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White Christmas in San Francisco, Bluestem dinner, Warriors game and weekly workouts

December 19, 2016 By Ashley 18 Comments

It’s weekends like this past one that make me very happy! It was a good one, full of a diverse range of activities and lots of food, and I’ve got a quick recap of it all coming your way. If you’re more interested in the fitness side, that’s here too, so skip ahead to my weekly workout recap and overview at the end. Here we go!

Dinner at Bluestem Brasserie in San Francisco

I’ve been invited to a couple of food blogger events at Bluestem Brasserie over the past few weeks and never been able to make it, but the folks at Bluestem were awesome enough to extend the hospitality to Dave and me on this past Friday evening to come in for a meal. We had gone to the urban restaurant in the Yerba Buena Center area of downtown San Francisco a few years ago when we lived in the City nearby, and I was eager to return. Public transportation selfie to start the night …

BART riders by A Lady Goes West

Even though the restaurant is large, it still has a cool vibe, with wood tables, minimalistic decor and a big bar looking out on the City, which is popular for happy hour. Bluestem is owned by an awesome couple who makes sure that all of the meat is locally sourced, and the chef spends his free time browsing farmer’s markets to make sure he is serving the freshest of the fresh. And it shows! First up, the Bluestem smash for me and a whiskey for Dave …

Drinks at Bluestem Brasserie by A Lady Goes West

Dave and I arrived from the BART for our early dinner reservation and were quickly seated in a booth downstairs. The service was excellent and the owners (Adam and Stacy) stopped by our table to chat and introduce themselves, as did the chef. Needless to say, we had an awesome dining experience from the moment we stepped in the door, to when we left in a rush to make it to the theatre with take-out dessert boxes in hand.

A little bit about Bluestem … many of the items on the menu are easily sharable, and Dave and I elected to get all small plates, as we like to do. We got cauliflower a la plancha, chicken liver toast (OMG, the best ever!), lamb meatballs (yum), caramelized Brussels (a must) and tuna crudo (so light and topped with ginger). The items came out in two batches, and we definitely had more than enough food without even needing an entree. Dave said the tuna crudo was his favorite, while the chicken liver toast was mine. If I had access to the bread that toast came on, I would never eat anything else. Literally. The spread …

Delicious spread at Bluestem Brasserie by A Lady Goes West

Chicken liver toast at Bluestem Brasserie by A Lady Goes West

Bluestem has the perfect sized menu as well, because it’s not as minimal as a lot of smaller San Francisco restaurants, but it’s not so big that you can’t decide where to focus. I would have happily gotten nearly any item and am certain that we will go back for more soon. A super delicious meal was had. Thanks, Bluestem for taking care of us. If you’re in the downtown area of SF after shopping or before a show, hit up BB, you won’t be disappointed! 

Bluestem Brasserie in San Francisco by A Lady Goes West

White Christmas at the SHN Golden Gate Theatre

So funny story … as I mentioned above, Dave and I were having so much fun at Bluestem that we had to rush out to hop in an Uber and head to the theatre. For some reason, we had in our heads that our show was at the historical Orpheum Theatre on Market Street, but when we arrived right at 7:30 p.m., I found it weird that there were a ton of kids outside the theatre and signs for “The Lion King.” Well, when I went to give my ticket to the person at the door, she casually mentioned that our show was in fact being shown at the Orpheum’s sister theatre, the SHN Golden Gate, two blocks away. So we high-tailed it on foot picking up one of those awkward run/walk trots on the busy city streets. We arrived about 10 minutes late and had to wait in the lobby with probably about 100 other people who were late for the show too, all trying to watch the action on a small monitor displaying what was taking place on stage. Eek!

Nonetheless, after the opening portion, we were taken to our seats and there we sat for the next two hours enjoying so much fun Christmas cheer. The first time I ever watched “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” movie was with Dave the first holiday season we were together, and we’ve watched it once a year since that time. It’s the perfect holiday movie! I LOVE it!

White Christmas in San Francisco by A Lady Goes West

White Christmas in San Francisco by A Lady Goes West

While the musical was excellent, some of the songs and sequencing of events were slightly different than what we were used to from the movie, which was surprising. But the singing, dancing, fanfare and festiveness was all there, so I was one happy camper. After the show, we took an Uber back to Walnut Creek and caught up on some SNL and finished up the to-go desserts from Bluestem.

