Veselka.

When I'm in New York, I always head to Veselka.  When I lived in New York (for one summer, in 2004), I lived just a 20 minute walk from here, and would come at all hours.  This is really my perfect idea of comfort food, and it's open 24 hours.  I love the mushroom and sweet potato pierogies.  And the blintzes.  Oh, heaven.  It's great for groups who want to share.  And it's not such authentic Eastern European fare that it can't accommodate vegetarians.

Behold:

Oh, yes.

Tartine.

Everyone in San Francisco worth her salt knows and loves Tartine.  It's one of my Top 10 You-Have-To-Go-When-In-San-Francisco spots.  It's regarded as one of the best bakeries in the entire city-- with amazing French pastries and bread.  It isn't a stuffy kind of place-- more rich, sumptuous, and rustic, just like the pastries.  Dan and I had a late breakfast there yesterday.  It's fabulous luck to live just a few blocks away.

We split the morning bun-- my very favorite!

Blueberry Grunt.

It’s kind of like a cobbler, but not.  It definitely isn’t a pie either.  It’s a berry-filled, biscuit-topped glorious, easy-as-can-be summertime dessert. 

It looks beautiful and is easy to share.  It’s also a good way to use up berries that are just past their prime.  I’ve made it with just blueberries, but it’s also nice to add strawberries, raspberries or blackberries.

Perfect for potlucks this summer, since it can be served at room temperature and travels well (in the same dish in which it cooks).  I should also mention that it is eye-poppingly delicious served hot with ice cream.  I got the recipe from Vegan Yum Yum (so it’s even better, since I can share it with my vegan buddies).

I made this last weekend for my sweetie, and the results were unanimously satisfactory.  But I kind of forgot to take pictures until we'd eaten the whole thing.  Next time, I promise.

Apple Tart.

One of my favorite recipies is apple tart, from Barefoot Contessa (this one can be found in Back to Basics, my copy of which is sticky and spattered from repeated use).  It is beyond easy, especially if you use the pre-made puff pastry.  Everyone will be impressed.  Sometime Sunday morning calls for staying in.  Some coffee and a few buttery slices of this, and it’s breakfast.

Just out of the oven.

With the apricot glaze.

My tart never comes out as pretty as the photographs in her book, but even when I make the full recipe, two of us usually polish the whole thing off.  I’ve never seen it last twenty-four hours.

Four Barrel Coffee.

If you're going to San Francisco... go to Four Barrel Coffee.  It's my very favorite coffee in the Bay Area (maybe the world), they have exceptionally nice and talented baristas, and a really lovely, low-key atmosphere.  It's one of Dan's and my favorite places in our neighborhood and one of the first places we look forward to going when we return from a trip.

I bring Four Barrel coffee to friends and family who aren’t lucky enough to have coffee this amazing two blocks from them. Plus, Four Barrel has Dynamo Donuts (a local donut shop that has flavors like lemon pistachio and vegan chocolate spice).

It's one of the things I would miss most if I ever move out of the neighborhood.