The Giuseppe, Modified on Josey Baker Bread...Bread
It's no secret that NoPa is exploding on the food front - both a blessing and a curse.
With great popularity inevitably comes longer waits and increased hassle: a rigidity that gives our once fluid, leisurely morning brunch unnecessary weekend structure. The neighborhood's namesake restaurant sees lines around the corner come Sunday morning and patrons of The Mill mill about awaiting their tasty toasts.
Luckily, all hope for a relaxing weekend meal is not lost just yet.
Having been graced with tremendously glorious weather and the company of out-of-town guests from chilly Chicago, I decided to put my professional picnicking skills to good use, take advantage of my up-and-coming surroundings, and show off my new and improved, four-step process for a successful Sunday sit-down in the park.
Step 1 - Peruse the farmers' market at Grove and Divisadero for fresh, easily sharable fruits like strawberries and oranges.
With great popularity inevitably comes longer waits and increased hassle: a rigidity that gives our once fluid, leisurely morning brunch unnecessary weekend structure. The neighborhood's namesake restaurant sees lines around the corner come Sunday morning and patrons of The Mill mill about awaiting their tasty toasts.
Luckily, all hope for a relaxing weekend meal is not lost just yet.
Having been graced with tremendously glorious weather and the company of out-of-town guests from chilly Chicago, I decided to put my professional picnicking skills to good use, take advantage of my up-and-coming surroundings, and show off my new and improved, four-step process for a successful Sunday sit-down in the park.
Step 1 - Peruse the farmers' market at Grove and Divisadero for fresh, easily sharable fruits like strawberries and oranges.
 Oranges and Tangelos |  Strawberry Baskets Forever |
Step 2 - Stroll back down Divis and enter the spacious, welcoming new Bi-Rite location for sandwiches, salads, and your bottled beverage of choice.
 Sandwich Counter, Bi-Rite Market |  Wine Rack, Bi-Rite Market |
Step 3 - Head one block east to Alamo Square Park, plop down your finest picnic blanket (or that spare bed sheet you just so happened to have lying around from college), and unload your bounty.
The Feast is Ours!
Step 4 - Wrangle up a few close friends and remember why you wanted to picnic in the first place: to enjoy your company, both old and new. To soak up the sun and breath in the picturesque city that surrounds you. To be able to bring your dog along for the day and watch him frolic through the grass and make acquaintances when he isn't begging for food. To have the freedom to kick off your shoes and run around - just because you can. To look at the Painted Ladies and blast the theme song from Full House (not that anyone really does that).
We totally did that.
To break away from the formality, and from the lines in which we find ourselves standing both for food, and sometimes, in life.
We totally did that.
To break away from the formality, and from the lines in which we find ourselves standing both for food, and sometimes, in life.
 |  |
Nosh on,
Josh
Josh