12 Hours by the Bay

A recent post titled 12 Hours in New York by The Amateur Gourmet is a love letter to his home city. If you were leaving home for an extended period, how would you spend your time?

The Bay Area is my home, so these are my last 12 hours by the Bay.

It's a Tuesday in autumn, from 8:30am to 8:30pm. The fog rolls in as usual in the morning, burning off midday until it's sunny and clear. Since it's autumn there is a crisp breeze, just enough to create sweater-scarf conditions.

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8:30am

I emerge from The Bar Method studio in San Mateo at the end of the intense 1 hour class. The Bar method uses elements of pilates and yoga in minute movements to really sculpt your body. I'm never that sweaty after this class but always exhausted.

9:15am

After a quick shower I head to Fraiche Yogurt in Palo Alto for a quick and healthy breakfast. Owners Patama and Jessica are so nice, and the half-oatmeal, half-yogurt mixture hits the spot after a hard workout. In Her Shoes next door provides a little eye candy while I eat. All proceeds benefit the Global Fund for Women- cute shoes and a great cause.

10:45am

After breakfast it's time for a little shopping at Stanford Center. There are lots of great shops including J.Crew, Nike, Kate Spade, and Williams Sonoma. The big outdoor complex houses beautifully manicured flowers, perfect for a little practice photography. I can get my rings cleaned at Tiffany's while I browse at Bloomingdales or sip samples at Teavana. If I get hungry I could stop at La Baguette for a croissant, but I think I'd like to save my appetite a bit.

1:30pm

Since we're going out this evening I don't need much lunch, but I do want an afternoon snack. Time for my favorite stop on the way home- Yumi Yogurt in San Mateo. They have 8 flavor bursts every day as well as 6 rotating frozen yogurt flavors. It's my special day so of course they have my favorites: Pumpkin and Pistachio. I get a small size with half of each flavor topped with toasted almonds. No better afternoon snack, even on a crisp afternoon.

2:30pm

After my snack I need to pick up a few local staples to have at the house. I stop at Suruki, the Japanese supermarket in downtown San Mateo. They have loads of special goodies, many unidentifiable if you don't know what they are and can't read Japanese. Despite being imported prices are amazing- rice, sesame seeds, and wonton wrappers are cheap here. I grab some frozen dumplings, nori, and soba noodles to stock my pantry.

5:00pm

Dinner in Burlingame wouldn't be complete without a stop into my favorite store of all: Anthropologie. I sometimes spend more time in the kitchen/dining room sections than in clothing. . . sometimes. But today I can't resist a necklace with beads and baubles. Perfect for my outfit this evening.

6:00pm

Burlingame Avenue's sidewalks are full of people on the weekends but it's quieter on Tuesday. We have no competition for the cozy velour chairs in the lounge at Nectar Wine Lounge for a flight. The bar is funky with a honeycomb theme, and the small plates are scrumptious. Just wine tonight because we will be moving on, so we sip our South American and Greek flights with leisure. There's plenty of time to enjoy the atmosphere in the cozy bar.

7:00pm

The two block stroll to dinner is giddy after our drinks and we arrive on the doorstep laughing. We've arrived for a delicious meal of sushi rolls at Barracuda Sushi, where the live jazz and rosy light create a wonderful atmosphere. We order miso and a selection of rolls with names like Sexy Mermaid and Lady in Red.

8:15pm

It's almost time to go, but there is just enough time for one more treat for the road. Down the street we pop into Copenhagen Bakery for a cappucino. I can't help drooling over the gorgeous pastry case filled with dozens of pretty confections.
Can I resist? . . . Not tonight. I share half of a small kransekage and I'm ready to go.

But only for a little while. I love this home of mine and can't wait to return.

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The Bar Method

128 De Anza Blvd, San Mateo

(650) 573-3330

Fraiche Yogurt

644 Emerson, Palo Alto

(650) 566-0055

Kate Spade at Stanford Shopping Center

El Camino Real and Sand Hill Road, Palo Alto

(650) 324-3813

Yumi Yogurt

3955 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo

(650) 341-0939

Suruki Supermarket

71 E. 4th Avenue, San Mateo

(650) 347-5288

Anthropologie

220 Primrose Avenue, Burlingame

(650) 685-6637

Nectar Wine Lounge

270 Lorton Avenue, Burlingame

(650) 558-9200

Barracuda Sushi

347 Primrose Avenue, Burlingame

(650)548-0300

Copenhagen Bakery

1216 Burlingame Avenue, Burlingame

(650) 342-1357

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