January Love Letter

Happy New Year! Like everyone else, I’m looking forward to all that 2009 has to bring—and I’ve made a few resolutions to help it be the very best year it can be. Here are my top three goals:
1. Get cultured. Luckily, the city of San Francisco has plenty of cultural opportunities, from our fabulous museums to vibrant festivals. This year, I want to check out the colorful Chinese New Year Spectacular at the Opera House, which runs from Jan. 7–11 (divinearts.org/sanfran) and the famed Chinese New Year Parade (chineseparade.com) on Feb. 7.
2. Add a little more spice to my life. It’s easy to fall into a routine, but I’m going to make it a point to try as many new restaurants and cuisines as possible this year. First on my list is the new Dosa in Pacific Heights (dosasf.com). It’s the second location of a Southern Indian favorite in the Mission. If you’ve never tried Southern Indian cuisine, get there immediately! The restaurant’s delicious namesake dosas and heady curries have made it a local phenomenon.
3. Get outdoors. Instead of attending my usual yoga classes and hitting the gym, I’m going to take advantage of San Francisco’s natural beauty with hikes and runs through the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, Ocean Beach and more (parks.sfgov.org).  We’re blessed with moderate weather year-round, so there’s no excuse not to get some al fresco activity!

I hope the year brings you plenty of adventure and excitement, too. Enjoy your stay in San Francisco!

Karen Palmer