Ex Libris Anonymous | Handmade Journals
On the days that I walk to pre-school I pass a handful of pretty awesome shops along the way that are never open at 7:30am. Walking home in the afternoon I’m beat from a day of singing children’s songs, and herding 12-16 little ones through their day of snack, play, lunch, art, snack and bathroom time in-between so needless to say I prefer to bee-line it home.
I finally stopped at the one store I was most curious about, Ex Libris Anonymous. A one stop, pick your vintage book and have it instantly made into a sweet little journal full of blank pages and a handful of the original story pages scattered through to fill with whatever your heart may desire. I selected one of my absolute favorites from childhood, Are You My Mother? by Dr. Seuss.
If you are in Portland I highly recommend stopping in and grabbing yourself an awesome vintage journal. Even if you are not in Portland don’t fret they have an insane website store you can select from and shipping is FREE.
Ex Libris Anonymous {order online} Find Them On: {Facebook} {Twitter} {Tumblr}
4185 SE Division Street | Portland, Oregon | 360-350-2927
Seriously / Love Monday : Food Coma
This weekend was pretty well planned to be amazing and even slightly productive. I worked through most of it, but I still managed to plant a round of my baby vegetable seeds in recycled egg cartons, and experience an after brunch “food coma” for the first time since embarking on this Vegan lifestyle (8 months ago). It was intense, took me down for a whole hour and would have been longer had I not had a sweet afternoon photo shoot scheduled with two wonderful people who have shared 8 years together.
I Love (!!!)
This, this, this, and this by Maggie Nichols she is an amazing artist/painter/illustrator in Portland that I will be spending a morning with real soon for some coffee, paint, talk, with my camera in hand shooting the whole way through. [Can’t even wait] Buy Prints, Like Her on Facebook, visit her website SimplyKumquat.com
Awesome twelve year in Seventh Grade at The Rachel L. Carson School for Environmental Science. I canvassed his parents house on Saturday afternoon and he was so excited about protecting Crater Lake National Park with Environment Oregon that he came along with me canvassing his neighborhood for my last remaining hours.
Biscuits, gravy, and a quality bloody mary in the company of my favorite person. Holy moly mackerel do they get down on the best food at GRAVY North Portland.
That the Leftist Party in Greek has taken a lead.
These non-white centric uses of the term “nude”
Vermont is now the first state to Ban Fracking, thats fracking awesome now for the rest of the nation to join in. [Here]
Los Angeles is the LARGEST city to Ban plastic single use grocery bags.
But, Seriously (!?!)
In 29 states it is absolutely legal to fire someone because they are gay, lesbian, or bi-sexual. In 34 states is it legal to fire someone solely for being transgender. {June 15-17 I will be putting in work at the Northwest Pride Festival in Portland for Human Rights Campaign to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.}
A passenger on board an American Airline flight was forced to change her pro-choice t-shirt that read: “If I wanted government in my womb, I’d [expletive] a senator.” It was the same message on a sign held by Oklahoma State Senator Judy McIntyre at a rally march. The Captain threatened that if she did not change her shirt that she would not be allowed to ride her connecting flight. She was forced to miss her connecting flight, then boarded the next available one out covering her shirt with a shall. {This is a joke right}? -nope
Too often I’ve knocked on a door to canvass a house and had a child under the age of 9 answer the door, as they shouldn’t do for strangers while home alone. Then when I ask to speak to a Mom or Dad they break stranger rule number two and tell me that their parents are still at work and will be home around 6pm. Yikes PSA on strangers??
JAMES BALDWIN 2012.
Seriously / Love Monday
Holy Monday, I’m not sure if I’m prepared for this week, let the deep breathing commence.
I Love(!)
- That daylight savings happened on yesterday which means two great things I’m back aligned in time with Arizona friends who don’t participate in the ridiculous act of clock switching. And!! Working as a canvasser we have one extra hour of daylight so I’m not such a creeper at Portlanders doors after dark.
- Canvassing for OSPIRG last week I met an artist from Los Angeles, relocated to Portland. He builds amazing sculptural pieces from paper, my favorite of the pieces I got to see was in their living room it covered the entire wall and was from a perspective I had never seen before. Looking beyond the Earth, but included awesome, hills, and mountains, trees and the ocean, but in the center was almost like a window to look through and beyond was the Universe we are a part of, billions of stars, and our neighboring planets.
- Sizzle Pie, it feels great to have vegan pizza options sold by slice!
- New friends especially the ones that share their bed so I can wake up closer to work until I find the perfect homestead where I want to be, thanks Evelyn.
- Sunny Days in Portland are the best, after spending years in the South West completely under-appreciating the amount of beautiful days during all seasons. We had some golden sunny days last week that it was imperative I stop and love the sun.
- Smart People.
- Take Back The Tap Watch DOT ORG
- VEGAN bagels and cream cheese from Kettleman’s Bagels (I inhale them).
- Since making the Vegan switch on October 24, 2011 I have shed a total of 50 pounds! Now to get cracking on some summer abs, and overall strength from good ol’ squats, lunges, and push ups.
