Daily Find
You can't miss this new cupcake boutique – just look for the charming chocolate and vanilla striped awnings. The retro-flavored bakery is appropriately located in the Wallingford Center, a converted 19th century schoolhouse. It's a charming affair altogether – perfectly frosted cupcakes are displayed behind a glass case on an old-fashioned white marble counter and coffee and cupcakes are served from aqua and creamy white Fiesta ware. Stainless-steel and aqua-colored chairs look like they came from Ozzie and Harriet's kitchen.
By Kathy Schultz | February 21, 2007
Daily Find
If your idea of a romantic Valentine’s Day evening involves music, candle light and gourmet cuisine, you’re probably thinking “expensive restaurant,” right? There’s always Canlis, of course, but how about your own dining room?
By Sarah Jio | February 9, 2007
Daily Find
Stop in for a drink –– you’ll find everything from espresso and hand-shaken lemonade to signature cocktails and wine –– or grab a sandwich, but don’t leave without dinner, especially if you’re too busy to cook. Time-pressed locals will find the store’s to-go case –– packed with entrees and sides like caramelized-onion mashed potatoes, “Mom’s meatloaf” and roast pork tenderloin –– particularly enticing.
By Sarah Jio | January 29, 2007
Daily Find
At the Tsu Chong Company in the Chinatown/International District you can special order fortune cookies with sage sayings or predictions. Just write your own inserts and cut them according to the specifications. A 1-pound bag costs $5.50 and yields 60-65 cookies. Or, order the same custom message for each cookie and Tsu Chong will cut and stuff 'em for you. Those are $8.50 a pound. For individually wrapped cookies, add $3.50 a pound. There is a 1 pound minimum order. Turn around time is two days.
By Kathy Schultz | January 26, 2007
Daily Find
Remember when olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette gift sets were all the rage? Fast forward to Christmas 2006, and you'll want to know about artisan salt -- especially if you have a foodie on your gift list.
By Sarah Jio | December 15, 2006
Holiday 2006
The key to giving good host/hostess gifts, according to hospitality experts, is purchasing something slightly novel – a luxury your gift recipient wouldn't likely buy for themselves. When it comes to deliciously scented soaps, candles and lotions, Fremont's Essenza has you covered. Check out its ample supply of L'artisan candles, 1.2 ounces for $16 each, in flavors as varied as wild blackberry and fig tree. A dainty package of black and white Maria Evora soap is another great option, particularly the $12 set of eight soaps in alternating scents of carob/sea salt and beach rose. Cote Bastide body cream is also a delicious gift idea, available for $20 in amber, fig and rose.
By Sarah Jio | December 12, 2006
Daily Find
Crowded malls. Pushy shoppers. Long lines for Santa. If gift shopping is stressing you out, it's time for tea. The Fairmont Olympic Hotel is the perfect spot for a respite from the holiday hullabaloo – yet it’s festive and beautifully decked out for the season.
By Kathy Schultz | November 20, 2006
Daily Find
"My mom used to cut chunks off the roll of caramel for clients," says Margo Masaoka, of the family-run Oh! Chocolate shops.
By Kathy Schultz | November 14, 2006
Like any wine shop worth its pinot, a tour of the racks is a walk around the world. But what makes this shop so special is the depth and breadth of the journey in such an intimate space. The philosophy here is closer to the old adage, "The customer's always right." Most of the inventory's passed several taste tests, the most important being that of the Thursday congregation. Prices and bottles range from $7 for something like the Deakin Estate Shiraz to $134 for the likes of a 1999 Le Pigeonnier du Chateau LaGrezette from France.
By Mark Shaffer | September 18, 2006
Convergence Zone
One of my favorite pastimes while doing shopping "research" is bakery-hopping. I'm always looking for the best of my favorites - poppy seed cake, brownies, Russian teacakes, chocolate chip cookies, breads, cinnamon rolls, croissants … well, you get the picture.
By Kathy Schultz | August 18, 2006
