Farmer’s Markets/Night Market – Page 3

The Little Italy Mercato and Pozole Blanco From My Pozole

October 4, 2021 mmm-yoso Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Markets & Grocers, Mexican Restaurants

This past weekend was the Little Italy Art Walk….a great event to be sure, but I felt kinda sad…..you see for the last couple of months the Little Italy Mercato has become a routine for me. I would grab some coffee and park on Ivy Street…..you know, we aren't able to get back to Paris, where I'm able to shed pounds just doing the the Flâneur thing, so every little bit of walking helps.

And then I'll just walk up Kettner or India and do the opposite back to the car. It's been quite fun for me……after all there's a lot to see.

From places that I'm quite familiar with….

To that which I'd never seen before……

In fact, the first time I saw the statue of Frankie Laine in front of Nonna, it brought a smile to my face. As I mentioned in an earlier post my late Mom enjoyed country music….and I grew up to the sounds of Rawhide and Mule Train playing on the record player….in Kaimuki of all places. More about Frankie Laine in San Diego can be found here.

Often times, I'd arrive a bit early and would just walk along the streets.

On one visit, I was taken with the houses on State Street that are from a different time in San Diego's history….it reminded me of our walk in Pacific Grove.

And of course, Little Italy would not be complete without a Catholic Church and Our Lady of the Rosary truly fits the bill. It just looks like it belongs here. I haven't been in the church yet…..but perhaps I'll be invited to a wedding soon!

And it's interesting to see how Little Italy has pivoted to outdoor dining with parklets and such.

And of course, it's always interesting to see how long the line for Morning Glory will be……

I do hope they are checking out the market after their breakfast/brunch…..

And there's always something to keep you entertained.

But, of course I'm here to shop. And after almost three months I've got my favorites.

My favorite is this one – Indian Summer Farms.

It's a one man show, the proprietor, Andrew is so kind, friendly, and gracious. And he has some really great chard, kale, shishito, radishes, and whatever else comes out of his farm in Ramona. The Missus also loves the eggs he sells which he says comes from his neighbor.

I'm sure you want to know what I've been getting the last couple of months…..well, in a previous post I mentioned that the Missus had started to enjoy gooseberries….

Dragon Tongue Beans are so delicious…..it is stringless, sweet, easy to sauté, and if I recall in season until mid-November.

Shishito of course…..

And oh man; purple okra….so sweet and tender, you can eat them raw. While the Missus loves them roasted, She'll eat them dipped in hummus…..

Of course there's all the prepared food and similar vendors….though for us, it's been a mixed bag. On one visit I went ahead and picked up pozole from this stand.

It was pretty good….pozole blanco. The pork was much better than the chicken version.

It's mildly "porky", has a nice velvety texture…. while not quite as rich as "homemade", it's still really nice overall.

Until, of course, the Missus demanded that I make pozole blanco…….which you have to understand is to Her taste. You might want to try this out. It also feeds the "cabbage versus lettuce" thing which I'll go into at a later time.

As a bonus, whenever I see the sign, there's a certain beat that goes off in my head….to the tune of "My Sharona"……"Da da da da dum dum….my pozole!"

I know the Little Italy Mercato is also going strong on Wednesdays, but have only been to the Saturday Farmers Market, so will only list that time for now.

Little Italy Mercato
Saturday 8am – 2pm

I seem to notice something new on every visit. And sometimes, it seems like Little Italy is trying to communicate with me……

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – The Collection Farmers’ Market, Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters (Oxnard) and Mama Lu’s Dumpling House (City of Industry)

October 2, 2021 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Chinese Restaurants, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Los Angeles County, Road Trip, Travel, Ventura County

We slept rather well after our excursion to Anacapa Island then dinner at Moqueca. We woke rather early and I took a short walk. We needed to refuel both on gasoline and caffeine for the drive to Monterey Park where we'd be spending the evening.

I decided to make a stop at the shopping complex called the Collection Riverpark which was right next to the 101 freeway. We had stopped here before to grab some snacks at Whole Foods, but on this morning, being a Saturday, there was a Farmer's Market. Which was pretty mellow, I guess not too many folks want to head on over to the mall at 8am on a Saturday?

Still, we enjoyed the stroll and the Missus figured out how much She enjoyed Gooseberries.