- That I don’t need to look hard to find something to do for FREE or CHEAP, I just check out Evelyn Thorne’s badass and super informative event blog PORTLANDIA OF THE FREE(OR CHEAP) if you live in Portland or happen to be visiting definitely check it out to find out the “Weekly Haps” which include anything from: Naked Spelling Bees, Open Mics, Brew Competitions, Gallery Openings, Movies, Music, and Plays.
Seriously(?)
Hmmmm… there are too many things it would throw the love at the top off balance, so this week NO SERIOUSLY.
International Women’s Day!
To you, my favorite ladies, the Mommas, Grandmas, Aunts, and Sisters of the world this day is for you - I celebrate you and all that you do.
You are the maternal warriors, too often under appreciated for the hard work, struggle, compassion, and life you put forth in this World and for the Universe.
Love + Celebration,
Savanah
Vegan Adventures {Mobile}
Today I’m feeling extra special, I finally got my bicycle back from the shop and this day in Portland is the warmest and sunniest that it has been since I arrived in February. Unfortunately I haven’t spent much time at home or in the kitchen so today instead of a recipe I am giving a shout out to my absolute favorite Vegan Cookies in the world!!!
Uncle Eddies Vegan ‘Peanut butter Chocolate-Chip’ Cookies.
Made fresh and shipped out to grocery stores everywhere from Glendale, California. These cookies are GMO free, organic, and animal product free.
WARNING: After one cookie you won’t be able to stop.
Environment Oregon | Ban The Bag Campaign
A few Friday’s ago I shot some photos on the street of some awesome Portlandia People who happen to LOVE Portland’s Ban on Plastic Grocery bags. We will send the photos I shot, and the pile full more from the team out to our representatives to show them we have love and support for the Bag Ban.
There are 100 Million Tons of plastic and trash floating in the Pacific Ocean, maybe you have heard of trash island floating off of the Pacific Coast? Well its not getting smaller folks and with Oregonians (alone) using 1.7 Billion plastic grocery bags annually, that’s one great opportunity to cut down on our plastic addiction.
Enjoy some of my favorites, and below some of my favorite activists and I fighting the good fight for respect and dignity for the planet we all call home.
For more information visit: www.environmentoregon.org
Monday {Mobile}
Lately I’ve been everywhere and attempting to do everything. And so this Sunday seemed like a perfect opportunity to swallow my fear and face a snow covered mountain with skis. The last time I did was on my 16th birthday, the easiest practice part “bunny slope”, Sugarloaf - Maine. I pretty much cartwheeled down skis and poles flew. It was traumatizing, and the badass kids (11 and 12 year olds) on the lift heading much higher got an amazing laugh out of it.
This time, I’m nine years older and much braver I went for it… Not without asking the skiers beside me a few tips about going down. Lean mostly forward, snow plow to slow and turn. Good to go!
A Word On Herbs.
Last Tuesday I woke up for an interview and my throat was sore and glands were very swollen, it was difficult to breathe or even talk. I did my best to gargle as much salt water as I could since I am currently un-insured, I made a handful of phone calls to various “free and low cost” health clinics. All googled options were booked and not accepting any new patients, there was one clinic that I was referred to and was indeed taking new patients, but required that I go through a screening process and the next available date to schedule that pre-screen appointment is in April. M options we fantastic - a. go to urgent care and pay $50 to see a doctor or b. seek out this mysterious herb that I had googled that might help make it all go away for the cost of the herb.
The interview went beautifully and I was successfully working extra hard to make it appear that I was feeling at 100 rather than a 50. On my route driving home no more than a few blocks from the interview a makeshift “herbalist” sign caught my eye. I immediately circled the block and jumped out to see if I could find the magical herb that might clear my sickness away. I didn’t find the African Root, but I did find Bob, a 60-something year old natural path medicinal and herbalist. His sign outside was so “makeshift” because he literally had just moved into the new shop a day or so prior. We shared a bit of dialoge about my symptoms and then he told me he had just the combination to knock the sick out, then scurried around his half organized shop pulling jars of beautiful herbs to his table, took a seat and began to grind them together providing me with 60 capsules / $10 and instructions to take 6-8 per day for the next 10 days or so.
Barely two hours after I took the first capsule I could feel warming in my glands and the swelling began to go down, after a full day of this herbal fantastic-ness my throat was no longer sore and my congestion was a bare minimum without a runny nose. Its been 9 days now and clearly didn’t follow instructions well, because I still have a bunch of capsules left which is something he actually warned me not to do. I’d say today I am feeling at 90 and to completely squash this I will step up my capsules, and officially be amazed that for only $10 and a little more than 10 days I am healed.
Happy Birthday To Me.
Hello 25, I am ready for you!!
my mission: Be a balanced human, healthy and strong in mind, body and spirit.
Top 3 Goals for 2012:
- Be able to speak and write with 98% fluency in Spanish.
- Work toward completion of K-12 teaching credential program.
- Run {1} Half Marathon.
It is incredible to me how much my life has changed since my last Birthday:
- I live in
Los Angeles, CaliforniaPortland, Oregon. - I eat a C
arnivorousVegan Diet. - I am
in a relationshipsingle. - I weigh 50lbs less.
