UMAMI

Out to lunch :)

I almost never go out to lunch. It's pretty normal where I work...people just hang here and eat at their desks or in the break room. This basically means that I eat for a VERY interrupted 20 mins or so while trying to catch up on my blog reading. I'm just in the habit of not going out to lunch...in fact, I look forward to my free Internet time every day. Eating in every day also saves money.

That being said...it's REALLY nice to get out and treat myself now and again. I spend all day under the fluorescent lights of a lab, so it's nice to see that weird shiny thing in the sky and get some vitamin D. 

Urban escape at The Camp

Today my coworkers took me out on the town in Costa Mesa. I don't spend very much of my free time in Orange County. I work here all week and when work is over...I just want to head home back across the line into LA. And weekends? Well, something about the thought of driving to where I work on a weekend...you get me, I'm sure :P

As I was saying...my very hip and savvy coworkers showed me what I've been missing. Lynh and Rami took me to a really cool area not far from our lab called "The Camp". It is soooooooooo hipster, but soooooooo awesome. The Camp is a little urban escape disguised as a shopping center. You sort of feel like you wandered into Portland. There are vegan restaurants and co-op stores and Patagonia!! :P It's a small piece of paradise in the concrete jungle of Costa Mesa. It even felt a little cooler amongst the pines and just maybe it smelled like rain. Ok, not the rain part, but I felt the instant need to don a flannel and some hiking boots.  There were fire pits and a hammock to enjoy while you waited for a table at whichever tasty restaurant you'd chosen to visit.

All the parking spaces had messages :D

We chose Umami burger. It's kind of a thing and I've never been. Umami is (apparently) the fifth taste...translation it's the taste of MSG ;) Whatever we say!! When in fake Portland...

We all ordered the umami burger and thin fries. It. was. divine. Even the ketchup was amazing!! (it's homemade). Everything had a very distinct and enjoyable flavor. The burger was cooked just right and was pretty no nonsense aside from a crispy Parmesan sort of cracker that sat atop its grilled perfection. Yum. 

Ah-mazing.

Ps. I'm not a very good vegan...but hey, Lent is over and I'm pretty meat free most days ;)