Gym, hair, lunch and more

On Saturday morning, I popped out to the gym to do a short upper-body workout consisting of chest presses and Arnold presses with dumbbells and tricep extensions and roll-outs on the TRX. While I would have liked to stay longer, I made it to the gym later than planned and had to move quickly, so I could shower up and head to my hair appointment in Lafayette.

The hair appointment was fine, and then Dave and I hit up Urban Plates in Pleasant Hill for a late lunch. Ever since Lemonade opened in downtown Walnut Creek we hadn’t been back to Urban Plates. But the parking is much better there, and on a holiday shopping Saturday, we knew it was the right choice. Yay salmon!

Urban Plate salmon lunch by A Lady Goes West

Golden State Warriors home game at Oracle

I’m embarrassed to say that I had not gone to a Warriors game all season until this past Saturday night.  (Bad fan!) In fact, the last game I went to was when the Warriors (sadly) lost in game 7 against Cleveland in the NBA finals in June. I’ve missed the excitement of the opening ceremony. Check out those fireworks …

Warriors opening ceremonies by A Lady Goes West

On Saturday, Dave had to work at the game, but he still drove me and a girlfriend. We met up with two other gals and were able to check out a wine reception before the game started, sponsored by Jackson Family Wines for the launch of the new Warriors Wine Society (which we are a part of). Tasty wine was sampled by all!

Warriors Wine Society by A Lady Goes West

From there, we went to our seats and enjoyed the opening game festivities and first half. Usually, we go to a certain club area during halftime, and this game was no different. But apparently there was a dog halftime show that we totally missed. Whoops! I’m not happy about that, because I sure love dogs doing tricks. I mean, who doesn’t?

Girls at the Warriors game by A Lady Goes West

Anyways, the game was super fun, because I got to catch up with my favorite fellow Warriors wives (and a former Warriors wife) above all the while seeing the Dubs play very, very well. The game was a blow-out so we actually left a little bit early, which was fine by me. During the playoffs, we always had to sit in the nosebleeds, but this game we had very good seats in the lower bowl, which made it that much better to view the action. Go Dubs!

Ashley at the Warriors game by A Lady Goes West

Packing, lunching and getting stuff done

I spent Sunday morning pulling out everything I own, putting it back and then throwing the same old junk in my suitcase for my trip to Florida. The weather is supposed to be super warm, so I won’t need my sweaters and over-the-knee boots, and I tried my best not to overpack the tank tops either. Luckily, I got it all in there and even wrapped a couple of Christmas presents. 

Just so we could get out of the house, Dave and I headed out to Chow in Lafayette for a late lunch. A few months ago, one of my awesome group fitness members gave me a gift card to Chow saying it was a great spot with healthy options. And boy was he right. The restaurant was huge, busy and had a great menu. I ordered a Prawn Louis salad, and Dave had a lamb burger, and we were both quite pleased. After lunch, we perused the attached little Chow market and bought a kombucha, a chocolate chip cookie and coconut-covered dates. Yum!

Prawn Louis salad at Chow by A Lady Goes West

The rest of the day included relaxing. In the early evening, I typed up this post on the couch with Dave and Rudy while watching “Love Actually” and then we dined on grass-fed steaks and roasted banana squash for dinner.

We’re super excited about the trip home this week! Oh and we have the Warriors employee holiday party at The Claremont before we go too. 

My weekly workout recap

Let’s switch gears to fitness. Here’s a look at all of my recent movement …

Weekly Workouts by A Lady Goes West

Weekly Workouts

  • Monday: Took a one-hour CP2 yoga class at CorePower, 6:30 p.m
  • Tuesday: Taught a one-hour BODYPUMP class, 6 a.m.
  • Wednesday: Did a 30-minute CXWORX core workout at home, 7 a.m.
  • Thursday: Taught a one-hour Bootybarre class, 6 p.m.
  • Friday: Did a 30-minute lower-body weights workout, 7:30 a.m.
  • Saturday: Did a 20-minute upper-body weights workout, 9 a.m.
  • Sunday: Rest day

Overview of the week

This past week of workouts was another fairly light one, with only one intense one-hour session (teaching BODYPUMP on Tuesday morning). The rest of the workouts were much shorter, and I got in a nice flow yoga session and a full rest day. I’m glad I picked up weights three times, although two of the sessions could have probably been longer. Nonetheless, it was a decent week of movement!

