Next up was my lunch with Wendelonia. You might know her from her books on bento boxes for kids.  We met when we both worked together for alphamom.com. You know when I said all the best artsy people live in the Bay Area? Well, Wendy is definitely representing in that department. Look where she took me for lunch: Lulu on Solano! Is it art or is it food? Is it art you can eat?? Yes!

I was swooning over the wallpaper and wondering why I never got into textile design, and then the food came, and I lost my mind. Forget bad manners, I interrupted our conversation, whipped out my phone, and had to take photos immediately. It was almost too pretty to eat. And guess what? It was so flavorful and delicious too! Everything was vegetarian and gorgeous. Sadly, some of the spices disagreed with me, and I found out later explosive flavors also like to explode in my gut but it was kinda worth it.

Wendy and I walked around Solano Avenue for a bit, and then she sent me on my way to Flowerland. Flowerland is my new favorite nursery. It blows doors off Roger’s Gardens back home. It is so aesthetically pleasing that I wanted to buy a tiny Airstream and move in. I wanted to set up tables and host a wedding there. It’s just so beautiful. The healthy plants thriving everywhere in layers and layers of leafy textures and colors. The little shop with all the cutest things I couldn’t afford to buy, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it. I took photos and stored notes away in my brain for future gift ideas.

Everywhere I look, I see adorable, pretty things. I never saw anything like this back home, where Walmart reigns supreme. Do people in the Bay Area just have better taste? I think they do. Maybe there are more artists here—more affluent artists, artisans, and craft makers with better supplies and better budgets supported by people who really appreciate them.

I appreciated every moment. I wandered around soaking it all in. You either have time or money and I’ve got time so I just lived in the experience of exploring such a beautiful place. I took photos like a hoarder taking things.

I definitely want to come back here. I wish I could have bought plants and gardened in Matt’s little slice of a side yard, but I also didn’t want to give him more responsibilities since he doesn’t have a green thumb like I do. So I just stored all the ideas away and dreamt of my home desert garden. I can’t grow plants like this, but I can make my desert a wonderland if I try hard enough

Look at those shadows!

I bought a strawberry milk latte at the HighWire counter and petted a cat. It was a very nice day to be out and about!