It’s Great to Be Greek, Even If It’s Just For a Weekend!

That is the theme of this year’s Greek Festival at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in the beautiful island of Oakland, CA and I could not agree more.  With such a diverse community in the Bay Area, we can immerse ourselves with the flavors of Japan at the Cherry Blossom Festival one month and that of Greece the next.  

Normally during the beginning of May, this year just happened to be a few weeks later (May 20-22), giving me the chance to catch it before it was too late.  With hours from 10AM-11PM Fri-Sat and 11-9 Sun, we made sure to arrive early to secure one of the free parking spots at the Mormon Temple, Ability Now Bay Area, or Head Royce lots.   Although shuttles run between, I like parking by the Mormon Temple lot and walk down when the shuttles are most busy and then take the shuttle back up when it is pretty empty since many are still arriving.  If money is no object, there is a pay lot for $15 right at the pavilion as well.  Admission is $6 with a dollar discount if you bring a can food item for the food bank with special hours free or today’s promotion, anyone who attended today’s A’s game gets in for free by showing their tickets.  If you have tokens from previous years’ festivals, use them up as this will be the last year accepted.  Payment is now via credit card, phone pay or prepaying a GC that can be scanned at each booth. 

Although not the only Greek Festival in the Bay Area (Marin, San Jose, Castro Valley, SF, and Contra Costa still to come), this is easily my favorite maybe because it is so food-centric.  Spanakopita or lesser known Tyropita to start?  Haloumi, Loukaniko, Souvlakia, or Gyros to follow?  Just make sure to save room for Galaktobouriko, Kaitaife, or Kourambiedes (and you thought Baklava was hard to pronounce).  No room, no worries as they have Take-Home pastries for about $15 for a pack of 5-6 pieces.  

This being my second time attending, my main focus this time around is the food so one promotion that I easily took advantage of is the passport.  Taste all 5 regions (purchase 1 food or beverage item from each of the 5 regions), get your passport stamped and get a free bowl of Loukoumades (honey dipped pastry puffs). 

Arriving right before 11 with no lines in sight, we split a loukaniko (greek sausage in pita)

then straight to dessert with the galaktobouriko (fillo, milk custard, and honey) at their café

then back to appetizer with a good sized spanakopita (fillo, spinach, cheese). 

Go ahead, be bold, eat dessert before appetizer…there are no rules here!  To work off all this good food, walk around and check out the non-food booths, the entertainment at the Windmill Plaza, Olympia Bar, or Platia Stage and take in one of the church tours of the Cathedral. 

After working up an appetite again, a gyro was calling our names washed down with thirst quenching lemonade. 

Five stamps down, loukoumades here we come!! 

It sure was Great to Be Greek, Even If Only For a Day!  Okay, maybe for more than a day if my to go lamb shanks and moussaka are any indication.  

OPA!!

Becoming an annual tradition now, we have returned for all our favorites above and trying the saganaki 

and souvlaki and lamb chop. 

U-Pick Cherries, White Peaches, Loquats, Take Your Pick!

I start getting excited this time of year as my favorite stone fruits are in season. Cherries, loquats, white peaches, take your pick!  Living in the Bay Area, picking your own fruits straight from the trees can be a reality. Although not literally from my own backyard, it is close enough, with many Brentwood Farms less than an hour away beginning their U-Pick season this past weekend.

I was first introduced to cherry picking by a college friend over 15 years ago but I do not get a chance to do it every year since the season is very dependent on the unpredictable weather patterns in recent years, resulting in no set time frame of the U-Pick season.  But when I do go fruit picking, it is normally for the Rainier Cherries and White Peaches.

Like many fans of Rainiers, I find this yellow fleshed variety sweeter and therefore perfect to enjoy crisp and cold right out of the fridge.  Because of its increased popularity, short season, and higher value placed on this variety, it is usually only available for picking about 2 weekends out of the year.  Markets normally price these higher than Bings making this a great buy at $3.50/lb at Nunn Better Farms on their first weekend out.  Although open during the weekdays, if you plan on a weekend, get there when it opens Saturday mornings before they are picked through by people and the birds who enjoys them as much as we do.

 

If you miss the cherry season, the peach season is longer often extending into July.  Although I enjoyed the yellow flesh variety of the cherries, I prefer the white for peaches. Sweeter and more pronounced in its peach flavor than the yellow counterparts it is versatile and can be enjoyed crisp like my mom does or softer like my dad does.

