Slow down, food!

P and I visited Slow Food Nation this weekend. This was basically a glorified farmer's market with a huge community garden in the middle. It was fun to see lettuce growing with City Hall in the background. It also made me realize how citified I have become since moving to SF. The fact that seeing some growing things in mounds of dirt in the middle of a concrete jungle excited me was...sort of sad.

I grew up in suburbia where the closest I got on a regular basis to seeing things growing was the grass on my front lawn. But I can't recall ever being stirred when seeing a garden or other such place before now. Somehow, the earth's power to spring forth beauty and nourishment was not foreign to me then as it is now. I have this sad longing for the days when I lived a little closer to nature. Close enough to smell the ocean on the wind or to ride my bike through a field of golden grass. I feel it like a hole in my heart.

I did, however, have the best ham sandwich ever (with espresso mayo!) and bought some beautiful baby shitake mushrooms, three gorgeous ripe Meyer lemons, a tiny disc of creamy organic goat cheese, and some glorious peaches (see cobbler debacle below). I sat in the sun with my best friend in the world, observed (and discussed) some of the more outrageous attendees, and felt, if only for a little while, more connected to the planet and to myself. Not bad for a Sunday outing!