Foodie: Crazy passionate about food, drink, and cooking. Love locally owned, original restaurants, bars, cafes. Not a big fan of national chains.
Squirrel: Constantly foraging for food, easily distracted and easily amused. Tends to run in erratic paths in the kitchen and on the streets of the city while looking for a meal.
Why Foodie Squirrel?
Foodie Squirrel was an idea born years ago over a fabulous dinner and wine with the husband squirrel. Why? I LOVE food, drink, cooking (not baking, though, I’m terrible at baking), eating out and exploring restaurants and bars. I enjoy taking my Pugs out to eat, drink and travel when possible and always have to search for places that are pet-friendly. I also LOVE to talk about food and drink. I share my experiences and favorite places to go with everyone I know whether they like it or not. People were starting to ask for restaurant tech support, and I found I enjoyed sharing my excitement and passion about the places I go to eat and refuel.
Also, while I do use restaurant review sites to find places I am frequently disappointed in the rating systems. I am extremely particular and have pretty high expectations. With that said, it doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a dive bar or hole in the wall restaurant. Sometimes you get the best and most interesting food, drink and experiences that way! Also, I don’t think a restaurant should have a terrible review all because of one server making a mistake. I take many things into consideration. That is why I decided to break down the ratings to things that really matter to me instead of just a blanket rating or love, and I think to a lot of other food lovin’ folks.
What you’ll find here are reviews for a mostly “Plant-based” lifestyle (I am not 100% vegan- more like 98%). I will review (and re-review my favs) restaurants, bars, cafes, recipes, kitchen gadgets, food products and experiences from cooking classes and boot camps.
Foodie Squirrel Facts:
Foodie Squirrel, (me), was born and raised in Napa, Ca before it was all “fancy” and stuff. My parents owned a fantastic meat market that I worked at growing up. I was a meat eater until 1995! I also worked at wineries when I was a teenager and worked as a server in many restaurants into my mid-20’s.
There’s a very loving and supportive squirrel husband as well as an incredibly talented squirrel child who is studied Cinema Makeup and cosmetology in Los Angeles, CA. Now she is back in college majoring in Astrophysics and Astronomy. She also decided on her own to eat a vegan diet.
I have attended several Food & Wine Enthusiast courses including Bootcamps at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, CA, The Pantry in Seattle,WA, and many others. I am always looking for a class to take so that I can continue learning everything I can and become a better a cook and mixologist!
Big fan of Red Wine, Gin, Tequila, Whiskey, and Sake.
Popcorn junkie.
Artichoke fanatic.
San Jose Sharks fan.
Obsessed with music and going to live shows, big or small.
Addicted to food and chef documentaries and shows.
I am owned by two of the best and most beautiful Pugs in the universe. Mochi who is named after, yep, the sweet little Mochi ice cream dessert and Mushu who was named after the dragon in Mulan. Mushu is still young and crazy. We got him after our boy Shiro, who is named after the famous Seattle Sushi chef, passed away. I have had Pugs for almost 25 years and did rescue and fostering for a very long time. Currently, my schedule doesn’t allow me to foster but we support ALL animal rescues with donations and other assistance.
I am in love with Seattle and San Francisco. I wish I could live in both cities simultaneously. We have a little condo in Seattle and live there part-time. Our main home base, for now, is Folsom, CA. Yes, Johnny Cash, Folsom Prison etc 🙂