reflections on expo west (or... how to eat your way through a tradeshow less than gracefully)

ok... i know... who the hell likes going to a tradeshow...? ANY tradeshow...? lots of blah, blah, blah-ing... sore feet and, generally, some sort of cold by the end of it... ....

oddly enough, i tend to agree... but there is one exception... i LOVE the natural products expos...

ok... so, expo west really IS better than east... although i DID miss the hot guy in boston who, dressed in a gladiator outfit, handed out free greek yogurt... as well as my roomie, hatchetface... sigh... :)... anyway...

i dig this show because i love, love, love seeing what’s happening in the natural products space... from shiny new things from familiar faces such as cascade, lightlife and the great guys at livity (and, why, yes, i AM in the market for a spring hat :)... to bitchin’ finds, including to-go ware, david rio, juniper ridge (SO love), sapothecary, popchips and purevia... it’s just so cool... really... proof that ecology and economics are NOT enemies! :)

of course, the main reason for attending was business... and i think i made some good connections... that, hopefully, will turn into something down the road... BUT, really? the BEST reason for being there... the food!....

aloo gobi, rotelli with arrabiata, soba with miso... oodles of cheeses... you name it, i ate it... ok... well, as long as it didn’t formerly have a face, i ate it... (and, btw, i am increasingly impressed by the meat alternatives out there... not only are the getting tastier, but a lot of companies are reducing the amount of processing... yay!)...

anyhoo, the highlight of my day? delallo... and its AMAZING array of sauces... not to mention the olives... oh, my holy hell... check this out...

and, yes, i ate my way across the booth... and the winner? no... not the kalamatas, although they were yums...

... spicy green olives stuffed w/gorgonzola... oh my... oh my... oh.... my... DOG!!!!..

i... ummmmm....

wept...

simply... amazing... i’m not one for loitering at booths... but i think i spent 20 minutes there... completely lost... ahhhhhhh...

but, as a smoke was out of the question, i ran to the green & black's booth and tried every, single one of their organic chocolates... the maya gold dark... to DIE for!!!!!....

food... joy... coma...