this past weekend.

Swiss chard from my little garden.

I went to San Francisco with my Mom this past Saturday. Aran's book signing was at 12, the purpose of our trip. So we took BART early and immediately headed to the farmers market at the ferry building. I hadn't been in over a year. The markets by where I lie don't come. They are tiny little things, all napa valley overpriced with little variety. The ferry building is just the opposite. Variety everywhere the eye could see and I didn't feel like I was going to be leaving with an empty wallet.

All the fruit and veggies were glorious. So much stuff I hadn't seen in ages or ever before.

The biggest onions we had ever seen.

All the figs were already bursting, umm didn't seem the most tempting to buy if I wasn't going to eat them that minute.

Strawberries from the same guy I had brought them from two years ago when I made this strawberry pie.

Tomatoes from Eatwell Farm. I used to get a CSA box through them, all the stuff was amazing. I really should sign up for that again...

Lavender Bell Peppers. We had never seen anything like these before. Not in our wildest dreams. So after my mom saw them, talked to the vender about them and then we walked away, she decided we must go back to buy some. So after getting all the different colors, we had to wait till we got home to try them. We immediately cut into a purple one. It was green on the inside. Completely unexpected but spectacular. It got chowed down with some trader joes hummus. The lavender one was nice and sweet.  

My Mom. Me. Aran.

After the market, we walked over towards Union Square and looked in some shops before heading over to the signing. I got some ridiculous 5"+ heels which of course I immediately put on, which is why I look so absurdly tall in the photo. An I also got a romper, with birds all over it. Adding to my ever expanding collection of rompers. Greatest wardrobe staple ever.

Then we headed up to Williams-Sonoma, got our copies of Aran's book, Small Plates and Sweet Treats, which has photos in it to die for. She did a little cooking demo of macarons. It was great to see. I'm more of a visual learned. I've tasted macarons, read about how they are made but without seeing someone do it, the dots never really connected.

Then the time came for us to get our books signed. People were lining up, I assumed everyone before me was like 'Hi' 'Hello' 'Nice to meet you'. I did not do that. I just went straight up to her and just gave her a casual nod and a boisterous 'whats up!'. The store workers and Aran both just kinda stared at me for a minute then started laughing. I immediately went 'Oh was that not proper or something??'. Well at least I made an impression. She was very sweet and nice, her macarons were so tasty and damn the photos are good in the book. Definitely worth the trip to SF.