Thank you all so very much for your help. I made a reservation at Chez Flottes
Franprix is not open that day.

Hi, we arrive in Paris at 8:30AM on May 1, which is Labor Day in Europe. We are staying in an apartment in the 1st not too far away from the Louvre, about a block from the Monoprix.
We know that most restaurant and shops are shuttered closed that day, partly because of the labor demonstrations, which begin in Tuilleries and the Garnier area.

Is there anyone that knows of any casual bistros that would be open on May 1 for an early dinner?
We have heard that Café Marly is open that day, but we are looking for something a bit more casual.
How about a small shop where we could pick up some milk, juice, bread, yogurt on May 1 close to our apartment.
. Monoprix is closed.
Thanks in advance for your help.

I would need about 6 dozen cookies.

I was looking for iced cookies, and someone recommended Megin's in Pleasanton. I noticed that they also offer cookie pops on their web site.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Megins-...

Does anyone recall seeing any iced decorated cookies with a Halloween theme--witches, pumpkins, bats, ghosts, etc.--at their local bakery last year in October?
I am looking for cookies that are three bites each or less.
Last year, I ended up ordering them online through the mail, and they were quite stale when they arrived.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

The AG Ferrari store in our neigborhood--Laurel Village--offers a great selection. We are hooked on them, too.

We tried this restaurant for my birthday on May 1, and both my husband and me thought this place was a winner. Old World Italian, homemade pastas, and the best tiramisu I ever had will make us return again.
Please note that Venticello offers valet parking for 10 dollars.

-----
Venticello
1257 Taylor Street, San Francisco, CA 94108

Ruth, Range can be really noisy, but there is a small area located between the front area and the back room, where you could hold a pleasant conversation. We request that area because of the noise level, and that works out for us. Happy birthday.

We have lived in SF for 20 years, and dined at most of the usual suspects (Gary Danko, Greens, Coi, Fleurs de Lys, Acqurello, La Folie, Perbacco, Manresa, Beretta, Incanto, dining rooms at Ritz, Sheraton Palace, Luce, Gitane, Azziza, Dosa, Town Hall, Ubuntu, Maya, Foreign Cinema, Kokkarri, Quince, Baker and Banker, Palio D'Asti, Slanted Door and many more)
We are looking for newer places to try with another couple where we could hear each other on a weekend night.
These are the "restrictions":
It should be within the SF City limits.
One person is a vegetarian, who eats no fish, fowl,seafood. or meat, but enjoys dairy and eggs. They do not want to just show up, and be given a platter of boring vegetables. They want at least one entree to choose from on the menu. They are tired of showing up to a restaurant where they have given notice, and presented with options such as pasta with a vegetarian sauce.
The other three diners prefer meat or seafood, and do not want a night out at Greens, Ubuntu, etc.
Price is less important than good food, ability to talk to one another, and a nice atmosphere. Mid level priced restaurants would be the preference. (ie, about 50 to 75 USD per person including a three course meal, a reasonably priced wine, taxes, service, and the health surcharge.)

Pleasing the vegetarian is key. We have looked at a number of new menus from Frances, Salt House, Cafe des Amis, Wayfare Inn, Prospect, etc, and there are no entrees for the vegetarians. This seems to be the case on many of the new hot spots.
We trust the Chowhounds and know that your recommendations are stellar.
Any suggestions for us?
Thank you so much.

-----
Ubuntu Restaurant & Yoga Studio
1140 Main Street, Napa, CA 94558

Slanted Door
Ferry Slip, San Francisco, CA 94111

Manresa Restaurant
320 Village Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95030

Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

La Folie
2316 Polk St., San Francisco, CA 94109

Town Hall Restaurant
342 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94105

Foreign Cinema
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110

Gitane Restaurant & Bar
6 Claude Lane, San Francisco, CA 94108

Salt House
2 Shaw Aly, San Francisco, CA 94105

Cafe des Amis
2000 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94123

There are some good vegetarian menu options at La Folie, Masa's, and Chapeau.

Can any chowhounds recommend a place close to the city of San Francisco where I can buy 25 to 30 fresh pumpkins for jack o' lantern carving the last week of October? I am not interested in the pick your own pumpkin patch experience, just an efficient and cost effective way to get well shaped, good sized squash to my house for carving. Thanks for any suggestions that you can offer.

Mollie Stone's also carries clotted cream and Devonshire cream. It can be found on the shelf with the jams and jellies. If you are willing to drive to SF, John Campbell's Irish bakery offers fabulous scones in a variety of flavors. I have used their scones for several high teas at my home and received rave reviews.
5625 Geary Blvd
(between 20th Ave & 21st Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94121

(415) 387-1536

Thank you so much for all of your help. SF Chowhounds are a lovely, wonderful bunch of peeps. Boulette's Larder in the Ferry Building carries it.

I have been unsuccessful in locally sourcing hazelnut paste for a chocolate cake. Does anyone have a resource for me? I have tried Sur la Table, Mollie Stone, Williams Sonoma, and the like. I need to make this tomorrow, so ordering via the web is no longer an option. Thank you very much for any help you can offer.

How about La Folie on Polk Street in San Francisco? We ate there this week for my husband's birthday, and he had the best foie gras --quite a large portion as well. Duck was also on the menu. There is a tasting menu and an al a carte as well. Ted, the sommelier, was very helpful in recommending a flight of wines for each course. The atmosphere is quite romantic. Ask for the table in the corner where both seats face out into the restaurant. Their website menu hasn't been updated for a year, so you may want to call them for details. Here is the website:www.lafolie.com

Have you already done Bushi Tei, on Post at Laguna? It is billed as French Cal fusion.
I think it has been criticized on this board, but I have dined their about a half dozen times, and always enjoyed it.

