Sunday, October 1st

If I have one piece of advice for a Sunday's activities in Oakland/Berkeley, it's to keep things local. Traffic is horrendous just about everywhere, and there's just too much to do within a close distance to even worry about skipping town.

*

We started the day at Bacheeso's for breakfast, an unassuming spot at the corner of Dwight and San Pablo in Berkeley that I've been going to for years now. We found out today that the owner is Persian (Iranian).

Everything at the bistro is prepared in-house, and about 85% of the produce used there is organic. The staff told us that some of them arrived at 5:00 am to start preparing items for the Mediterranean Buffet, one of the big draws on weekends. Seasonal cooking is of the utmost importance in Persian cuisine, as is fragrance during cooking and presentation of the food; food is often garnished to make it pleasing to the eye. From a cultural aspect, food was considered an art form that provided enjoyment to both the body and the mind.

This is all very evident at Bacheeso's...my Dad reported that he'd eaten 'the best turkey in [his] life,' (and here I am, jokingly wiping his mouth) Kurt and Masha and I just barely held back from licking our plates clean, and I do believe that my Mom, on her 60th birthday, at about 5'2", went back to the buffet for fifths.

*

We filled the afternoon hours at the Alameda Flea Market (where I naively purchased a mercury-filled thermometer; my brother wouldn't even touch the thing; he made me promise to get rid of it), the Berkeley Botanical Gardens and doing a little shopping.

*

In the evening, I invited everyone back to my tiny apartment for my Mom's birthday celebration.

I'd made Devil's Food Cupcakes from scratch, with a bittersweet chocolate ganache frosting (just chocolate and cream! none of that icky store-frosting processed stuff). We drank tea, sang, opened presents and gobbled down the cupcakes. I love the instances when I have more people than will fit into my apartment...it's rare...but the coziness is wonderful, and the simplicity of sitting on the floor to eat, drinking out of mismatched cups and eating on chipped plates is very memorable.

My Mom, at 60 years old, looks more beautiful than I've ever seen her, and had more energy than many of the 25-year olds that I know. I hope that when I'm her age, I'm fortunate enough to be the same. Happy Birthday, Mom! Love you!! XOX.