Hello, hoppers. How you doing out there? I feel a little bit like Princess Leia in the trash compactor scene, but I’ve got this. Over the weekend, I led a 28-person group of Brits through San Francisco for a food and cocktail trend tour for two full days (and nights!) and am just catching my breath before this Friday’s tablehopper vintage Blue Fox dinner at Alfred’s!
It’s going to be so special, and there’s an exciting update: even though Alfred’s sadly remains closed because of that dang basement fire a few weeks ago, they are opening just for this event, and we are now taking over the entire restaurant upstairs (and the bar)! What this means is I have more tickets for you that just got released! It’s going to be such a special night, I really hope to see you there. People are getting dressed up, and we’re going to have live music, and stories, and one hell of a menu, with cocktails and wine pairings and more. Let’s raise a glass to old-school San Francisco!
Next Tuesday is going to be my last tablehopper issue for a few weeks—as you may know, I am heading to Thailand for my first time! I’ll be spending a week in Bangkok, and then am going on the 10th anniversary mission with Pencils for Kids to deliver 900 backpacks filled with school supplies and school uniforms to children in schools (many of them orphans, or they come from families who earn approximately $1 per day) in Chiang Rai. It’s an amazing organization, and I am honored to be an ambassador! (You can read more on their site, and any donation goes a long, long way!) I’ll be spending my last week relaxing in Koh Samui and Koh Tao, where I plan to learn how to dive! So excited. It’s going to be one heck of a trip.
A couple of quick notes: fellow charcuterie and salumi lovers, you will want to check out this piece I wrote for Blackboard Eats on all the latest places in SF to score awesome housemade charcuterie.
This week practically killed me with news. I am seriously dazed from how much typing I have had to do the past two days. Pour yourself some coffee, this issue is a beast. I really hoped to run some last-minute Mother’s Day brunch ideas for you, but hopefully today’s post on new brunches will inspire you—there are some good ones in there! (Real quick: you could also go to DOSA on Fillmore for a family-style menu, Leo’s Oyster Bar is open on a rare Sunday, Le Colonial or La Mar’s brunch buffet would be fun, and 54 Mint is offering a nice all-day menu.)
I am trying to transport myself mentally back to Filoli Gardens last week, which hosted one of the dreamiest garden parties I have ever attended, full stop. It was a celebration of Robert Fountain International’s 20th anniversary, and it was on one of those magic warm nights we had last week! I couldn’t believe the grounds—after all the rain we’ve had, everything is on full bloom and blast!
Taste Catering served a spectacular spring-inspired spread, with garden mule cocktails, and I was especially happy to see Eugenio Jardim at the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant-stocked bar, pouring his Émile Leclère Champagne and Ernest Vineyards rosé (yes way rosé). What a treat to be able to bring my mother to this gorgeous fête and soak in all that gorgeousness. You know my wheels are turning about hosting an event there. But for now, all I am thinking of is this Friday at Alfred’s!
Cheers! Marcia Gagliardi
Garden magic at Filoli. Photo: © tablehopper.com.View tablehopper Newsletter from Tuesday, May 9 2017
