DIY: Lemon Verbena Face Mist

A few weeks ago I went to the Altadena Urban Farmer's Market and it was such a lovely experience. I stopped by one of the vendors to see all the goodies she had for sale (which happen to be things that she grows.) I asked what those stems with leaves that got my attention were, and she said it was lemon verbena. The smell was dreamy, citrusy and sweet, powerful yet subtle. Powerful enough to have people stop and ask me what it was and where did I get it from.
When I got home I just hung it as a natural potpourri. It dried in about 2 weeks but I didn't want to do dispose of it, I wanted to make something with it. That is when I turned to a book I had bought at the thriftstore called "The Potted Herb." In it, I found a recipe for a face mist; these are the steps I took...

Dried lemon verbena

Witch hazel (this one is from Target)

I semi-crushed the dried lemon verbena leaves with a mortar and pestle

I filled a recycled jar (it's handy to keep some glass jars you have used and thoroughly clean them) with witch hazel and lemon verbena. This is to sit for 2 weeks in a warm area. It has been nippy out here lately, so I left it on my windowsill to get the bit of sun and warmth we are getting. After 2 weeks, strain and place contents in a spray bottle.

Enjoy.

Our hairy, four-legged children.

Growing up, we always had larger breed dogs, and small dogs weren't really my thing, UNTIL this yummy dog entered my life in 2008. She was homeless, dirty, filled with fleas, and yet, I was so in love; the connection was immediate. For the first time I would be taking a lot of responsibility for a dog. First thing I did was research on more natural and healthier approaches to taking care of a dog. I went to the library and I got a DVD by Gary Null about Holistic pet care. One of the things mentioned that really stuck, was the use of BHT, which you will see in some (namely larger "name brand") dog food. BHT is used as a preservative, but that same preservative is also used on tires. Can someone say, yuck? I also noticed one day while looking at a cereal box for humans that BHT was used for the box. No bueno. Gary cooks all the food for his pets, which is wonderful, however I tried it for a couple weeks and found it to be too time consuming to cook a small amount of food everyday. Since then I look for healthier dog food such as Newman's, Halo, etc. She gets a mix of dry and canned foods. Also, something I learned on the video was the benefit of flax oil for the dogs heart and coat.
Recently it hit me that I can make a larger amount of food, pack it individually and freeze it. I came up with this recipe and she loves it. I take out one serving and thaw it out the night before so it can be ready the next morning. Also, once I serve it, I pour a good teaspoon of organic flax oil on top of it (she loves it on it's own, but doing this makes one step less.) By the way, cats are carnivores not dogs, which I thought them to be; still giving dogs meat is o.k. but not completely necessary if it's something you don't agree with.

Nana's homemade dog food
1 cup organic barley
Water (check barley package for amount)
2 organic carrots, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled, chopped into chunks
1 yam, peeled chopped into chunks
3-5 slices turkey bacon, cooked and cut into smaller pieces (I prefer Applegate Organic Turkey bacon)

In a pot I add the water and barley and cook for about 15 minutes before throwing in the carrots, sweet potato and yam. I cook everything for the remaining time together (see barley package instructions for length of time of cooking.) Once cooked, I mash all together till in small chunks. Lastly, I mix in the turkey bacon pieces. And voila!

I then divide the servings into BPA-free containers and put in the freezer until ready to use. If you will be using all of the food within a few days, it should stay good in the refrigerator, but freeze if it will be longer than that. You can also double this recipe easily.

Wonderful Mini-Documentary

Shadeism from Shadeism on Vimeo.

Giving thanks...

