"A" and I (finally) got married last month and we decided not go to with a wedding cake, but we…read moreeach chose our favorite dessert instead. I chose macarons (of course) and he chose mini cupcakes. I'd been Instagram stalking Macarons A Go-Go for years, so our wedding was the perfect opportunity to finally order from them. And why just go with boring (but still great) round ones, but go with character ones instead? I'm a huge Studio Ghibli and tokidoki fan, so I requested Totoro and the tkdk honey bear, as well as a regular round one in salted caramel, lemon, and mango guava. They were super responsive and really patient when I couldn't make up my mind about flavors, characters, etc. They also delivered the macarons to our venue and set them in a display stand. They looked (and tasted) amazing! I am already looking forward to our next event so I could order more!!!

Hmmm what to say about Macaron a Go-Go (MAGG)? Well I'll be honest and I have an affiliation with…read morethe owner. I'm willing to admit this because well you want my honest opinion and you'll get it. But know this I'm no slouch when it comes to reviews even if I know you. As a matter of fact I'm giving MAGG their first 4-star rating (all are 5 at the time of this writing) You'll understand shortly. First off the creator behind MAGG, Van, is a connoisseur (bordering obsessed) of many things exotically sweet. If she decides to tackle things its with zest (like her Myer Lemon Macs) and reckless abandon (to my waste lines) but leaves you wanting more. Fortunately she did this with Macarons and now presenting it us so we are lucky for it. She's also a sweetheart to-boot. OK enough about that...now about these fancy cookies... At first the MAGG creations were so-so but after trial and error and hundreds of tastings later, I'm extremely satisfied to say that they are just a delight to enjoy. Every flavor I have tried has been on point. Myer Lemon, Spiced Pumpkin, Fleur Del Sel Caramel and Black Sesame were some of the standouts. The flavors stay true to their name and why wouldn't it be when it's fresh natural ingredients. She says she doesn't use food coloring and I'm just bewildered because they are not only a delight to eat but also look at with their vibrance and beauty (never thought I'd use those words to describe a cookie.) Texture wise the shell is crispy to a snap on initial bite moving inward to a chewy center and then finally the amazing flavored inner cream. I swear if I could "oreo" these cookies and lick out the cream I would but the eating them as a whole is what experience a macaron is about and MAGG does that well. Before I didn't even take notice of a macaron simply because they never really made an impression. Now that I have been re-introduced to them I have sought out and compared many others to MAGG and well they definitely hold their own if not blow out most Bay Area bakeries through the flavors. Now for the reason for the 4 stars, these damn things are on a rarity. You want to collect them as much as you want to eat them. Right now MAGG is only available through special order or in Burlingame Farmer's Market. I just wished there was more places to get them at or one place that had them available all the time since I'm not spoiled with tastings at gatherings anymore. If you are into Macarons then you will definitely need to check out Macarons A Go-Go. As a fringe benefit you'll also be supporting a local small business and great person. Highly recommended (when you can find them)!

Where do I start... SJ Makers have been a huge part in…read morehelping my small business grow. They are a group of individuals that actually care and want to see you be successful. From organizing amazing pop up events to helping you throughout the whole event, coming by checking up on you, and even supporting your small business!! Its a team that i personally like to call a family because they look out for all their vendors and try and make everything as perfect as can be!! Thank you SJ Makers let's continue to make this a great year!!

I have been a vendor at the markets and I would highly recommend it. All of the staff and…read morevolunteers with sj makers are so nice and helpful! This team goes above and beyond for the community and the vendors. They clean up the park before and after the pop ups, they also randomly go out there during the week to help keep the park clean.

Review for 11/20/21 Event:…read more This was our first time being vendors at this venue and let me tell you, this place got it down. Everything was super organized, the event coordinators were great on communication and it was so nice getting to meet all the other talented small business owners! The venue has free parking across the street and the bathrooms inside the building are very clean. Actually, the entire venue is very clean! Looking forward to doing another event here in the future!

