Visit San Francisco: Peony Seafood Restaurant

After a fantastic morning at the Farmers Market, we met our friends from the Bay Area who drove us across the Oakland Bridge to treat us to lunch at Peony Seafood Restaurant - a hidden gem known for its Cantonese cuisine and DIM SUM! Our friends did all the ordering for us, and included some classic dim sum dishes, as well as some dishes that I have never tried before. Everything we ate was amazing! I wish I had known about this place when I lived in the Bay Area for graduate school. I would have been here every weekend!  

The only thing I didn't like about this experience was the traffic heading back to the city (scroll down to the last pic!). But it was definitely worth it!

 

PEONY SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

388 9th Street (#288)

Oakland, CA 

510-286-8866

Closed Tuesdays

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Visit Utah: Metaphor: The Tree of Utah

On the way to the Bonneville Salt Flats from Salt Lake City, you'll come across Metaphor: The Tree of Utah.  

It's a peculiar, colorful sight as you drive past miles of barren land. 

Created by artist Karl Momen, the sculpture stands 87 feet high, and is made with 225 tons of cement.  

It literally is in the middle of nowhere, and this sculpture does indeed break up the monotony of the landscape.  

As with most art, it is subject to interpretation, and the fact that Momen entitled the piece with the word "Metaphor" in it only reinforces that fact.  

There were plans to build a museum at the site to open by 2020, but I'm not sure what happened to those plans, as there is no museum, nor anywhere to park if you wish to take photos (I've read that people would get cited for pulling over on the side of the road to take photos, so do so at your own risk).  

If you've seen this sculpture, what does it mean to you?  

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Ice Cream Adventures - New Update

It's been 5 years since I last updated our ice cream adventures!  Below is the updated list of ice cream shops and places that offer ice cream (cafes, pharmacies, etc.).  

My all-time favorite is still Sea Salt Ice Cream with Caramel Ribbon at Salt & Straw in Portland, Oregon.

Sea Salt w/Caramel Ribbon @ Salt & Straw

Locally, my favorite place for ice cream is Black Sheep Cream Co.

New highlights over the past five years included The Creole Creamery (Louisiana), Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (Ohio-based, but we tried it in Texas), Buttercup Ice Cream and Chowders (Oregon).

Happy eating!

*Added since last update

Alabama
*Cammie's Old Dutch Ice Cream Shoppe (Mobile)

Arizona
Churn (Phoenix)
Sweet Republic (Phoenix)

Arkansas
*The Spark Cafe (Bentonville)

California
Cako Bakery & Catering (San Francisco)
Daily Scoop (San Diego)
Ghirardelli Chocolate Marketplace (San Francisco)
Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor at Disneyland (Anaheim)
Ice n' Cream (Glendale)
IT's-IT Factory Shop (San Francisco)
Paradis (Pasadena)
Toy Boat Dessert Cafe (San Francisco)

Colorado
Little Man Ice Cream (Denver)
Magill's Ice Cream (Denver)

Connecticut
Praline's Ice Cream (Kensington)

Delaware
The Ice Cream Store (Rehoboth Beach)

Florida
*Fannie Lou's (Pensacola)

Georgia
*Butter & Cream (Atlanta)
*Morelli's Ice Cream (Atlanta)

Hawaii
8 Half Desserts (Oahu)

*808 Sugar HI (Maui)
Aloha Gelato (Oahu)
Aloha General Store (Oahu)
Angel's Ice Cream (Oahu)
Anuenue Ice Cream & Shave Ice (Hawaii Island)
Black Sheep Cream Co. (Oahu)
Blue Bubble Creamery (Oahu)
Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream & Desserts (Oahu)
Butterfly Ice Cream (Oahu)
CC Cookies & Cream (Oahu)
Coconut Glen's (Maui)
Da Hawaiian Brain Freeze Shave Ice and Ice Cream (Hawaii Island)
Dave's Ice Cream (Oahu)
*Double Three (Oahu)
*Dylan's Candy Bar (Oahu)
Hawaiian Licks (Hawaii Island)
Henry's Place (Oahu)
Hula Cookies & Ice Cream (Maui)
Il Gelato Cafe (Oahu)
Island Cream (Maui)
Island Shave Ice & Creamery (Oahu)
Kailua Ice Cream (Oahu)
*Kith Treats (Oahu)
Kokoro Cafe (Oahu)
*Koloa Mill Ice Cream & Coffee (Kauai)
*Kozmic Cones (Hawaii Island)
Kulu Kulu (Oahu)
Lappert's Hawaii (Kauai)
Lucy's Lab Creamery (Oahu)
Magnolia Ice Cream & Treats (Oahu)
Makana Market & Cafe (Maui)
Makani's Magic Pineapple Shack (Hawaii Island)
Maui Ku`ia Estate Chocolate (Maui)
Ono Gelato (Maui)
Pa`ina Cafe (Oahu)
Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery (Oahu)
The Pillbox Pharmacy (Oahu)
*Sage Creamery (Oahu)
Scoop of Paradise (Oahu)
Summer Time (Oahu)
*Sweet As Real Fruit Ice Cream (Oahu)
Tropical Dreams (Kauai)
Two Scoops Ice Cream Parlor (Oahu)
Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha (Oahu)
Via Gelato (Oahu)
Wing Ice Cream Parlor (Oahu)