I find the word gratitude a pleasant one. Even the way it sounds. It's a word that floats around but I've been hearing it alot this past week and I suspect it's due to Thanksgiving being around the corner. Ah yes, the one day where being thankful is emphasized. But wouldn't it be nice to practice gratitude on a daily basis? It can be difficult, especially since complaining, feeling negative and living life in constant motion is so darn easy.
Here are some tips I have come across:
For every bad thing that happens, think of 2-3 good ones. I had an experience a couple months ago where my car had a problem that a few mechanics couldn't detect. I do take responsibility for still driving around my car in such condition, and then one day it literally stopped, overheated, a mess. Deep in my soul I could've cried with all this happening, but the way everything went down I really could not help but laugh, laugh so hard I had tears in my eyes. I thought, I have 2 other people in the car and we are all safe and I managed to get my car home. It didn't mean that I was pleased as punch that all this occured but I really felt so much more calm and overall better.
Think and appreciate the journey your food took to get to you. Something as simple as an apple just didn't show up. It took soil and sun for the tree, the person that picked it, the person that delivered it to either a farmers market, a warehouse or grocery store and then you to get/purchase it. Whew! I believe if we could appreciate our food's journey we could have a better relationship with what nourishes us and pleases our palate.
Keeping a gratitude journal. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, a piece of paper or a notebook. Jot dot things that you are thankful for (preferably daily). It's the little things that make life so great and you can be thankful for something as simple as the person that held the door open for you.

Give thanks and celebrate your beautiful life!

Beyond Eden Art Show

The Beyond Eden Art Show took place on October 9th at Barnsall Park in the LAMAG. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was held in a huge space with so many artists represented. (There is a smaller gallery right behind it that I have visited prior to). Here are some of the pieces I really enjoyed.
I really liked the bee representation of this artist.

How can you not love a fish with that face? Well... atleast stare for a bit.

I loved this piece, especially since it was a PAINTING, looks like a picture right?

A saint for today? Major corporations like Coca-Cola, Budweiser and Pepsi represented here. Say word.

Mierda means shit in Spanish, so I just had to...

I grew up with a paleta man in my neighborhood. This was one of a two part painting. Which was titled "Mexican-American". The first one was an Aztec with the words "Mexican" on it and this was the second piece, with the words "American" on it. I found the visual to be pretty deep.

Fresh graf piece, this artist uses newspaper comics in the background; and can definitely be appreciated more in person due to detail.

Nazi gnomes, what the hell? I love gnomes and found it pretty hilarious.

Give alittle bit of yourself why don't you?

LA Free Store

This Saturday there will be a very cool community event where everything will be free. Yes, free. You bring stuff you no longer need or want, and take from what you may want that others have brought. It may not be new, but it will be new to you... enjoy.

Info:
You can go to their site here
Location: Casa Princessa Cafe 4527 York Blvd. Los Angeles, Ca
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

"Can Urban Gardens Create Community?"

From American Friends Services Committee:

Urban gardening has grown in popularity in Los Angeles. But is this phenomenon a passing trend or a sustainable reality? Hear various expert speakers working in the community, in schools, co-ops, and other publc spaces use urban gardens as a way to rebuild community. AFSC Los Angeles will also share its work in creating two gardens at local high schools as a form of peacebuilding. Following the dialogue will be a freereception for the opening of our art gallery exhibit, "Cultivating Spirited Land."
Speakers include: Mud Baron, the Green Policy Director for the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education; Connie DePaepe-Layton, Master Gardner and a leading advocate for greening Los Angeles; and Megan Hobza, a noted community leader in the field of time banking.

When:

Thursday, November 11, 2010 7:00 pm to 8:00 p.m.

Where:
AFSC Los Angeles Office 3rd Floor
634 S. Spring St.Los Angeles, CA 90014
(recommend parking at Joe's Parking Lot on 530 S. Spring St.)

Contact Information:
For more information contact: Anthony Marsh, Los Angeles Area Program Director 213.489.1900 x119 or amarsh@afsc.org

when in highland park...