The Collection Farmers Market
2710-2780 Park View Ct.
Oxnard, CA 93036
Saturdays 8am – 2pm

The Missus had been wanting some coffee, so we headed over to the Food Hall in the complex called "The Annex" and Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters.

The Missus really enjoyed Her Pour Over and their Cold Brew was quite good as well.

I think this will be a nice stop for us on future road trips.

Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters
550 Collection Blvd. (In the Annex Food Hall)
Oxnard, CA 93036
Hours:
Mon – Thurs 8am – 6pm
Fri – Sun 8am – 8pm

The drive to the SGV was a breeze and we headed off to our old neighborhood to do some snack shopping at Hong Kong Market, before trying to decide on what to get for a light lunch. We drove down Colima Road and noticed that a location of Mama Lu's had opened up. Some Jiaozi and Niu Rou Chuan (beef roll).

This was back in July when things were looking good, before the Delta surge hit. Still, seats were spaced out nicely. We were seated and then something interesting happened.

We heard strains of Beethoven's Ode to Joy and soon a "robot" made its way past us holding takeout containers!

It followed the set "path" and took the takeout to the front, then promptly returned to the kitchen….rinse….repeat! It was quite entertaining.

First to arrive was the Niu Rou Chuan; which was quite hefty.

The bread was nicely browned and crisp and not overly greasy. The beef was a bit on the tough side and the bean sauce much too sweet for our taste. The slices of cucumber too thick and cumbersome. Not even close to our favorite version from 101 Noodle Express….though we haven't been there in ages…perhaps we'll revisit again one of these days.

And of course we got some Jiaozi….the Shrimp and Pork version.

Well, at least Mama Lu's is pretty consistent. Like my visits to other locations, the wrapper of the jiaozi was on the hard and brittle side. As my MIL taught me, it seems the dough has been over-mixed. The filling was fine, if on the salty side.

Not bad, but not great…..man this had us missing QingDao Bread!

Still, it had been a while since we'd been back and things are always changing.

Mama Lu Dumpling House
17515 Colima Rd.
City of Industry, CA 91748

By now it was time to see if we could get an early check-in at where we were staying in Monterey Park and perhaps grab a nap before dinner.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Seven Bridges Walk, Hillcrest Farmer’s Market, and Sabor Piri Piri

July 2, 2021 mmm-yoso African Cuisine/Restaurants, Exploring San Diego, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, yoso-silly

*** This is kind of a long one with just a bit of food at the end.

While going thru photos of our latest roadtrip(s) and of past trips to our favorite cities in the world it's always quite surprising how much walking I do….and even more; how much I enjoy it. While the Missus is more of a "real" hiker, I prefer nice walks, and even more so Urban walks, something I should do more of. A while back I was looking thru the Alltrails app and noticed something called the "Seven Bridge Walk". After walking thru the North Park Farmer's Market right after reopening, I decided that I'd go ahead and do the walk that Sunday. And to make it more fun; I'd throw in a visit to the Hillcrest Farmers Market to grab some fruits and stuff for the Missus as part of the 6 mile loop.

The walk….I really hesitate in calling it a hike; starts at Balboa Park, roams thru Banker's Hill, then Hillcrest, before ending back at Balboa Park. It's a nice 6 miles or so. I know, you're thinking Balboa Park on a Sunday? But, I'd be starting just after 7am and Balboa Park was pretty empty, no parking issues, and most of the folks out were taking their pooches for walks.

And of course, this time of the morning belongs to the "critters"…..

Everything started at the Park Boulevard Bridge….you recognize this one, right?

This is the pedestrian bridge that crosses over Park Boulevard.

It was a quiet morning as I passed the Bea Evenson Fountain and headed down El Prado.

Walking past Casa del Prado and Casa de Balboa made me realize that even though I've been to Balboa Park many times over the years; that I really didn't know much about it. Isn't that how it is? We've been to a few other countries and many cities in the U.S…..but I still need to learn so much more about the city I live in.

I walked down El Prado to the next bridge and passing the Museum of Us….which used to be the Museum of Man. The name change occurred in August of last year.

You know the next bridge up, right?

Completed in 1914 for the Panama–California Exposition, the Cabrillo Bridge. It's a multi-arched Cantilever Bridge.

These days the 163 Freeway runs below the bridge which was completed in 1948.

