Can I get a RAmen?!

Totally weird - I was just finishing up eating a plate of whole wheat spaghetti with rappini and was just about to wash the dishes when I felt a strange noodly presence.



I'm a bit freaked, but I think I may have been converted without my consent.

So, like, can I put the plate in the dishwasher? I mean, I don't want to miss the beer volcano.

You Have Never Tasted A Grape...

... until you've tasted a Kyoho. Discovered by accident last week. Gollydamn, if this ain't the best tasting table grape I've ever put in my grape hole.



Now, this is probably because I have spent far too much time in North America where actual taste is GMO'd out of everything you find in the supermarket. But I am finally getting wise and learning how totally worth it it is to go to farmer's markets and specialty stores. I have always dabbled, but now I am becoming more committed. I'm keepin it real, though, as I still think a Coke Slurpee and a bag of Veggie Booty makes a delicious lunch.

Back to Kyoho. How I love thee. Apparently this grape is very popular in Japan and Korea. I bought my kyohos from a Japanese father and son team at the Venice farmer's market here in California. The son said it's his uncle who grows them. According to this here chart, they are rarely grown here. But if you can find them, eat them immediately!

If I had the motivation, I would make a line of t-shirts: Get yo'self a Kyo, ho! And I would convince Diddy to wear one to the MTV Video Music Awards and then the popularity of this grape would be off da richta and people all across this great nation would taste the sensation!

Stacked in La Jolla

Went for a run on the beach down to the end where the cliffs start. I came upon a collection of inukshuk, you know, those community-stacked stones that seem to be a worldwide sign for "I-was-here-but-I'm-too-conscientious-to-throw-up-graffiti-or-destroy-nature-so-instead-I will-stack-rocks."

I balanced one on top of a shorter stack that looked like it needed help. (Because if you don't participate when you come upon these, you're a party-pooper. Also, it seems like not placing a stone might bring a curse upon your house or some other bad thing.) Actually, I don't even know if you really call them inukshuk unless they're constructed by real, live Indigenous North Americans, but it sounds better than saying I saw a bunch of stacks of rocks.



And lest you think rock-stacking is for hosers, check out The Rock Balancing Art of Bill Dan. Watch a video of him kicking some stony ass in the Presidio. All in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge.

And if you are turned on by that, you'll really get your rocks off if you rent this. It gives rockumentaries a good name.

Sorry.

Ok, so the other neat thing I saw today was this.



I was real thirsty from my run and desperately wanted to lick it, but I thought vibrations from my tongue might result in a spider attack, so I refrained. But it does look refreshing, doesn't it?

Step Off My Heirloom Tomato

Today I went to the farmer's market to get heirloom tomatoes. Everyone was congregated around the stall and was real pushy - like a bunch of desperate parents at a toy store during Christmas. They're TOMATOES, people. Chill the hell out.

So, I shoved my way in (hey, when in Rome) and grabbed six beauts. They were pricey ($11) but worth it. I sliced 'em thick and did the drizzle. Also some fresh figs, goat gouda, and these friggin' delicious grapes unlike any I have ever tasted (also from the farmer's market).



I know they look like regular grapes, but they weren't. They were really really grapey, not like the usual red or green store-bought grapes which are sweet but taste like... nothing. These were big, juicy, purply and seedless, but had an intense, grapetastic taste. I'm not sure what they are... maybe some type of inbred Concord? More research needed.