 

 

 

One big perk of picking my own fruit straight from the trees is you really cannot get fresher than a just picked fruit. The other lesser known perk and more so with cherries than peaches is being able to sample one to find a tree that you like so you can harvest most of your bounty from that tree.
 
The one fruit that is harder to find as a U-pick and therefore we buy pre-picked are loquats. Popular among Asians, this is a mild tasting but sweet fruit that are best when it is more orange in color vs. yellow.  Having purchased from the loose section at $3 per lb in the past and by the case of 20-25 lbs. this time, I recommend going for the loose section.  The small 25 cents "savings" per lb you get from buying the case is essentially null by them weighing with the crate it is in vs. just a plastic bag with the loose plus you cannot pick the choice fruits when it is already pre-selected for you.

 

Live Theater vs. Movie Theater

Averaging about a movie a year for the past 2 decades, imagine my amazement when I found myself seeing 4 movies in a little over 2 months late last year, early this year.  The 12 month period isn’t even up yet and I already have plans for another next month.  How can I not want to reunite with Nemo, Marlin, and Dory for their next big adventure? 

The norm at least in the last decade has been more programs and Playbills than movie stubs.  Maybe it is at times the extreme volume due to the speakers at the theater that has my fingers pressed against my ears half the time or the spontaneity that can occur performing in front of a live audience but I find live theater more enjoyable these days. 

I have definitely come a long way from my first play, Cats on Broadway, a National Honors Society outing during high school when I was living back East and our counterparts were visiting from Quincy California.  Aside from my literal 3000 mile coast to coast change in residence since, I have developed a deeper appreciation for the theater (I actually hated Cats).  Returns back to Broadway during visits back East, shortly after Chicago first opened with Bebe Neuwirth and Marilu Henner prompted by the snippet I saw during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, to shows that started in SF like Wicked to national tours of Broadway Shows like Rock of Ages (thanks Constantine Maroulis for touring with the show), I have filled up 2 binders with Playbills since.  Whenever I return back East which unfortunately is not often enough, a show is always on my itinerary. 

 

 

 

The discovery of the TKTS booth in Times Square 12 years before just to get out of the cold to watch the Flower Drum Song with Lea Salonga from the front row while most were at the Rockefeller Tree Lighting sparked my increased attendance of plays. 

 

 

 

I discovered a similar setup called Tickets Bay Area in Union Square in San Francisco but because of the limited run of most national tours, tickets to those shows at a discount are more of a rarity than the norm.  But what I did find was an introduction to the world of more intimate and even some community theaters with wonderful storylines and plots but at a price sometimes not much more than that of a movie ticket.  I discovered my favorite small scale theater in the city, the SF Playhouse - http://sfplayhouse.org/ founded by Bill English and Susi Damilano with Red Velvet's preview performance tonight.  I was privy to many shows over the past few years following them from their old location to their current one in the Kensington Park Hotel and the great thing about smaller intimate theaters is there is not a bad seat in the house. 

 

 

My hidden gem closer to me in the East Bay thanks to a pair of complimentary tickets from Tix Bay Area in 2009 is the Chanticleer Theater in Castro Valley http://www.chanticleers.org/season.html reachable for me even without freeway access.  When they throw in free cookies and punch during intermission, you end up paying less for your evening out than for a movie with snacks at the concession stands.  If you happen to be there for their opening night like we were recently, they even have a small reception with simple finger foods to enjoy after the show while interacting with the actors/actresses.  I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is running until 5/22 when they will take a summer hiatus before returning in the Fall (Sept. 9) for their 3^rd show of the season, Tuesdays with Morrie.  To Chanticleer, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Give Them Your Change, so we can keep them going for many more years to come. 

 

 

Japantown

Ohayou Gozaimasu!

 

I am lucky to live close enough to such a diverse city as San Francisco.  Although I am 30 minutes outside of the city, due to its multicultural makeup that has spilled over to its neighboring cities and beyond throughout the Bay Area, we have greatly benefited as well.  From restaurants of almost every cuisine you can imagine to expose us to different countries we have yet to visit or to remind us of those we have, to having access to ingredients sourced from different countries around the world enables us to experiment and put our own twist on traditional classics within our own homes - http://www.cookwithzee.blogspot.com/. 

