Ubuntu

Drove up to Napa to have lunch at Ubuntu, a vegetarian/vegan restaurant and yoga studio. My first reaction was how beautiful the space is. You feel immediately calmer inside the tall ceilings surrounded by rock walls accented by dark wood panels and just enough window light. Beautiful art hangs from the walls and a metal statue of four figures in yoga poses centers the room. The kitchen is visible from the dining area and right above is the yoga studio. We wanted to get the whole experience so we ordered the entire menu.

Roasted Beets

We started with the savory slow roasted beets and legumes which came with sweet broccoli pesto sauce.

Snake Salad

The snake salad was amazing, it was all types of fresh greens and edible flowers with radishes and a slight vinaigrette.

Roasted Asparagus

Then we had the roasted asparagus with cucumbers, legumes, olives, cheese and a fennel foam. It had amazing texture and flavors, one of my favorites!

Curry-Roasted Garbanzo Beans and Pearl Pasta

And finally my favorite part of the meal… garbanzo beans roasted with curry powder…oh my god… it was heaven. The crispy texture and the spicy flavors won me over.

Warm focaccia with truffled greens, apricots and radish

The warm focaccia plate was a favorite of the table, it was crispy and warm and the greens and apricots added a sweetness to the slightly salty bread.

Rustic yellow bean soup and grits with fava beans and goat cheese

The rustic yellow bean soup was spiced with rosemary and had amazing texture. I love goat cheese so I enjoyed the grits, though it was lacking texture and flavor.

Overall, the meal was fantastic, I was pleasantly surprised by their menu. Unlike most vegetarian/vegan restaurants that focus heavily on fake meats and bland or overwhelming flavors, Ubuntu focuses on fresh ingredients from the garden, and surprises you with the interesting flavors and textures.

As we left I noticed they have a Tibetan singing bell, which I love, the waiter rang it for me <3 I can’t wait for next time, and maybe I’ll try their yoga studio.

strange statue

Tibetan Singing Bell

Finally tried Greens, a vegetarian restaurant known for its organic seasonal veggies that come straight from their own farm in Marin. Located in Fort Mason, Greens has the most amazing sweeping view of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge. The restaurant is decorated with amazing wood furniture and art. The food and wood art come from artists and workers involved in their Buddhist Zen centers in the city and Marin.

We started with the bengali potato coconut cakes: three large marble sized crispy cakes, served with a mint-cilantro sauce and radish salad. Next we had the warm butter beans: warm and savory beans served with grilled bread and yummy rapini greens. Finished our starters with the curried cauliflower soup, which had the most amazing toasted coconut finish. For my main I had the garlic parsley penne, served with incredible broccolini.

They can make most anything vegan if you ask.

(image from images.nymag.com)

Went to Yoga To The People on 16th in the Mission tonight. The place is in a pretty rough part of town, but it’s located in a secured building. You have to climb up 5 flights of stairs to get to the studio. There’s no locker room just cubbies, two bathrooms and a few changing curtains. But don’t let the initial impression stop you, the place is a gem. Everyone takes off their shoes before entering the beautiful studio, all wood and candles. You can rent a mat for $2 and buy water for $1. They have blocks and blankets to borrow but bring your own towel, cause you’ll sweat. The class isn’t as strenuous as Bikram but it is high intensity.

They played old school rock like The Beatles and Rolling Stones, which was a change from the usual new age music they play at my studio, but not distracting. The instructor had a Brooklyn accent and his voice was direct, yet he made us laugh and feel at ease. It was a welcomed change from my usual teacher’s calming low voice. The place has no mirrors (awesome!) and was dimmed to candlelight as the practice went on.  it was a very non competitive and unpretentious atmosphere. They ask for a $10 donation at the end. I left with a great body high. I’ll be going again for sure.

It sings your song , eternal

The buoys clank and sway

And there you are

Gliding across sparkling tides

A peaceful motion

You are here

Is this our place?

I am understanding where you are (everywhere)

Like these coastal birds (free)

I feel it in the icy breeze

Always caressing my skin

Furrowing and smoothing my feathers

You dare me to fledge

But I keep my feet planted (not yet)

You want me to let go

But this pain is freeing me

Warming my heart

Opening a part of me I never knew

But I love when I think of you

I see coastal birds

Hauntology Exhibit

Traveled over to Berkeley on Saturday to check out the Hauntology exhibit at the BAM/PFA museum by the UC. I have never heard of this Hauntology, but apparently it’s a scholarly study of the present which only exists because of a past, and that society essentially re-invests itself like a ghost of the past. This idea was introduced by Jacques Derrida, who studied Marxism.