Highland Park is definitely a place I have yet to explore, and going to Milagro-Allegro Community Garden was a great opportunity to take a look around (even if brief).
I had a new GPS and I'm the type of gal that reads manuals later. Like. Way later. I didn't know why it was taking me on a Tour de France Highland Park, and then hello! I realized it was on the "bicycle path" setting. The good thing about all that was driving by the Good Girl Dinette. It was so cute and it's simplicity is what actually made it stand out to me. I had set it in my dome that I would be returning back to eat there at some point.
At the garden the Good Girl was mentioned as they give their scraps to the garden to use for compost. They also mentioned that they use local and sustainable ingredients; already this place was sounding quite alright to me. Sis and I returned the following day, and boy was it yum to the tum. They serve Vietnamese food. I had the chicken baguette with spicy fries, sis had the vegetarian pho, we both shared the coffee brownie dessert and coconut pudding. The food was great. And will I return? Too late, I already have. If you're in the area I suggest you check it out too, even if you have to purposely drive there, this is a great spot to support, which in turn supports the community.

Good Girl Dinette

110 N. Avenue 56

Los Angeles, CA 90042

(323) 257-8980

Let's get crafty! Halloween edition

boooooo... It's that time again. Halloween. Time for pumpkins, candy, black + orange, and all things dark and eerie. Here is a cute and simple craft that can be used as little gifts or for party favors. I got this craft from Martha Stewart (her website is great for arts and crafts ideas). I present you: Pumpkin favor pouches for Halloween. I must note that I found it hard to find orange crepe paper, but did get my hands on orange tissue paper and used that. I kept the instructions the same by doubling the paper.

For party favors or treats on Halloween night, fill crepe-paper pumpkin pouches with tiny toys and candy eggs. To make a pouch, cut two 10-inch-diameter circles from orange crepe paper. Stack circles and put goodies -- candy and small toys -- in the center. Pull sides of paper up around treats to make a pouch. Gather paper just above the treats, and twist a little. Secure by wrapping green floral tape around the base of the twist, binding upward to create pumpkin stem. If necessary, trim excess paper before binding. Foliage curls can be made by wrapping floral tape around a pencil.Here is the one I made. I added some "pumpkin leaves" using green tissue paper. You can do that, or use the method used here with the floral tape.

Tip of the day...

photo source

Wallets get lost. Wallets get stolen. Cards get forgotten, or eaten by the ATM. And then.... you have to remember which card(s), the number and "Was it a Visa or Mastercard?" so you can call to report it. Not such a fun task. Which brings me to something that was told to me: make a copy of your the cards in your wallet, front and back. And if you can, write the customer service number next to it to make it even a smoother process.

Halloween Chocolates

A couple weeks ago sis and I headed out to Surfas in Culver City to attend their Halloween Chocolates cooking demonstration with pastry chef Jean-Marc Viallet (he is the pastry chef for the Disney Resort). As with all cooking demonstrations at Surfas, you get step by step visual of how to make the recipe, a recipe print-out and the best part, to taste it. Everything was delicious! You can't go wrong with these pumpkin and chocolate combinations. Below is the recipe for the pumpkin empanadas with chocolate chipotle sauce. Yes. It was special. And if you want to visit Surfas or get on their email mailing list to find out about all their cooking demos, click here.


Pumpkin Empanadas with Chocolate Chipotle Sauce Recipe
From the demo: Halloween Chocolates Recipe
Courtesy of Chef Jean-Marc Viallet

Ingredients:
Dough:
20 oz flour
10 oz cold butter
4 oz cold shortening
1 oz sugar
1/2 oz salt
1 cup ice cold milk
Filling:
8 oz of canned pumpkin
3 oz of sugar
Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg (to taste)
Egg for wash
For Chipotle Sauce:
12 oz of heavy cream
1/4 tsp of cayenne
Cinnamon stick
Vanilla bean
Procedure: For dough: Mix flour, cold butter and cold shortening. Add sugar, salt, ice cold milk. Mix just to combine. Place in a container with flour, let rest. Roll to 1/3 ” thick, cut rounds of 3″. Reserve.
For filling: Mix pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Deposit a dollop of filling mixture in the lower part of the dough circle. Brush outer side of the circle with egg wash, fold the dough to create a 1/2 circle and press the edges lightly. Bake at 350 for 10-12 mins. Serve warm dusted with powdered sugar.
For the sauce: Bring to a boil heavy cream, chipotle chili, cayenne, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean split open. Let infuse 5 minutes. Pour the hot cream infusion over 12 oz of 75% chocolate drops, mix well . Sauce can be refrigerated for 3 days. To serve reheat in a microwave or in a double boiler.
Serve warm as dip for empanadas.