- I comfortably jog
1-mile6-miles without stopping. - I work in
the Architecture+Design Industry,a Non-Profit Environmental Organization. - I finally traveled through the South (leaving just a handful of states left on my visit list: Vermont, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, )
- I doubled my photography client count thank you amazing people who have given me the opportunity to document you.
- I own and ride a bicycle as transportation!! (Still figuring out public transportation.
- Successfully grew baby vegetable seeds through to a full harvest in my own urban garden.
- Over the last year I’ve made some incredible new friends that I intend to keep forever.
Cheers to 25, lower car insurance, and no additional car rental fees!!
Vegan Adventures :: “Beef” Stew
Beef Stew is one of my favorite dishes that my Mom makes and I love dearly! It was especially amazing on those cold winter days growing up in Maine - who doesn’t love a good beef stew? - Really!…Now eating a Vegan diet the traditional stew just won’t do (cheesy rhyming love it).
So I challenged her to create her amazing stew, but ex-nay on the animal products and she delivered something even more amazing than the real thing!! I bring you my Mom’s recipe for Vegan “Beef” Stew:
Serves: 4-6 people
Units: US | Metric
- ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 onion diced
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary , minced
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 12 ounces vegan beef , strips or chunks, thawed (vegan ground beef)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 4 ½ cups low sodium vegetable broth or 4 ½ cups broth
- 1 ½ cups dry red wine
- 1/2 red pepper
- 3 carrots , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 lb red potatoes , cut into 1-inch chunks
- ½ lb mushroom , cut in half (brown or cremini)
- 1 cup corn, frozen
Directions:
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Add the “beef” and toss to coat.
- Heat oil in a 4 to 6-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, “beef” mixture and cook, stirring consistently, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.
- Stir in stock, wine, and mushrooms. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, potato and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add the corn, stirring until the corn is heated through.
Seriously / Love Monday
Happy Monday - This weekend was great, we took a ride up to Seattle to visit with my Grandma and friends, ate vegan mac+cheese courtesy of my Mother and participated in “movie night”. Once a month a big bad handful of my Mom and Grandma’s friends gather at one persons home, everyone brings a dish for dinner, drink a little wine, and watch a movie together. I was a little surprised just how much fun I had, of course this is no ordinary bunch of people, they are all super socially/environmentally conscious individuals who all have amazing stories to tell, I’ve known most of them since I was a little girl, but only now do I appreciate them for their knowledge and wisdom.
I Love!!
- France defeats Monsanto’s genetically modified corn!! Read More
- This list of my favorite websites most eligible single staffers..including the director at the Onion.
- This sweet container you can live in check it out at (Dwell)
- My new hunter rain boots, I live in them.
- Favianna’s NEW print “Make Out Not War!”
Makes Me Say.. Seriously!!?
- Today is Valentines Day that only means to me that my birthday is in 2 days.
- July 1st interest rates on student loans will double! (huffington post)
- What I am wearing in that photo above, and the excitement I am exhibiting.
- The shade of white I have turned this winter is something I haven’t seen since I lived in Maine, I’m embracing it (I guess). And hoping for so much sun this summer.
- This online database lets you search names and carriers of STD’s (read more!)
Vegan Adventures: Chile Verde Enchiladas
Its safe to say that most of December late night were spent making delicious Vegan recipes to a bottle of wine with my favorite Phoenix people. Here is one of my favorites -so so good!!
Recipe courtesy of Elizabeth Villalba
Serves 2-4 people
Ingredients:
Corn tortillas, mushrooms,
avocado, 1 onion, 2 bell peppers, green enchilada sauce (you may use canned or see below for sauce recipe), Daiya pepperjack cheese, and Tofutti sour cream.- Preheat over to 350 degrees
-
Chop bell peppers into long pieces as well as mushroom and onion.
- Sautee the vegetables with a few big drops of coconut oil, garlic, salt and pepper until onions are When the onions , grab your deep dish and tortillas
To make Green Chile Enchilada Sauce you will need:
10 green tomatillos, 3 gloves of garlic, 1/2 onion, peppercorn, salt, and cilantro.
Boil 4 jalapeños and about 10 green tomatos in water until soft. When soft, grab a blender and put in all in, add 2 teaspoons of whole cumin, 3 cloves of garlic, 2 chunks of onion, cilantro, whole peppercorns, about half a tablespoon, and salt to taste.. blend and there you have it homemade green salsa!Have I Ever Told You How Much I Love February?
Well I do!!…and its not entirely all about the consumer holiday that so many participate in and buy mad amounts of chocolate and cards that are supposed to show the one you love, that you love them. I love the pink+red all over everyday. Since I can remember I’ve always had a secret count down party in my head for my Birthday, for the entire month of February I think I tell a person a day that its my birthday soon, or is, or was - being that its 9 days away the count down is on and cracking -Hooray for 25 and to all my fellow Aquarius born peoples (a favorite kind of people) HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
MNKR printed t shirt, $28
Dot Pac-a-Parka, $25
William Rast super skinny jeans, $70
Hunter boots, $125
Feather belt, $15
Essie Pink Nail Polish Shades Mademoiselle - 6pm.com, $8