When I first heard about Spice Vow through Instagram, I knew I wanted to try it. Their story hits…read morehome :) because the owners are a Filipino and Indian interracial couple like me and my partner! Keep in mind this is not a dine-in establishment and they mostly do catering, but you can catch weekend popups to pick up from their home. They focus on Indian/Filipino fusion foods but also have some non-fusion offerings. Since this isn't a combination you come across often though, we only got the fusion stuff from this week's popup menu. They advertise the weekend popups on Instagram so make sure you follow them to see when the next one is! I ordered ahead through their site and was able to set a pick up time. Our order was ready 5 minutes early, and because this is a new small business, you pick up the food from their home in Redwood City like I mentioned. Karen texted me and let me know the order was ready, and she came out to hand the food to us. She is super sweet, and even gave us some complimentary ube/lychee sago! Very easy order and pickup process. Onto the delicious noms!! We had: Ube chai 4/5: lovely Ube flavor, and some would probably rate this higher, I just rarely like cold chai :D Paneer Lumpia 4/5: we really enjoyed these, the spring rolls were nice and crisp and I liked that they are served on top of a banana leaf. The paneer didn't have much flavor so it gets drowned out by the sweet chili sauce. I think if the cheesy paneer flavor came out more it would be better. Butter chicken palabok 7/5: star of the show! So flavorful and so so good. The little packet of crushed chicharrones to put on top was a nice touch Tandoori chicken sisig 5/5: these fusion meals really hit. This was also bursting with flavor and the egg on top had the perfect jammy texture inside. Ube/lychee sago 5/5: I loved this and wish I got a full serving! There were some chunks of ube halaya and pieces of lychee too. Surprisingly not too sweet, and a really great treat. If you're in the peninsula definitely check them out! I think we are going to be regulars hehe :)

Spicevow in Redwood City is an excellent pop‑up concept blending Filipino and Indian flavors, and…read moreit does it exceptionally well. This is easily one of the best executions of fusion between two rich food cultures I've tried. Orders are available for pickup or delivery (for a small fee). The butter chicken palabok is a must‑try--an absolute standout and a genuinely creative dish. While the tandoori chicken sisig was a bit oily, it still delivered on flavor, combining classic tandoori spices with the familiar presentation and heat of sisig. I also appreciate that they offer catering, especially meaningful for diverse families like mine--and like the owners'. I've heard the paneer lumpia is their bestseller, so that's definitely on my list for the next pre‑order event. Highly recommend supporting this local pop‑up.

The best Vietnamese coffee I've had in my life!! It's so strong & flavorful. I love mine over a…read moretall glass of ice but straight out the bottle is just as good! If you see to go bottles in a store I highly recommend buying a few & stocking up!

This is a super interesting new coffee to try! Their Medium Butter Roast is super unique. It's got…read morea buttery aroma and tasted very very smooth as an espresso. The flavors weren't complex, however, the complete lack of acidic notes (maybe thanks to the butter?) makes this a satisfying shot. I tried it with milk too, but really didn't feel it was necessary. I'm excited to share this with some of my coffee nerd friends!

Los Angeles-based design collabo Poketo has teamed up with SF artist (and Rare Device owner) Lisa…read moreCongdon for a limited edition set of original wallets. Priced @ $20, there's plenty left over to stuff inside or spend on other Poketo goodies such as mugs and paper goods...I splurged for both! San Francsico DJ artist and long-time Poketo collaborator, Nathalie Roland did the walls...stop in for an instant mood lift, now through January 26.

This place is awesome! This cute little place has really cool abstract walls and they sell little…read moremugs and other little things. This place has chill vibes and this is a excellent place for tourist also. I would come here again.

been to PopMart more than a handful of times with my girlfriend…read more She loves it because she likes these blind boxes. And before the Labubu line took off so good thing we get here once in a blue moon

I've been eyeing collections on PopMart's website ever since I was targeted by one of their ads on…read moresocial. I've never been to a store location -- I actually did not even know they existed until I saw this at the mall and I knew I wanted to stop by. It was really packed the day I was there, but it did not stop me from entering and shopping. I ended up finding the collection I knew about and had asked the employee after waiting in the long line to checkout, if they had sold the complete set -- which they did have in the back. It was exactly what I was looking for and was so happy that they had it. There are a lot of other fun collections on display where you can get single blind boxes -- I did get a few others and am excited to see what's inside. Some of these are gifts! I do not typically buy a lot of these types of things, but I would imagine they are priced fairly for the market value. I want to collect all of the Nyota Series and the Snoopy & Woodstock BFFs. It was slightly difficult to shop with it being so crowded, but I knew what I was looking for. The time will pass quickly while in line and I found out there is point program where you earn points per purchase which can be used towards member things. Luckily, I was able to set one up for the purchase I had made that day at the counter.

