climate prodigy coming to amnh

This coming Tuesday, Alec Loorz, 14, founder of Kids vs Global Warming, will be speaking at the Museum of Natural History. He was trained by Al Gore, and is his youngest US-trained climate presenter. (Not sure why the caveat of "US," Al must be busy training other kids around the globe).

Details on the event below.

And here's a little bit about the non-profit he started, from Alec himself. Spoken like a true 14 year old, and I mean that in a good way.




Tuesday, April 14, 1 pm
American Museum of Natural History
Kaufmann Theater, first floor

Alec Loorz, a 14-year-old from Ventura, California, founded Kids vs. Global Warming, a youth-inspired and youth-led non-profit organization, two years ago, after watching Al Gore’s movie, “An Inconvenient Truth.” Feeling the weight of the global situation and a sense that he could make a difference, Alec became an impassioned environmentalist with a desire to educate kids about global warming and empower them to take action. In this talk at AMNH, Alec will share his message of hope with an audience of students and Museum visitors. He will suggest ways for kids to get involved in protecting the environment. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

Last October, Alec was invited by Al Gore to be formally trained with The Climate Project and is now their youngest U.S.-trained presenter. Following this presentation at the Museum, Alec will be speaking at the United Nations during the upcoming “Global Partners for Global Solutions” conference on April 15.

lovefast day 4

Sorry this picture is all a-blur.

I'm high on raw, vegan spicy burrito. This stuff is amazing! (and I feel incredible).

Spicy Burrito: Lentils, parsnip, cilantro, oregano, coriander, jalapenos, cumin, chipotle, olive oil, lime juice, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, garlic, coconut, walnuts, sage, miso, bell peppers, flax seed, lemon juice, chili powder, black pepper, mesquite, sea salt

If you live in NYC and want to try it out, head on down to Organic Avenue, now at two locations:

LES
101 Stanton St (btw Orchard and Ludlow)

WV
43 Eighth Ave (btw Jane and Horatio)


The lovefast continues...

i think my cable's out by i don't care, except...

Last night I got home and there was a big fat goose egg on the display of the cable box. Didn't bother me any 'cause I haven't turned the TV on since my boyfriend's been in LA all week. Until now. I just read that there's a PBS special on Appalachia tonight. What's so special about that?

Well, for one: The Appalachians are the nation's oldest and the world's most biologically diverse mountains. Really? Go on!

The Appalachians are at risk for more mountaintop removal coal mining if the hungry coal machines aren't stopped. Find out more about this topic at iLoveMountains.org

Too bad I won't be able to watch the series, but I can read about it on the website.

Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People
Airs tonight @10pm on PBS
Check your local listings!


Thanks to Rob Perks on the NRDC Switchboard for the tip off.

buzzin' and a-bumblin'

I feel all abuzz and I'm going to thank the lovefast for it.

I'm also feeling buzzed 'cause the bees in NYC are getting some new attention. I've mentioned before that beekeeping is illegal in this crazy city... even pointed readers in the direction of a petition to make raising the little pollinators legal.

Well Brooklyn Based blog (3 bees!) has done me one better. Read all about the secret beekeeping societies popping up in NYC -- started, of course, in the bee-lovin' borough of Brooklyn! And find out how you can learn to be a beekeeper and reap the benefits of a honey harvest from your very own hush-hush hive.

Thanks, Brooklyn Based!

john masters awesome lotion

John Masters Organics Blood Orange & Vanilla Body Milk
Get on it, and get it on you!

Rich and silky with a scrumptious scent of blood orange and vanilla. What else is there to say other than, this lotion is awesome!

I guess I could also tell you that it's made with nothin' but the good stuff. See fo' yo'self:

Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera leaf juice) gel,* aqua (water), helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil,* coco nucifera (coconut) oil,* glyceryl stearate, glycerin, lecithin, allantoin (comfrey-derived), panthenol (vitamin B5), tocopherol, cyamopsis tetragonolobus (guar) gum,* retinyl palmitate (vitamin A), xanthan gum, kelp extract, silybum marianum (milk thistle) extract, symphytum officinale(comfrey) leaf extract,* chamomilla recutica (chamomile) flower extract,* camellia sinensis (white tea) extract,* arnica montana (arnica) extract,* lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower/leaf/ stem extract,* vanilla planifolia (vanilla) extract,* lonicera caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower extract, citrus sinensis (blood orange) oil,* citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel oil,* bourbon vanilla planifolia (bourbon vanilla) oil*

*Certified Organic by QAI/CCOF
Wild-crafted
Ingredients and products are never tested on animals.

