Farewell to Summer

Even though the fall equinox came a couple weeks ago, I've been trying to hang on to summer a bit longer. Spending this change over in Phoenix, with the beautiful weather and sun shining, helped me cling to the fancy free feeling I've had the past couple months. A magical summer of travel, new experiences, and an open mind. The last week of September I attended several yoga classes and in almost every one, the teacher spoke about the seasons changing and our lives possibly shifting. This immediately engendered a nervous feeling in my stomach and a tight sensation in my heart. Does autumn mean I have to check back into reality and possibly take myself a bit more seriously? Panicked I started to reflect on my mindset over the past few months, and how I consistently felt reassured about my decisions and why now I thought that might change. Then I realized-nope-no reality check necessary. I can take my summer state of mind into every season. Maybe the sun won't linger but I am in control of my attitude and my future. So embracing change and seeing the leaves change (here in Kansas City) I'm excited for the next couple of months. But I wanted to post my last set of summer photos from the final Wanderlust festival of the summer. In the beautiful Mont-Tremblant.

Hike and photography class with Ali!!

View from the top of the mountain.

Lakeside at Sunset

Body art by Amir for the Wanderlust Spectacular!

Posing with the lovely Chelsey Korus & Megan Stockman.

Below with MC Yogi after dancing onstage at his set!

Quixotic killing it on the main stage!

And finally a little compilation of the Wanderlust Spectacular show :)

[embed]http://http://vimeo.com/103708106[/embed]

Farewell to summer...

Wanderlust Vermont

A couple of weeks ago I ventured out to my first experience at Wanderlust. Attending, performing, and teaching all for the first time. My eyes and heart were open wide and eager to start this new chapter in my life. Leaving a comfortable job (actually two comfortable jobs) to satisfy my seven year itch, for a freelance and hopefully free-spirited lifestyle. So far so good. Upon arrival a three days before the festival started, I met all the performers and we dove straight into rehearsals. It was already obvious how talented and passionate each individual was. And unique. And nice- a more nurturing environment than the ballet world.

So, with only only three days to put an entire show together, we worked long hours and had to focus if we wanted to make a cohesive and impactful performance. I think we succeeded. I, at least had one of the most fun performances of my career. High energy, inspiring and light-hearted.

After the opening night show, the energy of the festival only got better. Teaching a roomful of yogis open to exploring the dance world and letting go of any judgment of their own self-expression as well as the others' in the room. All I did was ask everyone to walk across the room in their own style, and I saw rolling, leaping, sliding, and just an openness to creativity. 

I never wanted to leave the Wanderlust bubble. Everyone smiling at each other, helping strangers with handstands, and overall just surrendering to happiness. Thousands of people congregating to celebrate life, courage, and camaraderie. So many individuals committed to growth and awareness. Let's take this feeling "off the mat and into the world" as Seane Corn would say. 

Megan and I performing on the Rue Boheme stage.

DJ Hyfi came to play for our set in the Lululemon D'om!

Representing Quixotic Fusion quixoticfusion.com

Hannah's set on the MainStage! Megan and I improved to her magical violin!!

SONIC meditation hike with Hannah

Playtime with Cameron Shayne and on the ski lift!

jerome is my life

Yesterday I was at a coffee shop working on a very tedious photo project and as started to hit my editing limit I began to get distracted and lose focus. Instead of working I engaged in two of my favorite activities- people watching and ease-dropping! Two men sitting next to me seemed to be having a reunion of sorts and were catching up on each others lives. It soon become obvious that one of them was passing through the city and needed advice on Phoenix must-sees and road trip stops on the way up north. His friend was laying out a pretty detailed route through the city, hitting a few Arizona gems, stopping in Jerome, Sedona and finally Flagstaff before crossing the state lines. He pointed out some great scenic routes, look out points, wineries and much more. I of course had to butt in at one point and add on to his already extensive itinerary! This conversation definitely peeked my interest and temped me to hop in my car and take a road trip of my own. Although I fought the urge, I did decide to revisit some photos I took at some of these gorgeous locations. One spot that was on the way out of Phoenix was Arcosanti, an experimental community created by architect Paolo Soleri. http://www.arcosanti.org. I recently visited another site of Soleri's called Cosanti where his famous windbells are made and sold. They pour the bronze for the bells on site and handcraft each one. These are 10,000 dollar plus bells people! Anyway, both sites are pretty amazing to see. Here are some images from Cosanti shot with a 50 mm 1.4 lens (thank you Andrew Pielage for taking me and letting me use this!! http://apizm.com)

Beautiful architecture and gorgeous detail! Worth checking out!

Another stop on the itinerary was Jerome- a historic copper mining town that is now a tourist attraction as it is the largest ghost town in America. Now is it home to several wineries, art galleries and expansive views! I posted photos from my first trip there awhile back, but went again more recently with my good friend Sarah. Having such a stunning friend at my disposal, I made her model for me and play around in the unique setting. We also got to have a bit of fun with the Jerome fire department while we were there!

And lastly, just a few black and white photos from Sedona. It's interesting to see the scenery without the gorgeous red rock but you can still get a feel for how amazing this place is. A destination worth traveling to over and over and over again! Everyone on the planet should add Sedona to their bucket lists!

And there you have it! Some Arizona travel gems.

ocean is my life

Maybe it's because the weather is so beautiful and summer seems to be rapidly approaching that I am aching to get away. Arizona weekends can feel like a sun-soaked lazy vacay but with responsibilities looming inside the house, it seems wrong to avoid cleaning, papers, work that could be done, while lounging on the patio. Why is relaxation sometimes so hard in close proximity to your home? Plus, the ocean is calling me...can't really beat that soothing sound that lets your mind escape its clutter of thoughts and worries. I have to remember that its only April and not yet summer! But I suppose I can look back on last summer in CA and look forward to the beach and new discoveries there soon! After working in San Francisco last year, my sister and I took our annual road trip down the coast to our hometown. The beach in Malibu is always gorgeous and it was fun to have Sarah come visit. Every time a new friend comes home with me, it's like rediscovering the place I grew up. I introduced her to my favorite spots and was pleasantly surprised to open my own eyes to new places.

Revisiting - All photos taken with my 35mm, no editing

The most beautiful Aven posing at Zuma

Exploring hiking in the valley with Sarah. This park was amazing. We climbed to the top of a mountain and down into a valley with a waterfall.

The next stop on our California adventure was Topanga Canyon, where my good friend Evan lives. He took us up to Eagle Rock at sunset. These are some photos at his house and beyond!

Eagle Rock

How can you beat this view with these people?!?!

BE HAPPY START HERE

post is my life

After having one of my best friends and mentors in town last week from San Francisco, I remembered a couple rolls of film that I developed and tossed aside from my time spent with him in San Francisco last summer. Robert is the director of Post:ballet in San Francisco and brings a small group of dancers from all over the US together to create, play, experiment and finally perform in a city where anything goes. He has a way of bringing out the most creative side of anyone he works with. The past three summers participating have been extremely rewarding for me and I always leave a little transformed and majorly inspired to push my own and others' boundaries. After having him in Phoenix and digging through my film, I wanted to share a little bit of the energy that the city and the people of Post:ballet bring! These are some studio shots from rehearsals I snapped on my 35 mm. Very old film and no editing.

 The Italian Stallion-Domenico Luciano

Myles Lavallee

Caroline Langner

Christian Squires- The first lady

Happy Endings- Raychel and Caroline

Cray cray Ray Ray-inside the studio and out

Double exposure of Raychel taking a break on the fire escape

The other couple rolls I found were color film that I took while out playing in the city (usually promoting the shows) and on a day trip to Napa Valley.

Christian in his Sunday best

Dolores Park on a hot (rare) Sunday

Ray Ray chillin in our apartment in the TL- probably overlooking some bust at DIVAS

Road trippin across the foggy Golden Gate Bridge, through the Muir Woods to Muir beach

And finally to Napa Valley! Beautiful and full of vino!!

And last but not least, gotta throw some of the instragrams from the summer in!

From the Erte inspired photo shoot

Ray and I doing a shoot for London Sole

Can't wait to see what Post:Ballet season 4 brings. Thanks for the inspiration Robert!!!

roma is my life

roma is my life
After saying ciao to 
the cinque terra we 
hopped on the first 
train on our route 
to Fiesole, a small 
town outside of 
Florence where Smyth's
 friend Tiare studied 
in college. It was a 
fairly short trip but
 had us train hopping 
like crazy. Once we 
arrived at our 
destination, we were a 
bit perplexed as how 
to get to our hotel. 
Smyth had said that 
Tiare usually took a 
bus from the train but we were at a pretty remote station 
with no bus, let alone any human activity, in sight.
My phone had given us a walking route that said 
36 minutes. It did not specify that it was straight uphill
:) so we started our journey baggage in tow keeping our eye 
out for buses, cabs-basically any form of transportation other 
than vertical hiking. Coming from hiking for two days straight 
I didn't think it would be that bad but boy it was rough. Hot 
and sweaty we slowly made our way up and up and up (Rambla 
Vista style). I kept telling myself I would laugh about it 
later in order to curb the annoyance that was creeping on 
me with every minute! When we finally got to our hotel, we 
both were just drained and could not believe what we just did
...apparently there was a Madonna concert in Florence holding 
up a bunch of taxis buses etc-just our luck. Our room was 
nice and the view from our hotel was breathtaking. I ran to 
the vending machines to get any kind of hydrating drinks they 
had and we collapsed for a couple hours. When we finally felt 
ready to stand up I showered and put a dress on, ready to 
redeem myself and go to nice meal!! We strolled slowly through 
feisole, stopping by the cathedrals and admiring the expansive 
views of hills, small mountain towns and of course Florence. 
We found a nice Italian restaurant with a patio and ordered 
a bottle of wine. We ate grilled veggies, beans, green beans, 
salad and again lots of bread ! We took our time, talked, 
laughed and were serenaded by an accordion player. During 
dinner we could hear and see the lights from the Madonna 
concert below! It was a great night and we returned to our 
hotel happy girls. 

