Also...

I'm side-blogging about training for my first race and beyond...please follow me and leave any insight and comments. Thanks!

http://notsofastbuddy.blogspot.com

Follow up food pictures:

So yesterday I mentioned all of this cooking I'd be doing. Below are the pictures from that adventure. Soup and quinoa are being made today so those picture will be up tomorrow. (Or later, whichever I fancy!)

 

First I baked the potatoes with some salt, pepper and walnut oil (b/c it doesn't scorch and become a carcinogen like olive oil when heated too high)

Then I scooped out the potato!

Chopped some garlic (you can never have too much, I used 3 cloves total)

washed and chopped my spinach...

  

And KALE! (LOVE kale!!)

(ah...Spinach and Kale make me happy!!)

After I sauteed the greens and garlic, I mixed them with some sage, sea salt and pepper...

Then I stuffed my potatoes, and put them back in the oven for 20 min. 

Then I chopped a red and white onion for the balsamic onions...

Sauteed in walnut oil, with s&p

added balsamic vinegar...

Yummm....caramelized balsamic onions are amazing.

This was the honey lime mustard glaze I used for the salmon.

added some broccoli, and VOILA! 

Dinner is served.

(and below is my Coconutty/Oaty/Berrybake!)

  

  

Gosh I love [healthy yummy] food

Another snowy day ...

What does one find themselves doing on another snowy day?

I'm lucky enough to have had an office day today so no missed work (except for when I am blogging on my lunch break...Now I have to eat while I work!).

Currently I'm trying to organize my messy desk, prepare soup (garlicky ginger carrot-YUM! I'll be sure to post pictrures). The best part of the soup is going to be the carmelized balsamic onions that I use for garnish. SO EXCITED!
My favorite foods are vegetables and I find that this time of year it's so hard when the local selections are slim to none and even the kale is less hearty than I'd like. I mean, it's not easy for me to choose produce that was farmed half a world away. It makes me feel so guilty. Such a catch-22 you know?

Aside from that I'm setting up my side-blog. I'll be blogging for the next two weeks about my journey towards my first race. I'll be posting when I train, how I train, the emotions behind it. Thats a big part because I'm coming from a place where the only time I ran was if I was being chased! Ha- so much for that attitude. It's kind of scary coming out of my comfort zone- I've changed my whole body chemistry (I am quite alkaline, where as in my earlier 20's acidic acidic acidic. Feh.) as well as my attitude towards fitness; but running a race is something I've never done. I'm just not that competitive- with one exception. I compete with myself. And thats what this is really about. Getting over road blocks, getting over myself, and getting to the finish line. Ooh, thats a really good "about" line. Maybe I'll use that.

In other news, I am planning on using this weekend to set up my etsy shop, work on some paintings, greeting cards, and clear up my studio space. Busy but boring I suppose. There are also a myriad of care packages that need to be sent out. These are the fun parts of my life.

 

Samson, ready to take on the snow!

 

                                                         winter wonderland...

 

 

STOP! Hehe...

I love how the red pops!

                                                          This almost looks like fjords, and a murky icy river....

 

My avocado tree's point of view

My friends change the world

If somebody was to ask you what your most prized posession was, what would your answer be? A family heirloom? Photos from the past? An award of some sort?

Well, if you ask me what my most prized posession was, I'd have to say that I have many (and wont' choose just one becauseyoucantmakemenononono!)....and aside from my most absolutely final 100% first answer being my soul (as it's the only thing you can really possess) I have to say my many dear excellent friends. Old ones, new ones. It's amazing how blessed I am to know the stellar human beings that I do. Kind, generous, beautiful, wild, creative, amazing people who are accompanying me in my life.

One in particular needs to be called out. Jessica R. Now we've known each other...almost 5 years. Maybe a little more or less- I don't know the exact awesome date that we met- but it was an awesome day. And like all friends we've had disagreements, and don't always share the exact point of view; luckily though we usually do and completely agree that the world needs a REVOLUTION, and it'll most likely be though food. She's a [LEVEL 9] vegan and has basically committed her life to making it better. For 9-5 she's a social worker and all the time she's an artist.Now this awesome girl Jessica- She is really changing the world. She's my most favorite vegan (even more so than Alecia Silverstone), and a sick writer. Not ill/sick feeling bad- but SICK like her words are like precious jewels strung together to create an abundance of treasure that is her knowledge, compassion and ability to make anyone feel empowered.  She has a blog (posted on the bottom of my blog, Mother Earth R.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N.S.), and is a writer for Change.org (here is a link to her most recent contribution).
I am so proud of her, and honored to call her my dear friend.