It may be a luxury for some at $18 for 8 oz, but ya gotta pamper yourself once in a while.

artisanal and just food make a great pairing

I'll be at the Brooklyn Food Conference May 2nd, but if that's not your thang, check out this great event:

Saturday May 2nd, 3:00 - 5:00 pm

The Artisanal Premium Cheese Center
500 W 37th Street, New York, NY 10018

Celebrate the rich bounty of out local Northeast region as Artisanal partners with Just Food, to bring you the delicious flavors of local cheeses and wines. We will enjoy hand-crafted regional cheeses, and explore the rich tastes our region produces. Part of your payment for this class will benefit Just Food.

$85.00
Tickets available at Artisanal.

Just Food is a non-profit organization that works to develop a just and sustainable food system in the New York City region.

spawn of punky

Remember little Punky Brewster, cute and sassy chica -- snazzy dresser of 80s sitcom fame?
Alright, her name is Soleil Moon Frye and I think she's long been past the Punky phase. Anyway, a couple of years ago she launched an online kids' shop stocked with adorable eco frocks and essentials for the little ones. It's called The Little Seed. Frye and her partner (Paige Goldberg Tolmach) have created a marketplace where environmentally savvy parents can stock up for baby and learn about ways to create a safe, non-toxic space for their child.

They carry high-quality brands like Under the Nile and Kate Quinn Organics. Products include clothing, furniture, baby carriers, and toys. They also have a blog to keep you up-to-date on the shop and related eco stories.

(Psssst... Thanks for the tip, Ali!)

does anyone know php?

Okay, this is completely off topic. I'm working on the new website (http://raganella.com) and have hit a wall programming the blog portion. I've migrated it and all, but I need to create a custom theme to make it look all nicey-nice like the rest of the site. So my question to y'all is this: does anyone know PHP? or know anyone who knows PHP? I really just need someone to talk me through it. I've seen the online tutorials, but I need some live support.

Anyone?
Bueller?

let me clear things up...

I've received a couple of concerned calls about the last post. I just want to tell you all -- I am feeling fine! I guess I hit "publish post" without realizing that what I wrote sounded wan and desperate. Really, it's far from it. Right now, I am feeling fully satiated by the chocolate coconut macaroons I just ate. Feeling very full in fact.

(See, happy as a clam >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>)

It's like I said in the last post, during the day I feel a little whiny. There may be more than one reason for that: a) the fast seems the most obvious, b) lack of sleep (my honey's away in LA), c) PMS (hate to get that personal, but hey, dems da breaks), d) I haven't gone to Bikram in over a week.

At night, I feel great. Relaxed, at peace, what have you. Everything's hunky dory.

Okay, just wanted to clear that up.

Enjoy the evening!

PS, this is all about the fast, read more if you don't know what the hay I'm talkin' 'bout (or just scroll down and you'll get the picture).

fried chicken, get away!

Some of my colleagues are eating fried chicken. It looks and smells awesome. If I sit near them drool might start dribbling down my chin. I might push it off the table onto the carpet in protest. So I'm just going to enjoy my Ginger Almond Nori Roll -- alone. It's awesome, just in a different way.

I deliberately eat more slowly than I normally would (and if you ask my friends, they'll tell you I'm already a very slow eater). The finite nature of the day's meals make me carefully consider how I eat. I pay attention to each bite and think about how it will sustain me until the next course.

It takes me over 40 minutes to eat 6 pieces of nori roll. Normally, it might take me 10.

A bit later... It has only been about 35 minutes since I ate lunch and I am hungry and light-headed. What's that about? I just want to make some lemon ginger tea, but don't know if that's off limits right now. Anything to make these feelings subside. I guess I'll go and get a cup of tasteless hot water.

Can't concentrate. I think it's from the lack of sleep for the past 3 nights. I could use a nap.

I've noticed that during the day, when I'm working, I feel like a whiny baby. Bouts of hunger, bouts of wooziness, lack of concentration. But as soon as I leave I am calm, almost catatonic in my composure. When I get home, there is nothing to complain about, I feel good. And I look back and wonder why I was a whiny baby all day. It's more than the fast that's making me feel this way. There is a lesson in here somewhere... Don't work! ;)

What's this post all about?
Read my l.o.v.e. (live organic vegan experience)

day 3 of the lovefast - some pondering

"Die fünf Sinne" (The five senses), Hans Makart (1840 - 1884)

It's day 3 of the live organic vegan experience and I'm feeling fine, despite sleeping like crap last night. From now on, I'm going to skip the formalities and try not to bore you with the minute-by-minute report.