Smyth luggin' her luggage 







Much needed bottle of Chianti!





 

The following morning, we had breakfast at Villa Bonelli
(our B&B). Cafe Americanos, fruit, toast, juice...I 
suppose this is the typical Italian breakfast. We were 
going to spend the day in Florence ! Rich from BAZ lived 
there for three years and gave me some spots to check out.
A friend of Tiare's was also going to meet up with us for 
a picnic in the Bobali Gardens. We took the bus down to 
Florence and got off at Duomo square where there is a huge
plaza with Giottos Tower, the huge dome and a few other 
tourists spots. We were close by a leather store that 
Rich's friends own and a gelato spot that he recommended. 
We stopped by the store and his friends were so welcoming!
They poured us wine and chatted with us about Florence. 
They also brought some leather jackets for us to try on...
I must say it was funny seeing Smyth put them 
on....I was wondering if she was screaming "I'm vegan!!!"
in her head but trying to be polite. Serious entertainment
for me! The gelato spot next door called Perque No was also
amazing! We were in heaven because they had a whole 
section of vegan (soy based) gelato. With the heat, it was
the perfect mid morning delight!!! Next we headed to meet 
Tiare's friend Giacomo and his girlfriend. They were a 
goofy couple, engineering students who did not speak 
English very well. They were very nice though and walked 
us through the city, passing by many famous spots and 
across the old bridge to the Boboli Gardens. Giacomo gave 
us brief history lessons as we walked. The gardens were 
beautiful but the sun was very very hot and we could not 
last long walking around outside. After getting the full 
garden experience and a semi awkward goodbye, we went 
inside the museum at Piazza Pitti to cool down and see some
art. It is not the best museum in Florence but the lines 
and all the people at the larger, famous museums did not 
sound appealing. The museum did have a very beautiful costume 
gallery though. After that we were tired and decided to head 
back to Fiesole for dinner. Tiare recommended an Indian
restaurant that was a couple blocks from our hotel. The 
staff was very nice and the food was bomb! 
Smyth got a potato chickpea dish that rocked my taste buds!! 

Our last morning in Fiesole, Smyth woke up long before me and
my alarm which was definitely a first on the trip. Usually I 
am lured out of sleep by her snoring, which is both annoying 
and comforting at this point. It was the incessant itching 
from her many large bug bites that kept her from her deep 
sleep this morning. We went to breakfast at our hotel and 
leisurely packed up as we had plenty of time before heading 
to the Georgetown villa for lunch. Tiare has a friend still 
studyingin Feisole and she asked him to show us around and 
if we could be his lunch guests. We arrived at the villa 
around 12:30 and met Will. He had to serve at lunch so we 
walked ourselves around the villa. It was very beautiful 
and quiet with many paths leading to benches or pretty lookout 
points. Not a bad deal to spend a semester abroad. Lunch was 
at 12:45 and it was a fairly formal setting. We were 
introduced to the group as his guests and had to stand 
behind our seats while announcements were made and a moment 
of silence was taken. It was a small group as only about 
13 students spend the summer there along with a few 
professors. Once we sat and poured some wine the atmosphere 
relaxed a bit and everyone was very welcoming and friendly. 
There was a pasta course followed by a salad and vegetable 
course (there was a mystery meat wrapped in bacon 
that Smyth and I avoided). That was followed by dessert 
(chocolate mousse, nutella gelato, and tiramisu) and coffee. 
It was all delicious and very fun to chat with all the 
students. They had just returned from a weekend getaway to 
Rome so we got some good advice before heading there! After 
everyone had to get back to classes, two tipsy travelers 
waltzed back to the hotel to gather our bags and head to the
train. It was a very good time and nice to talk to some 
American students!! Our travels to Rome were not the best 
however. We bought cheap cheap tickets to the train not 
realizing that it was one that made a lot more stops so 
it took a lot longer than we expected. We also did not have 
seat assignments or a train number on our tickets so we tried 
to find someone on the train to ask if we were in the right 
place. No one was around and they suddenly changed the platform
clear across the station 5 minutes prior to leaving. We ran 
across the station alongside the rest of our train mates. 
We sat with a very friendly Italian version of James Macavoy. 
About an hour into the train ride someone came to check our 
tickets which we were apparently supposed to stamp (this 
was different than the trains in France so we were 
very confused). Our friend tried to help but the ticket guy 
(a nice looking younger guy who had something deeply against 
us) was such an ass. He made us pay 40 euro fine and talked to
us like complete idiots. I had not come across anyone that 
mean on the trip up until then. We understood we messed up 
but he was such a creep. Later on I had my feet up on the 
seat and he started yelling at my and told me to clean the 
seat. I kind of thought he was joking because his attitude 
was so ridiculous, but he definitely was not. I talked back 
to him and Smyth ended up getting uncomfortable and wiping 
the seat off (which really wasn't even dirty...). Clearly an 
angry guy...anyway when we finally arrived in Rome we were 
in a rush bc our hostess was waiting for us along with 
a friend of Carolyn's (good friend from wardrobe at BAZ) who 
was going to take us out that night. So as we tried to get 
our bearings and find the apartment, which should have been 
a 10 minute walk, we went the wrong way and found ourselves 
in a homeless haven...literally sooo scary. All of a sudden 
it seemed we were in their living room...some man was 
getting a haircut and I started to freak out and look for 
a cab. We turned right around and found the neighborhood 
we were supposed to be in. Daniele (Carolyn's friend) 
was already waiting outside but was so nice! He said to 
take our time, change whatever, Italians are very laid
back he said! So we met our hostess, who was a young 
Italian student and the sweetest girl ever!!! She gave us 
some info and we rushed out the door to go watch the 
Italy/ Ireland soccer match with Daniele and some if his 
friends. So we drank beer, ate pizza and watched sports. 
The owner of the apartment we were at looked like the 
Italian version of Baby from Dirty Dancing! It was just 
what we needed...and I fell in love with number 6...
Frederico something-an Italian soccer star with a ponytail 
:) Smyth and I were exhausted and ready to go but Daniele 
insisted we see "Rome by night". So his friend Mimo joined
us and they drove us all over the city! We started at 
Vatican city, headed to the river and walked across bridges 
and saw the Congress building. Next we went to a popular 
bar area, Trevesere, where we got fruity strong drinks from 
a bar called Bum Bum. Since Europe is amazing you can walk 
the streets with alcohol, we wandered down the narrow 
streets lined with pubs and late night restaurants. We 
stopped at some stairs where people mingle and drink and 
hang out at night. We laughed a lot and they taught us some
roman slang. Bella-auhoooo. When we tried to repeat it they 
did not understand us at all though! We finished our drinks
and made two more stops before heading home. There's spot 
atop and steep road where you looked through a keyhole 
and can see just the dome from the Vatican. It was crazy!! 
Last on our "Rome by night" adventure was the Trevi fountain. 
They said it was very special at night because there are no 
tourists and it's alllit up! Such a beautiful spot. Smyth 
and I threw coins in so I guess we will be back in Rome 
someday! Very very tired at 4 am we headed home to pass out! 
It was the best way to see Rome-skip the heat, 
the lines and the walking...Rome by night wins. 

Smyth developed a Coke habit in Europe...
always using on the trains...



