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GO EAT<br />
PICA PICA MAIZE KITCHEN<br />
401 Valencia St • 415-400-5453<br />
picapicakitchen.com<br />
Savory corn cakes stuffed with beans, meat<br />
or cheese are the specialty at this brand-new<br />
location of an old Napa favorite. Add yucca<br />
fries and one of six salsas for the perfect meal.<br />
Eat at a table or take it with you in a 100%<br />
biodegradable to-go container. $<br />
THE AMERICAN GRILLED<br />
CHEESE KITCHEN<br />
1 S Park Ave • 415-243-0107<br />
theamericansf.com<br />
This new spot specializes in everyone’s<br />
favorite childhood snack: grilled cheese.<br />
Try the mushroom and gruyére version, or<br />
add some meat and go with the turkey and<br />
havarti. Only open on weekdays for lunch and<br />
Saturdays for breakfast, this joint is already<br />
wildly popular. $<br />
NOPALITO<br />
306 Broderick St • 415-437-0303<br />
nopalitosf.com<br />
Nopalito serves gourmet Mexican food that<br />
uses local and organic ingredients. Grab a<br />
spot by the window (after a nearly mandatory<br />
but never-too-long wait) and savor mole<br />
enchiladas and a michelada—a zesty Bloody<br />
Mary-type drink of beer mixed with assorted<br />
sauces. $$<br />
GO PARTY<br />
LI PO COCKTAIL LOUNGE<br />
916 Grant Ave • 415-982-0072<br />
Li Po is the consummate Chinatown dive bar.<br />
Its basement was reputed to be an opium den<br />
in days of old. Today, it has a wraparound bar,<br />
a golden altar that burns incense, and dark<br />
vinyl booths in the back that are perfect for<br />
talking business or sipping a delicious Mai Tai<br />
in private.<br />
EL RIO<br />
3158 Mission St • 415-282-3325<br />
elriosf.com<br />
This Outer Mission institution is like an<br />
a la carte neighborhood bar. Live music?<br />
Check. Back patio to get away from live<br />
music? Check. Affordable, well-mixed drinks?<br />
You betcha’.<br />
FUN FACT!<br />
The “Ham and Egg Fire” is the name of the<br />
blaze that devastated San Francisco after the<br />
1906 quake.<br />
San Juan<br />
PUERTO RICO<br />
— Joanne Curcio Quiñones<br />
GO SHOP<br />
UNIQUE STOP<br />
364 San Francisco St, Old San Juan<br />
787-354-5317<br />
You won’t meet anyone else with the same<br />
scarf, purse or necklace if you found it at<br />
this bohemian boutique. The uncommon<br />
accessories here are the handiwork of talented<br />
but largely undiscovered designers from as far<br />
away as Istanbul and the Amazon.<br />
ISLAND BASICS SOAPS<br />
205 San Justo St, Old San Juan • 787-646-7433<br />
Whether you prefer the aroma of lavender<br />
or leather, there’s a good chance you’ll fi nd<br />
the scented soap of your dreams here. The<br />
handmade soaps and lotions are crafted with<br />
rainwater, essential oils and imagination.<br />
PAREO<br />
101 Fortaleza St, Old San Juan • 787-728-7168<br />
pareopareo.com<br />
Step inside this boutique for the island’s most<br />
exotic and colorful selection of wraps, sarongs<br />
and cover-ups, as well as accessories made<br />
from coconuts, bamboo and banana leaves.<br />
GO SEE<br />
CAGUAS BOTANICAL &<br />
CULTURAL GARDEN<br />
Road 156, Caguas • 787-653-8990<br />
Nature lovers will fi nd these 60-plus acres to<br />
be a tropical Garden of Eden with thousands<br />
of fl owering plants, palms and indigenous<br />
trees. It also has a hydroponic garden, an<br />
aviary, a waterlilly pond and a lake with<br />
paddleboats, as well as a few historical and<br />
cultural exhibits.<br />
SAN FELIPE DEL MORRO FORTRESS<br />
Old San Juan • 787-729-6960<br />
nps.gov/saju<br />
This massive fort nicknamed “El Morro” is a<br />
UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site and<br />
a must-see for history buffs. Its nearly fi vecentury-old<br />
tiers and tower overlook the picturesque<br />
San Juan Bay, and it’s probably the<br />
most photographed landmark on the island.<br />
CONDADO CULINARY FEST<br />
Ashford Ave, Condado • 787-603-1880<br />
ramonespuertorico.com<br />
For three evenings only, Condado turns<br />
into a giant street festival where families<br />
and revelers have the chance to sample<br />
the savory cuisine and tasty beverages of<br />
area restaurants. There’s also plenty of live<br />
music to keep the crowd on its feet long after<br />
dinnertime has passed. Oct 22-24.<br />
ggourmet<br />
& cl clas<br />
.com .com<br />
GO EAT<br />
CAFÉ BERLIN<br />
407 San Francisco St, Old San Juan<br />
787-722-5205<br />
cafeberlinpr.com<br />
This scenic European-style café is a must for<br />
vegetarians, but that doesn’t mean healthconscious<br />
carnivores won’t fi nd a delicious<br />
dish here to rave about. The Sunday brunch is<br />
fantastic, especially the make-them-yourself<br />
waffl es with fresh-fruit toppings. $$<br />
SOLEIL BEACH CLUB & RESTAURANT<br />
Road 187, KM 4.4, Piñones • 787-253-1033<br />
soleilbeachclub.com<br />
This semi-upscale waterfront restaurant and<br />
bar has some of the best fritters (fried appetizers)<br />
in town. Don’t leave without feasting on<br />
a bacalaito (codfi sh fritter). Located smack in<br />
the middle of the island’s famous rustic strip of<br />
eateries, it offers ample people-watching. $$<br />
LIMA<br />
667 Ponce de Leon Ave, Miramar • 787-725-1597<br />
limarestaurante.com<br />
Expect a chic New York-style ambience and<br />
impressive contemporary Peruvian cuisine and<br />
cocktails at this popular eatery known for its<br />
mouthwatering ceviches and nearly two dozen<br />
drinks fueled with pisco (a traditional Peruvian<br />
liquor). $$$<br />
GO PARTY<br />
NONO’S BAR & RESTAURANT<br />
100 San Sebastian St, Old San Juan<br />
787-725-7819<br />
This is the place to fi nd nonstop action until<br />
the wee hours. Downstairs is a restaurant<br />
and Puerto Rican-style pub with a top-notch<br />
selection of beers and cocktails. Upstairs,<br />
dubbed “Los Balcones,” offers a bird’s-eye<br />
view of the lively San Jose Plaza.<br />
ETERNAL LOBBY LOUNGE<br />
At Conrad San Juan Condado Plaza<br />
999 Ashford Ave, Condado • 787-721-1000<br />
condadoplaza.com<br />
Cocktails and conversation fl ow day and<br />
night at this ultra-modern hotel lobby bar and<br />
lounge. Bermuda shorts and evening gowns<br />
are found side by side in an ambience that<br />
combines metropolitan sophistication and<br />
casual style.<br />
FUN FACT<br />
A tiny, melodious tree frog—the coquí—is the<br />
symbol for Puerto Rico and a favorite muse for<br />
local artisans.<br />
bouq uquets<br />
Receive 10% off when mentioning AirTran SHIPPING AVAILABLE<br />
www.flowerstoeat.com 813.341.2328<br />
OCTOBER <strong>2010</strong> GO MAGAZINE<br />
asse ses<br />
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