The Armenian Gourmet

It's a sin to be home watching TV on a Friday night - at least I think so. At the very least, I try to go out and eat in a new restaurant. Last, last Friday, I was searching for a new restaurant in Yelp and I found this Armenian/Greek restaurant with great reviews (it had 1 horrible review, some so-so reviews but it generally had good reviews so the negatives can be dismissed with caution). It turned out to be a little jewel (as to what kind of jewel... read on to find out) of a place.

The restaurant is called The Armenian Gourmet (929 E Duane Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94085). It is a small place and is a little off the beaten path so be on the look out for the strip mall in the midst of a residential area. When we went, we actually did not see the restaurant from the road since the sign was small and not lighted. We just decided that it must be in the strip mall we just passed so we went there, parked and found it.

This restaurant has a family-restaurant feel to it. It is quite small - probably 15 tables and the crew is limited. I don't know how many they have at other times but when we went there, there were only two. The servers were quite friendly though and they seat you immediately and hand you the menu.

The items on the menu always come in a set - you will get rice and salad with your order as well as freshly baked, warm pita and creamy, mildly-spiced hummus. I loved the pita and the hummus they serve for starters while you are waiting for your order. One of my favorite things about eating in Italian restaurant is having bread with balsamic and olive oil. I think this is even better. The pita is warm (seemingly freshly baked) and is served in a bread basket with cloth over it to preserve it from getting cold. You also get a saucer of mildly spiced, creamy hummus to dip it in. I would have preferred the hummus creamier and with slightly more garlic but still, it was scrumptuous! After a few minutes, they will serve the greek salad. That was also delicious. The greens were really fresh. The feta cheese gives just enough salty contrast to make the tomatoes taste really sweet. They also serve more that enough to satisfy you. I actually felt full after eating the bread and the salad. Once you are done with the salad, they will serve your entree. I had beef and onions. It was OK but it was not really that good for me. I don't know why but I get a slight flavor of liver with this dish and I just don't like liver. From the reviews I read that the kebabs are good so maybe I will try that next time.

The servers were very friendly. They were actually talking to some of the customers like they know them so you get the feeling that this place has faithful patrons. However, they seem to be strict with the time so make sure you go there by at least 8PM as the kitchen closes at 9.

The food is a bit pricy but given that you get starters, a salad and an entree, it is OK. The first two courses are just delicious. While I cannot speak that well about the entree that I tried, the place still looks promising as there are a lot of other entrees to choose from.

I think the place is a jewel - but more like a gemstone than a diamond. The fact that it is small and is off the beaten path gives a special quality to it - like it is a discovery between you and a few select people. It is a definitely a place I would recommend for people to try even if its just for the pita and the hummus.

Kayaking at Shoreline

I have never gone kayaking before. Since my principle (particularly these days) is to try something at least once, I jumped at the chance to go when it was presented to me.

I went to Shoreline Park in Mountain View this weekend. For people in Mountain View, San Jose or Sunnyvale, this place is amazing – it is very near and it offers a lot of recreational activities. It is 16 minutes away from my home in Sunnyvale (This is not an approximation. It is the exact amount of time it took me. I know precisely because I was late meeting my friend and I was like a hawk watching the time going there.) They have kayaks, sail boats, canoes, paddle boats, a golf course, bike rentals, wind surfing, etc. I believe they have concerts there as well.

The weekend rates are between 16-18 USD per hour for the water activities. If you are a group or a family sharing a bigger vessel, then the rentals are not pricey. If you are renting as an individual, the rental is a bit high. You can save some money by getting a prepaid card (it would save you around 40%-50%). However, you have to be certain you’ll be coming back if you want to go for this option as it will cover multiple sessions. For example, the prepaid card for the kayak is worth 80 USD and covers 10 lessons.

The lake is a man-made, salt water lake and is located at the far end of the park. It is approximately 50 acres in size and is home to a number of bird species like ducks, geese and egrets. It is interesting to note that this area used to be a landfill for the city of San Francisco. It just goes to show that there is beauty in everything… if we choose to see it. (For more information on shoreline’s history you can go to http://www.shorelinelake.com/about/history.htm.)

Practically anyone can go kayaking. The concept is pretty simple – sit relatively still on your boat, hold the paddles before you with your hands, shoulders and the paddle positioned to form a rectangle and then tilt from side to side dipping the paddles in the water to start paddling. To start with, you will probably find some difficulty getting the maximum benefit from your strokes and keeping dry (I know this from experience. One important advice, if you haven’t deduced it yet, is to bring a change of clothes.). Eventually, anybody can get the hang of it I am sure.

This is primarily an individual’s game as you can get your own kayak (you can also go for the two-seater but I just don’t think it is as much fun). You can run at your own pace – paddle as hard or fast as you want or float around in the lake like the resident birds.

I loved going fast. When you finally get into rhythm, you will feel your strokes getting more powerful (with the paddle and your muscles straining against the water like it was almost solid), the kayak just gliding smoothly along, the breeze blowing against your face and the world passing by. Then just when your body can push no longer, stop paddling, sit back and just let the boat skim the water. There are probably other things closer to the feeling of flight but for me, it was the closest I’ve felt.

I wasn’t able to take any pictures (pictures on this blog are from the web: http://baytrail.abag.ca.gov/vtour/map3/access/Btmtnvw/Btmtvw2.htm). I was afraid of getting my camera wet. Getting pictures would be a good excuse to come back - not that you need any as this is certainly a place worth visiting more than once.