Trying to explain to our friends the meaning of "overwhelmed"...1.)overwhelmed 
2.)whelmed 3.)underwhelmed, thank
you Alicia Silverstone

The Vatican 

The next morning we were very tired and both agreed that we 
were ready to go home...we saw Rome and did not feel like 
braving the heat and the tourists. But, hangover, blisters, 
low spirits and all, we set out for our last day in europe. 
Thank god we were meeting up with former BAZ dancer Giacomo
to take us around. It was so nice to be escorted because 
honestly I was so sick of figuring out what to see, where 
each place was and how to get there. We walked to the 
Coloseum to meet Giacomo and his twin brother Mattia. 
Our spirits were instantly uplifted as the two gay boys 
giggled and pranced and were so excited to see us! Giacomo 
wanted to know all the ballet gossip. He gasped and oooo-ed
as I caught him up on all the latest. They were both 
hysterical. They led us around the city to see some of the 
plazas and popular sights. We stopped for pizza...yum...a 
must in Italy ! We went back to the Trevi fountain and 
Smyth and I agreed it was much more majestic at night. 
I remembered that Jennifer recommended a gelato place 
close by and the boys new just where it was. Giacomo 
treated us to some amazing gelato! I got a very 
interesting honey flavor and Smyth tried a grapefruit 
sorbet. Next we walked to the Spanish steps where I 
forced everyone to make the trip to the top-work that 
pizza off ladies! We walked down the major shopping 
streets and went to a fancy, old time coffee and tea 
house. It was adorable but charged 6 euro for an espresso. 
From there we said our goodbyes and headed back for a 
nap! The walk home was entertaining as I met an interested 
man from Milan. At first we thought he was starring 
because we looked like tourists but he explained that he 
thinks Italian women are ugly and it's rare to see pretty
girls there. Ha..he thought I was German or Russian or 
something. He needed directions to the Coloseum 
and as we were walking there as well, I showed him the way.
When I told him I was a dancer he said he does some 
street dancing and he showed us a backflip in the middle
of the street. Very random but fun. After Resting and 
packing, we went to our last dinner. Our apartment was 
in San Lorenzo by the university, which is a young area 
with lots of pubs and restaurants. We chose a classic 
Italian restaurant with checkered tablecloths and outdoor
seating. We reflected on the trip and ate spaghetti. 
Off to bed and definitely ready to go to the 
airport. We woke up early and Selene our hostess prepared
us toast with her grandmothers homemade jams! So amazing! 
She taught me how to use a single espresso maker on the 
stove and I taught her how to use a French press (she had 
one but had never used it!!). We said our goodbyes and 
headed out the door. Smyth fell down the stairs on the way
 out and yelled "I hate Rome"...I don't think she will ever 
go back. A walk, a train, a shuttle, two checkpoints, 
security, another passport checkpoint, one more shuttle 
and about 5 escalators later we were at our gates. 
Which were conveniently a couple stepsaway from each other. 
Now about 17 hours until I'm home. 
Goodbye Europe and I hope to see you again soon :) 

Italy is my life

Ciao da Italia! 
Smyth and I made
 it to Italy. 
It actually was 
a bit of a 
challenge to 
leave Paris. 
We were 
all packed and 
had a few hours
 before we 
needed to leave 
for the train 
station. Food 
and possibly a 
bit of shopping 
sounded good 
and we strolled
 around the 
Bastille neighborhood in search of souvenirs and a cute cafe. 
It was just around happy hour time and we found a spot close 
to the apartment called Chavez Oscar or Oscar Chaquita or 
something. What really drew us in was the 2,50 wine :) 
We instantly made friends with the little round waiter who 
brought us extra hefty glasses of vin rouge! He waddled 
over to take our orders and giggled at my botched French. 
He said "yum yum" when he brought over Smyth's linguini and 
wiggled his hips when he said "frommage" ! Adorable. But the 
second round really did us in and two drunk Campbell girls 
raced back to the apartment to get our things and rush to the
 train. We were laughing and lugging our suitcases down the 
streets of Paris worried we would be late, only to find our 
train delayed an hour. But once we did get on we passed 
out in our bunk beds and slept off the silliness :) Well, 
I couldn't sleep very well and decided to start Italian 
lessons on my phone. A wise decision as I did not know 
more than three words in the language of our next destination. 



After one other train we arrived in Levanto in the morning. 
Our B&B was very close to the train station and we 
were a bit early for check in. The place was adorable and 
had gorgeous, expansive views of the surrounding mountains. 
It was on the top floor of a very quite and dark apartment 
building and the hostess did not speak a lick of 
English. Thanks to my lightening speed Italian course we 
could communicate on the most basic basic level. Her name was 
Maria and she made us cafe Americanos while we waited for our 
room. We also took a stroll around the small town, went to the 
market for hiking snacks and stopped by the beach to 
read and take in the views. 




 





After settling in a bit at our hotel we went on our 
first cinque terra excursion. It is basically five small 
towns along the coast that are interlinked by several hiking 
trails through the mountains, coastal paths or by train. 
We stopped in the first town Monterossa, which is definitely 
the busiest and has the most beach to swim, lay, paddle board 
etc. We wanted to hike to the next town but could not find the
 trail head we wanted. Instead we explored the churches a bit
 and stumbled upon the beginning of the "coastal footpath".
Footpath my ass...this was a two hour trek up a million stone 
stairs, through beautiful foliage, all with the coast in view.
 It kicked our butts and when we finally reached the next town
 Vernazza, we felt pretty accomplished! Vernazza was my 
favorite town...many houses and restaurants built into the 
mountain overlooking the ocean. It had a tiny enclave with 
small boats and the water was a beautiful shade of blue-green. 
The third town is only reachable by hiking or train as the 
coastal path was flooded during the earthquakes. We hopped 
on the train and when we arrived in Corniglia we realized 
there was not much to do. We took a bus up to the top of the 
town to see the view and back down only to miss the train. 
The next one was not for fifty minutes and since this 
was definitely the least exciting of towns we were not 
thrilled and parked ourselves in the shade to read and wait.
 The next stop was Monerola, also not much to the town, 
but the starting point of another coastal path called Villa 
del Amore (lovers walk). This was basically a bridge like 
trail lining the cliffs that drop straight down to the sea! 
This leisurely walk was our favorite and we did it several 
times over our two days in the Cinque Terra. When we 
arrived in the last town Riggamoira, there was also not a 
big town center or anything but we stopped at the cafe 
built into the side of the cliff. The view was spectacular
 and they had 2,50 glasses of wine and free wifi. This was our 
spot. We had a couple glasses and snacked on whatever nibbles 
we had brought for hiking. It was close to dinner time so we
 decided to walk back across the lovers trail and catch a 
train to the second city which seemed to have lots of dining 
options. We were both extremely dirty at this point and sat 
down at a fairly nice place up on a small cliff overlooking
the port area in Vernazza. The staff was very friendly, 
brought us some complimentary prosecco, and we ordered salad, 
grilled veggies and fries. It was a good meal and we ended 
up chatting with a mother and daughter from Denver, 
(daughter now lives in Brooklyn). We were exhausted after 
dinner and headed back to our B&B for some much needed sleep. 










The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel. Maria 
made us cafe Americanos and we ate bread with jam, 
orange juice and not much else. Not too many options

for us :) we set out on our second day of excursions! 
It took us awhile to get started because some of the 
trail heads were too far or the guides suggested we

do a more scenic route. We finally decided on a trail 
labeled 6 and after what seemed like a million years 
up a hill we found the trailhead. This hike was 
gorgeous and essentially zigzagged through a vineyard.
 The path was lined with beautiful wildflowers and 
smelled like heaven. Although, where there are 
wildflowers there are bees....and large black wasps
...luckily neither of us were attacked but the buzzing
 looming around my ears had me a bit freaked. Part of 
this hike all of a sudden seemed like we were in the 
jungle...it reminded me of hiking in Hawaii. This took
 us about two and a half hours and we arrived in our 
least favorite town waiting at the same train station
 as the day before for about an hour :) We were anxious
 to get to the lovers path and our beloved wine 
bar for a midday snack and rest. Wine, apples, some 
Internet rejuvenated us and we headed to Monterossa 
for some quality beach time. We rented chairs and an 
umbrella and laid in the sun! The water was very 
mellow and glorious to swim in! Although pretty cold
 at first it felt amazing after sweating all day to 
jump in the gorgeous blue water and swim along the 
coastline. When the beach closed around 7 we walked 
up the boardwalk to a restaurant overlooking the water 
(it was necessary to choose a place with a view since 
it was sooo pretty!!!) We had some cheap wine, bruschetta, 
salad and lots of bread ! We had another charming 
waiter, who although a bit awkward liked to joke with us.
 Again, very worn down, we passed out early. Breakfast 
and goodbye to the Cinque Terra. I could've 
stayed there forever!!

 

paris is my life

Paris is my life
So where did I leave off...so much to tell about our few 
days in Paris. Action 
packed and such a blast. When we first got 
in and settled into our new 
apartment, we were exhausted and slept for a few hours. 
After feeling quite at home 
and utilizing our host's espresso machine 
(he has a frother machine too) I 
forced the sisters to venture out to meet my 
friend's brother and go out on the 
town. We got dolled up and went to the meeting spot 
which was a cafe that, to our surprise
 was all boarded up and no 
longer existed...so we had a glass of wine 
next door and Smyth chased down our 
friend when he rushed by headed for the 
abandoned restaurant. He was a kind of 
awkward hipster frenchie but seemed nice.
 We went to a bar with his friend ( a 
cute smart ass fellow) Jean-Baptiste, 
called Carmen. It was very chic, in an old 
redone building with oversized birdcages
 for people to sit in. Girls were 
drinking huge champagne cocktails and there
 was a lot of dancing. We all drank 
and chatted until they wanted to head to
 the next club, La Rouge- an electro 
dance club. When we arrived they tried to cut
 the line and we were sadly 
rejected to the back of the long queue. 
After about 15 minutes it got old and 
the only way to get in was going to be
 bottle service. Smamed asked if we were 
in and after a lot of hesitation they convinced us. 
But then there was another 
huge line when we got inside. By
 that time it was three something in the morning 
and we were over it. I tried to tell our 
friends and they just seemed pissed 
which only made me more annoyed....so 
after an awkward and semi-rude exchange, 
we bailed 
and tried to find a cab. They were 
not happy. We totes pissed off some Parisians. 
But we met some nice guys outside and 
they helped us get a cab! Pasta and 
chatting ensued in our apartment 
                               until after 4am :) 

The next morning was Sunday in Paris! 
Our neighborhood (Bastille) had a huge 
open air farmers market and we got a huge loot 
for the week!!! Fruits and 
veggies and bread and most importantly French 
Spike to crack infuse all of our 
creations. O and wine of course, 
delicious French vin rouge!! A nap was in order in the
 afternoon due to our late night adventure and after we
 recharged we decided to get some sightseeing 
in. Sunday is great for walking along the 
river because the street is closed to cars. 
So we moseyed along with bikers and 
strollers. We stopped to see
 Hotel de Ville, the Norte Dame Cathedral, 
Pont Nuef bridge, and the Luxembourg Gardens.
 The gardens were my favorite! It was as if 
we had stepped off the busy streets of Paris
 straight into a Jane Austen novel. 
When the rain came we went back to the apartment,
 cooked some of our delicious 
fresh market food and conked out.

