Locali: Conscious Convenience foods

Last summer, I read Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. And I never looked at food quite the same way as I did before.

I started taking a look at where things were grown, how things were packaged, and what labels were saying about the foods I purchased. I started to wish I lived somewhere with space to grow my own fruits and vegetables.

My mother-in-law's beautifully tended garden is enviable, and my childhood is filled with memories of picking from my grandparents' rows of homegrown tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans every year.

But alas, we live in a small space with no room for a garden these days.

Instead, we head to the local grocery stores and the occasional farmers' market. And every so often, lunch from Locali on Franklin satisfies my conscious.

Locali is a deli counter slash corner shop that sells local and organic foods (along with other "conscious convenience" sundries). Their sandwiches are made to order, and they offer a number of them that are hot or cold.

My sandwich of choice is the Franklin Phenomenon - turkey, monterey jack, spinach, tomato and red onion slathered with chipotle sauce on pretzel bread. The warm sandwich is full of unexpected flavors and each bite has a nice kick from the spicy spread.

It's often difficult to find a parking spot in the small lot that Locali shares with the other shops on the street front, so call ahead for a delivery if you're in the neighborhood. A special note on deliveries - food is bicycled to your door.

That's definitely food for the soul!

Barbara Kingsolver's

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

www.animalvegetablemiracle.com

Locali: Conscious Convenience
street: 5825 Franklin Ave | Los Angeles, CA 90028
tel: 1.323.466.1360
web: www.localiyours.com
open 7 days | 7a-11p