While I was gone, I also spent a week in Portland (where we were doing some recording). I became rather addicted to this smoothie truck outside the PEOPLE’S FOOD COOP.

SIP is what it was called. They had a small but nice selection of smoothies including several green smoothies.

I was kind of partial to the greensicle – kind of like an orangesicle with kale in it.

My boyfriend also found this AWESOME vegan place near the studio called PAPA G’s. Here I am with my salad and blueberry-coconut kefir. They had the most amazing kale chips there too.

Here are some action shots of us in the studio…

…we had a kung fu fight theme going…

…this was what the studio looked like after we cleaned up our mess…

…me trying to remember the words to the new song…

…Joel and me playing guitars…

All in all, I would say that I had an excellent and reasonably priced food experience in Portland.

Guess what other raw food establishment I visited on my whirlwind west coast tour? I had to do it…Cafe Gratitude.

They had a milkshake there that was especially designed for me. My fave…mint choco nib! I meant to take a picture of it, but I guzzled it down so fast I missed my opportunity. I actually got one the next morning for the road too. It was that good.

They had some other amazing flavors too which I will have to try next time. But I am really inspired to see what I can do with hazelnut milk now…

This was ‘I AM FESTIVE’…a taco salad of sorts. Really good.

I also had this soup. I can’t recall which one it was. But it was tasty.

The coup de gras though was this german chocolate layer cake with vanilla ice cream! WOW! Truly amazing. I will definitely be back. I miss the west coast already!!

Well, I’m back from my little adventure. It was such fun that it’s admittedly a little depressing to be back. I met some pretty interesting characters along the way. Like the infamous Samantha who took me to AU LAC.

Au Lac is one of Southern California’s most esteemed raw food restaurants. It’s nestled unsuspectingly in a strip mall in Fountain Valley…in a place I would have never thought to look. Lucky for me, I had a local raw foodist extraordinaire show me the way.

That would be none other than Debbie of DEBBIE DOES RAW.

The humanese soup was OUTSTANDING. Maybe the best thing I had. Though the salsa was AMAZING. Possibly the best salsa I’ve ever tasted. I wish I had taken a picture!

The desserts were lovely as well.

Debbie and Samantha were the hostesses with the mostess.

In the background, you can kind of make out the elixir bar. This is where they make all the magical healing concoctions. While they looked intriguing, I didn’t order any this time. Magic isn’t free, you know. Especially in LA.

Even the parking stumps were raw.

Afterward, we went to Debbie’s house to make some raw ice cream. Samantha made this beautiful sign. She’s very artistic. Tom and I were so surprised when we arrived to find that Sam had made the most charming welcome poster that said ‘Welcome Alissa and Tom’. I wish I had it here. But I actually mailed it home in the box with my analog tape reels (from our recording session) so that it wouldn’t get crumpled in my suitcase.

We also met Malcolm, the wonder dog. He’s quite possibly the most well adjusted dog to walk the face of the earth. He even tolerates being ridden horseback.

Apparently, while Debbie and I were preparing to make a raw food VIDEO (which might appear on Debbie’s blog very soon), Joel and Samantha were practicing their headstands. I knew he was a good bass player, but this I did not know.

I hope I’ll be back to visit these lovely ladies again soon…

CHERRY BOMB. Cherries are in season here in full force! And that is a very good sign!!

The other day, HEIDI and I went foraging for cherries in the city. There was a tree that she knew of (in a secret location). It was timed PERFECTLY. We couldn’t have picked a better day. They were perfectly ripe and SO ABUNDANT.  Here’s a pic of Heidi in the tree.

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We picked about TEN POUNDS of perfect cherries. Rainier and Bing Cherries! And they were so much better than the store.  So we made some raw cherry jam.  I remembered reading this recipe on ANTHONY’S BLOG eons ago, and it came in really handy.  It was really tasty, and we didn’t add anything.  Just Cherries.

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Speaking of cherries, I should mention that I won’t be posting for a few weeks.  My band (not  THE CHERRY BOMBS, but close)  is playing a short tour on the West Coast.  The dates are HERE.  I think I’m finally going to meet DEBBIE and go to AU LAC.  I’ll let you know how it goes…Wish me luck!

Since I’m away from my own GARDEN now, I’m having to get my garden fix elsewhere. But as luck would have it my friend, Heidi, is happy to oblige.

She made an APPEARANCE on my blog at this time last year too. We signed up for BIKRAM YOGA this week. There was an intro deal at a STUDIO here – unlimited classes for one week for $20). Here she is doing a spontaneous yoga pose on a cement divider.

I love how they used their old toilet as a planter. I suppose it’s not technically a planter. I think she originally planted something else in it, but now it is FULL of super nutritious chickweed. We put some in our smoothie this morning. We’ve also harvested some radishes, baby beets, and raspberries. Her garden is SO HUGE. I need a garden this huge (especially if we are going to start a catering empire with locally grown produce from our own gardens – our not so secret dream).
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This is the cute little spider that made a home for itself between her tomato plants.

MMM…SMOOTHIE. It’s starting to turn into a tradition as I always seem to show up when her raspberries are in season.