Sooo, after catching up on some much needed 
sleep from our Parisian club escape, 
Monday was to be activity day! We made
 breakfast at our humble abode...fruit, 
soy lattes, and madeline cookies 
(left from our wonderful host Beaumont) Side 
note...we feel as if we now are best 
friends with Beaumont. He gave us a clear 
instruction manual, left us cookies
 and plenty of espresso, has Sex and the City 
DVDs...introduced us to a new book series Luxe,
 has a clothing rack clearly made 
for my dresses, is into Asian culture, 
we are 90% positive he is gay...basically 
we love Beaumont (haven't met him just to 
clarify). Anyway, after breakfast we 
head out to conquer my clearly mapped out itinerary :)
 First was a walk along the river to 
the Louvre. It is such an amazing building
 and although sooo crowded, every 
annoying tourist is worth going there.
 The Italian painting section, where the 
Mona Lisa is displayed, was crazy 
crowded but was my favorite section. I was 
surprised at how much I liked the Mona Lisa
 because I really didn't care to see 
it all that much. I fell in love with a 
The Wedding Feast at Cana, painted by Paolo Veronese.
 The museum is so big it is hard to see everything 
but we hit Greek sculptures next, where 
Smyth started a sassy statue series. 
We would find some funny faces and pretend 
we knew what they were thinking...clearly 
we are mature adults here. Next was 
French paintings and the Napoleon Apartments
...which were amazing! Such beautiful 
architecture and design everywhere you look!
 After several hours of wandering 
and admiring art we ventured to the
 gardens outside the museum and read our 
books in the sun.  Whitney's French 
friends told her she had to go to
Angelina's for hot chocolate and it was
 close by so we walked there. Whit and I 
split hot cocoa and I got a macaroon. 
Literally the best things I have ever put 
in my mouth. The cocoa was like drinking 
chocolate lava cake! We were both in 
heaven! Next, we walked through the ritzy 
shopping streets (passed Chanel and 
Tiffany's ...drool) to the opera house. 
I had to see where the Paris Opera 
Ballet performs! There was a big sign outside 
for the ballet and as I was 
snapping a pic one of the dancers walked 
through the stage door. Smyth said my 
face lit up like a child getting a lollipop.
 She looked just like any one of my 
ballerina friends walking out of rehearsal
 :) Whitney commented "Oh she already 
lit up her lunch"...everyone smokes here...I 
swear I saw a 6 yr old puffing on a 
cig. Anywho...it was afternoon nap time.
 Food, sleep, and get ready for round 2. 
It was Eiffel Tower picnic night. 
We cooked up some cous cous and veggies, 
poured some wine into my sigg bottle and headed 
out to see the sunset. The Eiffel 
Tower was beautiful! When we arrived
 we were haggled to buy bottles of wine and 
champagne. I knew we would need more 
so Smyth and I were able to sweet talk the 
vendor from 20 euros to 5. Holla...pros!
 We noticed one side of the lawn seemed 
to be designated for the degenerates 
and there were already drunken groups 
singing and playing. The other side 
was dominated by strollers and 
families...can you guess where we headed?!
 Once the sun is down they light up 
the tower and every hour for five minutes 
it sparkles. It really is stunning and 
I guess I'm a romantic but it made me 
so happy. And there was wine :) and my 
sisters. We laughed and begged for 
baguettes from the shady wine vendors! The 
night would have been perfect except 
for our gypsy attack. We made a new friend 
and as he was chatting with us we were
 bombarded by a father and child ramming 
maps in our faces asking for directions. 
It was so confusing and we tried to 
wave them away. A bit later we discovered 
both Smyth and Whit's phones were 
gone. Stolen by gypsy children! A huge bummer. 
Smyth's brand new iphone...and most importantly all 
of their pictures from the trip gone :(

 

The next morning we tried to get over the stolen 
phones and make the most of the 
day. It was very cold so we didn't last long 
walking around. We took the metro 
to the Montmartre area (bohemian central) 
we got off near the Moulin Rouge...it 
is not all that big and kind of a let down. But we
 walked up the street and saw 
the cafe in one if our fave movies Amelie. It was 
cute and really close to some 
great pan and fromage shops! It was definitely
 bread day...I think I ate 2 whole 
loaves by myself. We got a baguette and 
Whit picked out a soft cheese with 
raisins. We sat and ate before trekking up a huge 
hill to see Le Soucre, a huge and majestic church. 
It is a gorgeous cathedral that has a 
panoramic view of the entire city! Very 
beautiful. Next we headed to a boutique hotel 
from an article in Bon Apetit 
(thanks Sarah). It was adorable and had a
 covered outdoor terrace where we had 
afternoon red wine, more bread and 
French fries (had to get them once in 
France!). It was very relaxing and afterward
 we headed back home so Whit could 
pack and we could go out later. We watched some
 Sex and the City, made espresso, 
cooked a vegan feast, and chilled! Later
 that evening we walked to the St Martin 
district (definitely a hipster trendy area) for 
Whitney's last night in Paris. We went 
to a tiny, hidden bar also recommended by 
Bon Apetit called L'entree des 
Artists...can you guess why I picked that one ?!
 It was dark, quaint, had a very 
interesting menu of libations and played 
rad music! It was the perfect setting 
for a mellow sister night out. A couple 
of cocktails and a frommage plate later 
we were off to bed. Smyth and I sent Whitney 
off this morning on the metro to 
the airport :( sad but she is ready to see her 
baby Aven! We continued to the Pere 
Lachaise Cemetery where many famous people 
are buried. It was gorgeous to walk 
through and many of the graves were
 elaborate family plots with beautiful 
sculptures and engravings. We sought 
out Jim Morrison's grave as it is the one to 
see...but it was nothing extreme compared 
to the rest of the marvelous 
headstones. Now we are getting ready to 
say goodbye to Paris, well France 
entirely, and hello to Italy! Off to the 
night train...au revoir Paree!!

 

monaco is my life

After a summer of traveling and trying to take in as much visual stimulation as possible I feel compelled to share what I saw, heard and felt with the blog world. I have been away from my computer for so long and all I have experienced has sparked my creativity again. So, here it goes and I hope you enjoy the first installment of my summer travels. This entry is comprised of excerpts from my e-mails to family and friends as my sisters and I galavanted around Monaco & France-places none of us had traveled to before! June 6

After many hours of traveling I have made it here! Arriving in Nice was a bit stressful because I had to find Whitney and Smyth but they couldn't come into my terminal and the baggage belt broke so they had to wait almost 2 hours for me! When we finally caught the bus to Monaco, all worry faded as the drive was amazing, up super windy hills overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean! Our hotel is ok. To be expected for the price. The room is quite big and has a little kitchen. But we haven't found a market yet. I think everyone here is so rich that they don't need to cook. Once we took a nap and regained a bit of energy, we walked down to the port. There are so many crazy boats here! Huge yachts just perched out at sea with rich folk sipping champagne! We went to the Fairmont Hotel horizon deck and champagne bar which was beautiful but super pricey. We settled for a couple of 24 euro cocktails and olives. A gorgeous setting! We ventured to find a more affordable dinner spot. We ended up at the famous Cafe de Paris that is next up the big casino. It was on Whitney's dinner list and was absolutely delicious. I don't think Smyth and I are going to last staying vegan here. We were pretty good. I had an amazing salad and red wine. Smyth had ratatouille and Whit had veggie tofu lasagna. Yum. We walked back to the hotel around 10 pm and called it any early night. My sleep is all messed up and I woke up at 4 am unable to go back to sleep :( so I'm in the lobby eating a snack and writing emails.

June 7

Last night we went to an amazing area with the palace, a big cathedral and some amazing museums. The buildings were along a cliff beach with incredible views. The little town next to the church had endless back alleys with restaurants and shops. We ended up having pizza at an Italian restaurant and returning to the cathedral for a violin concert. It was very special, unlike anything I's ever seen before. There were about 6 musicians playing mostly Bach, that echoed perfectly throughout the cathedral.  Today we spent the afternoon at the beach (totally got sunburnt despite sunscreen). William Reed suggested this beach club/jazz restaurant and we went there for cocktails. Tonight was supposed to be our big night out in Monte Carlo but it was kind of a bust. We went to Buddha bar for dinner all dressed up. The decor was very unique and chic but the service sucked. Our waiter was rude and didn't even ask if I wanted another glass of wine (whaaaaa)! After dinner,  we then went to the Monte Carlo Casino. The building was beautiful but its nothing compared to Vegas!!! Tomorrow off to nice!!!

