viva verde

so as you can tell i have dropped off the face of the blogging planet.

been wanting to post more but there have been so many things happening since Slow Food Nation that i have been, well, overwhelmed.

- in the retail world, yes it is the holiday season and i have been prepping for that.

-as you know, i have been in the middle of a remodel….it has really wiped me out.

-my niece Nicole of random nicole has moved in, meaning i have had to move out of the “original store” and yes that is the remodel part of it. part 1 of it.

- i am also changing residence….i am finally moving to SA

which brings me to really evaluate my life.  i am currently moving a 3 bd townhouse in Irvine with a yard (with a ton of crap in it) into a small, quaint, beautiful 1 bd apt near the store…basically 4 rooms (a bd, ba, living and kitch) from  7 plus a yard a 2 car garage filled with STUFF.

i have been inspired not only to change my blog as a result of the move and Slow Food, but to really encompass what it is to live small and with very little.

PS does anyone need a fridge (great condition, 2 yr old 22 cuft for 250) or a LARGE dining room table with leaves that can seat almost 20 (150)…let me know if you are interested…there are other things too!

more to come!

No rest for the weary-only had 48 hours!
Next up was a 1 ½ mi walk to Rainbow Grocery, a place that I have been wanting to go to since my first visit to GreenFest 4 years ago.
(so unassuming from the front)

This place is amazing: bulk-buying of natural products, this place puts WF to shame!

Let’s hope the new Mothers Market looks like this!

We had to rush back to Civic Center for our 3pm lecture on A New Fair Food System with moderator Eric Schlosser, the stud who wrote Fast Food Nation and basically changed the way we look at fast food forever (PS if you haven’t read this book please ready it NOW).
The panel discussed the issues of food sustainability and that the human aspect of it MUST be considered for it to every truly be sustainable. We have come such a long way in terms of organics, farmers and animal rights, however there are millions of people who are literally treated like slaves in this country and simply neglects who are a crucial part of feeding every single one of us.
(A New Fair Food System panel)

This is seen and probably most heard in the people that comprise the harvesting of our produce (but really it isn’t as much as it really deserves), however, it is the people of the meat industry that is the most neglected (and have one of the most dangerous jobs in the US outside of mining!). One thing that was stressed in the panel was ice-raids or immigration raid in the meat industry. These workers are basically held for weeks with their children abandoned & in horrible conditions. You may say that they are illegal, but if it weren’t for them, you wouldn’t have 90% of the meat products you consume today, and they risk their lives preparing it for us.

First thing in the morning-the Slow Food Nation Market in Civic Center. Slow Food altered the grounds of Civic Center into a thriving and energetic happening for all things slow and beautiful.
(the SFN 08’ membership booth & the parking area for the cyclists, they had the best parking by far!)

One side of the event was Slow on the Go a number of local food preparers creating some serious eats from locally raised, grass-fed animals, organic produce, fresh fruit drinks, fair coffee and fresh from the oven breads, everything we tried was incredible (special note to the Muffuleta!).
(a sign for the sausage and pepper sandwich)

(the fair trade coffee booth was lined with these awesome bags)

The center row of the event was dedicated to an organic Victory Garden that was literally bursting with so many different kinds of veggies, fruits, herbs and flowers that I could spend all day taking pictures of this one area alone. At one end you had a composting area and the other was dedicated to informal lectures at the Soap Box
(the bounty of the Victory Garden & black gold)

(growing corn in front of City Hall)

The last alley was a showcase of local and artisan cheese makers, beekeepers, mushroom growers, jam makers, bread bakers, berry/bean/tomato/stone fruit/etc…growers…EVERYTHING in this area was fit for a magazine spread….i have never seen so many color nor smelled so many smells that where so clean, yet powerful. I was so overwhelmed that I forgot to take pictures with the camera that I use for the blog ☹- but I will have some available in about a month from my other camera.

