In spite of my dislike of beer, I found myself at Mash Tun (on Alberta) for the grub of pubs. Tom and I sat at a picnic table in the back patio, which was far more charming than the inside. I haven’t sat in a really good patio since Brooklyn, so this was super and duper. And instead of having a single vegan option (required if you’re on Alberta), the menu has several vegetarian and vegan items, marked as such.

Tom had the black bean burger (friggin’ huge!), and while it was a little loose in consistency, as expected, he said he’d definitely order it again. It packed a flavor puch, with a lot of spice, and you can see the half avocado there and the mountain of greens. Oh, and the red stuff is salsa.

I went with the vegan BLATO, hold the Veganaise. I make this sandwich at home, but I call it the BLOAT ’cause I’m a wise-ass. Between the two sandwich halves, there’s a whole avocado there. And I don’t know why onion isn’t standard on any BLT.

Both of us got fries on the side. I L-U-V skinny fries with the peels on, and that’s just what these were. So potato-y and crispy.

So for a pretty cheap lunch at an untested restaurant, we were delightfully surprised. I’d want to go back on a clear summer night so I could look up at the stars whilst chomping away and trying to ignore the drunkards.

In honor of the first day of summer, I give you the perfect summer lunch: an avocado with a little lime juice, cilantro, sea salt, and pepper. Grab a spoon and you’re set. It doesn’t get much easier than this.

Containing lutein (for healthy eyes), good-for-you fats, dietary fiber, protein, and a nice little collection of vitamins and minerals, it doesn’t have to taste as good as it does.

I got a little spoiled in Los Angeles, where people give you bags of avocados from their backyard trees. Here I actually have to pay $2 or $3 each. Ouch. But I do it because they’re that good. I can’t eat them smashed up, like in guacamole, but aside from just spooning it into my maw, I dice it up for tacos and cut it in strips for sushi. The firm yet creamy texture and lightly sweet flavor seems to act like a bridge for whatever you put with it. It pulls everything together, making it whole.

So today I celebrate summer and I celebrate the avocado.