Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo. In celebration, we are having guacamole and drinking beers from Mexican brewer Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery. Hooray for avocado sales at Costco and beers for sampling! The four Mexican beers we tried were Bohemia, Indio, Tecate and Tecate Light. We’ve had plenty of Tecate before, so the only new-to-us beers were the Bohemia and Indio.

* Bohemia – Brewed in Mexico with hops imported from the Czech region, Bohemia has deep but subtle aromas of fruit, roasted barley and minerals that give way to an almost cocoa-like bitterness and sweet vanilla taste notes. Available nationwide.

* Indio – This dark Mexican lager is known for its malt character and light caramel aroma. Available in CA, TX and IL (also Tucson, Phoenix and Las Vegas).

Both were refreshing and perfect for the great weekend weather we’ve been having. They paired well with the guac. Neither was strikingly complex, but if we had to choose the household favorite of the two, Indio would come out ahead with its nuttier flavor.

If we DO pick up some Bohemia in the future, we might try making this Bohemia Float cocktail!

Hooray for trying new beers!

Other fun news around these parts – the seester and I headed up to Sacramento for brunch with San and Gina at a place called Bacon and Butter today. The place is as good as it sounds! Their pancakes were quite impressive, and I thoroughly enjoyed the smoked salmon biscuit sandwich – see below. Afterward, we walked around the Midtown neighborhood, picked up some iced coffee and did a little browsing in the secondhand aka thrift aka consignment shops.

In the past, I’ve written about the “joys” of homeownership, but really it was an opportunity to complain. Bad plumbing. Ant problems. Expensive appliances. Based on those other posts, you’d think it was more of a burden than anything. There really are positives though, so I’ll discuss a few of them today.

One reason I love being a homeowner is security. When I went through the exercise of identifying my core values awhile back, one word that stuck through the entire process was security. That meant all security and stability – financial, physical, etc. Owning my own home provides that sense of security, even if from a different perspective, it means I’m locked down to the home for awhile. San Francisco is my homebase, and being tied to a city that I know and love isn’t a terrible thing. With the housing market in this area so strong, if the situation arises where I have to move, I have the option of selling or renting it out.

Housing in San Francisco is notoriously expensive, so finding a house for a price that I could afford monthly mortgage payments on was fortuitous. Trust me when I say it was a unique situation, and I probably wouldn’t have bought a house otherwise. SO SO THANKFUL it worked out. I don’t have to worry about the fluctuating rental market, and I don’t have to live with the parents [but I do see them when I can]. Reasons two and three for loving homeownership here – not living with the parents and not worrying about rent increases.

It also helps that I fell in love with this living room. Natural light!

One last reason to love homeownership is that I have a place where everything is done by my rules! What are some of these rules?

* Wearing pajamas and vegging all weekend long is totally okay. So are living room dance parties and random mid-day naps. Probably not a rule exclusive to those who own homes, but I’d get more crap about it if I was living at home with the parents.

* During Christmas this past year, only the stockings went up since there wasn’t room for the tree. They’re still on the mantle – staying up way longer than they should…

* These monsters get to live with us, but they don’t get to sleep in our bedroom.

Regardless of whether you own your place or not, what are some of YOUR house rules?

Disclosure: I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

As much as we’d love to, Ryan and I are hardly the type to jump on the latest restaurant opening. We enjoy food and dining experiences when we can, but in a city like San Francisco where eateries are popping up left and right, we can’t possibly keep up. Our wallets can’t either! Husband-wife team Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski’s State Bird Provisions was named best new restaurant in America by Bon Appetit in 2012. We only now paid a visit. We managed to snag a reservation that wasn’t 9:00 in the evening. Woo!

In addition to the menu, there are a wide variety of dishes that are presented dim sum-style on carts and trays. We ordered two items [uni pancake and quail eggs] off the menu and waited for the rest to surprise us.

1/2 dozen cast iron quail eggs, sunchoke & ravigote

mendocino sea urchin, ginger/scallion pancake, soy-lime glaze

Before those two even arrived, we’d already started off our meal with an array of dishes.

duck liver mousse with almond biscuits and fried green garlic bread with burrata

It was difficult at first saying “no” to items being presented practically on our table. Descriptions were elaborate and enticing, but we quickly developed a system for keeping our orders in check. If anything piqued my interest, I would order it. If I wasn’t so sure, I’d check in with Ryan to “confirm.” If he really wanted an item, he’d order it, and if he also wasn’t so sure about it, he’d be the one denying the dish. With only two stomachs, this system worked for us. With a larger group, we might have tried one of everything and then revisited the ones that everyone liked…

charred Spanish octopus in tomato salsa and steak tartare with pickled ramps

And our favorite for the evening:

scallop sashimi with avocado & satsuma

Not pictured: our beverages (a housemade root beer and a Saison), guinea hen dumplings with aromatic broth, raw oysters with spicy kohlrabi kraut & sesame, and a wild rice dish.