June 8-9

Bonjour! June 8th, my birthday :) We packed up our hotel and hopped on the train to Nice, which was a very scenic ocean route. Our hotel was a pretty far walk from the train station with all of our bags but we made it. The staff was very friendly and our room was fine...kind of resembled a triple occupancy dorm room. But okay for one night. We went exploring immediately as it was our only day in Nice. The city was awesome-much less ritzy than Monte Carlo. It has a big city feel with small town charm. We were very centrally located and found a beautiful plaza with many outdoor cafes. We went in search for a lunch spot and turned down a small side street to discover a world of narrow alleys lined with shops and restaurants. We got some dried fruit from a delicious smelling spice shop, some unique candy from a crepe stand and a homemade lollipop for Aven from a cute candy store. We found a restaurant called La Mama (there are so many Italian places around). The staff was hilarious and laughed with us as we attempted to order in French. We had wine, pasta, salad, espresso, and a great time. We then made our way through the old town nice to the promenade that follows the coastline. The beach was not as lush or inviting as Monaco, but we stopped for an hour and read our books. Finding our way back toward the hotel I saw an observation point up a million stone stairs that switch-backed up a green mountain. We walked up and discovered a whole park, hidden walkways and a panoramic view of the city and the port of Nice. After spending some time wandering down each pathway and taking many pictures, we ventured back to our hotel, stopping to get some pastries on the way. We were all exhausted and chilled out. Whit and I ate some tiramisu and chocolate while Smyth was snoring, passed out for the night already. The next morning we went back to old town for coffee and wandered a bit more. We found an amazing flea market that I could have spent hours at.  But we had to catch our train to Paris. It was a gorgeous 6 hour ride partly along the coast and partly through the French countryside. Whitney and I practiced French on her phone, read books and planned our next couple of days. We arrived at our apartment a few hours ago. It's amazing....

Paris deserves its own entry ! Tune in next time for Parisian mishaps and adventures.

peaches are my life

As long as I can remember, I've been crazy about peaches. It's sad that I don't eat them more often but I've become very picky when it comes to this delectable fruit. A good, juicy peach tastes like heaven, but a bad, spongy peach is the biggest letdown in the world. So I only buy peaches when I know they in their prime and only from reliable sources-farmers markets in the summertime. After my stint in San Francisco I took a few days to make my way down to Los Angeles via Pacific Coast Highway. I have done the coastal drive once before and was blown away by the beaches and cliff side views. This time I was hoping to make a few different stops than last time. Unfortunately, I was terribly sick the whole time and couldn't enjoy the trip as much as I had hoped. I very rarely get sick so I kept brushing it off and trying to ignore it. Strep throat (finally caved and went to the doctor a few days later) is very hard to ignore. Anyway, the drive was still beautiful and we managed to make a few stops in Santa Cruz, Carmel, Cambria, Pismo Beach and Santa Barbara. We skipped over wine country (I must have been pretty sick to pass up quality wine tasting right?).

The farmers market was going on during our stop in Santa Barbara and we stocked up on peaches after trying samples from every peach vendor. This load of perfectly plump and juicy peaches inspired me to try a few peach recipes. A couple of salads and of course peach pie!! The first salad I made was filled with our farmers market goodies!

Summer Peach Salad

fresh arugula

candy cane beets (steamed, peeled, and cut)

avocados

peach slices (I used one yellow peach and one white peach)

heirloom tomatoes

sunflower seeds

I just tossed all of these ingredients together and tossed it with vegan Goddess dressing. You can add any other fresh veggies that sound good!

Peach salad-practically perfect in every way! Such a light and delicious summer treat. The second summer salad I tried was a recipe from Bon Appetit. The article was focused on avocados but I was drawn in when I saw that peaches were also incorporated. And the dressing recipe looked amazing and simple-a roasted red pepper vinaigrette. I used roasted red peppers out of a jar and it worked perfectly. And there was extra dressing for dipping or another salad (I made a grapefruit avocado salad the next day!). Just out of convenience, I used a fresh spring mix instead of arugula and added cucumbers since my sisters garden was overloaded with ripe ones. O and add Spike to the avocado of course ! This recipe is to die for!

Peach Avocado Salad

And last but certainly not least...Peach Pie. I think this is the first pie I've posted. My sister wanted to make this pie and I kept putting it off because I was a bit intimidated. After years and years of baking, I've never made a traditional fruit pie. It's always a crisp or cake or quick bread. But I don't know what I was so scared of because it turned out peachy keen! We made a simple spelt crust and was pretty easy to work with.

Vegan Spelt Pie Crust

3 cups spelt flour

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup non dairy milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk)

1/2 light oil (I used canola)

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor or by hand. Separate into two sections and roll into balls. Using a rolling-pin roll out each ball into a 9 inch circle. One will be the bottom of the pie and one will be the top (I cut it into strips to lattice the top of the pie).

Peach Pie Filling

5 1/2 cups fresh peeled peach slices

1 tsp lemon juice

1/3 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat of course!)

3/4 cup unrefined cane sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a 9 inch pie plate and lay the dough in the bottom. Put in freezer while preparing the filling. Place peaches in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice. In a separate bowl sift the dry ingredients and add to the peach mixture. Pour the filling in the pie crust. Use the dough strips to create a lattice pie crust and sprinkle the top with extra sugar. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for another 30-35 minutes. Let cool. And finally enjoy! It's delicious hot with soy creamy vanilla ice cream or cold with a yummy cup of coffee-dessert and breakfast the next morning!!

Perfect peach pie. Pie, pie, me oh my, I love pie!

San Francisco is my life

When I think of summer foods, fresh fruit, cold vegetable juice, light salads and such come to mind. Foods that refresh and energize you in the heat of the sunny season. Hot coffee on a cloudy day definitely does not sound like fun in the sun. However, this is how I spent much of the last month. Summer in San Francisco can be cold and windy. And it is impossible to resist the aroma and ambiance seeping from all the local, unique coffee shops throughout the city. For almost  a year I have only enjoyed coffee on the weekends, replacing my daily morning cup of joe with a hemp protein shake during the workweek. San Francisco ruined that routine and I find myself again addicted to coffee. While I spent a month living in the city dancing for Post:Ballet, I couldn't help but be attracted to all the coffee shops-and not just the delicious coffee (and it better be delicious because you are dropping many pennies)...the decor, the people, the variety. So here I give you a breakdown of my favorite spots that I visited each morning en route to rehearsal in the mission. The studios were very close to one of my favorite streets in the city-Valencia. I good place to wander and shop for vintage clothes and of course get some coffee beans. A place that is always crowded and full of interesting folk is Four Barrel. Art on the walls, great music playing and huge roasting machines visible to the public make this cafe very unique and enticing. Their practices support social sustainability and fair trade and each cup is made with care. You might have to wait a bit longer than Starbucks, but the coffee is incredible and even beautiful...latte art can make each cup taste even better. Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the animal heads on the wall, the overall feeling of the place was great. Perfect for reading, catching up with a friend or just sipping on coffee people watching.

Another popular spot in Valencia is Ritual Coffee. My lovely hostess for the month swore by their beans and always kept a bag around the apartment. So I often made Ritual coffee at home rather than visit the shop. But it is another cute cafe with killer beans! Fair trade from Columbia-pricey but worth it. A great logo as well.

One of the dancers recommended a smaller coffee shop that her friend opened a few years ago. It was prefect for me because it was close to where I was living in Nob Hill. Contraband Coffee. It was among my favorites-great environment with high tables and bright natural light, beautiful latte art, a variety of beans, and vegan scones and muffins (always a plus for me). The soy latte was incredible and my favorite was a roast from Costa Rica.

Now to my favorite coffee shop in San Francisco...unfortunately I only discovered it during my last weekend in town and it was not close to anywhere I had to be-ever. My friend Jessica had heard about it and we finally got around to visiting it during the week of our shows. Sightglass Coffee. The full store was not yet open but the coffee was being served from a garage-type bar. The service was amazing and the baristas took the time to help me decide on a bean variety and how I wanted it brewed. Happy servers always make the experience more enjoyable. I decided on a soy latte from a Costa Rican bean. The foam was beautifully crafted, the coffee tasted amazing and I kept a smile on my face until the last bit of foam was gone. Sightglass scored extra points for the bike parked by the door-first bike I had seen with an adorable and functional "fanny pack" attached to the back.

And of course there are plenty of chain coffee shops lining the streets of the city. Peets Coffee and Tea sport a mean vegan gingerbread cookie (thank you Natalia for introducing it to me). Philz Coffee is also a hotspot and has twenty blends to choose from. All carefully crafted  and handmade to accomadate whatever mood you are in!

