Lunch with the Hare Krishnas - Tucson, AZ

Along the Rillito Riverbed Trail

A few weeks back, friends introduced us to Govinda's, and I haven't stopped thinking about it.

I'm fine with Indian food, except that buffets make you pick around the chicken and the dairy, and then eye all the rest with suspicion. My experience has been that Indian buffets are not vegan-friendly. Govinda's is mostly vegan, except on Thursday when it's an All-Vegan Extravaganza!  

We went again yesterday and ate outside on the veranda. The sun was warm, the breeze was cool, and the food was delicious. I was blissed out. I told Annie This is how it happens. You come for the delicious food; next thing you know you're all about the peace and love. SHE LAUGHED.

I went back and talked (listened) to Sean, who is a devotee. He said I started eating the food here and got really blissed-out. I wondered "what do they put in this stuff?"* Indeed, Sean. Indeed.

     

 *I encouraged him to talk to me. They don't push their spirituality if you just want a nice lunch.

Our friend, Lucy, came over this week. We took her on a tour of the neighborhood.

Desert apple?

Dude. You're eating a cactus.

Take a picture, it'll last longer. Oh, I see what you're doing there.

Look what I can do! Desert bovines are very athletic. Because of the cacti.

I got nothing.*

*Not literally true.  I got three.

• If you are looking for a vegan, vegetarian, or veg*n-friendly restaurant, try Happy Cow.  It will also find "health-food stores" for you, if you're in the market for something just off the mainstream.

• Annie just made her first batch of soymilk and okara with our new soy milk maker.  

Step into the milking parlor, soybean.

                                                        

Okara ("honorable pulp") is what's left after you milk the beans. Beans are less-resistant to milking than some cows, and rarely try to kick you, especially once they're honorable pulp. I just sensed an analogy:  when we're done milking cows we turn them into honorable pulp, too. I'm sad now, and I blame you, okara! We use a lot of soymilk, and are open to using okara, so here's our chance.  With soymilk near $6 a gallon, we expect to recoup our investment.

• We also got a little blender, because we were craving smoothies.  

I'm cute, right?

Oh, you guys, it is raining here.  It's been cloudy for hours.  Sorry, I don't mean to be a duck about it, Pacific Northwest.

You Canadian RVers:  do you blog once you get home?  I haven't even met most of you, and I miss you already.