deep thoughts

"Before you educate the head, try to educate the heart."

-Washington Phillips

I Was A Child Model

I was a child model. I did this for about seven years working on a weekly basis. I also did a lot of commercials back then. I was raised by a single parent, and she worked and went to school. Modeling was a huge part of how we paid the bills growing up. It always felt sort of ironic to me to working as a model, living in government housing  and wearing mostly hand-me-downs. Modeling was mostly fun, and the photos and commercials are now like treasures.

Sri Chinmoy Ghose

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

-Sri Chinmoy Ghose

Music and Nostalgia

There are certain albums that, no matter when or how many times I listen to them, will always remind me of very specific times in my life. They are by no means my absolute favorite albums, but they do remind me of some of my favorite times. These are just a few, and they remind me of falling in love with my husband, sharing a studio apartment with my best friend, driving around Mexico in an old VW bug with my first love and first moving to in New York City.

vegan pesto

My husband recently made some delicious vegan pesto. Instead of using cheese he substituted in cannellini beans. He calls it "Pesto Gaucho", and here is his recipe: two handfuls of flowering basil leaves, half a can of drained cannellini beans, three tablespoons of olive oil, two dashes of sea salt, four cloves of coarsely chopped garlic and black pepper to taste. Blend on low power to maintain a thicker texture. He did not use nuts, but suggests an oily nut like cashews or pine nuts if you want to add them in.

animal lovers

This month I made the decision to go from being vegetarian to being vegan. It is something that I have thought a lot about for years and ultimately made the change after watching the humbling documentary Earthlings. I have been struggling to find a way to incorporate this new aspect of my life into my blog. The problem is that I don't want to alienate people or become preachy. There are so many different ways that I could come across as judgmental even without intending to. I understand that being vegan is not for everyone, but I do think that being educated about "normal" practices should be. People in highly industrialized and developed societies can no longer make excuses for their own lack of knowledge. The information is right at our fingertips. It is up to you, the individual, to become passionate about your education and no longer justify detachment.

That said, I would like to find a way to focus on the positive aspects of being vegan rather than focusing on all of the appalling reasons why I made this change. I would like to share my recipes, thoughts, difficulties, tips, and lessons learned. I do not wish to judge people for eating meat. In return, I would like people who do eat meat to no longer be dismissive of the fact that animals feel pain just like we do. Acknowledge that they are wildly abused by the millions. This fact infuriates and sickens me. 

That will be it for my vegan ranting. This blog isn't about that. It is about sharing my random thoughts, passions and curiosities. I have been vegan for a very short period of time, and have to say that I already have noticed that I have more energy. I no longer have stomach issues, which have troubled me the majority of my life. I have eaten delicious meals all while becoming more creative and thoughtful in the kitchen. I am looking forward to adapting this new element into my blog. There will be many more food and recipe posts and other vegan randomness in the future.

just a thought

Before you can begin to find a solution to a problem, you must work to understand the problem. If you are not working to either understand or solve the problem, then you are most likely part of the problem.