“Not many years ago, it was access to information and movement that seemed our greatest luxury; nowadays it’s often freedom from information, the chance to sit still, that feels like the ultimate prize. Stillness is not just an indulgence for those with enough resources – it’s a necessity for anyone who wishes to gather less visible resources… Going nowhere … isn’t about turning your back on the world; it’s about stepping away now and then so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply.” ― The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere by Pico Iyer
Squab tikka masala at Farmer & The Fox, St. Helena
Hope you all had a restful Thanksgiving with those you love… I’ve been savoring a week with family in LA & Orange County, and catching up on the latest in LA.
Meanwhile, here’s what’s happening in NorCal with yet another slew of new openings:
This issue:
Crystal Jade cocktails
Top Tastes – My Food Articles, November 16-30: 12 of my current Zagat articles on new restaurants, East Bay & Wine Country openings and more.
Imbiber – My Drink Articles, November 16-30: 5 of my current Zagat articles on 3 new wine bars and 4 new cocktail and sherry menus in SF and Napa.
Imbiber – 3 Spirits Picks for November: My top new spirits releases this month: mezcal, a cacao spirit, an agave spirit and a single malt whiskey.
As your personal concierge who tells it like a good friend would, I also create personalized itineraries: trips, meals, explorations (under “Services“).
Virginia
Editor, Distiller Magazine
SF Bay Guardian Critic (Weekly Column: 2009-2013)
Spoonwiz
Freelance: The Times London, Eater, PureWow, Drink Me Magazine, Citysearch, NBC’s The Feast, Blackboard Eats, Tasting Table, Grubstreet, Where Magazine
**Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Virginia Miller**