Friday, September 23, 2011

Golden Era

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Next morning, for about half an hour, we queued for the Cable car at the turnaround right in front of our hotel entrance, until we realized we needed to get a ticket which was sold at a ticket booth at the corner of Powell and market. So we queued again at the ticket counter while our fruitarian social vegan remained in line for the cable car. Just two blocks away we alighted, without punching our tickets, and we strolled along O'Farrell, until little sister excitedly exclaimed she saw the sign of the dawn of a new era, a vegan golden era..

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We were guests again in this fabulous place, seated at the table of honour, with a special Celestial Lamp hovering over our head and blessing us. We had rendezvous with an old friend and the owner of the shop whom we had met the night before at the mall. He is a generous man as we knew him so many years before, always kind, and the epitome of hard work and great dedication. The reputation of the shop preceded him and we felt warmth at his welcome.

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We ordered many dishes and spoke of old times and new times. Many things have changed, but the people we knew remained the same.
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Special cake treats were ordered to the delight of little sister, and many rounds of Chinese tea were served. Soon we had to bid farewell to the Golden Era and be on the road again.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Westfield, O Westfield

We have received news that Master would soon reveal the most auspicious locations for world leaders to shift their headquarters and presidential palaces. In an earlier video conference, She had revealed the existence of hell portal and lower roads which were a hinderance to world peace for the leaders of the nations in this world. And now, the much awaited solution, a free global feng-shui service by the Master !

Immediately, all our travel plans were changed. We decided to return the car to the airport so we will have a leisurely morning waiting for the video conference.

The next day we huddled up at the hotel room, waiting for the 9am slot of Between Master and Disciples and we watched until Master patiently told of the various locations that leaders of our nations have to shift to avoid negative influence. The A to Z list of nations who have to shift their headquarters was long and finally completed. We hang around the hotel waiting for a free upgrade which the friendly counter staff promised us free of charge. Having settled our accomodation problem, we set out to hit the streets again, and we met 2 sisters along the way hailing from the plum blossom island, also searching for the Real Love..

We head to 8th and market to settle some banking problem, and with some money in my pocket, we were good to go again, and we knew just exactly where we were going for a late afternoon lunch..

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Back at 5th and market just across the street from our hotel, where we choose to stay, perhaps the most convenient and more recent Loving Hut in San Francisco..

We were suitably impressed by the size of the outlet even though it is inside a food court, it is still large and very spacious, seating is a luxury we can afford to choose at all points around the compass.

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Westfield, about a year in operation, is a major draw for both locals and visitors alike. We like the place immediately, it is so convenient and central along market street.

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Obviously, one of the things that is attractive to little sister is the variety of cakes they have, and all we must try, she declared.

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Looking at the food they offered, it is familiar and most welcome sight. We feel like we have never left home, and Westfield became our frequent haunt since then.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Vegetarian House, The Crown Jewel

After the Stockton meal, we did a quick tour of the Marina and Presidio area, enjoyed the breeze and seagulls' company. Little sister got a chance to drive the car in the car park, but being unfamiliar with left-hand driving, we did not feel safe to let her venture to the streets..After that, our fruitarian-social-vegan brother took over the obligatory drive to the Golden Gate bridge.

In the evening, we drove about 4 hours south east to San Jose, arriving at late evening to the warm welcome of the Vegetarian House, surely the crown jewel of our stay at the Golden Gate city.

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We drove a little cautiously, averaging no more than 70mph and it was soon dark, we passed Milpitas but it would have been closed probably, so we headed for the place we knew would be open, and for our small party we were pretty excited, even though this is perhaps not the first time but it is exciting notheless..

The tables were soon filled, crowds came in droves, small Indian families, American vegan guests, couples probably staying near by... we were told the place needed reservation during holidays..

Little sister as usual has the honor to do the ordering, and so the friendly waiter recommended some dishes to us, the first to arrive is a dish of sweet and sour soup, thai style...

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Obviously, we were testing the mettle of the cooking staff, and they did farely well in our ratings. There is nothing we can complain about... right here in silicon valley being able to taste a traditional thai dish is a testament to the variety of exquisite vegan cooking skills. We are after all in the Master's house and we expect that standards will be high and it was so.

I took the opportunity to order the Lagsane, being that vegan cheese is abundant here in the land of dreams.

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Size of the plate is a little overwhelming for Asian hands, two vegans with small appetitie and a fruitarian, social vegan !


And of course, you don't go to the vegan restaurant without tasting the omnipresent Pad Thai, so here it is...


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The gravy is just a tad too little, and being that we have a full table of many dishes, by the time we got to this dish, it was mostly dry... A little regret on an otherwise unforgettable evening.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Stockton Loving Hut our First Stop

Right after a tiring 22 hour flight half way across the globe, with constant ringing in the exploded ear drums and amidst a jet lag we were all trying to shrug off, we arrived at the Golden Gate city, and the first order of the day, right off the airport we drove straight non-stop, our hearts pumping with excitement, on the long awaited visit to Stockton Loving Hut..

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We already knew what to expect, a member of our expedition for the Real Love having visited just a couple months earlier... still, we love the ambience of Loving Hut, everywhere we go around the world..

Something which never ceases to amaze us, the giant size of servings as in this, the land of the free and the land of the giant fries...

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We are home, we know the people, we know the place.. and we love the food..

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So beautifully decorated with a butterfly knot, who cannot but already feel Love in your hearts ? The vegan nuggets are tasty too, different from the fare we are used to sample back in Singapore, but good stuff..

For dessert, you know a woman's heart if we came all the way across great seas and ocean, and did not fulfill the desire to try the vegan tiramisu, we would not be able to get back home in one piece !!

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