I did eat when I was in the city as well...although I rediscovered coffee and tried not to eat out all that much, I could not avoid all the vegan restaurants in San Francisco. A new wave of restaurants opened recently on Folsom street and although many are meat heavy I was able to find many vegan options. One great place I tried was Zero Zero. Although it is mostly known for its pizza, the vegetable side dishes are amazing and change with the seasons. I heard about their brussels sprouts and I unfortunately missed them...but I did try a green bean dish that was out of this world! And a fabulous blackberry cocktail. Another enticing thing about SF is all the awesome bars and the libations they serve. Certain restaurants and bars have drink menus as long as novels! It's hard to choose sometimes. And I do not recommend letting the bartenders choose for you if you are vegan. I made that mistake after spending a few hours chatting with a certain mixologist. I felt confident that he knew my drink style and as he delivered a surprise drink of his choice I noticed a froth on top that could only be made by eggs...and yes the cocktail did have whipped egg whites. So beware if you are not into that. Otherwise...San Francisco cocktails are among the best I've had!!!

Another local organic spot that I tried in the mission was called Radish. The art and overall feel of the place was great...and the bottomless mimosas! I had a tempeh sandwich with vegetable chips that was pretty rockin.

As far as strictly vegan restaurants, Gracias Madre takes the cake. An all vegan, organic, mexican restaurant that ranks in my top five eateries anywhere. Seriously epic. Located in the heart of the mission, with a great outdoor patio, a local playing his guitar, a beautiful mural, and of course amazing food. My favorite dish is probably the sweet potato quesadilla appetizer. You must order this dish. It's incredible. the guacamole is also top notch, along with the vegetable tacos and grilled plantains. I would move to SF solely to eat at this restaurant weekly.

It was sad that I did not cook more over the past month but being busy, not having my own kitchen, and being surrounded by new places all contributed to this travesty. I did throw together a few new creations but I'll share them another time. For now, if you are visiting San Francisco consider these amazing spots...a few more to come along with pumpkin muffins, dance shots, and a coastal road trip !

long island is my life

Part two of my beautiful trip to New York. After a few days of gallivanting through the city, I ventured to Long Island for the weekend to see my roommates from Phoenix. Both of the lovely girls I live with are Long Island natives and we all coordinated a visit so I could check out their hometown. It was my first time seeing Long Island and I was ready for some beach and some guidos. The last names I hear when they are reminiscing about high school are truly absurd. They are all so Italian and lengthy, yet the girls blurt them out with ease and don't even think twice about it. Anyway, I hopped on the Long Island Railroad and was wowed by all the green on the island and the beautiful architecture of all the homes. Some were quaint and homey while others were quite large, but all of them had this old world, east coast style that was very unique.

Our first activity was attending the Belmont Stakes. I had never been to the horse races and this was a great one for my first time. Although the weather was not ideal for racing it was fun to watch all the horses, their jockeys, and of course the hats.

As far as the food goes, the girls were worried about accommodating my diet, as Long Island is known for its epic bagels and great delis. We did find some really good spots though. One cute lunch cafe was called Tigerlilies and had a bunch of vegetarian/vegan wraps and sandwiches. The juice bar was great and I even got a vegan chocolate chip peanut butter cookie. The best meal I had though was at a popular cafe called Toast. The wait for brunch was a bit long but we sauntered around Port Jefferson and the pier. After downing a delicious soy latte I ordered a tofu scramble (so glad to see that they had a vegan option). It had zucchini, spinach and some other veggies and came with a side of whole wheat toast and sweet potato fries. I ate every last bite and asked if we could come back the next morning, which we did! I thought I needed to try a different item on the menu even though the tofu scramble was calling my name. I opted for the baked oatmeal with cinnamon, apples and dried cranberries. They substituted soy milk for me :) It was very good and perfect for the chilly weather outside.

Long Island proved itself and I would love to go back when its a bit warmer. We were able to go to the beach but not enjoy laying out or putting our feet in the water. It was still gorgeous sitting by the water all bundled up.

After my brief stint on Long Island, it was back to the city. I was meeting my good friend Jennifer, who had flown in over the weekend. Being the huge foodie that she is, she picked a restaurant and was very considerate with my dietary requests. We went to Eataly, which is a large market full of produce, kitchen gadgets, books, and about 10 different restaurants and cafes. I arrived early and decided to start with dessert and wander around while I waited. The market was incredible and I was lured in by the gelateria. There were three non-dairy flavors and I settled on the banana chocolate after sampling them all. Amazing! When Jen arrived we found a table at Le Verdure, the vegetable restaurant within Eataly. The menu clearly indicated the vegan items and after careful consideration I settled on a raw vegetable salad with a lemon vinaigrette, and a couple of glasses of wine...obviously. I actually copied Jen (I trust her wine judgement) and ordered a rose that was very light and tasty. After dinner we headed to the coffee counter to get some espresso. At the waiters suggestion I got a shot of espresso with a shot of amaretto liquor. It definitely warmed me up and was the perfect dessert.

The following day I met Jennifer on the Upper East side near the apartment she was staying in to go to the Met and have lunch. The Alexander McQueen exhibit was featured and we both were dying to see it. Seeing his designs up close was incredible and although some of the exhibit was eery, I loved every minute of it. The clothes, the music, the projections...all very awe-inspiring. After the museum and since we were in the area I took Jen to this vegan restaurant that my sister found for me called Candle 79. I had gone a few days earlier by myself for lunch and had such a fabulous meal, I had to share the glory of their food with someone who would truly appreciate it. It is a bit pricey but the upscale environment and the delicious food combinations are worth treating yourself! My first visit I tried one of their many elixirs. It was a fizzy antioxidant drink with pomegranate juice, blueberries and mint...among other magical ingredients I'm sure. For my meal I ordered a  plate that was huge and incredible. The pita bread was flaky and dense at the same time. The humus was topped with red pepper oil and olives. It came with a variety of vegetables for dipping as well. My favorite part of the plate, however was the roasted garlic. They roasted the entire head of garlic to perfection and each clove melted in my mouth!

On my second visit to this glorious vegan heaven, I got the black bean burger with a house salad. The burger was served on a whole wheat bun with polenta fries (amazing) and chipotle ketchup. The meal was even better than the first and I ate every bite! It was shocking that I still had room for dessert because it was quite a hefty portion, but I had to try something on the menu. I was having difficulty deciding between a strawberry rhubarb crisp and a chocolate sundae. The waitress suggested the sundae which was a huge, warm brownie, topped with marble sorbet, dark chocolate sauce, caramelized banana and candied pecans. Quite the combination! And yes all vegan! It was seriously out of this world but I had to look to my friends to help me finish the masterpiece. Jennifer loved her meal as well which was a stuffed avocado, quinoa salad. She took her mom back the next day I think. I spot everyone should check out!!

And that concludes the summary of my trip and all the wonderful food I ate. A true vacation of indulgence and deliciousness! New York truly touches all of my senses and makes me feel very alive. I cannot wait to return and have a whole different experience in the city! And hopefully some better weather on Long Island! New York-I love you.

new york is my life

Almost two weeks ago we closed our spring season at Ballet Arizona with a tough but very rewarding Balanchine program at Symphony Hall. As it was probably the hardest show of the year, I had to keep my focus as I started to feel the itch of summer vacation. With my job I am lucky to have about 2 and half months off and I feel like I am perpetually on a high school or college schedule. I usually commit to dancing on my off season but find time for scattered vacations here and there. I spent the last week and half in New York City, a place I have visited at least once every year since I was thirteen. Every trip offers something different as the city is so diverse and changing all the time. With my recent switch the vegan team, I discovered a whole new food scene in NY and found amazing spots all over the city. My first day in town I set out from the upper west side, where I was staying with my bro (well, my brother-in-law's brother, shout out to Grant-thanks again), and had no plan but to walk, shop, and eat. Within fifteen minutes I ran into someone I knew on the street (isn't that weird how that happens in such a crowded city) and scored some tickets to see NY City Ballet the next evening. After wandering to Lincoln Center, taking the train downtown, crossing town to shop on the east side, and exploring NYU I was a bit hungry. I saw Argo Tea Cafe and ducked inside to score some pomegranate ice tea (it was 80 degress so the ice was desperately needed)! I was thrilled to see many vegan options! They had fruit bowls and whole grain vegetable bowls and gave pretty detailed nutritional information for the entire menu. They even had vegan muffins (had to try one of course)...lemon poppy seed to be exact. I haven't had lemon poppy seed in years and this was amazing and moist!

My favorite shop of the day was recommended to me by my lovely friend Bree, called Tokio Seven. Racks and racks of vintage designer clothing, jewelry, handbags, and sunglasses. I spent at least an hour and a half combing each rack and trying on dress after dress (I was on a mission to find a birthday outfit for the next night). I finally decided on a striped button up (which I later decided made me look like Beetlejuice) and a pair of Penguin aviators-no dress :(

Dinner was at DOS CAMINOS. A mexican spot that was hopping. Margaritas, guacamole, veggies tacos! YUM

The next morning (June 8th-my birthday) I strolled around the corner from Grant's apartment to a famous cafe called Cafe Lalo. This cute french coffee shop has been featured in commercial and is best known for it's scene in You've Got Mail. Not much in terms of vegan fare, but it features coffee, teas, cakes, and pastries. I was content drinking black coffee and reading amidst vintage french posters. I considered getting an irish coffee but thought it was a bit early to start the birthday celebrations. They actually offered a dairy free cheese cake- but again too early for such a rich treat!

The rest of my birthday consisted of meeting Grant for lunch (Times Square is not so vegan friendly by the way), shopping (still no dress) and seeing a Broadway show, dinner, drinks, more drinks, even more drinks, bed. I haven't been to a show in a few years and I thought it was time. The obvious choice for me was How to Succeed in Business... featuring Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe (I'm a big fan so I was happy!)

