Kudos

I did so much better on this trip than all the others. I packed my veggies. Picked up the extra sprouted lentils my girlfriend said I could have. Stayed hydrated. Ate meals of just greens. At Johnny Rockets, they had Boca burgers in stock. And although cooked and between two enriched white buns, it was the best vegan option I could think of. (Their salads of iceberg lettuce and KRAFT packaged italian high fructose corn syrup dressing sprinkled with cheddar cheese represented so much the antithesis of living food that I couldn't have ordered it with a straight face.)

I saw summer vacation evident in kids on the street with ice cream and my own sisters sharing a chocolate shake. But when I walked into the Whole Foods off of Ocean Ave, my summer vacation in Orange County finally became fun.

I think back to all my other vacations. Mint chocolate chip ice cream. Hot dogs. Mexican food. Cocktails on the pier. A salad from Johnny Rockets would have instilled a strong sense of healthy balance back then. I might have been a little wider around my mid-section, but nothing to worry about.

Then today when we went kayaking and I rowed my heart out (which was admittedly pathetic next to my husband), I enjoyed myself so much. Even under the sun and physically strained, I had fun. When we got back to the harbor and drove to lunch, I had no headache. Felt the strain, obviously, but not at all the exhaustion and pain I expected. Everyone was so exhasuted that lunch was the quietest meal we had ever had--except for all my chattering. I just wasn't tired.

Then, with some pleading and begging, I managed to finagle a stop into the Whole Foods just walking distance from the car. It was like walking home--but in a good way. I found my raw cacao and then my sister showed me a local company's raw food line. I bought their raw vegan cherry cheesecake and finished it before I made it back the car. I even savored the few licks I got from my messy fingers. Earth Cafe, Where Food Lives packed a great slice of home for me.

For all it's commercialism and "regular" SAD food, Whole Foods really deserves kudos. Not so many would be so daring. But then again, not so many would have my appreciation.

Vacations are a great escape. But there's nothing better than keeping what you know and love while enjoying the sun and surf of California. With cherry cheesecakes and farmers markets, my vacations are becoming a perfect balance of home and away.