Of course there are SO many of my friends whom I could blather on about who are also incredibly talented, kind, and do amazing things for the world- but is it selfish if I say that my friends(each and every single one) is special to me because of how happy they make me, and how much they make me smile and laugh?



In other news I am happily gluten free right now. Here is a link on why gluten is not so great to eat...
While I am not a Celiac, gluten, is like glue....who wants that in their body? I just feel better. I mean, yeah bread is great but not better than how I feel.
But of course I know that while I have made this change, there are plenty of others that can be made as well. In the past few days I've been feeling overwhelmed- I'm less lazy so more things are getting done but I really need some time to create and work on some projects that have been on the back burner. One of them is a collection of paintings using mixed media as a critique on the world around me....as well as seeing if my town is able to start a composting project with schools. I hope it's feasible b/c there are so many great things that can trickle down from there. All in due time I suppose.

TO conclude I have started my 2 week crash training for a 5 mile race. It's my first one and I'm scared actually. But it's cool. Things that are scary are often scary because they force you to grow and challenge you to rise out of your current state. So I'm excited too.

 

  

I'd like to post this link to Jessica's most recent blog. She's a mind blowing talented writer who expresses her thoughts brilliantly. Please read, and subscribe. I adore her. What she's talking about was what I initially started my blog to do. I wanted to share ideas in a similar vein- somehow I got sidetracked. 

My point- this is it:  http://saynotobarbie.wordpress.com/

  

Being fabulous without being an asshole...

Is there a middle ground in consumerism? Because like most Americans I have that part of my brain that WANTS, that has a constant case of the "gimmes". In reality it's THIS mentality that has us looking like global assholes. We've(by we I mean we Americans) have dug ourselves into global debt, big business debt, and personal debt(due to 17 year olds getting credit cards. Really? Kids that age shouldn't even have control of their penises and vaginas! Credit card? Who's bright idea is that?!) and into a reputation of being pigs (you know, neo-colonialism is the trend in big countries apparently). And the comparison to pigs isn't in the kind way. Its in the gluttonous way. Yuck. And with the ideal of obtaining "fabulocity" through the acquisition of fanciful, over priced, made-by-the-slave-labor-hands-of children, items- it's near impossible to be fabulous without being an asshole. Really, it's sad because when you work hard, and you want something nice, sometimes you don't want to go to a thrift store. How do you get a bat mizvah dress or a dress for a fancy occasion at a second hand shop? SOME vintage shops will have some amazing gowns, and coture dresses- but thats few and far between when it comes to occasion shopping. I often find amazing pieces that are gorgeous, timeless AND quality coture dresses ONLY when I am piss poor broke, or when I have no reason to buy it. So again, my question, how can you be fabulous and NOT an asshole?

My conclusion: It is not your possessions that make you fabulous. No matter what the gorgeously photographed glossy magazines say, and no matter what the pin-thin models are wearing- Fabulous needs to come from within. Fabulous is in the joy, and love, and happiness you bring to every moment. It's the way you make OTHER people feel. So I'll get over my gimmes. Maybe I'll buy something fancy that I'll have to assume doesn't come from a sweat shop filled with 7 year olds.

So without Christian Louboutin heels***, (the ones that are linked there are ones that I kind of cry with joy from looking and THESE and THESE) and without the Diane von Furstenburg dresses that the asshole fabulous part of me aches to wear...I WILL be my OWN FABULOUS!

(***Note: While I don't  wear heels often, if I'm going to wear them I want them to be fierce and worth it)

 

 

