Bonsai Bastards.

"Ouch!" cried the tweaked out hobo on the alley by Don's Doughnut and Pizza joint. As he bent over to pick up the ninja star, he was struck by another, and another, and another.

Paul, Joey and Liz spent a good 45 minutes folding about 50 origami ninja stars to attack unsuspecting shisters from the roof of Liz's apartment.

Just an average day in the life of a sushi roller...

october?

October. When did that happen? Well I guess 3 days ago. The craziness that has been summer 2010, is over. Although that doesn't mean there is a lack of excitment or new things in my life. The weather here in Arcata has been the same since July: foggy in the morning, 60 degrees, sunny for a minute, foggy, and chilly at night. I guess thats how October sneaked up on me.

I am finally settling into a bit of a routine, which is nice after living on the road in festival mode. I would say I have 2.5 jobs. I just started cashiering at the local co-op grocery store which provides mad bennies; I have been working at Tomo Japanese Restaurant (I have to wear a hapi coat to work); and occasionally work for Lydia's Lovin' Foods (bomb raw, vegan, gluten-free festie food).

Life here in Arcata is definitely a party, there is always some great live music, several seedy bars that are popular, warehouse circus parties, dub-step shows and the whole festival scene is within driving distance most weekends.

Things in Arcata are centered around the Plaza, which is pictured above. Zoe and I live a block north of the Plaza, above The Works (a record store) and across the street from HumBrews (best bar in town) and the Minor Theater (oldest in CA).

Whoops, just got around to the first blog...

So here we are in Laytonville, CA once again for our third Kate Wolf Festival. This year we picked up Linus Cloudbuster in Mono Hot Springs, and he will be taking a little vacation from the PCT to work on the rePSYCHology krew with us.
It's hard to believe we will be staying in CA after the festival.
But, we are jumping ahead a little bit. To start from the beginning...
On June 13 at 8:30 (boo yah Cathy, trying to say we couldn't get up that early), we jumped in the suby to head west. We said our goodbyes, turned on the radio, and the song we planned to listen to was already playing, weird, I know. 20 minutes later we decided it was necessary to name the suby Cecelia after Simon and Garfunkel's classic. From St. Michaels we stopped in Columbus, OH where we went out on the town, and spent our first night in the car. That is also when we decided not to sleep in the car again. Not so comfy. Anyway, from Columbus we headed for Pittsburg, KS to visit a semester at sea friend B-Payne. It was good times, and a really comfy bed. From Pittsburg, we headed to Boulder where we hung out with Alyse and tried to find a hula hoop for purchasing. It was unsucessful, but still very fun. Then it was off to Telluride (which deserves its own blog that we don't feel like writing right now).
So, KWF here we come.
lovelovelove you everyone.

Teleportation

Is it feasible?

and the Countdown has Begun...

after 2 finals, 1 portfolio, 2 essays, and 1 online assignment it's

17 days until Delfest

34 days until Zoe and I leave the East Coast 

My heart is stirring, I'm getting restless, summer is almost here!

Reality. What is it? It is only when we stop searching for truth that it finds us.  Live in the now, with your head above the fog, for it is the only thing you can do.   It is the acceptance of reality that can be healing and beneficial to our growth. There is something to be learned in all emotions, whether they be happiness, joy, fear, or brokeness.

2010 Adventure.

Zoe and I are almost to the point of countdown for our next big adventure. We are shooting to leave for Telluride Bluegrass Festival mid-June. We will be driving a subaru (hopefully, we haven't acquired one yet) out to Colorado then heading out to California for our second Kate Wolf Memorial Folk Festival and the High Sierra Music Festival. After festivaling, we plan to end in Portland, OR and remain there for an indefinite amount of time. Zoe will be attending Portland State University for her undergraduate degree, and I will be trying to find work and a place to live. 

Right now I don't have a set plan for what I will do, but the dream vision includes a sailboat, a marina boat slip, classes on sailing, and some kind of job. I have my heart set on learning how to live on a sailboat.  I would like to enter the Baja Haha Cruiser Rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas and eventually (probably not until next summer) making my way down to South America or maybe even a trans-Pacific to Asia. 

Hopefully I'm not dreaming too big.

kitchen murals.

After much debate, we decided on the angry rooster. Who has ever heard of a rooster that wasn't sassy? Mixed with Jack and the Beanstalk, some purple clouds and a cow incense holder, Mr. Rooster was not out of place. Welcome to your new kitchen, Mom and Pops!

weezy, zz, and ebie

Stacey-Lou aka Weezy, Zoe aka ZZ and I aka Ebie spent the day photo-shooting for my film photography course. It was great fun. We frolicked down Railroad Avenue in amazing outfits and visited Claiborne Beach.

Liz Lists

Lists. They're my expertise. Scribbled everywhere: my notebooks, pieces of paper in every jacket pocket, post-its on my mac, many times even on my hands. So the newest addition to the anthology of Liz Lists is the:

"Things To Do Over Spring Break." 

Complete An Entire Newspaper Crossword Puzzle Without Using Wikipedia

Invent A New Vegan Cookie

Find Somewhere To Camp-Out In St. Michaels

Ride My Bicycle

Find Sweet Subjects for 4 Rolls Of Film

(right now I am thinking of "Hands")

This adjustable list can be tweaked any way I please but, I'll keep you updated on which "tasks" have been fulfilled. 

