.farmer's market.

(A happy family of orchids, sitting under the tent at KCC this past Saturday.)

As a poor, anxiety-ridden college student at UCLA, I often spent my Thursday afternoons detoxing at the Westwood Farmer's Market. Aside from the many free samples (which I happily indulged in), I enjoyed talking with local farmers, purchasing organic products, and supporting community businesses.

The juice from blood orange and strawberry samples would stick to my fingers as I picked out plump raisins out of huge bins.

I would cradle aromatic tuberose stalks in my overly stuffed LeSportsac school bag.

New moms in jogging attire would attack my ankles with their strollers as they learned to navigate crowds.

I remember purchasing organic red leaf lettuce ($1 each!) every week from a young man named Joe.

Something about the entire picture was safe, cozy, and relaxing. As such, I have learned to replicate that experience at the weekly Saturday market at Kapiolani Community College. Though the market runs until 11am, I've found that the most peaceful time is at the 7:30am bell-ringing opening. All of the stands are fully stocked and the cool morning tradewinds are just enough to waft kettle korn and fried green tomato scents beneath my nose.

I often arrive, sleepy eyed, with my Blue Avocado shopping bag and head straight for the Koko Crater coffee stand, filling my cup with a smooth Kona blend. Since I am currently mooching off my parents (aka I have moved home for a period), I contribute by filling our refrigerator with yummy produce: oak and butter lettuce from Maunawili greens, beets from Ma'o Organics, sweet Kahuku corn, Ewa fingerling potatoes, Japanese cucumbers, North Shore Farms' yellow tomatoes, apple bananas from Ska tropicals, and other deeelish foods ad infinitum. I am happy to wander the stands alone (did I mention I am an only child?), however I also love bringing friends who I know will find the "space" to be happy and calming. They humor my dweeby grins as we gorge ourselves on Bale bread samples and Land of Organica sorbets. There is also something cool about knowing that the hands that pass me the produce, are the same ones that till the soil for the foods to grow.

I've frequently toyed with the possibility of becoming a locavore (someone who eats food grown or produced locally or within a certain radius such as 50, 100, or 150 miles), inspired by my adoration for "Lipstick Jungle" and my inner-hippie. However, I am pretty sure that I would fail miserably: 1) because we live in Hawaii and 2) because I just don't have that kind of time. I have also considered becoming a full vegetarian (or vegan), but after a few small attempts, I discovered that I will have to be content with my four-legged animal ban. Going to the Farmer's Market is probably the closest that I will come to either of those things for now. It's definitely my happy place.