The next day I was very late in getting up but needed to find a good spot to eat. I had found a vegan restaurant on the upper west side on my phone and decided to do a walk by. From the outside the place looked very nice and the menu sounded amazing, so I gave it a try. It was called Cafe Blossom- gourmet, vegan, organic cuisine. I was craving something very fresh and light, so I ordered a raw kale salad with candied pecans, jicama, carrots, red onion in a red wine vinaigrette. A lively couple next to me (when I say couple I mean gay man and his best girl friend) ordered tempeh kabobs and black eyed pea cakes that both looked amazing and judging by their excited groans and giggles they liked them a lot. I also ordered a large chocolate chip cookie and coffee for dessert (I have to make sure the vegan baking is up to par !) I was going to save half for later but who am I kidding.It was amazing and gone before you could say cookie monster.

I've got to say, New York knows where it's at and that was only three days in the city. The rest of my trip is coming soon. Stay tuned for a weekend in Long Island and my favorite restaurant of the trip Candle 79!!

fruit is my life

Since spring is in full swing and summer is approaching, I can't help but craving fruit, fruit, fruit. The heat is definitely on here in Arizona and there's nothing better than biting into a juicy peach or a cold, crisp apple. Since, I need more than just sugar, delicious salads and other light savory meals quench my taste buds--good thing since bikini season is approaching! This gorgeous spread was put together by my crafty sister Smyth for Easter. I could not go home for the holiday but I enjoyed getting numerous food and baby pictures via text message as I was trying to sleep in (my phone is set on some annoying church-like bell). I was very jealous of all that was being cooked, even though I did whip up some top notch french toast for my household. I did not record the beauty of this french toast but I will make sure to perfect it and blog it soon. I did make some very good chocolate covered strawberries! My fruit obbsession is even creeping into my dessert selections. A glass of red wine and chocolate covered fruit? Yes please. Easy enough right? And no one can resist. Melt some vegan dark chocolate, dip, wait with anxious anticipation, and devour!

Aside from fruit, another treat that spring brings is flowers. I can never resist buying flowers when I go to the farmers market. Particularly sunflowers. Sunflowers can make me happy anywhere, anytime. Someone recently asked me if girls really actually liked getting flowers from men...ummmm...really? DUH yes...flowers have some magical effect on us. I'm not even a sappy girl and I obviously welcome flowers from anyone! My sister came to visit a few weeks ago and brought I friend that I had never met. She is a florist and filled our house with the most outstanding lilies and tulips. The best part was that most of the lilies were wee buds when she placed them in vases. Then one by one they opened to reveal the most vibrant colors and life. I didn't even know I liked tulips until that weekend. Yasmine gave me a beautiful bouquet of purple tulips and white lilies. She also made some bad ass vegan cookies that I need to learn how to make and brought vegan challah--I didn't even know it existed and now I'm having dreams about it! Yasmine, you and your good vibes are welcome back anytime for kite flying and yummy food. On to some recipes! Since I am very bad at following instructions, I have a few original concoctions to share. Pizza of course--easy enough. I started with a vegan herb crust (store bought--the lazy way) and loaded it with a bunch of spicy stuff! This chipotle pizza is not for the meek! I covered the dough with a spicy salsa for the sauce, layered it with beet greens, kale, mini heirloom tomatoes, and topped it with red pepper flakes and hot sauce. Not the lightest meal but I think I had a rough day--needed to release my anger through cooking. But the end result was not too bad. Especially the next morning for breakfast! I love me a cold pizza!

Another delicious meal I recently made was an Asian noodle dish. My Aunt Mary made a similar pasta recently and I tried to recreate it with my own flare.

Ingredients:

Japanese soba noodles

sesame oil

liquid aminos

wheat free teriyaki sauce

sesame seeds

green onions

spinach

broccoli

I first sauteed some broccoli and spinach with the liquid aminos and green onions. Then I cooked up the buckwheat soba noodles and combined the sesame oil and teriyaki for sauce. Threw on the veggies and topped it with sesame seeds. So simple and soooo good. You can eat it hot or chill it in the fridge for a bit. I served it with mushroom miso soup and a side of seaweed cracker and wasabi peas. A very good Asian meal! I think it was even better the next day once all the flavors of Asia set in!!

Well that's all for now. Going to make some chewy orange, date, oatmeal cookies. Stay tuned.

coachella is my life

Recently I have found myself reaching for my 35 mm film camera instead of the digital Nikon I usually shoot with. When I shoot in film I choose my shots with more care and don't waste time reviewing pictures right after I take them. There is so much more excitement and mystery in film. I love the anticipation when developing and printing pictures. The shots that turn out well are special and I wish I could afford to always shoot this way. However, it can be time consuming and expensive. My last two weekend trips have definitely earned the special use of my 35mm. Actually it is my sisters old camera that I high-jacked and don't plan on giving back (sorry Whit)! So here are some of my favorite shots from my adventure at Coachella last weekend with my best and beautiful friend Ray. 

pineapple is my life

So finally after almost 5 years of living in Phoenix I made the trip to see the Grand Canyon. I can't believe it took me this long! Anyone who tells you that it's just  a giant ditch is highly mistaken. Truly one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen! So surreal and incredible. Definitely worth the trip. We made a few other stops along the way as well. There is an adorable little ghost town about 2 hours out of Phoenix called Jerome. I fell in love with this charming spots and can't wait to get my film developed. The town is a hidden gem with amazing views and a ton of culture. We tried some wine at Caduceus Cellars, owned by the lead singer of Tool, Maynard James Keenan, and featured in the documentary 'Blood Into Wine'. The wine was very good and the staff was extremely welcoming and fun. we also stopped into some galleries and even sat in on a glass-blowing demonstration. A very good stop on the way up to the Grand Canyon!

Caduceus Cellars

Glass Blowing Studio

Then we were off to the main attraction of our trip! We stayed in the Grand Canyon National Park at the Bright Angel Lodge and were able to walk out our door to the South Rim. Here are a few digital images from the trip.

Sunrise at Yavapai Point

Hiking the Bright Angel Trail

I took over 300 pictures both film and digital...much more to come!

Such an amazing trip! I can't wait to go back. One thing I do have to say about the trip is that there is not much in terms of vegan food in the park. Luckily I brought a few snacks but I mostly survived on grapefruit and trail mix for two days. But I do have some yummy recipes to share. I went through a cake phase a few weekends ago. It started when my neighbor asked me to make a pineapple upside cake which I have never tried before! But I was up for the challenge. We had a Friday night BBQ and it seemed like the perfect dessert to go with BBQ food. I also had a huge bag of blood oranges and decided to try some homemade sangria. My method was very random and I threw anything that sounded good in a big pitcher of red wine!

Beau's Blood Orange Sangria

2 bottles red wine (I used cabernet sauvignon)

4 ripe blood oranges cut into small wedges

4 shots blueberry vodka

a cup fresh berries (I used a blackberry, raspberry, blueberry medley)

I mixed all the ingredients in a large pitcher with ice and let sit for awhile. You can also add some type of carbonated drink to add some fizz. It turned out pretty delicious.

The pineapple cake was also pretty tasty and didn't last very long! The recipe is from a blog called Vegan Dream. (http://vegandream.blogspot.com/2007/10/pineapple-upside-down-cake.html) I left out the cherries and instead added shredded coconut to the batter and the top of the cake. It was a good addition if you are a coconut lover like me!

I made another cake the next morning with the rest of the blood oranges because they were going to go bad soon. This cake turned out a very weird color (slightly green) but was so moist and delicious! I left the glaze off the top just because. This blog is pretty amazing as well : Ramblings of a Vegan Man (http://veganman.net/archives/2009/01/18/blood-orange-cake). Enjoy!

Many more pictures to come from the trip! Canyons and cakes!

hiking is my life

This is a shot from a lovely little hike I took a few weeks ago. Well, it started out lovely, but two hours later a lost and confused Beau stumbled off the trail and into a residential neighborhood. It was my first time hiking at Squaw Peak and I was supposed to meet a group for a yoga hike. When it got canceled I figured I would just hike on my own-I mean how hard can it be when there are maps and trail marks etc. Harder than I thought apparently! The nature trail proved to be a bit boring as it was not very difficult, so I started on a different trail that had "loop" in the title. I figured a loop would bring me back to where I started. This trail was awesome and I got really into the hike. However, about an hour and a half later I checked my watch and realized I had a mani/pedi appointment with my roommates. I tried to finish the so-called loop and ended up asking a fellow hiker where the Dreamy Draw entrance was, where I had parked my car. It was not close...another hour trek over the mountain. So, I leaped off the trail and headed toward a residential neighborhood...sorry to whomever's driveway I intruded upon. I had to call my roomies in defeat and have them pick me up on 24th St and Lincoln. Needless to say, we were a bit late to our appointments and I was very dirty...sorry to the poor man that gave me a pedicure after hiking for 2 hours!

Anyway, onto some delicious food recipes!! Our soup of the week a pretty simple pea soup from the Soup Bible of Course. It was very vibrant green color and tasted amazing!