Le Fro

Le Fro

(Throwback from 2007)

made me giggle

geoRiz weekend

The past 24 hours Geo and I have literally set up camp inside her house. We have made St. Patty's Day cards, cooked meals, done yoga, smoked hookah, done more yoga, ate some cookies we made on Friday, and watched movies. It has been such a relaxing few days after the longest week of school/work/and chores!!!
Breakfast: Beet and Potato Homefries, Icecream and Raspberry/Blueburry Compote
Lunch: Asparagus with a Honey Balsamic Lavender Dressing, Risotto, and a Salad
Dinner: Leftover Coconut Curry Soup
Snacks: Lemon Lavender Sugar Cookies

mmmmmmm mmmm good

adapted from a recipe from post-punk kitchen. these cookies are badass, vegan, and they've got a little kick. i might consider toning down the amount of cayenne i use next time.

Spicy Chocolate Snickerdoodles:

makes 2 dozen

bake at 350 degrees F

topping: 1/3 cup sugar, 1 t. ground cinnamon

wet ingredients: 1/2 cup safflower oil, 1 c. sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 3 T almond milk, 1 t vanilla extract, 1 t coconut extract

dry stuff: 1 2/3 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 t baking soda, 1/4 t. salt, 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/2 t cayenne

heres what you do:

1. put toppings in a plate and set aside

2. mix together wet ingredients, and mix dry ingredients in separate bowls. slowly add the dry stuff to the wet ingredients until the mixture looks cookie doughy.

3. roll into walnut, ping pong, or other small spherical shape and flatten into sugar topping mixture. place on baking sheet sugar side up, and bake for about 10 minute.

*important to let cool on pan for 5 minutes before relocating to drying rack.

Diamonds on the Soles of My Shoes

This weekend brought a new genre of music into my life.  I was privileged to see Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African Iscathamiya (is-cot-a-me-ya)  band. Since the venue was the Avalon Theatre in Easton, MD, I was not surprised to find myself and three others the only representation of music lovers under the age of 40. Regardless, the band was poppin', and the atmosphere inviting. The music originated with the self-entertainment of Black miners singing songs into the early morning hours of Sunday after a long six-day workweek.  The music incorporates many dance steps that involved a tip-toe-esque style, as to no disturb the camp security guards. Because of this style, the singing dancers referred to themselves as Cothoza Mfana or "tip-toe guys."  The tradition continued even after the workers returned to their homelands where it became a social competition throughout the Zululand of South Africa.  

It was in the 1950's that Joseph Shabalala showed talent for the art.  Joseph went on to start Ladysmith Black Mambazo which is now the 9 member band I saw on Saturday.  Their music influenced Paul Simon's album Graceland.  Everyone needs a little Mambazo in their lives, so CHECK IT OUT!!!!

Psychedelic Psaturday

I was skeptical. Georgia invited me to go to a friend's poetry reading with live art by Alex Grey. I had heard of Alex from a SAS friend, but was not super enthused to spend $30. Thank goodness I did. Not only did I get to see Alex Grey's work but I was introduced to ArcheDream for Humankind. They are an internationally touring blacklight mask and dance theatre company that communicates universal ideas and emotions to understanding and compassion. At least that's what it says on their website.  Anyway they had rad costumes, and were fun to view.  I also received the most beautiful face paint of my life.

NYC

After a week of playing in the snow and completing absolutely no schoolwork, Gabby invited me to accompany her on a trip to New York City to visit a good friend of hers from highschool. Without much hesitation, I bought a $38 roundtrip boltbus ticket to New York City. Boy was it the right decision. Martha is a fantastic cook, and created some pretty amazing meals for us. She lives in a sweet little studio apartment in Clinton Hill in Brooklyn. Staying at her place got me really excited about moving to Portland.
It was fun running around the city with Gabby and Martha visiting the West Village and the Whole Foods in Union Square. I consumed more coffee last weekend than I have in the past 2 weeks. Fun Fun.

pie=liz squared

i can feel the stirrings of great things with good people:

1-GEORGIA, my partner in crime, is BACK from tasmania (we hadn't seen each other since our cross country road trip to CA 7 months ago)!--we already have fun little projects in the works

2-i have a baking, juicing, craft, rummy buddy that lives just down the street. we not only share many interests but we have the same name---LIZ!

we bake pies

we buy 99 cent celery with slugs named herman

and we invented a badass juice consisting of:

carrots, cucumbers, spinach, garlic, and ginger

3-community/campus vegetable garden at towson in the works

on a sadder note: oliviero is being kicked out of my apt prematurely

(if anyone knows of someone looking for a cute, fat, nuzzler kitty, let me know)

Committed to Seriously Thinking About It

After a couple of weeks hanging out in St. Michaels--playing hacky sack, rummy, and harmonica, it was time to move back to Towson to get a job and settle in for my last semester of college! Weird. I am officially moved back to Baltimore, and "Why be less, when you can B-More?" I'm optimistic that these next few months in Baltimore will turn out fruitful for me personally, and I would like to rededicate myself to animal, environmental and human activism.

Yoga! It's great. Laura, Justine and I signed up for a month-long membership y Charm City Yoga. I've been going pretty much everyday and it is changing my life. Literally. It's great I dedicate every practice to an internal problem or to a friend that could use the good energy. Paired with rock-climbing, hiking, and jogging, I am on track to a healthier lifestyle. Its great. I'm practicing veganism again. It sucks that I had a relapse, but I can't take it back now, I just have change my ways. 

With advice from a dear friend, I have decided I want to be a do-er, instead of just a thinker.  So far I have taken the challenge to a bit of an extreme by agreeing to bike 41 miles down the YCH (York County Heiritage) and NCR (Northern Central Railroad) from York to Cockeysville with Nima. Although I completed the trek, and I am super proud of myself---my seat bones and knees are not pleased with this personal commitment at the moment.