Although I have never been to Japan, I do try to spend a day in Japantown at least once a year, if I am lucky, during their annual Cherry Blossom Festival - http://www.aroundthebayandaway.blogspot.com/2016/04/experience-japan-without-passport-at.html.    

Regardless of when we go, there are two places that are a must stop for us.

 

Nijiya Market

Just like the country of Japan, they really make great use of their space here at Nijiya.  Even though the store itself is small and therefore easily crowded, you can find almost anything Japanese your heart desires.  Upon entering along the right side you can find their pre-cooked items like croquettes, sushi rolls, takoyaki (when you cannot get them made to order at the festival), chicken karaage, onigiris, bento boxes, etc..  I have been spoiled with the made to order onigiris from Oori in Berkeley so was not impressed with the lack of filling in these.  However, my go-to in this section is the croquettes that I just pop in my toaster oven at 350F for 5 minutes to refresh.  In that same aisle are your cold drinks like Calpico, Ito-En Japanese iced green tea (which I recently found they now carry at Costco), ramune, or melon cream sodas to go right along with the food.  Fresh sashimi and frozen eels are along the back if you want to make your own bowls or rolls at home and produce on the left side.  While I normally would only shop the perimeter in markets, Nijiya is the exception as the middle aisles house those Japanese snacks that I would splurge once a year on and make great gift baskets for Mother’s Day if you are here for the Cherry Blossom Festival. 

 

 

Benkyodo

Next stop is Benkyodo, a family owned shop that makes hand made mochi.  Tip:  Call in your order before going as they run out.  Around since 1906 (110 years this year) I always make an effort to stop by whenever I plan on being close to the area and have at times made a trip out specifically for it and a recent extreme, an out of the way detour here to pick up a box for our food loving friends - http://www.aroundthebayandaway.blogspot.com/2016/04/shared-loves.html.  But no regrets as that detour netted me my only chance for sakura mochi this year. 

Why such an urgency?  Regardless of their longevity up this point, all family own shops are subject to close if the newer generations have no interest in taking over since it is a big sacrifice getting up so early to make these heavenly confections for us.  Although you can never go wrong with habutai (white mochi with smooth red beans), yomogi (green mochi with whole red beans), and pink habutai (pink mochi with smooth white beans), my favorites are the seasonal flavors, sakura, mango, blueberry, and currently in season, the fresh strawberry!!  Although the seasonal choices generally require same day consumption, do yourself a big favor and get at least 2 per person to avoid fighting for the last one.  

 

 

Experience Japan without a Passport at Northern California's Cherry Blossom Festival

Taste freshly made imagawayaki, partake in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, move to the beat of the taiko drums and still make it home in time for dinner.  Experience the flavor of Japan as you open up your senses at this cultural festival.

The streets of San Francisco’s Japantown are gearing up for its 49th annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, one of the largest celebrations of this delicate bloom, outside of Washington D.C.  Although you probably will not see much of the blossoms in Japantown itself, the vibe this festival creates with performers from Japan and the U.S. creates a cultural experience that is sure to have you wondering why it took you so long to join in the festivities.  Spanning two weekends (April 9, 10, 16, 17), there is bound to be enough free entertainment to keep you occupied. 

The Peace Plaza Stage will be the host to taiko drumming, various martial art dojos, and dancing, all with the majestic five tiered concrete Peace Pagoda as its backdrop. 

In the past 48 years, the festival has expanded past the street booths and Peace Stage entertainment to be an all encompassing experience.  Previous year’s events have included a traditional tea ceremony and origami demonstrations held at the ballrooms at Hotel Kabuki while this year’s schedule has JCCCNC housing majority of the exhibits and demonstrations ranging from Washi Ninnyo (paper dolls) to bonsai to Shishu (Japanese Embroidery).  A complete schedule of events and parking information can be found on Northern California’s Cherry Blossom Festival’s Website http://sfcherryblossom.org/.  Due to the increased popularity of this event, arriving early to secure street parking or even a coveted spot in the paid garages is a must to avoid disappointment. 

All these activities are sure to build up an appetite and you will find the food booths are an event in itself.  Dishing up fresh ramen, chicken yakitori, takoyaki (fried mochi balls) and the ever so popular fresh imagawayaki, a Japanese dessert made right in front of you filled with sweet azuki red bean paste, you are bound to find many items to suit your taste.  Due to the long lines here, split up and line up at different booths to maximize your time and opportunity to try different things.  If you happen to attend the festival on one of the Saturdays, a stop at Benkyodo on Buchanan, one of the last family own businesses that still makes traditional handmade mochi is a must especially for their daily mochi special that can range from fresh strawberry, blueberry, mango, or fitting for the Cherry Blossom Festival, sakura (pickled sakura leaf on top of rice surrounding a red bean center).  Just make sure to get there early and bring cash. 

