanctuary Beach Resort, MORE
THE STORYBOOK COAST: For those trading long-haul itineraries for something slower this summer, Carmel-by-the-Sea delivers the kind of coastal escape people usually fly across oceans to find. Check into a charming inn, then let the rest fall into place. Big Sur, Pebble Beach, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium are wonderful day trips, but the real luxury may be staying put in storybook Carmel. Book a summer trip [spon]
WORK • Friday Routine
Wild west
XANDER SOREN • owner • Xander Soren Wines
Neighborhood you live in: Design District
It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I can do all my office work at home, or on the go, so it all depends on where we are in the season and winemaking cycle. I wear a lot of hats, so it could be creative work, administrative, customer service, sales/distribution, or winemaking planning. My favorite activity is going into the cellar with my winemaker, Shalini Sekhar, checking in on how various barrels are tasting, and doing blending trials.
What’s on the agenda for today?
We’re coming off the Memorial Day holiday weekend, and my morning inbox greeted me with new wine orders from some of my favorite San Francisco restaurants that are adding some of our new spring releases to their menus, so that’s great news!
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
As much as I go to Japan, I still love to eat Japanese food in San Francisco, and plan to hit Bar Shoji (from the same team as Shota) tonight. It’s elevated izakaya fare and I think the food and cocktails are so good, and it’s fun, lively — kind of like similar places in Tokyo. The aged sashimi, tebasaki (Nagoya-style chicken wings) and Shoji Burger are my go-tos.
Of course there are many other cuisines I love, and the pinsa at Montesacro in SoMa is a favorite! I also always order either the radicchio or Brussels sprouts and kale salads. For a special occasion or celebration, I love the chef’s counter at Birdsong, it’s just really great food and vibes.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I’ve been so busy with the launch of the new wines I’ve had little time to do much else this year, but late last year some friends and I had a blast seeing Fred Armisen on his tour. A few weeks prior, I attended a fundraiser Armisen was a part of by Musack that aims to connect children in need with musical instruments, and what a lineup they had! Jack Black, Margaret Cho, Lisa Loeb, Thomas Lennon, and The Go-Go’s.
Speaking of The Go-Go’s, I’m participating in a fun upcoming panel for the California Wine Institute at Little Saint in Healdsburg, covering music, wine, and innovation and community. Other guests include my friend Jane Wiedlin, who happens to be the guitarist of The Go-Go’s.
What was your last great vacation?
One of the benefits of working in wine is that I’m able to blend my work trips with vacation time, and whenever I visit Japan I always try to carve out extra days to travel around the country and explore new places. My last trip there this spring was especially memorable because it coincided with the 50th anniversary celebrations surrounding the historic Judgment of Paris. My importer also represents Chateau Montelena, so I had the chance to spend several days in Tokyo and Osaka with the legendary Bo Barrett, celebrating the legacy of those iconic wines and their place in California wine history.
When I’m in Tokyo, I always love staying at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, which recently reopened after an extensive remodel. There’s something incredibly calming about it: the understated elegance, the quiet sense of luxury, and the incredible views over the city, and the feeling of being tucked away above the energy of Shinjuku. I also have a soft spot for the Hotel Okura. The history, mid-century Japanese design, impeccable service, and serene atmosphere make it feel timeless.
Tokyo also never runs short on amazing meals. One favorite I always return to is Ginza Karin, an upscale izakaya in Ginza owned and operated by chef Yuka Nakamura. She and her team prepare an incredible variety of Japanese dishes designed to be enjoyed alongside great drinks, and the whole experience feels warm, lively, and welcoming. The food is outstanding, the energy is fun, and if you stay late enough, there’s a good chance the evening will end with karaoke!
What store or service do you always recommend?
My friends who visit wine country always ask for great places to visit for wine tastings. I have a handful of my favorite wineries and tasting rooms that I like to share, but my number one pick is the wine bar Maison Healdsburg. It’s run by Evan and Jade Hufford, the team who helped launch SingleThread in its inaugural years. They offer amazing local selections, alongside wines from around the world, and also lots of educational and fun tasting experiences, casual chef pop ups, and rotating wines by the glass. And they’ve built an amazing community, as it’s a frequent stop by local winemakers, wine fans, and restaurant industry workers who stop by after their work shifts to end their day with a great drink.
Where are you donating your time or money?
One of my annual contributions is to WAM (Women’s Audio Mission), which I learned about during my career at Apple. They help train and provide job placement for young women who want to learn music production and audio engineering, a space that has been historically underrepresented. One of our team’s goals in creating technology like GarageBand was to help democratize music creation and allow more people to be hands-on with the technology themselves, and bring it into reach for everyone (in an industry that used to be very technical, geeky, and expensive to enter).
REAL ESTATE • On the Market
Three homes with multiple parking spots that came to market in San Francisco in the last 30 days.
→ 349 3rd Ave (Inner Richmond) • 4BR/1.1BA • 1884 SF • Ask: $1.495M • 1900 build w/ demo permit and 3-condo plan • Days on market: 7 • Agent: Jason Chan, BarbCo.
→ 29 Joy St (Bernal Heights, above) • 3BR/3.1BA • 2455 SF • Ask: $2.495M • rare modern build w/ 3 levels, sweeping views • Days on market: 10 • Agent: Rohin Dhar, City Real Estate.
→ 37 Calhoun Ter (Telegraph Hill) • 3BR/3BA • 2260 SF • Ask: $6.25M • rare cul-de-sac offering in SF’s most-coveted neighborhood • Days on market: 5 • Agent: Gregg Lynn, Sotheby’s.
REAL ESTATE LINKS: How the AI goldrush is impacting SF residential sales • SF’s rent boom spreads to other parts of the Bay Area • SF city government signs largest lease yet in Mid-Market.
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Golden brown
The Skinny: To clear up any confusion, a mallard is a breed of duck, while the Maillard reaction is the scientific process for browning food (say it fancy, it was discovered by a French chemist). So despite the cute duck logo, Maillards Smash Burgers was named after the latter, in honor of what makes their burgers so delicious. They’ve been popping up at the Outer Sunset Farmers Market and Heritage Restaurant & Bar since 2023, at the forefront of SF’s smashburger obsession. Now they have a permanent spot in the Outer Sunset outpost of Two Pitchers Brewing, which opened in April.