For lunch today I took a trip to San Francisco’s Civic Center to check out the Slow Food Nation Marketplace. This is a great event because its free and casual. There is a farmer’s market with wonderful vendors, a beautiful garden that volunteers helped plant in the center, and food stalls selling wonderful lunch & snack foods.

Honestly Slow Food Nation couldn’t be happening at a more beautiful time in San Francisco – its sunny & warm – very unusual for us but enjoyable and lovely! The setting for the Marketplace is the lawn in front of City Hall. Its a stunning backdrop and really just epitomizes San Francisco! (photo from iPhone on the go)

I found a few new favorite vendors while poking around the farmer’s market section. Believe me – this is just a few I stumbled on – so many are spectacular!

• Grindstone Bakery: ancient grains, all gently stone milled, then made into exquisite loafs of bread & cookies. If you live in the Bay Area please try a loaf, you will not be dissapointed!
• Beekind: honey straight from Sebastapol in Sonoma County. You wouldn’t believe the flavors and infusions! My favorite was the Chai Infused Honey – unique and delicious – would be amazing on ice cream.

I had a lovely chicken biryani from Vic’s Chaat Cafe for lunch. The yogurt sauce really just brought it all together.

And after my tour and enjoying the sunshine, I headed back to the office. If you get a chance, swing by the Marketplace this weekend. It runs 9-4p Friday thru Sunday.

This weekend kicks off an event I’m extremely excited about: Slow Food Nation!  Slow Food Nation is the “first-ever American collaborative gathering to unite the growing sustainable food movement and introduce thousands of people to food that is good, clean and fair.”  Its going to be an amazing weekend here in San Francisco!

First, check out the Slow Food Nation website for full details!

Next, if you will be in the Civic Center area, go check out the Marketplace where you’ll find a farmer’s market and Slow Food Providers with tasty treats to buy.  You will find me at Primavera for sure – they make some of my favorite items in the bay area – especially their Chilaquiles, my favorite Saturday morning farmer’s market treat!

Some of my other favorite vendors will be around as well. Check these wonderful folks out if you have time! Market vendors: Blue Bottle Coffee, Massa Organics (best brown rice around), Bodega & Yerba Santa (wonderful goat cheeses by someone who loves his goats – ask to see the photos!),  and Far West Fungi.  There are so many outstanding vendors I can’t pretned to list them all but these are a few of my favorites.

Now onto eating!  If you make it to the market place – be sure to check out Slow On the Go to get a bite to eat.  Some top choices (though none will be dissapointing!) are Primavera, Out the Door, and Vik’s Chaat Corner.

Friday evening, you will find me volunteering at the Fort Mason Welcome Tent.  I will be at Guest Services all evening so please stop by and say hi if you will be around!

Saturday & Sunday the events I’m most excited about are the Taste Pavilions!  One fee gets you in to taste all kinds of delectable bites!  Find me at the Taste Pavillion on Sunday afternoon.

There are so many other wonderful events all weekend.  Please peruse the Slow Food Nation site and find something you would like to try!

I will do my best to post some photos and news from the event along the way!