Idaho
Roger's Ice Cream & Burgers (Coeur d'Alene)

Illinois
*The Original Rainbow Cone (Chicago)

Indiana
BRICS (Broad Ripple)
Sub Zero Ice Cream (Indianapolis)

Iowa
Wells Visitor Center and Ice Cream Parlor (Le Mars)

Kansas
Sylas and Maddy's Homemade Ice Cream (Lawrence)

Kentucky
The Comfy Cow (Louisville)

Schneider's Sweet Shop (Bellevue)

Louisiana
*The Creole Creamery (New Orleans)
*Gail's Fine Ice Cream (New Orleans)
*Lucy Boone (New Orleans)

Maine
Rococo Ice Cream (Kennebunkport)

Maryland
Lucky's Coffee, Ice Cream, and Candy (Baltimore)

Massachusetts
Bliss (Boston)
Emack & Bolio's (Boston)
Friendly's (Boston)
J.P. Licks (Boston)
Treadwell's (Peabody)

Michigan
*Frosty Boy (Grand Rapids)
*Ray's Ice Cream (Royal Oak)

Minnesota
Milkjam (Minneapolis)
Minnewaffolis (Minneapolis)
Grand Ole Creamery (St. Paul)

Mississippi
*Chillville Creamery (Gulfport)
*Quakes Ice Creamery (Ocean Springs)

Missouri
Glace Artisan Ice Cream (Kansas City)

Montana
The Cove Ice Cream (Polson)

Nebraska
eCreamery Ice Cream & Gelato (Omaha)
UNL Dairy Store (Lincoln)

Nevada
BLVD Creamery (Las Vegas)
Serendipity 3 (Las Vegas)

New Hampshire
Blake's Restaurant (Manchester)
Puritan Ice Cream (Manchester)

New Jersey
*The Bent Spoon (Princeton)
George's Candy (Ocean City)
*Thomas Sweet (Princeton)

New Mexico
I Scream Ice Cream (Albuquerque)
La Lecheria (Santa Fe)

New York
Ample Hills Creamery (Brooklyn)
Dylan's Candy Bar (New York City)
Ice & Vice (New York City)
Yogurt & Candy World (New York City)

North Carolina
*Golden Cow Creamery (Charlotte)

North Dakota
Scoop n Dough (Fargo)

Ohio
Graeter's Ice Cream (Cincinnati)

Oklahoma
*Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Store (Tulsa)

Oregon
*Buttercup Ice Cream & Chowders (Nehalem)
Fifty Licks (Portland)
Salt & Straw (Portland)
*Tillamook Creamery (Tillamook)

Pennsylvania
Bank Street Creamery (Easton)
Bassetts Creamery (Philadelphia)

Rhode Island

Newport Creamery (Newport)

South Dakota
Stensland Family Farms (Sioux Falls)

Tennessee
Mike's Ice Cream & Coffee Bar (Nashville)

South Carolina
*Abbott Farms (Spartanburg)

Texas
*Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (Dallas)

*Justin's Ice Cream Co. (San Antonio)
*Ked's Artisan Ice Cream & Treats (Dallas)
*Rhea's Ice Cream (New Braunfels)
*Scoop & Score (Austin)

Utah

*Blacksmith Ice Cream (Salt Lake City)

*Farr Better Ice Cream (Ogden)

*Leatherby's Family Creamery (Orem)

Vermont
Ben & Jerry's (Waterbury)

Virginia
The Creamery (Alexandria)
Pop's Old Fashioned Ice Cream (Alexandria)

Washington
Brain Freeze Creamery (Spokane)
Chocolate Apothecary (Spokane)
Molly Moon's (Seattle)
Seattle Bay Creamery at Miner's Landing (Seattle)
Snoqualmie Candy Factory & Cafe (Snoqualmie)

West Virginia
A la Mode Cafe (Harpers Ferry)

Wisconsin
Olson's Ice Cream (Eau Claire)

Wyoming
Big Dipper Ice Cream Shop (Laramie)

Washington DC
Ice Cream Jubilee

Canada
Cow's (Whistler)
Earnest Ice Cream (Vancouver)
Rain or Shine Ice Cream (Vancouver)
Silvestre Gusto Latino (Vancouver)
UYU Ice Cream (Vancouver)

