eat oakland

State Farmer's Market - Raleigh, NC

NARRATIVE
I awoke this morning in my nephew's room in my father's house in Raleigh, NC. The great state of North Carolina is beautiful and my dad's move to the capital from Florida opened me to the whole Southern thing. North Carolina has all the sophistication of the North East and the gentry and hospitality the South has to offer.

CONTACT INFORMATION
State Farmer's Market
1201 Agriculture Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 733-7417

HOURS
Sat-Sun: 8am-5pm

WARES
Produce from all over the state, jams/jellies/preserves, meats and cheeses, wines, crafts, and if you can't wait to get home to cook you can have an AWESOME breakfast at the restaurant on-site.

PRICE RANGE
Inexpensive - Bought the whole dang market. I come for the taste of Carolina. So I bought some Scuppernong grapes ($2.50 a pint), boiled peanuts ($3.00 a pint), and Moonshine Jelly ($2.50 a jar). The Dead Sea Bath Salts were $10.00 for a pound, scented with essential oils, or I could mix-and-match 3 tubes equalling a 1/3 of a pound for the same price. The woman at the stand was AWESOME.

SUMMARY
I bounced up the security ramp in the Oakland Airport knowing I was flying into Raleigh for La Fiesta del Pueblo and a chance to see my father, mother, nephew, and two of my favourite aunts. I landed late last night, visited with family and knew I would be dropping dad off at home to have auto access. (Raleigh is a VERY auto-necessary place.)

I appreciated going to the Market this morning with my nephew after dropping my dad off at work, picking up some Scuppernong grapes (which taste like grape soda!), boiled peanuts, Moonshine jelly, and Dead Sea Bath salts. (I had a conversation with the artisan about An Inconvenient Truth and Who Killed the Electric Car.)

The Piedmont air filled my lungs, the humidity kissed my skin, and my nephew and I had a laugh about how he wouldn't go to a stall that sold rabbit.

I love the Farmer's Market here because it is a way of life, not a thing for the "sophisticates only." The world hangs out here. You'll find farmers of all stripes. Saris float in front of me while I hear a familia pride over its fruit to my right. The Asian families were picking over vegetables. It's a far cry from the Bay, but it's where I get my Benneton demographic fix when I'm visiting my parents.

SERVICE
Man, you just can't beat Southern hospitality. Sir and Ma'am is just how you address folks, and if one stall doesn't have what you need, no worries...the merchant will point you to his or her friend down the way who is sure to have what you need in stock.

I purchased some flavoured honey sticks for my nephew and he and I talked about how everyone was so nice and how it was so different from a grocery store.

Yeah, I dig the open air and the scents...I couldn't believe all of the gorgeous plants you could buy, too! Who knew I could get my landscaping done, as well as my groceries, notions, and crafts.
Farmers provide our food. Period. And I'm always appreciative of that, that's why I stop on by and see what's in season.

The peaches here are GORGEOUS. They're pretty nice out West, but this is the HOMELAND of the peach.

On the way to the car, I started peeling open my boiled peanuts and tasting the slightly salted water and letting the soft flesh fill my mouth with the familiar flavour. I can't find them in California. I need to look up a decent recipe and try.

Come and try (one of) my home state's offerings. Then you can go to the home of the Wolf Pack, and perhaps over to Cameron Village. Once you know Raleigh, it's pretty easy to scoot around and find one treasure after another.

REST ROOMS
Beautiful facilities for men and women with access for those in wheelchairs and buggies. The Farmer's Market here is an institution, not a fly-by-night stall thing, so the service and infrastructure is just awesome."

posted by wrki @ 12:22 PM 0 comments

Osha Thai - 2nd Street, San Francisco

Narrative
Last night after a day filled with meetings, I got to eat with my friends Fumi and Anne to discuss potential a potential collaboration between Architects for Humanity - San Francisco and the young women I serve. I had eaten almost nothing all day and was ravenous after 12 hours of meetings. I arrived and found before me a feast and surrounded by beautiful people. This location is the sophisticated city cousin to the more chill Tenderloin and Mission locations.

There were birthdays and beautiful people galore enjoying their meal. Perhaps before they were to prowl the district, starting at 111 Minna across the street.

Contact Information
Osha Thai
149 2nd Street Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415-278-9991

Hours

Mon-Fri: 11am-11pm
Sat-Sun: 4pm-11pm

Cuisine
Thai fusion served down the runway of haute couture.


Price Range
Inexpensive - Decadent. A curry with rice should be dressed up with tasty appetizers, beverages, and dessert. You can go to the other locations for the basics, but come to this location for the fully accessorized dining experience.

Summary
I was tired and cranky from a long day. Fumi and Anne seemed to read my emotion from miles away and ordered seared ahi tuna as our appetizer, pumpkin and salmon curries to tickle my palate with just enough seasoning and warmth on the foggy evening and flat noodles with chicken to fill in the comfort food factor.

It was a bit confusing to find them among the crowd of vibrant, chatting, hip folk. The wait staff was at the door, attentive, handsome and beautiful and friendly.

As I cruised about the restaurant to find them, I was taken in by the ambiance: artwork, lighting, layout, and everyone's dining experience. All parties seemed engaged in conversation over something brilliant. Warm smiles, laughter, and engagement filled the space. It was amazing.

Each dish they served stood against simple white and stylish dishware. The orange of the pumpkin curry and salmon curry glowed with extra warmth against the plates and bowls they were served in.

The table space was ample to display all the dishes we ordered in a fantastic feast for three.

Service
Driving up and parking I couldn't believe the glamourous digs of this Osha and was wondering if the look would come with an attitude.

Not in the least. The wait staff excused themselves as I stood in the path of their kitchen line and when I sat at the table to join my friends, my water glass was filled immediately and our food came in rapid succession. We were allowed to enjoy our meal with several waitstaff taking away plates we had emptied without us needing to skip a beat in our discussion. It was excellent.


Rest Rooms
We were mid-restaurant, so I noticed it took a moment for my friends to return from the restroom when they left for it. I didn't use the facilities myself, but I imagine that they continued the overall design and feel of the dining room - stylish, casual, and warm.

posted by wrki @ 10:12 PM 0 comments