El Prado becomes Laurel as you cross Sixth Avenue.

I headed down Laurel and took a right turn on 1st Avenue – at this wonderful looking house.

Which made me recall the wonderful self walking tour we took in Pacific Grove.

A few blocks up the street is the First Avenue Bridge.

It is a steel truss bridge – you can read about the history of the bridge along with why it is known as the "People's Bridge" here.

It crosses over Maple Canyon…….where I should probably do a hike one of these days to get another angle of the bridge.

A bit further up 1st, you take a right on Quince Street and where Third Avenue meets Quince you come across the wooden trestle Quince Street bridge. One of my favorites on this walk.

Here's a wonderful post on the bridge and how it was almost set to be demolished in 1987. It's a wonderful bridge, built in 1905 and also crosses over Maple Canyon. It was built to allow residents of Western Bankers Hill access to the Fourth Street Trolley.

It's worth walking across the bridge, then back again.

After walking across the bridge and back, I headed back west and took a right on 2nd Avenue. I started noticing some of the grand and unique houses along the way and took some time to "stop and smell the roses".

I really need to find a nice self guided architectural tour of the area.

I took a left on Spruce Street and found the bridge that first got me interested in doing this walk; the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge.

Down at the end of a cul-de-sac, the location seems rather discreet.

The bridge was completed in 1912 over Kate Sessions Canyon to allow access to….you guessed it the trolley lines.

Since it is a suspension bridge, it will rock back and forth, not as much as the Capilano Suspension Bridge, but you will get a slight thrill out of it. If you don't like heights and motion; you may want to skip this one.

Once across the bridge I took a right on Brandt. From here, it's rather long walk to the next bridge. Though I did see some interesting things on my way up to University Avenue.

On Brandt, I saw an honest to goodness Horse Hitching Post!

I'm wondering when, or if, a horse has ever been hitched to this post!

On West Walnut, I saw the tree above. It's an Angel's Trumpet Tree, which is extinct in the wild! The leaves and flowers are sometimes used to make hallucinogenic concoctions that can cause paralysis and yes, even death.

From here it was walk up 1st until University, to Hillcrest.

And all those familiar sites and sounds.

It was pretty quiet still on this morning; it was now around 845. I had thought about grabbing a "cup o' Joe", but decided to just keep on walking to the next bridge.

To get to the next bridge, I headed east, crossing over the 163, and took a left on Vermont Street, past the mall with Ralph's and Trader Joe's.

If you've ever driven East on Washington, you've come across this bridge.

Though I must say that I've never walked across it before.

From here I deviated a bit and walked east on Pascoe Street, which seems more like an alley, then crossed on Lincoln Avenue, then on over to Normal Street and the Hillcrest Farmers Market. It was just past 9am, so I had timed it well.

Still a bit leery in crowds, I decided to get there early to grab the Missus some produce from Her favorite vendors. Covid is still on my mind.

It felt somewhat strange and a bit surreal……and shall I say very "normal on Normal Street". Something that had definitely been missing for the last 15-16 months.

I also decided to grab something for a light lunch and decided on the Sabor Piri-Piri Stand.

By this time, it was starting to get more crowded….it was time for me to head out and get to that last bridge.

Hillcrest Farmers Market
Normal Street – Hillcrest
Hours:
Sunday 9am – 2pm

Much like the Vermont Street Bridge; if you've ever driven East on University I'm sure you drove under this small bridge – the Georgia Street Bridge.

And like the Vermont Street Bridge; I'd never walked across this one either.

I walked down to Park Avenue and took this photo…..which is probably the view of the bridge you've seen when driving on University.

From here it was a walk back to my car at Balboa Park.

It had been quite the morning and was still before 10am! I'm glad I had planned to visit the Hillcrest Farmers Market, which broke things up for me.

Back home, I broke open the Piri-Piri Chicken and Black Eyed Peas with Kale I had ordered from Sabor Piri Piri.

The piri-piri chicken wasn't very spicy to me; I'd had my share of piri-piri in Portugal and other places; this was rather mild and tame. The chicken was decently cooked, not overly dry. I enjoyed the green bell peppers. The black eye peas were nicely cooked, but kale was chopped in large pieces with large portions of the stems of the kale. The sauce was a bit too sweet for me as well. But after my 6 mile plus walk….I wasn't going to complain much at all.