On my way to pick up today's 7 goodies, I was thinking about the art of raw food. It really is a creative venture in food preparation. The ingredients are wholesome and beneficial, each raw, whole food is selected for both its nutritional benefits and its flavor. The food is vibrant and colorful, indicating that it is rich with nutrients. The combination of elements almost seems like alchemy. The napa chipotle wrap I had on Monday was spicy, savory, and delicious -- you'd never know that it contained apricot, orange, and date. The falafels I ate yesterday really tasted like deep-fried falafel (without the grease) even though there was no cooking involved.

Eating is one of the only (if not the only) activities where you can experience all 5 senses. Sight: The color and patterns and topography are evident. They're part of what make food appealing. Would a strawberry be as enticing if it were pale pink or white instead of juicy dark red? Scent: The aromas coming out of the kitchen are sometimes enough to get me salivating. Sound: The crunch of celery on the cutting board is one of my favorite sounds. Chewing makes its own music. Touch: The feeling of ice cream as it cools the mouth, coats the tongue, and slides down the throat. The creaminess of an avocado. Taste: Savory, sweet, pungent, spicy, sour. If it weren't for flavor, would we enjoy eating? I know that if the food in this fast didn't taste good, I probably wouldn't be able to endure it.

It's noontime and I'm feeling kinda tingly all over. I try to hold onto this feeling. It kind of feels like being in yoga nidra, the yogic sleep.

Just as I was marveling at the lack of heartburn I've been experiencing, I think the little devil showed itself. I'm hoping it passes as soon as I sip down some veggie juice.

The "veggie vibrance" tastes a little different today. It's a little more muddled in color. I can't pinpoint which vegetable tipped the balance. I think it's carrot.

Still feeling the burn. I think last night's chocolate mousse might be to blame. It probably doesn't help that I ate it so late. I'm counting on some food to soothe the beast.

More lovefast musings in a bit...

feeling grateful

[Image: PaP67's Fotothing]

After the street tree bed gardening workshop at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (which I mentioned briefly in my last post and a related post), I had the rare opportunity to walk through the garden at night. Past the lily ponds, up the steps through the magnolia grove. The star magnolias in full bloom, the other pink magnolias (not sure of the variety) still partially tucked into their fuzzy outer petals, I take a deep breath to ingest their intoxicating scent. What could be better on a cool night such as this? To smell the messengers of an abundant spring, telling me warmer weather is just ahead.

Hanami, cherry blossom season, has just begun. A few weeks from now will be the Cherry Blossom Festival, Sakura Matsuri. But for now, I enjoy the early bloomers and the soon-to-emerge pink and white buds that will burst in the days to come.

I overhear some older garden members behind me talking about where the banana tree used to be, and some other nostalgia. I'm a member, too, but don't hold the memories that they do. It's all still novel to me. I could probably count on both hands and a couple of toes my visits to the garden. I know enough the layout of the place, but I'm saving space in my brain for more of it to leave a deeper impression.

Leaving the garden, passing Brooklyn Museum, I feel grateful. For the proximity I live to these sacred places. For the health I feel inside of me. For the solitude I'll enjoy this evening.

I look straight down Washington Avenue and there's the Chrysler Building, even more captivating than the Empire State Building, I think.

I enjoy the rest of my walk home. I savor the chill in the air. In a few months, I might wish for it. I might even summon it next week while in a hot, sweaty Bikram class.

I get home and call my sweetheart to let him know I'm alright. I excuse myself so that I can eat my chocolate mousse (course #6 for the day, pictured right). It's so rich and decadent, I can't finish it (wishing someone were here to share it with me!). The bitter cacao nibs stick in my teeth.

According to Organic Avenue, substances in chocolate that have been discussed in the scientific literature as pharmacologically significant, include: anandamide (bliss chemical), arginine (nature's Viagra), dopamine (neurotransmitter), epicatechins (antioxidants), histamine, magnesium, serotonin (anti-stress neurotransmitter), tryptophan (anti-depressant amino acid), phenylethylamine (PEA), polyphenols (antioxidants), tyramine, and salsolinol.

A neighbor is loudly playing some bad hip hop. It doesn't get me down; I think of what to counter it with - M. Ward or Bonnie 'Prince' Billy? Nina Simone it is.

I was going to save the mousse, but since I decided not to drink #7 (coconut mylk), I revisit it. I light a beeswax candle and sip on some calming tea. I finish the mousse as I write this, and almost regret it. I'm feeling full and it's late. I haven't been sleeping so well, and I don't want it to keep me up.