Here is their website: www.bushi-tei.com

My husband surprised me with a great cake from a bakery that wasn't on my radar. He ordered the Signature Cake from Blissful Bites, on Arguello, off Geary in the Inner Richmond, and it was delicious. Their Signature Cake consists of layers of devil’s food cake, dark chocolate ganache, milk chocolate mousse and butter pecan candy, topped with a chocolate glaze. The bakery offers this cake in a variety of sizes, beginning with a 6" round if you only have a few guests. They have many different cake flavors and toppings as well.Here is their web site:
www.blissfulbitesbakery.com

Zeph, I plan to attend with my husband, and 5 other friends. We have not done it before, but we have heard very good things about the Grand Tasting, which is the pre-party with reserve wines, before the general tasting.
Both my husband and I are working towards our Master of Wine, and we always try to take advantage of any event where we can taste many different wines.
Also, some of our friends have attended in the past, and found it very enjoyable.
If you would like to meet us there, feel free to contact me at wellworld@aol.com.

No lunch, but a great food and wine pairing experience is available at Swanson's Vineyard in Rutherford. I have done it a few times, and it is an elegant and relaxing experience.
Here is the info copied from the website(swansonvineyards.com)
Open, by appointment only: Wednesday through Sunday

Duration: 1 -1.5 hours

Harvey Tasting (up to 8 guests)

Explores a bird’s eye view of Swanson wines. We will visit a delightful assortment of our current vintage wines--including the Alexis, along with small batch, unattainable wines known as the Salon Selections, all perfectly paired with individual plates of Swanson caviar, select artisanal cheeses, and our signature Alexis Bonbon. Typically we taste through seven wines.
$55 per person (Seating times: 11:00am or 1:30pm)

Ruth, this is what I served: A selection of sandwiches on Pain di mie from La Boulangerie (Vermont cheddar, with spiced apple chutney, and fresh spinach; deviled egg salad with wild arugula; herbed fromage blanc with roasted garlic and baby arugula; rare roast beef with zesty sprouts and horseradish "ailoli"); the scones, with clotted cream, and preserves from Frog Hollow; and miniature pastries ordered from Patisserie Delanghe on Fillmore Street. At one point, I debated about adding a quiche, but we had more than enough to satisfy.

Thank you to all of the chowhounds who shared their recommendations for scones. I hosted my high tea yesterday afternoon with scones from John Campbell's Irish Bakery, and they received high marks from my guests. There were several varieties available, including plain, blueberry, chocolate chip, and raisin. The pleasant Irish lass on staff told me that Bailey's Irish Cream scones are available at times.
Just a note: I searched high and low for clotted cream, and finally found it at Mollie Stones San Francisco, in a small glass jar, in their gourmet foods section.
Again, I appreciate all of your help.

I am hosting a high tea next week, and I am looking for feedback on scones available at bakeries in the city.
I am hoping for flaky, buttery scones, they can be with or without fruit.
I live in Pacific Heights, so a place in that quadrant of the city would be preferred.
Thank you.

I am looking for a place to enjoy Sunday brunch with a friend this Sunday, before a matinee at the Eureka Theater, located 215 Jackson between Front and Battery. Kokkari and Frisson are not open on Sunday afternoon. No Chinese or Southeast Asian recommedations, please. Thank you.

The Junior Leage of San Francisco publishes cookbooks for fundraising purposes. San Francisco Flavors, published in 1999, offers tested recipes for lots of local favorites. Here is a link to purchase the cookbook from the jlsf.org website:
http://www.jlsf.org/sf/npo.jsp?pg=sto...

I second the recommendation for Bryan's. We have also tried veal stock from Golden Gate, Whole Foods, and Draeger's, and Bryan's still gets our vote.

Mandala, we also asked the same question of this board. Both of the places that we found that still had space were in the Wine Country, so I do not know if that is an option for you. One is Farm, located at the Carneros inn in Sonoma, and the other is Auberge Du Soleil.
Good luck, and Merry Christmas.

Try Rancho Gordo for amazing heirloom beans, including garbanzos. Steve is at the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market on Saturdays in the City. Rancho Gordo also has a website if you want to order on line. We have been buying his beans for quite a while now, and we have been very pleased. Many varieties, and very fresh. He even offers good recipes to boot. http://www.ranchogordo.com

One of our favorite places to go is Swanson Vineyards in Rutherford. They offer an over- the- top - elegantly furnished tasting salon, with wine and food pairings. The cost is 55 USD per person, and appointments are necessary. Caviar, excellent cheese, and their signature chocolate bon bons are served. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half.
This is their website. http://www.swansonvineyards.com
Make your appointment for Del Dotto as soon as you can. They just opened a new "cathedral to wine" tasting center, and it is quite popular. We have taken their barrell tasting tour at their other facility three times, and we learned a lot.

Any suggestions from anyone for a wonderful Christmas day dinner in the city of San Francisco? We live in the lower Pac Heights area, but any neighborhood is fine We are looking for good food, and preferably not a prix fixe menu, unless there are good vegetarian options. (One of us is a lacto ovo vegetarian--no meat, fish, or fowl. Eggs and dairy are fine.) Neither of us are into Asian cuisine. Thanks so much.

Maureen, thank you so much for your assistance with this. I will let you know if I am successful in tracking down this signore, or his restaurant. I leave for Rome, Sicily, and Naples on October 11.