That’s all I’ve got for today, my friends! I hope your week starts out great, but be sure to check back on the old blog in a couple days, because I have something cool on tap to share!

Christmas show, San Francisco fun, the Warriors and #weeklyworkouts. Check out this good one from @apstyle ... Click To Tweet

P.S. Thanks to Meghan for today’s “Week in Review” link-up. 

Questions of the day

How was your weekend?

Are you traveling for Christmas or staying put?

Filed Under: Restaurants, San Francisco, Weekends, Weekly Workouts Tagged With: Bluestem Brasserie, Chow, Golden State Warriors, Oakland, San Francisco, Urban Plates, White Christmas, workouts

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About Ashley

I'm a mom and fitness instructor in Charlotte, North Carolina. And A Lady Goes West is where I share fitness, wellness and clean beauty tips, as well as stories from my life.
 
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Comments

  1. Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious says

    December 19, 2016 at 3:21 am

    Sounds like a fun weekend! I love that movie Love Actually. It’s been on a lot lately!
    Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious recently posted…Healthy Protein Gingersnaps {GF, Low Cal}My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      December 19, 2016 at 7:38 am

      It’s a good Christmas movie for sure, Megan! Happy Monday, lady!! 🙂 Hope your week starts out great!

      Reply
  2. Susie @ SuzLyfe says

    December 19, 2016 at 3:42 am

    As usual, another jam packed and awesome weekend with amazing food! Blustem looks heavenly–I’d pass on the chicken liver and leave that to you, though. You can have as muuuuch of that as you want!
    Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Look at the Difference (Virginia Christmas 2016)My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      December 19, 2016 at 7:38 am

      Dave wasn’t sure about the chicken liver either, but ended up liking it! 🙂 Happy Monday, my friend!!

      Reply
  3. Heather @Lunging Through Life says

    December 19, 2016 at 4:28 am

    Such a fun restaurant experience! Love small plates you can share. I’ve gone to the wrong place before for a show. Talk about embarrassing, haha, but at least you were only about 10 min late!
    Heather @Lunging Through Life recently posted…Weekend Before Christmas Fun + Our Christmas Card!My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      December 19, 2016 at 7:39 am

      Seriously! I don’t know how we got it wrong, other than I’m pretty sure we bought the tickets off the RIGHT theatre’s website. Glad to know you’ve done it too hehehe! Have a great day, friend!

      Reply
  4. Patricia @sweet and strong says

    December 19, 2016 at 4:32 am

    What a great weekend! One of my family traditions is watching White Christmas every year, it’s definitely one of my favorite holiday movies. We are traveling to Cleveland Wednesday to see my family for a few days and then Buffalo on Christmas Eve to spend time with my husbands family. It’s a lot of driving but so fun seeing everyone. And I’m super jealous that you’re packing tank tops. I think all my boots and warm coats will take up an entire suitcase, lol.
    Patricia @sweet and strong recently posted…Warm Cozy Nights, Holiday To Do’s, and other Weekend HighlightsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      December 19, 2016 at 7:37 am

      Oh wow! Yes we will be in polar opposite temperatures I bet, Patricia! And you are packing a lot into the holiday break. Good luck on the roads, lately. I trust you’ve packed plenty of good snacks hahah! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Jen @ Pretty Little Grub says

    December 19, 2016 at 6:44 am

    I’m travelling about 3 hours for Christmas, nothing too crazy and no airplanes, luckily.
    I’ve never watched White Christmas, but maybe I’ll have to add it to my holiday watching schedule.
    Jen @ Pretty Little Grub recently posted…Thinking Out Loud #92My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      December 19, 2016 at 7:37 am

      OMG, Jen! You’ve got to see White Christmas. And a 3-hour drive doesn’t sound too bad at all. Happy Monday to you, friend! LOVING all your workout pics.

      Reply
  6. Heather @ Polyglot Jot says

    December 19, 2016 at 11:00 am

    Sounds like a festive weekend! The amount of delicious food you pack in to a weekend always amazes me! 😀
    Our families live pretty locally to where we live which is awesome but also a little hectic for Christmas. It means bouncing around to three locations in one day! Phew!
    Heather @ Polyglot Jot recently posted…5 Must Watch Christmas MoviesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      December 19, 2016 at 3:01 pm

      I bet bouncing around can be a bit stressful. Hopefully it all goes well for you!! Happy Monday!!