Just like the short lived cherry blossoms, all good things do come to an end and the festival is no exception, culminating in the Grand Parade on the 17^th beginning at Civic Center and ending in Japantown. 

 

 

 

Yelp, There It Is

Tag team, back again, Mr. Holmes Bakehouse, let’s begin. 

I had discovered the West Coast answer to the NY cronuts last year thanks to a picture of the cruffins (croissant influenced muffin) from a fellow Yelper.  Since I did not wait in line for 2 hours for a Hello Kitty bobblehead at the A’s game the night before, we decided to wait an hour for a cruffin the next day.  Two visits later and no longer a novice, I knew to check their Facebook page so I can preview their daily flavors for the upcoming week and when I saw POG for this past weekend, this Hawaiian at Heart jumped at the chance to secure 2 of these elusive goodies!  This is where the tag team comes in and why having 2 people makes the difference.  As hubby shared on Yelp, Player 1 drives by, Player 2 gets dropped off and secures a spot in line, Player 1 looks for parking before joining in line. Player 2 can then check out what other goods are available to purchase after 8 to munch on while in line waiting for cruffins to roll out at 9.  Getting to know your fellow Yelpers in line makes the time go by faster as well, last time a couple from Boston and this time, a couple originally from Hawai`i!  Forty five minutes later and 2 Yelp friends richers, we laid our hands and immediately sunk our teeth into the POG cruffin! 

 

Planning on knocking off a couple of my Yelp bookmarks, I planned lunch at Rove Kitchen followed by dessert at Sixth Course.  But with 1 ½ hours to kill before Rove opened, I realized that I can finally take advantage of the Bank of America Museum on Us to get into the DeYoung or Legion of Honor for free the first weekend of the month.  All it took was the Na Hulu Ali`i Royal Hawaiian Featherworks Special Exhibit to convince me to head over to the DeYoung before lunch and with a week left of this exhibit (until April 10<sup>th</sup>), it was meant to be.  Most pieces we have probably seen before at the Bishop Museum on our previous O`ahu visit (staying at the Waikiki Parc gave us complimentary admission to the Bishop) but there were additional pieces there from around the country and world traveling with this exhibit and upon the tour conclusion will return to Hawai`i where it belongs.  Because the exhibit is coming to an end, many of the gift shop items are 50% off. 

Check out Yelp http://luckylotus.yelp.com for my new reviews on Rove Kitchen and Sixth Course but here are some pictures to tantalize your taste buds! 

 

 

Shared Loves

When people have a shared love or passion for something, it crosses all boundaries and any generational gaps.  When you have a shared passion for multiple things, it is like finding your soul mate in the friendship realm.   As mentioned just in my last post, we have made what I consider lifelong friends over in Mau`i and although many of us are from California, it took our love for Mau`i to bring us together. We look forward to and countdown the days together until our reunion at our happiest place on Earth each year. 

Although I completely agree with the quote “Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you are to the end, the faster it goes.”, the wait in between each visit seems to be the exception to the rule.  So recently we, including my dad met up with one of the Maui loving couples up in Napa Valley for lunch since it was close to the halfway point between us.  Over good food, great wines, and even better company, we picked up where we last left off almost as if it was just the day before when we were watching the sun set in the Pacific Ocean fronting our beautiful home away from home.

Here on the other side of the Pacific, we met up at Market in St. Helena, one of only two restaurants in Napa Valley that has no corkage fee for Napa Valley wines.  We shared a bottle of the 2012 Mt Veeder Cabernet from our favorite winery V Sattui that my dad had expertly picked out as a future when it was still in the barrel years ago, no small feat with Cabernets since they tend to be more tannic.  Upon release, once the tannins have softened, it went on to quickly win Wine of the Year and was a hit among all, even those who are normally not Cabernet drinkers. 

They brought along and shared from their collection a library vintage of the Corison’s Kronos Vineyard Cabernet, another delicious choice to pair with our Market lunch.  After the 2 bottles of wine with lunch, we decided to take a pass on wine tasting that day so we can truly appreciate the experience at a later date.