The Bug

So as mentioned in my last post, we hit the farmer's market last weekend. The Santa Monica Farmer's Market, to be specific. What a wonderful place- and there are 4 markets a week to choose from! Mostly organic foods everywhere you look, and all pretty dang local! Granted it's a bit pricier than at Ye Olde Big Box Generic Grocery Mart, but man oh man is it ever tastier! The extra couple of bucks spent on fresh plums and peaches are TOTALLY worth it, not to mention the varieties of tomatoes I've never even heard of. (The ones I the photo below are called 'Momotaro' and are super easy to eat just by themselves. And we got to discuss Kamen Rider with the guy who sold them to us. Best produce sale ever.) We also got some honey from hives kept in the Los Angeles National Forest, and some butter and cheese from a cheesemaker in Petaluma. And local eggs, too!

At any rate, I'd been struck by a NEED for fresh, local, seasonal fruit for one simple reason. I wanted to take a lot of this:

And turn it into this:

Because I have been, once again bitten by the preserving bug. We have here peach jam (tasted only in the making thus far. But I have Plans. Tasty, delicious plans.) plum jam, which might be my latest addiction, and peach/plum butter. Oh! And I forgot the classic old dill pickles, which really won't be ready till October sometime. (Kindly forgive the mess on my cutting board! I've been making bread today to eat all this lovely stuff on...)

There are also some nectarines that I chucked in the freezer that I can't decide what to do with. I'm ALSO looking forward to the future- I've heard wonderful things about blueberry butter, and I have designs on things like apple butter, several varieties of marmalade, and if I am REALLY lucky I'll start a rumtopf pot or a vin de pamplemousse pot. The benefits of the latter, being of course that the fruit leftover once you've decanted the booze would make for some fine, fine marmalade. Can you just imagine? Oh, my mind reels! Also tomato sauce. Sadly not from my OWN tomatoes this year, since the heat and dryness here in the Valley has left my poor plants looking like this:

Yes, that IS an automatic watering device there in the pot. No, it hasn't helped a bit. It only took one day of 100+ temps and getting dried out to destroy the plant's heat tolerance, and even with some shade on it, that's pretty much what it looks like now. I hope that it'll last long enough for the three or four tomatoes to ripen before it dies completely. Ah well.

But next year! Such plans! Self watering CONTAINER, and some better prep, and I hope to be preserving my OWN tomatoes! Till then, I'll hit up the farmers market for a few pounds of heirloom fruit, and pin my hopes on the eggplants.

Busy busy!

Boy, what a crazy couple of weeks! It all started a few weeks ago when a good friend flew in from all the way across the country to stay with us for a few days of relaxation and calm before the insanity of Comic Con. It was really great to see him, and we got to show off one of our very favorite restaurants, which was very cool. (Also, while there, hey look. It's Fabio! It's funny how living in LA kind of makes you feel less excited about that sort of sighting.)

Comic Con was, as usual, completely insane. This is actually a bit away from the convention center itself, and the crowd has barely thinned at all.

SUPER crowded as always, it took my poor husband almost 2 hours to find parking when we got down there on Thursday.

He'd dropped our friend and me off in front of the Tin Fish in San Diego to minimize my walking (such a good dad-to-be!) so we had some fish and chips while we waited.

And waited.

And started to get a bit worried.

And waited some more. And finally got his food packed into boxes to take with us. Naturally, as soon as we crossed the street towards the convention center, he called to tell us that he would be at the Tin Fish in mere moments to join us. Ah well, it all worked out-he got his tasty fried seafood, we got him back, and in the end I even got a badge! (“Hi, so, my pregnant wife wasn't going to come originally, so she doesn't have a badge. Is there any way I can avoid leaving my pregnant wife all alone while I get my business done in the convention?” It was ballsy, but it worked!)

We got to see a bunch of friends that we somehow only see at cons anymore, bought a couple of books, fought the crowds, and I decided that I was pretty much fried by the end of Friday.

The rest of the weekend was spent away from the convention, seeing friends and finally having lunch with some family at Anthony's, right next to the Star of India.

It's a great place to eat, and a really cool place to wander around and look at the boats. If tall ships aren't your thing, then there are also two submarines! And you can go aboard and check them out, too!

his past week we said goodbye to our friend, and greeted some family who was in town for business.

(If you're looking for a really awesome bag, check out Peasants & Travelers!! We have the diaper bag half packed in anticipation, and we are loving it totally!) She didn't stay long, but

We loved having her here! Hopefully next time she can stay long enough to help me with my current obsession... turning fruits and veggies into tasty, tasty preserves. But I think that might be for another post- this one's getting a bit long...

Some local wildlife!

Boy, it's amazing what you can find on a third floor balcony! For example, we have some regular visitors here- two hooded orioles (a male and a female...)

A whole flock of finches...














a hawk that hangs out in the palm tree right outside our window (although I only got a picture of it perched on the next building over...)















And this morning we saw a tiny little lizard! How he got up here, I have NO idea, but I hope he finds a few nice bugs to eat! Better food for the lizard than a pest on my radishes!















We also have three Anna's hummingbirds that chase each other off the feeder when the orioles aren't hogging it, but man those guys are speedy! I don't have any really good photos of them right now. So many exciting dramas get played out right outside- even my husband who'd live in a cinder block box if it had broadband has gotten excited about it all!

Check one... TWO...

I'm not dead. I promise! It's just been completely insane since last year (got married, got pregnant... you know. life stuff.)

Superquick update, though- more peppers on the balcony this year, and also tomoatos, eggplants, roses, radishes... good stuff! The starter is wonderfully sour and produces some seriously tasty bread things.

That's about all I have for this very moment. I'm sure I'll have more interesting things to say in the near future, though! TTFN!