Allison Cafe

Summertime is here. Which also means that tons of delicious fruits and veggies are in season. And what better excuse to sample fresh produce than by visiting a local farmers market!

We decided to try a new San Diego farmers market last weekend. We ventured downtown to Little Italy’s Mercato on Saturday morning. The Little Italy Mercato spans a couple of city blocks near the heart of Little Italy. As we strolled the length of the market, we could enjoy the sounds of live, musical performances. There was a wide array of food and craft vendors alike.

Unlike some other markets around town, we were able to stroll the streets with our little furry friend, Hayley. At other markets we often have to leave her outside.

With so many wonderful flavors to choose from, we had a great time selecting fresh corn on the cob, heirloom tomatoes, feta and other Greek cheeses, Bing cherries, pink roses and even a whole chicken from local farmers. If not for the 2 hour limit on the parking meter, we might have stayed longer.

There is such an unmistakable difference in the quality of the food that we buy from the local markets. We have been enjoying the fruits of our adventure all week with fresh salads, and taking in the beauty of the fresh flowers that we bought as well. Take the time to find a market near you, not only will you enjoy the fresh product and handmade crafts available for purchase, you could also find that it is a great excuse to have some fun family time while supporting your local growers and artisans.

I have found that I often am drawn to business books throughout the year, and in the summertime especially it is nice to vary the reading routine and incorporate some leisure reads. This summer I have read so far only one business book, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell has written other thought provoking business books that I have enjoyed immensely, The Tipping Point and Blink. I found Outliers to be one of my new favorites. Gladwell dissects why some people are more successful than others; are they really outliers or is there a explanation for their so called success? Gladwell digs deep into several modern day perceptions about successful individuals and groups. I found this book a quick, interesting read and I highly recommend it; especially if you have read and enjoyed his other books. His latest might be his best yet.

So, now on to the the other non-fiction and fiction leisure reads on my summertime reading program. After doing some spring cleaning, I discovered some classics in our collection that I had not read yet. I started with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I was truly engrossed in the characters of this book. Smith introduces us to a little girl, Francie, growing up in Brooklyn at the turn of the 19th century. The story is as much a historical depiction of immigrant life in America, as it is a character portrayal of a girl growing up in a difficult environment. I was surprised to learn of the similarities between the character of Francie and the author’s real life. It almost made it seem like Smith shared a little of her own life with the reader. One of my favorite things about Francie, and my favorite take away from the book is that in life there will always be someone telling you that you cannot succeed. There will always be events that stand in your way. But the strong will endure and thrive. Just like the tree that grows in Brooklyn. No matter how little it is cared for, and how many times someone tries to cut it down, it somehow grows tall anyway.

Ana's Story

Perhaps it is a coincidence, but after reading about a fictional Francie and her struggles, I then moved onto two non-fiction books about children fighting back against adversity. I just finished reading Ana’s Story: A Journey Of Hope by Jenna Bush. Through her work with UNICEF, Jenna encountered a young girl named Ana and was moved enough by her story to share it with the world. Ana is a young teenage girl that shares her story of poverty, abuse and her battle with HIV. Through it all she continues to lead a life of hope. Through the publishing of this book, Jenna hopes to inspire others to take part in the fight against HIV and AIDS. I know I certainly felt like I got to know Ana as a person in this story, not just another victim. And I even learned a few things about HIV that I didn’t know before. The book ends with a list of resources for anyone who is interested in getting more involved, even at a very basic volunteer level. My only question after finishing the book is – where is Ana now? I’m curious about what happens, since the book is written during Ana’s lifetime and her journey still continues.

I came across a copy of They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky By Benjamin Ajak, Benson Deng, Alephonsian Deng, Judy Bernstein. It is the true story of three “Lost Boys” from Sudan. During the civil war in Sudan in the late 1980’s, thousands of young boys were forced to flee their homes with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, as their homes were destroyed and families murdered or sold into slavery. They became known as the “Lost Boys”. I only just started this one, but after reading the first chapter I doubt I am going to be disappointed!

What books are on your reading list? Please leave us a comment if you have read any of these books listed here, or if you have some more good reads to share.

Tree Pose In Tahoe

I was introduced to yoga just over ten years ago, and pilates just last year.  I have always considered myself to be athletic, I am life long runner and volleyball player.  But the difference that yoga and pilates have made in my life is tremendous.  They have helped improve my other physical activities by creating lean and toned muscles, and giving me a greater focus on my breathing. Life is about balance, and there is no better place to start than within.

I often am asked what the difference is between pilates and yoga.  (more…)

The interesting thing about cobblers is that there are a lot of recipe variations available out there. What you do not want is one that has so much butter and flour that it takes away from the fresh peach flavor. Sure the butter tastes good, but we sometimes are trying to enjoy dessert without sabotaging our figures. After all, it is swim suit season as well. I like to use a recipe which has only 5 other ingredients in addition to the peaches. It simply uses homemade granola, brown sugar, butter (only 1 tablespoon!), tapioca, ginger, and the peaches of course!

Click “more” for the recipes to our homemade peach cobbler and granola. (more…)

Sweet Clementine

On a recent trip to Costco, I picked up an entire bag of clementines. Usually my husband and I buy our fruit in much smaller quantities, since it can go bad before we eat it all. But this time I thought back to a recent report I had read about the link between Vitamin C and smooth skin. Of course we all have heard about the Vitamin C as an immune system booster, but did you know that it also can help in many other ways, such as to prevent wrinkles in our skin? Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant, and has many health benefits from strengthening your immune system against colds, to reducing stress, possibly preventing cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer, and promoting healthy skin. You may buy expensive creams with Vitamin C in them, so why not try creating healthy skin from the inside out? (more…)

Smell, Feel, and Taste Your Way to Perfect Peaches

There is something intoxicating about biting into a perfect peach. The smell is sweet as you pick it up, it is just a little bit firm, not too soft; and when you take that first bite you are greeted by a juicy and tender treat. When you get a peach that is not ripe, it can be too crisp and not sweet enough. When you get a peach that is too ripe, it can often be too mushy and not quite as enjoyable.

How to Pick the Perfect Peach (more…)

One of our favorite weekly routines is visiting the La Jolla farmer’s market on Sunday mornings, at the La Jolla Elementary School. Farmer’s markets are an easy, and fun way to eat local, fresh, and seasonal foods. In the summertime the farmer’s markets are alive with the sights and aromas of a whole wide variety of fruits and vegetables.  This week I couldn’t pass up the fresh peaches.  Peaches are not only a tasty treat, they are very nutritious:

Peach Nutrition Facts

• Peaches are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium.
• They are a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Niacin and Potassium, and an excellent source of Vitamin C.
• 1 cup of sliced peaches is only about 60 calories and comes packed with 10% of Vitamin A, 17% of Vitamin C and 2% of Iron of a daily value(based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet).
• 1 cup of sliced peaches also counts as 2 servings of fruit for the day.
• A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars. 1 cup of sliced peaches contains about 13 grams of sugar.

Curious how to pick the perfect peach?  Stay tuned!

Red, White and Blueberry Dessert

I can hardly believe that it is July already, where does the time go?  In honor of the upcoming 4th of July holiday, we decided to create a new twist on strawberry shortcake, a Red, White and Blueberry Dessert.  We packed all the ingredients and brought them with us on a recent picnic.  We easily assembled them at the picnic site for dessert, it made for a light but delicious summertime dessert. (more…)