Thinking over this morning made me realize that I really should spend more time exploring the city I live in…San Diego. I'm also hope that with our vaccination rates, even with the variants coming into things that this reopening is successful.

Scenes From the North Park Thursday Market (Right after Covid reopening)

June 17, 2021 mmm-yoso Farmer's Markets/Night Market

I had spent the day working from home and both the Missus and I were bored stiff after dinner. The Missus suggested a taking a drive. We hadn't been to the North Park area in a while and the Missus was missing Tribute Pizza, so we decided to head on up to 30th Street to see what was up.

Well, what was up was the North Park Thursday Market…….and wouldn't you know….there was an open parking spot a few steps away.

After 15 months of various stages of lockdown……..this was quite an interesting experience.

I don't recall the last time I saw so many smiling people. But of course I wouldn't have since we were all wearing masks for the last 15 months! I could overhear conversations…..folks who hadn't seen each other in over a year.

While the reopening declaration does not mean the pandemic is over, this was an outdoor setting and it was really gratifying to see folks enjoying themselves.

I truly hope that folks can be responsible not only for themselves, but for the care of others as well. And that we won't have to backtrack.

And then we can go grab a Spam Musubi and be on our way….with a smile on our faces.

North Park Thursday Market
3000 North Park Way
San Diego, CA 92104
Thursdays 3pm – 730pm

As for Tribute, we stopped by and took a look at the current menu. One of the guys working popped his head out (with a mask on) and I asked if they'd be open for dining in soon. He told me if all goes well they'll open for dining in in July.

We did drive down to South Park and were astounded at the crowds of folks at Fernside and Kindred……..too crowded for us right now.

Saturday Stuffs – Scenes from the Little Italy Mercato, Tuna Harbor Dockside Market, and Other “stuffs”

January 5, 2019 mmm-yoso Exploring San Diego, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Markets & Grocers, yoso-silly

I'll readily admit; my posts are mostly stream of consciousness. And sometimes; it's just better to just post photos. I needed to get my car serviced today. Instead of waiting around; I decided to catch the Trolley, something I used to enjoy, but haven't done in ages…..and just head out and take in San Diego. So; I headed off to the Little Italy Mercato, then walked down to the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market. Instead of some long-winded post; here are some photos of an overcast, yet fun day.

Because of some delays on the Green Line West; I decided to take a round about way; doing the Orange Line to Downtown; getting off at Civic Center and walking to Little Italy. Where I passed an iconic "name" in San Diego….whose commercials you couldn't miss if you lived here in the 90's and "aughts".

I'd heard that Mexican Fiesta; whose existence always reminded me of the Children's book, The Little House had closed. And yes, it has….

I think pooches outnumber children here……

I then walked on over to Seaport Village…..

Man, I haven't been around here in at least a decade….

Things looked a bit depressed; many closed businesses.

Though it's always fun to "pooch watch"……

The Dockside Market was close by; so I headed on over.

A somewhat interesting mix of folks…..

I decided to grab an Americano from here…..

And guess who I saw???

And even coming back around again while I finished my coffee.

Since it was close by; I decided to check out Unconditional Surrender by Seward Johnson.

It was an overcast day; with not too many tourists.

Just like I don't visit Waikiki when I'm back "home"; I really don't get down here to often.

I was glad to have some time on my hands to just reacquaint myself with this area.

And then of course…..it was time for lunch!

Paris – Marché Monge, Rue Montorgueil Market Steet, and More Croissants

October 20, 2018 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Markets & Grocers, Paris, France, Travel

During our last full day in Paris, we made no plans, "réservations pour le dîner, oui", but really had no real plans other than that.

So, during our breakfast at the Hotel Monge, we came up with our plans for the morning.

Well, at least a place to start. We headed down Rue Monge, one block later we headed west on Rue Lacépède, then turning down Rue Mouffetard. Several blocks down starts the really well known part of Rue Mouffetard, known as Marché Mouffetard, the street that Hemingway dubbed as "A Moveable Feast".

Things were quiet on this morning.

It was still too early in the morning it seems. So when we got to the Paroisse Saint Medard, we decided to head back up to Place Monge. We'd return to Rue Mouffetard the next morning.