We didn’t save room for dessert, unfortunately.

Each dish was a unique combination of flavors and textures, so we looked forward to hearing about and trying them. Just like most dim sum experiences, there is a bit of table invasion. Each time dishes arrive, conversation is interrupted, and you are paying attention to the dishes being presented. This was definitely more welcomed at State Bird Provisions since we had no idea what was coming in each round. The pacing was a little fast, but it meant that there was always something we could be nibbling on and someone checking in on our table.

State Bird Provisions accepts reservations up to 60 days in advance. Here’s a tip: Check the reservation page around 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning to see if anything is available. If you’re okay with dining alone, this is a great spot for it. Several tables and seats at the bar are left unreserved for walk-ins, so you may have a better chance with that. Show up before they open!

For April, it appears that the Must Have box has taken a bit of a minimalist turn… There are no “Extras” to fill in the gaps. I received mine early this week, but perhaps I wasn’t as excited about it this time around, and so there was no urgency to post the contents.

Must Have – April 2013

Must Have Fashion * Green Garmento Four-in-One Reusable Dry-Cleaning Bag * Shashi New Nugget Bracelet
Must Have Beauty * Kai Perfume Oil * Tatcha Petal Fresh Evening Aburatorigami Beauty Papers
Must Have Food * Alter Eco Dark Quinoa Chocolate

The funny thing about The Green Garmento bag is that I recently saw it on “Shark Tank,” that television show where entrepreneurs try to sell their business/product to potential investors. It didn’t win the approval of the Shark Tank, so I guess they’re going a different route. Hopefully the owner has a better sense of her finances now because when she was on the show, she did not give a very good impression at all.

I’m slowly working on expanding my jewelry collection, so definitely a fan of the bracelet from Shashi since it’s fun, but also simple.

I remember getting the Tatcha blotting papers in one of my first PopSugar Must Have boxes. I’m guilty of not having used those ones yet, soooo I’d better get into spring cleaning mode and use all the things that I buy! Anyone else have that problem?

PopSugar is an online lifestyle brand targeting women between the ages of 18 and 39. The Must Have box curated by its editors really struck a chord with me. If you’re interested in giving the MUST HAVE box a try, sign up here. Use code REFERFRIENDS for $5 off your first order (new subscriptions only)!

Check out my other PopSugar Must Have reviews: here!

Happy Cheese Giveaway Day, friends. I seem to be counting down towards each weekend, and in just blinks, it’s already April. Where did the time fly? I can tell you in later posts, but first – you heard me right! Cheese Giveaway! Several months ago, I attended what would be my third Food Fete. At this event, food producers and distributors have a setting smaller than that of the Fancy Food Show to introduce their products to the media. Sartori Cheese was in attendance again this year, and I was immediately drawn back to their table because of their amazing BellaVitano cheese!

Established in 1939, Sartori is a fourth-generation family owned and operated company based in Wisconsin. With three of the 53 Master Cheesemakers (and a fourth in training) on staff, you know they mean serious business when it comes to cheese. To make great cheese, you need great milk! The milk used to make Sartori’s Cheese comes from local family-owned farms within about 50 miles of their plant and is 100% r-BST hormone free. Many of the dairy farms have been with Sartori for multiple generations.

It’s great cheese, folks!

Sartori was kind enough to send me samples for further review, and while all of the flavors were unique and delicious in their own way, Ryan and I agreed that one in particular was our favorite. Can you guess which one of these six?

Sartori Reserve SarVecchio Parmesan – extra aged parmesan with a creamy texture (winner of over 25 awards)

Sartori Reserve Chai BellaVitano – BellaVitano hand-rubbed with black tea, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves

Sartori Reserve Espresso BellaVitano – BellaVitano hand-coated with fresh ground Italian roast espresso beans

Sartori Limited Edition Cannella BellaVitano – BellaVitano steeped in cinnamon liqueur

Sartori Limited Edition Peppermint BellaVitano – BellaVitano hand-rubbed with crushed peppermint candy

Sartori Limited Edition Pastorale Blend – blend of cow and sheep milk hand-dusted with Spanish paprika

If you picked the LAST one on the list, then you’re correct. We’re a fan of the cow and sheep milk mixture with the paprika coating! The other cheeses were outstanding also, especially the Chai and Espresso ones. May be difficult to imagine, but once you try them, you’ll know what I mean. These are only the tip of the iceberg. Sartori makes over 20 varieties of cheese. They make for a pretty intense cheese plate.

