Thread: Eating and Drinking Night Out Suggestion from a Grammy Groupie

Hi there!

I just wanted to share a little update about what happened to me last night and how GREAT it was, because it might help some folks who are just getting started with this way of eating. I live in San Francisco, and it's basically like a constant social whirlwind here because everyone you've ever known wants to visit. So you end up showing folks around OFTEN. It's super fun, but also filled with temptation!

The other thing about San Francisco is that it's all food. Paleo restaurants abound, people are into boutique butcher shops and freshly grown farm foods, and gourmet food trucks compete with small, unusual or indulgent eating establishments tucked into small spaces. (We even have a carnival themed restaurant.) There are also all the small ethnic neighborhoods with streets and streets of eateries lined up right next to each other and their tables out on the sidewalks -- little Italy, Chinatown, Japantown, Korean, Mexican, Greek, Russian, French, Basque, Thai, Indonesian, South American, etc. etc. etc. And then there are the upscale themed places like Absinthe, La Colonial and Farallon. I'm not even describing half of it. Or talking about the great food and wine just outside of the city!

It's overwhelming.

Last night I had to go out -- I have a close friend in town -- to meet several people for drinks and then for dinner. This particular visitng friend is a musician who plays specialized "Exotica," and is really into tiki bars and elaborate cocktails made with rum, sugar, fruits and garnishes. Exactly the kind of thing I can't have. Of course, there are four tiki bars in the immediate vicinity and he wanted to go to them all.

And then obviously we'd be going somewhere for dinner.

At first I packed up protocol food to take with me for the evening in two little containers, but I really didn't want to sit there at an amazing restaurant and not eat while everyone else did. Especially after not drinking anything. So at the last minute, I just left the food behind and figured I'd wing-it and make it work. I felt a tiny bit vulnerable, but excited to trust myself.

Guess what? So much fun! Instead of drinking, I had a delicious "refresher" that I invented in my head on the way to the first bar -- a mock mojito -- made with fresh muddled mint leaves, a splash of lime juice, sparkling water and stevia (which I added myself). I literally didn't miss the rum! (My husband was so adorably sweet, repeatedly suggesting I get strawberries or cucumbers in something.)

For dinner, we waited way too late, and finally went to a foodie tea room called Samovar. It turned out to be a great choice, though I was literally privately worried I might faint as my girlfriend Hannah and I walked up the hill leaving everyone else behind. While we waited on our table, we were at the tea bar, and I looked at the menu trying to figure out what ingredients they probably had on hand that would work for the protocol, so by the time we ordered I had a few ideas. I asked if they could make me a salad with nothing but fresh romaine, basil leaves, lemon juice, fresh turkey breast and salt. They did it!! And it was delicious! They even put a few cucumber slices on the side as a garnish. It was beautifully presented on a gorgeous rustic oval dish and looked no different from anyone else's entree. And I'd chosen a very mild cocoa-mint tea to go with it because the waiter thought it would go nicely with the lemon and basil. It did! I really enjoyed it so much.

This is all just a long way to say that it was surprisingly EASY to stay on protocol. I can't believe how smoothly it went. And I'm sure I'll get to practice several times in the next few days because my guest is in town until mid next week.

I hope these ideas are helpful for you! This diet truly is wonderful.
S.

That is awesome!! thanks so much for sharing!