The exhibit was $7 for students and free to UC students, and was a bit of a rip-off. In fact I was yelled at for taking photos, which is why I don’t have so many to post. The exhibit in on the 3rd floor and is confusing. At the entrance there is a white laminated card that has flimsy explanations of the pieces, the art stands next to numbers, and that’s it…. no explanation. There were a couple of angry and unfriendly looking watchdogs in the gallery following us around, and I got the impression they weren’t there to answer questions.

Some of the pieces were beautiful and represented Hauntology well. Then there were some that were miss placed I thought, like one of a brightly colored dog. Left the gallery confused. But if you had someone tag along that really knows he material I’d say it’s worth it.

Brent Green

One of my favorite pieces was at the entrance of the gallery. Brent Greens piece, which was a musical and visual installation, that could be heard throughout the entire gallery, almost haunting and relaxing. A entertaining backdrop to the Hauntology exhibit.

Vasque Wasatch

After 10 years with my beloved Raichle hiking boots that have been with me to Alaska, Italy and Thailand, they fell a part and no cobbler could fix them. So after a very expensive trip to REI, I bought this pair of Vasque Wasatchs. They fit like a glove in the store and the sales guy raved about them. unfortunately, after taking them for a test drive they literally chewed up my ankles. I went to REI and bought some moleskins, silk socks and smartwool, hoping to protect my feet. Well, these shoes gave my feet hell. After the grueling backpacking trip, my feet literally looked like the decomposing skin of a carcass. These boots disappointed, will be taking them back for a slightly larger size then hopefully I can write about how amazing they are. Hint: always go a half to one size larger than your feet when buying backpacking boots.

Second half of my trip was spent in Waikiki. Very touristy, crowded and expensive! Took the sunset booze sailboat out one evening, where they make you sit on a crappy boat and get you drunk while you listen to shitty 90 pop music and pray you don’t fall overboard. Our bartenders name was Rabbit…. yeah I dunno.

drunks

Went to some awful outlet store that sold every Hawaiian shirt print you can imagine (or not want to imagine). And found a yummy vegan restaurant/ grocer called Ruffage. Only vegan breakfast I could find, very friendly staff, banana coconut shake is bomb!

Ruffage

Found this hobby shop in the old Dole cannery that was a nerds wet dream. Place had games, actions figures, dice… my gawd.

GI JoooooooE!

Final Fantasy Potion huh.. ?

as if magic isn't dorky enough.... they have magic card covers

christ....

At night we went to the International Market, by Dukes street reminded me a lot of Thailand’s outside markets, where you can buy all the cheap touristy junk you want. Except this place had a hella yummy sausage stand, on the east entrance by Payless, called Hanks Haute Dogs with vegan sausage and ten different toppings, sooo gooood! Also got a $60 incredible massage at Quick Spa Massage, don’t let the exterior scare you off. The place is family owned, cheap, good and clean.

After the International market, you can exit the east side (opposite the ocean) and there is this little court called Kings Village. twilight zone moment. The first thing you hear is Elvis songs on a loudspeaker, and see some dude spray-painting god-knows-what while a neon colored globe spins above him… inside the court is a 50 looking diner and you literally feel like you are in Disneyland. Creepy.

very weird

My view

Spent a week on Oahu, Hawaii visiting family and having some fun. Stayed at my Uncles mountain house on the East Side surrounded by Mt. Ka’ala in the Wai’anae range. These mountains are incredible and spooky. Apparently it’s like the Golden Gate Bridge, people come from all over the world to jump off of it. It’s got some amazing views and bunkers, if you can handle the hourlong staircase.

Valley Of Temples

bon-sho (sacred bell)

Took a trip to the Valley of Temples, a graveyard that also hides the Byodo-In Temple. The Temple is a recreation of temple in Uji Japan… built completely with-out nails. It’s beautiful. When you first get there you ring the five foot three ton brass bell, which is said to cleans your spirit, the sound it makes is very soothing. Once you ring it you can walk (barefooted) into the Buddhist temple to light some incense, pray, or whatever.

buddha

alter

Outside the place is surrounded by gardens, coy fish ponds, bamboo and giant black swans. It’s an amazingly serene place, did some yoga and left for Waikiki.

goth swan

bamboo forest

jellys

Went to the free third Wednesday at the California Academy of Sciences. Was amazing! Started in the main floor. You can walk through the indoor rain-forest, but didn’t get to go in because free days are insane with crowds. Downstairs is the aquarium, all kinds of exotic and rare ocean life. Crazy sea-horses I’ve never seen before. The highlight for me was the jelly fish tanks….. beautiful.

Kinda bummed they ruined the Africa exhibit…. the penguins are in there now, no idea why… I guess I missed the part in biology where penguins miraculously live in Africa with the lions????

The best part of the museum is the planetarium, where you can watch whatever amazing documentary they have on their giant dome screen. The only downside was that they got Whoopi Goldberg to narate the film…. kinda ruined it for me. But the screen is amazing and you literally feel like you’re flying through space