Here’s your chance at trying a selection of them! I’m giving away several of Sartori’s Reserve cheeses – SarVecchio Parmesan, BellaVitano Gold, Raspberry BellaVitano, Espresso BellaVitano and Rosemary Asiago. Note that this giveaway is only open to those in the United States.

Yes, I review all entries for validity.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PS – You can always shop Sartori’s online Cheese Shop!

Full Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, except for the free cheese. All opinions are my own. I love cheese.

My friend Ashley recently packed up her belongings and bought a one-way ticket to Canada. In today’s guest post, she talks about how she altered her mindset on the move to make this huge transition easier and less intimidating. Rather than seeing it as a big scary uprooting, she views it as just another awesome adventure. I love and share this outlook on life because it makes for much more fun and interesting experiences. Without further ado, here is Ashley!

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When I decided to move from Texas to Canada, I told myself it was going to be a super awesome, life changing adventure. I did this partly because I knew it was true, but also because, if I looked at this huge transition as an adventure rather than “uprooting my life and moving to a new country,” it somehow seemed less intimidating and like something I could actually follow through with.

An adventure means there will be windy trails, new paths, and there will be times when you get lost and have no idea where you are. There will be highs and lows, and you might even cry, but it’s an adventure, so you pick up your head and keep going. You have faith that it will get better, and the outcome will be filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and pride for what you just experienced.

An adventure means new memories, monumental growth, and exploring new lands. It means meeting new people, discovering new foods, and learning more about yourself every day. It means being open, trying new things, holding back judgment, and putting yourself out there.

Reframing my move to Canada in this new light has allowed me to be more accepting when things don’t always go the way I imagined. It has allowed me to be kinder to myself and take a step back when I’m feeling frustrated or anxious about what the next step will be. It has taught me to be more trusting and more adventurous. It has pushed me further outside of my comfort zone while also minimizing my feelings of fear and insecurity.

When you think about life as an adventure rather than a win-lose game or a list of boxes to check off before you turn 35, there is less fear because the possibility of failure disappears. Your meticulous plans and society-induced ideas about how things “should go” don’t hold as much weight. You are free to branch out on your own, go a different direction, and experiment with what makes you truly happy.

The previous anxiety-filled possibility of it all going off the tracks seems like just another exciting step along the adventure trail. There are no right or wrong answers and no mistakes because each lesson you learn leads you further along the path and deeper into the adventure. Self-doubt disappears because the pressure to have it all figured out with a perfect execution plan is gone. You are able to lean into the unknown, release your expectations, and be present. You are able to take big leaps, do the unexpected, and finally go after what you want.

If my decision to move to Canada has taught me anything, it’s that life is a beautifully crazy adventure. We can’t predict what will happen or how things will turn, but we can learn to trust ourselves to let go, lean in to the adventure, and enjoy the ride.

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More about Ashley: 

Ashley Wilhite is a Life Coach who helps courageous women figure out what the heck they want to do with their lives + find the confidence and courage to actually go through with it. Whether you want to move across the country, backpack through Thailand, become a yoga instructor, write a book, or quit your soul-sucking job, Ashley will help you change your life, one daring adventure at a time! You can find Ashley at Your Super Awesome Life.

While I did not win the trip to Chile, all finalists did receive a bag full of Chilean goodies. One of those items – 100% Pure Blueberry Juice from Tamaya Gourmet. After a quick search online for ideas on a cocktail to try with blueberries or blueberry juice, I decided on doing my own version of a mint julep. While it is a bit strong for my tastes, I present to you this week’s Saturday Swig – a blueberry mint julep!

Blueberry Mint Julep

Peppermint, muddled
Bourbon
Blueberry Juice
Agave Nectar (to taste)
Ice for the shaking

As always, the measurements and the Bourbon used are too taste.

For two drinks, I ended up using a lot of the blueberry juice (see photo below) and adding agave because the bourbon was overpowering. A different and more subtle brand might work better for something like this. Also, I think that using blueberry puree might have been a better choice to emphasize the blueberry in the drink.

I’m not a whiskey drinker YET. I think my problem might be my tendency to want to smell everything as I’m drinking. Once the scent hits my nostrils, the intensity overwhelms me. I once attended a Bourbon tasting and only got through a tiny sip of less than a handful. There were more than a handful to try, of course. I’m slowly trying to acquaint my taste buds with the flavor. Since the tasting, I’ve ordered an occasional bourbon-based cocktail now and again. On Friday, Ryan’s coworkers did an Old Fashioned night, which I willingly participated in. It may one day grow on me… or not. It’s hard to say. Your tastebuds change over time anyway.

No complaints from my two taste testers who like strong drinks like this though!

