One Fall day

Yesterday was a fine day. A Fall day. My favorite kind. It was made all the better by the fact that Mom was here visiting. It sounds so funny to remark that she's "visiting" since she only lives 35 miles away. But when she stays a night or two she really is in fact visiting, yes?

The epitome of my favorite season

Mom and I started our day at the Farmers' Market. I arrived with eco-friendly shopping bag in hand and D40 with 50mm prime lens on shoulder. I figured it was time to practice manually focusing outside my own kitchen. And apropos that I was still shooting food? Me thinks, yes.

A busy Sunday morning

Farmers' Markets [in California] are so absolutely fantastic. Here I sit, about 90 miles north of why California has been the #1 food and agriculture producer in the US for the last 50 consecutive years (the Central Valley). "Restaurants" is listed as one of the biggest reasons why Condé Nast readers voted San Francisco as the best city to visit in the United States (also our friendliness!!) And any guess why our dining is so excellent? It goes full circle - we are smack dab in the middle of the #1 food and agriculture producing state in the United States.

Japanese eggplant - just screams for some minced pork and Sìchuān sauce

Is it true some people outside California don't know what an artichoke is??

So it goes without saying that our Farmers' Markets are not only prevalent (I think I could visit 5 in a week within 7 miles of my home) but FANTASTIC.

Strawberries. In October!

"Smell Good" - I'll take 'em!

Um.. but not for Mom. Mom is not a foodie. She clips coupons and circles grocery store ads. For Dad's birthday she makes his favorite meal (as opposed to dining out at Fifth Floor). She wouldn't buy me cake refills for my Easy Bake Oven when I was little, and instead made cake mix from scratch to the perfect proportions.

Peppers are so vibrant and colorful

Let's just get to the point: Mom thinks Farmers' Markets are nothing to bat an eye at (or about which to write long blog entries). I can't tell you how many times today I heard "$2/pound?!!!!!" "*gasp* 3 for $7??!!!" Mom is also from one of the biggest agricultural areas in California, so I suppose she has a better eye for the lack of difference between a shi-shi $3 Famers' Market pomegranate and one that grows on my Auntie Carole's tree.

I think she just fainted a little bit behind me

Don't get me wrong. She still enjoys going. Those of you out there who know and love a Chinese woman know that they [*ahem*we] love to complain. So she's really happy amidst her price "comparisons".

Shi-shi produce everywhere you look!

I, on the other hand work a full-time job. I barely have time to clean my house (which my mother also enjoys complaining about). So while it makes perfect economical sense, I [*gasp* Mom, plug your ears!] don't clip coupons or shop around for deals. In fact, one of the reasons I take Mom with me is to ask her "is $2/pound for bell peppers a rip off, or acceptable?"

They look like jelly beans! And are practically just as sweet :)

I am also a total foodie, and I'm not afraid to admit it. I am a $150+ per meal restaurant whore (eeks I just wrote the word "whore" in my blog!) I don't shrivel up and go to my happy place when buying vanilla beans. I covet All-Clad and Le Creuset cookware like others would covet a Louis Vuitton handbag (mmm although one of those wouldn't be bad either...)

Fresh [Kumamoto] oysters. At the FARMERS' MARKET!

Fresh shucked Miyagi oysters. It don't get better than this.

I LOVE Farmers' Markets. I love the idea of strolling in with my skinny (bridesmaid dress this weekend, remember?) caramel macchiato and buying organic produce in abundance to last a week, only to come back 7 days later. I love the samples and the bustle and the variety. I love that I can buy flowers for my table and flowers for my salad.

Flowers for the table

Flowers for the salad

And I CAN'T believe how much I just wrote about Farmers' Markets!! Can you tell I have SF-Bay Area pride or what?

The day did hold more than just the FM... We also got coffee.

And went shoe shopping.
Even the shoes [boots] I got were "Fall anticipating Winter".

Mom and I closed our afternoon marveling at how we DO get a little fall color here in California. It's not all reserved for New England! The Chinese Pistache is one of the only trees that turn vibrant colors in the Fall. It's really tremendous how red they become.

There is such a thing as fall foliage in California

Fan-flippin'-tastic

Oh, what a day.