It's a zoo out there

Zoodango is a city-centric search engine to help you find things to do right near any San Francisco address you enter.

Dozens of perky little icons will dot your map, showing you restaurants, bars, movies, museums, etc. Each destination also has a score based on other destination websites and Zoodango users' experience.

For more info, check this article on SFGate.com.

Schlepping for spices

If you're a fan of Penzeys, the online spice emporium, you can now visit the new Penzeys store—in Menlo Park.

Read all about it in the San Francisco Weekly.

Valentine's day dining

Sure, you can wait until the last minute to think about where to take your honey-bunny to dinner on Valentine's Day.

You can also pretend to enjoy the dubious grub at some questionable eatery that just happens to have plenty of empty tables on February 14.

Instead, make a reservation at one of the eight restaurants suggested by Thrillist/San Francisco. Fabulous food without the inflated prix fixe pricing. Yum.

Culinary resolutions for 2009

New year, but same old kitchen?

Mark Bittman, a.k.a "The Minimalist," offers some great ways to up your cooking game in this New York Times article.

Bittman's blog is worth perusing as well.

Eating in your neighborhood...and beyond

Whether you're a recent transplant to the Bay Area, or have been living (and dining out) here for decades, finding new restaurants can be a challenge.

Heck, remembering the name of that place you dined at last month can be tough.

The Chowhound website has a handy bulletin board devoted to all things culinary in the greater San Francisco area. You can monitor the "best Italian" debate, get early reviews of new restaurants, and even post your own questions and comments.

The search function lets you find pho near the financial district or truffles near Twin Peaks. Yum!