Monday, December 30, 2013

2013 in Review

Here are some of the biggest and best moments on Work It, Berk in 2013... And here's to many more in 2014!

This is inspired by this post by Amelia Morris of Bon Appétempt, one of my favorite food bloggers.


January

In January, I spotted this adorable couple on Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley. They let me in on this intimate moment, which added so much more than if it were a solo photo. 


 February

In February, I took this ethereal image of a UC Berkeley student on Sproul Plaza. The way she mixed her prints is still mesmerizing. 

March

I began my love affair with Sheng Kee Bakery on Telegraph and Bancroft Avenues in March. They serve a variety of sweet and savory baked goods that still surprise me every time.


April

In April, I took my food review of San Francisco favorite, Flour + Water, to the next level by sinking my teeth into what I really thought of my dining experience. I also learned what no to do when photographing food, which helped improve my photography dramatically. (My macro lens helped too.)

May

In May, I shared my love of Grégoire in North Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto on Cedar and Shattuck. Their famous potato puffs definitely made an appearance. 

June

In June, I was treated to a weekend at the Vans Warped Tour in Mountain View by Kia. During this time, I stayed at the W San Francisco in SOMA, where I feasted on delicious brunches of poached eggs and more.


July

In July, I spotted this effortlessly chic look at the Temescal Street Fair along Telegraph Avenue in Oakland.


August

In August, I visited the Treasure Island Flea Market for the first time, spotting this lady's gorgeous dyed hair almost immediately.


September

In September, I published the first images from Now and Later, the throwback series that features looks from a subject's past and present. This is but one of the beautiful photos captured during this photo session.

October

After months of impatiently waiting, I finally visited Beauty's Bagel Shop on Telegraph Avenue and 40th Street in North Oakland. The lox was divine.

November

In November, I brunched at Coffee Co in Los Angeles' Westchester neighborhood with an old friend. These are the fluffiest scrambled eggs I've ever seen.

December

In December, I tried modern Mediterranean food at Momed in Beverly Hills. This flatbread is still tantalizing my tastebuds from afar. 

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Work It, Berk: Litas Are Back



Spotted at the Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair on Telegraph and Bancroft.
Check out more photos from Berkeley.

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Monday, December 23, 2013

Eat in San Francisco: Blue Front Cafe


Beef & Lamb Gyro Wrap with Greek spiced beef & lamb, grilled onions, hummus, tomatoes, cucumber, and lettuce, served with hummus and dolma



While spending some time in San Francisco this past weekend, I tried Blue Front Cafe on Haight between Masonic and Ashbury. This cozy restaurant serves all the classic dishes you're looking for when you're in the mood for delicious Middle Eastern food.

Being the gyro fiend that I am, I ordered the Beef & Lamb Gyro Wrap that came with all the fixin's, including homemade hummus, grilled onions, tomatoes, cucumber, and lettuce. The meat, which was moist and flavorful, was cleverly cut into bite-sized cubes instead of slices, making it quite portable. The pita bread the gyro was wrapped in was toasted to perfection, another welcome change. The wrap also came with tasty dolma and hummus that any hummus fan would love.

If you're ever yearning for a gyro in The Haight, I would wholeheartedly recommend trying Blue Front Cafe.

Blue Front Cafe
1430 Haight St., San Francisco, CA 94117
Open: Daily 7:30am - 10pm

Check out more posts from San Francisco.

I've recently tried the Shredded Pork Bun, German Pudding, Mocha Cream Horn, and Portuguese Custard Tart at Sheng Kee Bakery. Mm mmm!

Psst! Have you heard the December Playlist?

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Monday, December 9, 2013

Grizzly Love Giveaway


Tibetan Prayer Skull Ring

I'm excited to announce that I'm partnering with Blair Lauren Brown of Grizzly Love to give one lucky reader this gorgeous Tibetan Prayer Skull Ring, which retails for $158. Blair has 112 years of family history in jewelry. Her pieces are created in New York City and made with conflict-free rough diamonds, recycled gold and silver, and ethically mined raw gold nuggets.

This ring is made with black diamond or raw, uncut diamond eyes, in sterling silver. It's available for sale alongside her other pieces at Melissa Joy Manning Jewelry in Berkeley at 1827 5th St. Here's more information about the skull ring.

I'm using Rafflecopter to allow you to enter in as many ways as you wish. You'll receive a point for each method you choose. The last day to enter is Sunday, December 15th. The randomly-selected winner will be notified via email on Monday, December 16th. This giveaway is limited to domestic readers.

Blair is also offering a 20% discount for blog readers through New Year's. To redeem it, simply let her know that you found her through this blog. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pssst! Have you heard the December Playlist?

I made poached eggs.

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Thursday, December 5, 2013

Eat in Beverly Hills: Momed


Duck "Shawarma" made with oven-dried tomatoes, fig, and garlic aioli, served with house pickles and Momo chips


Fig & Arugula Pide Flatbread with caramelized onions, halloumi cheese, and dukkah

 

I ended my Thanksgiving break in Los Angeles dining with an old friend at Momed in Beverly Hills. Short for "modern Mediterranean," this casual restaurant takes a new spin on traditional Mediterranean dishes like shawarma. 

We started with the Fig & Arugula Pide Flatbread. It was freshly prepared and very fluffy, similar to just-baked naan. In addition to fig and arugula, the pide was topped with caramelized onions, halloumi cheese, and dukkah. The flavors complemented each other perfectly. This was truly a treat.

We both ordered the Duck "Shawarma," which came with house pickles and Momo chips. Their shawarma is one of the lightest I've tried. You can tell that all of the ingredients in it are deliberately picked and freshly prepared. The pickled vegetables are slightly tangy. The potato chips are made in-house and are very crisp. 

I would definitely recommend trying Momed if you're looking for Mediterranean food that leaves you feeling clean, yet satisfied. They also serve what looks like amazing Shakshuka for breakfast and brunch.

Momed
233 S. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Open: Monday - Thursday 11 - 9:30, Friday 11 - 10, Saturday 10 - 10, Sunday 10 - 9:30

Check out more posts from Beverly Hills.

Psst! Have you heard the December Playlist?

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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

December Playlist by Kim Rohrer


Kim Rohrer, one talented lady

I'm proud to announce that the monthly playlist is back. This month, we've got a musical powerhouse at the helm, Kim Rohrer.

I met Kim while working at Disqus this past summer. Besides running People Ops over there, Kim's got several pet projects of her own: a witty blog, Kim's Kitchen Sink, a new project for the potluck-inclined, Potluckiest, and Organization Organizers for fellow HR folks. Kim's also a talented singer, sometime ukulele player, and theater lady.

Without further ado, here's our December Playlist packed with tons of holiday tunes.

This photo was used with Kim's permission and seal of approval.


Check out more of our monthly playlists.

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