Reyhan is a word shared by multiple SSWANA languages meaning basil. In Arabic, it also refers to a sweet fragrance. I’m growing two varieties of Iranian basil this year, and we’re all very excited about them. We may call it Iranian basil, but after millennia of growing along side it, it’s actually the basil who tells us who we are and where we come from.

The wonderful ease of picking up a handful of needs at your local grocery store is almost invaluable. It’s even better when the store is family-owned and a cornerstone of the community. Bonus: Piedmont Grocery is hugged on all sides by small businesses so the walk is always nice. Unlike chaotic Berkeley Bowl (this is a common sentiment, right?), Piedmont Grocery manages to stay calm even during rush-hour.

Mille Fiori is Piedmont Avenue’s flower stand. Buying arrangements here is more of a meditation on beauty rather than a transaction. Your first impression is that you’ve stumbled upon a romantic pedestrian alley in Europe filled with small shops. You’re not far off! There is a little pocket of Piedmont Ave that is lined with old bricks, climbing vines, and eclectic shops, and it all begins here.

I am always seduced by this store. It is full of clean beauty holy-grails, small batch personal care items, vintage clothing (specially curated by nearby Mercy Vintage), cozy pieces to make your house feel like a home, and jewelry adornments for any budget.

Oakland’s Piedmont Avenue is a shining example of what a more localized economy looks like, where small businesses are the majority and corporate enterprises are the exception. Spotlighting: Crimson Horticultural Rarities (also known as Crimson Hort). If you’re looking for indoor plants to bring some life and oxygen to your space, Crimson Hort is a wonderful blessing. Not only is their selection wide and healthy, but the folks working there are so kind and knowledgeable.

Pesto is the best pasta sauce, and you can't tell me otherwise. This recipe is great for large servings, relatively low in calories, and all vegan. Less acidic than your typical tomato pasta sauce, this recipe is also high in antioxidants and vitamin B (thanks, nutritional yeast!). Easy to make, only requiring adding all ingredients to a blender, then putting on the stovetop to thicken.

Front yards in Oakland and Piedmont are heavy with fruit this autumn. Most common of all are apple trees, although pomegranate and persimmon trees are healthily heavy with fruit too.

Jalama Beach is a semi-hard-to-get-to beach off of Highway 1, on California’s central coast. You have to have commitment to go there*, it’s at least a 30 minute drive from Lompoc, the closest town. It’s around an hour, maybe longer, from Santa Barbara.

August is both a month of wonderful bounty and wild urgency. There is so much juicy fruit, vibrant vegetables, and chlorophyll-rich leaves, but so little time to eat it all, let alone to soak it in.