Candice Kraughto is the director of public relations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii, and thelobby.com's expert on the region. This past week, she has been reporting on dining in San Francisco.

I always bring an eager appetite to San Francisco - the city that my husband and I both adore. We were so sad to learn that Michael Mina's in the Westin St. Francis stopped serving afternoon tea, but dinner there is exquisite. The Palace Hotel on New Montgomery St. is our home away from home. Everytime we walk into the lobby, gaze up at the amazing atrium and feel so privileged to be at such a grand and glorious hotel where over a hundred years ago Hawaii's King David Kalakaua also stayed. One day I'll bring my parents here as well. My father, a Cal Berkeley grad, says he visited The Palace once during the prom (did colleges have proms back then?), but never stayed there.

Dim sum at Yank Sing, gingerbread cupcakes from Miette, fresh seafood from Swan Oyster Depot and little plates from Cortez are all on our regular Bay itinerary. We also never leave San Francisco without making our faithful pilgrimage (on BART no less) to Rockridge to hand-carry home 10 pounds of Italian almond cookies from Market Hall Bakery to share with friends and family.