Time to step away from the stimulating nature of the computer. Bon Iver is lulling me into my relaxed self.

Going to read from the Yoga Sutras (Satchidinanda translation) and do some relaxing asanas.

More on the lovefast tomorrow, maybe with a little less detail.

Good night!

my l.o.v.e. - day 2 morning/afternoon

It's day 2 of the live.organic.vegan.experience, woohoo!

Related posts:

• my l.o.v.e. (live organic vegan experience)
• my l.o.v.e. - day 1 morning
• my l.o.v.e. - day 1 afternoon
• my l.o.v.e. day 1 evening
• another reason for l.o.v.e.

8:00 am - Start the day with fresh squeezed lemon and water. No adverse effects of note. Slept better last night, but still not great.

8:30 am - On the 2 train and feeling sleepy. Looking forward to dropping off the bottles from the day before and picking up my sustenance for the day. Another 7 meals waiting to be consumed.

Two things I appreciate about this journey. One: everything is prepared for me. Two: The vessels carrying the liquid and food for this week are either reusable (there's a $2 deposit on every bottle) or compostable (the plastic containers for food items say "compostable" on the bottom) - plus they're doled out in a reusable bag. I consider taking the plastic containers to a community garden for compost to see how long they take to break down. In a landfill, it would probably take years, but I guess it's a little better than regular plastic.


Breakfast is served.

9:36 am - After downing my energy elixir (and forgetting to photograph it) I start course #2, orange/grapefruit juice. I'm a little nervous about it because when I drink citrus before eating in the morning I usually get heartburn.

10:20 am - No heartburn and no hunger, I'm a little tired, but feeling good.

10:51 am - A little pang of hunger that's quelled by water.

11:20 am - Not really hungry. Not supposed to have #3 'til after noon.

11:42 am - Getting hungry. Head hangs heavy as I read about insomnia for a copywriting assignment. Definitely not helping.

11:59 am - Sssoo huunngryy. Time for Veggie Vibrance!


Liquid lunch (sans booze, though this would make
a great Bloody Mary)

12:04 pm - Sip, sip. Mmm Mmm good.

12:17 pm - Burps taste like this morning's energy elixir, which tastes like matcha green tea.

12:28 pm - I just got a craving for cheezy poofs. Fantasizing about Barbara's Bakery baked cheese puffs.

1:24 pm - GGggrrrrr goes the stomach and the brain. This too, shall pass (I was told to repeat this to myself throughout the day by the folks at Organic Avenue).

1:31 pm - Whoa woozy! I think it's time to eat.


Sunflower falafel. They taste better than they look in this shot.

1:47 pm - I want to pop these little falafel in my mouth and swallow them whole! They're dry, crunchy, and crumbly - and I don't want to waste one crumb. Tasty! Just like falafel. Though the initial touch to the tongue is reminiscent of coffee. This is what's in 'em: sunflower seeds, almonds, garlic, sea salt, scallions, yellow onion, tahini, parsley, lemon olive oil, coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne, shallot, black pepper, water, nama shoyu, scallions, parsley, red & green cabbage, red bell pepper. I think that might include the dipping sauce, which I'm tempted to eat on its own.

2:00 pm - After two falafels, the craziness is subsiding. I'm amazed at my reactions to hunger, and try to be really mindful of them.

So far today, I've had a hard time focusing. And the irritability thing has popped up, too. I put my greatest intention into not lashing out on people like a rabid dog. I find it less of a challenge to separate my hunger emotions from my response to others when I observe my feelings and let them pass.

2:30 pm - It's that time of the day when I'm craving something sweet. I know my friend has a boxful of chocolate in her office that she brought back from Paris, but I must resist, even if it is calling to me in French.

3:04 pm - Having some hot water to curb the cravings.

3:14 pm - Getting sleeeeppyyy... zzzzzZZZZZ

3:46 pm - One of my biggest pet peeves is when people where too much cologne (or perfume or scented lotion). Makes me sick! Especially now.
4:01 pm - Someone sitting near me is talking about food - all animal products. Chicken, potato salad, turkey meatloaf, cheese, salami, crab cakes. It's maddening! I imagine myself sitting at a big banquet table, like Audrey in National Lampoon's European Vacation, stuffing my face until I blow up like a balloon. I guess that's not very appealing.

4:22 pm - I'm letting my edamame salad warm to room temperature. I can think of nothing else but eating it.



4:31 pm - Mmmm... tastes like potato salad.

5:03 pm - Heading out for a Street Tree Bed Gardening workshop at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. More of the lovefast later!