The Central Coast has dining experiences that are far more laid back than the rest of the Coast. Veggie burgers and fries are served without frills but that doesn't make them any less delicious. I can still make it to a health food store to get chia seeds, and everyone there is far less pretentious than Whole Foods or even Trader Joe's. I think the attitude here is truly Californian-- actually laid back and oddly welcoming despite my outsider status. 

A friend (I have one!) here got me hooked on chia seeds, the quintessential Aztec superfood (or so it says on the label). When put in a liquid, the seeds turn gelatinous and are easy to consume. The benefits? Tons of Omega-3 fatty acids as well as fiber and protein, and hey who doesn't need that? My suggestion is to mix 1.5 Tbs of chia seeds with coconut water. The seeds really have absolutely no flavor so mixing them with a juice allows for a better consumption experience. I have yet to try the chia seeds in recipes as many websites urge me to do-- for now I'll stick to butter in my brownies, thanks.

week 1 down, week 2 starting. who knows how this will really turn out? I got lost driving to the post office and wound up staring at fields of cauliflower plants...where exactly am I??

Going Local

My sister is a true traveler-- her job has her leaping across the ocean every month to places like Liberia, Ghana, Cambodia, Fiji, and Guatemala. Her summer sojourn to Italy seemed extremely banal after her multiple treks through the lemur-laden forests of Madagascar. I will say this about my sister-- she is a true traveler. When she gets to a hotel or rest house, she unpacks her clothing and makes use of the armoires as though she were moving into a new home. If a television is nearby, she immediately grabs the remote and flips stations until she finds the local news. At her insistence in Hawaii, we watched a long city council meeting on the Wa___ public access channel while getting ready for a day at the beach. In short, my sister likes to understand the day to day of the places she travels, not because she fancies herself something other than a tourist, but rather she wishes to witness a new locale from the perspective of those privileged enough to call such places home.

So in an effort to channel my fantastic and festive sister, I am disallowing myself from leaving anything in a box in this apartment despite the uncertainty of how long my adventure in the Central Coast will last. I vow to try and eat/drink as locally as possible. Once my television is hooked up, I swear I will watch the local news. I will report back accordingly.  

And hard as it is for a completely irritating music snob like me, I will sample local radio and I will not cringe and immediately hook up my ipod.

True to my word, here is what I came across while driving to and from the grocery store and Target run No. 10000000001 :

We are Family-- Sister Sledge

Breakfast at Tiffany's -- that terrible band whose name I am not looking up on Wikipedia right now...

What a Feeling -- Irene Cara

Would?-- Alice in Chains

Ezekial 4:19-- a Bible station

Banda...banda...banda...

Bohemian Rhapsody-- Queen
INXS-- Never Tear Us Apart

That list is going to keep me laughing for a long time. In fact, I'm literally humming "What a Feeling" while I type this right now. Central Coast, how will you entertain me next??

First adventure: Leaving the suburbs of Norcal for an unexpected job in the rural Central Coast.

California Soul's Roadtrip Essentials:

Food: Chakli in copious amounts. Spiral-shaped crunchy salty goodness and deep-fried like only a South Indian knows how.

How to make said delicious snacks?? Recipe: http://food.sulekha.com/chakli.htm but if you are not an Indian Ajji or Auntie or related to one, you can easily grab some chakli at any Indian grocery store.

Mix Tape: Paul Simon's Graceland. A drive down 101 is both breathtaking and deeply nostalgic all at once, and it deserves a record that reflects that beauty.

The Beatles. No explanation necessary. Just pick an album and drive.

Real Estate's Days. I'm sorry to use the same word, but the album is both forward-thinking and nostalgic at the same time. It produces within me the impetus to document the time at hand for fear that it has already slipped into the past and is slowly fading away. Ignore the forced attempt at a video below and just listen to the song.

More mix tape to come. For right now, the twenty-thousand Target runs I have done in order to move into my new digs are finally catching up with me.

Welcome to the Central Coast of California-- home of incredible beaches, wine country, produce, and at least ten Home Depots in every town. Let the crazy begin.