Love Your (East Bay) Neighbor

Today, Kimster and I had a little adventure. We drove over to Oakland to visit our friend Ann and her adorable daughter, Lulu, in their charming Temescal/Rockridge neighborhood. Cute houses, yards, trees...Such a nice place to stroll through, en route to brunch. And oh, that brunch!
Had Kimster and I not pre-fueled at Ritual, we could have caffeinated at Remedy, which serves Ritual coffee in a cool vintage-furniture-laden space. But we did have a seriously yummy meal across the street at Aunt Mary's Cafe. Not too long of a wait, and the food - all as local and sustainable as possible - arrived quickly. My scramble was perfectly cooked and full of roasted tomatoes and Swiss chard, then dusted with Asiago. Of the many sides, I chose fresh fruit and wheat bread, which was thickly sliced and seemed homemade. Spread with blueberry preserves from a jar on the table, that toast was the answer to my carb-lovin' prayers. Ann and Kimster also were quite happy with their Southern Bubble and Squeak; the name alone makes me love Aunt Mary and her tattooed crew.
Down the street is the awe-inspiring Temescal Farmers' Market. Huge, with all sorts of produce, food stalls and even Blue Bottle coffee. Kimster and I bought a gingery limeade to share, and walked back to Ann's so Miss Lulu could nap. She even gave us each a sweet kiss goodbye. Oakland hospitality is a beautiful thing.