Foodoofus Special Issue: The NorCal Chronicles #1; Bittersweet Bay Area

Wassup everyone, unlike most travel issues this one will probably be a consistent one for a very long time. I still have a good amount of family, friends and colleagues who live in and around NorCal (especially within the Bay Area) so from here on out, this exclusive series will be anything and everything experienced within any part of said place. For now, consider this as the post that will start it all…

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“It’s too bad you aren’t here to celebrate your grandfather’s birthday…”

Around this time of year, many things happen in the month of November. Election season (local, ever year or national,every four years), Thanksgiving (which just happened yesterday for those celebrating it in the U.S.) and of course anyone who’s fortunate enough being blessed with enough swag, as a baby in November (aka my grandfather).

Once in a while, I have these lingering (or fleeting) emotions whenever I visit here. Perhaps it’s the personal dilapidated connection I’ve had since leaving the place post-community college. Or, maybe it’s the fact that majority of the things, that make me…me, only resides around the Southern California territory at this point of my life. Whatever is the case, the long trek made easier with my companion P.J. keeping me awake driving while I was able to bask in the long winding, smelly, and desolate roads of California for a surprise visit to both of my ailing grandparents.

In the process, we went to many places, which I’ll just highlight in a small photo reel. This post is more of a short personal one that doesn’t have much of a focus but I hope you enjoy it nevertheless…

First Stop on the Trip...

Where they make the magical "treats" of ice cream...

A "Treat" for some special friends (sadly we don't know how it tastes like).

The Dynamic Quadruple? (3 Maple Bacon Donuts and a Chocolate Star Anise Donut)

Triple Threat of Humphry's (Secret Breakfast, Vietnamese Blue Bottle Coffee and some other flavor, I can't remember)

Cheeseboard Pizza up close and personal (Cilantro, Lime, Corn, Cotija Cheese and a whole bunch of oven awesomeness)

Ici's Duo of Delicacies, Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwich w/ Strawberry and Three of Ici's Exclusive Scoop Flavors w/ their signature chocolate filled cone (which I also couldn't recall)

Won Ton Soup even Lil B can't touch on greatness... Part 1 of our New Gold Medal Restaurant Meal

Part 1 of 2, Peking Duck Dishes, Bao and the Crispy Duck Skin; Part 2 of our NGMR meal

Part 2 of 2 on The Peking Duck, the whole Duck roasted and butchered

Honey Walnut Prawns, a classic favorite of mine; Finale of NGMR meal

Chicken Lollipops from Straits

Flank Stank, Garlic Fries and "Thai influenced" Spicy Lime sauce

Fisherman's Wharf Classic: Clam Chowder in a sourdough Boudin Bowl of Bread

Full of "Fleur De Sel" Cupcake from Kara's Cupcakes

Farley's East Smooth Cappuccino

The chosen mode of transportation

The drive back to my other home..

The photo reel doesn’t seem as bittersweet as one would expect but it’s definitely full of diabetic (and cholesterol filled) dangers. Given the hundreds of miles traveled, near head on collisions with Bambi’s kin and the abrasive scratching of one’s fingernails. Nothing more captures a Kodak filled homecoming moment than hugging your grandfather on the day of his birth and seeing your own mother glow with joy.

All of these moments, were more likely better lived than described vividly by any combinations and compounds of words and phrases known to Webster. If there’s one sentence that can sum up this trip, it’s Carpe diem or more precisely “Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero,” (Pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the future source via Google). Sorta sounds like the method, I took in prolonging this post, despite it being due yesterday (which is entirely my fault to those looking forward to it) and merely running with it.