I usually have 2 places that I stay whenever I visit SF that is both economical and light on the footprint: a friend’s place or the HI (Hosteling International) off Mason Street Downtown.
I am a huge advocate of the hostel, not only for foreign travel but domestic as well. Traveling is becoming so expensive lately…I would so much rather spend money on a great show, meal or local artist than a place where I brush my teeth and close my eyes. Think about it.
The great thing about staying in hostels is that you can also meet so many people. Folks usually keep to themselves in a conventional hotel and you miss out on tips, recommendations and other people to do things with.
One of my great experiences at the Mason St. hostel was running into my dear friend Charlie Krafft after several years, just sitting in the lobby drinking coffee.
The only problem with the friend’s house and hostel route is that you have to plan in advance…and we didn’t and we could not find a room for more than one day at a single location. So instead of becoming nomads for the weekend, we opted for a Certified Green Hotel in the Nob Hill area called the Hotel Carlton.
Granted this was a little bit more than my traditional sleeping options, The Carlton gave me an understanding of the amount of waste that conventional hotels can generate. Some of the things I noticed:
• All CFL lighting, and some with motion detectors and timers
• Showers & toilets are all low-flow and there are dispensers for shampoo, etc instead of the little plastic containers.
• All recycled paper products
• Vegan/veggie options in the hotel restaurant
• Recycling bins throughout the room and hotel
• The will not give you new linens unless you request it.
• No air conditioning, only large windows and a ceiling fan (which was completely fine)
• Superb staff and multicultural décor…very unique!

If you are not comfortable with the hostel, I would definitely suggest this hotel.

(PS the following posts are from over the Labor Day weekend)

Super excited!!

On our way to San Francisco for Slow Food Nation 2008!

We have a jam-packed weekend (or rather 48 hours) ahead of us, the following posts will cover what took place at the first ever celebration of American food.

(snacks for the road: a variety of cheese, breads and asian pears from Donna’s farm)

(trying to find the Obama speech after the Tejon Pass & goodies already gone!)

A friend of mine Joel Robinson was in the Orange County Register today because his Wildlife Federation Certified backyard has been under attack by his neighbors.

(Joel in his yard- photo from Register)

I guess some of his neighbors are very anti-what-is supposed-to-be-growing-in-California because, “he’s received anonymous, threatening notes and even had some of his plants killed with herbicide. He says the situation in the neighborhood has become so tense he is thinking of moving away. ” Neighbors have actually defaced signs he has had posted ON HIS PROPERTY saying Wildlife Habitat.

Reading some of the comments from those against Joel (let me guess, from the neighbors), many said that they are for the “green” but not for his landscaping…some have even threatened to destroy his yard and call the city to intervene. UGGG!

here are my suggestions to those on Joel’s block:

1. prioritize people: there are so many other things that are more important….like the election, world hunger, the olympics, crime/graffiti, the dishes…heck anything is more important.

2. for probably the billionth time on this blog: southern California, if not the entire state is having a serious water crisis!

3. people need to remember that this is what was growing here before we imposed our tropical, British, high-water BS lawns that do nothing more than make us think we are somewhere other than Southern CA.

4. landscaping: yes you may not like it but hey, i dont like that you decided to grow yellow roses rather than red. and hey, i told you to to trim that hedge in the shape of an egg, not a square! your lawn, your taste.

perhaps i am bitter, living in Irvine, yes the city that says it is green that fined me for my own native yard, but we have a bogus HOA so they have an excuse.

if you agree with Joel and the use of natives, i urge everyone that reads this post to call the City of Orange City Council and demand that they not only protect Joel, but our future water supplies by encouraging people to grow more natives.

Mayor (714) 744-2200 Council (714) 744-2211

A few months ago at my friend Paige’s b-day party, i happened to meet one of the publishers of the new Edible LA publication that is coming out soon.

This is part of a number of regional publications from The Edible Communities Publications which:

“ creates editorially rich, community-based, local-foods publications in distinct culinary regions throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Through our publications, supporting websites, and events, we connect consumers with family farmers, growers, chefs, and food artisans of all kinds. ”

I was pretty excited about this, i have had a year-old copy of the Edible Brooklyn in the store’s bathroom…keep reading it over and over and love the photography.

  Well, guess what?  Just got the LA version here a few days ago.  This is a quarterly publication, but i think we will be selling it…already have had a ton of compliments.

(yes!)