Peanut Kernels from this Changeling Earth

Okay, we did some shopping East Bay yesterday…no, not Christmas shopping, just a few things needed in the household for which we had to schlep to the East Bay.

• A sideboard – place to stash all the unsightly clutter from visiting eyes. Where else to get one stylish and eco-alternative one but the Wooden Duck? They use wood that is at least 50 years old if not more and has been recycled from broken down homes in Indonesia – lucky duckys used to make their homes from teak wood since it doesn’t rot from water wear. The Wooden Duck is a local business – spread the wealth in your neighborhood, not some Swedish conglomerate, when you can afford to (we scrimp and save to be able to do so).
• Shoes for Mama – I’m taking a stand against Camper who keep raising their prices for their cool but sole-decaying-after-a-mere-year shoes, and I heard and now live to tell that REI carries shoes with certifiable street cred.
• When-we’re-going-out-and-cloth-ain’t-gonna-cut-it Diapers for Nasreen – Why we don’t know…but the Elephant Pharmacy has the best store deal on Tushies diapers. When they’re on sale, they’re $8.99 a pack or $10.99 when not on sale. Rainbow only has them at $13.59 or so.

My after such a shopping trip, we must surely have been hungry. We did peek into the Chipotle Grill since it’s near REI, but shied away since we’re not that into burritos. But, if you are into burritos, go to the Chipotle Grill, it’s a no-frills fresh mex place that won’t give you a heaping serving of hormones and antibiotics with your meat dishes!

We settled on the Guerrilla Cafe @ 1620 Shattuck Ave. since it was across the street from the Elephant Pharmacy and we had a coupon for it in our savvy EcoMetro guide. What a treat. It’s a chill environment with the usual Berkeley crowd – another mama even offered to hang with Nasreen so that I could eat (she did). The lentil soup was yummy and Papa loved their waffles with fresh fruit. Most everything is locally purchased (from the farmers’ market they told us) and they compost. I can’t remember everything else, but they have a neato signboard touting what they do. Oh yes, it’s another place to get Blue Bottle Coffee besides the maniacally long lines at the Ferry Building Farmers’ Market.

Nasreen then made abundantly clear that she and her poor stuffed nose wanted to get back home.