Highlights from last few days in Berkeley

Well first there was lunch with Julie Schwartzberg- sadly I was once again too involved in the conversation to remember to take a photo. Good to catch up though and hear about her time in Berkeley (past 5 or so months). 

I visited the Farmer’s Market finally in our neighborhood (last week it was suspendedfor the holidays). Made myself laugh because I was pondering that the must have different rules here about the necessity for produce tobe local - there was so much citrus fruit. 

Then of course I realized "duh" I was in California where much of the US citrus is grown. 

That night we had our second best meal (after Great China) at a Laotian/Thai restaurant called Dara on Shattuck.  Most unusual dish was mieng  kham - spinach leaves with onion, ginger, lemon grass, lime, peanuts, coconut and tamarind dipping sauce. Fresh and so many layers of flavor

For the main course we had spicy lamb kebabs and eggplant stuffed with minced chicken, prawns, and green onions. Both delicious and different.  One review said the writer was obsessed with the eggplant dish  i can see why  

Yesterday we had a walk around West Berkeley in the late afternoon....

...and then ended up at Skates restaurant which is right on the bay, for drinks and appetizers. Just in time for the sunset