Stream of conciousness part eleventybillion

One day I'm going to own  my own cafe/lounge/gallery space- open mic nights, emerging artists, and good food all in one place. At night it'll be a lounge. Yum.
I want to do voice over work. I can do a myriad of funny, childlike voices. And I'm pretty good at it. I just have to figure out how you do something like that.
This year I'm going to have my photos in a gallery. I don't know how to do that either but it's going to happen.
I want to have a baby.
I want to lose my last 15 lbs. Why won't they budge? I do all of the plateau breaking moves and then nada. And no I don't have a thyroid/hormone issue. I've been checked. I'm going to get over it b/c I'm actually in pretty good shape. Size 4 is nothing to complain about.
Sometimes I want to be mean, but my conscious won't let me. The few times that I am mean I feel like I've lowered myself to the level of the people I'm upset with.
as much as I hate dairy products, and won't eat them if I can, I eat Pinkberry, and I LOVE it. It's my treat once a month. Not for PMS. Just because I like it.
Currently, I am in the middle of 20+ art projects. Paintings, fabric art, collages, and numerous marketing strategies.
There really is no such thing as true altruism because I get such a high off of starting groups to help raise money and making donations.
When my girlscout cookies come this year I'm going to donate them all to a foodbank. Because I WON'T eat them.
I like my dog more and more every day. He's really funny, and tough and has swagger. Not a lot of neutered dogs have swagger- he does.
It'd be nice to pick up and leave. Just go somewhere really different and not tell anyone. I was thinking about Vancouver BC. And not because of the Olyimpics.
The Olympics make me cry because it brings the world together for a positive reason. 
Secretly I want to play the violin. And I want to practice the clarinet more regularly. I was going strong for a few weeks.
In my heart of hearts I know that it'll always be ok, and when I see people worry and complain I want to tell them how silly they're being but I know that they'll only resent me for it.
Having a baby will be awesome. I'm not scared of pain or anything, even though I'm going to do it hippy dippy home style. No hospital for me. Yuck. Not if I can avoid it.
I feel that in the next 15 years that there will be many social revolutions, and things will get much much better- despite the paranoid naysayers.
I laugh when people get freaked out about 2012, because it's all hype, and it's people who are ignorant, bastardizing yet another cultural misunderstanding for profit.
When people are heavy and do nothing about it I don't feel bad for them.
Those who hurt animals intentionally should have to volunteer at animal shelters, and "volunteer" at an abattoir.
I'd love to go into politics one day, because I know that I could make a diffrence.
Not in an obnoxious way, but I know when people are jealous of me, and I don't care. It's not because I'm better, it's because they don't have enough respect for themselves to not compare. I'm the best me there is, but I'm not better than anyone else.
Meditation, while rare for me, is the closest I've ever gotten to enlightenment.
Just being able to breathe, is a miracle.

Cupcakes are awesome, and I make the best I've ever had. Period. Speaking of cupcakes, my alias are: BaronessVonCupcake and Princess Dynamite.
Taking pictures is the closest I've gotten to therapy in a long time. And I really like my pictures and am happy that I take great pictures. And while I want to be humble, I also want to be proud of myself.
Lately all I've wanted was for it to be spring and summer. I want summer berries, watermelon and to go out to the East End.

 

Tiger Lilly, summer 2009

 

Zinnia bud, summer 2009

 

pink flowers, summer 2009

 

honey bee, summer 2009

We all...

SING THE SAME SONG!!!

If you click the link above, you'll be brought to a you tube clip of not only one my favorite songs, but one of my favorite messages. Thank goodness for Sesame Street!

As a very young child (4, 5 years old?) this message came through loud and clear and has stuck with me. No matter what our differences are: location, tax bracket, cultural identity, racial identity, political view, feelings on Leno vs. Letterman, WE ARE ALL THE SAME. Really we are. It's easy to judge, and scream, and "hate on" others when you let little differences get in the way.

So how do we forget these lessons as adults? I know there are plenty of kids who have seen this clip, and know this song but are still asses. Closed minded asses. And even worse- there are generations of adults, world leaders, government officials, who have a terrible mind set about other people. Whats crazy, is there is a church or house of worship right now speaking to the exact opposite of this message. Somewhere the name of God is being used to instill hate, and fear and bigotry. How terrible right?

Thats where we (by we, I mean the good people who are out there. The good people that I know actually out number the bad) all come in . It's up to the enlightened people to send love, and operate on a higher plane.
A lot of the people I know who are negative, and seem to have the weight of the world on their shoulders- THEY are the ones who need love. The people who stress you out the most- THEY are the ones who need kindness.

Thats going to be something for me to work on remembering. I'll have to listen to a certain song a few more times, and hopefully (if I get the time) I can meditate on the concept of having  love for the people who are least lovable. Wish me luck :).

All good things...

This past December I had a piece of artwork in a gallery for the first time ever! It was quite exciting, and I am looking forward to having another gallery  soon.

In this showing, it was a 6x6 canvas (hence the name of the SixbySix gallery!). Everyone who bought the kit created a piece of art and as long as it was submitted by the deadline it'd get to be up in the gallery for a month, and then on the website for 3 months. Pretty exciting(for me at least!).

Here is a link to the galleries website:  http://store.6x6gallery.com/

AND here is the piece I had in it:

It's entitled 'Key to the City', and was inspired by my friend Reid. And even though I don't see him often he had an impact on me. He's just so bright, and talented. I'm so lucky to know him and all of my amazingly talented and kind friends.


So whats next creatively? I have been working on a few sample pieces to send to a boutique in Saratoga! I'm almost done- and just have to make my tags and attach them. It'll be fabric art- and I'll make sure to post them when they are ready to be sent (the tags are my favorite part I think!). Hopefully it'll catch on and then I can focus on making backstock and setting up either an etsy page, or selling direct to shops here in the city.