      Reply
  7. Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets says

    December 19, 2016 at 11:42 am

    I hope it’s the Warriors and the Cavs in the finals together again this year.

    Your weekend sounds amazing, lots of great eats, some theater, a Christmas movie, a sporting event, and even some down time.

    Have a great time in Florida. Safe travels and happy holidays.
    Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets recently posted…Week in Review: The Sleepless Nights Edition (#62)My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      December 19, 2016 at 3:01 pm

      Thanks so much, Meghan!! Go Dubs!!

      Reply
  8. Fiona says

    December 19, 2016 at 12:08 pm

    Wow! what a fun and tasty looking weekend! I love looking at your pics from the basketball games! My son is obsessed with all things football and basketball so I try to show him pics from your posts when I can!

    We had a great weekend filled with seeing Santa, having breakfast (with Santa -yes you heard right) and decorating cookies with about 50 other small children! It was mayhem but so fun! I think I was more excited then Sully!! We are just counting down now until Christmas and hoping he doesn’t get shy this week sitting on Santa’s knee at the mall lol

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      December 19, 2016 at 3:02 pm

      Wow!! You had a very festive weekend as well, Fiona! Good luck with Santa hehehe!!!

      Reply
  9. Kate says

    December 19, 2016 at 3:36 pm

    I’m sure your weekend was a blast because you’re a perfect example of someone who was born with a perfect body and expect us to relate to that. Thanks

    Reply
    • Alice says

      December 23, 2016 at 3:09 am

      I’m not sure that someone has a perfect body. We all are different and no one is “perfect” because that “perfect” does not exist.. It depends on every human being.. I don’t think that there will be two people who will think the exact same things about “perfect body” or smth.. 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Ashley. I'm a mom and fitness instructor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. I love to help you live a balanced life with no extremes, making sure you never skip a rest day. A Lady Goes West is where I share my workouts, simple meals, clean beauty tips and wellness insight with you. Find out more about me and stay awhile!

