Issue #9 September: Falling into Fall with Galas and Mooncakes 🥮

Plus where to eat hotpot as the weather gets colder, a new exhibit celebrating Korean pop culture, and the stylish men of SF finally get a store that gets them.

I can’t believe it’s already fall 🍂! We’re experiencing a heat wave right now in the Bay Area so it’s not quite sweater weather yet, but I’m getting ready for all things pumpkin-spiced. As someone who doesn't leave the house after sunset, this month was quite eventful for me–a non-profit gala, an opening party for a men’s boutique, and the opening night for a museum exhibit (details for all below). And of course, I ate my obligatory mooncake to celebrate the Autumn Moon Festival 🌝. Wishing you all a harvest of happiness this season! 

Eat 😋 

Hotpot Champ (Chinatown, SF)

The most comforting meal for chilly nights is hotpot. For those unfamiliar, it’s basically a pot of flavored broth that’s heated up on a gas stove at your table. It’s served with raw meat and veggies that you cook in the broth and then dip into sauces you make from the sauce bar. It’s fun to do with friends because it’s interactive and everyone ends up serving each other as the ingredients cook in the pot. Hotpot Champ offers both individual pots and bigger shared pots for larger parties. We opted for all-you-can-eat and ordered the beef and lamb combo plus a variety of fresh seafood, veggies, and noodles. Their sauce bar also had appetizers like pickled cucumbers and lotus root salad. We came for the meat wheel, but stayed for the authentic hotpot experience.

Mt. Kakigori Shaved Ice (pop-up at various Bay Area locations)

On the other side of the temperature spectrum is shaved ice 🍧. My friend’s brother and girlfriend started a kakigori (Japanese shaved ice) pop-up last year and has been serving up bowls of these tasty icy treats all over the Bay Area. The shaved ice is similar to what’s found in Hawaii and Japan where the ice is soft and fluffy rather than crunchy. They top off the shaved ice with seasonal fruits and homemade syrups and jellies. At their fall pop-up, they served sweet potato and chai flavors. They have one more pop-up before the season ends on Oct 13th in Albany, just in time for the heat wave. 

Bi-Rite Market (Russian Hill, SF)

The long-awaited Russian Hill location of Bi-Rite 🛒 finally opened! Compared to their other stores, this one is so comfortable and spacious. No more squeezing by other shoppers while awkwardly reaching for ice cream. Great selection of produce, dry goods, dairy, snacks, prepared foods, plus a deli counter. I discovered my new favorite popcorn 🍿–Tochi salted egg!

Shop 🛍️

SVRN (Lower Pac Heights, SF)

Where do the cool guys shop in SF? If you ask my partner, Josh (the coolest guy I know), he’ll just roll his eyes and say, “some sad basement.” And it’s true. Men’s collections are often relegated to the basement of department stores like an afterthought. But the guys who love Lemaire, Rick Owens, and The Row deserve better. And now they have a home. Pronounced “sovereign,” SVRN is a Chicago-based boutique that recently opened up shop in SF, carrying only men’s. The store has turquoise textured wavy walls, exposed ceiling fixtures, sculptures from Seoul-based artists, and dried flower installations in the dressing rooms. It’s a stunner, like something you’d find on Mercer St. in NYC. I’m trying really hard not to feel left out of the club.

Give 💝

Chinatown Community Development Center 47th Annual Gala (Fairmont, SF)

The fall is the start of gala season in SF and the best one is always CCDC’s. I’m biased, of course, having been a board member for six years, and currently a committee member for the past two. CCDC is a non-profit focused on affordable housing and community advocacy for low-income residents in SF 🏘️. The gala is the main fundraising event for the organization and we’re truly lucky to have the support of major donors. This year, we had to switch venues last minute due to labor disputes impacting several hotels in the city so we landed instead at the Fairmont, which thankfully was available. The venue is beautiful and historic and grand in every way. We honored former Mayor Willie Brown with the Lifetime Achievement Award. I still can’t believe he turned 90 this year! His secret to longevity? Vodka 🥔.

See 🖼️

Hallyu! The Korean Wave at Asian Art Museum (Civic Center, SF)

For those who love Korean pop culture, there’s a new exhibit at the Asian Art Museum, celebrating all things K-pop from music and entertainment to fashion and beauty. There’s really no denying the impact Korean pop culture has had on the world in recent years. (Squid Game still holds Netflix’s record for the most popular series of all time.) There’s even a room with all the various lightsticks from K-pop concerts. We went to the opening night of the exhibit and got to sample some bites like the Korean corn dog from Two Hands.

Watch 📺

Agatha All Along (Disney+)

A new Marvel show just dropped in time for spooky season and there’s no better witch 🧹 to watch than Agatha Harkness played by the fabulous Kathryn Kahn. Agatha was a character introduced in WandaVision, the first Marvel series I ever cared about (and also the best IMO) because the story centers around a woman’s grief and trauma rather than a bunch of silly dudes fighting. Agatha All Along takes place after the events of WandaVision when Agatha awakes from a spell cast by Wanda with the help from a teenage fanboy played by Joe Locke. She needs to get her powers back by walking The Witches’ Road and assembles a coven to join her. Aubrey Plaza is also amazing in the show and plays another witch / enemy / maybe ex-lover of Agatha? There’s only a few episodes so far, but I’m pretty excited. This is a helpful YouTube for more background on Agatha’s character.

Read 📖

James (Percival Everett)

My high school English teacher gave me an old illustrated library copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The cover was worn, the pages were barely intact with notes scribbled in the margins, but I devoured the story anyway. The book still lives on my shelf decades later. So when I heard about James, a retelling of this classic novel from the perspective of Jim, I couldn’t wait to read it. I actually listened to it on audiobook and it was the right choice. The narrator’s mesmerizing voice paired with Everett’s beautiful words completely transported me right onto the raft with Jim and Huck on the Mississippi River (though I wouldn’t have survived 😅). It was funny, bittersweet, tragic, inspiring, and a classic of its own making. Apparently, Steven Spielberg is directing the movie version! 

FAQ ❓

Q: I’m not a fan of traditional mooncakes, but still want to celebrate the Moon Festival. Is there an alternative?

A: I recently learned in a group chat I'm in with other friends who love to eat that many of them don’t like mooncakes 🥮. A traditional mooncake is made of a thick pastry with a sweet lotus paste and a salted egg yolk and to many, it tastes as weird as it sounds. It’s usually the size of an adult palm and very high in calories so most people only eat a wedge at a time. The cakes come in festive packaging and are popular gifts during the Autumn Moon Festival every year in September. I don’t love mooncakes, but also don’t mind eating a wedge once a year. However, I recently discovered an Asian-woman founded bakery called Little Moon Bakehouse (formerly Annie’s T Cakes) that makes modern and vegan versions of the cakes. They have an online store and are also at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market on Saturdays. I tried the black sesame mooncake, the salted egg yolk mooncake, and the almond cookie (inspired by the Everything Everywhere All at Once movie). The mooncakes are light and not-too-sweet with a flaky pastry and I would guess not 1000 calories each 😆– definitely not-your-mother's mooncakes. Also, look how beautiful they are: