California food dialectic

Here we are at the Wednesday market in Santa Monica. Citrus! Avocados! Artichokes! Dates of all kinds, including the little honey dates I'd been wanting to try. I'm offered a perfect, ripe persimmon (free samples seem to be de rigeur), and Z buys some to stash in the freezer and eat like sorbet. Vendors compete with over-the-top health claims ("my oranges are more organic than yours"). I could get used to this.

But there's another side. After all the super-organic, good-better-best-for-you, all-natural pesticide-free whatever, not to mention the hours spent on yoga, or at the gym, Angelenos are ready to line up for a treat. Or two. Or three. Doughnuts are big (no transfats at Frittelli's). Cupcakes are still hot, though the line you see reflected at Sprinkles was too long to consider joining. And Pinkberry - my first visit to the trendy new frozen yogurt spot. It's in NY now too, and I can understand the appeal. Just two flavors: plain, and green tea, with perfect fresh fruit toppings. You can almost pretend it's good for you.