At Place Monge; we noticed that it was market day.

The entire square was taken over with booths selling prepared food, produce, meat, and of course fromage.

We always enjoy these markets, as we get to watch everyday life.

And having been to a couple of places in France, we had to smile at places that jogged our memory.

Remember the "Route du foie gras"?

And having just returned from Strasbourg, I just had to crack up when I saw this…..

I recalled how the Missus could not pass up that choucroute garnie?

I did ask the Missus if She wanted some; but She wistfully told me; "I'm still full and it's too early in the morning". so perhaps we'll have to head back to Alsace one of these days.

From here we headed up Rue Monge.

Crossed over the Seine on Boulevard du Palais.

This was the busy 1st Arrondissement. There's a lot going on here; the Louvre, the Jardine de Tuileries, Jardin du Palais Royal, it's all here.

That's the Fontaine du Palmier on Place du Châtelet, like may things in Paris, it has quite a story.

The Tour Saint-Jacques (Saint-Jacques Tower), once part of Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie ("Saint James of the butchers"), which was demolished in 1793. All that remains is the tower.

The tower indicated that we were getting close to our next destination.

Once we came across Les Halles, which used to be the central market and has a great long history. It was demolished in 1971 and replaced with the Les Halles Forum a shopping mall.

A short turn right and you're on Rue Montorgueil; one of the most well known Market Street….as like we were often told; is "très différent du marché de rue"….the difference between a "street market" and a "market street".

There are businesses, like La Maison Stohrer to the right; established in 1730, that claims to have invented Rum Baba.

There's an interesting mix of tourists…..

And locals……

It's a wonderful miasma of sights, sounds, and smells.

I'd been told by some folks that people in Paris were quite rude. And while we had run into a few folks who basically didn't want anything to do with tourists……there were so many wonderful folks like the nice woman who saw us staring at the Rue Montorgueil sign and came up to us and asked, "Monsieur, Madame, are you lost, do you need some help?" We never forget these moments as it makes us better human beings. We are all more alike then we are different. It is much harder to be cruel and cold than it is to be kind.

We had done our exploring for the day and decided to head back to the hotel. We knew that lunch really wasn't in the cards. The Missus decided that perhaps we should continue our "croissant quest" on Rue Monge.

Maison Gregoire was a block away from our hotel. Of course we got the croissant "au buerre" (croissants made with butter, not margarine).

This one was a little light in the butter side of things and on the dry side. In terms of flakiness and lightness it hit the mark.

Maison Grégoire
69 rue Monge
75005 Paris, France

Catty corner from Maison Grégoire is another Artisan Boulangerie.

Same drill…except when I removed the croissant from the package….good lord!

Burnt, bitter,….incinerated. Dry as all heck. The lady in the bakery seemed detached and it seems that she just didn't care. This was horrible.

Boulangerie Teillet Philippe
66 rue Monge
75005 Paris, France

Our quest for a favorite croissant continues…….

Petaluma: The Saturday Farmer’s Market and Dinner at Risibisi

December 10, 2015 mmm-yoso Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Fine Dining, Italian Restaurants, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, Travel

So what do you do after a fun day doing the Cheese Trail? Well, you go to dinner!

We did make one more stop in the late afternoon; Petaluma Creamery.

The focus of this shop is more geared toward ice cream and the café.

After our afternoon nap, we strolled back to downtown Petaluma, passing all those lovely Victorian houses.

Where D street meets 4th street is Walnut Park. We were visiting in October and from May thru November, Walnut Park hosts a Farmer's Market.

We had made the mile-and-a-half walk in record time….thanks to the ahem, the Missus's encouragement. So we took a nice break.

Would you believe that the Missus bought 2 pounds of apples? Which we brought back with us to San Diego?

We also saw what might be the cutest and most chubby, little pony…..

Petaluma Saturday Afternoon Farmer's Market
Saturday from 2:00 pm-5:30 pm
May though November
Walnut Park
Petaluma Blvd and D Street
Petaluma, CA

We were still early for dinner, so we walked around Petaluma for a while.

Our dinner destination? A restaurant named Risibisi. I liked the menu, Italian with regional NoCal touches, which uses local ingredients.

We were seated in a cozy corner. The place filled up really quickly!

The service was polished and very professional, no complaints from us.