Wild Wild West

I went to Yosemite last Sunday. I went with 2 guys who like me are foreigners here in the US. We thought that we had nothing better to do so we might as well go, do some hiking, see some sights and then go back to our hotel. We had Google Maps and a GPS system so we should be OK. Or so we thought...

First of all Yosemite is like 4-5 hours away. Second, it is too big to see in one day. Third, it can get really dark at night so a flashlight is a good idea. We realized almost all these (except for the 4-5 hour drive - that we knew to begin with) after we were already there. Still, it was an amazing place and despite the fact that we were horribly unprepared, we had a blast.

On entry to the park, you will be driving through woods with light rays of sunshine peaking through the branches and foliage. In certain areas, the foliage will break to give you a view of an amazingly clear blue sky, tall mountains, colossal rock formations and a view of the valley below. It was a piece of heaven.



The first place you have to find once you are in the park is parking. Go to the All Day parking area and then get on the shuttle to go to the Visitor's Center. Once there, it is advisable to ask someone about the things to do and places to see. This is because Yosemite's attractions are affected by the season. For example, the Yosemite Falls did not have water when we went there. The lakes are also dry. This is particularly important if you are not familiar at all with the place and/or if you have a limited time. The people there are very firendly and helpful. You just have to ask. When we inquired, we were given a map and then advised to go to the only waterfall with running water. So off we went.

To get around Yosemite, you can ride the hybrid shuttles that go around all day to drop of people at trails heads, camping areas, dining areas, etc. The shuttle itself is an experience. The driver will be talking a bit of what kind of programs they have to preserve Yosemite. You will also get a tour of the valley.

The shuttle dropped us off on a small bridge with a stream running underneath. Some people were lounging around on the rocks with their feet dipped on what I assume is cold, refreshing water.

We start our hike on gently sloping ground. Not a big deal even though we are used to just sitting around in the office. However, after a few meters, we found the slope getting steeper, our breaths getting shorter and our hearts pounding harder. My mouth was getting dry from panting (and from dust getting to it since I had my mouth open to pant). We had to rest every few minutes but it was OK since every stop became a photo opportunity. There were other hikers as well and they would smile or say hi when they pass by.






Midway, we had to stop and take a detour. A bear was in the trail and surprised a group of hikers just ahead of us. The bear did not seem like it would attack any of us. It was moving very placidly very likely just looking for food (and not a fight). (An important note, bears - at least the brown bear in Yosemite - do not eat humans. They prefer nuts, honey, etc. But it does not mean they cannot attack if they feel threatened.) But, we were still scared. Some of us had some food (Stupid I know but nobody tols us not to bring and I don't have much experience with the wilderness!). So, when the bear started liesurely going down the path towards us, we left it on the rocks and then moved back. The bear went directly for my food (which I had left on top of a flat rock almost like an offering). I hope it enjoyed my caramel popcorn and ham sandwich. I also hope it did not eat any of the plastic. We are not supposed to feed the bear but we did not know what else to do but leave the packages. Since we were not sure if it would continue going down the path towards us, we decided that while it was busy going through my lunch, we had better climb the side of the mountain and get past it. That was what we did and then after a few more minutes of just watching the bear find and eat the food packages left by the other hikers, we went on our way to the waterfalls.



Our legs and feet hurt after such a long hike (long for us) but the opportunity to see a bear in the wild, the friendly hikers along the way and our destination was worth it. When never got to the top of the falls because we started too late in the day but we got close enough. We went off the main trail and used a smaller one to get closer. From our vantage point, you could feel the power of the falls and the water was spraying all over. It was fantastic.



Yosemite is a sight to see. My only regret is that we did not have enough time there. It would have been amazing to be able to stay a while - to take a number of leisurely hikes, sleep in a camp and then wake up with a fantastic view of the sunrise, the mountains and the clear blue sky.






The pictures below are taken from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.yosemite.html

The Best Baked Potato

I love being here in the Bay Area. The weather is fantastic. The people are friendly. There are so many places to see. And the city downtowns are really cute. I am more comfortable living where there are tall building everywhere since that is wat I am used to having lived in Makati for years, but I also find Mountain View and Sunnyvale really charming.

The weekend farmers' market in the downtown of both cities (Saturday for Sunnyvale and Sunday for Mountain View) is very interesting to go to. You can get specialty products (beautifully baked breads and cakes, delectable dips, etc.) and some of the freshest, sweetest and juciest produce (colorful flowers, organically grown fruits - sweet, red, plump strawberries, golden peaches, sweet, cruncy apples of all possible colors - and vegetables). You go around, have a taste of everything and then, after you've satisfied your taste buds, decide which you want to have more of and take home with you. And having lots of people (and dogs) walking around was fabulous. Hey, I am from the Philippines. I am used to having a lot of people around and the biggest shock that I got when I came here to the US is that it is huge, busy and slightly isolating.

Anyway, I had the most fantastic breakfast today in the Sunnyvale farmers' market. It was a giant russet potato baked fresh on an open flame grill which looked like a giant rotisserie for corn and potatoes. They give it to you fresh off the oven, creamy and loaded with everything on it -bacon bits, sour cream, chives, jalapenos, cheese, and other things I cannot even recall but made for one scrumptous package. Hmmm... yummy.