Holistic Breast Cancer Presentation

Free workshop on Holistic Breast Cancer prevention and treatment offered this Saturday. You can register by calling 626-303-3300. Snacks will be provided by Whole Foods.

click to enlarge

when in brooklyn...

Wow, I can't believe it has been about 10 months since my visit to these two places I am about to recommend, but here you go kids.

First place: Madiba Restaurant

In reality Madiba was our plan B spot; I've been wanting to try Jive Turkey for quite some time and we end up going on the one day it's closed, and so off to Madiba we went (and I'm glad we did!) The restaurant is so cozy and colorful, perfect for the cold winter night in which we went to. We first ordered Amagwinya Vetkeok (fatcakes) a delicious fried dough served with marmalade. It stated "artery-clogging and delicious" it seemed quite right to give it a try. For the main course I enjoyed the Yebo Burger with salmon. Yum yum. The restaurant was a pleasurable experience in thanks to the company (my sister), the ambiance and food. Give it a try when in the area!

Madiba Restaurant

195 DeKalb Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205

at Carlton Ave.
718-855-9190

source

Secondly, Desserts by Michael Allen. This quaint shop is located in the Clinton Hill area. There is a seating area, a couple little tables and couch. The fam and I ordered a couple of the cupcakes, cookies, madelienes and coffee; all were enjoyable!

Desserts by Michael Allen

1015 Fulton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11238
718-230-3360

source

"I'm the kid who has this habit of dreaming. Sometimes gets me in trouble too. But the truth is, I could no more stop dreaming, than I could make them all come true."

-unknown

Introooooooooducing...

The first non-alcoholic beverage to ask for i.d.

Residents of the World

Whew, it's been a while since I have posted, but alas here I am. I have a few things I want to post, but sometimes I work in a matter of newest to oldest. With that being said, I will mention the freshest thing on my mind... I'll hit you guys on the next with some restaurant recommendations from December/January. Yup.

I was at a work meeting and we had someone from the census come to talk to us to get the word out to the families we work with. The speaker used the term "illegal immigrants" when someone in the group said, "it's not illegal immigrants, it's undocumented residents." The guy was like ok, and when he had a slip, he corrected himself and said undocumented residents. I do use the word immigrant(s), but don't really say illegal nor undocumented; however listening to this woman express herself in such a manner gave me a fresh perspective on using 'undocumented' should I feel the need to express the status of someone residing here from another country without papers. What I also appreciated was the knowing that we are all technically residents of this Earth. Borders were created by man, therefore creating this "power" in a country as to whom can be where.

I am first generation born in the States. I know and have known people that are undocumented. And while I don't get too involved in politricks, I do stay up on current events and the Immigration Reform is what's going on. I have felt bothered for a long time that people are so quick to talk down (and generalize) that it's immigrants taking away jobs, or that they shouldn't be here, yet it's those very same people that work here, that pay rent here, buy food here, clothes and extras, here. Do those very same people that judge, have anything to say about large corporations that outsource? These companies get employees in other countries because they can pay ridiculously low wages. Instead of trying to blame the working immigrant, look at the big picture and see not who is supposedly taking jobs away from you but who is taking them outside of this country.

Winter Cleaning

Every season provides a good reason to clear clutter or just "extra stuff" in our space. Literally and figuratively. You may want to begin, or you may have started cleansing your space and don't know what to do with the things you no longer want, or confused about whether you should keep it. I have a cut-out from a Self Magazine from a couple years ago titled "Clean Your Closet Quickly," that provides information on different options on what you can do on items you no longer use or wear. Because I don't have a scanner, I went on and re-created the chart- bootleg steez. Click the image below to enlarge it, it just might help you while sorting your home.

Monthly Focus

For the month of January
The focus is Principled
What people who live the learner profile display: They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.