Out and About in San Francisco

The “new year” also means new jobs and a new home for us. We’re in the middle of moving still and right now staying in a hotel in the Bay Area, which is/will be our new home. Hotel living is not all that great though if you like to be creative in the kitchen. Since I was planning on staying in a hotel room for only a week or so, I’ve packed very few tools and very little of my specialty foods. As a result, I’ve been eating very simply, which feels wonderful but we made a trip to the city where I was in for a great surprise! Both in love with animals, we were planning on going up to Pier 39 to visit the seal ions before doing anything else.  Our walk started at Pier 1 though where we ended up spending over an hour checking out the amazing indoor market and walking around among the food vendors outside. This city is all about food and they know how to “do food” for sure! Wherever you go you’re swimming in the aromas of all ethnicity’s culinary creations. The wonderful smells that escape restaurants and food vendors, booths, and stalls are so inviting that I was getting ready to “having to” sacrifice my lifestyle and eat something cooked….until I found the raw stand! Yes, among all those amazing creations were so many vegetarian, vegan, and even raw options, including this 100% organic raw vegan place in the middle of a food vendors’ maze. Oh, was I in heaven! The food was fresh, affordable and delicious. I had the Spicy Asian Pasta dish. It was prepared exactly how I would make it and it was simple and flavorful…..I really am so impressed. So what did it consist of? On a bed of romaine lettuce was a good serving of zucchini pasta, buckwheat “meat”, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, sprouted lentils, avocados, and chili sauce.

It was incredibly satisfying and tasty. What else would you ask for in a setting as such? Well, we even had the most beautiful weather and the greatest view of the Bay Bridge. Saturday, sitting on a bench with my husband, eating pure raw food (at least I was) while looking at a magnificent structure, the vastness of water and seagulls scavenging…..a good start for a weekend to say the least.

…And just a little while later what did we find? A vendor was selling raw sauerkraut! Something I’ve been in love with ever since I can remember, I don’t know why we only got two pints of it because that afternoon I gobbled down one pint on the way home in the car. He was selling four flavors but by then he was out of two of them. All four I sampled though (there was still enough for tasting) and they’re all wonderful. What a dream! I cannot wait to go back and get more next week. I’m pretty sure I could live on sauerkraut for the rest of my life...at least it feels like that right now. As close as I feel to nature, I’ve always been a city girl and when “city” means great food, nice people, caring community, etc. it’s all the merrier. I’m excited to go and discover more of it!   

We did not leave until visiting the sea lions though. Aren’t they precious? I love seeing them piled up. It makes me want to jump in the crowd and nap with them : )