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I've got to be honest, I'm much more of a writer t I've got to be honest, I'm much more of a writer than an Instagrammer and many times I feel like what I want to share doesn't fit well into a grid. But I'm able to bring much more long-form content to my blog each week. Speaking of that, this week, I debuted a new series called "A Lady Goes West Advice Corner" which has been something I've wanted to put together for a while. In this series, I'm taking totally anonymous questions from YOU and giving you some neutral third-party advice on it all. Here are the questions I addressed in the first advice corner edition:
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-“I became a first-time mom last spring and am currently dealing with all things motherhood. How do I deal with my expectations vs. reality of being a mom?" (such a good one, and I've been there)
-“How do you deal with days when you don't love your body? I think we can all relate to looking in the mirror and being disappointed with what we see?" (this happens to us all)
-“How do you deal with comparing yourself to others on social media and not feeling like everyone is doing things better than you?" (spoiler alert: everyone has their issues that you don't see)
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The answers are long, they come from my heart, and I hope they can provide some value to you! If this is something you're interested in, head over to A Lady Goes West today to check it out, and you can submit a question for the next edition.
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Here's the direct link: https://aladygoeswest.com/ask-me-anything-a-lady-goes-west-advice-corner-first-edition/
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Have a great night, friends! And when in doubt, talk it out.
G.I.V.E.A.W.A.Y!🎉 Who doesn't love a collagen g G.I.V.E.A.W.A.Y!🎉 Who doesn't love a collagen giveaway? As a little thank-you for following, I wanted to do a giveaway of one of my favorite products. I've been using Vital Proteins collagen in my morning tea latte for years, and not only does the collagen creamer add a great taste, but it also supports healthy hair, skin, nails and joints too. Today, I'm giving away not only one canister of collagen creamer, but also a canister of collagen peptides to one lucky winner.
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Here's how to enter:
(1) Like this post.
(2) Follow @aladygoeswest and @vitalproteins.
(3) Leave a comment on this post tagging a friend who wants healthy skin and joints.
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You can leave as many comments as you want, and each one serves as an entry. You can earn an additional entry by sharing this post to your stories and tagging me. This giveaway closes on Saturday, February 27. The winner must live in the U.S. And this giveaway is not associated with Instagram. Good luck, and thanks for being here! 🙂 xoxo
HOME! We closed on and moved into our home in Char HOME! We closed on and moved into our home in Charlotte over the weekend, and we're so excited to get settled in our new neighborhood, city and state after many weeks of transition. In honor of this momentous occasion, I thought it would be fun to look back at the places Dave and I have lived together over the last 12 years. Here's what it has looked like -- and each place has been special for different reasons:
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-2009-2012 in a high-rise condo in downtown Orlando, where we lived when we got married.
-2012-2013 in a one-bedroom apartment in South of Market in San Francisco, which was always freezing no matter the time of day or year.
-2013-2014 in a tiny studio apartment in Nob Hill in San Francisco, which was only 550-square-feet, but we could hear the cable cars out of our always-open windows, so that was cool.
-2014-2017 in a two-bedroom townhouse in Walnut Creek, where we brought home both Rudy and Brady and had many sleepless nights.
-2017-2021 in a house that we owned in Pleasant Hill outside of San Francisco, which was across the street from a Starbucks so we went there way too often.
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And now we're here in Charlotte. It's good to be home! I'd love to know: Where do you call home?
Soulmates. ❤️ Whether you’re loving on other Soulmates. ❤️ Whether you’re loving on others or just yourself today, my little crew is wishing you a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
Good additions! Even though I'm all about simplify Good additions! Even though I'm all about simplifying life, I also like adding more good, if there's room for it. And the last year has given me ample opportunity to make some changes and add a lot of good. Here's my super-random list of things I've added to my life in the last year that I now love:
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-Using oat milk as my milk of choice (it's literally the creamiest, and I can’t go back to others now)
-Choosing to be outside as much as possible (can't believe I stayed indoors so much before, never exploring the beautiful Bay Area and now Charlotte until the last year)
-Teaching and taking virtual fitness classes (I was a gym rat for years, and now I actually love to work out at home with my virtual fitness friends)
-Wearing my Apple watch for notifications so I don't always need to be on my phone and tracking some beneficial metrics (I've only had my watch for about 9 months, and I love to check my heart-rate and close my rings)
-Appreciating the ability to work for myself and giving myself friendlier deadlines (I've been my own boss for several years and used to be so strict with my deadlines, until I realized it was stressing me more than it needed to, so now I say no to a lot of things and only do what works well in my life, without adding too much unnecessary stress)
-Shorter workouts (full-hour workouts are a thing of the past for me)
-Wearing more colors (no more black uniforms every day)
-And more!
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I wrote a whole post about this topic on A Lady Goes West this week if this is of interest to you, and you can head on over and check it out. I'd love to know: What's something (random or not) that you've added to your life in the last year that you now love?
Over the weekend, I stepped foot into a big-box gy Over the weekend, I stepped foot into a big-box gym for the first time in more than 11 months. How did I feel about it? Mixed ... When we left California, gyms were still closed, and once we got to North Carolina, I was so used to not going to the gym, I didn't even think about going. After being here a month, I finally decided to get a guest pass at a gym near me, and I went twice. Here are my thoughts on the experience: 
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At first, I felt so excited to drive up and go in and work out in a big space with a lot of equipment and not be at home. But then reality sank in: Even though masks were required and there were signs everywhere reminding people, about half the folks in the gym had their masks off or had them down around their chin. Ummm, not cool. I get it, working out with a mask on sucks, but rules are rules, folks. I also didn't like that it was busier than I expected, and quite a bit of the equipment I wanted to use was occupied. That never happens at home.
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Overall, I'm glad that those who need to get to the gym are getting the opportunity, but right now, I think I'll go back to sweating safely at home for a little while longer. But at least I got my first locker-room selfie in almost a year. I'd love to know. Have you been back to the gym yet?
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A Lady Goes West is a personal blog meant for entertainment purposes only and does not serve as a substitute for professional advice from your own doctor, trainer or nutritionist. While I'm a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, the workouts, food and plans I post are what works for me and may not work for you. Please enjoy these stories and tips from my life, but proceed with caution. Also, know that affiliate links and sponsored posts appear from time-to-time, and I appreciate your support. For more information about how your data is stored, visit my Privacy Policy. Thanks for reading!

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