What is NorCal Kababayan Community? Community that connects…read moreFilipinos in Northern California that lift each other up through Bayanihan, cultural traditions, diverse culinary talents and entrepreneurial skills of our own heritage. Heard about this "Meet and Eat" Fil-Am Bay Area Popup on FB as my sister follows The Chinita Baker and heard they were having an event at the Amtrack Station in Hayward...where? Didn't know it existed and called the Capitol Corridor off Meekland. Who knew? Variety of food vendors (20+) from pork and chicken skewers, pancit, lumpia, plenty of stands with fresh fruit drinks, desserts like flan, Sans Rival cake and shaved ice! This was my first visit to this wonderful event with mainly food vendors with a couple of craft stands like jewelry and soaps. Now I remember why they say never shop while hungry as we ended up being overzealous and buying stuff for creating our own buffet! I'll just think of it as supporting small business! Some yummy stands: GRILLED BBQ and FRIED :: GIM Belly - Get In My Belly bbq - Filipino bbq ribs, grilled pork belly, Hawaiian garlic shrimp, chicken inasal - we shared the bbq ribs and they were so tender and delicious with added sauce! Wonderful! 3 ribs with rice $13 - 5 stars! : : Enee Can Cook - variety of items from Filipino- style lasagne (sweeter like the spaghetti), caldereta, shepherds pie - mashed potato with the same type of seasoned ground beef as the lasagne - yummy 4 stars : : Just N Joy - only stand offering lumpia, chicharrones, "ruffles", and seasoned chicken feet - lumpia was pretty standard but hit the spot - 4 stars : : Hipilito's Kitchen - only stand serving lechon roll, pancit palobok, pork binagoongan (shrimp paste) - lechon was juicy with that crispy skin...not as crunchy as I would like as it's sitting in a warmer with the cover on - 4 stars : : Ian and Janette's Pork Skewer - $1.50 each! Well seasoned and juicy - 4 stars! D E S S E R T S Most ordered by sister and sampled since I'm not big on Asian desserts :( : : Baked by Cara - pandan crinkle cookies : : M + K Street Eats - Filipino version of the Vietnamese drink called che be mau with coconut milk (no shaved ice) : : Mara's Delicacies - bought some flan and a fresh cantaloupe drink with shredded cantaloupe : : Marie's Kitchen - SansRival cake - this was good! This event is a great way to sample a variety of Filipino eats while supporting small business. Venue at the Capitol Corridor (Hayward Amtrak station) is new to me with a great setup...unfortunately, I heard not to leave your car during the day for extended period as 50-50 chance you'll get your windows smashed as area is not monitored. Sad as this a great station to travel from San Jose to Sacramento For this event, you don't have to worry as plenty of people around and a great addition to an area that hopefully is slowly changing. Note: Event is grab and go - tables are not available but bring a small tote to carry all your goodies!

PLEASANTLY surprised of this "flea market" inspired by the famous Parisian flea market that is so…read moreshabby and chic. Did not know of its existence after living in Livermore for over 2 years when did a Google search of best flea markets in SF B ay Area. It is hidden in a large warehouse business area off HWY 580 at Vasco Rd. It is set up with vendors with its own "small" antique shops. Beautifully organized with many beautiful things to find. Was amazed at many reasonable priced furniture pieces. If this "flea market: would get the word out, I am certain that it would bring even more vendors. It is worth to explore since not too many antique shops nestled together in the Tri-Valley area. Only opened once a month for 4 days.

Lovely vintage antique shop with so much french, farmhouse, rustic, and chic decor. Knick Knack…read moreheaven for those who love shopping for unique holiday items!!! Open to the public 3 1/2 days a month, got a chance to visit for the month of November (Nov 6 - 9). The service was awesome, if one of the store associates see you holding an item, they will ask if you want them to put it in a basket for you. When u check out, just mention your basket name and they will ring it up for you. Love it this way so you aren't carrying a bunch of things around since the hallways are really narrow. The warehouse itself has a hallway with a bunch of rooms and stairs to a second floor. Each room has a lot of decor that you can buy, even the ones hanging on the walls. It was really packed even on Friday morning when I went, but it was manageable. I spent an hour and a half here. They mentioned having an outdoor market on Saturday and Sundays but I went on a Friday so I didn't get a chance to see it. However, they might only do that for this month because of the rainier weather next month. Prices were decent. Definitely worth checking this place out. I left with some cute decor for my new place (:

I've always enjoyed these strawberry I always make a purchase when I visit San Fran. I would…read moredefinitely recommend

What a great experience! My wife and I were traveling across country for our 20th anniversary and…read moreSF Dipped was able to have delicious chocolate covered strawberries waiting in our hotel room! My wife was so surprised and happy. Working with them was so easy and they literally went above & beyond my request to help celebrate our anniversary. I highly recommend using SF Dipped for all of your chocolate needs! Thank you!