Though departures may occur all at once physically, they are rarely emotionally complete in that same instant. Instead, we leave places slowly, draining ourselves from them a bit at a time, as our hearts and our minds gradually lose their grip on whomever and whatever they leave behind. Geographies tend to imprint themselves on my heart commensurate to the emotion I’ve felt in those places.
And so it was, that, after three years away from San Francisco, my return last weekend felt like a true goodbye. At the end of three days there—after much eating and boozing and wandering and giggling—I found myself sitting on the sidewalk of 18th street, across from Pizzeria Delfina, surrounded by all my luggage, trying to figure out a way to get back to LA early.
But let’s rewind a moment. Because I do need to tell you about meeting everyone, all the blog friends I’d known and loved virtually for the past year, in person. Alanna made the most gorgeous strawberry rhubarb pie. Sarah brought baby Zoella! Emily gave me raw honey for slathering on my body. Yossy’s super cool sweatshirt reminded us the future is female. Nik made a superb drink choice that reminded me I love drinking Lambrusco. Michelle took me to brunch a block from my old apartment. And Phyllis and I quarantined ourselves in the excitement of finally meeting. Blogging may be a solitary endeavor, but last weekend made it evident that our community is brilliant and generous and strong. I can’t wait to have more time with everyone.
I spent the next two days zipping around a very rainy San Francisco with a few of my closest girlfriends. We ate an absurd amount of fresh pasta and pizza at Zero Zero (don’t forget the soft serve Strauss frozen yogurt with olive oil, Maldon flakes, and cacao nibs for dessert). We wandered the Ferry Building Farmers Market and ate chilaquiles from Primavera and loaded fries from Namu Gaji. We touched all of the things in the Heath Store. We split a piece of my favorite chocolate from Recchiuti: Rose caramel enrobed in bittersweet and white chocolate. I cried in Kira’s car, in a moment of overwhelm at the impending descent of Mother’s Day, that yearly reminder of my mother’s absence. I coaxed my dad to come over from his visit to Sausalito and watch the Kentucky Derby with us, with brief interludes of learning to play Tibetan singing bowls. We ordered in a feast from Mau.
But on Sunday, as I wandered the streets of the Mission in search of tampons (long story for another time), I knew with certainty that I was ready to leave. I just wanted to be home. And suddenly, perhaps for the first time, I found myself thinking of Los Angeles as, well, home. I missed the jacaranda trees outside my window. I missed my sort-of-dying-sort-of-alive orchid plants. I missed my home rituals.
Which brings us to green milk. This is my favorite thing to drink in the morning. Every morning. It instantly soothes my morning anxiety, floods my body with nourishing plant protein and omega fatty acids, and suffuses my system with tonifying chlorophyll, minerals, and a perfectly lovely dose of caffeine. The matcha helps to neutralize spirulina’s algae taste, and provides a grassy lilt of its own. The creamy, smooth foundation of freshly blended hemp seeds is the fastest answer to the age old question: Got milk?
Answer: Why yes I do. And it’s green.
GREEN MILK!
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 1 ¼ teaspoons spirulina powder
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon ground vanilla bean
- stevia or other sweetener, to taste (I used 10 drops liquid stevia, but a couple teaspoons or more of honey is also delish)
- handful ice cubes
- pinch sea salt
- bee pollen to taste, for garnish
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in blender and blend on high until completely smooth and frothy. Drink immediately, topped with bee pollen if desired.
