a foodie's galore

I honestly love Off the Grid. It is truly a foodie's heaven...and it was a lot better than the first time I went. I had a post about it {here} in Alameda. For 4th of July, I went to the Off the Grid in North Berkeley. The location was close to Gregoire and Masse's Pastries...too bad both were closed. The line-up of food trucks was so much better today, and I finally, finally got to try Cupkates, the cupcake food truck that has been on my "to-go list" since I started school here. Too bad the tiramisu, red velvet, and salted caramel sold out before I reached the order line. For dinner, I tried Sunrise Deli's Avocado Falafel sandwich, and I have to say, it's one of the best sandwiches I've eaten (it even rivals my personal favorite, Porto's potato ball sandwich). 

I always loved holidays because it's always a really great time to relax and spend time with loved ones. I can also officially say this is my first holiday away from my family because I went home for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year. Holidays make me a tad bit homesick, but I guess it's a part of growing up.

{Streatery's food truck, Off the Grid}

{Strawberry Watermelon lemonade}

{Sloppy Tom's with peach slaw...so delicious!}

{double vanilla at Cupkates}

Off the Grid

After receiving weekly Off the Grid newsletters for awhile, I made time to go! Christine, Catherine, and I spent a good afternoon in Alameda. Off the Grid's food truck line-ups were pretty good today, but I hope when I go again, the line-up will have more variety. I ordered from Seoul on Wheels and enjoyed the Korean BBQ tacos. The ambience was really friendly - a live band, lots of seating, and beautiful weather. I'm so glad I finally took a break from work and did something fun this Saturday. Lately, the little free time I have goes to watching TV shows so it was nice getting out and enjoying the weather!

We took a nice 15-minute walk to Teaway. I've had it a couple of times when some friends brought it back to Berkeley for me, but I wanted to go for myself. The Passionfruit Green Tea was so refreshing, especially with the 70 degree weather. The jelly makes everything taste a million times better.

In my time in Northern California, I have yet to experience a normal bus ride without awkward incidents or angry people. Seconds after I told Christine that I would love it if I could enjoy a normal bus ride, I missed a step and tripped onto the bus. If that wasn't awkward enough, I was required to fill out a form for "unusual circumstances." Unfortunately, this time I was the cause of the awkward situation. So, I'm still waiting for ONE un-awkward, completely normal bus ride.

Pie pops

Pie pops recipe found here! To start off spring break, I made pie pops with my big. I think the hardest part is making the dough...everything else is pretty standard. We used jam, but next time, I think I'll definitely try making a pie filling. It's really fun, and it doesn't take much time (after making the dough) - it's a really fun activity to do with friends!

Use cookie cutters to shape the dough. Make sure you put lots of flour on the dough to lessen the stickiness.

Choose your pie filling. Either make a filling (see above link) or stick with a simple flavored jam.

To get a nice Betty Crocker finish, use a cooking brush to coat egg whites on your pops. Throw away the yolk!

Enjoy!

checking off Urbann Turbann from the list

Over winter break, I made a list of places I'd like to visit in the Bay Area. Urbann Turbann made the list, and I've been wanting to go for awhile. It's similar to Chipotle in its burrito style, but the taste is very different. Their sauces are also unique, especially the yogurt one! The price is about the same as Chipotle (at least the one in Berkeley...just a side note: Chipotle is more expensive in Berkeley than it is in SoCal and it gives less too), but it's worth it: the portions are huge! The only down side of Urbann Turbann is its location on Northside.