Happy St. Patrick’s weekend! For this week’s Saturday Swig, we hopped on over to The Ice Cream Bar in San Francisco’s Cole Valley neighborhood. For the weekend (March 14 to March 17), they have a special St. Paddy’s menu! In addition to a special ice cream flavor (Guinness Brown Bread), the menu includes:

The Dublin Honey Ice Cream Float : Guinness stout, caramelized honey ice cream, and Valrhona chocolate syrup, topped with a float of Graham’s 10 year old tawny port

Potato Leek Soup served with house made Irish brown bread

Corned Beef Plate : House cured corned beef served with roasted potatoes, carrots, and cabbage

A little over a year old, it’s no ordinary ice cream shop. The Ice Cream Bar is a soda fountain and ice cream parlor inspired by the soda fountains of the 1930s. Open daily from noon to 10pm, it serves up an ever-changing selection of ice cream and some creative fountain drinks made of homemade extracts, as well as a few savory items. With all the tinctures on the wall and lined up along the counter, it feels like you’re waiting for an apothecary’s concoction.

Last summer, The Ice Cream Bar’s root beer float was included in Eater SF’s list of San Francisco’s 19 Most Iconic Drinks. Having tried the root beer float on a prior visit, I decided to try something else on the menu that sounded interesting – A Stalk in the Park (celery seed extract, fountain syrup, cream, lactart, soda, celery stalk, and fresh mint). The combination of lactart, soda, cream and mint gave it almost a kumquat flavor. Very unique and delicious!

If parking in the neighborhood was a lot easier and if I wasn’t saving up for our Copenhagen trip, you would find me at The Ice Cream Bar often. With the variety of drinks, I could probably do a Saturday Swig here week after week. It’s the kind of place you wouldn’t mind turning into your local watering hole. They’ve got a great space, delicious food and desserts, and if you’re up for it, boozy desserts!

Eating all the Peeps from the March’s Must Have box seemed like such a good idea at the time…

Must Have – March 2013

Must Have Fashion * Heather Belle Tassel Necklace * Hollywood Fashion Secrets Sweater Saver
Must Have Beauty * Buxom Sculpted Lash Mascara * The New Black Nail Polish
Must Have Home * The Laundress Specialty Washes * Corkatoo Corkscrew

Extras * Marshmallow Peeps * Hollywood Fashion Secrets Fashion Tape Assortment Pack

Looks like they’re considering the cold weather trend we have been having!

Hollywood Fashion Secrets Sweater Saver removes pills from sweaters, coats and blankets without damaging them. I need more sweaters if I am going to have all these new products to take care of them with.

I’ve heard of The Laundress before (mostly good things), so I am looking forward to trying the Wool and Cashmere Shampoo in my box. I’ve got a pile of pants somewhere that I’m saving for dry cleaning that I could probably just hand wash with this!

The Corkatoo Corkscrew is cute, but we have plenty. We’ll probably gift it or save it for a rainy day when we can’t locate any of the other corkscrews we have in the house.

I’m stoked that there’s a 50% discount for Hollywood Fashion Secrets in the box as well. Gotta stock up on those nipple petals, perfect for wearing those tops and dresses that do not allow for wearing a bra!

Any items in this box that stand out to you?

PopSugar is an online lifestyle brand targeting women between the ages of 18 and 39. The Must Have box curated by its editors really struck a chord with me. If you’re interested in giving the MUST HAVE box a try, sign up here. Use code REFERFRIENDS for $5 off your first order (new subscriptions only)!

Check out my other PopSugar Must Have reviews: here!

While I love listening to music, I haven’t been much of a concertgoer. When I received an email from Skype inviting me to attend Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, my heart nearly skipped a beat. My blood pressure certainly rose as I was that excited. I notified the seester right away about the show, and we got to scheming our outfits!

On the day of the concert, I took off an hour early from work to make sure we’d get to San Jose on time, even in commuter traffic. We were dressed from head to toe for the occasion and added the final touches by getting our makeup done at the local radio station’s booth.

Before Lady Gaga’s performance, we got to hang out with fellow bloggers (Hi Chelsea and Mallory!) at the VIP Skype Hospitality Party where we enjoyed light bites, drinks, Skype cupcakes, a make-up station and goodie bags!

When it was time for the show, we shuffled down from the party to our seats. Skype really hooked it up! We had an incredible view of the stage, and the crowd’s energy was contagious.

And thankfully Lady Gaga encouraged plenty of photos and stood still enough for my Nokia Lumia 920′s low light settings. Not too shabby, right?

The opportunity to see Lady Gaga live was incredible. She gave a fantastic performance and amazed with stage design, theatrics, and costumes. I don’t think I’ll ever forget seeing and dancing to some of my favorite songs performed at such close proximity to Mother Monster!

Disclosure: Complimentary tickets to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball Tour were provided by Skype. I was not asked to write about the show, but how can I not talk about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (even months later)? All Lady Gaga-lovin’ opinions are my own, and I received no compensation for this post.