I sent Candice a text after ordering my Aperitif, joking that I must have been channeling her when I ordered a Negroni. The Missus had a Pinot Noir.

We started with the Tomato and Burrata.

The tomatoes were very good; nice acid, the flavor textbook perfect. The Burrata was creamy, slightly milky, walking arm in arm with the tomato and the flavor of the Olive Oil. The Missus actually preferred this version to what we had at Central Market the night before. She believed that the flavors were more on target and true to the ingredients. I was on the fence. The tomatoes in this dish had much more flavor, but I enjoyed the umph the anchovy and the peppery olive oil added to the dish at CM. Still, there's no denying, this was quite good.

The Watermelon Salad ($12) was a wonderful combination of flavors and textures.

The Hazelnut Vinaigrette was mild, but added just blended in nicely into the symphony of flavors. Watermelon and arugula playing well together! If anything, I'd have enjoyed a bit more pecorino to add a bit more savory-milky-salty tones to the salad. But this was very enjoyable.

Sweet Corn Risotto ($18).

I'm still looking for "that" risotto…..the usual restaurant style par cooked version, that excels. This one really didn't have the texture I enjoy. The corn added a nice sweetness, the pancetta and pecorino adding the salty tones to balance things out.

The Gnocchi Wild Boar ($18) was delicious. While the risotto fell short in texture, this was so good. The gnocchi was just firm enough, waiting to be eaten to start melting into the ether.

The wild boar was tasty, adding a nice richness to the ragu, which seemed simple, but full of flavor. An excellent dish!

The Missus had Her new favorite dessert; an Affogato. She asked if they would replace the vanilla ice cream with hazelnut ice cream which they gladly did. I had a Tawny Port, which proved to be a nice digestif. Man, we got get back to Porto one of these days.

We had a very nice meal at Risibisi. In fact, the Missus said that while the best dish of the trip was the Pork Confit from Central Market, She thought that our meal at Risibisi was better overall. It's a nice dilemma to have and one I'd gladly like to repeat again….have a dinner at Central Market, then at Risibisi….

Risibisi Restaurant
154 Petaluma Blvd N
Petaluma, CA 94952

We really enjoyed our time in Petaluma and I'm sure we'll return someday…especially when the Missus is itching for some cheese! I do have one more post from this trip coming up….I'll try to get it done soon.

Della Frattoria (Petaluma), Point Reyes Farmer’s Market, and Tomales Bay Foods (Cowgirl Creamery)

October 23, 2015 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Cheese, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, Travel

Our one full day in Marin – Sonoma County was going to be a rather busy. Instead of doing what most folks here would do (wineries), we went after some cheese.

But first, breakfast. We headed to Old Town Petaluma, which looked quite sleepy…..

And headed to a place our good friend Candice recommended for breakfast named Della Frattoria. Part bakery, coffee shop, and brunch stop, we enjoyed the atmosphere, and the folks here are quite friendly.

The coffee was decent and the brunch menu was nice, lots of bread (duh) based items. While there were many tempting options, the Missus and I aren't keen on huge breakfasts. Especially if we have a busy day ahead of us. I did see something I thought we'd both enjoy, which I hadn't seen since we were on Malta, a sandwich made with an Italian style flatbread called a piadina. The sandwich seemed like more than enough for the two of us and we were willing to pay the split plate charge of three bucks, but the really nice young man said, "why don't you just order the sandwich and I'll bring you an extra plate….it's already cut in half. that way you won't have to waste three bucks." Nice folks, eh?

It was all the great breakfast suspects plus the addition of arugula which balanced things out. It's that bread that really made this sandwich…..closer to a "fry bread", than a piadina, it was really nice and crisp, and really good. Just enough for the both of us.

Della Fattoria
141 Petaluma Blvd N
Petaluma, CA 94952
Hours:
Open Daily 7am – 3pm

We then headed off to our first stop for the day, over to Point Reyes Station, parking our car on the street. The town is very quaint and seemed like a favorite stop of bicycle folks, who were taking a carb break along the street.

On Saturday mornings, Toby's Feed Barn turns into the Point Reyes Farmer's Market.

It's a cute little Farmer's Market, with a quaint small town feel. I love the vibe.

