As I write this, the sun is shining full-blast on a beautiful Vancouver morning. It seems I've done the impossible - pack some sun in my suitcase to Vancouver, even if just for a two days, the weather has been summer-like (i.e.: around 18c. I know, I know, this is ridiculous comparing to the heat wave of 32-34c that I experienced the beginning of the day I left Los Angeles - but in Vancouver terms, anything approaching room temperature is hot, and anything over 25c is sizzling hot!). But I was able to pack a couple other sunny things from California that got here fresher than the usual produce we get on the grocery counters in BC.

Just around the corner from Blunda on 3rd street there are several good places to shop and eat. One of them is the Little Next Door on 8164 W 3rd St Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States - (323) 951-1010 (Open Mon-Thu,Sun 6pm-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 6pm-11:30pm). Just across from it on the sidewalk grows an olive tree.

This is a French deli-café that concocts her own preserves, jams and fabulous desserts. The salad and breakfast menus are to die for. I came back with the Meyer Lemon Marmalade below (spiked with cinnamon, coriander and vanilla) which almost tastes like yuzu!

The couple of lemons right next to it are not Meyer lemons, but they are really special because they grew on the tree of my friend Taly. Contrary to public belief about smuggling fruit into Canada, since lemons cannot survive our weather, there is no problem bringing them in as they pose no agricultural threat to the Canadian crops. So all I needed to do was declare them. Just thought you might want to know in case you come from Hawaii and want to bring me fresh mangos and pineapples! ;-P

I also got this seemingly mouthwatering Earl Gray Tea flavoured dark chocolate for a mere $10 USD only to find out that it hardly tastes like Early Gray Tea AND it can be found for an even merer $7.25 or so (probably plus taxes) at Urban Fair. The conclusion: Dolphin Chocolate's Earl Gray chocolate squares are still the best. I can only wish that Urban Fair will bring them as they do exist!

This one does look quite impressive though, don't you think?


And last but not least - a dessert worth trying: a sandwich made of two strawberry macaroons with fresh halved strawberries in the middle and, of course, whipped cream!