Fresh Pea Soup St Germain

Ingredients:

a small knob of butter (earth balance)

2 or 3 shallots

3 cups shelled fresh peas (we opted for organic frozen peas)

2 1/4 cups water

salt and pepper

croutons to garnish

1. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the shallots and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the peas and water and season with salt and pepper. (We also threw a bouillon cube in there) Cover and simmer for about 12-18 minutes stirring occasionally.

3. When the peas are tender, ladle them into a blender with a little of the cooking liquid and process until smooth.

4. Strain the soup and heat through without boiling. Add the seasoning and serve hot with croutons.

I made some croutons by cutting whole wheat sourdough bread into cubes, rolling them in olive oil and garlic, and sticking them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. YUM!

The dessert this week was three dozen chocolate chocolate chip cookies. I needed to gives some friends treats and also just have some goodies around the house! I used a very simple vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe and tweaked a few things. The original recipe is from Hell Yeah It's Vegan (http://hellyeahitsvegan.com/?p=2055). Very simple and easy recipe! I just added a few scoops of cocoa powder and a bit extra flour because they seemed a bit oily to me. Turned out pretty amazing!

Cannot go wrong with these chocolate classics! I also experimented with a few recipes of my own. I was going to a baby shower and wanted to bring a snacky tofu dish. Why not fry some tofu and stick some toothpicks in it? I used extra firm tofu and drained it by pressing it between two plates. Then I cut the tofu into bite sized cubes. I made a marinate with liquid aminos and sesame oil, and let the tofu sit in it for a few hours. Next comes the fun part. I stir-fried the cubes in a little bit of live oil making sure each side of each cubes was cooked until brown and a bit crusty. I served the tofu cubes on toothpicks with a wheat free teriyaki dipping sauce. I loved them...very good for entertaining!

Try 'em out! And don't get lost hiking :)

yoga is my life

Happy Baby! One of my favorite yoga poses. Every time a teacher instructs the class to go into happy baby I think of my beautiful niece Aven pictured to the left. She is definitely one of the happiest babies I have ever met. Speaking of yoga I took the most amazing class last night at LifePower in Scottsdale. The teacher, Anton Mackey led an exceptionally inspiring class that both kicked my butt and helped me let go of any stress in my life (at least for a couple of hours!). Great music, great energy, and truly challenging sequences. I practiced next to my friend Guru, who is a gorgeous yogini with some pretty fierce tricks up her sleeve. I recently took some photographs of her and wanted to share!

Beautiful and inspirational! So lucky to have such an incredible subject to photograph! Get out and try yoga if you never have !!! Namaste

curry is my life

So I know when you think of curry you probably think of some Indian style dish with veggies and rice-maybe something spicy-right? Well, you might be surprised or even disgusted to find out that the recipe I am about to share with you is actually for a cupcake. Yes-curry in a dessert. I stubbled across this recipe when I was searching for a birthday treat to bake for my roommate. I knew she likes coconut so I googled vegan coconut cupcakes and this appeared. I was very skeptical but I couldn't resist trying something so weird and seemingly random. I am very glad I did because the cupcakes turned out to be a hit and a recipe that I will definitely make again! Trust me on this one-they are goooood. There are three steps to these Thai Coconut Curry Cupcakes. Here is the link to the full recipe and process: http://thatsonetoughcookie.com/2010/05/08/coconut-curry-cupcakes. The first step is the curry cupcake batter, which is the part where the curry comes in. Second is the coconut creme filling-the part I thought Breanne would like. Lastly, you top it off with the tangy lime frosting. And of course some pretty garnishes (especially when they are a gift). I topped the cupcakes with some coconut shavings and a basil leaf. Beautiful, bold, and delicious!

As it is our Monday ritual to make soup and watch Gossip Girl I have a few very tasty soup recipes to share. Another part of my roommate's birthday gift was The Soup Bible edited by Debra Mayhew. A huge recipe book dedicated entirely to soups. So I suppose it was really a gift to our household as everyone has reaped the benefits of this glorious book. I also recently took a bread machine from my parents. Bread has been an amazing addition to Soup Monday-perfect for dipping! With the exception of one Tuesday (we switched soup day one week-not a smart idea) when we somehow botched the recipe and created a very unappetizing double batch of bean soup, all of the soups have been amazing. This past week we made Chinese Tofu and Lettuce Soup paired with buckwheat molasses bread. Very simple and so tasty!

Chinese Tofu and Lettuce Soup

2 tbsp peanut or sunflower oil

1 1/2 cups cubed marinated firm tofu (I marinated it in liquid aminos, sesame oil and umeshu vinegar)

3 scallions

2 garlic cloves, cut into thin strips

1 carrot, finely sliced

1 quart vegetable stock

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp dry sherry or vermouth

2 cups shredded Romaine lettuce

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a hot wok. Add the tofu cubes and stir-fry until they are brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Add the scallions, garlic, and carrot to the wok. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the stock, soy sauce, sherry, sugar, lettuce, and tofu. Heat through for 1 minute over low heat. Season to taste, and serve.

The buckwheat bread was also delectable and hearty. This is a very light soup so it was definitely nice to have some carbs to go with it. I found a recipe but had to change a few things to veganize it!

Buckwheat Molasses Bread

2 1/4 ts Yeast 3 c Bread flour ( I just used whole wheat flour) 3/4 c Light buckwheat flour 1 ts Salt 4 tb almond milk 1 tbsp vegan margarine (earth balance) 3/4 c Water 1 tbsp flaxseed meal whisked with 6 tbsp water 2 tbsp Molasses

Put all the ingredients in the bread machine, starting with the liquids then onto the solids. Use the whole wheat setting and you are good to go! Three hours later-yummy bread and a house that smells like heaven! The leftover bread is amazing with earth balance, cinnamon and sugar and coffee for breakfast!!

Bread, soup and cupcakes- I could live off of this combo!

guacamole is my life

Mole-totes amaze. I don't know when the abbreviation fad began but it has caught on and clearly is not going away anytime soon. During Nutcracker, all the dancers were going a bit crazy (hearing the Waltz of the flowers repeatedly all day long will do that to you) and everyone began making fun of the new slang. OMG, LMAO, totes, fab, and so on. It got so out of and at one point that we started abbreviating one syllable words...makes no sense. My sister even dedicated her entire twitter to "abbreviate very word in the dictionary and incorporate said abbreves as often as possible". Anyway, one fun-filled and drunken night at the Powell house, while cooking some incredible enchiladas, the abbreves got totes craze and ridic. The crew included the sisters of course (Whit, Smyth and I), Levi (brother-in-law), his friend Gerard, the lovely Hannah and little baby Aven, sound asleep upstairs as her parents hosted a rager. We were invited over for "mole and enchiladas, and totes the best hun-degree jacuz in Ag Hills". As we munched on chips and guac, drank a bit too much vino, and waited impatiently for enchiladas, the following tweets were posted- mostly by Smyth (you can follow her-Smymaster) and myself (I started an account purely to read Smyth's posts): "I guess giving away shrooms is kinda like a drug deal-lessons learned over a bottle of wine"

"You can edit a twit all day long-Gerard"

"I had to make sure he didn't puke on my banjo..."

"What kind of drugs did she do?...Not the skinny kind-Hannah"

"Who's Daniel?"

" 'scuse toot"

It was a good night-thank you Whit for cooking, Hannah for singing by the jacuz, Levi for dancing to the guetto blaster, Smyth for constant entertainment, and Gerard for taking a chance on the vegan food!

Chunky Guacamole

1 red onion

1 clove garlic

four large avocados

mini heirloom tomatoes

jalapenos

fresh lime juice

salt, pepper, and spike

pomegranate seeds

Mix it all together and what do you got- totes amaze mole. The pomegranate seeds are a nice touch-stole it from Barrio Cafe. You can also use dried cranberries.

Enchilada Sauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons self-rising flour 1/4 cup New Mexico or California chili powder 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 1/2 cups water 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder ( I used fresh garlic) 1/4 teaspoon onion salt (I used one fresh onion and sautéed in with the garlic) salt to taste

Directions Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour. Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.

When Whitney made the enchiladas she filled them with mashed potatoes and zucchini, which was delicious, but I made a tofu concoction the following week for my roomies. I sautéed onions and garlic in olive oil. Added black beans, greens beans, corn, extra firm tofu (crumbled) salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, hot sauce and a but of cayenne pepper. The filling was awesome! Fill 10-12 whole wheat tortillas with the tofu filling. Roll them up and place them in a large baking dish. Smother them in enchilada sauce and bake for 30-35 minutes and 350 degrees. Best served with Spanish wine or tequila shots (as pictured above)!

On the sweeter side, my most recent breakfast endeavor was crepes. I have never made them before so I was a bit scared but they did not disappoint. I got the basic crepe recipe from vegan yum yum- a blog that I highly recommend-there is also an iphone app !! Here is a link to the recipe: http://veganyumyum.com/index.php?s=crepe&searchbutton=Go%21

I used the basic mix but added my own filling. The hardest part was flipping the crepe of course! It took me a few times.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Do not get discouraged! I wanted something sweet so I spread some earth balance, squeezed some fresh lemon juice, and sprinkled a bit of brown sugar inside. I rolled them up and topped them with Marionberry Sauce-a syrup that Smyth handed off to me since I make so many pancakes!

A Saturday morning success.