Of course there's the matter of other things that were on a previously blogged about list: Clarinet/Burlesque/Improv etc.

All in a matter of time.

Thats the thing, I have so much happening in my head all at once- it's like a juggling act. Sometimes something falls out of the loop, but eventually I'll pick it up again.

And then to top all that off- I'm planning a mini trip to California. I can't stay away. Not at all....Why is that. There is something about being on the West Coast that makes me so happy. I'll keep you posted.

These are a few of my favorite things: BROOKLYN

I've been away from blogging for a while, and really missed it. Not that I havent' been busy with all sorts of fun randomness.

Some of my time spent while being busy with work is also a whole lot of awesome. For example, I get to go to one of my favorite boroughs: BROOKLYN!

Brooklyn- a.k.a. Kings, is part of the island that is considered Long Island, as is it's neighboring (and where I hail from) borough of Queens. However, both Brooklyn and Queens are most definitely NOT part of Long Island proper (where I currently, but not permanently, live).

So between my appointments for work I get a chance to take advantage of the restaurants, coffee/tea/thrift shops, and boutiques in the area.

Gorilla Coffee: They are simple and delicious. They are an independently owned and operated entity. No corporate nastiness there. Also, they roast all their beans on sight. I've since stopped drinking coffee regularly, but when I am in the area you best believe that I'll be treating myself to some top notch, non-corporate coffee.

 

Then there is my most FAVORITE thrift shop ever! Beacons Closet .

There are multiple locations (one of which is across from the Brooklyn Brewery, stop by, it's a fun little tour!), and always ALWAYS a treasure buried amongst the forever 21, and urban outfitters castaways. They buy used clothing as well- So for example- Lets say that you bought (and over paid for!) a beautiful coat two years ago. It was trendy, and over priced and now you gained/lost a few lbs- and no matter what you try or do, the love is gone. Well, don't fret!You can march down to Beacons Closet and sell it for a decent price AND do some great shopping as well. I myself found an awesome 80's red striped Lacoste polo. For what? Not $75/55 dollars (ABOUT what they're sold for at Nordstrom right?). Yeah, I bought it for 10 dollars. AND the alligator patch is still in tact. LOVE IT!!! If you're ever in Brooklyn, check it out. It's worth the time it takes to weed through the weird and wily items to find your prize. Another reason to love them is because they do donate some of their profits to local causes. I love them. 

Another quaint spot that I adore, and don't have pictures of is The Clay Pot. I've gotten many gifts for people here, and have an extensive wish list of things that I hope to be given one day as well. Whats great is that these items are hand crafted by some of the countries best jewelry artisans who have names, and faces- Not soulless baubles on an assembly line, but in a real studio. They're beautiful pieces and I can't wait to go back!

http://www.clay-pot.com

A few other places that I  must make mention of are:
 For CHOCOLATE-GOODNESS

http://www.cocoabarnyc.com/

http://www.thechocolateroombrooklyn.com/

For VEGANY/VEGETARIAN goodness:

http://www.spreadvegan.com/

http://www.redbamboobrooklyn.com/
For French Bistro-y goodness: *AMAZING Brunch. SO good*

http://www.bartabacny.com/index.html

And TEA and coziness galore:

Tea Lounge



And some newer things that I'd like to add to my list of favorites (and they don't specifically fit in with the theme of BROOKLYN, but I wanted to add them anyway...)

*Impromptu snow days*

*Toasted Nori*

 

  

SO TASTY DELICIOUS!! You can get it at Hmart .

My affinity to shop isn't always in line with my desire to make the world a better place- so as often as I can, I'll show thrift stores and consignment shops. You'll get great deals, on great clothes- AND you won't be contributing to slave labor, outsourced job etc.

And all of that leads me to a point that I'd like to make. I started this blog for a certain purpose and I find that it's seemingly gotten lost. Not entirely, but I need to make something clear-You see, from my point of view and as I have already mentioned, you vote with your dollar.  And when I spend my votes/dollars at local, small, privately owned businesses I tell the global economy that is what I want. MORE small, local, privately owned businesses. Now I am far from perfect because Hmart is primarily products that are NOT local/small- HOWEVER the majority of my votes/dollars are aimed to say that. I wanted to acknowledge that some of my posts will be politically themed, some will be fluff, and some will be a mixture.



So one way to make a statement is to focus on locally grown, sustainably sourced, products. Of course there isn't always time or an opportunity to do that- but just being conscientious and making an effort will get us closer to peaceful revolution.