The main reason we drove here was because one of our favorite domestic cheesemakers; Cowgirl Creamery is located here. We started at the booth at the Farmer's Market…….where the woman working seemed quite uninterested in talking about the cheese and just really wanted to give out samples. Perhaps she hadn't gotten her morning coffee yet…..

We did enjoy Toby's Feed Barn though….which actually is a feed barn…..

But these days also a really cool store and art gallery……

Point Reyes Farmer’s Market at Toby’s Feed Barn
11250 Hwy 1
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
Hours:
Saturday 9am – 1pm

Not having had great luck at the Farmer's Market, we headed down the street to Tomales Bay Food where Cowgirl Creamery's Shop is located.

Unfortunately, even though the sign said open (920 am Saturday morning)….no one wanted to acknowledge my existence……

Since I really didn't think I should have to hail the young lady standing behind the counter considering I was the only person in the place as well as standing in front of the cheese case a few feet from her….yes, I did have questions….and yes, I wanted to learn something about that Red Hawk we enjoy so much. But it was not to be.

Tomales Bay Foods
80 4th St
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Point Reyes Station is a cute little town and Cowgirl Creamery makes some of our favorite cheese…..however……well, I'll just leave that be. We were off to have more cheese.

Thanks for reading!

2016 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade Float Road Test #5, breakfast at Lucky Boy (Pasadena)

September 21, 2015 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!

Here's another mmm-yoso!!! post with a bit of food, a bit of preparation and another road trip North. Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are not posting today; it's Cathy who is writing.

Saturday was going to be a hot day and The Mister and I left the house earlier than usual to try to avoid traffic and hopefully get to another road testing of some floats which will participate in the 2016 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade a bit sooner than 7 a.m.. This is the City Of Hope's entry as being tested on Saturday… …and this is how it looked about one month ago.
Similarly, this June road test of a rebar framed bison and horse and…other shapes… Has evolved into 'The Great Faces and Great Places of South Dakota', a float design in keeping with the 2016 Rose Parade theme of "Find Your Adventure", a collaboration between the Tournament of Roses and the National Park Service.
Last month, the City of Glendale float, "Getting There is Half the Fun!" looked interesting… …and it is-there's even 'steam' coming from the locomotive!
Here's a 'Before and After' of "Innovation Rocks", the 2016 entry by Destination Irvine (on that webpage link is the artist rendition of the final float, and all of its colors). The testing this weekend was of the many moveable 'gears' on the float.

So, on to the food part of this blog post… Always, a stop at Cream Pan is first…We were there at about 6:05 and our quick snack choices were still warm. The short walk from the Phoenix Decorating Company barn, over the Metro tracks and one block North to Lucky Boy was completed with these hearty breakfast choices of the Bacon Plate ($7) with sourdough, three eggs, hash browns and ..bacon! (yes, it weighed more than a pound) and my standing choice of breakfast egg sandwich ($3.75) on rye.

Lucky Boy Drive-In 640 S. Arroyo Parkway Pasadena, CA 91105 Website It is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, otherwise it's always open.

Proceeding over to the High School parking lot, the Certified Farmers Market had just opened and wasn't yet too crowded.

We picked up a good variety of vegetables and fruits and headed home, arriving back just before noon…and the heat of the day.

I hope everyone has a good week.

2016 Rose Parade float road test #1 (Cream Pan, Roma Market, Pasadena Farmers Market, The Donut Man and Tom’s Farms)

June 21, 2015 Cathy Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, Markets & Grocers, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for (continuing to) dropping by mmm-yoso!!! a blog about food. Today, Kirk as well as Ed (from Yuma) are both resting and Cathy is filling in with a post long on photos of an event and of food.

Last Saturday, it was 'that time' of the year- the first Road Test of floats which will appear in the 127th Tournament of Roses Rose Parade which will happen on January 1, 2016. The Theme for 2016 is "Find Your Adventure", which will guide the activities and designs for floats.