Hong Kong
*Milk & Cream Ice Cream Bar (Tsim Tsa Shui)

Japan

31 Ice Cream (Tokyo)
a le Loic (Tokyo)
Brigela (Tokyo)
Coisof (Tokyo)
Crepe Shop at NamjaTown (Tokyo)
da Luciano at NamjaTown (Tokyo)
Daily Chico (Tokyo)
Decora Creamery (Tokyo)
Ice Cream Cones at Tokyo Disneyland (Tokyo)
Ice Shop at NamjaTown (Tokyo)
Long! Longer! Longest! (Tokyo)
Sowa (Tokyo)
Yaro Ramen (Tokyo)

New Zealand
Giapo (Auckland)
Movenpick (Auckland)
New Zealand Natural (Auckland)

South Korea
*Baskin-Robbins Brown (Seoul)
*Gustoa (Seoul)


United Kingdom
*Hans & Gretel (London)
*Marshfield Farm (London)
*Milk Train (London)
*Mr. Whippy (London)
*Panache Ice Cream (London)

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Lunch Specials at Han No Daidokoro Kaka'ako

I recently attended a media lunch with Nat at Han No Daidokoro to check out their lunch specials at the Kaka'ako location. The restaurant which features the highest quality A5 grade Miyazaki beef and Washu beef directly imported from Japan is open for lunch from 11:30am to 3pm with the last seating at 2pm. This was my first time at Han No Daidokoro, but Nat was already a fan. 

Looking over the many lunch specials, we decided to share the most popular set -  Washu & Miyazaki Tenderloin Set ($68.00/5.3oz) which comes with Kimchi, Appetizer, Salad, Miso Soup, and Rice. We also ordered the Hot Stone Bibimbap set and added Washu Beef for $10 more. The Hot Stone Bibimbap was mixed at our table by the server, but we had full control of the grill. The Washu beef was amazing, but the Miyazaki was melt in your mouth incredible! I would definitely opt for this set again. The bibimbap was also really good and I enjoyed the slight sweetness of the sauce. 

Lunch specials comes with Kimchi, Appetizer, Salad, Miso Soup, and Rice. 

You have the option to add Washu Beef to all bibimbap and soup sets.

Signature lunch special with both Miyazaki Beef and Washu Beef tenderloin.

Cooked to your liking!

We ended this fantastic meal on a sweet note with their house-made mascarpone ice cream topped with local honey and a house-made creme brulee. They made the perfect pair of desserts. Service was great and I look forward to returning! 

House-made mascarpone ice cream

House-made creme brulee

Dining room

Dining room

Thank you Han No Daidokoro for the invite!  

Han No Daidokoro
1108 Auahi Street, Suite 150 - Honolulu, Hawaii 96814

(808) 517-3229

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Visit Big Island: Piʻilani Kitchen

Piʻilani Kitchen is about a 25-minute drive from Hilo, but it's so worth it.

They have some of the best sandwiches on the island!

Portuguese Meatball Sub

The Portuguese Meatball Sub was a special, and it sure looked amazing!

Cubano

Caprese

I had the Caprese.  I loved the pesto and all the cheesiness, and it was just so delish!

You must get the sandwiches with the ʻulu mac. The house pickles are great too!

Piʻilani Kitchen
28-1099 Old Mamalahoa Hwy
Pepeekeo, HI 96783
(808) 731-4077

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Visit San Francisco: Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

For my 50th birthday, I flew to San Francisco with one of my BFFs for the weekend. San Francisco holds a special place in my heart, which is why I wanted to come here to celebrate this milestone!

Our trip began with a visit to the Farmers Market at the Ferry Building. Located along the scenic waterfront, this market offered an incredible mixture of fresh produce, artisanal goods, and gourmet treats. While we were here, we had to try the chilaquiles from Primavera. It was the perfect start to our adventure in the City!

Stay tuned for more stops on my San Francisco adventure!

 

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Visit Hilo: KTA Super Stores

KTA Super Stores is so much more than a grocery store.  Whenever I go to the Puainako location, I love looking at the bakery / deli section to see what kinds of treats they have.  

We went on Valentine's Day and I couldn't resist the festive donuts.

I also got a Chantilly Cocoa Puff, because I just love chantilly!  I didn't really care for this, however.  The flavor of the chantilly was off. 

I had no idea they had steamed manapua and pork hash, so I got some.  I was pleasantly surprised with how tasty both were.  Even my co-worker enjoyed it.

I of course couldn't leave without some Kelly Boy's cookies - perfect for omiyage!

KTA Super Stores

50 E Puainako St

Hilo, HI 96720

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