We have been trying out some of the restaurants around Palo Alto and Menlo Park. So far, Flea Street Cafe left the biggest impression. Chef and owner Jesse Cool’s approach to ‘simply organic food’ results in pure, delicious dishes that don’t disappoint. I had a seasonal marinated baby beet salad, followed by cast iron roasted King Salmon – both absolutely great.
Marinated Baby Beet Salad – Source: Flea Street
I am a bit of a sparkling water aficionado, and the Seltzer Sisters water they offer at the restaurant is definitely worth a try – spring water in old-fashioned chiffon bottles adds to the natural charm of the meal. Don’t skip the cocktails either, they are absolutely worth exploring! I tried the Lavender Lemon Drop – different and amazing!
Flea Street Cafe
Alameda De Las Pulgas
Menlo Park, CA-94025 (650) 854-1226
Ever since moving to the US from Belgium, I have craved Belgian bread. Funny how you take things for granted all your life and only realize that they are special when you no longer have them. The Wonder bread invention skipped our tiny country, we just stuck with old fashioned bakeries where the baker slaves through the night to present us with our fresh loaf in the morning.
I have experimented with my own bread machine and I tried the ‘no knead bread‘ – yummy, but still not quite what I was looking for. I have saved a long list of bakeries on Favrit, my local bookmarking app, and I have quizzed fellow Belgians… I found some substitutes, but not the real thing. Until today!!!
Alexander’s Patisserie
I was walking in downtown Mountain View in search for a place to have coffee, when I came across Alexander’s Patisserie. The inviting white and airy design of the store/cafe compelled me inside. There, a world of fine patisserie, exquisite chocolates and macarons opened. There were several delicious croissants and danish to choose from to accompany my Intelligentsia coffee. But above all, there was that Belgian bread I had been looking for for years. I bought my whole grain loaf, sliced and wrapped in a paper bag (the only way to keep bread crusts crusty!). Yes, it is the real deal!
One of the many delicious treats – Alexander’s Patisserie
I plan many returns. I want to try more of the artful creations by Belgian Pastry Chef Dries Delanghe. And it is great place to quietly enjoy a coffee, read and write or to take some friends.
I started with the very popular but relatively challenging “Dish run“. It is beautiful 4 mile run in the Foothills at the edge of the Stanford Campus, and as the name suggests, takes you along a large radio telescope used for research (it can communicate with spacecrafts orbiting earth). A paved road takes you up 365 ft. to a breathtaking view of Silicon Valley, the Bay and San Francisco (including the bridges on a clear day). I ran this loop years ago. I remember having to catch my breath then, but it seemed a lot worse now. I returned for a hike with my 8 year old son, who loved the views as much as I did!
Parking can get a bit challenging at times, but Stanford is developing more parking space at the end of Stanford Avenue (at Junipero Serra). Don’t park where you need a permit, they frequently ticket!
The Dish – Running Trail
Another fun trail is the “Campus Drive Loop”, which basically takes you for a run around the central campus. This largely flat 4 mile trail lands you mostly on sidewalks, along some fraternity houses, the golf driving range, tennis courts, etc. I always liked this run, it is not too challenging, just the right distance, and it smells of Eucalyptus trees. You can park near the athletic fields for easy access.
Time for a day trip! It promised to be a good day at the beach, which is not the norm in the summer. I remember the first time I hit the Californian Beach in Santa Cruz in the summer, and being glad I brought a towel so I could wrap it around me to warm up. Northern California’s Coast gets a lot of fog in the summer, making it less reliable a destination than the beaches in the South. But, we were lucky, yesterday the fog cleared up by mid day, just in time for our Kayak tour on the Monterrey Bay.
A great day for kayaking
We booked a 2.5 hour tour on the Monterey Bay with the Monterey Bay Kayaks company. They provide you with the kayaks (2 seaters), wet suits and windbreakers, and two guides accompany the group of about 20 people. They take you out exploring the Marina. You don’t go far out in the open ocean, but, even after a very short distance, you see sea otters, harbor seals and sea lions. The guides tell you more about the wildlife you encounter, they help you find some rays and sea stars, and they teach you a bit about the kayaks too. The tour is great with kids (from around 4 years old) and you don’t need any kayaking experience. There are many breaks to admire the animals, but if you are looking for 2.5 hours of strenuous kayaking, then you might be better of renting a boat and going out by yourself.
One of the many companions on our kayaking tour
After a fun tour, we ate fish and chips at the local Sand Bar & Grill – fun place in walking distance from Monterey Bay Kayaks (with kids menu).
Monterey Bay Kayaks also organizes tours at Elkhorn Slough, a nature preserve. Coming from the Bay Area this is a bit closer, and given the heavy weekend traffic, it may be a great option for our next adventure. The company offers many tour variations, whale watching, bird watching etc., so there is still a lot to explore! We loved it, and we will come back.
I am partial to coffee, not just because I like the jolt from the black gold. I love the atmosphere of coffee shops, the ruffling of the newspaper, the sound of steaming milk in the background, the people watching etc. The cardboard carry out does not quite do it for me, I like sitting down, holding porcelain and catching up on industry news before the day starts. Add to all that a really good french pastry, and my day is off to a great start.
I had mapped out all my bakeries in LA. I knew exactly which one to hit in every corner of the city. Now I need to find my new Favrits, and I am making good progress.
Voyageur du Temps – already a Favrit
After only two weeks, I am already a regular at ‘Voyageur du Temps‘ A great bakery/coffee shop concept, where you can see the bakers at work. A neat menu at the door tells you what you can expect to come out of the oven and at what time. French favorites like the almond croissants and the ‘pain au chocolat’ (my personal favorite) are great here. A breakfast baguette is served with the delicious pairing of homemade raspberry jam and candied orange. There is a great lunch menu that combines fresh ingredients with the baked goods. Ample space inside the bright airy old Los Altos train station and great outside seating is welcoming to any Voyageur!
First on my list of Favrit Bakeries in the Bay Area!
I have always loved running, and while in LA, I added some swimming and Pilates to my fitness routine. Well, it looks like I am going to have to take it up a notch. People in the Bay Area are fit. Running and road biking seem to be second nature for my neighbors…grandmas will daintily pass me on my run, without breaking a sweat.
Time to give them a workout!
I was far from a lone runner in LA, but something seems to be different here. While running is engrained in LA’s culture, people in the Bay Area seem to be motivated by the beauty that surrounds them rather then reaching some beauty ideal or standard that our environment holds us to. It results in happier runners, broader smiles and louder ‘hello’s’ from the people that cross your path. And it is contagious… I am looking forward to giving those running sneakers more of a workout.
We are almost done with the unpacking! It is quite stressful to see your memories of the last 13 years loaded on a truck. 2 kids and many LA experiences later, we are back where we left of… in Silicon Valley.
The whiff of Eucalyptus in the air, the unexpected chill at night, the beautiful rolling hills all remind me of why I have always missed this place. Overhearing tech ideas being exchanged over a local grind makes me feel at home again.
So many things haven’t changed. Yet it seems quite a bit busier, the traffic here seems to try to make us not feel homesick for LA. There are more coffee shops, new cool restaurants, and crossfit joints and juice stores have popped up here too. I am looking forward to getting to know the Valley all over again, through the lens of a working mom.
silicon and coffee 