The parade is being sponsored in conjunction with the National Park Service, a bureau of the Department of the Interior. The National Park Service, formed in 1916, preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.The Mister and I left home early, stopped for a quick snack (you'll see, below) and arrived in Pasadena just in time to park, stop at Starbucks, walk over the Metro tracks and South on Raymond Avenue, where the floats were lined up for their 7 a.m. Road Tests.This is the Shriners Hospitals for Children float entry (I haven't found a title or artist rendering for it) in a 'ready for foam' stage of construction. It looks like a Shriner Bear in a fire engine. You can see the small rectangular cutout in the front, where the 'observer' will be looking out onto the parade route so he can tell the 'driver' of the float if there is a reason to slow down or speed up.This is the City of Los Angeles 2016 float in its most basic stage of construction. The float is titled "Discover Los Angeles" and you can see several things: a sunshine, maneuvered to its low position so as to meet the height requirements along the Parade Route; to the left, an outline of the Capitol Records Building and just underneath that, the "spotter" for this float, in a red shirt…while just to the right of center (behind the man on the bicycle) are seen the legs and arms of the 'driver' of the float. Even at this point, the Road Testing has them communicating via headsets.This is the Lutheran Hour Ministries 2016 float entry, "Jesus is the Light of the World", foamed and ready for color. That's a lighthouse in the back, with the top down, a position tested for the float to be able to fit along the Parade Route.This will be the 2016 entry for Rotary International. This float, in its foamed and 'cocoon' stage (I haven't found a title). I can see a cute squirrel and snail as well as a grasshopper and lovebirds. "The Tree of Life's Adventures" is the 2016 entry of the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, another Service Organization. Colors are marked for decorating and the rectangular slot for the 'spotter' is just under the 'deck' in the center; quite well disguised.The Kiwanis entry, "Children, Our Treasure" looks like a bright, fun float. Here, it is backing into the construction/decorating barn (at Phoenix Decorating Company), fitting through the doorway which is the maximum height and width every float needs to be able to collapse down to along the parade route.Lions Clubs International is showcasing more of their philanthropic work with "Camps for All Abilities".Finally, the City of Alhambra's 2016 Rose Parade float entry is "Parks Make Life Better" and is a small diorama of the City archway, along with park benches, climbing tower, slide and soccer net.

I know, you are here for the food. The Mister and I haven't been on a 'road trip' since January and didn't want to hit traffic. Most of the food we bought was consumed in the car while driving.

We stopped first at Cream Pan, which opens at 6 and is convenient from the 5 freeway. This wonderful Japanese Bakery has changed just a bit, adding the dumpling warmer/reverse refrigerator and removing some of the interior seating. The ham and cheese croissant is still $2.50. The pecan cinnamon roll is now made with chopped pecans instead of halves. Both are still wonderful and amazing pastries. We also purchased some sesame rolls for meals at home, and no strawberry croissant!

Cream Pan 602 El Camino Real Tustin, CA 92780 (714)665-8239 Open 6 a.m.-4 p.m. seven days

After the floats, we drove up Lake Avenue to the original location of Roma Market (link is post about the Escondido/San Diego County location). The Pasadena location is only about a block North from Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles, where we stopped about two years ago. This store is smaller than the not large Escondido location and more interesting. Mr. Rosario Mazzeo, who has worked here since the 1950's, was busy preparing "The Sandwich"($5.50) as well as working the deli counter. He is very friendly and said to us "this is what I do, all day, every day". The simple three meat, one cheese, olive oil on a fresh Italian roll sandwich is perfect. We also purchased one fresh made Burrata ($2) to bring home.

Roma Market 918 N. Lake Avenue Pasadena 91104 (626)797-7748 Website

Following Roma, while eating the The Sandwich in the car, we drove to the Saturday Pasadena Farmers Market, which was enveloped in fog. The overcast day made the fruits and vegetables bright. We stopped at the one vendor who has prepared Mexican food and purchased a chile relleño burrito ($2.50). It's not large but is filled with flavor; a good snack while walking around.

Pasadena Saturday Farmers Market Parking lot of Pasadena High School.

Soon enough, we were headed East on Route 66. The line at The Donut Man was around the side, back into the parking lot.

Being able to watch the bakers in the back was fascinating. We bought two donuts and headed home.

The Donut Man 915 E. Route 66 Glendora, CA (626) 335-9111 Website

We made our final stop at Tom's Farms, because we got to the 15 after a *lot* of traffic and honestly, I needed to use 'the facilities'.

We grabbed some ring bologna to go with the bread and cheese and veggies that had already been purchased that morning and headed home. Got back just before 1 p.m..

Tom's Farms 23900 Temescal Canyon Road, Corona, CA 92883Website

Thanks for reading!